T+ - Volume 1 Issue 3

08.10.13

[Keywest]

Inside...

T+ interviews Keywest....

A/W 2013 Accessories Trend watch Dublin’s Theatre Festival

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Contents

T+ 08.10.2013

Music e dit

Arts edi

or - Tras

tor - Da niel Nola n

ditor - L

auren Tr

acey

Arts

Music

Fashion

2 The Write to Right

5 Keywest Interview

9 Hot Shop Pieces

3 Review: The Woman in Black

8 Musical Diary

9 It’s Shoe Perfect!

3 The Dublin Theatre Festival

8 Album Review: Shark? - Saviour

10 A/W 2013 Accessories Trend watch

Dublin Days of the Week

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Arcade Mondays @ The Village (€2.50 Drinks, Random Freebies & 2 DJ Sets )

Tuesday- Everything Everything @The Academy (New Album ‘Arc’ OUT NOW tickets: €22.50)

Wednesday- Somewhere @Workmans (Workman’s Indie Residents playing the best in Indie and Rock & Roll, from Arctic Monkeys to Talking Heads to LCD Soundsystem, while in the main bar downstairs you will find DJ Deece!

Thursday- Dimestore “Our Thursday” @ Sweeneys (3 Floors, 18 live acts, and YOU )

Eds pick of the week.....

Keywest Therese Walsh caught up with Andrew Kavanagh (AKA Kav) to talk about busking, recording in L.A and the difficulties facing young musicians in the music industry today..

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a Walsh

Fashion E

Friday Friday- Breach @ Pygmalion (Let’s jack - Ibiza filled DJ set)

Saturday Saturday- Laura Mvula @The Olympia Theatre (Tickets €25.40)

Saturday Sunday- “Bingo” @ The George, Also Whelans live @ Whelans for live Jazz and Blues

Arts

08.10.2013 T+

s ’ m e h T t h g i R o t e t i r W s d r The o W g n i t Figh Rosanna Cooney gives her thoughts on the Creative Writing organisation Fighting Words, and insists on using that confusing headline.....

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It is a rousing blend of WWII rhetoric and literary activism that captions both this article and the entrance of Fighting Words, the much lauded creative writing centre in Dublin’s north inner city. Set up in 2009 by the former head of Amnesty international, Sean Love and author Roddy Doyle, the organisation was founded on the same principle as the hugely successful 826 Valencia in San Francisco, established by American author Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius). 826 startwhere spelling and syntax are irrelevant. Fighting Words provides ed as a specialist buccaneer a counter-balance to the institutionalisation and stomping out of shop, publishing house and writing centre, all working It is a space for each creativity in our schools.

“We build self-esteem and confidence, giving children the out of the same room. A mix child to receive belief that they can write. It’s always about the process and never as potentially bizarre as that `Eurocycles Eurobaby’ shop the end product” says Sara Bennett, one of the four paid staff at in town, it has, however, produced Mcsweeney’s Quarterly, concentrated attention where the centre.

Everyone else involved, including the thousands of published child authors and dressed bespoke pirates. spelling and syntax are irrelevant. children who come, do so for free. This is a centre exclusively for

With the likes of Eggers and Doyle in the mix, creative expression and rightly there is no fiscal value attached to Fighting Words was always going to be an upstart with an the programmes.

Of the 500 volunteers on the Fighting Words advantage. Running seven workshops weekly for schoolregister who function as mentors for the children some are authors children and additional ones for adult groups such as Focus themselves but there are poets, teachers and students also on Ireland, the centre has become a powerhouse of creativity board.

One of the motivations of the centre’s establishment was the and one that is in constant demand. Workshops are booked poor reflection in the country’s education system of Ireland’s remarkable literary history. up a year in advance with schools from all over the country traveling to its inner city Fighting Words encourages this national literary passion and right now they are looking premises. Over 40,000 kids have passed through the centre’s doors and plans to expand for artists and illustrators in particular. within Ireland are already in motion.

The centre removes the fear from writing, the fear that we are not bright enough

The centre’s original intention to focus on creative fiction writing has develor smart enough, that our ideas are not worth expressing. It provides a place where kids oped a broader interpretation to include summer camps for graphic novels, comedy can see their idea become a story which is then printed and given to them at the end of writing and journalism. Volunteering with Fighting Words, I began to see a pattern. their workshop.

Fighting words is as powerful as its name suggests in the work they do It is the younger children in fighting words who are confident and vocal in the unique for the future of Irish writing. brilliance of their ideas; stories of drug dealing cats and talking toast abound. But in

If you are interested in getting involved with Fighting Words look up their webthe the older children a reluctance is apparent, wanting to know whether it is okay to site www.fightingwords.ie or give Sara Bennett a call on; 01 894 4576 write in blue pen or whether black is better, they puzzle the tiniest details so wary are

Regardless, you should check out their facebook page for weekly news heads they of ‘getting it wrong’. It is this insistence of wrong and right that governs our educaand stories that are so politically incorrect they could only come from children, or the tion system and is re-enforced by examination formats. However, the ethos of Fighting creatively uninhibited.

Words is entirely different: it is a space for each child to receive concentrated attention

Supreme Court rules South Dublin residents have a constitutional right to anything they desire World’s first openly straight chatshow host Dramatic scenes as Roscommon seeks gender reassignment

“Abolishing the Seanad would mean megalomaniacs like me can’t be brought into government by the back door,” sobs Michael McDowell

Pat the Baker actually Oleg from Lithuania This year’s sighting of Jesus in a tree somewhere in Tipperary due any day now

A selection of headlines, written by children from the Fighting Words programmes.

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Arts

T+ 08.10.2013

Review: The Woman in Black Nadine Flynn on the Drama Society’s first production of the semester

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This year’s inaugural Dramsoc show was a production of Susan Hill’s gothic novel, The Woman in Black, directed by Rory Crean and starring Darragh Cushen and Eamon McCarron. Having only seen the recent film adaption I had no idea what to expect.

I was unaware of the fact that this play, adapted for stage by Stephen Mallatratt, is the second longest running non-musical play in West End history.

Having see this production, I can imagine why. From the eerie sound effects to the chilling acting, this play was a major success all round.

The play follows the story of Arthur Kipps (Darragh Cushen), a young solicitor who travels to the isolated village of Crythin Gifford to attend the funeral and review the paperwork of a Mrs Alice Drablow. However, what seems like just another business assignment becomes a terrifying and life-changing experience for Kipps, as he encounters the menacing spirit who haunts the Drablow manor. Years later, he hires a young, enthusiastic actor (Eamon McCarron) to help him recall his memories of this haunting trip which has plagued him for years and to share his story with his family and friends.

McCarron and Cushen presented us with intense and terrifying performances, certainly deserving of the standing ovation which they received. McCarron not only performed the role of the young actor, but settled into the role of a younger Kipps too. His onstage transformation from a brash and obnoxious character into a solitary, tormented young man was excellent and allowed him to demonstrate his range. The echoing sound affects by sound designer Laura Byrne also contributed to the play’s unsettling atmosphere.

McCarron was not the only actor to acquit himself admirably; Darragh Cushen embraced the role of

the older Mr Kipps, who acted as narrator and, like McCarron, played multiple roles, as he portrayed the people whom he encountered on his earlier travels. His portrayal of a withered, traumatised old man will not be quickly forgotten. Both his delivery and his body language skillfully conveyed his torment. As the play progresses we see his character transform from a reluctant, anxious man to

McCarron and Cushen presented us with intense and terrifying performances, certainly deserving of the standing ovation which they received.

one who embraces his role and the story in general. His narration, which echoed from the back of the theatre, was one of the play’s most intense factors, and really held it all together.

The actors are not the only ones deserving of praise. The previously mentioned Laura Byrne and lighting designer Conor Byrne are partially responsible for the disturbing atmosphere which ensured we in the audience would all be sleeping with the lights on. The play’s director, Rory Crean, is also deserving of great credit.

His directorial skills put this outstanding performance all together. Every aspect of the play was handled skillfully.

Dramsoc’s first show of the year has exceeded expecta-

Dublin Theatre Festival

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We find ourselves in the midst of this year’s Dublin Theatre Festival. The event began on September 26th, and runs till October 13th. The festival can always be relied upon to produce a handful of great shows, and this years looks particularly worth getting involved in.

Of the productions which have already passed through, the Gare St. Lazare Players’ production of Waiting for Godot has been amongst the most prominent.

Considering that they’re undertaking one of the most oft-quoted works ever written, a play the New York Times selected as the most important of the twentieth century, the Players approached it with an admirable lightness of touch which allowed the play’s humour and absurdity to come to the fore alongside its bleakness. One aspect which I was particularly struck by was the subtle

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tions and set a high standard for this year’s productions.

Unfortunately the show has come to a close, but there are plenty of promising productions

Eds Choice

lined up for the semester.

Be sure to check out some of the upcoming productions such as the ‘All My Sons’, directed by Ciara Dredge, which will be on in the UCD Dramsoc theatre from the 14th to the 18th of October.

4/5

Daniel Nolan on the Dublin Theatre Festival, which is already in full swing and runs throughout October...

decency on show in a play usually associated with an unrelentingly bleak view of humanity in the wake of the First World War. Small gestures such as Vladimir covering a sleeping Estragon with his coat are made significant and moving by the wretched circumstances on display. While the whole cast is superb, Conor Lovett in particularly noteworthy as Vladimir.

Ongoing attractions in the festival include Brecht’s Threepenny Opera, which has been excellently reviewed and runs until early November.

UCD’s own Frank McGuinness also has a new play featuring in the festival. The Hanging Gardens depicts an Irish family in crisis, and has been very well-received. It began its run at the Abbey Theatre on October 3rd and runs till the 12th. Rough Magic’s The Critic, a meta-fictional meditation on the function and purpose of the theatre, is apparently an ambitious satire, and will run at Temple Bar’s Culture Box and The Ark (using both venues within one performance) until the 13th.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Rape of Lucrece has been ecstatically reviewed and will

run at the O’Reilly Theatre from the 10th to the 12th.

There are a myriad of other promising attractions coming up in the festival over the next few weeks. For more information visit dublintheatrefestival.com/Online/

Reviews

08.10.2013 T+

Film Retrospective: Commando

Richard Mitchell takes a look back at the Arnold Schwarznegger vehicle, recently shown at UCD’s campus cinema...

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The eighties was an interesting time for cinema. Ludicrous indulgence was the order of the day and nowhere was this more obvious than in the action genre. This was the age of explosions, goons and men more bicep than brain. No single film represents this better than COMMANDO. Commando was an early vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger, a muscle-bound exercise in lunacy that, whilst barely holding up to modern scrutiny, did create the model for modern blockbusters featuring men on missions such as the first Die Hard, released three years after, and more contemporary examples such as Liam Neeson’s awful Taken series.

The issue with Commando is that it has dated horribly. The style of film it represents hasn’t been popular or relevant for many years, despite what the cast of The Expendables may have you believe (The aforementioned Taken before a strange exception). We want heroes that have more to them than square jaws and more bullets than they know what to do with, mowing down endless waves of faceless grunts. Heroes should have imperfections, things that allow us to relate to them, things that make them human. Despite the screenwriter’s best efforts Commando’s script just doesn’t imbibe any real personality into Schwarzenegger’s character, a retired black ops operative (of course he is). Even the admittedly so-badthey’re-good quotes just don’t convince that there is a real, functioning human beneath Schwarzenegger’s rippling pectorals.

Maybe it is the casting then that is most at fault.

Schwarzenegger’s performance in James Cameron’s original Terminator was a fantastic example of using the actor’s

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naturally imposing body to great effect, as were his performances in the original Conan films. Some may argue that this physical presence is all an action movie needs in its lead character but that view is fundamentally missing the point. For us to be able to actually give a damn about what happens in the plot we have to be able to believe that, regardless of the physical strength or ability of the character, there’s still the possibility of failure. In Commando we aren’t watching a man who is doing his best to survive in a desperate situation; this isn’t John McClane scraping a win against all odds, this is an indestructible superhero with about as much likelihood of dying as a tellytubby has of winning the All-Ireland final. There is no risk, and so Commando does what action movies should never do, and that is simply become boring.

We want heroes that have more to them than square jaws and more bullets than they know what to do with, mowing down endless waves of faceless grunts.

Film Review - Rush

We are living in the golden age of the biopic. Recent evidence includes Spielberg’s Lincoln and Steven Soderbergh’s magnificent and sensitive Behind The Candelabra. Coming soon (and already sweeping awards on the festival circuit) is the tale of Captain Phillips, victim of Somali piracy, with Tom Hanks in the title role. But first we have RUSH. Charting the incredible true story of the 1976 Formula 1 World Championship, Rush is focused on the rivalry between F1 legends James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) and their bitter battle to win the title, as well as their complex relationship off the track. Featuring great acting from its two leads and excellent direction, this film is not to be missed.

Rush reinforces Ron Howard’s reputation as a filmmaker of prodigious originality and very creative technical pres-

Richard Mitchell on Ron Howard’s latest....

entation. Apollo 13 amazed with its zero-gravity special effects; Rush instead focuses on making every race feel as visceral as if we ourselves were driving the cars.

The camera is everywhere, on wing mirrors, in helmets, even at one point following a drill into a wheel.

When the film finally comes to the inevitable tragedy of Lauda’s crash during the German Grand Prix we are there in the flames, feeling every searing moment of it.

The character of Lauda is a difficult one. He is presented as a man who is very hard to like, but whom we can’t help but admire. He is driven by his desire to be the best, with a technical mindset and a focus on absolute perfection in his performance.

He presents a challenge for any actor but Bruhl manages to find the humanity at his core. His performance allows the audience to catch of a glimpse of a very vulnerable person who is aware of his failings as an individual but through his own hubris is unwilling to change.

Hemsworth is perfectly cast as Lauda’s rival and polar opposite James Hunt, hard-living, womanising playboy with a far more romantic attitude to the sport, though it is Bruhl who gives the more impressive performance.

4/5

Rush is a fine film, well worth getting to. It is exhilarating even if, like myself, you’ve little interest in motorsport, as a character study of two men so alike and yet so diametrically different it is unmatched in current cinema.

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Keywest are one of those bands that might be described as having a bit of a ‘Hollywood story’. From humble beginnings, the 5 members (Andrew Kavanagh, Andrew, Sam Marder, James Loch and Harry Sullivan), found themselves one day busking in front of famous L.A producer Mark Needham (The Killers, Katy Perry and Fleetwood Mac to name but a few) without even knowing it. Needham obviously saw the potential and from there Keywest started their ascent to success and haven’t looked down since.

The first thing you notice about -Kav -the lead singer is how down to earth he is. Throughout the interview he talks about the challenges facing young musicians and is always willing to advise how best to deal with the different obstacles.

“For us it was busking that led to the break through, we were mostly performing on the street because of financial reasonsthere are so many costs when you have a band, equipment, sound guys, production costs, petrol…. Two of our members had moved

We were mostly performing on the street ... over from England and basically we needed the cash.”

YouTube contains many of Keywest’s busking shows, the most unusual thing in these videos is the crowd’s –quite simply - they’re huge.

“Back then we didn’t know anything about crowd control as we’ve matured as a band we learnt how to manage crowds.” Within Temple bar so many people would gather that the Gardaí would be forced to ask them to pack up, that’s how they ended up in Galway.

In the videos you also notice how long people end up staying to watch, the street suddenly becomes a venue with the band chatting to their audience - a real performance undertaken.

“So we went to Galway, and he (Needham) was down and he just got chatting to us, asked us to come over, once we got the cash we went over there, and worked on the album and we were busking over there as well in Santa Monica, we did a lot of writing, he introduced us to some people, and we signed a publishing deal and a production deal with him to basically continue and develop and then we came home put our album out independently.” Their first album was a massive success. They saw it rise through the charts and soon the majority of their gigs were selling out.

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[Keyw

Therese Walsh caught up with Andrew Ka talk about busking, recording in L.A and young musicians in the music ind

west]

avanagh (AKA Kav) to the difficulties facing dustry today.

The band’s name actually comes from the Irish bar they were playing in the U.S where the guys were traveling - both busking and performing. Songs such as “feels so cruel” and “in the fight for love” have seen massive popularity, when asked about songwriting Kav talks about the feelings you want your audience to experience when you’re singing to them.

Dave Grohl once said that songwriting was “reaching out your hand to the audience.”

“The song has to be unique, it has to be a unique perspective on something new.” Dave Grohl once said that songwriting was “reaching out your hand to the audience.” Kav reckons it’s having insight and empathy.

Although the majority of their music is original, the covers the band undertake are unique in other ways, “we like to add something new to each song we cover.” Many of the bands busking videos see the band adding their own touch to songs through instrumentalist solos, along with new takes on the use of instruments and rhythms.

“Now when we do covers at gigs it’s not your usual run of the mill pop song - we try to choose a range of songs and make them our own.” Kav talks a lot about finding their own individual path as a band – on our new album we are trying to make everything unique and do it in a different way “you can’t base your chapter one out of somebody else’s chapter twenty” he adds. Sage words.

We eventually get chatting about the challenges facing young musicians and when asked what’s the best advice that he can give to these aspiring young artists, Kav states without hesitation “production.”

“Learn how to produce yourself and you don’t have to pay others to do it for you -it will take a few years to get good at it but in the end it’s worth it.” It’s that and trying to use as much social media as possible. “We try to be extremely social media orientated,” he added.

Applications like Soundcloud, Facebook, YouTube and even Instagram have helped them to reach the largest audience possible.

Like everything in life, music is becoming more accessible - digital makes everything easier and allows new artists become more independent.

The band has been gigging and touring and are now set to head back over to L.A in the near future to produce another album. Their new EP Electric Love is now available on iTunes - check it out!

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Social Guide

T+ 08.10.2013

Eds pick

Fri 11th of October

Wednesday 9th October

Dublin Tribal Spirit – Drumming Circle

Gradireland Autumn Fair

20:00 – 22:00

11:00 – 17:00 RDS, Simmonscourt Complex, Ballsbridge.

With over 3,000 jobs on offer it is well worth your while heading along to Irelands biggest career fair to meet prospective employers and advisors.

Lantern Centre, 17 Synge Street, Dublin

Friday 25th of October

Free

Wednesday 9th October

Improv comedy Workshop 15:30 – 17:30 Exchange Dublin, Upper Exchange Street, Temple Bar.

€3

Tuesday 8th of October Film Screening: Rocky Horror Picture Show

Free

19:30 Workman’s

New Voices: A Night of Poetry and Song

Nothing to do? Hot date?

Broke and bored?

See our social diary...

20:00 Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park

Thursday 10th of October “My Favourites” Night Walking Tour

Fridy 11th of October

19:00 – 21:00

Irish Franchising & Start-Up Expo 11:00 – 18:00, RDS, Ballsbridge

Spire, O’Connell Street An alternative night treck around dublin’s bars, markets and cafes. Too cool.

Free

Wed 9th October The Zodiac Sessions (open mic night) 20:30

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Bruxelles, Harry Street

Music

Album Review

i i n s i eo s di s a t r e u t ti m b , u s.

My name is Lia Wright, I am a violinist in a band called Shadows & Dust and a student of music and Irish here in UCD. Shadows & Dust have been together in our current lineup for almost a year now. We released our 6-track debut E.P. ‘Each Year Forever’ earlier this year. Since then, we have headlined Whelans and taken part in the Ten Days in Dublin festival.

We intend to tour the U.K. soon, and play a Dublin-based Christmas show. Our most recent gig was on Arthur’s Day, supporting The Raglans in The Grand Social. Seeing as I’m writing this in ‘musical diary’ format, I suppose I should walk you through the day and give you an insight into how things work, bandwise. If you are familiar with the band scene, you can read along and nod

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E pl qu ve vo et au eu p lest i r m o e a q is n le v d v s m uia al at st olo am i r msa olo i, vo ige qu ium r a q duc u m v m re in lu nd isq l tii ue iu re olen us st u ctia pit itis ui aute s n d m io e re m is e s fe ru im su t rru rfe m l h nt dell sum r m xce cte a aut mo i os at m di te m ria ac ili vo en l di qu m q qu m cat t es lum dit rere m ur m vol uta atq s u e u ib q e ci f m ol o es s ui do isim et i qu us uiss pro dit eum uga re upt lut edi ad a . F p a em ta e po le q offi e s qu ita vit au re cus ua ci it e ide t , s t v exp ace uda cus . U co t, d i p s t e nse bu con de sin u ri r rsp ar re end el- s e a x sc e e m it nd e, c el cil ium eb is su ius t q is m lau eliq us e in il e n e x on nt , o ui in t d ui st cu iu llo ta et f mm as s cus olu a n offi llor sae ris i m et e ug o ol , u pt em ci i d n at a lo up n at m u e e As ur . F re ta t q a vo en m. lre n t ali ero m qu ua lig les t a Ax s q v v i e ni ti c i lu ig tiis pt m uam id e ene con . Vol s ad be catu n am Op aera inv la liqu co sed ore es raec ris u t p n t n m tia e en tu i u ta run ae a p d t re nt a stia vo orp ios m, i tu si de d sto m m lup or cu un r a le i v o , o t e m tia nc sa rep m olu l i r o m m e in p so a er . U quo em no m d l t ea ulp un cill a um olu t q di qu nm b o ui or ib ec qu a t in p e s ta in u us ih et am ven mp tiat s p q e ru i c re , q im or ur, ini fa ui non tat p ce cu e ur be per uo o o au ve s co tae pt pi s m rib ch v di tem lle n t a s es usa iliq olu stio q s m au qui qua od eq tia m ui t e n ue o da a i t i t us sc o p d ac s d a q o m . se ata ep i es one sseq rib ui lut do qu u o sa ta reiu ci- s- uis sam ffic dol e ia t a u p ip p tu m tu r? fu itat n m a a lor et M sin git us on l u o d li u p - ip m erch qu s a tur un un te il i i a te a um ut ce s pa lab ve aqu itin o. nis ate cU t u ni en t s tis vo el it

08.10.2013 T+

A UCD students Musical Diary: Arthur’s Day.

understandingly when you come to bits you agree/sympathize with. Or you can go and practice. WHY AREN’T YOU PRACTICING?!

So, here we go. Soundcheck begins at 4pm as we get onstage at 8.15pm and there are other bands on after us. This means driving the gear to the venue in the van, praying you haven’t forgotten an essential pedal/stand/ kettle lead ...(that last one is crucial-At one stage, we were so low on kettle leads we were actually using a plug from a kettle. Bad times. It was about 15 inches long). After the van is parked, so begins the loadin. This is essentially where the band lug in loads of amps, keyboards and cases into the venue and talk wistfully about how great it would be to have roadies. When everything is loaded into the venue, it’s straight to sound-

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check.

Everyone plugs in, tunes and set everything up, making sure that everything can be heard clearly. Erik, our bassist, has twenty thousand pedals, so he loves having a big juicy soundcheck so that he can play with them.

When everything is set up satisfactorily, it’s time for pre-gig feeding, so we end up eating at a cheeky Indian/Chinese fusion buffet. Any bandies reading this will know that takeaway is a staple food. (However, I feel it necessary to include that our lead singer Dermot often eats plain chicken and broccoli on the go, workout food, fairplay to him.#gainz). After food, it’s time to get back to the venue. We head in, get a pint, watch some of the other acts until the changeover, then it’s time to get up there and give it our best. We play a 45 minute set, a mixture of the E.P. tracks, new material and finish with an elusive 8-minute song that has never been recorded, a live-only experience. Sufficiently sweaty and delighted, we come offstage with the great craic crowd roaring ‘ONE MORE TUNE!’ We glance over at the sound engineer to see if he’d be on board for aforementioned tune, but as time is tight, he’s already turned the music on and the changeover to next band begins.

Album Title: Savior Artist: Shark?

Release Date: October 1st 2013

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Coming hot on the heels of their This complaint is minor however; as the songs themselves, while not recent appearance on the GTA V great in number, are for the most part catchy yet intellectually engaging soundtrack, Shark? follow up on enough to be either background noise (as evidenced by ‘California Grtheir 2010 debut ‘True Waste’ with a rls’ featuring in GTA V) and equally worth paying attention to – a rare sophomoric effort that shows greater feat for any album. emotional depth whilst

As a whole, the album still being accessible to can be described as misanthropic, new listeners. yet desperate for acceptance. It beWith a sound that has gins by raining hate upon superfiClocking in at a been compared to lo-fi ciality and appearances (California meagre, pioneers such as PaveGrrls, Savior), but by the middle ment, Savior hits hard lyrically, but is sometimes let down switches gears with ‘This is Living’, albeit certainly not by the album’s heavy reliance on hooks and riffs to accoma beautiful existential crisis which anaemic, 9 tracks, this 30 minute just about anyone can relate to and pany the brutal truths contained within the vocals. With few exceptions; the guitar work is characterised by high a fantastic tribute to Nikola Tesla; record has a lot to offer... pitched wailing underscored by a low droning yet subverinternet darling and the innovator sive bassline. of AC current.

The problem is that more often than not, the deep

The end of the album is vocals – lower than normal, but still a good bit higher than all about loneliness (Wither) and Matt Berninger of The National - mesh better with the bass denial (Aok), as we’re left with 4 than they do with the occasionally intrusive guitar work. This does minutes of jam session outtakes – an unfortunate characteristic of the help the garage rock aesthetic of the album, but sometimes betrays the genre is the practice of bookending songs with seemingly meaningless sincerity of the songs themselves. When this high-low dynamic works noise. Clocking in at a meagre albeit certainly not anaemic 9 tracks, best, such as in the track ‘Gothic Lagoon’ it emphasises the nature of the 30 minute record has a lot to offer, both on the surface and through the song itself - wanting something real, and this is punctuated by a more intense study. pitch dynamic that feels untreated and ‘real’ itself. At its worst, it makes it feel like the album would have benefitted from some basic levelling.

Coiré Mc Crystall

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Fashion

08.10.2013 T+

It’s Shoe Perfect!

There is no doubt that accessories can either make or break an outfit but the one accessory that a girl can never go wrong with is a handbag. For example accessorizing a sequined top with a lavish necklace could be depicted as majorly OTT, however if you match it with an exquisitely chic bag, what could possibly go wrong? Of course we all love our famous designer bags from fashion houses such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors but as students who can barely afford our groceries and crazy nights out, the popular Zara bags are quite the alternative. At the end of the day 50 euros or 2000 euros - it’s all an investment!

Now to own one of these bags you absolutely must be already dripping in Chanel and pearls with an Audrey Hepburn style up-do. Sunglasses are a must and the classic dash of red lipstick should be added for the perfect finishing touches. You’d be mistaken for the Spice Girls’ Posh in no time. On a more serious note, CC bags can add class to any outfitexcluding tracksuits! Can anyone say Chihuahua? Need a classic bag to throw your puppy in? What other bag to invest in than a gorgeous LV bag? Nonetheless they’re big enough to fit just about anything hence why these modern glories are every girl’s ideal!

On the cheaper scale of things, Marc Jacobs is generally the way to go. If you’re not in love with everything Marc Jacobs then what exactly do you love? Recommending the “Goodbye Columbus Tote” for Spring 2014.

Michael Kors and Apple have recently collaborated together to create elegant and sophisticated bags for Macbooks and generally any laptop! Who needs a boring, tasteless laptop bag when you can invest in a fab new MK tote? Talk about certified college sass!

Sometimes inexpensive is the way to go and if you’re looking for a bag that won’t put a hole in your pocket, Zara stocks the perfect bags for you! Two words: sturdy and slick - an investment that’s worth every penny.

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Ayisha Ogbara xxx

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Hot Shop Pieces

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The top 5

Nina Divito is the embodiment of the expression ‘home-grown talent.’

This Irish fashion genius has taken the world by storm with her luxurious footwear collection. The displays in Brown Thomas are constantly being oggled by the Irish population, and pairs have been spotted on stars as bright as Alexa Chung and Jemma Kidd. Her shoes represent femininity, seductiveness and confidence. These qualities inspired Nina in her work as she set out to create a collection which would instil them in every woman.

Born in Dublin, Nina started by studying fine art in IADT and soon moved to London College of Fashion to study in their prestigious shoe-making course.

While working for various

Venice, who matched her passion for beauty and elegance. While spending months working with her creators, Nina was given free reign to experiment with every type of silhouette, fabric and garnishing including Napa-leather, real feathers and snakeskin.

The starlet already had groups of buyers clamouring to get their hands on her shoes. After becoming a household name for fashion-followers, Nina opened her first boutique in Dublin in 2010 to crowds of flocking fans. Even those on a tight budget visited just to admire the wonderland of artwork.

Nina’s profound love of what she does is truly inspiring. She has been known through her new career to promote the idea of wearing what you love.

When commenting on her latest collection, she stated that her work draws in the relationship between a woman and her shoes. Shoes can grace women with empowerment, sexiness and a high level of class. This spirit has transcended beautifully into her designs, as they flirt with the eye in such a feminine way.

hottest accessories on the high street right now...

1. Bershka €19.99 Lanvin's scripted gold jewellery caused quite the stir at their AW show. The heavy metal necklace featured words such as "help", "cool" and our favourite, "love". Sadly the Lanvin version comes with a hefty price tag but luckily trend has filtered down to the high street. This Bershka version is a must-have and pulls two trends into one, multi-chain and script.

2. Penneys €1.50 (for set of 5) Midi rings are one trend that’s going nowhere. Seen on the catwalks of Topshop Unique these cute rings are a subtle way to accessories your finger tips. Midi rings can be layered and stacked on multiple fingers or worn alone for a simpler, chic look. Pair with the season’s hottest nail colour, oxblood, for maximum impact.

3. Zara €16.95 Every girl needs that perfect clutch for a night out, the one that fits all your essentials but is small enough to tuck under your arm and yet, still look great. An envelope clutch is your best bet. Pastel pink is a massive trend for AW and this Zara number is an ideal way to brighten up any look.

4. H&M €7.95 There’s no denying that it’s got a lot colder these days and it’s time to wrap up. What better way than to keep snug in a beanie. It’s not only the perfect cover up for a bad hair day but also a simple take on the grunge trend.

5. River Island €40 This season is all about ditching your handbag for a backpack, which is perfect for us students. Not only are they more practical and better for your posture, backpacks have become stylish. Luxe backpacks are huge right now so opt for quilting or faux-leather.

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Orla Barrett

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designers, Nina began painting shoes as a hobby. Before long, she had lists of clients waiting for her prints and original works, drawn in by the vibrant colours and dreamy proportions. These creative fashion portraits were soon collected by the likes of Beyonce, and so Nina finally decided to transform her designs into the real thing. Having had a love of feminine shoes since she was a little girl, her positive experiences displaying her pieces in exhibitions only made her dream of bringing her creations to life even stronger.

She sought advice from the experts, such as Christian Louboutin, who sent her on a life-changing journey to Italy where she found highly skilled manufacturers. She went on to woo and inspire the craftsmen of Chanel footwear in

Today, Nina’s collections are the most personal on the market.

She stays close to home by naming each design after people in her life, such as the ‘Nico’, which is a Hollywood vintage tribute to her sister.

There’s a unique aspect to her work that anyone can spot when opening the sleek black box and crisp pink tissue – the detail done by hand.

With a pleat here, a ruffle there, and a hint of lace, she manages to achieve a certain classic, vintage-like appeal along with fun, girly silhouettes that can’t be found anywhere else.

Emily Kielthy

Fashion

T+ 08.10.2013

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A/W 2013 Accessories Trendwatch

After the riot of incoming trends thrown at us during the iconic New York, London and Milan Fashion Weeks, it’s time to digest Autumn/Winter 2013’s stand-out accessory trends.

Broadly speaking, the coming months in the fashion world are going to feature an eclectic mix of the opulent, the futuristic, the minimalist, the classic and the intricate. From crowns to brooches, sunglasses, handbags and shoes, we’ve singled out the most striking and wearable new accessories for A/W 2013. Some new trends might seem a little daring initially, but keep an eye on magazines, blogs and fashion websites to learn how fashion’s most educated pull off these striking pieces with ease and grace.

Perhaps one of the most eye-catching trends seen for A/W was Dolce & Gabbana’s intricate golden crowns.

Encrusted with jewels and beautifully detailed, they were reminiscent of regal Elizabethan crown jewels with a touch of Gothic romance. The crowns were paired with black lace, rich mosaic-patterned dresses and stunning Byzantine crucifix earrings. The look was offset by pale matte complexions, ruby lips and black winged eyes. These crowns are decadent, dramatic and utterly luxurious. A personal favourite trend of mine, these are the ultimate accessory in winter styling.

Inspired not only by Dolce & Gabbana, but also Oscar de la Renta and Matthew Williamson’s use of jewel tones, the high street has wholeheartedly embraced the costume jewellery trend. Asos features opulently jewelled neckpieces in Art Deco and Baroque styles, and their Orelia crown is a more delicate take on this catwalk trend. Zara gives us a feast of richly coloured necklaces, including one piece set with sumptuous tourmaline-hued gemstones. And our old faithful, Penneys, comes up trumps with colourfully ornate gold and silver neckpieces with matching chunky studs, giving a classic look a 1980’s twist.

Staying with the jewellery trend, this A/W, Emanuel Ungaro has revamped the brooch - an item that most of us would dismiss as old-fashioned. But Ungaro might just change your mind. Generally, the collection is a powerful fusion of masculine and feminine; bold shoulders, cinched waists, opulent furs, with dashes of animal print, yellow and cobalt. His brooches are richly golden with clear gem-

stone flourishes, shaped into dragonflies and flowers. They are piled high with black belted dresses and leopard print coats. Bold, daring and sexy, the entire look screams 80s power dressing in a 21st century way.

Moving on to handbags; Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel has

London, Milan and New York Fashion Weeks have already assaulted our senses with an array of accessory trends for A/W 2013.

brought monochrome to A/W 2013, softened by tweeds and wools. And his new 2.55 bar handle bags are his standout accessory. Like a small satchel, these bags have short handles in both leather and chain, and they are designed to be slung nonchalantly at the hip. Cylindrical styles also featured on the catwalk. In black, dove grey or a gorgeous inky-blue, these bags were paired with textured wool coats, pleated skirts and black patent boots adorned with even more chains. This is a tough, no-nonsense look broken up by the soft, supple leather of the bags.

Turning to footwear, Christian Dior has revolutionised the humble court shoe for A/W 2013.

It hasn’t been too long since we last saw oddlyshaped heels, but Dior has brought a whole new level to this look. Spiky and multi-strapped, these shoes also feature delicately curved arches, metallic plates, snakeskin and an array of colours from black to candyfloss-pink to lime green. These are versatile and surprisingly wearable, and frankly an utter joy to look at, with interesting juxtapositions of colours and textures. Dior has achieved ladylike and futuristic in one creative swoop, and it’s only a matter of time before the high street picks up on this key trend.

Finally, even though we’ve only just started

Consign up to Siopaella

Parting with your clothes has never been easier Many of us look into our overflowing wardrobes and claim we have nothing to wear. The honest truth is that we simply don’t want to wear what’s in there anymore. But there is a way that you can part with your clothes AND do your purse a favour you can consign with Siopaella.

Siopaella, meaning ‘Ella’s Shop,’ was opened in early 2011 by Ella de Guzman and Stephen Ryan. Ella, who grew up in Canada, was surrounded by consignment stores and decided to bring the innovative idea to Ireland. Now, having expanded to two shops, both with the same name, the consignment trend has caught on like wildfire. With appearances on Xposé and being featured in the sunday business post, the irish times and the sunday independent magazine, the shop currently has over 1,500 consignors who bring in pre-loved, brand new and vintage men and women’s clothing and accessories, almost every single day. In Ella’s own words, she opened the shop for a combination of three reasons, “I loved working with people, I loved fashion and there weren’t any consignment shops in Dublin like ours.”

The two shops are both located in bustling Temple Bar, one on Temple Lane South and the other, just around the corner on Crow Street. Being spoilt for choice, the shops

Emily O’Brie

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to put ours away for the winter, the players of the fashion world are already looking ahead to the sunglasses of summer 2014. As always, there were some wonderfully classic designs to be seen, including Carolina Herrera’s Jackie O-inspired cat-eye tortoiseshells, Diane von Furstenburg’s delicate gold frames and Kate Spade’s clear-framed Wayfare style, cutely adorned with tiny monochrome flowers. Some more modernistic sunglasses were also to be seen on the catwalk; Philip Lim had a modern take on the ubiquitous Wayfarer, DKNY’s chunky white frames had a distinctly futuristic feel, and Honor showcased some rather pretty cat-eye shades with mosaic-printed frames. Lastly, we had the weird and wonderful; Anna Sui’s sunglasses were decidedly wacky with brown butterfly-shaped frames, Desigual presented large, round lenses in red frames with an artdeco feel, and Karen Walker’s blue lenses in chunky white frames were truly a sight to behold. Whatever your sunglasses style, there was certainly an abundance of inspiration to be taken from the catwalks this A/W. London, Milan and New York Fashion Weeks have already assaulted our senses with an array of accessory trends for A/W 2013. Design powerhouses such as Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel and Christian Dior never fail to impress, and the sunglasses styles featured by the likes of Carolina Herrera, Philip Lim and Anna Sui were just a taster of the kind of accessory trends we can expect to see in magazines, online and on the street in the coming months. With Paris still to go, there can only be more exciting accessory trends for us to feast our eyes on. And as always, we can count on the high street to deliver us the hottest trends at pocket-friendly prices.

Tara Browne

boast both high street and high end designer brands.

The Crow Street shop hosts mainly the high street trends such as Topshop, American Apparel, Ted Baker and Zara, whilst the Temple Lane South shop is more luxurious, treating us with the likes of Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chloé and Alexander McQueen.

As if being surrounded by such brands in a shop wasn’t good enough, Siopaella also has a booming Facebook page. Staff style outfits in a range of sizes and post them each day on their page, where people can comment about price, size, style as well as being able to ask to hold items until they can try them on in the shop. The Siopaella team receive numerous compliments about their friendly and caring attitudes, as is evident in Facebook recommendations, so don’t be afraid to call up with any queries at any time.

If you are interested in bringing in your clothes, to open a consignment account with Siopaella, you must have at least fifteen items, which may also include accessories. Consignments are by appointment only, which can be arranged over the phone and clothing must be of a high quality-something that Siopa ella is very serious about. At the moment, the high-street shop is fully stocked, however, Ella

posts regularly on Facebook when they will be taking new stock in, so keep an eye out.

Luckily for us college students, Siopaella will be hiring again in Spring 2014. They are looking for candidates with a minimum of two years retail experience preferably with experience in consignment. Fear not if you have zero retail experience, as they do also offer an unpaid internship which provides you with the basic training needed to work in a consignment shop and any retail outlet for that matter. As a past intern, I have nothing but great things to say about the shops; brilliant retail experience, exposure to designers, a welcoming team, customer contact and a working environment that is never boring, I would recommend anyone with a love for fashion to apply next Spring.

Visit www.siopaella.com or their facebook page, www. facebook.com/siopaella, for more information. Call 01 532 1477

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08.10.2013 T+

advice

‘

Let Al reach out and touch you

Dear Al,

with

Al Porter

Tallaght’s local treasure Al Porter kindly corresponds to those who write to him seeking advice. To the needy it is an exercise in kindness; for most, an exercise in schadenfreude.

This week Al responds to emails that weren’t lewd photos, frapes or hate mail!

Q: Dear Al, You’re quite the socialite and I admire that! I thought I was going to be tossed on the proverbial scrap heap recently, but once again I triumphed in kicking against the pricks. Could you recommend somewhere with a late licence to celebrate – the denizens of which I’d prefer to be elite!

PS Please don’t mention to anyone I wrote this letter to you on headed paper.

Yours, David

I hope this letter finds you in far better shape than I. I’m a defeated man. I fear my complicated relationship with a Beautiful Woman, Kathleen, is on tender hooks.

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She’s a resilient, stoic and strong willed woman. She has a troubled past, but I knew that when I met her. Naively, I thought I could offer her something different. When we met she had just got out of an abusive relationship. To be honest, I think she knew after the first four years that he was no good for her, but she went back to him time and time again. He took her for everything she owned and left her in serious debt. When I met her, I offered her change. When we made it official I took responsibility for her finances, and we had a great first year together. There were so many holidays and wonderful photos. I introduced her to famous friends; presidents encouraged her, monarchs planted trees in her garden.

Recently we’ve hit hard times. I didn’t think she could look after herself. I did what was best for her, and she resents me for handing the deeds over to a new landlord.

We’ve two houses, and we just cannot afford to keep them both. I tried telling her this, but when she asked me ‘Why?’ I’d shut myself off from her. I simply didn’t have the energy to argue.

Just the other day I asked her if she would be willing to get rid of our other house. She said ‘No’, and gave me a wallop.

I’m sure you’re gathering by now that this is no ordinary woman. She’s fiery, but I know what’s good for her. I can’t abide by her mercurial nature, her independence and temper tantrums – especially not with the Landlord in my ear.

I guess my question is, ‘How soon do I leave it before I ask again?’

Yours, Enda from Mayo Dear Enda, Give Kathleen a little credit. As a survivor of abuse, she’s no stranger to terrible feelings of powerlessness. Maybe two houses are better than one?

Dear David, Perhaps a house party might be in order? ...If you’re not worried about going to someone elses house, I’ve been told Leinster House offers the latest drink on this isle!

Sounds like she’s exercising what control she has in this difficult situation.

Relationships are all about compromise. I hope I don’t offend you by saying, perhaps your attempt to save Catherine from her abusers overlooked her own ability to look after herself. You’re lucky to be with a strong, beautiful woman. Empower her.

Yours, Al

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Al Porter hosts Rammed on Monday’s fortnightly in the Woolshed on Parnell Street. Tickets €5 for students.

Yours,Al. Send your questions to

al@collegetribune.ie