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Tom Stevenson editor Tal Davies london Anna Matheson and Omer Hamid features Amelia Jefferies and Lauryn Murdoch arts Bethia Stone and Keeren Flora photography Angel Lambo and Ryan Ramgobin music Amy Bowles and Lucinda Turner fashion Mark Birrell and Kamilla Baiden film Bryony Orr qupid Lauren Mason, Maria Sowter and Robert Pritchard sub editors Maria D’Amico cartoon Cover image by Flora Bartlett
@cubmagazine.co.uk 3 London
I Like That I Don’t Have to Make Conversation With Strangers.
4 Have You Cleared Your
Google History Yet?
We investigate the significance of Google’s latest changes to their privacy policy.
5 The Biggest Boob of All
What happened when Oxford University student Madeline Grant based an election strategy on her ‘rack’?
6 Trainspotting
With the publication of a prequel to Irvine Welsh’s 1993 classic, CUBarts takes a look at the Trainspotting trilogy as a whole.
Image by XXXXX
“This has to be the biggest and sickest festival of this upcoming summer.” Page 7.
What to do this summer The Big Egg Hunt (April 3rd) The great hunt is back! With ceramic eggs hidden all over the capital, you’ll be traversing the Metropolis trying to see them all, and it’s all in the name of charity.
Globe to Globe (April 21st-) Shakespeare’s Globe is staging every one of the great Bard’s plays in a staggering variety of languages, from Maori to Arabic, and even British Sign Language.
National Frog Day (March 18th) Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park is hosting a national celebration of our reptilian friends. This is the zaniest event we’ve heard of all year; it’s got to be worth a try.
Southbank Chocolate Festival (March 23rd-) The Southbank Centre are hosting a free artisan chocolate festival (with tasting). A fantastic thing to do if you love chocolate, like all normal humans.
Bombay Bicycle Club (April 28th)
7 Why Are We Still So
Addicted to Drug Literature? We explore the enduring appeal of literature written about (and under the influence of) drugs.
8-9 CUB’s EYE 10-11 Home & Away
Music bring you the best of the coming festival season.
12-3 Here Comes the Sun
We round up the biggest catwalk trends of SS12 and show you how to create them on a high street budget.
14-5 And the Award
Should Have Gone To...
The movies that should have made off like bandits at this year’s awards ceremonies.
Alexandra Palace have Bombay Bicycle Club, fresh off the back of their sell-out tour.
Want to be part of next year’s CUB team? If you have a passion for writing, design, photography or pretty much anything, you should email editor@cubmagazine.co.uk
16 Qupid
The latest lovebirds to be struck by Qupid’s arrow...
Shaun Ramanah
I Like That I Don’t Have to Make Conversation With Strangers As I start to type, the pressure I feel because this is the final London article of the year, and the last one that myself and my fellow finalists will read, is quite surprising. Trying to put into words how I feel about London is difficult because it is such a complex city. I don’t think anyone’s feelings towards it remain the same for long; they constantly fluctuate from anger at tube delays to drunken joy at being able to get a kebab at 3am. My experience of this city is also markedly different because, unlike previous London writers, I was born and bred here (albeit on the sleepier, south side of the river). However, unlike other London-based students I never commuted; I lived in the Student Village in
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I don’t care that in your village when you ask someone the time they don’t cover their watch and back away...
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my first year and lived out in turbulent, divisive East London in my second and final year. I guess the easiest aspect to write about is the people, and one of the biggest things that hit me when I first arrived at Maurice Court over two years ago was all the far-flung and dissimilar places that my new neighbours were from which made them seem much more well-travelled and mature. By contrast, I was straight out of sixth-form and had only turned 18 about two weeks before; I had always stayed within the city bubble, only migrating as far as Camden in my adolescence. My ingrained London mentality of not talking to or making eye contact with anyone, ever, put me at a immediate disadvantage when I encountered the bubbly friendliness and warmth of students from up north and other rural, picturesque regions. Although as time has gone by it is interesting to see these friends slowly adopt the infamous, cynical and suspicious London mindset. Nationally, this mindset is unique to London
and is always the first thing non-Londoners state when comparing the capital to their hometowns. Having grown up with it I honestly didn’t realise it was even possible to say good morning to someone on the bus you didn’t know and when a northern friend once did this to prove that point, both myself and the unsuspecting Bengali guy he said hello to nearly crapped ourselves. I had no idea how to take it. I completely understand why newcomers to London always bemoan this and can almost agree with them how absurd it is but, in all honestly, I really don’t care. I don’t care that in your village when you ask someone the time they don’t cover their watch and back away but instead reply, “I reckon it’s time for a pint” and lead you off to the pub. If London was like a village where everyone knew each other it would be suffocating and awful, you wouldn’t be able to get away with throwing up outside Budgens after staggering down the road from Drapers and eating questionable “chicken” wings from Dixie’s because everyone would know you. I like the fact I don’t have to make conversation with strangers because if I did, I’d never get anything else done and also, most people are really boring. Despite this, I don’t see myself as that cynical a Londoner, I like directing tourists and, after years of practice, I’m now quite good at hiding my disdain for Freshers, people who stand on the left of escalators in tube stations and guys who play the guitar awfully in public. That’s just my interpretation of Londoners, we’re not perfect but a largely homogenous and indifferent bunch that keeps to ourselves which makes us pretty easy to handle and ignore
and that’s
exactly how we like it. London itself though is completely unlike this. Every part is completely diverse and conspicuous from each other and can even change within itself. Turn the corner at Whitechapel Road to escape the constant sound of sirens and you are bombarded by smells from the multitude of curry houses of Brick Lane which, along with the smiling and eager porters, try to lure you in. But then, slightly further down the same road you’re flooded by a sea of fake glasses and rolled-up trouser wearing hipsters as well as vintage clothes, music and arts shops on all sides. Turn another corner and all of a sudden you’re in the City surrounded by bankers in suits barging past you. I know my lack of travelling in Britain is pretty appalling, my housemates tell me this all the time and I’m not trying to defend myself, but what I am saying is I could have most places figured out in a weekend while London has taken me 20 years and I have still only scratched the surface. By contrast, most of my school friends are dotted around the country and tell me the joys of knowing absolutely everything about their university town, how they can get 3 triples for a fiver and how serene, clean and safe it is compared to London. But that bores me. I do not regret deciding to study in London, even my sister told me when I was applying for universities that “it is only if you leave London that you will truly appreciate it when you return”, but I think staying here, away from home, has taught me exactly this; much more than my school friends will appreciate if they return to London after graduating as they will most likely have to live at home for a while first, and will have to rediscover London all over again. What I have learnt from my time at QM in London is that no matter how long I live here, I can be surprised by the city’s depth and character every day. I might never “figure out” London; it has the power to greatly change people’s perspectives, for better or for worse, but also charm and astonish you, and if I have to take the good with the bad then so be it. I don’t even see it as a familiar friend, as it’s depicted through television and other media. I see it as an everevolving and erratic beast, one that is best treated with both awe and caution but one that I am looking forward to getting closer to understanding in the years to come as I start life out in the big, wide world. Shaun Ramanah is a final year Comparative Literature student. If you want to be a LQMDONer next year, email Tal at london@cubmagazine.co.uk
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Image by Maria D’Amico
“Have You Cleared Your Google History Yet?” Matthew TK Taylor explores the new Google privacy policy.
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y father asked me this in our weekly phone call, like I’m some kind of bestiality obsessed weirdo that Google are just waiting to send the fuzz round for, but actually he’s just oddly concerned, like everyone else is at the moment, with Google’s new privacy policy. “No”, I reply, “I’m not worried, and I don’t see why you all seem to be.” Policy is almost always boring; we skip through tens of agreements every week as we sign up and use new services, often clicking away our information to Facebook applications without a thought. However, this change has sparked some kind of outrage across the internet, like the big old spider of the web is about to turn into a ferocious spy for nefarious means. The reality is that Google has always kept this data, nothing is new; they are not tracking you in any way different from what happens already and they are
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not about to start. The only real change this allows Google to make is to store your data across their many services: web search, YouTube, maps, plus, etc. so they can improve your experience. Should we really mind if the masters
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you don’t want Google to be tracking every thought you mindlessly input into that compelling box then just log out, go incognito, literally; their very own browser (which will still abide by a different policy) comes with a mode
Should we really mind if the masters of the web know a little more about us?
of the web know a little more about us? Supermarkets to which we own a loyalty card know just as much about our buying habits as Google knows about what we search for, and both use this information to improve our experience, in exchange for a little moneymaking on their end; the supermarkets send us personalised vouchers, and Google shows us exactly what we want to buy. And both are very much opt-in. If
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to stop them associating your data. Of course with this you lose the services they give you for free like Google Mail, Calendar, Documents; the equivalent of supermarket vouchers to keep you coming back over and over to spend more time using their services. Because in the end, the better Google knows you, the better they can target advertising, and the more targeted their advertising, the more people engage with advertisers,
which blows their profits sky high. Of all the things online at the moment that people should concern themselves with, one thing stands above all the others: Pinterest. A lawyer recently deleted her account after carefully reading through the terms and conditions of this new starter on the social spectrum. Pinning and repinning images of inspiration to your various boards has quickly become an intoxicating habit. However, should you pin anything to which there is a copyright complaint filed, you could soon find yourself in a bit of bother. Pinterest’s user agreement states that any content posted is sourced under the liability of the user, meaning you could be sued, and hundreds of times if what you post becomes popular enough to. Yet another moment where our whimsical ability to flick through an agreement could hurt us in the long run. The old joke, “By agreeing to these terms you sign your soul to Microsoft” is never far wrong.
The Biggest Boob Of All?
FEATURES
words by Lauren Cantillon
P
olitical manifestos have been EVERYWHERE over campus for the last few weeks. Elections are all well and good, but it’s nice to be able to walk through Library Square without having to dodge people handing out leaflets about why you should “vote for me!”. But our elections, despite depleting the world’s tree population, seemed to be pretty calm – with the most controversial point being Ozzie Osibudo of the New Turn slate clutching a teddy bear throughout his speeches. We didn’t have a Madeline Grant scenario. Madeline is an English undergraduate at Oxford University, applying for the position of Oxford Union Librarian. So far, so normal. Yet Madeline has sparked a debate with some of her campaign material – quite simply, she’s cashing in on her chest, to quote: “I don’t hack, I just have a great rack”. Once the feminists had been resuscitated, the national press had their nuclear warheads ready and someone had decided her parents’ house is apparently worth £460,000, we’re good to go. Cue the inevitable extreme divide; some say she’s “deeply offensive” (anonymous Oxford Union member), while others describe it as a “light-hearted cam-
paign” (another anonymous OU member). Undeniably this is a controversial way to run for a leadership position, but could it be said that Ms Grant is simply utilising her assets? (Apologies for the dreadful pun.) Former Prime Ministers Harold Macmillan and Edward Heath have both served in the role as Oxford Union Librarian, so using sexual means in a race to win a prestigious official position seems all the more shocking. By drawing attention to her “rack”, a girl who is obviously highly intelligent (duh, she’s at Oxford) is not only objectifying herself, but doing it willingly, causing people to think about her in a certain way. At a time where women on average earn 19.9% less per year than men (Office for National Statistics, data for 2011), playing into an outdated sexual stereotype may not be the way to go in pursuing equal rights for women. When reporting the story, the media chose not to comment on Madeline’s academic career – no GCSEs, A Levels, or any previous political experiences at Oxford or elsewhere were mentioned. No, they went down the line of writing about Ms Grant’s attempt to pursue modelling, with The Telegraph noting that she “has posted numerous pictures
of herself posing half-naked on her Facebook page”. Even the comments posted by other online readers reflected how Ms Grant’s declaration had brought attention to her physical appearance, with one Mail Online post complaining that “she doesn’t have a great rack though...” generating over two thousand likes. The post “clicked on this hoping to see a great rack for god’s sake”, also received similar levels of response. Calling into question the nature of freedom of speech, it seems that the students at Oxford are left to decide for themselves whether the world is ready for this kind of humour in an official capacity. Madeline herself has pointed out that her manifesto, a draft copy of which was prematurely leaked, was only meant in a jokey manner. “I thought my statement was really funny when I wrote it.” For argument’s sake, Madeline could have been paying homage to some of the OU’s more divisive speakers, one of whom is particularly renowned in this area – the glamour model and (self-proclaimed) businesswoman Katie Price. With more alternative speakers such as Ms Price being recruited to speak at the OU, there is little surprise that it has filtered through into the campaign styles. Indeed, a
moment of revelation from Madeline confirms that: “The people running the Union take it very seriously. I was trying to satirise all these people”. Should this deserve our respect? It may be a less then tasteful method, but the open ridicule of such a historically renowned society may well seem glamorous to students who dislike the stereotypical Union representative. Perhaps there was some method in the madness. Even with the breast references removed, the media attention the campaign has received certainly says something about the nature of freedom of speech; the press in general have neither supported nor slammed the campaign, with most comments coming from fellow students. Whilst the idea of women relying on their physical appearance to get them anywhere in life seems attractive to some, it has to be remembered that brains have an equal, if not more important, role to play. However, the fact is that Ms Grant has apologised, realised her words were offensive and produced a clear justification for her actions, which can be interpreted with humour. “I wanted to do something provocative” – this is one thing that she has certainly achieved.
Image by RobW (via Flickr)
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Arts
Gallery • Dance • Comedy • Campus • Print Events • Art • Poetry • Photography • Theatre
Trainspotting
C
ult classic Trainspotting everything with a Scottish lilt. You have by Scottish author Irvine been warned. Welsh recounts the stories Returning to the content that was earof heroin addicts in the ar- lier ignored, Trainspotting is not for the eas around Edinburgh in faint of heart. As is to be expected from the late 80s/early 90s. If a novel dealing with opium addiction, you haven’t read it, you should. there are quite a few disturbing topics Having sold over 1 million copies in covered, including graphic violence, the the UK alone, Trainspotting has become AIDS epidemic of the 80s and death. But one of the defining books of modern if you can suck it up, it is definitely worth English literature. Even if you ignore the the read. basis of the plot (heroin), the narrative In contrast to 2002 sequel Porno, style of the novel, compiled of several however, Trainspotting is a barrel of short stories from various perspectives, laughs. Dealing with many of the same each written in the Edinburgian dialect characters (as well as appearances from (I looked it up on the internet; apparent- many of the characters from Welsh’s ly that is the correct 2001 novel Glue) but You may also exterm but I’m still 10 years on. Although perience an almost most of the characnot so sure) is one unique to Welsh. schizophrenic change ters have managed to I will, however, kick the heroin habit, in your conscious add a disclaimer: it the book has far more may take you a while thought and start to seedy overtones, with to get into the swing working more as read everything with drugs of the dialect; I pera backdrop to the main a Scottish lilt sonally spent about plot-point of the por3 chapters trying to work out who Ken nography industry. Although neither was until I realised it was just an aspect book can be said to have a protagonist, of speech similar to “y’know”. Talk about Porno’s focus is more on Simon “Sickembarrassing. You may also experience Boy” Williamson. an almost schizophrenic change in your I have to admit that, in both the novel conscious thought, and may start to read and Danny Boyle’s 1996 film adapta-
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With the publication of the prequel to the 1993 classic, CUBarts takes a look at the Trainspotting trilogy as a whole.
tion of Trainspotting, I had a bit of a likely lads to young men addicted to the crush on Sick-Boy, especially Johnny heroin which has flooded their disinteLee Miller’s bleached rendition in the grating community. This is the 1980s: a movie. Despite the heroin addiction he time of drugs, poverty, AIDS, violence, is smooth, suave and more than a lit- political strife and hatred.” tle bit sexy, but Porno’s those of you poliDespite the heroin ticsForlovers thirty-something Simon out there, addiction he is is definitely not somethe series is not just an one you would want to smooth, suave and empty tale of despair, be alone in a room with. but a clever political It sounds bad to say more than a little commentary on the noit, but the 10 year age hope areas created by bit sexy difference really does Thatcher’s government make his choice of lifestyle far less cool. and the conditions in the “decade which Perhaps it is the fact that it seems that changed Britain forever”. this new Simon is trying desperately to If you have already read Trainspotting hold on the lifestyle he had in his 20s, and Porno and you find yourself unable in which, at least amongst his no-hope to wait until April for more, then check friends, he was something, but it seems out Welsh’s other works available from that there is an extra edge to his sexual all good bookstores. If books aren’t your exploits and drug habits which is entire- thing then 2012 is still an exciting year ly due to his age. as it sees the release of not one but two Rather excitingly (for the likes of me Welsh adaptations onto the big screen. anyway) 2012 will play host to the re- Ecstasy will be released the day after lease of Skagboys, the long awaited pre- Skagboys, and Filth hits screens in auquel to Trainspotting, which is actually tumn. the first half of the manuscript that was intended to become the novel. After al- Skagboys is out in hardback 19th April, most two decades, the 548 page tome published by Jonathan Cape priced will be released in April. This time set in £12.99 the early 80s, the novel tells the story of Read CUBarts’ exclusive review from “The Skagboys”, and their descent “from 1st April at qmessenger.co.uk
Image by Sergio M. Mahugo courtesy of Flickr CC
Arts Editor Millie Jefferies delves into the world of drug literature and asks: “Why are we still so addicted?”
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rugs are bad. This is something we have all had drilled into us since birth, and I think it’s pretty safe to say there is some truth in it. So why do
they fascinate us? The wonder that is Wikipedia has just informed me that there is archaeological evidence of psychoactive drug use dating back 10,000 years, and since then the human penchant for altering consciousness has only grown. Obviously not everyone takes drugs, with a large proportion of the population opposing them completely, but it is also true that some of the greatest and most popular art, literature and music of the previous century (the most prohibitive of recreational drug use so far) have concerned their consumption. Several of the most famous writers throughout the ages are almost equally as famous for their drug habits as their literary talent. When speaking of drugusing authors, my mind automatically springs to my personal favourite, Hunter S Thompson. Not only one of the greatest journalists of all time and father of the Gonzo genre (one of the only new genres spawned from the latter half of the previous century), but also an excellent author made famous by perhaps the father
of all “drug novels”, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream. Begun with the sole purpose of attempting to soberly capture the experience of being on drugs with words, the rest of the novel (on a basic level) is an account of Raoul Duke’s drug-fuelled business trip to Las Vegas with his attorney Dr Gonzo to cover the Mint 400 motorcycle race, which is quickly hijacked by “two bags of grass, seventyfive pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a saltshaker half-full of cocaine, and a whole galaxy of multi-coloured uppers, downers, screamers, laughers... Also, a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether, and two dozen amyls”. Quite a cocktail for just a weekend. Although there are some negative experiences in the novel, it has to be said that both the book and the 1998 film adaptation make it look like rather an enjoyable way to spend a few days in Vegas (if a little unstable at times). Another of Thompson’s stories, The Rum Diary, references one of the other great authors whose drug addiction shaped his work; “a junkie named Coleridge”. After a night of excessive Laudanum abuse and vivid dreams of Xanadu, Samuel Taylor Coleridge managed to scribble down the words “Kubla Khan”,
Confessions of an English Opium Eater - Thomas De Quincey
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rainspotting and the like are good for modern displays of drug culture, but what was it like for past generations? Thomas de Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium Eater gives readers a peek at what it was like to get completely off your face in the nineteenth century. A runaway, de Quincey became involved in “opium eating” (in fact an addiction to Laudanum, an opium and alcohol tincture) during his time at Oxford as a young impressionable student. Describing his first use, de Quincey mentions his dealer: “He has ever since existed in my mind as the beatific vision of an immortal druggist, sent down to earth on a special mission to myself.” The book is told in two parts. Part I is
Mike Brown
all about de Quincey living rough on the streets, told through the eyes of a young and rather naïve boy. Part II details the opium years, and unlike many other works of drug literature, de Quincey leaves you feeling pretty positive about the stuff. No hideous comedowns or revolting suppository scenes. Instead his romantic flair is fully on display; vast chasms, endless fields and lost loves populate his dreams. He barely winces at not taking the stuff any more, the only real side effect noted in his reason for quitting: “I must die if I continued the opium.” So where’s all the pain? The friendless oblivion, the writhing around in bed? It’s easy to dismiss it as a bygone era, but there are hints that de Quincey isn’t quite over his addiction. Aside from the short and abrupt ending, he mentions his dreams aren’t quite stable yet. This coming from a man who seems to have travelled whole worlds in a nighttime, could that be such a bad thing? Possibly not. A worthwhile read, if not simply for the unusual depiction of a well-trodden genre.
and thus was born one of the greatest poems of English literature. Similarly, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, another classic, was written (in its entireity!!) in the middle of a 6 day cocaine binge. Poe, Baudelaire, Hemingway and Sartre all wrote whilst under the influence and it only added to their genius. Obviously, I am not condoning drug use, and it can be expected that these men all posessed a rather large amount of talent in the first place, but it is interesting to see how mind-altering substances have shaped our culture, even without us realising. And this list ignores completely those works concerned with the ingestion of drugs, instead of merely influenced by them. The 19th and 20th centuries saw an astronomical boost in the popularity of novels that deal with addicts. On top of the works of de Quincey, Thompson and Welsh, all featured in this week’s issue, there are several other modern classics to be considered. Naked Lunch and Junkie by William S. Burroughs, beat poet, novelist and heroin addict,are both concerned with drug users, and Naked Lunch remains to this day a point of controversy in the American publishing industry. The novel is shocking, brutal and utterly brilliant. It does, however, raise the question of why we would choose to read some-
thing so horrifying, dealing with the worst part of human nature, if there wasn’t something innately wrong with us? Many of the novels here mentioned (and many that aren’t) play host to some truly horrible deeds and people, but this exposure to a world that it is unlikely we will ever play a part in is the basis of its appeal. Trainspotting is one of my favourite books, but I highly doubt I will ever shoot heroin, move to Leith or rip off my friends in a drug heist. On the one hand, novels like Trainspotting excite our curiosity, telling us to “take yer best orgasm, multiply it by twenty, and you’re still fuckin miles off the pace” of shooting up. But that inbuilt fascination with the ability to alter our conciousness mingles in drug literature with the perhaps worrying curiosity we have with the darker side of our nature. Like watching a car crash, we often can’t help enjoying watching people make mistakes that we ourselves could quite easily have done. Aristotle’s theory of pity and fear is alive here more than any other modern genre, and will inevitably keep this literature going long after others have died away. Drug literature offers us the chance to experience a world that is denied to us by law and that most of us would not chose to be a part of, as well as satisfying the darker urges of our personalities.
CUBarts recommended reads: The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe (1968)
A non-fiction novel following author Ken Kesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) and his group of “Merry Pranksters” across the country in a psychedelic school bus, documenting their personal and collective experiences with LSD.
Junk - Melvyn Burgess (1996)
A group of teenagers fall into heroin addiction and anarchism in Bristol. Winner of the 1996 Carnegie Award and the Guardian Award the following year.
Doors of Perception - Aldous Huxley (1954)
A recollection of an afternoon spent on mescaline (a psychedelic derived from the peyote cactus), and the author’s later reflections on its meaning for art and religion. 7
CUB’S EYE
“FOGG” IMAGE BY DUNCAN CARTER WORDS BY KEEREN FLORA
In November, QMUL was presented with a prestigious Green Gown Award for the recent rejuvenation of the G. E. Fogg Building. However, this is not the only restructuring the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences has been faced with. Decisions to significantly alter staffing for the purposes of moving up league tables and improving research is troubling many in the school. Students and staff alike have raised questions in recent meetings with the Head of School, Professor Matthew Evans, over how the quality of teaching and staff morale will be affected in the near future.
Latitude. Anna Matheson
When Bon Iver are given a headline slot, you know the bookers have got their heads screwed on. In fact, whoever is behind this year’s Latitude line-up has, for lack of a better word, produced an absolute “belter” of a show. Picture a summertinged night in mid July, with Guy Garvey’s nostalgic crooning filling the air, or Laura Marling’s deep vocals floating through the fields. And then there’s Paul Weller; a genuine godlike genius incarnate. Not to mention appearances from Metronomy and Yeasayer to create some dance filled afternoons and a Comedy Arena to escape to when things get a little too heavy. Oh, and if that’s not enough, just when you thought there couldn’t be a more chilled line-up around, the likes of Wild Beasts, Kurt Vile and The Horrors will be turning up to prove that the Suffolk bash is the respectable music lover’s only place to be this July.
home &away
CUB Music takes a look at 2012’s festival lineup in our delightful British Isles and further afield in Europe’s hottest music destinations.
Exit. Lauren Alexandra Haines
Standing in the middle of a Petrovaradin Fortress in Serbia at 2 o’clock in the morning, watching Jarvis Cocker busting moves that would make my Grandma blush, is definitely one of the more surreal experiences of my life. To my left: a herd of frenzied festival goers speed past inexplicably wearing stilts and carnival garb. To my right: the almost inappropriately picturesque view of the Danube river, set against the city of Novi Sad. The acid lighting and pumping Brit pop leaves me caught between wanting to drink in every little detail of the scene before me, and an overwhelming urge to throw some filthy shapes that would put Jarvis to shame. This is the beauty of Exit Festival, with all the charm that British festivals lack and all the debauchery that they boast, Exit is definitely a welcome step outside the comfort zone. Since 2001 Exit Festival has been championing exciting and diverse new talent and racking up big names including: Arcade Fire, Groove Armada, Prodigy and, of course, Pulp. The festival has seen some huge names tearing up the infamous Dance Arena in recent years. However, as the likes of Jarvis Cocker prove, there is plenty of room on the Main Stage for good old fashioned rock and roll. With 17 stages in total, there is a little something for everyone. The 2012 line-up is looking incredible already, with acts such as Guns N’ Roses, New Order, and Gossip already confirmed. If you like to be slumped around a rancid campsite with a can of Fosters by midnight, this may not be your cup of tea. The headliners don’t typically make an appearance until 12am, with music continuing well into the early hours. The real deal breaker is the price: with tickets selling for £95 you just can’t argue. The festival spans 4 days, from the 7th until the 12th of July making it fantastic value for money. It’s not for everyone but with cheap ticket prices, class acts and a chance to see a little of Europe while you’re at it, it leaves most wanting to return year upon year.
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Isle of Wight. Ryan Paul
Where do you start with a festival like Isle of Wight? It's one of the festival veterans and this year it heads into its tenth year of great music. Not only that, but it is also one of the first festivals of the summer and it certainly sets the pace. Set in probably one of the only spots that gets good weather in Britain, the Isle of Wight has certainly rocked us over the years with the world's greatest artists such as Jay-Z, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, The Prodigy, David Bowie and Faithless. Isle of Wight provides an eclectic mix of the up and coming, the present & the absolute classic and 2012 is no different. Isle of Wight really has something for everybody and that's probably why it's marketed as one for the families. And this year, the office hacks have sifted and sorted through every popular band they can think of and the result? Absolute gold. In my opinion, it is Isle of Wight's best line-up yet, not just because of the headlining acts but because of every single band across the board. I'm talking from Example to Elbow, Boyce Avenue to Professor Green, Lana Del Rey to Primal Scream. And since opening the festival all the way back in 2002, The Charlatans return to remind us just what we were missing.
Sonisphere. Bryony Orr
Sonisphere is a relatively new festival starting up back in 2009, but fortunately the team behind it has experience at many other large name festivals such as Reading and Download. This experience meant that the festival started off without having the worries of trial and error. The festival is only marginally smaller than Download, and has had massive names headlining since the first year. This year is no exception with Kiss, Queen and Faith No More headlining each day; also getting the blood pumping are Flogging Molly, Skindred and Tim Minchen! At the festival you can expect overpriced but irresistible food stalls, a no-alcoholin-the-arena-unless-you-buy-it-fromthe-bar rule and those finding new ways to evade it. The mood is generally one of fun times as the rockers just wanna rock. The campsite is compact and if you get on the right side of the miniature valley they’ve got going on then you’re sorted. Keep an eye out for quirky things like the shisha bar tent in the arena.
Benicassim. Ryan Paul
In my opinion, the new grand daddy of them all. The Wrestlemania in your wrestling calendar. The Champion's League Final in your football calendar. Benicassim certainly has pulled out all the stops to rise above the likes of Glastonbury and Bestival. And with acts such as The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian and Gorillaz hitting the main stage in recent years, you can see exactly why. And this year is no different. Set on the coast of Spain, providing over a week of blistering heat, lobster-like individuals and of course, more live music than you can get your grubby mitts on. Benicassim 2012 is set to be a stormer. First of all, The Stone Roses. It has been almost 15 years since Ian Brown and his merry men have hit a stage and the promoters at Benicassim have certainly set the standard with putting the Manchester veteran rockers at the top of the bill. The festival continues to stay at its peak for the duration with acts such as New Order, Florence & The Machine, At The Drive-In, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, David Guetta and De La Soul and the list doesn't stop there. Benicassim is set to be the big one and what more could you want than sun, sea, sand and seven days of the world's most eclectic live music. Margarita anybody?
Parklife. Nataša Cordeaux
MUSIC
If Manchester’s sell-out weekend madness from last year is anything to go by, Parklife Festival 2012 is definitely a wise shout! From Saturday 9th to Sunday 10th June in Platt Fields Park, the festival promises big names branching across all genres from Mainstreamers such as Dizzee Rascal, Electro’s Canadian Crystal Castles, DnB’s bottomless list of big cats, to hilarious small alternative acts – Parklife has something for every student! The festival’s drunken day summer vibe jump starts what will be a great festival season. Commencing from midday until 11pm, Parklife avoids amalgamating ravers’ stench giving the light-hearted a chance to refresh for Sunday’s revelry, whilst the hard-core skankers live it up in Manchester City Centre.
image by Nataša Cordeaux
Reading. Maria Sowter
Billed as England's longest running indie/rock festival, Reading has been all about the music for a long time. Competition for tickets can be fierce, officially selling out within a matter of days, and tout prices reaching well over the £500 mark. Leeds was created in 1999 to cope with the increasing demand for tickets, yet despite a troubled history of riots and inaccessible camping, has often been described as having a better crowd. While the music at Reading is usually outstanding, it is over by midnight, and what happens after is more than lacklustre. Ignoring two silent discos attempting to cater for over 87,000 people, you are more likely to find people slumped along camping pathways, unenthused by the shit drugs they’ve taken, than the boutique festival experience popularised in later years. Known as the lager louts’ festival, a Tuborg filled aggression can subsequently appear in different ways around the small hours of the morning. On a good night you could find a large group of people making music from a couple of steel containers, before someone has the better idea of using them for bin wrestling… If you'd had your heart set on Burning Man, however, prepare to be pleasantly surprised as piles of flaming tents often characterise the finale of your Reading weekend.
The outdoor arenas and sweaty tents will be catering well for Parklifians this year, with some absolute must see acts such as David Rodigan and Noah & the Whale. On the Saturday head to the ‘Metroplex Area – Metropolis’, which will be hosting the likes of DJ Hype, Jaguar Skills, Nero and Sub Focus (who absolutely smashed it in 2011). For the DnB heads, the Hospitality line up on Sunday boasts big cats High Contrast feat. Dynamite MC, Netsky, Danny Byrd, Loadstar, S. P. Y, Logistics and Zinc. Kelis will also be gracing the Main Stage and is one to see if her mash up of ‘Milkshake’ and ‘Holiday’ is anything to go by. For those who want to check out some classic old school 80s hip-hop, De La Soul’s closing performance on Sunday is a definite must. If you need a breather, head to the tucked away Carnival-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland chill zone; grab a beer, a swing, or a pancake and after tunnelling through the adult adventure playground, marvel at Manchester’s extremely entertaining local acts. For a sweet £64.50, the ticket is a steal, and the weekend completely unforgettable. Attendance is not optional.
Rockness. Alexander Sarychkin
Loch Ness may not be the first place you’d think a festival would be held, but Rockness is exactly that. From the 8th to the 10th of June this year, why not jump on the RockNess Express, a chartered train that runs to Inverness from Euston, and delivers you straight into the action (though we are told it will be a “party train full of Rockness attendees” so the by the time you get to Loch Ness you’ll probably be in full party mode anyway). For £159 this festival hosts talent such as Mumford and Sons, Biffy Clyro, Friendly Fires, deadmau5, Justice, The Drums, Metronomy and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, a line up that looks set to have people flailing around long into the night. The festival won ‘Best Small Festival’ this year at the NME awards and looks set to continue to rise.
Echo. Nataša Cordeaux
For the perfect cheap escape, head straight from the stress of the exam room to the hot, southern Croatian bay of Makarska, home of the brand spanking new Echo Festival. Hosted by a family of Promo and DJ crews, sourced mainly from London and Brighton’s underground scene, such as Krankbrother, Below The Line, Vinyl Records, KungFu and Yeti in the Basement, Echo Festival promises a sweet range of the finest up-to-date tech, house and bass music from across Europe. For festival veterans, Echo will satisfy your nostalgic thirst for the (what we thought lost) genuine and non-commercialised musical gathering of likeminded people - its intimacy will definitely make for some sweet music loving. For fresh meat too, the beautiful backdrop of Makarska’s idyllic beaches, clear Adriatic waters and lush pine forest will act as the perfect terrain to discover new and up coming artists, record labels and big nights for back in the UK. The site, which boasts of both its own bungee jump and water sports activities, definitely also caters for the well-loved adventurous drunken ramble.
Outlook. Nataša Cordeaux
This has to be the biggest and sickest festival of this upcoming summer. Having completely earned the 2011 title ‘Best International Festival’, this bad boy, tucked away on the dreamlike Croatian coast in the abandoned, two-hundred year old Fort Punto Christo, is literally insane. The fifth year of Europe’s largest Bass Music and Soundsystem Culture fest, hosting over 160 acts from 30th August to 2nd September, will bring, as it always does, the absolute chief names in dub and dubstep, reggae, DnB, hip-hop, roots, soul, dancehall, house, techno, garage, grime and electronica!
Not only does the festival guarantee an insane bass driven night scene, but also the blissful sounds of reggae, soul, funk, disco and hip-hop for the midday heat – no doubt soothing for the fragile, hung-over soul that stumbles out of their tent, private accommodation or hostel. This new-born wonder offers that which its elders, both at home and abroad, cannot: an underground electro music festival whose early bird tickets are priced at an unbelievably banging £35. Hit it up and be a part of the Echo Festival family’s first generation. image by Nataša Cordeaux
The moonlit beach parties, drunken mid-day skank, topless sunbathing and cheeky midnight skinny dip are only its warm-up. Fully hyped, Thursday’s kick off invites its Outlookers into its lost world of arenas, from ‘The Dungeon’ to ‘The Moat’ – last year’s newborn DnB site whose sub-bass madness shook the crowd, and no doubt, Andy C’s set will do it justice. The main stage, aka ‘The Harbour’, will be the place to head to catch the much-awaited dub/reggae headliner Fat Freddy’s Drop, as well as the sweet sounds of the Roots Reggae Soundsystem’s founding papa, Jah Shaka. For hip-hop, look out for the vibes of Phife and Loefah (who killed it last year), and dubstep heads are obliged to hit up sets from Skream, Joker, Hatcha… to name but a few. No fear, as the harmonious combo of Adriatic, local fresh-fruit and onsite massage parlours will cater for even the darkest hangovers. For £135, this hybrid lovechild of British underground raver meets Croatian holiday beauty is hands down the best festival, and I have not even begun to skim its surface. Outlook Festival 2012 – permanent marker it in.
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Here Comes The Sun... As second term draws to an end, we decided to look ahead to the floaty dresses and sunny days of summer 2012. We round up the biggest catwalk trends of SS12 and show you how to create them using High Street pieces. Modelled by Anna Matheson. Styled by Lucinda Turner. Images by Flora Bartlett. It’s a fashion whiteout this season with designers like Nina Ricci and Ralph Lauren embracing the total white trend. Being somewhat versatile, it can be worn in the form of icy elegance or masculine tailoring. Don’t forget it’s all about textures too. Embrace sheers and silks or frills and feathers for a luminous look or opt for a white, faux leather jacket to put a refreshing spin on our favourite biker look. If you prefer simplicity, then take Bar Refaeli who shone at the Dior Couture show at Paris Fashion Week in a simple yet refreshing white number. A white ensemble may not intrigue everyone, but with a few imaginative ideas it could help you stay radiant and glowing this spring. SARAI SINAI
Chiffon top Topshop, White Skirt French Connection, Shoes Stylist’s own
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When Alexa Chung stepped onto the House of Holland’s FROW in a pair of white paisley print trousers by J.W Anderson, she, as usual, culminated what was to be the explosion of the spring/ summer trend. Whether it’s summery trousers à la Chung, floaty shirts or clutches with printed twist; paisley is the pattern to be seen in over the next few months. Team it with lace for a Clements Ribeiro vibe, or for those more daring, try a head to toe trouser/tunic combo as seen on the J.W runway. For a more subtle paisley fix, a simple high-waisted skirt in a block colour, teamed with a printed blouse and sandals does the trick, and looks perfect for a summer afternoon in the city. ANNA MATHESON
Dress Vaudeville & Burlesque @ Urban Outfitters, Shoes New Look Snakeskin Print Dress Urban Outfitters, Skirt Minkpink @ Urban Outfitters, Necklace Stylist’s Own
The tribal trend has been seen many times before on the runway. Isabel Marant grunges up city chic with traditional tribal printed denim and Peter Pilotti, a young British designer, is known for his manipulated exotic prints. Yet this season Marant and Pilotti were not alone in lusting after African patterns. We were seduced by the array of texture and earthy tones at Italian brand Missoni’s show and the montage of Joshua tree blueprints and cut-up animal prints at Edun. From what the runway shows have implied, a healthy wardrobe should be splashed with animal print, warm tones and exciting African patterns to kick start this trend for next season. EVIE WARD
FASHION
Jumper Sparkle & Fade @ Urban Outfitters, Trousers, New Look, Shoes New Look When you hear ‘sportswear’, don’t be alarmed. We’re not talking over tight capri pants, skimpy cycling shorts or big baggy “I’ve run a marathon” t-shirts. Luxe sportswear has been edging its way into the fashion consciousness for some time. The trend makes use of chic playsuits, panelling and simple shapes to fluidly guide you from day to night. As seen on the SS12 catwalks of Richard Nicoll, DVF and SPORTSMAX, luxe sportswear has neatly slipped into the attainable fashion market. The High Street can’t get enough of it! Love it or loathe it, luxe sportswear is all over the fashion world this season and with the Olympics this year, the trend could not have arrived at a better time! ELEANOR DOUGHTY
Sunshine yellow, mint green and baby blue – this season is all about ice cream colours. Pastel shades took the catwalk by storm, beginning a popular choice of many designers at New York Fashion Week. Seen at SS12 shows such as Christian Dior, Valentino and Mulberry, pastels are the colour to be seen in this summer! Though these brands may be a little too steep for our pockets, lucky for us this trend has swept through all High Street stores – an accessible, loan friendly alternative. Many style icons have embraced this trend, such as Mila Kunis, who wore a beautiful lilac gown to this year’s Academy Awards, and Taylor Swift and Lea Michelle were pretty in pale pinks; this is definitely a trend to follow! HANNA IBRAHEEM
Ever since Baz Luhrmann revealed his plans for the adaptation of The Great Gatsby, the glamour of the Roaring Twenties has returned to the catwalk in an array of drop-waist dresses, ostrich feathers and beaded flapper dresses. Glamorous gowns, sparkly turbans and feather boas display the elegance of a classic 20s girl. Gucci also took their own interpretation of the trends, resulting in a collection of beautiful black and gold gowns that shimmered and swished down the runway. The look was also channelled by Bérénice Bejo in the Academy Award winning The Artist, meaning this revived trend is not one to ignore. Follow it to express the elegant lady you are. HANNA IBRAHEEM Top Minkpink @ Urban Outfitters, Skirt H&M
Find me someone who wouldn’t love to wear their pyjamas in everyday life, outside of the bedroom/home? Thanks to Stella McCartney such attire is on the way to becoming both acceptable and chic. Her spring/ summer 2012 collection was inspired by traditional men’s pyjamas with Bouillard Spots (the masculine version of polka dots) on loose fitting crêpe de chine silks and a palette of navyblue paisley prints being featured upon shorts and beautifully billowing jumpsuits. The High Street has also embraced this craze; Topshop and Zara both have their own ranges ready and John Lewis have revealed that their sales of luxurious nightwear are up 200% - categorical Shirt New Look, evidence that it’s definitePyjama trousers ly okay to wear PJs (in a Gap, Necklace Laura chic manner) outside of Ashley, Shoes Stylist’s your home! Own SARAH HARRISON
Shirt Monsoon Fusion, Skirt H&M Unless you’ve been locked in a cave for the last 6 months or so, you will have heard the name Mary Katrantzou. Her loud clashing floral prints have taken the fashion world by storm. It wasn’t only Mary Katrantzou, Dolce & Gabbana’s show was packed with prints, inspiring us for the coming season. Ashish also put itself on the line with clashing, mismatched florals that begged to be muddled together. There are no assumptions this season that florals have to be girlish; pairing clashing prints together and bold colours are what it’s all about. Just mix it up and play around with the vast array of colours, prints and designs for a very colourful summer! ELEANOR DOUGHTY
Coral dress H&M, Purple TShirt H&M, Mint Trench Vintage, Shoes Stylist’s Own
Only a few years back brash coloured denim was exclusive to the ‘scene kidz’ and any change from ‘regulation denim’ of standard blues, black and white just wasn’t welcomed. However pink jeans were HUGE in 2011 and Spring/Summer 2012 develops this colour trend, encompassing bold, muted and acid pastel hues. Despite pink being deemed a “cliché of 2010” by Guardian Fashion Editor Jess Cartner-Morley it is everywhere and the phenomenon of coloured jeans seemingly keeps growing, J-Brand’s 2011 summer Krayola skinny jeans collection sold out instantly, despite retailing at £205! Luckily, the trend has also taken over the denim sections of High Street stores. Check out the new shades of Topshop’s classic T-Shirt Truly Madly Baxter jeans for a student Deeply @ Urban Out- budget friendly way to get some colour into your SS12 fitters, Shorts BDG wardrobe. @ Urban Outfitters, Sunglasses Mango SARAH HARRISON
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...AND THE AWARD SHOULD HAVE GONE TO We at CUB were a bit disappointed by a pretty lacklustre awards season, so we thought we’d let you know what the best films of the last year really were. Best Drama If you are looking for a fast-paced spy-action flick, with exciting car chases and dramatic gunfights, then you’ve come to the wrong place. Tomas Alfredson’s adaptation of John Le Carré’s classic novel is not trying to be The Bourne Identity; the action is as subdued as its anaemic, morgue-like cinematography. Yet this is truly what makes the story work. Its slow pace perfectly echoes the tension, gloom and paranoia in both the East and the West during the Cold War, whilst simultaneously maintaining the disquieting sense of corruption bubbling secretly under a layer of respectable routine. The constant atmosphere of surveillance renders the film emotionally numb, even throughout the love story, making the film’s rare flashes of violence even more shocking and powerful. It is a world seen through the eyes of the protagonist Mr. Smiley (who indeed is anything but), a man who is methodical, deep thinking and emotionally suppressed thanks to years of bureaucracy and political procedure. Gary Oldman’s disenchanted Smiley is a retired MI6 agent now secretly called back into service to discover a mole – a man who is a member of the Circus’ innermost circle: Alleline (Toby Jones), Haydon (Colin Firth), Bland (Ciarán Hinds) or Estherhase (David Dencik). With the help of an inside man, Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch), Smiley endeavours to discover the truth, but to do so he has to delve into the past, into his own painful memories and into the secret workings of the declining and embarrassed agency he used to work for. With brilliant performances from a star-studded cast, this adaptation reveals a spy world not filled with exciting, shoot-‘em-up drama, but with cold-blooded, quiet deception – a world which is infinitely more thrilling to watch. A rare, spare and haunting film that forces you to analyse its characters, but at the same time you get the unnerving feeling that the film is also analysing you too. Zoe Allen
Best Director and Screenwriter It can sometimes feel that inexhaustible Hollywood remakes, naff novels about neurosis and the seemingly endless supply of reality television zombies are the only signs of life crawling from our cultural woodwork. So when a film such as Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris emerges, it is tempting to guzzle it down as a swift remedy, without so much as a second thought. This would, I fear, miss the subtleties of Allen’s tender and touching new film. Centred around the Allen-esque character of Gil, a dissatisfied Hollywood hack played by Owen Wilson, the film smoothly shifts between modern day Paris and the fabled Paris of the 1920s. Wilson’s droll and dreamy persona adds another surprisingly refreshing avenue to the highly neurotic and nerdy character one expects in a Woody Allen picture. Wilson is aided by strong performances by Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard. In this film Gil rubs shoulders with a large troupe of legendary artists and writers including Hemingway, Dali, and Picasso. Through comical playfulness Allen manages to avoid the trap of making this film into a banal montage of celebrity name-dropping, and instead, through sensitive scriptwriting, implies that these could in fact just be caricatures of Gil’s overactive imagination. Indeed, the question of whether Gil’s adventures are real or imaginary never fully surfaces, leaving this film well within the realms of heart-warming fantasy. By doing this, Allen enables audiences to extract a more concentrated dose of the positivity and simple moral that lies at the very centre of its fantastical plot. This positivity, I would argue, is one that combats the pessimistic and bleak outlook that is too often imposed on our current cultural climate. Midnight in Paris manages to combine witty screenplay and serene cinematography with astute commentary on what it means to be a restless but attentive human being amid an environment of pseudo-intellectual pedantry. Will Tucker
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FILM
Outstanding Achievement in Acting
Based on the best-selling novel by Lionel Shriver, it follows a mother’s struggle in the aftermath of a high school massacre orchestrated by her son, two days before his sixteenth birthday. The film is beautifully put together. The colour red is a predominant theme; though the blood of Kevin’s victims is never shown, it is constantly inferred. Shots of La Tomatina Festival, the tomato throwing festival in Spain, show crowds of people with red stained clothes, while Kevin’s mother’s house and car are drenched in red paint which she proceeds to scrub at throughout the film. The stand-out performance of the film comes from Tilda Swinton as Kevin’s mother. She brilliantly captures the isolation felt as a mother grieving over her son’s horrific actions. In other scenes she manages to bring humour to the painful depiction of a despairing mother bringing up a child who despises and manipulates her. Ezra Miller is another one to watch; his portrayal of Kevin is exactly as I had imagined, and completely chilling. Once the film is over it is hard to believe that he is not a cold-hearted murderer, and in the brief moments where he showed some sensitivity, I found myself willing him to change. Jasper Newell, who plays Kevin from the ages of 6 to 8 is also captivating. The emphasis of the film is very much on dialogue, namely the stilted conversations between Eva and Kevin, and between Eva and the outside world. The stiff and intermittent use of speech means the level of suspense is high throughout the film, even though the outcome is made clear from the beginning. This is added to by a spectacular score by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. How much you enjoy We Need to Talk About Kevin will depend on your situation. I spoke to parents in the audience who found it unbearable to watch, imagining what it might feel like to be in the position of Kevin’s mother to the point that it was unbearable. Lottie Kingdom
Best Comedy
Trying to describe The Inbetweeners’ appeal is not easy, but neither has it ever been necessary. The translation to cinema presented a major hurdle, but enabled the franchise to hit new heights. Jay’s grandfather’s very untimely demise, coupled with Carli’s dumping of Simon, allows the newly formed Pussy Patrol to take its aspirations and Jay’s inheritance to Malia. In its hour and a half running time, series creators and writers Damon Beesley and Iain Morris focus on following the dotted line from beginning to end, keeping all alcohol, sex and drugs firmly within the line and pointing towards the obvious conclusion. Once or twice there is a sense of Beesley and Morris recycling old material – with the resulting comedy lacking the punch of the first press. Furthermore two key characters, half of the Patrol’s female counterparts, simply lack the lines needed to truly give them a personality. Despite the predictability of the plot, the film returns to the fun and spontaneity seen for much of the second and third series the trio were together. The film’s ability to make something so crude and simple - such as the entire film - so funny is testament to the intelligence and decision making behind it. It may not translate internationally, but this is yet another reason behind the appeal of The Inbetweeners familiar feeling that is so comedically poignant. At the centre is the ascension of Will, so often the sitcom’s briefcase wanker, but as narrator with room to be brilliantly sarcastic and self-deprecating, Simon Bird’s finest acting moments represent the film’s blend of face value, hysterical immaturity with the good writing and filmmaking behind every knob gag and auto-fellating Greek. John Vincent
Achievement in Awesomeness
I love Drive. I might even say that I could not, if pressured to, find any faults with it. It may seem that, in an age where critics have grown harsh and bitter against post-modern filmmakers, Drive has managed to escape unnoticed. But, the greatness of the film lies within its ability to completely avoid obvious plagiarism (of course, no film is truly original), and its firm establishing of a distinct style which can suggest inspiration, but not to the extent where we could pinpoint an exact source for a particular idea. This perfect concoction of styles, narrative and cinematic devices stands on its own two feet and once that is out of the way it begins to introduce its own ideas. Drive is a film very much about nostalgia and what is for us, today, the ‘modern’. It presents a fear of the current modern direction of cinema – the threat of purposeful, profit-driven genre films churned out by Hollywood – and an appreciation for a time where style often prevailed over substance. We are made to fear quick cuts and visual effects and urged to long for the days when stunts were real and slow motion could be used copiously and still retain its cool effect. It is not very often a film blows me away, but when the slow motion kicks in, Drive really surprises you with its elegance and impeccable sense of timing. One of the most admirable things about Drive, for me, is its ability to convincingly immerse you into what feels like another world. Its fictionality does not hold it back, and gaps, where information one might expect to have traditionally that would make it more of a montage of ideas than a coherent piece of narrative fiction, do not stain the film’s credibility. Drive feels like a focused film. Even when one might perceive flaws with, perhaps, some implausible situations where, for example, police don’t seem to exist (these occur later in the film), it is still possible to interpret these apparent omissions positively and intentionally. Shahid Malik
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Qupid
Jess Laver
Drama, 2nd Year “A kind considerate vegetarian who loves singing!” Rachel, Housemate
I was somewhat sceptical prior to the blind date, largely enticed by the prospect of free food and wine. Like any pathetic girl, I had spent the evening before raiding friends’ wardrobes and trying on multiple outfits. Although I have to say it was amusing to hear that Chris had spent his time similarly, even polishing his shoes for the occasion! After the awkward start where Bryony hovered over us during our introductions, getting us to pose over the menu and luring Chris away to the male toilets to snatch a photo, conversation flowed easily. A man of the world, having travelled over Asia and Indonesia, when
it came down to it actually suffered from a severe vinegar phobia. After recounting his childhood perils of sticky vinegar fingered children out to get him, I confessed myself a lemon addict. I could see it was going to be a good evening. Although we came from entirely different perspectives – me being a dramatic fanatic and him a maths/physics genius – we found common ground through our love of animals, all this occurring whilst he ironically devoured anchovies followed by scampi for mains. Our conversation strayed onto the fruitful topic of peanut butter, and our shared passion for decent coffee. Chris introduced me to the delights of a Long Island Iced Tea and indulged my amaretto obsession, resulting in a total of 4 rounds of cocktails consumed. Like a true gentlemen, he insisted on paying for them. He chivalrously walked me all the way home and told me of his previous job at J.P. Morgan and his current research into turning lead into gold. I realised he was a man you could introduce to your father over Sunday lunch. After annihilating him at table football the date came to a close. A lovely evening spent with a lovely guy, who professes a slightly odd taste in socks!
Chris Lewis
Physics, Third Year “6”2, White/British, Male... Indescribable.” Adam, Flatmate
Until recently the only images conjured up in my mind by the term “blind date” were Cilla Black and awkward silences. This all changed when, through a mixture of guerilla tactics and subtle hints, my housemates persuaded me to be the guinea pig for the group. My initial expectations weren’t overly high since I found myself mentally preparing a menagerie of conversation topics. However, as the date approached the idea really began to intrigue me and I began second glancing at nearly all women around the campus just incase it was them destined for dinner with me.
Qupid’s Verdict For the last Qupid of the year I had high hopes as ever, but I think that this time I might have concocted something worth being smug about. Both Jess and Chris were a little nervous but seemed to get on well and I felt like a major third wheel as I forced them to smile for photos and went through the menu. They were keen to get on the cocktails after I pointed out that it was happy hour! Although they don’t study the same thing, they seemed to find a lot to talk about over a few more rounds of cocktails. I was rather smug when hearing that Chris had walked Jess home, there I was worrying he wouldn’t be chivalrous. I hear tell that they’ve made plans to meet up again, so I’m thinking that the last Qupid might be the one where we see a budding romance (no pressure though guys!).
Due to last minute hijinks leading me to need to change a dirty shirt, I remained true to form and was the last to arrive at Fat Cat for our dinner. This being made worse by the fact that I had no idea who I was looking for, I resorted to strolling up to whoever paid me the most attention to me, which thankfully worked first time and I was introduced to Jess. My initial impression was very positive, as despite our first conversation whilst navigating our way through the opening drinks order with the added stimulus of it taking place under the glare of the flashbulb, she came across as very approachable and easy to talk too. This made for a flowing conversation that jumped from topic to topic throughout the night despite the best efforts of the absurdly loud one-man band. This sort of Nomadic behavior wasn’t just limited to the conversation topic as we also did a good deal of exploration on the cocktail menu which allowed us to find Jess a new favorite drink in the Long Island Iced Tea. When the restaurant closed we went for a bit of a wander around Bow and exchanged phone numbers. After a relaxed funny evening, I would be happy to see Jess again.
Chemical Attraction
Everyone’s heard of serotonin, a hormone associated with love, sex and chocolate. But here a couple of lesser known hormones that are linked to social attachments. Oxytocin, a hormone that is delivered through breast milk to create a chemical bond between mother and child. This is released in both men and women during orgasm therefore meaning that the bond gets stronger everytime you have intercourse with someone!
Sadly that’s all the blind dates for this year! If you would like to contribute to the Qupid blog found at www.qmessenger.co.uk/blogs send an email to Bryony Orr at qupid@cubmagazine.co.uk We want your stories, questions or anything else love related!
Vasopressin, once again released during sex, is shown to make males more aggressive to other males - therefore more likely to protect their lover! Forget the flowers and chocolate, because when it comes down to it, love is just a science!
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