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Issue FOur It’s hard to believe how little time we have left of this academic year, but here we are well into the first half of semester two, bringing you our fourth print issue! It’s amazing how time flies and the feats that can be achieved in such a short space of time. Case in point? Last month, The Edge celebrated reaching 10,000 articles on our website. That’s 10,000 thoughtfully crafted articles from hundreds of dedicated, passionate writers over just six years. Frankly, I find those numbers awe-inspiring and everyone who has contributed to our publication thus far should be as immensely proud as I am. In this issue, as you may have noticed from the front cover, we are celebrating the launch of Ed Sheeran’s third studio album, Divide (÷), which is set to be released on 3rd March. In recognition of the release, our writers have reviewed the record’s first two singles, ‘Castle on the Hill’ and ‘Shape of You’ (p. 15) and penned a feature on the mass appeal of ordinary stars like Ed and Lorde (p. 6). In the aftermath of awards season, our writers have also examined what it is about ceremonies like the Oscars and BAFTAs that get us so excited (p. 7) and whether record titles like the infamous ‘EGOT’ (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) really mean anything (p.8). Following the huge success of La La Land, we also explore the everlasting magic of musicals (p.9). And as if that wasn’t enough, we’re also showing off some of the incredible opportunities we’ve received for our writers in the past month, including a Q&A with Oscar winning actor Denzel Washington (p. 17) who spoke about his acclaimed film, Fences (p.16) and gigs that we have sent our live writers to, including Two Door Cinema Club’s recent show at the O2 Guildhall (p.32). With our Edgetival event coming up on 2nd March and the Student Film Festival launching for a second year on the 23rd, it’s a busy time to be an Edgeling! If you’ve yet to join us, now is a great time to get involved with your student entertainment magazine. Go on, you know you want to. Anneka Honeyball Editor
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Editor Anneka Honeyball editor@theedgesusu.co.uk Deputy Editor Ashleigh Millman deputy-editor@theedgesusu.co.uk records Editor Xavier Voigt-Hill records@theedgesusu.co.uk Features Editor Rehana Nurmahi features@theedgesusu.co.uk film Editor Hollie Geraghty film@theedgesusu.co.uk C u lt u r e e d i t o r James Barker culture@theedgesusu.co.uk live Editor Carly-May Kavanagh live@theedgesusu.co.uk news Editor Robert Pratley news@theedgesusu.co.uk head of design Liana Dent design@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of relations Navi Ahluwalia relations@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of publicity Becca Hellard publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of events Octavia Woodward events@theedgesusu.co.uk online manager Jack Lewin manager@theedgesusu.co.uk editor in chief Cameron Meldrum vpdci@unionsouthampton.org With help from Sophie McEvoy, Conor Kavanagh, Rebecca James and Henna Patel
Contents editorial
01 Welcome to Issue Four 02 Contents
NEWS
03 Newsbox 04 Nostalgic News 05 Notes on News: Drama, Doctor Who and the Great Gender Conventions Debate
Features
06 The appeal of ‘ordinary’ stars 07 The core of awards season 08 Does an EGOT mean anything? 09 The magic of musicals
Records
11 Albums: Muna - About U 12 Albums: Elbow - Little Fictions Albums: Pete Tong, The Heritage Orchestra & Jules Buckley - Classic House 13 Singles: Circa Waves - ‘Fire That Burns’ Singles: Father John Misty - ‘Pure Comedy’ Singles: Maggie Rogers - ‘On + Off ’ 14 Singles: Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa - ‘Scared to be Lonely’ Singles: Sälen - ‘Heartbreak Diet’ Singles: Stormzy - ‘Big For Your Boots’ 15 Singles: Ed Sheeran - ‘Castle on the Hill’ Singles: Ed Sheeran - ‘Shape of You’
film
16 Flashback Review: Beauty and the Beast 17 Review: Fences 18 Q&A with Denzel Washington 19 Actor in Focus: Tom Hiddleston 21 Blu-ray Review: American Honey Blu-ray Review: The Girl on the Train
culture
22 Review: Showstoppers’ Bonnie & Clyde @ the Annex Theatre 23 The Best and Worst Console Launches 24 In Defense Of: Lego Dimensions 25 How to Fix: Sherlock 26 Author in Focus: John Green
live
27 Review: The Skints @ The Joiners, Southampton 29 Throwback Review: Ed Sheeran @ Wembley Stadium 30 Comedian in Focus: David O’Doherty Bournemouth 31 Review: Porter Robinson and Madeon 32 Review: Two Door Cinema Club 33 Listings
ED DOCTOR DENZEL SHEERAN WASHINGTON WHO
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COVER IMAGE BY ED SHEERAN
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NEWS
THE NEWSBOX TOP TOP FIVE FIVE NEWS NEWS STORIES STORIES Extended trailers for Dead Men Tell No Tales, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Stranger Things 2 were released during 2017 Super Bowl.
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THE THE KEATS KEATS OF OF TWEETS TWEETS @ActuallyNPH
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Peter Capaldi announced his shock departure from Doctor Who at the end of this season.
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Legendary veteran actor John Hurt passed away at the age of 87.
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Kasabian were revealed as this year’s Reading and Leeds Festival headline act.
On behalf of Count Olaf I graciously accept all of these awards, but, umm, with so much range how did they forget Best Director?
Neil Patrick Harris once more proves why you should be following him on Twitter, with a beautifully witty and ironic response to the recent awards season. But of course, we mustn’t forget the real tragedy here. #JusticeForOlaf Got a celeb to nominate for next issue? Let us know
@theedgesusu
Comedian Russell Brand is bringing his new live show to the Mayflower Theatre in May.
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THE THE EDGE’S EDGE’S ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT PICKS PICKS Editor:
Feud , FOX UK, 05/03/17
Records Editor:
American Teen, Khalid, RCA Records, 03/03/17
film editor:
Certain Women, Dir. Kelly Reichardt, Park Circus, 03/03/17
Culture editor:
Broadchurch, ITV, February TBC
THE THE EDGE EDGE IS IS EAGER EAGER FOR... FOR... Ed Sheeran, Divide (3rd March): Ever since it was announced, all of The Edge have been eager to hear the latest material that the ginger guitar maverick has come up with. Early signs from ‘Castle on a Hill’ and recordbreaking single ‘Shape of You’ look very promising. Logan, 20th Century Fox (3rd March): The gritty finale of Hugh Jackman’s career as mutant superhero Wolverine looks to take a darker turn with the titular hero wondering if he can, or indeed wants, to put his remaining powers to good use.
Live editor:
David O’Doherty @ The Nuffield Theatre, 26/02/17
for all the latest entertainment news theedgesusu.co.uk/news theedgesusu.co.uk/news 03
THE EDGE
NEWS
nostalgic news
Another roundup of things that happened this month in years gone by. wayne’s world was released 25 years ago
ASHLEIGH MILLMAN Wayne’s World was released 25 years ago on 14th February 1992. Many films get dubbed as cult classics, but none live up to that status in the same way Penelope Spheeris’ 1992 misfit hit does. Starring the lovable Mike Myers as basement dweller Wayne Campbell, and Dana Carvey as his strangely endearing sidekick Garth, the duo have firmly imprinted themselves on comedy film history. Starting from humble beginnings as a sketch show on Saturday Night Live, the film was created off the back of its popularity a few years later; cashing in on the metalheads’ love of music and babes. With guest appearances from Aerosmith and Madonna before their cinematic debut, the pair had already made a name for themselves before exploding in the box office, debuting at number one and earning over $120,000,000 in profit. With a slew of excellent catchphrases, merchandise, and the infamous ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ scene, it’s fair to say that no one will have forgotten the award winning film - even a quarter of a century on.
iron maiden released the number of the beast 35 years ago LISA VEIBER
Arguably Iron Maiden’s most iconic album, The Number of the Beast, was released 35 years ago on 22nd March 1982. The Number of the Beast marked the beginning of a new era for the band. Originally only containing eight songs, it was their third studio album, and was the first time that Bruce Dickinson was lead singer. Beast was also the last with former drummer Clive Burr. It innovated the sound that predominated Maiden’s first two albums, bringing them close to their more famous style. Moreover, the album was a commercial success, directly entering the UK charts at the top position for several weeks, and remained in the Top 75 for 31 weeks. The album’s titular track, ‘The Number of the Beast’ debuted at the 18th place in the UK single charts, while ‘Run to the Hills’ was already at seventh place. 35 years later, the album is still very popular across many generations of Iron Maiden fans and in 2010, The New York Times reported 14 million copies of The Number of the Beast had been sold worldwide.
bioware released mass effect 3 five years ago
GEORGE SEABROOK
It’s difficult to comprehend, but 6th March sees the fifth anniversary of the final chapter of modern gaming’s leading sci-fi trilogy. Mass Effect 3 is hands down my favourite game, perfecting the gameplay of Mass Effect 2, adding compelling characters to one of the best rosters in gaming, and introducing a new progressiveness to its story, with Commander Shepard able to pursue same-sex romantic relationships. It also has an extraordinarily ambitious, grand, and farout conclusion; one of the most moving ever witnessed in sci-fi storytelling. But, as disappointed gamers turned bitter that the end was far narrower than they had been led to believe by misleading marketing, the anger turned into action. Petitions forced developer Bioware to capitulate. Though Bioware only extended the ending to make clarifications, it was enough to justify an important, potentially permanent turn of the tide in how gamers could interact with creators.
ice age was released 15 years ago REBECCA BARNES
As unbelievable as it seems, Ice Age will be celebrating its 15th anniversary on 22nd March, having been over a decade since it first entranced audiences with its humour and heart. Ice Age was both a comedic success and heart-warming film, exploring the lives of three lonely outsiders, who join together to return an adorable baby to its human family. During this adventure, we witnessed the bond of friendship and brotherhood form between Manny, Sid and Diego, as they put their differences aside and risked the perilous journey across the ice together to return the baby to where it belonged. While all the characters were popular with fans, Scrat is a particular favourite. His desperate, yet unsuccessful attempts to keep his acorn, risking life and limb in the process, are always a source of great amusement, adding great humour to the film. Ultimately this was a tale of friendship, told in a simple yet charming manner, that both amused and entranced everyone who saw it. THE EDGE
IMAGE BY PARAMOUNT PICTURES
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NEWS
notes on news
Drama, Doctor Who and the Great Gender Conventions Debate MADDIE ARMOUR-CHELU We are undoubtedly entering times of change for women in media, with gender diversity seemingly more important than ever. Conventional productions would present a resilient male lead, deemed to be both headstrong and confident, with a somewhat subordinate female counterpart to assist him on his endeavours. With all of its media attention, how has this become such a hot issue? The 2016 remake of Ghostbusters has recently caused controversy for Paul Feig’s decision to implement an allfemale lead cast. Many felt this was a gimmick in response to the pressure of needing to make a point, proving that a group of women can successfully lead a film. Alternatively, many others interpreted this to be a simple commercial move, securing four leading industry names to fuel the potential profits of the film. Was the decision for a female cast based off their established popularity and ‘sell-ability’ of their names, or was it to make a political standpoint? In terms of Doctor Who’s future, it is difficult to establish the motivations behind casting a female lead. The proposal has also ruffled a few feathers amongst fans. While most are open to the idea, many also argue that they have pre-conceived ideas of what the Doctor should look like and as such, altering it would change the show’s authenticity. With previous series having shown that the Doctor can in fact transform genders, race and forms, what seems to be the issue of changing the Doctor from male to female? Although the BBC has a set ‘Diversity Quota’,
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acknowledging the necessity to create content with people from all backgrounds, genders, ethnicities and abilities, it is clear that this proposal of a female-lead is not to simply tick the boxes. Ex-Doctor Who star Billie Piper recently stated to the BBC she feels that not casting a woman as Doctor Who’s next Time Lord would be a ‘snub’. Piper further stated, ‘I think it would be great [to have a female Doctor] given the spirit of the world at the moment. I think it would be timely’. Although she appreciates that it would be a welcome change, it is clear through both audience and creator responses that there is a delicate balance between injecting the show with fresh blood and ideas, and potentially moving the show too far away from its original concepts. Despite this, writer Mark Gatiss has also expressed his support, saying: ‘It’s been back for 12 years, which means it’s not the new kid on the block anymore, it’s not a revival, it’s been back for a long time.’ No longer faced with the pressure of reestablishing its role as a prime-time drama, what could a female lead bring to a show that has a longstanding history of male Doctors? There is considerable pressure for media productions to break the mould and in particular, to reverse typical gender conventions. It is a tense area of discussion, and a choice that may make or break a show like Doctor Who, but it certainly broadens our perspective – truly, what are our expectations for sci-fi drama?
THE EDGE IMAGE BY BBC
FEATURES
The Appeal of 'Ordinary' Stars ELEANOR JOYCE
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Ed Sheeran is a national treasure. A homegrown talent who writes songs that we can all relate to, he’s put Suffolk on the map and ensured that ‘A Team’ will never stop playing on the radio. Ever. But what drives people to go to the next level, inspired to write articles like ‘17 moments proving Ed Sheeran to be the most relatable person ever’? Or get his face tattooed on themselves? I’d humbly suggest that there’s something endlessly appealing about celebrities who rocket to stardom without really having a clue how they ended up there. Stars like Rihanna and Beyonce seem so untouchably perfect that we have a hard time imagining them doing the things that us human beings do, like brushing their teeth or going to Five Guys. But what about the ‘ordinary stars’ who make the world a brighter place, if only for their Twitter posts?
In the case of everybody’s favourite boy next door Ed Sheeran, fans appreciate how hard he’s worked to get where he is, and that honesty and dedication shines through in his music. Songs like his latest release, ‘Castle on the Hill’, are the musical equivalent of wrapping you in a blanket and giving you a hug. As well as loving cats, tea and his home county of Suffolk, he’s frank about his success being down to hard work - the video for his first official song, ‘Addicted’, was a little pitchy and out of tune, but he’s openly shared the video to encourage young singers to work on their voices. And there’s also his legendary Twitter account. There are too many highlights to go into in a relatively short space, so suffice to say that Ed makes the most of his new platform to tell everyone about food. I mean, he talks about food A LOT. Whether it’s his iconic love for ketchup or his photos with his cat Graham, Ed Sheeran is one of the few celebrities who’d be happy to go out for a pint with you, free of the pressure that many other famous faces are under to maintain their veneer of celebrity. Another singer who engages with her fans on social media in a way that just makes everyone want to be her friend is Lorde, self-titled ‘Goth Girl’ and the talent behind hits like ‘Royals’ and ‘Team’. She’s got a Tumblr account that she regularly updates with posts that wouldn’t sound out of place from any twentysomething. She was super happy to learn that one of her fans named a cat after her, and couldn’t offer any advice to someone asking for selfie tips because ‘nobody cared about my selfies until I became famous’. The appeal of ‘ordinary stars’, then, is basically that they remind us that they’re really not flawless aliens from Planet Fame. They got to where they are now based on a whole load of talent, but their way of dealing with it keeps them level-headed and totally honest about how much pressure fame can put you under which is why tweets about ketchup keep us grounded and totally appreciative of how much hard work goes into creating music that everyone can relate to. THE EDGE
IMAGE BY GREG WILLIAMS
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FEATURES
The Core of Awards Season THEA HARTMAN When we say awards season, we generally think about the glamorous red carpet looks and interviews, the winners addressing significant issues in inspirational speeches, the shows themselves as pieces of entertainment. What we seem to forget, however, is the essence of this season. It doesn’t matter solely based on the commentary of these things. It matters because it sets in stone tomorrow’s classics, highlighting the greatest pieces of art released over the previous year. The idea itself of competition in art raises a few questions, as two pieces of art will always be inherently different. For instance, films have different plots, characters, intentions, so how can we possibly compare them objectively? However, we always attempt to, probably from an innate human wish to find the best. The Oscars, the Golden Globes, the Grammys: they gather people who know art well enough to relevantly criticise it to select which song, album, actor, actress, director, film, soundtrack is the best according to their criteria. And even if we have our opinions and favourites, we trust that these people should be able to make an informed decision as objectively as possible. Do we question those decisions? Most probably. Do they surprise us or are they sometimes incredibly predictable? That also happens. There will always be underrated or overrated films, actors or musicians. We will never completely agree with the people who decide who gets which award, and we don’t need to. These decisions make us think. They make us analyse our own criteria, they make us watch those films or listen to those songs which have won and wonder: why has this won? Why is this performance better than the other one?
on votes from the people or associations like the Academy or the Hollywood Foreign Press), the thrill of being nominated and awarded for their work is incomparable, it means that they’re closer to achieving a lifelong dream, or even living the dream! The whole world happily remembers a very emotional Leonardo DiCaprio winning his very first Oscar last year after four nominations. Although everyone knew how good an actor Leo is with or without an Oscar, the pure joy of the dream (which wasn’t only his at that point anymore) that finally became reality is one we will always remember. This is what awards season is beneath the layers of glitter and celebrity hype: it is the time when art is seen and artists are heard by all of us; the time when dreams come true; the time when history is made. And I can’t wait to see what the rest of this year’s season brings!
Awards season matters because it directs everyone towards films and TV shows and music for a while, bringing them in the spotlight in times when all kinds of issues take up our time and energy. From another perspective, awards season has a powerful impact not only on the ones who watch from home, but also on the ones who create. Directors, writers, actors, singers, designers... For them, awards season means recognition of their merits after what must have been years of hard work and dedication. No matter the kind of award ceremony (be it based
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MAIN IMAGE BY ABC
FEATURES
Does an EGOT mean anything? JACK SHEPPARD
With his nomination for Best Original Song for “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana, Lin-Manuel Miranda has become so close to joining the exclusive club of EGOT winners. An EGOT, for those who don’t know, is a collection of the four most prestigious entertainment awards given in the US: the Emmy, for television; the Grammy, for music; the Oscar, for film; and the Tony, for Broadway Theatre. Only eighteen people have ever got an EGOT, a number that decreases to twelve if you don’t count non-competitive awards, such as lifetime achievement honours. Miranda has already won two Grammys: for In The Heights in 2009, and Hamilton in 2016; three Tony Awards for Hamilton and Heights; and an Emmy in 2014 for the song “Bigger” which he wrote for that year’s Tonys. This means that not only would Miranda become the youngest EGOT winner if he won at this year’s Oscar, but he’d also be the quickest to collect all four awards, with just eight years between his first and his last! However, this all begs the question of whether an EGOT actually means anything. The answer is quite simple: not really. You don’t get an extra award or any monetary prize if you get an EGOT, in fact, you don’t get any special treatment at all. It’s basically just an easier way of saying s o m e o n e’s won
an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. Neither does winning an EGOT mean you’re necessarily more talented than your peers. Walt Disney, for example, won 26 Oscars, 7 Emmys, and an honorary Grammy during his lifetime, whilst also co-founding one of the biggest multi-media corporations on the planet, however, his lack of a Tony award stopped him claiming the full EGOT set. Whereas EGOT winning composer Jonathan Tunick, only won one award in each of the EGOT categories during his lifetime. Why, then, are people so obsessed with the EGOT? Well, if nothing else, it does show that you have a wide range of talents, or at the very least, have worked in a range of different mediums. With only twelve members in the EGOT club, the likes of which include Audrey Hepburn and Mel Brooks, who wouldn’t want to have their name added onto the exclusive list of EGOT winners? For Miranda, especially, winning an Oscar would reinforce his reputation as one of the most multitalented people working today. As well as the Emmy, Tony, and Grammy, Miranda has also won the Pulitzer Prize for Hamilton and received the MacArthur Fellows’ “Genius Grant”. This means he’d be more of a MacPEGOT winner, although I doubt that term will stick! With two songs from the critically acclaimed La La Land nominated in the Best Original Song category, the odds were never in Miranda’s favour . However, at age of 37, Miranda has potential to win many more awards in his lifetime. He’s going to star in next year’s Mary Poppins sequel, Mary Poppins Returns, and it’s been confirmed that he will be writing new songs for the upcoming The Little Mermaid liveaction remake. Therefore, even though he may not join the EGOT club this year, it seems very likely that he will, eventually, join this exclusive list of extraordinary talent, eventually! THE EDGE
IMAGE BY MARK SELLGER
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FEATURES
The Magic of Musicals NELLY MAIR
Musicals formed a large part of my childhood introduction into film; from Disney musicals to more classic musicals such as The Sound of Music, the genre was one of my first and favourites. In more recent years, however, there has been seen a decrease in the output and popularity of the musical film in Hollywood, with notable exceptions for Les Miserables and Mamma Mia, the success of which can be partially associated with the popularity the two shows had already achieved in the theatre. The success of La La Land, however, suggests the movie musical is back with a vengeance, not just as a follow on from theatre success. But does the genre, and our love for it, refuse to
that and why die?
The musical offers us a world both familiar to ours but also tantalisingly different; whilst in real life people can be awkward or non-communicative, musicals allow us to imagine a world where not only do we say what we feel, but we do so beautifully, and to melody. There is something about song which captures emotion in a way that words can sometimes fail to; romantic scenes can be advanced simply by the intimacy of a duet, and the very-relatable stresses of everyday life can be expressed through song and dance. It is difficult to communicate the internal feelings of characters in films without resorting to unrealistic dialogue or the somewhat gimmicky convention of voice over. Breaking into song
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is something of a fantasy; in real life, when people are constrained by social convention and expectation, watching people simultaneously express their feelings loudly allows us to live vicariously through their actions. Furthermore, musicals work as the ultimate escapism because they indulge all the senses. Whilst the script of La La Land is good in itself, the music adds another layer by making melody and lyrics a key element of the film. Also, the musical is an aesthetically pleasing genre due to the joy of dancing sequences. In the same way that music videos can be a great source of entertainment, musicals grasp the joy and escapism that one can find in musical performance and integrate it into the already enjoyable experience of film. Whilst musical movies can handle serious topics, they also do not take themselves too seriously and for the most part, prioritise the ability of the viewer to fully integrate themselves into all aspects of the experience, making something unforgettable. Musicals are a wonderful escapist and nostalgic genre, allowing us to get lost into an alternate but similar version of reality in which everything is slightly more beautiful. I, for one, am hugely excited to think that La La Land could just be the beginning of a resurgence of musical films and am excited by the ways that the genre will adapt and change.
THE EDGE IMAGE BY SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT
RECORDS
ALBUM reviews muna about u An edgy and extremely cool alt-pop trio, MUNA has already succeeded in creating some astonishingly honest and heartfelt singles over the last two years, but with their debut, About U, they have truly laid themselves – and ourselves – bare as they examine the highs and lows of friendships, love, and relationships to which every listener can relate. With their image and record oozing with political messages and social activism, About U becomes all the more relevant in today’s society. “We don’t want our release to distract people from their activism,” the girls have said on Twitter. “We want it to be a motivation.” This is exactly what it achieves. Merely two seconds into About U, lead singer Katie Gavin’s sultry and emotive vocals echo through ‘So Special.’ As MUNA materialise confessions and excuses of the poor choices we make in a relationship leading to that inevitable breakup, they quickly shape the themes of their record: love, heartbreak, and a “fuck you” to the people who stand in their way of moving on. The euphoric ‘Loudspeaker’ is exactly that, screaming pop through its complex layers of production – boasting synths, guitars, and drums – to make sure you know it’s not tepid fare from a mediocre, recycled girl band. On the surface, ‘Loudspeaker’ is a huge party track with strong vocals and a chorus (“If I feel real good tonight I’m gonna put it high on the loudspeaker”) that can resonate with every young adult at heart. It is, however, so much more than this. Guitarist Naomi McPherson told The Guardian that
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HENNA PATEL
‘Loudspeaker’ is about the frequency of sexual assault against women. ‘Crying On The Bathroom Floor,’ on Stockholm syndrome, was released on the day of Donald Trump’s inauguration. (“We’re all entering an abusive relationship with Donald Trump,” they also said in that Guardian piece.) Written originally as a Pride-ready record before the shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, the heartfelt and vivid ‘I Know A Place’ has become somewhat of an anthem for the LGBTQ community, heightening MUNA’s status as a queer pop band with messages that sing further than the pop industry itself. Slower, mellower tracks like ‘Around U’ and ‘If U Love Me Now’ give the album a more nostalgic feeling that raises questions regarding identity, relationships to others, and the resulting effect on mental strength. What they question in the latter becomes something they comprehend in the former, coming to terms with their own identity and selfworth to reach that moment in the aftermath of a breakup where new-found independence and confidence would result in the belting of ‘Loudspeaker’ instead. With About U, MUNA has created an album that speaks to all with a special resonance for minorities, the LGBTQ community, and those who feel weighed down by the societal pressures of the political instability of today. Combining these themes with those of love, inclusion, and self-esteem, MUNA speak to us all in presenting art as both an outlet and an inlet into your own emotions and sense of self. Out now via RCA
THE EDGE IMAGE BY CATIE LAFOON
elbow little fictions
RECORDS
SAM LAW
After the departure of long-time drummer Richard Jupp and the marriage of lead singer Guy Garvey, you might expect Elbow to take a departure from soulful, minimalist pieces and triumphant, uplifting anthems such as 2008’s ‘One Day Like This.’ However, although more charged than previous releases with more synthetic percussion and electric chords replacing strummed acoustics, the brilliant Little Fictions continues to be more of Elbow being Elbow.
feelings of compassion and togetherness through not only their lyrics but the tone and tune of their songs. Little Fictions is undoubtedly Elbow reconciling a year of transatlantic political turmoil: its central theme – “Love is the original miracle,” sung repeatedly in the titular track – is expertly conveyed in an attempt to put 2016 behind us. With Garvey’s vocals as bold and upbeat as ever, and the band having in all but a few places perfected their brand of percussion, piano and guitar. Out now via Polydor
Garvey clearly sings as a man in love, although it is testament to his talent as a vocalist that this comes across as uplifting rather than soppy. In soaring opener ‘Magnificent (She Says),’ he sanguinely sings alongside the Hallé Orchestra of a young girl finding a message in a bottle on a beach. It is, as its name suggests, magnificent, and the remainder of the album continues to embrace themes of unity, love, and reflection: a more mellow approach comes in ‘Trust The Sun’ and ‘Kindling’; occasional rouses into heavier (and sometimes messy) beats appear with ‘All Disco’ and ‘Little Fictions.’ When successfully balancing their unique brand of excitable percussion, minimalist piano and guitar, and Garvey’s affable vocals, the band expertly conveys these
pete tong, the heritage orchestra & jules buckley classic house DAVE WILLIAMS
A mix of 21 classics of the genre originally reimagined for an orchestral airing at Radio 1’s Ibiza Prom at the Royal Albert Hall in 2015, Classic House is stunning from the 1998 Fatboy Slim smash ‘Right Here Right Now’ through to Rudimental’s ‘Feel The Love’ of 2013. With its arrangements often placing new emphasis on elements of the songs, the soul of each song remains intact thanks to adaptations from Pete Tong, a BBC Radio 1 DJ of 35 years, and Jules Buckley, the acclaimed conductor who worked with Basement Jaxx on a similar project in 2011. Perfectly sequenced and balanced, perhaps most crucially every change made absolutely works: there is no track weaker than its original. Standouts are the rearrangements of Robert Miles’ ‘Children,’ ATB’s ‘9pm,’ Faithless’ ‘Insomnia,’ and, best of all, the medley of the eerie Brainbug track ‘Nightmare’ and certified classic ‘Café Del Mar,’ originally released by Energy 52 in 1993. These upgrades fit perfectly with the 65-piece Heritage Orchestra, showing almost a casual ease in the class they bring. The beats are still at the fore, but it’s impossible to fail to notice the strings gracefully leading or supporting parts of Tong’s overall vision. There’s a great precision to this album, maybe shown best through the ebb and flow of its pace. Every element combines to create a piece that is both very easy listening – and a great revision soundtrack – and unwaveringly magnetic. As the Ibiza Prom proves, the music translates extremely well to a live environment, and Classic House is instantly timeless through its transportation of old and new sounds to a new arena. Out now via UMC THE EDGE
TOP IMAGE BY ELBOW, BOTTOM IMAGE BY UNIVERSAL MUSIC LLC
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RECORDS
circa waves fire that burns WILL HANKEY
As with November’s lead single ‘Wake Up,’ Circa Waves continue to trade in the major key, distorted jangle pop of 2015’s Young Chasers into something altogether moodier and aggressive, recalling bands like Twin Atlantic. However, ‘Fire That Burns’ functions well as a bridge between their old and new styles: opening with a pummel of heavily distorted power chords before opening up into a euphoric
father john misty pure comedy ALICE HEARING
In the title track from his upcoming record, the notorious and wild Father John Misty (aka Joshua Tillman) is showing a mature development in his music. This soft, meandering ballad is the perfect concoction of the Father John Misty we all know and love from I Love You, Honeybear, pairing a “life goes on” tone with a clear folk influence and a more experimental approach of forming the music around the lyrics rather than the other way around. As Honeybear’s ‘Bored In The USA’ previously demonstrated, Tillman is not afraid to comment on the state of the world today, but ‘Pure Comedy’
Kieran Shudall gives a nice performance of his somewhat intense vlyrics and delivers some enjoyable and relatively catchy hooks, although his delivery is so bizarrely unemotional that it’s difficult to get completely invested. This hands-off, near clinical outlook pervades throughout ‘Fire That Burns’ to make it seem a bit bythe-numbers. Its structure – a traditional Pixies-like loud/quiet/loud dynamic – is used effectively, yet again it’s arguably a tad predictable and even the middle 8 – a last-minute swell of ever-building guitar and bass – feels adherent to a template. This has the unfortunate tendency of shedding a bit of personality, especially compared with the band’s previous efforts. Out now via Virgin EMI
reaches out further. The political cynicism of the lyrics beautifully contrasts with the cheerful tone of the music itself, speaking of sacred texts as “written by woman-hating epileptics” and singing, aptly for Donald Trump’s new America, “Where did they find these goons they elected to rule them?” Compared to ‘Real Love Baby,’ last summer’s nonalbum single, the subject matter seems almost surprising. However, Tillman always is (and will remain) unpredictable in his music and his performances, making him one of the most exciting artists today. Out now via Bella Union
maggie rogers on+off MEG HOLLAND
To follow the viral success of ‘Alaska’ fuelled by Pharrell Williams’ emotional response in an NYU masterclass, Maggie Rogers continues to release emotional electronic tracks doused in soothing vocals. ‘On + Off,’ released to coincide with her touring debut, offers a new dimension to the singer-songwriter: whilst still maintaining the mixture of folk and dance synonymous to her as an
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chorus built up of huge blocks of distorted guitar and heavy percussion.
artist, it encompasses her distinctive sound differently to ‘Alaska’ and ‘Dog Years,’ also taken from the Now That The Light Is Fading EP. Punchy and passionate, it feels perfect for the late Friday nights when everyone else is out partying and it feels like you’re the only one staying home. It’s built for walking and thinking, inducing goosebumps with lyrics that really make you feel something (e.g. “Take me to that space where I need someone / When I’m shaking or my mind starts coming undone / When I’m on and off again”). Like everything Rogers turns her folktronic hand to, it brings a completely new and unique approach to two genres that needs to be heard. Out now via Capitol
THE EDGE TOP IMAGE BY CIRCA WAVES, MIDDLE IMAGE BY FATHER JOHN MISTY, BOTTOM IMAGE BY MAGGIE ROGERS
RECORDS
martin garrix & dua lipa scared to be lonely JOE CARDEN
Still only 20, Martin Garrix can make any university student question their life choices. By beautifully pairing cold orchestral synths with Dua Lipa’s moody vocal, ‘Scared To Be Lonely’ carries a really subtle but powerful energy that certainly feels strong despite not quite being hands-in-the-air material. It’s unsurprisingly cool and modern, closely observing
sÄLen heartbreak diet ALEX SMITH AND XAVIER VOIGT-HILL
the recent trend of preferring weird and wacky sounds to a more traditional, repetitive house beat. Yet, despite its great potential it feels that the track builds to a deflated attempt at an immense chorus, which matches the sombre tone of the lyrics in a clever but bittersweet fashion. It’s just too subtle – in a track engineered otherwise for everywhere from your car radio to the Ultra main stage, there’s no obvious time at which to jump up and down and flail your arms. There’s no point to it, no climax, no iconic event. Like any good contemporary pop fan, I can’t help but be pleased to see Garrix working his way through a succession of well established vocalists. However, isn’t dance music about energy and happiness and honestly just being a little bit overexcited? Out now via STMPD
Even through only four previous single releases, Sälen hasn’t exactly built a reputation for following the norm with songs on sexual fetishes and unwanted adultery dominating their repertoire. ‘Heartbreak Diet,’ their second release since signing to Island Records with ‘Copper Kiss,’ puts their unique twist on a classic post-break-up song, opening with Ellie Kamio’s typical apathetic, velvety tones bringing its morbidity to life: “I used to dream of dying so you would cry at my funeral.” Delicate bleeps and bloops that wouldn’t go amiss from a Nintendo 64 game are mixed in alongside a pounding bassline to provide
stormzy big for your boots DAVE WILLIAMS
Undoubtedly best known for ‘Shut Up,’ a 2015 freestyle over XTC’s ‘Functions On The Low’, Michael Omari has had a very sudden rise to fame - including a year of social media silence while he worked on debut album Gang Signs & Prayer. Premiered alongside the album announcement, ‘Big For Your Boots’ is nothing Earth-shatteringly different to what has come before, but it really doesn’t need to be. Perhaps the biggest change is the introduction of producer Fraser T Smith, who has previously guided the likes of Adele, Sam Smith, and Lily Allen before more recent (and stylistically similar) work with Kano, The Manor, and Dave. It’s difficult to
the perfect upbeat backing, and Kamio’s developing acceptance of the relationship’s plight (“Don’t call me / I’m on my heartbreak diet / Love isn’t good for you / I think I’ll burn it”) comes in a far-toocatchy manner. Yet, as nice as this all is, it’s impossible not to feel that ‘Heartbreak Diet’ lacks a little bit of the sharpness that made the London trio’s ‘Diseasey’ and ‘Copper Kiss’ in particular feel so special. Neither as hard-hitting or mesmerising, perhaps this is the sign of the young band reaching a comfortable niche after more startling early ventures. Out now via Island
quantify what exactly he brings to this track given it sits so neatly alongside Stormzy’s back catalogue, but there’s a renewed energy to the whole piece, making it an ideal lead single. Lyrically, ‘Big For Your Boots’ is slightly ridiculous, but that’s half the fun of Stormzy. (A personal favourite: “Try tell me I’m way too big to rebel? / Nah, man, you’re never too big to rebel / I was in the O2 singing my lungs out / Rudeboy, you’re never too big for Adele.”) ‘Big For Your Boots’ is everything you’d want from what almost sits as a relaunch track. The way that Stormzy has ridden grime’s resurgent wave makes it a strange one to review. Nevertheless, this one’s here to stay, and I’m sure Gang Signs & Prayer will deliver more of the same. Out now via #Merky Records
THE EDGE TOP IMAGE BY MARTIN GARRIX AND DUA LIPA, MIDDLE IMAGE BY SALEN, BOTTOM IMAGE BY STORMZY
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RECORDS
castle on the hill ed sheeran CARLY-MAY KAVANAGH
In a very Kings Of Leon-y ‘Waste A Moment‘ way, Ed Sheeran’s return from a year-long post-× hiatus comprises two delightful new songs, with ‘Castle On The Hill’ hinting that the upcoming ÷ will be as retrospective as the previous two. Being a set of soaring lines about growing up in Suffolk, it instantly feels far bigger than anything he’s done before, almost as if tailored for the stadiums that thetail of the × tour proved he could pack out.
shape of you ed sheeran JAMES BARKER
Arriving at 5am on the first Friday of the year, spearheading 2017’s first musical offerings were not one but two new Ed Sheeran singles to resume his career after a what seemed like far more than a year’s absence from the industry. ‘Shape Of You’ is perhaps the least revolutionary of the pair, but it is the most “Ed Sheeran.” After the long, heartbreaking absence of all things new (apart from the Christmasthemed X Factor winners’ single he penned for Matt Terry and a few spots of writing work with Justin Bieber, Major Lazer, and Robbie Williams), his return to form is what triumphs. ‘Shape Of You’ taps into the success of Sheeran’s last singles, twisting them together to form the 15
Nevertheless, he’s still delightful when it comes to writing life’s more mundane aspects into runaway chart hits. Here, he opens by breaking his leg as a six-year-old before singing with more revering nostalgia (“Found my heart and broke it here / Made friends and lost them through the years / And I’ve not seen the roaring fields in so long, I know I’ve grown / But I can’t wait to go home”). Written by Sheeran and produced by himself and Benny Blanco, he describes ‘Castle On The Hill’ as “a love song for Suffolk because I don’t think anyone has ever done that.” Now he and his friends are older and no longer throwing up from alcohol all over the rolling fields, and Ed is a superstar writing huge choruses that will fit nicely into radio playlists everywhere and, to an extent, unnecessarily shoehorning romance into the equation. His vocals, as ever, are outstanding, as are the oohing and melodies in the pre-chorus. It’s not entirely typical of Sheeran’s prior work, but if there is anything to take from the × era is is how diverse he can get with his music, so we really cannot expect anything to be considered truly typical for him. Out now via Asylum
perfect comeback. It exhibits his sweet, seductive vocals style and twists in euphoric lapses into rap, creating a slightly odd yet successful sound that pulls together ‘Thinking Out Loud’ and ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You.’ Newly injected are looped tropical beats reminiscent of a Sia offering, which give the song enough new flair to make this a comeback that not only signals a return to form, but a nod to the future. Originally written by Sheeran with Rihanna in mind, it seems like a good move that he ended up keeping it for himself, instantly jumping to the top of global charts and breaking UK streaming records set a year ago by Drake. With ÷ imminent, if the versatility of ‘Shape Of You’ and the soaring anthem of ‘Castle On The Hill’ are anything to go by, we can all be very excited for March 3rd. Out now via Asylum
THE EDGE IMAGES BY ED SHEERAN
FILM
Flashback Review:
NELLY MAIR It was the beginning of the Disney Renaissance, as a period of well-critically and commercially received Disney films was dubbed by the media, when Beauty and the Beast was released. As anticipation builds for a live remake of the film starring Emma Watson and set to be released next month, we look back at what is so magical about the original. Beauty and the Beast was only the second princess film in this era, and was following in the footsteps of female characters and romances which portrayed antiquated ideas of femininity and love. Whilst Ariel from The Little Mermaid is an interesting and popular character, her silence throughout the film denies her the ability to make a real impact, whilst the early Disney princesses fit old-fashioned and traditional concepts of womanhood which were no longer relevant in the early nineties. In contrast to this, the events of Beauty and the Beast do not only revolve around Belle, but are often propelled by her decisions. Her relationship with the beast, too, differs from the narrative which Disney had previously chosen to highlight in its films. The romance may not seem the most healthy, and some have jokingly called it a case of Stockholm Syndrome, but in reality it simply requires the same amount of disbelief as any film with a relationship between a human being and a
mythical beast. The relationship evolves in a healthy and natural way, as whilst previous Disney romances focused on instantaneous love, in which the princess is appreciated mainly for her beauty, the romance in this film seems more gradual. The villain of the film is another subversion of more classic portrayals of villainy and normalcy. It is the love interest who is threatening and supernatural, whereas Gaston is seemingly an ideal male match. He is not only entirely human but also a realistic representation of the toxic masculinity which is not just normalised in our culture but celebrated. The film deconstructs the idealisation of this kind of attractiveness by parodying this concept of masculine strength in the song ‘Gaston’ as well as in his general character portrayal. It is not just the plot of the film which has made it a certified classic, however, but the smaller elements which shape the experience of viewing it. The soundtrack is potentially the strongest that Disney has ever created, with every song being a powerful one. The film is also very funny, using witty innuendos from the servants as a nod to more mature audiences, and the natural humour of the film is entertaining to all. The film is, overall, a delight to watch. It is natural and charming, from the way it presents its characters and romance, to the soundtrack and humour. The film is intensely magical, sweeping away even the most cynical adult into its romance and tale of redemption. Emma Watson and Dan Stevens may try heir best in the live film, but it seems unlikely that any remake will capture the essence and beauty of this fairytale quite as well as this Disney classic, but that doesn’t mean it won’t still be a joy to watch.
THE EDGE IMAGE BY WALT DISNEY PICTURES
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FILM
Review:
FENCES EDDY TESFAY
There’s no denying that at this very time in our existence, race persists to be a searingly hot topic. Politically it has continued to dominate the lips of those in power, socially it has brought debate and conflict, and in Hollywood and it has questioned the very foundations of its setup.
doesn’t take away from the fiercely powerful journey. Directed in completely and deliberately un-showy fashion, Washington has effortlessly maintained the emotion and conflict that made the play and its broadway adaptation so rich and widely adored.
With this in consideration, Fences could not have come at a more important time. Combining racial tensions, familial bonds and simply life as a black man raising a family in the 1950’s, Denzel Washington’s third feature length directorial effort adapted from August Willson’s seminal, pulitzer-winning play has come into existence as more than just a film.
Largely commanding the first half of the film, Washington’s Troy is a role that is deeply unflattering, but is just as heartbreaking and complex as Wilson intended. A man whose life has been riddled with pain, persecution and resentment but also love, Washington interweaves all of these aspects into a role where his character is simultaneously understandable and devastatingly flawed.
Set in the 50’s as part of Wilson’s ‘Pittsburgh Cycle’ of works, Fences is very much a character study of Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington), a garbage truck disposal man whose life revolves around his work and the raising of his family, particularly his son (Jovan Adepo). Troy is very much a man of routine, working Monday to Friday alongside lifelong friend Bono (Stephen Henderson), looking forward to the weekend where he and Bono would share a bottle of Gin and spin great yarns, weaving half-drunkenly between intricate narratives and jovial humour, to then shack up with his loving wife (Viola Davis), rinse and repeat. You cannot fault Washington’s earnest and heartfelt approach. The play itself does not exactly lend to a cinematic re-telling, with its story focused on monologues and conversations in and around the same locations, namely Troy’s house and backyard. Whilst this restriction is not totally successfully evaded, it
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However, this is far from just the Denzel show and just as he manages to recreate the emotions that first surface in the stage revival, so does Viola Davis. Davis is a tremendously gifted actress and here, she bares all in a performance that will not fail to produce a lump in your throat. As Troy’s lovingly faithful and supportive wife of 18 years, Davis’ Rose is a wonderfully written and equally well performed character. Knitted together by her love for her family and understanding of Troy, Rose’s life is intrinsically linked to Troy and the story. Wilson’s play is one that touches on many subjects that, ultimately, are better left unsaid in order to have a richer experience whilst watching. However, his work also focuses very specifically on the idea of emotional barriers; the eponymous fence is symbolic of the barriers that its characters build up against others and the world and how sometimes, those barriers come tumbling down.
THE EDGE IMAGE BY PARAMOUNT PICTURES
FILM
Q&A with
DENZEL WASHINGTON EDDY TESFAY As the auditorium in the Curzon Mayfair erupted into a rapturous ovation as Denzel Washington made his way to the stage, he proceeded in his familiar charismatic, down-to-earth fashion as the conversation began about how Fences, the Pulitzer-winning play, first fell into his lap. “...He [Scott Rudin] sent me August Wilson’s screenplay and he asked ‘what do you wanna do, wanna act in, wanna direct it, wanna produce it?’ and I said ‘well, I want to read it!’”.Despite fantastic reception for the Broadway revival, which received several Tony awards, Washington was reluctant to take on the play to adapt it for film. “I was running and hiding” he remarked. He also touched upon on the fact that August Wilson famously stated that he refused to accept an adaptation which didn’t have a black male behind the camera. When asked about how can the film industry advance in terms of diversity and should filmmakers who happen to be a minority press on
without backing from studios, Washington replied “You can’t make a movie in a vacuum. You still need a theatre to put it in. It needs to be collaboration [with] studios”. He continued, speaking about how gifted and fantastic the performances were, stating that he’d often (when behind the camera) dwell on the likes of Viola Davis for fear of missing out on great material, and also emphasised how he rarely gave notes to anybody onscreen. When questioned about how he approached Rose’s (Viola Davis) role and how strong her character is, he stated “I didn’t need to [approach it specifically]. Viola’s strong already and August Wilson wrote one of the greatest roles for an African-American woman of all time, she brings it to life like no one else could.” With Fences being part of Wilson’s ten-part ‘Pittsburgh cycle’, there was always the chance that with a warm reception, the other nine plays could also be adapted. When questioned about this Washington smiled ruefully and stated “the other nine, we’re planning to do with HBO and I’ll probably start working on that next Monday”. As the questions pressed on, Washington was asked how he approached adapting the play from a theatrical standpoint, as Wilson’s work was very much suited to the stage. “The actors asked me that and I said don’t do anything different. Honesty is honesty, it’s just that there’s a camera now”. Ending on a rather poignant note, the final question touched on what Washington was hoping would come of this adaptation of Wilson’s work and he remarked “I just hope they appreciate it. Black, white, blue or green, it’s just great writing and there’s something in it that just touches us all. It’s beyond race, it’s beyond gender, he wrote a masterpiece and however he got to it I don’t know. I’m just glad to be a part of it”.
THE EDGE IMAGES BY PARAMOUNT PICTURES
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FILM
actor in focus:
Tom HIddleston LISA VEIBER
Tom Hiddleston is an English film, television and theatre actor as well as musical performer. His career began mostly in television and theatre, eventually leading to his role in Thor (2011) as the main antagonist, Loki. Since then, Hiddleston has performed various types of small and lead roles which differ dramatically from the God of Mischief.
actor Mark Strong. After that, he briefly appeared in films outside of the the MCU (Deep Blue Sea in 2012) until 2015 when he finally got to perform the leading role in three movies, the gothic horror Crimson Peak directed by Guillermo del Toro, a famous name in the gothic genre, the strange and retro High-Rise as well as the biographical drama film I Saw the Light.
Hiddleston’s career on the big screen broke through with his most famous role to date in the Marvel franchise. The actor already knew director Kenneth Branagh from having worked with him in Anton Chekhov’s Ivanov and starring at his side in the drama TV show Wallander as one of the detective’s annoying and pretentious colleagues, Magnus Martinsson. Originally auditioning for the part of Thor, Tom Hiddleston caught the attention of the casting director and was cast as Loki. Hiddleston has already reprised this role in Avengers Assemble (2012) and Thor: The Dark World (2013) showcasing his amazing acting skills and flawless interpretation as the best villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The most impressive feature of his performances in those three films without a doubt, is the fundamental differences they all show in contrasting from his villaineous performances. The diversity in the characters played by Tom Hiddleston are evidence of his brilliant talent.
During 2011, he continued to get small parts in films from well-known directors such as Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris in which he appears briefly as the late famous writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Steven Spielberg’s War Horse in which he played Captain Nicholls. In 2014, Hiddleston did a commercial campaign ‘Good to be Bad’ for Jaguar in which he explained the art of villainy while driving one of the cars along with
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While 2016 didn’t bring him back to the big screen, the actor still appeared in John Lecaree’s adaption The Night Manager in which Hiddleston became a credible spy and man of action facing Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), one of the best duos in the history of espionage drama, resulting in public rumours that he could possibly end up playing the next James Bond. Fortunately, this year the famous Marvel villain will come back to our cinemas in the new Kong: Skull Island directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, and Thor: Ragnarok at Chris Hemsworth’s side, one of the most anticipated films of this year. Let’s hope that Tom Hiddleston will perform more lead roles on the big screen in the coming year.
THE EDGE IMAGE BY DANIEL STIER
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Blu-Ray Review:
american honey LIAM BEAZLEY
FILM Perhaps one of the most hauntingly real and brutally honest depictions of the American midwest since Harmony Korine’s disturbing early work, it comes as a surprise that American Honey is, in fact, one of the best British films of 2016. Andrea Arnold, director of the brilliantly raw Fish Tank and Red Road, proves once again to be one of British cinema’s best contemporary independent filmmakers, trading victims of the British council estate for the outcasts of the American dream. Following a group of young people brought together by a shared desire to escape their oppressive lives in the forgotten poverous areas of the US, American Honey feels truthful in its approach and compelling at its heart. We shadow Star, played effortlessly by ‘non-actor’ Sasha Lane who Arnold met by a chance encounter with no previous acting experience. She is instantly appealing, running from her relationship which holds her captive through the guilt of her forced responsibilities. Arnold’s camera acts as an extra member of the group, taking the empty seat on their tour bus and dwelling on irrelevant details in an attempt to heighten the overwhelming realism. Improvised brilliantly throughout and playing on the idiosyncrasies of the wild world our characters inhabit, American Honey’s magic is also its problem. For all of the film’s visceral details and intended lack of structure, there is a sense (as in reality) of the mundane which due to the film’s astounding length can prove a task for even the most experienced cinephile. If you commit to its length and allow it to, American Honey is the kind of film which can truly captivate and immerse. As sticky as the titular substance, it is hard to brush off and irresistibly sweet. Arnold’s film is raw, beautiful and violently effecting. This is a honey which everyone should taste.
Blu-Ray Review:
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN JORDAN BROWN
When The Girl on the Train was published in 2015, Paula Hawkins became a household name overnight. It was top of the New York Times best seller list for 13 weeks; A film adaptation was inevitable. The film tells the story of three women whose stories intertwine when one of the women goes missing. The main character, Rachel is played by the ever wonderful Emily Blunt. Rachel is a broken woman, resorting to alcohol to help get rid of her demons. Her memories are fuzzy from the night in question, and her obsession over her ex-husband’s family mean the police soon come knocking. The film feels very disjointed at times as we try to piece together the events that lead to the disappearance. It teases and slowly reveals to us important snippets of information. As it slowly builds towards its tense conclusion, even readers of the book were left second guessing as to whether or not it would deviate from the narrative. The main complaint from book readers after seeing the film was the change of location from the book. For some reason the filmmakers chose to move the film across the Atlantic to New York, but it still manages to keep the heart of the book and is a decent adaptation. It has a lot of similarities with the heavily praised Gone Girl, and this can be detrimental towards the film due to the inevitable comparisons. However, Blunt puts in a staggering performance and holds it all together. 21
THE EDGE TOP IMAGE BY A24, BOTTOM IMAGE BY UNIVERSAL PICTURES
CULTURE
Showstoppers’
Bonnie & Clyde @ the Annex Theatre REHANA NURMAHI Showstoppers are a relentless machine in producing inventive show upon inventive show. Their latest show, Bonnie & Clyde, did not just meet expectations, but exceeds them. Every performance is stronger than the last, the staging is innovative as ever, and all went home singing their praises. Telling the story of the infamous lovers/outlaws, their show features songs which paint the narrative beautifully and a script that shows the passions and dreams of its protagonists. It opens with a song in which a young Bonnie (Charlie Taylor) sings of her dreams to be like Clara Bow, whilst a young Clyde (James Carter) desires to be like Al Capone. Both exuded youthful optimism, and as they moved around the stage, dancing around to swap with the pair who would play the leads, James Cook and Phoebe Judd. The last show I saw Judd in was Ordinary Days, the show they took to Edinburgh Fringe, in which she had a beautiful tenderness and vulnerability. As Bonnie, she is confident and strong, and her versatility as an actress was demonstrated clearly in the comparison. It all seems to come easily to her: the dancing, the singing, the ability to make us believe in her love for Clyde. Meanwhile, James Cook as Clyde shows everyone that he was born to be a leading man. He is charming, charismatic and utterly brilliant. Having seen the majority of the shows that he has been in, it’s awesome to follow his journey as an actor, with this being without a doubt his strongest vocal performance to date. Together, the pair are electric. From the moment the characters meet, their easy flirting and tangible chemistry makes you root for them. As the
play goes on and their relationship becomes more intense, you are drawn in closer. Getting to hear them sing together is also great, as they are as vocally compatible as they are in their acting. As Clyde’s brother Buck and sister-in-law Blanche, Charlie Randall and Bella Norris are just as wonderful. In fact, there’s not a single performance I can fault. Smaller roles - Bonnie’s mother (Emily Bradshaw), Ted, a cop who also has feelings for Bonnie (Andy Banks), and the Preacher (David Miller) - were all given chances to shine, and all performances were thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. However, it’s not just the performance ability of its actors that made the show great. The set, which incorporated three levels of staging, allowed for interesting visual opportunities that wouldn’t have been there if the show all occurred at one height. The show’s choreography never does too much, but is always executed to make the most of it. An example that sticks in my mind is the number ‘When I Drive’, sung by Clyde and Buck, in which they use an old armchair as a substitute for the car they are driving. Simply put, every Showstoppers show sees the company go from strength to strength, and Bonnie & Clyde might just be their strongest yet. I look forward to their upcoming shows for the year: Curtains, a murder mystery musical, that hits the Annex in March, and Follies a few months after. These guys not only bring life to musicals you may not otherwise have known, but they’ll show you just how talented the students at Southampton are.
THE EDGE IMAGE BY SOUTHAMPTON SHOWSTOPPERS
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CULTURE
The Best and Worst
Console launches JOSH NICHOLSON With the Nintendo Switch’s March 3rd release date looming, it seems an ideal time to reflect on some of the best and worst console launches of the past 40 years. While some companies have managed to turn failing consoles around, a system’s launch is usually a good sign of what’s to come. With that in mind, let’s look at some of gaming history’s most memorable console launches.
Nintendo’s Virtual Boy (1995)
PlayStation VR might not have revolutionised gaming in the way that Sony was expecting, but it’s nothing compared to Nintendo’s embarrassing attempts at virtual reality back in 1995. At first glance the Virtual Boy looks rather futuristic, the head mounted goggles supposedly providing ‘a 3D game for a 3D world’. However, the console was doomed to fail from the day of its launch. While a lack of games or an extortionate price are the usual culprits of a disappointing release, it was the Virtual Boy’s own packaging that ultimately killed the console. Concerns over the Virtual Boy’s archaic 3D technology led Nintendo to plaster warning labels over the console and its games, even suggesting that children under seven not play the system. Considering the company’s focus on family friendly gaming, the Virtual Boy never had a chance. After several desperate price cuts, the console was quietly discontinued less than a year later and still holds the title of Nintendo’s worst selling system.
Sega Saturn (1994)
Fearing the oncoming storm that was the Sony PlayStation, Sega decided to move the launch of their newest console several months forward. Sounds like a decent plan, right? Wrong! It was a good idea to beat the PlayStation to market, but it relied on Sega telling shops about the new plan. When Sega suddenly launched the Saturn with no warning, key retailers like Walmart and Best Buy had literally no time to prepare or order stock. Sony even took advantage of the Sega’s early release, immediately announcing that they would be undercutting Saturn’s price by nearly $100. Combine this with the Saturn’s small number of games and poor advertising, the console was dead on arrival. While Sega may have tried to outwit Sony, it was ultimately a decision that the company would never recover from.
Nintendo Entertainment System (1985)
The release of the Nintendo Entertainment System back in 1985 wasn’t just a successful launch, but the resurrection of the entire gaming industry. After the fall of Atari in the early 1980s, the popularity of video games hit an all-time low. Many companies in the industry decided to back away, seeing the market as having dried up. Nevertheless, Nintendo saw this as an opportunity to move into manufacturing consoles. Recognising that games consoles were being ignored, they presented the console as an ‘Entertainment System’ and included gimmicky accessories like the robot shaped controller and a motion controlled glove. Pulling off the classic Trojan Horse ploy, Nintendo smuggled video games back into households under the banner of a toy. While Nintendo may not be at the top of their game today, without their Entertainment System it’s possible that gaming wouldn’t even exist today.
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THE EDGE
IMAGE BY NINTENDO IMAGE BY NINTENDO
CULTURE
In Defense Of:
REBECCA JAMES To some, Lego Dimensions may seem a silly concept. Not a serious game for serious gamers; an moneygrabbing venture accessible only to the richest of kids. But looked at right, you can soon learn to adore Lego Dimensions. While it is certainly not without its faults, there is just something about this game that brings joy. The concept is the same as Skylanders or Disney Infinity – you have a sectional game pad to place physical, Lego models of characters onto, unlocking them for gameplay. Remove them from the pad and they disappear with their own characteristic sign-offs. Two phases have been released so far, each including several famous franchises. Phase one includes Jurassic World, Lord of the Rings, Portal 2, Doctor Who; while phase two has welcomed Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Mission Impossible and Adventure Time, with more coming soon. A common and understandable critique of the game is the sheer amount of money it consumes when compared to other Lego games, which only take time and patience to unlock. For example, collecting mini kits in Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens might take a couple of replays and unlocked characters, but with time and effort, it’s definitely conquerable. Even DLC Level Packs are pennies compared to one Lego Dimensions kit. I recognise this issue. For every world you want to unlock, you have to buy a character from that franchise, and even then, different characters have varied skills and abilities, so there are certain figures you need if you want to collect everything possible in the game. If ‘completing’ the game is your goal, then this isn’t your game – in fact, I don’t think it’s
really possible thanks to the wave release structure of the packs. Plenty of people have put together lists dictating the cheapest way to do it, explaining which characters have the most multipurpose skills, which ones you absolutely need. You don’t have to buy every pack to get all of the story’s collectibles. I understand the mentality of not wanting to sink a lot of money into the game, but buying the kits is part of the fun! Building the different vehicles, piecing together the characters, figuring out what skills they have; all essential parts of the Lego Dimensions experience. Having the minifigures collected together around your console, along with their unique vehicles, is a small pleasure, but an important one – some of these are minifigures you would never be able to get otherwise. The main story is a reasonable length to enjoy, but on completion, there is a whole heap of other ways to explore the game. Allow yourself to get one or two new packs a month to keep the excitement in the game; Dimensions is eternally replayable. The Lego aspect is obviously a draw, and the wide range of franchises available is a credit to the power of the huge company. Where else will you be able to be Marty McFly in the Delorian, or travel as the Doctor in the TARDIS, or "phone home" as E.T.? Some of these franchises have never, and probably will never, get games if their own, so a taste of them in Lego Dimensions is perfect. And at the end of the day, who doesn’t like the sound of riding around on a Velociraptor as Lord Voldemort, or driving the Hogwarts Express as Scooby Doo? It’s childlike and gleeful, and you should consume it now.
IMAGE BY WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT IMAGES BY WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT
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CULTURE
Sherlock ELLIS MURRELL
Few words could be more accurately describe the latest series of the BBC’s most popular detective drama than polarising. Sherlock’s fourth series kicked off with a middling premiere episode more concerned with Bond-style action set-pieces and was bookended by a confusing mess of a finale, which bombarded its audience with a plethora of twists and turns. It’s hard for anyone to disagree that Sherlock jumped the shark in its fourth series. The show, which once dazzled us with its clever and witty tales, is barely recognisable in its current form, and if comments made by executive producers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are any indication, a fifth series may not be on the cards for some time, if at all. But for all those still eager to return for more episodes, there are a few major issues to be corrected if this ship is to be steered back on course.
hunt for Moriarty in Season 1’s ‘The Great Game’? Or the terrifying, drug-induced paranoia of ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’? Sherlock is, with no doubt, a far more rewarding viewing experience when its focus is on a tightly-knit, cohesive narrative, instead of stranded in a web of parallel plot threads like most of series 4’s episodes. Whilst the death of Mary was treated with all of the reverence required to make the character’s sacrifice worthy, her spectre loomed too large in following episodes, preventing any clear focus on the plot of an episode. Moreover, it is notable that Sherlock drags its heels predominantly when tackling original material. This is an easily-amended dilemma, with a veritable wealth of Conan Doyle stories yet to be mined by the creators. Who wouldn’t want to see the kooky ‘Red-Headed League’ adapted for television, eh?
Perhaps the most prominent demand of the fans is a return to the sleuthing which made the first three series so exciting to watch. Who can forget the heart-racing
The onslaught of unexpected revelations and smug, impenetrable plotting – what I like to call the ‘Moffat Formula’ – needs to be toned down. Not only does it detract from the storytelling, it alienates a large portion of the audience. The dissonance between the borderline-slapstick comedy and dark story threads has become so jarring that it can be painful to endure, especially when Moffat and Gatiss are clearly trying to yank on your heartstrings. The way forward is clear, and simplifying Sherlock’s breakneck narrative doesn’t have to mean dumbing it down. Ultimately, Sherlock’s hubris is its own pride – its absolute, rigid refusal to take a step down and tell a more grounded story. In its attempts to surprise us over the years, it has slowly lost us, but its hardly too late to change its fate. If Sherlock does make a comeback to our screens, then we can hope that it stops trying so hard to please us, and brings back the show that we all know and love.
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THE EDGE IMAGES BY BBC
CULTURE
Author in Focus:
John Green DAVID MITCHELL-BAKER With six novels and nearly three million YouTube subscribers to his name, acclaimed author John Green has become one of the most famous and significant voices in entertainment over the past decade. As his career hits its twelfth year, we take a look back at one of the world’s most popular and prolific authors as our latest author in focus. Green first came into the public’s attention with his critically acclaimed smash hit debut novel Looking for Alaska in 2005. The book received glowing reviews, won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award presented by the American Library Association, and started off Green’s trend of writing teen coming of age novels. The next year, Green’s sophomore novel An Abundance of Katherines championed the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award Honour Book. In 2008, Green teamed up with Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle to release Let It Snow, a compilation of three short stories written by each of the three authors, all intertwining with each other. Green wrote the second of the three stories, charmingly titled ‘A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle’. In the same year, Green’s next significant mainstream book Paper Towns was released. The book debuted at number five on the New York Times bestseller list under the children’s category, and the next year won the Edgar Award for best young adult novel. More recently, it was adapted for the screen in a 2015 film, directed by Jake Schreier and starring Nat Wolff and Cara Delevingne. The film grossed $85 million worldwide from a $12 million budget.
book became a phenomenal critical and commercial success, being named as the best fiction book of 2012 by Time and placing in USA Today’s top ten books of the year. The Fault in Our Stars has sold in excess of approximately 18 million copies worldwide since its publication. Its film adaptation, released in 2014 starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, became one of the financial success stories of the year, earning $307 million worldwide against a $14 million budget. Details on Green’s next novel have been rather all over the place; despite murmurs of a new book, he released a YouTube video in September saying that he may never release another book due to the weight of expectations following on from The Fault in Our Stars. But whether John Green does or does not release another book, one thing that is clear is that his existing work has gained him a deservedly loyal and dedicated fan base, and the critical and commercial success to go with it. With just six novels to his name, Green has become one of the defining authors of the 21st century.
In 2010, Green again released a split project as he teamed up with David Levithan for Will Grayson, Will Grayson. This inventive novel saw Green and Levithan writing alternating chapters for two separate characters of the same name in a connected story. It became the first ever LGBT-themed young adult novel to appear on the New York Times children’s bestseller list upon its release, where it remained for three weeks. But it was in 2012 that John Green found his biggest success to date, with the release of his sixth and most recent novel The Fault in Our Stars. The THE EDGE IMAGES BY JOHN GREEN
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LIVE
Review:
The Skints
@ The Joiners, Southampton CARLY-MAY KAVANAGH As you can imagine, I go to a lot of gigs. Yet The Skints, on Friday 27th, were the best gig I’ve been to in a long time. Was it the excitement of being at my first gig since early December? Was it the delightful atmosphere that The Joiners never fails to produce? Was it the impromptu interview with Josh, The Skints guitarist, as he milled around the bar before the gig? (A: all of the above.) Support came from reggae/ska band The Ohmz. Honestly I don’t think it was possible for them not to be as tight as they were considering how many of them were on the stage (7!). Featuring a three-piece brass section amongst your standard band set-up, I was impressed at their harmonies and just how quickly they were going from playing their saxophone/trumpet/trombones to singing, and they were a fantastic warm-up for The Skints. The Skints kicked off with ‘Rubadub (Done Know)’ and instantly everyone in that room was into it. The lovely thing is there were people in The Joiners that night who were 15 and 50; The Skints are just wonderfully accessible to everyone because they’re not ‘just’ reggae and ska, they’re rocky, slightly punky, one of those bands who are just summed up with ‘Well, their genre is them’. Even they don’t call themselves anything typical, with their Facebook page describing them as ‘Frequency Murderation’. Because this wasn’t an album tour but a celebration of Independent Venue Week, The Skints were mixing between all three of their albums which meant we got an ultimate ‘Best Bits’ of their songs - best as in, the most crowd pleasing, dancey, ultimate Skints-y songs. It was fantastic to see a band as huge as The Skints in my adored little Joiners, which was of course all for Independent Venue Week. Josh spent a little bit of time halfway through talking about IVW and how lovely The Joiners is, and to see them supporting such an important week in a venue that means so much to me was just fantastic - I even got the chance to have a pre-show chat with him about IVW.n! The Skints are just a lovely, innovative and unique band; they even had artwork on old drum skins and a ‘Nice Time’ pale ale that they’d made and were selling at the gig, both in cans and on draught, and it was vegan which is incredibly exciting and definitely the most original merch I’ve ever seen! Having seen them both at The Engine Rooms and now at The Joiners, of course they failed to disappoint on either occasion but seeing them in such an intimate setting made for a wondrous gig and I highly recommend seeing them if you get a chance.
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THE EDGE IMAGE BY THE SKINTS
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LIVE
Throwback Review:
Ed Sheeran @ Wembley Stadium TOM BROWN It is fair to say that 2 years ago I was 100% caught up in Ed Sheeran mania. Having listened to him since his Loose Change and Songs I Wrote with Amy days but always missing out on the relatively limited ticket releases managing to get tickets to his high commended ‘X’ tour for Christmas is certainly a highlight of my 20 year long life. What perhaps made the deal even sweeter was when I discovered that his warm up acts for the show were OneRepublic and Passenger it essentially became a mini-festival straight off one of my now long forgotten iPod playlists. After the soft start of Passenger, who included a joke of how Frozen’s ‘Let It Go’ has been often confused with his most well known song ‘Let Her Go’, the crowd and myself was whipped in a singing and dancing frenzy by the everenergetic Ryan Tedder who brought some absolute tunes as well as some more classic old school OneRepublic. But it was the show put on by the man on the poster after these warm ups that was truly incredible. What is without a doubt Ed’s biggest strength and selling point is his ability as a live performer. Able to control the crowd well while maintaining a high and consistent level of performance, his now famous loop pedal allows him to beautifully craft songs that everyone knows and loves right in front of yours eyes rather than simply slapping on a backing track and singing along. This intermixed with his freestyles of other artists songs with ease and almost seamless transitions between songs made the experience feel unique and not just listening to the album live. If you have not seen it, I would recommend looking up any performance from the show on YouTube or even his performance of ‘Bloodstream’ at the Brit awards of the same year for a glimpse of what is hard to put into words. The proof of all this is the simple fact that Ed Sheeran was the first performer ever to sell out three nights at Wembley without a supporting band. An achievement that is impressive as it sounds and his a testament to his almost universal popularity as well as his impressive talent as a musician. As a single concert goes it managed to put you through a series of emotions and moods. One minute you’ll be bouncing along to ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ then suddenly you will be on the verge of tears looking around the stadium at the phone lights on while Ed sings ‘Photograph’ or, and luckily for me, his first live performance of ‘Small Bump’ since its release almost 4 years prior. While his albums and music may have gotten less personal and more generic, I would stand by the claim that Ed Sheeran is easily one of if not the best live artists around at the moment and I will definitely be in line for his next tour.
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THE EDGE IMAGE BY ED SHEERAN
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Comedian in Focus:
David O’Doherty CARLY-MAY KAVANAGH David O’Doherty is an Irish comedian, musician, writer, and the 1990 East Leinster under 14 triple jump bronze medalist (he seems very proud of that, so he should be). He got into comedy while at Trinity College Dublin, where he wouldn’t do much work but would introduce a lot of shows. After university he spent his time working, including one job which left him retrieving sausages from the floor of a German meat factory, while writing a children’s book which got him into writing comedy for real. His first comedy appearance was in Dublin’s Comedy Cellar in 1998 and his first proper show was at Edinburgh Fringe, The Story of the Boy Who Saved Comedy. For anyone unfamiliar with O’Doherty’s comedy, he sings accompanied by a toy keyboard from the eighties, alongside bursts of stand up, mostly of stories about his life and Dublin. He sings about lowering your expectations, someone who’s definitely not him wanking on a bike, and Shakira turning up at his place singing “David, David, King of Everything / let me feel your sexy body let me feel your skin” while he tells her to “get a hold of your sexy South American horn for just a minute” - though sadly she’s never been able to turn up for that particular duet. Describing his music and comedy as “very low energy musical whimsy”, he’s written a whole host of books and plays including a book called ‘100 Facts About Pandas’ and ‘100 Facts About Sharks’. He released three CDs and won awards including the If.comedy award for David O’Doherty is my name in 2008, a show he took to the Edinburgh Fringe. Every year since then he’s been at the Fringe with a new show, before touring the world for most of the rest of the year, while making TV appearances including hosting ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks’ and writing crosswords for thr Irish Times. He’s toured with Tommy Tiernan, Demetri Martin, and worked with Flight of the Conchords, with his CDs recorded in his bedsit flat to 35 people and Whelan’s in Dublin. Delightfully he doesn’t play up to his Irishness - it would be so simple to, and make for such convenient stand up - rather, he just talks about what he finds funny which he sees as the key to being a good comedian. He has an almost constantly ongoing writing process, talking into his phone and writing on his hands, before doing multiple gigs to put his best material into a show. He has an entire song directed at his friend on how to get over someone, ‘Try To Think of Other Things’, with the motivational lyrics of “Don’t listen to music or at least only instrumental music / or music with lyrics with no emotional impact whatsoever / world cup songs / ‘It Wasn’t Me’ by Shaggy / ‘Who Let The Dogs Out’ actually that’s inappropriate because in the end she took his dog”. He’s such a fantastic act to see live, even when listening to his albums his comedy shines through but there’s nothing like seeing a man in his fourties on a child’s keyboard pretending to be Shakira or singing about a friend’s dog with helium in it. Go and see him live if you get a chance!
THE EDGE IMAGE BY DAVID O’DOHERTY
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LIVE
Review:
Porter Robinson and madeon @ O2 Forum, Kentish Town XAVIER VOIGT-HILL It’s often said that you should quit while you’re ahead, however for the two-man electronic supergroup of Porter Robinson and Madeon their farewell-cum-introductory tour feels more than a tad premature. Both twentysomething producers of vibrant electronic music that feels more significant and coherent than anything else you’d tend to find on a festival main stage, the Shelter era follows their respective debut album cycles – Robinson across Worlds, Madeon on an Adventure – and, when launched with the track of the same name last August, it became all the more baffling that they hadn’t consummated the partnership any earlier in the decade or so since meeting on production forums whilst most others their age were still in potty training. With both parties renowned orchestrators of intricate live experiences that weave samples around their own live vocals and instrumentation, putting the show on the road was – after commissioning a six-minute anime short film as a music video – the next logical step, however the temporary nature of this marriage of kindred spirits permeates every aspect. One vision. One song. One tour. One night in the United Kingdom. One minialbum with a pack-in flag, piano version of ‘Shelter,’ and Blu-ray of the anime, sold only in Japan because apparently the appetite for incredibly cool things is non-existent out west. With London’s sell-out night the first of seven on the February stint that precedes their final performances together at Coachella in April, such was the penchant for queueing that there was even a line to spend £30 on a t-shirt with the ‘Shelter’ single cover. Rather like a more fantastical and inviting version of ODESZA’s staging, Robinson (stage left) and Madeon each face the crowd from behind a right-angled setup of assorted laptops, keyboards, Novation Launchpads, and percussive implements. Whilst both took turns attempting to handle vocal matters – Madeon leading ‘Shelter’ and bringing a jittery funk taste to Kyan’s portions of ‘You’re On’; Robinson duetting as on Worlds with a synthesised Vocaloid character named Avanna – it was the 2,300 in front of them that did most of the work, cheering with each inference of melodic introduction and nailing every word or note shift bar the gibberish-ish result of Google Translate searches that became ‘Flicker.’ For its “wwwwww” vocal chops and the more conventional lyricism of main set closer ‘Goodbye To A World,’ the presented lyrics (and Madeonic runes) on the displays behind them provided a welcome respite from a middle act (‘Technicolor’ / ‘Divinity’ / ‘Innocence’ / ‘La Lune’ / ‘Sea Of Voices’ / ‘Natural Light’) so intensely luminous that it’s entirely plausible that the sun might feel threatened. Throughout, charisma was served generously by the longtime friends watching each other’s deft doings in awe. Robinson, who only took his hefty coat off four tracks/medleys in, hunched with hair lolloping merrily from his beanie like the ears of a beagle. Madeon, whose hands alone became known at 17 for ‘Pop Culture,’ a live 39-track mashup of everyone from Alphabeat to The Killers, embraced the shuddering bass capabilities – particularly on his fiery ‘Imperium’ – to claw firmly at the sky and negotiate with snappy vigour. In tandem, with source material curated from the same secluded spring of precision and wonder, not a truthfully dry eye was released into the night.
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THE EDGE IMAGE BY EDM CHICAGO
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Review:
Two Door Cinema Club @ O2 Guildhall, Southampton EMMA HARRISON-BEESLEY Turning up a sold out this – the and at one
at Guildhall on show by indie crowd’s energy point so many
Monday night you would be forgiven for thinking you were attending fledgings, Sundara Karma. Everything about the quartet’s set suggested was insane; audience members sung along to lesser known releases people were on friends’ shoulders that you couldn’t even see the stage.
In reality, the group from Reading were actually just there to support Irish indie rockers, Two Door Cinema Club. Regardless, Sundara Karma proved themselves to be the perfect opening act and even in the short interval after their set, refrains of their hit ‘A Young Understanding’ could still be heard amongst the audience. With big boots to fill, Two Door Cinema Club exploded onto the stage with indie rock anthem ‘Cigarettes in the Theatre’, reuniting every crowd member with the glorious indie days of 2010. Following this with ‘Undercover Martyn’ – another NME and Propaganda night out classic – the gig was set to be one filled with lyric belting. The trio continued the reminiscing with tracks ‘Do You Want It All?’ and ‘This Is The Life’, treating Southampton fans to a collection of songs that at previous shows would have been reserved for the encore. Such a strong introduction proved that even after a-seemingly-lengthy absence from the music scene, Two Door Cinema Club are back and stronger than ever. Six songs in and the Irish trio delved into songs from their latest album, Gameshow. Funk-esque single ‘Bad Decisions’ had the audience airing their disco moves, as well as showing off lead singer Alex Trimble impressively high vocal range. Set to a beautiful light show, tracks ‘Lavender’ and ‘Ordinary’ quickly followed suit and confirmed the band’s new pop-infused tone inspired by cited influences Prince and Bowie. The songs also offered relevant social and political commentary: Trimble seductively sung the line, “If you close your mind to what’s happening right outside your door / You’re only giving in” – a comment that could currently be applied to a few world events at the moment… Despite Two Door Cinema Club super-fans, (so-called ‘Basement People’), previously criticising their apparent evolution in sound, those present at the gig didn’t seem to let this bother them. However even with the warm reaction, the boys concentrated on the tracks that had initially earnt them their success. Returning to singles from their debut, Tourist History, and their sophomore album, Beacon, the band continued the crowd’s unwavering energy and delight with favourites ‘Sleep Alone’ and ‘Eat That Up It’s Good For You’. After a short and humble thank you speech, Trimble and ‘What You Know’ by saying how good it was to be The consequent ringing applause in the final bars of the overwhelmingly adoring audience were welcoming them back
introduced closers, ‘Sun’, ‘Someday’ back in Southampton after 4 years. evening showed just how much the to the South coast with open arms.
THE EDGE IMAGE BY TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB
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LISTINGS FILM
LIVE
20th MARCH
28TH FEBRUARY
28TH FEBRUARY
The Stranglers @ O2 Guildhall
Christine @ Harbour Lights
SleepTalking @ The Talking Heads
21ST MARCH
5TH MARCH
2ND MARCH
Foxing @ The Joiners
T2: Trainspotting @ Union Films
EDGETIVAL (ft. Castafiore, Plastic Barricades
23RD MARCH
Goodfellas @ Harbour Lights
and Music + Medicine) @ The Talking Heads
The Outcasts @ The Talking Heads
7TH MARCH
The Amazons @ The Joiners
Barry Douglas @ Turner Sims
Split @ Union Films
The Answer @ Engine Rooms
25TH MARCH
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars @
3RD MARCH
Dreadzone @ The Brook
Harbour Lights
Annisokay + Griever @ The Joiners
26TH MARCH
12TH MARCH
Doors Alive @ The Brook
Andy Parsons - Peak Bullsh*t @ Nuffield
Assassin’s Creed @ Union Films
4TH MARCH
Southampton Theatre
The Lego Batman Movie @ Union Films
The Mods @ The Brook
28TH MARCH
Raging Bull @ Harbour Lights
Rafael Aguirre @ Turner Sims
Feeder @ O2 Guildhall
14TH MARCH
5TH MARCH
31ST MARCH
La La Land @ Union Films
Evarose @ The Joiners
Grand Magus @ The Talking Heads
The Love Witch @ Harbour Lights
6TH MARCH
Creeper @ The 1865
19TH MARCH
SUM 41 @ O2 Guildhall
The King of Comedy @ Harbour Lights
7TH MARCH
23RD MARCH
The Splash/Fairweather @ The Talking Heads
University of Southampton Student Film
Stiff Little Fingers @ Engine Rooms
Festival @ The Cube
She’koyokh @ Turner Sims
26TH MARCH
8TH MARCH
Cape Fear @ Harbour Lights
Southern Companion/The Kondoors @ The
28TH MARCH
Talking Heads
Certain Women @ Harbour Lights
9TH MARCH Mad Dog McRea @ The Talking Heads
Theatre 7TH FEB - 4TH MARCH Billy Elliot @ Mayflower 6TH-11TH MARCH Theatre Group Present: Breaking @ Highfield Campus 6TH-25TH MARCH The Grapes of Wrath @ Nuffield Southampton Theatre 7-11TH MARCH Peter James’ Not Dead Enough @ Mayflower 14TH-18TH MARCH Ghost: The Musical @ Mayflower 21ST-25TH MARCH The Red Shoes @ Mayflower 27TH MARCH - 1ST APRIL The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime @ Mayflower 28TH MARCH -1ST APRIL The Twits @ Nuffield Southampton Theatre
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State Champs + As It Is @ The Joiners 11TH MARCH Ben Haenow @ Engine Rooms A Bit of Magic with Stu & Friends @ The Stage Door 12TH MARCH Dutch Uncles @ The Talking Heads 13TH MARCH All Time Low @ O2 Guildhall LA Guns @ The Brook 15TH MARCH Wishbone Ash @ The Brook 16TH MARCH Steve Nimmo @ The Talking Heads Nathan Grisdale @ The Joiners 17TH MARCH Courtesans @ The Talking Heads The Early November @ The Joiners 19th March Suicide Silence @ Engine Rooms
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