The EDIT - Issue 11 - December 2018 Christmas Edition

DECEMBER 2018 - ISSUE 11

THE

GCU’s OFFICIAL STUDENT MAGAZINE

Christmas Edition

2018

MEET THE TEAM Monica Allen Editor-in-Chief Zoe Phillips News & Features Editor Erin Patterson Deputy Editor, Arts & Culture Editor

Christmas Letter from Editors On behalf of our team here at The EDIT we hope you all have a magical christmas and bring in the New Year with a bang! A lot of hard work, sleepless nights and tears went into this year’s Christmas Edition and we hope you all enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it. Our Editor in Chief and Deputy Editors would like to thank all of the Section Editors, contributors and anyone else who played a part in the creation of the Christmas Edition, we truly wouldn’t have been able to do it without you!

Callum McQuade Deputy Editor, Music Editor

So to everyone at GCU Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Adam Lyon Entertainment & Technology Editor

Monica, Erin and Callum x

Charlie Kelly Fashion Editor Peter Rancati Sports Editor Hannah Wood Head of Events Richard Mason Head of Photography & Online

Merry Christmas from the Full Time Officers As your Full Time Officer team, we want to wish you the happiest of holidays and the best luck for the new year ahead! We hope you enjoy your time off and you get some time to relax. We’ve had a smashing 2018 and can’t wait to see what 2019 brings!

All the best, Rachel, Moses, Eilidh, and Yetunde

Agnieszka Michalska Head of Design

Photography: Kira auf der Heide/Unsplash

Enhance your employability

by leading an organisation with a ÂŁ700,000 budget

Represent 16,000 students

by getting involved in representation, campaigning, activities and events

Earn ÂŁ17,032

as your full time, annual salary

Stand to be a Full Time Officer!

Visit GCUstudents.co.uk/elections for more info Nominate yourself before 15 February 2019 Social icon

Rounded square Only use blue and/or white.

For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.

THE

Christmas Edition

Follow Us @theeditgcu

1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9

News and Feautures How to Prioritise your Health over Christmas Break Let’s Get Merry

10 12

Teaching Quality Polonis’ Winter Picks Vapiano Food Review

Arts and Culture Shareen Reviews: Absurd Bird Christmas Things to do in Glasgow Christmas Drive-In Movies Top 3 Christmas Movies Cover photography: Max Bender/Unsplash

14 15

16 18 19

Student Photography and Art Photographer’s Guide to Glasgow Student Artists

Entertainment and Technology Chris Pine Stars as Robert the Bruce in Scottish Independence Thriller Video Games to Play This Christmas Deep Fried Games Here at GCU Top Tech Stocking Fillers

Fashion The Myth of Sustainable Fashion

20 An Adidas Love Affair 22 Nike: A Guide To AirMax 23 Summer Vibes In Scottish Winter 24 26 27 28

29

Music You Me At Six Sit Down Exclusively With The EDIT 5 Forgotten Christmas Classics The Techno Traits of Glasgow Is Grime Becoming too Commercialised?

Sport 3 Sport Teams Glasgow Can Be Proud Of Phenomenal Glasgow City F.C Break Their Own Record

30 Trailblazing GCU Wolves Going From Strength to Strength

31

The Life of a Caley Fan in Caley

News and Feautures

How to Prioritise your Health over Christmas Break You may have already started to hear jingle bell rock play in stores and you may have already spotted a festive light or two – which can only really mean one thing – Christmas is coming!

But what does this actually mean? A few extra beers at that Christmas night out ‘because it’s Christmas’ or opening more than one door a day on your advent calendar ‘because it’s Christmas’ or taking advantage of seconds and thirds at Christmas dinner ‘because it’s Christmas’? Believe it or not, those ‘it’s Christmas’ calories still count and can really contribute to an unwanted Santa’s belly come the new year.

Here’s a few tips you can use to prioritise your health over the Christmas period;

Tip 1 Don’t over indulge – If you wouldn’t normally eat three cupcakes in one day, don’t feel the need to eat three cupcakes in a day in December just because they are ‘sprinkled with reindeer dust’.

Tip 2 Watch the drink – Christmas nights out are all fun and games until someone’s in the ER getting their stomach pumped. Try limiting your drink count to something you can handle, or having a glass of water in-between drinks (which will keep you hydrated and less likely to have a stinking hangover) and try switching your drinks too! Beer and ciders have a high calorie count so try switching to spirits with diet mixers. Prosecco is also very low in calories and also more delicious when mixed with diet lemonade!

Tip 3 You’re not hungry, you’re just dehydrated – This tip actually applies all year round too. Find yourself reaching for snack too often between meals? Chances are your body is crying out to be rehydrated. Drink some water and if you ‘hate’ water try adding some diluting juice. If that still doesn’t do the trick, snack on some green veg or a handful of nuts until your next meal.

Tip 4 MOVE! – Walking for just 15 minutes a day can

help you live a healthier life. For example, regular brisk walking can help you maintain a healthy weight and prevent or manage various health conditions. Especially if you plan on shoving in the mince pies at the office party, consider moving more to even the score.

Tip 5 Rest Day – Just like frequent gym-goers need a rest day for their muscles and joints to recover, serial party animals should also consider a rest day so their body can get back to normal working function. When hungover, have some toast in the morning to soak up any excess alcohol, re-hydrate, take an ibuprofen, eat some green veg, and try some light exercise. It will make re-reading your embarrassing texts from last night more bearable if you’re not fighting the whitey.

Of course Christmas is indeed for friends, booze and mince pies, just don’t overdo it. Know your limits and know how to look after your body.

- Festive hug, Bethany xo Bethany Stevenson

Photography: Drew Coffman/Unsplash

1

Let’s Get Merry The EDIT is happy to announce that we have a new partnership with the Re:Union Bar and Grill which is situated within GCU Student’s Association.

To celebrate this partnership, which Radio Caley also have, we will be holding a joint quiz with Radio Caley on Tuesday the 4th of December in the bar. We hope that you can all come along! We will have amazing prizes on offer, for example, prizes from Vapiano in Glasgow, make-up vouchers, vouchers from the Bar and other amazing prizes!

Seasonal Spiced Fizz

30ml Morgans Spiced Rum 10ml Aperol Cranberry Juice Sparkling Water Topped with Frozen Cranberries

This Christmas, the Re:Union Bar and Grill will have lots of exciting things on offer during the festive period. They will have mince pies on offer during December with various different creams and toppings on offer.

They will have two festive cocktails on offer during December: Seasonal Spiced Fizz and Citrus Christmas Suprise We tasted these cocktails and they were amazing and we can’t wait until they are on offer the whole of December!

Citrus Christmas Surprise 30ml of Cointreau Fresh Lime Juice Slice of Clementine 40ml Sparkling Water

Photographs: Richard Mason

2

News and Feautures

Teaching Quality At GCU Students’ Association, we’re deeply passionate about ensuring we do our part to enhance teaching quality at Glasgow Caledonian University. As your Full-Time Officer team we sit on every student facing academic committee within the university as well as having our education committee called the Student Action Group for Engagement (S.A.G.E). Some of the committees I sit on in order to keep the student perspective at the forefront of decision making in GCU are the Academic Practice and Policy Committee (APPC), Learning and Teaching Sub Committee (LTSC), Enhancing the Student Experience (ETSE), and I also attend SAGE. These committees come together to pass policies, papers, and ideas that directly affect students’ academic experience here at GCU. My remit also includes working with the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) to develop the Enhancement Themes. The QAA are a national body funded by the Scottish Government to ensure that your education at higher education institutions (which universities are) is of a high standard. My role involves working nationally to represent GCU students in national meetings. Rachel, the Student President is also involved in the Enhancement Led Institution Review (ELIR) process which is an audit of the university, and the FTO team also engage with programme review and approvals at GCU! As well as the Full-Time Officer team, our student representatives play an active role in enhancing teaching quality here at GCU. Our student representatives work to gather feedback from students regarding all aspects of student experience, including their academic experiences which are affected by the quality of teaching. Class Representatives can feedback to staff issues their class may be facing or share what the class are enjoying at Student Staff Consultative Group (SSCG) meetings.

Our Department Representatives can link up with class reps within their departments to gather feedback to relay to the School Board meeting for their school.

By giving feedback to academic staff on their programmes or within their school, our representatives can influence teaching policies and procedures that will ultimately enrich teaching quality here at GCU. The last way we develop teaching quality at GCU that I would like to draw your attention to is our Student-Led Teaching Awards. The Teaching Awards is GCU Students’ Association’s annual campaign to gather positive feedback about learning, teaching and support at GCU which can then be used by the University to further improve the learning experience. Through recognising great teaching, students can take part in the heightening of teaching quality across the university. You can now nominate a member of teaching or non-teaching staff for the awards here: www.gcustudents.co.uk/teachingawards Our awards this year consist of: Terrific Teaching Fantastic Feedback Creative Curriculum Super Support (teaching staff) Super Support (non-teaching staff) Sensational Supervision & Support Nominations close on April 11th 2019—give your great lecturers some recognition and play an active role in the enhancement of teaching quality at GCU! Eilidh Fulton VP SCEBE

3

Polonis’ Winter Picks We managed to get an exclusive article with Scottish grime DJ/producer ‘Polonis’ who was gracious enough to tell us at the EDIT his favourite winter picks for men. Enjoy this great look book packed full of steezy winter garms!

“When I’m buying new trainers for winter, I like to buy something that will last me until next year - I have to make sure it’s practical and won’t wear down easily... but I also have to make sure I look wavy. This is why I’m a big fan of the Nike Airmax 95 sneaker boot. Airmax 95s, to me, have always been in fashion and I don’t think they ever will go out of fashion so they’re always a safe choice because they last so long and they’re really comfortable.”

“With it being winter, I’d normally wear all black, so I had to pick an all black sneaker boot because they’re such a cool colorway. They’re pretty easy to come across at a good price as well, Depop have loads colorways all priced between £70 and £110. Triple black is my colorway of choice and they’re only priced at £100 for my size such a bargain for how sick and wearable they are.”

Photography: Mralans.com

“I’ve got a friend who bought a pair of North Face Cargo trousers last year from JD Sports and he says it’s the best item of clothing he’s bought in a long time. I don’t think you can ever go wrong by buying North Face for the winter - they pretty much match anything you pair them with. You can style them up yourself by cuffing the bottom with the pull string. It looks cool plus it keeps the warmth in when it snows. They’re about £60 but I’m sure there’s a student discount for North Face or JD out there so you can get a little bit of money off. The price is worth it because they last so long and honestly they’re so sick.”

4

Photography: Khadija Moustafa

Photography: JDSports.com

News and Feautures

“Dark colors in winter are a given but I still feel like you need to stand out from the crowd and wear something a bit different.

I saw the new Dark Circle oval logo tracksuit drop for it’s last collection and it’s a set which just spoke to me. It is me. The retro grime vibes given off by the all-over logo print are hard.

As an old school fitted hat collector myself, this is a must have for those new era vibes. It’s kind of got that Akademiks feel to it so i’m sure if you buy it you’ll feel like Wiley in ‘02.

This tracky paired with the sneaker boot is a winner. Not gonna lie, they’re a bit more expensive than a standard tracksuit. £65 for the bottoms and £75 for the top. At £140 it isn’t a student friendly price but it’s handmade and pretty unique.

You buy the exclusivity of dark circle’s brand when you get the tracksuit because I guarantee you won’t see any other lad walking down Buchanan street wearing it.”

Photography: DarkCircle.com “Nike ACG jackets are sick. Sometimes you find them in retro and vintage stores and the sizings are slightly bigger so for a big boy like me, finding a good jacket which fits nice and looks cool is important to me. My favourite part about these vintage ACG jackets are the hood and front zips. I honestly feel like a ninja when I zip them up because it covers your mouth. Looks cool and is practical for winter. The jacket is so warm because of the inside lining. The prices are about £100 for the jacket which is pretty reasonable to me because they last years. You can also get matching hats to pair with the jacket much like how TNs have their own matching line of headwear.”

So there we have Polonis’ top winter picks for men! Really cool streetwear and sportswear pieces that will keep you warm and keep you looking sharp. Thank you to Polonis for the article. Polonis self-titled EP will be out 15th December on Bandcamp!

Charlie Kelly Photography: Depop/ @Spanish_P

5

Vapiano Food Review Last night I went to Vapiano, the relatively new Italian restaurant that is boasting style and a refreshing take on food preparation that just simply fits into the city life.

You will not find a more unique Italian dining experience like the one in Vapiano across Glasgow.

At the desk you are greeted by a server who gives you a menu and a Vapiano ordering card, you scan this card everytime you order something and it counts up the total which you pay at the front desk before leaving, and he explains how the system works.

The atmosphere of this restaurant is very relaxed and open. The interior is modern with wooden furniture, dimmed lighting and olive tree plants at every table.

Vapiano is a self service restaurant. Once you have decided from the menus on the table you go to the relevant serving station (i.e. pasta, pizza etc) place your order and if you want to you can watch the chefs put together your dish . The menu is full of different options.

They have pizzas, risottos, pastas, salads and antipasti.

And you can order drinks to your table while you wait on your food.

The pizzas are made fresh to order yet you only wait 15 minutes to be served. The concept of the kitchen is great because you can watch your food get prepared and cooked while you wait, and talk to the chefs that are making your meal which is very unique to restaurants that are not buffet style.

Photography: Tempany Grace

6

The pizzas are all thin crust with a generous amount of toppings and sauce. A whole pizza is recommended for one person, however, if you prefer smaller portions one could easily be shared between two people.

The servers and staff were super friendly and more than happy to chat. I spoke to one male staff member who recommended the best desserts in the cabinet.

For dessert they have a wide selection to choose from, for example: Chocolata Foresta Nera which essentially is a Black Forest mousse cake with layers of white chocolate and milk chocolate cream on top on a dark chocolate Italian sponge cake, and, a Chocolate Bianca which is crushed biscuit with a layer of whipped cream and white chocolate on top finished with generous pour of salted caramel sauce.

If you have little room for dessert, but you still want to try a sample instead of stealing your friends’ dessert they have mini versions of their options which is a fabulous idea because you still get to try something sweet. If more than one dessert tickles your fancy they have a deal where you can pick three miniatures for a discounted price.

Overall, this restaurant thoroughly exceeded my expectations of Italian dining in Glasgow city centre.

To be able to chat to the chefs and watch your food being prepared creates an experience like no other. The food doesn’t break the bank and they have room for all different sizes of friends family and lovers.

Tempany Grace

Arts and Culture

Absurd bird Shareen Reviews Every time I go to check a new burger joint out I am reminded that Glasgow is really becoming spoiled for choice. When I visited Absurd Bird, situated in Nelson Mandela square next to Starbucks I decided to seriously get my burger on with the various options available.

Prices are very reasonable for the large portion sizes we had. £8.95 for the Nashvillle burger and £3.60 for a bowl of fries that I was not able to finish. To top it off if you are a student you can enjoy a whopping 50% off on Sunday’s with UNiDAYS, that’s right 50%!

I first heard about Absurd Bird from a friend in London, where they already have around five branches. After a quick look online at the menu I got really excited for my lunchtime burger adventure I was about to embark on.

Absurd Bird is certainly a one of a kind restaurant in Glasgow, and with the tasty food and unbeatable prices I will definitely be back!

Upon entering this inconspicuous restaurant we were seen to swiftly. We opted to sit in the baby blue booths, regrettably as the spotlights were quite literally on us.

The restaurant hosts a very unique interior with neon signage and dim lighting complete with fringed chandeliers and caged lightbulbs. The grunge American diner vibes they were aspiring to achieve would have worked if it wasn’t as disorientated as I was with the terrible lighting.

Shareen Khalid

As per my personal preference I really enjoy a chicken filled spicy kind of burger. Skimming past the fried chicken tenders, waffle sliders and Irn-Bru wings (yes you read that correctly) my eyes lit up as I read what was inside the Nashville Hot burger. Xtreem hot sauce, harissa mayo, pickled cucumber, salad, tomato and crispy onions.

I ordered this alongside some fries. One thing that was disappointing was the service. It was extremely slow for a not so busy time. More than half of the tables were empty and if it wasn’t for the waitress introducing herself I would not be able to tell who worked their and who didn’t.

When the food did arrive however I was taken aback at the portion sizes. This burger was immense in every aspect. It was crispy, juicy and flavoursome. The chicken was of good quality and fresh tasting. Absurd Bird state online that they only use free range chicken which gives them extra brownie points. Do go in with a big appetite as the burger is massive in size and packed to the brim.

The harissa mayo was an absolute delight as it was just so delicious and creamy. With all the ingredients it was a perfectly combined burger. Just like the logo stamped on their bun this burger certainly made an impression.

I demolished it all without pausing. Overall it was delectable.

Photography: Absurd Bird Glasgow/Facebook

7

Christmas Things to do in Glasgow This Christmas there is plenty to do across Glasgow so here is a run-down of the places to be and the hottest, most talked about festive events.

Glasgow Riverside Museum will be hosting drive-in movies with a screening of Home Alone at 6pm and Elf at 9pm. Tickets are £30 each per car so if you were to take four other people in your car it would only cost £6 each.

The annual St Enoch Square Christmas Market is back again this year dressed as a Christmas village with over 50 seasonal stalls featuring German sausages, crepes, hog roasts and much more. This year there are two brand new German stalls and a humongous windmill takes centre place in the market. This market is just like the one in George Square and both have fairground rides so there is definitely something for everyone. The market is free and open until December 23.

Cathouse Rock Club will be hosting a Karaoke Christmas Party on December 20 where you can go along and sing your favourite rock anthems onstage. Lyrics will be projected so that the audience can join in and sing along.

Their house band Bad Luck will also be attending to play some well-known hits live with a variety of guest singers performing with them. Entry is free with the Cathouse app or £5.

The Garage will be open on Christmas day until 4am with festive decorations and a bouncy castle in the top hall.

You can get in for free by posting your name and the number of people attending with you in the comments section of their post on the event’s Facebook page.

8

The Grosvenor Cinema in Ashton Lane is showing It’s a Wonderful Life from December 14 to Christmas Eve. They have created a special deal where you can pay £39.95 for a ticket to see the film and get a meal beforehand in the Grosvenor Café. The deal can only be purchased in person at the cinema or over the phone. All of the event details are on the event’s Facebook page.

The Purple Cat Café in Trongate will be having breakfast with Santa on Christmas Eve, so, if you want to meet the big man without the stress of queues that are miles long, screaming children and parents fighting to get the best place in the queue then this is the Christmas Event for you. Tickets are £15 each and this includes a toy (either a soft toy or election box), a digital photo with Santa, a festive drink (mulled drink, hot chocolate, babycino etc), Christmas tree toast and other finger foods, mince pies and festive nibbles and sweets. You’ll get to spend a whole hour with Saint Nic while cuddling some adorable cats.

The King’s Theatre Christmas pantomime for 2018 is Aladdin. The show is running from December 1 to January 6. According to What’s On Glasgow it will feature ‘laughout-loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses.’ It will feature the regular characters, Wishee Washee, Widow Twankey, the Genie and the evil sorcerer and will truly be a magical night to remember so you are best to get your tickets quick before they all sell out!

Erin Paterson Photography: Sabri Tuzcu/Unsplash

Arts and Culture

Christmas Drive-In Movies Riverside Museum is set to screen a range of classic festive flicks this holiday season for a fantastic charitable cause.

Back by popular demand, Christmas Drive-In Movies will once again be hosted by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity in partnership with The Catherine McEwan Foundation.

The event will help raise vital funds to improve the treatment and quality of life of the young patients of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

Running the weekend of the 14-16 of December, the dazzling line up of Christmas family favourites includes Miracle on 34th Street, Home Alone and Elf. The Greatest Showman will also be included on this year’s programme, giving fans of the smash-hit musical the opportunity to sing-along to their favourite show tunes beneath the stars.

The Clyde-side event is expected to sell out fast with tickets priced at £30 per vehicle. They are available to book at the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity website.

Hannah Wood Photography: Feliphe Schiarolli/Unsplash

Top 3 Christmas Movies Once again, ‘tis the season: ‘tis the season to have Fairy-tale of New York on repeat, ‘tis the season for too many pigs in blankets and ‘tis the season for binge watching Christmas m-ovies.

Below are my three top picks to add to your December must-watch list that are sure to get you in the spirit of things this festive period.

Home Alone 2: Lost In New York

Somewhat controversially, my first recommendation is actually the second instalment of the biggest Christmas franchise in movie history; Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. The film follows Christmas poster boy Kevin McAllister after he accidentally gets on a different flight from the rest of his family, finding himself once again spending the festive period alone. The sequel retains all the charm of its predecessor, but I personally find it to be funnier and more heartfelt, all the while set against the backdrop of New York; a city which seems to possess an almost magical quality at Christmas time.

Love Actually

My second festive top pick is the 2003 comedy drama Love Actually. Featuring an all-star cast including Colin Firth, Kiera Knightley and Hugh Grant to name but a few, the movie is set in the build-up to Christmas day and follows nine intertwining stories which are all centred around the complexities of love. The quirkiness and likability of the different characters is reminiscent of director Richard Curtis’s other rom-coms such as Notting Hill and Bridget Jones Diary, and is sure to have you both laughing out loud and sobbing into your box of Quality Streets.

Die Hard

My final recommendation is a far cry from the family-friendly scenes of most Christmas classics, instead substituting soppy sentimentality for machine guns, explosions and Bruce Willis at his action hero best. I am of course referring to everyone’s favourite festive thriller, Die Hard. Instead of panic buying last minute gifts, our protagonist John MacClane instead finds himself single-handedly battling against a group of terrorists intent on wreaking havoc this Christmas Eve. A film that does not fit the typical Christmas movie mould by any means, Die Hard is the perfect alternative for those looking something a little less cheesy, and a little more edge-of-your-seat this Winter holiday.

Hannah Wood

9

Photographer’s Guide to

GLASGOW

Photography is a great way to explore Glasgow and release some creative energy. The juxtaposition of green spaces combined with modern and classic buildings offers a great opportunity to explore this wonderfully diverse city. This map gives you some great places to go in four areas of the city.

The historic University of Glasgow

An eclectic part of Glasgow unique in itself with the history of the University of Glasgow and Kelvingrove Art Gallery making for a beautiful day out and a myriad of photo opportunities. You can take a stroll round Kelvingrove Park, go up Byres Road and into Ashton Lane then onto the University and you will fill up a 64GB memory card in no time. There are so many quaint little alleys waiting to be explored and photographed.

Photograph by Richard Mason

From the top of Queen’s Park Hill

Glasgow’s bustling South Side doesn’t quite have the reputation of the West End, but the historic tenement flats, which dominate this area as well as the ample green spaces complete with ponds and hills, give for some great opportunities to take some interesting photos that are quintessentially Glaswegian. Taking a walk up the hill in Queen’s Park provides one of the best panoramic views of Glasgow that you can get and you can even see Ben Lomond on a cloudless day.

10

Photograph by Richard Mason

Student Art & Photography

Prince’s Street Centre

The centre of Glasgow is a mish mash of modern and classical architecture which can give even locals pause to stop and take a picture every now and again.

Highlights include Buchanan Street, Prince’s Street Centre, the Duke of Wellington statue (complete with cone), and many other hidden gems.

Photograph by Richard Mason

The East End quite seamlessly connects with the city centre making it accessible to walk through when exploring the city.

Glasgow Green and The People’s Palace offer a calming respite from the fairly modern, industrial and busy east end. However, the Trongate area has some incredibly interesting independent shops that are classically unique in their store fronts, and going a bit further north, you will be greeted by the elegance of Glasgow Cathedral and the sombre atmosphere of the Necropolis. Don’t miss the amazing murals around this area as well!

The People’s Palace

Photograph by William Campbell

Map design by Tóra Jóhannusardóttir

11

Student Artists Malwina Jabłońska 2nd year student of Computer Games (Art and Animation) at GCU, specialising in character design, concept art, storyboard and comic illustration. In the meantime, a passionate ukulele player with a voice of stranded porpoise. Other hobbies include feeding friends and hiking.

www.malinajab.carbonmade.com

@malinarysia @malinajab

Calling all artists!

Submit your art for the Student Art section of The EDIT, GCU’s official student magazine.

No matter what you create – drawings, music, literature, photography, video, fashion… we will help you in promoting it! editor@theeditgcu.com deputy.editor@gcuedit.com

12 11

Student Art & Photography

Vilma Sillanpää 3rd year 3D Animation and Visualisation student, 3D modeller and animator. Loves drawing and painting. Fell in love with 3D art after watching “The Incredibles” in childhood.

www.vilma.portfoliobox.io @vilmamariahenriikka www.artstation.com/snowblue

13

Chris Pine Stars as Robert the Bruce

in Scottish Independence Thriller

It feels like we’ve been waiting years for this film to arrive in cinemas, and I am happy to say that it was worth it. While it may be slightly amusing to hear the attempted Scottish accents of Hollywood heartthrobs Chris Pine and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, it is enough to feel patriotic, like Braveheart all over again. Outlaw King expertly brings to life the tale of Robert the Bruce, and his quest to gain Scottish freedom from oppressive English rule.

The stunning visuals really help to bring the film to life, with vast landscapes and clever transitions between inside and out. The panoramic shots of the Scottish hills and valleys only serve to add to the film, and the battle scenes can only be described as epic. You can never fully appreciate how beautiful a country we live in until you see shots like these, and I’m sure that was exactly as the director David Mackenzie planned.

Mackenzie is in his element when trying to coax every little detail from each scene. Simple scenes such as a wedding, funeral and the naming of Bruce as King of Scots are gripping to watch, and every word and movement is necessary and important. However, my one criticism of the film would be that Robert the Bruce does not have much depth as a character, and instead is seen to be shallow and only exists to prove his masculinity. The director even goes as far to show everything that Chris Pine has to offer while washing in a stream, for no apparent reason.

You can see Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Steven Cree in Outlaw King on Netflix now.

Photography: Collider

14

Steven Cree (Outlander) was thrilled at the opportunity to play Sir Christopher Seton in the film, the brother in law of Robert the Bruce. He was especially pleased to be a Scotsman involved in a movie dedicated to a Scottish hero: “I’ve thought for years someone should make a film about Robert the Bruce as he’s such a fascinating character of Scottish history, the warrior king. And obviously it’s an incredibly pivotal part of Scottish history.

So, to be involved at all was a great honour. Being involved in any great story is what most actors want, regardless of nationality. But of course, it’s nice to have played a real-life character who was part of such a rich slice of Scottish history.”

Steven starred alongside some of the biggest names in the movie industry in Outlaw King, which he says helped him immensely: “It was a good learning experience working with everyone on the film. David Mackenzie is an Oscar nominated director, Chris Pine is one of the biggest leading men in Hollywood right now and Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a golden globe winner. From the make-up team to costume, everyone is at the top of their game. You can only benefit from working in that sort of environment being surrounded by incredible talent everywhere you look.”

Adam Lyon

Entertainment and Technology

Video Games to Play This Christmas As Christmas comes ever closer, so does the question of what game you will be playing during your holiday.

No need to fear however as I have compiled my top five games you need to play this Christmas!

Spyro Reignited Trilogy Available on: Xbox One and PS4 After the success of Crash Bandicoot remastered, Activision has decided to remaster another one of their classic franchises ‘Spyro’. Spyro Reignited Trilogy includes the first three games; Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage and Spyro: Year of the Dragon. There are changes to voice actors and the design of some characters, however, Tom Kenny returns to voice the enigmatic dragon. The developers have kept the classic gameplay as well, and with the remastered graphics, it will make all three seem as good as you remember them.

Super Smash Bros Brawl Ultimate Available on: Nintendo Switch Another childhood classic Super Smash Bros Ultimate promises to bring all your favourite Nintendo and beyond characters together like never before. If you were ever looking for a reason to purchase a Nintendo Switch this is it. With five times more characters than the opening game in the franchise and 103 settings to battle, gamers will certainly struggle to run out of combinations of characters and places to fight. There are also new gameplay modes with the Squad Strike battle mode being a 5-on-5 or 3-on-3 elimination-style battle, where each player uses consecutive fighters in a battle to decide the winner. Tourney Mode allows players to include up to 32 participants and make a tournament bracket, making it perfect for big parties.

Fallout 76 Available on: Xbox One, PS4 and PC After the relative disappointment of Fallout 4, the latest edition in the series looks to gain Bethesda some redemption. The story follows the classic post-apocalyptic scenario when residents of control Vault 76, the brightest and best residents of America, are released into the wilderness. The main difference from other games in the series is that Fallout 76 is entirely online, meaning you can explore the wasteland with your buddies. The game gives you the opportunity to be good or bad, but if you are too bad then bounties are placed on your head and other players will hunt you down. It looks like the most exciting release in the series so far and with the map being four times the size of Fallout 4, there is plenty of the world to explore.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Available on: Xbox One and PS4 Topping my list is the latest western from Rockstar Games, which seems to have taken gaming to a whole new level. After the uncharted success of GTA 5, fans were waiting in anticipation for their next big release and Red Dead 2 is everything they could have wished for and more. A vast world in which you can interact with every character promises to be an epic. With online inclusion rumoured to start in late November, you could be holding up trains with all your cowboy friends in no time.

Lewis Moynihan

Spiderman Available on: PS4 Yes, I know it has been out since September but if you haven’t yet experienced the web-slinger with glorious next generation graphics then I highly recommend you do. Besides the stunning visuals, the game has an engaging story line along with a host of side missions to keep you entertained for hours. If you don’t fancy any of that you can just swing around New York. There are also DLC’s coming soon with ‘Turf Wars’, where Spidey takes on Hammerhead, being released in November and’ Silver Lining’ in December.

Image: IGN/Marvel’s Spider-Man Press kit

15

Deep Fried Games Here at GCU The readership of our Entertainment and Technology section proves that GCU students are passionate gamers, some even create games themselves. However, not many of us realise that there is a professional game studio working right around the corner, here at Glasgow Caledonian University. Deep Fried Games was founded in February 2017 by Computer Games and Software Development student Gabriele Maddaloni and a self-taught 3D artist Glen Johnston. The studio was created from their passion for VR, after Glen’s purchase of a HTC Vive headset.

The choice of location was natural thanks to GCU’s UHatch programme that offers emerging start-ups an incubator space and support in other areas. During one of the UHatch networking events, the Deep Fried Games founders met Doug Jagger, now responsible for business and marketing at the company. “We’ve all been students or graduates here, we’ve got such a strong connection to the university.” he said. “There isn’t really a better place for us to be at the moment”. The team was soon completed by William Norval, the head of audio and a GCU Audio Technology graduate, as well as social media manager Keren McGregor and Thomas Salgarella, current Computer Games (Design) third year student and the company’s game designer. The studio is also collaborating with other GCU students: concept artist Máté Tóth, 3D artist Callum Clark, programmer Martin Kolev and Media student Simone Romano who works on marketing.

Recently, the team won the regional Tranzfuser competition and got a chance to showcase a demo of their ‘Dr Dad’s Home for Disposable Clones’ VR game at EGX, the UK’s largest video games convention. “EGX was just awesome. A very stressful but very fun experience.” said Doug. The team finally got a chance to show their work to a broader audience and hear their opinions which

16

was especially helpful to their game designer Thomas who called EGX the biggest playtest area he ever had. He said: “We had a lot of press attention there but to me the most valuable moment was this eight year old kid who came back again and again to try the game and he was like ‘This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever done’.”

The game they presented is based on a Spiderman-like swing mechanic that the team had started developing in their very first game titled ‘Project Swing’. The team pushes the VR experience to the maximum and believes that the feeling caused by their game is what distinguishes them from the competition. Thomas explained “When you fall, you feel like you’re falling.

We had people shaking not from motion sickness or anything, but it was adrenaline rush. They’ve never tried to fall from a thirty-metre height”. “It’s an experience that you can’t have anywhere else” added Doug. “I think that we’ve made something that is going to make people pay attention to us”.

Seeing this thriving company run by recent graduates and current students of GCU, I couldn’t help but wonder about the challenges of building your own start up business right after graduation instead of choosing a stable job. “I always saw the potential of being my own boss and working with other people who share a work ethic and a passion for what they do as being favourable to going into an office environment where it is some massive company that doesn’t even have a face or a personality.” said Doug. “Was it scary? Yeah, of course it was but I weighed that up against the alternative and thought this is worth a go”. Thomas added: “I’ve spent the first two years on a sleep schedule of four hours, I think, so it is not recommended but again, if you have the passion, just do it until you collapse”.

Agnieszka Michalska

Entertainment and Technology

Gabriele testing the ‘Dr Dad’s Home for Disposable Clones’ Photographs: Richard Mason

Learn more about the Deep Fried Games studio www.deepfriedgames.co.uk @gamesdeepfried on Instagram Deep Fried Games on YouTube

The team (from left): Doug Jagger, Thomas Salgarella, Gabriele Maddaloni, William Norval

17

Top Tech

Stocking Fillers With so much tech out there, it’s almost impossible to find the best of the best. Well to help you out, here is my top tech gifts or self-indulgent presents this Christmas.

Amazon Echo Dot Plus The latest version of the Echo Dot from Amazon is billed to be the best yet. The plus can do all the conventional stuff, such as play music, make calls, answer questions and much more. However, this version is a vast improvement on the previous, with the ability to do even more. The defining feature of the Plus is to control compatible lights around your house with just a few words. You’ll never have to flick a switch again!

Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera Always a Christmas favourite, instant cameras allow for an iconic photo to celebrate special occasions or beautiful surroundings. The Mini 9 can create up to 10 instant photos before needing refilled. It also comes with built-in flash, automatic exposure and a selfie mirror, because who doesn’t need that…

Bose QuietComfort 35 Headphones If you’re in need of a new pair of headphones this winter, then you can’t go wrong with this offering from Bose.

Renowned for their noise cancellation abilities, you can adjust the level of cancellation depending on your preferences. The wireless headphones come with up to 20 hours of listening before needing recharged, while you can expect crystal clear phone calls and access to Siri or Alexa.

HP Sprocket Photo Printer Everybody needs their own personal printer, right? This compact printer is great for taking to parties or special events, so you can share printed photos instantly with friends and family. It has never been easier as you can now connect your social media to the printer for even easier printing. The Sprocket can print up to 10 photos before needing to be refilled.

GoPro HERO7 The newest offering from GoPro is a must-have item this Christmas. The HERO7 is a vast improvement on the previous in the series, with voice commands and live streaming capabilities now added. As always, the GoPro offers smooth video stabilisation in the best quality available. This is perfect for capturing memories, recording sports events and even swimming underwater.

Adam Lyon

18

Photography: Collins Lesulie/Unsplash

Fashion

The Myth of Sustainable Fashion Look, I get it. New season comes, and we flock to the shops – online and high street – to update our wardrobes. A lot of the time it’s because the clothes we got last year have lasted approximately five minutes before disintegrating; or because the stuff from last season is, well, last season.

on hard drives) use incredible amounts of power. These data centres also rely on heavy air conditioning to maintain the right temperatures, making online giants like Amazon produce immense amounts of pollution.

So, shopping online might seem less-impactful, but it’s merely an illusion.

In short, there’s really nothing sustainable about sustainable fashion. Stay with me here. The idea that using land, water, and other resources involved in the manufacturing, transporting, and selling of clothes can ever be fully-sustainable is naïve. It is a little bit like shopping locally – you might be helping to lower the pollution that comes from transporting your cheese from France, but in the end the main culprit is the actual food.

Let’s not forget the impact fashion, especially fast fashion, has on a human level. 1,100 people died after a textile plant collapsed in Bangladesh in 2013 yet little has been done to increase worker safety. Many brands also manufacture their things in countries where child, or cheaper, labour is more accessible.

Also, it’s not only the constant consumption that negatively impacts the planet. Particles of plastic and other toxic waste are released into our water systems every single time we do our laundry. It is simply inescapable: even buying 100% cotton still means chemicals streaming right into our ecosystem, damaging aquatic life, because of cotton’s growing and manufacturing process. In fact, cotton farming uses incredible amounts of water (over 2 thousand litres per one shirt) and has been linked to the drying up of the Aral Sea basin in Central Asia.

Online retailers are good at making you forget about how much pollution they release to pierce holes in the ozone layer. Data centres (where information is stored Photography: Marianne Krohn/Unsplash

Some retailers have implemented sustainability departments to help tackle this global issue. In fact, since adapting a more sustainable garment finishing process in 2011, Levi’s has saved 1 billion litres of water. But things need to be done quicker in order to achieve the goals set out by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, who have recently declared we have 12 years left to radically change our ways if we want to limit the oncoming climate catastrophe.

I’m not blaming the individual here. There’s little you can do because our society is structured so you are forced to participate in global warming just by existing. But we have to make sure to collectively come up with solutions to increase the use of renewable energy in fashion, implement tax on large polluters in the textile industry, and change the ways of obsolete manufacturing.

Rebeka Luzaityte

19

An Adidas Love Affair

Adidas is one of the most seen and sought-after brands on the high street, and it has been like this for countless years. Starting out as a sportswear brand, it has managed to dominate the world of fashion attracting people from all subcultures, while keeping its classic three stripe staple.

No matter what clothes you’re into Adidas seems to have something for everyone, but how did they manage to satisfy such a large market and influence multiple generations of clothing while keeping their statement looks?

Adidas was first brought about in the 1920s by Adi Dasser, who reached acclaimed fame for his invention of the sew in football boots. This grouped with the later famed designs of the game-changing ‘samba’ (1949) leading to Adidas being regarded as one of the sporting goods classics.

As popularity of the brand grew, competition between other brands followed. This led to a turnaround in fashion direction-surfacing apparel for every day usage for all audiences. The simplistic three stripe on the contemporary trainer made the designs wearable for sports as well as every day wear-such as the iconic Adidas Original and the Gazelles.

As the 2000’s-2010’s approached, and fashion shifted to more high end, out-there items, Adidas as a brand had nowhere in the market to fit, other than sportswear. Adidas was starting to look like a thing of the past producing nostalgia, not new products. This is where the company geared away from sportswear and headed for contemporary clothing and footwear, which started an Adidas craze around the world.

The brand increased their success with drool worthy collaborations with other designers/public figures, who influenced pop-culture. Celebrities such as Kanye West, Jay Z, and Pharrell Williams started forming partnerships with the brand, which lead to audiences joining in on the specific trend.

Photographs: Palaceskateboards.com/ Adidas Palace Summer 2016 Camilla Carvalho/ Unsplash Adiddas.com

20

Adidas joined forces with other brands to widen their markets and altered their traditional fits in line with the collaborator to suit more sub-cultures of fashion looks: In 2002 Y-3 (Yohiji Yamamoto) started their partnership with Adidas, which remains today as one of the most iconic collaborations. The mix of Adidas’ performance driven clothing and Y-3s techniques created dramatic pieces which stood out from traditional sportswear.

The September drop of Adidas x Palace 2014 was great publicity for Adidas, as Palaces skating looks also shifted into the mainstream. The laid-back striking pieces reflected todays streetwear trends and fashion which Adidas now interprets as their own.

Streetwear has become its own in recent years, inspired by skate culture with elements of hip hop and couture fashion. Multiple brand has tried to comply to the growing trend, yet Adidas have successfully been able to alter their clothing to fit this style with drops such as Adidas x Skate.

In recent years, a lot of fashion influences of the 90s have made a comeback. Much like that of Puma and Reebok, Adidas has reinvented its old looks and made variations on the old loved classics (such as the Stan Smiths and Superstars) to suit this demand for ‘vintage’ and ‘retro’ style.

Adidas is now one of the most recognized brands in the world. They manage to create different products for different styles ranging from sportswear, vintage, streetwear, and couture. Each item has a story for the person who has it, due to the history of the brand. It’s a house hold name and will be forever increasing its popularity by constantly reinventing it products to create new trends. Still they never stray from the goal to be high quality and consumer driven, which is why the love affair with the three stripes has lasted so long.

Maddie Cassidy

Fashion

21

Nike A Guide To AirMax Nike’s Air Max technology has come a long way since it was created in 1987. Air Max are probably the comfiest lines of shoes, in my opinion, which is why they have such a cult following. Nike have produced a variety of shoes all built with comfort and style in mind. There are so many lines of Nike trainers ranging from 95s, 97s, 98s, TNs and Vapormax.

95s

97s

98s

Tns

95s, also known as the 110s, The 95s are the most commonly used shoe worn by burglars and many police reports have noted that the distinct sole print of a 95 is seen at many crime scenes around the UK.

Nike collaborated with Supreme in 2016 to produce the first true all black 98s as well as other colourways of the shoe, including grey with snakeskin. They are highly sort after with pairs going online for as much as £530 for an all black pair.

VaporMax

VaporMax, compared to TNs have a completely different system of air bubbles called the ‘tuned air system’.

The VaporMax took seven years to create and are currently the lightest Air Max shoe ever made.

Photographs: Andy Hur/Nike.com

22

The 97s has proven to be the most popular shoe among celebrities to collaborate with, with the likes of Ronaldo and Skepta designing their own pairs for the market. The first collab with skepta is called the ‘SK Air’ which was inspired by his trip to Morocco, just after he released his fourth album Konnichiwa.

TNs are a footlocker exclusive shoe, known for their slim design and chunky sole. TNs are the most popular Nike shoe in Australia.

Charlie Kelly

Fashion

Summer Vibes In Scottish Winter

Sadly, summer is over, and winter is here so it’s time to put away the crop tops, shorts and bikinis and get out your favourite hat, scarves and gloves combo. Just because the skies are grey - it doesn’t mean your wardrobe has to be.

This article is here to tell you how to keep those summer vibes going in the winter months with pops of color and recycling your favourite summer outfits.

Photographs: WhereToGetIt.com Anthony Urbano Ciara Coulter

1

Layers

Although it seems obvious, layers are your best friend in the winter. For a summer look, grab your favourite summer dress and put a long-sleeved top underneath.

Turtle neck tops work the best for warmth but a mesh high neck, long sleeve top under a strappy mini dress, paired with some skin tone tights and chunky boots winter outfit ready for you to party like its summer.

Have a look on Depop for a cute and student friendly variety of dresses and tops to layer!

2

Bright colors

3

Loud prints

With grey skies, it’s easy to see why everyone’s wardrobe gets a bit darker and the colors go away - but trust me, winter is the time for a pop of color. Everyone knows a winter coat is essential and with puffer jackets still going strong as a winter staple, why not try a bright colored puffer instead of plain black? Urban outfitters are always well stocked with good quality puffer jackets in a variety of lengths and colors so browse online and catch a sale on a bright twist on a winter jacket.

Summer is the time everyone starts throwing out animal prints, with loud bikinis and funky trousers being so fun...

Why do we put them back in when it’s a bit colder?

Keep the prints out and add a tropical vibe to November with a printed Hawaiian jumper or leopard print trousers paired with a black jumper. Depop and Asos have s great selection of printed garments for a good price.

So there’s three ways to keep the summer vibes going in a Scottish winter. Prints, colors and layers are a sure ways to stay summer ready in winter and all three don’t really need a lot of money or work put in. Have fun with these tips and liven up your wardrobe this winter!

Charlie Kelly

23

You Me At Six Sit Down Exclusively With The EDIT

“We’re forever grateful to still be doing this, and the reason we can is because of the fans. This is our way of saying thank you.”

British indie rock band You Me At Six have been propelled into one of the most exciting eras of their career since the release of their 6th studio album, VI last month.

Since then, the band have already toured the UK visiting HMV stores for exclusive signings, released two singles alongside music videos, announced a 10-year anniversary tour for their first album Take Off Your Colours as well as a world tour for their new album.

Despite their busy schedule, Guitarist Max Helyer was able to speak to The EDIT about how fans are stilling blowing them away with support over a decade into them making music.

Max still cannot believe how successful their ten-year anniversary celebrations have been especially since it felt as through the preparation was thrown together in a matter of hours.

“We didn’t expect it to be so big! Our management really got on it and we had a tour sorted within 48 hours, which is mental. It was in such high demand and we’re all very humbled and excited by the fact that people still want to come and see this record, as well as our new record.

“It’s a trip down memory lane playing these songs again because we don’t really play them in our set anymore. I think it’s really exciting for us to revisit the songs because it reminds us of the times where we were making, playing and touring in the early days of You Me At Six.

“We’re forever grateful to still be doing this, and the reason we can is because of the fans.

This is our way of saying thank you.”

24

The band just announced their Back Again world tour where they will be visiting the UK and Ireland, Europe and North America. You Me At Six are no strangers to playing further afield and have perfected what it takes to be able to perform anywhere in the world.

“Everyday, the show has to be good and we enjoy every city equally because these people are paying money to come and see our band, so for us we want to make sure they’re getting the best show every time. It’s been a while since we’ve done lots of touring. We didn’t do lots for Night People, so we’re itching and ready to get back out there.”

Considering everywhere that they’ve played, there’s still a few places that really stick out to Max and the band.

“There’s loads of good places in the world and we’ve done our fair share of touring. I always really enjoy going back to LA, it’s a great spot. I love Berlin too, it’s a great city.”

You Me At Six recently released two music videos to coincide their singles, Back Again and 3AM. Working with director Daniel Broadley, Max explained how the band was inspired to include their personalities and creativity in their newest videos: “The inspiration really came from the energy of our latest album, VI. The vibe of this record was just to have fun and enjoy ourselves. We enjoyed not being tied down to anything and doing what we wanted to do, so I think that bled into the videos.”

Music

Photographs: Chuff Media

Remembering lead singer Josh Franceschi’s first mention of the anniversary tour on their Night People tour back in 2017, the band were initially unsure about an anniversary celebration.

“I think it really stemmed from that tour. Josh has always been a key advocate of the idea since it’s a landmark for You Me At Six – our first record being 10 years old. There were definitely mixed feelings but when we heard the reaction to the possibility, we wanted to put a few dates up and just go from there.

“We’ve been blown away by the response. Maybe it’s nostalgic and reminds fans of growing up, going to college or university and that was their soundtrack.

That’s really exciting and we’re forever humbled by that. We’re excited to be going on tour again and playing some of those songs for the first time as well as the album in its entirety, we’ve never done that as a band before.”

Max said that the ideas came straight from the band.

Combined with the help from Broadley, they were able to come up with a different type of video they’ve never tried before.

“Both ideas came from iconic scenes in movies. “3AM” being inspired by “The Wolf of Wall Street” with Leonardo DiCaprio on his night out which we interpreted with Josh’s character. The same happened with “Back Again” where we paid homage to “The Big Lebowski”.

“I think keeping that continuous theme and making it feel like a body of work as well as working with the same person for both videos really smashed it. We just brainstormed and then Dan added his creative touch and visualized the whole concept.”

As musicians, You Me At Six are very vocal and passionate about not being pushed into a box or label. Asking Max if they were able to explore and experiment more with their sound than when they first broke into the music scene, this is what he had to say.

“When we first started out, we idolized and tried to mimic our peers but now we’ve developed our own sort of vibe. I don’t think there are many bands that sound like You Me At Six. “We all listen to so many different styles of music and we want to incorporate that into our own sound.

I think as songwriters, you want to challenge yourself and not just stay in your lane. I find if you do that, you become very stagnant and won’t push yourself creatively.

“If it wasn’t for Night People, we wouldn’t have this record. It really was the turning point for our band to try and push ourselves. It really helped because now the door is open to go anywhere. We have taken risks and learnt to throw out the rule book and just make music that makes us happy. Hopefully other people will feel the same way as when we did when making these songs.”

There’s no doubt that You Me At Six has left a massive impact on their fans, especially those who have been with them since the beginning which Max describes as mind blowing.

“You only inspire to be like your idols. Knowing that people look at us in that way is very humbling, because we didn’t expect to still be in a band after 10 years.”

Dee McGloin

25

5 Forgotten Christmas Classics . Train – Shake up Christmas Not all Christmas songs these days have to be released by the biggest and most successful pop stars or take the coveted number one spot. The upbeat, hopeful vibes from lead singer Patrick Monahan and the guitar playing, something that happens rarely on Christmas songs, certainly help to “shake-up” the conventions of the modern day Christmas releases.

5

. James Brown – Merry Christmas Baby Not many reading this will have heard this song before and for that reason alone the late great James Brown has to make an appearance in this countdown. The laid-back Jazz allows for some slick instrumentals from the clarinets and violins coupled with his smooth vocals makes this a must listen over Christmas dinner.

2

. Coldplay – Christmas Lights Most Christmas songs are bright and feel good, but this track is a diamond in the rough and a melancholy reminder that not everyone looks forward to this season with excitement and anticipation as others. Coldplay rarely perform this song even during their Christmas concerts and it was wrongly overshadowed by Fix You as their best mid-tempo effort.

4

1

. U2 – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Originally sung by Darlene Love in 1963 this song has featured heavily in various television commercials this year. However, it is the cover version recorded in Glasgow in 1987 by Irish pop-rock band, U2, which merits our attention this year. It was recorded during a sound check for their Joshua Tree tour with Darlene Love actually proving the backing vocals for this version, it has not received the recognition at this time of year it deserves since.

26

3

People were quick to tell me I sounded like a Grinch when I recently suggested Christmas would be far more exciting if we celebrated it every two years. It’s just because people can spend months hyping themselves up over the same day every year. Since that’s not going to happen and if you feel the same way as I do, bored of hearing the same bunch of overplayed Christmas songs every year, why not give this lot a try for one year?

. Geraldine McQueen – Once Upon a Christmas Song Love him or loathe him Peter Kay’s alter ego from Britain’s Got the Pop Factor was a hilarious jibe at television talent show contestants. Lots of respect will be earned by sticking this on at Christmas dinners in flats with friends and it is guaranteed that everyone around the table will feel a sense of nostalgia and share their memories of this vintage feel good karaoke sing-along.

Callum McQuade

Photography: Bruce Mars /Pexels

Music

The Techno Traits of Glasgow It’s no surprise that Glasgow is well known for its clubbing scene, with a huge number of venues scattered across the city and a long-held reputation as host to some of the liveliest clubs in the country. When it comes to music, Glasgow has always gone above and beyond, from the birth of Franz Ferdinand, Simple Minds and Twin Atlantic to the world-famous club names of Slam, Optimo and Denis Sulta, and the city boasts some of the most intense and passionate venues, like Sub Club, SWG3, Sanctuary and recently closed The Arches. However, it wasn’t always home to the same varied and intense music scene that we get to enjoy today.

Before the 1980s, Glasgow’s clubbing scene was actually pretty dire. The city lacked any real venues, and nobody seemed interested in cultivating a decent nightlife scene.

It wasn’t really until the mid-1980s that things started to take off, and clubbing the way we know it today slowly began to take shape, but it wasn’t for everyone. In its early years, the scene was mostly reserved for the wealthier Glasgow residents, especially when it came to dance music.

The world-renowned club, Sub Club, and first point of call for anyone interested in the Glasgow scene, celebrated its 30th anniversary just last year, but its beginnings are a stark contrast to today’s modern take on music. It was aimed at people with money, leaving students or anyone without a high-paying job forced to save up for a night out, and it was described by Glasgow DJ and promoter Alan Miller as: “Somewhere you went if you had money.”

As for the rest of the city, music was still harshly defined.

Each club had its own strict genre and Sub Club was really the only home to dance or electronic music. Trying to find somewhere for good DJs or dance music was almost

Photography: A.L./Unsplash

impossible, and most of the affordable clubs avoided trying any new strains such as UK rave or Detroit techno out of fear. It got so bad that people started to head out of the city to Edinburgh or Ayr to find the music scene that Glasgow so sorely lacked, with bus-loads heading through to the capital every week.

Luckily, Glasgow’s music enthusiasts weren’t easily discouraged. Driven by the same passion and intensity that can be seen in today’s clubs, the late ‘80s marked the start of a new era – one of illegal raves, with a burst which saw the ‘DIY clubs’ of Glasgow held anywhere and everywhere. Warehouses, tunnels and abandoned quarries quickly became home to more than 4,000 ravers determined to enjoy the music they loved, with these makeshift venues defined by an entirely different atmosphere than the clubs struggling for visitors on the main streets. As more and more people started to recognise the city’s need for better music and better venues, places such as The Arches and The Art School finally opened up, embracing new waves of music and giving the Glasgow people what they wanted.

At last, Glasgow’s thriving music scene became recognisable as what it is today. Sub Club still boasts some of the city’s best DJs, known easily as the city’s main hub of electronic dance and techno – without the extortionate prices of the ‘80s, and there are now more venues than ever for those with a techno-inclined mind.

SWG3, effectively a massive warehouse party, has developed its own reputation as one of the city’s best spots, and clubs such as La Cheetah and Flat 0/1 are packed every weekend playing a mix of techno, house and dubstep.

Nicola Gray

27

Is Grime Becoming too Commercialised?

When Bugzy Malone announced his next album B. Inspired and the subsequent tour in August, he tweeted: “The B.Inspired tour is the biggest UK tour ever to be announced out of grime, I’ll see you there.” Yet when the album was released it was the furthest from grime the Manchester M.C. has ever strayed in a project.

Granted there are a few grime tracks on the album such as Warning and Done His Dance, but the majority are hip-hop while one or two are arguably pop. His features throughout the album include JP Cooper and Laura White, both pop stars, the latter more than first and Not3s and Rag’n’Bone Man, who are far more associated to pop music than grime. Some may argue that this is because Bugzy doesn’t work with fellow grime stars, as he views them as competition. He also has a very large chip in his shoulder about not being included in the London boys club in the grime game. Which he made very vocal in his last EP King of the North, with many viewing his track Sniper being aimed at Stormzy. Despite these on-going disputes with other grime artists Bugzy has continued to bring out Grime after Grime project.

So why is his latest project a pop one? It is just another example to add to the question: is grime is becoming too commercialised?

A question that has plagued the grime industry, with many a star from Wiley to Chip going pop after getting big in Grime. The question is why?

Well, the answer is quite simply money. If more people are interested in their music they get more streams and ultimately get to perform at bigger venues. With the assimilation into popular culture comes with acceptance, which some of these M.C.‘s have never had in their life.

28

An example of this recently is Stormzy who since the meteoric rise from his first album Gang Signs & Prayer seems to spend more time on talk shows than in the booth. Although his own songs haven’t turned into pop tracks, he has featured on countless pop songs now from Ed Sheeran to Little Mix, the latter being unforgivable in many grime fans eyes and ears. Is he just another example of the industry becoming too commercialised or is there any redemption for one of the purest forms of music in the country?

These artists are only conforming to the mainstream media in order to shed light on issues that affected them growing up and are still affecting millions of people in the UK. A recent example of this would be Stormzy’s performance at the Brit Awards in which he took aim at the government for their response to the Grenfell Tragedy.

Although the music suffers it is something that needs to be done in order to shed light on some of the worst areas of society. Finishing as I started with Bugzy though it does have a certain sense of irony after starting his career by dissing Chip for returning to grime after his spell in pop. With his infamous bar in Relegation Riddum: “Don’t do pop and then come back, and act like it’s the Return of the Mack”. However since he has returned to grime, Chip has consistently dropped high-quality projects with his latest EP, Ten10, a testament to that. So Bugzy may have a point, but once any of these grime stars have had enough of pop please do come back, better than ever.

Lewis Moynihan

Photography: Flickr/David Holt

Sports

3 Sport Teams Glasgow Can Be Proud Of

On Old Firm day in Glasgow, it can feel like the whole city stops. Police line the streets in their hundred as a mass of fans swarm down and create the unique atmosphere which is known around the world. However, despite football firmly being at the heart of the city, there are several other professional sports teams who don’t get the attention they deserve. As young Scots become more aware of the variety of sporting success the city boasts and try their hand at an ever-increasing number of them, here are three professional sports teams who deserve the spotlight.

Glasgow Clan

Glasgow Clan, recently re-branded from Braehead Clan, are still in their infancy as professional sports teams go.

Founded in 2010, the Clan have wasted no time in becoming a solid and well-respected team in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). Placing fifth in their debut season, the side finished second in the league in 2014-15, an incredible achievement considering the club’s youth. Playing their matches at Braehead Arena, they’re cheered on by the Purple Army, which at full capacity holds 3,500 people, creating a vibrant atmosphere which gets louder every year, reflecting the growth in the club’s popularity. If you fancy going along and experiencing the action first-hand, there are 30 home games per season from September to April, with tickets ranging from £18 to £22.

Glasgow City F.C

If you want to talk about Glasgow dominating Scottish football, tell Celtic and Rangers to step aside for a minute.

Introducing Glasgow City FC, who recently won the Scottish Women’s Premier League for a record TWELFTH time in a row! A feat neither of the men’s clubs have managed in history, the team are at the forefront of promoting women’s football in Europe as well as Scotland and this season reached the last 16 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, being beaten by Barcelona Femeni. The club play at Petershill Park, or ‘The Peasy’, in Springburn and it’s no wonder tickets for the recent Barcelona game sold out.

With fantastic value for money at £5 a ticket and £20 for hospitality, it’s well worth getting yourself down to watch the closest thing to a guaranteed victory.

Glasgow Rocks

One of the better-known professional sports teams in the city, the Radisson Red Glasgow Rocks are a basketball team who play at the Emirates Arena. The team are currently going through a rocky spell (pun intended) and sit near the bottom of the British Basketball League. Nevertheless, the Rocks are a great example of a sports club who have a tight-knit relationship with their fans, offering different tiers of match-day packages, which can include signed and framed photos of players, player mascots and jerseys signed by the team. They have also launched the Rocks in the Community initiative aimed at helping particularly vulnerable young people through the sport. Tickets are again great value for money, from £6 for a child to £13 for premier seating.

Peter Rancati

Phenomenal Glasgow City F.C

Break Their Own Record

Glasgow City Football Club are the top women’s football club in the country and have just been crowned Scottish Women’s Premier League champions for the twelfth time in a row. It’s a phenomenal achievement in any regard and they have achieved this while also reaching the UEFA Women’s Champions League Round of 16 for the fourth time in their history.

This years campaign saw them start in the preliminary qualifying round and despite suffering defeat to Anderlecht, victories over FC Martve and Gornik Leczna secured a spot in the Last 32. Cypriot champions Somatio Barcelona FA stood in their way and a superb 2-0 win away in Cyprus saw them progress despite a narrow 1-0 defeat in the home leg.

The Round of 16 saw them paired with FC Barcelona at the draw in Nyon. The Catalan giants are littered with full internationals, many of whom will be in France next summer for the Women’s World Cup. The first leg at the Mini Estadi was tough on City with the hosts winning 5-0 but City gave a much better outcount of themselves in the second leg at Petershill Park, going down 3-0.

This Champions League run was during a tough title fight with Hibernian, victory against the Hibees in the second last game of the season secured the title by three points and secure automatic qualification for the Round of 32 next season. Hibs meanwhile secured the final piece of silverware of the season with a victory over Motherwell in the SSE Scottish Cup final at Firhill.

Next season will see City go in search for a thirteenth consecutive league title but with Hibs closing the gap again this season, it won’t be a foregone conclusion.

Craig Edwards

Photography: Craig Edwards

29

Trailblazing GCU Wolves

Going From Strength to Strength

From appearing on STV News, to being crowned champions of the nation-wide Voxi short-film competition, to being featured on the internationally recognised website HuffPost - it’s safe to say GCU Wolves Cheerleading have had an extremely busy year.

The 70-member strong group has more than doubled in size since the previous academic session, but their quest to become the most widely-recognised university cheerleading club in Scotland doesn’t stop there.

For the first time in their history, the team’s been divided into three squads: a recreational club- which anyone is welcome to join- and two competitive groups, pom and stunt. With their focus shifting from dancing in displays to performing competitively, it’s clear the girls have a taste for success, which was born from their first national competitive gig in March 2018.

Alongside Strathclyde University, GCU Wolves Cheer co-hosted the inaugural Scottish University Cheerleading Championships (SUCC), which seen over 200 athletes take to the floor to compete in a range of different disciplines.

Despite making their competitive debut while juggling the responsibility of co-running the event, Wolves made a substantial impression on the judging panel, claiming second place in their division.

However the road to SUCC was stressful and exhausting, no means made easier by the infamous Beast from the East, which attacked the majority of Scotland with gale force winds and heavy snow on the eve of the Championships.

The good news didn’t stop there - just two weeks later, SUCC was rescheduled and was a roaring success. GCU Wolves Cheer stamped their mark on what’s now an annual event, leaving their legacy on what’s expected to be one of the largest student-run sporting events in Scotland.

Their competitive streak didn’t stall there, however, and since March the team’s worked profusely to ensure their performance levels grow week by week.

The girls are gearing up for their competitive UK debuts in February at the renowned Future Cheer championships in Manchester, followed by the BCA Scottish Sensations competition the following week and SUCC shortly after.

Not only that, but they have a host of displays to look forward to, cheering on a number GCU’s sports teams and performing at a long list of events.

Working closely with their sponsors Distrikt nightclub, the team’s been given the opportunity to update their uniforms and training facilities, ensuring every member gets the safest, most rewarding experience from their time on the squad.

Not only that, but the team’s thrived from welcoming its most diverse squad yet, encouraging both international and Scottish students to try their hand at high-kicks and handstands.

The extreme weather was a substantial blow to the hard work of both Wolves and their Strathclyde co-hosts and, eventually, the decision was made on the morning of the competition to cancel the event and reschedule to a later date.

The heavy conditions didn’t stop the aptly named Wolves, though.

Several members of the team threw on their uniforms and ventured into the snow to practice their leaps, jumps and kicks, stopping at nothing to try and help lift the spirits of those who were heartbroken over SUCC’s postponement.

The girls’ efforts were not unnoticed, attracting the attention of national and international media alike.

Their tweets, videos and posts went viral, charming audiences worldwide with their commitment to their sport.

30

Photography: GCU Cheerleading/Facebook

Sports

The Life of a Caley Fan in Caley But the hard work of GCU Wolves Cheerleading extends further than perfecting routines and cheering on others.

With president Helena Arthur at the realm, the team and its committee are pushing for the national recognition as a university sport and not simply a club.

As it stands, the governing body for the sport in higher education- British Universities and College Sport (BUCS) - doesn’t recognise cheerleading in its members, depriving hundreds of athletes across the UK the opportunity to further develop their skills.

GCU Wolves Cheer are on a mission to overcome the stigma surrounded with being a cheerleader.

By creating events such as SUCC and promoting themselves as a sport for everyone, Wolves are adamant on changing the face of university sport not just in Scotland, but across the UK. To stay up-to-date with the team, follow them on Instagram @gcuwolvescheer or like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GCUCheer.

Sophie Wallace

With only 24 years of history, supporting Inverness Caledonian Thistle is never going to produce 54 Scottish League titles, European Cup success or constant victories. However, it has provided the opportunity to see my team rise from nothing to becoming an established team in Scotland which I thoroughly enjoy following.

Born in 1994, the team was formed as part of a merger between Inverness Thistle and Caledonian, 2 clubs who were originally part of the Highland League that were granted entry to the league system. I started supporting Caley in 2001 when I was only 6 years old and at the time the club had already achieved a momentous feat, having beaten Celtic at Parkhead 3-1 whilst in the third flight of Scottish football creating the iconic headline ‘Super Caley go ballistic Celtic are atrocious.’

This success was the start of our rise through the league’s as we were promoted to the SPL in 2004, where we remained for every year apart from one until 2017.

During this time we achieved the feat of finishing 3rd in the league in 2015 and qualifying for Europe as a result where our small city club managed to take hundreds of travelling fans over to Romania to play Astra Giurgui, which unfortunately ended in an aggregate defeat.

Oh, and not to mention in 2015 as well we managed to win the Scottish Cup, an achievement that at the time Hibernian had not managed for over 110 years whilst we managed it within 21 years of our creation.

Sadly, the group of players that won the Scottish Cup moved on to better clubs and since we have relegated to the Scottish Championship, however my love for the club from my hometown still burns on.

I make sure to follow Caley wherever they go, attending most away games they play during the season, meaning I have now visited over 25 of the 42 league clubs in Scotland’s home stadiums.

Unfortunately, this season we have achieved the unconventional achievement of drawing seven consecutive games in the league which equals the Scottish record and sums up how as a team we are currently performing averagely. Despite this though, we still have a shot at the play-offs and hopefully, soon we will be able to represent the North of Scotland in the nation’s top division once again!

Craig McLean