Sixtynine Degrees Issue 70 by Fraser Urquhart Media

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h a r v e y n i c h o l s. c o m

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THE NEW BREED W I T H A LI C E + O LI V I A , M A RC BY M A RC J AC O B S A N D M A R I A B L A C K J E W E L L E RY

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NO. 70

4 SPRING/SUMMER '13 Managing Director Kevin Urquhart kevin@sixtynine-ltd.co.uk tel: 0116 262 0728 Group Editor In Chief Jon Fraser jon@sixtynine-ltd.co.uk tel: 0116 262 0728 Creative Manager Mike Raven mike@sixtynine-ltd.co.uk tel: 0116 262 0728 Staff Writer Matt Blackwell matt@sixtynine-ltd.co.uk tel: 0116 262 0728 MARKETING CAROLINE SPENCE caroline@sixtynine-ltd.co.uk tel: 0116 262 0728 ADVERTISING SALES DAVID LEACH-DAVIES david@sixtynine-ltd.co.uk tel: 0116 262 0728 HEAD OF FLUFFINESS TEDDY TEDDY@sixtynine-ltd.co.uk tel: 0116 262 0728

For advertising and editorial enquiries: 69 magazine ltd, 59 friar lane, Leicester, le1 5rb t: 0116 262 0728 e: info@SIXTYNINE-LTD.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

Next edition is out: JULY 2013 Call us on 0116 262 0728 if you want to be a part of it

COVER IMAGE COURTESY OF TOPMAN Disclaimer: Copyright 69 & dluxe LEICESTERSHIRE. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers. Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy in compiling this publication, the Publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, omissions, breach of copyright or otherwise since compilation. The Publisher cannot be held responsible for any material submitted to the publication, not excluding advertisements. The views expressed within this title are not necessarily the views of the Publisher. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply recommendation by the Publisher. ÂŠ 69 Magazine Ltd 2013. www.69-degrees.co.uk

CONTENTS Up Front It's all about looking forward this issue, trends, events, sounds and styles. Sunshine we are ready.

Amelia Lily What is with X Factor chucking out credible artists? The latest album to drop is from the Geordie popster with the pink hair. We caught up for a natter.

18 Festival No matter whether your search for the perfect summer sounds take you across the seas, across the countryside or just across the road, you'll love our festival feature and the amazing number of tickets we've got to give awayâ&#x20AC;Ś

Style The perfect outfits for festival frolics.

46 ShortlisT Stuff's happening. Find out what, check your diary, book your tickets and remember the great night out we helped give you.

52 Music Music is the new Music. Downloads, vinyl, mix tapes and mistakes, the SIXTYNINE degrees team have an opinion on everything.

Social Last issue everyone was opening bars. This issue they're opening restaurants too. We are so not complaining!

66 Last WorD How to be a DJ. Martin Wright, DJ extraordinaire and SIXTYNINE DEGREES resident house monkey, on how to impress your friends and pull girls. CHOON

5 Image by Emily Moya Addis, BA (Hons) Photography 2013

New Talent Unleashed Art and Design

Degree Shows Festival 2013 Nottingham Trent University is opening its doors for the biggest ever showcase of final-year Art and Design student exhibitions and creative events, taking place across the City site in May and June.

PUBLIC OPENING (FREE ADMISSION): Friday 31 May – Saturday 8 June 2013 TIMES: Monday – Friday: 10 am – 5 pm Saturday: 11 am – 5 pm Sunday: 11 am – 4 pm

LOCATIONS: Bonington, Waverley, Arkwright and Newton buildings on the NTU City site.

SPECTRUM PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL: 20 May – 3 June

CATWALK SHOWS AND FASHION EXHIBITION: 22 May – 23 May, 6 pm and 8 pm

An exhibition of photography by over one hundred final-year students at venues around Nottingham. All details and locations: www.wearespectrum.co.uk

22 May: BA (Hons) Fashion Knitwear Design 23 May: BA (Hons) Fashion Design Location: Newton building, NTU City site. For prices and booking visit our website.

ALL FURTHER INFORMATION: www.ntu.ac.uk/degree6913 #newtalentunleashed www.69-degrees.co.uk

show time for dmu De Montfort University’s Festival of Creativity continues this June, celebrating the huge amount of diversity and creativity the faculty of Art, Design and Humanities has to offer. Stars of the show will include Graduate Fashion Week, taking place in London from 2 – 5 June, and the Art and Design Degree Show that will be held on campus from 14 – 20 June. The Degree Show exhibition celebrates the innovative work of the university’s final year art and design students and showcases the next generation of talent across many courses, including architecture, design crafts, fine art, footwear design, product design and photography and video. It’s open for the public so head along for a sneaky glimpse of tomorrow’s artistic talent! Head to the DMU website for more information and for a full line up of faculty events www.dmu.ac.uk/festivalofcreativity

UPFRONT Image by Jade Moran

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GET INVOLVED@CURVE

NEWsounds

7 Were you the tree in the school play? Is there a Cruise or Diaz inside you just waiting to burst out? Prove it! If you’re 26 or under, Curve Leicester is offering you the chance to muck in and get involved both on stage and off! Membership of Curve Young Company (CYC) is open to anyone aged 12-26 and they will soon be scouring the land on the lookout for the best young actors and dancers. Whether you’re about Shakespeare’s soliloquies or jaw-dropping jazz hands, CYC have got your back and it was the aim of Curve’s Associate Director, Tim Ford, to make the group “exciting, diverse and representative of Leicestershire as a county.” The CYC have currently got their heads down and game faces on, rehearsing The Tempest (27 – 29 June) and The Dreaming (4 – 6 July), both of which will be centre stage in Curve’s Studio. The next batch of auditions to be part of CYC will be in September, alternatively you can sign up to become a member and receive news and workshop information along with £5 tickets to selected Curve shows! For more information on letting loose your inner Thespian register your interest by emailing t.ford@ curvetheatre.co.uk or head to

W E LO V E . . . The Cowboy Wigwam tent from www.lovefromrosie. co.uk which features traditional style cowboy illustrations on the outside and comes complete with a matching floor mat. Too small for festivals but great fun for shady cocktails in the garden. £74.99

The name Izzy Marie Hill may not mean much to as yet but the 20-year-old Nottingham Trent University student, originally from Leicester, produces unapologetically infectious pop music that has won a coveted airplay slot on Radio One. SIXTYNINE DEGREES sat down with Izzy at Leicester’s stylish new bar, The Bankers Club, to find out more. Choosing NTU on the strength of its Broadcast Journalism course, Izzy’s head is firmly on her shoulders and she’s not letting wild dreams of stardom get the better of her just yet. “Balancing Uni and music is a weird one, I’ve got my guitar and ukulele, but the walls are paper thin, so I’m probably annoying my flatmates by now!” Izzy has been able to get her music out there thanks to the ‘BBC Introducing’ initiative that has brought us Gabrielle Aplin and Jake Bugg of late, and with one album already under her belt, Izzy is busy working on her second. Coming from a family that is self-admittedly “America obsessed”, there is a clear, but not unwelcome influence of artists such as Taylor Swift in Izzy’s music, moulded into a package that could be defined as ‘quirky pop.’ A selftaught musician, when asked what would be a dream come true, Izzy replies: “I’d love to sing to an audience of a few thousand people and have them sing back at me. That moment would be amazing.” We think that moment is not far away at all. To hear Izzy’s music, visit www.izzymariehill.com! MB

ST E VE MA DD EN @D UN E America’s biggest footwear designer has now hit the UK with a selection of party perfect heels, sandals and boots with fashion embellishments that are bang on trend like studs, spikes and glitter. To see more visit www.dune.co.uk or go instore.

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8 s i m o n s ays i t ' s s u m m e r

Leicester’s Summer Sundae festival may be taking a well-earned rest this year, but the city’s music lovers will still be treated to some sounds in the sun courtesy of Simon Says; a weekend of live music put on as part of the Hall’s centenary celebrations, headlined by indie rockers The Young Knives and featuring further performances from the likes of Jersey Budd, By The Rivers and many others.

feel the tunes! We’ve got so much love for this amazing blanket that just happens to double up as a pair of speakers! Perfect for an impromptu picnic, the blanket features a 3.5mm headphone jack connection meaning you can plug in your smartphones or iPods and blast your blissful harmonies to your heart’s content. Just pack some AA batteries along with your hamper of treats, track down an idyllic location (if push comes to shove the garden will do), match the tunes to your picnic preference and you’re good to go! Let’s hope rain doesn’t stop play this year! MB

Held in partnership with and programmed by three of Leicester’s best independent music venues; The Musician, Firebug and The Donkey, Simon Says’ diverse line-up has been designed to reflect the wealth of musical talent that has grown from the city. Tickets for the event are on sale now from www.demontforthall.co.uk and 0116 233 3111 priced at £20 for a weekend ticket, £15 for Saturday and £8 for Sunday. Follow the event on Twitter @

The Speaker Blanket is available

NTU SEARCH FOR NEXT BIG DESIGNER Students from Nottingham Trent University’s Fashion Design and Fashion Knitwear Design and Knitted Textiles departments will this month showcase their final year work at two evenings of catwalk shows in a bid to have their work featured at London’s Graduate Fashion week in June. Fashion students have also worked in collaboration with second and third year Photography students, to produce some stunning, atmospheric photo shoots around the city to feature in their look books. A panel of industry experts will choose 25 students from the catwalk shows, who will then go on to represent NTU at Graduate Fashion Week fashion and knitwear catwalk on 3 June in London, where global brands such as Abercrombie and Fitch, Paul Smith and Levi Stauss will be on the lookout for their next top designers! For catwalk tickets and full details, as well as information about the forthcoming Nottingham Trent University Art and Design Degree Shows Festival, visit www.ntu.ac.uk/degreeshows Check out the High Summer edition of SIXTYNINE DEGREES for our special Graduate Fashion Feature. 8

www.69-degrees.co.uk

1963/2013

EDUCATED EXCELLENCE For 50 years TONI&GUY have pioneered strong, beautiful haircuts tailored to suit the individual and reflective of seasonal fashion trends. The Ultimate fashion accessory – TONI&GUY are the ‘Official Sponsor’ to London Fashion Week, creating hair for over 70 designer shows each year. Taking the latest catwalk trends and creating high fashion hair that is as wearable as it is stylish - you can relax safe in the knowledge that you are in the hands of true style experts, who are constantly updated in the latest cut and colour techniques. Your image is safe in our hands. Join the 1.5 million people that choose TONI&GUY each year.

For a free style advisory session or to book an appointment call T : 0116 249 5790 15 MARKET STREET, LEICESTER, LE1 6DN www.69-degrees.co.uk

s e c r et b b q a nyo n e ? If you’re fed up of dragging the same old rusty barbeque out of the shed every time we get a glimpse of sunshine, why not get yourself a Hot-Pot secret BBQ? Hidden inside a flowerpot, this is the sneakiest fish in the barbequing sea!

The ideal barbie for summer fun, it blends seamlessly into the background when not in use. If you’re envisioning good things to come, weather-wise, then order before 31 May you can nab one for the bargain price of £74.25, after this date you’ll have to shell out £99. Hot-Pot BBQs are available from www.prezzybox.com for £74.25

W E LO V E . . . The quirky Tattoo print on the ‘Paige’ printed satchel from Paul’s Boutique. A playful yet more mature offering from the brand, the faux vintage leather design commands attention and all for just £65

fifty shades of st yle

Bridging the gap between High Fashion and hairdressing, TONI&GUY have always been innovators within the industry and this year the champagne will be flowing freely as the Superbrand celebrates its 50th Anniversary! Starting out in the swinging 60s, amongst backcombs and beehives, brothers Toni and Guy Mascolo quickly developed a reputation for their trademark ‘Italian Style’ which allowed them to deliver the new male styles, that traditional barbers could not cater for, and graphic shapes desired by women, whilst personalising them for the ultimate finish. Working on over 80 fashion shows a year in New York, Paris, Milan and Tokyo as well as sponsoring London Fashion Week, and with 430 salons in 45 countries, TONI&GUY really are an easily accessible High Street link to High Fashion! Go see for yourself… TONI&GUY is @ 15 Market Street, Leicester LE1 6DN. Tel. 0116 249 5790

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You are invited to the De Montfort University Art and Design Degree Show to celebrate the inspiring and innovative work of our final year students. The exhibition showcases the exciting creations by the next generation of artists and designers across our art and design undergraduate courses.

Opening times Saturday 15 June 11am - 4pm Monday 17 - Wednesday 19 June 10am - 5pm Thursday 20 June 10am - 8.30pm

T: 0116 207 8527 E: degreeshow@dmu.ac.uk W: dmu.ac.uk/degreeshow facebook.com/dmucreative twitter.com/art_and_design

Fletcher Building Mill Lane Leicester LE2 7DR www.69-degrees.co.uk

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NOISES OFF The Old Vic and West End smash hit Noises Off comes to the New Alexandra Theatre following its triumphant and critically acclaimed sell out run in London.

f e st i va l c h i c

One of the best things about festival fashion is the literally anything goes attitude – but that doesn’t mean you have to leave your style sense at home. Do as the celebrities do and go for laid-back chic ... Harvey Nichols Birmingham shows you how. 1. Tiffany & Co sunglasses, £273. 2. Alexander McQueen classic skull scarf, £165. 3. Hunter Original wellies, £85. 4. Sam Edelman sandals, £85. 5. OPI nail lacquer, £11. 6. Maison Scotch tie-dye denim shorts, £125. 7. Marc Jacobs rubber bracelet, £35. 8. Michael Michael Kors packable quilted jacket, £255. 9. Diesel skinny jeans, £140. 10. Wildfox jersey sweatshirt, £115. 11. Faith Connexion T-shirt, £135. 6. Harvey Nichols is @ The Mailbox, Birmingham. www.harveynichols.com

Starring Neil Pearson and Maureen Beattie and hailed as one of the greatest British comedies ever written, Michael Frayn’s multiaward-winning backstage farce serves up a riotous double bill - a play within a play. Hurtling along at breakneck speed it follows the backstage antics of a touring theatre company as they stumble their way through rehearsals in Weston-super-Mare, to a shambolic Wednesday matinee in Ashton-under-Lyne, and a final disastrous performance in Stockton-on-Tees. Noises Off is @ New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham from the 24th to the 29th . For tickets, visit www.atgtickets.com

11.

10.

s k at i n g s o c i a l s ! Good news everyone! As well as judging old classmates for ‘letting themselves go’ and stalking your friend’s fit friends, Facebook can now be used to book tickets for ice skating sessions and themed parties, hurrah! You’ll be able to buy tickets, reserve them for friends, invite people and share the experience post-skate, all without leaving the warm, comforting safety of the world’s largest social network. This unique method is a nation-first, currently being trialed at the National Ice Centre and, if successful, could be extended to the Capital FM Arena’s music events! The National Ice Centre is @ Bolero Square, The Lace Market, Nottingham NG1 1LA. Tel. 0843 373 3000. Don’t pretend you don’t know where Facebook is…

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COLOUR ME15

IMPRESSED Stylists, are you ready? Colourists, start your mixing! Britain's most prominent hairdressing competition, The L'Oreal Colour Trophy is back! With roots (geddit?) that can be traced back to the 60s, the L'Oreal Colour Trophy is made up of several key awards including the Colour Trophy Award, Men's Image Award, Young Colourist Award and the Mizani Afro Look Award. The regional finals swept through the UK and saw Midlands stylists rise to the challenge with not one, not two, but three salons making it into the Grand Finals on June 3rd. TONI&GUY Solihull, Derby’s Sally Montague Hair and Birmingham’s Dale Hairdressing will join the nation’s top salons as they go scissor to comb, competing for hairdressing’s most coveted award as well as ‘A Year of Dreams’, which includes a photo shoot and double page spread in Vogue.

30 years of business this year and will be marking the occasion by opening a shiny new branch on Derby’s Sadler Gate. Welcoming everyone through their doors not as customers, but as guests, the salons are renowned for their creativity, offering a vast range of hair and spa services. It was the soon-to-be manager of the Sadler Gate branch, Lizzie Fox, who stepped into the spotlight and booked her place in the Men’s Image final, “The L’Oreal Colour Trophy is about ‘Hair inspired by Fashion’ so we had to combine our knowledge of catwalk trends and hairdressing expertise to create our model looks. For my entry I selected crisp, cool clothing taking inspiration from leading designers; I then worked in synergy with this when it came to the hair by opting for a natural colour with a wave.” Joining these two will be TONI&GUY Solihull, which has stylists in both the Colour Trophy and Men’s Image final. After opening in 1997, the Solihull salon quickly brought together a dynamic team of passionate stylists and technicians and now has a formidable pool of talent from which to draw. Stylist Ryan Coates is confident about his entry saying: “My inspiration came from looking at Alexander McQueen and Gucci’s Autumn/Winter 13 precollections. Our theme was ‘Dark Romantic’ so we used rich fabrics along with a deep colour palette to create a couture look that complemented our lavish catwalk finished hair.” To find out more, visit www.lorealcolourtrophy.com Sally Montague Hair

Having been at the forefront of creative hairdressing in some of the Second City’s most elite salons, Dale Hollinshead has racked up a decade of unquestionable credentials and decided that the time was right to cut the cord and go it alone, opening his eponymous boutique salon in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter last year. Based on Caroline Street, Dale Hairdressing acts as an extension of Dale’s quirky personality, nodding to bygone eras and quintessential British-ness with bowler hat lights, Victorian style tiling and a vintage Chesterfield sofa. This balance of retro and chic extended to Dale’s entry in the competition, albeit subtly, as he explains “My look was inspired by autumn winter trends combined with a soft 70’s influence; I based the style on understated glamour and powerful elegance.” The Sally Montague Hair group celebrates

TONI&GUY Solihull

Dale Hairdressing www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk 15

G N I E B

AMELIA 16

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LILY

What's happening with the X Factor? The reality TV show, long dismissed by those in the know as a meaningless pop factory, has actually started churning out some credible artists. Ok, there will always be acts like Jedward and Rylan, but what about Misha B? We can't wait for her new album to drop, and then there's the rock tinged enfant terrible from the North East, Amelia Lily who, at the tender age of 16, took Saturday night television by its balls. Since then there has been two top ten singles and a soon to be released debut album so what better time to talk with her?

Matt Blackwell jumped aboard the blonde bombshell's pink party bus for a chat… Like many new artists, you started out posting songs on YouTube, has singing always been something that you’ve wanted to do? I think I was about nine when I first discovered that I wanted to sing and I was about 11 when I realised that I wanted to be on stage for the rest of my life, so quite young really.

How did it feel to be eliminated from the X Factor in the first live show? Did it make you want to give up on the dream? No, not at all, I just kept thinking ‘I’m only 16 I’ve got a lot of time to grow’; I knew it wasn’t the end for me. I was gigging up and down the country for five weeks, I was non-stop busy. When they called me to ask me back it was like one of those shock horror moments, I was like ‘Are you being serious?’

Your run on the X Factor had its ups and downs; you were eliminated; reinstated, topped the public vote and was then in the bottom two twice before eventually going on to finish third. How was all that for your nerves? It’s not good for you, I’m telling you! But I can honestly say that going through all that has definitely made me more determined. It teaches you not to take anything for granted.

With the likes of Olly Murs and One Direction going on to achieve much greater success than the actual winners were you glad that you came third in a way? My ambition was to get to the final, I didn’t even think I’d get that far, so I was really grateful that I made it and was able to come third.

You have a very distinctive style, who are your fashion and music icons? No one! And that’s God’s honest truth. I don’t follow trends when it comes to fashion, I just be me and if I think something is cool and it describes who I am as a person then I’ll wear it. Musically, I’ve had loads since I was little, when I was younger I was a huge fan of Whitney Houston and then when I was around 8 years old I got into Pink, Kelly Clarkson and Katy Perry.

Being only 18 and still relatively inexperienced in the music industry, how much creative control did you have over the content of your debut album? I had compete control, I made sure I got the message across that I wanted a say in everything because I wouldn’t feel comfortable with random people telling me what to wear or what to do because at the end of the day, they’re not going to get judged for it, I am. If I’m not happy with something I’d say, I think people respect you more if you’re honest like that. You’ve taken your time over your album, what can people expect? I haven’t rushed it because I think it’s really important to get something perfect and to make sure I was completely happy with it, right now I couldn’t be happier and I’m really proud of what we’ve done. I’ve been working on it for over a year and I think people are going to be quite surprised by the album, it’s very diverse. It contains lots of different emotions and personal experiences and I hope people can relate to it.

What has been the highlight of your post X Factor career? I think watching my first single climb higher and higher on the iTunes chart. It felt a bit surreal; you never expect your song to be in the chart and to do that well.

There must have been lots of celebrations. You’ve said you can drink people under the table in the past, is this true? Err… possibly! [laughs]

How did you develop impressive talent?

such

I don’t know, I really don’t know. I’m a terrible influence but I love a good party! I keep it sensible when I need to be but if I’ve got a day off the next day I don’t mind having a bit of fun! This whole rock star thing, people might act like they do it everyday, but no one’s a rock star, you can’t keep up with it, it’s not possible! Who would play the ideal DJ set at your party? That’s a hard one! I’d probably say David Guetta; he’s got some great songs. Some of them are kind of similar but who cares? You’ve achieved your dream and become a pop star, what’s the worst thing about it? There’s got to be something you don’t like doing! The early mornings! Sometimes I have to get up at 5 or 6am. Every day is different in my job but getting up that early kills me. If there’s a TV show or something, I have to get up early for hair, make-up and sound checks. If you could headline any festival in the world which one would you choose and why? Another hard one! Probably Coachella, it’s sunny and looks a lot of fun!

Amelia Lily's debut album 'Be a Fighter' is released on the 29th July. www.69-degrees.co.uk

2013 FESTI I t ' s n e a r ly t i m e to p a c k y o u r l i f e i nto a r u c k s a c k , g r a b the tent an d neglect to shower for the weeken d. It sounds grim but we can't wait as it's all about the music. With some of the bigger festivals becoming oversaturated, overpriced and over the hill (Rolling Who?) Here's the Sixtynine Degrees guide to some of the best festivals to pitch your tent at this summer both near and very, very far.

Local Heroes...

If you're looking for a bit of dubstep on your doorstep and despite the Summer Sundae sized void in our hearts this year, there is still a wealth of talent that will be visiting the Midlands during festival season. D o n i n gto n Pa r k , L eic e st e r s h i r e

D o w n l o a d F e st i v a l The rock monster that is Download hits Donington Park once more this summer, taking some of the biggest names in international music and putting them in a Leicestershire field. Confirmed headliners are Slipknot, Iron Maiden and Rammstein and tickets will sell like hotcakes so don’t play games! 14 – 16 June 2013 www.downloadfestival.co.uk

W a r

M e m o r i a l P a r k , C o v e n t r y

G o d i v a F e s t i v a l Its formidable 15-year history has lead to Coventry’s Godiva Festival obtaining the title of the UK’s biggest and best free festival. Over 80,000 people descend upon War Memorial Park each year to see some amazing bands with past highlights including The Enemy, Kasabian and Biffy Clyro. Currently under wraps, the line up will be announced in the near future. Did we mention it was free? 5 – 7 July 2013 www.godivafestival.com

V a r i o u s v e n u e s a r o u n d L e i c e s t e r

H a n d m a d e F e st i va l Brand new and shiny for 2013, Handmade Festival promises to deliver an amazingly varied arts experience with music, standup comedy, film screenings and interactive art and photography exhibitions taking place at venues across the city of Leicester. Tickets are a steal at £25 and musical highlights include Rolo Tamassi, Nine Black Alps, We Were Promised Jetpacks and Dutch Uncles. 24 – 26 May 2013 www.handmadefestival.co.uk

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VA L G U I D E W o l l a t o n

P a r k , N o t t i n g h a m

S p l e n d o u r F e st i va l Splendour never fails to bring world-renowned artists to the beautiful grounds of Nottingham’s Wollaton Hall, giving you all the perks of the full festival experience, but with the added bonus that you can go home in the evening, shower and sleep in a real bed. The musical agenda T I C K E TS couldn’t be wider, featuring local unsigned bands alongside huge FIND US ON names of international music, both past and present. This year’s line FACEBOOK up includes Jake Bugg, Maximo Park, Dog Is Dead and Nina Nesbitt! TO E N T E R

WIN!

20 July 2013. www.splendourfestival.com

M o u l d r i d g e L a n e , Pi k e h a l l N r M at lo c k

Y N o t F e s t i v a l Nestled deep in the Derbyshire hills, Y Not Festival is small, fresh and loud. Winner of ‘Best Small Festival’ at the UK Festival Awards last year, Y Not is going from strength to strength; continuing to draw the best live acts around, putting on a show that is all about music, having a great time with your friends and being outside. This year sees blast from the past The Darkness play alongside The Horrors, Ash and The Enemy! Derbyshire, 2 – 4 August 2013 www.ynotfestivals.co.uk

V A R I O U S

V E N U E S , B I R M I N G H A M

S T

V A

Not an immortalisation of the instrument, fish or beer, this is in fact the UK’s only annual celebration of Black Music and Art. The BASS (British Arts and Street Sounds) Festival offers a phenomenal line up, comprised of music, dance, gigs, exhibitions, master classes, showcases, club nights, theatre, seminars and film, all with the aim to inspire. Terri Walker launches the festival, which will include American singer songwriter Bilal’s first Birmingham performance. This year’s theme is ‘soul’, smooth! 19 – 30 June 2013 www.punch-records.co.uk/tag/ bass-festival

The festival, which spans various venues across Nottingham, has long been the barometer for acts that are about to achieve phenomenal success, with 2012’s line up consisting of Jake Bugg, Bastille and Dog is Dead, to name but a few. If further enforcement is required, previous acts also include The XX, Florence & The Machine, Friendly Fires, Mumford & Sons and The Cribs. Dot To Dot offers an eclectic mix of acts in some of Nottingham’s most intimate venues, not to mention you get to say: ‘I saw them before they were big’ to all your friends. Sold yet? At only £20 a ticket, we’ll see you there. 26 May 2013 www.dottodotfestival.co.uk

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Who or what first got you excited about music? Avicii: I grew up listening to a lot of Ray Charles and 60s rock thanks to my father, and then my brothers got me into Kiss, so that’s where my first taste came from! When was it you realised you could start making it yourself and at that time did you ever think it would go this far? A friend of mine showed me FL Studio and I’ve been hooked ever since! I would spend almost 12 hours a day producing so I’ve worked really hard to get where I am, but I had no idea it would go this far. If it weren’t for Ash, my manager, I probably wouldn’t have done. Was it a surprise being ranked number 3 in DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list last year? It was a great honour to be ranked so highly amongst such great DJs. However, I never really check my rank. It’s flattering but I don’t know how much it actually helps. Dance music is constantly evolving; we’ve had dub step, grime, moombahton, what’s the next big thing? Only time will tell how dance music will evolve, it will be interesting to see where it goes. You’ve produced tracks with some world-renowned artists, has anyone escaped you so far and who are you looking to work with in the future? To my knowledge, no one has escaped yet! But then again I never reach out; it’s always my manager who handles all of that. My dream collaboration would be with Adele. The ‘Avicii X You’ project invited anyone in the world to contribute to a song that you would produce, what was the response like and are you happy with the finished track? This track was such a unique experience and I received about 13,000 submissions so it was a massive success. I wanted my fans to be a part of the process that goes into making a track to see what we could create together

AVICII

S 20

weden churns out top notch House artists as if it was going out of fashion. Think about it: Eric Prydz, Swedish House Mafia, Otto Knows; there must be something in the water. We bid an emotional farewell to Mafia earlier this year, but in stepped Mr Tim Bergling, a.k.a. Avicii, to plug the hole, making us look up and smile through the tears. Crashing into the mainstream with ‘Levels’ in 2011, Avicii has already been acknowledged as one of the biggest talents in the business and sits top of the Creamfields bill this year. SIXTYNINE DEGREES bagged a chat with the Swedish Wonder Kid to discuss his career so far.

You’re playing at Creamfields in August, what’s it like playing a festival compared to a club?

D a r e s b u r y , C h e s h i r e

They’re two completely different vibes. Festivals are way bigger, and seeing the reactions of twenty thousand people jumping up and down yields different results to playing in a club. Creamfields has an immense line up this year; do you have any tricks up your sleeve?

The daddy of dance festivals really needs no introduction; all you need to know is that it’s going to be huge, again. With David Guetta, The Prodigy, Avicii and Tiësto, to name a mere few, this year’s festival could well be the best yet.

I’m not sure what I can and can’t say right now but I’m always trying to do something really special for such big festivals like Creamfields.

23 – 25 August 2013 www.creamfields.com

www.69-degrees.co.uk

Creamfields

Nation's Sweethearts...

R o b i n H i l l C o u nt ry Pa r k , I s l e o f W i g h t

21 WIN!

Send the season out with a bang at the festival where eclectic, world-class music meets more unusual experiences than you could shake a stick at! (Snoop Lion / Dogg, Elton John, The Knife and Franz Ferdinand at the same festival?!) Set in a leafy country park on the Isle of Wight, Bestival is more than you’re T I C K E TS average festival; it’s a philosophy. FIND US ON And a damn good one at that! FACEBOOK TO E N T E R 5 – 8 September 2013 www.bestival.net

Set in rolling hills and fairylight lit woods, Latitude is a festival that truly has all bases covered. Top musical talent is the order of the day along with comedy, theatre, dance, spoken word, film and cabaret! Check out the flock of multicoloured sheep, before watching Bloc Party, Kraftwerk and Foals: not to be missed! 18 – 21 July 2013 www.latitudefestival.com

F I S T R A L

WIN! T I C K E TS

B E A C H , N E W Q U A Y

BOARDMASTERS

Taking the music + outside + friends + alcohol formula we all know and love, Boardmasters flips the script by FIND US ON throwing a dash of Surfing, BMX and FACEBOOK Skateboarding into the mix! Celebrating TO E N T E R its 30th anniversary, this year’s festival boasts an immense musical line up featuring The Vaccines, Ben Howard and Everything Everything, as well as boutique stalls and art installations. 7 – 11 August 2013 Sta n d o n , H e rt f o r d s h i r e

A B E R S O C H , N O R T H W A L E S

w a k e s t o c k Europe’s largest Wakeboard music festival returns this year with free-to-watch wakeboarding by day and killer music by night from the likes of Example, The 1975 and Rudimental. Starting out as a small party in a car park, Wakestock has mutated into a high octane, full-blow festival, and one of the country’s coolest ones at that! 12 – 14 July 2013 www.wakestock.co.uk

Sta n d o nC a l l i ng Boutique festival-ing at its finest, Standon Calling’s attitude is firmly ‘DIY ‘til I die’ (swimming pool with sound system, anybody? How about a disco in the cowshed)? The late running schedule and opportunity to see artists such as Band of Skulls, De La Soul and The Joy Formidable in an intimate setting create an experience that events charging twice the price couldn’t dream of matching! 2 – 4 August 2013 www.standon-calling.com

N r H u n t i n g d o n , C a m b r i d g e s h i r e

Secr et Garden Pa rt y Colourful, exhibitionist and full of invention, Secret Garden Party is a magical gathering as far away from cities, schedules, brands and boundaries as you can possibly get. Become a ‘gardener’ and channel your inner creative powers with action camps, theatre and spiritual practices. Oh, there’s also some great music too! This year, the garden plays host to Bastille, Django Django and Soulwax! 25 – 28 July 2013 www.secretgardenparty.com

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WorldStage...

How about combining your summer hollibobs with a bit of festival fancy? If you need sunshine like a plant needs water then you may well have to look beyond these shores to get your festival fix. There are plenty to choose from, catering for all tastes and the best thing is; there won’t be a pair of wellies or a brolly in sight!

B e n i c à s s i m , S p a i n

B e n i c à s s i m Benicàssim is as much a holiday as it is a festival and could well be the perfect package. With four days of music that will include Queens of the Stone Age, Dizzee Rascal, The Killers and Artic Monkeys together with eight days of camping, Benicàssim ensures maximum doses of sun, sea and sound. Further S’s optional! We recommend sun cream ;-) 18 – 21 July 2013 www.fiberfib.com

B l a c k

R o c k

D e s e r t , N e v a d a , U S A

Apparently, trying to define Burning Man to someone who has not been is like trying to describe a colour to someone who is blind, so we’ll keep it brief! A week-long festival held in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada, it is the craziest experiment in community, art, self-expression and self-reliance you will ever take part in! This festival will truly change your life.

WIN! T I C K E TS

26 August – 2 September 2013 www.burningman.com

L L O R E T

D E

FIND US ON FACEBOOK TO E N T E R

M A R , B a r c e l o n a

I n n o vat io n i n t h e S u n If Drum and Bass is your thing then there really is no other place for you. Offering water park, yacht, foam and beach parties without equal, all set to the driving rhythms of the world’s best DnB, Innovation in the Sun is one week long, EPIC party! Grab the sun block and get ready to go crazy. 25 June – 2 July 2013 www.innovationinthesun.com

WIN! T I C K E TS

2 – 5 July 2013 www.hovefestivalen.no

F o r t r e s s , S e r b i a

Started in 2000 by three students as a protest against the Milosevic regime, today Exit still promotes change and humanitarian causes, all whilst throwing one crazy party! Hedonism meets activism at the 17th Century Petrovaradin Fortress in Serbia and with 25 stages and 200,000 visitors, Exit is one the biggest, baddest festivals in Europe! Fat Boy Slim, Atoms for Peace and Cee Lo Green are all putting in appearances this year. 10 – 14 July 2013 www.exitfest.org 22 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

Beautiful things can happen when beautiful people get together to have a good time, and that is what Hove Festival is all about. Set on the truly stunning island of Tromøy in southern Norway, the festival brings you not only the cream of the international musical crop (Kings of Leon, Frank Ocean, Calvin Harris), but also unique experiences from the quirkiest art scenes.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK TO E N T E R

P e t r o v a r a d i n

WIN

S PRIZE F O £1000 OVER

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO ENJOY THE PERFECT SUMMER FESTIVAL COURTESY OF SIXTYNINEDEGREES Whether you’re braving the wrath of British summertime or fleeing to the comforting bosom of an international festival, there are certain items that should be on your checklist before you’ve even got the beers in. Well, maybe just after you’ve got the beers in!

Vango 24LED Rechargeable Lantern with Remote £32, www.vango.co.uk

Timex Digital Neon Blue £39.99, www.timex. co.uk along with other independent retailers

BeachBouy Waterproof Case £14.95 www.proporta.co.uk

Vango AirBeam Flux Tent £250 www.vango.co.uk)

SuperTooth Disco2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker £79.95 John Lewis

Mighty Boom Ball Speaker £15, www.mightyboomball.com

Kathmandu Air Sofa V2 £24.99, www.kathmandu.co.uk

TurboCharger Pocket Power Emergency Charger & External Battery Pack £12.95, www.proporta.co.uk

Ray Ban Wayfarer £104, www.shadestation.co.uk

Vango Wilderness 250 Sleeping Bag £32.50 www.vango.co.uk

Kathmandu Solar Charger £29.99, www.kathmandu.co.uk

Forever Hand Sanitizer with Aloe and Honey £3.40, www.forevershopnow.com BioEars Soft Silicone Ear Plugs £4.59, Boots

lack Panel Festival Jacket £85 www.prettygreen.com

Roxy iPhone 5 Waterproof Case £14.95 www.proporta.co.uk

Luke Kit Bag £65 www.luke1977.com

We're giving one lucky reader the chance to win everything together with a pair of weekend tickets to Latitude!

For your chance to win, visit the SIXTYNINE DEGREES Facebook page! www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk 23

ON THE

One of the main highlights of Birmingham's fashion calendar, Harvey Nichols presented the season's key trend pieces in a catwalk show that brought a slice of London Fashion Week to the Second City.

HARVEY NICHOLS From left to right: Diane Von Furstenberg jumpsuit, £395; UGG wedges, £120; Tom Ford sunglasses, £227. Alexander McQueen blazer, £1,295; Givenchy shirt, £195; Alexander McQueen trousers, £195; D & G tie, £99; Paul Smith brogues, £270. Christopher Kane dress, £1,995; Christian Louboutin sandals, £525. Balmain jacket, £2,595; Givenchy shirt, £350; Dsquared2 jeans, £195; Jimmy Choo trainers, £475; Carrera sunglasses, £100. Roksanda Ilincic dress, £965; Sophia Webster sandals, £455. Markus Lupfer jumper, £298; Diane Von Furstenberg skirt, £335; Christian Louboutin sandals, £535. Parker dress, £235; Saint Laurent Paris sandals, £555. Paul Smith jacket, £795; Paul Smith trousers, £330; Markus Lupfer jumper, £270. Peter Pilotto top, £405; Peter Pilotto skirt, £595; Sophia Webster sandals, £460 24

www.69-degrees.co.uk

RUNWAY

One of Nottingham’s most successful events of 2012 was back this spring, bigger better and brighter than ever before. 48 Hours of Fashion showed dedicated followers of fashion what’s hot in Nottingham’s spring/summer collections.

48 HOURS OF FASHION From Left to Right: Wild Clothing, Printed Hawaiian Shirt, green/yellow/black £14.99, Wild Clothing, Levi Denim Cut-Offs, Light Blue £14.99 Wild Clothing, Timberwolves Basketball Vest, black/green £16.99, American Apparel, Polka Dot Blouse, red/white £40, American Apparel, Disco Shorts, black £50, Coast, Halter Shirt Dress, emerald £115, American Apparel, Sleeveless Turtle Neck Crop Top, yellow £23, American Apparel, High Waisted Pleated Pants, black/white £68, Miss Selfridge, Embellished Shoulder Bodycon Dress, white £42, Debenhams, Jenny Packman Corsage Prom Dress, lovat £160, Oxfam, Richard Dress, blue £18, Gap, Modern Blazer, grey/pink £54.95, Gap Vest Top, grey £8.95, Gap, Checked Scarf, light pink £19.95, Gap, Broken In Straight Trousers, Neon Peach £34.95, Dr. Martens, Satchel £150 www.69-degrees.co.uk

STATE OF

26 INDEPENDENCE

FORGET THE BIG BOYS, WHEN IT COMES TO SEARCHING OUT THE NEW AND THE UNIQUE YOU CANNOT BEAT AN INDEPENDENT STORE. THIS ISSUE WE LOOKED AT SOME OF LEICESTER'S FINEST.

TINFISH SHOES Nestled at the top of Royal Arcade, Tinfish Shoes remains a one stop shop for anyone wanting to adorn their feet with something a little different. With an exciting and varied brand portfolio, styles are carefully and lovingly selected each season by owner Pete Mellor and his team of footwear fanatics. 3 Royal Arcade, High Street, Leicester. 0116 2622612 and 29 Francis Street. Stoneygate, Leicester. 0116 270 1155

AMABIS

Appeal to your inner magpie at Amabis, the city centre independent contemporary jeweller. There is something to suit everyone; oneoff hand-made pieces, costume jewellery and juicy accessories for the summer. Amabis stocks exclusive collections by cutting edge designers including Bjorg, Sophie Harley and Konplott as well as big names like Thomas Sabo and Nomination and Amabis’s own bespoke range, Lifestory where you get to choose exactly what you want to say. Amabis is @ 60 High Street, Leicester, LE1 5YP. Tel 0116 262 2769

Dollymix’s sister shop Pink Pigeon has been running for 3 years, selling men’s and women’s clothing and accessories from the 50s to early 90s, specialising in select 80s high fashion. Aiming to bring unique clothing back to the forefront of fashion, Pink Pigeon infuses art, fashion and travelling, trotting the globe to source inspiration for the store. Pink Pigeon is @ 17a Cank Street, Leicester, LE1 5GX. Tel. 0116 2538348

Desperate to get on the tattoo highway but put off by the idea of celtic bands and waving panthers ? Then fear not, a new custom tattoo studio has opened in an ‘off the high street’ location in Leicester designed for the more discerning ink fan and those looking for something much less generic than the standard flash card fare. Inkling, opened by founding partner of Loseby Lane’s Abody Tattoo, Neil Anderson, specialises in creating unique pieces of work built up from client’s concepts, ideas and collaborations with the three artists in residence. The studio, nestled in the heart of the city’s cultural quarter at Phoenix Arts, offers a relaxed, unintimidating atmosphere that’s miles away from the traditional tattoo parlour clichés. Inkling offers an extensive consultation process, call them on 0116 319 2782 Inkling is @ Studio Six, Phoenix Arts, Burton Street, Leicester. LE1 1TB or check out their blog at www.neiltattoos.com

inkling

www.69-degrees.co.uk

tresses

PINK PIGEON

In need of some luscious locks for a night on the town? Get yourselves down to Tresses, Leicester’s most awesome hair extension salon and boutique! With a dizzying range of services from hair care right down to a bit of good old advice, Tresses even have a few celebrity clients to boot! Tresses is @ 23 Highcross Street, Leicester, LE1 4PF. Tel. 0116 262 2383

HAVE YOU GOT WHAT

I T T A K E S T O B E27

B E ST

IN BR

SIXTYNINE MAGAZINE LTD,

PUBLISHERS OF

PREMIUM MAGAZINES

EED?

ACROSS THE UK,

IS EXPANDING.

FAST

We are on the hunt for the region’s most incredible, ambitious, driven sales professionals to help develop creative and punchy sales & marketing campaigns for a range of premium clients..

BASED AT OUR OFFICES IN LEICESTER, CANDIDATES MUST DEMONSTRATE A STRONG SALES PEDIGREE, A CAN DO ATTITUDE AND A DESIRE TO STRAY FROM THE PACK.

Is this you? In return you can expect a competitive basic salary, benefits and commission package and probably the best experience of your working life. SEND YOUR CV AND INTRODUCTION TO JON@SIXTYNINE-LTD.CO.UK www.69-degrees.co.uk

e h t a e r B

Photographer: Gary Houlder Stylist: Pip Edwards Model: Tessa at Storm Make-up: Annabel Callum at Frank Hair: Simon Izzard at Frank Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Assistant: Gemma Carmichael 28

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Opposite Page: **1. Aqua green shorts- Forever 21 £10.50, Yellow with white collared blouse- Forever 21 £19.75, Printed jumperCOS £59.00, Hoop earrings- Accessorize £7.00, Blue studded belt- Forever 21 £3.90 This Page, Clockwise from left: *1, Lilac lace dress- Whistles £195, Patent heels- H&M £29.99, Dotty headband- New Look £2.99, Nude handbag- Dune £65.00. *2, Blue blouse- Warehouse £35, Cream lace cardigan- H&M £19.99 Neon pink brocade skirt- Whistles £125.00 White socks- Topshop £2.99 Pink bowling shoes- Office £55, Green clutch- Warehouse. £24. *3, Lemon cigarette trousers- Jaegar Boutique £80.00, Sequin top - River Island £25.00, Red court shoes - Schuh £60, Blue belt- Topshop £12.00 Next Page: *1. White bracelet- River Island £15.00, White skirtJaegar £300.00, Green shirt- Jaegar Boutique £140.00, Neon Orange belt- Accessorize £8.00, Cream rose hair clip- Accessorize £5.00 * Looks available from Bullring Birmingham and Highcross Leicester. ** Looks available from Bullring Birmingham only www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk 29

www.69-degrees.co.uk

32Street

e l y t S

Taking inspiration from 48 Hours of Fashion, we hit the streets of Nottingham to track down the city's best dressed. The weather wasn't quite on form, but then that just set the scene as we asked people for their festival tips! Images by James Took

O U R FAVO U R I T E ! -M i l l i e Outfit: Topshop Festival Must See: Anyone at Coachella Festival must have: Waterproof Coat

J e r e m y

H a r r i e t t

Outfit:Circa Survive Festival Must See: Pharrell Williams Festival must have: Toilet Paper

Outfit: Topshop Festival Must See: Taylor Momsen Festival must have: DR MartEns

Outfit: Topshop, Clothes Show Live Festival Must See: Emma Watson Festival must have: Maxi Dress

32 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

Outfit: River Island and Charity Shops Festival Must See: Alt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; J Festival must have: Camera

Outfit: Primeclothing (His own brand) Festival Must See: The Vaccines Festival must have: Water

W a r e e n

R o x a n n e

L o t t i e

Outfit: Cow Festival Must See: Wretch 32 Festival must have: Security

Outfit: Jeffery Campbell, Topshop Festival Must See: Of monsters and men Festival must have: Lipstick

Outfit: Topshop Festival must see: The Maccabees Festival must have: Fun

SPONSORED BY APALTS: APPAREL FITTINGS AND ALTERATIONS. 8 FLYING HORSE WALK, NOTTINGHAM, NG1 2HN. TEL: 0115 9585059 - 38 Pelham Street, Nottingham, NG1 2EG 0115 9582321 - ENQUIRIES@APALTS.cOM

J a c k i e

Outfit: Jacket – Cow, Shirt – Armani Festival Must See: Two Door Cinema Club Festival must have: Baby Wipes

Outfit: TopShop, Office Festival Must See: Beyonce Festival must have: Dry Shampoo

Apalts

Outfit: Zara Festival Must See: Solange Festival must have: Baby Wipes

R a c h a e l Outfit: Topshop, Zara Festival Must See: A$AP Rocky Festival must have: Converse

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E L Y T S

L A V I T S

E F R U YO

River Island - Sejal Printed Jumper £38 Natalia Cross Body bag £18 Ida Denim skirt £30 Pink Neon Wrist strap £12 Plain white shirt £32 34

www.69-degrees.co.uk

R E H

D R WA

E B RO

rom Coachella to Glastonbury: your festival wardrobe should be neat, compact, and work much harder than it looks. Travelling light has never been cooler says SIXTYNINE degrees Fashion Editor, Olivia Cox

A BEAUTIFUL SUMMER

Off on your travels? It's not just a case of dusting down last year's after-sun. Lisa Piddington picks her favourite products that you shouldn't leave home without.

Glamorous Acid Wash Denim Shorts, £24

Keeping up your daily beauty regime is just as important when you’re away as at home ... if not more so. The damaging effect of sun, sea and sand can leave your hair and skin crying out for much-needed TLC.

s Short short

Essentials include after-sun, a hard-working cleanser, a shimmering bronzer to give you a much-needed colour boost in the first few days and, of course, a high SPF sun lotion. Also, take your favourite fragrance for evenings out and a great pair of tweezers to keep brows in shape throughout your fortnight away. Pack a lip gloss and nail varnish in glorious gold to show off your tan.

Pray for sun, plan for rain. And skin’s waterproof, right? So pick a pair and party awn..

Luxurious travel sets – packed with mini versions of your favourite products – are a must, while a set of scented candles will ensure you relax and unwind after your flight.

Big Cartel Shorts, £38

All products featured are available from Beyond Beauty at Harvey Nichols Birmingham. Left to Right: 1: Benefit Sunbeam complexion highlighter. £18.50, 2: Butter London The Full Monty nail lacquer, £12. 3: Caudalie sunscreen, from £22.50. 4: Elemis Traveller Kit, £68. 5: Memo Quartier Latin EDP, £120 (75ml). 6: NARS Pure Matte Lipstick (Tashkent), £18.50. 7: Tweezerman mini slant spotted tweezers, £14.50. 8: Percy & Reed Va Va Volume Travel Pack, £24. 9: Stila make-up travel palette, £10, 10: Sue Devitt microquatic purifying cleanser, £18.50.

Le-Short-shorts,£55 Soaked in Luxury RANDYSHORT, £45

10. 9.

The Kooples Floral Denim Shorts, £125 The Kooples Floral Denim Shorts, £125

IN THE BAG The only rule with festival bags? It’s gotta be hands free. Pick a shoulder or sling on your back. Effortless cool.

Topshop backpack, £32 MIMI BERRY Bardot blue metallic, £165 ASOS Studded Backpack, £38

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Accessorise

Swatch Chrono Plastic £76

Anna Sui sunglasses, £110

Get days out of a single outfit (shh, we won’t tell) with key pieces that’re bold, bright, and uber transformational. Go aztec for a this-season twist.

Wildfox Classic Red Mir Top, £196

Zara Sash Belt, £25.99

HAPPY FEET Soaked in Luxury NEONSNAKE £25

Tramp the mud in style in this season’s offering of jelly shoes, from fluro-bright to super cool studs. Can’t decide? Go for both

Thackerays Wildfox cropped vest - £54.95

Thackerays Hunter wellies - £85 Clover Canyon Printed chiffon top, £195

TOP IT OFF The key to your festival ‘drobe is layering. Think cropped vest, boyfriend-fit tees, and cosy knits..

Hunter Festival Millbank Neon Pink, £89 Gothenburg Veronique boot - £220

Karl Lagerfeld Neon cotton-jersey sweatshirt www.my-wardrobe.com, £130 Thackerays Wildfox knitted jumper £189.95 Topshop Knitted Hairy Aztec Jumper, £42

The sun may not fully have his hat on quite yet, but he is certainly thinking about it, which makes it the perfect time to warm up your hair’s shade and there is no better place to do it than at Leicester’s Yan Hair!

Jana Ankle Boot by Miista £149.99 Tin Fish

CURL IS king

The fashionable Aveda salon on Queens Road has been able to remain at the summit of hairdressing’s Mount Awesome for 20 years thanks to their process of on-going training, which keeps the stylists, and therefore you lot, ahead of the curve.The entire Yan team recently took part in an Aveda Workshop, closing the salon for a day whilst one of the nation’s top colourists, Nick Riley, taught them the brightest and best of spring/summer’s trends and techniques. Top of the bill were Wavy Partings, which mimic natural light in wavy hair with lighter and deeper tones, Gold Ribbons, which are ideal for dark haired people to go lighter whilst still looking natural, and Evolved Melting, a natural bohemian look that grows out softly with no need for touch-ups. And lo and behold these are the very trends that have popped up all over catwalks this season, with London Fashion Week offering great examples of all three! The proof is also in the celebrity pudding as Rita Ora, Connie Britton and Beyonce have all recently been papped sporting expertly coloured curls. Spring/summer 2013 is all about the curl. Four members of Yan’s artistic team attended a two-day Aveda course in The Big Smoke bringing back heads full of new cutting and colouring techniques that mimic the romantic sensibility sweeping fashion, art and culture this season. Less about precise sectioning and placement, working with curls involves using your eye to create a flattering shape and texture. The new techniques have received rave reviews from guests so why not let Yan inspire you, be brave and go for a change! Yan Hair is @ 53a – 55 Queens Road, Clarendon Park, Leicester. LE2 1TT Tel. 0116 270 9890 Book online at www.yanhair.co.uk 36 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

BELONG TO BETTER... ‘VITALITY POOL WITH SWIM JETS & WATERFALLS, BIO AND KELO SAUNA AND STEAM ROOM’

‘UNIQUELY DESIGNED FITNESS STUDIOS WITH OVER 50 CLASSES A WEEK & A CLIMBING WALL’

‘CUTTING EDGE EQUIPMENT INCLUDING ‘MILON’ – THE ROLLS ROYCE OF FITNESS’

‘10 ROOM LUXURY SPA INCLUDING DRY FLOTATION SUITE, SALT ROOM AND RASUL MUD CHAMBER’

theclubandspa, The Cube, Mailbox District, Birmingham, B1 1RN t 0121 643 2200 e birmingham@theclubandspa.com www.theclubandspabirmingham.co.uk

www.69-degrees.co.uk

M I H E L Y T S oral Blue fl 0 Fraser ÂŁ8 f s o rt o h e s s l Hou lue flora B , 0 9 ÂŁ shirt

cting casual has never been so crucial. a relaxed festival look is a work of art says sixtynine degrees fashion editor, Olivia Cox

38 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

Luke Krank Shorts £60

Not-too-short shorts The brighter the better. Can’t hack neon? Stick to patterns. Paisley, geometic.. You’ve nailed it when they make your eyes go funny. Keep earthy hues in reserve for quieter days...

Hartford shorts, £115

H&M Pattern Shorts - £14.99

J. Crew shorts, £65 Oliver Spence - £100

TOPPER Create instant cool without trying too hard with a funny / avant garde / all of the above logo-tee

Neil Barrett T, £135 Thackerays Boss Orange shorts - £99.95

HEADS UP

Luke T Shirt £35

This season’s hat is a trilby. Straw, patterned or colour-blocking: take your pick. Kangol Marc by Marc Jacobs Collaboration - £54 Thackerays McQ by Alexander McQueen vest - £79.95

ASOS Straw Hat, £14

Paul Smith Trilby hat, £55

The Kooples Two-tone hat, £60

Saturdays Surf NYC T, £40

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H&M Cardigan, £24.99

Accessorise or Die

HOT STUFF

Dip your toe into the fashion pool… go on, you only live once.

Think hippie chic. This needs to be easy enough to shrug on, and warm enough to share…

River Island Yellow Fluro JuJu Wellies, £20

High & Mighty, Kayak £80

Swatch Fluo Mix RRP £38

FOLK cardigan, £170

Luke Hazzard, £95

Blue Chrono Plastic RRP £76

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE G U Y -B R O W

John Paul McGuirk, from Harvey Nichols, reveals the secret behind his perfectly preened brows. Male grooming has certainly changed in the last decade – in fact, I’m not sure if ten years ago there really was such a thing!

Silhouete Adventurer Aviator, £199.99

H A I R JUNK IE

Whether it’s a regular facial or a daily moisturise, last year guys spent, on average, £35 a month on manly maintenance and up to 75 minutes a day in front of the mirror. On top of that, according to a 2012 OnePoll survey, 25% of us admitted to paying for professional pampering at least once a fortnight. Along with facials and tanning, one of the treatments that has seen a huge rise in popularity over recent years is brow shaping. Before you snigger, I admit to being a convert, and I’m certainly not alone – nearly 40% of customers at our in-store Benefit and Shavata brow bars are men, with a near 50/50 split between waxing and threading. Now, for the 60% that haven’t been initiated, let me explain: Neither of these treatments will leave you with that over-plucked arch. Far from it. Professional shapers ensure brows are kept full and natural – it’s more about keeping them trim not thin. Shavata Singh, founder of Shavata Studio, explains: “Brows frame the contours of your face and eyes, that’s why a brow shape can make guys look years younger in just 15 minutes.” Waxing is the quickest way to get rid of that unfashionable mono-brow and it only takes a couple of seconds to rip the wax strips off meaning minimum ouch! Threading is a more traditional method, but just as straightforward – a line of hair is trapped between a twisted double strand of cotton before being removed, relatively pain-free, rapidly and with precision. A quick poll amongst my mates and I’d say it’s a fairly even divide between those who opt for waxing and those who plump for threading. I’d recommend you try both methods first and find the most comfortable one for you – and once you’ve tried it, I guarantee you won’t want to go back to straggly, overgrown hairs. Here’s to gorgeously groomed guybrows! John Paul McGuirk – Private Shopper at Harvey Nichols Birmingham 40 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

Lisa Farrall, SIXTYNINE DEGREES’ resident hair expert says it’s time you boys got fresh! We’re talking preppy so get out your shorts, dust off those socks and get your hair close to heaven...This season sees a return to boarding school chic with posh prep, matt textured hair and plenty of volume.

invest in a sea salt spray to let the natural movement take its course- always apply product into your hair in stages and layer more and more. Work the hair upwards and away from the face to show you’re a posh boy that just don’t care. If your hair is longer on the sides, use the sea salt spray or matt paste to create texture. Now you’re hot to trot so get your pins out and your pimms ready, after all, the bigger your hair the closer to Jesus ya’ll gonna be. You can find more hints and tips at www.lisafarrall. com or for do dilemmas, tweet her @lisafarrall.

LETTING IN THE CITY 41 F or most of us, living in the centre of the city is a complete no brainer; we work here, we play here therefore we live here, simple. The city has become as close to us as a lover, a best friend, a parent or a partner, so it pays to ensure that we establish a proper, long lasting and beneficial relationship with it. This is where Tom Avery steps in.

Choosing the right place to live can be tricky. Choosing the right place to live in the city centre can be a minefield. How many of us have signed on the dotted line for our dream apartment only to get woken up by the bar next door emptying their bottle bins at 4am? Or, opting for the quieter life, have watched with horror as that discrete tucked away doorway, that we found so appealing, turns into a mini crack den / urinal / brothel as the sun goes down and always, it seems, when the folks come to stay… It’s a nightmare, and one that lasts as long as the tenancy agreement you signed, which is why specialist city lettings agency Rhubarb Property was born. Named in the same vein as the Apples and Oranges of this world, Rhubarb, which celebrates five years in business this summer, is a young, fresh and dynamic property agency, set up by fellow city dweller Tom Avery, as the antidote to the faceless world of corporate lettings agencies who are more interested in your deposit cheque than they are in your daily lives. Soaking up the advice, inspiration and wisdom from his very own Mr Miyagi, his uncle (who has worked in estate agency for over 20 years), Tom’s journey of self-enlightenment began in Birmingham with a detour around the foothills of Leeds and the sunny climes of Florida, all in the name of property. Bostin Birmingham soon called him back though and after three years working at another city agency, he now runs Rhubarb’s offices in the chilled out but socially kicking St Paul’s Square. It’s the perfect place as there is always something happening in bars like The Rectory on a bright summer’s day and 31 year old Tom, like most of his clients, eats, breathes and sleeps the city. “You’ll normally find me around the Mailbox, Brindley Place or the Jewellery Quarter. I love how diverse and vibrant Birmingham is as a city, the mix of old and new architecture- particularly exciting is the new New Street Station and, of course, the new library.”

Image by Andy Espin

Tom likes his properties to be premium, which is why he specialises in three of the best that the city has to offer: the iconic Rotunda, sophisticated Park Central and Edgbaston’s affluent Hemisphere development. Whether it’s lettings, sales, investments or property management, Tom and his team have got it on lockdown, from starter studios right the way through to top end penthouses. “ I wouldn’t rent anywhere where I wouldn’t live myself, I actually do own properties in these buildings and I think that’s important, it offers tenants a sense security in knowing they’re choosing to live in the right locations.” It’s not just tenants who Tom and Rhubarb work with though, “I socialise a lot in the bars and restaurants of Birmingham and I’m very much looking forward to trying the recently opened Adam’s for the first time. I’m always up to date on what’s new and what’s coming up, which helps when you’re managing over 200 properties in a city!” says Tom who has links within the business, Chinese and the gay community. “We’re able to offer a full service to property investors and landlords such as Landlord insurance, rent guarantees, free valuations, furniture packs and even interior design consultancy.” And for any potential landlords out there, Rhubarb will be offering a promotional campaign of £50 + VAT for a fully managed service with no set up fee until the end of July 2013. Bargain! So it seems that the future’s bright; the future’s Rhubarb! Rhubarb Property Ltd is @ 35 St Pauls Square, Birmingham Tel. 0121 232 4672. Or find them on Rightmove, Zoopla and at www.rhubarbproperty.co.uk. Drop them an email on info@rhubarbproperty.co.uk and follow Tom on Twitter: @Tom_Avry.

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G e t B eac h Body R e a dy !

H E A LT H I

f the thought of showing your body to people on the beach makes you want to book a summer holiday in the Antarctic fear not, we've got you covered with a plan of action that can help you get toned and ready for the summer!

Luke Lincoln, personal trainer at theclubandspa, Birmingham shares his secrets with this rapid turnaround four week plan that will help you tighten up those abs and ditch the bingo wings!

G e t w a s h b o a r d a b s a n d c a l v e s o f s t e e l !

: Warm up 5 minutes on the cross trainer

Perform all of the following as “Superset” exercises. (straight after one another without stopping) Squat 10-15 reps and then Plank for 30-60 seconds. Repeat a further two times resting for 45 seconds between each set.

ute Rest one min Lunges 10-15 each leg and then Mountain climbers for 30-60 seconds. Repeat a further two times resting for 45 seconds between each set. Rest one minute Calf raises 15-20 and then Crunches 15-20 reps. Repeat a further two times resting for 45 seconds between each set.

4 w e e k p l a n Set your week out like below and make sure you rest when you should. You don’t want to burn out before you’ve had the chance to burn it off!

Monday - Workout A Tuesday - Workout B Wednesday - Rest Day Thursday - Workout A Friday - Workout B Saturday - Rest Day Sunday - Rest Day 42 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

Finish off with 30 minutes of cardiovascular work (running, cycling,

P e r f e c t

p e c s

a n d

t o n e d

a r m s !

Warm up: 5 minutes on the cross trainer Perform all of the following as “Superset” exercises. (straight after one another without stopping) You should add enough weight so that you can’t do any more repetitions per set. Press ups (on knees if required) 10-15 and then Lat pull down 10-15 reps. Repeat a further two times resting for 45 seconds between each set. Rest one minute Shoulder press 10-15 reps and then back extensions 15-20 reps. Repeat a further two times resting for 45 seconds between each set.

Rest one minute Bicep curl 10-15 reps and then Tricep extension 10-15 reps. Repeat a further two times resting for 45 seconds between each set. Again, follow with 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise to work your entire body. theclubandspa is @ The Cube, Birmingham. Tel. 0121 643 2200 www.theclubandspabirmingham.co.uk

GET FIT 43 SWEATING!

REGISTER NOW AND GET 30 DAYS MEMBERSHIP FOR JUST £20! INTENSE AND EXHILARATING, BIKRAM YOGA IS A SERIES OF 26 POSTURES IN 90-MINUTES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO DE-STRESS AND MAKE YOU HEALTHIER AND STRONGER THAN YOU’VE EVER BEEN. ALL PERFORMED IN 40-DEGREES HEAT.

OPENING SOON IN BIRMINGHAM! Visit www.Hotbikramyogabirmingham.Com to REGISTER NOW AND GET 30 DAYS MEMBERSHIP FOR JUST £20! and start your journey to increased strength, better sleep, a thinner waistline, ability to relax and a stronger, healthier you!

www.hotbikramyogabirmingham.com

B I K R A M Y O G A B I R M I N G H A M www.69-degrees.co.uk

HOTTER THAN

44 H E A LT H G

! T HO

Adidas Energy Boost Running Shoes It’s marathon season and these Adidas Energy Boost Running shoes are specially engineered to charge every step you take by absorbing what you put into each stride before firing it back, giving you more forward momentum! The revolutionary midsole unit is developed with thousands of energy capsules, which store and unleash energy for the ultimate, responsive ride. £129.99

www.sportshoes.com

Garmin Forerunner 610 Multicolour Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor Garmin represent the pinnacle of running technology and their latest watch boasts not only their trademark GPS technology but also offers a sleek touchscreen. The £279.99 stylishly coloured watch comes with a staggering amount of training and motivational features that allow you to fully customise your workout, recording accurately how far, how fast and how hard you’ve worked.

Y u r b u d s I n s pi r e P r o H e a d p h o n e s Designed specifically with the runners in mind, these Yurbuds headphones come with interchangeable moldable silicone enhancers, which, translated into English, means they won’t hurt or fall out of your ears no matter the length or vigour of the exercise! The three button dry mic gives you complete track and volume control and is Siri compatible. www.amazon.co.uk

www.69-degrees.co.uk

GET READY FOR

BIKRAM!

re you ready to get fit sweating? Already the workout of choice for the SIXTYNINE degrees team as well as countless celebrities and professional sports people, Bikram Yoga, is set to change the face of exercise in the West Midlands when it opens in Birmingham this summer. The purpose built heated studio has been specifically designed to host the unique exercise that has been proven to improve flexibility, help long term sporting injuries, burn calories, tone up those wobbly bits, decrease bloating and detoxify your system, all helping you to feel fitter from the inside out. The environment also encourages positive stress relief and meditation, making it the perfect post-work workout! A Hot Bikram Yoga class is made up of 2 breathing exercises and 26 postures, all of which are carried out in a room with 110-degree heat and 50% humidity. The heat allows you to literally warm up from the inside out which means safer stretching and increased, improved blood flow, so it’s ideal for those with long term sporting injuries. Of course all that heat means you sweat, which in turn means you are detoxifying your system. This helps you improve your internal and external health benefitting your digestion, as well as your cardiovascular health and general well-being.

www.garmin.com/en-GB

£49.99

BIRMINGHAM,

Each Bikram class features the same postures making it easy to track and see your progress over time, with the end result being a leaner, more flexible, more relaxed and healthier you. So

T R Y B I K R A M BIRMINGHAM F O R J U S T

£20!

Feel intrigued but not sure it’s for you? The team at Bikram Yoga Birmingham are offering new students 30 days unlimited entry for just £20. To get your pass, pre-register your interest at www.hotbikramyogabirmingham.com

E W V INTAGE

In the immortal words of Macklemore: “I wear your Granddad's Clothes, I look incredible”. And he was pretty much on the money there because vintage is amazing. FACT. Moving away from homogeneous high street collections allows you the chance to pull together an entirely unique outfit, style and image and the best thing is, it doesn't need to stop there! The Vintage trend sweeping the nation can be applied to everything from jewellery to home and even going out! We've scoured the land to bring you a whole host of vintage and retro delights. Feast

Junk is the latest and greatest vintage store to arrive in Derby! Situated in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter on the first floor of No.53, the go-to destination for hand picked, pre-loved designer labels for women, Junk specialises in vintage, unique and stylish oneoff pieces for men and women and boasts an extensive range of clothing and accessories. The good folk over at Junk also support young, local designers, stocking independent labels from the likes of Madebygayle, Chuvs, Nathan Scott and Origin. Junk is @ 53 Sadler Gate, Derby, DE1 3NQ. Tel. 01332 364329

P i n k Pigeon Nestled below Dollymix Vintage, Pink Pigeon is the best place to go to bring the 80s back with tons of colourful, fun and impressionable hand picked items. The shop is also the exclusive stockist of JoJo Nouveau, a local designer who turns vintage into one-off originals! Pink Pigeon is @ 17a Cank Street, Leicester, LE1 5GX. Tel. 0116 2538348

My Precious Arabel Lebrusan is a Spanish born, award-winning designer who specialises in making handmade, ethical jewellery, using the classic filigree technique to create a lace-like vintage look. www.arabellebrusan.com Filigree Links Drop Earrings in gold, £320

One of our favourite trends in the SIXTYNINE degrees office is Vintage and from ‘shabby chic’ weddings to vintage clothes, there is absolutely no doubt that old is the new new! Rapidly gaining more popularity than a cat video on YouTube, the 1940s and in particular Blitz Parties are so on-trend right now with wartime themed shindigs quickly becoming the most fashionable must-beseen-at events. Luckily for us Midlanders the marvelous Nettle Hill, found just off the M69 and M6, are hosting a Blitz themed bash on the 3rd August, which will see time rewind back to a Britain at war.

BLITZ!

Expect everything but the bombs to set the scene along with songbird Laura Clinton ‘Singing the Forties’, wartime films, news reels, food and cocktails ensuring that the Blitz Party is set to be one helluva quirky night! You don’t have to evacuate til late so you know we’ll be the first in line to sign up! So time to do your bit for Queen and country and remember: Nettle Hill wants YOU! Nettle Hill is on Brinklow Road, Ansty, Coventry, Warwickshire, CV7 9JL. To book your tickets give them a call on 02476 621 899 or email aby@ nettlehill.co.uk

Nautical But Nice The pieces in this stunning collection from www.littletreefurniture.co.uk each have a unique story as the wood used to create them was reclaimed from 150-year-old boat timbers! CREDITS: Mary Rose Upcycled 6 Drawer 2 Slatted Door Sideboard, £575 www. littletreefurniture.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk 45

A$AP ROCKY The loveable little scamp A$AP Rocky burst onto the hip-hop scene earlier this year with the release of his criticallyacclaimed debut album LONG.LIVE. A$AP, which was a Top 10 hit in 24 countries, reaching number one in the UK R&B Albums Chart. Probably best known on these shores for ‘Wild for the Night’ which saw him collaborate with Skrillex and Birdy Nam Nam, the rapper from Harlem, NYC, will be dropping in at Birmingham as he plays his first live shows since appearing at Wireless festival last summer. 23 May @ O2 Academy Birmingham

SHORTLIST B i r m i n g h a m P r i d e 2 0 1 3 Set in the heart of Birmingham’s Gay Village, Birmingham Pride is the biggest two-day LGBT party in the UK. Last year’s event was a huge success with 50,000 spectators at the Carnival Parade and 100,000 visitors over the weekend! Find out more info as it becomes available at www.birminghampride.com 25 – 26 May around Birmingham.

J u l i a n C l a ry : P o s i t i o n Va c a nt , A p p ly W i t h i n

MAY D e r r e n

B r o w n

The acknowledged master of psychological illusion Derren Brown returns with a mesmerising new live show that is guaranteed to shock, entertain and infuriate the nation as they demand ‘How did he do that?’ Derren will be blowing minds at both Birmingham’s New Alexandra Theatre and Leicester’s De Montfort Hall, as he embarks upon his tour of the country. Book your tickets as soon as you read this, as his unique brand of entertainment is almost guaranteed to sell out! 13 – 25 May @ The New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham 3 – 5 June @ De Montfort Hall, Leicester

46 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

Master of camp and Celebrity Big Brother Winner, Julian Clary is scouring the land in search of love. He’s promised to leave no straight unturned. “Because I’m still considered to be quite a catch […] I’ll be hosting ruthless elimination games. You can be sure of one thing, by the end of the evening, we’ll all be celebrating my new partnership.” One of Julian Clary’s most successful shows in more than 30 years, Position Vacant, Apply Within climaxes with Julian marrying a member of the audience live on stage. The UK’s best-loved purveyor of saucy innuendo toured the show to sold-out houses throughout the country in the autumn of 2012 and is back by public demand this spring. 23 May @ The Great Hall, Derby 24 May @ De Montfort Hall, Leicester

A nt iq u e s a n d Vintage Bazaar

After the huge success of the first Antiques and Vintage Bazaar in March, a further three have been scheduled, with the next one in June promising to be even bigger and better. This quirky fair offers a whole host of collectible and vintage items to jazz up your life with and the eclectic assortment of stalls sprawled over The Custard Factory means there is sure to be something for everyone. The Bazaar opens at 10am and entry is free, no excuse! 8 June @ The Custard Factory, Birmingham

J I M M Y

C A R R

Funny man Jimmy Car is coming to Leicester and Nottingham with brand new jokes and a brand new show sure to delight, disgust and downright offend. In true Carr fashion, the show is guaranteed to be packed with one-liners, stories and jokes, some clever, some rude and a few totally unacceptable. Everybody over the age of 16 is welcome, the only prerequisites being: leave your conscience, sense of common decency and moral compass at home and come out for a laugh! 31 May @ Nottingham Royal Concert Hall 11 June, 2 July @ De Montfort Hall, Leicester

S e a n

L o c k

From the off it is clear that Sean Lock’s Purple Van Man tour will be out of the ordinary. Filled with gags, opinions, deft observations and some silly voices, the regular Mock the Week and 8 Out of 10 Cats star will be doing what he does best, mainly spouting inspired jibber jabber in a hilariously deadpan style, as he crosses the country in his purple van. He will make you laugh like a drunken horse, apparently. Whatever one of those laughs like! 1 June @ De Montfort Hall, Leicester

S u m m er Schoo l Let expert tutors in the field of baking, cheese making and butchery take you back to school this summer! Ditch the algebra and Bunsen burners in favour of learning artisan skills that will allow you to produce some amazing food. The course is very hands-on and you will learn about the full production process, from weighing out ingredients to taking finished products home. All classes will be small and informal with access to state of the art training facilities. For more information head to www. schoolofartisanfood.org/summerschool. 10 – 15 June @ The School of Artisan Food, Nottinghamshire

De Montfort University Dance Festival Leicester is home to some of the most innovative and exciting dance troupes in the country; just wander on down to Club Sosho on a Friday or Saturday night if you don’t believe us! The annual University Dance Festival showcases the best of the best student work produced over the course of the year in the more controlled environment of Curve’s studio. Making new dance available to a wider audience, these fresh and exuberant performances offer the opportunity to experience first hand the talents of the young choreographers and performers preparing to lead British Dance into the future. 14-15 June @ Curve, Leicester

June www.69-degrees.co.uk

I n di a n S u m m e r Diversity and multiculturalism are two things that give Leicestershire its unique feel and this annual festival provides you with the chance to experience the wonderfully colourful and varied culture of India. With an enthralling mixture of film, food, music, dance, literature, talks, games, workshops, activities and exhibitions there is guaranteed to be something for all ages and tastes. For more information go to www. indiansummer.org.uk 27 – 30 June @ Cultural Quarter, Leicester

The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs All hail Apple. The American juggernaut has all but taken over the world with nearly everyone owning a phone, laptop, mp3 player or tablet with their branding on. But how much do we actually know about one of the world’s most worshipped companies? This harrowing, yet at times, hilarious tale explores the legality and morality of chinese electronic sweatshops, which come with underage workers included and now with added armed guards! This passionate piece is bound to make you think, especially if you have an iPhone in your pocket. 8 June @ Derby Theatre, Derby

JUNE JULY

E d i n b u r g h Preview Show It’s nearly that time of year again; August will see the return of the Fringe festival to Scotland’s capital city. Comedians are a funny bunch (geddit?) and feel the need to trial their material before they go trundling hundreds of miles up the motorway to the biggest arts show in the world. But their insecurity/common sense is your gain as Leicester audiences get to see big name acts bring their A-game for very little money, perfect if you’re unable to make it up to the festival this year! Another plus is that they usually come in pairs meaning that you get two top quality, hour long shows for the price of one, result! 6 June @ Just the Tonic, Leicester

The West End’s favourite musical comedy is coming to town. Set in the early 60s, Hairspray tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with an even bigger heart as she sets out to follow her extraordinary dreams in television, dance and fashion, hoping to inspire her mum and win the boy she loves in the process! X Factor finalist Marcus Collins will be making an appearance in this musical which has a bit of everything; it’s one of the ultimate feel-good shows and has played to sold out houses in London, in New York and in theatres around the globe. Big hair, big heart, big hit, enough said! 2 – 6 July, 8 – 13 July @ Theatre Royal, Nottingham 21 May – 1 June @ Birmingham, Hippodrome

48 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE TO ABBA AND THE BEE GEES

VINCENT SIMONE AND FLAVIA CACACE STAR IN

RETURNING DUE TO PHENOMENAL DEMAND SAT 4 MAY

TUE 7 - SAT 11 MAY

REGINALD D HUNTER IN THE MIDST OF CRACKERS

OMID DJALILI

MON 13 - SAT 25 MAY

WED 29 MAY

THU 30 MAY

THE OLD VIC PRESENTS

THE DREAMBOYS

FIT & FAMOUS TOUR

0844 871 3011 RELIVE THE SWINGING SIXTIES ALL YOU NEEDED WAS A DREAM... AND A GUITAR MON 3 - SAT 8 JUN

GROUPS 10+ 0844 871 3031

RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS

www.atgtickets.com/ birmingham (fees apply)

THE CARPENTERS GREATEST HITS LIVE SAT 15 JUN

MON 24 - SAT 29 JUN

WED 3 JUL

www.69-degrees.co.uk

WIN! T I C K E TS

FIND US ON FACEBOOK TO E N T E R

K I N G S O F L E O N After a two-year hiatus, The Kings are back! The Southern American rock band made up of three brothers and a cousin are currently working on their sixth studio album and will be back in the Midlands in July to perform their new tracks, whilst also setting lots of sex on fire. Whatever that actually means. Ten years on from their debut album, the band have experienced phenomenal success as one of the biggest bands of the noughties, with songs like ‘Use Somebody’, ‘The Bucket’ and ‘On Call’, besieging the UK charts for weeks on end. Their forthcoming tour signals a welcome return for the lads; long live the King(s)!

JULY

9 – 10 July @ LG Arena, Birmingham

S h o c k a n D G o r e The Midlands’ premier horror and fantasy festival is back again with live events, cult screenings, sneak previews and an epic all-nighter to celebrate all things bizarre and bloodthirsty. Its annual short and feature film competition is now taking entries; go to www. shockandgore.co.uk for further information. With a programme packed full of grizzly delights, this year’s festival promises to be the biggest event yet. 19 – 25 July @ The Electric Cinema and various other Birmingham venues

WIN! T I C K E TS

FIND US ON FACEBOOK TO E N T E R

F i r i n g

B l a n k s

Having a baby is complicated at the best of times. It’s even tougher when you need another man’s sperm. Richard is infertile; Kate is a fierce-witted teenager he meets on a park bench who becomes an unlikely therapist. The gentle strumming of a busker underscores two people’s intimate, important stories in the snug setting of Loughborough Town Hall. Firing Blanks is a fresh, funny and moving play about donor conception (and ducks) with an original live score. 10 July @ Loughborough Town Hall, Loughborough.

B i r m i n g h a m C h i l l I F e st i va l Spice is the variety of life, right? Or is it the other way round? Anyway, all things chilli can be found in the central square of Brindleyplace on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th July. We’re talking chilli jams, chutneys, breads, oils, chocolates, and a whole host of other things you didn’t think chilli went well with! With its live cooking demonstrations the Birmingham Chilli Festival is sure to provide entertainment for all. Don’t miss its fiery finale when 15 competitors will battle it out for the title of Chilli Conqueror in a raw chilli eating competition! Hot stuff. 19 – 20 July @ Brindleyplace, Birmingham

50 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

COMING SOON...

30 JUL – 11 AUG A CURVE COMMUNITY PRODUCTION

THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

A MUSICAL THRILLER DIRECTED BY PAUL KERRYSON

29 NOV – 11 JAN

BOOK BY FRED EBB AND BOB FOSSE MUSIC BY JOHN KANDER LYRICS BY FRED EBB BASED ON THE PLAY CHICAGO BY MAURINE DALLAS WATKINS

SEDUCTION, SCANDAL, SHOWBIZ AND ALL THAT JAZZ… DIRECTED BY PAUL KERRYSON

www.69-degrees.co.uk

BEATS AND TREATS 52 Hours of Aural pleasure bRought to you by DISGRACELAND, MARTIN WRIGHT AND MARIE WOOd.

BEATS by MARTIN WRIGHT AND DISGRACELAND

NEW MUSIC

Zouk Bass Undoubtedly one of the most interesting genres to gain popularity in the last two month is Zouk Bass. Encompassing Francophile roots with a Carribean twist, it first came to many people’s attention roots in a Buraka Som Sistema Boiler Room Session. Perhaps not wishing to confuse a good story with the truth, Buraka Som Sistema contentiously claimed that they were launching a new sound, which many have been quick to point out is not entirely true. It has been a staple dancefloor sound in, for example, Portugal, where some of the key producers are emerging from. Key to the genre is its slow BPM (between 80 and 95bpm), layers of syncopated percussion and stripped down, minimal, arrangements. Don’t think that this is just one for the boys though, this is music with its dark, sexual, undertones, is for couples to dance closely too. See the ‘launch’ on the Buraka Som Sistema Boiler Room Set http://boilerroom.tv/buraka-som-sistema-50-min-mix/ So here’s the song that kicked off the BSS Boiler Room set, and for many was an introduction to the genre. Deejay Kuimba, originally based in Portugal, now living in London produced this in 2012. The track has now become the blue print for many that followed: http://soundcloud.com/dzcdeejaykuimba/dzc-deejay-kuimba-feat-dj DISGRACELAND

Chroma

Intermission / Knock Knock

CIAA

Various: Various: ‘H e d K a n d i P r e s e nt s ‘Fierce Disco VI’ Deep House’ Fierce Angel Hed Kandi

WIN! WIN! Total Science’s CIA imprint are back with a brand new single from production trio Chroma. Hailing from Newcastle and consisting of Phobia, Sato and Tyrone, Chroma have been making some waves over the last few months and this single nearly snapped my ears off when I first put it on. It’s heavy. You wouldn’t expect anything less from CIA. DISGRACELAND

52 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

Hed Kandi Deep House debuted last year and was an unrivalled success. This second instalment of Hed Kandi Deep House, carefully curated by Hed Kandi residents DJ Eibhlin and John Jones, features the highly anticipated new single from Duke Dumont, ‘Need U (100%)’, along with some of the most pivotal names in deep house including Lee Foss, MK, Jamie Jones, Maceo Plex, Eats Everything, Shadow Child and Alexis Raphael. A great collection of tracks from the biggest sound in dance music right now. MARTIN WRIGHT

The release of Fierce Disco VI kicks off the seventh birthday celebrations for Fierce Angel. With over 30 compilations under their belt and numerous artist releases, this is the sixth edition in the ever-popular Fierce Disco series. Expect uplifting anthemic vocal house that keeps its feet firmly on the dancefloor. Tracks featured include Kris Menace & Black Hills - ‘Without You’, Fierce Collective & Peyton - ‘Soul Pilot’, Freemasons - ‘Bring It Back’, Silosonic ‘Automatic’, Submotion Orchestra - ‘Thinking’, Soul Magic - ‘Someone Like You’ and many more. MARTIN WRIGHT

Generation Bass presents: DZC Crew : Deejay Kuimba & 2Pekes – “Deep In Zouk Bass” EPs and Generation Bass presents: DJ Paparazzi - Los Tarraxa EP

Trap / EDM David Heartbreak Raindrops ft. Skylar Grey

We have 5 copies of each LP's marked 'WIN' to give away! J u st lo g o nto t h e w e b s i t e : www.69-degrees.co.uk

for a chance to win.

Talking Doll SaBBo

You can always trust Birmingham’s super blog, ‘Generation Bass’, to be at the forefront of any new musical movement, and these two incredible EPs prove the point. Featuring tracks from Deejay Kuimba, the man that created the template for ZOUK BASS with his awesome track “Tarraxo Na Parede” and 2Pekes, who claims a Deep and Dutch House influence next to his Kizomba and Tarraxinha background, the ‘Deep in Zouk Bass EP’ is going to be a festival favourite.

Unparalleled in his dedication to the EDM movement, Heartbreak has captured the attention of both established and aspiring artists, such as Skrillex, Diplo, Bassnectar, and many more. He has a wide range of fans who he lovingly labels as his “EDM family”. His first signing to Skrillex’s OWSLA imprint combines elements of dub, jungle, trap and electro. Featuring the hugely talented Skylar Grey on vocals, this tune has already had over 30,000 hits on Soundcloud and looks set to be a summer smash.

“Talking Doll” is taken from SaBBo’s Voodoo Space Time EP and is considered to be the first Zouk Bass EP. “Talking Doll” is an intense track featuring deep, well programmed drums with thin crawly synths on top, a true delight for music lovers, Zouk Bass fans or not. This video (shot, directed and edited by Kutiman) features the talented Zina Zinchenko, from the prestigious Batsheva Dance Ensemble.

Both are available now on Beatport. DISGRACELAND

http://soundcloud.com/owslaofficial/davidheartbreak-raindrops DISGRACELAND

http://youtu.be/ENOsYMHiPCo http://soundcloud.com/sabbo/talking_doll DISGRACELAND

Various: ‘Cream Club Anthems 2013’ New State Music

Various: ‘Groove Odyssey Sessions Vol 1’ Groove Odyssey

Various: ‘The Sound Of Deep House’ Ministry Of Sound

DJ Paparazzi’s ‘Los Tarraxa’ EP has a blend of deep bass and twitchy rattling percussion and is testament to his superb production skills.

WIN!

WIN! UK clubbing institution Cream is back with the essential Cream Club Anthems 2013. This is a collection of the biggest dance hits and upfront club anthems that are taking over dancefloors worldwide, covering the hottest names and genres over three massive CDs. Cream Club Anthems 2013 features the sounds and stars that are hitting clubland hard from global legends like Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia, Tiësto, Laidback Luke, Nicky Romero, Porter Robinson, Bingo Players, Hot Natured, Duke Dumont, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaur, Wilkinson and TNGHT. MARTIN WRIGHT

London’s lynchpin promoters on the Soulful House scene, Groove Odyssey, release their debut compilation Groove Odyssey Sessions Vol 1 showcasing 14 tracks from hot new UK talents Groove Assassin, Matt Early, Sean McCabe, Natalie Williams & Reilly as well as leading international producers and artists, including Louie Vega, Barbara Tucker, Sara Devine, Michelle Weeks, Mr V, Dajae and Leroy Burgess. Celebrating the uplifting sound of soulful house music, Groove Odyssey Sessions Vol 1 has been a while in the making and is a bumping reflection of their massive sell-out acclaimed events. MARTIN WRIGHT

The sound of this summer and beyond is undoubtedly The Sound of Deep House, a new compilation from Ministry Of Sound. This 2CD album includes the No 1 hit single ‘Need U (100%)’ from Duke Dumont, the huge No 2 smash ‘White Noise’ from Disclosure plus the Radio 1 record of the week ‘So Good To Me’ from Chris Malinchak. With Radio 1 & Capital FM play listings, there is absolutely no doubt of the genre’s descent into mainstream. A great purchase if you like it deep! MARTIN WRIGHT

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Treats by Marie Wood and Sophie Paluch

Chvrches

Seen The Light

hey say that good things come in threes and Chvrches are clearly no exception. The Glasgow trio whippedup a storm when they posted their debut track 'Lies' online last year. Critical adulation, a support slot with Passion Pit and a nomination for the BBC's Sound of 2013 have all since followed. with the band now on the cusp of releasing their highly-anticipated debut album this autumn., Marie Wood Caught up with them.

of nice melodies, accessible melodies, and a more twisted backing or twisted subject matter”. The band’s debut album, set to drop this September, is already in the bag as it’s something the band has been working on ever since their inception as Martin explains, “The first six to eight months of the band nobody knew that we existed, so we did a lot of writing then and figuring out what we wanted to sound like and trying to hit on the proper sound of the band as we were moving forward.” The band wrote the album operating as a democracy - writing and producing everything themselves - something that Martin attributes to it only being the three of them. “[The] really exciting about a three piece is that there’s not so many opinions that it gets confusing. Things can happen fast and at the same time everything’s up for discussion there’s never a point where anybody’s come in and said ‘this is my song, I feel precious about it, this is the way it came out and this is the way it’s going to stay’.”

IT'S electronic pop with a lyrical edge

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, to be honest. In the beginning it was kinda overwhelming, but I think by this point we’re on our feet”. Martin Doherty, one third of Chvrches, tells us on a quiet Wednesday afternoon. Coming together by chance less than two years ago the band met in October 2011 when Martin along with University friend Ian Cook (keyboardist) asked Lauren Mayberry, (vocals) from local band Blue Sky Archives, to guest on a couple of demos they were putting together. “I think there was something that clicked as soon as we got in the studio and started writing together things happened really quickly - it’s a weird experience it’s nothing that I’ve ever been through before - we instantly knew we started writing songs that they were different from before”, Martin explains. “[It was] part fluke, part design”.

The ‘whirlwind’ that has engulfed the band since their arrival is still showing no sign of relenting as only a few weeks before we speak the band ended-up on every major music site after just one innocent tweet. “The Game Of Thrones thing, yeah that got a wee bit out of control too quickly!” The band had posted a cover of the theme song to the award-winning HBO series, Game Of Thrones, and felt the full force of the net once again knocking at their door. “When it was first kicking-off and the phone starting going all the time and it was all over Twitter, it was like ‘Oh no, what have we done?’...I started panicking and being like, ‘wait, have we ruined our careers. Is this going to Gangman style?’”. Luckily, it didn’t go full Psy[cho]. Chvrches’ divine appeal, however, hasn’t quite translated to everyone as Martin sadly discovered on a recent to America. “I randomly saw Morrissey in an airport in America and went up to try say ‘hello’” he mournfully recalls. “This big security guard jumped-up and put his hand in my face and was like, ‘No! Go Away! Not now!’… I was destroyed”

After seven months hidden away in Ian’s basement studio the band posted ‘Lies’ online and all hell broke loose. “In the beginning there was a lot of talk as we were literally completely unsigned; we didn’t have a roadmap of where the project was going we didn’t know what could happen or what was possible. It was really strange and exciting”, Martin recalls. ‘The Mother We Share’ quickly followed ‘Lies’ and entrenched the band’s unique approach of harnessing soaring dizzying electro to dark subjects for an emotive listen or as vocalist Lauren described it, “electronic pop with a lyrical edge’. “I totally agree” Martin says when we tell him the quote. “It’s exciting in a lot of ways as Lauren’s voice is quite a sweet voice, it’s quite a nice voice, and then we can push the production a bit harder or the lyrics a bit harder.” Like, on ‘The Mother We Share’ a good solid f-bomb is dropped, but Lauren’s syrupy delivery makes it barely apparent. “To me it’s about the juxtaposition 54 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

Bar one unhappy Mozzer, the band has an awesome time ahead supporting Depeche Mode on four of their European Delta Machine tour dates (“[It] is like the lines of fantasy and reality cross over in the strangest of ways… it’s a really exciting thing for us to do”), a slot at Latitude (“lovely festival…I wonder if they still have the pink sheep?”) as well as the release of their debut album. For Chvrches, three is definitely the magic number. Marie Wood Recover EP – out now facebook.com/chvrches

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories Ad teasers, viral teasers, track teasers, leak teasers… Daft Punk have teased us with the release of their highly anticipated fourth album more times this year than a lorry load of the biscuity balled chocolate confectionery.

Take that along with the limited interviews with the band stating that the album took five years to make, is played on traditional instruments without any samples and should be “deemed the first Daft Punk album ever” – the stakes are dizzyingly high. Thankfully, RAM doesn’t disappoint as the French duo come through on their promise of encapsulating dance music from the last 50 years without descending into tired pastiche. Opener ‘Give Life Back To Music’ is a fitting mission statement mixing DP’s signature robotic vox with disco beats, ‘Lose Yourself To The Dance’ featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rogers continues the guitar twanging Studio 54 heaven, whilst ‘Instant Crush’ featuring Julian Casablancas takes a turn away from the disco by reimagining The Cars on the DP spaceship. Closer ‘Contact’, with a sample of Gene Cernan (Apollo 17’s celebrated Last Man On The Moon), breathes in every last fibre of the history of dance music then euphorically exhales to bring the record to a fittingly apocalyptic climax

welcome to the soundtrack of your summer with marie wood L a u r A M a r l i n g O n c e I W a s A n E a g l e

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Released: out now Sophie Paluch

Released: 27 May Marie Wood

The sound of breaking glass heralding the start of QOTSA’s sixth album is a sadly poignant signifying to the rest of the record as it fails to come close to the gripping power of their previous releases. The sheer volume of bit players on the record (Trent Reznor, Elton John Alex Turner, Jake Shears) might explain the ill-fitting soundscape that judders awkwardly from doo-wop blues (‘Kalopsia’), funk (‘Smooth Sailing’) and MOR balladeering (‘…Like Clockwork’). Next time, Josh Homme leave the bezzies out of it. Released: 3 June Marie Wood

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Forgetting that most of modern day Britain has the attention span of a goldfish on a BerrocaSpeed combo, means that Primal Scream’s new psychedelic social commentary has failed to make an impact where it, by all accounts,. should have. The tracks lack any cohesion and the seven minute number ‘River of Pain’ mean it’s hard, if not exhausting, to get though the album. It has guts Primal Scream fans will love it but no-one new will be won over.

Rather than mourning romance Laura Marling’s fourth album relinquishes those shackles from the outset as she declares, with a earthier, rich and more learned voice, “I will not be a victim to romance”. The record bristles with competing and yet complementary acoustic textures and bare drum beats - ‘Breathe’ is a tempered exploration of an old relationship, ‘Devil’s Resting Place’ is reminiscent of PJ Harvey at her most commanding and ‘Where Can I Go’ a bluesy lament. A truly magnificent record.

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Somewhere in the space-time continuum between Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding it appears that people forgot about Victoria Hesketh aka Little Boots. Good thing then that’s she’s back with what could be one of the best pop/dance records of the year. An emotional disco led journey into love, heartbreak and everything that happens after dark. The overly catchy pop anthem ‘Broken Record’ and the electropiano led number ‘Crescendo’ are the standout tracks there to keep you stuck on repeat. Released: Out now Sophie Paluch www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk 55

56 P a c i f i c R i m 3 D – J u ly 1 2 t h The Hangover Part III–May 24th T h e B l i n g R i n g – J u ly 5 t h If you’re the kind of person who watches the Transformers films and wishes there were more monsters in them, then boy have we got the film for you. Pacific Rim is a child’s toybox come to life as director Guillermo del Toro presents a Manga-esque world where giant robots face off against giant monsters who have risen from beneath the Pacific Ocean. The tagline screams ‘go big or go extinct’, but with del Toro behind the camera, this should hopefully amount to more than just a massive beat-em-up.

After the second Hangover effectively drained any goodwill the first one earned by repeating exactly the same gags, the final part in this comic trilogy looks to shake things up a little bit by dropping the whole hangover set-up. Instead, the third instalment sends The Wolfpack (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianiakis) after the scene-stealing Mr Chow (Ken Jeong), who’s nicked millions of dollars from a very angry drug dealer. Could be fun, but it’s definitely time to end it.

A while back, Emma Watson suggested she wasn’t actually that interested in furthering her acting career when the Harry Potter series ended. Sadly for all of us, she was lying, and continues to try very hard at this whole acting lark, even though she inevitably fails miserably. Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring sees Watson lead a posse of vacuous LA teenagers who break into celebrities’ homes and steal their stuff. Unfortunately, scenes involving Hermione trying to act all sexy come off as your little sister trying to be all grown up.

BIGSCREEN Behind The Candelabra – June 7th

BY DAVID BALDWIN

It’s a real wonder that the story of flamboyant performer Liberace hasn’t been given the proper biography treatment before now, barring a couple of low-rent TV movies. It’s got all the ingredients of a trashy soap opera – homosexual affairs, the glitz of Las Vegas, plastic surgery, painkiller addiction – and offers the chance for some grandstanding performances that would make most actors drool. Enter Michael Douglas, who’s been nurturing a Liberace biopic for many years and finally gets his wish to embody the ivory-tickling show-off this June, starring in Steven Soderbergh’s Behind The Candelabra, a film based on the scandalous memoir of Liberace’s long-time lover Scott Thorson. The couple’s tumultuous relationship forms the central focus of the film, with Matt Damon taking co-starring credit as the long-suffering Thorson, who underwent botched plastic surgery to make himself look more like his pianistloving partner. Interestingly, the film premieres at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival before being shown in short order on cable channel HBO, whilst over here it’s getting a limited theatrical release in June. Such a confusing release schedule could mean Douglas might miss an Oscar (arcane Academy rules ensure certain films don’t qualify for

By z a nt i u m –M ay 3 1

Just when you think the vampire genre has had all the life sucked out of it, here comes veteran vamp director Neil Jordan offering another slightly-different-but-not-really-that-different-at-all take on undead bloodsuckers. Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan are two vampires who eke out an existence in a small British coastal town, unaware that their murky past is about to catch up with them. Arterton plays a stripper, so that’s the male audience accounted for, while Ronan has the ‘wise beyond her years’ thing down to a 56 www.69-degrees.co.uk www.69-degrees.co.uk

T h e L a s t E x o r c i s M : T h i s I s T h e E n d – J u n e 2 8 th P a r t I I – J u n e 7 t h Typical. You wait ages for an end of the world Ignoring the fact that a film called The Last Exorcism has a sequel (thus meaning it was not, in fact, the last exorcism), the original film was a serviceable shocker that had plenty of bendy bodies and demonic voices. Still, if you’ve seen one exorcism film you’ve basically seen them all, and Part II won’t be offering up anything new, as Ashley Bell’s tormented young woman once again finds herself possessed by dark forces. Tch, so careless.

comedy and then two come along at once. Preceding Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s The World’s End by just a few weeks, this US attempt features a number of actors playing themselves – including James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill – as the apocalypse comes to town. Early footage has been rather excellent, with Rihanna falling to her death and Michael Cera exposed as a sex pest that everybody hates.

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Chino Latino Turns Ten! Latin fies-tivities hit Nottingham as the fiery, Pan-Asian restaurant brand, Chino Latino, celebrated 10 years of innovative food and top-notch service! Fire breathers, contortionists and Latin dancers enthralled guests both new and old at a party that marked the start of a year of celebrations for the restaurant. In honour of their anniversary, Chino Latino will be offering 10% off food bills on the 10th of every month, as well as entry into a prize draw to win a three-course meal at each of the Chino Latino restaurants across Europe! Nottingham’s restaurant, which has just been awarded its first AA Rosette, is well known for its birthday celebrations with the annual antics becoming an institution in the city and a highlight of the social calendar, that sees the great and good flood to the restaurant for a spot of Latin lavishness. Chino Latino is @ 41 Maid Marian Way, Nottingham NG1 6GD Tel. 0115 9477 444

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOMME &CO. Leicester’s all round salon, Homme &Co. recently turned three and celebrated with a day of discounts, DJing and drinks which, let’s face it is the best way to celebrate anything! Offering a men’s barbershop, women’s hair salon, beauty and tanning suite and a tattoo studio over four floors, Homme &Co. really do have every base covered. Leicester’s best groomed were out in force in support of the salon and owner Alex is looking forward to another three years as one of Leicester’s coolest independent businesses. Homme &Co. is @ 96 High Street Leicester, LE1 5YP. Tel. 0116 252 2271

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59 Harvey Nichols' Spring/Summer Parade! Harvey Nichols was on hand to wow Birmingham’s fashionistas with the most exclusive runway show the city has ever seen. Held in the Old Post Office in The Mailbox, the sell-out event showcased the hottest Spring/Summer collections from the likes of Peter Pilotto, Christopher Kane, Victoria Beckham and Mary Katrantzou. The 450 guests were treated to canapés from Hotel La Tour along with a sneak peak of what to wear this season, with catwalk trends including Palette Cleanser, Colour Pop, Monochrome, and Mixed Prints. Famous faces were on show as Next Top Model stars Jade Thompson and Alisha White both took to the catwalk in a storm of beautiful awesome-ness. Harvey Nichols is @ 31 Wharfside, The Mailbox, Birmingham, B1 1RE Images by Andy Espin

BYPY Awards Ceremony The celebratory champagne was in free flow as over 800 people attended the Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards ceremony, at the city’s ICC. The awards, which were hosted by Sky News presenter Sarah-Jane Mee, have become a highlight of the city’s social calendar, showering glitz and glam on the most talented young businessmen and women the city has to offer. Whilst awards are up for grabs in a wide range of categories from Inspiring Leader to Aspiring Talent, it was Deutsche Bank’s 27-year-old Graduate Recruiter Sean Sales who bagged the coveted overall win, taking home the title of Birmingham Young Professional of the Year 2013. Sir Sales, we salute you! To find out more about BYPY and to enter next year’s event, go to www.birminghamfuture.co.uk/bypy Images by Jas Sansi

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Pitch Perfect

F l a g s h i p Diffus ion Opens in W o lv e r h a m pt o n !

Diffusion say they love your style and after they recently opened a new flagship store on Wolverhampton’s Lichfield Street, we certainly love theirs back. Good god it’s gorgeous! Set in a beautiful heritage building just next door to the Wolverhampton Art Gallery, the pillars and wooden beams mix in with the minimal, modern décor, creating a great atmosphere in which to shop for your designer threads. They stock the best up and coming brands as well as top established names like G-Star Raw, Diesel and Lyle & Scott, so get yourselves down and say hi! Diffusion Wolverhampton is @ 9 Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1EA. Tel. 01902 716762

Murder! Epic stained glass windows, lofty ceilings and walls of stone; the deconsecrated Unitarian Church in the Lace Market, that Pitcher & Piano Nottingham calls home, grabs your attention and blows you away. Perennially popular with the post 5pm crowd thanks to their extensive drinks offerings, Pitcher & Piano Nottingham have also just launched a brand spanking new food menu, that we can hand on heart (and stomach) say is well worth a nibble! If the soggy sandwiches you had elsewhere at lunch just didn’t cut it, this freshly prepared grub certainly will. If you’re feeling slightly peckish, their flatbreads and sharers are perfect, just grab a mate and tuck in! My dining partner and I opted for the Chorizo and Roasted Vegetable Flatbread to start, excellently priced at £8.25 with the smoky meat complemented by Italian hard cheese shavings, roasted courgette, aubergine, rocket and a zingy paprika mayo. A certified favourite from the first bite. We were in the market for something more substantial mains-wise and the new menu certainly didn’t disappoint! I decided to tackle one of their monumentally awesome burgers, the New Yorker, which is made up of a homemade 7oz burger, chargrilled chicken breast, two rashers of bacon, cheddar and chilli! So big it needs skewering to keep it together, this meat monster is served with chips, weighs in at £13.50 and could feed a small family for a day. My partner opted for the 10oz Rump Steak that came with grilled flat mushroom, grilled tomato, rocket and fat chips all for £12.95. The meat was beautifully flavoursome, succulent and tender and the staff really went the extra mile, offering to serve both the Béarnaise and blue cheese sauce in little pots on the side when she couldn’t decide between them! Although we could barely move after such a feast, we thought it would be rude not to test-drive the pudding menu and plumbed for the Sticky Toffee Pudding and Homemade Chocolate Brownie, both offering a dose of pure luxury for under a fiver, topping off the meal nicely. As much as we would have liked to sample everything alas we could not, meaning that the salads and Jerk Chicken Breast, both of which came higher than highly recommended by our servers, will have to wait until next time. Offering all this in addition to a selection of smaller grazing dishes, soups and sandwiches, Pitcher & Piano Nottingham will hit the right note every time! MB WIN! We’ve teamed up with Pitcher & Piano Nottingham to offer one lucky reader and three pals a top notch meal and a round of cocktails! For your chance to win, head to www.69-degrees.co.uk Pitcher & Piano Nottingham is @ The Unitarian Church, High Pavement, Nottingham, NG1 1HN. Tel. 0115 958 6081

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Team SIXTYNINE had never done a murder mystery before, but when Birmingham’s Ramada Encore invited us along for a night of high drama and intrigue we thought why the hell not. When we discovered the theme was ‘Tease’ however, our borderline apprehension developed into full-blown concern; was this really for us? Nevertheless we donned our deerstalkers and had our fears allayed when we learned that ‘Tease’ was in actual fact one of many plots that Murder Incorporated, the company responsible for the night’s performance, travel around the country performing. Fears of Fifty Shade-esque deviant activities behind us (ooh-er Mrs), we were swept upstairs into the rather stylish hotel bar and, drink in hand (of course), we became fully immersed in the evening’s entertainment. From the word go, actors mingled and interacted with our fellow sleuths as we found we were all playing the extras in a fun piece of theatre. Shown to our tables, each of which had an actor on, a scream cued the announcement that someone had been found dead in a room upstairs. Shock horror! From this point on actors constantly circulated throughout the 90-strong crowd, dropping clues and clangers a plenty. Think you know who dunnit? Interrogate them and make them sweat. Alternatively, listen to others and draw your own conclusions; there’s no pressure to get involved if you don’t want to. A great three-course meal was served as the drama unfolded and the cast had us on tenterhooks leaving us itching to uncover the killer’s identity by the end. Were we right? Let’s just say it turns out we’re not the super-sleuths we thought we were! With a crowd much younger than we expected (the average age was in the mid-to-late 20s), we had a great evening; and for £50 a head, which includes a three-course meal, glass of wine, entertainment, overnight accommodation and breakfast the next morning, murder mysteries at the Ramada Encore beat Cluedo any day! To book a place, visit www.encorebirmingham.co.uk or www.murderexperts.com Ramada Encore will also be running Christmas murder mystery parties!

the uk’s bIggESt 2 dAy gAy festiVAL IT’S OUR BIGGEST EVER LINE UP!

Celebrating

EQUAL LOVE

SAT 25 & SUN 26 MAY

Spring Bank Holiday Weekend

Birmingham Gay Village

BANANARAMA JLS IPALOMAFAITH DJ SET

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A M E i STOOSHE i RYLAN CLARK Lucy SPRAGGAN i MISHA B i S CLUB H

DAVE PEARCE i THE MEND i BOOTY LUV

TICH i BABY BLUE i LIVIN JOY i KELLY LLORENNA i ANGIE BROWN i RECONNECTED plus over 100 acts and djs throughout the weekend

P L U S : D A N C E A R E N A I C A B A R E T M A R Q U E E I F U N FA I R R I D E S Limited AdVANCe tiCkets: www.birminghampride.com *FREE ADMISSION to the Festival site for Seniors (aged over 65 years) and Children under 10 (accompanied by an adult)

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Gatecrasher turns 20! How old? Yep, the clubbing super brand has officially been bringing roofs crashing down for two decades now. It was celebrated in monumental style over the bank holiday weekend as 10,000 of the most beautiful people the country has to offer descended on Donington Park for one of the UK’s biggest warehouse parties. With Knife Party, Nicky Romero, Laidback Luke and a whole heap of others providing the tunes, needless to say the place was absolutely rocking until daylight. And the best thing is, that was only part one! Keep your eyes on the skies, the location of part two will be revealed soon! Gatecrasher Birmingham is @ 182 Upper Broad Street, Birmingham B15 1DA, Gatecrasher Nottingham is @ 2 Queen Street, Nottingham, NG1 2BL

CATWALK AND COCKTAILS FOR A GOOD CAUSE! Nottingham’s Cornerhouse recently held its annual charity fashion show, managing to raise a mahoosive £2,185 for the MS Society! The evening kicked off with a ladies night in the Slug and Lettuce that was all about pampering, cocktails and nibbles, before moving next door to Revolution for the main event. The talented folk upstairs at Icon Hair and Beauty were responsible for hair and make up, styling the volunteer models to make sure they looked the business on the catwalk as they showcased John Lewis’s Spring/Summer collections for men and women. Dino and Pete, the boys from Capital FM’s Breakfast Show were on hand to compere the evening and also ran the charity auction that closed the night. The Cornerhouse is on Burton Street, Nottingham

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MOOCH BAR BIRMINGHAM Mooch’s multifaceted offering is reflected in its interior design which features a fusion of styles, textures, features and design details to create a space which is divinely decadent yet relaxed and comfortable. Art deco inspired details such as geometric wooden panelling and elegant pendant lighting are juxtaposed with button backed chairs in opulent berry and plum shades, sumptuous golden trimmed banquettes and metal riveted furniture to create a feeling of vintage, industrial luxury. The mix of clouded mirrors, decadent fabrics, metal detailing and distressed wooden floors in the bar conjures up a feeling of Art Deco Steampunk. It’s the perfect setting for Mooch’s range of premium sprits and comprehensive cocktail offering which includes a huge range of classic and contemporary Martinis as well as favourites such as Mojitos, Mai Tais and Long Island Iced Teas, all of which have been given a Mooch makeover. The dedicated diner style seating of the restaurant features period style industrial caged lighting and pressed glass dividing panels and it was here we decided to sample Mooch’s new menu. With a mix of casual favourite, reinventions and all new flavours, the diverse menu offers something for all palettes including burgers, pasta, rice and noodle dishes as well as range of grill house favourites. Popping in for lunch, we opted for Roasted Cajun Style Salmon which was spicy, aromatic and perfectly complimented by the sweet bed of noodles it sat upon. The mango salsa added another dimension of taste to the huge salmon steak which offered great value at just £8.20. My dining partner, being obsessed with all things hot, settled on the Mexican Firecracker Burger with piri piri mayo, Tex Mex cheese and jalapeno peppers. Served on board and newspaper with its own mini fryer of chunky chips, the burger

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Birmingham's bustling Broad Street has a new leader in the style stakes offering the city not one, not two but three entertainment options in glamorous surroundings. Mooch is not only a stylish bar but it's also a great restaurant and as the sun goes down transforms into a club with state of the art sound system, lighting and lasers.

also represented great value at just £7 especially when you take into account the fact that all produce is bought fresh and locally from local suppliers. There’s a whole host of daily food offers to take advantage of throughout the week such as 50% off all food on Mondays, to find out more visit www.moochbar.co.uk

Sitting in the restaurant, surrounded by all the vintage detailing, the venue feels epic and cinematic, like an amazing stage set ready for The Great Gatsby. Looking across to the bar however it feels much more like a production of Tron, another example of Mooch’s multifaceted nature. An intricate network of bisecting LED lights explodes from behind the bar and creates a spider’s web across the ceiling. Ever changing, it is this lighting feature which transforms the venue from stylish bar and restaurant into a vibrant and cutting edge 500 capacity club space 7 nights a week, with resident and high profile guest DJs playing a mixture of house, dance and R n’ B.

Open 7 days a week with a smart and glamorous dress code, Mooch is a great new addition to a bustling and vibrant part of the city, especially when you take into account it’s 3 in 1 offering of luxury bar, premium club and quality restaurant. For those with a taste for the finer things in life, mooch offers an exclusive VIP loyalty swipe card which offers the lucky few access to private VIP areas as well as monthly food and drink deals.

Mooch is @ 260 Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2HF www.moochbar.co.uk Tel 0121 633 4260

WIN!!! We've got an amazing meal for four with round of cocktails to give away to one lucky reader. For your chance to win, visit www.69-degrees.co.uk and click on competitions. Not a winner? Don't worry you'll be eligible for an exclusive VIP card!

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LAST WORD

Insider Tips: How to be a

So you reckon you could whip the dance floor into a Friday night frenzy? Or fancy yourself as the next David Guetta? We've got just the guy to get you there! Martin Wright is a respected name on the global clubbing circuit, having played to packed-out clubs and bars all over the world. Follow his top 10 tips to get ahead of the game:

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Put the practice in DJing isn’t all about technical ability. You need to know how to programme music and read the crowd, which only comes with experience. So put yourself out there and volunteer for as many gigs as possible - practice is invaluable, and will help you make the right decision when a customer asks you for Gangnam Style 50 times!

Keep it clean! It’s easy to get noticed for the wrong reasons, so make sure you have a good attitude. Be confident, enthusiastic, eager, helpful and professional. Show you know you stuff, but don’t be cocky. And watch out for the pitfalls of the music industry: birds and booze!

Brand Yourself Decide on your brand and your signature style. Continue this brand across all your marketing activities so that fans and the public can get to know all about you, both in your personality and music style.

It's who you know Build your own database of contacts, as well as a little fan base, and keep them updated on what you’re doing. However good you get, always be Mr Nice Guy – getting in people’s faces or slating fellow DJs is unprofessional and word gets around quickly. If you’ve put all that work in, you don’t want it to go completely Pete Tong!

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Get online Anyone can pull together a slick website, but if you’re on a budget, check out free blogging templates on sites like Wordpress. If you can afford it, some professional press shots will give you an edge. And no, asking your little brother to take a few snaps on his iPhone of you brooding in aviators against a brick wall probably won’t cut it. Unless he’s got a good eye for depth of field…

Make yourself viral Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and SoundCloud are crucial for budding DJs and music talent – look at what YouTube did for Ed Sheeran! Hit up every stream you can find and post fresh, inventive, original stuff – don’t just give us a running commentary about last night’s TOWIE!

mix it up Whenever you can, post DJ mixes and podcasts on your social media profiles – it could lead to your first guest-mixing slot on a radio show, or a stint warming up the Saturday crowd in your local pub. Make free DJ mixes as often as you can and give them out to friends, industry contacts, bar managers, whoever will take them!

tools of the trade Is that a stack of business cards in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me? Always keep a pile of them; wherever you go, you’ll always meet people who could make things happen. Just don’t give them all away to the girls who will invariably start hanging around your booth! Business comes before pleasure! Mostly.

KNOW YOUR TUNES Listen to Radio One’s Top 40 and the Beatport, iTunes and Traxsource charts. You need to know everything that’s out, the minute it’s released. Practice any mixing techniques you hear acapellas, looping, mixing effects and scratching will help you stimulate the crowd.

Hit the keys The DJs of today are the producers of tomorrow, so a good understanding of Logic, Ableton or Cubase music production software is essential. Piano lessons can work wonders for DJs it’ll give you a taste for chords and pitches, which will translate into phenomenal sets!

www.69-degrees.co.uk

Martin Wright offers private DJ tuition for the next generation of budding music talent – check out www.djmartinwright.com