VOL. XXV, Issue 2, OTwo

Volume XXV, Issue 2 9th October 2018

THE WILD YOUTH: FINDING YOUR SOUND CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: PAVING THE WAY WITH RAINBOW BRICKS THE EMMYS’ EXCELLENCE PATRICK KELLEHER: PRETTY IN PINK NEWS

OTWO VOL. XXV ISSUE 2 CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR Brían Donnelly

DEPUTY EDITOR Dylan O’Neill

ART & DESIGN EDITOR Fiachra Johnston

OTWO CO-EDITORS Clara Brannigan Tara Hanneffy

ARTS & LITERATURE EDITOR Heather Reynolds

GAMES EDITOR Ash Gomez

FILM & TV EDITOR Emma Kiely

MUSIC EDITOR Aoife Mawn

FASHION EDITOR Shane Cullen

ONLINE OTWO CO-EDITORS Adam Lawler Ash Gomez

CHIEF OF ILLUSTRATIONS Freya Williams

CHIEF OF PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Fagan

CONTRIBUTORS Patrick Kelleher Cathy Greene Shivani Shukla Greg Price Abbie White Marianne Seppola Simonsen Andrew Nolan Tadhg Treacy Victoria Keane Abby Conroy Bennett Sinead Dunphy Oisín McCorry Eva Earner Anne-Marie Lyons Rebecca Sibley Dovile Grybauskaite Niamh McCarthy Ellen Whyte Duggan SPECIAL THANKS TO INTERVIEWEES AND SUPPORTERS.

CONTENTS Arts & Literature 5-8 Games 9 Film & Tv 10-13 A Day With...

14-16 Music 17-20 Food 21 Fashion 22-25 Travel 26 Aperture 28

LETTER FROM THE

EDITORS

Hello everyone!

Welcome to Issue two: the re-issuing! First of all, we realised we’ve never told you who’s Tara and who’s Clara. Our deepest apologies - we hope the above photo will clarify the situation. The weather’s getting colder, and Freshers’ Week is a distant memory at this stage. But never fear, we’ve got another great issue lined up for you that will take the nip out of the air.

Do you prefer to read or listen to poetry? Shivani Shukla debates this issue in the Arts and Lit section. There’s also original poetry and many fascinating articles, on topics such as theatre and the library.

If you are a fan of narrative-driven games then you will love this month’s Games section, where the importance of storytelling in videogames is debated.

The Film and TV section is sporting some fancy new features this month, as well as the usual great film reviews and articles. A Star is Born is expected to be one of the biggest films of the year; Aoife Mawn reviews it and tells Otwo whether it lives up to its expectations.

For our Otwo Centre interview this month, Tara sat down with Wild Youth, one of Ireland’s hottest up and coming music acts. Check out the interview to hear all about their rise to fame, and their musical inspirations.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll be aware that two of rap’s biggest female stars were involved in a shoe-fight recently - on the back of that, a piece in the Music section surveys some of music’s biggest feuds. There’s also an article that discusses the role that the internet plays in helping some stars achieve fame, which compliment our regular features such as album reviews and ‘This Month In’.

The Food and Drink section this month has another delicious recipe to give you some dinner-time inspiration; it’s easy to follow and even easier on your pockets! We also have a rundown on the gin and tonic scene in Dublin, highlighting the best and most adventurous spots to go.

The glam is back in the Fashion section! There’s a rundown of all the hot (and not so hot) looks from the Emmys. The theme for the fashion shoot this month is streetwear - take a look to see how Shane styled pieces from Om Diva.

Finally, have you ever considered interrailing? The travel section has an informative article on how to interrail, the cost and some essential tips.

We hope you enjoy all the fantastic content that we have for you!

Until next time, - Tara & Clara xoxo

Soapbox:

The bus chatter Ellen Whyte Duggan

Aquarius January 20 - February 18

Leo July 23 - August 22

Golden Weeks are only achieved by the strongest in our society.

You can be one of them, Aquarius.

Clicking ‘interested’ in society events on Facebook for the fifth time this week? We see you, Leo.

Pisces February 19 - March 20

Virgo August 23 - September 22

Aries March 21 - April 19

Libra September 23 - October 22

You should probably lay off the Newman machine coffees - the milk isn’t the only thing that’s scaldy.

Did you really think you’d be committed to that ‘Intro to Philosophy’ elective after week two? Mystic Mittens is cackling.

You may have several financial discussions this month Virgo, all of them regarding your Leap Card balance being in the minus.

It’s your birthday Libra, and you know what that means? It’s your time to shine.

Taurus April 20 - May 20

Scorpio October 23 - November 21

Gemini May 21 - June 20

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21

You’ll bump into the Nice Guy™ that you ghosted on Tinder at the coffee doc in Newman. Plan your disguise.

Using the stereotypical trope of Geminis having commitment issues isn’t a valid excuse to avoid Blackboard, soz hun.

Cancer June 21 - July 22

You’re very emotional (surprise, surprise) this month, practice those breathing techniques and go back to yoga.

You may be living out of home, but that’s no excuse not to clean your bathroom. Don’t be “that” roommate.

You call yourself a vegan by day, but we’ve all seen you scoff those Maccie D’s nuggets after a few cans.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19 Mother Nature may not be on your side this month Capricorn, but Mystic Mittens is.

Illustration: Freya Williams

My friend and I were travelling on the bus, seated on those high chair style seats that give you that distinct ‘public transport power complex’, as you stare at the rows of scalps seated below you. At the front of the bus, standing casually beside the driver was a middle aged man. He appeared to be speaking like a young child around a large family dinner table, quickly and without pause for breath. I thought to myself that he and the bus driver must be old friends, possibly school acquaintances, or maybe their wives worked together? I had a beautiful origins story mapped out in my head, when all of a sudden, the driver yelled: “SIT DOWN MAN!” It suddenly hit me. They did not know each other at all. What I had just witnessed was merely a terrifyingly brave display of severe friendliness.

All my life, I have boarded the bus to the sight of a person standing up the front and speaking to the bus driver. No matter how busy the bus is or how disgruntled or stressed the bus driver seemed the chatter, let’s call him Sam, will just keep going and going. Truly a mile a minute conversation. But Sam does not know the bus driver personally.

What if Sam is just lonely? What if Sam sits down, takes out his earphones to listen to Spirit FM, realises his phone is dead and so decides he wants to play with the big guns, mess with the public transport hierarchy and walks up to the driver’s window and begins to talk? From fragmented snippets every time I ride on the 46a, I encounter a Sam discussing what Irish people tend to talk about on buses. Staring out the front window and telling the bus driver what used to be where something big and shiny is now. Pointing to a Centra and stating how once, single cigarettes could be bought off the secret nicotine menu, at the now alien shop that used to be their local newsagents.

Truth be told, I admire and adore Sams everywhere.

They are the pillars of our society. Maybe Sam is the true guru to first year students in college? Maybe that intensive method of friendliness is what Italian literature students need on a Monday morning? In this dog-eat-dog world, you can be a Sam or you can be a grumpy bus driver. Choose wisely!

OTwo

The alumni corner Pretty in PinkNews Patrick Kelleher

I started writing for the University Observer as soon as I started studying at UCD, and when I was in my final year, I was appointed Arts and Literature Editor. The following year, I became Deputy Editor, where I learned the incredibly important skills of writing and editing far too many words in a night and surviving almost entirely on coffee.

When I was appointed Deputy Editor of the University Observer in 2015, I felt a little out of my depth. I quickly realised that running a newspaper would be difficult, and I hadn’t a clue what I was doing.

Thankfully, it all came together in the end. We were even named ‘Newspaper of the Year’ at that year’s SMEDIAS. It was one of the most rewarding things I had ever done, and it helped to give me my start in journalism.

After meeting the Editor of the Irish Independent at that year’s SMEDIAS, I was offered an internship working in the newsroom at INM. It was a dream come true, and would never have happened without the Observer.

The internship was both difficult and rewarding, but before long, I was writing news stories each day for the Irish Independent and the Evening Herald. I had stories on the front pages of both newspapers that summer and learned a huge amount about journalism.

After my internship ended, I was kept on as a part-time news reporter for a few extra months, but that December I left due to illness.

However, that wasn’t the end of my time in journalism, and I soon began writing for The Irish Times as a freelance features writer. I quickly realised that writing features was where my passion lay, and this is where I have focused my efforts ever since.

I recently moved to the UK to take up a PR role, but ended up moving back to Ireland after eight months and going back to being a full-time freelance journalist. I thought I could turn my back on journalism easily enough, but it turned out that I missed it far too much.

Going full-time freelance has been incredibly rewarding. I am now a regular freelance news reporter for LGBTQ+ news website PinkNews and still write features for The Irish Times.

I am always grateful to the editors and friends I made at the Observer who gave me the chance to learn and thrive. It is still a brilliant newspaper and goes from strength to strength each year. Get involved – it will easily be the most rewarding thing you’ll do in college.

What’s hot, what’s not

Hot Vegan Stan Smiths - Stella McCartney has teamed up with Addidas to recreate the iconic Stan Smith sneaker - with a twist.

The three stripe design has been replaced with Stella’s signature stars and her design is also vegan friendly. Cue us looking hot in vegan leather!

Saturday Night TV- Strictly Come Dancing or The X Factor?

Kanye West - Not much elaboration needed where this

*cough* Trump supporter is concerned. Not to mention his new song with Lil Pump, too offensive to deserve to be brushed off as catchy. Last but not least, his Yeezy Pornhub merch.

Gross.

Seasonal Sickness - If you’ve managed to escape being sick

Regardless of which camp you’re in, the return of our favourite cheesy talent shows are back on our screens to keep us happy every weekend. And with them comes the countdown to the C word...we won’t mention it yet.

so far, we’re not sure whether we should congratulate you or warn you. Lemsip have probably made enough profit to keep themselves in the black for the next four years, considering how many people have fallen victim to the dreaded flu recently.

Krispy Kreme - Ok, we didn’t need another donut shop in

Presidential Races - Everyone and their mother has been

Ireland. But that doesn’t mean we won’t all make a trip to Krispy Kreme. We’re the biggest fools in this game.

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Not

announcing their intention to run for the Áras in recent weeks and the fun hasn’t even properly started yet. We’ve now got to endure weeks of campaigning, Twitter controversies, and TV debates. Sigh.

OTwo - Arts & Literature

The apolitical nature of popular theatre With other forms of media addressing the current political landscape, In 2015, the theatre community was hit with a revolutionary musical that changed the way people were looking at theatre. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton sold out shows and won 11 Tony Awards. The show follows one of

“Theatre has hidden this political undertone behind love stories and drama scaling down any political conf lict” America’s founding fathers during the creation of modern politics in America. The diverse cast and the central role politics played in the musical was an innovation not seen in modern theatre. Politics is a topic in theatre that has been pushed aside and not dealt with correctly over the years due to the influence of today’s theatre audience.

Theatre has always had political narratives in its storytelling. From themes of racism, poverty and gang violence in West Side Story to all out political upheaval in Les Misérables. However, unlike other mediums where the political strife is forced to the surface and becomes the main narrative, theatre has hidden this political undertone behind love stories and drama, scaling down any political conflict. Political topics in theatre have been addressed by not being addressed at all. Musicals where political topics are the cornerstone of the show are also toned down, as seen in Hairspray where race relations are a huge part of the musical.

However, bright scenery and upbeat songs downplay the horrors and struggles of the

Cathy Greene addresses why theatre is not following suit.

of those who were affected on a daily basis by segregation, and are still being affected by police violence and racial profiling.

In many ways, the political elements in a musical or play can be seen as pandering to the audience. Classism is not addressed and topics that affect working class citizens are rarely fleshed out on stage. Criticism of the life lead by influential and wealthy people is side tracked for unrealistic underdog stories.

Political aspects have been watered down as these are not aspects of society that the fit with the theatre audience, which typically consists of upper class and influential people. Unlike other forms of media such as cinema, television and literature which have an almost universal fan base, theatre has managed to deviate from its origins and become a form of entertainment that caters entirely to the middle and upper classes.

In its origins with playwrights such as Socrates and Shakespeare, attendance was open to all classes and was used to entertain people of every background, informing on viewers the political landscape of the time and depicting struggles of daily life.

This has changed significantly with modern theatre attendance. Now with the average Broadway ticket costing $125.70, attendance is not feasible for many people. The cost of attendance has only increased in the last number of years leading to a more limited audience. It is not a luxury the average person can afford or justify due to the inflated price tag.

It is not only the high ticket prices that have isolated the theatre from a diverse audience.

The excessively ornate venues and the elitist attitudes in the theatre can make the medium an uncomfortable entertainment form for many people. The shows on offer have been created to pandering to a higher class of audience and are not written with the working class people in mind. The shows display a different type of life and entertainment than people are used to. When their way of life is not shown

“Criticism of the life lead by inf luential and wealthy people is side tracked for unrealistic underdog stories” on stage they have little to relate to in the cast. Their struggles are being downplayed for trivial entertainment creating little desire for attendance. The lack of attendance results from the inability for theatre to change this narrative. In other media, the voices of the people have affected great change, creating more diverse films, shows and popular culture while theatre is still being held back.

Other aspects in theatre have begun to change with more diverse cast choices but it is in the material itself wherein the biggest change is needed. Politics today is in more turmoil than ever but this is not reflected on the stage as the audience of the theatre does not reflect society.

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OTwo - Arts & Literature

Poetry “Poetry”

Greg Price Here they are; My thoughts Marketed as novice literature Who’s to say of their quality?

To some, they may be akin To the works of laureates; To others, they may read like sophomoric scribblings in an eighth grader’s diary I know little of form; But I know what I think And what I think, I write down It may be refuse, Or it may be gold; It’s not for me to say, But rather a subject to individual judgement If I were to write of love, How many a scribe had tread the road Before I’d even laced up my boots?

If I were to set off on a diatribe Regarding the state of things and the powers that be, Would I be bringing about anything thus far unsaid?

And what of a love unrequited?

To think myself as having been the sole occupant of this vast vessel would be folly The world is not original; Nor anything within it.

It is retread after retread after retread; Changes are minor, if there be any But, in the end, Does it really matter?

Poetry: An aural art?

Should poetry be read or heard, or perhaps both? this conundrum.

Poetry is the language of the soul. A poet, when penning a poem, does not only put down a thought, but their immediate thought, the thought that’s running in their head at that exact instant. It’s one of the truest forms of human expression and has roots as old as language itself.

The earliest form of poetry was oral, with people singing and humming lyrical compositions. It was at times accompanied by almost theatrical performances with movements of the hand and tone of speaking which made for a memorable sensory experience and more often than not contained messages to be passed on to the next generation. Over the years, different schools of poetry evolved as language flourished and with the advent of printing, it became increasingly a written form of composition. There has been a shift in modern years as poetry has morphed into a shorter, more poignant art. Modern poetry has become popular through the medium of social networks, with poets like Rupi Kaur, Christopher Poindexter and Charles Bukowski leading the way into the new era.

There is no one way to absorb poetry, with each reader holding a preference for a medium. Some like to read it aloud, whilst

“There has been a shif t in modern years as poetry has morphed into a shorter, more poignant art.”

Illustration: Freya Williams

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some find quiet, passive reading more emotive. Some may find a revelatory moment of understanding when they listen to a piece even after having sight-read it before. It may also work the other way around, where you find greater clarity in the written word.

With multiple forms of media for spoken word, such as podcasts and recorded recitals, available a tap away through the internet, this

Shivani Shukla provides her perspective on form of recital by the poets themselves has also found an ardent audience. Listening to audio-based poetry is no longer a luxury, now simply an add-on to the whole experience.

Human voice to written word decidedly adds a dimension of depth to poems. In Auden’s

“When you recite a poem yourself, you take into account its ups and downs, appreciate the pauses” words, “no poem, which when mastered, is not better heard than read is good poetry.”

This sentiment rings true with many readers who tend to read aloud as verse becomes inseparable from the auditory experience.

When you recite a poem yourself, you take into account its ups and downs, appreciate the pauses, the commas and change of lines - all becoming more meaningful. Every phrase becomes an emotion in itself and you become intimate with the sentiments of the poet. Such a connection feels all the more impactful if you do it in conjunction with reading it, as you can peruse the written word, reiterating your bestloved lines.

Most poetry is filled with imagery which comes alive when you’re reading it. I remember participating in “write and recite” poetry competitions which taught me that this literary art form does not have a strictly singular mode of delivery and can be purely aural or a mix of aural and sight-reading experience.

Even as all poetry enthusiasts tend to find a preference of mode early on, if they are flexible enough, they would surely appreciate all manifestations of this soulful literary art.

If you wish to experience this dual experience yourself, check out Josephine Hart Poetry Hour for beautiful recitations of famous poetry done by familiar faces.

OTwo - Arts & Literature

Paving the way with rainbow bricks With the controversy surrounding the confirmation of Bert and Ernie’s relationship status, complex topics of gender and sexual orientation.known moments in history.

We’ve done it folks! We successfully promoted our own ‘Gay Agenda’ to reach the youngest and most vulnerable in society: the children.

With solid confirmation that our mascots, Bert and Ernie, have been living in delicious sin for years, we can all rejoice in the levels of corruption that our youth will now be exposed to when they turn on their televisions or open their favourite books. At least, that’s what some people think.

For those us in the know, or simply those of us who never cared about questions of sexuality and identity, this is nothing new or revolutionary. Having Bert and Ernie confirmed as a same-sex couple, only cements the rumours that have been around for decades but had never been addressed by the showrunners until now. Being an LGBT person is not new; however, acknowledging it is, and acknowledging that two beloved children’s characters from when your parents were children fall under the rainbow umbrella, is what has caused such an outcry. If anti-LGBT groups have to acknowledge that they had gay role models growing up, that means they also have to acknowledge that it’s not a new fad with children today.

This generation of children, those born after the year 2000, have many role models in both television and media that identify as LGBT. Examples such as Korra in the popular spin-off series Avatar: The Legend of Korra, gave young viewers a point of reference that acknowledged and validated bisexuality, a sexuality that is typically less visible in media. In the popular Japanese manga series Wandering Son, the character Makoto Ariga is a straight trans woman, further helping children to distinguish sexual orientation from gender identity. In the award-winning Cartoon Network series, Steven Universe, the character of Stevonnie, a fusion of Steven and Connie

Dylan O’Neill asks whether this will help children address the

creates, as Rebecca Sugar puts it: “the living relationship between Steven and Connie.”

Stevonnie familiarises young audiences with gender neutral pronouns they/them to refer to non-gender conforming or non-binary people.

There is little doubt that having characters represented so openly has an impact on its audience. An American survey, carried out in 2015 by YouGov, reported that 31% of people questioned described themselves as “not 100% heterosexual” on the Kinsey scale, a scale between 1 and 5, where 1 represents as totally heterosexual and 5 denotes...... This survey was soon followed by a similar study carried out in the UK by YouGov’s British counterpart.

The results show that 49% of 18-24 year-olds surveyed identified as something other than 100% heterosexual. “The results for 18-24 year-olds are particularly striking, as 43% place

“Stevonnie familiarises young audiences with gender neutral pronouns they/them to refer to nongender conforming or nonbinary people.” themselves in the non-binary area between 1 and 5.”

In young adult literature, there is no shortage of LGBT characters for teenagers and those experiencing puberty to idolise. Take, for instance, Simon vs. The Homosapien Agenda, a book which took the tried and tested “protagonist experiences feelings of love for the first time” and used that formula on a gay male character. But this novel is marketed at older readers currently addressing questions about sexuality and leaning more towards the act of sex over what it means to identify as an LGBT person. Another reason that LGBT

“In young adult literature, there is no shortage of LGBT characters for teenagers and those experiencing puberty to idolise”

characters can be readily found in young adult literature, is often because the protagonist finds themselves at odds with the society or world in which they find themselves. This correlates to the feelings that young people experience when questioning who they are. It is also a historical parallel to the experiences of LGBT people in many parts of the world.

There is a historical trope in literature with LGBT characters known as the “bury your gays” trope. This staple of literature found that any character that pursued a samesex relationship, must end up unhappy, or in extreme cases, die, so as not to promote the “homosexual lifestyle” among readers. This was a main factor in novels for children being devoid of any LGBT representation.

More recently, in children’s books, LGBT characters are addressed as the parents or friend of the family in the narrative. Novels such as the Captain Underpants series, revealed that their protagonist grows up to marry another man. This prepares children for the questions of identity they’ll face when they begin to experience puberty.

The move towards increasing visibility of LGBT people in children’s literature and media should be welcomed as a way to ease them into the transition from childhood to adulthood, with the ultimate goal of self-actualisation.

To say having an openly LGBT character in a child’s life is a form of “oversexualising” the child, is grossly homophobic and potentially damaging to their development.

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OTwo - Arts & Literature

My favourite piece:

Sackett’s Land Abbie White

I’d been searching for my favourite book my whole life. As a lover of the classics, I was quite surprised when it came in the form of a dusty Western novel. In fact, I never understood my grandfather’s obsession with Western novels, I thought them to be a sheer gimmick of cowboys and Indians. However, when he got sick I decided to read one, possibly out of curiosity, but more likely a coping mechanism.

Louis Lamour’s Sackett’s Land is a story of one man’s quest to find a home. I expected to hate it, but I was enthralled from the opening page as it reached for every one of my emotions.

The main character, William Tell, was a rogue cowboy, but like many sixteen-yearold boy, he just felt lost. William’s journey through the book is simply a journey towards a better future, something that was wildly relatable at the time as a Transition Year student whose shelves were lined with college prospectuses. I could immediately connect.

It often occurred to me that maybe my adoration was rooted in my grandfather’s love for the novel, however, as I moved seamlessly through the chapters I began to relate to the universal themes that could even reach a sixteenyear-old girl. The author; whose name is most commonly seen in the closing credits of his novel’s film adaptations, is a genius.

His words jump off the page to paint colourful scenes of action and adventure in literary HD.

I had never felt so exhilarated by print. I tore through the book. Devoured it. When I closed the back page, I felt a wave of disappointment which was an odd contrast to the usual feeling of accomplishment. It was the first novel that I mourned the loss of. I read it every year on my grandfather’s anniversary and I can always relate. There’s nothing quite like a novel that grows with you.

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Make some noise for the library Marianne Emilie Seppola Simonsen With technology growing faster every day, many might think that the library is becoming obsolete. However, there are many reasons why the library, as a space and resource, remains an important social institution still today.

Library use in England has fallen by over 30% since 2005, revealing a disturbing decline that might have many thinking that the library is

“As technology advances it tends to leave those less fortunate behind, and those who can’t af ford commodities giving them easy access to literature, turn to the library.” a sinking ship. Still, while general use declines, user rates remain generally stable in poorer areas. This might be because libraries provide a classless institution to a society where those less privileged are easily overlooked. While many can look up whatever they so desire on their iPad or smartphone at a minute’s notice, this is not the case for everyone. As technology advances it tends to leave those less fortunate behind, and those who can’t afford commodities giving them easy access to literature turn to the library. A free resource for everyone, regardless of class, is something that is very much needed in today’s society.

Many libraries even lend out e-books as well as offer access to computers and tablets in their locales.

The library also functions as a free space.

It is a calm environment, and one where you

can access help with your work or research.

As a student, the library grants you access to expensive material that you might not feel you need on your private shelf, as well as a quiet workspace where distractions are few. You can often access a printer and copier, as well as articles and journals that are hard to find online.

Many universities and schools also provide help services through their libraries, such as writing advice and math tutoring, free of charge.

Beside academic and literary resources, the library also has a cultural and social role in its community. Many libraries, like the Dublin City library, holds events and arranges meetings, such as adult choirs or reading clubs, for the general public. Bringing the community together, the library also often tries to preserve and provide information about a community’s history and culture, through lectures and workshops related to all aspects of life.

With all of this in mind, it is hard to see how the library could ever be a redundant or excessive institution in our society. When we see how it functions as a cornerstone is local communities,

“As a student, the library grants you access to expensive material you might not feel that you need on your private shelf, as well as a quiet workspace where distractions are as well as a space for whoever might need one, it is hard not to appreciate the fact that it is still alive and kicking.

OTwo - Games

Two Point Hospital review: In sickness and in wealth Tadhg Treacy Publisher: SEGA Developer: Two Point Studios

An ode to storytelling: narrative-driven games Andy Prizeman-Nolan In an era where Fortnite seems to rule the gaming landscape, it is easy for many to forget the sheer importance of story-driven games.

Franchises such as Call of Duty or FIFA have long been some of the year’s most sought-after releases. With this attention on a specific kind of game, players can forget how immersive a narrative can be. Narratives can add a sense of purpose to a game, giving the player incentive to see the story out to its end.

Telltale Games were a staple of this idea for years. Without their story-dedicated approach, we never would have seen games such as The Walking Dead series. An example ripe with emotion throughout, such moments would not be possible, or would simply feel out of place without a strong narrative as its backbone.

With Telltale’s recent closing, it seems fitting to investigate the importance of narrative-driven gaming.

Video games have a unique quality about them that other media platforms simply cannot provide; the player is literally the main character of the story. With this comes a greater feeling of grief when a companion dies, or a more

“Video games have a unique quality about them that other media platforms simply cannot provide; the player is literally the main character of the story.” significant rush of pride after seeing the hero topple adversity. This plunge into the game’s world gives the player a perspective into the actions of the protagonist and their opposition,

which, when combined with a game providing an enthralling narrative, results in a story-telling experience that will stand the test of time.

A very well-regarded example is that of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Set in the fictional land of Temeria, a professional monster hunter by the name of Geralt of Rivia pursues the Emperor’s daughter Ciri, who Geralt himself mentored in her younger years, to the point that they had developed a father-daughter-like relationship.

However, she is also being pursued by a group of ghoul soldiers named the Wild Hunt, as she possesses the Elder Blood. Essentially, it boils down to a father trying to protect his daughter from an impending force. The manner in which the game introduces the world, plot, and characters leads to arguably some of the greatest storytelling ever presented, game or otherwise. Every twist and turn is met with investment, with every high and low points being felt personally.

Another thing video games offer in the spectrum of storytelling is time. Like books, video games face little adversity in packing its story into a timeslot, unlike movies do. Many games, such as Fallout: New Vegas and Silent Hill 2 have taken up 50+ of hours of many a player’s life with relative ease, due to how easy it can be to lose oneself in the narrative.

A good story-based game can eat up hours of a player’s life, with every weighty decision or twist felt heavier by the player. And even with all of those hours spent on the game, oftentimes the player is left wanting more after experiencing such a story-rich game. To those seeking a more sentimental or personal gaming experience, then story-based games are an excellent medium to get absorbed into.

Platforms: PC (Windows, Mac, Linux) Release Date: 30 August 2018 Cup of coffee in hand, you look out the window of your tiny sanctuary, the smallest possible space that management could slap a “staff room” sign on and get away with it. Should the cartoonish characters running around, all dressed as Freddie Mercury, concern you? Probably. The lady with two squirrels and a dog attached to her rear?

“Running a variety of hospitals around Two Point County, your mission is simple: “Cure Patients, Earn Money.””

Par for the course, really. It’s just another day for you and the other doctors of Two Point Hospital.

Two Point Hospital is the quirky, zany spiritual successor to Theme Hospital, one of the most successful business management sims of the 90s.

Running a variety of hospitals around Two Point County, your mission is simple: “Cure Patients, Earn Money.”

Each location poses a unique set of challenges, from patient numbers to ailment types. While in one setting you may need to open another fracture clinic, you’ll be inundated with “Verbal Diarrhoea” sufferers in another. All this time, remember, you need to keep your bank account in the black.

In a nutshell: With its eccentric style of humour, clever progression system and genuinely impressive soundtrack, Two Point Hospital is not a game to miss.

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OTwo - Film & TV

Smallfoot review: A thoughtful addition to children’s films

A Star is Born review: A masterclass in directorial debuts

Ash Gomez

Aoife Mawn

Directed By: Karey Kirkpatrick Starring: Channing Tatum, James Corden, Zendaya, Common

Directed By: Bradley Cooper Starring: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliot

Smallfoot centres around a village of yetis who believe that they live on an island in isolation. Their society is guided by a series of stones which are inscribed with truth, one of which states that ‘smallfoots’ (humans) don’t exist. The story follows a young yeti named Migo (voiced by Channing Tatum) as he discovers a smallfoot. He is banished from the village when they learn that he is claiming that an ancient stone bears mistruths, and he embarks on a journey to prove that humans do exist.

The story delivers unexpectedly deep moments through its themes of truth and knowledge. There are allusions in its dialogue to the power of being “woke” over ignorant. The film seems to take the context that children are living in today, and instils in them a desire to discover the truth. One of the most striking moments in the film occurs when a character defends his use of lies by claiming that they are “good lies”.

It feels directly inspired by the concept of “fake news,” and encourages children to uncover the truth regardless of the consequences.

The cast is full of famous voices like Zendaya and Danny Devito, which makes for an entertaining game of guessing who plays who with a banger of a soundtrack. However, there is one where James Corden sings about viral videos and wanting to be famous. The references to selfies and twerking feel out of place, and the performance is undoubtedly the worst moment in the film.

Athough it is a cute film with an important story, Smallfoot struggles to hold up as something for more than children. Adults who are taking their kids will probably be pleasantly surprised by it, but it is does not strike as a film for adults to see on their own accord like many Disney or Pixar movies might be. It’s a good film to put on for children, but it fails to hold an older audience’s attention as effectively.

In a nutshell: Although Smallfoot is surprisingly deep, and the star-studded cast makes for a fun experience, it is definitely just for kids.

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Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut, a remake of a remake, seemed doomed to fail. Three years ago, after announcing his intention to remake the 1976 rock musical version, starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, he received enough backlash to make even the most thickskinned filmmaker drop out. Thankfully, he didn’t, and what he has given us is a piece of work that most directors spend their careers trying to achieve.

The film centres around the relationship between Jack (Cooper) and Ally (Gaga). Cooper’s portrayal of the alcoholic musician, Jackson Maine, is the quiet powerhouse behind the film’s magic. It is his battle with addiction that forms much of the material, and is the reason he meets Ally in the first place, while she is singing ‘La Vie en Rose’ in a drag bar. She comes alive while performing, lies across the bar, their eyes meet and we get the sense that everything has clicked for them; and also that a star has been born. They spend the night roaming around town talking about their love of music and Jack’s hatred of his fame (which at one point causes Ally to get into a fight with a man in a bar, resulting in a trip to the supermarket where Jack patches her up with duct tape and frozen peas). There is almost a fairy-tale feel to this melancholic moment; Cinderella has lost her shoe and must go back to her ordinary life.

This doesn’t last long. Their relationship is soon in full swing, and stays that way for the entire film. Cooper and Gaga’s chemistry is exceptional, and incredibly believable. It is the magic of this chemistry that carries the film. They seem genuinely in love, infatuated with each other, and in awe of the others talent. As Ally grows more successful, Jack is not jealous of her popularity, but concerned that she is losing what made her a star in the first place.

In a nutshell: To write, direct, co-produce and star in a film, as well as co-compose it’s soundtrack so beautifully, Cooper has come a long way from 2000s rom-coms.

OTwo - Film & TV

Spotlight: Noah Centineo, the new prince of Netflix Victoria Keane explores Noah Centineo’s sudden ascent to stardom.

The role of Noah Centineo as the ‘perfect boyfriend’ type in the recent Netflix films To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Sierra Burgess is a Loser has propelled the charming twentytwo year old to international fame in the past two months. A quick look at his Twitter account shows that even in real life Centineo seems to embody his onscreen persona, with ‘deep’ messages such as “Fallen tears that never dry, staining today’s canvas for tomorrow’s attention” sent out to his one million followers.

Yet his newfound position as a teen heartthrob shouldn’t distract from the fact that Centineo shines in each performance and has proved himself as deserving of greater Hollywood attention. He excels in his role as football player Peter Kavinsky, and defies typical two dimensional portrayals of the obnoxious ‘jock’ through his gentle, thoughtful approach to the role and convincing chemistry with co-star, Lana Condor.

Centineo himself is instantly likeable. The sense of charm and wide-eyed innocence he brings with him to each role could win over

“The sense of charm and wide-eyed innocence he brings with him to each role could win over even the most emotionally destitute of viewer” even the most emotionally destitute viewer, which Hollywood should take advantage of and place him in bigger, theatrical productions.

Perhaps one might see his future as playing the role of boyfriend to a heroine who must reluctantly save the world in a dystopian teen franchise, or if given the opportunity, he could branch out and explore his acting range in other genres to avoid being typecast.

Centineo’s recent success didn’t manifest from nothing. Among a number of performances, he had established himself through a starring role on the television drama The Fosters from 2015-2018, appeared as Camila Cabello’s love interest in the music video for her chart-topping 2017 hit, ‘Havana’ and starred in the iTunes released film, SPF 18 (albeit to poor response).

For the moment however, Centineo appears set to become a champion of the rom-com as he plays the male lead in the upcoming film The Stand-In alongside Camila Mendes of Riverdale, yet his rapid success and rise to fame makes him one to keep an eye on in the future.

Blast from the past: The Goodbye Girl Emma Kiely Paula McFadden (Marsha Mason) is a thirtysomething dancer who already feels too old for the job and has been hurt by one too many men. She has a loud-mouthed precocious young daughter Lucy (Quinn Cummings) and they live in Manhattan with Paula’s actor boyfriend, Tony. When Tony abandons them to

“A hilarious clash of two neurotic characters who never back down and so, a turbulent but hilarious love story begins.”

hilarious consequences). The two characters are both so caught up in their own struggles that they fail to see how perfect they are for each other.

The stellar dialogue comes from a true master, playwright Neil Simon who wrote The Odd Couple and Barefoot in the Park. The only thing that matches the quality of the dialogue is the performance of Dreyfuss. His performance showcases his endless wit, his balance between endearment and charm and that behind the grey curls and massive glasses, is a true heartthrob. It also features one of the

very few child characters who is self-aware and mature beyond their years, whilst remaining neither annoying nor a cliché.

This old rom-com is a definite must-see. It’s a sweet, charming tale of two lost souls coming together to find themselves without the overthe-top cringe-worthy clichés we get in so many current romance films. It doesn’t drench itself in wealth or indulgence. It’s a true, honest love story that will leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling and with a little more optimism the next time you go on Tinder.

film a movie in Europe, he tells his fellow actor friend Elliot (Richard Dreyfuss in an Oscarwinning performance) that he can take his room. Paula and Lucy are forced to allow Elliot in when he threatens to throw them out as they don’t legally own the apartment. What ensues is a hilarious clash of two neurotic characters who never back down and so, a turbulent but hilarious love story begins.

Paula’s money worries and struggle raising Lucy coincides well with Elliot’s struggle to become an acclaimed actor due to his pretentious theatre director wanting him to play Richard III as camp as Rupaul (with

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OTwo - Film & TV

Cinema’s greatest villains

Victoria Keane considers the rise of ‘supervillain’ movies and takes a cross-generic look at some of the greatest cinematic antagonists

The recent Hollywood trend of milling out films told from the villain’s perspective is probably thanks to the commercial success of 2016 film Suicide Squad.

Although it panned critically, it opened the floodgates for other big-budget projects that offered a sympathetic view of antagonistic characters. Upcoming films such as Venom and Joker will offer viewers a chance to empathise with these comic book villains with stories told from their perspective.

However, Joaquin Phoenix will be under considerable scrutiny as the Joker in this new film as it warrants comparison to Heath Ledger’s iconic portrayal of the same character in The Dark Knight.

The movie villain isn’t reserved solely for the ‘superhero’ genre, however, as many other brilliant antagonists have emerged over the years.

Alex deLarge in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange is

“If you were to just momentarily forget “chick f licks” as a ‘trashy’ genre or Mean Girls as being far too overreferenced on most online mediums, you can see that Regina George is a truly admirable villain” an unforgettable and unsettling villain. His entire purpose in life is to terrorise those around him, including his own friends and cohorts, going as far as to commit detestable acts of rape

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and murder out of boredom. He is undeniably irredeemable and also serves as an earlier example of films based on the antagonistic character. It is the audience’s inevitable sympathy for him after his ‘treatment’ that makes it most unsettling as Alex shifts from

“The uneasy tension that builds from the fact anyone walking in the general direction of the curse-carrier could kill them, makes the Entity a nightmarish “character” that would incite fear in anyone.”

unrepentant violence to becoming neutered and submissive. Despite this, he continues to lack empathy for past victims and is inflicted with intense pain each time he feels the urge to embark on “a bit of the old ultraviolence”.

The Entity in the 2014 horror flick It Follows is perhaps the worst STD imaginable, a curse that can take the appearance of any person and stalks their victim, leaving the carrier living in perpetual fear that anyone nearby could be their killer. The Entity is a truly chilling antagonist. The uneasy tension that builds from the fact anyone walking in the general direction of the curse-carrier could kill them, makes the Entity a nightmarish “character” that would incite fear in anyone. What is especially unsettling is that even if the curse is passed on and kills its current target, it will revert to stalking the prior carrier, which makes herpes seem far less traumatic!

The Entity in the 2014 horror flick It Follows is perhaps the worst STD imaginable, a curse that can take the appearance of any person and stalks their victim, leaving the carrier living in perpetual fear that anyone nearby could be their killer. The Entity is a truly chilling antagonist. The uneasy tension that builds from the fact anyone walking in the general direction of the curse-carrier could kill them, makes the Entity a nightmarish “character” that would incite fear in anyone. What is especially unsettling is that even if the curse is passed on and kills its current target, it will revert to stalking the prior carrier, which makes herpes seem far less traumatic!

One can see why many people wouldn’t consider Regina George from the 2004 high school comedy Mean Girls in a serious list of the greatest movie villains. But if you were to just momentarily forget “chick flicks” as a ‘trashy’ genre or Mean Girls as being far too over-referenced on most online mediums, you can see that Regina George is a truly admirable villain.

She goes to extensive measures to bring hell upon her victims.

Regina George is so memorable for a reason; she commanded every single scene similarly to how she controlled the ‘Plastics’.

Her presence evoked such a raw callousness yet simultaneous sense of cool that you can hate her but know if you met her, would do anything to be her friend just for the recognition.

Most people will probably remember their first time watching The Lion King as a child and the trauma of watching Scar propel his own brother from a cliff to his death. It’s a typical characteristic of Disney villains to lack a moral compass, yet Scar is the only

Most people probably remember their first time watching The Lion King as a child and the trauma

“The psychopathic, serenely calm psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest screen performances of all time.” of watching Scar propel his own brother from a cliff to his death. It’s a typical characteristic of Disney villains to lack a moral compass, yet Scar is the only one that can lay claim to having murdered a family member. His lack of remorse and the cold delivery of his “long live the King” line shows that Scar is a real villain’s villain, who’ll stop at nothing in the pursuit of power.

The psychopathic, serenely calm psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest screen performances of all time. Lector showed audiences that evil can hide in anyone. His intelligence and charm make him seem almost friendly, that is, until he says, “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti” when discussing one of his victims. Lecter is often staring wildly into the camera, piercing through the lens to make direct eye contact with the viewer.

The sense of contained rage and tension he brings is unequivocal and despite lacking much screen time, his presence is etched in viewers minds long after they’re finished watching.

OTwo - Film & TV

Illustration: Emma Reidy

Film: Escapism or connection As millions of people see movies as a way of escaping reality, Do films enable us to escape, or to connect? When we are watching a film, is our aim really to ‘switch off’ from reality and to suspend

“Every aspect of film, from the writing, to the producing, the performing... requires something that is unique to being human” ourselves momentarily in a place somewhere between our lives and the lives we watch on screen? Or is it an effort made by us as human beings to delve deeper within ourselves and connect with fellow people in the world?

While the knee-jerk reaction may be to say that film is a form of escapism, that we use it to leave behind our own real lives and be transported to different times and places for a while, this surely cannot be the case. Even in the moments when we are utterly immersed in a film, and feel totally alienated from our own realities, somewhere beneath this absence of mind, lies a place where deeper connections are being formed.

Abby Conroy shows us movies go way beyond letting us ‘switch off’.

Connections to our own emotions, to the lives of the characters we invest ourselves in, and to the deeper human consciousness on a whole.

Empathy is a key characteristic of humanity, and it is explored boundlessly through film. We cheer on the underdog, we resent the villain. We feel this way because we see ourselves in them. We project ourselves onto the screen and gain comfort knowing that we are not alone in our emotions, our struggles and our triumphs; even if they are only fictitious characters that we share these experiences with.

There is a film for every kind of mood. For happy occasions we want comedies or parodies, or when you’ve had a messy breakup, you go for rom-coms and ‘chick-flicks’. We choose what genre of film to watch based on our own emotions in the moment, choosing whether to laugh or cry.

While the stories on the screen may distract us from our own lives for a short while, they aid us in coming to terms with our innermost desires and fears. We long for movies to evoke powerful feelings from within, and if they don’t, they become known as bad films and generate very little

interest.

While with some genres, such as romance, comedy and drama, it may be obvious how we can see some elements of our own lives in them, this is not the case for more obscure (and perhaps the more critically acclaimed) genres of sci-fi and fantasy. These genres may present less realistic worlds to us, ones that may only present

“Empathy is a key characteristic of humanity, and it is explored boundlessly through film.” themselves to us otherwise in our wildest dreams.

Think of the big ones: Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, the Marvel superheroes. How can we empathize with this? How do we connect to real life through these fantasy lands? Is it through the fantastical characters that share our human emotions, or does it come down to the common desire that each of us may share: to be the heroes of our own stories? It is these universal favourites that appear to generate a steadier and more connected fan-base too.

They enable like-minded people to come together and share with one another their deepest fears and strongest desires, without even the need for a discussion.

All this is done through people simultaneously feeling the same things in their hearts, if only for the length of a film.

Every aspect of film, from the writing, to the producing, the performing, the viewing and later the analysis of a movie requires something that is unique to being human: the ability to have experiences and to allow our imaginations to bring us on a journey as a collective community. Film, in all of its forms, encourages the creation of deeper interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. In the cinema theatre, we sit down together, we laugh together, cry together, sing together, shriek together and jump together. Here, in this safe space, we are reminded that we are never really alone, and that we are as connected to each other as we will ever be suspended somewhere between here and there, while learning to understand one another a little bit more every moment.

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OTwo - A Day With...

WILD AND YOUNG Tara Hanneffy spends a day with Wild Youth to chat about their whirlwind journey as a band.

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OTwo - A Day With...

The life of a music star is never dull. So it’s no wonder that by the time I sit down with Dave and Conor of Wild Youth, they’re pretty tired. They’ve already been on The Ian Dempsey Breakfast show (which kicks off at 7am) that day and they’re feeling the effects: “We find each other funnier than we normally do - we’re getting on better, maybe we’re delusional!”

They’re just getting used to this kind of manic lifestyle. Dave, Conor, Ed and Callum, collectively known as Wild Youth, are rapidly rising in the music world. They’ve recently been splitting their time between Dublin and London, preparing material for an EP, which is set to be released in the coming months. They recently played at Electric Picnic, and have supported The Script and Niall Horan so far in their relatively short, but illustrious career.

Dave (vocals) and Conor (songwriting and keyboards) have been best friends for years, having grown up together, and share a mutual interest in music. “I played music when I was younger, and I also played sport, but Dave did a lot of singing, choirs and all that kind of thing,” Conor explains. “But then one day whilst playing sport, I had a really bad accident, which was a traumatic time. After that, I could never play sport again, so I went back to playing music, and I found it unbelievably therapeutic.” Music was for them, like it is for many, a unifying and

“What’s great about Irish artists like Niall and The Script is that they’re so good for advice – anything you need, you can ring them at any time… they want you to do well. There’s no rivalry there, it’s ‘go do it, and we can tell you how it’s done.’” healing activity. “Dave was my best friend at the time so he used to come up to my house when I couldn’t go out. He’d come up and I’d be playing stuff, he’d be singing - we’d be messing and writing songs and then it just became a thing that we loved to do.” The duo had never considered working together seriously in the music industry, and happened upon

the idea quite accidentally. “Fast forward three or four years, one time we went out and someone asked us would we do a gig, so we played a

“Everything that happens to us makes us pinch ourselves, inside there’s still a bit of the two guys who were just in our houses, writing songs, messing and trying to get through a tough time…we’re ordinary people in extraordinary situations!” little acoustic night. And this guy came up to us and said “You guys are amazing, I want you manage you”. We said no, we don’t do this!” Conor laughs. “It was funny because beforehand, we always played music and jammed in Conor’s gaff but we were in different projects,” Dave chimes in. Despite their reluctance, they were asked to play a half-hour set at another gig - “we didn’t even have a half an hour set!” - which prompted someone else to approach them about the prospect of being their manager. “Then we said maybe this really is something, so we started taking it a bit more seriously. We had a conversation and decided that we would try something, but we were very certain that we wanted it to be a band, we wanted electric guitar and drums, the whole lot.” Enter Ed (guitar) and Callum (drums), who completed the four-piece. “Ed and Callum were in different bands around Dublin…so we reached out to them and from the day they joined it just became this really close unit.

We all got on insanely well.”

Everything happened quickly for the group after that. They spent nearly a year working on their material, and in June 2017, their first single ‘All or Nothing’ was released. Conor explains that the band have been lucky to receive exposure from the get-go. “‘All or Nothing’ got some radio play which was amazing and we did some shows, and then we released ‘Lose Control’, we did more shows, the crowds were getting bigger… Our songs were being exposed to radio while we were still trying to figure ourselves out. But we were lucky, we got to meet new

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OTwo - A Day With... people, ended up working with a new team, a new producer in London.”

“We got a gradual growth from it too,” Dave muses. “If you listen to ‘All or Nothing’ and then ‘Can’t Move On’ [their most recent single], you can see our growth as a band, and how we all got to know each other better personally and musically.”

Wild Youth have opened shows for Niall Horan, who they describe as “a beautiful human being…he’s so humble it’s insane.” They’ve also worked and played with The Script, which for them is a dream come true.

“We remember back when we were kids, they were like the U2 of our generation, we were fourteen years of age and wearing leather jackets!

We had a moment when we were in the studio with Mark [Sheehan] and Danny [Donoghue] and we’d just finished a new song and had poured out a little shot of whiskey because it had been a good day. Then I got an email saying that we’d been picked as the new hot pop act on BBC Radio One!” They can’t speak highly enough of the bigger artists on the Irish music scene - in a dog-eat-dog world, those with experience are willing to lend a hand. “What’s great about Irish artists like Niall and The Script is

“Stay in your lane, do your thing, create the music that you love and you’re passionate about and if that sticks with people then that will stick with people. If it doesn’t, then it doesn’t. that they’re so good for advice – anything you need, you can ring them at any time…they want you to do well. There’s no rivalry there, it’s ‘go do it, and we can tell you how it’s done.’”

Despite their success, Wild Youth never take anything for granted.

“Everything that happens to us makes us pinch ourselves, inside there’s still a bit of the two guys who were just in our houses, writing songs, messing and trying to get through a tough time…we’re ordinary people in extraordinary situations!” They have a fantastic fanbase growing rapidly, who connect with each other through the band’s music, a concept that the lads find amazing. “There’s one group of our fans who set up a Wild Youth

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Family. They’ve now created this group and they didn’t know each other before our band, and now they’re best friends, they come to all our gigs together, stay in each other’s houses, look after each other…and we’re like, if our music can do that – that is more important to us than anything.” Dave agrees: “It kinda goes further than us. It’s pretty sweet and surreal.”

The group are working towards releasing some new music and an EP in the coming months, and I asked them what their main musical influences have been in curating their sound. While they cite interests in Imagine Dragons, The 1975, Bon Iver and The Script, they’re keen to insist that they don’t put themselves in a box musically: “We’ve a vast eclectic love of different music . . . I don’t think we put ourselves into a bracket of what we listen to.” They state Prince, The Weekend and Michael Jackson as influences in their up and coming music. On the subject of new music, the tickets for their debut tour have just gone on sale, during which they’ll play in some of Ireland’s best music venues. “I don’t think you can be a band in Ireland and not play venues like Dolans, The Róisín Dubh, Whelans…the iconic venues. They’re the places you want to start off in,” Dave tells me. “I always say ‘If things go very well, we can look back next year when we’re doing bigger venues, and go ‘Jeez, remember when we did the Roisin Dubh, that was amazing and now look what we’re doing.”

Wild Youth have got it all going for them, but they’re keeping their feet firmly rooted on the ground. In a music industry that’s growing rapidly every day, they feel it’s important to stay true to themselves. “It is hard to stay current, but we don’t think about it. The more you try to stay current, the more boring you get.” They might be up and coming, but they’ve already garnered a wealth of experience and know exactly what they want. “Stay in your lane, do your thing, create the music that you love and you’re passionate about and if that sticks with people then that will stick with people, if it doesn’t, then it doesn’t. We challenge each other within the band to try and get the best out of ourselves.”

Wild Youth play The Academy, Dublin on November 30th, tickets on sale now.

OTwo - Music

ALBUM REVIEWS

Therapy?

Villagers

Cleave

The Art of Pretending to Swim

The latest release from Northern Irish band Therapy? truly sees the group playing to their strengths. This is the fifteenth album from the band, following their 1991 debut, Babyteeth. To still be making music this far into a career is impressive in itself, and it’s clear that the passion Andy Cairns started the band with has survived the test of time. It’s a relief to know that after signing a worldwide deal with major label, Marshall Records, Therapy? has not fallen victim to the age-old trap of slick over production and record label meddling in their creative process.

The project sounds raw, almost like a live performance. With 10 tracks and a 32 minute play time, the album manages to avoid any filler songs.

Standout tracks include punchy, guitar heavy singles ‘Callow’ and ‘Wreck it Like Beckett’ as well as the brooding anthem ‘Crutch’ which sees Cairn’s simple, if sometimes clichéd, lyrics pay off as effective and evocative. A common theme throughout the album is depression, which is fitting considering the band’s name. It is always interesting to hear about this topic from mature artists who are past their post-adolescent angst phase, yet still equally troubled by their thoughts and the world around them.

In a nutshell: If you were hoping for the band to make any major progressions in their style, you may be disappointed. On the flip side, if you’ve enjoyed the band’s past releases, chances are this will be right up your alley too, as it’s the same noise rock, melodic metal flare that Therapy? fans have become accustomed to.

The Art of Pretending to Swim, the fifth studio album from Villagers, has been highly anticipated by those who follow the Dublin five piece. Their last couple of albums have seen frontman Conor O’Brien move away from the easy-listening, folk sound that they started with. This album features some heavily synthesized tracks, such as ‘Long Time Waiting’, which can be viewed as an attempt by O’Brien to further distance himself from their original sound. This is a bold move, as those who have long admired the group’s past work may not be too keen on this new, more erratic sound that the group are now producing. However, this shows O’Brien’s progression as an artist, and his willingness to experiment. If you’re unsure about this new direction, don’t give up just yet. Other tracks such as “Fool”, “Hold Me Down” and “Ada” are more reminiscent of the groups past work and allow O’Brien’s delicate voice to be the focal point of the song, where it is sometimes drowned out in the more heavily produced numbers.

O’Brien’s lyrical ingenuity is evident throughout and his personal feelings towards faith, love, mental struggles and life in general are all woven in to the album seamlessly, which is a breath of fresh air in an industry that can often be saturated with songs that have such banal subject matters.

In a nutshell: This album seems to be quite experimental in its sound, but still retains the soul that The Villagers have been previously known for.

Sinead Dunphy

Abby Conroy

THIS MONTH IN:1992 Oisin McCorry

On 3rd October, Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor appears on Saturday Night Live as a guest, during which she tears up a picture of the Pope as a means of protesting sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. O’Connor and NBC received major backlash over the incident.

13th October sees the release of Prince’s fourteenth studio album, Love Symbol. This album is the second to feature Prince’s backing band, New Power Generation, and features singles such as ‘Sexy MF’ and ‘My Name is Prince’, both of which reached the Top 10 in the British charts.

A tribute concert for Bob Dylan is held at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 16th October. Performers such as Neil Young, Tracy Chapman and Johnny Cash are among the many artists performing.

However, the attention is diverted mainly towards Sinéad O’Connor, on account of her SNL protest a few weeks earlier.

On 20th October, Madonna releases her fifth studio album, Erotica.

The album, while generally well received by critics, became one of her most controversial albums to date due to its themes of sex and romance.

On the same day, Kenny G releases his sixth studio album, Breathless.

The album became one of the top 100 Best-selling albums in the US despite mixed reviews from critics, reaching #2 on the Billboard 200 at its peak. The second track, ‘Forever in Love’ won him a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition at the 1994 awards.

By 31st October, Boyz II Men’s single ‘End of the Road’ is spending its 12th week at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100, breaking the record, set by Elvis Presley, after 36 years. This record would go on to be broken in March 1993 by Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’.

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OTwo - Music

Musical Feuds: Reflecting on the complicated relationships of musical royalty

Eva Earner heart goes out to whoever plans the seating arrangements for award shows. t’s not surprising to see that the world’s musical titans lead lives far more colourful and intense than the rest of us. The rise of the ‘influencer’ has prompted our favourite musicians to invest even more heavily in themselves and their personal brands. What better way to sell yourself than to display everything we consider human and ordinary in a more entertaining, extraordinary package? That means the good, the bad, and the ugly. The joys, the tears, and the brawls. Every beef serves a purpose.

With that being said, let’s explore the reasoning behind some of the biggest musical

“In a way, the game of the feud becomes a gamble; with investment in the slander comes a risk...

Lose the popularity contest too many times and it will follow you everywhere you go.” feuds, the legitimacy of their nature, and the repercussions of these clashes, both positive and negative.

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A recently well-documented feud centered around the difficult working relationship between Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj in 2013, when both acted as judges on the American Idol panel for the first time. It seemed neither diva was pleased about sharing prime marketing space with the other. The clashes came early and lasted the entirety of the season. Fan favourites included the TMZ obtained clip of Minaj declaring from her seat on the judging panel “I told them, I’m not f--ing putting up with her f---ing highness over there.” Suspicions flew around that the whole thing was staged to bring in higher ratings for flailing American Idol. This is exactly where the matter gets a little more interesting.

‘Bad blood’ (excuse the pun), can be a useful tool for the stars. Fights, break ups, and sly comments often make tabloid headlines, and tabloid headlines make for great advertisement.

The idea is as follows: the star becomes a side to choose, breeding fan loyalty, and sometimes even a perverted sense of community think of the #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty, or the #KimyeIsOverParty, both having taken over social media in Kanye and Swift’s most recent clash.

When the time comes for that star to release their single, album, or fragrance line, that loyalty results in maximised profits. Swift would go on to release Reputation, using the Kardashian’s snake emoji as her new motif. In the case of American Idol, any and all extra

Musical feuds do not occur in a void, and certainly do not lack strategy. In an age of technology and the interactive potential between stars and their following on social media, we can of ten forget the game of chess that is PR viewings the feud brought in would serve as a bonus, as well as benefiting either Carey or Minaj. It should have been a win-win situation, but the transparency of the conflict left a bad taste in many viewers’ mouths and backfired.

The show’s ratings remained lacklustre, and conversation surrounding the spat didn’t survive long after the cameras stopped rolling.

In a way, the game of the feud becomes a gamble; with investment in the slander comes a risk. Diss tracks can flop and subtweets can result in a major loss of following. Lose the popularity contest too many times and it will follow you everywhere you go.

Currently, music’s biggest controversy involves Minaj (yet again), her newest rival being female rap’s most recent success story, Cardi B. It’s beef with all the juicy trimmings; shady lyrics (most excitingly on ‘Motorsport’, a song on which they both featured), subtweets, and even a violent outburst at NYFW. Neither woman is new to the celebrity feud, naturally leading to audience suspicion.

Theories fly quickly; many believe Minaj’s camp are trying to distract from her recent collaboration with 6ix9ine, who faces being registered as a sex offender. For Cardi B’s team, this highly sensational feud could well be a cover up for her pay-for-radio-play scandal.

Soon #TeamNicki and #TeamCardi would pop up on Twitter, and other celebrities acts of unfollowing one lady or the other would breach alliances between fanbases. No matter how obvious the inauthenticity, it seems sometimes the entertainment value is just too good for us to pass up.

Musical feuds do not occur in a void, and certainly do not lack strategy. In an age of technology and the interactive potential between stars and their following on social media, we can often forget the game of chess that is PR. It is a celebrity’s job to sell a product, be it their music or themselves. Feuds are the frontier-breaking form of entertainment. Is it bad to indulge in what is so obviously staged?

Not necessarily, but nevertheless I would recommend you don’t go throwing shoes at people at parties. It could turn out worse for you than it did for Cardi B.

OTwo - Music

Gig guide: concerts Rebecca Sibley DOUG COONEY, MAGGIE ROSE AND SARAH MOONEY 12 OCTOBER THE SOUND HOUSE

Hidden classics

Tom Waits - Nighthawks at the Diner Greg Price shines a light on an album he feels did not get the credit it deserved: Tom Waits’ ‘Nighthawks at the Diner’.

Tom Waits has always been somewhat of a ‘cult artist’, mainly due to his gravelly voice and his lyrical content, which often revolved around drunks, drifters and other characters of ill repute. Waits was always a very ‘experimental’ musician, never tying himself down to any one genre and instead creating his own unique sound via the influence of a bevy of relatively niche genres such as jazz, blues, vaudeville and, later in his career, industrial rock music.

Nighthawks At The Diner, released in 1975, was the album where the strong jazz and beat poetry influences of Waits’ early career were brought to their zenith. Though there is plenty of singing on the album, it is interspersed with a heavy rotation of spoken-word poetry which, while praised by critics, didn’t sit well with many listeners.

Some would consider Nighthawks to be Waits’ third studio album; while others would consider it to be one of his first live albums.

When, in fact, it is a kind of hybrid of the two.

“Waits fabricates a palpable jazz club atmosphere by inviting a select number of audience members, consisting mostly of the band’s friends and family, into the studio for the recording.”

In the album, Waits fabricates a palpable jazz club atmosphere by inviting a select number of audience members, consisting mostly of the band’s friends and family, into the studio for

recording. Tables and chairs were set up in the corner in the corner and the audience were provided with snacks and refreshments.

But the jazz club atmosphere of ‘Nighthawks’ is not limited to the behind the scenes production. Waits adds to the live performance feel by introducing many of the songs on the album as a live jazz performer often would. He injects a healthy dose of dry humour and clever wordplay into his introductions to simulate banter with the crowd.

The introduction, which comes just before the song ‘Emotional Weather Report’, and the introduction to the song ‘Better Off Without A Wife’ are prime examples of Waits’ use of humorous banter, which was inspired by the comedy stylings of Lenny Bruce. The audience responds to his banter, which makes the album feel that bit more like a live performance.

Perhaps the songs most indicative of Waits’ atmospheric lyrical prowess on Nighthawks are ‘Eggs And Sausage (In a Cadillac With Susan Michelson)’ and ‘Warm Beer And Cold Women’. The former depicts the late-night patrons of a greasy-spoon diner, hence the name of the album; the latter illustrates the laments of a broken-hearted drunk, a trope used quite often by Waits.

Though Nighthawks was generally wellreceived by critics, the album never quite got the attention it deserved and – despite being arguably instrumental in the metamorphosis of Tom Waits’ distinct musical persona – has often gone overlooked and is largely, and unfortunately, forgotten in the annals of music history.

DJ and producer Doug Cooney, supported by a back-to-back set from local talents Maggie Rose and Sarah Mooney, will showcase Dublin’s vibrant techno scene at the Sound House on October 12. Head down to Eden Quay for a night of pounding drum loops and hypnotic hooks in the recently refurbished venue upstairs from the Wiley Fox. Proceeds from the event are go to the Simon Community.

Tickets from €7.95 Check it out if you like: Adam Beyer, ANNA, Joyhauser

THE SLOW READERS CLUB 13 OCTOBER BUTTON FACTORY Following a sold-out UK tour in 2017, The Slow Readers Club are bringing the moody guitar synths and sexy lowrange vocals of their latest album, ‘Build a Tower’, to Button Factory this October.

Despite their misleadingly cute name, this Mancunian electro-rock band have an intense stage presence that has gained them a devoted following. If you were disappointed to miss out on Editors tickets, check out Slow Readers Club at the Button Factory for your fix of sullen electro-rock vibes.

Tickets from €17.50 Check it out if you like: Depeche Mode, Editors, White Lies

DREAM WIFE 17 OCTOBER WHELANS Rebellious, ironic, and full of energy, this indie-punk trio has been rousing audiences since their formation in 2016. Dream Wife, a band whose name sardonically evokes the gender expectations its members abhor, is comprised of three Arts students who met at Brighton University. Expect to scream yourself hoarse to the politically charged chorus of ‘Somebody’, a catchy critique of female objectification, and the contagious ‘heys’ of ‘Hey Heartbreaker’.

Tickets from €13 Check it out if you like: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sleigh Bells, Le Tigre

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OTwo - Music

The evolution of online music stars

Anne-Marie Lyons examines the way the internet has changed our consumption of music, as well as the path artists take to fame.

From reality television shows to open casting calls, in today’s modern world there is more than one way to get famous. The rise of social media has seen many current musical stars get their start online, and this is only becoming more common.

Video platforms like YouTube and Vine have impacted our generation to such an extent that some of the world’s biggest stars owe their careers to it. Whether they’re simply singing an acoustic cover or dropping original content, the millions of views these sites racks up daily produces a powerful potential audience.

Many stars, such as Justin Bieber and Adele were lucky enough to have record labels stumble on their videos and offer recording contracts. Others, like Shawn Mendes and Troye Sivan built up loyal fanbases online over time and slowly migrated into mainstream music.

Why exactly has social media become one of the most effective ways to get discovered?

Firstly, you’re exposed to a worldwide

“From a baby Bieber to an anonymous Weeknd, there is no denying that social media has given the music industry some of its most talented stars.” audience. A chap from Tallaght could upload a video of him snorting milk and some elderly lady in Timbuctoo could end up watching it.

That’s the generation we’re living in - the age of technology. When Justin Bieber uploaded his cover of a Chris Brown song, I doubt he ever thought Usher would see it and sign him

Image: Gage Skidmore

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to his record label, let alone ending up as one of the most streamed artists in the world. In the same way, Adele probably never expected to be selling out stadiums worldwide when she posted her original song to Myspace.

The evolution from social media star to global sensation is a development that is becoming more and more common.

Take Troye Sivan for example. A thirteen year old Sivan posted a cover of Declan Galbraith’s ‘Tell Me Why’ and from there he evolved into a generic YouTube star with sporadic music related uploads, and eventually signed to Universal Music in 2013, when music became his main focus. Sivan had already accumulated a mass following, ready to support his music career.

Figures like this massively encourage record labels to sign social media stars as they are guaranteed sales success. Sivan’s debut album Bloom sold over 72,000 copies in its first week. Sivan’s success story is one of many.

Shawn Mendes began posting six-second covers to Vine, and generated thousands of followers before being signed to Island Records in 2014, and establishing himself as the new teen heartthrob in a matter of years.

With the rise of streaming, and the ability to self-publish and record, it is now becoming the norm for artists to abandon the traditional route to the recording studio and go about it their own way. Grammy award winner, Chance the Rapper, dropped his mixtape Acid Raps in 2013 as a free digital download.

The rapper received immense acclaim and was approached by numerous record labels.

However, he decided that he was better off without established backing. Speaking to

Fader, he said “I can do whatever I want, I can do whatever videos I want, I can release when I want, talk how I want. I feel like conforming to the mixtape to mixtape to album rule would just defeat the whole purpose of not signing”.

Due to the follower count of many online stars,

“With the rise of streaming, and the ability to self-publish and record, it is now becoming the new norm for artists to abandon the traditional route to the recording studio and go about it their own way.” they are financially able to produce their own music without having to sign a record deal or conform to the rules of a company.

The establishment of music streaming services like Spotify have allowed artists to share their music in an efficient and affordable manner. According to ExpandedRamblings. com, Spotify has over 180 million active users, averaging 750,000 tracks streamed around the world every minute. These staggering figures have played a large role in the globalisation of online music stars.

From a baby Bieber to an anonymous Weeknd, there is no denying that social media has given the music industry some of its most talented stars. YouTubers such as Dodie and Emma Blackery are up and coming stars, who first found fame behind the camera in their bedroom. The evolution of music for the last decade has been heavily influenced by online platforms and will continue to be, as online stars evolve into global music stars.

OTwo - Food

Chicken and spinach pasta Oisín McCorry

As is the case with so many students starting out at college this year, I arrived at UCD with little to no knowledge of cooking. Takeaways were a nice short-term solution, but they would burn a hole in your pocket before long. So, if you’re as clueless as I am in the kitchen, this dish is the one for you.

This dish can be ready in 20 minutes or less.

It’s a nice one to make in between lectures if you’re stuck for time and left overs can be used for lunch the following day. As well as that, it’s hard to go too wrong with only 4 ingredients to work with. These ingredients are in most shops too, making it convenient. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

- 3 chicken fillets - Half a jar of sundried tomatoes - Small bag of spinach - Small tub of cream - Pasta

Method: 1. Heat olive oil in a pan until hot. Chop the chicken

and add it to the pan. Fry until the chicken is cooked through and white on the outside.

2. Dry the sundried tomatoes in a piece of kitchen paper and chop. Add to the pan with the spinach and cook until the spinach has shrivelled.

3. Pour in the tub of cream and simmer for a few minutes.

4. Mix with pasta and serve. (makes 2 servings)

Feel free to experiment and build upon this recipe, by adding seasoning or different vegetables.

The GIN-fluence Shivani Shukla

If you consider yourself a true spirit connoisseur, you’ve surely taken a dive into the new trend of elegant drinking. That is the skillfully concocted and artistically presented G&T. If the smooth, refreshing gulp of a freshly-made cucumber and mint gin and tonic doesn’t make your worries take a break, nothing can With as many as 30 gin brands being distilled in Ireland now, and certain growth in the coming years, it is undoubtedly the next big thing in the realm of spirits. Gone are the days of G&Ts with Hendrick’s and Schweppes, with a lemon wedge and, on occasion, juniper berries as garnishes. The ‘classic’ G&T has been replaced by aesthetically pleasing gin

cocktails with fancy tonic water, most likely

“The ‘classic’ G&T has been replaced by aesthetic gin cocktails with fancy tonic water, most likely infused with elderf lower” infused with elderflower, garnished with cucumber swirls and grapefruit wedges. None of the dainty decorations diminish the potency of this cool intoxicating drink; only enhancing your Instagram likes.

The gin scene in Dublin is on the rise and

now’s the time to occasionally swap your pint with seemingly finicky, but way less calorific, gin cocktails. There are several bars offering a variety of spruced up G&Ts from zesty overtones to subtle floral accents. There have even been a few gin-centric events in the city like the World Gin Day in June. Some popular activities amongst gin patrons are the Gin School Experience tour in Drogheda. Lemon & Dukes have an inventive gin tasting menu, while the Mint Bar in The Westin has ginthemed Friday evenings. The Porterhouse on Nassau Street serves an array of deftly mixed G&Ts like Cucumber Collins, using indigenously

“The only downside to this heavenly concoction is the price, which is substantial enough to make you stop af ter one or two.” distilled and quite a herbaceous Dingle Gin. An ever-famous spot is The Gin Palace on Abbey Street, with nearly 300 varieties of gin on offer, deeming it an almost gin Mecca.

The only downside to this heavenly concoction is the price, which is substantial enough to make you stop after one or two. But even that could be a positive because it helps you savour the drink in hand, take in the undercurrent of electric buzz after sipping a quarter of it. With innovative mixologists coming up with an array of combinations there is a whole world of G&Ts to explore. My next experiment will surely be Porterhouse’s Habanero Bitters-infused G&T, with the exciting marriage of spice and cool gin.

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OTwo - Fashion

Streetwear Style Edit

Give the casual wardrobe a touch of couture this Autumn with a selection of fashion week certified pieces.

Photographer: Alex Fagan Stylist: Shane Cullen Models: Paula Martinez, Mauricia Goldup

Clothing kindly sponsored by: Om Diva, 27 Drury Street Dublin 2 www.omdivaboutique.com

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OTwo - Fashion

New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week may have come to a close for the season, but the outfits are still the dominating topic of conversation.

This season, it wasn’t just fashion house couture turning heads and grabbing attention in the fashion world, it was streetwear. On and off the catwalk casual chic reigned supreme, from the likes of Fendi and Prada showcasing their takes on a “less is more” approach.

Taking inspiration from the runway style at the fashion weeks, this issue features a streetwear style edit, with contemporary pieces that will keep you on trend for Autumn/Winter.

Issue two’s photoshoot was made possible by Dublin boutique Om Diva, who recently celebrated their 12th anniversary of supporting Irish design.

- Shane Cullen, Fashion Editor

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OTwo - Fashion

Fendi meets Fila Clara Brannigan The Fendi x Fila collaboration is something still worth talking about. Fendi, the luxury Italian brand and Fila, the Italian sportswear brand, might not be the first two you would imagine paired together. But taking into consideration their iconic logos and massive fanbase, it now seems so right. Earlier this year Fendi announced a collaboration with Fila as part of their Autumn/Winter 2018 collection.

Debuting during Milan fashion week, it made a clear statement that sportswear has become the undisputed leader of the fashion industry.

Fendi incorporated the iconic Fila graphic into its Autumn/Winter collection. This collaboration featured the work of Hey Reilly, an Instagram artist. Reilly took on the Fendi x Fila mash up as a challenge and produced something retro yet contemporary. The classic red and blue logo comes together with the double F of Fendi, mixing high fashion and sportswear. The logo decorates t-shirts, jumpers, bags and furs. Turning sportswear into luxury.

Wearing gym clothes has become a huge trend, and the Fendi x Fila collaboration has become the bandwagon that everyone wants to jump on. The line has become hugely popular with celebrities like Nicki Minaj, with many pictures of her on her Instagram wearing the collaboration. Minaj was spotted head to toe in Fendi x Fila streetwear, sporting a bomber jacket, sun visor and heavily branded leggings,

The excellence of the Emmys Sinead Dunphy reviews the red carpet royalty at this year’s Emmy Awards..

Last month, the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards took place in the Microsoft Theatre in Downtown LA. The ceremony saw the cream of the crop of Hollywood’s television elite, flocking to the red carpet in the hopes of snagging that coveted award. Eyes all around the world tuned in to see who won what - but more importantly - to see who wore what.

Bright colours reigned supreme on the carpet but there was still a healthy smattering of the classic all black and all white ensembles.

Project Runway winner, Christian Siriano, dominated the carpet, dressing seven different actresses in his bold, eye catching designs. Standouts included Leslie Jones in a fun, iridescent pastel suit and Westworld’s Angela Sarafyan in a dramatic princess gown.

Handmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss went for the timelessly chic little black dress in custom Vera Wang, while Tracee Ellis Ross turned heads in bright pink Valentino couture. Amy Sedaris made a questionable choice in a shapeless Adam Selman frock but Sandra Oh got it just right in a gorgeous red number by Ralph and Russo.

In a sea of men in black suits, Queer Eye’s Fab Five were a breath of fresh air. Karamo

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Brown showcased up and coming brand C|E Clothier, while Jonathan Van Ness matched a Prada blouse with a chic suit from Stella McCartney. Antoni Porowski, Tan France and Bobby Berk weren’t quite as adventurous as their co-stars but still managed to bring a bit of fun into their suit looks in Balmain, Thom Browne and Prada, respectively. Other honourable male mentions go to Trevor Noah, who was tailored to perfection in Musika Frère.

The Stranger Things boys brought a bit of variety to the carpet with Caleb McLaughlin in Louis Vuitton and Noah Schnapp looking smooth in white by Fendi.

I t was date night for many of the stars in attendance and they were certainly all dressed to impress. Chrissy Tiegen glowed in sparkling Zuhair Murad while her EGOT winning husband, John Legend, looked dapper in Gucci. Isaia was a popular designer for male attendees, as seen on William H Macy who matched with wife, Felicity Huffman, wowing crowds in a black Babaton at Aritzia pantsuit. Possibly the best dressed couple of the night were Scarlett Johansson and host of the show, Colin Jost, both donned in Dolce and Gabbana.

deeming it an absolute ‘look’. Gigi Hadid has also been seen in New York City wearing a Fendi x Fila t-shirt, pairing it with jeans and sneakers, giving it an effortless but edgy flair.

Other celebrities like Priyanka Chopra has been spotted wearing the collaboration too.

These celebrities are making the statement that gym attire can be urban and trendy.

Filas’ comeback has been huge this year, relaunching their iconic sneaker ‘the Fila Disruptor II’, that has easily become the “must have” in the street-wear world. Fila approving Fendi and Reilly’s various use of elements of the classic branding has been a complete success.

This collaboration has been advantageous for both, as it has brought Fila back to being one of the front runners for street-wear once again, while it has catapulted Fendi back into the spotlight as the clothes are more on trend while still being luxurious.

OTwo - Fashion

Fashion Flashback: Naomi Campbell Shivani Shukla looks at the supermodel’s most iconic looks and personal style over the years.

THE RUNWAY RUNDOWN Part II: Catwalk city

Dovile Grybauskaite reviews the eccentric and the elegant at London and Milan Fashion Week.

This month, cityscape became the catwalk as London Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week returned, giving a preview of what to expect for Spring/Summer 2019. Kicking things off at London Fashion Week, debuts and milestones were among the spectacles. Greek designer Mary Katrantzou celebrated her tenth anniversary in the business, presenting what she called the “collection of collections”. The show featured updated versions of her most iconic pieces, alongside fresh designs, and in true maximalist Katrantzou fashion, her collection was a kaleidoscope of colour, prints and inspiration.

Moving from New York Fashion Week to London for the first time in the brand’s history, Victoria Beckham also showed a collection which celebrated the brand’s tenyear anniversary. Beckham’s show celebrated what her clothes have become known for; bold colours paired with sleek designs, exploring the line between feminine and masculine. The show aimed to celebrate women and empower them to be who they are as well as being ageinclusive, achieving this by featuring fresh faces like Edie Campbell, as well as 90s icons, such as Stella Tennant.

Riccardo Tisci unveiled his first collection as the newly appointed creative director of Burberry. Tisci’s Burberry debut paid homage to the British fashion house’s roots, while infusing it with his own kind of international sophistication. Having already updated the Burberry brand logo, and presented a new version of their iconic trench coat, it seems Tisci is confident in his vision for the house.

The focus of the show, which featured no VIPs sitting at the front row, was the clothes with 131 looks for different generations of the Burberry consumer to choose from.

At Milan Fashion Week, Prada artfully brought shock value and spectacle of the highest quality. A crowd collected to catch a

glimpse of the many famous faces attending Miucca Prada’s latest show, which included actors like Jessica Chastain and filmmakers such as Sofia Coppola. The vibe at Prada was grandiose: the venue was a multipurpose performance space at the Fondazione Prada, with lime green walls and techno music blaring. Prada has long been synonymous with intelligent fashion and her ability to turn a runway show into an art performance piece, this collection being no different. With strong influences from the 1960s and 70s, the show

“Beckham’s show celebrated what her clothes have become known for: bold colours paired with sleek designs, exploring the line between feminine and masculine.” was still modern; the current neon trend looks even better when on a Prada runway.

Another Italian great, Versace, showed a fun collection celebrating multigenerational fashion. While the current crowd of supermodels, including the Hadid sisters, Binx Walton and Kaia Gerber all walked the runway.

Donatella Versace also managed to convince an elusive 90s icon – Shalom Harlow - to make a return. The collection featured themes associated with Versace ever since it was Gianni’s Versace: colourful leather, loud prints, all finessed with Italian elegance. At Fendi, the reign of the 90s and more importantly 2000s fashion was not over yet, with the return of the brand’s iconic Baguette bag, the sporty silhouettes and the FF “logomania” still going strong.

The late 90s saw the rise of a fashion goddess: Naomi Campbell. Starting in the industry at just 15 years old, she has created waves with her elegant glamour. Campbell’s magnificence transcends the countless runways and magazine covers she has graced with her timeless beauty.

At 48, the British supermodel has the power to outshine her younger counterparts, with her impeccable taste in haute couture and her swan-like walk. After dazzling on the red carpet of countless Met Galas, Oscars, fashion weeks and other star-studded events, she is still going strong. Campbell’s most memorable look will forever be the gold warrior-princess-like ensemble by Burton for McQueen at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.

From Versace to Jean Paul Gaultier, every fashion house has dressed Campbell and still vies to do so. The fashionista does her part for society in style, walking runways for her own charity, Fashion for Relief, amongst many others such as Time’s Up and Save the Children campaigns. Fashion shows have donned Campbell in the most bizarre outfits over her career as a model, from baroque and leopard prints to over-accessorized clothing in the 1992 Versace campaign.

“While Campbell’s personal style has always been sought

with opulent, darker hues and modish sparkles, her self-assured nature and bold

confidence make up for the

rest”

While Campbell’s personal style has always been sought with opulent, darker hues and modish sparkles, her self-assured nature and bold confidence make up for the rest. The world has never seen Campbell in a tracksuit and probably never will. To call her a trendsetter would be an understatement, with her irrevocable influence on today’s fashion realm, not in the least as one of the first iconic woman of colour in her profession. The world of glamour is forever in anticipation of her next ravishing look.

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OTwo - Travel

From Berlin to Bled: My interrailing experience

Niamh McCarthy tells us about her interrailing experience, offering her highlights and some tips to others who wish to try it.

How many law students does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

I couldn’t tell you, but I know it takes four to organise an Interrailing trip.

Interrailing has almost become a rite of passage for college students. As the name suggests, the idea is to travel around to various European cities by train. I went in the summer of 2016, with a group of newly acquainted college friends. I would recommend that everyone tries it, but there are some things I wish I knew in advance.

In my opinion, interrailing is done best when organised well in advance. You can’t compare it to a last-minute city-break or trip to Galway; it involves a lot of budgeting and saving in the months coming up to your trip. Interrail passes are flexible in the sense that you only write your destination on your pass the day of travel; so for those of you more spontaneous than I, you can chop and change where you want to go as your trip goes on.

However, knowing your route before you go means you can book hostels in advance. Hostelworld.com was our go-to, which was cheaper and gave us more selection on the hostels we stayed in.

The passes range in value from €208 to €305, depending on how many ‘days of travel’ you want. My pass cost me €255, this meant I could take seven journeys to visit eight cities. Some places have no direct route to get there, for example, travelling from Lake Bled in Slovenia to Split in

“If you check out times in advance, you can take more than one train within one day, and it will only count as one day of travel on your pass.”

Croatia. If you check out times in advance, you can take more than one train within one day, and it will only count as one day of travel on your pass.

The process seems convoluted, and it takes some getting used to, but trust me, by the time you hit the German border you’ll have a fair idea of what you’re at.

I had to learn the hard way that having an Interrail pass does not necessarily guarantee you a seat on a train; make sure to book them online beforehand once you’ve decided what time you’re departing.

My route was standard; Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Krakow, Vienna, Budapest, Lake Bled, Split. You’ll find that the price of a pint slowly depreciates the farther east you travel, so try to ration your time in western cities to the bare minimum if you want to keep things as cheap

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as possible. My whole group would attest to the fact that Vienna was disappointing and expensive. It was

“Berlin is great for nightlife and it offers some spectacular sights and museums, with most of them free entry.”

a beautiful city, but when you’re just off an 8-hour train from Budapest, and the main attractions are Mozart’s and Beethoven’s graves, you might regret booking into your hostel for three nights.

Berlin is great for nightlife and it offers some spectacular sights and museums, with most of them free entry. Berlin’s U-Bahn and S-Bahn trains around the city can also be used for free with your interrail pass.

Prague was also a highlight. It was cheap and cheerful, very accessible and the pub crawls were some of the best we encountered. Lake Bled is a seriously underrated location and one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Canyoning there is a must for any thrill-seeker. You abseil, slide down natural rock slides and jump off cliffs into plunge pools. Not for the faint-hearted but 100% worth it!

For the sake of your sanity, make sure there aren’t

“Lake Bled is a seriously underrated location and one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.”

too many people travelling in your group. Large groups tend to end in disagreements and can end up separating before the trip is over. I went with a group of four, a good number considering a lot of hostels tend to offer rooms with four bunks, meaning we only had to share rooms in a couple of places. The idea of communal living may seem fun and adventurous at the beginning, but trust me, when it’s 4 am in Prague, you’ll really wish you hadn’t booked to share a 12-bed dorm with a stag party from Birmingham.

Interrailing is a fantastic experience. For a lot of people, it’s their first proper trip away as an adult. It’s just a matter of making sure you do it right; spend your money in the right places and it’ll only leave you wanting more.

OTwo

Fatal Fourway MY FAVOURITE DRAG QUEEN DYLAN O’NEILL: Ah, BENDELACREME. This “terminally delightful” queen sashayed into

our hearts in season 6 of Rupaul’s Drag Race and hasn’t left mine ever since. Time after time she turned out looks on the runway. I, for one, do not think you can have a drag queen look “too costume-y”. Her main arc on season 6 was that she apparently wasn’t showing the judges who she truly is.

Michelle. I completely disagree with this critique and think that in the workroom, Ben really opened up about his struggles with depression after his mom died. Bendelacreme was a character he escaped into and made it successful. It was incredibly relatable for people watching to see this person escape into a persona as a coping mechanism. What’s more, it wasn’t a self-destructive one, but overall positive. Haven’t we all wished at some point to escape the pressures and just bring some positivity into the world? Sadly, that wasn’t enough to get her to the top three, according the producers. Rupaul.

In All Stars 3, she got her revenge, and DESTROYED the competition, reaching the top for 5/6 weeks she was on the show. Cementing herself as an inspirational All Star, she was “so sweet, you’ll never know what hit you.”

HEATHER REYNOLDS: There’s nothing better than a seasoned queen, and PEPPERMINT

is a dish that would make Gordon Ramsay cry from happiness. She’s been working and honing her craft since before Aquaria had ever encountered a statement brow and Facetune, even before people started associating boxes big enough to fit a human with Shangela.

It shows every time she performs. She’s so practiced in her movements when lip-syncing, that you can’t keep your eyes off of her every time she’s in shot. Her makeup is consistently without flaw, and her comedy comes with such a confident, at ease delivery that it is no surprise that she is the first ever trans woman to premiere a role on Broadway.

Aside from this, her activism shows that she is aware of her footing and how she can lend her spotlight to help others, repeatedly using her profile post-Drag Race to promote discussion on trans issues, specifically transmisogyny and its intersections with misogynoir and how these issues are prevalent in the LGBTQ+ and drag communities. In both her personal and professional life, she repeatedly demonstrates that, in her own words, “The number one queen is P-E-P-P-E-R- b*tch you know the rest”.

CLARA BRANNIGAN: SASHSA VELOUR showed me more emotion than Carly Rae’s side

B, shantay she stay in my heart forever. What is not to love about this Queen. She brought me on an emotional journey with her. Her use of art is something that has never been seen on drag race, making her one of the most unique queens to grace the show. When she cried, I cried. She grasped Ru’s mantra ‘if you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you going to love somebody else’, like no other queen before her, as she travelled on a journey of self-discovery.

My favourite look was her ICONIC Lady Gaga ‘Applause’ outfit, the little monster in me was screaming. Her make-up was literally like a painting on her face. The drag race finale: I wasn’t ready.

It was a lip sync battle we didn’t deserve. Wigs flew. If you haven’t seen Shea Couleé and Sasha Velour battling it out to Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional”, you’re not living, honey. Velours, flaming locks, rose petals and then just as you think things can’t get any better she removes her wig as tribute to her mother. Goosebumps, every single time. I get so emotional baby.

SHANE CULLEN: If it were based on memorable one-liners and stunning ‘lewks’ alone, MIZ

CRACKER would have been the true season 10 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race. While she may not have won many challenges during her time in the competition, she certainly won all of our hearts.

Entering the workroom in the first episode with a blonde beehive do and an “Okay, it’s time for dinner!” catchphrase to boot, Miz Cracker was an instantly likeable queen.

One of the most iconic looks of the season was her infamous pickle costume, complimented by a pair of glasses, matte lip and a “Dill with it!” pun. Success finally came to Cracker in episode ten, where she won the makeover challenge with YouTube star Chester See. Now in her seventh year of drag, Miz Cracker’s career is going from strength to strength, with the Dublin date of her solo tour next year, selling out in minutes.

Speaking of touring, Miz Cracker revealed to her fans that she was mugged hours before the Cork date of the Season 10 Queens tour earlier this year. When we said that “Miz Cracker was robbed!”, this wasn’t the type of robbery that we had in mind…

Illustrations: Freya Williams

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APERTURE #2: “WE’RE ONLY HUMAN AFTER ALL”

Camille Lombard

Odin O’Sullivan

Sarah Burke-Vaughn

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Odin O’Sullivan