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VOLUME II

ISSUE 2

E D I TO R I A L

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FORTNIGHTLY FAVOURITE

FIREWOOD Words: Ellen Desmond, Entertainment Editor efore beginning this editorial I would like to point out that I recently saw a young male step on the above head shot of me. A lonely edition of Verge had sadly fallen to its death in the Boole Basement and our editorial page was innocently lying open upon the floor. I know who you are random young male and I trust that this won’t happen again.

So on a different note, it’s that drizzly time of year again and moods are beginning to drop as low as the weather. Yet, I think, for students in particular, autumn is such a time of promise - or at least it should be. You’ve returned to college, it’s a fresh start and presumably you’re loving this new issue of Verge. Basically, you’re as lucky as a leprechaun to be here. Yet all around me students are unhappy, lethargic and already stressed. I’ve started wondering why that could be.

Interestingly, I recently had a discussion with my Grandmother about “kids these days” and her opinion was that modern entertainments, and particularly television, has stolen our innocence and by extension - our childhood. Entertainments being a huge interest of mine and pretty much the whole point of the Verge you are holding, I couldn’t help but consider the reasons behind her argument. Her opinion was that the children of my generation, the 90’s kids, who make up a large proportion of current UCC students, missed out on the dreamlike ignorance of childhood. We grew up too fast so we’ve forgotten that infectious childhood optimism, is more or less what she was saying, and our exposure to the media and the world of entertainment is more or less to blame. Watching the VMA’s I couldn’t help but agree and in a decade when lawsuits are being filed against firms for spying and brainwashing, our exposure to this world of arts and media is brought into question more than ever before. Yet surely we’ve gained something from a growing up in a generation obsessed with sex, sequels and screen addictions, right?

In the run up to this Issue I was unable to tear myself away from listening to Regina Spektor and in particular, her song Firewood. It’s an amazing song that I particularly love listening to at this time of year. It’s a warm, cosy tune but she speaks about time moving on and makes an effort to say we should appreciate our happy memories of youth and use them to be strong when we age and deal with more serious issues. Initially it made me think my Gran was right. But then I realised, was it not for my exposure to entertainments, I would never have heard this song in the first place and I would never have experienced so many feelings and learned to be more sensitive to what is being said by the people around me. TV and Film has also blessed us with such insights as the “he’s just not that into you effect” and How I Met Your Mother kindly thought me that nothing to be proud of ever happens after 2am. So I think we’re the wiser for it and are lucky enough to be able to escape to the thought-provoking universe that is entertainments in the blink of an eye.

So go on, don’t be ashamed to read this Verge, forget your blues and be eaten up by the media instead. Light the fire and take some time out. X-Factor has started so it must be nearly Christmas, there’s good times ahead. On a side note somebody give Miley Cyrus a Snickers.

Within the last few weeks, James Spader was announced to be playing the role of Ultron, the main villain in the upcoming sequel to the 2012 comic book film, The Avengers. To some of you, James Spader is the guy from Pretty In Pink, or the weird boss from the more recent seasons of the US version of The Office. To me, James Spader will always be Alan Shore, hotshot lawyer from the often forgotten series, Boston Legal. The show, which ran from 2004 to 2008, was a fantastic “dramedy” series, with Spader & William Shatner’s chemistry being the highpoint. If this recommendation seems lacklustre, it’s because I’m writing this while watching the show, and I cannot look away.

-Robert

@theCircleGuy

The Cuckoo’s Calling: Let`s get one thing out of the way. I was never the biggest J.K Rowling fan. For me, Rowling`s writing style generally has left much to be desired. Imagine my surprise when I read this great thriller by the so called “Robert Galbraith”, only to discover it was written by Rowling herself. True, it`s no Brighton Rock, but The Cuckoo`s Calling is still one of the better examples of crime fiction published in the last couple of decades. The Cuckoo`s Calling is more indebted to psychological scars than wizarding ones, resulting in a fine piece of Freudian dilemma. The main character, Cormoran Strike, is certainly a competent hero, ordinarily charming and dangerous, while the supporting characters have their intriguing attributes. Like Stephen King before her, Rowling wisely chose to distance herself from her “branded” name, coming up with a work that needed to be judged on merit alone. In this regard, Rowling succeeds ten times over. With a sequel in the works, it looks like this is a series of books that may be worth following.

-Eoghan

@EoghanLyng

Having rediscovered the music of The Blizzards this summer, it was only right in my opinion to also take a look at their lead singer Niall Breslin AKA Bressie’s first album Colour Blind Stereo. At the beginning it was difficult to separate the former front man and his new solo career but over time a rockier and more personal than ever emerged through the band’s music. The two tracks that really struck me are Left the Party Too Soon and Can’t Stay Young Forever, which in my opinion are very unique and both carry a message that with continued listening you can discover for yourself. Overall whether you like pop, rock or electro, Bressie provides all these in one single album, so it’s well worth a listen. @meadhbh_crowley -Meadhbh Following a weird fortnight of catching up with my ever-growing back catalogue of games (thanks PS Plus!) the stand outs are pretty obvious. Firstly Guacamelee! is a stand out MetroidVania-style game, so chock full of character, humour and video game references it’s quickly charming its way into my heart. Secondly is Portal 2, a game whose prequel is so impossibly adored by its fans how could a sequel stack up? Surprisingly, I took a while to warm to Portal 2 but once I hit The Fall, it all fell into place. Now if only I could fall into place quite as quickly on some of those puzzles…

-Brian

@ellen_desmond

@aerach71

Entertainment Editor: Ellen Desmond Arts & Literature Editor: Eoghan Lyng

Contributors:

Marika Bella du Toit

Alan Mooney

Gaming Editor: Brian Conmy

Cathal Dennehy

David Coleman

Audrey Ellard Walsh

Music Editor: Maedhbh Crowley

Kate Clerkin

Fiona White

Sarah Glascott

Film & TV Editor: Robert O’ Sullivan

Denis Burton

Richard Coffey

Aoife Gleeson

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VERGE’S GUIDE TO FAMOUS ALUMNI Words: Ellen Desmond, Entertainment Editor.

1: O EMPEROR

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Recently grabbing the attention of many hard-core music lovers, rock group O Emperor came into being while its five members were attending UCC around the year 2007. Though the group all initially hail from Waterford, it was in UCC they discovered their groove and have gone on to produce two full-sized and impressive albums, Hither Thither and Vitreous. With new bands like they once were playing around this place every other day, maybe you should start going to those gigs in the Old Bar!

2: FIONA SHAW

3: GRAHAM NORTON

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Probably most recognisable to many as Aunt Petunia from the Harry Potter films, actress and director Fiona Shaw graduated from UCC with a BA Degree in 1979. Shaw is one of this age’s most versatile actresses, working both on stage and on screen in a variety of different genres. Born and raised in Cork City and at one point probably one of Cork’s greatest claims to on screen fame, a portrait this UCC alumnus hangs in the Crawford Gallery in the city centre.

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Sitting in UCC today you may feel like the average guy or girl, strutting cluelessly around campus, hoping to scrape through your next assignment and get into Havanas before eleven tonight, but who is to say where will you be in ten years’ time? So what if you don’t have a clue what you’re going to do with your life after college - I’m sure none of these big shots did either! So sit back, relax and have a look at some of these highly successful household names that once strolled through UCC, just like you, and have now gone on to make it big in the world of entertainment.

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If you were to ask students around campus to name a few UCC alumni, you would probably be hearing this name in bucket loads. Interestingly, Norton never actually graduated from UCC with his Arts Degree, yet, was awarded an honorary doctorate at the end of this summer. Norton is the witty host of self-titled talk show The Graham Norton Show which has featured pretty much anyone who is anyone since it first began in 2007. If there was ever an argument to support those who question the credibility of working for an Arts Degree this is probably it.

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4: DES BISHOP

7: SEAN O’ RIADA

It looks like the Arts students have all the success. Internationally acclaimed comedian Des Bishop, is a holder of an English and History BA from our University. Bishop is probably predominantly known for his Irish language enthusiasm and impressive ability to work this into his comedy, such as in his “hip-hopera” Rap Éire and In the Name of the Fada tour. Bishop is also a cancer survivor and has done considerable work for raising the awareness of men’s cancers, specifically testicular cancer and even turned his experiences into fresh comedy material for his act. He received an alumni achievement award in 2009 for his contributions to the entertainment world.

Composer and trad music revolutionary, Séan Ó Ríada initially studied Arts in UCC but soon changed to study music and later graduated with a BMus degree. While a student he played piano with jazz and dance bands in Cork but his real strength was in composing scores for both theatre and film. In 1963 he took up the post of Lecturer in Irish Music in UCC before passing away in 1971. The sheer amount of commemorative CD releases and works in his honour illustrate the impact his man had on Irish music and specifically for Irish composition.

5: WILLIAM WALL

8: NUALA NI DHOMHNAILL

Not a name you’ll often see listed next to Des Bishop or Graham Norton is novelist and poet, William Wall. Wall is yet another successful Arts graduate of UCC, this time a holder of a degree in Philosophy and English. He is the author of four novels, two collections of poetry and one of short stories. In 1997, Wall won the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award. His work This Is The Country was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards, which is an impressive feat indeed.

Prominent Irish speaker and poet, Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill, studied English and Irish at UCC. Graduating in 1969, Ní Dhomhnaill is one of the most popular of contemporary Irish poets. Writing in Irish, she presents interesting pieces in that her work draws on both Irish folklore and mythology, as well as the more contemporary themes of femininity and sexuality, which is a broad scope of styles -especially considering her works are in Irish. Her works include Féar Suaithinseach, Pharaoh’s Daughter and The Water Horse, with translations of her works being not just into English but several other foreign languages as well, though the original Irish versions are where you will see her at her best.

UR

6: SEAN O’ FAOLAIN Probably the English department’s quickest claim to historical fame is Sean O’ Faolain, an author whose publications included short stories, novels, life writing, literary criticism, poetry and travel writing. O’Faolain studied here at University College Cork before going on to continue his studies at Harvard University. Some of his most notable works include A Midsummer Night Madness, King of the Beggars: A Life of Daniel O’Connell and Vive Moi, his autobiography. O’Faolain was a Harvard Fellow from 1928 to 1929. In 1932, both O’Faolain and his former mentor, Daniel Corkery applied for the Professorship of English at UCC, with Corkery claiming the glory.

He served as director of the Arts Council of Ireland from 1956 to 1959 and, in recognition of his contribution to Irish literature, was elected Saoi, Aosdána highest accolade, in 1986. O’ Faolain’s life is a history of impressive accolades and there is now a national short story competition named in his honour.

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9: CILLIAN MURPHY

Like Graham Norton, Cillian Murphy never finished his degree here at UCC. He did however, study law for some time before realizing that the Dramatics Society appealed to him more than his studies did. Murphy has starred in films as notable as Batman, Breakfast on Pluto, The Wind that Shakes the Barley and Inception, the credibility of which goes without saying and just when I was considering unsubscribing to those Dramat Soc emails.

So be it in music, literature or comedy, UCC has managed to churn out successful characters across a wide span of time. It really is the place to be if you’re looking to hit it big time as an entertainer after you graduate. Just make sure you don’t get carried away and ditch the studies just yet, Norton was one of the lucky ones…

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REVIEWS

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K I C K AS S

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Words: Cathal Dennehy

2010’s Kick-Ass became an instant cult hit and for a while it was everyone’s favourite movie. This post-modern, irreverent take on the super hero genre was hardly new.

For example, Hancock made attempts at the concept of ‘what if a super hero existed in the real world’ but folded in the end, becoming much more formulaic by the third act. It was Kick-Ass’ unique blend of brutal violence and crude humour that made it some popular while also polarizing viewers. People either lapped up the brilliantly gory fight scenes or were appalled at the extremity of the profanities and violence. So does Kick-Ass 2 live up to the controversial legacy of its predecessor?

Well, not entirely. The violence and language, which were so entertaining and extreme before, are toned down hugely. The fights are tamer and gone is the sense of hurt and pain that lingered with the action in the first film. I’d imagine that had this film been released in 2010, people wouldn’t have been as shocked by or reacted as strongly to it as they had to Kick-Ass. In the same vein, the dialogue doesn’t crackle and have as much edge to it. There are times when you’re left thinking they could have come up with a stronger, funnier line.

With that much said, it’s not all bad. Chloe Grace Moretz is once again wonderful as Hit- Girl. In fact it is her character, not Kick-Ass himself, who provides the main anchor for the film. Her struggle to find her true identity in life is a fairly compelling arc and it’s nice to see that the film isn’t afraid to spend much more time with the characters outside the costumes, not just giving us endless fighting and quips. Jim Carey is a lot of fun as Colonel Stars and Stripes, the leader of a new super hero team.

However he is massively underused and his character is surprisingly stoic and straight-faced. It seems that Carey wants to let loose and go a bit crazy but the role is restricting him from doing so. Christopher Mintz-Plasse returns as the central villain, now rechristened as ‘The Motherfucker’. He manages to get most of the bigger laughs but doesn’t quite convince as a cold-blooded super villain.

The ideal sequel continues the story of the first film while still keeping the characters we liked in the original relatively similar. Kick Ass 2 does these things with varying success. It certainly attempts to broaden the scope of the story, including far more super heroes and villains culminating in a war between Kick-Ass’ and The Motherfucker’s gangs. It’s nice to see more costumed vigilantes and most of them are funny and creative. However despite the attempts to make the story feel bigger, it feels slightly more restricted. The conflict is still essentially between the same characters as before with the new super heroes merely tagging along for the ride. While it is fun to see some new faces, they never make any real impact.

It may seem like damning with faint praise but Kick-Ass 2 is not nearly as bad as it could have been, seeing as it was effectively doomed from the start, deprived of Nicholas Cage, Mark Strong and, most importantly, the element of surprise. There are still great things on display here; it’s still a lot of fun and very funny but it was always going to be near- impossible to capture the lightening in a bottle that was Kick-Ass. Maybe the original benefited from a shock factor but K-A2 seems like it won’t be embraced as strongly before.

Your fortnightly round-up of what to see in UCC.

UCC CINEMA Celebration Day

Fight Club

In The Name of the Father Friends

By UCC Film Society

UCC Sinn Féin

By AmnesTEA & Friends

By UCC Live Music Society By UCC MedRen

8pm, September 30th

6.30pm, September 25th

7pm, October 3rd

7pm, October 3rd

Location: Cyprus Avenue

Location: Kane G2

Location: SU Common Room Location: Boole 1

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A Knight’s Tale

October 7th

Location: Kane G19

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Orange is the New Black Words: Kate Clerkin

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Elysium Words: Denis Burton

I'm guessing that if you haven't heard of Orange Is the New Black, you've spent the entire summer in some sort of Amish community, cut off from all technology.

The internet, particularly the Tumblr side (that part your parents told you to stay away from) has been going crazy for it.

Personally, I kept away from it for a while because it sounded too good to be true: Well written female characters? Dark humour? No way was I falling for that this time. I'd been let down by promises of dynamic female-centred casts before (I'm looking at you, HBO's Girls). Not to mention that the word “dramedy” makes me think of Glee. So understandably, I didn't want to get my hopes up.

However, the recommendations kept coming. I eventually sat down and watched the damned thing. Did it live up to the hype? Well, Orange Is the New Black is one of the strangest and most unique shows I've come across in a long time. I approached the show with a narrow mind, yet I've come out a devoted fan. So devoted, in fact, that I handed this article in late because I stayed up all night watching it.

Leading lady, Piper Chapman, is sentenced to 15 months in prison for previous involvement with her ex-girlfriend's drug empire. The show follows Piper's daily struggles to make life bearable for herself in a prison full of corrupt guards, poor hygiene and kitchen workers who can hold grudges forever. As if this wasn't enough, her ex, Alex, is a fellow inmate.

Piper manages to make enemies at every turn and is simply not the kind of woman you'd expect to see in prison, adding to the humour and irony of the situation. Her story is contrasted against the backstory of the other inmates.

You learn to empathise with these characters when you hear their tragic, yet somehow hilarious, stories. Orange Is the New Black is the perfect balance of dark humour and genuine heartfelt moments.

It will make laugh while you're crying.

I would go as far to call it the best show of 2013. Luckily, it has been renewed for a second season which is set to air on Netflix in 2014, so I'd suggest catching up now and joining the rest of us in counting down the days until its premiere.

South African writer/director Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium, much like his 2009 debut District 9, is a social conscious sciencefiction action/thriller. So it’s fair to admit that the two films are relatively similar.

However, this isn’t nesaarily a disadvantage.

It seems like a story that would happen on the same Earth that District 9 took place on. Elysium is also very socially conscious, this time focusing on the uneven distribution of wealth and healthcare between social clasees.

While Blomkamp’s intentions are admirable, he isn’t exactly the most suitable filmmaker in the world. In District 9 the concept of aliens being outcast and mercileslly abused by humans is obviously a depiction of apartheid in South Africa. Here, the wealthy have fled Earth, leaving the majority of its population to suffer on the planet’s surface. The rich are depicted as cruel, and the underprivileged are all noest heroes working tirelessly for justice. The message isn’t problematic, but the way its preseted is a little bit black and white.

The film looks and deals like something that could very easily exist. The cinematographer perfectly captures the idea of Earth being reduced to a devastated wasteland.

The sprawling and overcrowded city of LA and its outskirts are reminiscent of the iconic Blade Runner. As well as this, there are a number of shots which are truly beautiful and at times it looks like a painting, most notably the image of the Elysium space station hanging motionless in the sky.

Matt Damon plays the downtrodden hero. Damon, as always, delivers enough charm, cool and action prowess to keep our attention and sympathies. However,the characters are drawn relatively thin. Damon himself is slightly too stoic and determined to be a truly interesting character. Jodie Foster as the Elysium’s Secretary of Defence and Sharito Copley as a ruthless mercenary are both a little too evil and at times they veer close to cartoon villainy. Elysium may be too heavy handed in its social commentary for some, it makes up for it with some intense hard-hitting sci-fi action. This may suffer slightly from the difficult second album dilemna but it shows enough of what made District 9 great and its own original charm to prove that Blomkamp is definitely a talent to keep watching in the years to come.

God Forgive the Critics Words: David Coleman Only God Forgives is unlike any other film I have ever seen. It’s the highly anticipated new film from Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn, who previously made Valhalla Rising and Drive. Drive is arguably the best movie so far this decade but it was also the closest Refn has come to going “mainstream”. Only God Forgives goes the opposite direction, resulting in what may be the purest realisation of Refn’s twisted artistic vision to date. Violent, uncompromising and resolutely weird, its defiance of the rules of cinema has inspired both admiration and hated in equal measure. What adds up to in the end is for each individual viewer to decide. For me, it’s one of the best movies of the year.

Set in Bangkok, Ryan Gosling stars as Julian, an American lowlife who uses his boxing club as a front for his drug business. When his brother is killed, Julian is browbeaten by his psychopathic mother to seek revenge, setting him on a collision course with the mysterious cop, only referred to as Chang in the end credits. Chang is the real backbone of the film, an angel of death dispensing justice with a bushido sword, unstoppable and inescapable.

The whole film seems to support this notion of hell and psychological self-harm, from Larry Smith’s neon-tinged cinematography to Cliff Martinez’s nightmarish score, not to mention Refn’s clever use of unannounced dream sequences. Take the mid-film boxing showdown between Julian and Chang, played fantastically by Vithaya Pansringarm, in which Julian throws punch after punch, hitting nothing but thin air, all the while getting beaten to a bloody pup. He is literally trying to fight off his own mortality.

Then there’s the matter of his mother, played by the unrecognisable but extraordinary Kristin Scott Thomas. With the exception of her first and last scenes, her reality is debatable. Her interactions with Julian seem designed to remind him of all the aspects of their

warped relationship, chastising him, humiliating him, seducing him and finally seeking to destroy him. This is a purely personal response to a film that will affect every viewer differently. When it premiered at Cannes Film Festival this year, it received a standing ovation from half the audience, while getting booed by the others. Some have called it a work of pure formal brilliance, a fascinating study of family, sin and death. Others have called it gratuitous style with non-existent substance, or have been disgusted by a level of violence that even Eli Roth would consider excessive. I say it is an incredible work by one of the finest artistic talents of the modern world, one which will, in a decade or so, be re-evaluated under the label “misunderstood classic”. Well worth a watch to decide what it means to you.

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This week’s celeb playlist comes from Spin1038 DJ Steve K 1. Taylor Swift - Red 2. Avicii / Aloe Blacc -Wake Me Up 3. Calvin Harris / Ayah Marar Thinking About You 4. Imagine Dragons - It’s Time 5. Lady Ga Ga – Applause 6. One Republic - Counting Stars 7. Miley Cyrus - We Can’t Stop 8. Olly Murs -Right Place, Right Time 9. Paramore - Ain’t It Fun 10. John Gibbons / Scimon Tist / Mark Le Sal - Feel

You can listen to this playlist at : spoti.fi/18FpNhq

S i n g l e o f t h e Fo r t n i g h t Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball Miley’s newest hit from her upcoming album Bangerz. Although the video has been seen as controversial, the song is a hit and its punchy chorus will be going around your head all day.

A l b u m o f t h e Fo r t n i g h t The 1975 – The 1975 The debut album from the 1975 is not a disappointment, there isn’t a lull to be found in the album and the highlights include the tracks Chocolate and The City.

A r t i s t o f t h e Fo r t n i g h t Troye Sivan The actor, singer and YouTuber has taken the world by storm with his recent YouTube covers and original songs. His most notable hit is based on John Green’s novel The Fault in Our Stars.

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Taking Some Time Out

In a time where boy bands are all the rage, Dublin band Taken have put a different swing on the stereotype. The group consists of Ben Sheridan, Daryl Phillips, Niall O Brien and Alex Andrew.

Over the summer of 2013 they have taken the Irish music scene by storm and are currently working hard on their debut record.

They have somehow managed to take some time out of their very busy schedule to answer some questions, just for UCC. So lads, how exactly did the band get together?

We were playing as individual singer songwriters around Dublin, when our manager spotted us and had the idea to create a boy band of singer songwriters and musicians.

Who would you say is the biggest influence in your music?

The Beatles, the Wanted, Bruno Mars and loads more.

Music Editor, Méadhbh Crowley, speaks with Dublin band Taken about their rise to fame

You have amazing song writers like Daniel Kaneswaran and Danny O’Reilly working with you, how decide which songs you are going to release?

Our management are so flexible with us, as are the songwriters themselves, we'd love to release all of them, but when it comes down to it, it depends on what sort of vibe we feel they give. We will be releasing a single at the end of October which we are really excited about.

Your fans are referred to as “Taken Troops” was this decided by you or did the fans come up with it?

I remember a day on twitter when we had just started out and it began to pop up on our page and I guess it just stuck.

What’s your favourite venue to play in?

The Marquee in Cork was incredible and obviously the O2 would be something we'd love to do. But we also love the intimate venues. It's nice to just do an acoustic set every now and again and with those venues it gives us time to talk to fans, which is something we always make sure to do, as it's them that keep us going.

There are a lot of boy bands on the scene, what aspect of your music do you think makes you different to other bands?

We’re not your average backing track boy band, we write and play instruments too. Which I think is rare these days, music should be sung by the people who feel it, not passed on for commercial reasons, then it just loses the whole purpose of what music is.

What’s the best moment of your career to date?

[Supporting] The Wanted, after we came off all buzzing. Best feeling ever

This summer you supported The Wanted and JLS, which was your favourite gig to play?

Both were absolutely incredible, though they were different, we played with The Wanted first and it was our first gig with thousands of people, so the build-up and nerves were all a little higher compared to JLS. When we played with The Wanted, there were moments on stage when we all looked to one another and gave a smile and nod that said, this is what we want to do for the rest of our lives.

What’s your favourite song to perform live?

Fight All Night because people are starting to sing along.

Who would you most like to work with in the music industry?

Benny Blanco, Jessie J, John Mayer, Matt Corby, Paul McCartney.

Who has the most annoying habit in the band?

Ben, impromptu dancing.

What’s your favourite music festival?

Electric Picnic.

Any advice for aspiring musicians?

Clichéd - but never give up, even when you think you should.

A very controversial question, which do you prefer One Direction or The Wanted?

The Beatles!

Irish DJ Jamie Byrne chosen for Movida Corona 2013

Verge’s resident DJ, Fiona White, gives us the lowdown on this year’s Movida Corona competition “Say Goodbye to your past, Say hello to your future” is the tagline for the Movida Corona DJ competition. Saying goodbye to life as he knows it is 27-year-old, Dublin-based, Jamie Byrne. It all started in April when DJs from across Europe were making multiple twenty-minute demos of playlists that they thought would impress their national judges. In Ireland alone, twenty-six DJs entered. Ten were chosen for the semi-final and four were put through to live DJ battle in the Wright Venue, Swords, with the headliner Laidback Luke. Jamie beat off stiff competition from DJ AMK, 3VAN and Fifi D to win the opportunity to represent Ireland in Ibiza’s notorious club, Pacha, for the International finals.

Not always accustomed to the highlife, Jamie’s beginnings where quite humble, “at 13 years of age on the night of the millennium. I had a small shoe box full of CDs and in a small village pub in Killsheelan, Tipperary. The band had not turned up for them on the night.” With his first gig ending up as a 25 minute slow-set and another being required to play dressed as Homer Simpson, Jamie has earned his stripes. Since his very first gig, Jamie has played at Oxegen; Rihanna has danced in his DJ box and he has had Laidback Luke advise him that his set was perfect enough to do well in any club.

Jamie will fly to Ibiza to represent Ireland, competing against 20 other countries on October 5th.

Each DJ will have 10 minutes to impress the judges in order to get through to the next round. If victorious, he will become the official DJ for the Movida Corona 2014 Corona Tour. Jamie is more than prepared for the final and knows that this isn’t just an opportunity to win the Movida Corona competition, it is an opportunity to get spotted by the top clubbing brands who use this competition as a way of scouting out new residencies for the coming season. While other Ibiza based opportunities would be fantastic, they would simply be a bonus as Jamie has his eyes firmly set on the Movida Corona prize. It might be a long way to Tipperary but Jamie has certainly come a long way from it.

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The Scenes: Alone

Arctic Monkeys: AM

The Scene’s new single Alone, released on the 13th of September this year, has been “Highly Commended” by the judging panel at the 2013 International Song Writing Competition, Rock Category. It is one of only two European songs to have reached the final fifteen in this highly competitive category of the prestigious competition– impressive credentials for an Irish band that have only been on the go since 2012.

So, when preparing to listen to the track my expectations had been raised, and, thankfully, the Irish rockers did not completely disappoint.

Alone manages to quickly impress as a catchy, well-constructed and wellproduced soft rock tune. The opening guitar riff transports the listener back to alternative acts such as 3 Doors Down, Feeder, Jimmy Eat World and the Goo Goo Dolls. The chorus speaks of that all-too-familiar feeling of insecurity and confusion that accompanies young love. The guitar driven melody is sweeping yet robust, with some impressive drumming to lend an authentic rock sound to the song.

Despite these laudable qualities, Alone is in no way an original or revolutionary rock song, and it will most likely get the bulk of its exposure as background music on a long drive or at a half-civilised party. It does however showcase the The Scenes as a promising Irish band with a sound that, with time, has the potential to mature into that of a strong soft rock band. Personally I would not yet “highly commend” the band solely on their song writing abilities (the final chorus in particular disappoints) - instead of reiterating worn out comparisons between confusion and love with that of a tumultuous ocean, some complexity and subtlety in terms of lyrics would be welcomed.

The musicianship, however, can only be praised. The band has a tight sound which has undoubtedly been acquired through the time spent performing alongside well-known names such Madness, Imelda May and The Strypes.

Their exposure has paid off and I can only hope that their live performances are of the same quality. All in all, it is a song that introduces listeners to a strong Irish rock group who are sure to produce many more perfectly enjoyable tracks in the near future.

-Bella du Toit

It’s been just over two years since the Sheffield quartet released their fourth album Suck It and See, which saw the Monkeys try their hand at dappling in jangly, melodic pop songs. To many, this was a return to form following their divisive third album, Humbug, which saw Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) taking the helm as producer and overseeing the band’s move from writing about bouncers and taxi ranks, to indulging in a heavier, murkier sound, one which was light-years away from their recognisable trademark sound.

AM sees the group experiment once again, not just by merging the heavier sounds of Humbug with the melodic styling’s of Suck It and See but also by throwing a helping of R n’ B beats and soulful backing vocals into the mix. Sounds like a mess, doesn’t it? On paper it may seem like a musical quagmire but in its execution it works and at its best moments AM works like a dream.

As its title suggests, it’s a record about the small hours of the morning and all the love and lust which can accompany last calls and late nights. The Monkeys have never seemed so confident on record, and AM is as magnetic as it is sexy, interesting even at its weak points and utterly brilliant at its best. The opener ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ is perhaps the album’s highlight, beginning with a sort of greasy, reptilian riff, one which makes you feel dirty ever before lead singer, Alex Turner, even begins to croon.

AM is also the bands most “American” record, with the track ‘Arabella’ a perfect embodiment of how the band has abandoned its angular, Brit-pop style for a more groove centred approach. The song’s verses come complete with a sultry, slithering bass line before giving way to the gargantuan chorus which sees the Sheffield lads do their best Black Sabbath impersonation whilst including falsetto backing vocals. While on the other hand the track ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?’ is filled with hip-hop beats which saunter along effortlessly granting itself the status as another highlight.

However, this album is not quite as perfect as it may seem, its closer ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ is certainly worth a listen but causes the album to fizzle to a close rather than continue the bands tradition of closing with a classic. Similarly towards the middle the album it starts to sag and one would have to question the wisdom of including such a bland a song as ‘Mad Sounds’ when the album is crying out for a belter to liven things up.

As it always seems to be the case with Arctic Monkeys albums, AM leaves me eager to see where the band will take things next rather than completely satisfied with this particular release. I suppose that’s both a good and a bad thing.

-Richard Coffey

Cork’s Fortnightly Music Forecast 23rd September - Roy & The Devil's Motorcycle in the Crane Lane Theatre 24th September - God Is An Astronaut in Cyprus Avenue 25rd September - Sundown Sessions in the Raven - Blue Note Jazz Sessions in The Roundy 26th September - Arthur’s Day 27th September - Coughlan’s Festival: Wallis Bird, The Man Whom and O Emperor in Cyprus Avenue - Later With The Grunts in The Roundy - Freddie White in Triskel Christchurch

28th September - Coughlan’s Festival: Lisa Hannigan, Cathy Davey, Anna Mitchell and Elly O’Keefe - KENmode, Mutilation Rites and Them Martyrs in the Crane Lane Theatre - Dublin Guitar Quartet in Triskel Arts Centre 29th September

4th October - Olivia Trummer in Triskel Christchurch 6th October - Israel Nash Gripka in Cyprus Avenue

- Coughlan’s Festival: Iarla Ó’Lionáird & Steve Cooney (4pm) in Coughlan’s - Coughlan’s Festival: Mick Flannery and Cat Dowling (8pm) in Coughlan’s 2nd October - Daithi in Cyprus Avenue 3rd October - Alessi’s Ark and Cal Folger Day in Cyprus Avenue VERGE

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A Thousand Splendid Works Since the publication of his first novel in 2003, Khaled Hosseini has become a world renowned storyteller.

Following his newest release, Sarah Glascott gives an overview of the great writer.

The Kite Runner, published in 2003, is an unforgettably powerful tale of friendship and love beginning in 1970s Afghanistan. The story centres around two boys, Amir and Hassan. Hosseini manages to condense decades of political conflict and terror into the intimate accounts of few characters. Therefore, the history of the country is experienced through the eyes of its vivid characters rather than the statistical approach of a history book.

Hosseini’s second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, was published in 2007 and is also set in Afghanistan.

It is considered to be the female counterpart of The Kite Runner as it focuses on women’s role in society.

The novel follows the tales of two women, Mariam and Laila, whose lives become entwined during decades of war-torn Afghanistan. Hosseini was inspired to write this novel after visiting Afghanistan in 2003 and hearing about “the tragedies that they had endured, the difficulties, the gender-based violence that they had suffered, the discrimination, the being barred from active life during the Taliban, having their movement restricted, being banned essentially from practicing their legal, social rights, political rights.” Mariam, an illegitimate child, is forced by her father to marry Rasheed, a shoe maker from Kabul. Rasheed abuses Mariam and is continually displeased with her failure to produce a son. Laila, born a generation later, leads a more privileged life than Mariam. However, when a bomb kills her parents and leaves her seriously injured, she is taken in by Mariam and Rasheed. Laila eventually becomes Rasheed’s second wife and begins to suffer abuse, just like Mariam. The two women form a strong bond of friendship through their shared experiences, and help each other through their many trials and tribulations.

Hosseini’s third and most recent novel, And The Mountains Echoed, was released in May, 2013. In an interview prior to the novel’s release Hosseini commented "I am forever drawn to family as a recurring central theme of my writing. My earlier novels were at heart tales of fatherhood and motherhood. My new novel is a multi-generational family story as well, this time revolving around brothers and sisters, and the ways in which they love, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for each other. I am thrilled at the chance to share this book with my readers.” This novel, unlike the previous two, was not specifically set in Afghanistan as it moved across continents. There was also a wider variety of characters to experience.

This story focused on familial relationships, but from the perspective of a brother and sister torn apart at a young age. Personally, I feel this novel stretched itself too thin as there were too many characters vying for the spotlight. Although a great read, I don’t feel it lived up to the standards of its predecessors. What I love about Hosseini’s books is that they are unique in their setting and also encourage readers to learn about other cultures. They are not happy stories but they are stories that need to be told, which is the most important thing.

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Big Jim, an interview with Rory McConville

By Audrey Ellard Walsh The Dublin Lock-out of 1913 was a major turning point in Irish workers history. A dispute involving approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers, the strike lasted from 26 August 1913 to 18 January 1914. A key figure in the struggle was James Larkin, founder of the ITGWU- the first Irish trade union to cater for both skilled and unskilled workers.

In this, the centenary of the Dublin Lockout, Cork writer, and UCC graduate, Rory McConville has published Big Jim, a graphic novel interpreting the strike, and Larkin’s role in it.

With a background in graphic novel writing, Rory heard that the O’Brien Press were commissioning work in that format and prospectively sent some of his previously published work to them.

“They didn’t publish it, but they asked me if I’d be interested in writing a book on the Lockout, to which I said yes because it’s an interesting part of history and any opportunity to be published is a good opportunity in my book.

Rory has always had an interest in writing. “The first big thing I remember writing was back in sixth class when I had a teacher who never gave out higher than 9 on a story.

So every week we would have to write a story and I tried really hard every week, kept getting 9s, and then one week I wrote this really bizarre story that basically involved me looking through the dictionary and finding the biggest words I could and stringing them together and eventually I got my magic 9 ½ out of 10.”

Entering competitions and scooping prizes at the Listowel Writers Week at the age of 14 and an Irish Times short story competition, are factors which he says helped him “to think I was maybe alright at this.”

From early beginning, Rory is now a seasoned professional. At the age of 23, he has been writing professionally for almost a decade. Comics are a form he has been working in since his early teens. A large part of this, he credits, is down to the internet, which enabled him to contact artists worldwide to bring his words to life.

“I’d be working with people in America and Argentina who wouldn’t know that I was 14 but would happily take my money and draw pictures for me. And then I started sending them to companies, who again didn’t know that I was 14 and they started paying me money so I suppose that’s where it all really started.”

Rory holds a BA in English from UCC but does not believe that a traditional education is important for a career in writing, in his case at least.

“The degree has done nothing for me I have to say. I think writing, like with a lot of things is just hard work.

You have to put in the time. I always try to do about two and a half hours every day and sometimes I don’t get that done but the next day I try and make up the difference. I think it’s also down to the individual. Some people thrive in an academic setting. I don’t feel that I particularly do and I just need to write and write and write.”

Optimistic about the growth of the graphic novel genre in Ireland, Rory warns that it is still a long road to being published. Sharing some of his tips for writers, he explains that commitment is the key.

“With publishing in general, I suppose writing something good would be the biggest tip! Write something good, get someone else to read it, get five different people to read it. If you think it’s good, it probably isn’t. That’s the honest truth. You have to get at least ten people that you don’t know to read it, tell you how awful it is, and then you go back and fix everything. And just be prepared to write a lot of bad stuff in general, because everyone does.”

“With regards to graphic novels particularly, there is the O’Brien Press obviously, but a lot of small press publishers are popping up around the place as well, so we’re definitely developing a bit more it seems. And the internet is a great resource in terms of getting your work out there and building a reputation and a fan-base and making connections with other people that could aid you down the line.”

Rory is currently in talks with a Dublin-based publisher about writing another historical novel, this time centred on the Battle of Clontarf.

“We’ve got an application with the Dublin City Council to create a book for, the millennial celebrations next year and I think we’re hearing back about that in a couple of weeks. Aside from that, not really any historical but I have a play in the Kino at the end of the month and then I’m just trying to find time to scribble.”

Rory’s new play, The Frozen Field is running in the Kino from the 25th to 28th of September.

Big Jim, published by O’Brien Press, is available in all bookshops.

Gulliver`s Travels Alan Mooney gives us his thoughts on the National Association for Youth Drama`s adaptation of Jonathan Swift`s great novel.

As I waited to be left inside the theatre space I must ashamedly confess the derision I felt at my forced association with what appeared to be secondary school students; noisy, loud and all far too young for my unabashed ego to deal with. Even my immediate thoughts reading the programme (proclaiming the company as the “National Association for Youth Drama”), I couldn’t help but prejudge the play and think that if it went well, it would probably only have been good, for an amateur, young cast. I mention this because in hindsight my ego was soon to become thoroughly abashed and humbled.

The beginning of the performance started rather joltingly. Faux shock theatre tactics saw “plain-clothed” audience members standing up and interacting with the actors on stage, which certainly made for an attention grabbing exposition. Rather than re-enacting the novel word for word we instead found ourselves acquainted with an antiquated Jonathan Swift complete with wig and slinging the term “yahoo” about as he comes across some of these youths in the audience in a seemingly chance encounter.

Overall, if the play could be summarised in one word it could easily have been this: physicality. Physicality is something I have only recently come to appreciate as such an important aspect to theatre and the energy that came with it made the carefully co-ordinated scenes look very slick indeed. There were a few segments throughout the play such as simulating a turbulent sea with a simple giant sheet that contributed to the fantastic energy of the play. In a play like this that is based on a novel where a giant reimagining of the term ‘scale’ is key physicality was especially important anyway. And of course the effort in making a 14 year old boy (“Gulliver”) into a giant wouldn’t be easily and convincingly produced in a theatrical setting so the effectiveness of the play out of pure necessity ended up lying with the physicality of the performers and it`s where the quality of the play really shone through. What also worked quite well with this performance was its use of a handicam connected to a projector that projected onto the back wall of the stage. Utilising these forms of modern technology not only made sense within the meta-narrative structure of the play-within-a-a-play routine but also facilitated a reimagining of the sense of scale touted about in the novel, doing so in a very innovative and resourceful way. In doing so a fourteen year old suddenly became a literal giant projected onto the back wall of the stage. One thing that became notable about the overall piece was that it attempted to make sense of this blanketing statement we call modernity and at the same time teach a small lesson. References to bankers and the banking elitist class in places ensured the piece picked up that contemporary, almost socialist vibe. In one particular scene a “limbo” style competition is set down by the King and the people must try their best to succeed or fail. But of course it becomes all too apparent that the aristocratic characters holding the bar are deliberately Raising and lowering it to determine who succeeds and who does not. Of course this wouldn’t be much of a review if it didn’t also dwell on the negative aspects of the performance and I did have a few disgruntlements. As I have mentioned there was a type of meta-narrative of that play-within-a-play but somewhere along the way it felt like it had become forgotten or neglected somehow. The stage right backstage area was left open for all to see and you could see actors getting dressed. I assumed this was deliberate to show the youth’s literally changing costume but when you’re distracted by actors getting dressed it does tend to ruin the atmosphere somewhat. It just did not gel entirely well with the overall flow of the play if the point of it was to show, as I said, the metatheatrical aspect of the overall narrative. At just over two hours long the play, while a decent length, could not have possibly covered the entirety of the four part novel but it hit most of the nails on the head. As a result the two hour duration lay in the goldilocks zone of “just right” rather than altogether boring although I did feel my attention wavering towards the end of the play. I must say the night was a terribly enjoyable experience and if given the chance I would certainly go see a National Theatre Youth production again. To say the least it quashed that ego of mine that almost immediately dismissed the production for involving youths.

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The Lonesome West Marika Bella de Toit reviews Dramat`s rendition of “The Lonesome West”.

The West of Ireland is filled with stories of isolation, frustration, and ultimately, damnation. In the rural countryside, small communities have little company other than the people they’ve known all their lives, and who in turn know all their sins. Perspectives on morality, life and death often suffer as the confinements of overfamiliarity cripple the psyche. Martin McDonagh’s The Lonesome West, performed at Cork’s Granary Theatre by UCC’s Dramat, is a play which explores these all too familiar themes on a micro-scale, which illuminates their effects in a stark and highly entertaining manner.

Director, Ellen Buckley, a recent the Drama and Theatre Studies graduate manages to give the audience an intimate insight on the fragile nature of relationships marred by lack of familiarity between families, religious uncertainties, violent culture and a constant desire for revenge. Brothers Coleman and Valene, opposites in every way, are forced to co-exist in their now-deceased father’s house. Their local parish priest, Father Welsh, attempts to mediate between the two brothers who are constantly at odds about issues ranging from Coleman’s disregard for Valene’s property, to Valene’s stinginess with his money, to girls and sex, and their drinking habits. The two brothers, who share in the secret of their father’s death, have spent a lifetime plotting pain and revenge against each other to the extent that they become unaffected by tragedies in their community such as the two murders and suicide of a friend which take place in quick succession.

Father Welsh, immensely distraught by the brothers’ seeming lack of consciousness and the general state of affairs in his parish (which he blames for his own alcoholism) pleads with Coleman and Valene to find the love and respect which all sibling relationships must be based before they destroy each other and completely lose moral awareness before taking his own life. Girleen, herself once a believer that there is still value in living, delivers the letter to the brothers in which these sentiments are shared, and

Welsh’s words manages to have some effect on them. They attempt to agree on a more civil co-existence and begin confessing past crimes to each other, but this soon turns into yet another form of revenge coagulating in their inability to understand the effects of vengeful actions standing in the way of reconciliation. Their shared past crimes, often violent and cruel, paired with their isolation and constant interaction seemed to have left them beyond redemption – can they possibly be forgiven?

The small and intimate theatre space is ideal for staging these themes, and the staging further accentuates the seeming simplicity of a typical country home. The décor functions as a part of the struggle which exists between the disparate personalities of Coleman and Valene – all of the tangible objects are owned and doted on by the materialistic Valene, and are constantly being destroyed during Coleman’s terrible fits of rage.

This displays the tense relationship between the brothers which is further made palpable by terrific performances from Jay Moloney and Tadgh Dennehy. Rowan Finken as Father Welsh too lends a tender truthfulness to the despair and personal anguish which the priest, haunted by his own crises of faith, experiences throughout.

The production value of the play is to be praised, with lighting and an eerie Western musical interlude, reminiscent of an abandoned prospecting town which has seen terrible times adding to the theme of destruction which results from a lifetime of harbouring hatreds alone. McDonagh’s play may be grim but it is comically so, with the colourful language that characterises the distinct Western Irish vernacular, expressing the pent-up emotions of the tortured characters in a way which amuses the audience.

The darkly comic dialogue is set off with honest and disturbing revelations which keep the audience engaged while more and more of the terrible past sins of each brother is revealed. The Lonesome West is well written play, which manages to stage familiar struggles in an entertaining fashion. It is funny, disturbing, and brilliantly performed by some very promising actors. Buckley and her team should pride themselves on a successful performance of a very mature and engaging play.

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G A M I N G

Modern Flame-Warfare With the largest announcements gone by and release dates for both consoles, here is a quick rundown of what your first next generation console will look like and no, the Wii U is not a next gen console, don’t even joke about that.

Playstation 4 Release Date: 29 November Price: €399 Announced in a special February event, Sony had everything to prove with this new console. Their hopes for its predecessor, the PS3, at its launch were ludicrously high, considering its price point and fans had a lukewarm reaction to the console at first. Over the years however, sales increased and the console now owns the Asian market and is leading in Europe but still lags in the US. Each time the console is talked about publicly things get better and better for the humbled Sony, with one focus that can’t escape anyone’s attention: it’s all about the gamer.

Without getting into unnecessary breakdowns of tech specs, the PS4 seems to be building upon the successes of the PS3 while fixing its most glaring flaws.

The trick to work on CEL architecture is replaced to make development more in line with PC dev processes, memory is drastically increased and along with a new very smooth looking operating system the PS4 has thus far seemed to run much more smoothly than its predecessor, so no more long wait times to look at a trophy list or access the Playstation Network.

With your trophy data and friends list carrying over the process of adapting to the new console should be painless, especially with the new tiled layout of menus as demoed by Shuhei Yoshida to show you what’s going on in your Playstation ecosystem.

Launching with two weeks access to the impossibly valuable Playstation Plus ser-

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vice early adopters will have access to Drive Club and a gamut of other games to quickly get acquainted with the console, of note is the fact that even if you were to buy Fifa 14 with the PS4 it would still cost less than the Xbox One. While lacking backwards compatibility on PS3 retail and downloadable games, Sony’s acquisition of the cloud gaming firm Gaikai leads to a likelihood that these games will become available on the PS4 over time one way or another.

Another promise of the hardware is that of remote streaming and other interactions with Sony’s handheld the Vita. Additional controllers for the console will retail at €60 and come with the rechargeable USB cable batteries that we saw with the PS3. Interestingly while the controllers may seem similar to previous iterations, the admittedly painful rear triggers have been redesigned for comfort and functionality and the space above and between the dual analogue sticks is now occupied by touch sensitive pads. An interesting but thus far, not very promising feature. This is a controller seemingly designed to help accommodate the comfort of players for shooter titles, the market currently dominated by Microsoft.

Most interestingly of all the PS4 announcements is Sony’s new commitment to the gamer, must notably seen in the consistent announcement of indie titles that will be exclusive to the PS4. Sony is developing ties with the most creatively fruitful section of the gaming development world and even if you are not an indie fan, keep in mind: Minecraft used to be an indie game.

Sum Up: The Playstation 4 seems to directly address almost every issue anyone ever had with the PS3. With the public backlash against the attempted DRM policies of Xbox One it may seem that Sony may once again reign supreme in the console war. Time will tell if betting on the gamer was the simplest but ultimately right move all along.

Another key feature is the Kinect 2, Xbox One which will be sold bundled with every Release Date: 22 November.

Price: €499

By Aoife Gleeson console. This is probably the cause of the higher price point than its more affordable competitor (although the inclusion of Fifa With an infamously rocky introduction, which caused even the staunchest 14 with the Day One edition almost evens Xbox fans to reconsider temporarily, this out). the months leading up to the Xbox Other features include a Blu-Ray player One’s imminent release haven’t been and the migration of your Gamertag and easy. Universally unpopular features Gamerscore, which maintains the already like the blocking of used games, manestablished community. Games will also datory online check-in and always-on now have ‘Evolving Achievements’, which Kinect, were quickly reversed in the will allow developers to alter or add face of severe consumer blow back. achievements easily. The Xbox One also However, damage had already been lacks backwards compatibility for retail done; with Sony having been given the and Xbox Live games, with Microsoft yet space to deliver a knock-out punch of to announce if they’ll implement a system an E3 conference with minimal effort like Sony’s to alleviate this problem. (pointing out features you’re not going With performance and graphical capabilito have has never caused so much exties being of a slight, negligible difference citement before, ever). It’s been a long between the two consoles (a report from journey back for Microsoft since then Edge claiming the PS4 runs 40-50% faster but slowly they’re earning back their is dubious at best, with many ignoring that audience by presenting interesting fea- the report was referring to memory reads, tures and fantastic games. If anything, with the Xbox One being faster in other the whole travesty was a good thing. A areas) it’s looking like it’s up to individual little humbling never hurt anybody (ask developers to harness the power of each Sony about the PS3’s first few years). console effectively.

Among notable features is the new With a two-tone “liquid black” finish, dashboard, a demo of which was consisting of half glossy black and half leaked about a week ago, continues the matte grey the system looks pretty sleek, if Windows 8 style of customisable tiles; a bit large. Kinect has been given a sharp, showing the future of more integraangular redesign and blends well with the tion with other Windows products. console. The controller design has been The demo also showed a Beta version tweaked slightly; with improvements such of the beautiful Ryse in action and as a battery pack flush with the back of the then displayed the impressive picture- controller and a plus shaped D pad without in-picture feature by returning to the the disc. Controllers will retail for approx. home screen while a cut scene contin- €54.99, with a plug and play kit being ued to play. €69.99.

Equally impressive is its capability to multitask, e.g. watching TV while Sky- Sum Up: ping a friend, switching back to a game, The Xbox One is an impressively inteetc. Microsoft is really attempting to grated entertainment system which has its make the Xbox One an integrated enpit-falls, like the higher price point, but tertainment system and, if everything Microsoft’s humbling will have convinced works as well as it should, it’s likely to them to focus on games. With many great succeed. ones on the horizon, fingers crossed we get

G A M I N G

A bitter cup of hot coffee?

Gaming Editor, Brian Conmy, investigates the appeal of GTAV I have to admit something before getting into this article. I am not a Grand Theft Auto fan. I played the original PC game as a child and it was fun for an absent minded hour or so of play, but the subsequent games never grabbed me as my tastes matured. So when the chance came to go to my very first midnight launch, for Grand Theft Auto V, I jumped at the opportunity to talk to people who so willingly paid in advance for the game in good faith that it would prove worth their time, energy and attention.

Getting to Gamestop on Patrick Street at roughly eleven, I talked briefly with the staff who were waiting at the door. I was quickly informed that over two hundred people had paid the five euro fee to pre-order the game and the line outside the store was growing steadily to prove this number accurate. I was eager to ask the crowd of these people what it was that drew them to the game series and to this particular instalment in the hit franchise.

One UCC student who had pre-ordered the game as far back as last December, based on the original game launch time of Spring 2013, had not played the previous Grand Theft Auto 4, as he had not been a fan of San Andreas. When asked what excited him about this instalment he quickly responded saying “it has tennis, golf and scuba diving”.

Then, following some prodding, he admitted he was a fan of open world games and the sheer size of Los Santos made him excited enough to get back to the series.

Towards the front of the line another Cork student who had pre-ordered the game a week before launch informed me that she had been in queue since 9pm that evening.

A long term fan of the series, she laughingly told me the violence drew her to the games.

Taken aback somewhat I enquired if the accusations of misogyny towards the series detracted from her enjoyment of the game, to which she replied that it didn’t really bother her.

Curious if anyone in the audience was worried about the violence or misogyny in the game, I found an aunt and nephew

together in the queue, the nephew being just 15 years old. When asked if she was aware of the violent reputation of the 18s rated game that she was about to purchase on behalf of her nephew, she told me she wasn’t. Yet, upon informing her of the violent reputation of the series and Rockstar games in general she seemed unaffected.

While scanning the crowd and picking out the few people I interviewed, I must admit I grew increasingly nervous. Some people were eyeing my phone in a way that unsettled me and in general the crowd were not people I would gladly pass in a dark alley late at night.

Without trying to seem like someone who is quick to judge on appearances I know when and where I feel safe. Unfortunately, at this particular event, had the Gamestop staff not been so present and aware of what was going on I would not have stuck around as long as I did.

This led me to think more on the nature of Grand Theft Auto, as someone looking in from the outside. The series is highly publicised for its violent and misogynistic nature, whether this be to aid in characterisation or simply a sad fact of the game’s audience targeting I can’t say for sure, but I know it has never sat well with my own sensibilities.

With Grand Theft Auto being a series as large as it is, this entry is sure to be the biggest single game launch of the year and is likely even to beat Call of Duty: Ghosts in sales terms. One is left to wonder if Grand Theft Auto’s readiness to use unapologetic misogyny, excessive realistic violence and idealised criminal lifestyles is attempting to appeal to the broadest possible audience by targeting youth who glorify these traits in their media?

Plenty of media features misogyny, look at Mad Men. Violence is even more prevalent; look at the sky hook melee kills of Bioshock Infinite. The glorification of the criminal lifestyle may be a trait of media fading into obscurity but perhaps some look at Love/ Hate and misguidedly idolise the criminals and the criminal lifestyle portrayed.

While Grand Theft Auto is not alone in

“

A long term fan of the series, she laughingly told me the violence drew her to the games.

simulating a lifestyle many of us will, hopefully, never experience ourselves. A common selling point of the series is its maps, which feel like characters in themselves. In GTA V, for example, you can choose to train for a triathlon, play a full 18 holes of golf or take part in a range of other activities that seem far removed from some of the activities the game offers- such as picking up a prostitute, engaging her services and then killing her for your money back. As such, many people playing this game inhabit the world of their protagonist more fully than in other games featuring a more limited map, a more limited feature range or narrow directionality of story progression.

Without a psychology degree or numerous years of research I can’t truly say that this ability to inhabit a digital world which, is in some ways, so oddly close to our own and in other ways so removed has any real effect on the player. We already know that the use of violent video games doesn’t lead to violence in their users but on the other hand, do we really know what the availability of these games may do to the psyche of players who may already have tendencies or aspirations towards a criminal lifestyle?

While they may never manage to pull off a three person heist involving bank vaults, helicopters and heavy firearms I know that I was very quick to tuck away my phone once I had finished voice recording the interviews you read above, it’s been a while since I felt unsafe among a group of people I thought I self-identified with: gamers.

All in all the experience at my first midnight launch was an interesting one, the article I went there to write and the one I have ultimately produced are two very different things and in a strange way I am now somewhat eager to play Grand Theft Auto V fully, just to try and understand the appeal the game seems to have not just with the larger gaming media, it holds a very high near perfect score on Metacritic currently, but also with a group of people I don’t typically think of when I think of a gamer. That subject though, is an article for another day.

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UCC

SCHEDULE MONDAY 30 SEP

WEDNESDAY 2 OCT

Waste Land

Rafea: Solar Mama

Film and Screen Media Centre, Windle Building 6.30-8.30pm

Boole 2 Lecture Theatre 6.30-8pm

Fire in the Blood

Give Us the Money

Followed by Panel Discussion Boole 2 Lecture Theatre 6.45-9.45pm

Followed by Panel Discussion Room 107, Western Gateway Building 6.30-8.45pm

TUESDAY 1 OCT

THURSDAY 3 OCT

More Than Honey

Living On One Dollar

Room G02, Western Gateway Building 12.30-2pm

Boole 2 Lecture Theatre 6.30-7.45pm

Which Way is the Front Line From Here?: The Life and time of Tim Hetherington Room 107, Western Gateway Building 6.30-8.05pm

Town of Runners Followed by Q&A with director Jerry Rothwell Boole 2 Lecture Theatre 7-10pm

Here Was Cuba: A Cautionary Tale Followed by Q&A with director Emer Reynolds Room 107, Western Gateway Building 6.30-9.30pm

FRIDAY 4 OCT Five Broken Cameras Room G02, Western Gateway Building 12.30-1.45pm