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griffiti
Cover Image: Miguel Robaina
Contents
griffiti
Issue 27 October 2008
Editor Noel Burke Photography Miguel Robaina Nathaniel Doyle Staff writers Natasha Rocca Devine Maura Byrne Suzanne Fitzpatrick Contributors Gareth Barry Ian Gaughran Oscar Finn Sarah Canning Sandra Morris Sean Reid Oisin Collins Ciara Redmond Darren Cleary Layout & Design Noel Burke For all advertising enquiries please call 01-4150463 Printed in Ireland by Impression Design & Print
5 The Genuine Article 6 Party People 8 Elbow interview 10 Salvia Feature 14 Funeral for a Friend 16 Magick Macabre preview 18 ‘W’ The Film 20 Griffiti Style 26 The Blizzards 28 Reviews 33 Fashion 40 The chairmen from Hell
Griffiti Magazine Griffith College Dublin South Circular Rd Dublin 8 e-mail griffiti@gcd.ie All contents copyright of Griffiti magazine. Reproduction of any part of Griffiti without permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. page 3
Your new Students’ Union Student Union manager John McSweeney takes us through the new S.U Building’s recent makeover
“We wanted to create an environment where student’s could sit around and relax, watch a dvd or just chat, so we brought in brand new couches and carpets, a flat screen t.v, and painted all the walls.. it was hard work but well worth it.”
“The whole of the upstairs of the S.U has been painted also, and we added new pool cues and a digital jukebox too.”
“Downstairs has been given a makeover also, so students can come over and play table tennis and air hockey whenever they want.” Photography by Nathanial Doyle www.nathanieldoyle.com
The Genuine Article With Star reporter Drew Peacock
SU Prez does his bit for animal conservation
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tudents' Unions President Sean 'The Hobo' Reid recently spoke to The Genuine Article about his accidental responsibility to animal welfare. Reid (17) was recently surprised to find a rare Guatemalan Grass snake nesting in his luscious beard after a returning from a holiday in Galway. Reid (19) immediately contacted the Irish animal welfare association (ISPCA) about the renegade serpent. The Animal Group informed Reid that he could not forcibly remove the animal from its new habitat and that it was his obligation to ensure the snake’s safety by increasing his beards volume as it grows. “At first I was surprised and upset that I wouldn’t be able to shave, I’ve always prided myself on having the chin of a baby’s arse, but I suppose you have to play with the cards you’re dealt. So I’m hereby stating categorically that I will never shave my beard the Guatemalan Grass inhabits it! ”Said a confused Reid (27).
“From what I’ve heard about their gestation habits, the snake should vacate my beard sometime around March, which leaves me open to shave it during RAG week.” said a baffled Sean Reid (43) Former Students’ Union President Peter ‘Love Muscle’ Molloy has called on all GCD students to show sympathy with Reid’s predicament stating “Sean has to bare this load for the good of animal welfare! Nobody would grow that beard on purpose! We need to all get behind him now as he works through this tough period in his life.” The Genuine Article whole-heartedly supports a clearly bewildered President Reid (52.5).
The Guatemalan Grass snake in its new natural habitat
Sexy Staff Male 08/09 competition kicks off The annual sexiest male member of staff competition kicked off with a bang this week when GCD restaurant manager Chris Brownhill officially put his name into the hat for nomination. "I've heard about this competition from the lads around the campus and looking around I do genuinely think I'm in with a shot of scooping it!" said a confident looking Mr Brownhill. The sexiest male member of staff competition has been running in Griffith for the past number of years and has often resulted in intense rivalry among the male staff members, the most notable incident being in 2006 when Journalism lecturer Barry Finnegan famously pushed Head of
Business Seamus Fitzpatrick down the stairs after 'Fitzer' accused 'Baz' of being a ‘half-arsed candidate’ for the sexy male crown. Sandra Lally of the accounting department has been entrusted with registering this years nominees. “Candidate nominations are always slow at this time of year but I expect it to pick up over the next week or two as the lads gauge how hot the new students think they are. I’d imagine there will be a lot of pen dropping in the classes over the next few days” said a rather flushed looking Miss Lally. The Genuine Article will be covering this story as more candidates come out of the woodwork.
Griffith Gay TV In a bizzare move by GCD Residence manager Niamh Nimhochain, the Griffith Residence is now actively promoting homosexuality among its tenants. The situation came to light when it was decided over the summer months to split all male and female residences into different blocks. Currently all girls are living in block 1 and all the boys are living in block 2 (this has actually happened). When The Genuine Article contacted the Accommodation Officer to ask about this unusual move, Miss Nimhochain informed us that she came up with the idea to 'sex up' the residence in order to create more demand for apartments. "Originally we were going to just put a late night porn channel on the tvs at night in order to draw the crowds but one of the lads in the office made the point that 'straight sex was so 1990's and that the gay culture was all the rage now with such shows as ‘Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’ topping the TV ratings. So we figured we’d try it out for real" said a rather sensual sounding Miss Nimhochain."
hormonal teenage boys into one building together and 300 girls in heat in the other building and watch the action unfold on the cctv system!” said Niall Stafford in the accommodation office. When talking to 2nd year Journalism resident James Cunningham about the situation, Cunningham broke down in tears telling us "I swear I'm straight! Sure, I've been involved in one or two homo-orgies this week but who in this building hasn't! It's just not fair! It's like prison, when you're cut off from women you just have to make do with what you got!" Meanwhile the GCD LGBT society is now reporting a record number of new members with most new students citing 'curiosity' as their number one reason for joining!
“We thought it would be good to lock 300
The contents of this section are satirical and may offend. The views espressed here do not represent the views of GCD Student Union*
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Party People
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Griffiti talk to Mercury Music Prize winners
elbow his year's Mercury Music Award stayed true to the form of recent years and picked the underdog with Elbow's "The Seldom Seen Kid". Rather than picking bands/ artists that have been talked up by the media as having ground breaking or majorly influential albums such as Radiohead's "In Rainbows", Burial's "Untrue", British Sea Power's "Do You Like Rock Music?" and Arctic Monkey's mainman Alex Turner's side project "The Age of the Understatement" the people behind the Mercury prize went for a band on their four studio album with a cult following.
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Just a few weeks ago, Griffitti got on the blower to Elbow bassist Pete Turner. They had been nominated in 2001 for their debut album "Asleep in the Back", "Well it's not like we need to win it or anything coz we've got a pretty decent back catalogue........but if we do that's cool that we've actually won something, it would be nice to be recognised but we'll go to it just thinking that we're gonna have a great night and a good few pints. It would be great to win but not a big deal if we don't".
lbow began their musical career in 1990, all members come from the Bury area of Greater Manchester. The band soon started recording their debut when they were signed to Island Records but was eventually binned when the record label lost patience with the band and dropped them. It wasn't until 1998 that they released their first EP "The Noisebox EP" and two years later they followed it with their "The Newborn EP". 2001 seen the release of their first full-length offering, and Mercury nominated "Asleep in the Back". PJ Harvey won it that year, the event taking place on September 11th when the winner was announced Ms Harvey was staying in a Washington Hotel beside the Pentagon where one of the hijacked planes had crashed. Other nominations that year included Radiohead's "Amnesiac", Super Furry Animal's "Rings Around the World" and Gorillaz "Gorillaz", however at the request of Gorrillaz their nomination was withdrawn. Bassist Murdoc said "To win that award would be like carrying a dead albatross round your neck for eternity". Since then not one Damon Albarn related album from neither Blur, The Good, The Bad & The Queen nor Gorrillaz have received a nomination.
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Described as a "Stadium band that doesn't play stadiums", Griffiti asked Pete what he thought of such statements. "Ah, I don't know mate.......We've haven't really made it easy on ourselves like, we've never really written like a proper pop song that appeals to everyone, ya know we've never had that huge single that might get us into stadiums........but saying that, when we started out..... by now a lot of our contemporaries have fallen by the way side. Some band have a first album that does well and the second that doesn't and then sales plummet but ours have gotten better with each record....also, you know, we're all kinda into bands where it takes you a little while to get your head around them, ya know, you gotta invest some time to really enjoy what they're doing". The latest album "The Seldom Seen Kid" has received rave review again just like their debut, is this the album that's going to get you into a wider audience? "Oh yea, definitely mate, it's been doing so well since it came out and I would say that it already has. We've got a little break coming up now in September and we're going to get writing for the next album, you know, keep it up while the ball is rolling. Hopefully it won't be another two years before our next record is out...... We wanna keep up the momentum while the getting is good. Each tour has been attracting bigger audiences and we love that mate, we love playing and we love it that people actually like the music that we're making". page 8
rontman Guy Garvey sings every word like he truly means it, pouring emotion into every detail with the utmost care that would remind you of artists such as Jeff Buckley and other Manchester troubadours like Ian Curtis from Joy Division and Mossisey for the Smiths. Garvey recently confessed that when Velvet Underground member Welshman John Cale selected Elbow's "Switching Off" from their second album "Cast of Thousands" as one of his desert islands discs on a BBC radio programme he said that it "was probably the greatest moment in my life". So if Garvey bears his soul through his lyrics are the other band members such perfectionists in the studio while recording? "Well on this record all five of us were there all the time every day for five days a week for, like a couple of years (laughs). Craig and Potter and Jupp are real proper perfectionists while me and Guy are more...throw things at the wall, impatient like. None of use are restricted to one instrument, we all can play other things and if we can play a little tune and someone else likes it then we'll try and jam something out of it. In terms of production it was very much Craig at the helm but for the rest of us all there experimenting with as many different sounds and instruments as we could. And that's something that we all very much enjoy, who wouldn't? Creating weird sounds out of a new instrument is very exciting, we're very lucky that way coz it's a luxury really".
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However the band haven't had it easy, they've been with seven different record labels and it must be hard for it not to effect the band with so much chopping and changing. "The recent switch to Fiction was one that we really pushed for, where as in the past we've been dropped like. In the past it has effected us but we've just pulled together and got on with it, ya know, coz we know each other such a long time. On this album though it's been great....just like a fresh start. We've worked with some absolutely great people and sort of upped the profile a bit...........but ya know, we never really were the types that thought that we needed record deal just to make music. We've been lucky but we've been unlucky over the years too. That's life mate, but I have to say we love where we are now. It's great". he death of their friend, one of Manchester's unsung singer/songwriter heroes, Bryan Gancy effected all member of the band profoundly and "The Seldom Seen Kid" is dedicated to his memory. "Absolutely mate, he was such a lovely lovely man and a great and talented friend............ It was such a shock mate, a really really huge, horrible shock and it got to us all. Really made people think about their lives, you know, you realise that life can just be taken away for no logical reason whatsoever. We all took a look at our lives and toned it down coz we had been partying far too much and stuff........and for a long time we were fairly miserable really........But we wanted to pay tribute to Bryan and there are many parts of the album for him, not in a sad or depressing way but that we're happy that he was our mate and we're glad that we knew such a wonderful and kind and loving person. He was such a good chap, such a great friend. It was so strange, I still remember the phone call............ But I bet he'd be dead embarrassed about the dedication, he wouldn't have wanted some epic, horrible thing so we did something more uplifting and something that is a proper tribute to Bryan".
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In an interview after they'd won the award Pete admitted on TV that only Mark Potter had put money on them winning, Pete had actually put money on Neon Neon to win.... "I couldn't stop swearing the whole way up to the stage, I just couldn't stop, what a fuckin' surprise, we can't believe this."
“Some band have a first album that does well and the second that doesn't and then sales plummet but ours have gotten better with each record�
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"Make sure you are not o n your own when yo u d o it . Don't take anything else wit h it or drink alcohol and above all make sure you are sitting somewhere comfortable wher e yo u can't fall off " .
salvia: The drug they forgot to ban by maura byrne Page 10
ouTube is responsible for many a (mainly dubious) trend -the chubby light-sabre wielding Star Wars kid, anyone? - but most surprising is its role in the rising popularity of a drug called
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Salvia.
One New York Senator proposing a ban on Salvia said he was convinced it should be banned after watching YouTube videos of people having "psychedelic experiences" after smoking it. Far out. Type 'Salvia' into YouTube though and it's more Jackass than sixtiesstyle psychedelia; thousands of clips of (mainly American) kids rolling around floors, falling off chairs, even driving (badly) whilst under the influence of the South American herb. After watching the videos myself, I'm amazed anyone would want to try it. There's something pretty unappealing about turning into a gibbering wreck for five minutes whilst being laughed at by your mates. Not quite what the ancient spiritual Shamans of Mexico had in mind when they began using it during spiritual healing sessions, in order to achieve higher states of consciousness ‌.
History alvia Divinorum is a soft-leaved green plant native to South Mexico. A member of the harmless sounding sage and mint family, it's actually one of several vision-inducing plants employed by the Mazatecs to facilitate shamanic visions. Its primary psychoactive ingredient, Salvinorin A, is the only naturally occurring substance known to induce a visionary state.
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In short, it's apparently the strongest legal natural non-addictive hallucinogenic available. Sierra Mazateca in Mexico is a lush area of valleys and forests, home to the Mazatecs, an agricultural people producing beans, chillies and corn. The region has also long been a Mecca for botanists, attracted by the varied plant-life, including many species indigenous to the area. In the 1950's, New York banker, R. Gordon Wasson, visited the region and ending up being the first Westerner to sample Salvia Divinorum, alongside copious amounts of hallucinogenic mushrooms from the area. However on his return, he published a 17-page spread in Life magazine that concentrated on the virtues of the mushrooms. Timothy O' Leary then took up the mantle and the rest is history, man. If it wasn't for the Internet, Salvia may well have remained the secret of the hippies and Shamans.
Media Stories n 1998, a UK television documentary reminded viewers of Salvia's existence. Naturally, once the college kids found out about it, word spread and the ease in which a legal drug that genuinely worked could be bought online fanned the flames even further.
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Since then, medical experts, Accident & Emergency rooms and police worldwide haven't reported many cases that suggest any particular Salvia related health concerns or public order concerns. Despite this, interest in it has escalated, particularly within the United States right-wing dominated media where negative stories designed to raise alarms over its legal status and to sensationalize its effects have saturated the news, attracting the attention of concerned parents. Most reports compare it to LSD, despite the fact it is ingested differently and produces different effects, which typically last for only a few minutes compared to LSD, whose effects last for hours. One UK MP became aware of it after a front-page splash in his local paper appeared denouncing the legal high being sold in the area. His subsequent motion calling for a national ban attracted just ten signatures. As a result of this publicity, local sales of the drug soared by 800% in a day.
Legality "The Lord hath created medicines of the earth, and the wise man will not abhor them." (Apocrypha 8:4, Ecclesiasticus) Try telling that to the politicians. ccording to the New York Times a federal survey reported that 3% of US men aged 18 to 25 have used it in the past year and although the drug isn't regulated under US federal law, 13 states have "banned or otherwise regulated" it. Outlawed in Finland, Italy, Australia and Denmark, Salvia remains legal in Ireland with the Government having no immediate plans to take any action, although the Irish Medicines Board have investigated it and devotees fear its increasing popularity may eventually lead to a ban. Even if measures were introduced, Gardai would struggle. Unlike cannabis, its leaves are not instantly recognisable, it doesn't smell of anything in particular and it doesn't need any special equipment to cultivate.
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Arguments for and against it ost arguments against Salvia seem to have been of a preventative nature, for example, North Dakota Senator Randy Christmann stating "we need to stop this before, not after, it gets to be a huge problem" and MP John Mann's 'logical' reason for a UK ban was "The Australians have clearly found a problem with it so there's obviously a risk in people taking it."
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In January 2006, Brett Chidester, a 17-year-old Delaware student, bought Salvia four months before committing suicide by climbing into a tent in which a charcoal grill was lit. As a result, his case has continually been used in the US to support the anti-Salvia case. His earlier writings about his Salvia experiences have been used to suggest that it made him think "existence in general is pointless". His parents have argued that Salvia caused his depression and is largely to blame. A law was soon passed in Delaware classifying the herb as a Schedule I controlled substance. This legislation was named "Brett's law". It is interesting to note that at the time of his death, no trace of the drug was found in his body.
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pponents of a ban argue that such reactions are prejudicial and not rooted in any evidence, pointing out quite rightly that alcohol and tobacco are proven to be a lot more harmful. Indeed more than 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year as a result of alcohol-related injuries or as one blogger succinctly posts, "How many alcoholics do you see with no home, no job, no money; begging passing pedestrians for money?‌..How many potheads do you see in that position?" Counter-arguments that this is only because they can't be bothered to get up off the sofa, unless for snacks, remain unproven.
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Critics of a ban also cite the fact that there has not been much evidence to suggest that Salvia use is particularly problematic. Indeed, Professor Bryan Roth, director of America's National Institute on Mental Health's Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, has said "We think that drugs derived from the active ingredient could be useful for a range of diseases: Alzheimer's, depression, schizophrenia, chronic pain and AIDS." Incidentally the Mazatec Indians also use it to treat diarrhoea, anaemia, and headaches although I can't quite see Boots stocking it for these purposes just yet.
Experiment Feeling brave one weekend, I decided to try Salvia myself and phoned my friends for an accomplice. After describing it's supposed effects, I didn't get even one volunteer- and these are people who are no strangers to the odd recreational dabbling, especially when offered free. Still, I managed to recruit one kind soul who offered to sit with me "and take before and after photographs and mop up the dribble". Gee thanks. Heeding the advice that the owner of Temple Bar's Head Shop gave me, I made sure not to drink or take anything else with it and ensconced myself safely on the floor ie. somewhere that even I couldn't fall off. Choosing to smoke it, (a method foreign to the Mazatecs, who usually extract the juices to put in a 'tea'), I lit the pipe and inhaled, holding it in for as long as I could. Despite following the advised dosage to the letter, either I have the constitution of an ox or must conclude that in reality, Salvia is simply a case of the emperor's new clothes. I felt hot and dizzy and giggled a bit, yet none of the hallucinations I expected materialized and the slight effects I did get only lasted about eight minutes, after which I was completely back to my usual state. No headache, no sickness, nothing and most disappointingly I didn't even get to communicate with the spirit world once. Unsuitable for parties or clubs, it's definitely not a sociable drug and although a mildly interesting experience, its effects are not pleasurable enough to warrant a second go. However what my experiment did do was demonstrate perfectly how, rather than being based on any hard empirical evidence, most Salvia-related drug laws around the globe are merely results of social and political outcry, Based on my own hard empirical evidence, I expect that once the YouTube hysteria burns out, over-hyped and over-here Salvia will once again return to the preserve of the Mazatecs and hippies. As for me, I think I'll stick with my old buddy, vodka (in moderation of course!).
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Brett Chidester
“I felt hot and dizzy and giggled a bit, yet none of the hallucinations I expected materialized and the slight effects I did get only lasted about eight minutes�
ust ahead of the release of their fourth album, ‘Memory & Humanity’, Welsh rockers Funeral For A Friend are about to embark on their first major tour since 2007. We caught up with Funeral For a Friend guitarist, Kris Coombs-Roberts to talk about the new record and the upcoming tour.
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You’re kicking off on a European tour next week, is there any city you’re particularly looking forward to playing in?
Pretty much everywhere. We haven’t toured apart from a very short run of gigs in the UK in small clubs. We haven’t really toured or played since last December probably so we’re pretty much just looking forward to going everywhere at the moment.
Any plans to tour in the US? From your MySpace it seems a lot of people want you over there!
We’ve got plans to tour right up to the end of next year so it should take us everywhere from America to Japan, through Australia and then back into mainland Europe. We’re definitely looking forward to getting out there.
You announced that Gareth, your former bassist, had decided to leave the band in September because "the strain of travelling between continents had taken it’s toll". Do you find it difficult to drag yourselves away on tour sometimes?
Yeah, I think especially for Gareth at the time going between Vegas and the UK, it certainly affects you, it’s massive strain on a person. We’re based in the UK a lot of the time and he has a family in America so it made things pretty difficult for us. It does get stressful, the travelling aspect of it and especially not seeing our families but the difference for the rest of us is when we’re back in the UK we get to see our families and spend our time with them.
You played a number of intimate gigs over the years like at Bangor University and Wolverhampton Civic Beer Hall but also at huge festivals. Which do you prefer to play at- intimate shows or festival crowds?
I enjoy both to be honest, the difference you see at a club rather than a festival is that it’s generally all people that are really into your music as opposed to when you play a festival some people don’t know your music. I think there’s definitely more of a vibe when you play small, intimate kinds of shows
What was it like playing with Iron Maiden?
Amazing. I grew up listening to them and the experience was amazing. Iron Maiden fans don’t want to listen to anyone else though!
After working with Terry Date (who’s produced albums for Deftones and Pantera) and Colin Richardson(produced Slipknot, Trivium), do you have a favourite producer that you’ve worked with so far? I enjoyed working with them all honestly because it’s been a different experience working with everyone. We worked with a producer that’s a friend of ours and he’s only 23 years old. It was just a really good vibe recording with him so for me it was probably my favourite recording experience so far.
Any that you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
I couldn’t pick but we always look into who could fit into or maybe change our musical style and help us progress.
The new album is supposedly significantly different from the last 3. How have you changed on this album?
I think it’s like an amalgamation of all 3 records all built up to one sound. It’s pushing our sound forward. That’s something that we try to do; to not repeat the same sound or album time after time. People Page 14
would get bored and it would be like cheating people into buying your music. It’s definitely edgier and it’s got a lot more energy to it.
Did you have any particular inspirations or influences on this album?
We inspire each other and we basically get inside our own heads until we found the music! You always learn from it. Our approaches are all so different, when you come up with an idea for a song or someone else comes up with an idea, the material changes. Then you change how you approach it or how you think about it and the material changes. We get ideas off each other and that’s how we’re inspired.
You once had to reschedule a couple of shows back in 2006 because Matt had laryngitis. Is it difficult to stay fit and well on the road - to balance work and going out and having fun?
Yeah, I think it’s something you learn over time, that you can’t go out every night and perform the next day. We’ve never been big party people, especially Matt. That problem was all down to his tonsils which he had removed. It can get difficult but the older you get, the more you look after yourself anyway, as opposed to being 21-year- olds. You don’t drink so much. It can also be difficult because there are a lot of temptations. When you’re on tour you always get beer, there’s always really bad junk food hanging around so you’ve just got to be strong willed and just don’t go there. Just ignore it.
On the album ‘Hours’, you recorded vocals whilst in a moving car. Have you ever used any other strange recording methods on an album?
Not really, that’s definitely the strangest one! It was more about getting Matt into a comfort zone I think, to do his vocal track in. Sometimes when you’re doing something over and over again you can get a mental block and you find it difficult to get out of that mood you’re in. So it got Matt over his mental block initially and then Terry (Date, Producer) found it interesting. But we haven’t really done anything like that since, it’s just generally been singing in the studio rather than a car!
Is it true that you took the band name after a song by ‘Planes Mistaken For Stars’ or after the song by Elton John?
Well it depends on who you talk to in the band. Matt’s a big Planes Mistaken For Stars fan and he came up with the title and before Matt joined Funeral For A Friend we were originally another band called January First, but then Matt joined and he had the name. It does come from Planes Mistaken For Stars but the rest of the boys in the band aren’t necessarily big fans and all prefer to say that it’s named after the Elton John song.
Funeral for a Friend play at The Academy on October 14th at 7pm. The new album ‘Memory & Humanity’ is out October 13th.
Interview by Suzanne Fitzpatrick
“The difference you see at a club rather than a festival is that it’s generally people that are really into your music, as opposed to when you play a festival where some people don’t know your music”
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Hearts of Darkness It’s theatre- but not as we know it. Maura Byrne finds out more about Magick Macabre- a mixture of magic, horror, illusion and romance that’s set to rock the Dublin Theatre scene
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alloween: fancy dress, toffee apples and pumpkins. Not exactly frightening is it? This year however, Joe Daly, a little-known Irish magician on the brink of world domination, has decided to rescue the pseudo horror-fest by staging something genuinely scary: Magick Macabre. Running for seventeen nights in the Olympia Theatre, it's a magic and illusion show on a scale that Ireland has never seen before. Promising to push the boundaries, it will take the audience on a rollercoaster ride of thrills, fantasy, romance and terror with its original spectacular illusions live on stage.
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It is also the first time a magic show has been done where there is absolutely no dialogue - the whole show is set to a musical soundtrack including the Prodigy, Faithless, Beethoven, various Operatic arias and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, to name but a few - and to call it eclectic is an understatement. Now unless you move in the right (magic) circles, you probably haven't heard of Mr Joe Daly from Raheny yet thanks to Magick Macabre, he'll soon be a household name. Even, he hopes, as big as his idol, one Mr David Copperfield. I met up with him to find out more. Over the course of the interview, it transpires that Joe, 31, is actually pretty used to hanging out with the big boys of magic, beginning his career as Paul Daniel's assistant on stage in Blackpool. Ok so he was only aged 6 at the time and on holiday with his parents but from that fateful day, he says, his path was set. "From the moment Debbie McGee handed me a magic set as a reward for being a good little helper, I became completely fixated on becoming a magician". Now most people grow out of their "I want to be a pop star/racing driver/model" phase, becoming accountants/software developers/estate agents instead. Not Joe. In true parent style, his mother and father begged him to at least go to college and so he ended up doing a marketing degree in DIT, where he promptly set about devising and putting on, yes you guessed it, a magic show, putting everything he had into making it into a success. "I was never into card tricks or pulling rabbits out of hats - I was more into the David Copperfield type of magic. Also as a teenager I loved both horror movies and the theatre so I just thought up the brilliant idea to make an illusion show incorporating them. In 2003 I put on the show in the Helix, and to get the financial backing, I pretty much sold my soul, taking out a bank loan, a credit union loan and I even had to flog my car". Luckily the gamble paid off and as Joe explains, the show -Vapours, an early prototype of Magick Macabre - attracted quite an audience. "John McColgan, the producer of Riverdance, came to see it and said it was one of most amazing things he had ever seen. Fantastic really, all I had ever wanted, from the age of 6, was to become a magician and I knew that if I hadn't have done this I would have regretted it forever."
before their fifth birthday, this pretty much guarantees it's not going to be a Disney-type walk in the park. Asking Joe just how scared the audience are really going to be he promises "It will frighten the life out of people. It is not for the faint hearted at all and if you are of a sensitive disposition in any way then please don't come to see this show. The 15 cert is there for a reason; no magic show has ever had a cert like this. Magic may be traditionally associated with children but this not a family show - is very much for adults only". As story unfolds, using illusion, magic and special effects on a grand scale, the audience sees Daemon building his first assistant out of body parts. Anything further than that would give the game away and the audience can look forward to an extraordinary twist, or as Joe explains, a " very Hollywood movie ending, which will leave everyone discussing it, talking about it, not quite believing what they have just seen". The Olympia, a Victorian music hall-style theatre with its oldfashioned layout and heavy velvet drapes, is a perfect backdrop for such a show and if you're looking for a night out with friends or a particularly memorable first date, then Joe suggests booking the midnight show on Halloween night itself. "It is going to particularly fun as we are planning on giving it an extra edge of horror that night". If this has done nothing to wet your appetite, horror fans, an American version of Magick Macabre is currently being developed for Las Vegas with legendary horror movie director Wes Craven ("A Nightmare on Elm Street", "Scream", "Red Eye") at the helm. Quite a coup for young Joe? "When we went to Wes Craven last year with the script, he read it over night and said it was the most amazing idea he had ever seen and would love to be involved with it. At this stage I was just going 'Oh My God!'; it was completely overwhelming. So there I was flying out to see him - bear in mind that when I was 15 I had seen every Nightmare on Elm Street out - and I have to say, he was an absolute gentleman, nothing like anything I had imagined - well he is the creator of Freddy Krueger!"
he twisted storyline of Magick Macabre takes place in the mind of the main character, Daemon Cordell, who, like Joe, is a master illusionist. Unlike Joe though, he also happens to be a psychopath, living in the corner of a mental asylum. I asked Joe where on earth he came up with such an idea. "The idea really came from a story I heard about a magician who killed two of his assistants. I was thinking about this for a long time and realised that if a magician did kill his assistant by sawing them in half, then it would be the perfect illusion." Daemon Cordell does indeed go on to create this 'perfect illusion', which is how he ended up a broken drugged man in restraints, locked up in the asylum. Still deranged, what the audience see on stage are the fantasies Daemon is imagining, based on the evils he has committed in the past.
s a result of this meeting, Craven ended up writing a $15 million version of the show for a purpose built theatre in Las Vegas, for which Joe and John McColgan have created the magic and illusion part. Once the European tour of Magick Macabre finished, they hope to take it to Japan before finally opening in Vegas soon after. Suddenly the Helix seems very far away indeed. And what of Joe's childhood idol, his hero, the man who set him on the path to fame and fortune; will Mr Paul Daniels be receiving an invite to the premiere? "No way, I don't like the man at all. I met him twice in the last six years and both times he was the rudest man I ever met. I have no time for him whatsoever". A magician with taste, he'll go far.
The show comes with its very own "15" parental guidance cert. Given that most kids today have completed Grand Theft Auto several times
Magick Macabre starts in The Olympia Theatre on October 24. For tickets go to www.mcd.ie/www.ticketmaster.ie
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W Party animal. Drunk driver. Draft dodger. President.
Gareth Barry previews ‘W’, Oliver Stone’s controversial new film Page 18
ut is the film evidence of liberal bias in the mass media? Is it, my ass. Dubya's is the most filmed administration ever. Woodrow Wilson got his biopic two decades after he died, FDR's still waiting, and only JFK had a major film made about him while he was still president (PT 109, starring Cliff Robertson). Bush's lot, by contrast, have strutted across the screen in such revisionist propaganda as DC 9/11: Time of Crisis, and The Path to 9/11. To be sure, there have been dozens of satirical and largely hostile depictions of the administration's already cartoonlike gargoyles from Lil' Bush to Saturday Night Live to two Cheney-related projects I've not seen but badly want to, called Birdshot Mountain and Don't Go Nuclear! - but these two were, respectively, a primetime network TV movie and a Showtime cable movie, and they were made by hard righties. Richard Nixon dreamed of this kind of media adoration.
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xpect the American right to go nuts over Oliver Stone's W. The trailer for the eagerly awaited biopic is now online and offers lip-smacking glimpses of the man who would be prez's carefree bachelorhood: strip joints, dive bars, poker parties, drunk-driving, nights in the slammer, and the riveting scene where a chastened looking Dubya gets a lecture from his father, George H. W. Bush.
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"If I remember correctly, you didn't like the sporting goods job," the elder Bush says in the trailer. "Working in the investment firm wasn't for you either, or the oil rig job. You didn't exactly finish up with flying colors in the Air National Guard, junior." All of which is sarcasticly accompaned by the song What a Wonderful World. I can't remember the last time I said this about an Oliver Stone movie, but I can't wait. It looks like Dallas, or Dubya Does Dallas, with a hefty dose of Animal House, Urban Cowboy and Eagle Pennell's Last Night at the Alamo. And I think it might be a comedy, more like Dick or The Great McGinty than All the President's Men or Nixon. Oliver Stone has a sense of humour? Who knew? Stone says the film won't be a "polemic"‌ "Here, I'm the referee, and I want a fair, true portrait of the man," Stone told Variety. How did Bush go from an alcoholic bum to the most powerful figure in the world? It's like Frank Capra territory on one hand, but I'll also cover the demons in his private life, his bouts with his dad and his conversion to Christianity, which explains a lot of where he is coming from. It includes his belief that God personally chose him to be president of the United States, and his coming into his own with the stunning, preemptive attack on Iraq. It will contain surprises for Bush supporters and his detractors." The trailer de-emphasises the post-2000 years, but offers tantalising flash-forwards to W's cabinet, staffed by the likes of Ellen Burstyn (Barbara Bush, the Bette Davis role here), James Cromwell as Bush Senior, Richard Dreyfuss (upsettingly Cheneyesque), Scott Glenn (Rumsfeld), Thandie Newton (Condoleezza Rice, previously played - twice! - by Penny Johnson Jerald, 24's Lady Macbeth). Some of the casting is pretty provocative. Laura Bush is played by Elizabeth Banks, remembered by countless millions for masturbating in a bubblebath with a showerhead in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Karl Rove is played by Toby Jones, best known in America for his pissy-queen Truman Capote. And some of it achieves a weird metaness: witness short-fused Josh Brolin wearing the role of the youthful hellion like a tailored suit, and Method acting his way into a real-life barfight on the movie's location in Shreveport, Louisiana, last month. And his own dad played Reagan!
DC 9/11 came from expatriate British rightwingers Brian Trenchard-Smith and Lionel Chetwynd, who also wrote Hanoi Hilton but did so without ever mentioning a feller named John McCain (himself played by Shawn Hatosy in the adulatory Faith of My Fathers, with Stone's Rumsfeld, Scott Glenn, as his Pops). Brian and Lionel have a long history of whining about the US media's supposed (and entirely fanciful) liberal bias, but no one hindered them here. David L Cunningham, director of the widely condemned The Path to 9/11 (alternate title: "It's All Clinton's Fault!!"), turned out to be a member of Youth With a Mission, a fundie-religious outfit founded by his dad Loren. Alumni of that group are active in Hollywood, trying to squeeze Jesus in through the back door. nd yet, it is impossible to know what, if any, impact the film might have on the presidential election. Given that it's expected to be released October 17th, less than three weeks before voters go to the polls to choose Mr. Bush's successor. Democrat Barack Obama and other Democrats have tried to cast rival John McCain as representing a continuation of Bush administration policies, and a negative portrayal of that administration and Mr. Bush himself could feed into that narrative.
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Despite the hagiographic overload on the right side of the scales, Stone's movie - even with the preemptive alibi that was World Trade Center - will be taken as evidence that moviedom should immediately be targeted as the next front in the global war on terror.
More Stone on Bush‌ "It's a behind-the-scenes approach, similar to 'Nixon,' to give a sense of what it's like to be in his skin. But if 'Nixon' was a symphony, this is more like a chamber piece, and not as dark in tone. People have turned my political ideas into a cliche, but that is superficial. I'm a dramatist who is interested in people, and I have empathy for Bush as a human being, much the same as I did for Castro, Nixon, Jim Morrison, Jim Garrison and Alexander the Great."
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Griffiti Style
Skirt: Amy Lynam 2nd year fashion Photography: Nathaniel Doyle www.nathanieldoyle.com
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Aleana O’Shea 2nd year fashion Photography: Nathaniel Doyle www.nathanieldoyle.com
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Amy Lynam 2nd year fashion Photography: Miguel Robaina www.mrphotography.org
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Damien Corbett 2nd year fashion Photography: Miguel Robaina www.mrphotography.org James David Seaver 2nd year fashion Photography: Miguel Robaina www.mrphotography.org
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The Domino Effect
The Blizzards talk to
Natasha Rocca Devine
about their new album, making friends in L.A, and fantasising about Dolly Parton...
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s I sat in the distinctive Universal Music Studios in Dublin's City centre, awaiting the arrival of Niall Breslin or 'Brez' the Lead Vocalist and Guitarist of the 'Blizzards', a wave of adrenalin just hit. With Rhianna
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and Jay Z music videos playing over and over in the background in the brightly-lit office, it didn't take me long to realise that they too were up in a new league of music legends. My next thought was a curiosity as to how this five-man band had hit it bigtime with so many artists out of work? With the sudden entrance of an eye-catching, cool, calm 6Foot -Six Brez into studio, I knew my answers were soon to be completed and here was the best man to do the job. With a strenuous recording process of their second album, the first single 'Trust Me I'm a Doctor' being released and 'The Domino Tour' on its way along with charity events on the schedule, I had expectations of a lack of energy. I stand corrected. Brez keenly filled me in the perception of their 'Ska Punk' genre typecast. 'The core of what we do is The Clash, The Specials, Band Manners, mainly Old Ska and Punk bands. Continuing that 'he was always amazed about punk and how it began'. With an uplifting centre in all of their tunes, they 'just want to make a person who hears them smile, which in this day in age doesn't seem to be happening quite a lot'. When it came to the factors of their success, one indefinite 'no' was the aid of 'X-Factor Manager types' of whom 'dissect peoples lives and buy their bands as simply as their slices of bread.' Remembering 'Back in the Seventies and eighties when music was really at its peak, bands were developed and there was much more of a personal edge to it…That's what we're keeping in it'. A band with a '100% Commitment' as their foundation along with a firm ruling to only allow others with parallel passions to help with their musical process, is an indefinite reasoning to their fast-pace achievements.
Most recently, they have finished recording their second album in Los Angeles with one of the industries' finest music producers, 'Michael Beinhorm'; who has worked musicians such as the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Marilyn Manson, and who he now calls 'a very close friend of the band'. Whilst here, Brez seemed to have seen an insight into the industry 'As far as Los Angeles goes, I don't think LA knows what it wants'.
Furthermore, he agreed wholly with the advice that I received from a Casting Agent in Paramount Studios on my own networking trip, 'Own your own city before you try to accomplish any other, especially Los Angeles'.
With the mention of a move to the Star-studded LA, he states 'It's a big city and they don't give a crap about you…Luckily enough everyone in the band is quite strong and if we go there, we'll be going there for all the right reasons and not to throw a feather up in the air.' n a lighter note, we shared a similar adoration for the carefree nature of the life in Los Angeles. It's the only city that 'worldly-known' actors and musicians will roam the streets in a casual manner. One instance of this is clear when on a night out, Brez stumbled upon the 'Big Man' himself Ron Jeremy who then invited them to a lock-in in his local bar. The laid back nature of this city is something that would suit the manner of Brez, who has the quiet confidence of a star in the making.
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With their track record in mind, they are visibly a band who puts their plans into action. So, I decided not to miss the opportunity to seek advice for similar artists starting out. Brez informs me 'Don't believe everything you hear, No, everything you want to hear'. He is as sharp as nails. 'First and foremost, concentrate on your songs. Listen to great pop songs and seeing why they are great pop songs, then and why they still are now.' Lastly, 'It's essential that you surround yourself with people you love and really one-hundred percent trust'. Throughout the history of music, the trouble has been down to 'money or sex, so if you can cop on between the two you should be able to keep your band together'. Completely off guard, I decided to test the main man about his own roots in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. After five minutes of hard-graft, Brez received my prize as he truly impressed me with his statesmanship. It is here in Mullingar that he wrote their founding track 'Fantasy'. This song stemmed from his fantasy about an Eastern European lady in his local garage, who was novel to that of the young ladies of Mullingar that he had grown up with. When I cheekily asked of his own fantasy within the music business, Dolly Parton was blurted out. The ironic thing here is if his career keeps pacing on as fast as it has begun, his fantasy of meeting her may just come true!
“Own your own city before you try to accomplish any other, especially Los Angeles”.
verall, It appears that signing with the world renowned Universal label along with artists such as Paul Weller, Audioslave and U2 has kept his feet firmly on the ground. 'I don't think we'll realistically ever match up to those acts' and continues to share his awareness that 'they were established when the industry had an absolute and utter power'. Despite this, his drive was potent as he spoke the mind of a true artist 'we need to be realistic and understand that at any given moment we can be dropped on our arses and that's the reality of the music business. But we're giving no reason for that to happen.' This work ethic combined with an undoubted talent is a clear explanation of their inimitable mix in this new album 'Domino Effect'.
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Reviews How To Lose Friends And Alienate People (2008) Director: Bob Weide (UK) Starring : Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges, Megan Fox, Gillian Anderson. Release : October 3rd 2008
ow To Lose Friends And Alienate People follows the transition of swaggering journalist Sidney Young (Pegg) from his work at the witty Post Modern Review in London to the high-status Sharps Magazine in New York. Sidney is arrogant and celebrity-hungry (going so far as to bring a pig on a lead to the BAFTA’s claiming it’s ‘Babe’ in an attempt to get in with the VIP’s). When he is contacted by Sharps Magazine’s main man, Clayton Harding (Bridges) and asked to go and work with them, Sidney can’t believe his luck and travels with the dreams and expectations of New York’s glitz and Glamour, parties clotted with A-list celebrities and his long desired acceptance into high society. Of course, given his nauseating personality, he repels almost everyone he meets; like hard-working publicist Eleanor Johnson (Anderson), Stunning actress-of-the-moment Sophie Maes (Fox) and most of his pretentious work colleagues at the magazine. Sidney’s boss Clayton cannot believe how badly Sidney approaches working at Sharp’s but seems to see something unusual about him, a character that he used to resemble himself. Sidney meets fellow worker Alison Olsen (Dunst) who at first is utterly repulsed by him but warms to him gradually as she begins to see past his off-putting mannerisms.
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This movie is Simon Pegg’s first major expedition in the States and gives a highly respectable performance, with his portrayal of Sidney Young echoing that of The Office’s David Brent, although a bit more clever and daring. When asked how he created the cringe-worthy but at the same time lovable character of Sidney
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008) Director: Mark Hermon Starring : Asa Butterfield, Vera Farmiga, Jack Scanlon, David Thewlis Release : Sept 19th 2008 he boy in striped pyjamas sees the events of the holocaust through the eyes of an eight-year-old German Nazi boy called Bruno (Butterfield). Based on John Boyne’s best-selling book, we see Bruno and his family move from Berlin to the countryside as his father Ralf (Thewlis) is promoted to commandant of the near by concentration camp. The innocence of Bruno is a major theme in this movie and director Mark Hermon exploits this beautifully. Bruno refers to the camp as a ‘farm’ and the ragged prison uniforms as ‘pyjamas’. Bruno’s innocence is again clear when he befriends an eight-year-old prisoner called Shmuel (Scanlon). The friendship grows as the two play games and talk about life outside the ‘farm’. A lot is learned through Schmuels interpretations of the events he encountered.
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for the film, director Weide( also director of Curb Your Enthusiasm) said "Two words. Simon Pegg." This film possibly has the most prevalent cast that Film4 have ever had in one production and they do not disappoint. Each actor is fitted perfectly to their roles, with Jeff Bridges flawlessly epitomizing the persona of an intimidating, chain-smoking boss. Although the romantic plot between Alison and Sidney is a bit clichéd, the whole ‘Beauty And The Beast’, loathing turned to loving concept, it’s still entertaining to observe the turn around in feelings towards each other throughout the film. Dunst is also perfectly fitted to the down-to-earth, girl-next-door spirit. Some of the jokes and gags are a bit old school (things falling on people, people falling over etc.) with one scene involving a Chihuahua strongly reminiscent of There’s Something About Mary. Some aspects of the plot are a little bit predictable but it’s quite difficult not to find Simon Pegg hilarious as he brings some classic comedy moments to the screen(Prepare yourself for a very dodgy display of full frontal nudity in a certain lap-dancing scene) . Definitely an enjoyable watch but doesn’t go anywhere where other films of the genre haven’t been before.
Suzanne Fitzpatrick
3/5
The base of the movie is nothing we have not seen before. The boy in striped pyjamas shows scenes quite like those of Schindler’s list and this in a sense is nothing new to our screens. The hatred for the Jewish race by nazi Germany is also nothing new and the way in which Nazi propaganda turns Bruno’s sister from a carefree German preteen to a Hitler youth is again old news. Yet how Hermon portrays the friendship of the two boys strikes a chord as the image of an innocent wealthy German Nazi and a poor Jewish prisoner is something that has not been exploited in great detail before. The boy in striped pyjamas has a well thought out storyline although personally I don’t think any of the aforementioned actors will be winning an academy award anytime soon. Not to say this movie is not worth seeing, as it is. However it is advised to have some knowledge of the events during WWII.
3/5
Oisin
Collins
Saviours (2008) Director: Ross Whitaker Starring : Darren Sutherland, Abdul Hussein, Dean Murphy, John McCormack, Jimmy McCormack Release : October 3rd 2008
ilmed over 18 months with a budget of zero, "saviours" is an underdog's story in every sense of the word.It follows the the trials and tribulations of three amateur boxers from the St. Saviours Olympic Boxing Academy in north inner city Dublin. Directed by Liam Nolan and Ross Whitaker this gritty documentary focuses on the exploits of some of the more talented boxers of the club and paints a vivid picture of the day to day struggle they endure in their lives.
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Although not much emphasis is put on the in ring ability of Ghanian Abdul Hussein, his story is perhaps the most moving of the three as his biggest fight is to avoid deportation from the country.With his asylum rejected by the government it's the boxing club that rallies around his to try have the decision over ruled,Abdul's story depicts the hardship refugee's must endure, saying " you have no right to work, no right to go to college, no right to do anything". Darren Sutherland is the most recognizable figure in the film having captured a bronze medal at this summer's olympic games in Beijing.His talent is clearly evident from very early on its clear to see why the coaches put so much effort into the training and
development of Sutherland as a boxer.There disappointment is painfully evident when after nurturing him and offering to have him lead the club into the national championships he refuses to compete citing his reasons as "not being in shape" Despite abstaining from the competition in 2005 he went into win it 3 times in a row(2006/2007/2008) He is the success story of the documentary but despite his in ring ability and multiple successes he often times struggles to find a balance between college studies and boxing.
Altough some of the interviews are long drawn out at times theres very little to fault saviours on.The crew captured the raw passion and energy put into the club from the people involved aswell the raw energy and emotions of the bouts. Saviours is a must see for any boxing enthusiast.It reflects the emotions of three men fighting for a better life.
fter a much anticipated wait for 'Only By The Night', I have to admit I was bitterly disappointed. Following in 'Because Of The Times' pursuit, it seems that Kings of Leon are moving away from their roots and heading in a more mainstream direction leaving their originality and perhaps their talent behind. With the release of 'Sex on Fire' as their first single of the album, Caleb's now trained voice does not have quite as an appeal as it did when his southern drawl pulled on our heartstrings in 'Trani' in the early years album 'Youth and Young Manhood'. However it did give them their first number one single on digital downloads, before its physical release.'Use Somebody' sounds stadium bound at the start and the bridge is completely out of place to the rest of the song but the lyrics 'you know I could use somebody, someone like you' left me smiling. n the midst of all this negativity there is some hidden gems on 'Only
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Darren Cleary
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By The Night'. For those who appreciate amazing guitar work, Matthew has outdone himself on 'Manhattan'. 'Seventeen' shows off more of Calebs much missed Southern drawl, with the chiming guitars sounding like church bells an over all bluesy sound is achieved and much appreciated. 'Revelry' is a personal favourite of mine which is a sweet, piano Southern ballad which brings them back to their roots where they belong. lthough other people might disagree with me and see Kings of Leon not so much as changing but progressing, heres hoping the Followill boys will go back to embracing their roots and simply making mesmerising music.
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3/5 Ciara Redmond page 29
The Village People Tripod, Dublin Sept 28th, 2008
n the way into the venue, I overheard two women having a conversation, discussing their plans that would summarise the general atmosphere of the night's performance; "I can't wait to get in, since everyone here is gay I can dress like a slut and not worry about some guy perving on me all night." Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Tripod. Your guests for the night, The Village People; a concert that had more interesting events around it than the actual performance.
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I learnt a life-long lesson from tonight; it's possible to get into any gig in Tripod for free. Myself and my trusted companion where told by the clearly bored ticket-office lady that neither my name, the name of my editor nor the name of this magazine where down on the guest list. Upon ringing my editor and trying not to throw a "do you not know who I am" attempt, I simply quoted that Michael should have put my name onto the guest list. "Oh really? He must have just forgotten so, go on in." Folks, only a fool would purchase a ticket for a gig here again. Well, until they cop on as 200 Griffith Students claim they should be on the guest list, but I'll be long out of the country by then. pon entry, I was amazed at what my eyes had stumbled upon. At essentially every gig I have ever gone too, music is played to stop the audience from becoming bored and people scramble towards the stage in order to get a "good" place to view the band. Tonight however, was very different. Yes, there was still music playing to keep the masses happy, but the masses where dancing in full swing, almost as if they had come tonight to see the DJ and not the Village People. Needless to say I was taken back, enjoyed the atmosphere, but figured I'd look out of place dancing to disco classics while wearing a Rage against the Machine t-shirt. The audience deserved a hell of a lot of credit for making the night worthwhile, who where more entertaining than the act they paid almost â‚Ź60 to see. Many guys and girls came dressed up in their brilliant and over the top police costumes and builder outfits. Those who decided to not try take away from the Village People wore incredible outfits, full of sparkle and energy, and where leaping and dancing across the dance floor with moves that made we wonder where these guys getting any money from the ticket sales.
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This sight didn't stay too perfect for me for long though, as my friend had returned from the bathroom as pale as a ghost.
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"Go to the bathroom, you're not going to believe what the hell is in there" he said under his breath. My mind started racing at what could have shaken him up so much.. I reassured myself while waking to the toilets that he must be just overreacting to something, until I indeed saw what had horrified him so much. A urinal, full of blood. No, I'm not making this up. There was indeed a urinal with blood in it. Or BBQ sauce, but I don't want to know how that would get there. he Village People arrived on at 10pm on the dot, with the crowd going crazy, screaming and throwing their hands everywhere in the air. It was very easy to spot who the original members of the group where by the amount of energy needed to do the simplest of dance moves. The group spent more time talking to the crowd than they did singing or dancing. As the night went on, you could see more and more people becoming increasingly fed up with the bands rants and just wanted them to get on with the show. Eventually they stopped doing covers and cracked out 'In the Navy', which got everyone quickly back in the mood. The band then quickly ran off, and then back on again to belt out the song that everyone knew and, ahem, loved, YMCA. But first, we where treated to more ramblings from the band! Just what we wanted! Then we where brought through the dance moves of YMCA, a letter at a time. "Before we play it for you though, we always let the crowd decide what song we finish on, so what do you want to hear?" My cries for 'Freebird' and better grammar where ignored as YMCA started. Damnit.
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They played for less than an hour. Tickets where almost â‚Ź60. Therefore, in order to see The Village People, you need to pay over a â‚Ź1 a minute. I didn't blame all the disappointed faces that walked out. I felt even worse for the poor people who had just arrived at 10:50 and where told they missed the gig.
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Sean Reid
The Mighty Boosh Olympia Theatre, Dublin Sept 17th, 2008 Suzanne Fitzpatrick nyone who has seen the show on television would figure that should a live show ever come around, it must be amazing. With the incredibly zany costumes, mind-blowing sets and hilarious scripts, they’d be completely right too. After their first live tour back in 2006, The Boosh are back bringing their uproarious feast-for-the-eyes around the UK and Ireland and it’s even bigger and better than the first time around. The stage is made up of a giant Boosh logo with steps going up around it to a platform at the top. Throughout the show, the centre of which revolves around to contain the drum kit for the Boosh band. A review that appeared in a newspaper last week complained that it contained too much old material and I couldn’t disagree more.
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he show is almost divided into three parts ; the first half of the show welcomes some favourite characters from the show to the stage including Tony Harrison, Crackfox, The Hitcher, Rudy, The Moon and of course Bob Fossil, Naboo and Bollo in all-new sketches, but also a new character, Krakow; a Lithuanian stand-up comedian dressed in Speedos and a sports jacket with a blingy gold chain. It was a great surprise to see Tony Harrison in a live show as the character is essentially Noel Fielding’s head with a rubber mask to transform him into the pink, octopus-like, alien shaman. It works out perfectly in the show though, as Harrison sits on an armchair on top of a big box (Noel’s head in the mask is all that’s visible) and presents his own chat show. The first half also contains a number of well
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known songs, new versions in some cases, like the ‘Jazz Fusion’ form of ‘Eels’ and an extended version of ‘Future Sailors’ which of course had all the crowd singing along. The second half is Howard’s attempt at a ‘serious’ play. He wants there to be "laughing and learning" but of course his dismal portrayal of how the world will look in the future; "Earth. 2009.", soon get interfered with / glammed up by Vince. The plot reveals 2 other new characters, Sunflash and his robot sidekick Bublè, with fantastic costumes (quite revealing!), and new songs. They arrive on stage in a huge mirror ball space ship with polo mint windows and sparklers coming out of it. he last section of the show is pretty much The Boosh Band. Howard and Vince start the infamous crimps and the curtain lifts up behind them and they go into playing 4 or 5 songs(all written by Barratt and Fielding)including ‘Nannageddon’ in full granny costume! With Julian Barratt playing guitar, and Noel Fielding on vocals, the band sound amazing and the crowd go wild, some dancing around in their homemade costumes of Old Gregg and The Hitcher. The show really is the best thing you’ll experience in a long while. Highly, HIGHLY recommended. All that’s left to wonder is will there be a fourth series? If the new material in this tour is anything to go by, let’s bloody well hope so.
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(5/5)
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Star Wars: The Force Unleashed LucasArts Released 19th Sept 2008 PS2, PS3, PSP, DS, Wii or years games based on movies have always been shite and Star Wars is no exception. It is a franchise that has had more sucky games then I’ve had hot dinners. With The force unleashed Lucasarts intends to buck that trend by creating a game based on the concept of “kicking ass with the force” , and from early development footage online I was hoping that this game could live up to the hype. However like the trailers for the recent star wars film I was ultimatly prepared for dissappointment
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The story is designed as an extra entry in the Star wars canon bridging the game between episode III (return of the Sith) and episode IV (A new hope) which gives the designers plenty of scope to develop an epic action adventure game, And they certaainly achieve that from the off with the iconic yellow logo and txt crawling through the galaxy accompanied by John Williams excellent score. From there we find ourselves with Darth vadar, in typical bad bastard form, on the Wookie homeworld of Kashyyk as he pursues the remnants of the Jedi order through the galaxy. It is at this point you get to take control of Vadar and get to open up a can of Sith brand whoop ass on chewbaccas friends and family. The controls are simple to pick up and there are plenty of button bashing combo attacks to try out. It is almost a game in itself figureing out how many ways you can pick up wookies and launch them of the nearest cliff, or turning them into dog food with force lightning. After this you encounter your first boss fight with a Jedi and you get the first glimpse of a full out Jedi/Sith face off. To finally defeat the boss you must follow the on screen commands to enter a sequence of buttons in the alloted time. fter this opening level you are introduced to your character and the story gets under way. You play as Darth Vadars secret apprentice travelling throughout the galaxy carrying out your masters wishes, mostly killing Jedi scum. It wouldn’t be Star Wars if you didn’t have a whole host of secondary characters and this is no exception. Onboard your ship (the rouge shadow) you meet your C3PO-esque droid called Proxy, who shows his affection for you by declaring his desire to fulfil his programing and kill you. You are also introduced to your pilot/potential love interest Juno Eclipse, fortunatly these characters are only involved in the cinematic sequences and do not interfere with your intentions of inlicting chaos and destruction wherever you go. Unlike with the Darth Vadar level at the beginning of the game you start out with only a few basic moves which can later be upgraded by collecting points gained through defeating enemies with basic attacks and combos, and there is no shortage of adversaries ranging from tiny Jawas to storm troopers to hulking great Rancor beasts. There is also a huge diversity in the worlds
you travel to be it a post apocalyptic wasteland to an eden like world to the labyrintine corridors and passageways of the Death Star. he Cinematics are as good as anything from the movies, the cast had all their performances captured using specialist camera equipment which along with the new physics systems (HAVOC, DMM, and EUPHORIA) really goes a long way to imersing the player in the game. The game is available on all the major platforms, the Ps3 and Xbox 360 versions are essentially the same. The versions developed for the other consoles (PSP, Wii, Ps2, and DS) all have unique features and content developed for them. The Wii version for example uses the Wiimote to act as a lightsaber with the nunchuck controlling force powers. The game is not without its flaws however there are some lag issues and some fiddly platform elements where if you die you’ll have to replay much of the level over again. Some levels are incredibly frustrating one in particular, involving a star destroyer had me shouting obscenities at the T.V. until I was hoarse and the absence of a multi-player/online mode on the big consoles is a let down (hopefully availlable as a download in the future) . Overall this is a great game and a must for Star wars fans wanting to know what happens between the two triogies (there is a lot of twists and revelations). Star Wars: The force unleashed is out now. I could finish up with some quote like “may the force be with you” but that would be sad so how about let out your inner geek and kick ass with the force.
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Oscar Finn
4/5
Griffiti Fashion Dublin Fashion Week 2008 The Ultimate Girls Day Out Trinny & Susannah’s Style Academy
Edited by Natasha Rocca Devine
Bright sparks come out at Dublin Fashion Week riginally founded by Sonia Reynolds, Motorola launched the seventh season of its three day trade fair event to 'bring together the hottest labels,' of whom showed their collections for Spring Summer 2009. This allowed both Irish and International designers a place to showcase their work to the public, as well as national and international press. Luckily for us, this event is biannual, which means it will be back in February to showcase the Autumn Winter 2009 collections…as we know fashion is an industry that is always one step ahead!
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The Designers Name: Sinead Doyle Label: Sinead Doyle www.sineaddoyle.com
What motivates you? Essentially, what is your driving force as a designer? As a designer I am always interested in how clothing can change the outside perception of a person and the meaning of different garments. I blame growing up in the 80's and watching movies like Pretty Woman, Working Girl and Wall Street for my obsession with tailoring and my modern takes on power suiting. Working for myself I can do a bit of everything from the business plan, marketing and when it comes to the most enjoyable and important part, designing, I do more than just sketch. I research, design, toile, change things about, cut my own patterns and make my own samples. My career is my life and I wouldn't be happy with it any other way.
Do you feel that being an Irish designer, where fashion may not be as immersed in the culture as other countries has been a hindrance to your career starting off? There are advantages and disadvantages to starting a design career in Ireland. I feel it's very important for Irish designers to spend time abroad. With this in mind, they need to learn about how fashion is entwined in the culture of other countries too because they need to know the competition and give themselves every advantage.
investment in this area. Currently, my focus is on high end heavily tailored daywear for professional women. This is not a market that has been greatly explored by Irish designers. Nor has a great tradition because the professional working woman is a new enough phenomenon in Ireland. Overall, being part of an emerging market in a country which is getting over the Celtic tiger madness and beginning to appreciate fashion properly and fully is very exciting.
What are your future goals and do you see them based here in Ireland? Personally, I want to establish my label and make it work as a business. Within 5 years, or 10 seasons, I hope to be exporting initially to the UK and then further afield but, for the moment, I am concentrating solely on the Irish market. The ideal situation would be to do some freelance work for foreign companies after I have established my own label or to spend time abroad as part of my work with my Irish based label. I don't plan to move my business abroad. It would be nice to get an international reputation as a great label from Ireland but, I'll never say never. Circumstances might make Ireland too expensive or difficult to run a business in and I'm always aware that I'm running a business, not just a fashion label.
Despite this, we really do have an advantage in Ireland because our design schools are much more practical and we emerge with an ability to cut and sew. Ireland also has a fantastic knitwear tradition and there is quite a bit of
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Name: Davina Lynch Label: Millinery Collections www.davinalynch.com What motivates you? Essentially, what is your driving force as a designer? As a Designer and essentially as a Milliner I am motivated by a natural desire to learn new techniques as well as old traditional ones and combine them to create something new.
Do you feel that being an Irish designer, where fashion may not be as immersed in the culture as other countries has been a hindrance to your career starting off?
returned from my training in London, and while I was in London I have seen fashion designer's struggle for recognition and financial support also.
What are your future goals and do you see them based here in Ireland? In the future I would like to eventually be an established Milliner, basing myself in Ireland while working closely with designers in London and Paris and also selling to the general public.
I don't feel that it is necessarily being an Irish designer, I think its more the fashion industry in general. I have received a lot of support from people in Ireland since I
Name: Victoria Foutz Label: Bijoux www.victoriafoutz.com
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Coming from Colombia and having worked in the fashion film industry in Rome, you are unique in comparison to the Irish born designers. In this sense, how and did your career as an 'Irish' fashion designer originate?
Certainly after your time working in Italy, the fashion hub of the world, you must be aware of the standards and markets for a business to survive. Do you think that the smaller Irish industry has the capacity to reach these needs, in relative terms?
I've been living in Ireland for the last fifteen years, so when I came here with my husband who is a screenplay writer I decided to start up here. I thought that I'd love to work with Irish designs and mix them with a Latin twist. So, I used a Celtic cross and mixed it with some of the Crystal Quartz from Colombian origin. Following this, Joan Bergin, the esteemed costume designer for the Broadway New York launch of Riverdance, was intrigued by my creations and commissioned my crosses for use in this show. Evidently, this gave me the confidence to keep going and offer my designs to Irish Boutiques.
I think that there are plenty of very, very good designers here. The only problem is that the country is small, so when you have been established in the top twenty boutiques, the chances are that you have to go to a bigger capital. Regardless of this, I think it is an excellent starting point for an upcoming designer. In my case, I don't want to go any bigger. This suits me and what I adore most is the intimacy of the business. There is nowhere else in the world that could compare to Ireland in this way.
The Ultimate Girls Day Out his event was designed as a place of pure pleasure to suit the modern-day Irish lady. The mix between pampering stalls, designers collections on sale, Champagne and Chocolate fountains…not to mention the fashion show hosted by the remarkable Lorraine Keane, allowed a perfect balance to a day of escapism for every individual who was lucky enough to attend.
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Trinny & Susannah’s Style Academy A
long with a stunning fashion show and fashion stalls galore, this twosome lived up to any expectation that they set up for themselves prior this event. With charisma, fashion awareness and a sense of authenticity about them, the evening went plain sailing and their tips went down a treat in Dublin's Merrion Square.
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A Coat's Tale…
Island to Zara and, if splurging, Brown Thomas.
Griffiti's Sandra Morris takes us on a quest to find the perfect winter coat. We have rounded up the best shapes out there; now all you have to do, is pick your vibe and get shopping!
Considering the current economic doom and gloom, purchasing a classic style coat that won't date, makes sense, and will see you through many different times and occasions. Generally, a casual jacket or coat will be shorter in length while an evening coat should come to the knee or slightly longer. Picking a neutral shade or pattern will make matching it to your outfits easier. It probably also is a good idea to choose a heavier fabric for your evening coat for those positively artic nights where it is impossible to get a taxi home! Choosing you coat, the trick is to look out for detailing. Generally, the more money you put into clothing, the better the fit and quality will be, but even when shopping on the highstreet, make sure finishes and detailing doesn't give you away. Beware of tacky or cheap looking buttons or lining; too short sleeves, ill placed pockets or collars that add bulk to your frame. Very often, as with most things, less is more!
ur summer, if that is what you can call it, is officially over and it's back to the cold corridors and classrooms of Griffith College once again. Considering the fact that we soon will be facing chilly mornings and long dark evenings, a good winter coat is essential. The high street is brimming with winter coats at the moment, different styles, colours and price tags, now all you have to do is read our guide and pick the one that suits your body and budget! Everyone should have at least two winter coats in their wardrobe, one for casual day wear and a dressier one for evening. A jacket or coat does not have to cost an arm and a leg in order to look good, depending on your taste and budget, there are great options available ranging from Dunne's Stores and River
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This feminine, military, double breasted coat with its bubble sleeves, frill and pleating detail is THE perfect coat for the your LBD. New Look €75 This Little Red Riding Hood inspired "Hooded Button Detail Coat" is the ultimate practical daytime coat. A college staple in the making. €80 at Topshop Cute As A Button! I don't know what is cuter, this cape or the designer's adorable name! This Nikki Pumpkin check detail wool cape is available from online store asos.com for a reasonable €128.99
Charcoal Rich Wool Check Bomber. Team with a white t-shirt and open grey zip-up hoodie and jeans for an effortlessly cool look. €98 in high street giant Next.
Tartan-the new leopard print? udging by D&G’S AUTUMN WINTER collection, its clearly evident that yes leopard print is now on its way out and tartan as daunting as it may seem to some is now on its way back. Inspired by the British countryside Domenico Docle and Stefano Gabanna have said ‘ Tartan was a key theme this season. We were inspired by the movie ‘The Queen’. The high street shops are also awash with tartan in every conceivable way.
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Tartan hats, tartan tights, tartan shoes, tartan belts, tartan bags, and not an animal print in sight! Don’t get me wrong I’m liking the print but D&G’s ad campaign for this season portrays an over the top check mate family wearing nothing other than tartan. However its inevitable that just as we grew to love leopard print, we will grow to love this seasons new dominating print. So girls and guys ( yes river island has an amazing line of tartan inspired bits for the guys too!!) discard the leopards, zebras, tigers and the like and make room in the wardrobe for some laid back country style.
Sarah Canning
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Too Much Too Soon Ian Gaughran looks at the latest big money takeover of a Premiership club, and wonders what it will mean for managers and fans
“Our goal is to make this club one of the best, not just in England, but the world. To reach that goal, there is no limit....” Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim September 1st 2008 oney talks. Especially in football, and these days...especially in English football. The transfer of Brazilian star Robinho from Real Madrid to Manchester City, as opposed to Champions League runners up Chelsea is just one example of how money holds sway.
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Chances are, before September 1, you will never have heard of Dr. Sulaiman Al-Fahim or Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Early that morning, City majority shareholder Thaksin Shinawatra signed a memorandum of understanding with the Abu Dhabi United group (ADUG). This would see the Arab company taking a majority stake in the football club and in doing so, shaking up European football. Al-Fahim, the front man of the group, has promised to turn City into a top four club within three years, as well as promising to bring in a number of ‘galactico’ signings. They are dreaming of instant success, “A place in the Champions League is quite a jump from last season, but we will sit down with the manager, identify the players he would like, and bring the right players to the club. This season we would like to be better than last season, and we are eager for trophies next season”. Realistic goals??? ADUG join Roman Abramovich (Chelsea), Aston Villa’s Randy Lerner and the Glazer family at Manchester United among other foreign investors in the premier league. To date, the most successful transformation of a clubs footballing fortunes has come at Chelsea, where since acquiring the club in 2003, Abramovich has invested over £550m in an attempt to turn the Blues into one of the world’s best known clubs. They’ve won two
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domestic titles, an FA cup, a league cup and were the width of a post from lifting the prize the Russian billionaire so covets, the UEFA Champions League. Purely judged on Chelsea’s exploits over the past five years, one can understand the optimism among the blue half of Manchester. But it’s not always rosy in the garden. When a super rich owner buys a football club he has extremely high expectations, and he’d like a return on his investment post haste. As if managing a football club isn’t hard enough. Owners have their own ideas on how to play the beautiful game, and have been known to interfere in player selection and the team’s tactics. This is evident at Chelsea. For all of the success, there have been four different managers during the Abramovich era, and this managerial merry go round is down to issues highlighted above...expectations too high, impatience, and above interference. Even The Special One only survived a month into his third season!!! In fairness to such owners, it’s not all doom and gloom. At Aston Villa, there seems an understanding between the manager and the clubs hierarchy, which is similar to the situation at Manchester United. Neither Randy Lerner at Villa, nor the Glazers at United seem to meddle in team affairs, or attempt to sign their own players without consultation with the manager. These owners have identified that the manager they employ can be trusted with their club and can develop, progress and deliver success.
“Martin O Neill turned an offer down from Spurs while he was at Celtic, and he insists he will never work under a Director of Football”
everting momentarily back to Man City, those with a propensity for gambling surely wouldn’t offer large odds on Mark Hughes remaining in a job come the end of next season (2010). This is a club trophy-less since 1976 (and haven’t been close since), they finished a mediocre 9th last season, and the new boss wants trophies next year!!! Hughes has already proven himself an above average manager at club and international level, but with Al-Fahim bandying about possible transfer targets such as Ronaldo (perma-tanned and Portuguese, not fat and Brazilian), Torres and Fabregas. How long will it be before they start seeking out a marquee name as manager?
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This leads to another worrying and rather irksome development in modern football...the Director of Football. In recent days, Newcastle United has become a club in turmoil. Now up for sale, they are managerless, and the squad mediocre. Their delusional fan base has become incandescent with rage over the fact that billionaire owner Mike Ashley has ‘brought shame and ridicule on the club’. Now when I say delusional, I refer to the fact that said fans maintain that they are a ‘big club’. Statistics show this just isn’t the case. Newcastle haven’t won a major honour since 1955 and were last champions in 1927!
“When a super rich owner buys a football club he has extremely high expectations, and he’d like a return on his investment post haste.”
The shame the fans speak of was brought on by Dennis Wise’s appointment as the club’s Director of Football. Manager Kevin Keegan left the club blaming the management structure for his resignation stating that it left him with little or no influence over the clubs transfer policy. Keegan enjoys God-like status on Tyneside and news of his exit led to revolution against the board. Demonstrations in the city applied pressure on Ashley and banners labelling himself and Wise ‘Fattyboy’ and ‘Ratface’ were paraded around the stadium. The problem is that top managers feel undermined by such Directors of Football. Martin O Neill turned an offer down from Spurs while he was at Celtic, and he insists he will never work under a Director of Football, “some directors of football have power without responsibility”. This is a view seemingly shared by Arsene Wenger, who has come out in support of Kevin Keegan.The silly thing about all of this Newcastle nonsense is, in his impassioned statement on the sale of Newcastle, embattled Ashley claimed he wanted to build like Arsenal, “Arsenal is the shining example in England of a sustainable business model”. Hmmm...Arsenal don’t have a Director of Football Mike!!! Long term, what does the future hold for English football? Is it possible that big money takeovers, an overreliance on foreign imports and huge debts are in danger of destroying the game? It is the ordinary fans that clubs cannot afford to neglect. Watching a live game must remain an affordable prospect for supporters, and it would be an awful shame if an average family could not afford to attend games. If the Abu Dhabi group are serious when they say they will stop at nothing in a bid to make City the biggest club in the world, and if the ‘shameless’ Mike Ashley can find a buyer for Newcastle, one who “can lavish the amount of money on the club the fans want”, and if the influx of foreign investment continues in the premier league (there are a number of investors hovering). Maybe, just maybe, one or two could gate crash the “Big Four’s” party. As football fans we can expect exciting times ahead...but at what cost?
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Leonard’s Corner cafe bar 117 South Circular Road
Lunch served Mon-Fri 12:30-3pm
Sat-Sun
Panini, Wraps, Ciabattas, + Hot Specials every day
Soups, Sandwiches + Rolls
“Excellent drinks & cocktails in a friendly atmosphere”
Ph: 01 454 2332
Fax: 01 416 4301