The Edge (October 2014)

alt-j

live gig review

Our interview with

Rae morris

fifa 15

first impressions

Issue Two Welcome to Issue Two! It seems like only yesterday we were putting together the first issue of the year, and now it is already time for the second. With this issue comes the end of Freshers’ Week, and the beginning of the new term. We’ve had a very busy few weeks here at The Edge with the best Creative Industries Induction Programme ever. We’ve also spent a lot of time around Freshers’ events, like the Bunfight and Freshers’ Fayre, getting to meet a lot of new writers. Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Bunfight - you won’t regret it at all!

Gracing our cover is the biggest gaming release of the year, Destiny, which, with its stunning visuals, exciting gameplay, and a voice performance by Peter Dinklage, is perfect to kick off our very first gaming issue of the year! You can check out the review of the game on pages 29-30, in our Culture section. Alongside this is our preview of FIFA 15 which is always a highly anticipated game.

As if that wasn’t enough gaming excitement, we also have some bumper gaming features in this issue. If you don’t consider yourself a serious gamer you can check out our feature on the games to play next particularly if, like me, your hand eye coordination leaves something to be desired. With the release of The Sims 4 in September we thought that we would have a look at the history of the game - check out the double page spread on pages 17-18.

We also have some very exciting interview and review features in this issue, with Rae Morris and Manchester Orchestra - have a look at what our writers thought about their live performances in the Live and Features sections. You can also look at the films that we thought were the worst of the summer on pages 15-16. This issue also sees the introduction of our newest News feature ‘The Newsbox’ - you can see the biggest stories of the last couple of weeks, what we’re really excited for and our new ‘Hype-o-meter’!

With Issue Two coming out now, we are at the start of what looks to be a really exciting year for The Edge.

With the team working like a well-oiled machine, and some really exciting opportunities and interviews on the horizon, it could not be a better time to be part of the entertainment magazine.

Rebecca James Editor 1 | Editorial

Editor Rebecca James editor@theedgesusu.co.uk Deputy Editor Caitlin Hobbs deputy-editor@theedgesusu.co.uk records Editor Hannah Mylrea records@theedgesusu.co.uk Features Editor Siân Blewitt features@theedgesusu.co.uk film Editor Virginie Robe film@theedgesusu.co.uk C u lt u r e e d i t o r Natalie Fordham culture@theedgesusu.co.uk live Editor Annabelle Asker live@theedgesusu.co.uk news Editor Lewis Taplin news@theedgesusu.co.uk head of design Joe Buckingham design@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of external relations Jenny Simpson relations@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of publicity Henna Patel publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of events Alex Meehan events@theedgesusu.co.uk online manager Emily Mitchell manager@theedgesusu.co.uk editor in chief Megan Downing vpdci@susu.org

The Edge | editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

Contents 01 Welcome to Issue Two

culture

records

03 Mercury Music Prize Album Reviews 05 Banks - Goddess 06 alt-J - This Is All Yours 07 Jessie Ware - Tough Love 07 Hozier - Hozier Single Reviews 08 Circa Waves - So Long 08 Fall Out Boy - Centuries 08 Ariana Grande ft. Zedd - Break Free

Writing 25 Classic Review: Roxana Theatre 27 Your Autumn Theatre Sorted 28 Review: Singin’ In The Rain Video Games 29 Review: Destiny 31 FIFA 15 Demo: First Impressions

Live

32 Rae Morris: Interview & Review 35 Review: Lewis Watson at Talking Heads 36 Review: alt-J at Alexandra Palace

NEWS

09 The Newsbox 11 Nostalgic News

37 Listings

FEATURES

12 Manchester Orchestra - Interview & Review 15 Summer 2014: The Box-Office Disappointments 17 The Game of Life 19 What To Play Next?

Film

20 Why I’d Like To Be... Peter Parker 21 David Fincher: Far From Gone Cinema Reviews 23 The Riot Club Blu-ray Reviews 24 A Million Ways To Die In The West 24 Godzilla

29-30

36

32

The Edge | editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

31

Editorial | 2

mercury music prize

We take a closer look at this year’s nominations for the Mercury Music Prize.

So Long, See You Tomorrow - Bombay Bicycle Club

So Long, See You Tomorrow perfectly illustrates how Bombay Bicycle Club have succeeded in dramatically altering sound direction, while still retaining their quintessential charm. Not since 2009's I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose have the indie rock quartet appeared so confident: producing a record that shimmers with soft warm echoes and distinct mellow tones. Consistently brilliant from start to finish, So Long, See You Tomorrow is a gentle yet undeniably enticing entry into the Mercury Prize.

Words by Alex Meehan

First Mind - Nick Mulvey

After playing percussion for 2008 Mercury Prize Nominees Portico Quartet, Nick Mulvey now holds the spotlight with a nomination for his debut album First Mind. Featuring singles 'Cucurucu', 'Fever to the Form' and 'Nitrous', First Mind is a collection of soothing tracks, each as intoxicating as the last. Joining atmospheric guitar playing, gentle percussion and a melodic voice, Mulvey has created something truly beautiful and First Mind is a must for acoustic lovers.

Words by Owen Middleton

Kate Tempest - Everybody Down

Everybody Down is the debut solo album by rapper, poet, playwright and all-round wordsmith extraordinaire Kate Tempest. Each song is a ‘chapter’ to the overarching story, a gritty urban parable about sex, drugs, and learning to love more.

Tempest’s flow and knack for storytelling owe more than a little to The Streets’ Mike Skinner, and her lyrics are perfectly underpinned by producer Dan Carey’s beats. Everybody Down is unlikely to win the prize, but is by no means undeserving.

Words by Evan Smithson

Jungle - Jungle

The enigmatic duo, Jungle, have created a mysterious image of themselves over the last couple of years.

Their eponymous debut record flows with 70s funk, psychedelic sounds and smooth vocals allowing reviewers the opportunity to relate them to the likes of Bee-Gees and MGMT. But Jungle have an altogether unique sound and image worthy of critical acclaim. These are accompanied by ingenious lyrics which also critique a society that is too ‘Busy Earnin’.

Words by Henna Patel 3 | Records

The Edge | records@theedgesusu.co.uk

FKA Twigs - LP1

FKA Twigs' debut record LP1 was not one of the surprises on the Mercury Prize nominee list. The record, with it's experimental and unique style, is predictably the sort of album Mercury look for.

However, this doesn't mean it lacks credibility.

The record is a fantastic take on a topic that is usually commodified: sex. It’s a slow, burning and smoulderingly sexy record that reaches its climax with single 'Two Weeks'. The in-vogue barely-there R’n’B she demonstrates is taken to staggering new heights; a well deserved nomination.

Words by Megan Downing

Royal Blood - Royal Blood

After stellar performances over the festival season, this duo’s self-titled debut album, Royal Blood, has surged to the top of the UK album charts. Bassist and singer, Mike Kerr, and drummer, Ben Thatcher, have composed ten spectacular tracks which are all bursting with strong grooves, masterful blues licks, and a pervasive confidence which resonates throughout the album. Their recently announced UK tour dates sold out in minutes - listen to this album and you will see why.

Words by Tom Davies

Total Strife Forever - East India Youth

Total Strife Forever is the debut album from William Doyle, known by his stage name of East India Youth. The album forms its own hybrid genre, falling somewhere on the spectrum between synth and indie pop, with certain tracks composed entirely electronically. The gems of the album are 'Dripping Down' and 'Heaven', 'How Long', all of which feature vocals from Doyle and contribute to the diversity of the experimental album.

Words by Amy Wootten

Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots

Damon Albarn, veteran songwriter and mastermind behind Blur and Gorillaz, has had a low-key but by no means insignificant presence in British music for nearly 25 years now; yet somehow Everyday Robots marked his first full-length solo release. An expertly-balanced and gently melancholy arrangement of acoustic and electronic instrumentation, with international influences and surreal but well-chosen vocal samples, Everyday Robots excellently demonstrates the culmination of Albarn's many years of experience.

Words by Joe Buckingham

GoGo Penguin - v2.0

One of the most obscure nominees for this year's prize, Mancunian jazz trio GoGo Penguin's second LP v2.0 is complex yet understated. Skittering arrangements of bass, piano and drums rise and fall in epic crescendos followed by quiet moments of relaxation. Occasional flashes of modern production and rhythms bring new ideas to the relatively tried-and-tested genre of jazz, making this album an undeniable pleasure to listen to.

Words by Joe Buckingham

The Edge | records@theedgesusu.co.uk

Records | 4

BANKS GODDESS T

he musical style of Banks’ debut is instantly familiar; falling into the pigeonhole labelled (often mockingly) “hipster R’n’B”, Banks finds herself nestled somewhere between Lorde and The Weeknd.

Dreamy synths, heavy layering and sharp electronic beats weave a deep, rich sound, which is not particularly groundbreaking but no less impressive.

That said, Banks’ talents are certainly not limited to this kind of musical style: while the opening five tracks follow a fairly consistent vein, the sixth track, ‘You Should Know Where I’m Coming From’ is a low-key, nofrills piano ballad. Musically and lyrically, this track is undeniably solid, though there are times when her vocals tread a dangerous line between “belting” and “straining”. It’s a good track, if a little out-of-place sandwiched between the moodier, layered grooves that come before and after.

Goddess is an impressive feat in overall size as much as anything else: the standard edition contains 14 tracks, reaching very nearly a full hour of running time, and the deluxe edition bumps this up to a staggering 76 minutes. Yet while many artists would struggle to keep a captive audience for a full hour of runtime, Banks seems to have had little difficulty in keeping the sound varied and interesting throughout.

5 | Records

Arguably the best track on Banks’ Goddess is the most unlike her – track 12 of 14, ‘Someone New’, takes the form of a quietly melancholy acoustic guitar tune. It serves as a timely reminder that Miss Banks’ vocal and songwriting talents hold up just as well when thrust into the spotlight as they do when shrouded in layers of vocal effects and electronic layering, and beautifully winds things down into the album’s relatively gentle closing tracks.

Banks’ debut is certainly not one to be ignored. Vocally the album covers wide ground as Banks flits everywhere from Ellie Goulding to Nelly Furtado, and many places in between, faltering only on the most powerful of choruses. The production is difficult to fault, in both style and consistency – yet where Banks shines the most is when she steps out from behind the veil of heavy production and deep synths and instead offers an unfiltered insight into who she really is. If anything it’s a shame that this doesn’t happen more often on Goddess; but Banks has plenty of time to explore, and it’s clear that her ability won’t be standing in her way.

The Edge | records@theedgesusu.co.uk

Words by Joe Buckingham

B

ack in 2007, four talented and ambitious young chaps from University of Leeds came together and formed an experimental Indie band in their student halls. This groundbreaking creation would come to be known as alt-J. alt-J gradually built up a steady following over the years before bursting onto the mainstream in the summer of 2012 with their debut album An Awesome Wave. The album was a riveting success, well received by critics and fans alike and was the winner of the 2012 British Mercury Prize. This success, combined with the departure of bassist Gwil Sainsbury, meant that when the band’s dreaded second album was announced in 2014, the pressure was well and truly on.

Many a band has taken the world by storm with their debut release, only to fall victim to second album syndrome and fade into insignificance.

Fortunately, as anyone who has listened to ‘Hunger of the Pine’ or ‘Every Other Freckle’ could have already guessed, this has not been the case for the everinnovative alt-J. This is All Yours lives up to the hype and does so beautifully.

This is all Yours picks up exactly where An Awesome Wave left off, delivering the same wonderfully indescribable and unique sound that alt-J fans have come to love. After a brilliantly orchestrated intro, the tone of the album is set by ‘Arrival in Nara’ and the listener’s journey begins. Presumably “Nara” refers to the Japanese city of the same name, whose natural beauty seems to have provided the band with plenty of inspiration. “To be a deer in Nara” pines Joe Newman in the gentle and touching ballad ‘Nara’, which tells the story of a gay man’s

simple desire to marry in a world too closed-minded to allow it. This is followed by the lustful ‘Every Other Freckle,’ a song saturated with some of the most inventive sexual metaphors you’ll hear in a long while. “Turn you inside out and lick you like a crisp packet” definitely deserves a few bonus points for creativity.

The album takes a real change of direction with ‘Left Hand Free’, a single written solely to appease the band’s American record label. This clearly shows through the Lynyrd Skynyrd-esque sound of what the band has described as “the least alt-J song ever”. Despite the track’s stark contrast to the rest of the album, fans and newcomers alike won’t be able to resist singing along. Our journey through Nara continues with a return to the band’s regular sound, with highlights to be found in the tracks ‘Hunger of the Pine’, ‘The Gospel of John Hurt’ and ‘Bloodflood pt.II’. Our journey through Nara comes to an end with the fittingly titled ‘Leaving Nara’, leaving us with a wonderfully experimental cover of Bill Wither’s ‘Lovely Day’ to bring the album to a gentle, dignified close.

Sainsbury’s departure has undoubtedly had some effect on the remaining trio’s sound. However, the band have coped with their loss of a bassist amicably, improvising to keep their signature style alive. Many will consider this album to be more of the same from alt-J, but given the massive success of An Awesome Wave, more of the same should be exactly what most listeners are after.

Words by James Forsdick

The Edge | records@theedgesusu.co.uk

Records | 6

jessie ware tough love Tough Love is Jessie Ware’s sophomore album, following on from her critically acclaimed debut Devotion.

With a two year break between the two records, I was intrigued to see how Tough Love would live up to Ware’s previous releases, and whether she’d fall victim to the ‘curse of the second album’.

The first two singles, ‘Say You Love Me’ and ‘Tough Love’ were as stylish and catchy as her previous offerings, which meant I had high hopes for Ware’s upcoming release.

The album as a whole is elegantly produced and easy to listen to. With guest writers like Miguel, Julio Bashmore and Ed Sheeran, each track is a song in its own right, with no ‘filler’ tracks. It’s a joy to listen to, with some great electronic production and interesting vocal lines.

However, as good as this record is, I was slightly disappointed. Not because it was bad, but because her debut was so brilliant and Tough Love just didn’t reach the dizzying heights that Devotion did.

The different genres that were obvious in Devotion just don’t seem to appear in Ware’s second release, which is, ultimately, a pop album.

It’s a great album with some excellently written songs; but after a dazzling debut, Tough Love felt a little flat.

Tough Love is out on PMR Records / Island on October 13th 2014.

Words by Hannah Mylrea

hozier hozier Irish singer and multi-instrumentalist Hozier (full name Andrew Hozier-Byrne) made quite a buzz with his 2013 debut single ‘Take Me To Church’. In the piano led soul ballad the singer condemned religion, instead opting to worship his lover. The song reached number two in the Irish charts, and is the opening track on his self-titled debut.

Aside from ‘Take Me To Church’, much of his pre Hozier material was slightly underwhelming in comparison.

Fortunately the majority of brand new songs on the album make up for those previously released. ‘Angel Of Small Death And The Codeine Scene’ is a dark, bluesy take on the Indie-rock folk popularised by the likes of Ben Howard and Mumford And Sons.

Songs such as ‘To Be Alone’ and ‘From Eden’ have a cleaner, lighter tone but retain the groovy guitar

7 | Records

riffs that drive most of the record. Hozier’s songwriting and lyricism are a match for his instrumental ability, demonstrated on ‘Work Song’ as he croons over broodily swelling drums and piano chords.

Hozier is a confident effort which exudes passion throughout. Angst and romance trade blows in equal measure, and importantly the record maintains enough radio friendliness to make Hozier a hit.

Hozier will be released on October 6th 2014 on Island Records.

Words by Evan Smithson

The Edge | records@theedgesusu.co.uk

Singles Reviews

So Long // CIRCA WAVES Having just played various festivals throughout the summer including Reading and Leeds and announcing their biggest headline shows to date, Liverpool-based Circa Waves released the video for their new single ‘So Long’.

Continuing to explore the theme of time and youth, as they did in ‘Stuck In My Teeth’ and ‘Young Chasers’, ‘So Long’ is heavily packed with the band’s signature infectious melodies, loud guitar layers, hard drum beats and an energetic chorus. As the track speeds up and slows with “The night is still young but the day is so long”, waves of intense emotion wash over.

This is another track to live up to lead singer Kieran Shudall’s decision to “give music a proper go and try to make it a success.”

‘So Long’ will be released on October 20th.

Words by Sally Lui

Centuries // Fall Out Boy Fall Out Boy’s new track ‘Centuries’ is the debut single from their sixth studio album. ‘Centuries’ has been looked upon favourably by critics but has received mixed opinions the band’s fanbase. Musically the single is well crafted and catchy. An elegant piano melody is pitched alongside subtle electronic-influenced fills, with a rhythmic drum backing to create a solid instrumental.

However, Stump’s vocals ruin this track the more you listen to it. He moderates himself within the verses, which works well enough, but the chorus is far too whiny. These raw vocals are uncomfortable to listen to when placed over the subtle and beautiful instrumental.

break free // Ariana Grande feat. zedd Ariana Grande has quickly become the ‘it girl’ of our summer. But does ‘Break Free’, the second single from her sophomore album My Everything, live up to the first and UK charttopping hit single ‘Problem’?

Appropriately titled, ‘Break Free’ sees the artist voyage even further into new territory, leaving her pop-R&B background behind to invade the club dance-floor. With the help of German producer Zedd, this transition is convincing enough. It’s a simplistic but slick EDM track with a pounding baseline to compliment Miss Grande’s belting vocals.

‘Centuries’ is not a bad song by any stretch of the imagination, anthemic in its sound to suit a grown up and more confident Fall Out Boy. If it weren’t for the vocals, this would be a first class single. Here’s hoping the album will understand its musical dynamics.

‘Break Free’ comes as a statement from a liberated artist who has recently escaped the pigeonhole that labeled her a product of Nickelodeon.

To mock her lyricist Max Martin’s questionable grasp of grammar: Ariana Grande seems to have become who she really are. With a vocal range that has won comparisons to Mariah Carey, it’s perhaps time we started taking this girl seriously.

‘Centuries’ is out now through Island records.

‘Break Free’ is out now through Republic records.

Words by Oli Polhill

Words by Lee Gannon

The Edge | records@theedgesusu.co.uk

Records | 8

THE NEWSBOX THE KEATS OF TWEETS

TOP TOP FIVE FIVE NEWS NEWS STORIES STORIES 1

Beyoncé and Jay Z are reportedly making a joint album together.

2

Following the success of The Fault in Our Stars, another adaptation of a John Green novel, Paper Towns, has been confirmed and it has been announced that Cara Delevingne will take the lead role as Margo.

3

James Blunt will release a deluxe version of his hit 2013 album, Moon Landing, in early November, featuring five new tracks.

4

Frank Ocean is working on new material with Hit-Boy and Rodney Jerkins; the follow-up to his Grammy award-winning album, Channel Orange.

5

The lineup for Neil Young’s annual Bridge School Benefit Concert, to take place later this October, includes Florence + the Machine, Pearl Jam and Tom Jones.

ham

@lenadun

dleton is Kate Mid Will she pregnant! keep it?

2014 12:58AM

This issue’s best tweeter goes to Lena Dunham, the creator of Girls and the producer of fearlessly funny tweets.

- 10 Sep

Got a celeb to nominate for next issue? Let us know:

@theedgesusu THE THE EDGE EDGE IS IS EAGER EAGER FOR...

FOR...

Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film, Interstellar is to be released early next month, starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, and is Nolan’s first film since 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises.

Katherine Ryan’s date at the Nuffield Theatre later this month on 26th October.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay. With many teaser trailers and promotional pictures saturating the early part of this year, we finally have been given a full length trailer. The film is to be released on 21st November.

THE ONE TO

WATCH Rae Morris

Paloma Faith’s UK arena tour. The British singersongwriter will travel to nine arenas in the UK in March next year.

With a recent headline tour under her belt, the releases of many EPs and featuring on Bombay Bicycle Club and Clean Bandit's most recent albums, this British singer-songwriter is one to watch with a promising musical career which has only just begun.

THE HYPE-O-METER 2 3 E G A P : E R Ben Howard's READ MO Lady Gaga brings I Forgot Where We Are, David Fincher's

for all the latest entertainment news

theedgesusu.co.uk/news 9 | News

a follow-up to Every Kingdom.

EH, COOL

The Edge | news@theedgesusu.co.uk

Gone Girl.

OMG

the artRave to the UK. CALL 999

NOSTALGIC NEWS

Another set of terrifying reminders that you’re getting old.

Fight Club opened 15 years ago When Fincher’s film adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 novel opened at the US box office 15 years ago this month, you might be surprised to learn that it flopped. Even with an impressive cast starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter (as well as rockstars Meat Loaf and a young Jared Leto), its anti-social plot was met with uneasiness. Critics were divided.

Some launched accusations that Fincher’s portrayal glorified violence and even endorsed nihilism.

Such controversy however only complimented the film’s rebellious nature and fuelled its quick transformation into the cult classic we know it as today.

Fight Club remains pertinent as a haunting exploration of the male psyche and a critique of Western consumerism.

‘Another One Bites the Dust’ began its three-week run at number one in the US 34 years ago

Queen’s ‘Another One Bites the Dust’, a famous anthem that rocked the world, began its three-week run at number one in the US charts 34 years ago this month.

It seems unfathomable to think that such an important hit which is present and relevant in every British child’s musical education today could be 34 years old. A hard-hitting, sing-along tune that induces pride and a determined attitude, instilling courage with a strong bass rhythm: ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ is epochal. The song was written by bass player John Deacon and made global with Freddie Mercury’s tangible talent and stage presence.

Words by Lee Gannon

Words by Kirsty Bradley

Up released five years ago

Disney-Pixar’s extraordinarily successful Up was released on 9th October 2009, making it five years old this month. Through deserving reviews, the family film developed a reputation of being utterly charming, coaxing even the unlikeliest filmgoers to witness the adventures of Carl, his young friend Russell and their giant pet bird Kevin. Its humorous plot, the stunning imagery of Carl’s balloon filled world and a memorable score by Michael Giacchino earned the film an opening spot at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009 and five Oscar nominations.

Words by Polly Bussell 11 | News

Led Zeppelin’s In Through the Out Door reached number one In The US 35 years ago

35 years ago this month, Led Zeppelin’s eighth studio album reached number one in the US. It was their final album of entirely new material and the band’s last release before the death of drummer, John Bonham.

The album remained on the US top spot for seven weeks. To date, the album has sold six million copies in the US. Only The Beatles have sold more records in the US than Led Zeppelin, making them one of the most successful rock bands of all time.

Words by Jenny Simpson

The Edge | news@theedgesusu.co.uk

Manchester Orchestra The Edge’s Sian Blewitt catches up with Manchester Orchestra to chat about their new album, and reviews their gig at PLACE

The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk

Features | 12

INTERVIEW

Sian Blewitt talks to Manchester Orchestra about their new album, COPE. unifying mentality into the room when we were writing COPE and their execution on the record is impeccable.

How have you found the reaction to COPE so far?

Good! New fans seem to like it and the old ones have been exceedingly positive about the record. I feel like the record really represents what we’ve brought to the table live and being able to put that on paper seems to resonate with people who enjoy what we do.

MO

You’ve described Simple Math as layered and complicated, what made you decide to go for a more raw sound with COPE? Our band tends to “go with our gut” and our guts were telling us to make a raucous rock record, so that’s what we tried to do this go around.

MO

How did working in a self-built studio impact the production process of COPE? There was certainly a strong sense of pride on a daily basis when making COPE. We built the studio, so we felt free to express ourselves in it. There was another sense of freedom in that we weren’t paying thousands of dollars a day to use it. We could take breaks when we needed to get our heads on straight. We worked hard, but the pressure we had on us we put on ourselves.

13 | Features

That’s certainly more of an Andy question (the latter half at least), but Manchester wrote this record as a band in a room with the guitars really loud. We wrote a ton of songs for COPE and ended up whittling it down once we knew what kind of record we were making. Andy would come in, start playing a riff and then we would sort of bleed in and follow the song until we had something. We did that for days on end until we had a full record.

MO

With that in mind, do you prefer to perform the energetic tracks or the more mellow ones live?

MO

You recently drafted in a new drummer (Tim Very) and bassist (Andy Price). How has this affected your sound?

This rhythm section is the best we’ve ever had. Their ability to play practically anything allows our band to move in any direction we want to go in. They definitely brought a

Do you have a writing process? Previous albums have had a mellow sound to them but COPE comes across a lot more optimistic.

Does this reflect a personal journey?

It’s fun being a loud rock band, but the mellow ones are interesting to play as well. I like wearing different hats and flexing our muscles in different ways. I feel like our band prides ourselves in being able to make whatever style of music that we want to, so it’s fun being able to show people what we can do on both ends of the spectrum.

MO

Have you ever had a weird fan experience?

MO

Tons, but I wouldn’t want to embarrass anybody. Our fans are sweet and sometimes that vulnerability can make people act funny.

If someone starts to freak out, I just tell them that everything’s going to be okay and maybe offer a hug.

The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk

MO

REVIEW Manchester Orchestra at PLACE 26/09/14

T

he buzz encapsulating the Wedgewood Rooms was nothing like you would have ever experienced before. Manchester Orchestra has collected a unique and loyal fan base over their ten year rise to fame and the excitement for their first UK tour date oozed through the atmosphere. Their new album, COPE, is raw and energetic compared to their usual layered, melodic riffs. You only had to observe the atmosphere of the room to realise the audience’s anticipation embodied the reaction to the album.

Manchester Orchestra’s support was Kevin Devine and Bad Books - a side project from Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull. To put it plainly, Manchester Orchestra kind of supported themselves. Although it sounds strange, this set up proved the diversity of music the artists can create.

Bad Books captured the entire room with their small set but in no way overshadowed the magnificence of the headlining harmonies to come later in the evening.

Regardless of their previous appearance, when Manchester Orchestra did take to the stage the room fell silent. There was a joyous ripple of gratification with the first few notes and it was clear that both the band and the fans had been waiting for this tour to start. The set began with a vigorous opening that riled the crowd and threw bodies forward.

Their incredible rendition of ‘I Can Barely Breathe’ demonstrated how versatile Hull’s vocals are. His delicate chorus hushed the entire room as the audience whispered

‘if you knew I was dying would it change you’ only to be followed with an aggressive expulsion of emotion through the next verse.

They mixed their previous full-bodied hits with the new tracks from COPE, consistently keeping the audience on their toes. Manchester Orchestra’s stage presence is fantastic. Not only did they produce solid and invigorating versions of their best songs, but also engaged the audience in a way that is rarely seen today. At times the whole room shuddered with laughter at their on stage banter.

As the show came to a close I found myself surprised at how long the band had played yet how many songs were left that I wanted to hear. If it wasn’t for their modest curfew of 11pm, it is certain they could have entertained the audience all night. The crowd begged for an encore, confirming a feat not many bands can claim: Manchester Orchestra have created so many classics not even a 2 hour slot could fit a quarter of them in.

This is a band who has illustrated their journey over the last ten years through their music perfectly and have collected a fan base who lived it with them. Their live show is so moving it stays with you for days after - anyone presented with the opportunity to see them should, as they might just fall in love.

Words by Sian Blewitt

The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk

Features | 14

Summe

The Box-Office Every year the summer period promises a plethora of exciting new films to keep us entertained and 2014 maintained the hype with big name sequels hitting our screens.

Our team at The Edge are always eager to view the latest releases, but which films left us feeling a little deflated?

15 | Features

The Amazing H e r c u l e s Spider-Man 2 Following a surprisingly well-handled reboot, Sony’s new-look Spider-Man was just about ready to really wow audiences with a sequel that honestly had a lot of room to do so. Sadly for series-helmer Marc Webb, the studio’s eagerness to kick-start their own universe akin to The Avengers ended up sinking it, with several blatantly rushed late additions to the plot destroying a careful set-up. Garfield and Stone still shine but it’s an overdose of poorly-structured villains that killed this blockbuster.

Words by Ben Robins

The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk

Hollywood hotshot Brett Ratner’s angsty new take on the son of Zeus had real potential. Silly? Yes, but with world-beating former wrestler Dwayne Johnson throwing his heart and soul into a role that seemed almost tailor-made for him, and the promise of plenty of over-amped action sequences to boot, Hercules could have very easily been one of the summer’s most fun movies. Instead Ratner aimed higher, relegating his hero to a few quick skirmishes and in the process, sacrificing Johnson’s brainless charm for something muddled and actually, really rather boring.

Words by Ben Robins

r 2014

Disappointments Guardians of L the Galaxy A contender for one of the most overrated films ever to be made, Guardians of the Galaxy is an irksome blockbuster, saturated with empty performances and silly prototypical characters. The film is expected in every aspect, with lazy, artless comedy that disallows the film to be taken seriously, where it enters the realm of parody: a parody of the superhero genre it so willingly exploits by indulging in its typicalities. Without a doubt the worst film of the year, with one of the most disastrously, cringeworthy hero-villain encounters in cinema.

Words by Lewis Taplin

u

c

y Transformers: Age of Extinction

Luc Besson’s Lucy implied an inception-esque plot line, anticipated to be the best film of the summer. I entered the cinema without a shadow of a doubt that I would be leaving the building two hours later with my mind completely blown. However as the credits flashed and I munched my last piece of popcorn, a deep frown burrowed in my forehead. Not only was the film a complete mishmash of illogical one liners, it also made little to no sense. I spent more time trying to figure out what on earth was going than I did watching the sub-par green screen graphics.

Maybe it was my measly 10% brain capacity that couldn’t handle the films magnificence - but I highly doubt it.

Words by Sian Blewitt

Let me start off by saying that I am not a Transformers hater. I am fully aware of the objective faults with the previous films but I’ve always been able to look past them and just enjoy the LOUD NOISES and big things punching each other. That being said, this years Age of Extinction somehow managed to turn what was once a guilty pleasure and take any sense of fun out of the equation. With baffling editing, weirdly cheap looking set pieces and a run time that I can only assume was a joke, the film decided to ensure it would be no fun for anyone by focusing on the human element and conspiracy plot lines that NO ONE wanted to see. And the Dinobots were barely in it.

Words by Harrison Abbott

The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk

Features | 16

THE GAME OF LIFE

H

ere at The Edge we like all types of video games, and The Sims is no exception. The world building game that everyone seems to have played in their youth has released a new version, The Sims 4; we thought that this would be the perfect time to chart the highs and lows of the franchise.

THE SIMS

The original Sims may not go down in the record books as the most technologically advanced Sims game, but I will always consider it the best of all of the Sims games, purely for the nostalgia it provides. I loved the ability to build houses however I wanted to, and I must admit, I spent more time creating houses than actually playing with the characters. It had some of the best expansion packs available, including The Sims: Superstar, which provided some of the best spent hours, trying to make one character a famous actor or singer. And who can forget the ability to create hundreds upon hundreds of gnomes, in the quest to become the perfect wood worker.

THE SIMS 2

Words by Rebecca James

The Sims 2 has always been, at least in my eyes, the definitive instalment in the series. Ten years on from its first release, it still has a pretty devoted fan-base despite being discontinued and replaced twice over by its creators Maxis. The reason? Put simply, The Sims 2 has the most player-friendly interface of all the incarnations. Whether you want to build incredibly complex houses or just play through endless life-cycles with your favourite family, doing so couldn’t be easier and everything is 100% in your control. Nothing is a chore.

Words by Ben Robbins

17 | Features

The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk

THE SIMS 3

I began playing The Sims 3 when it was first released in 2009 and it became more of a religion than simply a game. The Sims has always been known for being addictive, but I would literally live my life through the characters in the game, rather than spending time in the real world. I’m exaggerating to some extent, but you can see what I’m getting at. The Sims 3 is the best one yet, and I’ve heard that The Sims 4 doesn’t seem to top it either. Expansion packs such as Ambitions and World Adventures are so well thought out that they truly enhance the gameplay rather than being just an add-on. As well as this The Sims 3 has some amazing ‘Stuff Packs’ that are genuinely worth the money. I am definitely in no rush to buy The Sims 4.

Words by Megan Downing

THE SIMS 4

My desperation to confirm the negative rumours of The Sims 4 led me to using a VPN on my laptop in order to play it a week before it’s UK release date. It seems the lack of official media coverage was a ploy by EA to stop people pointing out the weak elements of the game, other than the lack of pools and toddlers. The obvious lack of content prepares the gamer for a multitude of pricey expansion packs and online store items. Although create-a-sim and house building is as fun and dynamic as the overly optimistic trailer repeats to you 100 times, it doesn’t make up for the fact that The Sims 4 is a huge step backwards for this franchise.

Words by Annabelle Asker

The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk

Features | 18

What to play next?

I

f you are not a hardcore gamer, then it can often be hard to find a game to play that doesn’t involve warfare, shooting, or intense tactics.

As someone who loves playing video games, but lacks the hand eye coordination to be able to progress very far with any games involving sharp shooting, I’m always on the look out for new games which I can play.

The Lego Franchise

The Lego games franchise has been a long time developing, and they combine nostalgia for a certain wider franchise (Star Wars, Lord of the Rings or Batman) with genuinely fun game play. Lego Marvel Super Heroes is one of the best games of the Lego franchise, because of the combination of all of the Marvel characters into one glorious mess.

You get to play as Captain America one minute, and then the lesser known Squirrel Girl the next. With a storyline which brings multiple Marvel villains together, and side missions given by none other than cult favourite character Deadpool, the game provides so much more than just the storyline. Part of what makes the Lego games so enjoyable is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously, but is just great fun to play. After all, who wouldn’t want to swing round New York City as Spider-Man? 19 | Features

Ratchet and Clank

Ratchet and Clank is one of the few games which has made the transfer from generation to generation of console, and is full of exciting visuals and interesting gameplay. The first game, Ratchet and Clank, follows the adventures of Ratchet, the last Lombax left alive in an expansive space, and Clank, one of the most adorable little robots you will see.

The game combines adventure storytelling, with old fashioned enemy destruction, and part of what makes the game so replayable is the creativity in the creation of alien enemies, and the innovative storyline. With the original Ratchet and Clank game being re-imagined for the Playstation 4, it looks like the franchise is not going anywhere any time soon, which can only be a good thing for people who like a lot of escapism and wonder in their gaming experience.

R a y m a n

One of the longest running franchises, which I first remember playing on an old desktop PC, the Rayman franchise is still as fun today as it was in the early 2000’s. You can now get Rayman on the PSP and Playstation 4, and it is well worth the purchase - the game is fast paced, The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk

and includes some great innovations, including levels where you run along as Rayman to music. This, along with the mini games means that there is plenty to play through the game.

The game also involves local multiplayer, which means that you can play along the game alone, or with a partner. Involving very little violence, Rayman proves that games don’t have to include excessive blood and gore to be a great play.

Tomb Raider

The Tomb Raider franchise is one of the games which crosses between a game for serious gamers, and for more casual players. The franchise, particularly the newest reboot instalment, does require more hand eye coordination in terms of the action parts of the game - Lara Croft does have a lot of enemies that you have to shoot to progress through the story. However, what makes the game more playable as a casual player is that it goes beyond the running and shooting at enemies. Figuring out tombs, finding collectables and doing side missions are all integral parts of the franchise, which make it far more enjoyable as a game.

Words by Rebecca James

Why I’d like to be...

peter parker O

kay, it's a bit of a clichĂŠ among children, but hear me out anyway. I'd like to make the distinction between wanting to be Spider-Man and wanting to be Peter Parker. What I mean by this is, I don't just want to swing around New York, crawling up walls, I want to be able to take on the integrity and personality of the person behind the mask.

This does stem from my childhood. Before Sam Raimi's first film, I was already in love with comicbooks and in particular Spider-Man, so my expectations were astronomically high. I don't remember much about that specific trip to the cinema but I am assured by my dad that I sat with my mouth agape and grinned whenever something amazing happened. Then came the sequels and as time went on, I realised it wasn't just his powers that I wanted; I realised that he had become a kind of role model for me. It probably helped that I wasn't exactly one of the popular kids and, with a shared interest in photography, I felt a small affinity with the character.

But it's one thing to want to be someone in your childhood, but when you grow up everyone wants you to face reality, to wake up to the real world and to stop dressing up as superheroes because, apparently,"it's getting weird now."

So eventually, after unsuccessfully attempting to coax multiple spiders into biting me, I gave up any ambition of actually becoming Spider-Man. However, I could still be Peter Parker, the aim being to help people and put others before myself; but as I grew up I realized I don't

really have the temperament or drive for that. I'd like to be able to take responsibility when I needed to, I'd like to be able to put my own feelings aside for the general good, but I'm just not cut out for it.

That's why I'd like to be Peter Parker, because he is cut out for it. He doesn't let the stress of a job, of a struggling aunt, of girl problems and super-powered psycho's trying to kill him, get to him. Okay he maybe throws in the towel every now and then - hasn't he earned the right to? - but he always comes back, no matter what heartache defeated him. He does the right thing no matter how hard. When he tells Aunt May about his (accidental) involvement in Uncle Ben's death, it's no easy task but he sees it through.

He also has incredible time management skills which I wouldn't mind having myself. Yes, he delivers one or two pizzas late but a) that's New York traffic and b) he's busy.

With Peter Parker does admittedly come lots of tragedy. But you know what, I'd like to be Peter if I could overcome all of that half as well as he does, especially when compared to other superheroes. Batman loses a girlfriend, becomes a whiny recluse for 8 years and only comes out of retirement to satisfy his anger and need for vengeance. Peter takes some time off to grieve and then returns as soon as he's needed - that says everything you need to know.

Words by Harrison Abbott

The Edge | film@theedgesusu.co.uk

Film | 20

DAVID FINCHER: W

ith the much anticipated release of Gone Girl at the beginning of this month, The Edge decided to take a look at David Fincher's work; director, producer, once uncredited actor, it looks like David Fincher has tried it all. Eclectic, successful and sometimes incorrect (apparently you do not ask for a pay check of $10 million dollars in advance), Fincher is no doubt a public and artistic figure that will keep storming the Hollywood scene for a few more decades.

When the name Fincher comes up, his cinematographic career is probably the one to stand out first. Fight Club, The Social Network and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button but also Alien続, Se7en and Zodiac, Fincher's filmography counts approximately ten feature films. However, the director counts more than 20 credits to his name, among which a fair amount of music videos; Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, George Michael, Aerosmith and Madonna have worked with the director. Executive producer of House of Cards, Fincher also counts the first two episodes of the series into his impressive filmography.

After having ditched out of Sony Picture's Steve Jobs biopic, the director hasn't made a move towards another big screen project yet. But earlier this year, HBO announced a US remake of the British thriller series Utopia: David Fincher is in line for the direction of the first episode, and will be the executive producer. Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn will be in charge of the writing of the series.

FROM BOOK TO SCREEN

As a novel, Gone Girl was a compulsive read. Full of unexpected twists and turns, the narrative threw surprise after surprise at the reader, until it left you questioning everything and anything that was presented to you as fact. Central to this is the girl who is 'gone', Amy, who is so many contradictions at once that it is hard to keep the image of who she is in your head. With this in mind, the actress cast was pivotal, and Rosamund Pike was a great fit. The combination of her sweet, innocent looks, with the dramatic storyline that takes Amy so far from normal, sets this film to be the thriller of the year. When watching the film, look out for the small moments, touches that tell you not to trust what you see. By the end of the film you'll be left wondering if you can trust anything that any of the characters assert to be true.

Words by Rebecca James

Words by Virginie Robe 21 | Film

FAR FROM GONE

The Edge | film@theedgesusu.co.uk

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH DAVID FINCHER

Writer Harrison Abbott talks about his attendance at the David Fincher BAFTA event, celebrating the director's career in the pictures with the participation of Fincher himself.

"with the idea to get them out as soon as possible," he asserts that an actor's best performance will come 15 takes in, when they've finally got past just hitting their marks and delivering the lines as they rehearsed. "I love working with actors! I could not fucking do what they do," unlike certain other directors, Fincher is insistent that he doesn't regard actors as mere pawns in his overall vision. "I want actors to be selfish in authorship... and generous."

The audience in the room of the BAFTA event hangs on his every word as he delivers various anecdotes, personal philosophies and doses of trivia. He talks through each of his projects (minus Alien³) with affection; on The Social Network: "I knew what it was like to go 'this is not cute.

This is my fucking dream!'" on House of Cards: "television has become the place for characters to grow," on Se7en: "we were led by our loins... Just do it."

Reluctant to speak about his notorious emphasis on doing a lot of takes, he nonetheless explains his reasons. "[It] doesn't make any sense to me: if I fly you in from Iceland [then] I want to get beyond muscle memory." Elaborating that he doesn't understand why anyone would pool together so many resources and people for one shoot

“

The thing that was profound was the notion that we construct a projection of ourselves, oblivious to the fact that the other person is doing this too.

“

"It's very you" says critic Boyd Hilton, "Jesus!" comes the response from renowned director David Fincher. The subject in question? An early commercial of Fincher's for The American Cancer Society featuring a foetus smoking a cigarette. The director is aware of his reputation for darker material but he's still taken aback by this. As Hilton himself pointed out, Fincher is one of those directors whose trademark disturbing output audiences can consistently look forward to.

Finally, after progressing through his career, we arrive at Gone Girl. When complimented by Hilton on the film's central presentation of the media and perception, Fincher replies "The thing that was profound was the notion that we construct a projection of ourselves" for others to see, "oblivious to the fact that the other person is doing this too."

The director has plenty of praise for the source material's writer and the film's screenwriter Gillian Flynn "she has a real gift: she prefers to be a 13 year old girl eating popcorn when she writes, aligning herself with the audience."

He's also quick to commend her ability to "slaughter darlings" when it came to adapting her book. On casting Ben Affleck he remarks "Ben had a distinct relationship with what it was like to be in the woodchipper of public opinion," which was just what he needed for protagonist Nick.

Gone Girl was released in the UK on the 3rd October.

The Edge | film@theedgesusu.co.uk

Film | 22

THE RIOT CLUB Directed by: Lone Scherfig Studio: Universal Pictures Out: 19th September

F

rom director Lone Scherfig, The Riot Club is a sickening, rotten portrayal of an Oxford club that provokes wild, fierce reactions with its preposterousness. It is tame in its structure but rigorous in its content, and lifts Scherfig up from the vacant fluidity of One Day, leading her towards her best piece of work, An Education.

Based on the play Posh, telling the story of a group of Oxford students who create an elite club, The Riot Club is a film that explores upper class debauchery with such a fearless approach that at points I was quite astounded that Scherfig was behind its doing. From the creator of some mellow pieces of work, the cruel and corrupt The Riot Club showcases another dimension to Scherfig that had not yet been used to the full in her filmography.

The film’s content is utterly vile: some scenes are shockingly sickening and the feelings of cold hatred are overwhelming. But Scherfig’s firm filmic structure is still extremely evident in the backdrop to the venal substance and causes a morphing of the film that isn’t organic but overly conventional in structure. The main body of the film is a tight, claustrophobic, sweaty, ghastly class

depiction, with both the beginning and the end becoming disjointed exposition and slightly neat, respectively.

Eliminating structure, Scherfig’s exploration of the upper crust of the upper class is so daringly told that it becomes a revolting social class battle with prejudicial slur. At times, the screenplay is skilful in its approach but at other times it becomes so overt and hyperbolic that the Riot Club members become parodic caricatures, losing any authenticity, becoming a joke, which ultimately detriments the fearless stripping back that Scherfig attempts to do and places the exposed and the realism in a conflictingly comedic setting.

The Riot Club is uncomfortable, vile and seductive with performances (particularly by Sam Claflin) that overflow with sanctimoniousness. But Scherfig doesn’t quite manage to follow her powerful concept throughout the whole text, leaving the audience sometimes confused - at points I laughed at its ridiculousness and at other moments, I heaved at its sickening, raw nature.

Words by Lewis Taplin

SUSU Theatre Group are performing Posh, the play The Riot Club was adapted from, this October.

Read more on p27

23 | Film

The Edge | film@theedgesusu.co.uk

Blu-ray review:

A million ways to die in the west

A

Directed by: Seth MacFarlane Studios: Universal Pictures Out: 6th October

million jokes fall dead as Seth MacFarlane offers up his second feature film as director, and first as liveaction star. We follow MacFarlane’s Albert Stark, a self-proclaimed ‘man out of time’, who is constantly disillusioned by the brutality of living in the Wild West, and is heartbroken due to a recent split with his girlfriend.

That’s not to say that all of the jokes completely fail. But for every joke that hits, there’s about twenty that don’t.

This wouldn’t be such an issue if the film was edited more in the vein of MacFarlane’s Family Guy TV series, with quicker cuts so that we can move on to the next gag quickly if the last didn’t work so well. Instead, A Million Ways to Die in the West is overly long, and a lot of scenes are unnecessarily drawn-out, with jokes often being

Blu-ray review:

GODZILLA P

repeated way too many times. If you didn’t think that seeing a sheep penis was funny the first time, then you get to see four more of them.

While there may be a few redeeming qualities - amongst them some great shots of Monument Valley, and a score that is reminiscent of the quintessential western movies - MacFarlane’s follow-up to Ted ultimately fails, lacking the heart of his previous film. Stark is often an unlikable protagonist, and MacFarlane’s comedic delivery isn’t as strong as it is when he voices animated characters. Let’s hope that Ted 2 fares better.

Words by Jack Dillon

Directed by: Gareth Edwards Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Out: 27th October

robably one of the greatest blockbusters this year, Godzilla is being released on Blu-ray this month and is the film you should desperately want to have on your shelves. After the disastrous 1998 edition of the famous monster, the series depicting the ancestral creature takes a whole new step with Gareth Edwards’ film.

The strength of the film undeniably lies in his mixed genre: the story takes from disaster, monster and sci-fi features to narrate a very satisfying version of the Japanese kaiju series. Once again, the world’s most famous monster has to come and rescue human existence when malevolent creatures, results of humanity’s scientific arrogance, try to reduce the whole world to ashes.

For this version of the story, we initially follow Bryan Cranston as Joe Brody then Aaron Taylor-Johnson as his son, Ford. The story juggles between sequences in Japan, where the Brodys used to live, and the US, where Ford is now established with his wife (Elizabeth Olson) and son.

As there is a strong focus on Ford and his family, don’t expect to see the beloved monster within the first five minutes of the film – Edwards spends at least a third of the feature teasing audience. Godzilla is mentioned, feared, searched for, his myth haunts the narration in depth, but the creature keeps lying underwater, hiding away from human sight.

Words by Virginie Robe

The Edge | film@theedgesusu.co.uk

Film | 24

THE EDGE REVIEWS

THE CLASSICS

ROXANA DANIEL DEFOE

I

f there is one writer who strikes fear into my heart when I read his name on a reading list, it is Daniel Dafoe. I had hoped that a novel with such dark and interesting themes - about a woman who loses her virtue, and then becomes a mistress for several rich and powerful men - would grip me in a way that Dafoe’s novels never have before. However, I was very disappointed.

Roxana by Daniel Dafoe, the last novel written by the author of Robinson Crusoe, follows the life of a woman who takes on the pseudonym of ‘Roxana’ after she is left in destitution by her husband. She is left with her loyal maid Amy, as they try to survive on what little they have left. When her landlord offers Roxana security through living as husband and wife, she eventually accepts his advances and succumbs to him sexually.

From there begins a pattern which is only interrupted by the occasional birth of a child, as Roxana moves from man to man, up and down the social ladder with every step.

It is a narrative which should capture your imagination.

A woman using her sexuality to gain some measure of independance, in a time when women were frightfully restrained, should feel liberating, if a little problematic.

However, Roxana is dull. The words never lift off the page, the characters never become flesh. Each man that Roxana beds is unremarkable, and forgettable, which would be a great piece of social commentary if Roxana was vibrant and ever present in comparison.

25 | Culture

Sadly, she is not. In addition to this, there is a surprising lack of agency on the part of Roxana. She uses her sexuality, but only as a last recourse, and often only after the pressure of the men who support her. This lack of agency gets to the heart of why the novel is so inaccessible - Dafoe is unable, at least here, to convey convincing female voice. While the novel centres on two female characters, Roxana and Amy, Dafoe fails to capture their voices in a way to make them relatable, or even understandable.

Roxana is described as a ‘proto-feminist’ novel by many critics, because throughout Roxana uses her body and sexuality as a means of controlling her own fate.

Whether this is interpreted as a woman manipulating patriarchy to gain some measure of independence, or her simply succumbing to the positioning of women as a sexual object could be the subject of many an essay on feminism in 18th Century literature, and makes for interesting debate. This, however does not make Roxana a novel to read to engage with the classics on a purely personal level.

Daniel Dafoe may well be considered one of the great English writers, and Robinson Crusoe is indeed an engaging read. But if you ever find yourself reaching for Roxana for anything other than scholarly pursuits, I implore you to put it down. There is no pleasure to be found here.

Words by Rebecca James

The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

Your

Autumn Theatre Sorted

Words by Rebecca James and Caitlin Hobbs

Theatre Group

Showstoppers

POSH

by Laura Wade 29th October – 1st November, 7.30pm The Annex Theatre Following the release of The Riot Club (which is based on Laura Wade’s 2010 hit play) and in the run-up to the General Elections next spring, there couldn’t be a better time for Theatre Group to put on this production – a cold, harsh look at the reality of the upper classes and how cruel they can really be. Replacing TG’s usually gory Hallowe’en production with something a little more grounded in the real world, Posh takes a look instead at the horror of human nature. With some filthy language, fencing sabres and plenty of alcohol, this is a show not to miss.

Headlong

1984

by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey 3rd - 5th December, 7.30pm, 6th December, 2.30pm and 7.30pm The Annex Theatre Grease will see the beginning of the year for Showstoppers, as well as the beginning of its entire cast’s Performing Arts careers – the stipulation of the Freshers’ show is that all cast members must be new to the society. This means audiences can watch out for a potentially mixed bag of talent as well as a plethora of new faces – all packaged up in the form of everyone’s favourite retro high-school romance. Grease has been a crowd-pleaser for decades, and there’s no reason that this December’s production in the Annex shouldn’t continue a well-loved tradition.

Playful Productions

by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan 7th - 11th October, 7.30pm Nuffield Theatre Headlong have a great history of bringing fantastic productions to the Nuffield Theatre, with their production of Spring Awakening last year being one of the highlights of the theatre season. Orwell’s 1984 is reimagined by the theatre company on stage, following Comrade 6079, Winston Smith as he makes his way through a world where Big Brother is always watching you, and the threat of Room 101 is always imminent.

This show is a must for theatre and literature lovers alike, and its presence at the Nuffield Theatre is a great chance to see the show.

27 | Culture

GREASE

wicked

by Stephen Schwartz 21st October - 15 November, 2.00pm & 7.30pm Mayflower Theatre One of the most exciting theatre prospects for the coming months is the presence of Wicked at the Mayflower theatre. In Southampton from the 21st October to the 15th November, this is the perfect time to see the hit musical which follows the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, as a prelude to The Wizard of Oz. Given that it is the tenth longest running show on the West End, the fact that this touring production is coming to Southampton is a great opportunity to take in a London production, without having to travel all the way into the city. You can grab tickets from the Mayflower’s website.

The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

Review:

Singin’ In The Rain M

ayflower Theatre played host to Singin’ In The Rain, the stage adaptation of the 50s classic starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds.

With a stunning cast and jaw dropping set, Singin’ In The Rain is a spectacular production and an all-round feel-good piece of theatre. Historically, Singin’ In The Rain hasn’t always been adapted well to the stage.

However, Jonathan Church’s musical, which was first performed at the Chichester Theatre Festival in 2011 before a stint in the West End, is a completely different story.

Church’s superb staging accompanied by Andrew Wight’s inventive choreography makes for an enthralling and energetic show. The choreography, though clearly influenced by Gene Kelly’s original routines, often move in new and exciting directions.

Even the most famous pavement scene is transferred to the stage superbly.

Don Lockwood is played by James Lee, whom in his elegant manner and gentlemanly charm takes Gene Kelly’s role and makes it his own. Lee does not simply imitate Kelly, he adopts some of his most charming mannerisms and demonstrates his own excellent dance ability through Wight’s creative choreography.

The role made famous by a young Debbie Reynolds is brought to life in this musical by Amy Ellen Richardson.

She plays Kathy Selden with a great deal of charm and elegance, as well as fitting perfectly into the lead trio, which is completed by the star of the show, Stephane Anelli as Cosmo Brown.

The story of Singin’ In The Rain, for those of you living under a rock for the past 60 years, is about the arrival of the talkies in Hollywood. With fervent reference to Warner Brothers’ The Jazz Singer the story demonstrates the struggles of competing studio, Monument Pictures, to come to terms with the rise of the talkies and the move away from the silent movie. This instantly provides humour. The scene in which Lina Lamont, played by Vicky Binns, cannot understand mic positioning is one that leaves you hysterical. The character of Lina Lamont embodies the early Hollywood diva and in Binns’ take on the role the character is perfectly executed.

Throughout Singin’ In the Rain romance takes a back seat. The story is predominantly about friendship.

We learn early on Don’s love for Kathy, but this isn’t the focus of the story. For me, Singin’ In The Rain is a beautiful story about friendship, with the humour provided by Cosmo Brown acting as glue. Anelli steals the show in this role and the number ‘Make ‘Em Laugh’ rings true throughout the entire performance.

Anyone who doesn’t enjoy this stage adaption of Singin’ In The Rain is not prepared to be cheered. In a time where doom and gloom is all over the news, it is a much needed pick-me-up from a much loved classic. The cast at the Mayflower in Southampton were phenomenal and the theatre itself a perfect host for the musical.

Singin’ In The Rain is on at Mayflower Theatre until 5th October.

Words by Megan Downing

The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

Culture | 28

Review:

S

DESTInY

ince it was first announced in late 2012, the levels of excitement and expectation surrounding Destiny have been growing. Bungie, the world-renowned creators of the Halo franchise, who recently revealed it was the most pre-ordered new IP ever, wanted to create a truly ‘next generation first-person shooter’ by integrating aspects of RPGs and MMOs into a futuristic shooter where players are constantly connected online. In many ways they have succeeded but it feels like they have taken a safety first approach with other aspects of the Destiny experience.

The game begins with the player having to create a character, choosing between three distinct classes: Titan, Warlock and Hunter. After altering your character’s appearance and a vague introduction to the story, the player is thrown into Bungie’s stunning world. The first thing that quickly becomes clear is how beautiful the game is. The landscapes are incredible and everyone will find themselves repeatedly stopping to admire the views as they explore the planets.

When on the moon, a meticulously detailed image of Earth is always in view and ‘The Traveller’ hovering above ‘The City’ is an incre dible

29 | Culture

image. It certainly feels like the next-generation experience fans were expecting.

Destiny’s other big strength is its excellent gameplay. The gunplay is of such a high quality that any occasional flaws in the visuals can be forgotten. Fighting wave after wave of enemies is both easy to get to grips with and endlessly fun.

Bungie are masters of creating combat moments that have many tactical possibilities and can be so intense that you frequently survive by the skin of your teeth. The difficulty level is perfect. Certain weapons are more fun than others with Pulse Rifles (that charge before shooting) and Heavy Weapons being particular highlights. The sound is similarly good as the weapon noise echoes and the volume and intensity of the music is raised as the fire-fights progress.Unfortunately, much of the fun the strong gameplay brings is overshadowed by the basic and repetitive level design. As the game progresses the structure of the

The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

story missions starts to become comically similar. In almost every level players are instructed to get to a specific location, fighting increasingly difficult groups of enemies along the way. Once they reach the correct place their ‘Ghost’ (a small robot voiced by Peter Dinklage) attempts to hack an enemy computer mainframe whilst waves of enemies attack, ending with a boss that is often nothing more than a bullet sponge. When the world is so beautifully detailed and the gameplay is so strong, the lacklustre level design really stands out. It feels like very little effort was put into this aspect of the game during development.

The way genres are interwoven in Destiny is impressive and although aspects of each specific genre are missing it makes for an interesting experience. There are clearly MMO and RPG influences in the game which is predominantly a first-person shooter. However, the length of the game (roughly 15-20 hours to complete every mission) and the depth of customisation is nowhere near that of a typical RPG or MMO. There is also an online mode, called ‘The Crucible’, that does

not differ much from other futuristic shooters. The strong gameplay is carried over from the main campaign and all the five modes are great fun. It is nothing ground-breaking but the online mode offers a fun alternative to the main game and is very helpful in increasing your character’s level for the tougher missions in the single player.

In short, Bungie should be applauded for building a world that is so beautiful and delivering on their promise of a truly next-generation shooter.

However, with so much anticipation surrounding it, it is very disappointing that although Destiny is a frequently fun and beautiful game, the lacklustre level design and surprisingly poor story prevents it from becoming the experience the gaming world hoped for.

7/10 - Destiny is available now for PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360.

Words by Tom Hopkins

The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

Culture | 30

T

he FIFA series is one which has been going since 1993 and has graced nearly every capable gaming machine in its time. It is difficult not to be cynical about how EA trots out a new game each year with seemingly only incremental changes, yet the demand is clearly there and football after all is a global sport.

EA released the demo for FIFA 15 on 9th September in order to satisfy the hunger of football fans and gamers alike for the new release. Touted this year as improvements over last years FIFA 14 include ‘authentic player visuals’, essentially making the players look more athletic, heightened player control and improved goalkeepers.

After playing the demo for a substantial amount of time I can give my first impressions of the game.

First of all, goalkeepers. Much of the criticism which has been aimed at the series in the past has focussed on the poor reactions of goalkeepers and odd errors which are not realistic. EA have dramatically increased the number of goalkeeper animations in FIFA 15, new saves are possible as an increased AI level. This seems to have translated well into the game. Not only are the goalkeepers much improved now, there are now many more ways to score e.g. through the keeper’s legs or by deflections.

This is not to say that more goals are scored. In fact, in some instances goalkeepers seem a touch over-powered, to the point where they make miraculous saves. However, it should be noted that the demo is likely an early build of FIFA 15 and so this could change in the final release.

Though I may just be rubbish at the game.

Another noticeable improvement is player control.

31 | Culture

Whereas before dribbling with players felt slightly cumbersome and difficult to control, it now handles extremely well. With the right player it is possible to dribble with relative ease past defending players, which makes the gameplay much more exciting and unpredictable. Acceleration also seems to be much more effective in comparison to FIFA 14. If a player is fast then it is far easier for them to outpace defenders which again makes the game more realistic.

One feature which EA also seems to be pushing is emotional intelligence. It would not be a lie to say that previous entries have not portrayed well the typical reactions of footballers throughout a match. Whereas beforehand a bad tackle would not elicit a reaction from the recipient, now players can react angrily if they feel aggrieved. Similarly, game changing moments such as spectacular goals from the halfway line will be appreciated by other players on the pitch. Although this is not obvious in the actual gameplay, EA has incorporated this emotional intelligence well into the cut scenes which have also increased in number, making each match much more of a televisual experience.

Ultimately, the demo is extremely promising in terms of next-gen FIFA, after the somewhat disappointing FIFA 14. It is unlikely that critics of the series will be swayed by this entry, but fans will certainly continue to lap it up.

FIFA 15 is now available on PS3, PS4, PlayStation Vita, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, iOS and Android.

Words by Joe Gibson

The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

Rae Morris

The Edge snapped up an interview with the singer-songwriter at her gig at Southampton’s Joiners Arms

The Edge | live@theedgesusu.co.uk

Live | 32

“I still struggle with confidence”

An Interview with

RAE MORRIS Jenny Simpson caught up with Rae Morris before the start of her latest UK tour. Her new EP ‘Closer’ is out on the 22nd October via Atlantic Records.

You’ve got a UK headline tour starting tonight and then going on to support George Ezra.

How excited are you for that?

I’m really excited, particularly excited about this UK tour because I’ve done some festivals over the summer but haven’t been on a proper tour since maybe May so it’s nice to do that again and being able to play with my band again. The George Ezra tour is exciting as I’m friends with George and I can’t wait to hang out with him.

RM

Which bands/solo artists are you really loving right now?

You’ve done a lot of festivals this summer, do you have a particular favourite?

Yeah I think that one that was my favourite was Kendal Calling. I’m from up North and Kendal Calling was actually the first proper festival I ever played and the gig this this year was so good; a full tent and everyone had really high energy.

RM

RM

33 | Live

RM

Before now I’ve tried to look to the future but plans change so quickly so there’s not really much point in doing that. The albums out in January and I just want to gig and tour and go to America hopefully! I’d love to just play as many shows as possible and then just keep making albums. That’s my goal; to make the next record straight away.

RM

If you could give any advice to aspiring young musicians, what would it be?

How did you first get into music and songwriting?

Well I was 17 and at college and was doing music because that’s what I loved to do

I’ve got some of my favourite artists on this tour. A guy playing with us tonight, called Sivu – he’s amazing. Then we’ve got Paul Thomas Saunders who is also incredible, his album came out already this year and that’s been one of my favourite albums of 2014.

And then a guy called The Half Earth is also supporting. They’re all really cool, up and coming musicians.

What is happening in the future for you?

Your new EP ‘Closer’ comes out next month – can you tell us a bit about that?

‘Closer’ is the lead single that will be on the EP. I ended up recording quite a lot of tracks for the album so I’ve been putting a few of them on EPs to release them as well. There’s a song called ‘My God’ which is one I recorded for the album but it was going spare and then there’s a remix and then a piano and vocal version of the Clean Bandit song (‘Up Again’). So it’s a bit of a mix of things but hopefully people will like it!

- playing piano. Then I realised that I could actually write songs as well and it saved me a bit because I wasn’t enjoying music at college as I wasn’t very good at the classical side of it.

So I started writing songs, gigging and playing open mic nights and just playing as much as possible. That was it really, just went on from there, playing gigs which I’m still doing now!

RM

Oh wow! I’d say that everything is possible and you should never be put off by things like not being confident. I still struggle with confidence and it’s something everyone has to deal with in their own way. Just say yes to as many opportunities as possible. Don’t turn things down as it might not look very good and it might turn into an amazing opportunity.

The Edge | live@theedgesusu.co.uk

RM

Review:

RAE MORRIS at joiners 11/09/2014

T

he huge buzz surrounding Rae Morris at the moment meant I had high expectations for her gig at the Joiners, and for once, these expectations were more than met. As a seasoned performer, I’ve only heard rave reviews of her live shows (be it solo, or with her mates Bombay Bicycle Club), but as this show was the first of the tour, I was dubious as to how the young songstress would cope.

From start to finish you couldn’t look away from Morris.

Although she had a cracking band behind her, the unassuming starlet is completely captivating. Throughout her short performance she seemed genuinely grateful and humbled that so many people had turned up for the first live date of her tour, proclaiming that the Southampton audience would be hard to beat, and sharing her worries that nobody was going to turn up.

In a live setting, it becomes apparent how musically interesting Morris’ songs are. They’re full of crunchy and sophisticated chord progressions and interesting syncopated rhythms, which are reinforced by her live band. With ethereal vocals that fly above the instrumentation, the live setting brought life to singles like ‘Skin’ and ‘Closer’ that I’ve previously only heard recorded

versions of. With her debut album being released in the coming months, it was intriguing to see the songs she’s been working on for the past four years, especially the more upbeat ones (with most of her singles being slower affairs). These newer songs were full of euphoric choruses and soaring vocal lines, albeit with the occasional nineties pop element thrown in. The well-paced set was over in the blink of an eye, which is the only criticism I have of the show: the set was too short! Admittedly, Morris will only have a limited back catalogue of music to pick from, but the set would have benefitted from a couple of additional songs.

Appearing back on stage for an encore, Rae seemed overwhelmed at the reception she’d received, asking “are you sure this is alright?” before diving into a solo track.

Comments like this were a theme throughout the show, but unlike some musicians Rae seemed to actually mean it when she was asking the crowd if everything was okay, which was humbling to see. The young star deserves any of the success she gets, as she’s got the talent to back it up with. If you get a chance to catch Rae at any of the other dates, make sure you do.

Words by Hannah Mylrea

The Edge | live@theedgesusu.co.uk

Live | 34

The Talking Heads 21/09/14

Review:

LEWIS WATSON

A

a queue is guaranteed for Lewis Watson’s gigs, as his continuously growing followers are all eager to see him live. Over an hour before the doors were set to open there was already a long queue outside The Talking Heads.

The whole night was buzzing and filled with immense brilliance. From the solo acoustic performance of Andreas Moe, to the harmony geniuses that are Amber Run, and the star of the night, Lewis Watson.

You could not mistake the anticipation for Lewis Watson, as each of his touring band members took their positions.

The buzz did not stop, even after Watson greeted the room. Joining him that night were also his friends, whom always managed to shout inside jokes and banter back to Watson that made him break into smiles or laughs mid song.

Watson opened his set with ‘Stones around the Sun’, the lead track of his debut album The Morning. If you have seen any video from Watson’s gigs, you would know in each and every one of those the crowd would sing every word back to him.

Watson also gave the audience a little more insight to what the song was about and what it meant to him, but more often he would remark “if you have been there, you would understand, if you don’t, then you are in better places”. Gracing the listeners with his signature soothing vocals and minimalist instruments, the songs speak for the many tales of Watson’s previous heartbreaks and friendships. They are honest relatable sentiments, making 35 | Live

it so easy to connect to what Watson tries to express.

One thing that is absolutely consistent with Lewis Watson throughout his songs, gigs and interactions with listeners, both on and off stage, is his humbleness. He thanked people for being there and listening after each song; he remains down to earth despite his success since he started it all on YouTube back in 2010. Although he has been on various tours, Watson is still not entirely comfortable with making eye contacts as he sings, closing his eyes mostly as he performs. This however brought out his emotive vocals even more as he sung his poetic lyrics, opening his eyes with a big smile when he realised the songs were being sung back to him or listeners had joined in for the harmonies.

There was a feeling of intimacy throughout the gig.

When Watson questioned if anyone had got his first EP or requested them to join along the clapping, the crowd never turned him down. That is why it was quieter still when Watson played a new song ‘When the Water Meets the Mountains’. The crowd were not kept still for long as Watson invited them to join in at the end. It is extraordinary how Watson moves the song forward with the aid of guitar riffs and drums while retaining the tranquil quality he possesses.

Watson’s performance was an exhilarating experience; it was uplifting to be in the same room as people who are so supportive of his music. No one should miss out on this tour, with three strikingly impressive talents.

Words by Sally Lui

The Edge | live@theedgesusu.co.uk

Review:

alt-j

A

Alexandra Palace 24/09/14

lt-J are musically brilliant, each song from both the debut and sophomore albums stand strongly alone, yet flows in a harmony that I haven’t yet found a parallel to. Their performance at Alexandra Palace proved this. Each song, with carefully thought out lighting and the moody presence of the band, ripened the soul. However, there was an overwhelmingly sad feeling that this band had become too big with an all too large portion of the crowd sprinting desperately to get a space at the front.

Alexandra Palace as a venue is epic and marvellous, one of my favourite large scale venues. The acoustics and feel of the venue were perfect for Alt-J, they filled every corner of the gigantic hall, and every set of ears on all 10,000 people at the venue were pricked up as the opening bass of ‘Hunger of the Pine’ began.

Support came from Marika Hackman, who set off the concert to a delicious, if slightly sombre, start. Her vocals are smooth and easy listening, and the music itself was enjoyable, but it completely contrasted the buzz that had been building for Alt-J, as well as almost bringing the mood down and making me feel rather melancholy. An odd choice for a support act but, given that she features on their latest record, an understandable one.

The band arrived on stage in a haze of smoke. They stood resolutely, and all that could be made out of them was the outline of them and their instruments. Joe Newman’s vocals are unique and instantly recognisable. He teased the

audience, allowing the bass to continue. Newman began quietly, with the cheering and clapping that had welcomed the band onstage quickly silenced.

The set was over far too quickly. Blasting through the best of both albums, they brought life to their new material in a way that made me love them even more, particularly with thanks to the brass band that joined them on stage.

The band quickly relaxed into the concert, removing their emotionless mask to thank the audience in a tone that seemed more genuine than any other artist. Underneath their dickhead hipster facade they are truly a bunch of dorks hiding behind a selection of finely tuned instruments.

By far my favourite tracks performed were ‘Taro’ and ‘Every Other Freckle’, the latter to which an audience member screamed out “Alt-J make me want to lick out a thousand crisp packets”. The band had clearly worked closely with the lighting technicians, ensuring the lights were perfectly coordinated with each bass note.

It was truly a special evening. As their only date at Alexandra Palace and their biggest concert yet (although with their O2 gig coming up it’s likely to be beaten), it was magical and unique. The band ended on ‘Breezeblocks’, with Newman exclaiming ‘Fuck, I forgot the words’ mid way through, proving that even the band doesn’t know all the lyrics to the songs.

Words by Annabelle Asker

The Edge | live@theedgesusu.co.uk

Live | 36

Listings 7th October

»» 1984 @ The Nuffield (until 11th) »» 22 Jump Street @ Union Films »» Childhood @ Joiners »» Kids in Glass Houses @ Wedgewood Rooms

8th October

»» Blue Jasmine @ Union Films »» Kirk Brandon’s Spear of Destiny @ Joiners »» Tony Hadley @ Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth »» Wille and the Bandits @ Talking Heads

9th October

»» Laughter Lounge @ The Bridge »» Lonely the Brave + Marmozets @ Talking Heads »» The Dark Knight @ Union Films

10th October

»» Andrew O’Neill presents: Mindspiders! @ The Art House »» Annabelle (15) »» The Maze Runner (PG) »» NBA 2K15 (Multiformat)

11th October

»» How To Train Your Dragon 2 (3D) @ Union Films »» Lee Mack @ Portsmouth Guildhall (until 13th) »» One Direction: Where We Are @ Union Films »» Soul 45 @ The Cellar

12th October

»» EZIO @ Talking Heads »» Frank @ Union Films »» The Hold Steady @ Wedgewood Rooms »» The Vamps @ BIC Windsor Hall (until 14th)

13th October

»» Nick Mulvey @ Wedgewood Rooms »» The Walking Dead: Season 5

37 | Editorial

14th October

»» Jessie J - Sweet Talker »» Othello @ The Nuffield (until 18th) »» The Evil Within (Multiformat) »» The Fault In Our Stars @ Union Films »» We Are The Ocean @ Wedgewood Rooms

15th October

»» Bipolar Sunshine @ Wedgewood Rooms »» Ella Eyre @ O2 Academy, Bournemouth »» English National Ballet: Coppelia (until 18th) »» Secret Sharer @ Union Films

16th October

»» The Lawrence Arms @ The Cellar »» The Wytches @ Joiners »» Thirteen Days @ The Railway, Winchester »» Vallenfyre @ Talking Heads

17th October

»» He Is Legend @ The Railway, Winchester »» Lifesigns @ Talking Heads »» Northern Soul (15) »» Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (12A) »» The Judge (15)

18th October

»» After The Burial @ Joiners »» Elaine Paige @ Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth »» Spiro @ Turner Sims »» X-Men Marathon @ Union Films

19th October

»» Earth To Echo @ Union Films »» Julian Cope @ Wedgewood Rooms »» X-Men: Days of Future Past @ Union Films

20th October

»» Ben Howard – I Forgot Where We Were »» Dan Croll @ Wedgewood Rooms »» Johnny Marr @ O2 Academy, Bournemouth

27th October

»» Example @ O2 Academy, Bournemouth »» George Ezra @ Pyramids Plaza, Portsmouth »» Michael McIntyre @ Theatre Royal, Winchester »» Taylor Swift - 1989

21st October

»» American Horror Story: Freak Show »» Boyhood @ Union Films »» Jessie Ware – Tough Love »» Katy B @ O2 Academy, Bournemouth »» Wicked @ The Mayflower (until Nov 15th)

22nd October

»» Ilo Ilo @ Union Films »» Love, Rosie (15) »» Private Peaceful @ Theatre Royal, Winchester (until 23rd) »» Virgil and the Accelerators @ Talking Heads

23rd October

»» Bury Tomorrow @ Wedgwood Rooms »» Inception @ Union Films »» Laughter Lounge @ The Bridge

»» »» »» »»

28th October

»» Jess Glynne @ The Brook »» The Purge: Anarchy @ Union Films »» The World Alive @ Joiners

29th October

»» Steve Hackett @ O2 Guildhall Southampton »» SUSU Theatre Group’s POSH @ The Annex Theatre (until 1st) »» The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared @ Union Films

30th October

»» John Bishop: Supersonic @ BIC Windsor Hall (until 2nd) »» Omid Djalili: Iranalamadingdong @ Portsmouth Guildhall »» Rival State @ Joiners »» Sikth @ Wedgwood Rooms

24th October

Feed the Rhino @ Joiners Serena (15) The Babadook (15) The Book of Life (U)

25th October

»» An Evening with Sinfionietta @ Swaythling Methodist Church »» Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (3D) @ Union Films »» Maths & The Moon @ Joiners

26th October

»» Katherine Ryan: Glam Role Model @ The Nuffield »» Purson @ Joiners »» Transformers: Age of Extinction @ Union Films

The Edge | editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

31st October

»» Jamie T @ O2 Guildhall Southampton »» Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One)

1st November

»» Balance & Composure @ Joiners »» David O’Doherty @ The Nuffield »» Eddie and the Hot Rods @ Talking Heads »» Halloween All-Nighter @ Union Films

»» »» »» »»

2nd November

3 Days To Kill @ Union Films Lucy @ Union Films Pariso @ Joiners Skindred @ Talking Heads

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