College Tribune Entertainment Supplement 25.01.2011
The Klaxons Interview Music
Lady Gaga? Who cares? Page 4
Movies
127 Hours Review Page 12
Fashion
Campus Style Examines UCD Fashion Page 8
2
playlist Beady Eye – ‘The Roller’ Being comprised of former Oasis members (minus major component Noel Gallagher), comparisons betwixt Beady Eye and Oasis are perhaps as inevitable as they are stale and unimaginative. That being said, ‘The Roller’ sounds quite like an Oasis song. Not to say it’s a sing-along rock ballad in their traditional style, but something about the nasal vocals of Liam Gallagher, the simple chord pattern and the catchy chorus (“Just call me the rollaaahah-ah-aah”) really does recall those halcyon days of “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory”. Listen and enjoy, just don’t expect innovation. Mánran – ‘Latha Math’ For those of you who don’t know (as I didn’t, until I found this song floating around on the net), Mánran are a recently-formed band that try to incorporate Gaelic traditions, Scottish folk and poprock elements. So, uh, good luck to them I guess. What we wind up with here is a vaguely pleasant sounding prototrad tune that’s unlikely to chart terribly highly (which is sadly due in part to the Gaelic lyrics) that owes more to The Corrs than The Horslips. Not awful, just too forgettable to make much of an impact. PJ Harvey – ‘The Words That Maketh Murder’ PJ Harvey is a rather marvellous English musician who, on this track, somehow manages to make a series of high-pitched yelps sounds extraordinarily good. Her ethereal voice aside, the addition of the brass and chorus lines in the chorus is sublime. As for the lyrical content, it seems to be a fairly straightforward and standard anti-war tale (“I’ve seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat” and “What if I take my problem to the United Nations” seem particularly telling), but if that’s the case it’s certainly better told here than I’ve heard in a while. Imelda May – ‘Inside Out’ Selected for single-dom from May’s latest offering; Mayhem, ‘Inside Out’ sounds wonderfully like a sort of ‘50s showtune. Specifically, I feel like I should be in a classy Las Vegas barroom listening to a full band belt it out. May’s vocals are throaty and sung with an audible relish, and the band’s talents are superbly showcased, rather than relegated to playing bland background muzak as is commonly expected of the kind of shitty pop shovelled at us nowadays. Well worth a listen. by Dan Binchy
Music
The Siren 25.01.11
The Specialist: Any ska, lad? by Tracey O’Connor
Although a very minor scene in Ireland, ska - from its peeled-back roots to its more recent aberrations, and the current regalia of mediocre cover bands - has contributed significantly to musical styles the world over. And rather surprisingly too, considering its origin on a Caribbean island less than half the size of Munster.The development of ska in Jamaica coincides neatly with the rise of that nation to independence. The emergent period of the late 1950’s - when ska was the confused embryo of American blues and soul mating with Caribbean mento and calypso - lasted until 1962, when British rule was renounced and ska exploded onto the social scene with vigour, exported to the UK and USA within a few years. Ska, like its regional and American reference points, was both a pathway for social commentary and a backing track to efforts for emancipation. These characteristics remained a strong element of the genre, until more recent third wave ska groups carried it from a subculture to mainstream popularity, where, much like the punk stylings of the time, it was massacred and abandoned, picked over by scavenging copycats and indifferent former champions. The skank is the real key to ska however, an offbeat upstroke characteristic of Caribbean styles, which offers a jaunty, almost optimistic backdrop to songs which often draw inspiration from race and class struggles, such as Prince Buster’s “They Got To Go” or Maroon Town’s “City Riot”. The frequent inclusion of vociferous brass and walking bass-lines, particularly in first and second wave groups, and early third wave groups such as The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, are also important to the ska sound.The flip-side to this laid-back, upbeat arrangement is a lamentable simplicity and the power to grate on the listener, especially if the tempo is increased and coupled with
Californian accents. If you wish to claim insurance on “accidental breakages”, stick on some turn-of-the-millennium Reel Big Fish or Aquabats, and test your endurance. Despite these shortcomings, ska experienced 30 to 40 years of popularity as an evolving but compact genre, and was responsible for the development of many styles, regional and worldwide. Rocksteady, reggae and dancehall, early dub, and toasting all find their origins in ska music and culture. These, in turn, became global and spawned ragga, dancehall and bongo flava, with a pronounced influence on hip-hop, house, dubstep and rap. Lyrics are typically in English, although peppered with distinctive Jamaican slang, and, as might be expected, ska was most strongly embraced in Anglophone regions, such as Australia and the USA. Surprisingly, the “ska wave” has hit elsewhere, experiencing particular success in Japan and Indonesia, where the style has been assimilated with more traditional influences, producing subgenres such as ska-dhut and J-Ska. Whichever way the music is interpreted or transformed into a viable independent genre, ska possesses an unusual trait for a musical style hailing from relatively obscure origins, as its corresponding dance styles were exported simultaneously. Or rather, it might appear unusual, until you try to sit through the likes of The Ethiopians’ “Train to Skaville”, or the classic “Rudy, A Message To You”, without at least a sporadic head-bop or finger-tap. Ska’s rhythms are infectious, irresistible even, coaxing the most painfully cool and aloof hipsters and tomato-faced, self-conscious teenagers into a loose-limbed sway. The ‘ska! ska! ska!’ guitar tones, paired with horns that amble along like a sprightly grandfather straight from a Werther’s Original ad, lull your body into an easy security, and
BAM! - there you are, shaking and doing ‘The Ska’ before you even knew it had a name. ‘Rowing’, ‘Running’, ‘Milking-TheCow’ and the oddly shuffling ‘MonkeyDance’ were the order of the day in 1960s Jamaican dancehalls - think ‘Grease’ meets Elvis Presley, and you’re somewhere in the region. Speed it up a bit with some second wave material such as The Specials, Selecter or the ever-popular Madness, and you understand why skinheads cherished their Dr. Marten boots. ‘Skanking’ comes into its own here – a diverse form covering all manner of dancefloor brutalities, from innocent ‘herking and jerking’ to playful ‘slamming’, ‘moshing’, ‘skank-pits’, and
more extreme ‘HXC’ or ‘striking out’, known to result in face-breaking and blood baths in certain parts of America. Wherever ska’s benign rhythms turn up, these dancing styles, or similar, present themselves as a matter of course. Some believe that the offbeat accents are rhythmically compelling, others that the universal appeal lies in the cheery ‘skank’. Regardless, when the likes of Neville Staples, frontman of The Specials, tells you he wants to see some of that “Ol’ MoonStomping”, resistance is not an option. The future of ska may be glum, with a bounty of poor covers knocking about, but the past contributions of this genre are pure gold.
The Siren 25.01.11
3
Music
The Scoop
Mogwai: “Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will” 6.5/10
Anna Calvi: Anna Calvi 8.5/10
by Graham Luby
by Simon Mulcahy
In November of last year, the world got a glimpse of Mogwai’s upcoming seventh studio release in the shape of “Rano Pano”. The first single from the album, available free from the band’s website, was an example of what fans of the Glaswegian post-rock outfit had come to expect - an unconventional chord pattern, roaming synths and hypnotic layering delivered as standard. However, it served as a mere taster to an album that diverges greatly from the genre that the band have helped to create. On their previous effort, 2008’s The Hawk is Howling, Mogwai satisfied their taste for the same lumbering artnoise that had helped to establish their reputation in the mid-nineties, and the resulting follow-up is arguably the most accessible record that the band have made to date. The album opens slowly, with the opening track “White Noise” unfolding gradually to reveal the lilting bass line of “Mexican Grand Prix”, before a complete change of direction in “Rano Pano”. It is worth noting that, at this point, every song stays south of the six-minute mark, further signifying a more conventional approach to songwriting. The most striking evidence of this is in “San Pedro”, whose shamelessly indie chord progression would ensure extensive radio play in a just world. The album then changes course repeatedly until the close, as ambient dreamscapes “Letters to the Metro” and “Too Raging to Cheers” rub shoulders harmoniously with the more typical feedback-laden guitar jams. When the amp fuzz finally dies down at the close of “You’re Lionel Richie”, not one word has been uttered throughout the entire disc, the band preferring to let their instruments do the talking. The result, while not an album that will grab the front of “Kerrang!” any time soon, is a pleasant exercise in power chords and pretty noises. Make this your study soundtrack this coming May.
I always feel slightly sorry for the multitude of artists that are put on the seemingly unending “Best of 2011” or “Hotly tipped new acts” lists, drawn up by out-of-touch executives each January in an attempt to boost artists’ sales figures at the start of each new year. As a result, I sympathise with the musicians, who are over-hyped and put under so much pressure that they crumble under the weight of it all. The majority of these acts are one hit wonders, but some are consistently, but quietly, making music under the radar, and are only entered on these meaningless hype lists as a result of some NME writer having a look through their nephew’s iPod during Christmas dinner. Thankfully for this review, and this writer’s sanity, Anna Calvi belongs to the latter party. Simply put, this album is an absolute delight. Within the first 30 seconds of the first song, the tour de force that is “Suzanne and I”, one can already feel the undeniably powerful presence of an artist who has been gifted with the ability of grasping the listener’s attention. Her passion can be heard in every note that is sung, from hushed and sobering musings to epic exclamations of pain and mistrust that bellow and echo through one’s mind long after the song has finished. Accompanied by instrumentation which sounds as if it has been created in the desolate wastelands of a long forgotten ghost-town, this is one of those albums that truly does transport the listener to foreign shores, leaving one feeling peacefully at sea. Highlights include the captivating “Rider to the Sea”, the haunting “No More Words” and the tragic beauty of “The Devil”. There are some songs that come across as having been tampered with to make them more radio-friendly, which sometimes detracts from the fluidity and pace as well as dampening the harsh and unforgiving atmosphere, but thankfully these moments are far and few between. It is plain to see that there is something truly special in Anna Calvi, and it would be very surprising if this album does not make her a household name by the end of the year.
James Blake: James Blake 7/10
Adele: 21
by Graham Luby
by Jonathan Barry
The past twelve months have been a whirlwind for James Blake. Since his filthy re-working of Untold’s “Stop What You’re Doing” in late 2009, the 22-year old, who once cobbled beats together in his bedroom, has rocketed into the stratosphere, attracting the praise of even the pickiest critic. The release of three landmark EPs have documented his transition from student upstart to ambassador for electronic music, and his long-anticipated full-length sets him in another league. Opener “Unluck” is an exercise in minimalism, a sparse click-track demonstrating Blake’s mastery of the use of silence, before gradual waves of synth threaten to overwhelm the listener. This reviewer, unfamiliar with the nuances of ‘post-dubstep’ and testing its waters with “Unluck”, was grabbed by the throat and dragged beneath the surface by the following track, “Wilhelms Scream”. Arguably the album’s most accessible song, Blake’s unashamedly auto-tuned chanting hypnotizes the listener, as a wall of feedback gradually closes in like a vice. So far so good, but the record is not entirely flawless. “Lindesfarne I and II” serve as little more than an interlude, as more echoey rambling and ornamental noises guide proceedings into “Limit to Your Love”. The album’s pleasant first single begins with clean piano and vocals, before Blake again feels the need to drown everything in filth. Womp-womp noises, while making sure to display Blake’s dubstep influences, really are surplus to requirements on this otherwise very listenable track. More filler then ensues in the form of “Give Me My Month”, before “To Care (Like You)” treats the listener to four infectious minutes- it follows a now-apparent pattern, beginning with clean vocals before seguing into something other-worldly. “Why Don’t You Call Me”, reminiscent of Antony and the Johnsons’ more recent work, is another pleasure that ends too quickly, before the listener is jolted awake with “I Mind”. Closer “Measurements”, consisting of little more than harmonised vocals and synth organ, acts as the perfect goodbye and ends the album on a high note. This album, despite the hype, will not break the top ten any time soon, but has more than enough clout to keep its creator in the public eye for some time yet. Watch this space.
As X-Factor season has come and gone, it seems a shame that such an audition-friendly album is released just a few weeks after the end of the popular talent show. Adele’s follow up to her 2008 debut album 19 - unimaginatively titled 21 - was anxiously waited on by critics and fans alike; if only to use it as a guide to gauging the success or failure of other popular female artists whose second albums are yet to be shown to the world (Florence, Marina et al). Teaming up with various producers - who nonetheless all appear to have been motivated by the fear of messing this up - Adele delivers an extremely ballad-heavy album that is petrified of taking risks, preferring instead to remain in chartered waters. The initial promise of opening track, and lead single, Rolling in the Deep, is dampened by the poor performance of the following tracks. According to the opening lyrics of this album, there is a fire starting in Adele’s heart, and for the rest of Rolling in the Deep we would be led to believe such a thing is true. Adele delivers a powerful rendition, and we are left giddy at the thought of an entire album packed with the same soul felt in this song. Sadly, this is not to be the case. Instead, she is either lost within a cacophony of instrumentalization (Set Fire to the Rain) or else the energy of the track peters out and we’re left with another generic ballad (Don’t You Remember). All hope is not lost however, with the tenth track Someone Like You, a yearning lament about a married man. This is by far the best song on the album, and Adele seems really let out of her cage on this one. She’s left alone with only a simple piano melody and all her lovelorn emotions. Her raucous and powerful delivery, gives the listener a genuine feeling of unrequited love, and is sure to some jealous looks from Duffy in her direction. Sadly my thoughts on this album echo Adele’s sentiments in this song. We both had a taster of something brilliant, yet we never quite hung on to it. By Jonathan Barry
4
Music
Beat the Early Season Blues, Get Out Jim Scully provides the perfect prescription to get over the new year by giving a low down on some of the best gigs coming to Dublin in the next few weeks. Roddy Doyle was once quoted as saying of Dublin, “it’s a big con job. We have sold the myth of Dublin as a sexy place incredibly well; because it is a dreary little dump most of the time. “ Nowhere helps to reinforce this theory better than the UCD campus on a grey January morning. Some days, when even the swans can’t be bothered showing up, one could be forgiven for thinking they had woken up in the surrounds of Erich Honecker’s Berlin. But things change, drab communist architecture aside, Berlin is now one of Europe’s most welcoming hubs of art and culture. Could Belfield offer itself up as a haven of culture to Dublin’s students? Of course. You just have to tear down a few walls first. In the meantime it’s probably worthwhile looking a little further down the road if your dreary little dump needs brightening. It’s always good to have something to look forward to, and the next month or so has a few musical gems to offer the residents of Dublin, so start stealing from tesco and save your money for these great gigs.
29th. If you don’t think he’s worth €21.50, You probably won’t be interested in shelling out €35 to see Imelda May in Vicar Street two days later. Unless you steal the till, your savings won’t be that great. Keep the next week or two quiet and you might have enough to get you through February which is a bumper month for great music. I can’t tell what everyone else wants to see, but I doubt you’ll find it in the student bar. So give it a miss for a while, cut back on the pints and spend your savings on one or all of the following, depending on how dedicated you are to sobriety. One not to be missed for many will be Wire who play Academy 2 on the 5th of February. The band were arguably one of the first bands to emerge from London’t punk explosion who were completely unaffected by the mohawks and fashionable anarchism. The band never have in the past and still don’t pander to the popular. They will still charge you €20 though. Just as unfashionable, are four men who are pushing forty, dress like your dad and try
Bringing January to a close is Chicago’s Felix Da Housecat, he plays Tripod on the
to play music like the kids, but The Hold Steady are more talented and energetic
than half the young bands out there today. Springsteen style storytelling tinged with seriously catchy rock n’roll from a bunch of old men higher and cooler than any of us, all for the price of €27.50. Complaints about ticket prices can be lodged with MCD at The Acadmey that night (Feb. 10th). Much cheaper, is Grandmaster Flash at The Village on February 18th. Ticket’s are €12.50, whereas tickets for Mogwai in The Olympia on the same night are €29. As expensive as that is, some buddhists spend years trying to transcend. It’s pretty much part of the package with Mogwai, and at €29 that’s a spiritual bargain. In last place is Sleigh Bells, arriving at Whelans on February 18th. Armed with only an iPod, a guitar, a microphone and a shitload of shiny leggings it’s amazing how much aggressive noise this duo generate, but they’re catchy as hell too.Tickets are €16.50, but earplugs are NOT included.
Lady Gaga: Who Cares? by Simon Mulcahy The year 2010 was owned musically by one person. She topped all the charts, sold loads of records, had a sell-out world tour - but most importantly of all, she climbed into a dead cow and forgot to get out of it before going to the VMAs. Now 2011 is here, and Gaga is nowhere to be seen, most likely hiding out in a mansion in the Alaskan mountains with a team of producers and PR slaves, working on what to do next. Realistically, how much time can she waste? With the likes of Ke$ha, Katy Perry and the rest of the robotic pop brigade on her tail, how much longer are her fans going to stick around for? If these people are fans of music which relies on catchy hooks of repeated moronic statements and stuttering cliché, then not long at all. Can she extend her power into the New Year and capture the world’s attention once more? I couldn’t care less. It seems that everyone has an opinion on Lady Gaga, everyone except me. I just don’t care, as dull repetitive music and attentionseeking outfits don’t excite me. I used to despise her, but later chose to ignore my deep feelings of discontent, after realising that I wouldn’t be able to force her into retirement by quietly hating her. Now, faced with actually having to write about this horrid, pointless wench, I find myself at a loss for words. I was driven to get into contact with a friend of mine who
happens to be a fan, in order to question her admiration for Gaga and give me some inspiration. Her argument: ‘Lady Gaga is so unique and amazing. She is an amazing singer and she can dance too. She has the coolest and most unique fashion sense and writes class songs.’ I will spare you the rest of this incoherent nonsense and summarise by saying that this ambassador’s speech has resulted in my conclusion that her fans are yammering idiots. This could be a possible explanation for her ridiculous success, but that can’t be true, as I have encountered many intelligent, self-sufficient, fully grown people singing along to Gaga’s numerous musical efforts. There are many people who enjoy this manic creature’s generic, mindless drivel so much that they buy her music and listen to it on a regular basis. I will admit that her music is contagious, but so is syphilis. I cannot understand her success, but it is something I will obviously have to come to terms with. So instead of trying to unravel the mystery behind the machine that is the Gaga empire, I will instead question what she means to us all, and what relevance she carries now that her year in power has come to a close. From what I can gather, after drifting through recent news features on L.G, she is not up to much at all. This leads me either to the fear that she is working on a new album,
or to reignite my unrelenting hope that she is dead. Seeing as we would have heard if she had died, one must assume the former, which puts the world in a sort of limbo. Many will be frothing at the mouth come the grand unveiling of her next video typically a smutty cheap black leather and pretentious arthouse imitation, with loads of ridiculous over-the-top choreography and sexual stereotype clichés in abundance (see the case study “Alejandro” video on YouTube). From what I have interpreted from the activity of her fanbase network, maybe people won’t care anymore. People mature and get older, realize that what they used to listen to is absolute tripe, and move on. I know this seems more optimistic than not, but one can hope at least. The more likely result, of course, is that she attracts the same audience, plus a few million more, and increases her net worth and popularity with her next album and tour. She makes everything bigger and better. She uses her fame to draft in a multitude of famous guest stars to appear on her album, which in turn increases her relevance, and raises awareness in other areas of music and so on and so forth, ever so gradually leading to the collapse of society. This is the undeniable truth. Lady Gaga is going nowhere, so your best bet is to do your utmost to blank it out until next Christmas.
The Siren 25.01.11
The Siren 25.01.11
5
Music
Let’s Get This Party Started With their debut album, The Golden Age Of Knowhere, released in america this week, lead-singer of Funeral Party, Chad Elliot, talks to Dan Nolan about the bands sudden rise and their upcoming gig in Dublin. A Los Angeles band who’ve recently come from obscurity to make waves on boths sides of the Atlantic, Funeral Party look set to continue to gain people’s attention with the release of their new album Their punk-styled garage rock music has earned them the praise of many critics, as they made it into NME’s ’50 Best New Bands of 2010.’ Ahead of their first headline tour, frontman Chad Elliot spoke about the excitement within the band and his own personal feelings about the time ahead, including an upcoming gig in Academy 2. “Yeah we’re really excited for it.The Dublin show is our first of the tour, so hopefully that’ll get us off to a good start. It’s a bit intimidating playing big gigs as the headline act for the first time, but we’re really looking forward to it.” Up until recently, the band only had experience of playing very small gigs, so Elliot was mindful that the transition to playing bigger venues as a professional act. Despite this difficulty and adjustment which the band had to adjust to, he believes they have now become at ease with this so-called pressure. “Well yeah, we mainly just had experience of playing in back yards or at parties with friends, where you just plug in and hope the cops don’t show up before you finish. We didn’t really have our own equipment or anything, we’d borrow a lot of out stuff from friends and from other bands we knew. So going from that to setting up on a stage with lights and soundchecks and all that, it took a while to get used to. But I think we’re kind’ve veterans to it now, we’re pretty comfortable with it.” The battle to make it in the industry is something that most artists and bands must experience, before hopefully making it to the big time. Elliot spoke of the band’s emergence, though was honest in admitting that being signed was not ideal and does not always end up being plain sailing. “We first got signed to Fearless Records. That came about when a guy who’d seen us play a couple of shows and had some contacts got us in touch with the guy who became our manager. And from there they started booking us kind of legit gigs and putting us in front of the right people. Next thing we knew we were signing contracts with Fearless. “Unfortunately we had some differences with them, ‘cos they wanted us to be the next At The Drive-In, but that’s not really what we were about. So we split with them and moved to RCA (A subsidiary of Sony) who had been interested in us. So that worked out pretty well.” Unhappy at the label as the new ‘At The Drive-In’, Elliot cited a lot of ‘post-punk bands, like Gang Of Four’ having been a major influence on his music, before revealing that the band have varying tastes. “James (Torres, guitarist) is really into bands
like Ratatat, and Kimo (Kauhola, bassist) listens to everything, really.” But it is ‘The Golden Age Of Knowhere’ that is the huge talking point at the moment in relation to Funeral Party. For every band, with every album release, the pressure seems to rise. After a lot of hype both in America and Europe in the run-up to the debut album’s release, Elliot admitted to feeling the strain of expectation of both the album and tour. “Well at the moment we’re really enjoying it, but there is also some pressure, with the album and the live shows. With the shows we really feel we have to sell it now. And it’s a big difference doing the headline shows, ‘cos before the most time we were ever on stage was about 30 minutes, and now they’re talking about hour-long shows, which is tough.” Elliot talked about the process of making the album, citing it took “three months in all for the music to be recorded, and then I had to go back and do a lot of vocal retakes.” In terms of the music though, Elliot revealed that in a day and age where most bands rely on the lead singer to provide the lyrics and music, the band wrote all the stuff together. “We all kind of jam together to figure out the tunes, and then try to work that into songs. I help in arranging it, or I might have an idea for it. The lyrics come last. I’m no poet, I consider myself as more of a musician. I just take the music and try to think of experiences it reminds me of, or a certain way it makes me feel.” For the band’s debut studio album though, the instructions of producer, Lars Stalfors, were paramount. The ways which the band usually do things were put to the side, and as Elliot reflected, it proved to succeed. “When we went into the studio, the way our producer wanted to do it was to have us each in separately to record our sections. He was really insistent about us being in the studio at different
times. I even tried to come in a day early one time, when the bass was being recorded, and he sort of kicked me out. That was a bit strange to us, but in the end it worked out fine, and it probably made the process go by much faster, for him and for us.” On the future of the band, Elliot expressed a desire to explore different sounds and not to become tied down doing the same things. A sentiment which most express, the tone
of Elliot’s voice differed from those who usually state this. “I definitely want to explore as many areas as we can with the music. Even as a singer, I don’t want to be pigeon-holed or associated only with one style. We’ve already started writing for the next album, and we’re definitely all trying to find different ways of playing stuff and new ways to write.”
It seems as though the success for Elliot and co will leave them partying for years to come.
Funeral Party play Academy 2, Tuesday 1st February 2011.
6
Music
It’s Not Over Yet
The Siren 25.01.11
After becoming the media darlings of the “new wave” movement, the Klaxons disappeared from the indie music consciousness. Now they’re back with a second album, an evolved sound, and a strong sense of their future, as singer Jamie Reynolds tells Dan Nolan and Simon Mulcahy.
The Klaxons arrived on the UK indie scene
When the Klaxons first appeared in the
in late 2006 amidst huge hype. After a string
public eye, the music scene they entered
of well-received early singles saw them
was flooded with bands modelled on The
gather momentum, they released their debut
Strokes and The Libertines, leading back
album, Myths Of The Near Future, in early
to their core influences of classic guitar
2007. While the record did divide opinion,
bands such as The Velvet Underground
it was a bestseller that also received critical
and Television. The Klaxons’ wild, high-
adulation from influential publications
octane electronic sound was completely
such as the NME, quick to label them as
out of the blue, and in high contrast to the
the frontrunners of the unfortunately-titled
garage-style sounds dominating the indie
‘new rave’ movement.
scene of the time. Reynolds admitted he
When the College Tribune interviewed
was surprised by the immediate acclaim for
him prior to their recent gig in Tripod,
their early work.
lead singer and songwriter Jamie Reynolds
“It’s something that we undoubtedly
spoke about the group’s formation and rise
wanted, you know, we always said we
to success.
wanted to be a pop band, we wanted to be
“Well, our story is that we formed and
as big as possible. But we knew our sound
immediately booked a gig for five days
was quite unusual for the time, so we didn’t
later, so we were under some pressure to
know how anyone would react. So when
write some songs pretty fast.The band went
[that] reception came it was a bit daunting,
from being an idea to a going thing very
but we were still really happy about it. If
quickly, it was really immediate. After that,
the songs we wrote weren’t being heard
we started playing gigs for London club
by many people they wouldn’t have been
nights and stuff like that. We knew a lot of
achieving their purpose. Our music is there
people who were involved in that kind of
for people’s entertainment, that’s the idea
thing from before we started, and once we
of the band: for as many people as possible
got on that circuit, they started helping us
to enjoy our music.”
out. And everything just took off really fast
The Klaxons’ eccentric lyrics are another
from there - stupidly fast really.”
aspect which has set them apart from their
7
Music
GIG REVIEW The Klaxons 23 November Tripod, Dublin
contemporaries. They seem more inspired by books, films and whatever else might strike a chord, rather than the work of other songwriters. Their debut album even took its name from a J.G. Ballard novel. Reynolds, the chief songwriter, revealed how things developed in their earlier days. “I think, with the first record, we tried to write in a more esoteric style, so as to give
The fairly confined Tripod venue is well
more back in terms of the lyrical content
suited to the Klaxons’ sound.While intimacy
of the songs. We wanted the music to focus
may not be a quality commonly associated
on something more than just our lives. So
with their music, the small area allows them
while the last record [2010’s ‘Surfing The
to fill the room with their invariably high-
Void,’ their sophomore album release] was
octane songs. They immediately summon
quite personal, that’s all wrapped up in [a]
up an energy which the audience feeds off,
sort of psychedelic metaphor. Most of the
making for a frantic live show.
songs describe something that was going
Lead vocalist and bassist Jamie Reynolds
on in... our lives around the time we were
sits in the middle of the stage due to his
making it, which wasn’t really something
leg being in a cast, apparently the result
we were expecting, it was kind of an
of a recent football injury. His immobility,
accident, but that’s just how it turned out.
however, doesn’t take from the general
We just end up writing about whatever’s
liveliness of proceedings
making our minds tick.”
Older song favourites such as ‘Atlantis
The success of Myths Of The Near
To Interzone’ and ‘Gravity’s Rainbow’ are
Future led to the band being awarded the
particularly well-received by an enthusiastic
2007 Nationwide Mercury Music Prize,
crowd. Songs such as these are probably
one of Britain’s most prestigious music
better represented live than on record, as
awards. Previous winners include indie
they do rely on a kind of noisy abandon
heavyweights Pulp and Primal Scream,
captured best on stage. Songs from their
while more recently the award has played
more recent record, Surfing The Void,
a part in the success of Arctic Monkeys and
also go down well. In particular, ‘Echoes’,
Franz Ferdinand. When asked if winning
‘Flashover’ and single ‘Twin Flames’ sound
the award had a game-changing effect on
great live.
the Klaxons’ career, Reynolds responded:
Predictably, the biggest reception is reserved
“To be honest it was more of the end of
for the band’s calling card, singalong-
the game for us really, I mean we didn’t do
ready hit, ‘Golden Skans.’ Again, the
anything after that. After that happened we
live performance is considerably more
didn’t release another record or do another
invigorating than the album equivalent. The
tour... That was... the end of that first phase
crowd reaction to the ‘ooh’ing choruses is
of our career.”
almost feverish.
But, when they returned to the studio to
Regardless of your opinion of the Klaxons’
record their follow-up, did the band feel any
recorded material, they bring an undeniable
added pressure?
sense of fun and vitality to the live arena
“Not so much, no. We still just viewed
that is lacking amongst many other bands
ourselves as a touring band, we’d spent
of their ilk. They’re also admirably averse
about a year doing that, and it’d pretty
to irritating between-song chat, which is
much become our lives. Then we just went
always a bonus.
off and enjoyed ourselves for a while with
When they eventually leave the stage,
no pressure whatsoever. We then put some
their audience seems fairly drained, but
pressure on ourselves to write a new record, and we wrote the bulk of it in a four week period after that. We actually wrote a lot of it in a ten-day period, we wanted to get it done fast. So generally, we don’t [feel] much pressure - I mean, we see our jobs mainly as [enjoying] ourselves and [to] have fun making music.” Watching the Klaxons soundcheck before the gig, it was evident that they still do have plenty of fun while playing their music, despite having now spent a lot of time on the road. “Well yeah, I see it as being very important that we keep in mind we’re really just a bunch of idiots trying to entertain people, and not taking ourselves too seriously. If we weren’t having a good time, the gigs wouldn’t be fun for the audience either, and then what’s the point?” After the success of Myths Of The Near Future, it was probably expected for the Klaxons to try and continue their momentum by releasing its successor in the next 12 to 18 months. However,
nonetheless appreciative of the experience. Surfing The Void did not emerge until
new music we’ve created, we’re really happy
he’ll take that and apply it to his warped
August 2010, three-and-a-half years after
to have brought that into the world.”
mind, and there it is. Our main input is
their debut. During the long delay, there
When
would
really that conversation between him and
were reports that the band had completed
consider following a more psychedelic and
me. The video for ‘Twin Flames’ is one of
an entire record, only to have it rejected
experimental path in the future, Reynolds
his most striking yet, I think - we’re really
by their record company for being ‘too
pragmatically responded: “Well, although
pleased with it. Although showing it to your
experimental’ and taking their progressive
the future’s something we have complete
parents is another matter.”
stylings too far. The band then reportedly
control of... and are working on, I’ve learned
In hindsight, many would agree – the
went away and recorded a new version of
it’s not really something to talk about. We’ll
Klaxons are a band not suited to the parents
the album, which became Surfing The Void.
just keep working and see where that takes
of many people.
Reynolds’ version of the story, however, is
us.”
different.
The video of the Klaxons single, ‘Twin
“We originally wrote a few songs that fit a
Flames,’ is difficult to describe, and appears
kind of style that we were happy with and
to be a slightly disturbing depiction of
that we liked. But then, when we tried to
some form of conjoined orgy It makes for
write more songs that would fit together
unsettling viewing, and caused plenty of
with those to make an album, we weren’t
comment at the time of its release.
happy with the work at all, so we had to
Pressurised to finish the interview before
rethink. Our label felt the same, that the
the band made their way onto the Tripod
first attempt at the album just wasn’t really
stage, Reynolds was quizzed about the
working. So we were given more time
inspiration for the video.
to try and create something different. In
“Well usually it works through Saam
hindsight, we’re really happy with the
(Farahmand). He and I have a conversation
decision, and we’re really happy with this
about the song and what it’s about, then
asked
if
the
Klaxons
fashion
8
The Siren 25.01.11
Spring/Summer 2011 Roisin Sweeney gives us a heads up on what to expect for the upcoming season. This spring, fashion is still revelling in its love for minimalism, and also introducing a loose and flowing seventies’ line. Marc Jacobs, for both Louis Vuitton and his own line, as well as Phoebe Philo for Celine, remain the innovators of the moment. The stand-out trend for spring is the long, or mid-length, draped skirt, often shown with a seductive slit. Lanvin’s versions in parachute silk give us high-octane drama, while at Pucci and Marc Jacobs, the skirts were pure seventies’ glamour, often with flounces, and always full of motion. Jill Sander paired full-length skirts in vibrant colours with simple black or white t-shirts, in what was a beautifully executed, minimalist collection. This look is likely to make it onto the high street this season, and will hopefully break the body-con mindset we’ve had ground into us by Balmain for the past three years. Looks that could be easier to translate for the masses are shoulder cut-outs and sheer panelling, as well as deep, plunging V-necks.
Rodarte and Yves Saint Laurent gave us two very different examples of how cut outs at the shoulders could be seductive. Rodarte’s interpretation was incredibly structured, with tailored garments which had perfectly angled panels removed from the shoulders.
Campus
Style
By Danny Lambert
From Left: Aisling Flowers (Age 18) 2nd Economics & Politics Favourite Shop: Penney’s Style Icon: Zooey Deschanel Michael Love (Age 19) 1st Science Favourite Shop: TK Maxx Style Icon: Akon Rose Brennan (Age 18) 1st Arts (English & Drama) Favourite Shop: Harlequin Style Icon: Twiggy
Yves Saint Laurent approached the trend in a seventies’ way, making a teardrop-shaped cut-out, and allowing the material to drape elegantly over the arm. Sheer panelling remains important this season, with the best examples to be seen at Proenza Schouler.
This should be a big hit on the high street, as people have become familiar with the idea over the past few seasons. Colours and patterns this season will likely be inspired by Muiccia Prada, who showed us minimal nineties’ shapes in bright block colours and playful fruit and monkey patterns. This trend will be given heightened relevance by Anna Della Russo’s well-publicised fruit hats. Vibrant jewel tones, as seen at Louis Vuitton, will also be important colours for spring. Feather trim, as shown at both Alexander McQueen and Chanel, would soften the look when paired with the somewhat brash colours of the season. Another trend that will be easy to warm to is ballet style clothes, a look inspired by the Rodarte costumes in the film ‘Black Swan’. Dancewear wasn’t a major runway trend, but as with the turbans in ‘Sex and the City’ last season, ballet looks should make an impact this spring. Minimalism, although still dominated by
Celine, was done beautifully by Francisco Costa at Calvin Klein. He made incredible use of the flow of materials, and everything was impeccably cut and often to midilength. Much of the collection was done in white, on a par with Celine’s showing. Although still retaining her minimalist aesthetic, Phoebe Philo added some fringing and draping into her Celine collection this season, as well as an unusual patchwork. Minimalism will hopefully gain greater prominence on the high street this season. However, with this trend, the quality of material used is vital, and this is something that Penneys and Topshop don’t excel at. Spring/Summer 2011 heralds the early trends of a new decade, and I believe the collections showed a renewed vigour and life, which will hopefully continue. The looks were bright and appeared to come from a hopeful mindset, a good antidote to the economically negative end to 2010.
fashion
The Siren 25.01.11
9
New Year, New Skin Regime By Laura McNally If there’s one New Year’s resolution you’ll definitely benefit from making this year, it’s following a beauty regime that will keep your skin looking flawless and glowing. Taking care of your skin by cleansing, toning, moisturising and exfoliating regularly are essential if you want to achieve a fresh-faced look. Start off your day by cleansing the skin using a wash and warm water. If you have sensitive skin, be careful when choosing beauty products, and avoid products which contain perfume. ‘Simple’ do a great range of affordable products for skincare and have no added perfumes or harsh ingredients. Splash some warm water on your face to begin, this will open the pores in your skin for a deep cleanse. Rub some wash on in circular motions, paying particular attention to problem areas, such as round the nose and chin. Next, take a small facecloth and soak it in warm water. Rinse it and wipe away all
face wash on the face. After you have done this, splash your face with cold water to close the pores. The next step is toning. Using a cotton pad, wipe some toner onto your face. Next, it’s time to moisturise. Rub the moisturiser in circular motions on the face. Make sure to spend time rubbing it into the skin, so it absorbs as much of it as possible. Wiping moisturiser on the face and leaving it to dry will not have the same affect if you don’t make sure to massage it into the skin! Now, you’re ready to apply your make-up for the day. For night-time, it’s important to spend some time removing all traces of make-up from the face. After cleansing, the toner will help remove any traces of make-up which were left behind from cleansing. If you have acne-prone skin, skip the moisturiser at night-time and instead apply some acne cream. If you suffer from mild skin problems, try some tea tree or witch hazel. For more intense acne, try some stronger
Chic Fruit/Tropical prints Unleash your inner Katy Perrywith this new, fun trend the minute that spring arrives.
topical ointments or creams which can be prescribed by your doctor. If you have dry skin, use moisturiser. E45 do a great range of moisturisers designed specifically for very dry skin. Exfoliating is also a very important part of skincare, as it removes all traces of dead skin cells which build up on the face. It is recommended that you should exfoliate the skin 1-2 times a week. St Ives and Simple have great exfoliating products. For a homemade exfoliating mix, pour some
honey into a bowl and add a small amount of sugar. Rub this gently on the skin. Remove using a warm damp facecloth and apply moisturiser. Visit your local beautician which stocks Dermalogica products, for a personalised intensive skin regime. The products aren’t cheap, but they last for at least four months. Not only that, but they will leave your skin feeling brand new. Dermalogica cater for all skin types and their face masks make your skin feel like silk.
Who’s Gaga and who’s not? With fashion extremes seeming to have no boundaries, Alex Fingleton investigates where the normality begins & ends. Sanity is a grey area. It can be defined as adhering to the general consensus of a community where any deviance becomes an attribute of insanity. In a world where being unique is considered successful, but being different is failure, this sounds like a contradiction. Designers strive to position their lines as unique compared to competitors, whilst also attempting to remain in line with the criteria of what’s acceptable to be worn. When Lady GaGa performed at the O2 in Dublin, thousands of fans dressed in imitation outfits of her signature looks. Her day to day attires are identical resemblances of her onstage costumes. It seems like since her small appearance in The Hills, she has rocketed to a style icon. Switch to Ke$ha, whom the jury is still out on regarding sanity. Glitter, questionable wardrobe decisions and stupid hair? The GaGa recipe? Not quite. There is one large difference between these people. Lady GaGa has the respect of the fashion community. She has made tributes to famous fashion icons, such as Michael Jackson, in her outfits, as well as referencing haute couture as inspiration for her costumes. By generating a unique personality, whilst keeping within trends and styles of the past, she has now become an inspiration or muse for many young designers. Ke$ha is just different. Fashion has always been about pushing boundaries. Considering women who wore trousers one hundred years ago were considered ‘deviant’, this demonstrates that something perceived as odd, insane, different or obscene today may be our
grandchildren’s attire. As with this fashion statement, the first woman to wear trousers had done so in an attempt to encourage and publicise equality between men and women. More recently we have seen the use of condoms to create full dresses for a campaign promoting awareness of AIDS. The artist Adriana Bertini, who worked as a volunteer with HIV-positive children in her native Brazil, designed these to communicate that condoms should be a basic necessity, equivalent to the clothes you wear. Among many other things, Charlie Sheen has become somewhat famous for wearing his pyjamas in public. In the 1990’s, he would arrive at the most prestigious clubs and restaurants of LA wearing what he liked to call “leisure suits.” The star now earns $2 million a week from his CBS TV show, Two and a Half Men, but still insists on this behaviour. On the surface it appears exiting rehab so soon wasn’t the best idea, but he logically explains it as finding it pointless to get dressed to just change again when he arrives at work for shooting the TV show. This doesn’t explain why he turns up at restaurants in his leisure suits - but fast forward to modern Ireland, and it isn’t uncommon to see women in their pyjamas doing shopping in 24 hour supermarkets, or dropping kids off at school. Lady GaGa is always the one to watch for pushing boundaries and unique appearance. Many say she is ahead of her time, and her unwillingness to compromise is admirable. She dressed like this before she was famous, and her credibility has been generated from
her integrity and genuine fashion choices. However, my mind is put at ease in the
knowledge that I’ll be dead by the time my grandchildren are wearing condom dresses.
Anna Dello Russo perfume Fashion hot shot Anna Dello Russo released her very own fragrance which comes in a quaint golden shoe. Check out the ad online for a glance at her stunning apartment which is crammed with drool-worthy pieces. Russian Hats From Russia with love; these furry accessories are so stylish, and yet, very practical. The bigger, the better.
Eek The Return of the Flare How many times is there going to be a flares revival before the message gets through?!
Sale Leftovers They’re there for a reason. Unless you’re handy with a sewing machine, I think you can manage without the size 18 denim cat suit.
The Royal Wedding The English press aren’t going to stop talking about it until it happens, and they might not stop even after the big day on April 29th . Snoozefest.
by Aoifa Smyth
10
The Siren 25.01.11
All in the Name of Charity Kelly Nwaokorie explores the beauty of the Charity Shop. Charity shops used to have a reputation for being stuffy, oldfashioned and unlikely to hold anything of value. However, opinions have been transformed in recent years, with the rise of vintage fashion and bohemian chic. Especially now, as the global recession kicks in, more people are seeking to find bargains and stay out of debt – and a browse in a charity shop is one piece of debt advice that should not be ignored. The obvious appeal of charity shops is that they are gloriously cheap – however, this does not mean that their goods are any less worthy than regular high street brands. In fact, most of the clothes given to charity shops were previously available on the high street, and most of them are only a couple of years old. It is not unusual to find an item of clothing with a familiar label on a
charity rack, for only a few euro. And this, in a time of monetary hardship, is not something to be passed by. Charity shops often have bargains, and it would be foolish not to snap them up. Another ‘win’ for charity shopping is that such shops are not only finding bargains, but are helping worthy causes at the same time. The ethical benefits are abundant: what could be bad about spending money in a charity shop, and knowing that the benefits will be seen by those less fortunate? Spending money on the high street serves only to line the pockets of CEO’s and businessmen, not to mention the stories of sweatshop workers who are paid a pittance to make the mass-produced clothes that are sold in their droves. It must also be noted that charity shops don’t only sell used clothes
and books. They also often stock large ranges of accessories that are brand new and not sold anywhere else. The most common of these are scarves and bags, and an increasing amount of charity shops are now stocking jewellery, which – because of its place in the charity shop – is usually very cheap. The pieces are often handmade and unique, so they are unlikely to be seen in any high street chain shops. Dublin City is awash with charity stores, here are a few if you can’t seem to locate them! Otherwise, ratemyarea.com is a very useful website for locating charity shops in your local area – you may be surprised with the outcome. So before you decide to fork out €60 for that dress, have a gander in Oxfam or the likes. What’s the worst that could happen?
Oxfam Books · Parliament St Oxfam Charity Shops · Citywide, including Georges St, St.Anne St, Dundrum Enable Ireland Charity Shops · Citywide, including Georges St, Camden St Irish Cancer Society Charity Shops · Citywide, including Camden St, Capel St CASA Shop Charity Shops · City Centre, including Capel St, Mary St Goodwill Thrift Shops · City Centre, Capel St Gorta Charity Shops · City Centre, Capel St, Liffey St
Ode to Louboutin Every girl turns her head when they catch a glimpse of those famous red soles. Marguerite Murphy tells us why. As I write this article, Louboutin’s
following Louboutin’s previous roles
showgirls on display in burlesque clubs.
online shop is kindly informing me
within various fashion houses, but this
These seductive influences are present
that there is exactly 151 days, 8 hours,
famed brand is now hugely recognised,
in all of Louboutin’s collections, which
38 minutes and 39 seconds left in the
featuring heavily on every red carpet
entice window shoppers with their
countdown to his Spring/Summer
event, in the media, in Hollywood
needle-pointed stilettos, patent leather,
2011 collection. As shoppers browse
films, and bad Jennifer Lopez songs.
occasional fringing, studs or glitzy
From here it appears Louboutin’s
two acclaimed FFANY awards, a nod
the website, they are welcomed by
The most striking feature about the
embellishments.
interests in fashion develop into
to his fantastic craftsmanship. Perhaps most notably, in 2002 Louboutin was
the image of Louboutin himself, a
Louboutin is the signature red sole
But as the young Christian Louboutin
freelance work for noted fashion
seemingly
who
which is greatly recognised culturally
spent his days dreaming of the
houses such as Chanel and Yves Saint
the first, and only, external brand to
magically levitates the words ‘SHOP
as a symbol of ultimate luxury in
exuberant, seductive nuances of the
Laurent, earning him status in its own
work with Yves Saint Laurent and
ONLINE’ in mesmerising neon green.
footwear; a touch stemming from
cabaret he visited late at night, he fell
right. After the first Parisian Louboutin
feature as a design collaboration, a once
Frankly, it’s entrancing, if not a little
Christian’s
with
upon his main inspiration, an image of
boutique opening in 1992, the brand
in a lifetime opportunity.
creepy. Clicking on it, millions are
a bottle of Chanel rouge nail polish
a lone stiletto slashed with a red line to
is quickly snapped up in established
What’s better, the Louboutin brand
forced to sigh at the precious gems he
backstage at a show. These red soles
warn ladies of the impact of their heel
department stores, opening standalone
doesn’t gender discriminate, featuring
has cultivated through leather; wistfully
come with a status that is lusted after, as
marks upon the African and Oceanic
flagships across the globe, making
footwear for both men and women, all of which are luxurious, colourful and
sinister
character
experimentations
dreaming about how good they would
their creator, who aimed ‘to make shoes
Art Museum’s floor. This silhouette of
Louboutin the word on every fashion
look in such beautiful footwear. He
like jewels’, has established the ultimate
both the showgirl’s female form, and
follower’s mouth. Not just a passing
adorned with various decor to ensure
knows how to captivate women and
fashionista’s symbol. So let’s take a trip
the sharp stiletto, form the backbone of
trend, the high prices on Louboutin
they do not blend into a crowd. Sadly,
men alike into the luxury of his red
down Louboutin memory lane… The
his collections, even in the men’s range,
shoes derive not from their A-list status,
with a starting price at around €375,
soled beauties, he knows how to make
history of the Louboutin is just as racy
which feature both velvet and studding,
but from their quality, ensuring they are
I might have to slip back into the
you buy them, and by God, he knows
as the sky-scraping heels, the collections
much like the interior of his teenage
both long-lasting and provide comfort
Converse…Maybe when the first
how to make shoes.
being the brainchild of a man who, at
haunts. By just looking at the curves of
in even the most vertical of heels.
post-grad pay cheque comes in. Sigh.
Surprisingly, the Christian Louboutin
the age of twelve, snuck out late at
his stiletto you can see a channelling of
Their artistry has not gone unnoticed
150 days, 2 hours, 19 minutes and 54
the curvaceous feminine body.
and Christian Louboutin has received
seconds to go.
brand was only launched in 1992,
night to take a glimpse at the Parisian
11
The Siren 25.01.11
Here Come the Girls Talking to final year economics student Louise Johnston about her new found fame, her final year in UCD, Donie O’Sullivan asks the 22 year old Clonskeagh girl, ‘how fake is Fade Street?’ Louise Johnston is like many UCD-educated South Dublin girls. She studies Economics, she has been on a J1, she wants to visit Thailand, and she has worked with various promotion companies for a number of years. However, unlike a typical UCD student,
Louise – along with her co-stars Danielle Robinson and Vogue Wilson – are the focus of a national television programme. Fade Street has been relatively successful in the ratings since it first aired before Christmas, and has become the guilty pleasure of many young men and women across the country. Some viewers may have flinched at the thought of watching what was perceived to be an Irish version of MTV’s The Hills. Although the show does resemble its MTV counterpart in many respects, it is far more humble – the two stars of the show, Louise and Danni, are often seen arguing about dirty dishes in their city centre flat – and it is perhaps more realistic, as the show’s stars all work jobs that are not necessarily ‘glamorous’. But how did an economics student become Ireland’s answer to Audrina Patridge? Louise, who is in her final year in UCD, was spotted by a producer whilst working as hostess at the front door of Krystle nightclub, the popular semiceleb haunt on Harcourt Street. When the concept of the show was first pitched to her, Louise was reluctant to get involved. “I think anyone would be a small bit reluctant, you’re really putting yourself out there, and if you don’t have the proper relationship with the production company, you’re not going to be happy with the way you are going to come across in the show.” However, after a bit of persuasion, she was convinced that it would be a bit of fun. Although she may not have an interest in pursuing a career in economics when she completes her degree this year – laughingly remarking, “I wouldn’t want to be responsible for the future of our economy” – Louise realised from an early stage that “You run on money”, and has held down several part-time jobs for most of her time in UCD. She worked at Krystle nightclub for some time, commenting on the famous people she met: “To be honest, the more famous people get, the more sound they are and down to earth and less trouble they tend to be.” As well as being an active member of C&E in her early years at college, Louise also did promotion work for various companies, and was one of Red Bull’s “Wings Girls”, often seen driving the distinctive looking Red
Bull car through campus. Reflecting on her time at university, she remarked, “The best days were the ones where you would spend the whole day in UCD, from seven in the morning putting up posters to staying in the student bar until one o’clock in the morning.” Fade Street’s critics say it’s all scripted, but Louise is quick to dispute this. “There is absolutely no script, it’s so annoying, ‘cause you have to keep saying it, but there is no script. I honestly wouldn’t have the time to be learning scripts, I’m very bad at learning things off – hence why I have had to repeat a few exams here and there.” Although there may not be a script, participants in the show are given some direction. “It’s called constructed reality drama, so situations are going to be constructed. because they have to. For example, in episode one…I had never met Vogue in my life but we had to go to the Stellar interview together,” said Louise. The show does blur the lines between reality and “constructed reality” somewhat, and is unique in the sense that it not only features those who were cast by the production company and put together – such as Louise, Danielle and Vogue – but it also features some of the cast members’ real-life friends. The infamous Paul was Danielle’s boyfriend before the show, and Harrison, who we saw Louise dating in previous episodes, is a friend of hers from UCD. However, although the main stars had not known each other before filming, they did become good friends. Louise’s first meeting with Vogue was striking. “I was never told there was going to be another girl doing the interview, so I was in shock when she walked in the door at Stellar. I was like ‘Jeez, I’m up against a model who has had a lot
more experience in the fashion industry than I have.’ But when we finished filming those scenes, and I was having a chat outside [with] her… she was so nice and down to earth that I knew straight away that we were going to get along, but there was still going to be that sense of competition, because we ultimately didn’t know who was going to get the job at the end.” Speaking about Danni, Louise was a bit more hesitant, saying that they did “clash… Even physically, we are on different ends of the scale, she is more gothic and tattooed and I am not at all – [but] she is lovely, she wears her heart on her sleeve.” As for Danni’s ex-boyfriend Paul, who developed a cult following online after his appearance on the show, Louise remarked, “On and off camera he was quite hard to talk to.” Watching herself on television is at times a cringeworthy experience for Louise. “We filmed that months ago. Just imagine, on a night out like the other night, being filmed drunk and your friends show it back to you a week later – you’re like, ‘Oh God’.” In the first episode, a nervous Louise congratulated the editor of Stellar Magazine after she was given a position at the publication at the end of the interview. She still gets a bit of slack from her friends for the gaffe. “All the time, people come up to me and say ‘Congratulations,’ and it is funny, I would love to see how other people say stupid things in interviews... You just have to be able to laugh at yourself.” Although the programme hasn’t been received well by some, Louise says, “Overall it’s really positive feedback, rarely would you get someone coming up and being rude to your face.” “We know what Irish people are like, they are more likely to come up to you when
they have had a few drinks on them in a social situation. then when you are walking down Grafton Street.” “Sometimes. when you film out in a public place, especially when we did the Oktoberfest one, that was really annoying, because people were really drunk and they were jumping out in front of the camera. So it wasn’t that we had to keep repeating what we were saying, we just had to stop because people are waving and saying ‘Hey Mom!’ “The younger crowd come up to you during the day, and they are always really sweet.” With filming completed for series one, Louise seems hopeful that a second series of Fade Street could be on the horizon. “Fingers crossed, there is a lot of positive feedback from RTÉ at the moment, so we probably won’t know for another few weeks or months.” Until then Louise is trying to keep her head down to complete her final semester in UCD, but she still has a busy schedule currently helping to manage the Grafton Lounge at the weekends, working for a friend’s beauty distribution company, “Distinct Distributions”, and she has also recently signed up with Assets Modeling Agency. Having missed the UCD Ball last year, she is determined to make the event on the last day of term this April, and although she claims “there is nothing I would change about my time in UCD because I have had a really good experience… I am definitely going to hang up the academic boots, even though I don’t think I ever wore them that much.” Fade Street is produced by Straywave Media and airs Mondays at 10.50pm on RTÉ Two.
12
The Siren 25.01.11
Musical Captures Potter Magic by Aisling Flynn Review - Harry Potter the Musical - Friday 21st January 2011 The UCD campus was swept up in the
missed. Moving out of their usual
fail to impress. Despite only having 24
definitely the highlight of the show,
but not least the conjoined character of
magic of Harry Potter in the form of
venue of the black box theatre in the
hours to rehearse dance numbers, learn
introducing each of the characters.
Professor Quirrell (David Mulrooney)
a 24-hour-musical. Dramsoc’s latest
Arts Block, Harry Potter The Musical
lines and practice songs, the entire
Harry
first
and Voldemort (John Kelly). The two
event, in aid of the charity Community
managed to fill most of the Astra Hall.
ensemble gave a surprisingly seamless
appeared in a spotlight singing a soulful
spent the entire show tied together in
Outreach, was an event not to be
From start to finish, the cast did not
show. The opening number was most
lament about how he must get back to
an oversized cape, and managed to sing
Hogwarts. Within ten minutes he has
a duet on top on such restrictions.
arrived at Hogwarts and is surrounded
All in all, for a group of people who
by his friends, including Ron (Zoe
were admittedly sleep deprived, there
Reynolds) and Hermione (Nicole
were almost no slip ups. At one point
Doyle). One can most definitely
the three main characters all referred to
overlook the fact that the two male
each other as Hermione, but this just
leads were played by women; it was all
added to the fun! The show’s director
part of the fun!
Katie-Ann McDonough and producer
(Molly
Standout
127 Hours
O’ Mahony)
performances
came
in
Mike Gallagher should be commended
the form of Draco Malfoy (Sarah
on being able to rope together a show
Hamilton), who spent most of the
of such a high standard in just 24 hours.
show rolling around on the floor,
If this is what Dramsoc can muster up
Professor Snape (Ben Waddell), who
in a single day, I look forward to seeing
had the audience cracking up, and last
what they can do in the future.
The King’s Speech by Cailean Mallon
by Ryan Cullen
‘The King’s Speech’ follows the Danny Boyle’s newest feature explores
an
uninhibited
adventurer
travails of Prince Albert (Colin Firth)
the real-life story of Adrenaline fuelled,
to a physically and mentally
as he struggles to fulfil his royal duties
thrill
strained
of
hindered by a debilitating stutter. His
during a hiking and climbing session
carving his own headstone
embarrassing failure to deliver official
in the breathtakingly beautiful Blue
into
speeches has driven him to seek speech
John Canyon in Utah, got his arm
understandable
some
therapy. None of it works though
immovably trapped under a boulder,
audiences may find 127 Hours
until he locates an unconventional
leaving him literally stuck between a
to be too graphic or even too
Australian (Geoffrey Rush) who insists
rock and a hard place. The legendary
preachy at times, but the film
on informality and personal disclosure.
filmmaker
shall keep you on the edge
The Duke’s father, George V, soon dies,
horror and the unbelievable triumph
of your seat.
Many critics
leaving Albert’s roguish and fast-living
of the situation. Armed with one of
are praising of the accuracy
brother as an ill-suited king. It becomes
unfolding of the relationships though is
the finest upcoming stars in the Film
of the climbing techniques
clear that the Prince will have to take
subtle and entertaining.The therapist is
industry James Franco, Boyle makes
and
has
his brother’s place and he is faced with
the much more engaging presence and
you understand the emotions leading
mentioned the movie being
the challenge of overcoming his stutter
brings some life to the film in contrast
up to it and during many intense and
"so factually accurate it is as
for the role. Albert’s relationship with
to Firth’s sombre (and overrated)
gruesome scenes. This film is not only
close to a documentary as you
his therapist is the focus of the film and
performance. His irreverence towards
a contender for film of the year, but
can get, and still be a drama."
through it he successfully negotiates
aristocratic traditions and decorum
leaves you with a much deeper respect
It’s a masterful performance
the various ceremonies involved in
adds some humour, along with his
for Danny Boyle, James Franco and
by Franco, sharply directed
kinghood. His final challenge is to
instructing of the king to sing and
Aron Ralston himself.
with all the visual flair he can
address the nation when World War II
swear his stutter away.
With most of the film being about
bring to filming in a single
begins.Though focused on rather grand
The general appearance of the film
the isolation of being stuck in a
location by an experienced
characters, this is a simple human story
is also a plus, with the textures of the
canyon, a lot rested on the shoulders
Danny Boyle. 127 Hours is
about overcoming personal limitations.
aging buildings caught well. The all’s-
of James Franco.
However former
must see and will prove stiff
The film handles it in quite an earnest
well feel-good ending will have some
Spiderman and James Dean star Franco
competition with the likes of
way, taking Albert’s problem seriously
British breasts swelling with patriotic
owns his performance, portraying
The Kings Speech and Black
and never hinting that his role may
pride but for others it will slightly spoil
Ralston’s journey convincingly from
Swan, for film of 2011.
have been anything but crucial. The
an otherwise enjoyable film.
junkie Aron
effortlessly
Ralston
covers
who
the
a
man, capable canyon
Ralston
wall. It’s that
himself