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February 24 / #309
editors Holly J. McDede Adam White
art commissioner Ana Dukakis cover art
Ellie Green
illustrators Taseen Rahman
Music 04-07 editors Myles Earle Mike Vinti
So, this is the drugs issue. Great. Cool. The kids will love it. Venue sales rates will triple. See, I’m a little cynical about drugs. I’m from California, where marijuana has names like ‘Alaskan Thunderfuck’ (am I allowed to say that?) and promises to “thunderfuck your senses” (probably not allowed to say that either). My friends in California routinely announce they’re starting pot brownie businesses and ask me to try their samples. I’m always glad to help. When I first moved to Norwich, I became very poetic about weed. I was home sick. I missed the way California smelled, and California often
Fashion 08-09 editors Gemma Carter
Helena Urquhart
smells like weed. I wanted to sit near people who smoked it, close my eyes, and just pretend I was in California for awhile. I thought I could jump on all that marijuana smoke and fly right home. If you’re smoking weed, you must be in California, right? Where else would you be? But then the first British guy I found rolling a joint was rolling it with tobacco. I asked him what the point of that was, and he said, “What do you mean? You mean it’s possible to smoke weed without tobacco in it?” And then I realized I definitely was not in California. And that’s pretty much where I’m at right
now. If it can’t transport me to another place, I have trouble caring. One more thing. You may have heard the ice cream truck sound that goes through the Larkman at night. Everyone thinks the guy is a drug dealer. But, to clear his name, I would like to say that I have seen him hand out candy and ice cream to young children. So he might be selling drugs. But he’s selling candy, too. Hopefully, like the ice cream truck driver, this issue does more than just drugs. Keep it real, kids Holly J.
Arts 10-11 editor
Creative Writing 12-13 editor
Katie Kemp
Jake Reynolds
contributors
contributors
contributors
contributors
Myles Earle, Jennifer Erik, Oliver Hughes, Daniel Jeakins, Mike Vinti
Sharon Abraham, Melissa Haggar, Lindsay Stark
Adam Dawson, Lucinda Swain
Blythe Aimson, Julian Canlas, Vicki Maitland, Claire Reiderman, Nina Ward
Gaming & Tech 15 editor
Television 16-17 editor
Film 18-21 editors
Love and Listings 22-23 editor
Joe Fitzsimmons
Adam Dawson
Neven Devies Silvia Rose
Daisy Jones
? contributors
contributors
Tom Bedford
Abi Constable, Sam Naylor, Dan Struthers, Lydia Tewkesbury
contributors Isis Billing, Troy Boatman, Ruth Ilott, Martha Julier, Amy Lee, Louis Pigeon-Owen, Silvia Rose, Adam White
contributors It could be you!!
music
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concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
Grammys aren’t so gold
MTV
FLIC
UNS ES M JAM KR (
ON)
Oliver Hughes takes an in-depth look into the dark side of the Grammys
Another year, another Grammys. It’s hard to made it popular. Suddenly, this new brand of artist and has produced some superb works, express any real interest in the ultimate awards music was marketable in a country where the but Morning Phase was not among them. ceremony for the pop music industry – the civil rights movement was in its prime. Similarly, Eminem’s win is a symbol of entire thing feels artificial, each artist given 50 years later, and things haven’t changed how hard it is to give black people the credit barely a few seconds to accept their award all that much. Meghan Trainor claimed that she in their own musical genres. If Eminem was before being ferried off stage. The media seems was “bringing booty back” – what, exactly, have winning this award in the early 00s, it would more interested in the ‘drama’ and what the Rihanna and Beyoncé been doing then? When be understandable – he was at the top of his artists (female, that is) were wearing rather there is a white face on it, it suddenly becomes game. But he is barely relevant anymore, and than the art they are being awarded for. It’s acceptable, while Rihanna and Beyoncé find MMLP2 was dire – yet it wins, with the closest all, for the most part, a populist sham. themselves constantly slut-shamed. competition coming from, you guessed it, Iggy Yet there is something a little more The same is said for Iggy Azalea, another Azalea. interesting going on multiple Grammy Black artists aren’t neglected entirely, in the shadow of the nominee. Compare though. Pharrell picked up the award for “In reality, it demonstrates the way she talks with Best Pop Solo Performance, and Happy was Grammys. It gives us the same racism within the the way she ‘raps’ – she undeniably one of the biggest songs of the a great view over the pop industry, who is pop industry that has existed has openly admitted to year. Yet Pharrell himself doesn’t think of it in a major player, who “blacking up” in her terms of race anymore – he is “New Black”. In since The Beatles.” is relevant, or so one vocal style. And she his own words: “The New Black doesn’t blame would think. In reality, has enjoyed enormous other races for our issues. The New Black it demonstrates the same racism within the commercial success because of it, while black dreams and realises that it’s not pigmentation; pop industry that has existed since The Beatles. women find it extremely hard to break into the it’s a mentality. And it’s either going to work Let me extrapolate. The Beatles – what scene – and yet, when Azealia Banks spits fury for you, or it’s going to work against you. And was racist about them? Appropriation of about it, the media is quick to demonise her you’ve got to pick the side you’re gonna be on.” Indian instruments aside, they were the for some admittedly rape-apologist comments Pharrell has unwittingly put the onus of poster boys of a growing music industry, about Bill Cosby. racism on black people. It is condescending and fast realising its ability to market across the At the Grammys, tired. For a century, Atlantic. They were decidedly uniform, even best album went to “Meghan Trainor claimed that black people have been down to their haircuts. Four white boys, big in Beck for Morning she was ‘bringing booty back’ cast in the shadow of Europe and the US. Today, they are heralded Phase and best rap white success in many as pioneers of rock and roll, one of the most album went to - what, exactly, have Rihanna walks of life, including and Beyoncé been doing?” influential artists of all time. Eminem for MMLP2. music – when a black But there was nothing new about what The During Beck’s person is liked by Beatles did musically. Nearly everything about acceptance ‘speech’, Kanye West jokingly went white people, this rhetoric of transcending them was lifted from the rock n roll artists on stage in a mocking of his own humiliation race emerges. The Grammys are evidential of of the 50s, and even the precursors of the of Taylor Swift at the VMAs in 2009. The this as are most mainstream music awards. It late 40s. Apart from Buddy Holly, the media, as it is wont to do, tore him apart – is time to listen to Kanye West and see award unifying factor of these artists is that comments calling Kanye an egotist, a fool, ceremonies for what they are – capitalist, racist they were black. The Beatles talentless, the age old argument of “Beck writes fads that pay no attention to the works of the took inspiration from these his own songs and plays a real instrument” all artists and represent an industry laced with the artists – not that there is being thrown around. No one considered the poison of racism. The mainstream media needs anything wrong with that – fact that actually, Beyoncé’s album was far to get its shit together, and start seeing things but the white face on it better than Beck’s. Beck is undeniably a great for what they are.
music
051 WIKI
concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
i love you honeybear Mike Vinti indulges us in the musical prowess of Father John Misty Father John Misty’s second offering, I Love in love. Whilst Fear Fun bore the hallmarks You Honeybear, sees everyone’s favourite of an artist discovering their ‘real’ voice, fictional priest tackle falling in love and, with the aid of quite a few mushrooms and given the nature of his misanthropic debut, other consciousness expanding substances, it was always going to be an interesting ride. Honeybear is the sound of a man who’s new The album kicks into life with title track found, if jaded, sense of self has been rocked I Love You Honeybear a brooding, semi- by sentimentality. serious ode to his new found love, perfectly Tillman’s frustration with himself and setting the tone for with love manifests “His ability to explore and itself most clearly the rest of the album. It’s a soaring, love- comment on the complexities on The Night Josh struck anthem written Tillman Came To Our of life is unrivalled among Apartment; a folky, by someone who by current recording artists.” velvet underground their own admission hates soaring, lovetinged hate-ballad to struck anthems. Complete with a twinkling a woman he meets at a party who says “like piano line and a rising string section, the literally, music is the air she breathes” and instrumental is at once beautiful and boring. the seemingly inevitable night they spend Were Misty’s accompanying lyrics not together. Whilst the entirety of the song is dripping in sarcasm it wouldn’t sound out Tillman insulting said woman, on closer of place at the end of some deathly earnest inspection, the third person reference to Hollywood romance, and that’s precisely the himself in the title and his compliance in their point. It’s the lyrics that set him apart from bathtub rendezvous suggests a wider critique so many of his contemporaries. Only Father of both himself and a societal obsession with John Misty could include the line “You’ve celebrity encounters. Misty’s self-presentation got your father’s skull and a wayward aunt’s as such a celebrity is also sarcastic, probably. schizophrenia” and justifiably call it a love In truth it’s hard to know who he’s attacking song. as he closes with the lyric “I hate that soulful Misty (real name Joshua Tillman) has affectation white girls put on, why don’t you always been a bitter character, an embrace move to the Delta? I obliged later on when of Tillman’s natural cynicism and one that you begged me to choke ya”. spat at sentimentality on his debut. However, Throughout, Misty’s mix of romance between that album and this, Father John and cynicism paints the picture of an artist Misty has evolved, Father John Misty fell coming to terms with just how soppy love
can make us. Take for example When You’re Smiling Astride Me, the closest thing to a slow-jam on the album. The lyrics are at once gushy and brutally honest, as Tillman croons “I can hardly believe I found you and I’m terrified by that”, you can almost hear his inner monologue retching. Yet this is still a characteristically Father John Misty song and as if seeking to restore the balance the following line is “I’ve got nothing to hide from you, kissing my brother in my dreams”. Misty is undeniably an incredibly talented lyricist, and one that like many of the greats, spares no one, even on an album inspired and shaped by meeting his now wife the photographer, Emma. The build-up to the album’s release set expectations high and saw Misty pull some typically multi-levelled pranks at popular cultures expense. He debuted lead single Bored in the USA on Letterman with a selfplaying piano and 22-piece string section, moping about the stage, his lyrical quips intercut with a laugh track, mocking the show, the audience, himself and everyone but Bruce Springsteen. He also released the album weeks in advance through his parody streaming service SAP, all be it in MIDI form, the atonal, compressed software used to write music sometime in the early 2000s. The very same week he performed Honeybear and Bored in the USA at the headquarters of Spotify, using a karaoke machine as his backing. Father John Misty is kind of an
arsehole, but Joshua Tillman is a genius. Back to the album itself; closing track I Went to the Store One Day draws all the cynicism and sentimentality together in a heart-wrenching tale of how he met Emma. A simple, guitar led track, stripped back with Misty’s vocals taking centre stage and sounding more vulnerable than any track on the album. The song tells of the ‘two misanthropes’ of the opening track reconciling their distaste for romance and deciding to marry, putting an end to their ‘regressive tendencies to scorn.’ Our album’s heroes contemplate moving down south to spend their days with their seven daughters until Misty “saves the big one until the last time [they] make love”. It’s Tillman at his most vulnerable and while he still manages to mock the whole situation it’s incredibly sweet, especially given that the two now have a house together in New Orleans, far away from that store in LA where they first met. For all his cutting lyrics, ambivalence and misanthropy, there’s no doubt Father John Misty means every word on this album and the beauty of Honeybear comes from that conflict. Provocative and simultaneously strangely familiar, his ability to explore and comment on the complexities of life is unrivalled among current recording artists and while Honeybear may not be the most boundary pushing album of the year sonically, it’s surely one of the best, even if it is only February.
music
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concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
band camp
don’t sleep....
Daniel Jeakins runs down the freshest new bands
WIKI
Myles Earle takes a look at the new faces driving the sound of the 70s forward
all a blur
music columns in the likes of NME and Line be expertly utilised on his debut album (due of Best Fit. The little that’s been released so far next month). Unlike many acts he’ll surely has felt unique and energised, with Bamboo be filed next to, his songs are of remarkable standing out as a really special track. Now quality – mixing melancholy melodies with counting The Libertines as fans, Hinds have superb vocal harmonies that really hit home a very bright future indeed. the emotion. If you’re looking for a band who are Four-piece indie outfit Wolf Alice already showing the potential to bring their (pictured) have been knocking about for a sound to arenas, Nothing But Thieves might while, but 2015 is the year they have decided be your cup of tea. The Essex five-piece have to release their debut. Pegged by many as the featured on Zane Lowe’s ‘Hottest Record In new faces of British grunge, the band have The World’ radio segment and are blessed already played to huge festival crowds and with a superb vocalist who manages to add a were shortlisted for this years BBC Sound of layer of emotion to their 2015 award. music with incredible They lost out to Years “They might just ease. The range of songs & Years, who are one of they’ve been writing is become the new Strokes” the first electronic dance also really impressive bands to benefit from – their current output includes gritty indie- the post-Disclosure musical landscape we disco number Ban All The Music as well as the find ourselves in. The London three-piece anthemic, heartfelt track Graveyard Whistling. triumphed over favourite James Bay to take They have real potential to blow up. the hugely prestigious award and have already You may already be familiar with found chart success with their excellent single Liverpudlian four-piece Circa Waves from Desire. A debut LP hasn’t been announced just their run at last year’s summer festivals and yet, but Polydor will surely want to capitalise support slot with The Libertines, and the the hype surrounding them and bring it out band are likely to have a really big 2015. later this year. Their debut Young Chasers is one of the best Last but not least in this new band collections of guitar-pop this side of Weezer’s extravaganza we have Doe, a band I caught self-titled debut. Jam-packed with instant live at the Old Blue Last in London recently summer anthems like Stuck In My Teeth, that really impressed me. A cross between the Fossils and T-Shirt Weather, the LP is so strong pop-punk of Blink-182 and the grunge of success for the band is practically guaranteed. Pearl Jam, the four-piece sound as great live If you’re in the business of finding the as they do on record and were rewarded for next Sam Smith, heartfelt crooner Rhodes is their talent recently when they signed with well worth a look. His haunting voice is truly the excellent indie label Fierce Panda. They’re something to behold, and you can expect it to well worth checking out.
bob’s burgers X sleater-kinney Sleater-Kinney’s new music video for New Wave sees the band team up with the animated cast of Bob’s Burgers, featuring animated versions of the riot grrll sensations playing Tina’s bedroom.
on your marks, dipset, go
FLICKR (NRK P3)
It seems in recent years fledgling young bands have found two clear, almost completely opposite paths to success. The likes of funkpop experimenters Jungle broke into the mainstream by shrouding themselves in mystery and capitalising on industry hype with every trendy music blog raving about them. On the other end of the spectrum you have the example of indie heroes Catfish and the Bottlemen, whose hard-work and dedication made them impossible to ignore as they rose from small venues to huge festival slots. Any guitar band that gets backing from Polydor is guaranteed to have a flurry of hype surrounding them, and if New York’s Public Access TV can survive the curse of being referred to as ‘the new Strokes’ they might just become *ahem* the new Strokes. The Guardian reported in December that several major labels fought for their signature before they’d even played live, and although little of their music has as yet surfaced online what has been released is the kind of raw, 50s-inspired rock and roll that will turn the heads of music fans everywhere. Fronted by John Eatherly, the band’s singles Monaco and In The Mirror are more Elvis Presley than Julian Casablancas, but Public Access TV’s music has a punk edge that could create an electric atmosphere in any venue. If that sounds a bit too raw for you the light bubblegum-pop of Madrid four-piece Hinds won’t fail to bring a smile to your face. The band were originally called Deers before the threat of lawsuit forced them to change names, and have featured heavily on new
WIKI
FLICKR (PAUL HUDSON)
Blur have announced their first new album in 16 years, entitled The Magic Whip, out April 27th. Check out the viedo for lead single Go Out online now.
Legendary hip-hop group Dipset have announced a reunion tour and just dropped a new EP, check out lead single Do Something on Soundcloud now.
music
071
NRK P3
concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
Smoke + Mirrors Imagine Dragons Myles Earle After a successful 2014, from performances at the Grammys and the Billboard Music Awards to having their track Battle Cry released for the blockbuster movie Transformers: Age of
If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late Drake Jennifer Erik
Extinction, American super group Imagine Dragons released their second studio album on the 17th February. Smoke + Mirrors, the title of the album and third song on the track list, one might call a more established album in terms of their sound and genre. Night Visions, their debut album released in 2012, had an experimental nature with tracks like Demons taking it down the path to a Hip-Hop vibe, and On Top of the World beautifully encased in a folky world of claps and whistles. However, Smoke + Mirrors push to the forefront the rock band that Imagine Dragons are. Something that these four guys haven’t had a problem with, and even capitalised on, is their ability to make their songs anthems. After the success of their single Radioactive reaching No.1 on the Billboard Rock Charts, it was interesting to see where this took their songs. I Bet My Life, the fifth track on the album, makes use of this choric anthem style, with lead vocalist Dan Reynolds shouting with bucket loads of passion “I bet my life on you”. The song tells the story of a relationship
taken for granted, the realisation of what one has and a confession to make you shout from the rooftops “please forgive me for all I’ve done”. The song progresses to become deeply anthemic with prominent electric guitar riffing and a somewhat random appearance of a female vocalist accompanying it with a few notes. This song has something of a very American anthem to it, uplifting and passionate. Their track I’m So Sorry takes their genre to an interesting and contemporary place. With certain similarities with Greighwolfe’s Last Night in the City, the track has a heavy rock sound; picky electric guitar notes coupled with impressive scales and prominent drum beat smashing are integral to this track. Three quarters of the way through, the song takes a turn to a ballad-like bridge, juxtaposing to the rest of the song and giving an interesting reflective tone, then returning to its massive chorus. This seems quite different to their track Polaroid, a song that utilises the slowness of its beats and vocals to express an introspective perspective. The lyrics express
self-contempt, “I’m a reckless mistake, I’m a cold night’s intake” – the song travels along with what seems to be a destructive character, calling them “the colour of boom” and causing havoc to everything, even the things they love. What makes this track personable is the vocals, which have an air of a nursery rhyme quality to them. Easy to remember, repetitive but also slow, making you think more about the words “love is a polaroid, better in picture but never can fill the void”. Put this over a regular heavy beat and add a bit of a bass and Imagine Dragons has a contender. Smoke + Mirrors seems to be a good album, its cohesive sound is refreshing after hearing their past works, but to some it may become progressively boring from the beginning to end of the album. However, it ticks the box for a culmination of interesting sounds.
Apart from the overlooked or intentional grammatical errors on the album cover, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, the latest release from Canadian rapper Drake, has generated a flurry of musical interest. Questions arose from its Beyoncé-esque sudden release on to iTunes on February 13th, with no announcement to fans. What muddied the waters further was its recognition by record label Cash Money as the rapper’s fourth album, despite Drake’s own insistance that it is a mixtape; it does sound like a mixtape. The minimal production and slow bass R&B beats across the entire mixtape give way to Drake’s showcasing of his rapping capabilities. Music critics have suggested that this is probably Drake’s best album yet in terms of lyrics, and if you take his track You & the 6, you can hear the story of his relationship with his mother and absent father packed into a monologue against a synthy and slow beat (with a notable nod to
his Marvin’s Room track). Though I am not so much a fan of Drake as the regular student, it has got to be said that Drake’s flow on the track 6 Man makes you appreciate his ability as an experienced rapper. What seems to be his endless rap over a simple beat shows off the lyrical prowess that so many have claimed. Musically transitioning from the commercial sound he seemed to flaunt in 2010’s Thank Me Later and 2013’s Nothing Was The Same, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late seems to give room for the rapper to do something a little different. However, these two tracks seem to be the best (said lightly) amongst the other 15 on this mixtape. The one to kick off the track list, Legend, cannot be described as anything other than cliché. The sound that Drake has adopted in this track may perhaps be trying to give off a certain ‘gangster confidence’, but purely sounds like a reliance on the commercial
name he has made for himself to propel what is actually quite difficult to listen to. Such a shame as before he actually starts to rap, the eerie and well put-together beat knocks it out of the park. While talking on the subject of laziness, the track Madonna is certainly a contender for Drake’s worst bars ever. Though the beat, produced by Noah ‘40’ Shebib with dark piano notes and distinguishable hip-hop bass, is brilliant, Drake’s lyrics bring the rest of the track down. Almost inaudible and incomprehensible, it’s doubtful that this song can actually be enjoyed. Though the actual sound of the entire album is pretty cohesive, it is questionable as to whether it deserves to be in the top 5 in any official album chart.
fashion
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concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk
Recognise anyone? Tweet us @conc_fashion
Milli Milupi
First Year- Nursing
welcome to the blogosphere Melissa Haggar discusses the benefits of blogging Blogs. Chances are we’ve all heard of them and Tanya Burr, who started her fashion, beauty possibly even own our own blog – whether it and lifestyle blog in 2011 and ever since has be to document our day-to-day ramblings, become a hit with all types of people, for her opinions on latest news or entertainment or cute and succinct reviews of various products, indeed just to share something else with the her monthly favourites and her signature millions of people online (or just your friend styles. Burr’s success on her blog and on who lives down the street). But nothing has risen YouTube has allowed her to branch out quite so high in recent years in the blogosphere and launch her own cosmetics line, than fashion and beauty blogs. In this blogs, showing the benefits of her blogging. people share their style tips, showcasing latest Another fantastic fashion and trends or simply displaying their outfit of the beauty blogger that comes to mind day (#OOTD). is perhaps one of the “Tanya Burr’s success most successful and With easyto-use platforms has led her to launch her widely recognised like Blogspot and own cosmetics line.” UK blogger – Wordpress available to Susanna Lau – of anyone with an internet connection blogging StyleBubble. One of the first has become a worldwide sensation – especially blogs to get started in 2006, for budding fashion and beauty writers. It’s true and featuring cool little that blogs are a great platform for those wishing things like ‘Susie Favs’, her to flex their skills in writing, photography or blog posts are full of fun show off their unique style. and vibrant in both content But what are some of the best fashion and and photos. Also a quirky beauty bloggers and blogs around? This is a and increasingly more welldifficult question, as there are thousands of known blogger is Zoella, blogs that feature individual styles and trends real name Zoe Sugg, who and display wonderful make-up looks that started her blog in 2009 and it can seem a little daunting to just highlight features everything from the a few. Probably one of the more notable ones latest beauty products to you may have heard of is Norwich’s own “how-to’s” on certain looks
and styles in a friendly and casual manner. If you’re looking for something a bit different and elegant, Gabi Gregg (of GabiFresh) has probably got you covered. Her personal style blog “aims to show that you can be stylish at any size” and her looks are varied and offer up plenty of inspiration for women of all sizes. The beauty of blogs is that there’s so many out there and some are just waiting to be discovered, so get your keyboard ready and get searching! It’s not hard to see the benefits of blogging. Aside from offering an outlet for creativity and an opportunity to showcase personal style, they also offer a form of social connection, with people able to connect to those with differing or similar styles, and offer advice and tips on fashion and beauty, as well as writing style. Blogging is an invaluable tool for the up and coming fashion and beauty blogger as it gives you the means to showcase your skills. WIKI
Best Dressed at UEA
the colour purple Sharon Abraham shows us how to perfect the purple look
Althea Wormald Second Year - Biology Photography Leah Omonya
shade of purple. Barry M’s Berry Ice Cream shade of varnish is a sweet, pastel purple that gives a smooth subtle look. Berry Ice Cream nail paint is a nice, thick, long- lasting polish that looks great on all skin-tones. Priced at £2.99 it is a purse-friendly nail polish that is -long lasting, so you don’t have to apply many coats!
TOYASTALES
Anna Dahlke First Year-Politics & IR
Purple is often a colour that women tend to shy away from. However, ladies, purple is one of this season’s must-have colours for your make-up bag. One of the best ways to incorporate and showcase the colour purple is definitely by wearing a lipstick. Lipstick is great for making you feel and look good, while achieving many different looks and effects. One lipstick can really take you from day to night or work to party! A very popular lipstick that I recommend is Mac Rebel A44. It is a medium dark- berry with a pink, plum undertone. With a sweet vanilla scent, Rebel gives maximum colour coverage leaving your lips with a soft shine and satin finish. Complementing all skin tones, this is a sexy shade of purple that amplifies and enhances any outfit. You could team Rebel with your favorite LBD for a night out or any black ensemble to give an edgy look. Also, don’t be afraid to intensify the Rebel lipstick look by making the shade darker. Another product I recommend that works well with Rebel is Mac lip pencil - ‘Nightmoth’. Using the lip pencil defines and lines the shape of your lip. By lining the lip with Nightmoth achieves a sexy, vampy look! With lips being a way to tackle the purple trend, another classic way to feature purple is nail varnish. Spring is approaching and pastels are the perfect trend to display a bright, fun
Available at Superdrug, Boots and many drugstores, this nail varnish is a must have for your make-up bag . Don’t forget to add a clear, top coat nail polish to conceal and give a
shimmering shine. With lips and nails covered in the purple beauty trend, we cannot forget our eyes! Yes ladies, I’m talking about our dear friend eye shadow! Eye shadows are a perfect way to brighten and highlight your eyes. You can diversify and be versatile with your shades of purple with eye shadow. Purple is a great eyeshadow to try. It doesn’t really matter which shade you want because you can look great in many shades ranging from soft tones such as lavender to electric violet. A lilac purple is a classic and supremely flattering colour that is suitable and matches for all eye colours. In addition, using an eye-shadow brush helps improve application around the eye. Blending the purple eye shadow with a hint of white gives the eyes a smokey effectt making your eyes look vibrant for any occasion. If you are a black eyeliner lover already, you can complete the look by adding black eyeliner after eye shadow application to provide a captivating look. Lilac eye shadow looks great for any occasion and is a fun, creative way to show off the purple trend in a subtle and artistic manner. Rimmel London’s ‘350 iris’ is a lovely soft lilac that is beauty must-have for this upcoming spring or any season. Hopefully, purple is no longer a foe but a friend to our make-up bags. Don’t be afraid to try something new!
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give gingham a go
Lindsay Stark explains why gingham is a must-have this season Photographer Hugo Douglas-Deane
After its appearance on numerous S/S15 catwalks last year, gingham is set to be huge. The lighter colours and smaller print of gingham makes it tartan’s cuter sister and therefore perfect for spring. Once you’ve stopped reminiscing over primary school days, you’ll see it is ideal for a night out and can look just as sophisticated and stylish as any block colour. With the likes of Oscar de la Renta and Diane Von Furstenberg featuring it on many of their designs, Venue takes a look at the best ways to incorporate it into your wardrobe. Monochrome gingham is probably the easiest to wear, as stylish black and white outfits will always be in vogue, and DVF showed us how on their S/S catwalk. They combined monochrome gingham with sheer fabrics for a new take on the picnic print. A simple shift dress is a really easy way of working gingham into your wardrobe, and when paired with skyscraper heels will ensure you look glam
Stylist Gemma Carter
Model Heidi Garcia
and fashionable whilst nailing the 60s trend and everything in between. An oversized shirt too. Monochrome is also the easiest to find is a perfect choice for a lecture, and paired on the high street and will almost certainly go with black skinnies and a leather jacket will with everything in your wardrobe already! A keep you looking cosy and chic throughout monochrome pencil skirt is great for a night the day. Co-ords are also a fab way of wearing out, and would look fab with a slinky back this trend, as when worn together they create cami and a coat of red lippy. A skinny pair of a striking impact, but they can also be worn trousers is also a cute nod as separates for a more “Coloured gingham to the trend, especially subtle, toned down look when teamed with a might remind you of a picnic for daywear too. black roll-neck jumper However, if you blanket, but you can look really want to keep up for an Audrey Hepburnesque look. Red lipstick grown up and glamorous.” with the fashion pack, and winged eyeliner then coloured gingham are great partners to these looks, especially if is the answer. Yes, it might remind you of a you want to create a cute 50s vibe. If you’re picnic blanket, but with the right accessories after something a little more casual however, a you can look grown-up and glamorous. We gingham shirt is the easiest way of introducing know that not everyone has the budget of a the trend into your wardrobe. Whether you designer catwalk, so it’s best to simply take go for oversized, sheer, or cropped, these can inspiration from these looks and try and be worn with anything, from jeans to skirts replicate them on the High Street. Again, we
look to DVF and also Michael Kors, who used separates to perfection. A midi skirt is a great example as it can be either dressed up or down, depending on how comfortable you are. It would look gorgeous in the square on a sunny spring day with a pair of white sandals and a white crop top, perfect for nailing not only the gingham trend, but the pastel one too! Many designers have been clashing colours by pairing monochrome with pastels. This would be a great alternative to a simple LBD and will look super cute paired with white accessories for a refreshing spring look. If you’re unsure about gingham dresses, trousers, or shirts, then accessories with the print are a great alternative. ASOS have a great range of sunglasses in gingham print which would give any look a stylish, retro update, and keep an eye out for gingham-printed clutch bags or handbags for a really easy way to join in the trend.
arts
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art
The BRIT award statue has been designed and redesigned by artists since 2011. If anyone still watches the awards show itself is by the by, given that seeing who will do what to the statue of Britannia beforehand is probably more exciting than the celebration of mediocrity it’s used for. The statue has been redesigned by Vivienne Westwood, Sir Peter Blakely, Damien Hirst, and Philip Treacy. This year, Tracey Emin got to take a stab at it. To say Emin has softened lately is putting it mildly. She’s like the Cath Kidston of the art world – entirely harmless. Her BRIT award design even strongly recalls Cath Kidston’s brand of middle class banality with its rosy pink hue, rosette, and completely banal words: ‘Congratulations on your talent on your life. On everything you give to others. Thank you.’ This is alongside recently designing the cover for the Band Aid 30 single, and accepting a CBE. Emin’s work has been stale for a while now, but her design of the statue has pretty much cut her off entirely from the cool young thing she used to be. To see just how far away from her provocative roots she’s ran, let’s take a very brief look at how Emin began her artistic life, and her two most famous works. Emin began as the wildest child of the 90s Young British Artist group (or YBAs), who art collector/Nigella Lawson strangler Charles Saatchi helped become ridiculously wealthy and famous. Emin made herself infamous when she appeared wasted on a Channel 4 talk show and storming off. She followed this up with two pieces of brilliant, seminal art: Everyone I Have Every Slept With 1963-1995 and My Bed. They’re both icons of contemporary art – but is it art?! ‘How does a dirty bed get to be in a gallery, I’ve got one at home!’ That was essentially the question being asked about Tracey when she was at the height of her not inconsiderable powers. Her art was incredibly personal and intimate in a minute, detailed way. Take Everyone I Have
E v e r Slept W i t h 1963-1995 for example. It was the tent you’re probably already aware of, but just in case you’ve been living under a rock, it’s essentially a tent with the names of everyone Emin has ever slept with – both sexually and literally – sewn to the inside. Alongside this, it has the beautiful phrase ‘With myself, always myself, never forgetting.’ It’s beautiful and personal and intimate to a degree you most likely won’t have shared with your closest friends, never mind everyone who came to see it. Anyway, Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963-1995 burned down in a warehouse fire. So to go from challenging the concept of what art even is to celebrating Prince William and Kate’s wedding with a drawing called The Kiss put on the front page of The Independent is rather a let-down. It very much seems the fire has gone out of Tracey Emin’s art. Her neon signs, always scrawled in her hand writing, used to read things like ‘Fuck off and die you slag.’ Now they hang in 10 Downing Street and say ‘More Passion.’ Let’s be clear – this particular sign hangs in a Conservative government which she voted for. That’s not the fire-breathing Tracey we all know and sometimes love. It seems like Emin has nothing left to say.
Adam Dawson questions Tracey Emin’s status as a ‘controversial artist’ in the 21st Century
Being a celebrity is worth more to her than being an artist. Instead of revealing the personal things she was known for, she does what she can to help the establishment. In other words, she’s a celebrity now, and now that’s enough for her. She occasionally has to do something to remind us all why she’s a little bit famous in the first place. Her place in the art world was secured so long ago no one really knows why she’s there, just that she is. Like a lamp stuffed with an energy-
saving lightbulb in the corner of a room - she’s barely perceptible anymore, just throwing out enough now and then to keep her trundling along nicely in her artist world. She doesn’t care anymore about producing great, challenging art. So why should we care about her? Emin’s reputation as the enfant terrible of the art world was made so long ago no one can really remember why. Her work lately hasn’t even been an echo of what her past self accomplished. Tracey the celebrity is nothing next to Tracey the artist, it’s just a shame to waste the years of thought-provoking art in favour of maintaining a happy existence as a minor celebrity. Of course we have to respect the fact that one of the greatest British artists of the 20th century was a working class woman, but Mad Tracey from Margate is no more. We’ve got to stop introducing her as ‘controversial artist Tracey Emin’ and make room for new artists who care more about their art then their celebrity.
WIKI
the decline of
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peeling back the
curtain
Lucinda Swain on inhabiting the mind of the character The cast and crew often vary from incredibly intimate with as little as two actors, to the more extravagant casts with props galore. The 2015 UEA Spotlight Shorts have just been announced and auditions are now underway. I talked to the director of Cloud 9, Rory Horne, about what was involved in putting together a short: “The cast of my short is small, only four, so hopefully it should be a really enjoyable collaborative experience, like Cloud 9 was. My short this year is being directed by my friend Charlotte Rhodes”. When asked about the differences in the dramatic process of a short he said: “I think that doing a full-length play is a far more intense process, particularly with Cloud 9, as each of the actors had to really get under the skin of two characters, and there was just more to learn and get to grips with. With the short however, it’s all in one scene, the events depicted are a lot more finite and concerned with the present, and there are fewer preestablished character relationships to explore and build up”. Rory Horne then spoke of his experiences in directing Cloud 9. “I’ve always found that the most successful theatre comes from collaboration, and so Imogen (my co-director) and I were very keen to let those characters belong to the actors, and allow them to bring them to each rehearsal as their own, showing us what they made of them and allowing them to apply those feelings to the scenes we were rehearsing. It was also important to separate out the two characters they were playing”. Not long ago I saw The Head That Bears in the UEA Drama Studio written by UEA graduate Lewis Garvey. Its use of puppets was effective and at times disconcerting, with the actor’s
fantastic imitation of a child’s speech and comportment. The play’s set design perfectly depicted the twisted tales the characters portrayed. I spent some time with the director, Gemma Aked-Priestley, who wrote and directed a piece of verbatim theatre: The F-Project. It’s a play based on interviews and online questionnaires about feminism, to raise awareness and money for the charities: Leeway Norwich and Rape Crisis England and Wales. She said: “We looked at real issues, real people’s words, compiled questionnaires, sent them out on Facebook and in emails. They were filled out anonymously, some turned into face to face interviews and others even into debates. Rehearsals were only a few weeks, so there were difficulties to overcome, such as working with a new script. On paper something may work but when you translate it to stage it doesn’t always quite work. So we introduced new scenes, cut scenes, and that of course makes it difficult for actors to pick up lines.” When asked if there were any more difficulties she said: “Staging verbatim is quite difficult as I think theatre should merge reality, the truth and real words, real people; with this aspect of still being theatrical and being entertained”. From puppetry, verbatim theatre, stage managing, rehearsals to lighting tech, the production of a play is perfectly encapsulated in this quote by E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly: “Theatres are curious places, magician’s trick-boxes where the golden memories of dramatic triumphs linger like nostalgic ghosts, and where the unexplainable, the fantastic, the tragic, the comic and the absurd are routine occurrences on and off the stage. Murders, mayhem, political intrigue, lucrative business, secret assignations, and of course, dinner”. CLIP ART COTTAGE
Behind the curtain there’s a cacophony of last minute rehearsing, seemingly bizarre warm-up routines and stage hands prepping. It’s opening night and the audience have arrived en masse. Amongst the chaos everything has its place and the night is perfectly scheduled. The cast and crew’s excitement is palpable as programmes are handed out at the door. The casting may have only been mere weeks ago, but the actor’s lines are crystal clear in their minds, their characters fully formed. The countless unseen processes that lead up to that moment of delivery unseen by the audience. I took a look behind the scenes to find out what goes on during the dramatic process. Like any student I enjoy going to occasional student-led and written plays, whether it be through UEA’s Drama Society or the Minotaur Theatre Company. I talked to some directors, stage managers and even got some first-hand backstage experience that showed me the various stages of theatre production and opened my eyes to the numerous tasks the director and co. attend to. The actors I spoke to acknowledge a necessary faith they must inhabit for any project to truly succeed. As they are developing the play’s structure and script, which doesn’t happen overnight, the assurance that the conception is solid and believable is what keeps the process evolving. From memorising lines, actors embodying their characters and engaging with scenes, my attention then turned to the more technical elements of production: set design, often a team of students devoting a good portion of their free-time to help realise the director’s visualisations. Then there are costumes, stage directions, lighting and sound effects.
creative
121 “There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin?” - Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting Am I disappointed that nobody took my idea of writing an ode to Calpol for the alcohol and drugs issue? No, not really. I wasn’t expecting anything, particularly when there are plenty more interesting drugs out there to write about. For this issue, the creative writing theme is The Vicious Cocktail. Things are thrown together and swirl around to create new flavours, bad aftertastes, monumental hangovers and, in some cases, toxic combinations that are more dangerous than their vibrant colours suggest.
Friday Night on the Roundabout in Flegg Park Vicki Maitland I rip card from a Rizla packet, My fingers cold and slow. I stuff the baccy into my jacket Before I continue to roll. You sit there in an oversized coat; I wear hand-me-up shoes. Yours passed down from a brother grown old; Mine from a sister who grew. Your Egyptian eyes form Chelsea smiles As you close your lids and inhale. Thin fingers hold the red dot of light That droops between chipped polished nails. Your lipstick print forms a ring round the toke; I taste you in the bitter-sweet smoke.
WIKIM EDIA
- Jake Reynolds
concrete.creativewr
Big Lights Blythe Aimson
Trust In My Paranoia Nina Ward
i Vision blurred, so close to the mirror I can touch my own nose. ii I think my pupils are so big they bleed out into the whites of my eyes.
I’m trying so hard to look for the normal. Holding onto the tiles in the shower I have to remind myself that this is real... this is real. But my brain is working against me. Carting up images of the night when I lost me. I feel the imagination in my veins work itself up into a frenzy and repeat again that I’m not going up. The water collides into my eyelids, underneath I am back in Tuesday running through flashing walls and into people. The anxiety taps my shoulder and I have to breathe again, breathe because there’s no going back there. What is numbness? It’s the window you don’t look out of and all you want is a bitter taste in your mouth. I am hopeless as I throw up your face again and again. Getting more desperate, I feel the hints of abandonment and begin to trust again in my paranoia. Just like last time.
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<<Les Jeunes Gens>> Claire Reiderman
Microfictions
Submit your own to @miniaturestory on Twitter ‘Single-use breathalysers on sale at the office-supply store? What else is buried in desk drawers, beneath rubber bands and paper clips?’
What started off with Pinot Grigio and rinsed me out like mouthwash became the earthiness stuck behind my teeth of chewing brown growths which she called “silly billies” and then I smiled too wide like the Cheshire cat because everything was pulsating and opening up wide in colour so we reminded ourselves of symmetry and regularity and left behind colour in favour of two white lines on a toilet seat lid and our knees sticking to the yellow-stained floor and outside I could hear shouts and the dun-dun-dun music banged on the door demanding to be let in so we let it in and it picked us up and conducted our limbs pulling hands and elbows and hips and knees and faces tipped upwards to be kissed by the night and in one second it was glorious because we were young and that was what it meant: colour and sound and movement and kissing and all
Drunken Liturgy Julian Canlas The process of drinking is like liturgy. The absinthe: 90% alcohol, the rest, a whisper within the liquid, ‘get drunk’. Whenever the church overflows with folks recently churned out of the city-belly, you sit by the candlelit bar drinking dirty booze. You confess your sins to the bartender and the rumbling drunk. The alcohol courses down your throat like fire, like the fresh odour of the dust that painted your palms grey after you caressed the statue of a saint as a child. Religion is the opiate of the masses, your intellectual friends would quote to you back when you knew of your parents’ lies but followed them blindly. Your friends were worried that your eloquence might become wasted potential. Now, you follow your own lies as if they were some
uncontrollable part of your self, something quite distinct like a reflection in the dark, or a shadow stitched by raindrops trails across windows sheathed in condensation. Holy water and absinthe mingle in you like wisdom. The candlelight reveals your young face like a map, etched with a lifetime of wrinkles, deepening in your smiles and frowns. Your face swallows your past dusted with regret. You examine the outside world through the bar: darkness. The view reminds you of the hint of the blue sky and the sun behind the church stained windows. The candlewax recedes, counting your time.
Michael Caine Nina Ward Michael Caine’s turtle neck of lust presses itself tentatively against the damp screen rock and roll I cock back the gun getting fucked has never been so fun poignant as a dog-eared page e e cummings, no doubt, and my hands move small the dimensions playing musical chairs my body fumbles 4 walls, why would you want more? measuring time against
the proportions of your hair sentences seep through canines build up cavities champagne gas, bursts I have a moment, we reconvene the air, no longer our enemy fingers dive into the keys open my mind like a Woody Allen sneeze
gaming + tech
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procrastination sensation Tom Bedord gives the lowdown on avoiding responsibility and blitzing through those levels like The team and move set that bit more carefully. Flash? Try to get through it using the gear It’ll also make those connections you you started the game with. The inevitable make with your teammates so much more difficulty hike will relentlessly beat you meaningful when any battle together could down at first. Soon though, it’ll teach you be your last. Do you enjoy delving into to be slow and methodical as you plan your classics such as Doom? How about trying way around. You may even get reaquainted to get through the entire game without with some of the methods and moves you killing a single monster? This is before we grew to love in those first few hours as you even get on to speed challenges. Playing a cut your teeth with that cocktail-stick of game as quickly as you possibly can may a sword. Also, it’ll take much longer to seem counterproductive in extending hack that dragon or shoot that mutant to its play time, but trust me, you will play death. It’ll be incredibly rewarding when Super Mario Bros. again and again in you succeed. The sense of accomplishment attempt to shave a few milliseconds off and power in beating a game in a way you your record playthrough. The internet weren’t supposed holds many, many “The internet has nurtured to, and indeed more excruciating as once again the entire communities crafting new challenges per underdog, is one game for you to of gaming’s greatest and inventive ways to enjoy your indulge in. These favourite game.” pleasures. are just a few very This is just a basic ways to drag tiny portion of some of the possibilities out each game before the studying begins. in extending your game time. The Video games are almost a unique internet has nurtured the growth of entire entertainment medium. Players need to communities crafting new and inventive take an active role in creating gameplay. ways to enjoy your favourite game. Are You can watch a film again and again, and, you a Pokémon addict? Why not try the sure, you may notice new things everytime. famous Nuzlocke Challenge? The ever The beauty of games though, is that you present threat of having to release any control the conditions of play. A game can Pokémon that faints means you’ll pick your last as long as it can hold your attention.
UNSPLASH (PIXABAY)
We all know the feeling. It happens as a kid The best open world games pack the world and even as an adult. ‘One more level.’ ‘I’ll itself with fun. Skyrim in particular has just finish this boss/battle/race!’ Then the an almost endless supply of distractions. dreaded chores or work or study begins. From perfecting your hunting or alchemy Let’s face it, there is a reason you’re up skills, to simply harvesting every species playing Call of Duty at 3am when you have of flower available. The world can provide your final assessment due in tomorrow. as many hours as you’re willing to invest Procrastination. Both the bane and saviour in it, and you’ll enjoy yourself while you of every student. Somehow telling ourselves spend twenty hours getting to that one last just that little bit treasure chest. more of a break will If you’ve only “There is a reason you’re up got one more online significantly increase playing Call of Duty at 3am shooter game of Team the quality of our final work, and that Fortress, or Destiny when you have your final playing Assassin’s left, make it last. assessment due in tomorrow.” Don’t run around like Creed really does count as history a headless chicken, revision. Sadly though, the game sooner reaching the score limit in two minutes. or later has to end, which leaves no excuse Instead, task yourself with only using the to keep away from the dreaded work. weapon you’re stuck with, or a load out However, what if I told you there was a you couldn’t hurt a fly with. Then sneak way, maybe a bit dishonest, of keeping around the battlefield making sure those that level going on long enough? Going kills you do get really count. through various games or genres, I will tell Instead of racing to the finish line in you some of the sneaky ways to prolong a racing game such as Need For Speed or your gaming time, without inducing Mario Kart, have your goal be to stop boredom. the other racers finishing. This isn’t cool In an open world game such as Far for an online game, but against computer Cry or Skyrim? Stuck with the limit of one opponents it’s gratifying to see them spin more dungeon or quest? Instead of zipping out of control like Beyblades. there and finishing it, don’t use fast travel. Playing an RPG with end-game gear
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After a fairly lukewarm trailer, tons of publicity and a cult following eager to have their hunger satisfied after the conclusion of Walter White’s tale, the spotlight was on Saul Goodman and his signature catchphrase, also the title of his 2015 spin off TV series, “Better Call Saul!” Although Saul Goodman was only introduced in series two of Breaking Bad, he soon became a fan-favourite with his tasteless suits, naff hair and usually inappropriate anecdotes that he shared with whoever was closest. Who can forget his priceless claim: “I once convinced a woman that I was Kevin Costner and it worked because I believed it”, light moments such as this prevented Breaking Bad from turning into an extremely bleak drama. Upon the announcement that Vince Gilligan, the genius behind Breaking Bad, had been commissioned to write Better Call Saul (both a prequel and a sequel to Breaking Bad) many were ecstatic to have a show featuring everyone’s favourite corrupt lawyer. Amongst the optimism however, some were sceptical about the continuation of the Breaking Bad universe after it had left on a high in September 2013 and felt it should end there. Whilst some spin-offs can be successful, many fail to match or surpass the success of the original. However, upon the series premiere, critics and fans alike expressed a love for the series, focusing on Bob Odenkirk’s brilliant Saul Goodman. We are introduced to a post-Breaking Bad Saul who has changed his identity after the events of the finale, has started losing hair, grown a slug-like moustache and is currently working at a Cinnabon as he vowed to do. Although he should be living the dream with his plush apartment, copious amounts of alcohol and anonymity, we see him living in constant fear of
being recognised whilst indulging in crappy TV. This is all framed beautifully by the black and white cinematography which reflects the grainy quality of his bleak solitary life. Suddenly, just as Saul is indulging himself in his old Saul Goodman TV commercials on VHS (presumably he hasn’t heard of YouTube in 2015), we flash back to an awkwardly silent court which we know is awaiting one particular lawyer. The first shot we see of Saul in 2002, using his real name of Jimmy McGill, is whilst he practices his closing speech to a urinal, chuckling quietly to himself as he perfects it. We soon learn that he has hit rock bottom, evident through the dozens of letters demanding money, his declined credit card and his cheap trashy car which he summarises as “the only way that entire car is worth $500 is if there’s a $300 hooker sitting in it.” The only real problem with Better Call Saul is its inability to define itself. It’s too comical to be a serious drama but on the other hand isn’t dark enough to be defined as a black comedy. Whilst the pacing felt a bit uneven at times, such as the scenes with his older brother Chuck, it is a thoroughly enjoyable watch with some memorable moments from the scamming skateboarding twins, to Jimmy pretending to be his own PA, complete with a dodgy English accent to accompany his dodgy toupee. The introductory episode is sprinkled with Breaking Bad references, most noticeably a cameo from everyone’s favourite granddad, assassin and private investigator, Mike Ehrmantraut, set to be a series regular, and a surprise cameo from Breaking Bad’s Tuco, who holds Jimmy at gunpoint. Whilst moments like this will satisfy fans, it begs the question: is it necessary to include throwbacks to Breaking Bad or should Better Call Saul remain a separate standalone show independent of its big brother?
who you gonna call? Episode 1, Uno
THE DAILY BANTER
Dan Struthers
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Netflix anonymous There seems to be an extremely divided opinion about adult animation but I have always been a fan, so when my sister suggested I watch BoJack Horseman, I got straight to it and finished the entire series the very same day. It follows a washed up Hollywood actor, who also happens to be a horse. His agent is a cat named Princess Carolyn, and the man his crush is dating is a dog called Mr Peanutbutter. BoJack’s acting career is over so it’s recommended that he write his memoirs. The series follows him and his ghost-writer/crush Diane as they recall his past while also trying to fix his future. His shenanigans include stealing the D from the Hollywood sign to declare his love for her, and having a beautiful ‘friendship’ with Lindsay Lohan. Go find out what makes this show so weird and hilarious. Abi Constable
House of Cards The first episode of House of Cards wasn’t particularly gripping, but I was determined to make it through a TV show that didn’t involve teenagers in high school and an anonymous blogger spreading gossip, so I continued watching. There is something about the grittiness and absolute relentlessness of Frank Underwood (the superb Kevin Spacey) that makes you want to continuously come back for more, waiting to see what he’ll do next. No matter what he does or how devious he is, he’s still somehow an extremely lovable character that leaves you wanting more. The beauty of House of Cards is that Netflix releases each series all in one go, meaning I shall be forever grateful to them for bringing me this masterpiece. Abi Constable
That Mitchell and Webb Look It’s not difficult for me to lose an afternoon (or a whole weekend) watching and re-watching this classic British sketch show. Robert Webb and David Mitchell consistently have me in fits of laughter (so much so that my chortling is on occasion mistaken for sounds of distress; not the desired aim but hey). From the utterly ridiculous Numberwang, where two seemingly permanent contestants shout out random numbers until Webb declares a Numberwang victor; to the spoof debate show Big Talk; think Question Time where the host is an outrageous idiot who forces his “boffins” into yes or no answers on big questions. Anything involving David Mitchell is a winner for me. Luckily my flatmates also share this obsession and repeated nights can be spent alternating between That Mitchell and Webb Look and Peep Show. Did I mention Olivia Colman is hilarious? Sam Naylor
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Golden Globe-winning Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a fairly recently arrival to Netflix and a perfect addition to any duvet day. Set in a New York police station, Brooklyn Nine-Nine centres on detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) who manages to be good at his job while also not taking it at all seriously. And sometimes having mice in his desk. Other detectives include Rosa (anger management issues), Santiago (terrible detective), and Boyle (part time cop, full time food blogger). Main perks include the dead guy sex episode and everything Captain Holt does. Lydia Tewkesbury
The Vampire Diaries Everyone watches at least one show their friends judge them for. The Vampire Diaries is perfect for a little bit of mindless indulgence. Hot guys murder people but we think they’re still hot anyway, and characters drop like flies and are not-so-surprisingly resurrected. Like most shows of this kind, the central love triangle gets boring by the end of the first season, but fortunately is as entertaining to be annoyed by as invested in. It’s the other characters that keep you watching through season five, because Elena, our protagonist, is the worst. It’s all about Caroline, her best friend, the insecure control freak vampire cheerleader. Main perks include endless drama and Ian Somerhalder’s eyebrows. TVD gets extra credit for having a spinoff, The Originals, also on Neflix, which is brilliant because of physically implausible werewolf/vampire pregnancy and bad British accents. Lydia Tewkesbury
Hemlock Grove Twilight on acid. There’s something strangely addictive about this mediocre horror/gore, vampire/werewolf, teen-detective-thriller, laced with matricide, incest and the supernatural. Phew, there’s a lot to grapple with in Hemlock Grove. Based on Brian McGreevy’s novel of the same name, the first few episodes of season one didn’t particularly sink their clichéd teeth into me. You may wonder why this is a show that I gorged on and completed in under a week. It’s the absurdity and attempts to cram each series with the most obscure, shock-inducing imagery. The werewolf transformation scenes particularly stand out as some impressive CGI voodoo. Hemlock Grove is also one of those shows where you love and hate some of the main characters in equal measures. Roman Godfrey can be an overbearing rich kid at times, yet there’s still a small voice vying to be heard at the back of my head that roots for him to succeed. Sam Naylor COLLIDER
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Fifty Shades of Grey Director Sam Taylor-Johnson Screenplay Kelly Marcel Starring Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Jennifer Ehle Runtime 120 mins Drama/Romance Isis Billing Opening with a rather crude montage of grey Seattle cityscape, a clumsy reference to the title, we meet Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) as they prepare for an interview at his towering silver office block. Anastasia is there on behalf of her roommate Kate, a journalism major who has bagged an interview with the elusive young billionaire but gotten the flu. Anastasia bites her lip a little too often through the awkward conversation, as rather stiff sexual energy simmers under their poorly written dialogue.
This sets in motion a string of uncanny The film then stops dead at an excruciating coincidental meetings, as Christian begins to cliffhanger that leaves the audience cold, stalk her all the while claiming that he ‘doesn’t slightly bored and entirely unaffected. do romance’. Expectations surrounding the film were Unfazed by his obsessive tendencies, mixed due to the original novels widely Anastasia is drawn in by his cryptic charm and acknowledged literary deficiency, but Fifty probably, if we’re honest, his private helicopter. Shades of Grey holds up better on film than it Not too long into this unravelling romance, does on the page. The meticulously hygienic Christian presents her with a non-disclosure home of Grey and his army of tall, blonde agreement and a contract which she must secretaries are effective on screen whilst sign, listing her willingness to partake as his Dornan’s classic good looks satisfy those looking submissive in a BDSM relationship. But not for an onscreen wet-dream. However, there is before showing her his no ignoring how utterly “I don’t make love, ‘playroom’, an altar to ridiculous the nature of sadomasochism, walled in Anastasia. I fuck. Hard” Christian Grey, the 27 year red leather and all manner old, sadist billionaire is; of instruments of sexual torture. Christian is perhaps due to him being based on Edward however, surprised to learn that she is in fact Cullen with E.L. James originally composing a virgin, further firing his passion to possess the story as Twilight fan fiction. her. The film then falls into a string of nudity Baring in mind that the root of the story is and rather polite BDSM, which is occasionally homage to teenage sexually repressed vampires, interrupted by hallow conversations in which the performances of Dornan and Johnson Anastasia frets about his tortured past and tries seem to make the best out of a rather abysmal to grapple with her role as his sexual plaything. situation. Dornan performs well as the cool,
calm and collected Christian (although faced with lines such as: ‘I’m fifty shades of fucked up’), whilst Johnson suits her clumsy and rather drab character. The sex scenes are plentiful and not nearly piquant enough with a complete absence of Grey’s much discussed member. Pop star Rita Ora also features in the cast list, with a rather random performance as Christian’s adopted sister in which she appears for about five minutes babbling in French, all of which merely feel like a pathetic plea for media attention. Fifty Shades of Grey is a rather comically commercial affair that will leave you feeling less aroused and more sickened by the consumerist fantasy it aims at spinning. Birthed from the literary wasteland that was E.L. James’ fan fiction ebook, the film could hardly aspire to be a cinematic masterpiece. Occasionally sexy, but consistently silly, Fifty Shades ultimately spirals into a vacuous, fetishized capitalist orgy.
due to this ruthless dictator. The writers even thought it appropriate to give Kim Jong-un Directors Evan Goldberg, Seth a sob story. He describes how his father was disappointed in him and discouraged him Rogen Screenplay Dan Sterling from indulging in Katy Perry and Margaritas Starring James Franco, Seth Rogen, (which are apparently “gay”, who knew?) thus Lizzy Caplan, Randall Park leading to his ruthlessness. Runtime 112 mins After the success of previous Seth Rogen Comedy/Action and James Franco collaborations such as the funny in parts Pineapple Express and the Isis Billing brilliant This is the End, this film is a poor effort It’s hard to decide what’s more offensive: Seth from both. Korean Central News Agency Rogen’s constant reliance on silly slapstick, described the film as “the most blatant act of James Franco’s horrific overacting throughout, terrorism and war and will absolutely not be or the portrayal of Kim Jong-un as a Katy tolerated” which started a chain of reactions Perry-loving, childish, tantrum-throwing ultimately leading to America and other dictator. Probably the latter. The film features countries backing out of screening the film Franco and Rogen as TV chat host Dave on a national level. The Interview does seem Skylark and producer Aaron Rapoport, who to scream a big “nuke us” from America and are tangled up in a CIA plot to kill the North many have criticised how it has antagonised Korean dictator. However, the joke in this Kim Jong-un. At the same time, George Clooney, Barack Obama and supposed ‘action comedy film’ is at the expense of “Kim must die. It’s the countless others criticised Sony’s decision to pull the film a nation, as amongst the American way.” out of cinemas. It is worth stereotyping and dodgy North Koreans accents, it is hard to believe adding that this film is not a satirical comment this film was made as a light comedy, when the on North Korea. It’s just a typical run-of-theharsh reality is that thousands are suffering in mill goofy Seth Rogen movie happening to concentration camps and have lost their lives feature Kim Jong-un.
COLLIDER
The Interview
The opening scene captures the perception of North Korea as a state hypnotised by Jongun as a little girl sings to a mass of people in Korean with English subtitles “Die America, die!” and later “May your women all be raped by beasts of the jungle, while your children are forced to watch!” Again, it’s hard to decipher what is more disgusting: the graphically violent lyrics or the completely inappropriate use of exclamation marks. Another use of song is at the film’s climax when James Franco sings Katy Perry’s Firework horribly out of tune to Kim Jong-un during their live interview whereupon Kim Jong-un breaks down in tears and joins along in the merry karaoke. One can only sympathise with Katy Perry as she becomes the running joke of the film with the final montage (spoilers ahead for those of you who for some reason would pay money to
watch this train-wreck of a film) which features Franco and Rogen shooting down Kim Jongun in a tank to a slowed down version of ‘Firework’. Whilst this film does contain a few laugh-out-loud moments, noticeably a cameo from Eminem where he outs himself as gay on TV, they are sparse and few. The Interview will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the most controversial films of the twenty-first century. But it’s worth mentioning that it is not controversial in the same way Fight Club, Lolita, or Psycho was, it is controversial for the sake of being controversial. My only solace is that it is already on Netflix, so I didn’t have to waste any money seeing it in the cinema.
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top of its undeniable sense of fun and humour that is both low-brow and intelligent. Inherent Vice has garnered ample comparisons to the Director and Writer Coen brother's cult classic The Big Lebowski, Paul Thomas Anderson similar in that they both follow a perennially stoned lead character through LA's underbelly Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Josh and into conflict with The Man, although Brolin, Owen Wilson perhaps with less bowling in the former. Runtime 148 mins The plot follows Larry “Doc” Sportello Crime/Comedy (Phoenix), an aging hippy turned private investigator, awoken one lazy evening at the Troy Boatman beach by an ex-lady friend named Shashta When adapting a book like Inherent Vice, it (Katherine Waterston) who approaches begs the question of just how to translate the him with a missing persons case, her new often downright confusing nature of Thomas boyfriend billionaire real estate tycoon Mickey Pynchon's writing to the big screen. The Wolfmann (Eric Roberts) having vanished. constant stream of strange characters to keep An ostensibly straight-forward case becomes track of and the paranoia-addled worlds he evermore convoluted as Doc encounters a cast creates, where everything is a conspiracy within of oddballs, hip and square alike, and begins to a conspiracy, are often seemingly meant to unveil a greater conspiracy at hand, all pervaded deliberately baffle the by an illusive syndicate reader. Paul Thomas “He’s technically Jewish, but and omnipresent evil Anderson succeeds throughout, known wants to be a Nazi” here in retelling this as the Golden Fang. story, a psychedelic romp through Los Angeles The constant switch of trajectory may feel at the tail end of the hippie era, retaining the sometimes jarring to the viewer, but this is spirit of the source material whilst making what gives the film its beauty, immersing you it more digestible for a larger audience. in a story where those involved are themselves Anderson's admiration for Pynchon is clear often left scratching their heads. Doc is (the elusive author is rumoured to make a accompanied through much of his snooping cameo appearance somewhere in the film), and by his dimwitted stoner partner Denis, and yet it never feels like he is completely enthralled wanna-be celebrity cop Detective “Bigfoot” by it, adding his own flair and chopping off any Bjornsen (Brolin), Doc's antithesis and fat from the original. Quotes from the novel constant pain-in-the-butt throughout. Old are intermittently narrated over their respective habits die hard, and Doc goes through much scenes, giving the film a philosophical bent on of the story in a marijuana fog, often doing
COLLIDER
Inherent Vice
more to accentuate the paranoid climate of Manson-era Southern California. Brilliant as always, Phoenix plays a protagonist that is eminently likable in contrast to all the suits and assholes he must wade through, trading his doe-eyed performance in Her for a red-eyed stoner gaze. Other familiar faces include Joanna Newsom, playing the role of Doc's wise old lady, and Wilson's role as Coy Harligen, an officially dead surf-rock sax player who shows up throughout the story and who Doc is tasked with bringing home by his ex-junky wife. Reese Witherspoon is in here as well, playing a part-time straight-laced lawyer and part-time hippie. One particularly stand-
Love Is Strange Director Ira Sachs Writers Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias Starring John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei Runtime 94 mins Drama Love Is Strange opens in appealing placidity as elderly couple Ben and George awake naturally, exchanging hellos and good mornings with their housekeeper, quietly fussing over their pastel-coloured tuxes and walking out into the busy sidewalk beneath their West Village apartment where they rib each other over the likelihood of managing to hail a cab in their area at this time of day. Turns out they're en route to their own wedding, laying precedent for the film's sweet, low-key approach to grand gestures and life-altering events. With its pretty, melancholy piano score and its repeated static shots of hazy springtime Manhattan, Love Is Strange is a meanderer of a movie, never particularly exciting or comedic, but engaging in its pleasant normalcy. Shortly after they are married, and in what turns out to be one of the film's rare references to their sexuality, George is let go from his longtime position teaching music at a Catholic school due to his so-called breaching of a morality clause. As a result, he and the retired Ben are unable to afford to pay the extortionate
COLLIDER
Adam White
rent on their apartment, forcing them to live actors. John Lithgow and Alfred Molina have separately with friends and relatives until they an easy, tender rapport, their mutual warmth find a new home. breathing life into Ben “When you live with people, and George's lengthy While never alienating to viewers you know them better than you relationship. Though from everywhere else it is never explicitly care to” in the world, there spoken of, however, is a palpable New York specificity to Love Is age hangs over the two of them. Ben is frail Strange, not only in its detailed dramatisations and forgetful, reminded constantly of his of the world of Manhattan real estate, but in own mortality, and rapidly evolving into Ben and George's reluctance to move upstate the doddering old man he never anticipated or away from the culture and energy of the becoming. Lithgow walks with a softened, place they call home. Manhattan is painted anxious weariness, his face open and as an intimidating, inspiring and headache- thoughtful, though bearing the shadow of past inducing place, but one that stings with mistakes and regrets. Molina is the younger vibrancy and creativity. and snappier of the two, cheery and upbeat, At the heart of it are two fantastic, charismatic almost resigned to the fact that while they've
out role is Martin Short's Dr. Rudy Blantoyd, a cocaine-snorting eccentric dentist, who reveals that not even oral hygiene is safe from from the all-encompassing conspiracy. Marvellously scored by Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood, Inherent Vice is by turns hilarious, evocative and cool. Beneath the film's playful antics however, a sadder story is being told, one of the death of a certain kind of idealism and the drug that brought much of the hippie movement down, here lighting a single candle to the 60s and its rebels. both hit their twilight years, they've hit harder for Ben. Orbiting around them are a collection of family and friends. Director and co-writer Ira Sachs isn't interested in going particularly deep with any of his supporting cast, (whether it's Ben's relations or George's young, gay cop friends, all are drawn thinly), seeming rather more intent on capturing the feel and state of a specific moment in time. It is clear the marriage between Ben's nephew and his wife (played by Darren Burrows and Marisa Tomei) is experiencing its own trauma, for instance, but the film retreats before getting too specific. Their teenage son Joey (Charlie Tahan) is angst-ridden and reactionary, his parents concerned about a newfound friendship, but there is no climactic revelation or explosive resolution where the root of his turmoil is revealed. Instead the film's characters play like threads woven in and out of a larger fabric. It's not enormously cinematic, but feels raw and truthful. Ultimately, thoughts return to the film's title. Love Is Strange isn't an issues movie or an exploration of something similarly 'important', its true purpose lies in its very name. Love Is Strange, bizarre and baffling, a feeling that leads you to upset and upheaval, joy and rage. Everything on offer here proves a testament to it of sorts: the love we feel for those around us, the cities we exist in, and the homes that we make our own.
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just say yes!
concrete.film@uea.ac.uk
TASEEN RAHMAN
Our writers rack up some lines of argument, spark debates and inject some fun into our Drugs Special
USED AND ABUSED Throughout history, films have galvanised from creative inspirations such as a past event or movement, an individual or a group of individuals, emotions and personal experiences. Every so often drugs are used to spark the imagination into making films, and these pieces are usually very reflective of the filmmaker’s hallucinogenic experience. However, at other times drugs are used as a cinematic theme itself, depicting positive or negative messages about substance use. To a certain extent, drugs have enhanced the creative energy of films whether through groundbreaking visuals, clever and zany dialogue, and unique, intriguing characters or plot developments. Despite this, it cannot be denied that drugs have also ruined actors and filmmakers whether in terms of their careers or personal lives or in the art of their films. Drugs are known for distorting the mind from reality into a world of fantasy and illusion. Often when under the influence
of hallucinogenics, one sees abstract images whether joyful, humorous or even threatening. This determines whether the person has had a good or bad trip. These visuals are often expressed in films such as the abstract and psychedelic animation in pictures such as Yellow Submarine or hippie exploitation films such as The Trip and The Love-ins. The counterculture movement and its association with marijuana and LSD use greatly influenced these pieces. Surrealist films such as these are considered to be highly influential works of art. This poses the question of whether drugs are a useful ingredient in making memorable and radiant films. Drugs are also used in film as a theme in their own right. When it comes to making a story ‘edgy’, drugs are usually the instruments of choice in popular cinema, whether used to create humour or slapstick in comedy films such as Pineapple Express drama and violence such as Trainspotting or emotive and stylistic
films such as Requiem for a Dream. In fact, drugs have inspired their own sub-genre of film know as ‘stoner comedies’, highlighting their innovative impact. However, is it right to assert that drugs are the total gateway for such artists to achieve creative excellence? It is evident that film actors and makers do not require substance use to demonstrate their artistic talents and many are allegedly sober or seek other forms of stimulating their creativity. Nevertheless, it is notable of people in the industry to succumb to drugs as a relief from the pressure of their demanding jobs or to indulge in the hedonistic elements that their professions are associated with. Instances of actors such as Robert Downey Jr. and Charlie Sheen have demonstrated that drugs can hinder one’s professional career and private life through losing jobs and loved ones. Despite both actors having made professional comebacks, it is clear that drugs are capable of damaging the integrity and sparkle of actors
and filmmakers. Moreover, films influenced by drugs do not always attain an enthusiastic reaction from critics and audiences. Surrealist elements fuelled by hallucinogenic or hard drugs are often seen as confusing and sometimes pretentious and over-ambitious. Perhaps it could be the ignorance of certain individuals in failing to understand the filmmaker’s art and message. Even so, this shows that druginduced films are not always warmly embraced or understood and can sometimes hinder the intended essence of the film being fully communicated. Overall, drugs have certainly helped to inspire films and other forms of creativity. However, they are not necessary to produce innovative cinema. There are other and possibly more healthier forms that can just be as effective in producing noteworthy and brilliant pieces. Ruth Ilott
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GOOD TRIP / BAD TRIP Riot on Sunset Strip (1967) Andy’s (Mimsy Farmer) sinister trip in the rarely seen Hippie exploitation film Riot on Sunset Strip cleverly reflects the sense of building paranoia present in 60s America. Having had a LSD laced sugar cube dissolved in her drink by one of the hippies at a party, Andy, an innocent young cop’s daughter gyrates trance-like across the psychedelic dancefloor. Her movements are robotic yet simultaneously frantic, as a crowd of predatory onlookers watch her. Filmed during 1967, her trip was actually a scare tactic used by Hollywood to fight against drug culture and the hippie movement by reflecting the vulnerability a young woman faces when under the influence of drugs. Her drug craze, culminating in a gang rape, proved extremely shocking in its initial release in conservative America. Riot on the Sunset Strip is a hidden gem of 60s counterculture, largely due to its reactionary stance against youth riots and drug use. Isis Billing
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) ‘The weasels are closing in!’ Welcome to the Imaginarium of Dr Gilliam. Raoul Duke’s (Johnny Depp) first LSD trip consists of mind bending, stomach turning perspective shots and spinning cameras which causes people’s faces to bulge and contort, not to mention the blood on the floor and everyone turning into giant lizards. And that’s just the opening sequence. It doesn’t stop there. When Depp comes to with a mic taped to his face, a tape player strapped to his chest, in thigh high leather boots, a plastic lizard’s tail, wading through several feet of water in the flat, the audience loses all fragments of sanity that they might have desperately clung to. When he discovers the words ‘He Lives’ painted on the wall in ketchup, pornography covered in mustard and, of course, a gun in the toilet, it’s goodbye peaceful sleep and hello mental institution. You’ll need rehab afterwards but it’s well worth the trip!
A Scanner Darkly (2006) To be fair, much of Richard Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly has a ‘bad trip’ vibe to it, the film’s opening scene depicting a man waking up to find himself being swarmed by a cloud of insects. Mistaking LSD for sleeping pills in a suicide attempt gone awry, Rory Cochrane’s avatar later finds himself being presided over by an interdimensional green-skinned reaper with a myriad of eyeballs, who reads off an endless list of past sins while our hallucinating hero lies there cradling a copy of libertarian literature. Whether there is an anti-drugs message attached to this scene (and the whole film by extension) is not obvious, as it both pokes fun at establishment attitudes while showing the darker side of the effect on the psyche of certain narcotics, the end credits including a list of people the source material’s author knew personally who suffered psychological trauma induced by drugs. Troy Boatman
Louis Pigeon-Owen
UNDER THE INFLUENCE How High (2001) Sometimes you can’t beat indulging in some straight up ridiculousness. How High is off the chart in terms of its unashamed silliness and completely ludicrous plot. What better way to entertain a baked, hazy mind than to get lost in an hour and a half of two underachieving stoners (played by Method Man and Redman) smoking their way into college? The most outrageous thing about this film is its twist on the supernaturalSilas and Jamal smoke their dead friend’s ashes in order to summon his ghost, so he can tell them answers to exam questions. That’s some creative genius right there. It’s got the right level of farce and self-awareness to keep you occupied, and is completely devoid of paranoiainducing big questions, unless you were to watch it as a serious social commentary of two hallucinating drug addicts who just want to prove society wrong and earn a degree. Now that would be weird. Silvia Rose
Pineapple Express (2008) Pineapple Express easily claims the ‘stoner film’ title for a number of reasons, and not just because Seth Rogen and James Franco’s escapades are mostly marijuana-induced. It’s also incredibly relatable thanks to its casual presentation of weed smoking. The comedy itself is ridiculous: from the fight scene between Red, Saul and Denton to the random smittering of equally ridiculous dialogue such as … rather on-point observation of cous cous: “the food so good they named it twice”. It’s hard not to feel stoned whilst watching the film sober. The difference of picking up a joint rather than popcorn when watching Pineapple Express is that ultimately, you find yourself not laughing at Saul and Dale, but laughing with them. Amy Lee
Yellow Submarine (1968) In all honesty, you probably don’t need to be under the influence to experience the dream-like and colourful world of The Beatles’ iconic animated film, Yellow Submarine. However, the bizarre and vivid landscapes, colours and creatures will certainly have you reaching for the nearest hallucinogen (or the nearest exit if you are having a bad trip) and can certainly creep you out whilst sober. But every time a Beatles classic such as Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and All You Need Is Love reaches your ears, it lifts you up and brilliantly compliments the creative and psychedelic visuals. Although there isn’t much of a plot, the swirling animation and blissful musical sequences are enough to make your narcotic experience one full of wonder and imagination. Ruth Ilott
Lost Highway (1997) Lost Highway epitomises the intense, chaotic dream worlds Lynch creates in his films. A nonsensical neo-noir, it follows a married couple from the modern L.A suburbs into a 1950s fantasy mafia underworld. It is not the plot but the style that the audience remembers. Who wouldn’t want to experience a trip to a soundtrack of David Bowie, This Mortal Coil and Marilyn Manson? The latter may incite fear at a potentially satanic experience, but in the right mind-set, one should expect total exhilaration. Lost Highway is explosively vibrant with a frantic visual style so there is no threat of falling into a depressive funk. When Bill Pullman tells us “I like to remember things my own way, not necessarily the way they happened,” he locates the imaginative potential for the film in its total disconnection with reality. Obey the trailer, follow the Mystery Man and take a trip on David Lynch’s Lost Highway. Martha Julier
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Want to meet someone new? Know someone single and ready to mingle? Venue has partnered with 7Heaven Burger & Waffle Co. to introduce the Big Fat Venue Dating Challenge 2015.
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The Waterfront Propaganda
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