The Edge - Issue 3 (Dec 2017)

ISSUE THREE DECEMBER 2017 FREE

THE EDGE’S

LIST OF

2018

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI The Force is Strong with this One...

EDITORIAL

Issue Three

Editor’s Note

The Team

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

EDITOR

There is a disturbance in the force. Just as the long-awaited The Last Jedi is about to arrive, director Rian Johnson announces he’s devising a whole new trilogy for the Star Wars universe. The curse of the cinematic universe strikes again.

editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

Okay, okay, I’m being a little overdramatic – but is there really the need for yet another extension to this iconic franchise? The Force Awakens served as a cracking rival, and I was fine with Rogue One as a one-off film, but nobody needs a Star Wars film (or two) every year.

Cinema is increasingly repressed by the need for films to fit into a larger design, a money-making web that means that good stand-alone films are few and far between.

Anyway, rant over. Now, I am excited about the continuation of the third trilogy in the Skywalker saga.

Believe it or not, this is The Edge’s third Star Wars cover in three years! December 2015 had Daisy Ridley, November 2016 featured Felicity Jones, and to complete a trio of legendary sci-fi actresses, we’ve put the late and great Carrie Fisher in pride of place for our last issue of 2017.

Although it’s been nearly a year since Carrie’s tragic passing, we’re about to go through heartbreak all over again as we say goodbye to General Leia in The Last Jedi; we’ve penned a touching letter to the Hollywood icon on Page 17. Alongside her film career, Fisher’s legacy will be that she was a feminist force to be reckoned with, and transformed a stereotypical ‘damsel in distress’ role to depict a tough and resourceful young woman. And as the dark side of Hollywood continues to rear its ugly head, we’re still learning about the ways Fisher protected her fellow women from the Harvey Weinsteins of the world.

Bravo, Carrie – may the force always be with you.

Elsewhere in the issue, you can find our review of the album everyone’s been talking about (page 15), but if like me you’re tired of the likes of Taylor and Ed monopolising the charts, you can find The Edge’s recommendations for 2018’s next big things on Pages 13 and 14. There’s some real gems!

All that’s left for me to say is – a very Merry Christmas from The Edge!

James Barker Editor 01

James Barker

DEPUTY EDITOR

Rehana Nurmahi

deputy-editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

Head of Design Teague Hipkiss

design@theedgesusu.co.uk

NEws EDITOR

Robert Pratley

news@theedgesusu.co.uk

Features EDITOR Thea Hartman

features@theedgesusu.co.uk

recORDS EDITOR Meg Holland

records@theedgesusu.co.uk

film EDITOR

David Mitchell-Baker

film@theedgesusu.co.uk

Culture EDITOR Josh Nicholson

culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

Live EDITOR

Carly-May Kavanagh

live@theedgesusu.co.uk

Head of Relations Xavier Voigt-Hill

relations@theedgesusu.co.uk

Head of publicity

Maddie Armour-Chélu

publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk

Head of events

Octavia Woodward

events@theedgesusu.co.uk

Online Manager Hannah Dadd

manager@theedgesusu.co.uk

VP Creative Industries Evie Reilly

vpdci@unionsouthampton.org With help from Sophie Jones (General Executive) and Sam Law (Records Executive)

EDITORIAL

Contents 17

in Star Wars: 06 Realism Why Rey isn’t a ‘Mary-Sue’

Edge’s List of 13 The 2018 You Enjoyed: The 25 IfCrown

Editorial

01 Welcome to Issue Three 02 Contents

News

03 Newsbox 04 Nostalgic News 05 Notes on News: Why Book Censorship is Wrong & Who’s to Blame

Features

06 Realism in Star Wars: Why Rey isn’t a ‘Mary-Sue’ 07 A Star Wars Padawan: Entering The Universe With The Force Awakens 08 A Star Wars Jedi Master: Why the Star Wars sequel trilogy is the most exciting yet 09 Scrooge’s Top Tips for a Bearable Christmas 11 Christmas Clichés: Every Christmas movie ever

Records

12 Artist in Focus: Gorillaz 13 The Edge’s List of 2018 15 Album Review: Taylor Swift - Reputation 16 Single Review: Dagny - ‘Love You Like That’ Single Review: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - ‘Fort Knox’ Single Review: Post Malone - ‘Candy Paint’

Film

17 A Letter to Carrie Fisher 18 Actor in Focus: Adam Driver 19 In Defence of Star Wars: The Force Awakens 21 The Edge’s alternative film picks for December

Culture

23 Doctor Who: The Peter Capaldi Years 24 Intro to: Welcome to the Night Vale 25 If You Enjoyed: The Crown 26 Review: SUSU Theatre Group’s The Picture of Dorian Gray

Live

27 Gig Review: The Amazons Gig Review: Coasts 29 Gig Review: Clean Cut Kid Gig Review: Wild Front Gig Review: Liam Fray 30 Gig Review: Sløtface Gig Review: Jerry Williams Gig Preview: Creeper 32 Gig Preview: The Kooks

33 Listings

Follow Us! /theedgesusu @theedgesusu @theedgesusu Front cover image courtesy of Disney

02

NEWS

WHO WE’D LIKE TO SEE

DOCTOR WHO COMPANIONS

News in Brief 1

Super Mario Odyssey breaks sales records across the world upon launch.

2

The Lion King 2019 reboot cast is announced.

3

Bradley Walsh, Toisin Cole and Mandip Gill are announced as Jodie Whittaker’s first Doctor Who companions.

4

Bestival 2018 announces the theme of Circus, moving forward one month in the process.

5

Netflix severs ties with Kevin Spacey following a number of allegations regarding illegal behaviour with minors.

“EastEnders star Rahkee Thakrar was tipped for the role of companion back when Pearl Mackie came onto the scene, and would make a fantastic lead on Doctor Who. Her heart-breaking portrayal of Shabnam’s stillbirth storyline showed an acting calibre far beyond her years. But in a way, I’ve got my wish – she’s currently voicing the Eighth Doctor’s new companion Bliss in Big Finish’s Time War series!”

James Barker, Editor

“Bradley Walsh from The Chase? Everyone agrees that Pointless is better. That’s why Alexander Armstrong is a far better fit for the Time Lord’s travelling companion.

He might have played a WWII pilot alongside Matt Smith’s Doctor, but anything is possible in the world of Who.”

Josh Nicholson, Culture Editor

THE EDGE’S ENTERTAINMENT PICKS EDITOR: THE CROWN, NETFLIX, 08/12/17 “All hail Claire Foy – fresh from winning a Golden Globe, she’s back for a second run of episodes as the young Queen Elizabeth. Matt Smith also stars in Netflix’s regal drama.”

DEPUTY: PITCH PERFECT 3, DIR. BY TRISH SIE, 22/12/17 “A bit of light-hearted fun and acapella goodness never go amiss, and this finale to the trilogy should be a good finish to a surprisingly brilliant series of comedy films.”

RECORDS: NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS, WHO BUILT THE MOON?, 24/11/17 “The other Gallagher has a lot to prove following the successful debut from nemesis/brother Liam and with a new album featuring appearances from The Jam and The Smiths, even if the Mancunian’s latest isn’t a success, it’ll be worth a listen.”

FILM: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, DIR. BY RIAN JOHNSON, 14/12/17 “It’s mother flipping Star Wars and nothing else matters for the next month.”

CULTURE: DOCTOR WHO ‘TWICE UPON A TIME’, BBC, 25/12/17 “The Time Lord’s festive episodes might have become stale over the past few years, but Peter Capaldi’s final episode is shaping up to be one of the best yet. With David Bradley returning as the 1st Doctor, Whovians are in for a treat.”

LIVE: SHAGGY @ THE ENGINE ROOMS, 12/12/17 “You read that right, the ‘It Wasn’t Me’ singer is coming to Southampton with special guests and a full live band. I don’t know why, but it’s going to be incredible.”

03

NEWS

NOSTALGIC NEWS 10 YEARS AGO

10 YEARS AGO

Sam Law 2007 was a massive year for video games, but one game stands above them all: ten years ago, on 16th November 2007, the world was introduced to the original Assassin’s Creed. The game took an innovative spin on the historical action-adventure genre, following two storylines: one set in 2012 looking at Desmond Miles and the shadowy Abstergo organisation, and one set in the Third Crusade, focusing on Miles’ ancestor - and master assassin - Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad. Fans were enticed by the centuries-long war between Assassins and Templars which touched on the implications that war had on the “modern day”. We were also introduced to many of the franchise’s mainstays, including the thrilling parkour, heart-poundingly tense assassination missions, and the now-iconic hidden blade. 10 years on, and the franchise is as big as ever, with 10 main console releases, countless mobile games, comics and novels, and even a feature-length film, with no signs of slowing down. When you look back, it’s clear that its fascinating story and innovative mechanics made Assassin’s Creed a fantastic game that was far ahead of its time.

Harry Fortuna Pink Floyd released their ultimate complete boxed set Oh, By The Way ten years ago, on 10th December 2007.

Oh, By The Way was, and still is, an absolute musthave for any die-hard fan of one of the most influential progressive rock bands in history. Consisting of what was at the time the entirety of the band’s full studio album discography, purchasers are rewarded with fourteen albums across sixteen CDs all repackaged as miniature LPs with the original sleeves and posters. Despite its tendency to appear as a novelty, the set covers a huge depth of outstanding work by the psychedelic rock legends. As well as including albums with prominent, household names such as The Wall, Atom Heart Mother, and Wish You Were Here, much less recognised works and B-Sides are included for the Pink Floyd hoarders. Oh, By the Way is essentially a magnificent display and celebration of one of the greatest and most influential bands of all time.

Ubisoft released Assassin’s Creed

Pink Floyd released Oh, By The Way

2017

1997 2007

20 YEARS AGO

SEGA released Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Damian Meaden

It’s odd to think now, but in the 16-bit video game market of the 1990s, SEGA and Sonic were the dominant duo.

What makes the early Sonic titles so appealing is the sheer simplicity of them, with a traditional side-scrolling 2D platform for levels and sprite-based game play for the main character. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 continued this simple formula, but with the addition of the brand new ‘Spin Dash’ move - now famous for being one of the most irritating moves in the recent Smash Bros. titles - whereby our hero can curl himself into a ball at high speed before launching into enemies, or just for a boost of speed (not that he needs it). Sonic 2 was home to many of the best-loved levels from the early games - including the Chemical Plant, Mystic Cave and Metropolis Zones, with a fantastic structure that left Sonic darting from green hills to an ocean of oil in next to no time. Before the release of Sonic Mania earlier this year, I said they didn’t make games like this anymore. They still don’t - even if they went pretty close - and this will remain one of the 1990s treasures forevermore.

04

NEWS

NOTES ON NEWS

Why Book Censorship Is Wrong - And Who’s To Blame For It?

T

Robert Pratley

he news that an American school has decided to prevent students from reading Harper Lee’s classic and iconic novel To Kill A Mockingbird, which deals eloquently with issues such as racism in the deep South in the 1930s and produced one of literature’s most noble protagonists in Atticus Finch, sadly does not come with a lot of surprise. It’s all too common nowadays to see literature banned for dealing with controversial topics which are naturally shocking and unpleasant.

What is disappointing, however, is hearing the school’s justification behind the ban.

Once more, unnecessary political correctness comes to the forefront with students apparently complaining the language in the novel made them feel uncomfortable.

That’s the whole point in the language. It’s a raw, hard-hitting, honest representation of what life was like for some of the Black communities in America, especially in Southern states.

Although a few characters show the compassion and empathy which should transcend race, education and class, the majority of the novel is gritty and grim pitting wealthy white privilege against a hard-working, closeknit community who may be financially less well-off, but are utterly innocent of blame.

Since publication in 1960, Harper Lee’s novel has sold over 40 million copies, been adapted into a treble Oscar-winning film in 1962 and spawned a loyal following worldwide. Lee also released a controversial sequel Go Set a Watchman in 2015.

So it seems ridiculous that Biloxi school refused to explore it on the grounds they were worried about the issues it deals with.

If they are concerned by seeing the word in print, then that is surely a good thing? It’s telling us they’ve been brought up on a modern ethos where racial

prejudice is wrong. But to be scared to confront it, to try and explore why Lee creates the world as she does- a microcosm for the reality Black American communities faced during the 30s- trivialises that very issue.

Life is not all sunshine and rainbows and TKAM is as good a reminder of this as anything. By censoring it, you accept a delusion that there is no problem, no issue, you try and blank it out. Blanking it out isn’t helping, it’s hindering.

I was, however, heartened to see a general backlash from students and parents alike towards the stance taken by Biloxi school. Many were surprised, some were shocked and others just shook a proverbial head.

Any sort of literary censorship is wrong, it is invasive on rights to free speech. So who is to blame?

Obviously the school head deserves some flack.

His quotes beggar belief: “There is some language in the book that makes people uncomfortable, and we can teach the same lesson with other books. It’s still in our library. But they’re going to use another book in the eighth-grade course.” Hmmm. If you can teach the same lesson with other books, why use Mockingbird in the first place? A limp and lame copout, it seems this principal is happy to also bury his head in the sand.

But sadly, there is a wider issue here, one which transcends the Biloxi school board and is equally concerning. The American Library Association has before taken similar measures with To Kill a Mockingbird following complaints from various parties about it making them uncomfortable or about the use of perceived stereotypes.

The book was removed from 8th Grade lessons- the pupils are 13 to 14 years old. They are old enough to learn the ugly facts of life and shouldn’t be kept away from them.

Image courtesy of Hachette Book Group

05

FEATURES

REALISM IN STAR WARS: Why Rey isn’t a ‘Mary Sue’ Charlotte Colombo

S

weaty neck-beards can’t let us enjoy anything in life, so from the very conception of the latest Star Wars trilogy, there was criticism left right and centre. I agree, to an extent, that The Force Awakens was a gender-swapped rehash of A New Hope that incredibly overstated the importance of Poe Solo, but I refuse to get behind the incessant whining of ‘loyal fans’ that Rey is a ‘Mary Sue’.

For those who are lucky enough not to have had this mansplained to you, a ‘Mary Sue’ is a character, usually female, who is ‘too perfect’ in all areas. She can fight crime, discover a new element, and dance some salsa all while her makeup remains impeccably fleeky. Sure, this trope exists, but I assume that the very reason it is frowned upon is because it makes the portrayal of characters unrealistic. The very notion that a character being too ‘unrealistic’ is a criticism because all characters should be relatable, right? Forgive me if I’m being slow but I’m not quite sure how to reconcile that with a movie where one character dies of ‘sadness’ whilst another has three out of four limbs burnt off but is A-okay.

How is Star Wars in any way realistic? For a start, Luke Skywalker shouldn’t be able to go anywhere without a helmet, as the different gaseous atmospheres of the planets would make his head explode. These people battle with giant glowy sticks, Leia’s buns stay intact in zero gravity space, and Chewbacca doesn’t get a medal in A New Hope even though he flipping deserves it!

Star Wars inspired a generation because it is a world of endless possibilities, so having an average character like Phil the Accountant wouldn’t make for particularly riveting viewing. A ‘special’ element is necessary if everything around you is also special.

So if being ‘special’ is a necessity to make these kinds of sci-fi movies work, you’d think that six movies into the franchise there has been more than one ‘Mary Sue’. Let’s look at the beautiful disaster known as the prequels as an example. No matter how smart of a 6-year-old you are, it’s not realistic for a human boy to build a robot, casually enter and win a highly skilled race, and be conceived by some kind of fancy air. By the standards of realism that are applied to ‘Mary Sues’, it would follow that Anakin fits that same criterion, as most kids his age can barely use a toilet.

But where’s the criticism of that? We know the prequels had plenty of it, but it seemed to be universally accepted that the man behind Darth Vader would be remarkable.

He is, after all ‘the chosen one’. It makes sense plot-wise for him to have all these abilities. So what makes Rey any different? She’s the protagonist of the franchise, and the arc of The Force Awakens is that she has abilities and skills that make for a movie hero ‘awakened’ in her. Rey isn’t your usual ‘damsel-in-distress’ - she can undoubtedly kick most asses in the Star Wars universe, and that should be celebrated, not criticised.

06

FEATURES

A

Padawan

Entering The Universe With The Force Awakens

Ali Treanor

W

ith Star Wars Episode VIII mere weeks away now, the same old argument is filling Twitter feeds: not whether you sympathise with the Sith or the Jedi, but whether the original trilogy (Episodes IV-VI), or prequel trilogy (Episodes I-III), was better. This seems to depend on which films you watched first. If you watched the prequels first, fond memories of the lightsaber duel on Mustafar may make you smile. However, if you watched the ‘70s originals first, you might cringe at Jar Jar Binks. Well, I’d be worried if you didn’t.

But with the releases of The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and the 2016 spin-off Rogue One, a whole new generation of fans emerged - and they will have first explored the galaxy with Rey, Finn and Jyn. For them, Luke and Leia are the aged leaders of the resistance rather than young adventurers. Their favourite droid is more likely be BB-8 rather than R2-D2 or C-3PO. Not all of these fans will be pre-teens either – being raised in a hardcore ‘Trekkie’ household, where watching Star Wars was blasphemy, The Force Awakens was the first Star Wars film I experienced too.

The new sequel trilogy of films have sparked lots of nostalgia so far, with its multiple ‘Easter Eggs’ and, of course, the presence of the original trio. The heartwarming interaction between R2-D2, C-3PO, and BB-8 is only one example. Not having watched the previous movies, most references went straight over my head, yet some aspects felt quite familiar;

Star Wars has become part of British culture, and no one can completely escape the many film posters, references, and socks - not even a ‘Trekkie’.

Thankfully, The Force Awakens contained enough new and exciting material to be able to stand on its own. Rather than falling into the trap of making the film purely for the nostalgia and long-term fans, J.J. Abrams focused the episode on the new generation of characters, to prevent isolating new viewers. The playfulness of the original series, and action-packed nature of the prequels were combined so well that The Force Awakens appealed to fans of all ages, which is probably what made it the third highest-grossing film of all time.

As a newcomer to the Star Wars Universe, there is a lot to catch up on. Films, TV shows, books and more world lore than in Middle Earth. Hardcore fans are gradually getting used to the idea of new fans entering the remote galaxy, and the popularity of The Force Awakens has helped no doubt, with its oldschool take on Star Wars bringing Jedis right next to the excited Padawans. I have since caught up on the first films, and still find The Force Awakens is my personal favourite. This begs the question: how much of which series is our personal favourite is based on the first one we watched rather than its content?

That is, of course, another argument for Twitter.

Image courtesy of Disney

07

FEATURES

A

Jedi Master

Why the Star Wars sequel trilogy is the most exciting yet

Damian Meaden

I

‘m going to make a bold statement now. Fans of Star Wars haven’t really had anything significant to get excited about in terms of plot since the 1980s.

After the titanic clash between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader on Bespin and arguably one of the greatest cinema reveals of all time (“No, I am your father.”), fans of the space opera were left with an abundance of questions. Was the Sith Lord lying? Will Luke give in to temptation and family ties and abandon the Rebellion for a life of evil? Will C-3PO ever stop being so paranoid about everything that happens to be in front of his face and actually do something significant to the plot? It was a confusing time to be a nerd.

Even when the series was revived with the muchcriticised prequel trilogy between 1999-2005, moviegoers already knew the end result. Anakin Skywalker, the slave-turned Jedi Knight would at some stage in the next three movies fall to the Dark Side, at which point every Jedi would be mysteriously wiped out and several of the original trilogy’s key players would take their positions ahead of A New Hope’s place in the saga - Obi-Wan to Tatooine, Yoda to Dagobah, and so on.

We even knew the identity of the Emperor, then just an ambitious Senator in the Galactic Republic - if it wasn’t already obvious enough given the two were portrayed by the very same Ian McDiarmid, a very obvious establishing shot at the climax of The Phantom Menace did the trick.

Finally, in producing brand-new content exploring previously unknown worlds with a mix of exciting new characters and our beloved heroes from the original trilogy, the masterminds behind 2015’s smash-hit The Force Awakens and the upcoming sequel, The Last Jedi, have finally restored a sense of mystery and intrigue to the series and left fans once again genuinely clueless as to what comes next.

Another genius move from Disney, who bought the rights to the international hit from creator George Lucas prior to The Force Awakens was to de-canonise all but the eight films and animated Clone Wars series and selected Expanded Universe content, essentially crippling almost every fan theory in its early stages.

The same formula will now ring true for every subsequent film in the saga - even the reflective ‘in-between’ movies such as Rogue One and the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story are crafted to add colour to the existing canon, rather than revisit older material, minus the occasional self-deprecating joke or comment.

Add in the improved film-making techniques, wellplaced use of CGI and absence of trade disputes from the plot line, along with the pure fact that Star Wars is now being made by fans, for fans, but with the likeability factor that has served Marvel’s Cinematic Universe so well over the last decade, and it’s clear to see why more people than ever before are looking forward to returning to a galaxy far, far away...

Image courtesy of Disney

08

FEATURES

Scrooge’s Top Tips for a

Bearable Christmas Hannah Dadd

Dear Readers, Wondering how to get through this Christmas without adhering to any of the silly things people do? Do you reply to ‘Merry Christmas’ with ‘Bah! Humbug!’ too? If you answered both these questions with ‘yes’, I am exactly the person you should turn to for advice. (Actually, you should have a read regardless, my way is the best way, really.)

If your clerk is annoying you, permitting him one day off will appease him.

Family are just a pain so don’t bother feeling sorry for old people or “orphans”, they’ve got it lucky really.

My nephew, being the nuisance, he has asked me round for Christmas dinner. What a silly, folly-fallen, familyloving oaf he is. Like family is important at Christmas!

Christmas is about making time for the people you love, and there’s only one person who springs to my mind.

If the poor were that desperate for money, they’d come work as my clerk, mine keeps trying to take Christmas off.

Yes, I know, it’s ridiculous. But society is really get those weirdos going door to door going downhill and you occasionally must conform. Every year you to help provide poor people heating money for This means you must do daft things like let your asking me tell you, if you want a great let Well clerk, who you pay far too much for what little or food. answer the door. Nothing good never then mas he does for you, have a day off. Apparently, he Christ get so hounded by these awful always I it of wants to spend Christmas with his wife and can come the whole of Christmas is… think I fact, In children, who have silly nicknames like Tiny Tim. people!

Dear Readers, I had a very weird dream and would like to rewrite my list: Think about how you can help others in the forthcoming year!

I realised that my clerk couldn’t properly care for his sick son on the salary I was paying him. Giving my clerk a raise has improved this situation and I have been able to really look after Tiny Tim almost as if he was my son.

Seeing the odd bit of family can be nice!

I went to Fred’s in the end for Christmas and it 09

was actually okay. It can be fun to catch up with family and spend this festive holiday with them, I found myself surprised by how much I enjoyed it!

Christmas spirit isn’t that bad...

Shockingly, it is nice to be generous and wellliked by other people. I suppose I realised that money isn’t everything and once you get into the Christmas spirit, it’s actually kind of acceptable.

Merry Christmas, as they say!

Scrooge x

FEATURES

Christmas Clichés Every Christmas movie ever

M

David Mitchell-Baker

eet Brittany, a single mom and hardworking woman who just can’t seem to find Mr Right. But Christmas is right around the corner, and all Brittany wants is for Santa to bring her a knight in shining armour, the man to sweep her off her feet, make all her troubles go away, and be a great dad to her adorable son George.

Because of her stressful job at a generic office, Brittany neglects responsibility for George, letting him go toand-from school by himself despite the fact that they live in New York City and it’s incredibly dangerous.

But when she does eventually decide to look after him, they head to a Department store where she can still ship him over to the care of the discount Betty White who works there, whilst she laments her love life issues to Stacy, her BFF. Despite her downbeat mood, the store’s Santa tells her not to get too disheartened, it’s Christmas after all - the time for miracles!

Enter Kyle: he’s handsome, kind, handsome, hardworking, handsome, charming and, most importantly, handsome. Brittany meets Kyle after bumping into him whilst walking out of a coffee shop, she drops all her things and he helps her to pick them up, their eyes meet and it gets awkward ‘cos he’s just so damn cute and he’s totally who Stacy says Brittany needs! OMG! They exchange pleasantries, but wait a sec girl - you’ve got to play ‘hard to get’ with Mr Right!

She runs off and says she has somewhere to be.

Oh no! Unspecified things at work are getting hard, what is Brittany gonna do? She ships off responsibility for George for the night and goes to some kind of generic drinks party with Stacy, why they’re there is never explained. But wait, is that...?

11

No! It’s Kyle! He strikes up a conversation with Brittany whilst Stacy ogles him. They talk all night and he’s still so nice. He takes Brittany out for dinner and the two kiss! OMG! Could he be the one?!

Brittany and Kyle are totally in love now, he’s great with George and George loves him too, so do Stacy and discount Betty White. Things at work are starting to turn around and this Christmas looks like it could be the best Christmas ever!!!

But oh no! Reasons! Kyle totally isn’t Mr Right anymore despite being the nicest guy imaginable! Brittany and Kyle break up in dramatic fashion and Christmas is ruined! George is sad! Discount Betty White is sad! Stacy is sad! Department store Santa is sad! Everyone=sad!

The consequences of leaving George unattended to mope about her own problems and dote over Kyle have now come back to haunt Brittany - he ran away! But wait!

Crisis averted! George is with Discount Betty White and Store Santa, the only people who seem to actually give a damn about him. Discount Betty White consoles Brittany. She tells her, “You go get him girl, he the best, you the best!” and Brittany goes to get her man back.

Brittany and Kyle are back together, all just in time for Christmas! This despite the fact that she’s a horrible person and he could do so much better. George declares that this is the best Christmas ever, Discount Betty White and Stacy join the new family for Christmas but Store Santa can’t make it because - plot twist - HE WAS ACTUALLY THE REAL SANTA ALL ALONG! And they all live happily ever after.

RECORDS

ARTIST IN FOCUS I

Gorillaz Harry Fortuna

t is without a doubt that Gorillaz is one of the most iconic and recognisable bands in recent times.

Being the first ever virtual band, founders Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett really struck gold by fusing their respective musical and artistic genius.

Gorillaz epitomise uniqueness, they refuse to be boxed-in and have flourished in every endeavour.

As an artistic emblem they are world renown, and as a musical force, they are household names.

Formed in 1998, from conception the band were already gifted with the musicianship of Britpop deity Damon Albarn. Having achieved so much already in his career, the Blur frontman conjured up, with artist Jamie Hewlett, an idea that would revolutionise the way we experience and view music. Gorillaz are genuine pioneers and explorers of music to a degree that has scarcely been seen in my lifetime. Identifying as a virtual band, they officially consist of four animated members: 2-D (lead vocals, keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, keyboards) and Russel Hobbs (drums and percussion). As a result, Gorillaz are also incredibly distinctive as live performers. It has become a custom that Hewlett’s art is projected onto the stage, creating an audio-visual stimulation that has never yet been paralleled. Somehow, almost miraculously, Albarn and co. have brought an animated band into reality and global consciousness without reliance on television or film. They exist in our world as we do - a band formed from nothing but pixels have become celebrities and artists in their own rights, despite their virtual entity.

As well-known as they are for their cartoon production, Gorillaz are equally reputable for their multitude of collaborators. Albarn and Hewlett are the only

permanent human members, but throughout Gorillaz’s existence, the likes of Shaun Ryder, Debbie Harry and more recently Popcaan and one-time rival Noel Gallagher, have all contributed to the discography.

Despite achieving mainstream success, reaching number 4 in the UK charts with debut single ‘Clint Eastwood’ in 2001 and their following self-titled album selling over 7 million copies and going platinum in the US, it wasn’t until 2005 that the band released their best work. Third studio album Demon Days catapulted them from one height to rather fittingly super-human levels.

This album that I was raised on went double platinum in the US and received multiple Grammy nominations, whilst introducing the world to some of their greatest hits - ‘Feel Good Inc.’, ‘Dirty Harry’ and ‘DARE’ which are now familiar worldwide. With their most recent release Humanz, the band continue to prove that they still have the capability of producing new and original material that only furthers their brilliance.

They are really like no other artist. With ever-increasing innovation, and a lack of fear of branching out, the band have achieved a legendary status, being both commercially and critically adored. Perhaps what makes me idolise this band to such extremities is the fact that, through choice, they have not confined themselves to a genre, or restricted themselves to certain expectations, but have remained true to their explorative nature and have reaped the rewards of their bravery. Whether referring to them as alternative rock, hip-hop, electronica, reggae, rap or indie, you cannot deny the genius thought that goes into such a unique band.

Gorillaz’s latest single, ‘Garage Palace’ (feat. Little Simz) is out now via Parlophone

Image courtesy of Parlophone

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RECORDS

THE EDGE’S List of 2018

SIGRID Carly-May Kavanagh

If you love incredible talented Scandinavian singers, then you’ll definitely love Sigrid. She’s only 20 years old, and somehow everything she’s done so far has been magical. Her debut single ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ premiered on Radio 1 and was simultaneously made Hottest Record in the World, her May EP was adored here at The Edge. After submitting a song she wrote in two weeks to the Norwegian equivalent of BBC Introducing, she quickly gained national radio coverage and had record deal proposals left, right and centre. Dropping her law school plans, she was signed by 16. Sigrid is fantastic, and definitely set for big things next year.

PALE WAVES James Barker

Pale Waves may have only released two singles, but their friendship with the 1975 seems sure to rocket them to fame. Lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie has already graced a recent NME cover with Matt Healy, and their pop rock vibes will sure attract them a cult following akin to their touring buddies. A recent interview with Heather revealed her ambition: “We want to have a Number One album. We just want to grow and be playing sold-out tours. I reckon we can do it. You’ve got to be positive and optimistic. We’re all in.”

THE MAGIC GANG Sam Law

I am utterly in love with The Magic Gang. It’s hard not to be - just take one listen of bouncy, swingy and oh-sorelatable ‘How Can I Compete’, or fist-pumpingly cheerful ‘Your Love’, and you’ll find yourself falling for this four-piece from Brighton as well! They’ve had a big 2017 in releasing their third EP, playing Glastonbury, and supporting Wolf Alice, but they’re set for even bigger and better things in 2018. They’re finally headlining a UK tour of their own, whilst their heavily rumoured debut album is sure to be a banger if their stellar catalogue of EPs is anything to go by. Certainly 2018 deserves to be a magical year for The Magic Gang!

JESSIE REYEZ Nelly Mair

Capable of switching from heart-wrenching emotion to punchy anger in a couple of seconds, the power of Jessie Reyez’s music lies in its rawness. Her songs are gut-wrenching but punctuated by an anger that spills out of the songs in a way that speaks to the authenticity of her songwriting. Her raspy tone and R&B vibes truly set her apart from the crowd. ‘Gatekeepers’, a powerful song about sexism in the music industry, is especially resonant given recent allegations; and with an increasing fanbase and a feature on Calvin Harris’ new album, it’s just the beginning for Reyez.

LEWIS CAPALDI Daniel Tucker

With emotional lyrics and a powerful delivery, singer/songwriter Lewis Capaldi charms his fans with his distinct and soulful voice that appeals to his poignant lyricism. Capaldi has already started to gain the attention of the music world back in March 2017 with the release of his debut single ‘Bruises’ which managed to rack up more than 10 million streams on Spotify in its first 10 weeks. With the recent release of his first EP Bloom and headlining Live at Leeds ‘ones to watch’ showcase at the end of November 2017 Capaldi is heading into what should be a promising 2018.

Images courtesy of Francesca Jane Allen, Rahel Weiss, Mind of a Genius, FMLY, and Fred Perry

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RECORDS

We round up ten exciting new acts who will soundtrack 2018 SHY LUV Xavier Voigt-Hill

All the best electronic musicians come in pairs, and exquisite Derbyshire duo Shy Luv looks primed to be the UK’s next to break out. Now two EPs deep in February’s Shock Horror and November’s Lungs, both released via Black Butter, childhood friends Sam Knowles and Jake Norman are a fresh-faced hybrid of Daft Punk, Disclosure, and Duck Sauce. Tilting from brooding disco (‘Joyrider’) to peppy flute lines (‘Time’) under Knowles’ developing husk of a vocal, live shows now feature a drummer and bassist in addition to the sort of synth eruptions and cowbell selection that would make LCD Soundsystem proud.

OFF BLOOM Meg Holland

Meet the Anglo-Danish trio who are taking the electro-pop scene by storm. Producers Alex, Mads and Mette (who also takes on vocals) make up Off Bloom, who formed in Copenhagen in 2015 and now split their time between apartments in Bethnal Green and a Copenhagen studio. Touring in the spring of last year in support of LANY and Dua Lipa, they released their second EP at the end of last year; the follow up to 2016 EP Love To Hate It, Lover Like Me’s unashamed punchiness and surety of style makes for a pretty brilliant listen. And with a determination undeniable, I’m sure there’s a lot more to hear from them yet.

KWAYE Xavier Voigt-Hill

Born in Zimbabwe and signed when an Uber driver in Los Angeles just happened to have lived a past life as an A&R executive, dapper 22-year-old KWAYE is taking bold steps towards a future of globally-minded R&B. Finding himself in the Mind Of A Genius stable (Zhu, Gallant, THEY.) after that fluke encounter on a semester abroad to release debut single ‘Cool Kids’ in March and the subsequent three-track Solar EP, he blends his pristine voice with pertinent lyrical philosophy, a luscious dose of retro pop flair, and the kind of visual panache this generation is missing.

SUZI WU Cécile Howard

19-year old London prodigy Suzi Wu may have just launched onto the scene with debut EP Teenage Witch, however no one can deny she’s bursting with attitude. With its titular track beginning “Ashes to ashes / dust to dust / The guys are fuckboys / Girls are sluts”, Wu dances around the melodrama of the millennial as a self-confessed “beautiful disgrace” with ill-adjusted ease. Making statements about modern norms, themes about relationships, love, and substances while being “Too scared to live / Too stoned to die”. With crude, but beautifully written instrumentation, Wu’s tracks are absolutely enthralling. It can only go up from here for the songstress.

COSMO PYKE Hassan Bashir

Cosmo Pyke is only 18 years old, and already brags a status as a model, artist, and musician. Hailing from Peckham in South London, the storytelling aspect of the songwriter may be present in his tracks but it’s the sound and soulfully deep voice of the 18-year-old that causes us to expect big things from him next year. So for now go find him on Spotify or Apple Music or whatever music streaming service you use and give Cosmo Pyke a listen so you can tell you friends you heard him before he was cool.

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RECORDS

ALBUM REVIEW:

TAYLOR SWIFT Reputation Sarah Whittington

F

or the last ten years, Taylor Swift has treated her albums as collections of confessional, expositional, genre-crossing songs in a way which bought her the allegiance of millions of fans and alternating critical and media acclaim. She was the young, talented woman following her dreams, and succeeding. She had cats. She wrote open letters to Apple and fans alike. She made it into blockbuster franchise movie soundtracks, collected a roomful of trophies and became the epitome of the now infamous #squadgoals. And then it all went wrong. For better or worse, victim or villain, Reputation is her response. More accurately, the response to end all responses.

From the first ‘mmhm’ as she clears her throat on opener ‘…Ready for It?’, Swift is commanding, unapologetic and assertive, introducing us to an album which offers a rejection; of lovers, of old habits, of naivety, and, crucially, the toxicity that comes with defining yourself through other people’s eyes.

Reputation is not Swift’s attempt to appear perfect, from the confrontational ‘I Did Something Bad’ (“if a man talks shit then I owe him nothing/I don’t regret it one bit cause’ he had it coming”) and stand-out ‘Don’t Blame Me’, to the regretful explanation of ‘Getaway Car’ (“but I didn’t mean it/and you didn’t see it”). She is utterly unconcerned with writing a collection of slow ballads designed to evoke what critics have labelled her ‘victim playing card’, but instead focusses on depicting a complex, defiantly self aware narrative underpinned by a Max Martin/Shellback/Jack Antonoff production of synths, bass drops, staccato strings and overlapping

vocals which all work to serve some of her best lyrics to date.

She’s hyper aware of the media, the ‘conversation’ in ‘End Game’ (ft. Ed Sheeran and Future), anxietyridden about the impact of her reputation in ‘Delicate’, which marks the introduction of vulnerability midway through an album first concerned with coming out fighting. It is this vulnerability, and the question of what to do with it, which registers as the undercurrent of Reputation and propels Swift through the remainder of the album, past the introduction of new love (‘Gorgeous’, ‘King of My Heart’) and to the brilliant, answering last jab of ‘This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’, which acts as an anthem to her “real friends” who don’t care about the “he said/she said”. The title of penultimate track, ‘Call It What You Want’ speaks for itself. By the time we reach the piano-led, softer closing track ‘New Year’s Day’, whether we believe her portrayal or not is no longer the issue; Swift opts to destroy the vulnerabilities associated with her reputation by the assertion that she has found not only herself, but the people to whom it doesn’t matter.

Reputation, then, is an album which is daring, mature, confrontational, and ultimately empowering, not because Swift declares she must be right, but because she found a way to move forward. It’s a sentiment, and strength, actually, which is very much the ‘old’ Taylor.

Reputation is out now via Big Machine Records

Image courtesy of Big Machine Records

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RECORDS

SINGLES REVIEWS:

DAGNY

HIGH FLYING BIRDS

POST MALONE

James Barker

Harry Fortuna

George Townsend

Love You Like That

As we name our List for 2018, it’s seems only right to revisit some of last year’s names. Khalid’s now a superstar, Loyle Carner fought for the Mercury Prize, VANT’s – well, split up... but one of the most exciting acts still on the rise is Norwegian pop queen Dagny.

Scandinavian acts are all the rage right now, but Dagny is a exciting, edgier prospect than her peers – for proof, see the artwork for the alternative edits of debut release ‘Backbeat’, emblazoned with a two-fingered ‘fuck you’ gesture, nails painted in a feisty red.

Her latest single, ‘Love You Live That’, is an uplifting love song that can brighten even the most melancholy of days. From its shimmering synth verses to its earworm chorus, it’s further proof the 27-year-old is destined for the big time. A debut album and some recognition here in Britain can’t come soon enough!

‘Love You Like That’ is out now via Republic

Fort Knox

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds have released their second single ‘Fort Knox’ from their upcoming album, but take out your rifles because this bird’s getting shot down. The track is so abject and barren, both lyrically and musically, that it feels like a three minute and fifty-eight second long interlude that is universally skipped and ignored as a space-filler. What makes the song utterly repetitive is the band’s clear attempt to shift into a Pink Floyd-type focus, emphasising psychedelic guitar and synths, but it’s unrelentingly screechy and will make you feel more psychotic than psychedelic.

Whilst Liam has clearly shown that rock and roll will never die, Noel seems intent on burying it six feet under. The only thing impressive about this is that it somehow managed to be a deterioration from the recently released ‘Holy Mountain’. He’s not just shot himself in the foot here, but he seems to have taken a bazooka to the face.

Who Built The Moon? is out now via Sour Mash Records

Candy Paint

It’s not often a song in a movie steals the show. Originally part of the soundtrack for The Fate of the Furious, ‘Candy Paint’ has been rereleased as a single (the hit ‘rockstar‘ being the other) in anticipation of Post Malone’s upcoming album.

The track has a clean, mellow feel to it thanks to its minimalist composition – it’s definitely not the heavy, hispanic rap synonymous with The Fast and the Furious. Post has very much carved out a place in hip-hop in terms of his style, and it’s good he didn’t feel the need to adapt his style for the movie. Of course, Post puts his own spin on the lyrics, complete with references to The Office’s Michael Scott and other clever wordplay, which we have come to expect in the majority of his tracks. He seems to have found the winning formula when it comes to style, and I’m eager to see the new music on his fast approaching new album.

Beerbongs and Bentleys is out now via Republic

Images courtesy of Republic, and Sour Mash Records

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FILM

A Letter to

Carrie Fisher Carly-May Kavanagh

Dear Carrie Fisher, You strong, incredible woman.

I only came to know you and your work a couple of years ago, and how I wish I had known it sooner to have had longer to appreciate all of the incredible things you’ve done - from Star Wars, to screenplays, to your openness about your struggles with addiction and mental illness.

You were so much more than Princess Leia and General Organa. You showed women that they could be the ones to save themselves. You taught us that we could be strong, badass, and that being surrounded by men doesn’t make you any less strong or badass, less of a human, less of an actor - less of anything. In your passing, you have given us an opportunity to reflect on how you made the word ‘princess’ less fragile and helpless, and how you made ‘general’ even more of a powerful word.

You were the princess who saved herself, strong during adversity. The literal chains that bound you strangled the physical manifestation of the patriarchy, the revolting Jabba who had tied you up and dressed you in an outfit that you hated, both as a character and as a person.

Not only are your acting roles iconic, but you spoke out so much about addiction and mental illness.

Your one-woman show and your Wishful Drinking memoir told of your battle with prescription drugs and cocaine, and your experience living with bipolar disorder. You didn’t shy away from talking about this - instead, you understood that those experiences shaped you and made you the person you were, and you persevered. Support was given from you to so many other causes, from animal rights to LGBT+, and you made several financial contributions to AIDS and HIV charities.

It would have been very easy for you to have talked about the issues that had affected you with self-pity and a “Why me?” attitude. Instead, you remained strong and persevered, even when you were discussing your self-loathing there was never a drop of pity to your tone. You approached the serious topics with humour, but never disrespect. You were a woman who was outspoken about her body issues and sense of self, and even though you were heralded as a sex icon in Hollywood during your youth, you were consistently outspoken about the struggles women in Hollywood face. You maintained a strong exterior and showed us that life is too short to let yourself be defined by your negative experiences.

xxx

You weren’t afraid to stand up for those who needed it - the story about you personally delivering a cow’s tongue in a Tiffany box to a predatory producer with a note saying “If you ever touch my darling Heather or any other woman again, the next delivery will be something of yours in a much smaller box,” is such a Fisher story, and women across the world are so thankful for your constant championing of our rights and for not letting abuse just happen under your nose, especially in an industry where it is all too common.

Also, I really enjoyed working out what your tweets were when I was on radio. It was a fun segment.

May the force be with you.

Image courtesy of Getty Images

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FILM

ACTOR IN FOCUS Adam Driver Emily Rose Hillman A

former marine, choirboy and self-described “misfit”, Adam Driver has become a household name since landing the role of villainous Kylo Ren in the long-awaited return to the big screen of the Star Wars franchise. In anticipation of the next instalment, it feels fitting to look back at his varied career, from performing in on-Broadway theatre to his sudden launch into global fame.

At 33, Driver has already accumulated an impressive resumé, especially considering he didn’t make his feature film debut until 2011’s J. Edgar. An initial attempt to get into drama school was unsuccessful, then the events of 9/11 swayed him to join the U.S. Marines. After injury led him to be discharged, he gave drama school a second run and found himself with a place at the prestigious Juilliard, graduating in 2009.

In 2012, after acting in several off-Broadway shows and supporting parts in both TV and film, Driver landed his breakthrough role in Lena Dunham’s Girls. He played the wonderfully weird Adam Sackler, the socially inept but loveable romantic interest of Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham). Driver is exceptional at portraying his character’s emotional complexity, helping us to understand the impact of the serious issues he deals with, and why he might not always act in the most endearing manner.

As well as starring in Girls, from 2012 to 2015 Driver also appeared on the big screen in a number of films, including Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln in 2012 and the Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis in 2013.

2014 saw him win the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at

the Venice International Film Festival for his role in Hungry Hearts. In 2015’s While We’re Young, Driver teamed up with Amanda Seyfried, the two of them playing a hipster young couple who befriend older husband and wife Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens exploded into cinemas around the world in December 2015, breaking box office records and inspiring a new generation of the Star Wars fandom. It earned Driver global recognition as resident bad-guy Kylo Ren; he turned Ren into the kind of villain that you love to hate, a sort of bad boy that you wish you could tame from the grip of the dark side.

Driver has maintained a hectic schedule over the past two years, juggling Star Wars commitments with numerous other films, most notably Martin Scorsese’s Silence and the title role in Paterson, both in 2016. Earlier this year he starred as one-armed Clyde alongside Channing Tatum and Daniel Craig in heistcomedy Logan Lucky, which sees the Logan brothers attempt to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway. He also continues to work with his self-founded charity, Arts in the Armed Forces, to provide theatre-based entertainment to the armed forces for their enjoyment and emotional benefit.

Adam Driver has planted himself firmly in the spotlight, and with the return of Kylo Ren being hotly anticipated with the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, it seems that he isn’t going away anytime soon.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be released in UK cinemas on December 14th.

Image courtesy of Victoria Will/Invision/AP

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IN DEFENCE OF

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Christian Wise

T

he arrival of Star Wars: The Last Jedi is imminent, and with excitement for the eighth part of the saga reaching critical, I couldn’t help but look back at the surprisingly divisive The Force Awakens.

Despite being critically acclaimed, fans have given the J.J Abrams-helmed sequel a very mixed reception. Many have raised significant issues with the film, and some have even taken to calling it the worst film in the series.

Yes, the film may not be flawless, but I still believe this is one of the strongest parts of the franchise, and can easily stand tall alongside the best of the original trilogy.

The main reason for this is the new characters. Rey, Poe and Finn are all fun, likeable protagonists, and it’s likely that they will eventually be heroes as iconic as the likes of Luke, Leia and Han. Rey in particular is a brilliant lead, bolstered by a star-making performance from Daisy Ridley. At first glance she may appear to be overly equipped at everything she does in the film, but further inspection shows that there is justification for this. In many cases, she isn’t actually that skilled; she takes a while adjusting to flying the Falcon, and she spends the first half of the final duel running from Kylo Ren. She’s a certainly an adept character, but she has her flaws.

Kylo Ren is equally as compelling. Many have stated that Kylo is petulant and a weak villain, but they don’t seem to notice that this is the point. His desperation to emulate his grandfather and follow in his footsteps – while avoiding the light – acts as a deconstruction of the idea that being evil is cool. It makes for a fascinating character; an evil villain who doesn’t know if he even wants to be evil. Abrams made the brilliant choice to integrate a potential weakness into the character,

turn it into a strength, and create a villain on par with Vader. Ren is brilliantly acted by Adam Driver.

Harrison Ford gives perhaps his best performance in the role of Han Solo, combining the cocksure pilot of old with decades of unseen heartbreak and regrets. Despite their limited screentime in this chapter, Mark Hamill and the late Carrie Fisher give similarly great turns – who knew Hamill could convey so much emotion with just a single stare?

Composer John Williams rearranges many classic themes here, but he also provides us with new gems in the form of Rey’s theme. Meanwhile, the film gives a variety of action scenes which are the perfect antidote to the prequels’ oversaturated lightsaber duels. The film’s climactic duel has received criticisms of being “dull” and “too short”, but a short fight scene that visualises the conflict between two characters is far superior to a 10-minute long sequence that is essentially empty spectacle. The clash is one of the strongest in the series due to its more realistic feel and focus on the characters involved.

But most importantly, The Force Awakens actually feels like a Star Wars film. Compared to episodes I-III, which felt dry and lifeless, Episode VII actually feels closer in tone to the originals. It carries the same sense of fun and adventure. Some might say that this tone makes The Force Awakens feel very “samey”, but surely it would be better for a Star Wars film to be breezy and fun as opposed to slow and boring? Admittedly The Force Awakens isn’t perfect, but despite its flaws, the film is a thrilling instalment that reminded many as to why they love Star Wars.

Image courtesy of Disney

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FILM

EDGE’S

Alternative Film Picks for December

Wonder, dir. by Stephen Chbosky Ali Treanor

Wonder, adapted from the titular book by R.J. Palacio, follows 10-year-old Auggie Pullman through fifth grade, after being home-schooled up until then. Auggie, played by Jacob Tremblay, has a facial birth defect that he has mostly come to terms with (cue some adorable scenes of self-acceptance we could all learn from), and the plot centres around the way he is treated by classmates, relatives and teachers due to this. If you want feel-good film this festive season that does not involve Santa, Wonder is the answer. The film looks to be suitably heart-warming, and contains some great messages about acceptance and differences, all seen through the eyes of children – who could definitely teach the adults a thing or two. Don’t dismiss it as a children’s movie based on the trailer either, there will be tears.The book it is based on received critical acclaim and was a New York Times Best Seller. Whilst the subject matter might be heavy, Wonder follows its narrative in a surprisingly lighthearted and hopeful way, something that makes it a film worth being excited about.

Release date: December 1st

The Disaster Artist, dir. by James Franco

Tom Wilmot

In a month headlined by Star Wars, a biopic revolving around the Citizen Kane of bad movies doesn’t seem like much to get excited about. However, James Franco’s The Disaster Artist promises to be one of 2017’s surprise hits and will detail the insane production behind Tommy Wiseau’s famously bad film, The Room. Franco directs the film as well as portraying the eccentric Wiseau, whilst his younger brother Dave will play Greg Sestero, author of the book upon which the film is based. The movie will follow aspiring actors Greg and Tommy as they travel to L.A. with the hope of making it big. However, after struggling to make their elaborate dreams a reality, the two decide to take a chance and make a film of their own. At first glance, the film appears to just be another Franco-Rogen, all-out comedy. However, as early reviews and recent footage both suggest, the film will go deeper into the character of Wiseau as well as answering fan’s burning questions as to why The Room was so bad. This, along with the fact that James Franco’s transformative performance is already generating some Oscar buzz, means The Disaster Artist can’t come soon enough.

Release date: December 1st

Blade of the Immortal, dir. by Takashi Miike Liam Beazley

For those yet to be acquainted with Japanese director Miike Takashi, you’ve got a lot to get through. Blade of the Immortal marks the Asian auteur’s 100th film, telling the story of Manji, a samurai cursed with immortality who pledges to help a young girl avenge the murder of her parents in order to regain his soul. If that sounds wild, it probably will be, taking it in to consideration that Takashi’s previous films range from vampire gangster flicks to cannibal musicals. Though such an eclectic diversity of films have resulted in an almost impossible to predict ratio of hits and misses, Blade of the Immortal feels special.

Combining Takashi’s signature embrace of horror alongside his deft touch for comedy in a traditionally Japanese samurai tale, Blade of the Immortal will be nothing if not entertaining. And who knows? It may just turn out to be one of the master’s best works.

Release date: December 8th Images courtesy of Lionsgate, and Warner Bros.

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FILM Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, dir. by Jake Kasdan David Mitchell-Baker

Star Wars isn’t the only ageing franchise receiving a new instalment this December.

The 1995 Robin Williams-starring Jumanji is getting a continuation 22 years on in the form of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. With a modern spin on the board game, this iteration of the jungle adventure sees a group of kids sucked into a video game where they become their character avatars, the heroes within the game being played

by Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black. From the trailers, Welcome to the Jungle looks to be a full on action-adventure romp, perfect for the popcorn consuming audiences seeking some good thrills and fun action scenes. The cast assembled serves only to up the excitement; Johnson and Hart exhibited great chemistry in last year’s Central Intelligence which led to them being cast, Karen Gillan made a fantastic companion to a certain Timelord in a phone box and has shown some solid work in the Guardians of the Galaxy series, and then there’s Jack Black, one of the top comedic actors of the last 20 years. In addition to them, there’s the endlessly lovable Rhys Darby and the reliably great Bobby Cannavale, and director Jake Kasdan has done some solid directorial work over the years, most notably in the cult classic TV show Freaks and Geeks. All in all, if you’re looking for some pure entertainment, look no further than Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle this December.

Release date: December 20th

Pitch Perfect 3, dir. by Trish Sie Harry Fortuna

The Bellas are back on the 22nd of December to partake in the USO tour to show off their pipes for the final time in what will be the third and final instalment of everyone’s favourite a cappella comedy film franchise. The film is set to tackle the ideas of reaching adulthood and career paths, perhaps introducing a deeper side to the trilogy that hasn’t been seen in the first two films. Nonetheless, Pitch Perfect 3 is sure to be as fun-filled as ever, providing a ray of light-hearted relief to the doom and gloom of the cold and the rain we are sure to see in the coming months; and to be perfectly honest, who can resist an hour and a half of mash-ups and dance routines? Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson are both set to reprise their roles in the Trish Sie directed film, whilst Ruby Rose is also looking set to be featured for the first time after appearing in a rival group to the Bellas on the official trailer. If the previous two instalments are anything to go by, one thing that is guaranteed is that you’ll leave the cinema with a smile on your face.

Release date: December 22nd

Molly’s Game, dir. by Aaron Sorkin Sam Oliver

Molly’s Game is written and directed by Aaron Sorkin and stars Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba and Kevin Costner. It tells the true story of Molly Bloom (Chastain), an Olympic class skier who ran the most exclusive illegal poker club in the world. Any film fan who relishes a good screenplay should be excited for Molly’s Game; Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin is widely considered to be one of the best screenwriters working today, and with this film he makes his directorial debut. Sorkin’s screenplay credits include The Social Network, Moneyball, Steve Jobs, and a bulk of the television show The West Wing. Due to working with so many A-list directors, we’re all eager to see what he has learnt from them, with a knack for the eccentric and outlandish true stories, no tale seems more suited to the filmmaker than this. The scandal was widely covered in the papers as the poker ring drew in the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck and Toby Maguire, whilst the film changes the identities of the players, the rest remains unaltered, based on the autobiography by Molly Bloom herself. Promising slick dialogue, smart storytelling and the sexy Idris Elba, Molly’s Game is definitely one to watch.

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, STX Entertainment

Release date: December 26th

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CULTURE

DOCTOR WHO The Peter Capaldi Years

O

Christian Wise

ver the last couple of years, Doctor Who has come under heavy scrutiny. Showrunner Steven Moffat has been heavily criticised, many fans have been turned off by companion Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) and there’s been a panic over diminishing viewing figures. With this backlash in mind, many would likely think that Peter Capaldi’s tenure is an absolute nadir for the series. In my eyes, this could not be further from the truth, as the Capaldi era is not only a brilliant period of the revived series, but is arguably the strongest period of the show in years.

Series 7 and 8, while dispensing with the story arcs allows for a greater focus on character development.

Admittedly, things get off to a somewhat shaky start with Series 8. While a step up in quality from the later Matt Smith era series, certain problems from that era (rushed endings; inconsequential threats; weak story arcs) do get carried over into Capaldi’s inaugural series. It doesn’t help that this particular series contains ‘Kill the Moon’ and ‘In the Forest of the Night’, two of the worst episodes in the show’s history. Nor does the fact that a good half of this series is taken up by a seriously dull subplot surrounding the growing romance between Clara and fellow teacher Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson), who is one of Doctor Who’s least interesting characters.

After a year’s hiatus, Series 10 arrived on our screens, giving us a new companion in the form of Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie). Bill is honestly a brilliant companion, ranking alongside the Donna Noble as a likeable, fun and (in contrast to Moffat’s previous characters) normal character, with no real mystery or baggage attached.

Sadly, Series 10 suffers as very few of the episodes really stand out. Most stand as being serviceable and entertaining with very little beyond that, and for Moffat and Capaldi’s final series, that’s a real shame.

That said, the series excels when the focus is placed on the Doctor himself. The idea of making the Doctor a darker and less likeable character is an interesting experiment, and it’s great to see the character develop over the course of the series. And while the finale may have overstretched itself, the introduction of Missy (Michelle Gomez) stands out as one of the series high points.

With the groundwork laid down, Series 9 takes the strengths of its predecessor and runs with them to create one of the strongest run of episodes, certainly within the revival. The focus on two-parters allows for the stories to develop slowly and more naturally, doing away with the rushed endings that plagued

Series 9 also contains virtually no duff notes (with the exception of ‘Sleep No More’): the opening two-parter is an explosive, Toby Whithouse’s more traditional ghost story is a lovely delight, while a politicallycharged Zygon tale provides us with one of many definitive Capaldi era moments; of course, there’s very little I can say about Capaldi’s wonderful one man show in ‘Heaven Sent’ that hasn’t already been said.

That said, the series redeems itself with the double whammy of ‘World Enough and Time’ and ‘The Doctor Falls’. It’s tremendously exciting to see the heroes face off against three generations of Cybermen; John Simm and Michelle Gomez are mesmerising as their versions of the Master play off each other; and the script pulls up an emotionally powerful farewell to the current TARDIS team.

It hasn’t been perfect to say the least, but the Twelfth Doctor’s era has been the strongest period of the show for quite a while, certainly coming close to matching its late Tennant/early Smith heyday. Even if upcoming Christmas Special ‘Twice Upon a Time’ messes up, Peter Capaldi and Steven Moffat have left quite a glowing legacy over the past three series.

Image courtesy of BBC

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CULTURE

INTRO TO:

Welcome to Night Vale Eleanor Joyce

“A

friendly desert community where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful, and mysterious lights pass overhead while we all pretend to sleep. Welcome… to Night Vale.”

With those words, the dulcet tones of radio host Cecil Palmer (Cecil Baldwin) welcome you for the first time to a small desert town somewhere in the American Southwest, where strange things happen all the time and nobody bats an eyelid. Welcome to Night Vale is a podcast, but not just any old podcast. Presented as a series of news bulletins, advertisements and announcements, Cecil takes the listener through a set of bizarre events that build up a picture of life in Night Vale and introduce you to the colourful cast of characters that make their homes there, like The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home (Mara Wilson) and Hiram McDaniels (Christopher McCulloch), a former mayoral candidate and five-headed dragon.

The show is the brainchild of Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink and usually airs on the first and fifteenth of every month, so there’s never a shortage of episodes to listen to. The duo created the podcast in 2012 after wondering what would happen if all conspiracy theories were real.

Each episode often contains running jokes referencing previous events – the Glow Cloud, for example,

eventually becomes president of the local school board after suddenly appearing one day and hypnotising the townsfolk into worshipping it with chants of “ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY GLOW CLOUD”. Another feature is ‘the weather’, a piece of music by an independent artist – it’s a chance to listen to someone new and highly original!

Welcome to Night Vale stars the voice talents of Cecil Baldwin as (you guessed it) Cecil, and the cast have completed several hugely successful world tours performing live shows. The cast has been praised for its natural diversity – the main romantic subplot revolves around Cecil and the handsome, absentminded scientist Carlos who arrives early on in the series to do some tests on the unusual town and its inhabitants. The podcast has gained a huge cult following and two books based on the show have been published, titled Welcome to Night Vale and It Devours. Fans of the show publish ‘fan-scripts’ to widen the show’s accessibility so that everybody can enjoy it – and indeed everybody can. Whether you’re a fan of humour, mystery, romance or the downright bizarre, Night Vale has something for everyone.

Every episode of Welcome to Night Vale is available to listen to on iTunes and YouTube.

Image courtesy of RadioPublic

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CULTURE

IF YOU ENJOYED:

THE CROWN James Barker

You’ll have to search far and wide for a drama as classy as The Crown. Not only does the Netflix drama deal with the most regal of subjects, the flawless acting of its key players makes it the televisual equivalent of warm honey. But if you’ve binge-watched the second season a little too quickly, here’s an assortment of other entertainment to keep you satisfied in the long wait for its 2019 return.

The Queen (2006)

Here’s an obvious one – featuring Queen Elizabeth II as its main character and penned by The Crown’s Peter Morgan, you can’t find anything closer to home than 2006’s The Queen. Helen Mirren acts her socks off as a Queen closer to the one we know today, as the Royal Family reel after the death of Princess Diana in 1997. In typical Peter Morgan style, he humanises these legendary figures by portraying them as a normal family wrestling with their grief, all the while made worse from being thrust into the media spotlight. Michael Sheen, Helen McCrory and Alex Jennings also act their socks off in this must-see, award-winning film.

The Audience (2013, 2015)

Another Peter Morgan Queen-related one for you, but in the medium of theatre this time. The Audience started in the West End in 2013 with Helen Mirren returning to the role of Elizabeth, while Kristen Scott Thomas played the same role in a 2015 revival. The play follows nine prime minsters meeting with the Queen, varying from her first (Winston Churchill in 1953) to the near-present day (David Cameron, 2010). The Audience has even made its way across the pond to Broadway, with Mirren reprising the role. Who knows when you’ll be able to catch The Audience again, but with The Crown being as successful as it is, you can expect to see it popping up again in London very soon!

Wildcard – The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II (2017)

If you’re looking for a more lighthearted examination of our reigning monarch, Karen Dolby’s new book The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II seems like the perfect muse for you. The blurb speaks for itself: “[This book] reveals a side of the monarch the public rarely sees, her healthy sense of humor: sometimes silly, sometimes sarcastic—and occasionally unintentional (to guitar legend Eric Clapton: “Have you been playing long?”)!”. So if you want a sign after the heartbreak of Season 2 that everything’s gonna end up fine for your beloved monarch in the end, look no further.

Images courtesy of Pathé, Playful Productions, Michael O’Mara Books

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CULTURE

THEATRE REVIEW:

SUSU THEATRE GROUP’S

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Robert Pratley

F

or a Halloween show, The Picture of Dorian Gray was perhaps a bold choice. While it contains elements of the macabre and depraved, they aren’t necessarily what you’d constitute as traditional horror.

Despite this, SUSU Theatre Group have created an impressively polished, if not totally fluid production.

The adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s only novel, originally by Merlin Holland and John O’Connor, focuses on the young socialite Dorian Gray (Jordan Gardner) who becomes entranced with the teachings of the hedonistic Lord Henry Wotten (Alex Heyre) and is led down a pathway of destruction, hedonism and devastation.

The dynamic between the three leading males is impressive and Basil’s caring if not overbearing attitude clashes brilliant with Lord Henry’s devilmay-care mentality, with both being nuanced by Dorian’s charming initial innocence. Vaatstra is utterly superb in portraying the angst and pain of Hallward as he watches his friend slip away from him and his gravitas and emotion echoes throughout every single scene he takes part in. The acting is of a very high quality throughout and clearly they have all understood their character’s mentalities very well.

From the first moment of Dorian Gray, audiences are thrust into the action through insightful audience interaction and immersive elements which help to set the overall tone and mood. Particular props must be given to the usage of mirrors, which are positioned in a way for the audience to

truly capture glimpses of the eponymous portrait.

The stand out moment is one which highlights director Olivia Krauze’s own artistic style, Dorian finding himself reading the poisoned pages gifted to him by Lord Henry. The entire dynamic is that of a den of sin, vice and pleasure and becomes utterly entrancing, while maintaining a disturbing quality. It overwhelms the senses, especially in visual and aural tones from the hypnotic beats in the soundtrack, to the smokey haze which fills the stage. Impressive lifts, agility and spinning motions as well as hyper-sexualised tension combines to create the feeling of pleasure, but also madness and this aptly reflects Dorian’s lifestyle he has fallen into.

There are a few small issues with Dorian Gray, however. Most notably, it suffers due to the amount of staging in use. This results in longer black-outs for shifting and this was disruptive to the action, particularly in the first act. Although the cast try hard to not let this affect them too much, there were a couple of moments where this movement was burdensome and resulted in slight disruption.

Despite these minor setbacks, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fantastic piece of student theatre, questioning the immortal issue of beauty and youth against a backdrop of hedonism and pleasure. With a generous blend of darker humour and wit, some shocking twists and brilliant individual performances, it is certainly worth going to see if you get a chance.

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LIVE

Gig Review: at The Engine Rooms, Southampton

A

Carly-May Kavanagh

lthough frontman Matt Thomson remarked in a pre-show interview that the further north you go, the better conditions are for guitar bands, for some reason he can’t stay away from Southampton, and after witnessing their sold out show at the Engine Rooms, I think the participants of that gig would be glad to hear that. 2017 has seen them release their debut album, increase their time on the airwaves and embark on a slew of performances across the festival circuit, and in that time they seem to have honed their live performances to make for an extremely confident gig. The Amazons, we were told from Thomson, have played “Lennons, Joiners,

27

Guildhall, everywhere in Southampton”, and seem to have honed their live performances and setlist to make for an ideal gig for anyone from a superfan to someone who’s only recently come across their output.

Coming on stage to pulsating orange lights and a number of “Here’s Johnny”-esque shouts of “Southampton!”, they kicked things off with current single (and, earlier, a cut from the Don’t You Wanna EP) ‘Ultraviolet’ and ‘Burn My Eyes’, a song from their self-titled record which, though I haven’t heard it played much, was a well-

LIVE responded to bop of a song and further justification of their experimentation with more singalong-driven songs. Though the gig featured slightly less obvious rockstar swagger than some previous sets, they were still able to appeal to the crowd with fan favourite ‘Nightdriving’ and one of their biggest hits from their debut album, ‘Black Magic’ going straight into ‘Millions (The Party)’.

Transitions from song to song were incredibly smooth, with the band playing through their set with

little talking, discussion, or song introductions in between. Perhaps due to their hangovers, the set didn’t feel quite as charged as it had the potential to be. Despite the slick set and excellent lighting, it just felt a little slowpaced. That said, I enjoyed the inclusion of the slower ‘Palace’ in the encore, and especially Thomson playing it on the piano he played as a child. Their live show is definitely heavier than one might expect, particularly with songs like ‘In My Mind’ and ‘Little Something’, but it was the older songs from their repertoire that the crowd seemed most responsive to, like closing number ‘Junk Food Forever’. Now, having packed out the second biggest indoor venue that Southampton has to offer, I worry that they’ll soon outgrow the city. Yet, if what Thomson said is anything to go by, there must be something in the water keeping them returning.

A special thank you to Peter Walker for providing these images 28

LIVE

GIG REVIEWS: WILD FRONT

at The Joiners, Southampton Carly-May Kavanagh

Playing to a packed out Joiners, it was clear even from the crowd for the support bands that they had reached their goal of selling out, which was lovely to see. They incorporated visual elements into their live performance, a screen behind them showing graphics varying from fire (reminiscent of the burning letters at the start of their ‘Rico’ music video), a POV of driving along a road, Wallace and Gromit’s A Grand Day Out, and photos of the band from babies to adults. They even had retro games consoles set up on either side of the stage, fully playable, all done because they thought it looked cool.

With a very eighties vibe to their music and harmonies rivalling those of Alt-J’s, ‘Guilt Trip’, ‘Feathers’, and ‘Tumble Party’ started their set. Adopting some unusual practices throughout the set, Jack made use of past experimentation by playing his guitar with a violin bow and started off the gig by singing into his guitar (although I was concerned at first that he was playing it with his teeth). ‘I Could Be Wrong’, but these guys are definitely set for big things.

CLEAN CUT KID

at The Loft, Southampton Ben Jeffries

The song list of the night consisted of twelve of their hits from their debut album, including the encore track, ‘Vitamin C’. The overall performance was consistent and energetic. Every so often the band would address the crowd between the song transitions. The most memorable of these speeches was interrupted by a fellow Liverpudlian, who was adamant on standing out from the crowd by inviting the entirety of The Loft to his house after the performance. This was then reciprocated by Mike and the rest of the band humorously suggesting that they stick the lead guitar, “Minnie” as it was known, up the backside of the inconsiderate student if he failed to hold his tongue.

The energy of the performance was illustrated by Mike Hall’s lurch toward the ceiling at every note. The passion was not only displayed through the performance, the atmosphere, nor the stage design but in the song’s lyrics and the clear connection between Mike and Evelyn Hall. The pair were originally introduced on a blind date and by the second date, the pair were performing music together. Throughout the night’s performance, you would occasionally catch the pair lock eyes and grin in each others direction. The band’s performance mirrored both their love for their music and Mike and Evelyn’s love for each other.

COASTS

at The Boileroom, Guildford Hollie Dabson

Seeing the very lively band perform partly reminded me of seeing Catfish and the Bottlemen - they have so much energy that their stage presence is inarguably fantastic to watch. Yet it felt, whilst listening to ‘Let Me Love You’, that their song lyrics and style don’t appear to come hand-in-hand when live. Already onto their second album, a lot of their songs show an element of pop-rock which, when performed live, felt as though the band was reaching toward the style of an edgy indie-rock group.

I think this idea of genre is what let the boys down slightly, they seem to be trying too hard to be indie-

rock and it’s not happening because their songs aren’t indie-rock. Coasts write good songs, I can’t fault that, but they are pop-rock songs.Their energy and stage presence definitely does not let them down, especially with the lead vocalist, Chris, jumping forwards into the very eager and excitable crown after the first few songs.

However, they lack an element of fluidity that you get when seeing a band who really know who they are.

Coasts are obviously a band who enjoy doing what they love, but it may be time to sit down and think about where they want to go with their music. Once that’s done, their sound will follow.

Image courtesy of Gareth Gattrell

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LIVE

SLØTFACE

at The Joiners, Southampton Carly-May Kavanagh

Not only have I been falling in love with an increasing number of female-fronted bands, but I’ve also got a thing for incredible Scandinavian artists. So when I found out about Norwegian band Sløtface, the perfect combination of everything I love with punk and feminist lyrics added on top, was going to my favourite venue… It was very exciting. After all, I’ve filled my quota of boys with acoustic guitars.

Although their sound isn’t the most polished, I can’t imagine Sløtface sounding polished and perfect as Shea sings about how all she wants to do is listen to her breakup on repeat in ‘Sun Bleached’ and singing promising not to freak out and trying to keep it together in ‘Try’. That. If they’re going as hard as they were at The Joiners at every gig, it’s understandable - I

just hope drummer Halvard Skeie Wiencke’s drumkit makes it through Shea’s smashing of the only parts of it that he literally didn’t have the hands to hit himself.

Continuing on with ‘Sponge State’ and ‘Try’, bassist Lasse Lokøy decided to grow the mosh pit as he jumped off of the bass drum and moshed for a bit, and we completely lost Shea during the ‘Backyard’ closer as she dove into it.

I’m glad that, even though this was a night when I’d rather stay home, I made it out the door to see Sløtface in such an intimate venue - I can’t imagine I’ll see them somewhere this small again. But if this was their “Endof-the-world-party’, it was a bloody good one.

JERRY WILLIAMS

at The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth Xavier Voigt-Hill

There may still be the odd occasion where Portsmouth’s Jerry Williams is confused with the Swedish rocker of the same name 54 years her senior, but selling out her second headline show in just seven months at her hometown’s most prestigious venue shows the south coast has cottoned on to her narrative-laced indie pop glories. Spending the summer with 2016 EP cut ‘I’m Not In Love With You’ featured across BBC Radio 1 to precede barnstorming braces of sets at V and The Great Escape will certainly have done no harm whatsoever, and perhaps, as a result, her full band setup now feels more refined and primed for the big time than ever.

basis of 2018’s full-length bow. We had everything from solo acoustic therapy for a father-to-be (‘David At The Bar’) to a Pollyanna-like take on the perks of mortality (new single ‘Grab Life’) and a chatter-suspending storm of a Jamie T cover delivered with infectious precision.

Amidst enthusiastic singalongs for deceptively vibrant staples ‘Mother’ and ‘Boy Oh Boy,’ Williams zipped with remarkable efficiency through a setlist predominantly comprising unreleased tracks that will inevitably form the

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LIVE

GIG PREVIEWS: CREEPER

at O2 Guildhall, Southampton Kolby Pearson

Creeper, a 6 piece horror punk band that calls Southampton their home, have always been one for cryptic messages and exciting story telling in their promotional material. Their last stunt saw them all disappear from social medias and leaving spooky messages and phone numbers (the lines of which became inundated with calls, leaving teenagers everywhere slightly terrified when the voice on the other end of the phone gave them a date to look out for), and starting a story on a missing man named James Scythe.

The release of their debut album, Eternity In Your Arms, has left them with an even bigger fan base than they began with. The album was released digitally, as a CD, a vinyl, and even a cassette tape for only those who reach the highest level of hipster punk. They played a stage at Download Festival only days ago, and are now galivanting around America for Vans Warped Tour.

This time, Creeper have announced their biggest headline UK tour, Theatre of Fear, stopping at some major venues throughout the UK. The tour consists of six dates in December of this year. Considering they have very recently released an album, the tour begs the question; what is this ‘theatre of fear’ all about? Creeper said, in a statement, “Not only will they be our biggest ever headlines shows, they will also be the most significant in the scale of ideas surrounding them. After a year of travelling the world, we are excited to bring home our most ambitious project to date”. Theatre of Fear is set to be a stage production rather than a typical gig and it’s safe to say the fan base are intrigued and excited.

THE KOOKS

at Bournemouth International Centre Harry Fortuna

Having already toured the country in May earlier in the year, The Kooks are yet again on the road, playing at the Bournemouth International Centre on December 1st as part of their world tour that sees them headline shows across Europe, Australia and the United States.

The Kooks initially hit the mainstream in 2006 with the release of their debut album Inside In/Inside Out, with their indie rock style enjoying chart success alongside a wave of similar music such as Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not. Despite releasing their debut album almost a decade after Britpop was at its height of popularity, the Kooks have somehow retained the iconic sounds of the ‘90s in their pop rock discography.

The quartet, fronted by lead singer and guitarist Luke Pritchard, have a vast number of hits that adopt their typical catchy riffs and upbeat melodies, allowing them to release a ‘best of ’ album in March of this year entitled The Best Of… So Far, ensuring fans were aware that this release did not spell the end for the band.

The Kooks have had a bit of a rollercoaster in recent times, signing for their new record label Kobalt Music on October 3rd, but also were forced to cancel their November 30th gig at Blackpool after the roof of the Empress Ballroom collapsed in September. Nonetheless, when the lads take on the Bournemouth International Centre on the day we all get to open the first window on our Christmas calendars, ticket holders can equal this moment of pure delight knowing they’ll soon be faced with an undoubtedly energetic and raucous set filled with hits such as ‘Ooh La’, ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’ and the ever-present pre-drinks banger ‘Naïve’.

Images courtesy of Emma Swan, and York Press

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EDITORIAL

Listings Comedy

December 2nd - Omid Djalili at The Point, Eastleigh

Theatre

November 28th-December 2nd - Nutcracker at Mayflower Theatre 15 December-7 January - Snow White at Mayflower Theatre 10 January-14 January - The Snowman at Mayflower Theatre 21 November-7 January - Hetty Feather at NST Campus

Live Music

December 1st - The Wurzels at Engine Rooms, Southampton December 8th - The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club at Engine Rooms, Southampton December 12th - Shaggy at Engine Rooms, Southampton December 16th - Calum Lintott at Heartbreakers, Southampton December 21st - Katherine Jenkins at Mayflower Theatre December 22nd - UB40 at O2 Guildhall, Southampton December 22nd - The Costellos at Heartbreakers, Southampton January 4th - The Hunna at The Guildhall, Southampton

Union Films

November 30th - American Hustle at 7pm (Free!)

December 3rd - Suicide Squad at 5pm December 6th - My Life as a Zucchini at 8pm December 7th - National Theatre Live: Young Marx at 7pm

Harbour Lights

December 3rd - Bolshoi Ballet: The Nutcracker at 3pm December 9th - Shrek at 10.30am December 11th - Edward Scissorhands at 8.45pm December 14th-21st - Star Wars: The Last Jedi December 16th - Enchanted at 10.30am December 18th - The Gruffalo + The Gruffalo’s Child at 11.30am December 22nd and 23rd - The Muppets Christmas Carol at 6pm and 10.30am December 23rd - Gremlins at 8.30pm December 28th - NT Live: Young Marx at 2pm December 31st - Berliner Philharmoniker: New Year’s Eve Concert at 4pm

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