Editorial
theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
Edge Committee 12/13 Editor: David Martin
editor@theedgesusu.co.uk
Deputy Editor: George Doel
deputyeditor@theedgesusu.co.uk
Records Editor: Howell Davies records@theedgesusu.co.uk
Features Editor: Andrew Ovenden
features@theedgesusu.co.uk
Film Editor: Barnaby Walter film@theedgesusu.co.uk
Culture Editor: Cally Beckley
culture@theedgesusu.co.uk
Live Editor: Megan Downing
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editor@theedgesusu.co.uk
As I sit in here on a surprisingly warm February aftenoon in Southampton, you get the impression things are starting to kick off again on campus. Lectures replace the monotonous days spent revising, the Union building becomes a hub of activity once more and we at The Edge produce our first issue of 2013. Over the Christmas break a great number of you voted in our top 10 albums of the year feature and in my opinion we got a deserved winner in the form of Alt-J. In this issue we look at a few of the artists that are
tipped to do big things in 2013 including The 1975 and Charlie XCX. The new year also sees the return of many of our much loved artists, and we have reviews of Local Natives and Biffy Clyro whilst video games take centre stage in our Culture section. Finally, I believe we’re witnessing a great period of film releases and this can be summed up in the scores of reviews that are are claiming 4 or 5 stars. Be sure to check out at least one of these at a cinema soon, with a film for every taste. David Martin
live@theedgesusu.co.uk
Online Editor: Tasha Onwuemezi
online@theedgesusu.co.uk
Online Manager: Matthew Higgins manager@theedgesusu.co.uk
Head of Design: Matt Timmiss design@theedgesusu.co.uk
Head of Relations: Dan Flynn relations@theedgesusu.co.uk
Head of Publicity: Corinne Gurr publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk
Editor In Chief: David Gilani
vpcomms@susu.org
Featured Contributors Jan Kobal, David Martin, Alex Meehan, Hannah Mylrea, Howell Davies, Dan Flynn, NĂĄtt Day, Megan Downing, Phoebe Cross, George Doel, Gen Heron, Mike Cottrell, Barnaby Walter, Andrew Ovenden, Edd Cockshutt, Christopher Misfud, Matt Timmiss, Ben Soper.
Contents
editor@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
What’s Inside Issue 12
Records
4 7 9
Local Natives - Hummingbird Biffy Clyro - Opposites The 1975 - ‘Chocolate’
Features
10 12
Vaccines Interview @ Joiners An Interview with Tim O T
Film
14 16
Wreck-It-Ralph Lincoln & Zero Dark Thirty
Culture
20 22
Current Blockbuster Games RETRO: Star Fox (1993)
Live
24 28-29
Two Door Cinema Club @ Guildhall Joiners Benefit Gigs
Listings
30
3
Records
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Local Natives Hummingbird With a denser and more polished sound, do the LA quartet expand their sonic palette laterally or vertically with Hummingbird? Local Natives have always been an act both difficult to place yet immediately recognizable. It is this aspect of the band that has always given me a hard time with regards to forming a cohesive opinion about them. An act like Death Grips immediately leaves me with an impression of abrasive and immensely infectious beats and grimacing shouts; yet Local Natives, even with their latest LP, leave me yearning for an opinion I can truly support irrevocably. The production on this album sees a denser direction be taken. In part probably due to the contribution of good friend (and The National guitarist and keyboardist) Aaron Dessner. Each instrument creates an atmosphere in its own timbre, carefully constructed to dovetail nicely with each other. These overarching melodies and harmonies are quite nicely laced with an enthusiastic and innovative rhythm to drive it. That being the prevailing theme I seem to find with the album, that it is just that, nice. I unfortunately have qualms with only being able to label an experience as nice. Rare moments on the album lead me to believe the instrumentation to be a beautiful catharsis of both vocal harmony and delicately reverberated guitar and piano; yet often times I find what one would assume to be beauty, to instead be meandering sounds coalescing into any conceivable piece of alternative music one might imagine to be produced in this day and age.
The grooves and melodies on this LP would seem fitting in a myriad of their influences, of which there are so many I’ve decided to rather not list them. I instead opt to simply acknowledge their existence and try to comprehend what the lads have put forth as an individual work of art. This is where I hit a wall. There is no denying that I have spent countless hours over the past few years listening to bands that have pervaded the realm of music Local Natives inhabit, Which is often why I hear their influences play through them, rather than hear a quartet play its life ambition. Not to say the LP is bereft of curiosity or beauty, because it isn’t. Standouts such as ‘Ceilings’, ‘Colombia’, ‘Wooly Mammoth’, and ‘Breakers’ are prime examples as to why the band piqued my interest in the first place. These tracks decide to invade the inner experimentalism that is quite inherent within the band, yet rarely exploited. Instead the remaining tracks decide to surround themselves in an aura of construction that could, and should have, been probed and inquired into. In a sense I suppose I feel the album to be safe rather than risqué, a logical step instead of a bold move. Does this make me feel this album is not an enjoyable work of art to be avoided? Heavens no, the work is significant in its own right. Do I feel that more could have been done in the way of experimentation and progression? I certainly do. I’m feeling a strong 3 stars at a minimum. Jan Kobal
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Records
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Delphic - Collections Delphic’s sophomore album, is a bizarre, incoherent mix of tracks which loses the vibrancy that made the dance-pop three-piece stand out in the first place Back in early 2010, dance-pop was starting to be redefined. It was perhaps the best time if you maybe wanted to fuse dance and rock, something that has always been notoriously tricky. Delphic took up the mantle. Capturing commercialised vibes, augmenting them a little and introducing a load of electronic instrumentation, their début album Acolyte was the sound of a dystopian underground, but it was a vibrant and fresh triumph. Returning almost exactly three years later, the same cannot be said of Collections. Lead single ‘Baiya’ is probably the most reminiscent of ‘Good Life’ which was an incredibly energetic, polished and generally fun track especially commissioned for the Olympics. Someone should have told them to keep making those sort of tracks. Whilst ‘Baiya’ is probably the best link to Acolyte in terms of energy, the lads from Manchester have been having more fun than is probably healthy with a drum machine, something which continues throughout the album. After only ten minutes, its quick to realise that Collections has practically no coherence which, at times, seems almost amateur. As you just about get familiar with the direction of one of the tracks, the sounds lurch violently in another direction which is audibly disorientating. The only consistency is the inconsistency with the band rather bizarrely attempting to layer new styles on already busy songs as if to say ‘Look at how innovative we are!’. Maybe they wanted to shake off the New Order
comparisons or had a genuine desire to change. It really is tricky to explain what is happening across the album. ‘Freedom Found’ is a mix of light R&B and Australian electro-pop. ‘Atlas’ starts with soul and classic rock and ends six minutes later having paid homage to almost all musical styles of the past generation. ‘The Sun Also Rises’ has more of a rumbling pop vibe to it. Whilst things do improve in the middle segment of the album and you can perhaps trace the faintest thread which brings things together, this is a whirlwind tour, lost in time and is not a comfortable experience for the listener. Sadly Delphic have lost the vibrancy and cohesiveness which made previous tracks such as ‘Counterpoint’ and ‘This Momentary’ so exciting. Collections has too many weak tracks which don’t last long in the memory. There are certainly glimpses of promise and the band of course have talent but it hasn’t been channelled. The album leaves you with far too many questions; Why is there a rap on ‘Exotic’? Is that a voice mail in ‘Tears Before Bedtime’? Why does ‘Atlas’ have a dubstep breakdown? These are questions you never thought you would be asking of Delphic as they pillage from contemporaries and struggle to string it all together; it remains simply, a collection for show. David Martin
Records
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Biffy Clyro - Opposites Biffy Clyro impress with the release of their seventh studio album, following on from their successful 2009 record Only Revolutions For Biffy Clyro’s seventh studio album, the title Opposites is not an entirely appropriate one. While the first half: The Sand at the Core of Our Bones looks inward and the second half: The Land at the End of Our Toes looks forward, both halves cannot be viewed as separate entities, but rather they rely on each other to paint a picture of the band’s past and future hopes and fears. Listening to Opposites is an experience where talented Scottish guitarist/vocalist Simon Neil, bassist James Johnson and drummer Ben Johnson inject you with rousing choruses, infectious guitar riffs, surprising experimentation and ingenious lyrics. Opening track ‘Different People’ feels like the band are opening the door to their own personal therapy session, portraying themselves as lost souls with desperate lyrics and furious guitar. Single ‘Black Chandelier’ follows in similar tones of madness, containing an unnerving chant of “Drip, drip” and the line “Cute little cup of cyanide” the song succeeds in creating several disturbing minutes. Whereas ‘Sounds like Balloons’ strays into the bizarre, showcasing an excellent little riff and a chorus that’s irresistible not to sing along to. After the furious hits of the first three songs, ‘Opposite’ serves as a mournful balm to Biffy’s wounds, including a gentle violin accompaniment which works beautifully. ‘Bibilical’ seems to tread new ground, featuring an incredible chorus which arguably strays into the realms of heavy bass with the use of procession and punching vocals. In contrast, ‘A Girl And His Cat’, doesn’t stand out nearly as much, and perhaps a
better serving of Biffy being fantastically weird is the apocalyptic comedy ‘Little Hospitals’, best summed up by the line “I’ll turn your baby into lemonade”. The first disc ends on a softer note however, with the soothing romantic vocals of the ‘The Thaw’, lines such as “Tonight were going to share the same space” revealing a far more compassionate side to the trio. The second disc is announced by the twisted fanfare of ‘Stingin’ Belle’, a merciless anthem that turns out to be a unique pleasure in a blend of bagpipes and lyrics like “Think you’re cool/like a porcupine”, which instantly brought an indulgent smile to my face. An upbeat and optimistic mood is established and upheld by the trumpet backed ‘Spanish Radio’, frantic guitar and vocals in ‘Victory Over The Sun’ and the feel-good aura infused in ‘Pocket’. And yet it’s the last few songs of the album which reflect the true message Biffy Clyro are trying to put across, in ‘Skylight’ Simon promises listeners that “I know where we’re going from here”, and both ‘Woo Woo’ and ‘Picture A Knife Fight’ round this 20 track epic off in a triumphant finale, promising to make an amazing live performance. Even after the huge success of Only Revolutions in 2009, Biffy Clyro haven’t cracked under the expectation of undertaking such a massive task and this strain on their relationship hasn’t ruined them. Opposites is essentially the essence of who Biffy Clyro are as a band laid out on two inter-twined plates, it’s bravery is admirable and the result is astounding. Alex Meehan
Records
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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz ‘Thrift Shop’ Thrift shops are not a subject usually incorporated into rap songs, so I wondered how a song about old clothes would work. And then I heard it, and I don’t think I’ve stopped listening since. It’s everything that shouldn’t work in a rap song; a saxophone riff and frankly hilarious lyrics (“I could take some Pro Wings, make them cool, sell those / The sneaker heads would be like ‘Aw, he got the Velcros’”); but it just does. And then there’s the video; It’s basically just Macklemore and his crew prancing about in some ridiculous clothes (think huge fur coats and a batman onesie); it sounds silly, but give it a watch. Although it’ll win no awards for the most ‘emotive and moving’ lyrics, it’s a humorous song that will be stuck in your head for days afterwards. Hannah Mylrea
King Krule - ‘Octopus’
Charli XCX - ‘You (Ha Ha Ha)’
After the release of the King Krule EP in 2011 this 18 year old singer songwriter has gone from strength to strength. Following his nomination for the BBC’s Sound of 2013, it’s no surprise Krule’s scatterbrained, venturous single ‘Octopus’ is the latest of his songs to be made into a video.
The sparkly, rebellious alt-pop 20-year-old has been tipped for huge things in 2013 - this effort to become a commercial success fronted by single ‘You (Ha Ha Ha)’. An energetically echoing sample from Gold Panda accompanies XCX’s croaky half-singing-halftalking voice. Having recently received criticism for the video where girls in rave gear dance around with threatening firearms and lipstick bullets, perhaps this is not the best choice of single for Charli right now.
The single itself swings effervescently over gentle synth and guitar swells before skipping into a skittering, jumpy drum loop. Krule’s calm, hypnotic delivery is reminiscent of Morrissey and Edwyn Collins and like his idols the Londoner clearly knows how to keep his audience captivated. It’s tropical, it’s sombre, it’s troubled. Have a listen. It’d be Krule not to. Jack Bowen
However, the track itself is innovative and breaking boundaries of contemporary pop music. The buoyant sample complements the tongue-in-cheek lyrics, demonstrating what Charli XCX is all about. Howell Davies
50 Cent ft. Eminem and Adam Levine - ‘My Life’ There’s a famous Stewart Lee routine where the comic describes Richard Hammond as a little hamster who Jeremy Clarkson and James May occasionally let up on the table to ‘lap up his milk’. When listening to this song I cannot help but feel this is case with Adam Levine. Sandwiched between Eminen and 50 Cent, the ‘men’, he weakly sings out a not-so-catchy chorus, which is the song equivalent of him turning to them and saying ‘i-i-s it ok if I speak for a bit, sirs?’ The song’s moody instrumentals and Eminem’s verse are great, but 50 Cent’s typically mumbled delivery sounds like he’d rather get back to his Twitter account and rate pictures of young female fans, ultimately destroying any of the song’s redeeming factors. Dan Flynn
Records
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Disclosure ft. AlunaGeorge - ‘White Noise’ White noise isn’t something you’d often find yourself wanting to listen to, but when the current UK electropowerhouses Disclosure and AlunaGeorge get together ‘White Noise’ ends up becoming far more appealing. The two duos have brought their strengths together and balanced out one another’s weaknesses to produce a track that is slick, uncompromising and fresh. Merging elements of the electro R’n’B that AlunaGeorge are best at with the soft-house/future garage hooks that Disclosure have no problems formulating means that ‘White Noise’ is listenable, danceable and has a hook that will just not let go. As per all Disclosure tracks it shows an ear for precise production—not a sound is out of place. It’s constant synth beat builds with multiple other layers being added until it peaks and sprawls out into the
open vocal harmony that makes the bridge into the chorus. Of course, this all comes back with vengeance in the chorus and it’s made more powerful for it. It is the Aluna portion of AlunaGeorge that lends her vocals to the track and merges them with the music almost seamlessly. Her voice is its normal blend of smoky and high, with an element of distance to it during the verses; which flares to life with a bite as she sings “lately I’ve been thinking if you want to get tough/then let’s play rough” and stays similarly powerful over the chorus. ‘White Noise’ is, one of the songs from... But that’s despite how often
without a doubt, going to be you will not be able to get away not a bad thing. It’s a track that you listen, you don’t get bored of. Nátt Day
The 1975 - ‘Chocolate’ Hailing from Manchester, this brash group of lads may be the final piece in the puzzle for the much lauded ‘revival’ of guitar music. Instead of the psychedelic, math-rock vibe produced by Peace and Palma Violets, The 1975 are sharper and edgier with a real knack for making sounds which were born to be anthems. After going through a series of name changes, the quartet eventually settled on the year in which Monty Python and the Holy Grail and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ were released.
‘Chocolate’ is the newest track to be pushed after the release of previous EP, Sex. Instantly the energetic and polished guitar interplay strikes you and the emotive, pining vocals back this up, leading to an infectious chorus. As well as taking cues from current indie rock trends, there’s a hint of a throwback to the rhythms of the 80s which gives the track a charming edge which really stands out. ‘Chocolate’ Cars EP
forms which
part of the Music for is out on March 4th. David Martin
Features
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features@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
The Vaccines Do The Joiners The Edge’s Live Editor Megan Downing and Head of Relations Dan Flynn spoke to Freddie and Pete from The Vaccines prior to their Benefit Show at The Joiners. They tell The Edge how excited they are to be doing something for such a good cause and how people need to start appreciating the smaller venues in their local music scene. How are you feeling about tonight?
In many ways it’s more fun but the variety is good.
Freddie: I think it’s wicked, it’s a really cool thing to be able to do. And I’m really glad we’re here. Pete: It feels like a field trip. It feels like we’re just doing something for us, for fun. Freddie: For us, not so much for the guys that have been setting up all day, trying to make everything work. In soundcheck I was taking loads of pictures from the stage because it really feels like when we started the band. The first gigs we were doing, which seems like a lifetime ago, but it really was only about two years ago. Pete: Yeah! It’s weird, we’re even using the same drum kit as when we started!
Do you get intimidated by big audiences now?
Have you played a lot at The Joiners before? Freddie: I played once when I supported Mr Hudson and The Library which was about 3 years ago. Justin has played here a lot. That’s kind of the reason for us doing this, this is Justin’s hometown. Pete: This was his hangout. He spent his formative years of getting into bands and getting into music here. I was just down the road, in Winchester. How does playing the smaller, more intimate venues compare to the massive festival crowds? Pete: As an environment for making music, you couldn’t get much more different. Freddie: It’s very separated and much more controlled being in a larger place. You can generally play slower, you can’t hear each other, it’s not as intimate so it’s a little bit more regimented and you’re so distant from the actual sound that everyone else is hearing. I feel like I’m filling a piece in a puzzle. Doing the big live shows you’re part of a greater picture, which has to satisfy how ever many thousand people. Whereas these things, they’re extremely intimate, you can see everyone in the room, you can hear everything that’s going on. It’s all very simple. Pete: My favourite festivals to play are the ones where there isn’t that massive gap between the stage and the crowd, some of them go on for miles! I love having people leaning on the stage. I think it’s amazing, it’s much more fun and you feel like you can make more of a connection with the people that way.
Freddie: It’s not really very intimidating. Maybe we’ve just been lucky, but I don’t think I really feel that people are out to get us. It’s more encouraging that anything. Some of the smaller venues can be far more intimidating, people are right in your face. You’re pretty much constantly on tour. If you could choose the best that you’ve played in the world, where would that be? Pete: Probably my favourite place that we’ve been on tour is Brazil. For some reason it just clicked there. I think for us as a band it really worked there, there are a lot of rock and roll fans down there. They respond to music in an incredibly positive, meaningful way. It was all a sea of smiles and people going crazy and they know all the songs. Freddie: Where else were we recently where we were talking about how it was amazing, the lack of cynicism? [ponders] Bangkok! Just places where people aren’t cynical, you know, not mindless, but Mexico was great. Your second album has been out now and obviously many of the that new to you guys anymore. Town’ at Reading last year, I’ve them live for a while, how do new songs are received in a
for 4 months songs aren’t I saw ‘Ghost been hearing you feel the live setting?
Freddie: Really well. We followed the first album up quite quickly and we never stopped touring so it just seems like the songs we’ve chosen to perform from the second album are as well received as the first. It’s all like one big collective. Pete: We started playing ‘Teenage Icon’ and ‘No Hope’ over a year ago. Freddie: They’re totally intrinsic parts of the set. I really wonder how we managed to get on without those songs. So do you feel like, stylistically, there’s much of a change between the two or do you consider it as more of a collection of songs now?
Features
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Freddie: I think people assume you finish a tour after the end of the first album cycle and you sit down and brainstorm, and that’s not really how it works. Pete: A lot of people do it that way, we do. Freddie: But I mean, it’s a development that happens every day of your life as you’re growing, it’s a very organic thing and you’re putting that down as a snap shot of where you are at that point. I think it is a big development, but it’s a natural development, it wasn’t, like Pete said, it’s not that we tried to sit down and turn our sound upside down and change everything, we felt like we’d grown a lot. Pete: We weren’t setting up to re-invent the wheel. I think it showed a natural progression and reflected a natural progression, cause we were different people a year ago. Freddie: It was a very different environment to make a record in. Because with the first album it was like we didn’t have a care in the world. We didn’t really know what there was to be afraid of.
Freddie: It’s just started! So probably quite a lot! Justin and I are thinking of relocating for a little bit to America, just to try and write and work with some new stuff. I dunno. We wanna do an EP, sooner rather than later. We haven’t taken a break yet but I think there’s still a lot of creativity left. I think we’re gonna make some more music and we’ve got an American tour that starts at the end of the week. And then we just tour through until Festivals. Pete: Touring, touring, festivals, writing. Freddie: We’ve just got to find the energy to keep going!
Who would your ideal collaboration be?
How do you find the energy!?
Freddie: I would like to work with Daniel Lanois, a producer. Does that count as a collaboration?
Freddie: Sometimes you don’t. We were just saying, looking out from the stage earlier, it really does seem like ten years ago or something.
I can’t really see you guys collaborating with anyone. Dan: What about Calvin Harris? [All laugh] Pete: That’s the one!
Do you have a set list then? Freddie: Yeah we have a set list. But anything could go wrong. It is just four people, with four instruments. It will be what it will be, it depends what the people and the energy in the room are like. Finally, what does the rest of 2013 hold for you guys?
For For the the full full interview interview including including The The Vaccines Vaccines views on HMV’s recent turmoil, visit our website. website. views on HMV’s recent turmoil, visit our
Features
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An Interview with Tim O T Phoebe Cross chats to the London based folk-punk-poet The other week I headed to Kingston to a little pub venue called The Cricketers to see some of my favourite local musicians, most of whom I’d met at open mic nights in Southampton. Headlining was Tim O T, accompanied by his backing band, who delivered a very enjoyable set with his songs that “ironically combine life, love and politics with his cynical, optimistic and tenacious attitude”. Support acts came from a fantastic range of acoustic acts. First on was Charlie Law, who’s musical talent shone through and performed in a folk style to a very attentive crowd; his song about a Camper-van was my personal favourite. Up next was Rob The Liar who, as always, had the audience
gripped with his unique and clever story-telling lyrics. No matter how many times I see him, I greatly enjoy his set and can’t help but sing along to his songs. Joel Williamson followed, who I’d not seen before but certainly impressed me with his Bob Dylan-esque vocals and dynamism on guitar. Gaz Brookfield was the penultimate act, and his energetic set was warmly received by the crowd, particularly finisher ‘The West Country’.Tim O T’s set brought in the biggest and liveliest crowd, with people dancing and singing along it was an entertaining end to a lovely range of live acts. I caught up with Tim after his gig by his merch stand (he spilt his pint over some of his t-shirts and CDs, but even that didn’t dampen his spirits as the evening had gone rather successfully!)
Features
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Is The Cricketers one of your local venues? It seemed like a hidden gem! You work there? Yeah the Cricketers is brilliant. It’s very close to my heart. I use to sneak in when I was about 16 to play the open mics, it was a great laugh! I started working here the other week. The landlord gave me a few part time bar shifts as a favour. The gig was described by my friend as being “Genuinely the strongest line-up he’d seen at a venue in Kingston”. Are you happy with how it went? It was cool to see you with a backing band. You had a great response from the crowd! Wow! Thank your friend from me, that’s incredible. I am very proud of tonight, all of the support acts were equally amazing in there own way. Is it fun to meet musicians on the road in a similar place to yourself, and then end up gig sharing with them around the country? It is, it sort of reminds you that I’m not alone. I’ve met some of my favourite musicians on the road and I’m overwhelmed to be on the same bill of them sometimes - Saturday was a good example of that... How did you meet Charlie, Rob, Joel and Gaz? Charlie is an old friend, we met in a bar and he produced my last album (Stereotype-cast). He’s annoyingly talented, he writes songs, produces and he even played piano on my upcoming album! Rob found me on Strummerville, we gig swapped and now we’re friends! Joel I’ve known for a while, but only recently become friends with him - he really blew everyone away on Saturday. I was seriously impressed. Gaz is a lovely bloke. I am a big fan of his music and we ended up on the same bill in Southampton, that’s how we became music-pals! What is it you love about writing music and performing live? Hmm… I don’t really know. All the normal stuff, seeing people sing your songs is nice. It might sound really pretentious, but I have a lot of self belief in my songs and although I haven’t got a HUGE fan base, I get messages and e-mails that suggest people are really emotionally connected with my music and that gives me a lot of drive to carry on and improve myself. I guess I want to be that form of escapism for them.
Who are your influences, and have you met any of your idols? I have a big pile of influences. To make things easier, regular comparisons are: Jamie T, Bright Eyes and Frank Turner - which I’m fairly happy with. There’s also a lot of “hidden” people who influence me a lot: Joel Williamson, Sanchez VS Fighter Pilot, James Lamb, Rob The Liar, Ben Marwood, Bojangle.. the list could go on forever. I’ve met a Frank a couple of music video the other month Jamie T? He fell over the other him put his hat back on...
times, we shot a “Unheard voices”. week and I helped does that count?
What are your plans for the next few months gigwise? Are you doing any festivals in the summer? My new album is being released next month which I’m really over-excited about! Apart from that, just constant gigging, I’m trying to get booked anywhere and everywhere. I plan to play festivals this summer, nothing set in stone yet! Tim O T plays in Southampton at The Bent Brief on 9th March. For more information about his music and upcoming gigs, visit his website.
Film
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Wreck-It Ralph
It’s play time! By George Doel, Deputy Editor. Whilst it may not join the canon of all time Disney greats such as The Lion King and Toy Story, WreckIt Ralph will not disappoint for entertainment value. Smart, funny and brilliant animation, it is definitely the best family-comedy of the year.
acting is fantastic and all the roles are perfectly casted. Reily plays an extremely endearing Ralph who you can’t help but not fall in love with.
Jane Lynch as Sergeant Calhoun from the game Hero’s Duty is also on top-form and fits the character perfectly. However the star of the film is The film follows video-game villain Wreck-It Ralph Vanellope von Schweet, voiced by Sarah Silverman, (voiced by John C. Reilly) who is tired of being who is fantastic as the girl racer who is looking the ‘bad-guy’ in his arcade game Fix-It Felix, for acceptance, but is shunned because she is a Jr. After 30 years of smashing buildings which ‘glitch’ in the game. Her tale is very heart-warming gets repaired by handyman Felix, Ralph has had and her energy and sprightliness bring the film enough and decides to become a hero. Travelling to life. Even more impressive is the fact the film between games to find a medal to prove he is a has the highest number of original characters good guy, he must ultimately eliminate a threat created for a Walt Disney film, at a staggering that could close all the games in the arcade. 188: Wreck-It Ralph’s world is expansive and filled with characters that are both charming and funny. This film is certainly not just for video-game fans. The story is one that both adults and children can Though it starts off brilliantly, the second enjoy, with scattered references to the gaming world half loses focus and you may find yourself for those familiar with certain tropes. Particular waiting for something to happen for a while. favourites include a ‘Bad-Anon’ session where video game villains all meet to discuss their problems, There is plenty to love in this film. The world of unlocking a door with the Konami code that features Wreck-It Ralph is beautiful on the big-screen, with on many real video games and the creatures from vivid colours and wonderful scenery. The characters Q*bert who are now homeless because their game are all brilliantly voiced by a fantastic cast and the had been shut down. Whilst this may not mean a story is simple yet effective, with even a plot twist lot to some people who aren’t familiar with classic that you won’t see coming. Disney have struck gold arcade games, it is by no means alienating and is once again, with a film that has the adventure and there to create a sense of authenticity that without the humour for both children and adults. A real joy. it, would make the film feel empty. The voice
Directed by Rich Moore. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios. In Cinemas February 8th.
Film
film@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
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Hitchcock
A psycho is born By Gen Heron. “Give them pleasure. The same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare”. This is what Alfred Hitchcock said about the intent of his films on his audience. Nothing is truer in Sacha Gervasi’s admirable biopic about Hitchcock’s artistic determination to change the face of horror with his magnum opus Psycho, against the backlash of the studio system at that time. Based on Steven Robello’s Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, the film chronicles the success of Hitchcock’s (Anthony Hopkins) previous film North by Northwest to his quest to find his next big picture. Rejecting offers to adapt such films as Casino Royale, he comes upon the lurid pulp horror novel Psycho based on the savage killings of Ed Gein whom exhumed corpses keeping their bones as ‘prizes’. Those at Paramount are unwilling - disgusted even - at the prospect of financing such a film giving the temperamental nature of Hitchcock’s success. But he is keen to carry on alone, financing the film himself. Here begins the first love story of the movie - one of Hitchcock’s determination to fight for his belief in the story. Obsessed and haunted by his involvement in the film and his lecherous fawning over his leading lady, Janet Leigh (Scarlett Johansson), he begins to alienate his wife and long time accomplice Alma (Helen Mirren). The film then details the tumultuous relationship between Hitchcock and Alma as his cold and driven nature for creating his film almost tears them apart.
As most are aware, Hitchcock is widely considered a ‘legend’, ‘the master of suspense’, ‘the greatest director of all time’, etc, etc. However, as with most biopic films the idea of the ‘legend’ is often overstated. What is portrayed as Hitchcock’s humanity seems to be layered with crowd-pleasing, romanticised myth which feels contrived at times. This is most evident in one particular scene upon reading Psycho, Hitchcock experiences a nightmare in which an imaginary Ed Gein appears. This throws the tone of the movie and feels is rather unnecessary. Regardless, the film triumphs in the performances of the leading actors. Anthony Hopkins’s performance can only be faulted by any minor hiccups in Sacha Gervasi’s screenplay. The Welsh actor’s transformation into the role of 300lb, balding, cigar smoking Hitchcock is flawless. Taking into account the recent negative portrayal of Hitchcock’s career in the BBC’s drama The Girl by Toby Jones; Hitchcock definitely shows the passionate, innovative genius that we all put on a pedestal. Whilst I personally enjoyed this insight into the story behind the making of Psycho, I fear it may be of limited interest to those who are not so familiar with Hitchcock’s body of work. However, the film does show how Hitchcock battled against opposition to create what we now know as one of the greatest films of all time.
Directed by Sacha Gervasi. Distributed by Twentieth Century Fox. Certificate 12A. In Cinemas February 8th.
Film
film@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
Lincoln
By Mike Cottrell. Adapted from Doris Kearns Goodwin’ extensive biography Team of Rivals and with a script that in its original drafts was over 500 pages long, Spielberg and writer Tony Kuschner have decided to focus on the final few months of President Lincoln’s life and his endeavours to pass the 13th Amendment, a ruling that would outlaw the slave trade, through the divided House of Representatives. The film does to some extent throw you into the deep end of the historical context of the American Civil War and the political machinations that occurred behind it. It essentially runs as a dialogue-heavy political procedural, a window into the division inherent in the American democratic system, with the Republicans fighting for change against a heavily conservative Democratic party (the opposite of the way it is today). Spielberg’s success with this film lies in his ability to take step back from the story and keep what matters at the forefront: the characters and the script. While the film remains a brilliantly realised period piece, with cinematographer Janusz Kaminski’s choice of camera work and lighting perfect for conveying the almost claustrophobic nature of these political meetings, Spielberg rarely feels the need to point the audience’s sympathies in the right direction as he often does in other films.
Zero Dark Thirty
By Barnaby Walter, Film Editor. Zero Dark Thirty is Kathryn Bigelow’s outstanding follow-up to her Oscar winning picture The Hurt Locker. This time, Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal attempt to tell the story of the biggest and most expensive manhunt in history: the search for Osama Bin Laden. The story is told largely from the perspective of a CIA worker, here known as Maya, who obsessively pursues her target until he is caught. She is intense and very driven, and not a million miles away from Jeremy Renner’s lead role in The Hurt Locker. Maya is played by Jessica Chastain, an American actor who has become a real force to be reckoned with – exceptionally talented and in high demand. She grittily evokes the passion and commitment Maya gives her task. Her performance is thoroughly compelling. For those who want an action movie that doesn’t push any buttons and leads them through by the hand around banal narrative twists, watch Transformers. This film, however, is set in the real world, where things are murky and elusive.
To dismiss Lincoln as another sentimental Spielberg flick would be to ignore what a terrifically engaging and bravely inventive piece of film-making it is. It has an astonishing cast, an astonishing script and an astonishing vision.
Bigelow’s movies presume their audiences have the initiative to think for themselves. They understand that both verbal conversations and scenes of quick-edited gunfire have equal potential to shock and enthral. Nobody is making movies quite like her right now. Memorable doesn’t even cover it.
Directed by Stephen Spielberg. Fox. 12A.
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Universal. 15.
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Film
film@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
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THE BIG FILM INTERVIEW
Catherine O’Hara The Frankenweenie actor talks to our Film Editor about voice work, meeting new people, and working with Tim Burton. How did you feel when you were told by Tim Burton that you were going to play a character called ‘Weird Girl’? [Laughs] I didn’t know what it was going to be but I said ‘Count me in, please!’ Do you find your experience in comedy helps when it comes to creating memorable characters? I’d like to think so, yes. Tim has a great sense of humour and definitely encourages you getting all the humour you can out of the script and coming up with anything else you can. He’s just great fun to work with. He raises your game and my game, whatever my game is, seems to involve humour! You voiced Sally in the Henry Sellick and Tim Burton project The Nightmare Before Christmas. Was your experience on Frankenweenie different to that process? It was different, yes, because they are different directors. They have very different styles. Henry Selick is a stop-motion animator too and deals in mili-second by mili-second of shooting and he does the voice-work that way too; especially with a character like Sally – a patchwork being. My dialogue was patchworked together. It was very different and I’d say there was more of a natural flow recording Weird Girl and the other characters in Frankenweenie. You’ve of course worked with Tim Burton before and you’ve also acted with Martin Short. Does that sense of familiarity and community help when coming up with the characters together? Absolutely. When I was called about being in Frankenweenie it was just fun to go and see Tim! I don’t get to see him that often and I really like him and of course love his work, but I also really like being with him. He’s funny and raises your game, so I was delighted to get the call. Marty I love – love love love him – but getting to know new people is stressful! Frankenweenie looks a lot better than other retro-fitted 3D efforts. I wondered how you feel about 3D and its place within the current cinematic landscape? I think it’s new territory, and I think the people who are doing it are learning how to do it right. Wim Wenders, who did the movie Pina 3D, said it hasn’t been used correctly yet but it is there for a reason; you will be able to bring an audience right into the story. And I think it is, it’s a new frontier right now and I just look forward to seeing more and more of it! When I learned that Frankenweenie was going to be in 3D I thought ‘Oh, more 3D? Why?!’ because I don’t get it, but when I saw it I thought it was really beautifully, tastefully done and it brings you into the story without being distracting. Like the rest of the movie, it’s subtle. Interviewed by Barnaby Walter. Frankenweenie is out on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on 25 February 2013. © Disney. For our complete, extended interview with Catherine O’Hara, go to www.theedgesusu.co.uk
Film
film@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
Archive Review
Magnolia (1999)
By Daniel Flynn. The fact that director Paul Thomas Anderson once stated that “I really feel that Magnolia is, for better or worse, the best movie I’ll ever make” speaks a thousand words. This is the man who made the impossibly entertaining Boogie Nights, a film which launched both his career as well as the careers of almost everyone acting within it. This is the fellow who saw every Hugh Grant film ever made and thought ‘fuck it, I’ll take the most annoying actor in the world and still make something one thousand times more intriguing’ and went ahead and created the Adam Sandler-starring Punch Drunk Love. To put it simply, Magnolia is his magnum opus. Through dealing with several intertwining storylines surrounding failed parent-child relations over a three-hour long running time, the film manages to be painfully slow, overtly melodramatic, and often overblown; but, somehow, it also manages to be completely perfect. Often, films with ensemble casts can get lazy as they realise that the amount of stars present mean that the film will sell regardless of its quality (see Valentine’s Day), but in Magnolia, Anderson manages to provide an almost endless queue of big-name actors with meaty characters that allow them to show off their talents. Tom Cruise is perhaps the most memorable in the role of Frank T.J Mackey, a misogynistic egotist with a mad look behind his well-practiced smile.
His performance works on two levels; on the one hand it cleverly reflects the public’s assumption that he is an utterly delusional mentalist, giving the role a heavy sense of meta-cynical satire, but on the other, it allows him to justify (well, to a point) his position as the highest paid name in the business through his superb acting. Another actor who uses Magnolia as a forum in challenging the public’s expectation of them is John. C. Reilly, who strays from his type-cast man-child role to convincingly put forward an emotional turn as a lonely police officer who falls in love with a coke addict. Surprisingly, it is in fact Reilly who delivers some of the films most affecting speeches, showing he is still great even when he is a world away from the likes of Step Brothers. Magnolia’s strongest aspect could perhaps be its script, penned by Anderson himself. In a film that contains several different narratives, one might expect a lot of its script to be left to plot, sacrificing emotion, but Anderson manages to strike the balance effortlessly. The breadth of this film, containing as it does a slightly overwhelming level of characterisation and plotting, is difficult to summarise in just one short review. Just watch it and let yourself get absorbed for several hours by some of the best acting, cinematography and writing in cinema’s recent history. Trust me.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Distributed by Entertainment. Certificate 18. On Blu-ray and DVD now.
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Culture
culture@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
The Andrew Ovenden shares his views on why popular video games no longer appeal to him and how many series have become monotonous and predictable. There was a time, within living memory, when every new video game brought a different dimension to an unestablished genre. As late as the early 2000s the likes of GTA III were reinventing the way we think about video gaming. Today, it's all about who can create the most high-tech toys (case in point - Xbox Kinect) or who invents the next groundbreaking feature (LA Noire) irregardless of storyline or actual gameplay experience. So, where do we begin with this cascading storm? In my title I say that I'm going to look at the current best selling games and we'll get to that in a minute. Firstly though, we need to have a look at gaming as a whole to understand how it is we've got ourselves in to this predicament. We all look back fondly upon games of the 80s and 90s which consisted of simple coding, endearingly poor graphics and crack cocaine levels of addictive-ness for one simple reason: we expected less from our gaming experience. There was a time prior to the 1990s when finally owning a video game console was like a Buddhist reaching nirvana. Though, one would imagine that the Buddhist to be somewhat more stoic about the whole experience. Now, households are likely to contain at least one video gaming device, if not several. As a result, the market is saturated with hundreds of new games every year with little room for expansion or surprise and we'd like to imagine that developers are forced into a corner where they have to keep producing new innovations to maintain our interest as consumers. This is not the case. Instead businesses churn out game-upon-game like a melancholic Santa's grotto production line with little (if any) modification. Outside of the obvious (graphics etc.) the biggest change to gaming in the last 10 years has been the introduction of reward and achievement
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Current Blockb
(And Why They Ar
systems pioneered by consoles such as Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, in which you can go around the usual mundane tasks and be awarded points that account for nothing except for demonstrating your own lack of social life and commitment to portraying that to your virtual friends. In 2010 Xbox released Alan Wake, a game in which you play as the title character battling through a nightmarish world in an attempt to rescue your missing wife. The game is accurately described as more of a psychological thriller as opposed to third-person adventure. It featured a heavy marketing campaign to reiterate its TV series style storyline. But, even that does little to hide from the fact that the actual gameplay consists of walking from one place to another and occasionally killing things that jump out at you. At least House of The Dead had the dignity to admit that it was just a glorified fairground house of horror... with guns. 2011 also saw an exciting innovation with neonoir detective adventure LA Noire. The game crosses real life detective work with Hollywood simplicity with ludicrous counter-factual storyline but the major pull of this title lies in the facial scanning technology used on all of the game's characters to perform 'realistic' facial motions during conversations and interrogations. While this is something I would love to see in more games in the future, it was also one of the most comically infuriating features I have ever encountered in a game. I thought myself a crack interrogator and considered applying for the Met office before I realised that real life human beings don't have a fucking seizure every time they bend the truth. Aside from these two shining examples, the only other real development in the world of video gaming has come from companies deciding to do away with the controller all together. Like the facial scanning, these seventh generation devices are still thwart with flaws, most common they are seeming unable to recognise a human form instead favouring the possibility that you've just been shoved through a meat-grinder. The issue is that, except for a few notable achievements in the last decade, developers have accepted that there is far more money to be made from producing series of games that form
Culture
culture@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
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buster Video Games
re a Waste of Time)
some sort of intertwining narrative and doing the bear minimum to actually develop anything at all. This is not a new criticism of the gaming industry, we've been saying it for years. And, for that matter, it's not just games. It's TV, films and music too. There's a system and developers have to respect that system for fear of the video game Mafia (presumably Sony or Microsoft) coming round and breaking their legs if they actually produce anything remotely new or interesting. I mean, just look at the latest Call of Duty, aside from a few extra weapons, perks and annoying optional gameplay mode what on earth have they changed?! The story still consists of a load of jumped up rich Americans saving the world from a man that I'm not wholly convinced is actually a terrorist. The best part about me writing this is that when the next CoD is released you can read that sentence back and it will still be applicable. I played Halo 4 for the first time the other day and I had no idea what was even going on! I gathered that Cortana has some kind of STI and as result, you have to run through a series of identical looking landscapes with no sense of direction and killing shit. How novel! 'Fifa 13' has to be one of the biggest annoyances in my life right now. Aside from rearranging the singleplayer mode menu in the same ritualistic way Sky Sports do every year and including transfer deadline countdown that's somehow even more irritating than theirs; the game is still responsible for broken controllers everywhere with it's inability to understand some of the most basic rules of football or distinguish which pass it is you actually wanted to make. I've not even bothered to play the latest Assassins
Creed yet for all the superb reviews I've heard explaining how all the killing (ie. the fun stuff) has been replaced with walking for miles on end to pick flowers for some lazy idiot and, the worst part is how slow video games make you walk, it's as if Earth's gravity has been increased ten-fold. Video game series are the bane of my life and it's unlikely to ever change. It would just be nice if we could have a few more games that throw the formulaic monotony in to question every now and again like we did with the original Bioshock. I'm not saying there isn't any hope for video games, I'm just saying that the major developers aren't giving me any.
Culture
culture@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
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RETRO: Star Fox Edd Cockshutt goes back in time to 1993 to review Star Fox Hints have been dropped that Nintendo are looking to develop a new Star Fox game on their console. This would be the first Star Fox game on a console since 2002 and would hopefully see a return to form for the stellar series after the woeful Star Fox Adventures on the Gamecube, a game that can barely be called a part of the Star Fox series due to the lack of lasers, outer space and being good. This provides a great opportunity to look back to where the Star Fox series first began, a humble space shooter for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Star Fox (or Starwing in Europe) was released in 1993 and boasts the accolade of being the first Nintendo game in three separate but equally exciting dimensions. What Star Fox handily provided was an opportunity for Nintendo to show off their fancy Super FX chip, which would allow for greater graphical processing and hopefully blow their competition out of the water. This very much worked, as people in 1993 marveled at the impressive visuals of the title. Today, the graphics are not quite as impressive. The game does not look bad, it looks simple and entirely inoffensive. The simplicity means you are never confused as to what things are, you can tell instantly what is an asteroid and what is an enemy fighter and it is through this simplicity that the game's visuals have gained a timeless quality.
However, it's all very well the game being aesthetically pleasing, or at least inoffensive, but that pales into insignificance if the gameplay is bad or even just not fun. Yet, that is one problem that Star Fox does not have. The gameplay is, like the graphics, basic. Star Fox is a rail shooter, so control over your Arwing (space fighter) is limited to how you move around the screen; this is 1993 after all. I must say, I almost prefer the rail shooter approach to the more open system used in the game's successor, Starfox 64 (Lylat Wars in Europe), as that often entails you chasing round the final enemy in an effort to out-turn each other, something that can quickly get irritating and tedious. There are 3 different camera views which add an essence of variety to the levels of which there are plenty. You choose one of 3 routes at the start of the game, so you'll never play all the levels in a single play through. The three routes are actually the difficulty setting of the game: easy, medium and hard. This gives the game great replay value as well as rewarding more skilled players. Overall, Star Fox The simplicity of less quality that ing great fun to
is a game I would recommend. the game means it has a timeequates to the game still beplay 20 years after it's release.Â
Culture
culture@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim-Dragonborn Alex Meehan reviews Skyrim’s latest downloadable content As if there wasn't enough to do in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Bethesda’s third piece of DLC (downloadable content) significantly adds to the already jam-packed experience. What Dragonborn lacks in narrative finesse, it makes up in stunning environments and bang-for-your-buck. Dragonborn’s story is unfortunately it’s weakest point; as often hinted at in Skyrim’s lore, you're not the original Dragonborn, but rather the successor to the Dragon Priest Miraak. Initially thought long dead, Miraak is making his return and is setting up his base of operations in the Morrowind owned island of Solstheim, where you will spend the majority of your time. Despite the interesting things Dragonborn does with a certain Daedric prince, it’s story is otherwise subpar, the threat of Miraak’s return is never that convincing enough to really care about and when compared with even Alduin (the villain in Skyrim) Miraak doesn't make much of an impression. But fear not, Dragonborn still has much to offer, it’s quests are enjoyable, especially those set in an Oblivion-inspired netherworld called Apocrypha; with it’s unique visual style and feeling of isolation. In fact, the overall environmental style in Dragonborn is commendable, harkening back to The Elder Scroll’s III: Morrowind with ash-smothered wastlands, while still retaining the snowy tundra of Skyrim in some truly spectacular scenes of crystallised waterfalls and lonely mountaintops. Solstheim itself is Dragonborn’s greatest feature; a harsh, merciless land full of strange creatures simply waiting to ambush the player, in particular I was impressed by the hanar-like (mass effect reference) Netch and genuinely terrified by the disturbing Seekers. In true Skyrim fashion, there are also a number of sidequests available to eat up even more hours of your life. Whether your just exploring dungeons, carrying out tasks or helping the locals, there is plenty to get up to on Solstheim. Other new editions include new armour and weaponry, such as pieces made from a material called Stalkhrim, and new dragon shouts; Dragon Aspect is especially good, if limited, with armour, strength and shout bonus, as well as awesome character visuals. Whereas the ability to ride dragons is disappointing, it remains limited to fast travel and lock-on air support, leaving me to mourn over all the unused potential. However, in the long run Dragonborn is possibly the best DLC released for Skyrim yet and it's well worth checking out. The Elder Scroll's V: Skyrim's Dragonborn has been available since December for 360 for 1,600 Microsoft points. The release for PS3 is February 4th 2013 and PC is
DLC Xbox date TBA.
Live
live@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
Preview: Pure Love at The Joiners (19/02/13) With an eagerly awaited debut LP just a week out of reach, Pure Love are going to be hitting The Joiners on the 19th February as part of a hefty UK tour to support it, bringing Turbogeist and The Vestals along for the ride. After an abrupt exit from previous band Gallows in 2011, Frank Carter teamed up with ex-The Hope Conspiracy guitarist Jim Carroll and rapidly began causing a mysterious stir, releasing The Handsome Devil's Club EP last year. A definite departure from pair's previous creations, the
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notorious frontman and his partner have managed to build up an impressive following nonetheless. Despite their previous bands having never hit 'stadium band' level – rightly and deliberately so, I suspect – Pure Love, with their punk-tinged classic rock sound, are probably headed for much bigger things. With an attitude hard-earned from years of relentless DIY touring, February might just be the last time we'll have the chance to see them in such a cosy environment, certainly not to be missed. Christopher Mifsud
Preview: Swim Deep at The Joiners (14/02/13) Jamie Barker tells you why you should spend your Valentines Day at The Joiners this year. Since their first single, ‘King City’, Swim Deep have been on the rise. Their second single Honey and the B sides built upon their initial promise and now they’re coming to play Southampton’s very own Joiners’ Arms on Valentine’s Day. Although the tone of some songs, certainly ‘King City’ would perhaps suit a day not dedicated to love and romance, it is definitely a gig both lonely hearts and sweethearts would enjoy. Having
toured with Spector last year and are currently on tour with the legenadary Northern Irish three peice, Two Door Cinema Club, they’ve gained the experience and confidence necessary to tour alone. The gig at the Joiner’s in their first in a UK wide tour, and they’re set things off with a bang. Tickets can be bought from The Joiners website and you can check our Swim Deep’s facebook page for updates on their tour.
Live
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Megan Downing went along to Southampton’s Guildhall to watch Rizzle Kicks. It appears the novelty of the two likely lads is wearing thin.
Two Door Cinema Club at The Guildhall (28/01/13)
Matt Timmiss reviews one of the hottest events at the Guildhall of 2013 and Two Door Cinema Club definitely lived up to the high expecatations of the sold out tour. With the usual rush of 15-16 year olds galloping frantically towards the barrier I knew immediately I was at an indie gig and a big one at that. The anticipation for the main act was electric as people eagerly jostled for position. The first band that came out were Swim Deep, a four piece that looked like they’d stepped right out of the 90’s grunge scene. At first the band seemed casually cool, with a melancholic sound resonating an obvious love of Nirvana. There’s being comfortable and casual on stage and then there’s just being lazily disinterested, Swim Deep were the latter. The second band, by far for me the standout performance of the night were Bastille. The excitement sparked in the room when they came on stage was deafening. Frontman Dan was full of humble charisma and had the audience jumping, chanting and clapping throughout. He ran between the sides of the stage, climbing on the side amps (to the bouncers horror) and really livened up the room. I couldn’t believe the diversity of their sound as each of the band members swapped round to different instruments as they rattled through classics like ‘Laura Palmer’, ‘Flaws’ and ‘Bad Blood’. By far and away their most impressive feat was rejuvenating the 90’s dance classic by Corona ‘Rhythm of the Night’, familiar to all children of the
90’s and a staple Jester’s tune. Having totally made it their own, ‘Of the Night’ went down so well with the eager fans, was cleverly sampled and well put together! After a long setup (and a lot of dance music over the PA) Two Door Cinema Club emerged to screams fit for Beiber. The first half of the gig was bouncy with a good blend of songs from both their new album and their debut album Tourist History with all the songs we know and love. Their new songs, though not as dance central as their previous album, were more mature and suited lead singer Alex’s vocals potentially even better. Just as the crowd were getting weary from all the dancing about and after a lull of slower songs like ‘This Is the Life’ there was a sudden influx of giant white balloons that made their way in from the back. Although not the first band to do this, it was a nice touch and really revitalised the mood. After leaving for a short period and a little encouragement from older fans to start the ‘we want more’s’, Two Door returned for a fantastic encore, culminating in ‘Undercover Martyn’ to everyone’s enjoyment. The gig was really a spectacle and developed over time. The light show was well thought out and everything blended really nicely for a fun and bouncy atmosphere.
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NME Tour at O2 Academy, Bournemouth (20/02/13) Natt Day explains why the prolific NME tour is definitely worth going to in February 2013. Continuing in traditional style, NME have put together four of this year’s brightest indie stars onto one billing. Almost exactly a year since it last appeared, Bournemouth’s O2 Academy will play host to the NME Awards Tour on 20th February. Described as one of their hottest line-ups yet it promises new music aplenty with Peace, Palma Violets, Miles Kane and Django Django on the bill. Headlining the tour is psychedelic electro-indie quartet Django Django. Bringing their self-titled debut to life; it promises to be both musically and aesthetically pleasing. For those who haven’t had the opportunity to see Django Django live; this will be the one of the last times you’ll catch them this year outside
festivals, and it’s one you can’t afford to miss. Fresh from releasing ‘Give Up’, the first track off his as of yet unnamed second album, Miles Kane provides the main support slot. His set promises to be a mix of both old and new, previously unheard material, which should be reason enough to go. Rounding up the bill are two of NME’s favourite new bands of the last 6 months: Palma Violets and Peace. Both bands will be touring predebut and are out to prove that they are, indeed, worth the buzz that surrounds them. Tickets for the NME Awards Tour are on sale now.
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live@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
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The Joiners Be
The Vaccines (22/01/13)
Live Editor Megan Downing went along to one of, if not the, hottest date in The Joiners calender, and all in aid of saving the fantastic small venue. A gig that won’t be forgotten. For a worldly famous indie-rock band like The Vaccines to come back to their roots for a an intimate, one-off, not-for-profit, show really shows how much they care. It's this enthusiasm for the local music scene that needs to spread so we don't lose venues such as our dearly beloved Joiners. The night kicked off with punk-rock band Our Time Down Here. Their sound was reminiscent of an early Blink 182 and they also reminded me of American punk-rock band Set Your Goals. Overall I was really impressed by their performance and considering we were a crowd of Vaccines' fans, they were greatly received and thankful for the opportunity. Hares were next and judging from appearances they seemed like an eccentric bunch of Topman models. However their self-proclaimed 'bubblegum grunge' was rather pleasant on the ears and their appearance made it all the more interesting. Onto the main event: The Vaccines. Despite the aggression from some idiotic individuals and the insane amount of sweat literally dripping from the walls, it is safe to say we were ready. Justin, à rni, Pete and Freddie bundled onto stage and opened with their first single from second album Come of Age, 'No Hope'. Justin's drawling vocals sounded perfect in the intimacy of The Joiners, especially as he was accompanied by a backing choir of 150 people. Next was the force that is 'Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)', 1 minute 25 seconds worth of fast-paced indie rock smashed right in your face. Insanely good. The quartet played a variety of tracks from both albums with very little chatter in between. Justin Young, a frontman oozing with charisma, is in fact a man of few words on stage. The few words he did say sent out an important message about the reason we were all there: 'Without places like this, bands like The Vaccines wouldn't exist. Which, contrary to some opinions, is a bad thing'. The Joiners being his regular haunt whilst growing up, the frontman considered this show a homecoming. To my absolute delight they played my favourite track from Come of Age, 'Ghost Town'. The synonymous bassline, twanging guitars and steady, marching drum beat
were truly amazing. After seeing it at Reading Festival and now in a completely contrasting setting, it was a whole difference experience. Crowd favourites are hard to pick with a band like The Vaccines. In fact I overheard a member of the crowd saying in between songs 'I didn't realise how many AMAZING songs they have!'. Which is so very true. They rounded off the set with 'I Always Knew', the latest single from Come of Age. Followed by 'If You Wanna', 'Bad Mood' and ending on the force of nature that is 'Norgaard'. I left The Joiners feeling physically drained yet realising I'd just been to one of the best gigs of my life. No exaggeration.
Live
live@theedgesusu.co.uk theedgesusu.co.uk - Issue 12 - February 2013
enefit Shows
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Frank Turner (29/12/12) Ben Soper went along to the see ‘Wessex Boy’ himself Frank Turner perform to a home crowd to raise money for The Joiners. Since my early teens, I have dragged myself to The Joiners Arms to see an array of small punk bands, bands from across the pond and even friends bands take to the venues tiny stage, with each experience being very special. Frank Turner, fresh off a massive UK Tour with his band The Sleeping Souls and now a common addition to any festival line-up, returned to where it all began for him. To play a solo show with one reason in mind - to save this fantastic venue. From the outset of the evening show it was clear that The Joiners is a venue that means a lot to the man. Clearly physically exhausted and also rather intoxicated at this point, Frank started the show in a fashion unusual to any gig I have ever been to. He insisted, with a donation, that requests from the crowd be taken. This resulted in a lovely mixture of Frank’s discography being played. Songs like ‘Long Live the Queen’ and ’Father’s Day’ were delightfully echoed back by the crammed crowd and performed with the emotion and passion expected of Frank; his no nonsense attitude showing through in his vocals. Turner then treated the crowd to a long-winded story about his newly-dumped friend and an encounter with Tom Jones in a toilet, followed by a brilliant rendition of the latter’s ‘Delilah’, with everyone swaying to the punk-like
and raucous nature of the cover with utter glee. The end of the set saw the songs, ‘I Still Believe’ and closer ’Photosynthesis’ encapsulate the mood and atmosphere of the entire evening, with the cavernous nature of The Joiners filled with a spinetingling sing-a-long; the site of grown drunken men chanting the lyrics ’I won’t sit down, and I won’t shut up but most of all I will not grow up’ being a rather beautiful moment. With this atmosphere - coupled with the fact that the night was also Frank’s birthday - it was abundantly clear that everyone in attendance was here to dance and have a good time, but most importantly, it was reassuring to see that everyone knew the significance of Frank’s attendance. With buckets being whipped around the venue throughout the set, I failed to see one single person refuse to add something toward the illfated venue. With this generosity and also Frank’s pledge to double the amount of money at the end of the night, the message here was clear. This was a very fun and intimate gig which I, and everyone around me thoroughly enjoyed, but I came away with a sense of warmth and even hope for a venue which is vital, not only to the Southampton music scene, but the music scene in general.
Monday
Tues 11
Foals ‘Holy Fire’
Listings
Frequency @ The Union
Dates may be subject to change
Frightened Rabbit @Wedgewood Rooms
February / March Sunday
Saturday 16
REN @The Ann
Tues
Monday 17
18
Villagers @ Wedgewood Rooms
Pure L @ Joi
Suffocation ‘Pinnacle of Bedlam’
Little Mix @ BIC
Andy Bu @ Portsmou
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds ‘Push The Sky Away’
Saturday
Sunday 23
Pure Dance 2013 @ Turner Sims
Saturday 2 Of Monsters and Men @ Pyramids Centre
Tues
Monday 25
24 Sinfonietta @ TBC
Kasier Chiefs @ Southampton Guildhall
The Enemy @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth
Palma Violets ‘180’
Sunday
Monday 3
Willy Mason @ Wedgewood Rooms
Bastille ‘Bad Blood’ Stereophonics ‘Graffiti On The Train’ The Courteeners @ Pyramids Centre
Jake B @ Southamp
Tues 4
Kvele @ The Talk
Wednesday
sday
12
Thursday 13
The History of Apple Pie @ Joiners
Friday 14
Swim Deep @ Joiners
The View @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth
A Good Day to Die Hard 20th Century Fox
Feed The Rhino @ Joiners
Thursday
Friday
NT nex (-16th) Local Natives @Wedgewood Rooms
Wednesday
sday
19
Love iners
15
20
21
22
Don Broco @ Joiners
Toploader @ The Brook
Cosmo Jarvis @ Joiners
urrows uth Guildhall
NME Awards Tour @ O2 Academy, Bournemouth
Public Service Broadcasting @ The Railway Inn, Winchester
Cloud Atlas Warner Bros.
sday
Wednesday
Thursday
26
27
Friday 28
Royal Republic @ The Cellar
Bugg pton Guildhall
Broken City StudioCanal ComedySoc @The Annex (-2nd Mar)
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters UIP
Arbitrage Koch Media
Thursday
Wednesday
sday
5
1
6
Friday 8
7
Catch 22 @ The Annex (-9th)
Reel Big Fish @ The Union
Olly Murs @ The BIC
The Joy Formidable @ Wedgewood Rooms
Bastille @ The Mo’ Club, Soton
Oz the Great and Powerful Walt Disney Pictures
ertak king Heads