college tribune entertainment supplement 27.9.11
Republic of Loose Page 4
Robert Sheehan Page 5
Paris Style Page 11
Men’s Style Page 12
David O’Doherty on Vodafone, sharks and comedy
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27.9.11
music@collegetribune.ie
MUSIC
PLAYLIST: Magnum Opus: Neutral Milk Hotel- In the Aeroplane over the Sea LISA GORRY The Knux feat. Kid Cudi – ‘Run’ Most definitely a track to get you on your feet, “Run” combines a perfect blend of an indie intro with a fantastically repetitive chorus. While Cudi’s cameo is only brief, the genre-bending Knux Team wanted him on the track because “he’s really deep and serious about music and one of the modern guys who won’t compromise. We like urban hood dudes who don’t get boxed in by stereotypes.” So do we.
Snow Patrol – ‘Called Out in the Dark’ With a track like this, it’ll be no surprise if the Bangorbased lads sell out their highly-anticipated January shows in Dublin and Belfast. With rockier roots than featured in previous recent tracks, Snow Patrol are set for top form on their new album Fallen Empires
Cobra Starship feat. Sabi - ‘You Make Me Feel’ With a simple beat and minimal synth arrangement, this track leaves Cobra Starship with a potential club hit on their hands. Famous for their sassy numbers, such as ‘Pete Wentz is the Only Reason We’re Famous’, ‘You Make Me Feel’ provides sass in a more conventional form. Singer/ rapper Sabi provides an infectious “na na na na na”, just in case the song wasn’t catchy enough.
Lisa Hannigan feat. Ray Lamontagne – ‘O Sleep’ To be found on Youtube until the release of her much awaited second album Passenger, this track sees Miss Hannigan on top form, in collaboration with the wonderful Ray Lamontagne. With enchanting lyrics and haunting harmonies abound, having this on her new album indicates we’re in for a real delight.
GRAHAM LUBY
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ormally, we at Tribune Towers use the Magnum Opus column to give exposure to classic albums, flagship aural milestones that typified genres. Past instalments have seen multi-platinum selling works getting the praise that they deserve, as well as opportunistic writers spit-shining their favourite dusty aural nuggets for a well-earned airing. However, when the much-coveted chance to write this column was entrusted to me this week, I decided to bend the rules and head down a road less travelled. The year was 1998. John Frusciante had rejoined the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Spice Girls’ death grip on the testicles of the Earth was beginning to slacken, and the Goo Goo Dolls had just unleashed Pandora’s box on daytime radio with that song. The foppish, pointytoed glory of the indie rock movement was still a decade away, but in a tiny home studio in Denver, Colorado, four unassuming young men were
already planting the seeds. Formed in suburban Louisiana in the early 1990s as a bedroom project for future bandleader Jeff Magnum, the Neutral Milk Hotel moniker first gained recognition with the 1996 full-length On Avery Island. The twelve songs garnered mixed reactions, but Magnum’s cryptic lyricism and oddball use of imagery stirred up enough public curiosity to warrant a proper follow-up. Magnum’s solo project soon became a fully-fledged band with the addition of Scott Spillane (brass instruments), Julian Koster (wandering genie, singing saw, white noise) and Jeremy Barnes (percussion, winged instruments), and in the summer of 1997, the illustrious new line-up decamped to Denver to begin work on what was to become their magnum opus, In the Aeroplane over the Sea. To label this an indie-rock album would be a lazy approximation of the album’s content and background, an unjust comparison with the thousands of dire guitar bands that flood today’s market. While today’s “in-
die” acts tend to focus on the banal trivia of everyday life, In the Aeroplane… was destined to be a very different beast. The album’s main lyrical theme centres around Magnum’s helpless sense of grief after reading Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl. Haunted nightly by the ghosts of wartime Jewish families, of “pianos filled with flames” and of places where “…bodies once moved/ But don’t move anymore”, Magnum’s connection with a dead child from a different time formed a lyrical backbone that jarred with the album’s jubilant bagpipes and horn arrangements. “I would go to bed every night and have dreams about having a time machine and somehow I’d have the ability to move through time and space freely, and save Anne Frank.”, Magnum confessed in a 1998 interview. “Do you think that’s embarrassing?” While his sentiments were not unfathomable, Magnum’s heartrending reaction book most people have to skim through in secondary school would destroy his credibility in to-
The Specialist R.I.P R.E.M
DANIEL NOLAN
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.E.M., one of the seminal indie-rock bands of the past thirty years, announced this week that they have broken up. Since their inception in 1980, the band released fifteen studio albums, beginning with 1983s Murmur, still considered to be one of the most innovative and significant releases of the era, and ending with last year’s mildly received Collapse Into Now. A significant proportion of the albums released in between are considered to be classics of the genre, including their sophomore release, Reckoning, 1987’s Document, and 1992’s Automatic for the People. Despite the fact that R.E.M.’s more recent output has generally not compared favourably to their ‘classic’ work of the ‘80s and ‘90s,
their break-up must still be seen as a significant occurrence in rock music. During their thirty-year career, R.E.M. came to be seen by many as the definitive American ‘indie rock’ band, and are one of the most critically celebrated bands of all time. Early in their career, after emerging from their native Athens, Georgia, they were amongst the frontrunners of the subgenre of ‘college rock,’ so-called after the style of music that featured most prominently on the emerging college radio circuit. The band toured Southern America and recorded their debut single, ‘Radio Free Europe’, which provoked ecstatic reactions, despite their shoestring production budget. They then released the Chronic Town EP, which also received great critical acclaim. The Band went from
strength to strength, and had already built up a relatively large fan base by the release of Murmur. Their tremendous early run of albums, also including 1985’s Fables of the Reconstruction, ‘86’s Life’s Rich Pageant, and 86’s Green, is inarguably one of the most influential collections of albums in modern musical history. 1991’s Out of Time, broke R.E.M. to a larger audience, outside of their core indie fan-base, partially down to a more conventional style of production, as well as the success of lead single ‘Losing My Religion.’ Their rise to prominence continued with their next album, Automatic for the People. Automatic… included ‘Man on the Moon’ and ‘Everybody Hurts,’ two hugely successful singles that ensured R.E.M.’s place amongst the elite; they be-
day’s “indie” scene. When arranging the compositions for In the Aeroplane…, Magnum was content not to deviate from the sound trademarked on On Avery Island. His percussive approach to the acoustic guitar melded beautifully with Spillane and Koster’s brass arrangements and musical saw, lending the songs a kitsch marching-band feel that would be complimented by the album’s 19th century penny-arcade artwork. However, the band’s nostalgic instrumental setup did not suit their low-fi production values. Even on the remastered version, the trademark fuzz bass and hissing cymbals still clash with the wandering trombones and singing saws, while Magnum’s voice crackles in your speaker cones when he reaches for the high notes. For anyone who ever recorded themselves singing in the shower, congratulations for having a bigger budget than these guys. Upon release, In the Aeroplane over the Sea erased memories of a mediocre debut. The album achieved
overwhelmingly positive feedback from all corners of the music press, but it has been with time that its true importance has become apparent. While not strictly an “indie” record as we would recognize it today, In the Aeroplane… has proved to be a lasting influence on many of the scene’s biggest contributors, from Franz Ferdinand to Arcade Fire. When I began this article, I mentioned my intention to deviate from Magnum Opus’ usual formula. As I have explained, the records that get to feature in this column are nothing short of classics that defined the genres they represent. Where In the Aeroplane over the Sea differs is that it cannot be pigeonholed into one genre; Thirteen years down the line, the folktinged noise-rock that typified this record has thankfully been left untouched by the millions of dismal bands it helped to spawn. Mumford and Sons also found success in rocking tweed and brass, but it is unlikely that their influence will outlast their fortunes. In the Aeroplane over the Sea may not have the honour of epitomizing a specific musical genre, but in a league of its own, I would argue that it is a truer Magnum Opus than any other.
came ‘stadium rock’ staples and one of the most successful bands in the world. R.E.M.’s significance in the pantheon of great rock bands is undoubted, but this does not do them justice. Their induction into the conceptually awful ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ in 2007 continued an unfortunate trend in the band’s later years, seemingly consigning them to history, placing them as an institution with a worthy legacy rather than a great rock band. This left them fighting an uphill battle throughout their final decade, as it seemed impossible for their output to be taken at face value. However, in the wake of their split, their work should be re-evaluated and celebrated for its genuine worth. R.E.M. were a bracingly vital, innovative, and intelligent band, that seemingly filled the void left after the decline of punk. Their records had a sense of mystery and an elusive quality that along with lofi production and Michael Stipe’s cryptic and mumbled lyrics, elevated them above even the best of their peers. Even their eventual rise to
stadium-rock status was not due to a commercialisation of their music, but because of the recognition of attributes that had always been there and an increase in clarity as the band grew in stature. The sense of real passion and meaning at the core of the songs gave them their anthemic, rousing qualities. The sense of longing and melancholy in R.E.M.’s songs beautifully reflected the desolate landscapes of the American South that the band traversed during their early years, and sounded as natural and timeless as to have grown from the soil of such places. Many would argue that their early run of albums remained unmatched, and that they had already passed their peak by the time they achieved worldwide popularity. However, their longevity and sustained creativity must be saluted. It seems difficult to imagine another genuinely ‘alternative’ band equalling R.E.M.’s impact over such a long period of time, and it remains to be seen how the void their absence will entail will be filled, what’s guaranteed it that they’ll be sorely missed.
MUSIC
E
ight Full length albums in, Wilco have removed the surfacing negative comments of doubters and naysayers. The Whole Love is Wilco’s critic silencer. After the turmoil of changing line ups, the six members have settled into a groove of sorts, and show no signs of losing their momentum. New takes on country/ folk with post-rock distortion bring the group into a new era, and their own subgenre creation. The album begins with the sublime 7 minute-long ode to Radiohead. The song separates into two parts, deceiving those who believe it to be two separate songs. Glen Kotche’s drums have become as essential as Michael Jorgensen’s keys and organs.
27.9.11
Wilco The Whole Love
Blink 182 Neighborhoods
KEITH LEMATTI
THOMAS CULLEN
8/10
3/10
Just like a Mogwai epic, all instruments join together after being separately introduced, forming a collaboration of epic American Rock. Songs such as “Black Moon” and “Sunloathe” express imagery of love for the entities of the galaxy, or lack of that love. “I loathe the sun and sometimes I don’t know how to love anything”. Tweedy’s voice has been diminishing in power since the late 2000’s. This has given him some kind of kinetic power to enhance his song writing skill. Striking images of worrying yet beautiful thoughts complete all of the songs on this documentation of a troubled man. The stand out song, “One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend)”, a 12 minute epic, combines
tantalizing acoustic guitar with typical Jorgensen. This is a song about what you have to leave behind. “Outside I look lived in, like bones in a shrine”, sings one of the most prolific songwriters of recent times. A cynical man wrote this song, and who could blame the ex-paracetamol addict as he whispers “I fell in love with the burden holding me down”. Wilco draw upon their most beloved influences as usual. “Standing O”’s allows one to envisage The Clash’s Mick Jones. Pop-rock psychedelia kings The Doors are reborn on “I Might”, the first single from ‘The Whole Love’. After defying the odds and producing over 15 years of culture defying music, Wilco have once more succeeded in turning simple ideas into sophisticated indie rock.
B
link 182 fans have been waiting eight years for the release of the much anticipated sixth studio album from the Californian pop-punk band. When they took to the stage during the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009 to announce their reunion after a six year hiatus, many music fans cringed at the thought of having to listen to more cheesy pop-rock songs such as “All the small things” and “What’s my age again”. However Blink 182 fans were delighted that the band had set their differences aside and reformed one of the most popular American bands of the late nineties. Neighborhoods has many aspects that sound similar to previous work by Blink 182, particularly their self-titled
DJ Shadow The Less You Know the Better
5/10
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tional depth and a flat out refusal to move with the pace of contemporary hip-hop. ‘Back to Front’ begins with a drone followed by a man saying ‘I’m back, I forgot my drum!’ then breaks into a classic DJ Shadow beat. The sense of continuous motion, voices and scratching brings ‘Frontier Psychiatrist’ by The Avalanches to mind, however, they are so vastly different in quality, it’s hard not to feel short changed by a tired formula. ‘Sad And Lonely’, as you might guess, is a melancholic song, albeit without making any meaningful connection with the listener; a lonely piano is paired with its old friend the violin while a woman who warns young women not to trust young men.
This is an unwelcome and uninspired DJ Shadow at work. ‘Warning Call’ sounds quite indie rock; it’s lively and contains some very catchy riffs, and provides a rare respite from unrepentant blandness. ‘Afrikan Boy’ develops into a grime sound, giving us a moment of recognition that Shadow may still have a hold of his thinking cap. Lead single ‘I Gotta Rokk’ is a catchy piece that hosts some classic Shadow style sampling, but there’s little else to say about this record, it all seems to serve as a poor imitation of an inspired musicians past brilliance. If DJ Shadow is ever going to reclaim his lost position at the throne of instrumental hip–hop, this is an example of exactly how not to do it. A big disappointment.
2003 album. It is easy to recognize the bands trademark guitar riffs combined with synthesisers in the track ‘Ghost on the Dancefloor’, which is a strong album opener that Blink fans can relate to. However the problems start from here in. The second track on the album ‘Natives’ has the awful combination of an upbeat tempo and terribly depressing lyrics. The lines “I’m just a b*****d child, don’t let it go to your head, I’m just a waste of your time, maybe I’m better off dead” are crooned out by lead singer Tom DeLonge as if they were cheerful and selfinspiring. Another major problem with the album is that the tracks are considerably similar to each other. For exam-
ple, by the time you have listened to the final track on the album ‘Even if She Falls’ it will feel like you have just heard the same song fourteen times. They all begin with a glitzy guitar intro, followed by Travis Barkers heavy drumming and some irritating synthesizers. Terrible lyrics pervade the album. They are meaningless, depressing and are completely unfitted with the music that accompanies them. This album will surely be snapped up by members of Blink 182’s massive fan base in America, and is almost guaranteed commercial successful. However, for the common music fan, this record is one to avoid at all costs.
Mastodon The Hunter GRAHAM LUBY
DAN COONEY
ollowing up 2006’s The Outsider, revered beatsmith DJ Shadow’s latest offering The Less You Know the Better comprises of exactly what fans expect; heavily sampled material paired with distinct genre variation. Shadows’ sampling style is familiar at this stage; guitars, piano, turntable scratches and vocal snippets are all put to use across the 17 tracks and while well respected rappers Talib Kweli and Posdnuos also feature, their presence is one of few indicators that Shadow has any ideas left to explore. Having set his own standards incredibly high with 1996’s groundbreaking Endtroducing, fans will be let down by the lack of emo-
music@collegetribune.ie
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7/10
“
I saw the creature fall into the swamp from which he spawned/ I heard them laugh and say they never liked him anyway” In March of 2009, the release of Mastodon’s fourth full-length Crack the Skye heralded a cheer from the metal community that shook Valhalla’s rafters. The sprawling opus, partly centered around the suicide of drummer Brann Dailor’s sister, was a new departure for the Atlanta quartet; Having risen to the top of modern metal for their mythical subject matter and filth-encrusted riffs, the album was a change of direction that received exultant reviews but alienated many fans of the band’s older material. If Crack the Skye was the
brooding, grown-up album, its follow up is the antithesis. On The Hunter, Messrs. Troy Sanders & Co. unleashed their inner children to run riot in the studio and stood back to see what happened. The result is an aural carnival. Gone are the orchestral, beard-stroking concept works of old, replaced by four-minute slabs with titles like “The Octopus Has No Friends” and lyrics as outlandish as those quoted above. Those swampy, distinctly Southern guitar lines that had been gradually disappearing since 2006’s Blood Mountain make a triumphant return here. This album practically needs to be scraped for resin before it can be played.
As welcome as the sludge influences are, the album has more than brutality to offer, and intricate vocal arrangements and guitar harmonies reminiscent of Black Roseera Thin Lizzy punctuate the neural assault. Tracks such as “The Sparrow” and the title track stand as testament to just how far the band have progressed as musicians since their finest hour, 2004’s Leviathan. Though it is certain that this album will have its detractors, who will argue that Mastodon have passed their creative peak, it is undeniable that they are better musically than they have ever been. Mastodon have the tools and the potential to make the best record of their career, and here they came so close. If they can hone their songwriting skills to match their technical prowess, the world of heavy metal should start counting down to a followup now.
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MUSIC
music@collegetribune.ie
INTERVIEW: REPUBLIC OF LOOSE CONOR MANNING
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uggling the recording of new material, entering the worldwide market and playing UCD in October to raise awareness about mental health problems, Republic Of Loose’s Benjamin Loose took some time out of his busy schedule to share his thoughts on one of Ireland’s biggest acts. I asked him how the band fared when they played Electric Picnic earlier this month, “Yeah, it was great. It was the first time we’d played the Picnic as Loose and it was a nice day. It usually rains when we play outdoors.” How did that compare to playing Glastonbury? “Every gig has its own different kind of vibe. At Glastonbury we did kind of smaller stages but it was nice to do the Main Stage for the Picnic. They’re very different kinds of gigs, you know. Every gig has its own characteristics, its own vibes.” Moving on from that experience, Republic of Loose are playing UCD on Octo-
ber 10th as part of the First Fortnight tour, which aims to promote mental health awareness. I wanted to know if there was a particular reason why they wanted to get on board with this cause. “They came to us”, he explains, “and it just sounded
like a good thing to be a part of. I mean, college shows are always good fun. It was good fun to do a bunch of college shows together. It’s not a cause that I know a huge amount about but anything that lets people relate to other people or get stuff off their
chest has got to be a good thing.” Benjamin explains that they enjoy playing to student audiences. “There’s a lot of cynicism around about music but when you go to colleges, that’s one of the places where that hasn’t impinged yet. Students are just up for having a good time and enjoying live music and it’s just great fun to play college gigs.” It’s no surprise, then, that he enjoys playing the band’s most popular songs live. “Comeback Girl is great fun every time just because people love it. The Steady Song is something people know really well so it’s great fun and then there’s other songs too.” He can’t pick a favourite though. “We’re doing a lot of the new album which is great to play live so it’s hard to pick one. They all have their own attractions when you’re playing them.” He explains what the band are up to at the moment. “At the minute we’re in the studio. We’re finishing off a couple of singles that we’re
going to release for Ireland and we’re putting out a compilation of our first three albums in France, Germany and the rest of Europe in the next couple of months, as our first album.” They’ve had some limited airplay in Europe before but Benjamin explains that those songs “have never been properly released in Europe”. What does the future hold for Loose after that? “Well, we’re going to release another single in January and then hopefully over to the States for Paddy’s Day. We’re hustling away; the hustle never really stops. We’re getting new music out there, we’re getting the older stuff to people who’ve never heard it before.” I ask if they’ll be touring America or Europe in the near future and receive an optimistic answer. “The plan is to hit the States for Paddy’s Day next year and depending on how the release goes in Europe, hopefully some of it will take on the radio and then we’ll get over there and support that release. The band has played with many high-profile and influ-
ential artists. I venture to ask who Benjamin’s favourite collaborator was, bearing in mind that Republic of Loose have recorded with artists as renowned as Sinéad O’Connor. “Well, it was a huge honour working with her.”, he says of the famous singersongwriter. That was amazing because we actually got to be in a room with her recording and rehearsing and stuff. That was great.” “Also Styles P, the rapper from New York. He’s one of the top ten rappers of all time. We’re huge hip-hop fans and that was a pretty immense experience for us getting to work with him as well. We’ve been very lucky in the people we’ve gotten to work with and obviously Sinéad is right up there as one of the highlights of our career so far.” Republic of Loose play the Student Bar on October 10 as part of the First Fortnight Student Tour challenging mental health prejudice and discrimination. For more information see firstfortnight. com.
making the trip down to Australia as we’ve sold a good few records there as well. We want to kind of evenly distribute our time in those different territories so that nobody is missing out!” When they are off the road and need to rest up and plan their next raid, the band still choose to return home to County Down. “There’s no better place to go back to”, says Neeson of their decision not to decamp to London or
LA, as originally advised- “In this touring bubble you get detached from the rest of the world, Northern Ireland keeps us grounded”. Before they return to County Down again, the band will make a stop in Whelan’s on October 1st. If you manage to miss it, they will get to you eventually- “Anywhere that wants to have The Answer, The Answer will go and play!”
The Answer Interview GRAHAM LUBY
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We’re trying to inject some new life back into rock n’ roll, trying to make it relevant to the modern day”. For such a brazen statement of intent, Cormac Neeson seems very laid-back. But with upwards of 300,000 record sales under his belt, he has every right to be. The above quote has been thrown around in some form or another for as long as rock music has existed. A genre whose appeal originally centred on its tendency to push the boundaries, The Genre That Would Not Die has, by paradox, constantly had to reinvent itself to stay connected to its core values. However, sixty years into its lifespan, rock is reaching its very limits of creativity; it cannot conceivably get any heavier, faster or more rebellious. In the ever-increasingly intense contest for attention in rock music, many bands rely on pushing those boundaries to gain notoriety. The Answer, along with groups such as Airbourne and Black Stone Cherry, differ by sticking to the blueprints laid down in the 60s
and 70s by old greats such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and AC/DC. In the contest for attention, The Answer receive no points for originality, but compensate with the sheer quality of their songs. Neeson, one quarter of The Answer, has graciously sacrificed part of his afternoon to humour The Siren. The amicable vocalist is speaking from the band’s rehearsal space in Co. Down, where the Belfast quartet are limbering up for their upcoming UK headline dates in support of their third full-length Revival. The album comes four months after their 412 Days of Rock n’ Roll DVD (Documenting their support slots on AC/ DC’s recent Black Ice tour), and the band intend to strike while the iron is hot. “Since that world tour we’ve basically locked ourselves in our houses, writing and recording this album, and we’re delighted to be getting back out again”, Neeson states enthusiastically. “I don’t think that rock n’ roll fans are very quick to forget. It is a fair enough gap since [2009 album] Everyday Demons came out, and it’s about a year since we put together a tour like this one,
but we obviously have very high hopes to capitalize on the thousands upon thousands of people that we’ve played to [when supporting AC/DC].” “It helped us reach such a wide audience”, agrees guitarist Paul Mahon of the AC/ DC tour. “I think that we’re only benefitting from that on Revival. The places we’ve been playing have held much bigger audiences. With the DVD, we’ve definitely picked up on that as well”. That tour was also crucial in helping the band to hone their stage skills, as will be evident when they stop over at Whelan’s in October. Learning to win over arena crowds on a nightly basis developed their ability to command their own crowds. “It takes a couple of shows to get used to the arenas”, Neeson admits. “Not just the stage and size of the venue, but also to learn to win over a mass of people. I remember when we headed to Chicago; we had played two shows with AC/ DC at that point, and I remember feeling very comfortable by then… you have to be able to relax to do the music justice. If you stiffen up, that’s not going to help
anybody.” While Neeson is obviously having the time of his life on the road, it is clear that he treats the live circuit with the respect it deserves. A live band first and foremost, The Answer have a professional attitude towards touring that comes from living off of music. “We have a decent following in the UK and Europe, we’ve played a fair few of our own shows in North America, and we also plan on
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Next big thing?
Misfit Robert Sheehan talks to Conor McKenna about Killing Bono, Irish life and hopes for the future
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AFTA award nominee Robert Sheehan has had a busy year: finishing with Misfits, starring in Killing Bono and Season of the Witch with Academy award winner Nicholas Cage. The Laois native has exploded onto the scene and looks set to make a bigger name for himself over the coming year. The cynical Nathan Young is a far cry from the nerdy Cormac MacNamara in the RTE production Foreign Exchange and emphasises the growth of Sheehan as an actor. Sheehan made a name for himself early with small roles in big productions in RTE and in film, he explains how it all started: “I fell it mostly by accident and not much design. I first acted in a small play in Primary School, which had the snappy title, ‘Oliver with a Twist’. I played Oliver, and the play was a series of random comedic sketches roughly following the narrative of Oliver the classic!” Sheehan’s big break came in 2003 when he was cast as O’Reilly in the film adaptation of Patrick Galvin’s novel Song For a Raggy Boy: “I was successful in getting a small part in Song For a Raggy Boy after a succession of open castings when I was 14 years old.” More recently Sheehan was cast in a supporting role to Rupert Grint in the drama film Cherrybomb. This being Sheehan’s first major role in the film industry he describes his feelings on hearing of his casting: “It was one of great delight! I went and partied in celebration with my brother and a few mates in Dublin that evening.”
Rupert Grint, more famous perhaps for his role in the Harry Potter series, has often been described by his fellow cast members as likeable and Sheehan is quick to affirm this: “Rupert is a sweet, gentle affable human being, which worked well
as it contrasted my loud, show-offish nature that I had on that job!” “Misfits was when the general recognition of my face started to occur on a far larger scale, but I have been doing stuff for years now so there has always been an odd and
occasional recognition,” explains Sheehan when questioned about his celebrity status. Despite this, he mentions that people at home haven’t changed their view of him much since his rise to prominence. Sheehan remarks that
due to his hectic schedule it has been difficult to get home: “I don’t go back very frequently. I’ve been back only once this year for example. Usually Christmas time is when we all converge upon the homeplace. I went back before starting rehearsals for Playboy of the Western World for a few days because I knew that, between rehearsals and the show itself, I wouldn’t get home until the end of the year.” He is happy to get home however when he can to catch up with friends and family who are delighted with his success: “Thankfully when I go back I usually see lots of familiar faces that I grew up with, so there is only the typical reaction of seeing an old friend. A lot of people tend to be very complimenting and pleasant if they’ve enjoyed something I’ve been in.” In Killing Bono, Sheehan starred as Ivan McCormick, the talented younger brother who is led astray by his sibling. Not a big supporter of U2 prior to the film, Sheehan states, “I became more of a fan after getting involved with the project, because I went and researched Bono and U2 a bit, and watched lots of DVDs of them in concert, holding 160,000 people in the palm of their hand, they are incredibly powerful.”
Sheehan’s performance was complimented by a number of critics as being particularly notable. Looking forward to this Christmas, Sheehan is set to star in the BBC film The Borrowers. The film will also play host to Aisling Loftus, Sharon Horgan and Stephen Fry. On filming, Sheehan states, “I had wonderful amounts of fun working with the gang from The Borrowers in South Africa recently, Aisling Loftus being an unending source of comedy.” Robert Sheehan’s future is undoubtedly bright for the present and he is unashamed in sights he sets for himself: “The list of people I would like to work alongside is a mile long, I had the pleasure of meeting with Christopher Nolan for an hour a while back, he would be right up the top of that list, obviously.” Sheehan also states that he is interested in pursuing his career in the US. In talking about the future, Sheehan lets slip: “Myself and a friend have decided to write a play together, and the subject matter is outrageous and strange, so something may come of that if we ever bother to put the effort in!” Sheehan’s acting talent and his keen desire to start writing have the potential to propel his career to bigger heights.
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David O’Doherty
RYAN CULLEN
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he one joke he has written in the past few years: “Why don’t Vodafone phones get married in my house? Cause the reception would be shit”
“World, you can mess with me once and you would probably get away with it. Mess with me twice and I probably won’t remember. But mess with me numerous times across a concerted period in a similar way and think you’re going
to get away with. Well you are wrong! Cause I’m going to lampoon you, through a comedy song” Within three seconds of speaking to David O’Doherty, I can’t help but laugh at his nonchalance. He sounds groggy, calls me
Richard, apologises for calling me Richard, blames his agent for calling me Richard and explains how he is still asleep in bed. After asking did he enjoy the delights of Ireland’s largest publicity stunt in Arthurs Day, he replies with a swift,
“Arthur’s day! Fuck off,” and in reference to his play ‘Rory Sheridan’s Tales of The Antarctica’, he explains how he spent the last few days, “shouting in a room for a very long time”. After spending years trying to become the most famous David O’Doherty on Google and numerous appearances on television game shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks and QI; he should have little cause for worry now, with such award-winning antics thrusting him into the limelight, a new show coming soon to Vicar street and the publishing of his follow on from ‘100 Facts About Pandas’ called ‘100 Facts About Sharks’. David O’Doherty is a man who takes his music seriously. He tells tales of how he wanted to become a piano player taking after his father and his struggles in dragging a large Fender Rhodes keyboard around with him, before his father lowered his expectations in life with a “you can’t polish a turd” speech. These struggles left him desiring something much smaller. O’Doherty is wellknown for combining his comedic performance with tunes played on his miniature electronic keyboard, delivering both his sung and spoken jokes with an extremely dry sarcasm. This novelty is combined with songs containing bizarre references and topics such as an orange women and his sortof duet with Shakira, which have made him stand out and has left many now recognisable comedians in his wake. In university, he introduced jazz concerts and rock gigs in which he stated “grew
longer and longer”, a whimsical way to introduce yourself to the world of comedy. He speaks of his indulgence of comedy shows in Dublin at the time, and how he became deeply engrossed in the fad. He recalls his first stand up gig, where he supported Tommy Tiernan and how Dublin is holding pen of comedic integrity, even if such a small city. Each August he carts his keyboards over on the flight from Dublin to the Edinburgh to perform his lowbudget, high-value routines about the perils of text messaging, his beefs and the acquisition of very mild superpowers. When asked if he had acquired any new mild superpowers he claimed that he has “been staying In a lot of hotels recently, and having the gift of when there is a choice of lifts, being able to stand under the one that is going to open before the little light comes on.” These have been appreciated by ever increasing numbers since he swatted away Josie Long, Andy Zaltzman and Russell Howard to win the So You Think You’re Funny new comic crown in 1999. In 2007, O’Doherty had ventured into other forms of media “basically it started as an idea of writing a show about recording an album in my apartment”. Broadcasted on RTE, he created a latenight, low-budget documentary TV series entitled The Modest Adventures of David O’Doherty, which struck a chord with Irish Audiences whilst leaving some people mystified by episodes that would feature him cycling from Dublin to Galway in one day to do a gig or concocting bizarre schemes to pay his rent and attempting to have a minor hit single, which he rose to 27 in the Irish charts. The song entitled ‘Orange’, a song about
ARTS an ill-suited couple on a date (he worked in a photocopy shop and made his own badges, she was a militant vegetarian whose fake tan went horribly wrong) went straight into the top 30 of the charts, “actually most of the people that come up and ask me about the song, are very orange themselves, meaning that they just don’t get the message at all”. Sell-out crowds in Melbourne or the Edinburgh fringe festival don’t faze David as he mumbles that the most exciting gigs are the ones in which he delivers brand new material, whether they be in large crowds or on top on a beer crate upstairs in Anseo. David’s career has taken him all over the world and back, and with adaptability being a possible problem for material he says that “people laugh at farts and people falling over, really you got to just figure out those universal funny things.“ Following the success of the film A Film With Me In It, in which David plays a brain damaged quadriplegic, he tells us of his struggles of “refraining to laugh” at Dylan Moran and his brother Mark Doherty’s improv over scripted lines. Last November David became the “most least famous person ever to present Nevermind the Buzzcocks”, a show that he previously enjoyed viewing at a younger age. “It was something that I’ve never done before, I don’t desire to be a television presenter and I’ve never done many panel shows, I’d only do shows that I like, shows that I watch”. David O’ Dohertys journey has left him leave his mark on Irish. Thankfully the play Rory Sheridan’s Tales of The Antarctica is anything but a vanity project, and the genial Irishman has crafted a splendid tale of tundra-based derring-do. The play is set 1917 and Rory Sheridan is young man in love with an uptown girl, a relationship doomed for disaster unless he can impress his beloved’s father by staging a hazardous and ill thought out publicity stunt and thus saving their family business. This involves him trekking to the Arctic Circle with a party of imbeciles who have invariably been selected not for their navigation or sailing skills but to get them out of harm’s way, hopefully for good. “It’s a show about a man who, rather than being very humble, is just a man
who should never have been there. A complete waste of time. Instead of a man who brings a sense of sensibility in an exciting era of brave explorers and sailors, to just someone who wants to impress a girl and just has a terrible time.” Next up for O’Doherty is a book entitled ‘100 Facts About Sharks’, which is his attempt to be a little bit like David Attenborough or one of his favourite shows Blue Planet, although he admits to being both ignorant and terrified of most animals. Instead, he concocts many hilarious made up facts about sharks. This isn’t David’s first venture into publishing, as his prequel ‘100 Facts About Pandas’, gained international recognition after giving us a satirical insight into the
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world of panda life such as the weaving panda turns the fabric bullet-proof and that Shanghai police have been wearing these fur jackets for 20 years. He again collaborates with Claudia O’Doherty and friend Mike Ahern in what promises to be a bestseller. For example, did you know that the shark hates Jazz music, and that the word shark actually looks quite like a shark? With such a simple yet genius idea, must have come some back story, but as nonchalant as ever, we get a look into how David’s cogs work. “Whatever people feel about pandas, and people have strong feelings towards pandas, sharks are the same. Cute but ferocious. I obviously watch a lot of Blue Planet and Claudia and
I used to watch it without the sound on and make up new commentary and give the animals names. From there we began to write down these ridiculous facts, first concentrating on the panda, then the shark.” The book is set to be published in hardback by Square Peg on the 6th October 2011. O’Doherty has been decorated with numerous awards for his many achievements in comedy. In 1999, he won Channel 4’s illustrious So You Think You’re Funny Comedy Competition at the Edinburgh Fringe festival and was also a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards in the same year. He has received the accolade of Hot Press Irish Comedian of the Year 2003 and in the year 2000, he
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was nominated for Perrier Best Newcomer Award for his show; David O’Doherty: The Boy Who Saved Comedy. 2006 saw a nomination for the if.comedy award for his show, ‘David O’Doherty is My Name’. He eventually won the if.comedy Award (formerly the Perrier Award) in 2008 for ‘Let’s Comedy’. He was also nominated for the Barry Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2006. Recently David has raked in the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner in 2008 and was voted Irish Comedian of the Year in 2010. With a brand new show called ‘David O’Doherty is looking up’; he is set to increase his ever growing fanbase and worldwide recognition. “It’s a show I wrote over the summer, a new stand up
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show which I wrote over the course of this year and I feel that they are getting better as I go along. I’ve tried to do something a bit different to what I’ve done before, I’ve tried to talk about the recession and our country”. With what sounded like a yawn and a slurp, David goes on to explain how it will still be mostly really stupid jokes, and songs played on a tiny keyboard, but also some things that he feels are quite important in life. ‘David O’ Doherty is looking up’ shall be in Vicar Street in Dublin on the 1st of October in which promises to be a fantastic night of laughter and mystery. Interestingly, O’Doherty also enjoys artists who combine the ridiculous with the profound along with occasionally music, allying comedians like Flight of the Conchords (who he supported on their gig in Dublin’s Olympia theatre last year), Zach Galifianakis and his favourite comedian of recent Tim Key. He feels that artists’ trying to mimic comedians off certain shows such as Live at the Apollo is the wrong way to get started into comedy, “you just have to say things that you find funny, don’t watch the Apollo and go aspire to be exactly that, if there is a tiny thing that really, really makes you laugh, like chuckle to yourself, that’s how you go about it. There is enough generic comedians at the moment” When it comes to performing his whimsical wit, be they strange towns or cities, awkward audiences or unusual venues such as his own small apartment or upstairs in Anseo on beer crates, David’s style and character has left him as one of the more celebrated comedians in Ireland in recent times. After all, a laugh is a laugh, and his own material takes so much from his own real life and the little things that make him laugh. Whether it be his subtle acquisition of very mild superpowers, his beefs with life and his absurd fascination with pandas and sharks, David O’Doherty has the guile and mannerism to rank himself amongst Irelands greats. David O’Doherty performs at Vicar Street on the 1st of October. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.ie “100 facts about sharks” will be released in hardback by Square Peg on the 6th October 2011
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ARTS
fashion@collegetribune.ie
Review - Tinker Tailor Solider Spy Directed by
Tomas Alfredson. Starring Mark Strong, David Dencik, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, Kathy Burke, Colin Firth, John Hurt, Ciaran Hinds, Toby Jones, Gary Oldman. 127 mins, Cert 15.
5/5 DONAL LUCEY
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here was a lot of expectation resting on the shoulders of Swede Tomas Alfredson when this film was announced. Based not only on one of the most critically acclaimed espio-
nage novels of all time but also an already iconic 1979 BBC serialisation, it was a brave undertaking. Set in Cold War-era 1973, the story revolves around the presence of a Soviet mole at the heart of the Circus, codename in John Le Carré’s books for the British secret intelligence service. Agent Jim Prideaux’s (Mark Strong) mission in Budapest has gone horribly wrong, now as a result, the head of the Circus, John Hurt’s Control has been pushed out as has loyal agent Smiley (Gary Oldman). But when the government gets wind of the possibility that a Soviet agent has infiltrated the secret service, Smiley is recalled to root out the mole. Is it “Tinker” (Toby Jones), “Tailor” (Colin Firth), “Soldier” (Ciaran Hinds) or “Poor man” (David Dencik)? This stylish spy thriller does not fit in with its spy genre contemporaries. It does not have the violent
hand-to-hand combat or the chase scenes of its progressively superficial counterparts. It may lose some of its audience with its deliberately slow pace and chess match style of investigation. But that would be a shame because this is an incredible achievement in filmmaking from top to bottom.
The starting point was the screenplay by Peter Straughan and Bridget O’Connor which for the most part stays true, leaving Le Carré’s themes of class, corruption and moral uncertainty intelligently intact. There are a number of incredible performances from the predominantly British cast, but Oldman stands out
with an Oscar worthy turn as Smiley. Smiley is a reserved character that chooses his words carefully. What I really enjoyed is how the characters’ emotions are shown under the surface rather than hard hitting, which I think is more effective. It is amazing how through Oldman’s incredibly expressive performance, we are able to understand exactly what Smiley is thinking just by his changing of posture or adjustment of his glasses. Alfredson is the most crucial component for this film. He seems to really understand the characters and has an eye for every small, telling detail. He frames every shot with precision, overhearing conversations in darkened hallways or through walls as if we are the spies, gathering evidence about the character’s wrong doings. If evidence of his class was not seen after Let the Right One In (2008) it certainly is now. Even though the actors
and director usually get the most credit, like I said this is great filmmaking from top to bottom. The film would not have the same impact if not for the grainy, sepia-tinged finish applied by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema to create 1970’s London or the subtle touch of the score composed by Alberto Iglesias. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a classic whodunit thriller with a choking air of suspense that keeps the audience guessing until the stunning final frame. Lose yourself in a labyrinth of double-agents, deception and damn fine acting from the year’s best British line up. The film must be judged on its own merits, and whilst I am sure that this will not be to many mainstream moviegoers’ tastes, it is one for those who are looking for a film of a different type, time and pace. Expect it to be up there when the Oscar’s are being handed out.
Interview - ‘Sluts’ CIARA MURPHY Author Caitriona Daly
‘
Sluts’, a new play by Caitriona Daly is returning to Dramsoc. After capturing audiences in Dramsoc, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Kerry, ‘Sluts’ is coming back to UCD as the Dramsoc Flagship. ‘Sluts’ is a play about stupid bitches. The setting of ‘Sluts’ is in an “unspecified area of Dublin” where “stupid bitches” are getting ready before a night out. ‘Sluts’ plays on the stereotyped views of female friendships, relationships and jealousy. The play was nominated for Best Original Script at the I.S.D.A.’s in 2010 it’s “sharp and witty dialogue, cutting and aggressive putdowns and heart wrenching moments capturing the frailty and, at times superficiality, of love and loss.” ‘Sluts’ has made an impact to audiences both in Ire-
land and abroad. It is a play not to be missed. What made you come up with the idea for ‘Sluts’ as a play? I knew I wanted to write a play that criticised ‘pretty woman’ the film. I just thought the whole idea of it was actually ridiculous. So I wrote a speech which kickstarted the rest of the play. Were you confident when you were entering it into the ISDA’s? Its impossible to be confident entering the ISDA’s and anyone who is, is a fool. There is no precedence with the judges as they change every year so its impossible to tell what they’re into themselves. It’s really a very subjective thing so all you can hope for is that you perform your best on the night which we did and we came home with a few nominations which we are extremely proud of. What was involved in getting ‘Sluts’ into the
Fringe Festival?
it good or bad.
Getting into it wasn’t a problem all you need is a good script and some nice photos of your production and if they’re good the venues seem happy enough to have you over. It’s more the ‘getting there’ that’s tough because Edinburgh is hard to do on a budget.
How do you want to progress with ‘Sluts’ now?
What was the reaction of the Fringe Festival? Fantastic! We had great crowds from all over the world that loved the show, which was fantastic as we were worried how some of the jokes would translate across the Irish Sea but it never seemed to be a problem. We had a woman walk out in the first few minutes of one of the performances because of the topics being discussed but to be honest I don’t know why she was coming to see a play called ‘Sluts’ if she was sensitive to that sort of thing but its good to know your work provokes a reaction be
We’re delighted to be the flagship show for Dramsoc this year. It’ll be sad saying goodbye to the Dramsoc theatre as it’s the last show that I’ll be doing there but it’s nice to be going out with a bang. We then have some tour dates for October and who knows after that. What’s on the cards for ‘Sluts’ as far as Dramsoc is concerned? The flagship run will be the last time its performed in the Dramsoc theatre, but we’re remaining under the Dramsoc name when we tour in October. Everything about this play has been created by Dramsoc members. It will always be a Dramsoc play to me anyway. Sluts will be showing in Dramsoc from September 28th. Make sure not to miss out.
ARTS
27.9.11
Theatre Review: Annie AMANDA BARTON
he story of Annie as a Broadway musical began in 1977 and was based on the popular comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray which followed the adventures of Annie, her dog Sandy and her benefactor Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks. This classic tale of rags to riches is brought to life in
The Gaiety by the great performances of Su Pollard who plays the miserable matron Miss Hannigan and David McAlister as the billionaire Warbucks. The production is directed by Roger Hannah with musical supervision by Mark Crossland and design by Alan Miller Bunford. We begin in The Muncipal Girls Orphanage at 3am, the lights gently turn up to reveal three plain, simple beds in a bare room with no trace of finery, which gradually we find are packed full of still sleeping orphans. The youngest orphan, Molly, is awoken by a nightmare and the remaining girls then wake up to hear the ritual of Annie comforting her with the note that her parents gave to her in 1922 when she was left on the steps of the orphanage. Annie is now eleven years old and her parents still have not fulfilled their promise to
lot of it. This venomous rage is aimed, as expected, at the changes to the original trilogy which we will look at later but first the prequels. Episode I: The Phantom Menace to Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, tell the story of the rise of the Galactic Empire headed by the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious and the fall of the Republic intertwined with the tale of Anakin Skywalker and his personal descent into darkness. These visual look outstanding, they are crisp and crystal clear. The CGI locations such as Coruscant, Naboo and Kimono are beautifully rendered. Throughout however a few small changes that help the ebb and flow of the three movies or add the story in a positive manner. One of the changes that caused an aneurysm to the internet was the replacement of the puppet Yoda with the CGI model used in the rest of the prequels. I don’t understand why. It makes sense, the prequels are set in the grandeur of the Old Republic, and as such everything
needs to look accordingly and consistent. All three of these movies have a uniform feel via their visual presentation and techniques to enhance battles or the powers of the Jedi for example. On other note, the deleted scenes from these movies that are found on the bonus disc are very interesting indeed. They explore the expanded universe of the prequels, and add the ‘depth’ that some have complained about in the prequels without turning the non-fan away. The original trilogy composes the latter section of the set and it is this that had drawn most rage from fans of the series. These tell the story of inter-Galactic Civil War and the journey of Luke Skywalker on his path to becoming a Jedi Knight. In Chasing Amy, these movies are referred to as “the holy trilogy’, indeed these movies have such a reputation. So anything done to these movies would have drawn anger from fans. The following are a few of the most discussed re-
Title: Annie Dates: 13th 24th September Venue: The Gaiety Theatre Tickets: €27 - €42.50 Director: Rodger Hannah Author: Book by Thomas Meehan; Music by Charles Strouse; Lyrics by Martin Charnin. Cast Includes: Su Pollard, David McAllister, Audrey LeBourne
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Star Wars: The Complete Saga. Blu-Ray DARRAGH O’ CONNOR
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n August 14, 2010, George Lucas announced that the Star Wars saga would be released as a Blu-Ray box set in 2011. This announcement was met with a conflict of emotions for long time fans of the saga. On one hand, there was excitement that all six Star Wars films would be finally together in one neat collection of Blu-Ray discs. While on the other hand, some had the fears that Lucas would make a lot of changes, on top of
the multitude of changes that plagued the reception of the late 90’s special edition and the DVD releases, to the original or ‘classic’ series. A number of these changes were leaked prerelease on a number of websites, to the collective groan of the internet. After much waiting the box set dropped earlier this month, entitled Star Wars: The Complete Saga. And yes, George Lucas has made more changes, a quick scan through the reaction of the internet two weeks after the latest re-release yields one overarching thing: rage and a
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come back and get her, and it is in the very first song “Maybe” that we get the first glimpse of her ever shining optimism. This bleak setting is made suddenly so colourful by the fantastic harmonies of the orphans singing “Hard Knock Life” with buckets full of attitude. The little Molly does an out-standing performance here and is, throughout the show, a little ray of sunshine on the stage. The Acts run ever so smoothly into each other, and the set design is really spectacular with great attention to detail. In particular, the Warbucks mansion Christmas scene and the New York City night scene stand out for not only their production value but also for their impact. Each of these scenes sparkle with the vocal performances of all the cast, in songs such as “NYC”, “I think
I’m Gonna Like it Here” and “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile.” Miss Hannigan’s brother Rooster and his floozy girlfriend Lily are excellent villains considering they have relatively small parts, and the only surprise for an audience over familiar with the film adaptation may be how quickly everything gets resolved. The actress who played Grace gives a graceful performance, as does the one and only Annie. The only down side to her performance is that her renowned mop of curly red hair is non-existent until the Christmas party. The only other negative to this production would be that good old Sandy was a bit too old, and was quite noticeably tired on stage. Although this did add humour, despite it being unintentional! All that aside, a really excellent show, lively and heartfelt, and at times, awe inspiring.
cent changes: Obi-Wan’s Krayt Dragon call has once again been changed, the Han and Greedo scene has been shortened by several frames from the 2004 DVD version and they now shoot at nearly the same time, a random bunch of TIE Fighters appear as the rebels attack on the second Death Star, the ewok Wicket now blinks and finally Darth Vader now says “No” while Luke is tortured by the Emperor. He then screams “Nooooo!” as he picks Palpatine up and
hurls him to his death. First and foremost, there is only so much you can do with the original footage of these movies. In that regard, they look great and the conversion to Blu-Ray has been kind to them. Again, like the Blu-Ray prequels, they have a uniform and consistency in their presentation. Released on September 12, 2011 internationally and on September 16 in North America
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fashion@collegetribune.ie
FASHION
The Beauty Spot: Urban Decay’s Naked Palette With an eye for beauty, brokenblush.blogspot. com’s Julie Kirwan reviews Urban Decay’s Naked Palette.
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et’s not kid ourselves, we could spend hours pondering how blue eyeshadow enhances brown eyes and how peach compliments blue. In college and in most of life, packing on lime green eyeshadow in order to flatter our features just isn’t practical, or in many cases, even nice. Forget unwearable trends and instead focus on the colour that will suit everyone and won’t be offensive: the most important palette we need this month is a neutral one. Now, we could indulge ourselves in the MAC counter; buying their 15
amount of Sin with a slick of Naked in the crease and your day-look is sorted. But where it gets far more interesting is with the heavier looks – Buck and Darkhorse blended into the crease, with a smidge of Creep on the outer corners will create a smokey eye even Kim Kardashian would be jealous of…Kinda.
pan palette (€16.50) and adding the eleven euro eyeshadow pans little by little. Or we could escape to Inglot and pay for a tenpan eyeshadow palette for as little as fifty-five euro. Or instead, we could zip down to Urban Decay and nab their Naked palette (€36). After a year of it being sold out across Ireland and the UK, the mania has died down a little, meaning you’re little mitts can snap it up once again. As the name suggests, it is perfect for an everyday muted look, or a dramatic night-time one with
S U P M CA E L Y T S Name:
Simone O’ Donavan
Course:
Single Honors English
Listening to:
Familjen
Bar of choice: C.U.N.T
Name:
Paul Doody
Course:
Masters in Philosophy
Listening to:
Dolly Parton
Bar of choice: Doyles
Name:
Heather Maher
Course:
Masters in Irish Literature
Listening to:
Yale’s Scholarcasts
Bar of Choice: Cafe en Seine
its mix of creams, taupes, deep purples and shimmery dark browns. While it could do with another matte colour or two thrown in, it is a twelve colour wonder
with a mixture of warm and cool toned shadows. Using the brands most popular shades, it presents itself to us in sleek felt packaging, and includes the famous Primer
Potion along with a trusty application brush. Its perfect for travel, perfect for nights out; and contains enough product to last ages. Go forth, I command thee. A small
See your name here! Write for The Siren’s fashion section! Contact fashion editor Cathal O’Gara at fashion@collegetribune.ie
FASHION
27.9.11
French & Fierce: Paris Pavement Fashion Erasmus student Roisin Sweeney details the difference between the semi-dashing Dubliner and the perfectly preppy Parisian. their clothes. more than their Irish coun-
T
he driving mentality behind the fashion and stylistic choices of the typical Parisienne are very different to that of the Dubliner. Here in Paris it seems that the people dress for their environment and their peers, more so than for themselves. Their attitude to dressing is almost nationalistic, in the sense that they know that as a population they are thought of as stylish and elegant, and they feel that’s something they should embody and reflect in the way they present themselves. Parisians are surrounded by beauty on a daily basis; there are decorative elements in even the minutest architectural details. I believe that for them, to dress badly, colourfully or dramatically, would be to let down their surroundings. It’s for this reason that ‘people watching’ in Paris is so enjoyable. The French fit so perfectly in their environment. Standing on any Paris street and watching the locals wander
by with baguettes, little or no make-up and simple, well cut clothes makes you smile. Everyone and everything in this city, with the exception of tourists, just looks so wonderfully French.
The people and the buildings here are so hugely appealing to other nationalities because there is no need for idealisation, Paris is the ideal. The French make sure that each corner looks more perfect than the next, and that includes the people, and
Parisian style can be easily summed up, it’s classic, simple shapes, the easy looseness of materials used, and muted colour palette. There’s a lot of je ne sais quoi thrown in as well, but I think that goes past analysis I find the most interesting groups, sartorially speaking, are the teenage girls. They march out of the collége wearing skinny jeans or tapered cigarette pants, turned up to show a delicate ankle, with ballet flats or leather boots, vest tops, simple jackets and a slouchy bag. This in itself just isn’t an interesting uniform, but the girls are so tall, tanned, slim, sexy and confident that it looks incredible. They also all smoke, purely, I believe, because it completes their look. Another interesting thing about the women of Paris is that they always wear their hair down, an outward expression of the heightened sensuality of people here. French men and women just seem to look at each other
terparts. The women enjoy being gazed at and whistled at, and while this does have an impact on how they dress, what it really affects is how they wear clothes. Parisians know exactly how to hold themselves, how to walk,talk and dress in order to seduce. The French have the right idea in terms of shopping for clothes. If you are going to buy something, make it expensive, classic, and easy. Their’s no Gok Wan here, people don’t discuss personal style, they have an intrinsic awareness to keep it classic. People don’t try and stand out, there are no 80’s throwbacks, no emos, and no knackers. It may not be as fun as Grafton street, you can’t really laugh at anyone’s outfits, but its so much more beautiful. The people here add to the overall aesthetic of the city, and if possible make it even more appealing, which isn’t something you can say about many places, or perhaps any places except, of course, Paris.
Chic
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Cobalt Blue The hottest colour this season: buy it, wear it, live it.
C U Next Tuesday Club night moved from Crawdaddy to The Lost Society on South William Street – bring glitter.
Thanks to Octavia Spencer, you will never eat pie again.
EEK
Country mouse to town mouse... Are you ready for the transition?
Copper Face Jacks
Ciara Louise Murphy enlightens UCD freshers on how to shop when you’re skint and still look mint.
Just thinking about the place will make you want to shower in Dettol.
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he first day of a new year here in UCD consists of lectures, seminars, the odd coffee run, endless queues for the copy print or computers and the complete and utter lack of seating during your precious hour off, but when you finally get the chance to look around you it often feels more like an advert for Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister and Topman/Topshop. Where does the country guy or gal fit into this? Do they automatically have to spend all of their rent money investing in these overpriced brands just to simply feel accepted with the norm of student life? Surely not. Here we are going to explore Dublin to find out the best way to get a top rate closet without selling the whole room. River Island, Top shop, New Look, A-wear and Bershka are well known for their devotion to keeping up with the new trends and al-
though one would find the odd budget allowing item it isn’t feasible for most to buy their whole season wardrobe there. This is where some research of your own comes into play, by keeping an eye on the style promoted by these shops you can get this seasons trends second hand or from reduced price outlets such as Pennys. For example Pennies is a fantastic outlet for the basics of any outfit, be it tights, plain skirts, plain t-shirts, block coloured tops and quirky patterns, American Apparel promotes a clean block colour style which is very easy to repeat with items from Pennys so be crafty with your purchases look at the outfits dressed by professionals and chose replicas if this style is for you. Much of the style seen today from the woollen jumpers to the oversized shirts and plenty of the 50’s orientated accessories can be
This on trend jumper sold for just €8 at the vintage inspired store 9 Crow Street of Temple Bar found in most second hand stores because let’s face it fashion is rarely original, instead it is always a tribute or throwback to a period in time idolising its role models. Also if you are more interested in this vintage secretary look seen up and down the high street a second hand
shop is your best friend as they are stocked full of genuine golden oldies and a bargain price can usually be negotiated. So be smart with your hard earned student loan and go home to the country folk looking Dublin city chic!
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Glee
Move over Franco, you’ve had your seven minutes, and enter the less annoying and handsome Dave Franco.
The off-kilter comedy is back and with the exiting of a few favourites it’s going to be worse than ever.
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arts@collegetribune.ie
FASHION
Papa’s got a brand new bag Men don’t often get the chance to accessorize. All the more reason, Cathal O’ Gara says, for you to get a man-bag.
W
hile I, like you, should have been spending my weekend studying, I instead found myself on a hunt for the perfect man-bag after typically leaving my favourite tote on the Luas (I was preoccupied with striking my best bluesteel in hope of being uploaded to luascrush). Men are changing their views on carrying a man-bag, finally, and the days of overflowing pockets with everything from your wallet and keys to your blackberry and ipods has come to an end. The direction in which men’s fashion has taken has led to a slimmer design in trousers all round and fits have become tighter – overflowing pockets have become illogical never mind unsightly. The bag market is no longer dominated by women, and the wide array of designs on
offer even enable the modern man to add an extra degree of masculinity and edge to your ensemble. Nowadays a wardrobe without a bag is not a wardrobe at all, but a mere unfulfilled wooden box crying out for your attention. The general practicality of a bag is, of course, the main reason for purchasing one; a home to keep your books, phone, wallet, ipad, ipod and everything else you love to brag about. A necessary accessory, if you wisely invest part of your maintenance cheque in a bag which is a classic colour, style and suits your image, then it will last you a lifetime and become a staple accessory of choice in your wardrobe. While usually only suited to the spring and summer seasons, the tote bag is set to continue its popularity throughout the autumn and
winter seasons. This is owing to a massive backing by designers, pairing the all-purpose accoutrement with everything from chunky knitwear to tailored suits. This is one trend that isn’t going to die. Albeit when one initially thinks of a side-bag tones of femininity come to mind, however current designs say different – coming in leather, statement colours, rugged canvas and canvas with leather trimmings. These designs are refined and sharp providing a classic and simple look which will last for years. If you’re looking for something more, there are currently some suede and metallic designs which cater for all aspiring metrosexuals. Bold colour and patterned totes work well in giving an extra kick to an outfit; whether to break up a
monochrome look or to compliment the other colours in your attire. Satchels have to be one of the most popular choices because of their functionality in
today’s hectic life. The over-the-shoulder bag is perfect for college with its original purpose of carrying notebooks, as well as for the gym, the satchel is the
tailored suit jacket, a proper turtleneck can replace the conventional shirt and tie. I wouldn’t advise wearing a turtleneck to weddings, but on an average day they can definitely upgrade your look. You can even remove your blazer after work and presto, you’re ready for an evening drink in Café en Seine. Turtlenecks can also be combined with jeans and more casual trousers. Wear
them under a leather jacket with a decent pair of chinos and you’ll look stand out as you paint the town red. Turtlenecks essentially go with any article of clothing, except for metallics. Just remember to keep your colour combinations simple if you want to avoid a fashion travesty. Turtlenecks for men should always be longsleeved, unless of course,
you’re on tour in Eastern Europe with The Village People. Then, and only then, is it acceptable (metallics would also be allowed in this instance). Turtleneck sweaters have long been a staple for winter sportsmen, as well as an indispensable part of the beatnik uniform. The reasons for their popularity are obvious: they look trim and they eliminate the
bag of choice for most highstreet stores. Easy to carry due to the one-shoulder strap, satchels are perfect for the morning and evening trek to and from U.C.D – navigating through those throngs of freshers has never been so easy (put away your cattle prods). When it comes to the material of choice for your manbag, leather satchels seem to go well with elegant and classic styles, whilst rugged canvas bags can be more versatile and easier to adapt to different trends. Right on target with the heritage trend, Barbour’s waxed satchels are the perfect accessory for quilted and tweed clothing. Don’t be shy when deciding on your bag of choice. The right satchel can increase masculinity and complete your outfit by breaking it up. Remember: “It’s not a purse, it’s called a satchel. Indiana Jones wears one.”
Turtle Power
With heritage and the seventies trends taking the runways by storm, Cathal O’ Gara answers the lifelong question: to turtleneck, or not to turtleneck?
I
have always been on the fence with regards to the touchy subject of turtlenecks. The majority of individuals avoid them like last night’s one-night-stand, but there is, surprisingly, a minority that swear by this seventies-inspired academiaconnoting jumper, and look good too. The number of designers pushing the turtleneck this season is staggering; Hermes, Robert Cavalli, Calvin Klein and more are all implementing the turtleneck in the same way – layering it beneath smart tailoring and refined ensembles such as tweed, wool coats and trenches. For those of you looking for something warmer (we
are expecting snow in October), you could invest in one of the thick-knit designs available with pattern or cable detailing. Cheap Monday has a large collection of these which are available at Urban Outfitters. These thick-knits should be used the same way in which you wear any jumper: let it become the focus of your outfit and avoid overdressing; pair of American Apparel chinos, a simple overcoat, and you’re good to go. The key turtleneck trend you should be looking for is the fine-gauge lightweight knit in a slim fit (think Steve Jobs and Dermot O’ Leary) Turtlenecks are suitable for both casual and formal events. When worn under a
bother of a necktie. The rules are simple. When you are wearing a bold coloured blazer or coat, team it up with a neutral coloured turtleneck in order to anchor your outfit. If you’re dressing in a neutral coloured coat or blazer, then enliven your outfit with some extra colour like ox-blood or cobalt-blue.