Scene Issue 231 by York Vision

MUSIC theme park

FILM

wreck it ralph

BOOKS

SPOTLIGHT

partyclub

50 years of sylvia plath

A Decade of Attenborough

20 QS

django django

MUSIC NIGHTLIFE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

MUSIC NEWS Eminem set to release new album this year according to president of Shady Records

Frank Ocean ready to begin a follow-up to “Channel Orange” according to producer

David Bowie prevents Morrissey from using picture on Record Sleeve

Lil Wayne to be sued after one of his crew members assaults fan with skateboard

Elton John set to feature on new Queens of the Stone Age Album along

Rapper and all-round American musical celebrity Eminem, is set to release a new album at some point this year according to Paul Rosenberg, president of his label. The news comes amidst the revelation that the rapper will play a massive gig in Glasgow in August this year, and has been revealed as this year’s headliner for the Reading and Leeds Festival, which has caused a good deal of debate in the music industry. The album is as yet untitled and will be his eighth studio album to date.

It appears that Frank Ocean’s creative juices are flowing yet again after the varied success of his debut studio album Channel Orange. The album made it to many of 2012’s ‘best of ’ lists, but was inevitably compared with the work of his contemporaries within rap outfit Odd Future. Now, the singer has claimed to be ready to set his creativity to full gear again, as he is also setting himself up for writing a book. The future of Odd Future and its other members, remains to be seen.

David Bowie has reportedly ordered record label EMI to not use a photograph of both him and former Smiths member Morrissey on a reissue of Morrissey’s 1989 single ‘The Last of the Famous International Playboys’. The photograph was taken in 1992 in New York when the two men were apparently on amiable terms. The refusal from Bowie has not been explained, but there have been rumours in the past decades of a certain amount of animosity between the two musicians.

American rapper Lil Wayne is reportedly being sued by one of his fans after they were supposedly hit over the head with a skateboard by on of his minders. Depite not carrying out the attack, Lil Wayne and his label Cash Money are being held responsible for the “severe injury” the fan supposedly sustained. The news comes at a time when the rapper claims to be moving towards retiring. After a long career, he says he aims to release only two more albums.

It will perhaps come as a surprise to fans of rockers Queens of the Stone Age that warbling piano man Elton John will apparently appear on their new album. Altering their line-up and featuring cameos from other musicians is nothing new for the band, as ex-Nirvana men Dave Grohl and Pat Smear have flitted in and out of working with the band. The album will be the first in six years for QOTSA, and Grohl has returned to join their ranks after his work with Foo Fighters.

OPINION

the future of the album Michael Cooper asks whether the decline in album sales has changed the way we listen to music

love CDs. There you go I said it I feel better. In this day and age not many people of our generation share this feeling. Apparently, CDs are outdated: better and often cheaper ways of obtaining music are vastly preferred nowadays. The space-consuming and old fashioned accumulation signs of one’s music tastes all over your shelves is a thing of the past and with the last highstreet music retailer, HMV’s future in doubt, it could say that those of us who still believe this retro way of listening to music is still superior are to be extinct sooner than we expected. The reason that I think that it is such a shame that this medium is disappearing is the affect it has on the way we actually listen to music - not just how we listen but the way that we listen. When an album

is recorded the artist thinks about the order in which the tracks are arranged and the way different tracks can be linked together, and we lose that with our iTunes on shuffle and personalised playlists. Recently I downloaded iTunes and began the massive process of uploading my CD library onto my laptop and it has already struck me how lazy I am being in regard to listening to music the way the artist intended; I flick through songs or pick out odd ones from an album, something I swore I would never do. If CDs disappear will this be fol-

lowed by the end of the album as we know it? Artists are revolutionising the consumer’s relationship with the musician: Kaiser Chiefs released a wide selection of tracks and allowed their fans to pick’n’mix their own album! Perhaps I am just imagining a nightmarish Orwellian-esque future where we all have iPods implanted into our brains and through universally linked cybernet we download tracks just as artists have recorded them, but it does beg the question: if no hard copies of albums are produced, will the nature

“I flick through songs or pick out odd ones from an album, something I swore I would never do”

of the album change? Obviously I’m sure this is just scaremongering on my part and the fact is that this decline is well documented and the nature of the album has not yet changed. How you respond to that is probably an indicator as to whether you privilege the artistic intention of the musician, or your own personal prerogative and tastes. Regardless, since the fast decline of CD sales, there has been a slow but steady increase in vinyl sales; it seems the decline of the CD has caused a revival in its parent medium. So HMV’s future may be in doubt but I do not believe the prospects are bleak for those of us who still love albums, I am sure Amazon will carry on selling the shiny discs we so desire and if not, it might just be time to buy a turntable.

MUSIC NIGHTLIFE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

PSYCHEDELIC REVIVAL

Singles

originating in the ‘60s, where it was developed to enhance the effects of newfound drugs, psychedelic music has seen a revival in the past few years, with bands like animal collective, tame impala and even oasis contributing to its increasing popularity. Vision music explores the genre’s history and notes some of the new arrivals.

The Strokes

San Cisco

‘ONE WAY TRIGGER’

‘FRED ASTAIRE’

Tame Impala ALBUM: lonerism (2012) LISTEN TO: ‘Apocalypse Dreams’

Accused of copying The Beatles, at first glance it seems Tame Impala are nothing more than hyped-up fan boys. That, however, couldn’t be further from the truth. Their latest offering Lonerism is a dizzying journey of joyous vocals and dream like reverb. A band that are very much their own.

Goat album: world music (2012) LISTEN TO: ‘let it bleed’ Swedish band Goat’s debut was hailed as one of the best alternative albums last year. It’s slow and steady guitar progressions are offset by some serious tribal rhythms. Watch them live: its’s a world of voodoo and hypnosis.

Pink Floyd ALBUM: WISH YOU WERE HERE (1975) LISTEN TO: ‘SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND’ Twenty six minutes of musical genius bookend a classic Pink Floyd album. ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ represents what the band do best: tie multiple, contrasting segments of a song together with perfectly timed progression.

ustralian four-piece San Cisco’s latest song, ‘Fred Astaire’, consists of an indie pop sound with a blend of soft rock, making for a catchy and vibrant tune. The mix of the beat of the drum, the tambourine and the guitar creates a refreshingly bright and high tempo sound different to the current songs of the indie pop music scene. With lyrics of a deep feeling and a clear love for the music they make, San Cisco have produced a song to lighten up any mood. With an energetic and soft beat to dance to, ‘Fred Astaire’ is the perfect track for the fun atmosphere created throughout their entire selftitled album. Though the song does not live up to their previous hits such as ‘Awkward’ and ‘Golden Revolver’, with a bubbly charm and a unique approach to music, San Cisco is definitely a band to look out for. DIANA RIGG

Dinosaur Jr.

that resembles ‘60s and ‘70s classic rock; the song contains the smoothing sounds of the piano, adding a new element to their previous music as well as maintaining their classic instrumental sound of upbeat drumming. The lyrics produced by Mascis’s distinct voice show a depth of melancholy and anguish that fits well with the mellow tone of the entire album. Though it may not be a stand out hit song, ‘Don’t Pretend You Didn’t Know’ creates a warm change to their previous notable songs, being perhaps one of the best tracks on the album. The track shows Dinosaur Jr. is still in top form from when it started in 1985. DIANA RIGG

‘DON’T PRETEND you didn’t know’

The Beatles album: revolver (1966) LISTEN TO: ‘tomorrow never knows’ The album as a whole is not as psychedelic as other Beatles works, but the song ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ is the first of the genre. With a harmonic structure derived from Indian music, it’s possibly not only the first but best of its genre: a beautifully random and mesmeric song.

Want to write for Music? Or perhaps you want to advertise for a band member or musical project? E-mail us at: music@yorkvision.co.uk

t’s been two years and The Strokes are back with a vengeance. ‘One Way Trigger’ marks the beginning of their fifth outing and this could definitely be a big one. The opening is immediately upbeat and vibrant, the drums and guitar beguile: you want to hear more, their timeless trait. The most noticeable change comes from Casablancas’s rather effeminate tones but the lyrics are imbued with resonations of one night stands, finding a way in life and the hopelessness of dreams. This is The Strokes at their best: juxtaposing buoyant tunes with darker, philosophical lyrics, but nonetheless fans of old will be hesitant. I can only say to this, why? They always manage to astound and, after few listens, anyone can be enthralled. Here’s hoping we seeing innovation and originality similar to this in the coming album. ALEX KILLEEN

n the first track from the band’s third album, I Bet on Sky, lead vocalist J Mascis creates a calmness with the hazy sound of distorted guitars. ‘Don’t Pretend You Didn’t Know’ has a melody

MUSIC STAGE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

ALBUM REVIEWS NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS

FOALS

holy fIre

PUSH THE SKY AWAY

ush The Sky Away is the fifteenth studio album from the Australian alternative rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. With such a large repertoire of material, it is always hard for a band to keep things new and fresh; with this album the band have certainly moved away from their older work but, in an attempt to be different, the album has somewhat lost its way. This album is overwhelmingly boring and profoundly uninteresting, one would expect so much more from such a critically acclaimed band but in this case they have failed to deliver. A large proportion of the album has heavy underlying bass lines which build up tension, but these are not in any way exploited, they just drone on until the song ends. This causes most of the album to merge into one. The only memorable track for me was the finisher ‘Push The Sky Away’, but even that did not interest me particularly; it was just the only track that was lyrically and melodically different. I was extremely disappointed that musicians of this calibre could produce a record that is so mediocre and

instantly forgettable; it’s the kind of music I can imagine Peter Gabriel would be making if he completely ran out of ideas. Nick Cave is a very good lyricist and I really do not understand how he completely missed the mark on this album, it seems he has got so lost in attempts to be profound that he has written what seems to be the lyrical equivalent of a hairdresser talking about her dreams. One of the other songs that perhaps saves this album from the pit of musical despair is ‘We Real Cool’. In this song at least attempts to produce a crescendo are made, do not misinterpret me though this track is still only average at best; it does not take a lot to stand out on this album. A very disappointing album, hopefully it is just a blip in an otherwise fairly untarnished career. MICHAEL COOPER

t’s hard to believe Foals are only just releasing their third album. The Oxford-based five-piece have been an omnipresent force within alternative rock and pop music since the release of debut album Antidotes back in 2008, as their disjointed, weighty funk sound stands out as unique among the saturated indie music scene. Five years on, and this sound has progressed into something apparently worthy of a show at the Royal Albert Hall, which the band will play on the 28th March this year. Among all of this praise and rising fame, Holy Fire certainly delivers the raw energy and musical intricacy Foals’ fans crave. The third track on the album, ‘My Number’, brings the first moments of brilliance, as its brawny, ball-breaking funk fights its way through the track, dropping the chorus at just the right moments. With the high quality the band set with their initial releases of ‘My Number’ and ‘Inhaler’, a song in line with the ubiquitous Foals sound, there are a few gems hiding within the record. ‘Moon’ is a beautiful track, consisting of tentative guitar and piano playing. Yannis’s typically raw and brazen voice is laid bare at the beginning and progressively drowned out by dreamy,

COHEED AND CAMBRIA

SKUNK ANANSIE

THE AFTERMAN: DESCENSION

BLACK TRAFFIC

he Afterman: Descension is, fittingly, alt-metal-prog-metal-popemo outfit Coheed and Cambria’s follow-up to last year’s The Afterman: Ascension. With quiet, atmospheric opener ‘Pretelethal’, frontman Sanchez asks: “Who will repair this broken heart?”, and for the first time in a Coheed record, by the end we receive an answer. Their sprawling sci-fi saga continues with this album, but as with its predecessor, everything seems far more personal this time around. On softer tracks like ‘Iron Fist’, the band projects a far stronger sense of emotion than ever before, with mammoth choruses that achieve a catchiness never quite matched by previous attempts: that’s never quite been Coheed’s domain. They usually stray towards the more technical end of the spectrum. The genius of Descension, though, is how the band manages to retain this quality whilst branching out into new territory. ‘Sentry the Defiant’ is a whirlwind of crunching guitars and enthusiastic percussion held together by the frontman’s still frankly preposterous vocal range. After exploring familiar ground, the band takes a turn for the bizarre with tracks like ‘Number City’; which blends nuanced fretwork with

ambient sounds. In this way, the tracklisting for the album has been perfectly considered: this is the perfect ending to an album with fast, fighting funk, atmospheric melancholia and a typically distinct Foals sound. It is difficult to find fault with this record. There are, naturally, songs which will be subject to the ‘skip’ button. ‘Providence’ perhaps lacks depth, Yannis’s proclamations of “I’m an animal, just like you” are somewhat grating. However, this song could conceivably become a live favourite, its upbeat qualities and vigour particularly apt for the stage. Overall, this band deserves all the praise they have received during the build up to this release. They have proved their musical dexterity, and know just how to weave in the right amount of melancholia and beauty into their songs. LOUISA HANN

T an orchestral backing before breaking out into an outrageously bright, Policeesque chorus. Then there’s a horn section. If that sounds ambitious, that’s because it is. But they pull it off. Just about. In fact, the album’s weakest moments come when they rely too heavily on past tropes. The sprawling ‘Gravity’s Union’ is overshadowed by the boldness of the other tracks. If there’s one overwhelming feeling that this album gives off, it’s that of maturity. Their occasional indulgences have been reined in, whilst losing none of their musical depth. “Who will repair this broken heart?” Sanchez asks, and in the final track ‘2’s My Favourite 1’ the emotional arc is resolved with the chorus “This is her”. The Afterman: Descension is about learning to share life with another, and is by far their most emotionally developed work to date. JAMIE MACDONALD

he opener of Black Traffic, ‘I Will Break You’, kicks in immediately: there is no preliminary buildup here, just an assault from the get-go. The vocals of frontwoman Skin are unpolished, but complement the furious guitar-hammering excellently. Howling like a woman possessed, the album at first feels more like a live performance than a meticulously produced studio album. ‘Sad Sad Sad’ begins with the promise of a dark and filthy glower ballad, and the repetitive hook is catchy, but the song ultimately comes across as somewhat clinical and contrived. ‘I Hope You Get To Meet Your Hero’ slows the pace of the album, but its coupling of melancholy violins with the predictable lyrics about tearing out hearts and other dreadfully melodramatic themes, makes the song sound like some godawful neo-goth ballad throwback. ‘I Believed In You’ is, again, very average; you can’t say it’s a bad song, but nor can you say it’s good; the damning hallmark of a filler track, something that this album seems to be largely comprised of. ‘Satisfied’ uses some interesting textures but keeps returning to the rather lacklustre formula that the band, for reasons known only to

themselves, seem to utilise on essentially every song of this album. ‘Our Summer Kills the Sun’ is, to be blunt, terrible, which may sound crude but if you actually hear the song, you will probably find this sentiment to be generous. It’s another attempt at a pained power ballad but the effect is rather less heart-rending than it is earrending. The band seem to have discovered reverb about three-quarters through the album, and make sure the listener knows it. By the time we reach ‘Sticky Fingers in Your Honey’ the album pretty much resembles an amorphous musical aggregate of wobbly guitars, banal lyrics and unoriginality. Unsurprisingly, Black Traffic carries on unredeemed in this manner through till the end, which is mercifully arrived at in just under 36 minutes. PHILIP WATSON

MUSIC STAGE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

Theme Park Quirky and passionate, Theme Park are a band on the up. T

his is going to be an exciting year for Theme Park. With an album set to be released this February, their first headlining UK tour, and a jam packed festival season fast approaching; these boys are the epitome of what hard work, dedication and good music can lead to. A horrible cold did not stop band member Oscar Manthorpe from speaking to me at length about the band, his croaky voice simply adding a rock-star-too-much-whisky-and-partying edge to the conversation. Ironically, this could not be more different from his bright and sharp personality, not failing to give me in depth answers about the band’s history and experiences in the music industry thus far. “Marcus, Miles (Haughton, they are twins) and myself have known each other for ever. Even before we were mates, our parents were friends, and we went to the same school, did the same activities like tennis. We were kind of destined to be in a band together”. Although tennis may have brought them together, it was their love of music which made them gel in the way they did. “From classical instruments and training at school, to picking up guitars and jamming at university, we formed our sound over many, many years of experimentation.” And it is their individual, quirky pop sound that finally imprinted itself upon the music of Theme Park: “We wanted to change the way people thought of rock music, that guitar playing didn’t have to be specifically used in moshes and heavy metal bands. Bands such as LCD Soundsystem created a blue print as to how we wanted to eventually sound, combining a strong and heavy rhythm with synthesised melodies was our way of adding something a little different to the generic pop and rock sound.” 2012 was a huge year for Theme Park, as the band shot to recognition with staple single ‘Jamaica’ being played on Radio 1 for the first time ever, and opening for Bombay Bicycle Club on their UK tour. “It was, well,

“We wanted to change the way people thought of rock music, that guitar playing didn’t have to be specifically used in moshes”

a much bigger deal than I thought it would be. To get that play on Radio 1 meant something massive because, although we would be happy just simply playing music, for our family and friends listening to our song on national radio it meant that our music was now officially out there, in the open”. Supporting Bombay Bicycle Club was also huge in the way that the band was able to really fine tune their live shows: “taking the live shows down to the finest tee, creating a bigger, better sound, and using better lights, better guitars... we are constantly looking to improve our shows, and making them that much better for the audience. Bombay gave us the chance to do this.” Perfectionism is something which definitely makes this band what it is, an acute attention to detail which is so evident in their music. “We have literally been working on our album for ages, but we kept pushing the release date back because we revisited old songs, and then added new material constantly. That’s what makes me so excited about this album, because we’ve had so much time to fine tune rather than rush”. When asked if they were at all scared by their impending album release, they answered: “we simply hope that it lives up to expectations”, highlighting the great quality of this band: that they are so inspired and motivated by their fans. 2013 is off with a bang already, seeing the release of their latest single ‘Tonight’ crawl its way onto radio playlists across the country. “’Tonight’ is something special for us, something about the song just clicked. Musically, it sort of epitomises everything we wanted to create sound-wise, a reinvention of disco really. Working with Friendly Fires on the production of it was also such a highlight of the album-making process. It gave us a completely fresh mind set, and

their relaxed approach gave way to some really cool ideas.” The response to this song, as well as the past couple of months has been staggering, with the band reaching nearly 60,000 likes on Facebook. “That’s pretty cool and majorly intimidating at the same time”, exclaims Manthorpe. When asked if media response is important to the band he replies: “Absolutely. In today’s music industry, Facebook and SoundCloud, all these media outlets become a band’s cultural ID, and sort of online entity. So to get the sort of response we have had has been staggering, especially considering we are such a new band on the horizon”. And being a band starting out today

has certainly been no easy feat for Theme Park, who have worked continuously since the formation of the band. As for what ad vice they would give similar bands starting out, “don’t take yourself too seriously! It’s all about having fun and sharing experiences through your music. I would say make sure you have a good, solid support system behind you, something we have been lucky enough to have over the past years.” Their future maybe bright, albeit uncertain, but one thing that you can be sure of is that Theme Park are loving life: creating and performing music, doing what they do best. ZOE BILES

MUSIC NIGHTLIFE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

LOCAL NATIVES

THE HISTORY OF APPLE PIE

8/2/12 BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB

31/1/12 THE DUCHESS

n the back of the release of their second album Hummingbird, a largely self-constructed follow up to breakthrough record Gorilla Manor, Local Natives are poised to bring their harmony-ladened sound to the forefront of a country once again opened to guitar driven music. And with the snare tapping rhythms of AltJ still very much in our ears, the sellout crowd of Leeds Brudenell Social Club could only expect good things. Local Natives are on record a very good band. Four guitarists create an ebbing backdrop for the clean plucking and cymbal rushing that sits in the foreground, mounting tension over the space of 3 minutes that is seamlessly released in vocal form. This should’ve perfectly captured the level of energy of an audience vamping themselves up for a big night out in Leeds. Yet it didn’t. Four-man strong harmonies were a little lost under overly heavy bass, rendering certain songs as indistinguishable as the band’s dance moves. Whilst the audience played an equal part in forming an air of slight apathy, and such a mood is understandable for the first gig of a tour, the overall experience was not overwhelming. Sing alongs were few and far between, audience interac-

tion was even more sparse and dancing was kept to a minimal shuffle; the only real exception being the woman who flashed me. In many ways, both a high and low point. However, this criticism is coming from a new convert to Local Natives. Many in the audience looked enthralled, and on the back of an indepth knowledge of the band, such admiration would be apt. They were a tight unit, pitch perfect and undeniably cool: it being foolish to undervalue a moustache of such calibre. Even if one hadn’t already had the chance to fall in love with Local Natives, this is a band capable of drawing out epiphanies from the kind-hearted bystander and ‘there for the sake of it’ drunk. One suspects that both the Brudenell Social Club and Local Natives are capable of great things, just not quite on this occasion. MILO BOYD

NME AWARDS TOUR

university students, but this did not seem to noticeably affect their confidence or abilities. The set of songs The History of Apple Pie played were an impressive bunch. There was nothing particularly striking or different about the songs or performance style, but this did not seem to matter, as the songs are purely joyful. ‘Do It Wrong’ was another song that was very well received, causing a man at the front of the crowd who had been enjoying himself thoroughly throughout the show to tear off his jacket and whirl it around, hitting all of the surrounding punters with it in the process. The fact that no-one seemed to mind this proves the jubilant emotions this band can instill, and hopefully this will continue on the rest of their tour throughout the coming months. LOUISA HANN

GIG DIARY

9/2/12 O2 ACADEMY LEEDS

he NME Awards Tour is something which often manages to appeal to a wide range of music tastes, and this year’s offering was certainly no different, as it brought an eclectic bunch of musicians to Leeds’s O2 Academy. The event kicked off with Birmingham-based indie boys Peace, who delivered a perfectly judged performance of clamorous rock erring on the side of grunge, giving the fresh and anticipatory crowd something to dance about. Frontman Harrison Koisser proved a perhaps unlikely heartthrob for the young female contingent of the crowd, as girls in front of me pointed and nodded with each other in agreement with amorous looks on their faces at the leather-clad man on stage. By far the best song of the set was new single ‘Follow Baby’. On record, the song is a release of pure grungy joy, and on stage this translates even better, as the crowd were left pumping their fists for more after the band’s relatively short set. Next band on the bill were indie scamps Palma Violets. The London band were very well received by the audience, creating several circle pits and valiant crowd-surfers with their blend of garage rock and indie pop sounds. It seemed odd the level of praise they

he History of Apple Pie, despite their outlandish name, are a band with a stable pop-rock sound, perfect for the Duchess’ slightly grimy and intimate nature. The crowd were treated to a set of songs off the band’s debut album, ‘Out of View’. It being the first night of what is presumably the band’s biggest and most important tour to date, the inevitable hints of nervousness pervaded the performance, as front-woman Stephanie Min mumbled nervously every so often. The band definitely picked up their confidence towards the end of the set however as a few heckles from the crowd passed by unnoticed and the crowd were enraptured in the inherent joy the songs bring. By far the best song of the set was fist-pumping romp ‘Mallory’. It was at this point where the band really hit their stride, causing the crowd to dance and relax after a perhaps slightly uncomfortable beginning. In some ways, the band were unfortunately placed to play directly after York-based band Party Club and second act Missing Kids, who had a fair few fans in the crowd. In this way, perhaps the Londoners were somewhat outsiders among the crowd of York locals and

Vision looks at the best gigs coming up in the next month around and about York: were receiving, however, as their music is not particularly boundary-breaking or exciting. Musical geniuses they certainly are not, but their showmanship perhaps made up for it, particularly considering they were one band on a line-up of four. Third up was Miles Kane, who delivered a less than impressive set of similar sounding songs and a carefully considered level of ‘laddish’ comments every so often. The headliners of the night, however, counteracted this and brought the show to a close on a definite high. Django Django delivered an exciting, confident and visually indulgent set of lightshows and offkilter, perhaps a little tongue-in-cheek tunes. Overall, the night was an easily enjoyable one, and featured a good deal of musical talent. It was a shame, perhaps, that the bands playing mid-show perhaps flagged in comparison to their tour-mates. LOUISA HANN

SWIM DEEP / THE DUCHESS / 20.2.12 THE JOY FORMIDABLE / COCKPIT / 25.2.12 AMY MACDONALD / THE BARBICAN / 2.3.12 JOHNNY MARR / THE DUCHESS / 5.3.12 DEAP VALLY / FIBBERS / 5.3.12 BASTILLE / COCKPIT / 10.3.12 JAKE BUGG / THE BARBICAN / 29.3.12 KATE NASH / FIBBERS / 17.4.12

MUSIC STAGE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

grief and pride of being a woman. Until I was eighteen, I thought that sexual inequality didn’t exist anymore. I remember asking my philosophy teacher at college why feminism was still around when we live in an equal world. He was shocked and quickly pointed out to me all that is unequal in our society: pay, relationship roles, job opportunities. We live in a world that is improving, but still stratified on gender grounds; you only have to glance at the news from Delhi last month to see that attitudes to sexuality need changing on a global level. The Vagina Monologues is our small contribution to this process.

The Vagina Monologues

Taking Centre Stage...

STAGE

Stage caught up with The Vagina Monologues’ Meg Roberts about the play, and feminist campaign taking place at York University. What is The Vagina Monologues? The Vagina Monologues is a play; the culmination of a whole term’s work with Act.Rise, our campaign for Eve Ensler’s V-Day Project. V-Day is a woman’s charity that donates to victims of domestic abuse, so the play is part of a wider movement to raise awareness and, of course, money. People seem to think it’s just a bunch of chicks whining on stage, but it’s so much more than that. What we want to get across in our production is that the play is about celebration as well as anger. It’s just a lot of stories about the comedy,

When people think of Vagina Monologues they often think of the word ‘feminist’. Do you think ‘feminism’ has become a dirty word? There’s a really odd stigma to the word ‘feminist’. Last week we were interviewing people on campus to see what people at the University thought about gender roles. When asked if they believed in gender equality, everyone said yes. But when asked if they would call themselves feminist, eighteen out of twenty interviewees said no. In fact, most said absolutely not. But those people are feminist! Being feminist is about believing in women’s rights and equality. You don’t have to be manhating, or anti-make-up if you don’t want to. Most of us are feminists; we’re just scared to use the word. But hopefully, at least in York, we can reclaim it. What’s your role in the campaign? I’m performing one of the monologues myself, I don’t want to give anything away but my character is pretty vocal...You’ll have to come and see to know what I mean! I’m also P&P lady. So those pictures of vaginas you’re seeing all over campus – my bad. A lot of posters for other productions of The Vagina Monologues use symbolic images like peaches cut in half to show that they’re talking about vaginas, but I think that’s chickening out. Unless the censorship police have taken them

In The Limelight...

God of Carnage Last Friday saw the opening of God of Carnage, a play that was celebrated with prizes and awards in the West End, before Rory McGregor brought it to the drama barn. Two sets of parents meet to discuss their sons’ behaviour. However, the meeting quickly descends into chaos, when social niceties are thrown out of the window after a few wrongly placed words and some harmful insinuations. What make this play fascinating are the constantly changing loyalties and animalistic qualities, that are brought to light. As the actors moved from emotion to

emotion, the audience moved with them, finding themselves laughing one moment and horrified the next. The set never changed, the actors never left the stage, and there was no interval. The characters are all incredibly true to life, and ring true in our current society. It was a captivating cast, the actors were all remarkable and the electricity and eloquence between them enthralling. There was not one weak performance. This was a fantastic show and sure to be one of the drama highlights of the term.

down by the time this goes to print, that’s my doing! Who can get involved? Is is just for women? No! There are plenty of men on our campaign team and we’d love more. You don’t have to be a woman to believe in women’s rights, or female to be a feminist. Whatever your skills are, it would be great to have as many people on board and helping us poster, spread the word, help with our events, bake cakes, whatever. Anyone can, and should, be involved.

SNEAK PEEK

How can people get involved? You should like our Facebook page (Act. Rise York) and follow us on Twitter (@ActRiseYork2013). If you’ve got something you want to get off your chest, use our York Reasons to Rise Facebook Page to tell us why you’re rising for women. But plugs aside, anyone can email me (mr652) for more information on any of our campaign events. What events have there been and what’s coming up? Lots. Last week on the 14th Feb we took part in One Billion Rising. One Billion Rising is a global event with the V-Day charity. We encouraged as many men and women as possible to dance with us in Vanbrugh Dining Hall from 3pm. It’s setting a precedent for more events we have planned beyond the Monologues this weekend.There’s more information about all of this on the Facebook event: One Billion Rising in York. Expect a big collaboration with YUSU for our pending ‘Care Fair’, and if you missed our incredible spoken-word poetry evening VENT at Sotano, then fingers crossed there should be another before the end of term. Keep your eyes peeled and follow us on Twitter for updates! The Vagina Monologues is in Week 6, Thursday-Sunday (tickets are £5 for non-DramaSoc members).

Written by Yasmina Reza Translated by Christopher Hampton Review by Aggie Chambre

Coming Soon To York

York Theatre Royal Mon 25th Feb - Sat 2nd March

Oliver: York Theatre Royal Tues 5th March - Sat 16th March

MUSIC STAGE FILM

BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

FILM Good Will Hunting

Gone Baby Gone

The Town

Argo

Pearl Harbor Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Ben Affleck’s career-o-graph

Daredevil

Armageddon

2001

1997

2007

NICK BURKE

VISION’S OSCAR PREDICTIONS

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis Best Picture: Zero Dark Thirty Zero Dark Thirty looks favourite Played a gripping anecdotal role Hey film fans! Yes, as the lead in Lincoln. having already won 25 awards. it’s awards season again. But so much Best Actress: Jessica Chastain Best Director: Spielberg is uncertain; will Her superb performance in Zero Golden Globe winner Ben Afthere be weeping? Dark Thirty was highly acclaimed. fleck was not even nominated. Will Seth Macfarlane ruin it? Will anyone drop their shiny-miniperson-statue? Well, we don’t have answers to any Best Picture: Lincoln Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis of those questions, but we Spielberg’s latest creation depict- What could have been a stodgy bihave done our best to preing Lincoln’s struggle to abolish ography is held up by his performdict some winners for you! slavery has picked up 12 Oscar ance which embodies all aspects of nominations. Lincoln’s character.

Best Picture: Lincoln I think the ashen battlefields and Congress rooms of Lincoln win it for me. Best Director: Ang Lee He’s the most versatile director out there, and he’s done it again! I have my fingers crossed that Life of Pi will scoop it for Lee.

KATHERINE HIBBERD

Best Director: Ang Lee Best Actor: Hugh Jackman He succeeded in producing one Though Daniel Day-Lewis is of the most visually spectacufavourite for this category, he lar films to date. did far too much staring into the middle distance for my liking... Best Actress: Jessica Chastain I think her performance in Zero Dark Thirty might be just the thing that knocks J-Law off the top spot.

J. J. Abrams to work with Valve gon: “Our goal here is to treat the world Valve has created in both these properties like anyone would a book or some great story that comes from a pitch or original script.”

Matt Smith lands star role Doctor Who star Matt Smith is confirmed to play the leading man in Ryan Gosling’s How to Catch a Monster, alongside Christina Hendricks and The Lovely Bones’ Saoirse Ronan. How to Catch a Monster looks set to

JAMIE MACDONALD Best Picture: Argo Best Actor: Hugh Jackman An incredibly taut thriller that He did a stupendous job carrysits among giants of the genre. ing hit musical Les Miserables. Best Director: Spielberg He has at least one more in him.

FILM NEWS Following the report that he is set to direct Star Wars: Episode VII, it has been revealed that J.J. Abrams is set to work with videogame developer Valve, on possible film adaptations of their Half-Life and Portal games. Abrams told Poly-

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain Her turn as a relentlessly determined spy to has secured a much earned second nomination.

be a breakthrough film for Smith, who is better known as the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor and for his work in television. The film will also be the directorial debut for Gosling. It will be released in 2014.

Best Actress: Naomi Watts Utterly affecting in The Impossible.

Yoda set to steal the spotlight After numerous hints from the rumour mill, Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed that there will be spin-off films focusing on specific characters in the Star Wars saga, to be released alongside the recently announced

t r i l o g y. Speculation points to Yoda or a young Han Solo to be the basis of these films, but nothing has yet been confir med by Disney.

Spitting some Venom The internet has been set ablaze in the last couple of weeks by a tweet from Mark Webb. The director of the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man posted an image online, which seems to suggest that fan-favourite villain

Venom will appear in the film. Though details are still fairly sketchy, it has been speculated that the wall crawler’s nemesis will this time be in control of Harry Osborne, played by Dan Dehaan.

2012

MUSIC STAGE FILM

BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

REVIEWS

Wreck-It Ralph

sually when critics say that a film is ‘like watching a videogame’, they do not mean it is a compliment. Seeing Wreck-It Ralph is like watching a videogame in a good way. From ever-so-slightly pixelated window edges, to the way some of the characters mimic the limited animation frames of 8-bit sprites, the attention to detail is spectacular. The visuals and sound effects work in concert to create a strong sense of authenticity. Wreck-It Ralph is the story of the titular Ralph (John C. Reilly), who finds himself stuck in a rut. The simple wish to be a hero sets Ralph off on an adventure which spans

Zero Dark Thirty

lthough I, along with the rest of the cinema audience, knew the outcome it did not prevent us from being utterly transfixed by Zero Dark Thirty. In short, it was riveting. The movie ends with the siege of Bin Laden’s hideaway by Navy SEALs, much of it shot to approximate the queasy, weirdly-unreal green of night-vision goggles. Zero Dark Thirty does not explicitly say whether torture is a means to an end or an inhuman action. This is the quality that makes Zero Dark Thirty something close to a masterpiece. The film shows its audience the secret history of spy craft that led from September 11th, to the Bin Laden raid in May 2011 without steering us explicitly towards a moral verdict. The story hinges on Maya who is more ambivalent protagonist than traditional heroine. She is introduced during an interrogation. During this scene the prisoner is subjected to simulated drowning and forced inside a horrifyingly small box. The violence is ugly, stark, almost businesslike and is largely presented without music cues. These torture scenes linger, casting a long, dreadful shadow over all that comes after. The moment that captured me was the vivid juxtaposition between the void of September 11th voices and the lone man strung up in a cell. It is also a heartbreakingly sad, soulshaking story about revenge and its moral costs. The non-triumphant ending epitomises the pain of the film -the suffering, the compromised ideals- it has all led to this. Years from now everyone will still remember this film. 9/10 Rachel Thompson

multiple games in a fully-stocked arcade. Expect cameos from Pac-man and Frogger, among seemingly hundreds more. These references are great Easter eggs for those arcade-savvy enough to be aware of them, but they are just that, bonuses. Missing the pong paddle’s cameo isn’t going to ruin the film, and those with no prior video game experience need not be put off. Ralph’s emotional beats are well charted and, despite some directionless moments early on, the

film builds to a spirited and well-rounded conclusion. His gruff demeanour proves to be an excellent foil for the more immature characters and environments. John C. Reilly is excellent as the titular Ralph, while 30 Rock’s Jack McBrayer pulls off the preposterously earnest Fix-It Felix with ease. Sarah Silverman is the gloriously off-the-wall Vanellope, and Alan Tudyk (best known for playing Wash in Firefly) deserves a special mention for his voic-

In essence “a celebration of joy, an exaltation of childhood”

Warm Bodies

was incredibly sceptical having being promised yet another film about the un-dead. The birth of the Twilight franchise has created a hunger for stories about mildly attractive dead people, falling in love with humans. In reality, necrophilia is disgusting, so I find myself asking, why has this become so popular? As I began to watch Warm Bodies, I had pretty low expectations and, sadly, even these were not met. It seems that Jonathon Levine, the director of this catastrophically average film, thought he had a great idea; mix the theme of the hour, with the love story of the century. The film is therefore based loosely on Romeo and Juliet. Levine clearly thought this was a foolproof plan, mixing a classic with a zombie theme surely can’t go wrong… Sadly, it does. The father of Julie (Teresa Palmer), played by John Malcovich is an angry vampire killer, and Julie goes out in the world to follow her father’s footsteps when boyfriend Perry is murdered. However, as the murderous zombie (Nicholas Hoult) sets eyes upon Julie, he falls in love with her and decides not to eat her. The story continues fairly uneventfully from here. The dialogue between the two protagonists is frequently stilted, but to the film’s defence, R is dead. This is mildly disengaging for the audience. I would not recommend this film. I have already forgotten pretty much all of what happened, having only watched it yesterday. Not worth the cinema ticket. Or the 90 minutes of your life. 3/10. Aggie Chambre

ing of King Candy. As the name suggests, the character could easily have descended into throwaway stupidity and empty laughs but Tudyk pitches the monarch at exactly the right level to create a superbly eccentric personality. In setting itself in the world of videogames, Wreck-It Ralph allows itself to be endlessly imaginative with a freedom and enthusiasm far exceeding that of other animations. Its eclectic nature is balanced by a very human story that will warm the coldest of hearts. It is a celebration of joy, an exaltation of childhood, and, above all, a slice of great fun. 8/10 Jamie Macdonald

A Good Day to Die Hard

s sagas go Die Hard has always delivered dependable, solid action adventures, despite often outlandish plots. Three ingredients have lead to their success: Bruce Willis, explosive action, and well delivered one-liners. This fifth instalment begins with retired police officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) deciding that it is time to re-establish a relationship with his estranged son. Flying to Moscow, he is surprised to find Jack (Jai Courtney) now works for the CIA. He kindly ends up assisting him on a mission to smuggle a wrongly imprisoned dissident who has information capable of bringing down a corrupt Russian executive. McClane’s retirement has rubbed off on Willis who seems to have lost any passion for the role. The poorly written script is delivered with little enthusiasm and the attempts to create sentimental moments between father and son are utterly cringe-worthy. The film fails to redeem itself with its action scenes, which are so over-the-top that they turn the whole film into a sort of cartoon. In previous films, there was always some aspect of realism, a chance that McClane could die, but in this film he is transformed into a superhero figure that suffers near to no injuries whilst battling villains in super slow motion. A Good Day to Die Hard is a perfect illustration of an outstretched saga drawing in loyal audiences who will find a big budget disappointment, created with little imagination, or wit. No day is A Good Day to Die Hard. My advice would be to just stay at home and watch the first four films instead. 2/10 Katherine Hibberd

MUSIC STAGE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

Television The HOuse that Netflix Built KARL TOMUSK looks at the future of television

hroughout my television watching career, there have been very few shows I’ve watched on an actual TV as they aired. Why should I sit through advertisements and schedule my evenings around what time my favourite shows are on, when I could watch the DVD box set, or stream it online whenever I wanted? This is precisely where Netflix’s new programme, House of Cards comes in. Netflix, the online streaming service, offers a convenient alternative to an archaic medium. Users can stream unlimited films and television shows with no advertisements for a modest monthly fee. Up until now, it has functioned much like a massive DVD library without the DVDs. However, Netflix has recently taken things a step further. House of Cards, based on a BBC series of the same name and featuring Hollywood heavy-

weights Kevin Spacey and executive producer David Fincher, is a show developed specifically for Netflix. Whereas traditional TV series air once a week during specific times of the year, House of Cards gives its viewers exactly what the Internet and DVD generation wants. On 1st February, every episode of the first season appeared on Netflix simultaneously. Viewers did not have to wait for the series to finish to get their hands on the show. They did not have to only watch it once a week. They could sit down and watch it how-

ever they wanted, whenever they wanted. This development seems to be a logical progression for television, and Netflix is embracing the future of the medium. While TV networks are often painfully oblivious to the very existence of the Internet (Nielsen, America’s audience measurement system, only recently started considering online views when publishing television ratings), others are realizing that there is a much better way to connect with a new generation of viewers and appease their demands. Of course, there are undoubtedly

those who will miss traditional TV: sitting down to watch a show with friends or family and making something of a tradition of collectively indulging in the same programmes and car insurance commercials. But let’s be honest, that’s not going away any time soon. There are too many X Factor’s and Britain’s Got Talent’s that will keep the traditional format alive for years. Still, as someone who is currently neglecting all social duties with marathon sessions of The Wire on a box set purchased for a fraction of the price of a TV license, I will get behind anything Netflix is doing. I suppose the next step is to actually watch House of Cards and wait for Arrested Development’s fourth season, which will follow a similar format. But for now, I’ll get back to The Wire. I will see you all in a few months.

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

In light of his impending retirement, let’s all sit back and enjoy a quick David Attenborough retrospective from the past decade.

2001: THE BLUE PLANET

An Emmy and Bafta winning series on the world’s oceans.

Small Screen Superheroes ANGUS QUINN discusses fantasy TV’s kryptonite

hough fantasy might be the order of the day on the TV schedules with the likes of Game of Thrones, Once Upon A Time, and True Blood winning critical and popular acclaim, the superhero sub-genre has burst back onto our screens in the form of Arrow. A new take on one of DC’s most popular heroes, the Green Arrow, the show has proved a popular and critical hit, regularly winning the top-rated slot for the network and receiving favourable reviews from critics. Its darker tone provides a marked contrast to the CW’s successful former show Smallville. The success of Arrow has also prompted the network to begin development of a pilot for a companion Won-

der Woman series – Amazon, which though in early development stage is rumoured for a potential premiere in time for the 2013-14 television season in only a few months time. It also seems likely that Amazon will seek to imitate Arrow’s lifelike tone. According to Vulture.com, Amazon may well have a “no bracelets, no crown” mandate. Along with the new Wonder Woman series, it is rumoured that television networks in America have commissioned a Booster Gold series, a Deadman series, a series based around the Spectre from Batman, and a Sandman series. TV isn’t just focusing on the DC Comics back catalogue either. The ongoing

success of the Marvel Film Franchise has prompted ABC network to green light Joss Whedon’s eponymous tie-in series which follow the exploits of Marvel’s covert, intelligence agency S.H.I.E.L.D. With the success of Arrow, and the promise of Amazon and S.H.I.E.L.D, it seems entirely possible that the TV Fantasy Bubble might be about to burst, and be replaced by a swell of superhero shows. However, if Arrow is anything to go by, then surely such a shift can be no bad thing.

2006: PLANET EARTH

The first nature documentary to be filmed in high definition.

2009: LIFE

A wonderful documentary about life and the struggle for existence.

2011: FROZEN PLANET

Who knew there was life in the Arctic? David Attenborough did!

2013: AFRICA

Wildlife in Africa. Worth it if only for the fight between the giraffes.

MUSIC STAGE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

Editorial

Endorsements

Vision’s TV team recommend the shows you need to start watching... Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia

But while other sitcoms might take this opportunity to tell a heartwarming story about friendship, It’s Always Sunny does the opposite. In the first season alone, the show’s plotlines include the gang selling alcohol to minors for extra cash and pawning off Nazi memorabilia stolen from questionable family members.Yet, it never feels like they try to be offensive for the sake of being offensive.

This that ples and

is a genuinely hilarious show just happens to have no scruabout writing about anything everything they can imagine.

It has been likened to all sorts, from Seinfeld on crack to a latter day Friends, except all the characters are largely unsympathetic and the pushing-thirty desperation and fear is much more tangible. It may be at times, offensive, at times ridiculous, but always it is hilariously irreverent, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is eight seasons of reminders that your life and your friends could be much, much worse (although probably nowhere near as funny).

Karl Tomusk

Alongside this is a cast that boasts impeccable comic timing, ranging from Britta Perry, the anarchist cat owner with unresolved political issues and a hatred for police that is only mitigated by her remarkable love for cats, to Shirley Bennett, a God-fearing divorcée, who joins community college in order to get a business degree so she can sell baked goods on the net. Couple this with a team of writers so in touch with their fan base, it almost seems impossible: frequently answering forum questions, tweeting and re-tweet-

It takes just a few episodes to get hooked, and it won’t be long until you’ve adopted the characters’ handshake as your own, you’re singing songs from their (heavily ironically) Glee themed episode and you think ‘Chang’ and ‘Dean’ are acceptable substitutes for words. Confused? You shouldn’t be - if all this sounds like something you’d enjoy (or even if not, really) it’s not a matter of where you’ll become a fan, constable, but when.

Joshua Gisby

Walt is played by Bryan Cranston, his genius in the role earning him three Golden Globes and three Emmys and rightly so; as he inhabits the many emotions of the sinister yet sympathetic Mr. White so commandingly as to blast any associations of him as the cheery dad from Malcolm in the Middle from the memory. Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul, is

ing fans, and promoting original content made by fans about the show, Community’s creative team is intent on delivering to its loyal base.

The Good Wife

reaking Bad is, in my opinion, the greatest TV show that there ever has been or will be. No matter how much I big it up, it will not be done any justice. Each episode deserves a review, each series an essay. Unfortunately that cannot happen and so here is my short attempt to get you to watch it.

Walt White is the protagonist of the show. At the beginning he is your average Joe; an underachieving chemistry genius turned teacher. But when he is informed of his terminal cancer, Walt turns to producing the world’s highest quality crystal meth to secretly support his family.

Community

Contending against a network that cut their seasons short, postponed premieres, and lacked an adequate publicity campaign, the writing team never shied away from producing a show whose crowning feature is a tendency to eat up comedy tropes like a meta wood chipper, and reconstruct them into some of the funniest lines on TV: a mythology of pop culture references, a Dungeons & Dragons themed episode, and the heart-warming Troy and Abed bromance.

Breaking Bad

When Vince Gilligan, the immensely talented creator of Breaking Bad, originally pitched the show to AMC, his idea was simple; he wanted to take a boring, middle aged man, and turn him into Tony Montana.

This is a show that feels organic: there are no polished backdrops, no obvious will they/won’t they scenarios, and, luckily, no canned laughter. It’s simply about a few friends working at a bar and barely making any money.

ere is the most refreshing, original, and funny comedy that nobody is watching. In jeopardy of being cancelled since its first season back in 2009, the irregular ratings made investing in Community feel like a gamble.

e live in a time when friends can get together and make videos without squandering their life savings, and while some have taken that opportunity to film their cats, others have decided to make It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It’s Always Sunny is a sitcom that started as a no-budget project between three friends, Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney and Glenn Howerton, armed with a cheap camera and willing family members. And like its inception, the series is very down to earth.

inally a legal drama with a well written script, punctual acting and expensive interior decoration that’s larger than life. The series revolves around Alicia Florrick, a smart and determined litigator whose husband Peter Florrick, a family man destined for political power, was sentenced to jail for a major sex and corruption scandal.

his former student and partner in crime and often remains the sympathetic face of a show that becomes increasingly dark as Walt’s descent continues downwards. With Bryan Cranston at the centre then, Breaking Bad is a brooding yet heart-thumping series that is up there with the best, every bit as addictive as Walter White’s crystal meth. The production values of the show are second to none: every episode has an interesting camera angle, amazing music or stunning photography to delight the audience. The series is darkly funny, offers rich character development and has all the twists and tension of a coiling rattlesnake, making it a must-watch.

Will Arkle

Besides the likeable Florrick, the show includes some great characters. Diane Lockhart, for example, is a senior partner at the firm whose penetrating icicle glares and non-conformist views are to be reckoned with. Additionally, Kalinda Sharma is a hardline in-house private investigator who shows the “reality’’ of winning cases illegally and unethically by snooping and practically stealing client information. There are of course the major battles between each firm; each fighting and conniving on behalf of their clients in order to take the winner’s cheque and ego trophy home. Most entertaining, I would say, are the sharp suited extras, with their expensive

suits, oak wood desks, and clean cut and unhinged determinism to win. This show overall is definitely one to watch, it might not break any major boundaries, but it’s entertaining, with occasional moments of suspense with gasping and raised eyebrows. It is riveting show, packed with characters whose allegiances and motives are unknown, creating a dangerous and ambiguous situation that the heroine has to negotiate in more ways that one. The Good Wife keeps growing season by season and is universally acclaimed. This in itself should be reason enough to watch it.

Ghazala Jabeen

MUSIC STAGE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

Books Events Diary:

Good book, bad film

Wednesday 20th February, 12:30pm Francesca Simon Horrid Henry series book signing The National Media Museum, Bradford

Wednesday 20th February, 2pm Terry Deary Horrible Histories series, York’s History of Horrors National Centre for Early Music, York

Friday 22nd February, 12pm Antony Wootten Grownups Can’t Be Friends With Dragons book signing Waterstones, York

Friday 22nd February, 5:15pm Carol Ann Duffy Rapunzel readings and book signing Northern Stage, Tyne & Wear

Oona Venermo examines three books ruined by their movie counterparts...

here’s always that small slither of dread when one of your favourite books is made into a film. The element of disappointment is inevitable. Obviously no interpretation will match perfectly with your imagination but there are some film adaptations that make you want to the punch the cinema/TV screen. Differences in interpretation are understandable but when fundamental parts of the plot are either changed or removed entirely, it’s a whole different story...

The Northern Lights – Philip Pullman / The Golden Compass – Chris Weitz In The Northern Lights, Lyra is an orphaned girl living in a parallel universe where she travels the world with the Golden Compass, a fortune telling instrument , in order to find her kidnapped friend Roger. After several dramatic episodes including talking polar bears in armour, Lyra is abducted by the same people holding Roger captive. Up until this point, the film has remained more or less faithful to the events in the novel. However, the fundamental issue with the film is the ending. Weitz simply cuts it out. The film concludes with Lyra and Roger flying north in search of the mysterious Lord Asriel. The book? Roger is murdered. Awkward sort of detail to miss out, especially since his death opens up a bridge to a parallel universe and thus leads onto the second book of the trilogy. Kind of an important feature but I don’t know, maybe child murder would have put a downer on the whole Hollywood happy ending thing.

My Sister’s Keeper – Jodi Picoult / Nick Cassavetes

Monday 25th February, 6:30pm

My Sister’s Keeper tells the story of Anna, conceived as a donor child in order to provide organs for her older sister Kate who suffers from leukaemia. Anna files for medical emancipation from her parents when she is asked to donate a kidney to Kate. Following a series of events told through the eyes of various people affected by Kate’s illness, it is revealed Kate told Anna to file for emancipation because she wants to die. Until this point, Cassavetes’ interpretation is brilliant. Then boom. The ending. Picoult’s novel ends in an unbearably tragic manner as Anna dies in a car accident, meaning Kate receives the kidney she needs. The film? Let’s completely change the ending so there is no car crash, Anna lives and Kate passes due to her illness. What’s the point in doing this? Maybe the original ending was too tragic. Perhaps there’s some big artistic statement being made. Personally, I don’t get it.

Gavin Extence The Universe versus Alex Woods Waterstones, York

Saturday 9th March Oxfam: York Spring Clean charity event St. William’s College, York

Saturday 9th March, 3pm AS Byatt Ragnarok: The End of the Gods book club discussion Yorkshire Museum, York

If you would like to write or review for us, drop us an email:

books@yorkvision.co.uk

(Warning: Spoiler Alert)

The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde / Dorian Gray – Oliver Parker Artist Basil Hallward has painted a portrait of Dorian Gray, a beautiful young man, influenced by Lord Henry Wotton’s doctrines on youth and beauty. Upon seeing the painting, Dorian wishes that it would grow old while he remains eternally youthful. There are so many problems with this film adaptation I could word vomit for hours. One is the addition of Emily Wotton, Lord Henry’s daughter. Not only is she not a character in the novel, but her presence in the film almost belittles the characters of Sybil Vane and Basil into insignificance. Parker also replaces the dramatic climax of the novel, the murder of Basil, with a drawn-out struggle which ends with Dorian stabbing the portrait and the explosion of his house. Entirely unnecessary, melodramatic and unfaithful to the novel, Hollywood’s desire for all things macho takes away the subtle moment of revelation Wilde depicts so well.

Sylvia Plath

Oona Venermo looks at the life of Sylvia Plath fifty years after her death

ebruary 11th 2013 sees the 50th Anniversary of the death of writer Sylvia Plath, famous as much for her tumultuous personal life as she is for her work. Born in Boston on 27th October 1932, Plath studied at Cambridge and married fellow poet Ted Hughes in

1956. Her most famous works include the collections The Colossus and Other Poems, Ariel and The Bell Jar. Plath suffered from depression for most of her adult life and committed suicide in 1963. Aged eight, Plath had her first poem published in the children’s section of

the Boston Herald. By the time Plath arrived at Smith College, she had been published in a variety of magazines and had written around fifty short stories. At university, Plath frequently won prizes for her writing in addition to editing college magazines Mademoiselle and Varsity. Upon her graduation in 1955, she won the Glascock Prize for Two Lovers and a Beachcomber by the Real Sea. Her first collection of poetry, The Colossus and Other Poems, was published late in 1960. Her second poetry collection Ariel was published posthumously in 1965 and truly catapulted her to fame. 1971 saw the volumes Winter Trees and Crossing the Water published which included nine previously unseen poems. Plath was the first poet to win the Pulitzer

MUSIC STAGE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

The Prodigal Writer Winfred Mak attends author Alexander J. Allison’s talk

lexander Allison began his speech by talking about his recently published book, The Prodigal, speaking of the use of his personal experiences and imagination when he wrote it. Allison wrote poetry when he was studying at the University of York, where he was the secretary of PoetrySoc. However, he felt that writing poetry wouldn’t help him to tell a full story, so he chose to put poetry aside and focus on fiction.

can editor, because of some slight differences in the use of English language. Allison highlighted that it is necessary for a writer to start off his or her career from a small press. He remarked how he got to know editors and developed good relationships with them, when he was writing poetry. The audience was greatly enlightened by Allison’s talk, receiving first-hand information about the processes involved in writing and publishing. All in all this was a great chance to understand more about being a writer through the sharing of a York graduate and novelist of significant talent.

Allison talked about how he wrote his books, writing 2000 words a day to complete the book within one year. He revealed the process of production, which involved his argument with an Ameri-

The End of Books?

Katie Meyrick looks at the world’s first book-less library

t the beginning of 2013, it was announced that the first book-less library had been commissioned in Bexar County, Texas, which will allow people to read any of their collection of e-books on site on provided e-readers, or download them remotely. The project has been endorsed by the local education authority as a way of making reading more accessible. Rey Madrigal, a representative from the school district, says that: “Right now, hands-on technology, iPads all those resources - are what kids want”, and it is h o p e d that the scheme will help improve literacy in the neigh-

bourhood. The concept of the book-less library does have its benefits. E-books are infinitely cheaper than their paper counterparts meaning that a much wider range of titles could be provided. Space constraints will no longer be an issue and upkeep will be cheaper, since e-books wouldn’t need constant re-shelving. Madrigal also states that technology is generally a good way of making education “cool”, and more appealing to the younger generation. Will the virtual library be the final nail in the coffin for the printed word? The answer is that only time will tell, but books are still around for now.

A Pug’s Guide to Etiquette

Morenike Adebayo reviews the latest book from Gemma Correll

ou may have seen Gemma Correll’s illustrations of communicating creatures and animal advice adorned upon mugs, greeting cards and tote bags. A woman of quirky wit, her insightful understanding into exactly what those four-legged fur-balls are thinking resonates strongly for those with pets. A Pug’s Guide to Etiquette is Correll’s second offering to the cartoon animal literary realm. Correll describes the pug as “not much bigger than a cat, yet exhibiting the stur-

Prize posthumously for Collected Poems, edited and introduced by Ted Hughes, which contained poetry written from 1956 until her death. Following Plath’s junior year, in which she spent a month in New York as guest editor at Mademoiselle, disappointed by the experience, she made her first suicide attempt that summer. Plath committed suicide a month after the 1963 publication of The Bell Jar, and since then it has been the centre of much specula-

tion, placing Plath as either a tragic heroine, unable to cope with the pressures of modern life or as a feminist martyr, suppressed by the misogynistic culture of 1950s America. Ted Hughes Plath met Hughes at Cambridge. Hughes, mesmerised by Plath, proposed in 1956, with a daughter born in 1960 and a son in 1962. Plath suffered a miscarriage in 1961, an event addressed in Parliament Hill Fields. By this time, Plath’s literary success was soari n g

dy rotundness of an unusually excitable warthog”. She explains how pugs are the mavericks of the canine world, playing by their own intricate and often confusing rules. So how could a pug’s human possibly attain understanding of his or her pug? This is where A Pug’s Guide to Etiquette helpfully steps in. This manual stunningly illuminates the social conduct of the civilised pug. As well as accurately capturing the essence of pug thoughts, Correll also demonstrates a full range of facial expressions in pug-form,

above Hughes’, the relationship turned sour and they separated in 1962. Hughes was troubled by Plath even after her death, and was tormented by Plath fans who held him responsible for her suicide, angered by the way he dealt with her posthumous publications. He published Birthday Letters, a poetry collection dedicated to her. Hughes’ wrote Last Letter around 1998, an unfinished and poignant poem detailing the feelings he still had for Plath. Depression Plath suffered from depression for most of her adult life, perhaps due to her father’s death in 1940. Plath

from slack-jawed confusion to intemperate delight. The most endearing quality of the illustrated pug in A Pug’s Guide to Etiquette is the slightly nervous expression it holds for most of the book. The splendour of A Pug’s Guide to Etiquette lies in its almost beauty pageant-like manner in delivering a short but sweet guide to pug behaviour. A Pug’s Guide to Etiquette is available in all good bookshops from 14th February, just in time to make the perfect Valentines gift for the pug lover in your life.

slashed her legs to test her courage over committing suicide. After months of therapy, Plath made her first documented suicide attempt in August 1953. She swallowed her mother’s sleeping pills and crawled under her house, only to be discovered three days later. June 1961 saw Plath involved in a car crash, something she described as one of her many suicide attempts. On the morning of 11th February 1963, she sadly died of carbon monoxide poisoning, having put her head in an oven.

MUSIC NIGHTLIFE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

Technology

Top tech tweet of the week:

10 Feb Jeremiah Owyang @jowyang Imagine: 3D printers deployed on great garbage patch of plastic in pacific, turning trash into useful products.

These are not the droids you’re looking for Windows Phone 8

icrosoft no longer have the excuse of being new to the mobile phone party, as their previous efforts with Windows Phone 7 and its more primitive predecessors have been around since 2008. So with this experience and Microsoft’s huge financial resources in mind, the time seems right for Windows Phone to start a party of its own.

Microsoft have tried to make their brainchild more fun They’ve decided to give this party a theme; Microsoft have tried to make their brainchild more fun and personable than their fruity or robot-flavoured competitors. Its design is eye-catching, bold and intuitive.

The Live Tiles on the home screen can be arranged to display the information you need at your fingertips. It is by far the most innovative approach to a mobile home screen and, although it may take a bit of getting used to, the change is good. So far so good then. Live Tiles are smart, and featuring Holly Willoughby in adverts is always welcome, but what else does Windows Phone have to offer? First up is its compatibility. It’s baffling that Microsoft didn’t make more use of their computer-market dominance in the previous versions of Windows Phone, but this time round they’ve really got this covered. With the advent of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, they brought the mobile and computing worlds closer together. The two systems now share

Game reviews FTL: Faster Than Light (PC) Everyone wants to captain their very own spaceship, right? To follow in the footsteps of Han Solo, Malcolm Reynolds, and that guy off Farscape is surely an aspiration of all who ever stared at the stars. No? Just me? Well, for everyone who does fancy a spot of commandeering, FTL is most definitely worth a look. After a brief tutorial, the game plonks players unceremoniously in control of their own pixellated top-down view of a space craft. It can get awful lonely in the black, so the first job is to populate it with a rag-tag crew. I naturally named them after a few of my housemates, and cast off. Once in the inky black, gameplay follows a jump to sector/ engage with issue/jump to next sector loop. The issues faced are mainly text based, with the game narrating situations like how “you find a research station with a fire raging”. It is up to the

BlackBerry 10 parts of their code base. Other notable bonuses include the excellent mobile Office suite alongside a very slick version of Outlook and the ability to have Skype permanently running in the background, ready to take calls without draining the battery life. However, backing Microsoft does have many downsides. For a start, the app selection is still rather paltry. You’ll find most of the main ones on there and are unlikely to be left wanting, but the lack of competition in the app store means less choice and potential quality concerns.

lackBerry have really left it rather late to release its own fully-touch-screen operating system, but early reviews suggest that they may really have found something in their gesture-based system. They’ve come up with a few genuinely innovative ideas, and have consolidated their reputation as the leaders in business communication. ‘The Hub’ is the main reason for this. Here you’ll find all your recent notifications: texts, BBMs, e-mails, Facebook notifications and Twitter mentions all in one place, just a gesture away. Just swipe up and across, and you’ll be able to have a ‘peek’ at notifications. Admittedly, this is a bit of a gimmick and not really that dif-

Final thoughts

Both of these operating systems have things going for them. The companies behind them have made the most of the assets that they already possessed. They have been able to learn from the successes player to decide what to do, with each choice having the possibility of rewarding them with vital supplies and loot or leading to combat. Space battles are incredibly tense, nuanced affairs. Decisions must be made concerning where to direct limited power reserves. Want to charge weaponry? You may have to take some juice away from shielding. FTL is brutal, unmerciful and uncompromising, much like the emptiness in which you float. Even though they’re just tiny collections of pixels, a small part of me dies every time one of my housematesurrogates gets incinerated. Or suffocated. Or murdered by alien boarding parties. If, like me, you find the spartan art design appealing, FTL is well worth a go. Just don’t expect to make it to the other side with everyone in one piece. Jamie Macdonald

ferent to swiping down from the notification bar on iOS and Android, but the idea of a hub is definitely a good one. They’ve also switched up the home

recently used apps. Not exactly the most inspired idea. In fact, this simplistic approach has got a couple of disadvantages. Firstly, there’s no stable starting point for the user. Secondly, it doesn’t allow BlackBerry to develop the sort of iconic image that Microsoft have done with their Live Tiles on Windows Phone 8.

screen, in that there isn’t one. Not really, anyway. What you’re left with is just a task-switcher giving access to the eight most

Then again, perhaps this is due to the fact that Blackberry’s demographic is still firmly businessoriented. They have clearly recognised this and integrated it into the OS. They now give you the ability to effectively partition your phone into two: work and social. Clever. You’ve got polite emails to your boss in one section, and less polite BBMs about him/her in the other. Don’t mix them up.

and failures of iOS and Android, and then build a new user experience. It’s interesting then, that they arrived at such drastically different products. Microsoft have gone for a more entertaining ap-

proach, whilst BlackBerry have stuck to their functional business style. The phone, therefore, for the fun-loving, edgey and totally rad student has to be a Windows Phone. Mike Dunnett-Stone

Blackberry’s demographic is still firmly business-oriented

Next-gen this year? Rumours have started to circulate about successors to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Supposedly code-named ‘Durango’ and ‘Orbis’ respectively, leaks suggest that they both employ similar AMD chipsets. Sony’s Orbis looks set to have more brute-force computing power whilst Durango makes up for its relative lack of grunt through the inclusion of more system RAM for multi-tasking finesse. It looks as if both Sony and Microsoft are gearing up to announce games consoles which transcend the living room to become entertainment hubs like never before. Exciting stuff. We may have at least some of our questions answered soon as Sony has scheduled an event detailing the ‘future of PlayStation’ on the 20th of February. Stay tuned!

MUSIC STAGE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

S P OT LIG H T DJANGO DJANGO

chat to Louisa

t has been a big year for arty musical collective Django Django. They have received critical acclaim for the release of their eponymous debut album, a Mercury Prize nomination and some very flattering comments from reviewers on their increasingly theatrical live shows. I interviewed the band's very own lead singer, Vincent Neff, as the band geared up to headline the NME Award tour at Leeds' O2 Academy that evening, apparently their biggest show in the city to date. To start off the interview, I could not resist asking about whether they have had a lot of comments from friends and fans regarding their name and the recent release of Tarantino's box office hit Django Unchained. Vincent gives a wry smile at the inevitability of this question and explains, "a lot of people say that our name’s been ruined but it has to be said we have had a few more people finding out about us... a lot more traffic on the internet". The two names are in no way linked then? "We heard Tarantino was starting the Django Unchained project about six months after coming up with our own name, so it was probably a good thing he took his time in producing it!" Certainly, Vincent has a point here, but the band has easily gained fans in their own right in the past year, rising from quasi-obscure art-rock band to fully fledged indie sweethearts, filling up venues and gaining an inimitable place in the musical canon for their more unusual sound.

Such is this musical prowess, that the band have recently released a remix album of their debut, using remixes of the entirety of the track-listing to create something more diverse than the original. I asked about the processes involved in producing such a record, and whether they had much control over who remixed what track and in what way. Vincent explained, "there are a mixture of people we know and look up to musically, so they were obvious choices for the album. We already had about seven decent remixes of songs on the album so thought we might as well get the other five done for completeness." The album thenseemingly fell into place quite by chance. This element of chance, however, does not mean there is any compromise regarding who remixed the tracks, as Vincent reels off various names attached to the new tracks: "Yeah we had the guy from Franz Ferdinand [Nick McCarthy] remix ‘Firewater’ and a South African guy called DJ Mujava remix ‘Zumm Zumm’." In addition to this, they managed to acquire Tom Furse of The Horrors to remix much praised single 'Default' and Bullion to remix 'Skies Over Cairo', along with Super Furry Animals offshoot band Gulp to cover 'Hand of Man'. The large and diverse number of musicians interested in their music must be an exciting and affirming experience for the band. I ask, in the light of their headlining the NME Tour this year, whether there have been any bands they have supported that have particularly excited them:

“we’ve not actually done much supporting. Metronomy I suppose was the first one, and we learnt a lot as they’ve been playing a lot longer than us. We’ve also done three or four dates with Hot Chip, and we’re massive fans of theirs.” The calibre of these bands shows just how fast the band have found success, supporting Britain’s electronic music veterans and already headlining one of the most anticipated tours of the year.

“We generally start off sort of speaking in tongues and making noises until something just comes out.” I try to gain a sense of how the band have achieved such success, so ask Vincent about how their perhaps tongue-in-cheek lyrics go with their off-kilter sound. He replies, “lyrics are not our first love, really. We generally try to create a sort of verbal rhythm in which we fit words in around it...start off sort of speaking in tongues and making noises until something just comes out. We take about three days to do it and sit around getting pissed and writing dirty lyrics”. In this way, then, the processes adopted by Django Django reflect much of the band themselves - laid

Hann

back, light-hearted and unafraid to try things out. The band’s casual attitude towards making music is perhaps a consequence of their art school background, as the fourpiece all met at the Edinburgh College of Art before forming Django Django. Curious as to whether this side of their lives is still an active and important presence, I ask Vincent about whether they have any side projects beyond music: “Well I’m originally an architect so I keep an eye on that. Tommy is a graphic designer and artist and he’s still pursuing that, so he and Dave do all the album artwork and design the tshirts. There’s not much time for that now though, as we spend so much of it [time] doing the music.” Despite the fact that this element of their lives is perhaps diminishing somewhat, it seems that it pervades and enhances elements of the band’s recordings and live shows, making them what they are today. One seemingly typical ‘art-school’ element of the live shows is their use of bleach-painted t-shirts, each with a slightly different design. I ask Vincent whether this will ever change, and he chuckles, replying “well, we’re on shirts at the moment. We moved up from t-shirts after the Mercury Prize, moving on to something a little smarter. There’s a very fine line on-stage between looking the part and looking like a twat.” On the mention of the Mercury Prize, it was hard not to ask about their experiences of being nominated so early on in their careers. Vincent recounts how “it didn’t really sink in at the time. We all watched it as teenagers and saw the likes of Primal Scream and Portishead win, which for us was obviously a massive deal. We really didn’t mind about not winning, and were just happy to be a part of it”. Again, here the laid back attitude of the band was coming out in the light of such a prestigious accolade. Having asked about Django Django’s recent exploits, I ask what looks likely to be in store for the band this summer, with headline shows at festivals such as Field Day already confirmed. Vincent replies, “for Field Day we plan to do a production extravaganza, working with an artist called Kim Coleman to do all of our lighting design and stuff. In terms of festivals, we’re doing fewer than we did last year but will be higher up on the bills. We’re doing Beacons Festival in Yorkshire, but can’t really mention the other ones yet”. Certainly, then, the band’s career continues to be on the up, and if their current live shows are anything to go by this “production extravaganza” that appears to be in the works will be something not to be missed. For such a humble and genuinely talented band, this break could not be more well deserved.

MUSIC STAGE FILM TV BOOKS TECH SPOTLIGHT 20 QUESTIONS

2 0

QUEST I O N S WITH

PartyClub THE YORK-BASED BAND ANSWER SCENE’S BURNING QUESTIONS 1. What is your most embarrassing memory? Tom : On tour in Bristol, I had to share a double bed with Alex. I ended up waking up as the big spoon. Alex was not particularly impressed. Alex : Enjoying being spooned by Tom. Oops.

3. What was the last dream you had about? Tom : I think I was eating Weetabix dry because there was no milk left in the house. From what I recall, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. 4. What is your culinary speciality? Tom : Alex and I mastered a Christmas dinner last year and it was just my proudest moment in the kitchen. 5. What is your favourite quote? Alex : “Untroubling and untroubled where I lie; the grass below – above the vaulted sky.” John Clare. Tom : “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.” 6. If you could only watch one TV show for the rest of your life, what would it be? Alex: Arrested Development. 7. What is currently on your to do list? Tom : I really need to go food shopping. Then travel to lots of new cities and places playing live shows. 8. What is the worst song you have ever heard? Alex : Remember 3 of a Kind ‘Babycakes’? Just awful. 9. Who is the funniest person you have ever met? Both: Our friend Ben Huckle. He is just amazing. Find him

Deputy Music: Michael Cooper & Katie Molloy Stage Editors: Kathy Burke & Rory McGregor Deputy Stage: Will Westerman & Sam Thorpe-Spinks

10. What is your favourite Disney film? Alex : Hercules. 11. What was the highlight of 2012 for you? Tom : Dropping my shopping in the middle of the supermarket when being told we were to be playlisted on radio 1.

2. What is your worst habit? Alex : Not being a morning person. At all. Tom: I pace when I’m stressed. It’s not good.

Music Editors: Martin Waugh & Louisa Hann

on twitter. @benhucklesays

12. What’s your favourite city in the world? Alex : Venice. It’s just spectacular. 13. Where did you play your first gig? Tom: York. It was a mixture of nerves, Strepsils and forgotten lyrics.

18. Who was your first crush? Alex : Sabrina the Teenage Witch, although I’m allergic to cats, which could have been a hiccup in an otherwise beautiful romance. 19. What is your party trick? Alex : Look away if you are queasy. I can dislocate my shoulder and wrap my arm round my head. All the girls love it. Tom : I MC as Alex does that. Kind of a double act. 20. What’s your best memory of New Year’s Eve? Both : A good memory is no memory on New Year’s Eve! PartyClub’s new single ‘Sparks’ is out now.

14. Which fictional character do you think you are most similar to? Tom : We’re like Batman and Robin. I do all the hard work and Alex just likes wearing his bright yellow and green Spandex. 15. Do you prefer Twitter or Facebook? Both of us like Twitter. Gives us the ability to interact instantly with fans and hashtag to our hearts’ content. There’s some unwritten rule on Facebook that if you hashtag on there you’re a dick... so yeah, has to be Twitter. 16. What is your bar of choice in York? Alex : Stone Roses. Tom : Reflex. Once you’ve wrestled past the old perverted men, the 80s vibes are just second to none. 17. Where do you think your band will be a year from now? Alex : In a tour bus on the other side of the globe. Failing that, an album out would be nice.

SCENEST ERS Scene Editors: Zena Jarjis & Niamh Connolly Film Editors: Jamie Macdonald & Sophie Taylor Deputy Film: Nick Burke & Katherine Hibberd TV Editors: Josh Gisby & Karl Tomusk

Deputy TV: Will Arkle & Ghazala Jabeen Books Editors: Alex Cochrane-Dyet & Morenike Adebayo Deputy Books: Rebecca Cooper & Oona Venermo Tech Editors: Jamie Macdonald & Mike Dunnett-Stone