MINI MAG JANUARY 2021 Free
END OF THE YEAR
EDITORIAL
MINI MAG The Team EDITOR
Morgan McMillan
editor@theedgesusu.co.uk
DEPUTY EDITOR
Maddie Lock
deputy-editor@theedgesusu.co.uk
NEWS EDITOR
Sam Pegg
news@theedgesusu.co.uk
RECORDS EDITOR
Alice Fortt
records@theedgesusu.co.uk
DIGITAL CULTURE EDITOR
Harry Geeves
culture@theedgesusu.co.uk
CLASSIC CULTURE EDITOR
Oliviar Dellar
culture@theedgesusu.co.uk
FILM EDITOR
Theo Smith
film@theedgesusu.co.uk
FILM SUB-EDITOR
Lucy Maggs
film@theedgesusu.co.uk
LIVE EDITOR
Jo Lisney
live@theedgesusu.co.uk
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
Kiera Gormley
liverecords-pr@theedgesusu.co.uk
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
Becky Davies
culturefilm-pr@theedgesusu.co.uk
ONLINE MANAGER
Menno Kramer
manager@theedgesusu.co.uk
HEAD OF DESIGN
Rebecca Ormsby
design@theedgesusu.co.uk
FEP OFFICER
Georgie Holmes
publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk
FEP OFFICER
Charlotte Brennan events@susu.org
RECORDS/LIVE EXECUTIVE
Katie Evans
CULTURE EXECUTIVE
Emily Dennis 01
Editor’s Note
END OF YEAR JANUARY 2021
2020 may not have been the year we had all planned, however despite the pandemic and the never-ending lockdowns, entertainment didn’t slow down. Musicians, directors, artists and more went out and created new and innovative ways for us to consume all means of entertainment without even leaving our houses. There were many negative impacts to the entertainment industry this year such as the closure of cinemas, performers being unable to perform and theatres closing down. But in this magazine The Edge wanted to promote all the positive things 2020 brought us. 2020 was a strange year for live music, we started to see musicians transform the way they perform for an audience with the emergence of livestream concerts which have been a hit success across the world. The great thing about a livestream is no one would ever miss out on a show again, all you needed was an electronic device and some spare time and you were ready to watch your favourite artist or comedian perform. Our writers described their favourite livestreams and concerts (p. 3). Some of our writers were even lucky enough to see shows live in-person and detail that amazing experience which we have all grown to appreciate on a whole new level. Recorded music also took a huge swing with artists such as Lady Gaga, IDLES and Taylor Swift granting us not just one but two albums in 2020 (p. 5) The list features our writers favourite albums of the year and their top picks, but there are also thousands of other artists who released fantastic albums which The Edge has reviewed on our website. Video Games also became a staple of 2020 with many of us turning to video games to explore new dystopic worlds such as The Last of Us II. Whilst others dreamt of becoming superstar basketball players in NBA 2K21. Video Games provided us child-like fun through Super Mario and our writers detail their favourite video games of 2020, all of which are completely different genres (p. 7). Let’s not forget the news that shook 2020 (p. 9), a variety of news stories shocked the world this year and for the full article check our website. We saw records breaking, cinema closing and film studios depending on streaming services to release their films. It was a shocking year.
Morgan McMillan, Editor
EDITORIAL
CONTENTS 03
TOP 5 LIVE ACTS OF 2020
05
THE EDGE’S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2020
07
THE EDGE’S FAVOURITE GAMES OF 2020
09
NEWS THAT SHOOK 2020 Follow Us! /theedgesusu @theedgesusu @theedgesusu Cover image courtesy of WARNER BROS
02
LIVE
TOP 5 LIVE ACTS OF 2020
The Struts
I’ve seen The Struts a few (maybe too many) times, and they never fail to put on an incredible performance! Frontman Luke Spiller shines in all his over-the-top glory, and the band gets everyone up and dancing - bringing good vibes to the whole crowd. One of their top songs live has to be ‘Kiss This’, a classic track from way back when they first hopped onto the music scene in 2014. The Struts can hold almost any type of crowd, from indoor shows to festival gigs, and their unique but Queenesque style means that no matter the audience - they’ll leave people wanting more! My favourite track that they performed when I saw them at the O2 Academy Bournemouth back in February this year was ‘Mary Go Round’ from their debut album ‘Everybody Wants’. The song is mellow but a power ballad about love and loss and is a brilliant showstopper. If you haven’t had the chance to catch The Struts live then you should seriously change that! KATIE EVANS
03
Although 2020 has been a very difficult year for live, there were some awesome in-person and amazing livestream concerts.
Hozier
Hozier’s livestreams throughout the first lockdown way back when in March were frankly beautiful. I suppose, however, that’s not surprising coming from him. They were simple, don’t get me wrong, just him, a friend and a guitar sat at his dining room table singing songs, but his voice is just *chef’s kiss*; he’s otherworldly, and definitely an ancient god of the forest as most Tumblr users would have you believe. His livestreams were absolutely enrapturing, and he graced us with some of the best songs from his discography; ‘From Eden’, ‘Take Me To Church’, ‘Movement’, ‘Work Song’, and ‘Cherry Wine’. Not to mention, he did a damn good cover of Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ which drove the internet (and myself) absolutely wild. You haven’t experienced true heaven until you’ve heard ‘Cherry Wine’ sung live, with the accompaniment of birdsong from the starlings that were roosting in dear old Andrew’s chimney at the time. His livestreams were truly a beauty to behold, and one of my favourite online moments in lockdown. ALICE FORTT
Image courtesy of UMG
LIVE
Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes
If you find yourself at a Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes gig any time soon (when we’re able to get back to gigs again) then expect the wildest of nights. They know how to put on a show, and by this I mean they know how to both terrify and excite you simultaneously with both their ferocious tunes and crazy audience participation. Their gigs are definitely aimed towards those who really need to use that pent up energy, and from crowd surfing to shouting the lyrics to ‘I Hate You’ (look them up if you want to know exactly what I mean) you’re in for the craziest night of your concert-going life. I was lucky enough to get the chance to catch the band at their largest headline show at Alexandra Palace earlier this year in February which allowed me to sing my heart out to killer tracks including ‘Kitty Sucker’, ‘Vampires’ and ‘Lullaby’ - to name but a few. Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes deserve a place in the Top 5 live artists of the year for the pure passion and energy that they put into every performance. KATIE EVANS
Salem
Local Southampton band Salem gave us a fabulous, distanced, between-lockdown Halloween Cabaret in Southampton this year. It was exactly what everyone needed, and was the chance to dress up and enjoy incredible music, something we only got to do a handful of times this year. They handled the change of energy at the gig with ease, and it felt like things were almost normal when they performed their vibrant EP at The 1865. No wonder it sold out almost instantly! VICKY GREER
Image courtesy of MTV
The 1975
They were incredible live and sound so much like they do on their records. As they had a new record coming out this year, they played some of their tracks before release and that was very special and worth the money seeing them. Likewise, the band are very in right now for their stance on politics and the environment - something that was a hot topic on the night. Matt Healey also encouraged those within the venue to think about their impact on the environment with a powerful message on the screen behind them, before launching into a song. It is important that big bands use their platform for change and for good, something The 1975 are good at. On another note though, they threw back to ‘Chocolate’, ‘Girls’ and ‘The Sound’ to launch the dance fest that it was to become and honestly - I am so glad I got to see them while we could. JO LISNEY
04
RECORDS
The Edge’s Top 10
1
Taylor Swift - Folklore
2
Creeper - Sex, Death and the Infinite Void
3
Fontaines D.C. - A Hero’s Death
4 5
‘A truly remarkable piece of lyric writing, music and everything in between’ - Sam Pegg
‘Absolute best lyrics of the year with massive choruses and the most dramatic, theatrical concept album I’ve ever heard’ Vicky Greer
‘It is without a doubt the most exhilarating album of the year. Fontaines D.C did not worry about their own metaphorical death in creating this album; nor did they have to.’ - Vicky Greer
Enter Shikari - Nothing is True and Everything is Possible
‘Nothing is True & Everything is Possible highlights the brilliance of front-man Rou Reynold’s mind and the positive force of music as a way of connecting people and meaning’ - Katie Evans
Boy Pablo - Wachito Rico
‘Wachito Rico is full of Latin influences and Spanglish lyrics to appeal to the wider masses. Nicolas Muñoz is a legend, latin indie-pop KING.’ - Olivia Dellar Image courtesy of PARTISAN RECORDS
05
image Courtesy of UNSPLASH
RECORDS
Albums of 2020 IDLES - Ultra Mono
6
Lady Gaga - Chromatica
7
Kylie Minogue - Disco
8
Declan McKenna - Zeros
9
‘Such a great collection of powerful music, arguably the best heavy album of the year. This will SLAP live’ - Vicky Greer
‘Chromatica was an awesome, tune-filled journey into the dance-pop world of Gaga’s imagination, and I was just happy to be along for the ride’ - Alice Fortt
‘Despite the challenges faced, this album still manages to be a positively upbeat record, and you can’t help but smile when listening to it’ - Connie Seamer
‘From politics to personal relationships, McKenna appears to be able to discuss it all - and with his latest album Zeros, it is clear that his lyricism is growing stronger and stronger’ - Katie Evans
Selena Gomez - Rare
‘I love this album! There are very few skips and this is pure joy to listen to’ - Becky Davies
Image courtesy of...TOMPLICATED
10 06
CULTURE
The Edge’s favourite THE LAST OF US PART II
Despite the controversy surrounding The Last of Us Part II’s narrative decisions, there’s no denying that it is one of the greatest games of 2020 and one of the best PlayStation exclusives to date. With a harrowing journey following the game’s protagonist Ellie, the adventure Naughty Dog weaved was filled with beautiful landscapes and tough combat, featuring a story filled with heartbreak and poignancy that made it a journey of unrivalled glory. It pushed players to the extreme depths of revenge, forcing them to partake in actions where the consequences were always measured in equal severity and gave birth to questions on the justifiability of revenge. The game went to extreme lengths to humanise its “antagonist”, becoming less clear-cut and decisive than the first game’s journey. The Last of Us Part II was a beautiful progression of the Joel and Ellie narrative, maybe not telling the story we wanted it to, but the story it needed to. SAM PEGG
DOOM Eternal
It’s been an interesting year for video games. We have had a lot of very interesting games: Hades, Animal Crossing New Horizons, The Last of Us Part 2, Ghost of Tsushima, and of course Cyberpunk 2077. It certainly hasn’t been easy picking a winner but, for me, DOOM Eternal has just squeezed out in front. id’s combat puzzling is gleeful, soul-rendering carnage. In the new DOOM, much like in its predecessor, we’re not here to answer questions about human nature or morality; we’re here to rip and tear our way through a neverending hoard of demons. There were parts of Eternal that had me cackling with just how brutal the slayer is, the satisfaction of crunching through the last demon, or finishing off enemies with a double-barrelled minigun and then hacking them in half. There’s no art here, there’s no message, it’s just 20 hours of pure unadulterated chaos, and that’s why it gets my game of the year. JOSH LE LONG
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Is this a basic pick for favourite games of the year? Maybe so, but damn is it a valid one. Animal Crossing: New Horizons could honestly not have arrived at a better time, landing on the Nintendo Switch just as UK lockdown started. Like the rest of the world, I became absolutely obsessed, racking up over 150 hours in the game over an alarmingly short period of time (there wasn’t a lot to do in quarantine, okay?). It provided a peaceful, beautiful, anthropomorphism-filled escape from the stress of the current world. Not to mention, having played through most of the Animal Crossing series throughout my life, I loved the new game structure New Horizons offered; the ability to landscape, terraform and decorate your very own island was a genius move from Nintendo. AC gameplay can get a bit repetitive after a while, but not when you’re re-designing your whole island for the third time. I also loved the worldwide community that formed because of the game; everyone was sharing photos of their islands and dodo codes to let people visit. Whole online communities cropped up just to trade and make friends. At a time when the world felt more isolating than ever, Animal Crossing: New Horizons provided a new platform to make friends, be creative and just have some carefree fun. ALICE FORTT
07
Image of... Images courtesy of. courtesy UNSPLASH
CULTURE
games of 2020 SUPER MARIO 3D ALL-STARS
Super Mario 3D All-Stars brings together 3 of Nintendo’s classic home console releases starring the titular plumber. Containing Mario 64, Sunshine and Galaxy, the collection stands as a testament to the evolution and endearing nature of the franchise and its capability to enthral players all these years later. While it lacks the compelling narrative of The Last of Us Part II and the graphical overhaul seen in the most recent Crash Bandicoot, the individual games’ quality still shines through. Sliding down Cool, Cool Mountain, exploring Pinna Park and exorcising the Ghostly Galaxy all still compel the player to move forward. Galaxy’s gravitybending mechanics are a reversal from Sunshine’s slower and more intricate F.L.U.D.D. traversal; there is bound to be a gameplay style that suits each player. Despite any individual flaws these games may have, all three coalesce into a concise package that brings together three of Mario’s most distinct worlds. Mario is simply fun to control in any of these spaces, and Nintendo has provided a collection to allow Switch users the chance to re-experience them or experience them for the first time. ROSS HOLMES
Halo PC Ports
In a troublesome year, it was a joy to revisit some of the best ever first-person shooters ever released, especially with graphical fidelity greater than when they’d initially released on the Xbox 360. While technically Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) came out last year on PC, most of its games were added this year (0nly Halo: Reach was released on PC in 2019). Revisiting Halo 2 over a decade after I’d initially played it, with the Anniversary Edition updates, was especially fantastic. The packaging together of the MCC is also impressive, having one menu to visit six different Halo games and their respective multiplayer modes, as well as respectful but meaningful additions like lost armours or pre-order bonuses, is just the icing on top. The MCC even manages to correct issues that had plagued the original MCC on Xbox One, namely lacking modes on Halo 3: ODST, with this being fixed both on both platforms now. The nostalgia and fun this collection has consistently created for me are why it is my game of the year. With the closure of the Xbox 360 servers for Halo next year there is no better time to get a Killtacular on Zanzibar, Blood Gulch, or any of the other 110+ maps in the MCC. CONOR O’HANLON
NBA 2K21
NBA 2K21 is my favourite game of the year for three reasons. I love basketball; it stars Jesse Williams; and it’s the only game I’m playing at the moment. NBA 2K21 is all about the community - the neighbourhood in the MyCareer mode has expanded to 2K Beach and is a great place to play online in cage games, the Rec, 1v1 and more. The great storyline in MyCareer is why it stands out as different to any other sports game. Jesse Williams stars as your father, Duke, a college superstar player who never made it to the NBA. You are Junior and are trying to establish yourself outside of your dad’s spotlight. Each decision you make during the story mode impacts your career making it feel like your story. In the next-gen version of the game you are also able to create your own WNBA player, which is a brand-new feature and a fabulous step towards equality in basketball. NBA 2K21 breaks boundaries on what a sports game is all about and I absolutely adore it! MORGAN MCMILLAN
08
NEWS
NEWS THAT
SHOOK 2020 the impact of the pandemic oN the arts in southampton
Warner Bros. to Debut Entire 2021 Film Slate on HBO Max
The news of Warner Bros. releasing all their movies for 2021 on HBO Max is a decision that could quite literally change the face of cinema. While HBO Max is not currently available in the UK, the decision will undoubtedly sacrifice Warner Bros. theatrical profits to bolster HBO Max’s content. While broadly good for the consumer, the decision will likely have severe effects for the cinema industry, and seemingly very few in the industry are happy about it. That is excluding those who worked on Wonder Woman 1989 who were essentially paid hush money, not a good look. Christopher Nolan, always up to speak on behalf of the cinema industry, blasted the decision, as did the director of the upcoming Dune adaption Denis Villeneuve. Dune will be caught up in this deal if it comes to fruition next year. Villeneuve described the move as one intended to save the owner of Warner Bros. and HBO Max, AT&T, and disregard anyone else. Both directors called out HBO Max itself, Nolan even describing it as “the worst streaming service”. I am not sure either will be working with Warner Bros. anytime soon, but it is hard to disagree. If their plan succeeds, the cinema industry is unlikely to survive much longer. The lack of communication with the people who toil over making these films is particularly egregious. Some cinemas have even threatened to cut ticket prices to limit the money Warner Bros. would get from ticket sales even further. Perhaps the saving grace for the UK though is that HBO Max has not made it across the pond yet. CONOR O’HANLON
09
This year, Southampton launched its bid to become City of Culture 2025 following years of investment in the Cultural Quarter, with a campaign fronted by famous residents including singer Craig David and Masterchef winner Shelina Permalloo. However, the arts and culture industries took a substantial hit during the COVID-19 pandemic this year, and Southampton venues have been no exception. In May, Nuffield Southampton Theatres went into administration just weeks after being forced to close for the first lockdown. At first, it appeared the theatres would close permanently, but in September the Mayflower Theatre Trust purchased the Studio 144 theatre in Guildhall Square. It will be renamed MAST Mayflower Studios, and the first performances are expected to take place next Spring. Further attempts have been made to rejuvenate the arts sector in Southampton through the creation of GO! Southampton’s new platform called ‘Southampton from your SOfa’. As arts venues were made to close during the lockdown, this project, part of the Visit Southampton website, was marketed as a onestop place for artists from across the city. The closure of several local venues over the lockdown period has taken its toll, not least because many small venues were already struggling before the pandemic. The Joiners launched a fundraising campaign back in March to help them survive the impacts of coronavirus. In October, they were among several local venues to benefit from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund. However, not all of our venues were included, despite around 89% of all applications being successful. The 1865 was rejected by the fund and was subsequently placed among the Music Venue Trust’s list of 30 venues facing imminent closure due to the pandemic. They also have launched a crowdfunding campaign to survive having to operate at just 20% capacity for the foreseeable future. BECKY DAVIES
Image courtesy of WARNER BROTHERS
NEWS
Taylor Swift’s folklore Breaks Multiple Records
Taylor Swift’s eighth album folklore broke many records in its first weeks of sale. It gained 80.6 million streams in one day on Spotify, the highest for any female artist, and sold 846,000 copies in its first week, making Swift the first artist in US chart history to have seven albums sell more than 500,000 copies in a single week. folklore also topped many charts. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and topping the charts in the UK, Finland, Australia, Norway, New Zealand and Belgium. All of its tracks debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, with ‘cardigan’ at the number one spot, making Swift the first person to debut at the top of both the album and singles chart in one week. Not only did it break many chart records, but it also earned Swift some of the most positive reviews of her career. folklore has a current score of 88 on Metacritic, the highest of any of her previous albums. The album was praised for its stripped-back production and meaningful lyrics, which give it a level of maturity and thoughtfulness that sets it apart from her previous work. CONNIE SEAMER
Joe Lycett Changes His Name to Hugo Boss
On the 1st of March, comedian and presenter Joe Lycett, known for his stunts on panel shows including 8 out of 10 Cats, Taskmaster, and his own stage shows like That’s the Way, A-ha, A-ha, Joe Lycett (2016), decided to change his name by deed poll to match the worldwide fashion brand Hugo Boss. The name change came about after the comedian discovered that the brand Hugo Boss had been pushing small and independent businesses into corners with cease and desist letters if they dared include the word ‘BOSS’ in their company branding/ name. As someone passionate about consumer rights, as evident in his own show Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back (2019-) where he fights back against troublesome corporations, it made sense that Lycett decided to pick a struggle with such a huge organisation - yet it did still come as a surprise. Only a month later after the initial change did Lycett change his name back; however, the comedian’s statement brings issues of corporate power to the forefront. Fair play, Joe! KATIE EVANS
Image courtesy of...REPUBLIC
Eddie Van Halen Passes Away
On October 6th 2020, Eddie Van Halen passed from throat cancer, sending the music industry and fans into unbelievable grief. Eddie Van Halen inspired hundreds of musicians; Myles Kennedy (frontman, Alter Bridge), took to Instagram to share his respects and reflect on the Van Halen lead guitarist’s incredible talents. Kennedy spoke for everyone through an emotive caption speaking of how Halen ‘ignited the dreams and aspirations of millions of guitarists around the world....myself included. He was without a doubt one of the greatest.’ Eddie and his brother Alex formed Van Halen in the early 70s, along with bassist Michael Anthony and iconic frontman David Lee Roth. Despite the band defining 80s glam rock, they didn’t release an album until 1978 a year after Warner Bros signed them in 1977. Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Eddie was born into a family of music. His father Jan was a jazz pianist, clarinettist and saxophonist, so it’s no wonder he became one of the all-time best guitar players in rock history. The rock veteran’s death shook the band to the core, on November 16th 2020 Halen’s son Wolfgang announced that the band would not continue, saying ‘You can’t have Van Halen without Eddie Van Halen’ drawing one of the biggest rock legacies to a close. OLIVIA DELLAR
10
IMAGE COURTESY OF VINCENTIU SOLOMONMON