Cardiff October 2016 by The University Paper

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DAN SMITH: It all started at university

CARDIFF EDITION

foam party!

October 2016

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Freshers Special

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AURORA Draws us into her world

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BLOSSOMS Are feeling different now

Patrols to fight club sex crime

Students trained to help SU partygoers @ EMMA MAZEY

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TWIN ATLANTIC Speak the brutal truth

INTERVIEW

An army of volunteers has been recruited to patrol club nights and protect students from sex attacks. The group is formed of specially trained Cardiff students to help those vulnerable to assaults and harassment at freshers’ events. It comes after Cardiff University promised to crack down on ‘laddish’ behaviour after three women were sexually assaulted within five days of each other during freshers’ last year. SU president Sophie Timbers

said the patrols were formed in We take partnership with police and the the safety of charity Drinkaware. our members ‘The students’ union takes the safety of its members very seriously,’ seriously Sophie Timbers she added. ‘We have a number of SU president safety initiatives that have been running in recent years, including our safe taxi scheme and safety bus. ‘We’re excited to be adding to the list this month.’ She said the union’s volunteering service would also re-launch the Safe Walk Scheme during freshers’ week, to help students get home after a night

out. ‘The Safe Walk Scheme provides another opportunity for students in Cardiff to support each other,’ she added. As part of the project, volunteers will be stationed in and around the union on selected nights and will walk partygoers home, as well as refer them to other services, such as the safety bus and safe taxi scheme. A safe taxi scheme is also run by Cardiff Met and USW. As long as they have a student ID, Dragon Taxis will allow students to pay through their union the day after a ride.

IZZY BIZU Is still figuring everything out

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MICHAEL BISPING Relishes the pressure

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October 2016

Sporting great inspires nurse to give the half marathon a try @ Henry Edwards A Wales and Cardiff rugby legend has been sharing training tips with a lecturer. Gareth Thomas recruited Sandra Fender, who teaches adult nursing at Cardiff University, as one of 100 novice runners he is coaching ahead of the Cardiff Half Marathon. The former fullback, also known as Alfie, is running bootcamps for the runners, nicknamed Alfie’s Angels. Sandra, who is also studying for a masters in advanced nursing practice at Cardiff, decided to get back into running after a 25-year gap since completing the London Marathon. The 52-year-old said Thomas’ training camps had been inspirational. ‘We had a bootcamp

It’s about changing your life

Sandra Fender Nursing lecturer

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IN BRIEF

Ancestors got teeth into cereals

and because I had a bad foot, I started running slowly,’ she said. ‘Alfie was walking with us at the back and he was very interested in us. He was saying “it isn’t a race, it’s about changing your life”.’ Training for the October 2 half marathon, which is sponsored by the university, has already brought health benefits for the lecturer, based at the School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies. ‘It’s easy to get into a rut of not doing any exercise, especially when you’re working full time,’ she said. ‘When you get home you just want to put your feet up. ‘Surprisingly, I enjoy going out and running, doing something. I do feel it’s improved my mindset.’ The final episode in a BBC One series on Alfie’s Angels will be shown on October 7.

Grains are off the menu if you’re on the modern ‘caveman’ fad diet. But this may not be a true reflection of what prehistoric people ate, a new analysis of their teeth has revealed. Some mesolithic people were eating cultivated crops by 6600BC, scientists from Cardiff University, who worked with a team analysing fossils in the Balkans, found. Cardiff archaeology lecturer Dr Dušan Borić said it was ‘intriguing’ to discover people in this area were eating grains so early.

Training: Sandra, in pink, with Thomas and fellow Alfie’s Angels

It’s business time... Cross-city rivals face off for ‘Oscars’ prize @ John Shaw

Forget Cardiff vs. Swansea – a new rivalry will spark up within the city next month. Two universities will go head to head in ‘the Oscars of higher education’ as they both bid for their community work to be recognised. Cardiff Metropolitan University and Cardiff University both hope to win Outstanding Contribution To The Local Community at the Times Higher Education Awards. Cardiff Uni has been nominated in the category for its Centre For

Community Journalism, which supports people publishing news from their neighbourhood. Cardiff Met’s school holiday programme, which provides sports activities to children from deprived parts of the city alongside Sport Cardiff, is up for an award in the same category. The university has also been nominated in the Most Improved Student Experience category, which is chosen using YouthSight 2017 Student Experience Survey, and in Outstanding International Student Strategy. Its acting vice-chancellor, Jacqui Hare, said: ‘We pride ourselves on the long-standing reputation we

have garnered with our students and alumni in relation to how much they enjoy their time at Cardiff Met. ‘This Student Experience nomination is a particularly valuable acknowledgment, as the award is based on student feedback rather than a formal application or nomination. ‘It is wonderful to be recognised as among the best in the higher education sector alongside peers from other universities. ‘It would be very rewarding to be recognised for our international strategy and it is also a particular honour to be associated with Sport Cardiff and the inclusive

grassroots sports projects they deliver’ Cardiff Uni’s Languages for All programme has also been nominated, in the Outstanding Support For Students category. The scheme allows students not studying a language as part of their degree to learn one for free. It is also up for an award in the Most Innovative Contribution To Business category, for its work with GAMA Healthcare to develop a superbug-beating wet wipe for hospitals. Its College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences is also up for an Outstanding Contribution To Leadership Development award.

Ghost song ‘scarily’ good A University of South Wales student left X Factor judges gobsmacked after she belted out a show tune to get through to the bootcamp stage of the show. Kayleigh Marie Morgan sang With You from the musical Ghost, in front of Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Nicole Scherzinger, who all gave her a ‘yes’. The 19-year-old theatre and drama student must sing in a group in front of the judges at bootcamp and Cowell advised her to ‘get yourself prepared’, while Scherzinger said she was scared ‘in a good way’. USW said on its Facebook page: ‘So proud of you Kayleigh – we’re supporting you all the way.’

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The value of sober mates

We know the feeling – you didn’t think you drank much last night but your hangover says otherwise. This may be because, according to Cardiff University researchers, we’re more likely to misjudge our drunkenness if those around us are drunk. They said adding sober people to a group could help.

Honey trap fights bugs A type of honey could stop antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a Cardiff Met scientist. Manuka honey, which is made by bees using the nectar of a tree found in Australia and New Zealand, damages the genes bugs use to fight off some antibiotics, lecturer Dr Rowena Jenkins reported in The Conversation.

4|News

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October 2016

IN NUMBERS

Activists are preparing to take to the streets to demand free education – we ask how far marching will get them @ Amy Denman STUDENTS will face fresh tuition fee hikes if Government plans go ahead – and many are planning a protest through London to try and stop them. But can the rises be stopped by street protests and should we even be opposing higher fees? The Government proposed a raft of changes earlier this year in its higher education bill. The most controversial was to allow some universities to raise tuition fees above £9,000 a year, starting with £9,250 in September 2017. The bill is currently going through Parliament and if it becomes law, fees will be linked to teaching quality, measured by the National Student Survey and graduate employment data. Institutions judged as having high quality teaching will be able to match fees with inflation and some have already said they plan to do this if they get permission. Universities minister Jo Johnson, who supports the bill, said it would ‘for the first time link the funding of teaching in higher education to quality and not simply quantity – a principle that has long been established for research’. But the NUS fears the changes would make it easier for profitmaking universities to be set up, turning students into consumers. NUS president Malia Bouattia said: ‘The HE bill claims to put students at the centre of its policies, but in practice it will result in higher fees, less resources, and less security for students. ‘It claims to empower students through providing greater choice, but reduces student involvement to student satisfaction surveys and simple numerical scores. ‘Worryingly, high student satisfaction can be used as a rationale to raise tuition fees.’ The NUS and University and College Union, which represents lecturers and other staff, have announced a national rally for November, backed by The National Campaign Against Fees And Cuts.

per cent of graduates will never pay off their student loan, which is written off after 30 years.

per cent of graduates who were the first to pay £9k fees have moved back home

Debts demo: Students gathered in London to protest cuts to maintenance grants last year

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Ana Oppenheim from NCAFC said: ‘We believe that teaching can be improved through democratising universities and investing in staff, not through marketisation and privatisation. ‘Allowing universities judged to be the best to increase how much they charge will lead to even more inequality in our education system, as well as the closures of less profitable courses at the expense of students and staff.’ The group organised a march of thousands of students through London in December in a bid to stop maintenance grants cuts, which went ahead in August this year. Not all students believe the demo,

planned for November 19, is the best way to tackle the issue. David Browne, a postgrad studying international human rights law at Exeter university, said: ‘What the NUS should surely be doing is lobbying or trying to get into the corridors of power, rather than throwing tantrums outside of them. ‘It looks like an equivalent to the May Day rallies, which do little to make communism more attractive to the British electorate precisely because the march seems like an exercise in vanity.’ He added that asking students to pay more than £9,000 a year was not necessarily a bad thing. ‘We can’t ignore the fact that

The NUS should try and get into the corridors to power, not throw tantrums outside

David Browne, Exeter university student

inflation renders the £9,000 cap increasingly difficult for universities,’ he said. ‘Student loans are at very competitive rates.’ The NUS said its demo was ‘about sending a clear message to the government and Theresa May to invest in further and higher education’. It has faced criticism for spending a reported £60,000 on organising the rally, but a spokesperson said it was still finalising the costs. ‘Once we have done that, we will be working with partners to ensure every penny spent contributes to a powerful statement of support for improvements to education for all,’ they added.

per cent of students feel they are getting their money's worth at uni

ANOTHER WAY?

A group of lecturers didn't like the new bill and wrote their own – here is the original and the alternative version The Government's reforms: If successful, these will be put in place from 2017

The Alternative White Paper: A team of academics and activists put together these alternatives

n Universities will be made to publish admissions data.

n Additional funding to improve the student to staff ratio

n A teaching excellence framework will be put in place to judge

n A reduction in research demands so academics can spend

the quality of teaching in universities. n Universities with a high quality teaching rating will be allowed to raise their fees in line with inflation.

more time with students n Financial support for students from lower income backgrounds

will be the cost of tuition fees per year by 2020, a 2015 report estimated

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6|Research

October 2016

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Cricket mating calls may be answer for hearing aids Creepy crawlies may develop sound tech @ Amy Denman We’re all familiar with the chirrup of crickets on a warm summer’s evening. Well, researchers at the University of Bristol have been studying whether this distinctive sound could hold the key to advancing hearing aid technology. ‘The secret to their loud calls is their wings are corrugated in specific patterns which makes them very stiff, which in turn makes them very loud when they are rubbed together,’ said Bristol’s Dr Rob Malkin in a blog on website The Conversation. ‘Using laser vibration systems and advanced computer

modelling simulations (more often used to study aerodynamics), we can replicate this idea by tailoring the stiffness of a speaker surface. This creates an efficient way to make tiny speakers very loud indeed.’ The study brings together the three separate disciplines of biology, medicine and engineering. Dr Malkin said although the three areas have been traditionally separate by combining them, the researchers can develop new solutions based on discoveries made many years ago. He added: ‘While bio-inspired hearing aids may not be about to arrive on the shelves, this innovative new field of study could find more ways to address the needs of people with hearing loss.’

This innovative new field of study could find more ways to address the needs of people with hearing loss

Dr Rob Malkin, University of Bristol

Sound solution: Cricket love calls could help improve hearing aids

Just one joint will make you lazier @ Amy Denman

@ Amy Denman

Smoking is an expensive habit, but it’s not just the till prices burning a hole in smokers’ pockets. The cost of treating the smokingrelated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will exceed more than £2.3billion per year in England and £200million in Scotland by 2030, research from the University of Edinburgh suggests.

Cocaine addiction can be cured by administering a drug currently used in cancer treatment trials, a Cardiff University study has found. The experimental therapy treats cocaine addiction by inhibiting memories responsible for drug cravings. The new treatment, which was only tested on mice, can destroy the memories of joy associated with drug use, which the study found are the key to turning recreational drug use into an Ana Iliescu addiction.

‘Test mental health early’ The children of parents with severe psychiatric disorders are three to four times more likely to develop violent and suicidal tendencies, recent research has suggested. The University of Manchester study proposes early intervention should be put in place through the medium of screening tests to determine whether the child is predisposed to any mental health problems that would result in violent or suicidal behaviours.

Emily Stables

Hazy and lazy: One spliff can demotivate you

to carry out a task that, if completed, would earn them money. In each trial, the participants were given the choice of a more difficult task for higher cash rewards or an easier task for lower rewards. The researchers found the participants who inhaled the cannabis were less motivated to do the more difficult task and would

settle for the easier option. Researchers compared the participants’ results to a group of cannabis addicts in an observational study and found the same results. This could suggest there is no difference to a person’s motivation if they are a long term or one-off user, however the effects seemed to wear off after 12 hours.

Rio 2016 was a historic Olympics for Team GB, with a whopping 67 medals, 11 of which were from the cycling track. Although much of the success is down to the athletes themselves, the bikes also played a big part. So it is fair to say University of Bristol lecturer Prof Stuart Burgess, who played a key role in developing the chains for Team GB’s bikes, deserves a pat on the back. He said: ‘The riders are the main reason for the success at Rio but it is important to optimise every part of the bike because every country is continuously improving their bike technology. ‘At Bristol we have had an excellent

team of researchers and technicians who have contributed to the project and they now feel they have a connection with the Olympics.’ Prof Burgess was the principal investigator in a project to develop one of the world’s most accurate test rigs for measuring the efficiency of bicycle chain transmissions. The refined tests were used on Team GB’s Olympic bikes to optimise and measure the efficiency of the chain drive, to ensure the bikes were at their peak performance level. He added: ‘We were quite nervous at the start of the Olympics but then really thrilled when the cyclists won so many medals.’

Lung disease treatment will cost billions in 15 years Aging population to blame for increase

Cancer drug cures habit

Team GB’s biking wins helped by Bristol test The end is

PICTURE: BHAGESH SACHANIA

Afroman’s popular 2001 song Because I Got High could reveal some truths, according to two UCL studies. Researchers at the London university found just one spliff will make you less motivated for an entire day. Will Lawn a researcher at UCL, wrote in research website The Conversation: ‘After years of being told that getting high makes you lazier, we’ve provided some of the first solid evidence that it’s true. On the bright side, your long-term cannabis use may not erode your drive like some people claim.’ Under a controlled laboratory environment, the study gave some participants the equivalent of one spliff’s worth of cannabis, inhaled through a balloon, and some a placebo. The participants were then asked

No easy ride: Dr Burgess

IN BRIEF

The study predicted cases of COPD will rise from just over one million in 2011 to more than 1.3million by 2030 in England and 100,000 in 2011 to 120,000 in 2030 in Scotland. Edinburgh researcher, Dr Susannah McLean, said: ‘Our findings suggest there will be a substantial number of frail, elderly people living with COPD in the coming years, I hope advances in healthcare technologies will help meet this rising demand.’ Academics from the university

used a mathematical model to estimate the number of COPD diagnoses in England and Scotland by 2030. The study looked at smoking rates, disease severity and rate of deaths and concluded the main factors for the rise in costs is a longer life span rather than an increased rate of diagnosis. COPD is the name for a collection of lung diseases that are caused mainly by smoking. Sufferers have difficulties with breathing and Stub it out: Cost of treating COPD is set to rise persistent coughing.

Planet Nine The mysterious Planet Nine could destroy our solar system when the sun dies, research from the University of Warwick suggests. Dr Dimitri Veras from the Physics Department predicted the hypothetical planet, which might exist in the outer solar system, could create a pinball effect, hurling other planets out of the solar system when the sun dies. However, the catastrophic event is seven billion years away, so no need to panic just yet. Ana Iliescu

Bad air can lose money Air pollution can negatively impact exam results and affect future earnings, research shows. The study revealed taking an exam on a day with increased pollution could lead to a 3.8 per cent decline in student test scores. Researchers from LSE, University of Warwick and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem looked at Israeli school students’ entrance exams over a two year period, the pollution levels at the time and their wages eight to ten years on.

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Comment

October 2016

Want to have your say about a current event? Email your comment to editor@unipaper.co.uk

Going into the new academic year can be a nerve-wracking time. As you embark on the next stage of your degree, new worries appear, from money to dissertations. We asked eight students what their biggest fear was for this year.

This month’s question:

What makes you most nervous about this new academic year? Coming out of education is unnerving Georgia Welch, University of Manchester

Adult life and all its tasks are looming Rosie Davidson, University of Sheffield

Money worries could get in the way of my studies Carly Stevenson, University of Sheffield

Jump from first to second year is daunting Zoe Thompson, University of Bristol

Perhaps the most terrifying thing about my third year is the looming prospect of what lies beyond education. I’m sure I’m not alone in finding the world of employment and decision making following university extremely daunting. Not only is settling on the right career for me a difficult choice, but it’s also tricky to work out whether or not employment is the next step. After what will have been 17 years spent in education, a gap year is beginning to sound more and more appealing.

Sacrificing my social life to study will be hard

These past two years at university I have been in a naive daze, believing my degree will not count towards anything, or it will only count towards 30 per cent. This naivety prolongs the inevitable – entering the real tax-paying world. The dawning realisation is these are probably the last few years of your young adult life, when you can get away with watching hours of Come Dine With Me, skipping countless commitments, while nursing a hangover with your housemates. What is most worrying is your parents’ worries, which have always been background music, will be yours in a few years’ time. But above all of these worries is the concern that I will look back on my three years at university with feelings of remorse or regret over what I should or should not have done.

Preparing to survive in an all-girl house

It’s the same as it has been since starting my PhD: Finding ways to support myself while studying. As a self-funded student, it can be challenging to find the right balance between paid work, studying and a social life, especially on a limited income. I’ve always felt compelled to seek out as many opportunities for paid employment as possible, often at the expense of my research. Recently, however, I have made a conscious effort to avoid taking on too much ‘extra’ work. Money worries have kept me awake at night on several occasions last academic year and I imagine it’ll be the same now, but somehow I know I’ll overcome these obstacles and (hopefully) make some progress with my thesis. Did I mention the importance of staying positive?

Juggling work and social life will be tricky

As I transition to my second year of university, my biggest fear for the upcoming year is my potential academic vulnerability. While the comforting fug of the freshers’ 40 per cent pass-rate clears, the performance-focussed environment of second year, which ‘actually counts’, is daunting. In line with this, after an aimless four-month summer, I’m nervous about feeling disengaged and overwhelmed when rejoining my course. Rumours often circulate about how second year is a significant step up from first year introductory modules. Similarly, the academic confidence and social focus of first year, with the offered guidance from university support networks, is likely to be replaced by challenging curriculum demands and an attitude of ‘you should really know this by now.’

Graduate jobs are easy to find – right?

Louisa Kendal, University of Bristol

Imogen Guild, Newcastle University

Jessica Ginting, University of Bristol

Jessica Farrington, University of Sheffield

With my third year here, I am really worried about one thing above all others… the death of our social lives. We’ve heard the warnings from those in the years above us: ‘Enjoy it while you can’ and ‘you don’t know how good you’ve got it’. Despite our hope that nothing will change, we all know that with dissertations and finals looming over our already frazzled heads, we’ll be struggling to drag ourselves from the library every day. Although we may attempt to do freshers’ week and kid ourselves that we our no different to our younger companions, we all know we will be anything but fresh as we wake up for that 9am ‘Introduction To Your Dissertation’ (or as I like to call it, the extended essay of evil) seminar. Living in a house with six other girls. If I wasn’t fearful when I signed the contract, I sure am now. Every time I tell someone about my housing situation this year, I’m met with the same reaction of horror mixed with pity, as though I’ve just signed my death warrant. I’m also quite a paranoid person so it got me thinking: ‘What if our periods end up in sync?’ I’ve heard that can happen. On the plus side, the girls I’m going to live with are all great and really chilled. There may be obstacles that come with living in an all-female house but I’m confident the good times we are going to have this year will outweigh those. Going into my first year at the University of Bristol, I didn’t know what to expect. My goal was just to experience university life to the fullest and to learn as much as I can, both academically and socially. My biggest fear for this upcoming academic year is being constricted by overwhelming expectations – the pressure to perform academically, the pressure to maintain friendships, and the pressure to constantly work towards building a career. Being a fresher was liberating in the sense that I was allowed to (and expected to) make mistakes. Having high expectations can be very motivating, but I think it’s important to keep things realistic without letting them fester into something harmful and counter-productive. A lot of students will constantly be told that university is the one time they won’t have any true troubles to deal with. But when you’re heading into the third and final year of your degree, as I am, the pressure does step up a gear. My one fear for the academic year is whether I’ll be able to find work after I graduate. People taking arts and humanities degrees often wonder this because the skills you learn can be transferred to many areas, so you could apply for almost any kind of job. Then again, at least this means we have lots of job options to consider. Third year? Bring it on.

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN YOUR CAREER

www.merlincareers.com/graduates

Your Life

Students reveal their unique experiences at university. Email editor@unipaper.co.uk to tell your story

I knew I had to follow my heart

Shingi Rice, 23, describes how the 50/50 chance she would survive surgery inspired her to study fashion photography

AKING PHOTOS was aways something I had enjoyed, but I saw it as more of a hobby than a career option. But in 2013, when I was 20, a fairly common condition turned into a serious one and helped make up my mind on my career decisions. I was in my final year of college. I began to look for universities and although I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do for a career, I decided to visit universities anyway. At the beginning of 2013 I began to get pains in my left arm. I had previously been told by doctors I had a hole in my heart valve, but that this was quite common for young adults. But in October 2013 the pain came back, my limbs began to swell up and I was rushed to the emergency room. After a while in hospital, the doctors did some tests and I was told I had a blood clot. While I was there they wanted me to have a

heart scan to make sure everything was OK. I had a quick scan and it turned out one of my heart valves, which normally helps blood flow through the heart, was missing. Then I found out I was going to have surgery, it was a really surreal moment, I remember my parents leaving to go and have dinner in the hospital cafe and I was just about to go to sleep when the doctor came in and told me that I needed surgery the next morning. I had to choose between a pig’s valve or a mechanical valve. The pig’s valve meant I would need surgery every few years and a mechanical valve meant being on medication my whole life and hearing my heartbeat 24/7. I chose the mechanical valve – the thought of having my chest open every few years was daunting. I called my parents and they came rushing back. They were distraught. I remember being wheeled into the surgery room scared for my life,

my mom wouldn’t stop crying and my dad had a lost look in his eyes. My surgery was eight hours long and it was the longest eight hours of my parents’ life. The first time the doctor came out, he said that there was a 50/50 chance I’d survive. I can’t really imagine what my parents went through. My name was then called out and the doctor said I was very lucky. My mom kept on hugging and kissing the surgeon – she still does when I go back for my yearly check up. I was in hospital for three months. At the beginning I was giggling 24/7 – it was the drugs they were giving me – but after a few weeks they wore off and I was back to normal. Then a few more weeks after that I started getting really depressed. I couldn’t go outside and I missed hanging out with my friends.I began to realise that I had to study what I was passionate about at uni. I think because I had a 50/50

October 2016

I can still hear the valve ticking all the time

Shingi Rice

Did you have an unusual path to the course you took? Email editor@ unipaper.co.uk

Shifting focus: Risky surgery led Shingi to pursue her passion

chance of making it through the surgery, I just thought ‘I might as well spend my time doing something I enjoy’. I didn’t want to wait for another year and I felt it was manageable to start university, so I thought ‘just go for it’. Although I didn’t pass my second year at college, I managed to get into the University for the Creative Arts in Epsom, Surrey, to do a foundation year. Then last year, among other courses, I applied to the London College of Fashion to study fashion photography, and I have just finished my first year. The surgery has had some negative impacts on my life. I’m not allowed to exercise anymore and I used to be quite active. I also put on quite a lot of weight because I like to snack. But the experience has also brought me closer to my family and although my mum has always helped me with my studies, we have grown closer since my surgery. And every time something goes wrong in my life, my family always remind me I’ve been through worse.

What’s On

The Lowdown

October 2016

AURORA

P18&19

BASTILLE Uni made this happen

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BLOSSOMS On making fans shake

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TWIN ATLANTIC Pay tribute to their city

I love to sit in silence

Nature-lover Aurora reveals how being alone in Norway’s forests inspired her IZZY BIZU Reflects on growing up

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OUR SUMMER Fond festival flashbacks

@ Amy Denman URORA is enchanting – I can’t help but feel drawn in by her aura as she reflects on her freespirited childhood. Although her youth sounds like a solitary one, Aurora Aksnes, who goes by her first name, found her fascination with nature was all the company she needed. ‘It’s such a magical feeling being alone in the forest,’ she says. ‘When you’re with people, you always have to give something, whereas nature doesn’t demand anything of you. I really enjoy silence, it makes me very happy.’ Aurora, whose angelic voice was behind the cover of Oasis’ Half The

PICTURE: KNUT_AASERUD

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World Away, used by John Lewis for their Man On The Moon Christmas advert last year, discovered her love of music at a young age. ‘I started writing melodies on the piano when I was six,’ she says. ‘Then, when I was nine, my English got better and I added lyrics.’ As a child, Aurora’s music was inspired by her experiences growing up in the historic district of Os, near Norway’s second largest city, Bergen. ‘We lived in a house in the countryside,’ she says. ‘It was a very idyllic place.’ But she didn’t spend much time exploring with friends. ‘I know it sounds sad but I didn’t enjoy playing with other children,’ she explains. Instead, she would sit in her bedroom and write songs – not even

ON TOUR Oct 3 Glasgow, The Art School Oct 4 Manchester, O2 Ritz Oct 6 Newcastle University Oct 7 Birmingham, O2 Institute Oct 8 Bristol, Trinity Centre Oct 13 London, O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire Oct 16 Leeds, Brudenell Social Club

her family knew of her talent. ‘I didn’t know it was a talent,’ she says. ‘When you are a child it’s just a hobby. ‘It was like a diary about my own and others’ experiences.’ The first time she revealed her skills to her family was at 14 or 15, when she wrote and sang a song for her confirmation – a coming-of-age ceremony in the church. ‘I wanted to tell my parents we can’t be afraid of time and change can be a good thing,’ she says. ‘I’m the smallest of three children, so I knew it would be hard for my parents to see me grow up. ‘I wrote them a song to tell them I would always be their child.’ It struck a chord with Aurora’s family. ‘There were a lot of tears and

after that day they said they knew I had it in me,’ she says. Armed with a collection of her childhood songs and melodies, she put together her debut album All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend. And a 20-year-old Aurora could not be happier with the response to the record, which reached the UK top 30 and No.1 in Norway. ‘It was fun making the album,’ she says. ‘Writing music is like giving birth, just without the pain.’ The turmoil has paid off though – this October Aurora is embarking on a headline tour of the UK, starting off in Glasgow and ending in Leeds. For someone who likes to be alone, she’s making a lot of friends. All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend is out now on Decca.

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The Lowdown

October 2016

Hello

OVERHEARD ON CAMPUS

from The University Paper

To the two girls sharing a cubicle in the library toilets, this is not Quids In at Pryzm, you don’t need someone to hold your hand while you pee University of Leeds

Well, haven’t things changed this summer? Since the last edition of The University Paper came out in May, we’ve had the Brexit result, we’ve got a new prime minister, Team GB flew at the Olympics, Andy Murray won Wimbledon, Chris Froome claimed the Tour de France and Iceland beat England in the Euros. Oh and don’t forget f**king Pokemon Go dropped. And while all the s**t has been hitting the fan this summer, The University Paper team has been working extra hard to make this year our best so far... and we’re off to a good start with this freshers special. We’ve got our biggest interviews yet, chatting with Bastille lead singer Dan Smith about his time at university (p18-19), speaking to Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden about his whirlwind summer (p21) and chewing the fat with Twin Atlantic singer Sam McTrusty about his hometown Glasgow (p23). On top of that, we chatted to jazz-soul singer Izzy Bizu about being starstruck by Will Smith (p27) and even spoke to UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping about his up-coming title defence (p47). Elsewhere, we look back on some of the highlights from festivals our student reporters attended this summer (p28), talk to food authors Cara Frost-Sharratt and Yishan Li about perfect dishes for freshers (pp30-31) and vlogger Jess Ratchford gives her wardrobe essentials for any occasion. And, if you’re still craving more head to www.unipaper.co.uk where you’ll find more incredible entertainment interviews plus all the latest news and sports from your university. Much love

The TUP team

Am I really having nightmares about meeting my new flatmates? My god, it’s high school all over again University of Liverpool When the queen dies, what will happen to the national anthem? Will we get a new one?

Coventry University

Moving into a house a month before your housemates is not fun University of Manchester Everyone seems to be moving on in life and I’m still at uni, living in halls again, having to make new friends again while my friends study abroad, I’m single and have no money to travel or do anything

University of Nottingham

Goodbye £500 overdraft, summer kind of ate you all up Back to Biz-ness: We spoke to singer Izzy Bizu

Swansea University

Getting paranoid in Sainsbury’s, worried people know your high, while buying half the sweets aisle, four muffins and trying to pay with your gym card.

University of Leeds

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Thank you student loan for getting me into university, I don’t think I can ever repay you

University of Birmingham

Kids on my street have started calling me the Pokemon lady because of my Pikachu backpack, how cute

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-chief: Sam Murray sam.murray@unipaper.co.uk Deputy editor: Clare Hardy clare@unipaper.co.uk Sub editor: Amy Denman amy@unipaper.co.uk Online sub editor: Tom Gellatly tom.g@unipaper.co.uk

University of Nottingham

Think my Tinder is broken, I can’t get any matches

Coventry University

Coming to the library for the free wifi because you haven’t set it up in your house yet, #studenthacks

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Back to uni, back to one sheet of bog roll at a time

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COMEDY Romesh Ranganathan is famed for his witty and sarcastic one-liners and unimpressed expression. The comedian’s latest tour, named Irrational, shows his comedy game is just as strong as his beard game as the dates were extended before the show started. In his standup show, Romesh discusses issues close to his heart, such as iPhone vs Android and cinema popcorn portions. His quick wit and clever gags mean these tickets are selling fast, so don’t miss your chance. See Romesh in action at St David’s Hall on Saturday, October 15.

MUSIC If post-punk indie music sounds like your thing, you are going to love Spring King (that’s if you don’t already). The four-piece up-and-coming band have an upbeat sound that has caught the eye of NME and Q Magazine – both have given them rave reviews. Spring King combine The Beach Boys with Arctic Monkeys to bring a modern, Mancunian and summer

sound. Their debut album, Tell Me If You Like To, documents their journey as a blossoming band and reflects a bright future ahead for these boys. Don’t miss your chance to see them when they come to Swn Festival between Friday, October 21 and Sunday, October 23.

THEATRE

October 2016

from having to share a bed with your mate to getting a telesales call. This comedian is not shy of rejection – before he was noticed he showcased his comedy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe three years in a row in an attempt to get seen, so he won’t let you down. The dull, everyday situations you encounter will suddenly seem hilarious as James talks you through his daily quibbles in a surprisingly funny monotone. Catch him at Clwb Ifor Bach on Wednesday, September 21.

For more Cardiff enterntainment and music news, go to www.unipaper. co.uk

Let’s face it, ABBA songs will never get old. And we know students love a bit of cheese music, so what better musical than one that’s full of the stuff. Mamma Mia will take you to a Greek island, where Sophie faces a dilemma on the eve of her wedding, after embarking on a quest to find her real father. Catch Mamma Mia at the Wales Millennium centre from Tuesday, October 11 until Sunday, November 13.

THEATRE Have you ever wanted to trek through the Amazon or climb Everest? Globetrotter and survivalist Bear Grylls has conquered these formidable habitats and more. He even took on Piers Morgan when the early morning chat-show host jokingly jumped up and attacked him. Now Grylls is bringing his exotic adventures to the stage. Using special effects, the occasional pee drinker tells his stories of survival in the most extreme of conditions. From climbing mountains to swimming in shark-infested waters, you will be taken on a worldwide adventure for just 25 quid. Catch Bear when he parachutes into the Motorpoint Arena (maybe...) on Tuesday, October 25.

COMEDY Comedian James Acaster enjoys pointing out the funny things in everyday life. His comedy takes a hilarious twist on situations we have all found ourselves in at one point or another,

Virtual adventure: Bear Grylls brings his survival stories to Cardiff

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What’s On

October 2016

If you would like to write for The University Paper, please email editor@unipaper.co.uk

I like to fuse music and tea V INYL is to music what loose leaf tea is to hot drinks – at least, that’s what Mr Scruff and I have decided. The DJ is fresh, or rather, tired and jetlagged, from his American tour. He’s having a barbecue when I call to discuss his 20-year career and the art of playing to a crowd. But we also end up chatting about the good old cuppa. ‘I combine music and tea quite a lot,’ Mr Scruff, real name Andrew Carthy, says. ‘The preparation of loose leaf tea has a bit more of a sense of ceremony, as does putting on a piece of vinyl.’ So teabags are the equivalent of MP3, I suggest. ‘They’re convenient and digital music is convenient, so I think that’s quite a good statement,’ he says. ‘Sometimes you just want a muggy builder’s brew.’ His love of tea drove Carthy to launch his own brand of loose leaf, Make Us A Brew, which he first sold from a room at the Music Box in Manchester. You must have to be a pretty important part of a city’s music scene to be able to sell groceries from a club. I ask what pearls of DJing wisdom he’s picked up during his career, which has included hosting longrunning club night Keep It Unreal at the city’s Band On The Wall. He talks about clubbing as

something the DJ is just one part of, although he says they must ‘help to shape the mood and feeling in the venue’. ‘The most important thing in any venue is the people on the dancefloor, how they interact and how you can feed off that and help influence it,’ he adds. ‘DJing is a good little tug of war game with the dance floor. ‘There might be a completely different set of people this month and I think OK, this is completely new so let’s have some fun.’ Carthy has described the way he makes music as mixing playfulness with a no-nonsense bass, but he’s also said you wouldn’t want to mess with his tunes. ‘Sometimes I’ll just play some really mellow things and sometimes I’ll play some quite harsh, quite metallic stuff and almost try and push people away,’ he explains. ‘Everyone finds their own particular way into a piece of music. One person hears something really heavy

Scruff’s Scribbles: Carthy, top and his four steps to DJing, above

ON TOUR Oct 1, Nov 5 Manchester, Band on the Wall Oct 14 Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach Oct 15 London, KOKO Nov 12 Newcastle, Wylam Brewery

and aggressive that another person might find quite relaxing. Everyone views the same piece of music slightly differently.’ He says the variety of music in Manchester, where he lives, is part of what brings students there. ‘It will be on the top of many people’s lists for places to study because of what’s going on outside of their course,’ he adds. ‘Although a lot of the older clubbers and music people like to moan about students, I think one of the good things about the constant influx of new young people every year is it really does revitalise the club scene. ‘About half the club nights in Manchester are put on by students so that’s a very important part of the city’s music culture.’ His own time as a student, doing fine art at Sheffield Hallam, is echoed in the distinctive line drawings used for his records and posters, but I ask if it influenced his music career as well. ‘While I was doing my degree I was working and I was making music and DJing as well,’ he says. ‘I wouldn’t say I was the hardest working student but I was definitely working hard on other stuff at the same time. As the music started to take off, that definitely did affect my coursework.’ As I let Carthy get back to his barbecue in the Manchester sun, I decide that wasn’t such a bad thing.

PICTURE: SHAUN BLOODWORTH

@ Elliott Mills

The FoodInterview & Drink

Meals can be fun with a bit

Great freshers’ food is within reach if you just master a few simple recipies, guided by some friendly Japanese comic book characters

S YOU try to shake off the effects of the past few nights of partying, cooking anything more than instant noodles can seem too big a challenge. But it doesn’t have to be. With the help of Sue Shi and Hungry Hiro from The Student’s Manga cookbook, we show you some simple recipes that are interesting too.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES The only cookie recipe you will ever need 125g soft unsalted butter, diced 175g soft light brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tbsp milk 200g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 250g dark chocolate chips

wasquite quite IIwas shykid kidand and aashy movedto to IImoved Leedsto togo goto to Leeds universityand and university hadaareally really had goodtime time good DanSmith Smith Dan

Line a large baking tray with nonstick baking paper. The easiest way to do this is to put the tray on the baking paper and draw around it with a pencil, then cut just inside the line for a piece that will be the right shape and fit inside the tray. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You can use a fork to do this but it’s best to use a whisk if you have one, as you’ll get a fluffier mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract, then gradually add the egg, beating well throughout. Stir in the milk. Sift the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl and fold into the butter and egg mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Place one level tablespoon of the mixture on the lined baking sheet for each cookie, then repeat the process until the mixture has all been used. The cookies will spread when they cook, so leave about a 3.5cm space between each one. If you only have small baking trays, separate the cookie mixture across two trays so there is enough space between the cookies as they cook and expand. If you don’t have two baking trays, you can cook the batches one at a time. Press down on each cookie with a fork to level it out. Bake in a preheated oven at 180oC, gas mark four, for 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for ten to 15 minutes.

FEELING THE HEAT?

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season well with salt and pepper and serve immediately. If you need to cool off after a hot curry, drink milk, rather than water.

YUM!

VARIATION Seafood patties with curry sauce

TUP Top Tip: If you don’t have scales, you can convert grams into spoons online

CHICKEN CURRY IN A HURRY Why wait ages for a takeaway when you can make your own delicious curry for half the price? • • • • • • • •

3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 4 tbsp medium curry paste 8 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips 400g can chopped tomatoes 250g broccoli, broken into small pieces 100ml coconut milk Salt and pepper

TO SERVE • Boiled rice • Poppadoms • Mango chutney Serves: Four Prep time: Five minutes Cooking time: 25 min

ONTOUR TOUR ON

ILLUSTRATIONS: YISHAN LI

• • • • • • • •

Makes: 16 cookies Prep time: 10 minutes plus cooling Cooking time: 15 minutes

Fresh recipes: (clockwise from left) chocolate chip cookies; chicken curry in a hurry; macaroni cheese with ham; classic Bolognese

Heat the oil in a deep nonstick saucepan. The deeper the pan the better, as there’s a lot of chicken to fit in. Add the onion and cook for five minutes until softened. Don’t turn the heat up too high, or the onion will stick to the pan and burn. Add the curry paste and stir for one minute. If you like hot curries you can add a little extra paste, to suit your taste. Add the chicken, tomatoes, broccoli and coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook over a low heat for 15-20 minutes. While you’re waiting, why not boil some rice? Rice is easy – just follow the instructions on the packet. The rule of thumb is to use twice as much water as rice, so measure out two mugs of water for each mug of rice, using the same mug. Remove the curry from the heat,

Follow the instructions above to cook the onions and curry paste, then add the tomatoes, 200g baby spinach leaves and the coconut milk and cook as above. Meanwhile, finely chop 375g white fish fillets and 175g cooked and peeled prawns. Mix together by hand. Transfer to a bowl, add four finely chopped spring onions, two tbsp chopped coriander leaves, 50g fresh white breadcrumbs, a squeeze of lemon juice, one beaten egg, salt and pepper. Mix well, then form into patties and roll in white breadcrumbs to coat. This recipe should make about 16 patties. To cook, heat 1cm of vegetable oil in a large frying pan, add the patties in batches of four at a time and cook for five minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Serve with the curry sauce.

MACARONI CHEESE WITH HAM Quick-cook macaroni means this dish will be ready in minutes • 350g dried quick-cook macaroni • 250g mascarpone cheese • 100g Cheddar cheese, grated • 100ml milk • 2 tsp Dijon mustard • 400g tinned, premium cured ham, cut into small cubes • Salt and pepper • Chopped parsley, to garnish • Spinach with olive oil and lemon dressing, to serve Serves: Four Prep time: Five minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes

Boil a large saucepan of lightly-salted water and cook the macaroni as directed on the packet, until al dente. Drain the pasta and put it in a warmed serving bowl. Cover the pasta to keep it warm. To warm a serving bowl, put the bowl in a warm oven for a few minutes or pour some boiling water into it, leave it for a few minutes and

For more on food and drink, go to www.unipaper. co.uk

tip all of the water out. Gently heat the mascarpone, cheddar, milk and mustard in a saucepan until melted into a sauce. Mustard comes in different strengths – choose American for a mild flavour, French for an undertone of heat, and English to knock your socks off. Stir in the ham and cook gently for one to two minutes. Season to your taste. Serve the macaroni with the cheese sauce spooned over. Garnish with a little chopped parsley. If you have more time, you can mix the sauce with the pasta, pour it into a dish, sprinkle on some grated cheese and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, but make sure you use an ovenproof dish. This meal tastes great the next day, hot or cold. GREAT WITH Spinach with olive oil and lemon dressing

Rinse 625g spinach leaves, then place them in a large saucepan with just the water that is clinging to the leaves. Season with salt, cover and cook over a medium heat for between five and seven minutes, until the spinach is wilted and tender, shaking the pan from time to time. Drain into a colander, then return to the pan and toss over a high heat until any remaining water has evaporated. Add two tbsp butter and two finely chopped garlic cloves and mix with the spinach. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle four tbsp olive oil and two tbsp lemon juice over the top of the spinach leaves. Serve alongside the macaroni

October 2016

@ Henry Edwards

AN SMITH answers the phone with a warm and cheerful ‘hi there’. The Bastille frontman has come from a solid day of rehearsals and radio sessions, promoting their second album Wild World. But you wouldn’t know – the singer sounds as if he’s taking a relaxed stroll along a river in t he early evening sunshine. But he puts me straight: ‘We’re on our way to Amsterdam to do an album playback. ‘It’s an exciting time because we’re all involved in every little bit of the album, and we’re trying to organise a lot of fun things like pop-up shops.’ He describes the band’s next destination as ‘one of those really characterful cities that can be whatever you want’. He adds: ‘If you want

to go completely mental it’s good for that.’ And does he prefer to take in the culture or go completely mental? He laughs. ‘I think we all like a bit of both,’ he says after a pause. ‘Quite often we don’t have a large amount of time in a city,’ he adds. ‘But we always try and get a sense of where we’re playing and see what the city’s like, not just stay backstage.’ Bastille – also made up of Kyle Simmons and Will Farquarson on guitar, bass and keys and drummer Chris Wood – are one of those bands who seem to have been well established ever since you first heard of them. Hotly tipped as an emerging band from 2010, their debut album Bad Blood reached No.1 and their first big single, Pompeii, sold five million copies in America alone. But Smith never expected to be a musician and it was only while he was at the University of Leeds that a friend threw him into the limelight. ‘Music was always a private thing for me. At uni, all the mates I made were in bands and on a drunken night, someone heard one of my songs and, without me knowing, entered it into a competition Leeds Council ran.’ He didn’t find out about the competition until he was told he had won it and part of the prize included playing at The Faversham in Leeds. ‘It put me into situations where I felt uncomfortable and nervous but a part of me was really into it,’ he says. ‘I definitely don’t think, if I hadn’t gone to uni, I would’ve done music.’ I wonder how he felt about his mate secretly putting his music forward. ‘I only found

out when I won,’ he says. ‘It was a bit of a big bombshell. ‘Up to then it had been bedroom recordings and I had to work out how to do it live. ‘It’s taken me a long time to get comfortable playing shows.’ He says he had ‘the best time’ at Leeds, where he studied English. ‘I met so many good friends,’ he adds. ‘I really enjoyed my course, I did student radio and the paper and I used to work at the bar and see a lot of free gigs that way. ‘It’s a cliché to say, but the course is almost the least important bit.’ Leeds also helped Smith widen his musical tastes and come out of his shell. ‘I used to go to the West Indian Centre and see a lot of dub music and at the same time, I’d go and see a lot of indie bands,’ he says. ‘Leeds is amazing and has so much

Samples make our album like the imagined soundtrack to a film that doesn't exist Dan Smith

diversity and I guess me and my mates had a varied range of tastes. ‘I guess I was quite a shy kid and I moved to Leeds and had a really good time.’ So does he recommend other students give music a go at uni? ‘I would never see myself as worthy of giving any advice to anyone,’ he says humbly. ‘For me, that was the time when it happened.’ His description of life with the band after they formed in 2010 shatters any illusions that Bastille rose up overnight. ‘It was a gradual curve,’ he says. ‘We went up to every venue in London and all around the country. ‘Before our album came out we worked up to Shepherd’s Bush Empire and sold out for two nights. ‘That was before Pompeii and I guess that’s testament to how much we used to tour. ‘We worked really hard, putting out mix tapes and

CDs. We used to drive around the country in a car we borrowed from our friend’s mum because it was big enough to fit all our stuff in, and we used to crash on floors.’ Perhaps one reason Smith seems so carefree is he never presumed a music career would take off. ‘What’s been nice is that no-one was expecting, least of all us, to have this success,’ he says. In fact, before he was dragged out of the musical closet at university, Smith wanted to be a film journalist and admits he is still ‘massively’ into cult films. It’s a passion that has made it into the band’s music, in the form of samples, not least on Wild World. ‘The samples help add to the little world we’re trying to create – some are from well-known films and some are from unknown documentaries,’ Smith says. For forthcoming single Send Them Off! the band wanted a clip from an old Italian sci-fi. ‘Someone drove to Milan to try and find the film company, but we couldn’t find them, so we had to change it,’ Smith reveals. ‘It’s about making the album evocative.’ He adds rather poetically: ‘It’s like the imagined soundtrack to a film that doesn’t exist.’ Despite being a big fan of his soundtracks, the 30-year-old refuses to be drawn on his favourite Quentin Tarantino flick. ‘What I love about Tarantino, and [Stanley] Kubrick, is they don’t make millions of films – they make a few and they’re all iconic in their own way,’ he says. ‘It’s great to have a director who can put a stamp on things. To put a clunky parallel on it, it’s like our songs – we make them ours and we don’t really have a genre. ‘It would be cool if our albums felt like a series of different films by the same director.’ And with characteristic warmth and self-deprecation, he finishes our call by saying: ‘Sorry if I chewed your ear off!’ For details of Bastille’s upcoming UK arena tour, go to bastillebastille.com.

Singer may have kept his tunes hidden if it wasn't for the help of a drunken mate

I thank uni for the music

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The Interview

October 2016

Fans shake when meeting us Psychedelic five-piece getting used to adoring followers who tremble when taking photos with them

@ Tom Gellatly HEN The University Paper last spoke to Blossoms’ lead singer, Tom Ogden, in January he told us he hoped their debut album’s release would ‘propel them to the next level.’ Nine months and dozens of gigs later, Blossoms – which also includes bassist Charlie Salt, Josh Dewhurst on lead guitar, drummer Joe Donovan and keyboard player Myles Kellock – have a number one album and are about to embark on their biggest tour yet. I ask if the band feels different after their new found success. ‘It definitely does, yeah,’ he says. ‘We always thought when the album comes out, that is when everything would properly start. It feels like everything up until now has been a dress rehearsal.’ He adds: ‘We can’t wait for our headline UK tour and to play the

ON TOUR Sept 23 Birmingham, O2 Institute Sept 24 Bristol, Bristol Bierkeller Sept 29 London, O2 Forum Kentish Town Sept 30 Manchester Academy Oct 1, O2 ABC Glasgow Oct 3 Newcastle, Riverside Oct 4 Sheffield, The Leadmill Oct 5 Leeds Beckett SU Oct 7 Nottingham, Rock City Nov 30 Leicester, O2 Academy Dec 2 and 3 Manchester, Albert Hall Dec 5 Edinburgh, Potterrow Dec 13 London, O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire

tunes back to the fans.’ The tour will mark the end of the festival season, so I ask if the fivepiece are looking forward to getting back to regular gigs. Ogden tells me: ‘Festival season is great for the big crowds and the exposure, but you only get 15 minutes to set up and it’s quite a rushed thing. ‘When you’re doing your own shows you’ve got all day to set up and you know everything's going to run smoothly, it’s a little bit more relaxed.’ Reminiscing over the past few months, in which they've played festivals across Europe, Ogden tells me: ‘Leeds or Y Not Festival were the two highlights for me. ‘The crowds were very receptive and all singing along, and they both had a good vibe. ‘Funnily enough, we did a gig in Romania which was surprisingly really, really good.’ The band’s Reading and Leeds Festival performances this summer received rave reviews from critics.

Looking back, Ogden tells me: ‘They were everything we expected them to be. They were two really, really good gigs. ‘At Reading, it was nice to go back to the BBC Introducing Stage and do something there too, because they’ve helped us loads along the way.’ I tell him about a fan’s tweet in which she admitted to crying with happiness the whole way through Blossoms' Reading set. Surprised by the adoration, Ogden says ‘wow!’ and adds: ‘Stuff like that is a bit mad to be honest, it’s surreal. ‘But you can’t control how you make people react, and that can only be a positive thing, can’t it? ‘I’ve never reacted like that to a gig myself, but fair enough, it’s cool!’ With a fan-base rapidly growing much further than their home town of Stockport, Ogden tells me they are starting to become accustomed to fans’ reactions. ‘You get people going all shaky when they pose for a photo with

Blossoming career: (l-r) Josh Dewhurst, Myles Kellock, Tom Ogden, Charlie Salt and Joe Donovan

We were playing in Japan and they had cut-out masks of Myles’ face in the crowd, it was so strange.

Tom Ogden

us, and we’re like: “Why are you shaking? We’re just normal people!” But it’s great,’ Ogden says adding: ‘We were playing in Japan and they had cut-out masks of Myles’ face in the crowd, it was so strange.’ The band discovered the loyalty of their fans when their self-titled album went to No.1 in August. ‘We found out when we were at Boardmasters,’ the singer says. ‘We were with our management and people close to the band so that was nice. ‘When the album came out we were more excited about the fans’ reaction to it. But when we found out it might have been No.1 we were made up, and when it actually happened it was surreal.’ On the back of that success, Blossoms are embarking on their biggest tour yet. ‘It’s everything we wanted, Ogden says: ‘We always said from the start we wanted to be a big band, so these are the sorts of shows we want to be playing. ‘We’re not just going to become

complacent because we’ve booked a fairly big tour: we want bigger and better after this! We’re dead focused and we’re enjoying ourselves.’ The tour takes them from the UK to Europe and America. When I ask if he is excited about playing in the USA, he says: ‘I’ve always wanted to go to New York so it’ll be brilliant! ‘It will be good to be able to start again over there. It’s great to do big shows here, but when we go over there it’ll be like starting again at the small shows.’ With a successful year, you could forgive Blossoms for giving themselves time off to celebrate, but Ogden isn’t interested in slowing down, saying:‘I’m writing for what will be a second record. ‘It’s important to me that I keep on top of it and stay creative and look for stuff to influence me. We also wanna do more touring and bigger shows. There’s no limit to it, we just want to keep working hard. And we definitely want to follow up with a second record fairly quickly.’

22|Your Night

Enjoyed a big night in Cardiff? We have all the pictures from the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hottest nightspots... see if you can spot yourself

October 2016

Music

October 2016

Singer Sam McTrusty reveals the band have started a new chapter

@ Alicia Boukersi

AVING emerged from a genre seemingly lacking anything new, alt rock band Twin Atlantic are currently celebrating their tenth year together. And what a spectacular year it has been so far, from selling out highcapacity venues in minutes to the release of their new album, GLA. However, it all seemed quite unlikely not so long ago. After a hectic time creating the Great Divide album in 2014 and then touring, the Glaswegian four-piece of singer Sam McTrusty, guitarist Barry McKenna, Ross McNae on bass and Craig Kneale on drums, returned to Scotland to take a break. The period could have been the death of Twin Atlantic and McTrusty admits the big climatic gigs from their Great Divide tour in 2015 felt like an ending. Thankfully, it wasn’t. ‘Spending time back at home with our families, made us more comfortable with what we were producing,’ he tells me. ‘We just needed to take some time out and kind of bask in our achievements.’ He makes it clear their subsequent year long hiatus from music was never going to last forever. ‘Let’s face it, I was never going to be a zookeeper,’ he jokes. ‘I was asked to write songs for other artists, but it never really happened. I guess, in my heart of hearts, I knew the band wasn’t over. It wasn’t the end of the band, just the end of the first chapter.’ Since then, four-piece has been working on their fourth album, GLA. Named after their hometown, the band believes unequivocally that Glasgow influenced the record, both literally and figuratively. ‘GLA was the first album we’d

Robust rockers: Twin Atlantic's (l-r) Ross, Sam, Craig and Barry

I was never gonna be a zookeeper written at home, so it has a hip-hop style production to it,’ he says. Writing the record at home also meant the band could be ‘more real’ with their music. McTrusty says: ‘With this album we felt we could speak from the heart and talk about the brutal truth. ‘Being surrounded by hard, gritty edges of Glasgow painted the way the music looked in my mind.’ Twin Atlantic had recently said they want GLA to represent their experiences of living in what they called one of the most exciting yet dangerous cities in the world. When I quiz Sam about why Glasgow is dangerous he laughs and says: ‘The drinking culture, the fights on the way home, it’s laced through generations and means people are fiery, bold and able to speak their mind. ‘Glasgow is such an interesting

city. It’s working class and has 1,000 bars, which means people can really let loose.’ He adds the city is ‘the epicenter

Hometown tribute: The GLA album cover

for politics and the referendum really showed how passionate people are.’ ‘It can get a bit too much,’ he adds. ‘The people are so passionate and mixed with everything else, it can create a spark.’ These feelings are captured in GLA, which features a mixture of glam rock anthems and heavier tracks. ‘The album came so naturally to us,’ he says. ‘We were bored of people saying rock music is dead and not relevant. ‘It takes balls to show your true colours, and I think we’ve done that.’ Asking him about his favourite track from the album, he reveals Ex El is his top pick and describes it as being a cross-section of the whole record. ‘We never thought we’d have a song like that,’ he says. ‘It’s an excellent element, and it’s got an artistic edge which we love.’ Although Twin Atlantic have been together for a decade now, providing radio-ready emo-pop with pained yet majestic lyrics, they

We’re gonna put our heart and soul into the shows

Sam McTrusty

ON TOUR Oct 7 Newcastle University Oct 8 Manchester, Neighbourhood Festival Oct 9 Cardiff, Y Plas Oct 11 Birmingham, O2 Institute Oct 12 London, O2 Forum Kentish Town Oct 15 Leeds, Leeds Beckett students' union Dec 13 to 15 Glasgow, Barrowland

still look up to younger and newer bands. Counting Spring King and Blossoms as inspirations, McTrusty says: ‘Young indie bands are smashing it at the moment, and getting us hyped. It’s amazing to see.’ However, their own successes have galvanised the music scene in their hometown. Selling-out King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in minutes earlier this year shows hometown loyalty can breed success. ‘You can be from here and play among heroes,’ he says. The band is now eager for their tour to begin in October. ‘I’m excited to play our new music. We wrote the album with a live atmosphere in mind, and we’re proud of it. It’s gonna be mental,’ he says. I ask if there are any venues he wishes to play. ‘Yeah, there’s quite a few,’ he admits. ‘But we’re gonna put our heart and soul in the shows that we are playing.’

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Music

October 2016

TUP speaks to singer Izzy Bizu about her parents, living in the Middle East and turning growing pains into an album

@ Justine Jones WAS like “I can’t, I just can’t”,’ – Izzy Bizu is describing the one time she has found herself starstruck. Despite having toured with Justin Bieber and supported Sam Smith, the 22-year-old says it was only when she saw Will Smith in the flesh that it all got too much. ‘We were doing a soundcheck for Justin Bieber and Willow Smith was performing as well,’ she says. ‘Then Will Smith came on to the stage and I didn’t know what to do – I grew up watching Fresh Prince. I crumbled.’ If you’ve managed to miss out on seeing Bizu, born Isobel Beardshaw, at festivals such as Glastonbury and Secret Garden Party, or you haven’t had her single White Tiger stuck in your head all summer, you may recognise her voice from the BBC’s theme song for its UEFA Euro 2016 coverage – a cover of 1950s singer Edith Piaf’s La Foule (the crowd). You may also have seen the Londoner performing alongside Rudimental, Foxes or Sam Smith, who she says was her favourite to work with and describes as ‘a really cool and an amazing person’. ‘He’s got a great sense of humour,’ she adds. ‘I was so inspired when I first heard him sing, he’s unreal. We had a really good time being on tour with him.’ Maybe her ability to stay cool around big names is down to her small, close circle. ‘I’ve got two awesome friends, Ollie and Leo, who tell me the

My album is about coming of age. I didn’t go mad or anything but I was confused and conflicted. I was just growing up – I realised everyone goes through this phase absolute truth, even when I hate it,’ she says. ‘The day after I always agree and go “yes you were right”. They know me so well.’ The only time she gets close to gushing about people is while talking about her mum, who is from Ethiopia, and her English dad. ‘He’s awesome,’ she says. ‘I didn’t expect him to support me as much as he did. He saw I was putting 100 per cent effort in so he backed me. He’s a bit older so I thought he would be old fashioned about it but he was so nice.’ For four years, she lived with her dad while he was working in Bahrain, a small island nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia where temperatures can reach the high 30s. ‘Bahrain was perfect, it was palm trees and sea,’ she says. ‘Life’s a lot slower out there in the Middle East. ‘It’s hotter – great weather. Sometimes it can be unbearable and you don’t want to move but it was really nice. The food is really different, which was cool. The

I used to be such a wuss

language is also really beautiful.’ Despite describing herself as a ‘daddy’s girl’, when I ask who first supported her career, it takes her no time at all to say her mum. ‘She never said “you were amazing” – that’s not how it started. She was just like “Izzy, finish a song, just finish one”. ‘She would advise me on what was good and what wasn’t. She always made me work a bit harder to get the best results and when she was really happy she would tell me. She’s been a sweetheart.’ And she says her parents were understanding when she shunned uni in favour of music. ‘It can be hard for parents to see their kids not going to university,’ she says. ‘I thought they’d be like “she might be a homeless busker” but they sucked it up and embraced it.’ If she had become a student, she would have done psychology or Busy gigging: Izzy Bizu, above, has to compromise on parties

trained as a chef. ‘I get so much joy from cooking,’ she says. Despite not going to uni, she still has to juggle work and socialising. ‘I’m still trying to figure it out if I’m honest,’ she says. ‘You want to party but you have a gig the next day and you look haggard! I don’t know how some girls do it.’ The compromise is paying off though and Bizu has recently released her debut album A Moment Of Madness, which she wrote when she first moved away from home, fell in love and got a job. ‘It’s about coming of age,’ she says. ‘I didn’t go mad or anything but I was confused and conflicted. I was just growing up. I realised later

on that everyone goes through this phase. Now I look back and think “oh, I was such a wuss”.’ She says there was no single story she wanted to put on the album. ‘It

all comes together in the end and I look back on it and think there is a story there,’ she says. ‘They all connect in their own way.’ Sounds like writing an essay, I tell her. ‘Man

you guys work so hard,’ she replies. ‘My friend’s just finished a 10,000 word dissertation. ‘I don’t know how you do it.’ A Moment Of Madness is out now.

28|Our Summer

October 2016

Being a TUP reporter can be tough... here’s our festival highlights

LEEDS FESTIVAL

If Coachella is the David Beckham of festivals (sleek and well-groomed), Leeds Fest is the John Terry (dirty but gets the job done). The weather was atrocious and the tent we bought was so poor we might as well have slept in a leaky shower cubicle. However, if we had the chance to go again we would, and here’s why. While an outsider may think it’s the music that makes the festival, it’s really the people that bring the music to life. Personal favourites include the Power Rangers, Bananaman, Harambe the Gorilla and a rather hairy nun. The icing on the cake was a magical performance from Red Hot Chili Peppers on Sunday. So yes, the toilets looked like something from a post-apocalyptic nightmare. But, the crowd and the worldclass bands turned Leeds Fest 2016 Putting a spring into a festival that will live long in in your step: Lost the memories of all those who were boys at LeeFest part of it. Elliot Mulligan

ROM fake beaches to laser domes, the organisers of this summer’s festivals gave us plenty of weirdness and wonder. We’ve been digging sand, moshing and generally getting stuck-in to bring you the best bits.

Beer brand Corona turned its hand to festivals as Meridian Quays in London was transformed into a sand-filled manmade beach. The effort put in by my fellow guests added to the holiday vibe – even in not-so-summery temperatures, the shorts and sandals were easy to spot, accessorised with facepaint and glitter galore. We were treated to a line-up of DJs, including Robin Schulz, Felix Jaehn and Sam Feldt, who played perfect summer tunes. The festival had its own sunset moment as a view of Canary Wharf graced the background of the stage – a reminder that London can transform itself into a romantic Maya Jundi festival spot.

LEEFEST In the dying embers of a July heatwave, somewhere secret near Tonbridge, pirates and Peter Pan’s Lost Boys listened to live music and downed copious amounts of Frontier lager. The LeeFest story started ten years ago in Lee’s back garden and has grown in popularity each year. There were some great acts, from Loyle Carner to Ghostpoet, and you could watch each one from the comfort of one of the hay bales dotted around. If that got too sedate, there was always The Goldmine, a large pit playing non-stop club music, and Pieces of 8-bit, a shack full of retro games and consoles. Being intoxicated while killing Jaws with a guided missile on 007 Nightfire is the closest I’ll get to being ten years old again. Sam Toller

PICTURE: ANDREW BENGE

CORONA SUNSETS

Sun, singalongs and secret parties Q&A LOYLE CARNER I catch up with rapper Loyle Carner as he sits across from me in a backstage tent at LeeFest, looking excited but cool. You’ve started a cooking school, how’s that going? It’s good. We started last week. It’s for kids with ADHD from 14 to 16. It’s healthy, accessible stuff for the kids. Stuff that’s exciting: chicken ramen, salmon en croute, beef wellington. How do you use your ADHD to your advantage? It’s just who I am. I don’t know what it’s like to not have ADHD so I don’t recognise that I’m different. I took tablets when I was younger, which kind

ILLUSTRATIONS: JESS JENKINS

LOVE SAVES THE DAY A wedding, ballpit party and danceoff in a boxing ring: I definitely attended a Bristol festival. On entering LSTD, I was dragged into an inflatable church with a DJ at the back, where I witnessed the ‘nuptuals’ between two mates. The weirdness didn’t end there.

READING FESTIVAL of dulled down my ADHD but meant I couldn’t be creative. I decided that I was much better with ADHD. Everyone’s got their own quirks and as you grow up you learn how to work with them. This years been pretty big for you. Have you had any ‘pinch me, I’m dreaming’ moments? A few. It’s weird. I don’t really notice much of it. I notice it at the shows but, I live in Croydon, I don’t really see much of the hype around myself. It’s kind of like getting fat, you don’t know you’re fat until you’re fat. I met Corinne Bailey Rae recently, which was one of the times recently and I had to pinch myself, I’m wildly in love with her.

At points, I also found myself in a boxing ring danceoff, blindfolded in a makeshift tattoo parlour (the tattoo was fake) and diving into a ball pit in the middle of a tent where a DJ was playing ‘90s classics. Stormzy was an energy-fuelled grime masterclass, but Chase & Status played a disappointingly timid set that moved away from the drum ‘n’ bass many of their fans love them for. Luckily, I left in time to catch Dizzee Rascal’s rendition You Got The Dirtee Love – an appropriate song to end LSTD on.

Jake Hirst

My mum keeps me pretty grounded. I still live at home and I’ve got a lot of responsibility there, and that’s really what takes priority in my brain. But I just don’t look that online stuff, the comments, I just create and move on.

How do you keep yourself as grounded as you seem? I don’t see myself as any different to before the music started taking off.

GOTTWOOD It would be hard for me to adequately review my four days at Gottwood without churning out a novella, gushing over the long weekend. As I stepped into the woods on

Have you ever thought of going for any really different sounds that interest you? I’ve been interested in punk for a long time. My dad listened to a lot of punk back in the day. But it’s the same kind of stuff, it’s anti-establishment, like rap, it comes from a pure place, its not meant to be conventional. There’s a much closer link between punk and rap music than people think. Sam Toller

the first day, the festival took on a magical air that would fill the whole weekend. The organisers did a great job of setting a mystical tone, but the unambiguously titled Laser Dome proved to be one of the most frequently enjoyed areas as its laser beams flickered in and out of existence in time to the aggressive tunes played. Gottwood prides itself on being so much more than just a collection of neat stages and this year’s festival was such an energetic, life-affirming affair that I hope that it has a few more years in it yet. Tom Gellatly

5 things we learned at festivals this summer 1. Wet clothes are no fun – bring a waterproof bag 2. Record TV coverage of the festival so you can relive it 3. Take some time for yourself to just look around 4. Don’t cling to your schedule 5. Never camp near the toilets (or hedges). Daniel Cowen-Rivers

I couldn’t help but feel relieved we bought a pop-up tent after witnessing so many people struggling to set up theirs. However, on Friday morning I woke up covered in a mixture of sweat and rain which had managed to get into our tent over night. It was then I realised our tiny two man tent wasn’t the best idea. However, this little detail did not bring down my mood. Saturday was the day I was looking forward to the most as I would finally get to see my favourite band of all time, Red Hot Chili Peppers, live. They made an electric comeback nine years after they last performed at Reading. Later on we checked out the silent disco. While the queue was long, we managed to entertain ourselves by free styling with beat-boxing and singing, which got us a round of applause. Our egos were definitely boosted by this experience and we felt we should have a stage to ourselves. Sunday, the final day, began with a long walk to Tesco and I’d never seen a longer queue in the supermarket in my entire life. We finished the night by exchanging stories with our new friends from the weekend. I can honestly say Reading was one of the best weekends of my life.

Masha Milovanovic

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16/09/2016

09:36

The Food The Interview Interview & Drink

Meals can be fun with a bit

Great freshers’ food is within reach if you just master a few simple recipies, guided by some friendly Japanese comic book characters

I was quite I was quite a shy kidkid and a shy and I moved toto I moved Leeds toto gogo toto Leeds university and university and had a really had a really good time good time Dan Smith Dan Smith

FEELING THE HEAT?

OctOct 28 28 Bournemouth, BICBIC Bournemouth, OctOct 29 29 Plymouth, Plymouth, Pavilions Pavilions OctOct 31 Cardiff, 31 Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena Motorpoint Arena Nov 1 London, Nov 1 London, TheThe O2 O2 Nov 2 London, Nov 2 London, TheThe O2 O2 Nov 4 Leeds, First Nov 4 Leeds, First Direct Arena Direct Arena Nov 5 5 Nov Nottingham, Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena Motorpoint Arena Nov 6 Manchester Nov 6 Manchester Arena Arena Nov 8 8 Nov Birmingham, Birmingham, Barclaycard Arena Barclaycard Arena Nov 12 Glasgow, Nov 12 Glasgow, TheThe SSESSE Hydro Hydro Nov 13 Newcastle, Nov 13 Newcastle, Metro Radio Metro Radio Arena Arena

season well with salt and pepper and serve immediately. If you need to cool off after a hot curry, drink milk, rather than water.

YUM!

VARIATION Seafood patties with curry sauce

TUP Top Tip: If you don’t have scales, you can convert grams into spoons online

CHICKEN CURRY IN A HURRY Why wait ages for a takeaway when you can make your own delicious curry for half the price? • • • • • • • •

TO SERVE • Boiled rice • Poppadoms • Mango chutney Serves: Four Prep time: Five minutes Cooking time: 25 min

ON ONTOUR TOUR

ILLUSTRATIONS: YISHAN LI

• • • • • • • •

Makes: 16 cookies Prep time: 10 minutes plus cooling Cooking time: 15 minutes

Fresh recipes: (clockwise from left) chocolate chip cookies; chicken curry in a hurry; macaroni cheese with ham; classic Bolognese

For more on food and drink, go to www.unipaper. co.uk

19 31

October 2016

of i-manga-nation D @ Henry Edwards

cheese to compliment the creamy sauce.

GREEK-STYLE OMELETTE The classic student staple is given a summery twist • • • • • • • • • • • •

8 large eggs 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tbsp finely chopped mint 4 tbsp finely chopped parsley 2 tbsp olive oil 2 small red onions, roughly chopped 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped 1/2 courgette, roughly chopped 100g black olives, pitted 100g feta cheese Salt and pepper Bread or green salad, to serve

Serves: Four Prep time: 15 min Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Whisk the eggs in a bowl then add the oregano, mint and parsley and mix. Season well. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the red onion and

fry over a high heat until brown around the edges. Add the tomatoes, courgette and olives to the pan and cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Preheat the grill to medium-high so it’s hot when you’re ready for it. Reduce the heat and pour the eggs into the frying pan. Cook for three to four minutes. Stir the eggs while they’re cooking to mix the ingredients and make a fluffy omelette. Scatter the feta and place the pan under the preheated grill until the omelette is fluffy and golden. You could use cubes of halloumi or cheddar if you prefer. Cut the omelette into wedges and serve with a green salad or bread. GREAT WITH Classic Greek salad

Thinly slice two red onions, four tomatoes and one cucumber and place in a wide salad bowl with 200g cubed feta cheese and 100g pitted black olives. Drizzle over six tbsp olive oil and sprinkle over one tsp dried oregano. Season, mix well and serve.

AN SMITH answers the phone with a warm and cheerful ‘hi there’. The Bastille frontman has come from a CLASSIC solid day of rehearsals and radio BOLOGNESE sessions, promoting their second album Wild World. But you wouldn’t know – the Everyone needs to know singer sounds as if he’s taking a a Bolognese recipe relaxed stroll along a river in t he early evening sunshine. • 25g butter Butunsalted he puts me straight: ‘We’re •on1 tbsp olivetooilAmsterdam to do an our way •album 1 small onion, finely chopped playback. • 2‘It’s celery sticks, finely an exciting timechopped because •we’re 1 carrot, finely chopped all involved in every little •bit1 bay leafalbum, and we’re trying of the •to200g lean minced organise a lot of beef fun things like •pop-up 200g lean minced pork shops.’ • 150ml dry white the wine He describes band’s next • 2 x destination 400g cans chopped tomatoes as ‘one of those • 600ml chicken stock really characterful cities • 400g dried tagliatelle that can or befettuccine whatever • Salt and pepper you want’. He adds: ‘If TO SERVE you want • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese • Garlic bread (optional) • Green salad (optional) Serves: Four Prep time: 10 min Cooking time: 1 hr 15 min

Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over a low heat.

to go completely mental it’s good for that.’ And does he prefer to take in the culture or go completely mental? He laughs. ‘I think we all like a bit of both,’ he says after a pause. ‘Quite often we don’t have a large Add theof onion, carrot and amount time celery, in a city,’ he adds. bay leaf. Cook for ‘But we always tryten andminutes, get a sense stirring until onion of whereoccasionally we’re playing andthesee is softened but like, not browned. Add what the city’s not just stay the meat and season. Cook over a backstage.’ medium andmade break meat Bastilleheat – also upup ofthe Kyle with a wooden spoon, until it’s on no Simmons and Will Farquarson longerbass pink.and keys and drummer guitar, PourWood in the– are one of those Chris wine and bands who seem to have been well bring to ever since you first established the boil. heard of them. Gently Hotly tipped as an emerging simmer for2010, their debut album band from 15 minutes Bad Blood reached No.1 and their untilbig it has first single, Pompeii, sold five reduced.copies Stir ininthe tomatoes and million America alone. stock and simmer uncovered But Smith never gently expected to be 30-40 minutes, until thewhile sauce afor musician and it was only thickens. the pastaof inLeeds lightlyhe was at Cook the University salted boilingthrew waterhim according that a friend into theto packet instructions, until al dente. limelight. Drain the pan, but keep backthing a ‘Music was always a private ladle-full theall cooking water. for me. Atof uni, the mates I made Putin thebands pastaand back pan, over were onina the drunken a low someone heat. Addheard the sauce andmy stir night, one of for 30 and, seconds, thenme pour in the songs without knowing, leftover pasta cooking water, mix entered it into a competition and serve Parmesan Leedswith Council ran.’ on top. Recipes from The Student’s He didn’t find outManga about Cookbook bycompetition Cara Frost-Sharratt the until heand Yishan Li,was £9.99. told he had won it and part of the prize included playing at The Faversham in Leeds. ‘It put me into situations where I felt uncomfortable and nervous but a part of me was really into it,’ he says. ‘I definitely don’t think, if I hadn’t gone to uni, I would’ve done music.’ I wonder how he felt about his mate secretly putting his music forward. ‘I only found

Samples make our album like the imagined soundtrack to a film that doesn't exist Dan Smith

CDs. We used to drive around the country in a car we borrowed from our friend’s mum because it was big enough to fit all our stuff in, and we used to crash on floors.’ Perhaps one reason Smith seems so carefree is he never presumed a music career would take off. ‘What’s been nice is that no-one was expecting, least of all us, to have this success,’ he says. In fact, before he was dragged out of the musical closet at university, Smith wanted to be a film journalist and admits he is still ‘massively’ into cult films. It’s a passion that has made it into the band’s music, in the form of samples, not least on Wild World. ‘The samples help add to the little world we’re trying to create – some are from well-known films and some are from unknown documentaries,’ Smith says. For forthcoming single Send Them Off! the band wanted a clip from an old Italian sci-fi. ‘Someone drove to Milan to try and find the film company, but we couldn’t find them, soCracking we had to twist: Add change it,’ Smith reveals. your favourite ‘It’s about making the album cheese, evocative.’ herbs and He adds rather poetically: ‘It’s tomatoes like the imagined soundtrack to afor a Mediterranean film that doesn’t exist.’ to Despite being a bigflavour fan of his your omelette, soundtracks, the 30-year-old above refuses to be drawn on his favourite Quentin Tarantino flick. ‘What I love about Tarantino, and [Stanley] Kubrick, is they don’t make millions of films – they make a few and they’re all iconic in their own way,’ he says. ‘It’s great to have a director who can put a stamp on things. To put a clunky parallel on it, it’s like our songs – we make them ours and we don’t really have a genre. ‘It would be cool if our albums felt like a series of different films by the same director.’ And with characteristic warmth and self-deprecation, he finishes our call by saying: ‘Sorry if I chewed your ear off!’ For details of Bastille’s upcoming UK arena tour, go to bastillebastille.com.

Singer may have kept his tunes hidden if it wasn't for the help of a drunken mate

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October 2016

A career full of characters @ Henry Edwards

VER wondered if there’s any point to your degree, when the naysayers are convinced you’ll be working in a bar once you graduate anyway? Then take inspiration from one of Birmingham City University’s alumni of the year, illustrator Jonathan Cusick, who is still using the skills he learned at uni nearly 20 years ago to create caricatures and satire for papers, magazines and adverts. He told TUP about the job’s highs and lows and how it began...

PICTURE: JONATHAN CUSICK

We grilled an artist who is still using his degree to paint stars in a new light

I loved caricatures as a kid. Spitting Image [a Bo’ Selectastyle satirical TV puppet show] was a huge influence. As a teenager, I wrote to the makers, sent them some work and got to spend the day drawing Entertainment for lively minds Diplomatic drawings: with the team twice, when Above, Jonathan I was 14 and 15. Cusick (centre) with In the workshop there his take on (l-r) Kevin were clay sculptures and Spacey and cast ammonia, which was wants a word members from House used to make the puppets, with you! Of Cards; former PM so it had a heady smell. Gordon Brown; the Nothing like that exists Duke and Duchess now, I feel really lucky. of Cambridge with The obvious thing Subscribers Prince George and was to go to art college. Edition (inset) Paul Weller At that time, I remember hating illustration – I caricatures of them. didn’t really understand I’ve noticed the less what it was. It wasn’t until I did a someone is used to degree and found out seeing themselves what illustration was that I in images, the more really enjoyed it. interested they are in I was supposed to do what I’ve drawn. I an MA after I graduated illustrated a column sketching when I don’t have a job in 1999. But what I wanted to do it for a couple of years and whenever on was quite commercial and, at the on, almost as a way of training. there were academics or less time, the people running it didn’t I also have to be adaptable. If well-known people featured, they really understand so I decided not to the manufacturer makes changes would always be interested in their apply for it. to the type of paintbrush I use, for pictures. They wouldn’t always buy It was a bit of a shock to realise I example, I have to adapt to that. them though! wasn’t going to do it anymore. A typical day is full, if I have a I met Prince Charles while I So I started looking for freelance job on for a magazine. was doing a drawing course. jobs. I sent examples of my work to The deadlines for magazines tend The course was at the Royal publishers and I would ring them up to be short, so unless I’m making a Drawing School in Shoreditch, a week later and ask if I could come I’m doing exactly what I did at so he came to visit. He seemed in with my portfolio. genuinely interested in what we uni, but I’m doing it better. I’m not sure how easy it would were doing. It’s like being an athlete – you be to get a response that way now. I’ve also had a private tour of have to maintain your fitness On Instagram you see so much the House Of Commons and met amazing work, so I don’t know how cup of tea or eating, it’s usual not to members of the SAS. easy it is to get noticed. move from my studio until 1am. I That’s the best thing about the My first job was for Saga think 3.30am was the record for the job – it’s interesting. magazine and my second was for longest I’ve stayed up on a job. The worst thing about the job? the Radio Times, who seemed to I did a piece for Spectator It’s not very rock ‘n’ roll, but quite like my stuff. magazine of David Cameron. there’s no pension or job security. Now I’m doing exactly what I The editor told me Cameron had There’s no illness cover either. did at uni, but I’m doing it better. liked it. [The former Prime Minister Also, I might be given really bad My work has just developed. was drawn perched on the bonnet of photos to work from, or someone It’s like being an athlete and a vintage car]. might give me a really terrible idea, maintaining your fitness – you can’t Antiques expert David Dickinson or they might be interfering. just say ‘I was quite fit when I was and Ben Miller, the comedian, But you always do the best you can under the circumstances. 18, so I’ll be OK now’. I do a lot of both rang up for a chat after I did

PAUL WELLER

ISSUE 110 AprIl 2012

“If you want to get laid, go to college. If you want an education, go to the library” – frank zappa

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Fashion

From campus to out on the town, we’ve got your style sorted

Fresh start, fresh clothes Women’s day

EETING new people at freshers’ is exciting, but the last thing you want to do is make a bad impression. One way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to get yourself some trendy clothes to last. We have teamed up

Men’s day

Jess says: ‘Black jeans are a staple in any wardrobe. These will see you through all year round and can be dressed up or down for any occasion.’

Jess says: ‘These black Vans are an investment piece for your wardrobe. Not only are they super comfortable for when you are exploring your uni town, but they are also on trend.’

Rip knee Leigh jeans, £40 from Topshop Selected fashion stripe t-shirt, £15 from asos.com Nike Roshe, £70 from Nike.com

Women’s night Jess says: ‘These perspex heels will not only look amazing with the Missguided dress, but will also see you through the year as they are fitting with any evening outfit.’ Double strap detail bodycon dress, £20 from Missguided.co.uk Amari perspex strap heels in black, £29.99 from PublicDesire.com

T-shirt with chest pocket, £7.99 from H&M Jeans, £24.99 from New Look ISO 1.5 trainers, £80 from Vans.com

Men’s night Jess says: ‘A classic white shirt has to be a staple in every man’s wardrobe. This style from Topman can be worn for a smart or casual occasion and is easy on the student purse strings. The shirt will match amazingly with a pair of jeans for an easy evening outfit.’ White button down long sleeve shirt, £20 from Topman Black skinny jeans, £35 from River Island Tan suedette lace up brogues, £24.99 from New Look

October 2016

with YouTuber and Manchester Metropolitan University student Jess Ratchford to sort all your fashion stresses and prepare you for the year ahead. Whether you’re out clubbing in town or hungover at a 9am lecture, these outfits will ensure you are always looking fresh. Check out Jess’ vlog at: www. youtube.com/jdrmakeup

Screen & Tech

October 2016

Tap your way to success

@ Amy Denman IVING away from home for the first time can be fun, but it won’t be long before you realise there are gaps in your knowledge your family once filled – how do you cook eggs or find your nearest takeaway? Before the wonders of the internet, you would have to make an embarrassing phone call your folks to find out such things. But these days, technology can spare your blushes as there is an app to find out pretty much everything. TUP has scoured the web to find some that will make life at uni just a little bit easier.

these situations. Calm.com contains introductions to mindfulness to bring ‘clarity and peace of mind into your life’. If you want to learn how to meditate or just take yourself away from the stressful university environment, this is a good way to start finding serenity. You can choose from a selection of relaxing scenes, from a tropical beach to a foggy stream, or even fly above the clouds. Calm.com also comes in app form but here at TUP we find the relaxing scenes work much better on a larger screen.

TUP Top Tip: Apps can stop you making bad food choices

Pizza Compass It is common

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Clear life’s hurdles using the internet

Boiled Egg Timer How do you

like your eggs in the morning? Probably not either rock hard or runny all the way through, which is how they always seem to come out. It’s a tough one to crack, but fear not – there is an app to cure your eggs-asperation. On the Boiled Egg Timer you can select the size of your egg and how you like it cooked, from runny to hard-boiled. But remember the app expects you to bring the water to the boil before you put your egg in the pan, or you could end up with a rock solid breakfast. Calm.com There will be times

during university life when you just need to sit alone in a darkened room. Whether it’s due to a bad hangover or a deadline (or more likely, both), sometimes you just need to reclaim your peace of mind. We have the perfect website for

Cheese chaser: Pizza Compass can help you find moreish margheritas

For more technological tips, go to www. unipaper.co.uk

knowledge that students and pizza make the perfect pair. This app is an absolute must for those days when your dough-based cravings are getting the better of you. Pizza Compass uses your location to guide you on your pepperoni pilgrimage. What makes this app even better is the compass needle is in the shape of a pizza. Once you have found your nearest restaurants, you can tap on your selection to see prices and reviews, helping match you with your perfect pizzeria.

WordHippo.com We’ve all been

there – you’re banging out that essay on Wuthering Heights/the French Revolution/criminal justice theory but suddenly your fingers freeze as you struggle to find the right words. Writer’s block is one of the biggest timewasters when you have 40 minutes left to write 2,000 words. Thankfully, there are sites such as WordHippo.com. This lovely little lexicon will help you find synonyms, antonyms, rhymes, and words beginning with a certain letter, filtered by length. You will never be lost for words again.

REVIEW This band of neo-Nazis is terrifyingly normal FILM Imperium (15) In cinemas September 16

«««««

 Henry Edwards Daniel Radcliffe begins Imperium with some familiar traits – he plays geeky, cultured, diplomatic FBI agent Nate Foster, who wants to help the world. But any associations with Radcliffe’s best-known character, the righteous and fair-minded Harry Potter (just to get the HP reference out of the way) fall away as Foster goes undercover, shaves his head and finds his way into a group of racist neo-Nazis. The pressure of being undercover is portrayed brilliantly though the relationship between Foster and his boss Angela Zamparo (Toni Collette – Miss You Already). Collette is magnificent – you can almost feel Zamparo in the room with you, chewing nicotine gum in her windowless basement office while

For more film and entertainment reviews and news, go to www. unipaper.co.uk

Undercover: Daniel Radcliffe (centre) as FBI agent Nate Foster

she fights for her share of the terrorfighting cash being eaten up by higher profile anti-Islamist operations. You’re never completely sure Foster is going to escape being sniffed out as a fake by a burly neo-Nazi and there is a moment when his real life comes into conflict with his persona, forcing him to make a quick, painful decision while surrounded by skinheads. But what is more terrifying is how intelligent and peaceful the most dangerous far-right characters seem. One of the film’s most sinister performances comes from Sam Trammell (True Blood), whose softly spoken, well-educated character Gerry Conway seems like the perfect neighbour and family man until he reveals his racist beliefs and murderous intentions. Imperium is based on the undercover experiences of former FBI agent Michael German and its realism makes it so important at a time when terrorism is often seen as something imported from the Middle East.

OUT SOON Fifa 17 Get ready to stay up late and fall asleep in your 9am lectures as Fifa 17 is released at the end of September. The game known for annoying anyone who can’t stand football and entertaining everyone else is back for another year. This version is the first in the series to have a story mode feature, which means you can experience life on and off the pitch as the Premier League’s rising star. It will be interesting to see how true to life the off-pitch action is. Out on September 29

The Girl On The Train This thriller is bound to have your popcorn flying everywhere as you jump out of your seat. In the film, based on the bestselling novel, actress Emily Blunt plays Rachel, an alcoholic recovering from her divorce. She catches the same train every day and fantasises about the seemingly perfect life of the couple who live in a house her route passes, until one day she sees something that changes her Out on October 7 life.

Marvel’s Luke Cage As seems to be a theme with Marvel characters, fugitive hero Luke Cage got his powers from an experiment gone wrong. Left with super strength and unbreakable skin, the new Netflix star, played by Mike Colter, takes to Harlem in New York to rebuild his life. But he is soon pulled out of the shadows and forced to fight for his city as he confronts the past he tried so hard to forget. Out on September 30

Haters Back Off Comedian Colleen Ballinger’s character Miranda Sings gets her own Netflix series later this month. Haters Back Off takes the catchphrase used by confident but talentless singer Miranda on her existing YouTube channel. The comedy series looks into Miranda’s off-the-wall family life and documents her hilariously bumpy road towards stardom. This sounds like a perfect way to spend your Saturday evening in with a tub of ice cream.

Out on October 14

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Money

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October 2016

Satisfy your saving cravings

@ Amy Denman

including how long you have left to use them.

Savvy shopping can free up beer money

Loyalty cards

ONFUSION was sparked over summer when UCAS decided to send out free branded tampons to female uni applicants and razors to men. But such stunts should not be sniffed at. Here are some other ways to get hold of free products and even cash, proving there’s nothing shifty in being thrifty.

Don’t let the title put you off – you don’t have to stay faithful to a shop to use its loyalty card – sign up for one in every shop you use. Points will build faster if you shop in one place, but don’t let that stop you from going where the deals are. Nectar cards can be used to gather points from more than 600 shops and brands, while the Boots card gives you the equivalent of 4p back for every £1 you spend.

Coupons

Get paid for your opinion

Ever wanted to have a moan about the bad service you’ve had? You can be reimbursed for reporting on the good and bad by reviewing businesses and products. Mystery shopping means you get reimbursed for what you spend, sometimes with extra. Sites such as Procter & Gamble’s SuperSavvyMe. co.uk offer free cleaning and other products in return for a review.

ILLUSTRATION: JESS JENKINS

If snobbery stops you from using coupons hear us out. Student and ‘coupon kid’ Jordan Cox has previously managed to buy £600 worth of groceries for 4p. You can find coupons all over the place, from shopping receipts to free newspapers. If you’re not the vigilant type, a quick visit to ExtremeCouponing.co.uk lists plenty of offers, plus tips on voucher collecting. Make sure you keep an eye on the terms and conditions on your coupon though,

Cashback websites

No one can deny how great it is to

TUP Top Tip: Make sure you find out the terms, conditions and expiry dates of any coupon or deal you go for

For more money tips and advice, go to www.unipaper. co.uk

A World of Opportunity...

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ODDEST FREEBIES However niche your need, there’s a giveaway out there somewhere... Shower timer Savewatersavemoney.co.uk offered this device – basically an egg timer on a suction pad – to limit washes to four minutes, cutting bills Peppa Pig toothpaste Superdrug tempted us to indulge our inner child with cartoon themed toothpaste Pikachu mug Quidco continued the theme of childish indulgences – catch ‘em all Padlock This was sent to reviewers by Sampables.com. We’re not sure how you’d test it out though... Massage wax The concept of Emerease’s massage wax is just rather strange

be rewarded for a shopping spree. Websites such as Topcashback. co.uk and Quidco.com are great if you get into the habit of logging on before you shop online. Both also have apps for high street shopping.

Societies Take a longer look at all the clubs on offer

always go on the best trips and there are usually plenty of perks including plenty of trips within the UK and abroad. No experience is required, so if you’ve always fancied trying your hand at skiing or snowboarding, this is the best opportunity to give it a go. For those who like: Winter weather, chunky clothes and pushing yourself to the limit.

@ Amy Denman

ANDERING around the freshers’ fair can be pretty daunting, you’re overwhelmed with colourful stalls advertising societies, places to eat and club nights. Although you may have only gone to grab some freebies, you may regret passing over the societies on offer. But it’s never too late to join and give something new a try. This year, take a look beyond the obvious and find something new you never thought would excite you. Here, TUP takes a look at some of the clubs you may never have thought about joining... but really should.

American football

More a lifestyle than a society, you will need a lot of energy to keep up with the rest of them, both on the pitch and in the pub. Being in the American football society is like being in a family and includes weekly nights out, crazy initiations and Hangover-style trips. However, be prepared to keep some secrets – what goes on tour stays on tour. For those who like: Beer pong, getting physical and insane dares. Stand-up comedy

Snowsports

Every university has a winter extreme sports society, and you never realise how cool they are until it’s too late to join. These societies

Slope side chilling: Sussex Snow society

Comedy societies are ideal if you enjoy performing and are up for a laugh. With a range of different activities, from stand-up to sketches and improv, you will have plenty

PICTURE: JOHNNY STEPHENS

From slopes to stage: Try out TUP Top Tip: Try something different, join a society you wouldn’t normally join

Squad goals: American football club

of opportunities to show your flare. Also you are guaranteed to have a giggle and meet people who will finally get your jokes. For those who like: Performing in front of crowds, sarcasm and having a chuckle. Fantasy

At first glance these societies seem to be only for the nerdy types. But the popularity of fantasy clubs including Harry Potter and Quiddich are on the rise. As much as we hate to admit it, we all secretly like to get our nerd on and binge on Lord Of The Rings and play simulation games. These give

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October 2016

something different this year you the opportunity to indulge your geeky side and live out your biggest fictional fantasies. For those who like: Hobbits, swords, daydreaming and (of course) fancy dress.

TUP Top Tip: Join a food society, it’s a cheap way to meet new people over delicious meals

Glee

We were all heartbroken when TV series Glee closed its curtains for the final time last year. However, the series sparked a worldwide obsession with show choir and the fascination is still going strong. Universities across the UK give you the chance to live the Glee lifestyle with competitions, talent shows and covers of cheesy songs. If, like Rachel Berry, you have always wanted to be a star, this could be your chance to live the dream. For those who like: Singing in the shower, wearing matching outfits and cheesy pop songs. Everyone enjoys the fuzzy feeling you get when you do a good deed, but university charity societies give you the opportunity to take that feeling to the next level. Not

Circus

PICTURE: ANDREW PERRY

Raising And Giving

only will you take part in great fundraisers, but there are usually opportunities to travel abroad and really make a difference to people’s lives. Not only will you get the gap year experience in a short space of time (for half the cash) but you will get to meet the people that the money goes towards helping. For those who like: Meeting locals on holiday, making others happy and seeing a project the whole way through.

Stomping sisters: Edinburgh University Footlights show choir

Want to promote your society? Email editor@unipaper. co.uk and you could feature on www. unipaper.co.uk

These societies aren’t for the faint hearted (or for those who are afraid of clowns). The best thing is you could be a complete amateur and they will welcome you with open arms. If, as a child, you were fascinated by fire tricks, juggling and trapeze artists this is a great opportunity to give it a try in a safe environment full of patient professionals who will also become your friends along the way. These societies put on a great show, so if you’re too afraid you can spectate. For those who like: Taking risks, jumping around and party tricks.

WEIRD AND WONDERFUL Every university will have their own selection of unusual and delightful clubs to join.

Here TUP takes a look at some of the more, er, unique offerings from across Britain. Custard Wrestling Society

Who? This society was started by a group of Cardiff University students who came up with the idea over a curry (apparently). What? If you want to see more there is a YouTube video of the students in action. However, for those who don’t fancy watching a load of people wrestle in custard, the society get together in a hall with a paddling pool filled with custard and take it in turns to dive in and have a wrestle with an opponent, sounds messy. Twenty Minute Society

Who? Newcastle University students can pay £6 a year to get involved in this quirky society, organised by students to add a little extra excitement to life those boring study days. What? Every two or three weeks,

a mystery event is organised and students are invited just 20 minutes before the event by text. From bar crawls to painting and comedy nights, if being impulsive is your thing, this is the society for you. Plus every year they organise a mystery holiday, very exotic.

Against time: 20 minute Soc evening to provide a safe community to pass on skills and have the occasional and consensual kink about. From workshops to games and demonstrations, this is the perfect way to indulge your inner saucy side.

High fliers: Flight Simulation Fetish Society

Who? Well, judging from the title, it’s rather apparent that this Birmingham University society is slightly more niche than others, and is clearly not for the faint hearted. What? The fetish society meet for a few naughty hours every Thursday

Brewtopia: Newcastle University’s Stu Brew

Flight Simulation Society

Who? The University of Manchester is home to the only undergraduate flight simulation society in the world, which we think is pretty cool. What? It offers the opportunity for students to design an aircraft from scratch and experience what it would be like to pilot the aircraft in a flight simulator. Stu Brew

Who? Newcastle University is host to Europe’s first student-run microbrewery, which aims to sustainably brew its own beer, sounds like a dream society for most, if not all students. What? Members have a choice in either taking part in the business or the brewing side. If you choose the practical side you will attend brewing and tasting sessions, complete essential tasks and take trips to other breweries across the UK and around the world.

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Cyngor ar atal troseddu i fyfyrwyr Crime prevention advice for students

Working with partners, South Wales Police has created USAFE, its aim, to give ﬆudents the beﬆ ﬆudent experience possible whilﬆ ﬆaying safe. Sexual violence and abuse can be defined as any behaviour perceived to be of a sexual nature which is unwanted and takes place without consent or understanding.

Anyone, regardless of gender, sexuality, age or ethnicity, can be a victim of domestic abuse or sexual violence.

What is sexual violence? Sexual violence includes any sexual act or attempt to obtain a sexual act by violence or coercion, such as rape, unwanted sexual comments or advances, acts to traffic a person or acts directed against a person's sexuality, regardless of the relationship to the victim.

The TALK project recognises that our ﬆudent population in South Wales is a unique community with many of you living away from home for the ﬁrﬆ time, and without your normal support syﬆem of family and friends.

the

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project

Domestic abuse is any incident of violence, abuse and/or pattern of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour within an intimate, ex-intimate or family relationship.

Domestic abuse is the repeated, random and habitual use of intimidation to control a partner.

Speak with your Student Support Services Team for more information.

The abuse can be physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual.

Drinkaware Crew are speciay trained ﬆudent ﬆaﬀ who work to: “keep a ﬆudents safe and reduce drunken anti-social behaviour within the club”

Drinkaware Crew work with other members of staff such as security and bar teams to ensure customers have a safe, happy, fun evening where the risk of harm is minimised.

the

What is domeﬆic abuse?

During the course of the night they mingle with customers and check high risk areas where customers may have drunk too much and are alone, such as the toilets and stairwells.

At the ﬆart of the evening they work the queue, introducing themselves so cuﬆomers know they are there to help.

South Wales Police: 999 in an emergency, 101 if no immediate response required.

TALK Advocate: Julie Grady E: julieg@atalyfro.org T: 01446 744755 M: 07787 508719

At the end of the night, Drinkaware Crew check that everyone leaves the venue safely and help customers into registered forms of transport. They wear Drinkaware Crew t-shirts so they are easily recognisable around the venue.

Competition

October 2016

WIN! Drinks for all the squad

Your chance to win fantastic tickets, trips and treats | For all our competitions head to www.unipaper.co.uk/competitions

WIN! Two incredible trips

Pile on: Nottingham Trent University bundle after claiming a Varsity victory

PICTURE: NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY

It’s been an incredible summer of sports. Wales smashed the Euros, Andy Murray won Wimbledon and of course, Team GB set all sorts of records in Rio. Now we’re back at university we’re playing rather than watching, which means signing up for teams – either the uni’s or our own. To celebrate, The University Paper has teamed up with sports drink brand Generate to offer one university team a year’s supply of Generate, worth £400. And to enter all you have to do is send us your best team photograph. Whether you’re celebrating a cup win or in fancy dress on a night out, it doesn’t matter – just let us know why your picture is great. Our favourites will be featured on our social media and the best (according to us) will win the amazing prize. To enter, send your best picture to editor@unipaper. co.uk along with a brief description and a contact name and number.

Don’t those summer holidays feel such a long time ago? Where once we were dipping in and out of the sea, now we’re in and out of the library. But don’t get too downbeat – the fun doesn’t stop just because the days are getting shorter. Thanks to the kind (and fun) folks at Stoke Travel we have one Stoke Hobo Passport, worth €360, to give away to one lucky reader. The passport entitles the bearer to three nights at any two Stoke festivals or trips plus unlimited beer and sangria. ‘But what festivals and trips are included?’ we hear you ask. Well, Stoke Travel really do have something for everyone. This year they’ve covered some of the most exciting festivals on the continent, including Bilbao BBK Live which boasted headliners Arcade Fire, Pixies and Foals. More into action sports? They also went on a surf-ari in Spain and

France, rode the waves in Morocco and, early next year, will be hitting the ski slopes in Andorra. On top of that they lobbed some fruit around at La Tomatina, ran with the bulls in Pamplona and chilled at an Ibiza beach camp. As we said, there really is something for everyone. To enter visit www.unipaper.co.uk and head to our competitions page.

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