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Tuesday 9th November 2010 • Issue 247 • UEA’s Independent Student Newspaper
STUDENTS SET FOR DEMO
As student unions across the country prepare for the National Demo, UEA students remind Liberal Democrat MP Simon Wright of his pledge to vote against a rise in fees. James Hughes
News Reporter
Frustration and betrayal turned to protest in Norwich last Wednesday as students expressed their anger towards Norwich South MP Simon Wright and his party outside the Liberal Democrat offices, following the announcement of a possible three-fold rise in tuition fees. General concerns about the rising cost of higher education in the country, combined with contempt for the evident disregard of the promises made by the Lib Dems, culminated in the protest. This damning blow to students and their already fragile financial situations comes just six months into the tenure of the new coalition government, despite promises from the Liberal Democrats prior to the election this year, to veto any rise in tuition fees. Universities Minister David Willetts announced in the House of Commons that tuition fees of £6,000 will be charged, with fees of up to £9,000 being permitted in “exceptional circumstances”. The Universities Minister attempted to explain the changes, saying that the bulk of the money for universities will “follow the choices of students”. Speaking in response to the
announcement, Tom Dolton, Communications Officer of the Union of UEA Students, said: “As a Union which has a policy supporting free education, the announcement is pivotal to the future of higher education”. The National Union of Students and the University and College Union have organised a demonstration in London against fees and cuts on the 10th November. The Union of UEA Students will be taking seven coaches of students to the demo, with approximately 350 UEA students attending. Simon Wright’s seat was won on a precarious 310 vote majority, which he took from former Labour Home Secretary Charles Clarke. Clarke was dealt a humbling blow by his constituents, a large portion of them being UEA students, after refusing to sign the pledge to vote against a rise in tuition fees. Demonstrating the power of the student vote in this constituency, one of the protesters gathered a few hundred petition postcards and said: “this represents (Mr Wright’s) majority which he can now say goodbye to”. When questioned about failing to honour the promises of his party’s electoral campaign, Norman Lamb (Lib Dem, Norfolk North) admitted that he was wrong in signing
Laura Smith Students gather outside the Liberal Democrat offices in Norwich to protest against a rise in fees
the pledge, but felt that Lib Dem members and candidates signed the declaration because it was “a legitimate position for an opposition party to take”. The Browne Review and David Willetts’ summary have set out ways not only for the course costs to
NEWS: Richard Powell OBE Union’s new Chief Executive
NEWS: Drink spiking on the NEWS: Fight on bus leaves students shaken rise
Richard Powell OBE has been announced as the new Chief Executive of the Student Union. Page 3
Fears are growing over a recent rise in cases of drink spiking at UEA and in Norwich. Page 4
A fight broke out on a number 25 bus after the Halloween LCR last week. Page 3
change, but how the whole system of finance is to be ordered. A minor break from the bleak news is that the earnings threshold for paying back fees will rise from the current £15,000 to £21,000 under the new system, whilst bigger loans will be granted to those less
well off. There is no escaping the fact, however, that students living away from home could potentially face a debt of over £35,000 upon graduating from a standard three year course. See page 6 for Concrete’s guide to the National Demo.
FEATURES: A UEA student in Burma
SPORT: Maths prevail in Ziggurat football
DEV student, Tony Neil, writes about his experiences in Burma in the run up to the long-awaited elections.
Concrete Sport report from the Sportspark as Maths overcome a spirited EDU display.
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UNEMPLOYMENT TREND BUCKED BY UEA GRADUATES Rachael Lum
News Reporter
The latest graduate unemployment figures have been released by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU). According to the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DHLE) survey, graduate employment has fallen from 61.4% to 59.2%. This reveals that the unemployment rate has risen to 8.9%, the highest rate for 17 years. UEA graduates bucked this trend, with the unemployment level being below 5.7%. More than three-quarters of last year’s UEA graduates were in graduate-level work or study six months after graduating. A spokesperson for UEA
said of the figures that “the university is working hard to encourage our students, right from the outset, to think ahead and make sure that they hone the skills needed to secure employment.” Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students, has said that university graduates are entering “the bleakest employment market for decades”. Employment in the IT sector is shown to be most adversely affected, with 16.3% currently out of a job. There are also significant drops in recruitment for various other sectors including engineering, media studies and architecture. In the education sector, employment dropped by 1% and is expected to fall further as a result of the budget cut
Greg Mann
More UEA graduates are employed than the national average
following the Comprehensive Spending Review. Likewise, statistics showed that many graduates who saw more favourable prospects are involved in healthcare, social sciences or the welfare sector. Nevertheless, 94% of students still feel that pursuing their studies in university would increase their employability. Research also shows that 8.1% of UK students opted for higher education in 2009. With the looming figures an indication of rising unemployment in the near future, Porter
urges that the Browne Review be reconsidered to avoid further aggravation to graduate employment prospects. “Graduates should be seen as a critical part of the government’s missing growth strategy, and a vital component to rebuilding our economy. The intergenerational divide in our society is already gaping, and this is now just another part to an overwhelming case as to why the government should reject Lord Browne’s proposals, and urgently reconsider the direction of travel.”
These figures reflect a nationwide trend in the British Crime Survey, which shows a 4% decrease in the number of incidents and an 8% fall in reported crimes to the police from June 2009June 2010, compared to the previous year. According to the BBC, this means that the UK has reached its lowest level of crime since records began in 1981. As in Norfolk, the Home Office reports show recorded crime in England and Wales has been reduced in almost all categories. Sexual offences are the exception, with 10% increases in the most serious cases. Chief Constable Phil Gormley has praised the collective efforts of Norfolk Constabulary in not only reducing crime, but being able to do so in the face of budget cuts. Mr Gormley said: “During the course of the last four years the constabulary has reduced its costs by £18milion and invested significantly in improving frontline service delivery. This strategy has
resulted in the exceptional figures released by the Home Office today. “The challenge for the constabulary now will be how it can maintain this level of performance over the next four years when we know there is going to be a significant reduction in funding. This is why I visited MPs at Westminster last week, with the police authority, to reinforce our message that Norfolk has already made savings and reinvested those in frontline services. “Today’s figures reflect a three-year modernisation programme which saw a restructuring of our policing teams together with a new streamlined management structure, along with a comprehensive review of our support services.” In the spirit of costcutting, Norfolk and Suffolk Police have recently announced they will be merging some of their services, such as facilities and human resources, to save around £9.8m between them.
NORFOLK NAMED SAFEST COUNTY Mark Shead
News Reporter
For the second year in a row, Norfolk is England’s safest county with crime decreasing by 11% between June 2009 and May 2010.
While figures show reductions in burglary of 10%, drugs 9% and criminal damage 21%, there has been an increase in ‘violence against the person’ of almost 4%. This has been attributed to a rise in domestic abuse.
ISSUE 247
Tuesday 9th November
DAN YOUMANS ELECTED TO NUS COMMITTEE David Murphy
News Reporter
UEA will have one more representative within the National Union of Students as Dan Youmans, Community and Student Rights Officer of the Union of UEA Students, has been elected to the NUS Welfare Zone Conference. The Welfare Zone Committee aims to focus the actions of the National Union with a specific interest on issues such as crime, safety and equality and diversity. Their goal, in working alongside the Vice President of the Welfare Zone, is to work on the priorities that students establish at the NUS annual conference. Dan’s work so far as full-time Community and Student Rights Officer has benefited many students within UEA. It has included ensuring the Union listens to students on issues such as housing, mental and sexual health and community relations. He hopes to continue this work at a national level as he joins the five other members of the committee. In a statement released earlier, Dan said: “I’m really pleased to have been elected – I can’t wait to start work on delivering on the tasks conference set for the zone”. That enthusiasm will be vital at a time when the NUS is facing harsh cuts in university funding and the threat of rising tuition fees. But Dan is prepared for the tough task ahead. He told Concrete: “Given the context of harsh cuts, this year it’s even more important that the welfare zone is as strong and active as it can be”. The next annual conference will take place in Newcastle in Spring 2011 but there will be plenty of work to be done between now and then.
EARLHAM ROAD CLOSURE
Earlham Road is undergoing resurfacing work until the 10th November 2010. The road is closed from 7.30am until 7.00pm, when diversions are in place to reroute traffic. The 35 is still in service, but is running down Unthank Road, following the 25 route until the Farmhouse pub, where it then returns to the Avenues. The 35 returns to its normal route after 7.00pm completing the timetable as scheduled.
NEWS
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FIGHT ON BUS LEAVES STUDENTS SHAKEN Ed Leftwich
News Editor
Students have been left shaken after a fight broke out on a bus last weekend. The fight occurred at around 1.30am on Sunday 31st October on a number 25 bus, after the Halloween LCR. A man had to be forcibly removed from the bus by UEA Security. Security were called to the bus stop by the driver after some LCR goers pushed their way onto the bus without paying. One eye witness said: “A 25 arrived and loads of people just ran past the driver and wouldn’t get off”. The bus driver then turned off the engine and refused to leave until everyone who had not paid had gotten off. Security were asked to check everybody’s tickets. Concrete’s eyewitness said: “One guy refused
to get off, so security attempted to force him off. It turned a bit ugly and required two members of security to get him off of the bus –
POWELL ANNOUNCED AS UNION CHIEF EXECUTIVE James Schofield
News Reporter
The Union of UEA Students has announced the appointment of a new chief executive, Richard Powell OBE, after a three month long recruitment process. Powell’s knowledge and experience with charities was seen as a key factor in the appointment. Powell is well involved with charitable work in the East of England, being regional director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and also the chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund for the region. His work for the RSPB covers seven different counties, including jurisdiction over the environmentally important area of The Wash, and includes him managing a staff of 150. The Union of UEA Students consider him the ideal candidate to lead the Union into its new position as a charity. His ability to innovate and to drive strategy in the organisation was looked upon very favourably by Rob Bloomer, Finance Officer of the Union and Chair of the Board of Trustees. In a statement released by the Union, Rob said: “Richard will be an excellent addition to the management team at the Union. Throughout the interview process I have been consistently impressed
Pippa Artus
A disturbance broke out between UEA Security and a LCR goer on the 30th
with his people management skills, strategic ability and his ability to innovate and fundraise. Through his contacts in a wide variety of environmental committees and initiatives, along with his personal experience, I envisage us really developing as the exemplar low carbon Union that we aim to be.” The Finance Officer, who led the recruitment process, went on to say; “Richard’s passion for the job was evident throughout, and I very much look forward to working with him when he begins his role.” Powell’s work with the environment also aided the decision to appoint him as chief executive of the Union of UEA Students. The Union has a clear goal to be environmentally sustainable and to be an exemplar low-carbon union by 2012. As well as working for the RSPB, Richard Powell chairs the Royal Forum, and is vice-chair of the Sustainable Development Round Table, a forum established in 1995 to discuss major issues on sustainable development in the UK. He has worked in agriculture and sustainability for several years, developing a passion for land management and regeneration projects, such as the Lakenheath Fen project, in which 600 acres of farmland was turned into an
the guy had to be restrained after attempting to throw a couple of punches”. The police were called to
the bus stop by the driver, and attended the scene. No arrest was made, however the police took statements. The bus company has released the bus CCTV footage to police. Friends of the man in question have told Concrete that security were heavy handed in dealing with their friend. The UEA Security staff however, have a good reputation for being fair and proficient in their work, and there is no precedent of such an incident. A complaint of unnecessary force has not been officially made, it remains an issue to be examined by both UEA Security and the police. Bus drivers often have to deal with difficult situations during the night. The 25/35 bus service is a 24 hour route that travels from UEA to the railway station in the middle of town, and sees more than its fair share of drunken students.
Richard Powell OBE has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the Union of UEA Students.
environmentally diverse wetland. It is hoped that his passion, experience and environmental acumen will help drive UEA to becoming regarded as a sustainable and environmentally
friendly university. Richard Powell was recognised by the Queen in her Birthday Honours of 2005, receiving an OBE for services to the environment and sustainable development.
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ISSUE 247
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UEA MATHS LECTURER DIES
DRINK SPIKING ON THE RISE Joshua Resoun
News Reporter
A UEA lecturer sadly passed away this week after a lengthy battle with cancer. Graham Everest was born and raised in West Sussex. From an early age, he demonstrated a natural flair for Mathematics. He obtained a degree from Bedford College and went on to receive a PhD from Kings College in 1983. In that same year, he was offered the role of Mathematics lecturer at UEA, where he spent most of his working life devoted to teaching the value of higher education. He was a very dedicated Maths teacher, reflected in his UEA Excellence in Teaching Award. His work appeared in the form of over 70 research papers. Always keen to discover, he was an active researcher in number theory. It was at UEA where he found his other calling: Christianity. He was one of the 27 signatories to the 2002 Estelle Morris letter to the State Secretary, encouraging creationism within science lessons. In 2006, he was ordained to priesthood and is now remembered for the compassion he incorporated in his ministry and pastoral work. Sadly, in 2008, he was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. He died at home, aged 52. To commemorate his life, UEA have set up a memorial fund in his name. Larry Ali
PUBLIC LECTURES AT UEA LONDON UEA London is holding a series of public lectures featuring UEA and LSE Politics lecturers, including Charles Clarke. Each lecture opens with a short presentation, that describes the main challenges, outlines the options that revolve around making policy in government. Questions are then invited. The first lecture is on Tuesday 23rd November 2010 at 6pm on the UEA London Campus, attendence is free, just register with your name and affiliation to policybriefings@ uea.ac.uk.
concrete.news@uea.ac.uk
There have been reports of a recent rise in drink spiking at the University of East Anglia and in Norwich as a whole. Drink spiking usually involves the drug rohypnol, commonly called the ‘date rape drug’. Side effects include loss of memory, disorientation, drowsiness, loss of fine motor skills, dizziness and impaired judgement skills. The soluble drug is dropped in an individual’s drink and begins to take effect 15-30 minutes after consumption. Drink spiking seems to be on the rise owing to the ease with which it can be carried out. As Norwich and UEA are generally seen as safe places, students can sometimes let down their guard. Cathy White, a student at UEA, has had her drink spiked in both the LCR and at Havana bar. She described the experience as “very, very scary. To wake up in the morning and not remember what you did and who you were with is a terrifying experience. You have to be wary as it could be anything that is in your system.” When asked if
the incident would put her off from going out again, Cathy responded “it hasn’t stopped me from going out; it has made me more cautious though.” An anonymous source has also come forward saying that herself and her friend have both had their drink spiked in recent weeks at a popular nightclub in Norwich Dan Youmans, the Community and Student Rights Officer at the Union of UEA Students has organised a drink spiking awareness campaign, taking place in Week 8, called Be Safe. It will include a new section on the Union website about how to stay safe while on a night out. Dan said that “these incidents can put students off from going out, especially if their safety is at risk”. In order to avoid drink spiking, never leave your drink unattended. Dan also said: “if you believe your drink has been spiked, call the police immediately and go to the hospital. If you wait until the day after the drug would have passed out of your system.” Campaigners argue that it is only through individuals reporting incidences that the police can help combat drink spiking. The Union bars provide special devices called ‘spikies’. This is a plug
for your bottled drink which only has enough space to allow a straw to be placed in it. Alongside the ‘spikie’, a cap is soon to be provided which
protects half-pint and pint glasses from drinking spiking. Both these devices are available for free from the Union bars.
Union’s constitution, a considerable amount of confusion arose about the changed role for Union Council. Amidst the confusion, the representative for the PHI School Board was temporarily sent out of the meeting for “being disruptive”. Action plans for the Priority Campaigns were then presented to Council to show the plans to bring the campaigns into the foreground of student activity.
After some reports from representatives, ArabSoc was approved as a society. Salsa and Latin Dancing Society was sent for alteration due to a clash in objectives with Dancesport. Several policies were recommended to be lapsed, which passed. A policy to help improve communications with “hard to reach” groups also passed. The Finance Officer presented
a “Focus Sports Policy”. This policy attempts to provide a framework for clubs to work in and put plans in place for improvement. Focus Sports will be able to access a separate funding reserve, as well as extra facility time. This motion was passed after a clarification on sponsorship was provided. A motion on the creation of a “Student Officer Committee Scrutiny Space” was also passed.
Concerns have been raised over incidents of drink spiking
Lizzie Margereson
UNION COUNCIL REPORT
Davina Kesby
News Editor
The second meeting of Union Council this academic year was held on Thursday 4th November. For the first time, councillors were using an electronic voting system, which significantly reduced the length of Council. The first job of Council was to appoint members to university committees that were not filled in the previous meeting. Tom Dolton, Communications Officer of the Union of UEA Students, gave councillors an update on what the Student Officer Committee had been doing in the fortnight since the last meeting. He announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive, Richard Powell OBE, and also told councillors about the Union’s plans for the NUS National Demo. Will Lacey, Environment Officer, answered criticisms about a charge for students who wanted to attend a Carbon Conversations course. As there has been a change in the
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ISSUE 247
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YOUR GUIDE TO DEMOLITION 2010 With the National Demo fast approaching, Concrete’s news team take you through all you need to know about why the demonstration has been called, what student unions around the country have been doing, and the logistics of the day itself.
WHY IS THIS DEMO BEING ARRANGED? Oda Skjetne
News Reporter
Thousands of students and lecturers will be marching through the streets of London, as part of the National Demonstration: ‘Fund Our Future: Stop Education Cuts’, arranged by the National Union of Students (NUS) and the University and College Union (UCU). What has caused this outrage? In November 2009, the Browne Review was launched as a review on university funding systems. A year later, in November 2010, ministers have announced a proposal for a new education system, with major budget cuts to institutions’ teaching budgets. The new system
AT A GLANCE The demonstration has been jointly organised by the National Union of Students and the University and College Union. The demo is called “Fund Our Future: Stop Education Cuts”, and has a Demo-lition theme owing to the perceived destruction of higher education. The Union of UEA Students will be taking 7 coaches to the demonstration, with around 350 students booking themselves a place. Coaches for the demo leave Union House at 7.30am on Wednesday, so make sure you set that alarm of yours nice and early! If you can’t go to the demo, you can show your support by buying a wristband for £2 from the Union shops on campus.
includes raising the cap of tuition fees from today’s £3,290 to £9,000. Raising the cap is the government’s response to the Browne Review, which suggested removing the cap altogether. So how can this influence university students? First of all, fees will rise, allowing universities to charge between £6,000 and £9,000 in tuition fees. Naturally, this will increase the debt of students. However, the new system is aimed to take effect from September 2012, which means students who started university in 2011 should not be affected. Students who applied in 2011 but deferred entry will have to pay increased fees if the legislation passes. It has not yet been indicated
whether or not the cuts will influence fees for international students. The new system also includes introducing a real rate of interest, instead of a rate subsidised by the government. Critics of the new system fear that it will increase inequality, as poorer families may not be able to send their children to university. The government states that universities charging fees higher than £6,000 have to provide programs to accept students with poorer backgrounds. Still, the proposal has caused an outrage by university students throughout the country. The NUS and UCU are arranging the national demo to state the view that education should be free, and to
THE BUILD UP SO FAR
Joshua Resoun
News Reporter
The Union of UEA Students has been taking part and organising various actions in order to support the National Demo. As you may have noticed, the Union has organised, in conjunction with NUS and UCU, to join other students on November 10th in order to show anger at the planned education cuts. In addition to this, they have created postcards to be sent to Simon Wright, the MP for Norwich South, protesting against the planned education cuts. 700 of these have been signed so far. The Union has also created wristbands which demonstrate an individual’s support for the National Demo. These have also been sold to nine other student unions. Alongside these, there has been an awareness campaign taking place throughout campus, including posters, t-shirts and campaign supporters explaining what the National Demo is to students in the Hive and the bars.
Universities from across the country have been acting in preparation for the National Demo. The University of Leicester Students’ Union have visited local FE schools to deliver an educational presentation to raise awareness of the effects of the proposed cuts. Students from across the Wirral area are taking part in a walkout on Wednesday 10th November. LSU hosted a live TV debate with their local MP, Nicky Morgan. Salford University Students’ Union have organised a march for their students who are dressing up in high visibility jackets and hard hats to show their support for the National Demo. Tom Dolton, Communications Officer for the Union of UEA Students, said: “The Union has been working hard to ensure that as many people as possible are able to attend the demo and made aware of the impact that cuts will have upon higher education.” For more information, head to www.demo2010.org.
influence politicians to vote against the proposal. The vote is likely to take place before Christmas and,
a vote is needed in both Houses of Parliament for the legislation to go through.
ON THE DAY - LOGISTICS James Dixon
News Reporter
The national demonstration is going to be a massive day for students in their bid to display their anger at the government regarding tuition fees. The logistics of the day have required a huge amount of organisation due to the sheer scale of the event. A large turnout is expected from UEA who will be travelling down to London by coach. Coaches will leave Union House at 7.30am on Wednesday morning which means students must arrive at least 15 minutes beforehand. The drop off/pick up point in London is Embankment. Upon arriving in London around 11.30, students will congregate at Horse Guards Avenue where they will then march to Millbank. There will be a few opening speeches at 12.30 from leading figures within the movement. At 12.45, the march will begin and is expected to take 40 minutes. There will be a large rally at Millbank that will start at
13.15 and will finish at 14.00. After the day’s events are over there is an optional after party at the London School of Economics, which is completely free and will commence at 15.00. The coaches back to UEA will depart from London at 5.30pm. Winter wear and practical shoes are recommended due to the outdoor nature of the event. A waterproof coat could come in handy too if the weather sours. The demonstration is a peaceful one and therefore aggressive behaviour should not be encouraged. Try and stay close to your friends/group as wandering off alone could lead to getting lost as there will be a huge number of people attending the demonstration. Printing out a copy of the route map and surrounding area will prove handy should you wish to split off from the main body of UEA students. Should you need any help on the day, there will be NUS/UCU officials wearing high visibility orange jackets. Have fun, stay safe and shout until your lungs are sore!
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INTERNATIONAL
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ISSUE 247 concrete.international@uea.ac.uk
The UK Immigration Cap What does it mean for international students?
Laraib Ali International Writer
With the current ambiguous economic climate shadowing developed countries, it comes with no surprise that right wing political parties use immigration as a key campaigning issue. The recent expulsion of the Romanians and Bulgarian Roma (Gypsies) from France earned the country a rare rebuke from the European Union. Similarly, just across the border, the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, made a statement that multiculturalism has failed in Germany. It is interesting to note that both of these events have a different root cause, with one being more in the direction of an economic approach, and the other being towards a cultural one. So it comes as no surprise when the current UK Conservative government, alongside with the Liberal Democrats plans, an immigration
cap, a cap that in effect would limit the number of potentially highly skilled overseas workers that would normally be allowed to enter and work in Britain. As expected, this had caused some
“Foreign students in some cases pay as much as 5 times more than a local student for their tuition fee and are of great value to both the university and the society general”
uneasiness amongst the business communities who would be restricted from having the choice of employing those skilled workers. The Tories,
Brazil’s Challenge
Michael John Mascarenhas Hardman International Writer
The omnipresent photograph of Che Guevara, beret and green fatigues, staring defiantly into the distance, has come to symbolise a revolutionary spirit which lingers on in Latin America. However, amongst this turbulent and often controversial political landscape, Brazil is emerging as a stable presence which has become increasingly comfortable on the global economic stage. On Sunday the 31st of October, Brazil elected its first ever female president: Dilma Rousseff of the Partido de Trabalhadores (Worker’s Party). The 62-year-old was jailed and purportedly tortured in the 1970s for her participation in left wing urban guerrilla g r o u p s against the military dictatorship of the time. Following her victory last Sunday over Brazilian Social Democracy Party candidate, Jose Serra, Dilma now faces another opponent: Expectation. Brazil has been dubbed one of the ‘big four’ countries. These are Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) which are expected to overtake the economies of North America and Europe combined by 2040. Over the past eight years, the number of people living below the poverty line in Brazil has decreased by over a third and approximately 29 million people
have joined the newly emerging middle class. Tourism is also booming with preparations underway for hosting the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016. A key contributing factor to the country’s success was the ‘Real Plan’ of 1994. This was an economic strategy orchestrated by the then Minister of Finance which saw inflation fall almost overnight from 2,000 – 3,000% to just over 15%. Since then, strong government guidance in banking, the oil industry, exports and energy has steered the country into a position of great economic strength. However, the Achilles’ heel of Brazil is infrastructure and education. Mountains of iron ore and sugar lay idle in ports which cannot meet their demands, unpaved roads outnumber paved roads by eight to one, and throngs of commuters and travellers alike cram into packed out airports every day. Meanwhile, p o o r education limits the development of its manufacturing and service industries and causes the country to rely heavily on foreign expertise. Correction of these two issues is essential in order to lay down the foundation for continual development. It will be interesting to see how Brazil deals with these challenges over the next few years and whether Dilma Rousseff, the former guerrilla activist, succeeds in helping the country reach its full potential.
however, are firm on it, and believe this policy would give Britain a chance to develop home professionals to fulfill it’s economic needs. This issue, in theory, is more significant than it seems, as there are concerns that it could damage one of Britain’s highest-earning industries: the higher education sector. Over the years, British universities have successfully managed to create an excellent brand image across the globe with the aim of attracting foreign students. Foreign students in some cases pay as much as five times more than a local students for their tuition fees and are of great value to both the university and the society in general. The multiculturalism that these students bring to the UK campuses makes university life a great valuable for experience not only for these students but also for their local peers who get the opportunity to interact with a representation of a global community. This immigration cap would undoubtedly affect Britain’s standing in terms of higher
education to prospective overseas students, not to mention the stiff competition they will face from other American, Middle East or Asian universities who are also recruiting a large number of overseas students. If such a move is implemented, critics predict that it would gravely impact not only one of its most profitable higher education industries, but also its service industries.
Australia: A place for everyone
Kirsten Wade International Writer
From the traditional land-owners of Australia, the Aborigines, to the convict settlement of the late 1700’s, to the multicultural diversity that exists today, Australia boasts a rich cultural history. This rich cultural history weaves itself into the art and culture of a society that is trying to make its mark on the world. Australia showcases their art and culture throughout the year with each capital city hosting a festival. Sydney is home to the Sydney Festival for example, which involves art, dance, film and forums, while Tasmania hosts the Ten Days on the Island Festival, a mix of visual art, literature, theatre and music. The Sydney Opera House is an art and culture hub, hosting performances ranging from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, to Shakespeare’s plays, to Rigoletto Opera. Australia is also well known for its love of food. Food and wine festivals take place throughout the year, with well-known ones held annually in the grape-growing and wine producing regions of the country, such as the Margaret River in Western Australia, the Barossa Valley in South Australia and the Hunter Valley in New South Wales. Multicultural food events also play a large part in the Australian way of life as a result of the diversity, such as festivals celebrated during Chinese New Year. Testament to Australia’s love of sport,
Australia acted as hosts of the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006. Winter sport is dominated by football, such as rugby league and Aussie rules, while cricket is definitely the national summer sport.
“From the traditional land-owners of Australia, the Aborigines, to the convict settlement of the late 1700’s, to the multicultural diversity that exists today, Australia boasts a rich cultural history”
Not only is Australia a place bursting with art and culture, it also a place that offers a vast array of natural wonders, many of which are World Heritage listed sites. From the underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef, to Islands such as Lord Howe and Fraser, to the vast redness of Uluru and Kata Tjuta National Park, these natural wonders leave tourists and locals alike in awe. Whether you are into culture, cuisine, sport or nature, there is something on offer for everyone in Australia.
Student Night Every Thursday! Free entry for School Night Every Tuesday! students Apple Sourz Sambuca
£1
Free finger buffet for students with a valid NUS card!
Jager bombs just £1.50 on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
10 COMMENT AND OPINION
ISSUE 247
www.concrete-online.co.uk
concrete.opinion@uea.ac.uk
The anti-spending spree
As the largest spending cuts in decades are unveiled, Concrete looks at how necessary these are and whether they constitute an economic gamble or responsible change. Luke Smith
In a few years’ time, when asked what was unique about the 20th October 2010, one should be able to recall with consummate ease that this was the day when the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that Britain was “back from the brink”. Surely this is the time for rejoicing? Perhaps, had this not been a superfluous claim accompanied by the deepest cuts that Britain has seen for generations. It is, I think, important to remember, amongst the Chancellor’s sensational claim and the public spending cuts totalling £81bn, why we are all here in the first place. It seems commonplace nowadays to blame the profligacy of New Labour and their irresponsibly close ties with the banking sector and minimal regulation whilst in power for an £158bn budget deficit and a spiralling debt problem. But the essence of this problem was a world banking crisis, which led to a global credit crunch. Britain, like many other countries, was forced to bail out its banks at a cost of £850bn. This was a remarkable predicament for an
economy such as Britain’s, which relies so heavily on the financial sector. Labour in fact deserves credit for the speed at which billions of pounds were moved to rescue a banking sector on the verge of collapse.
“So we really are
all in it together; a front row seat to the biggest economic gamble for generations”
Ironic then, that it is George Osborne and not George Brown or Alistair Darling who has the audacity to claim that he has brought Britain “back from the brink”. Strange then, that the myth of New Labour recklessness is allowed to endure when right at the moment when speed was absolutely vital it was in fact the Conservatives who initially opposed the bank bailout, just as they had opposed every attempt to increase regulation in the preceding 13 years. The real truth is that there were very few voices warning of
the impending crisis and those that existed were largely ignored as naysayers in the blissful days of economic boom. Though it is clear Labour let public spending rise too much, particularly after 2001, the credit crunch hit nearly all developed economies not dependent on massive industrial workforces. It would be wrong to accuse the previous government of making all the mistakes, particularly when there were so many others guilty on the opposite benches as well as further abroad. The coalition continue to cry ‘Canada, Canada!’ as a shining example for economic p r o s p e r i t y out of a strict deficit reduction programme. Such claims are nonsense, since Canada’s reduction programme happened against a backdrop of world economic growth; conditions now could not be more dissimilar. Increasing
demand and securing economic growth are the most important policies for any recovery. Yet whilst I can live with a 14% cut in the budget of the royal household and efficiencies in areas of obvious waste, spending cuts that reduce demand and increase redundancies in the public sector alone by 490,000 jobs over four years are patently going to damage the prospects of economic growth. It’s increasingly hard to see the coalition changing its mind and making growth its number one priority. So we really are all in it together; a front row seat to the biggest economic gamble for g e n e ra t i o n s and a very tough (‘but fair’) decade.
THE FACT BOX £46bn
from departmental reductions:
Including almost 30% off local government and the environment
Reduction of 20% in the police budget £7bn cuts in welfare, including the new £2.5bn child benefit changes
In addition to : £11bn cuts from welfare announced in June budget
Plus: £6bn announced in May when the coalition took power + £11bn in lower debt interest payments and other savings. = Total of £81bn cuts
Student fees: What’s it worth? In light of government assurances of a hard cap on tuition fees, Concrete looks at the side effects of such fees and asks how students will be affected.
Joe Lack
There are more reasons for students to be angry about higher education funding than simply the disproportionately large 40% cuts. The government clearly believes universities exist to fill graduate jobs, not to challenge minds or provide a unique social experience. University is selfinvestment, part of a serious struggle for economic advantage. The power of this message is tragically confirmed by the number
of students who state their reason for going to university as wanting a well-paid career. It is tragic too that a cut-throat graduate job market will dash many hopes. But anyone who says there are ‘too many graduates’ cannot blame students. Universities set entry standards; record numbers of students meet these and don’t want to miss out, not least due to the government message! Yet numbers mean they must now pay for the favour. Government ministers have now given assurances of a hard cap on tuition fees, contrary to Lord Browne’s recommendation of a
soft cap. Coupled with teaching grants, this would at least avert a partmarketised university system where competition for funds would devalue certain degrees, where the brightest would face the greatest financial penalties, and where students might feel under pressure to pick the cheapest university. The loan system, however, looks set to remain unfair. Loans would still be unlikely to cover all living costs, which in itself puts poorer students off university. The rich who pay up front would save thousands of pounds in comparison to those who take out
loans, who would suffer interest on repayments at market rates. There would be a penalty fee for trying to pay off a loan faster than normal, the treasury bizarrely preferring long term interest over immediate funds. It is not certain that lower earning graduates would not pay back more than
“The government clearly believes universities exist to fill graduate jobs”
higher earning ones. International spending ‘arms
races’ between universities will likely nudge that hard cap up, the proceeds going on facilities and research more than undergraduate experience. Russell Group universities will pressure government using that dreaded warning of ‘falling behind’ to adopt Browne-esque reform to get more cash. No matter how much the government stresses the fact that loans are only paid back once graduates are earning enough, the psychological effect of an everescalating cap will put debt-averse, but able, students off university altogether.
ISSUE 247
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Tuesday 9th November
COMMENT AND OPINION 11
Has Britain lost the will to strike?
As France is in turmoil suffering weeks of strike action, the attitudes of trade unionists in the UK are examined and Concrete asks whether we are in store for another Winter of Discontent. Joshua Resoun
The memories of the winter of 1978-79 are still fresh in the mind of many of today’s trade unionists. Since that winter of discontent industrial action has waned, with government legislation, a downturn in union membership and a negative image by the media having
all attributed to this. However, with the Conservative-Liberal Democrat austerity package, could we see a waxing of union power? The simple answer is yes. Although we are not seeing the same economic and social strife of the late 1970s and early 1980s, we are seeing one of the harshest austerity packages to be introduced by any British government to date. The planned public sector cuts are going to cause budget
Drug money Considering the introduction of ‘Project Prevention’ in the UK, Concrete asks how appropriate a venture this is.
Stephanie Stephens
American Barbara Harris has sparked debate in offering money to drug addicts across the UK to be sterilised. The aim of the programme is to prevent unborn children from suffering as a result of their parent’s addiction. Harris, founder of ‘Project Prevention’ has already sterilised 3,500 addicts in the USA and now intends to spread her cause further. This seems more than a little pre-emptive as the charity appears to be treating addicts as a lost cause, unable to change. The message being put across is ‘once an addict, always an addict’ and this seems wholly unfair. Every individual’s case is different and for some, perhaps sterilisation is the way forward.
However, paying a person to take such extreme action, particularly when they’re in the grips of addiction, can prove ethically problematic. Is the person in sound frame of mind to be making such a decision and what will the money be spent on once it’s changed hands? Is it not likely that the money could be used to aid further drug use? The aim, although noble, falls short of protecting the future interests of the addict. Harris needs to realise that it’s not the person that’s dangerous, it’s the addiction. If the money being spent on sterilisation was instead to be put toward a drug rehabilitation programme, then perhaps these individuals and their children’s future would be brighter. It is surely a more noble cause to aid positive development than a decision one may live to regret.
reductions, pay freezes, pension cuts and job cuts. With 56% of public sector workers unionised, the call for industrial action is bound to gain volume in the coming months. On the 1st November the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) announced strike action over working hours; and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) staged a walkout on the 3rd November. Despite a number of small pockets of industrial action, there is still nothing on the scale of the winter of discontent. That is not to say that the trade union leaders have lost the will to strike. At this years Trade Union Congress conference in September, trade union leaders such as Bob Crow (RMT) and Mark Serwotka (The Public and Commercial Services Union) made bloodcurdling speeches, saying that they would fight for every penny and every worker in Britain. Despite their leaders will to strike, statistics show that the average unionised worker does not want industrial action. The think tank Policy Exchange released data
from the recent conflict between British Airways and Unite union that suggests only 31% of unionised labour voted in favour of rejecting the BA pay offer. Returning to the Trade Union Congress, the TUC themselves announced that they would not – for the time being at least – oppose the government’s austerity measures. The TUC, and a number of trade unions, appear to be biding their time until the new financial year in April; by this time the austerity package would have begun to affect Britain’s economy. The TUC does have a rally opposed to the cuts planned, but this does not take place until March 26th 2011. The unions, then, are biding their time until the foggy landscape that is the consequence of the emergency budget becomes clearer. If predictions are correct – that the budget will certainly slow recovery and could well stop it in its tracks – support for industrial action, particularly amongst unionised workers, would increase tenfold. Once the media begins to support the trade unions, it becomes much
easier for collective bargaining and industrial action to be used to put pressure on the government. The old saying goes, ‘if there’s a will, there’s a way’. The will of the trade unions still exists, the debate is not whether or not Britain’s unionised workers want to strike on the same scale as France; the question is how much can you push the trade unions before they finally do? Since the days of Margaret Thatcher, trade unions have been looking for the opportunity to reclaim lost glory and influence. The will of trade union leaders is made of iron, as the speeches at the TUC conference show. That opportunity, it would seem, is finally here. With the biggest spending cut package in British history (25% is the goal), the possibility of thousands of job losses would push the trade unions into action. I doubt there will be a winter of discontent for this year, but the winter of 2011-12 may prove to be a different story.
Dying to be thin
In light of the on-going issue of eating disorders in young people, Beth Wyatt looks at one mother’s actions and highlights the problems experienced by those affected.
Beth Wyatt I’m sure everyone has experienced this at least once – the feeling of embarrassment when you discover that a horrific person lives in your town. This happened to me recently. Staring out of my newspaper was Aly Gilardoni, who weighs seventeen stone. This of course is not what offended me; we have become used to seeing more obese people in Britain. What caused the strangled-cat noise to come out of my mouth was the revelation that Aly has kept her daughter Corleigh on a diet since she was two, only allowing her a pitiful 700 calories a day. Yet Aly manages to outshine even the most neurotic control freak by affecting her daughter’s social
life too – barring her from friends’ houses because she might eat unhealthily. What gives a mother the right to act like a dictator just because she (and her own mother) can’t keep their paws off food? The irony is blasted out when Aly reveals that she eats cheesecakes and chips for lunch, while Corleigh is granted the pleasure of a salad and half a roll. This story is not just ridiculous but dangerous. Aly is willingly destroying her daughter’s life. Corleigh is eight and is 4ft 6in tall – yet she weighs four stone and her ribs jut out. It is clear that she is underweight, and she is growing up with an appalling role model. I felt furious when I read this sickening quote: “She’s not so underweight she’s going to die next week. With an eating disorder you can get through it with therapy. But when you’re fat, you’re fat for life.”
This pathetic woman clearly has no idea that eating disorders are a horrific experience for all involved, and that it is estimated that every year 13-20% of anorexia cases end in death.
“I suppose Aly also hasn’t heard that in 2006 fifty-eight children suffering from eating disorders were admitted to NHS hospitals”
I suppose Aly also hasn’t heard that in 2006 fifty-eight children suffering from eating disorders were admitted to NHS hospitals. Perhaps Aly should take a long hard look at herself and what she is doing to her daughter, before Corleigh ends up being just another statistic.
12
FEATURES
ISSUE 247
ISSUE 247
www.concrete-online.co.uk
FEATURES 13
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Tuesday 9th November
concrete.features@uea.ac.uk
Fleet street blues as foreign news declines Burma, the election, politics and teashops With a recent survey uncovering the limited coverage of international affairs in the British press, Jonathan Parr investigates the causes and consequences.
“T
he best fiction is far more true than any kind of journalism – and the best journalists have always known this.” Hunter. S Thompson’s words ring truer than ever as we witness a deep decline in quality of British news journalism. A study released last week by the Media Standards Trust shockingly revealed that the amount of international news coverage by UK papers has fallen by 40% in the past 30 years. Hidden away in the depths of newspapers, only the most stalwart broadsheet readers will have the stamina to make it to the World news section, and as for the tabloids, the most international story they are likely to cover is Wayne Rooney on holiday in the Caribbean. As the effects of the credit crunch and the internet boom continue to threaten the future of print media, it is understandable that papers are being forced to make cuts. Foreign coverage is expensive but journalists do still have a role to provide the public with news they otherwise wouldn’t be
able to access. With the proliferation of mass media, the information is certainly out there, but is it really our job to sieve it out? The rescue of the Chilean miners, arguably the biggest international story of 2010, provides a great example of a story that the media could really have gone to town with, but again, they seem to have missed the opportunity. This hard news story was heavily focused towards the human interest element, and left out much of the political and economic implications. Equally, the story of Native American activist Leonard Peltier is going virtually unreported in the British press. Peltier was imprisoned for over 30 years after a fraudulent trial, when all evidence suggests he was not guilty of the crime. These pressing global issues just don’t seem to be getting the coverage they deserve in our mainstream press. Michael Moore, Director of the Media Standards Trust, comments: “You could argue that the decline in quantity and prominence of
Concrete’s drugs survey is back for 2010 and we want to hear from you! Visit www.ueastudent.com/ drugssurvey to fill out the survey. It shouldn’t take any longer than 10 minutes to complete.
international news is symptomatic of a wider malaise in traditional news. Yet we live in a far more globalised world than in 1979, one in which our work, our social networks and our travel are vastly more international than they were”. “News outlets that have appealed to this internationalism - such as The Financial Times and The Economist have increased their circulations. Why, then do other newspapers appear less
interested in the outside world?”. Perhaps in this new era, newspapers have become too commercially orientated. Take The Times for example, that is now charging its customers to view their online content. If they expect people to pay this premium then this suggests they should have access to insightful, high quality investigative journalism. With the internet providing such a vast source of information, maybe we should ask what all the fuss is about? Over the past few years there has been something of a revolution of non-professional online journalists and bloggers, and this gives us far more choice over what we view. But we must question how credible these sites are as sources of news as often we are fed far more opinion-based analysis than the reporting of facts. Whatever your view may be of the British press, you can’t deny that they run an incredibly tight ship. However, with Murdoch dominating some of Britain’s most popular newspapers, it may be fair to say he is the only man who holds any real artistic license. Journalism also seems to have become a faceless business; the era of journalists being household names is long gone. No longer are there characters such as Ernest Hemingway, Tom Wolfe and Hunter Thompson to bring us ground-breaking stories. Matt Taibbi, contributing editor of Rolling
Stone magazine, seems to be one of the few journalists still dedicated to investigative reporting. Taibbi’s coverage of the 2008 U.S election won him a National Magazine Award; however, he himself does not garner the same kind of reputation amongst the general public as the aforementioned. We could attribute this to the 24-hour rolling news; once a story is found, within the hour it is being published in a number of media formats. This makes it difficult to write such ground-breaking expose pieces, as journalists are under pressure to constantly churn out new content. The newspaper industry isn’t going to disappear overnight, but the way news is reported is certainly changing. There seems to be a real gap in the market for international and investigative reporting. Foreign news rarely makes the front page, and what little stories do attract coverage are often framed to appeal to a domestic audience. As a profession though, let’s not discredit the valuable work of journalists. Many undergo great struggles to report a story accurately and to raise awareness of the facts and issues. Whilst foreign news has decreased over the years perhaps we need to remember so too has the demand; in reality how interested is the current generation in what is happening abroad?
Tony Neil, a UEA student studying in Burma, provides an insight into the country’s poorly reported electoral process.
N
ovember the 7th is a seminal day in Burma’s history as the country goes to the polls for the first time in 20 years. Much of the country’s life as an independent state has been marred by oppression and brutality. Aung San, a venerated national icon for his ability to unite a country including 142 ethnic and linguistic groups, that comprise one-third of the country’s populace, was gunned down with most of his cabinet shortly following independence in 1947. The absence of his strong and charismatic leadership led to domestic instability. Burma’s first Prime Minister, Nu ceded power to a ‘caretaker’ military government in 1962, and although re-elected, the taste of power was too much for Ne Win, who had staged a military coup, and went on to rule for a further 23 disastrous years plunging the country into abject poverty through policies of autarky, nationalisation and censorship. Nu’s grandson, a friend of mine, explains the surreal scenes on infrequent visits to see him during his many years of house arrest where he would wave at his grandfather through cast iron gates until ushered away. He was unaware at the time that this was an ominous portent of things to come. Beside the very rarest of outings, the few images the world has seen of
Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is waving from behind the gates of her house at Inya Lake in Yangon, such as at the height of the Saffron Revolution in 2008 where she looked on, tears running down her face. The Junta is well aware of the threat she poses to their grip over the nation. Critics are quick to point out that the elections will be neither free nor fair. The Junta has underestimated
4th
January
Achieved independence from the United Kingdom public antipathy towards their rule twice already. This time their approach is more systematic and sophisticated. Critics, activists and exile groups point out that the elections are a mere figleaf of democratic reform. The real motivation is to entrench military control legitimately. Over ten parties have been banned from the election, including influential ethnic parties such as the the Pa-O National Organization, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, the Shan State Kokang Democratic Party, and the Wa National Development Party. Having chosen the contenders, the Election Commission went on to
decide who will vote. While elections are national not everybody will be participating. In September they declared that over three thousand villages across ethnic minority areas such as Katchin, Karen, Karenni, Mon and Shan states will not be participating on the hypocritical and tenuous premise that “they are in no position to host free and fair elections”. This will disenfranchise an estimated 1.5 million voters in ethnic minority areas. In some of these ethnic areas the world’s longest ever civil war carries on between insurgent groups and government forces. In the new parliament, 25% of the seats are reserved for the military. Other clauses in the 2008 constitution restrict parliament from meddling in military affairs and the ability to reject the budget - 40% is spent on the military. But the Junta’s trump card is the power of veto over the constitutional amendment process. Constitutional amendments need the approval of over 75% of parliament. In a local tea shop, a regular meeting place for most Burmese, despite the extensive rigging of votes, everyone is eager to discuss the parties. The running joke is that there are only four of us not five so we can talk freely - we cannot be held under Burmese penal code for unlawful gathering, a convenient tactic for subjugation and control.
Although undoubtedly rigged, the elections may offer respite to Burma’s beleaguered population. In parliament the upper house will be composed of 224 seats (12 seats from each region). In the lower house there is one seat from each township nationwide, totalling 440. Of the 664 seats available, 168 will fill the military quota of 25%. This leaves 498 seats open for contest. Within the democratic bloc, 54 townships only have one candidate, so they will automatically win. A further 270 townships have democratic candidates, which means that there is the capacity to win 324 seats, just shy of 50% of seats in parliament. If the NUP sides with democratic forces, then it is likely that they will have over half of the seats, otherwise it is estimated that pro-democracy groups will have roughly a third, which is not a majority, but is still a significant figure. Earlier, at another tea house across town, the conversation turns to Aung San Suu Kyi, or the lady as she is affectionately known. The table talks
“25% of parliamentary seats are reserved for the military... and are restricted from meddling in the military.”
in whispers. You never know who may be sitting on the table opposite. Although respected, Aung San Suu Kyi’s unwavering support of sanctions has angered many Burmese. In line with this stance her former political party the NLD has refused to take part in the forthcoming elections and refuses to recognise the legality of the current military state. This debate has polarised opinion, but virtually all Burmese inside the country are unanimous in their anger and frustration at sanctions and their misrepresentation by exile groups. Marie Law, a fellow at Chatham House, describes the dynamics of the schism: “On one hand you have international organisations, lobbyists, exiled activists plus western governments and their politicians, who really do not want to give up this impasse, as it’s a bandwagon they can easily jump on with so little return for their
investment”. This is versus people inside, who have no choice but to open up the cracks and engage, of which the November election is the best opportunity in a generation. In particular, real resentment is directed at exile groups who are seen as urban elites who have fled for a better life, are out of touch and perpetuate their position as a mere mouth piece of the West in their indignation of Burma. The sad truth is that those who criticise exile groups tend to be well educated urbanites themselves. For most of Burma the election is a distant affair which they doubt will have any benefit. Farmers I speak to in the Delta are not surprised that they never received aid from the government after Cyclone Nargis; in fact they did
50 million
The 2009 population estimate (24th largest in the world) not expect any. For many, the state is only visible through its corruption and informal fees levied at local people. This has led Transparency International to place Burma 4th last globally in its corruption rankings, before nations like Afghanistan and Sudan. Democracy has never ranked higher than 6th in the monthly surveys asking people what change they would like to see. The vast majority of people have other concerns, namely food security. This explains the anger at exile groups and even Aung San Suu Kyi. Geopolitically both India, China and ASEAN are on cordial terms with the Junta, lured by its plentiful natural resources. Sanctions hurt the average person not the elite: the UN’s Human Development Index (2010) places Burma as the poorest country in South Asia. So whilst for many elections are a far off reality, there is scope for change, and it will irrevocably alter Burma’s political fabric. At the very least political activity is starting to be permitted, and at most, anti-government groups will have over 50% of the seats creating a real mandate for change. As one Burmese friend put it: “something is better than nothing”.
14
FEATURES
ISSUE 247
www.concrete-online.co.uk
concrete.features@uea.ac.uk
Q&A with Norwich Famous Faces Former Norwich South Labour MP, Charles Clarke, brands Simon Wright a “weak and vacillating individual” when talking to Features Editor Sam Lewis. Laura Smith
Charles Clarke has certainly had an interesting political career, and has not shied away from controversy; he admits himself that “politics, more than most walks of life, is a very up and down kind of business”. As the man that pushed through the introduction of top-up fees as Education Secretary in 2004, and who openly voiced his concerns against Gordon Brown during his leadership, he is not
averse to ruffling a few feathers. Meeting Clarke in the Forum early on Friday 22nd October this writer had wondered how receptive he would be to some of the current hot topics. Born and brought up in North West London, Clarke went on to study maths and economics at Kings College, Cambridge, and upon graduating took up the role of President of the National Union of
1) Earliest memory:
6) Favourite film:
Our black cat Sheeba bearing kittens.
Always been Casablanca, which shows my generation. It is a very powerful film.
2) In another life I’d be:
An astronomer, because I believe the way our knowledge of space and our origins is accelerating is fantastic and I wish I understood it better and was part of it.
3) The
best university was:
thing
about
Comradeship, friendship, and being involved in many activities.
4)
The worst thing about university was:
The element of almost aristocratic snobbery of some people at Cambridge, which I really didn’t like.
5)
Favourite book:
Any of the Henning Mankell novels, I enjoy a number of Scandinavian detective stories.
7)
Most important lesson life has taught me so far:
Jokingly, never trust a liberal pledge, but actually be optimistic at all times and always look to the future.
8)
Three people (dead or alive) I would invite to dinner: I am tempted to say Wayne Rooney, his agent and Alex Ferguson, but I would really go back to Elizabethan Tudor history – Elizabeth, Mary and Thomas Cromwell. It was a moment of tremendous conflict and intellectual thought.
9) Most treasured possession:
A chess set that my friends gave me when I finished being President of the NUS. It is made of the two political parties with a Ted Heath blue side and Harold Wilson red side, and each of the
Students. Clarke, who has always been on the centre-left of politics, became a member of the Labour party in 1970 believing there needed to be a change in society. After having a number of jobs within the party, including running Neil Kinnock’s office until 1992, Clarke was able to share New Labour’s euphoric landslide victory in 1997 when he was elected MP for Norwich South. Clarke lost his seat earlier this year to Simon Wright by just 300 votes. Concrete asked Clarke whether he thought this was because he wasn’t prepared to agree to vote against the rise in tuition fees. He explained that whilst he wouldn’t attribute it to one reason, he understands why voters may have felt this was the wrong position for him to take. Talking about his opponent, he said he is appalled by Simon’s behaviour: “Simon just said yes, signed up and it appears he is ready to go back completely on everything he has said. He is a weak and vacillating individual”. As we broached the subject on every students lips, speaking about pieces is a model of a politician of the day.
10)
If I could pass a new law tomorrow it would be:
It would have to be one that was related to green politics, moving towards a deadline whereby all our energy came from renewable sources.
11)
Guilty pleasure:
Trashy novels.
12)
Of all the places I have been to in my life I would recommend: Stockholm and in particular the Archipelago Islands outside Stockholm. I think it is a beautiful city.
13)
To a fancy dress party I would go as: Myself.
14)
Proudest moment:
the Browne Review, Clarke said it was both positive and negative: “It is positive in that I am very glad that the report has confirmed that the basic structure the Labour Party established was the right structure for the time”. He singled out the removal of the means-tested student loan, extension of financial support for part-time students and a real rate of interest as the commendable aspects of the report. However, he went on to comment: “the question of removing the cap is much more difficult, and I don’t think the government will go down that course, if only for the reason it requires legislative change”. He also criticised the government’s response to Browne fearing that cutting the teaching grant for higher education could also force universities to raise fees. Asked if the coalition could serve a second term, he outlined that it is a strong possibility and this is why the stakes are so high for the Labour Party. Despite backing David Milliband in the leadership campaign, he is supportive of Ed and hopeful Being elected a Member Parliament in 1997. It was wonderful moment and it a tremendous honour to be Member of Parliament.
15)
of a is a
Greatest fear:
Labour failing to recover itself and not be able to be an effective challenger for power and opposition.
16)
Overrated public figure:
that if he contests the election on the centre-ground, there is no reason why he can’t be the man to win back Number 10. Interestingly, Clarke went on to later describe Nick Clegg as the most overrated public figure, a view shared by Adrian Ramsay when Concrete asked him the same question. Clarke maintains that for the Liberals, Clegg has made a mistake entering into the coalition, and feels he was blinded by his own “personal greed and ambition for power”. Clarke, amongst other things, is now working with UEA as visiting professor, a role he is very enthusiastic about: “I was attracted to this position because it gives me the opportunity to contribute to more discussions about the future of politics in this country”. When asked about the future of his own parliamentary career, he said it was unlikely he would stand again, but if a general election was called before the assigned five years he may consider running.
19)
Thing I like most about Norwich is: It is a very active, creative and cosmopolitan city but at a liveable size.
20) To a UEA student I would say:
Be positive, look to the future and have confidence in yourself. Don’t let anyone talk you down and be proud of who and what you are.
Nick Clegg by a long way. I have not thought he is any good for a long time.
17)
My most overused word or phrase is: “The way forward is …”
18) In the year 2050 I expect or hope to find:
A telegram from King William congratulating me on my 100th birthday.
Laura Smith
ISSUE 247
TURF 15
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Tuesday 9th November
The Right to Ride
Susie Showers
Turf Reporter
Critical (adj): urgently needed; absolutely necessary. Mass (n): multitude; the common people generally. Critical Mass (n): a bicycling event typically held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world. In early October, to mark the international day of action on climate change, known as 10:10, over 40 UEA students and local Norwichers took to the streets of the city on bicycles to reclaim their right to the road. A Critical Mass is not a mob against cars, but a symposium for the joy of bike riding. It’s promoting a low cost, low carbon, low fat way to get around and it celebrates cycling and asserts the cyclists’ right to
the road. There are no leaders, no licences, and no legislation. All around the world, on the last Friday of every month, people get on their bikes and exercise their pedal power.
“There is a real need for a change in the dynamic between motorists and cyclists.” Some people have opposing views to the event, saying that it makes cyclists look like deviants and traffic offenders, and that participants are often violent and rude. In rare cases when conflict arises, it only reinforces the tense
relationship between bikes and motor vehicles. Several students have recently been hit by cars when cycling. There is a real need for a change in the dynamic between motorists and cyclists. In a city made for cycling (minus a handful of hills and some skullshaking cobblestones), more events are needed for cyclists and their friends to build a strong network for sharing skills and resources. The next Critical Mass is on the last Friday of November, meeting outside the Forum at 5pm. The theme for this month’s ride will be Pirates & Fools, in honour of the names bestowed upon participants by motorists from the last event. Bring flags, music, your lights, and your life.
A gaggle of bikes at the Critical Mass in October
Stop Tax Dodging! Sam Hilton
Turf Reporter
On the 3rd of October, 15 activists gathered to protest outside of the Vodafone store in Norwich. They were protesting the decision of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to drop a legal case against the store which allowed the corporation to avoid six billion pounds worth of taxes.
“Vodafone’s
£6
billion
would have made 85% of the welfare budget cuts unnecessary.” taxes
The activists came from various different political groups, including, but not exclusively, Norwich Anarchists, Norfolk Community Action Group, Norfolk Coalition Against the Cuts, and Counter Fire. The groups gathered together despite the cold and leafleted the general public, explaining to anyone who would listen that Vodafone’s taxes would have made 85% of the cuts to the welfare budget unnecessary. In the biting rain the public’s response was unpredictable, but largely positive,
Protesters outside a Vodafone shop in Brighton last week
with several people stopping to listen to what the activists had to say. One member of the public suggested that the protest would be more effective if it was directed at Virgin Media, as Richard Branson’s tax aversion is even more appalling than that of Vodafone. The group responded with the words “He’s next”.
In response to the protest, the Vodafone store locked its doors, presumably to avoid being occupied, an act that has taken place at similar protests across the country. This meant that several customers were turned away at the door, leaving empty handed. The protest finally disbanded when the police arrived
and objected to the fact that certain protestors were shouting. Being told they were not allowed to shout, one protestors response was: “Ok, but we’re coming back with banners.” The continued protest against Vodafone’s tax evasion is vital if we are to show the government that public spending cuts are unnecessary.
Roots & Shoots Wanted: Volunteers interested in humanitarian and environmental issues to run educational workshops for local school children! Roots & Shoots is a charity which aims to educate children about humanitarian, environmental and animal welfare issues. It hopes to inspire children and schools to take positive action on both a local and global scale. Roots & Shoots provides free resources to schools and encourages teachers to share their ideas. But for many schools, the time constraints of teaching and all its paperwork simply do not allow teachers the time to look through the resources and prepare lessons on these important issues. The university program bridges the gap between Roots & Shoots resources and the busy teaching schedule, by offering free workshops to schools, prepared and taught by university students. The project is currently setting up a group in Norwich, so if you’re interested and want to get involved in this inspiring project, join the Facebook page (Roots & Shoots Norwich) Deborah Prudhon
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Will you uphold your right to protest? Concrete looks at the history of mass public protests and their impact on society Drew Nicol
Lifestyle writer
The right to peaceful protest is a long respected tradition in the UK; one that has been employed by the public on many occasions to get their voices heard by those in power. The idea of ‘people power’ is one that is proven to work as a political tool, and resulted in radical changes to our society and political views today. Womens’’ suffrage and the abolition of the death penalty are examples of policies that would never have changed without mass public protests. This medium of political activism will be employed again as thousands of people, including many UEA students, travel to London to express their disdain at the proposed rise in student fees. There have been many protesters who believed that
numbers aren’t the answer, and the key lies in a radical expression of your beliefs. The idea of public selfsacrifice for your cause being the ultimate way to have your opinions heard has led many people to risk everything, including their lives. A famous example of one of these extreme protesters is Emily Davison, who threw herself in front of the King’s horse in 1913 to show the Suffragettes commitment to gaining the right to vote. Mass protests have many positives and negatives as a political tool. The concept of thousands of people coming together under one banner to show their public disagreement with government policy is both a powerful and effective weapon. However, there have been many incidents where mob mentality has taken over and these groups have turned from making a political statement into
Susanna Wood
Lifestyle writer
an aimless mass that can whip itself into frenzy, resulting in tragedy. A recent example being the G20 protests in London last year. What started as an expression of public distaste for our government’s actions during the financial crisis ended in an RBS branch being ransacked and riot police making 87 arrests. In addition to this, there was the death of Ian Tomlinson,
an impartial bystander who was caught up in the maelstrom and died in a controversial manner. That British citizens have the right to protest the actions of our government speaks volumes for the maturity of our democratic society. However, the order of these events must be maintained, or the real aim of these gatherings will be lost completely.
size reflected the true figures of the gay community of UEA, her reply is an adamant “No.” She goes on to elaborate that many students still lead a somewhat double life, where the fear of the repercussions ‘coming out’ might entail leads them to hide their true sexuality. There are some members of UEA Pride who have still not properly ‘come out’ in their hometowns and to their families. UEA Pride holds regular socials and boasts welfare officers that can refer students to support teams. Hayley reckons “it’s safe” which is why many students end up hanging out predominantly with their
UEA Pride friends. When asked if there are many places in Norwich that are specifically for the gay community such as bars and clubs, Hayley laughs a little and answers “not really; there is ‘The Castle’ by the riverside down Ketts Hill then a pub at Anglia Square, but that’s mainly for an older crowd”. In response to the importance of UEA Pride as a society, she answers: “it’s very important; whether people need it for the support or social aspects there’s something for everyone - people can take what they from it, it’s there, and that’s a great thing.”
Student’s lifestyle labels: LGBT Lifestyle explores a side of university life that is often overlooked but is, nevertheless, prominent Lisa Stevens
Lifestyle writer
A troubling thought is that many people’s only point of reference when it comes to the Gay Community are shows such as BBC 3’s Lip Service and Hollywood’s Brokeback Mountain. Concrete met Hayley Kearns, President of the UEA Pride Society, to set the record straight on LGBT matters. Concrete asked Hayley what she thinks being part of the LGBT society means, and she quickly called to our attention that here, “we prefer to call ourselves UEA Pride” not LGBT. Hayley explains that the UEA group wanted to get away from “the labels” that LGBT implies, and focus on the inclusion and acceptance that the society provides. Hayley doesn’t think being gay has made her university experience different from the ‘stereotypical’ student lifestyle. She admits that
when she first arrived at UEA, in first year she found the prospect of halls “daunting” because she didn’t know if everyone would be accepting. Now a third year, Hayley comments that, “Norwich is a far more liberal area than I had anticipated” and assures me she has rarely, if at all, experienced displays of homophobia. In fact, in a credited survey assessing LGBT
“Whether people need it
for the support or social
aspects there’s something for everyone”
friendly universities, UEA scored an impressive 10/10 reaffirming UEA’s well-regarded accepting attitude and diverse community. When asked whether she thought UEA Pride’s membership
Cheryl peril Humans learn by imitation. Our first role model is our mother, and from there we take the behaviour of those around us as examples for ourselves. We want to be successful; we look to other people as inspiration. In caveman times, maybe this was the person who killed the most sabre-toothed lions, the person who was best at surviving. Today our idea of ‘success’ isn’t killing creatures that will go on to be extinct; we model our behaviour on a different kind of success. The news that Cheryl Cole has been named as the most inspirational person of the decade by one survey has brought horror and confusion to our society. Is this true? Do we really inspire our lifestyles by a woman who seems not to have any talent apart from crying on cue and the ability to wear hair extensions rather well? Sure, it’s nice to see a northern, working class girl in such a public media space, but there have to be more Geordies out there who don’t need to be autotuned and haven’t been convicted of racial assault - we haven’t forgotten 2003, Cheryl. Our obsession with celebrity role models isn’t a new thing, but the rise of reality TV and ‘normal’ people becoming celebrities has made fame and fortune relatable. Fantasy has become tangible - if Kristen Stewart, who by all accounts is pretty ordinary looking, can end up starring next to Robert ‘heart throb’ Pattinson maybe the 1,000,000 Twilight fans may have a chance too. On a more serious note, maybe celebrity culture has become so important because everyone feels disillusioned by those that should inspire us. Only this week, Barack Obama admitted that he felt ‘humbled’ by the negative response to his tenure as US President, as displayed in the mid-term elections. Obama’s life story should be inspirational; the problem with idols is that they tend to not live up to expectations. Society ends up reverting back to the TV where cynicism is less painful. Ultimately, it’s much easier to make fun of Cheryl Cole.
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Indian Inspiration Sula Deane jumps into India, experiencing the wild rides, bumpy roads and incredible people of a country bursting with energy and full of life, but finds there is never enough time to see everything... The easiest route to McCleod Ganj, a small suburb in Dharamsala, India, is by coach, but hold onto your seatbelts as you are in for a bumpy ride. Coach drivers in India seem to have forgotten the brake pedal. Whizzing around sharp corners in the mountains, with nothing to protect you other than a piece of string acting as a seatbelt, as a ridiculously endless drop looms directly to your right, your choices are clear: you can either panic or you can trust that the madman in the driver’s seat knows what he’s doing and enjoy the idyllic mountain range scenery. This writer opted for a balanced combination of the two. Once you arrive in McCleod Ganj you realise the struggle to get there was completely worth your while. This charmingly harmonious place is home to the Dalai Lama, many Tibetan refugees, and quite a number of tourists who have found themselves unable to leave. McCleod Ganj provides a welcome relief to the choking anxiety experienced in Delhi.
“...people were sitting on top of people on
top of more people, and the bus conductor crowd-surfed
for
tickets as there was no room left...”
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The Tibetan market, which flows all the way down the side of the hill, sells many inexpensive yet beautiful pieces of craftwork. You might want to write a shopping list and check out all of the stalls before you buy, so your baggage doesn’t end up heavier than you. A good week’s sojourn would be recommended here in a home-stay further down the hill, past all of the touristy shops and busy-ness, before you move on. In all honesty, the government bus ride from there to Manali was the most entertaining journey this writer has ever made. On leaving Dharamsala the bus was comfortably full, which was how you might imagine it would stay.
However, government buses are a bargain for a reason: they will cram as many people on as is physically possible. The bus driver had to barge the door shut with all of his weight to fit everybody in; people were sitting on top of people on top of more people, and the bus conductor crowd-surfed for tickets as there was no floor left to stand on. The boys sat at the front started playing a song on their phone and singing along, until the whole front row was singing, and eventually the whole bus. It didn’t stop there either; they sang their hearts out relentlessly for the whole eight hours. Arriving at any place in India in pitch black darkness with no accommodation booked is definitely not big and not clever. It was extremely lucky that the men who met this writer at the bus station were so honest, because anything could happen if you put your trust in the wrong people at a desolate hour. The next morning saw the most beautiful view of the mountains literally covered in cannabis plants. The climate is so humid here that they grow everywhere, including outside the police station. This factor has made it a hotspot for stoned hippies (whom the guesthouse owner had appropriately renamed ‘happys’), making it nearly impossible to escape the touristy vibe. The twenty-hour jeep journey from Manali to Leh is far from easy. Much of this mountainside road has fallen away leaving it dangerously bumpy and making it impossible
to avoid continuously hitting your head on the ceiling. Don’t be overambitious; doing this journey in one go is extremely painful, so plan an overnight stay in Sarchu or Keylong to break it up. Drink lots of water to help lower the effects of acute mountain sickness, as you will drive over some of the highest mountain passes in the world, reaching over five thousand metres. But don’t let this put you off; you will see the most spectacular views that you never knew were possible, which will stick with you long after the sickness has passed. After spending a couple of days to recover from the altitude sickness, you can begin to explore this luscious haven properly. The guesthouses in Leh are extremely welcoming, and most provide a traditional Ladakhi breakfast and the option of eating dinner with the whole family. There are many tourist companies who offer an abundant range of adventures, from rafting up the Indus River, to trekking through the most scenic and rural parts of Ladakh. The only bad thing about Leh, and in fact most of India, is that you can never stay quite long enough.
Warsaw’s War-Torn Past Louise Upton
Travel Writer
Warsaw feels like no other European city. Its experiences under Nazism and Communism are etched into the city’s architecture, yet a modern vibrant city has been emerging from the rubble, literally as well as figuratively, over the last fifty years. The Stare Miasto (Old Town) has a strange, sparse atmosphere, which echoes its tragic history. It is not old in the literal sense of the word, having been rebuilt following its total destruction during World War II. As recently as 1945, Nazi officials declared that Warsaw did not exist. The Stare Miasto was rebuilt in the original Flemish style following the original town plans. Although it is aesthetically very beautiful it feels almost like a toy town. Walking around in the early evening there was no real atmosphere, and the restaurants and bars were twice as expensive as in the Nowe Miasto. Evening highlights include Meta! at 21 ul. Foksal. Packed with locals it served traditional Polish meaty bar snacks and cheap drinks into the early hours. Lemon Bar at 6 Henryka Sienkiewicza houses a
trendy but unpretentious bar with a vast drinks menu. It is slightly more expensive for Warsaw, but still cheap compared to UK prices. Step into Jazz Club Tygmont, 6 Mazowiecka, and it feels like stepping back in time. This smoky basement club boasts live music, cheap drinks, and, unusually for clubs in the city, no entrance fee. The city is scattered with remnants of the past, which have either been obscured or glorified according to political expediency. Remains of the Ghetto walls stand within a communist-era housing development and you really have to look to find them. The Warsaw Uprising Museum is not to be missed. It combines modern interactive displays with photos and artefacts surviving from the uprising of 1944. This was the most heartbreaking but beautiful testament to the city’s past.
Top Travel Tips: Road Trips Beth Davison
Travel writer
Picture yourself, some friends and the open road; complete freedom with nothing tying you down. With this in mind here are a few tips for anyone planning a road-trip in the near future. TUNES: The road can be a lonely place. When conversation ebbs with hours left to drive, nothing will lift the mood better than some epic driving songs. Have plenty to hand with songs the whole car can enjoy, and just let that iPod shuffle! SATNAV: Maps are fine but they’re no Satnav. Give it a name and an accent and let all the responsibility fall on the shoulders of this amazing gadget. It helps when you’re lost and becomes the perfect scapegoat. When you take a wrong turn don’t yell at each other, it was clearly the fault of the Satnav system! SNACKS: As tiredness sets in, the one thing you can rely on is a sugar rush. Also, if the budget is tight and you have to make that all-important food or alcohol choice, then the last few crisps or sweets from that day’s binge may just make the perfect desperate dinner. PLAN: Even if you totally disre-
gard it, it’s best to have some plan of where you want to be, and roughly when, otherwise there’s the distinct possibility that you’ll chase different tangents (and other attractive travellers) on the way. Family members will also appreciate knowing where you are and when you intend to return. YOUR WITS: Don’t be stupid. Follow the law because a speeding ticket will damage your budget as much as your mood. Also be aware of where you park for the night. The homeless man on the corner may seem friendly enough, but only park in the worst neighbourhoods when you have no other choice. These are a few tips for the ultimate roadtrip. Stay calm, take lots of photos, and with your hands at ten and two and your feet on the pedals it’s time to buckle up and drive.
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From Lima to Llamas - Perusing the Peruvian Jungle Carolina Bodmer heads deep into the Amazon Rainforest to discover ancient ruins, exotic wildlife, shades of Spain and irritating insects Standing before the historic Incan citadel of Machu Picchu, Peru, is an unforgettably surreal moment. It is located deep in South America, in a fascinating and breath-taking region where it is possible to cruise down the Amazon Rainforest, hike up the legendary Andes and explore both coast and desert landscapes. An extremely diverse country, geographically and culturally, Peru is recommended to the adventurous of spirit and to those keen to get out of their comfort zone. This writer’s journey began on touching down in Lima, Peru’s bustling capital. Located by the coast, Lima is a huge, sprawling city, with a beautiful main square resplendent with Spanish colonial architecture and facades. From Lima, you can board the hour and a half flight to Iquitos, a city located in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon, accessible only by plane or riverboat. Flying over the tremendous Andes and beholding
the meandering rivers in the expanse of the rainforest makes for a spectacular journey. Iquitos is a hectic and chaotic jungle city, immersed in a climate of scorching heat and humidity. It is vibrant and colourful, with many of its buildings covered in bizarre graffiti, and where salsa, meringue and the popular cumbia music evade the atmosphere. After all, why listen to hip-hop and pop music when you can latin dance with a partner? The humming whirr of automated rickshaws (motocarros in Spanish) have replaced the need for cars, as they offer a cool breeze while travelling around in the day’s sweltering sun, and are thrillingly more dangerous than the standard car ride. Strolling down the boulevard, overlooking the gigantic Amazon River on a Saturday night, you will find it full of people eating tropical ice cream. Vendors at stalls in the Anaconda market entice you to buy handcrafted jewellery, paintings, and exotic animal trinkets, and at
EDITORIAL
Write for Concrete Concrete is UEA’s independent student newspaper. We’re always looking out for any talent that the students of UEA have to offer. Whether you fancy yourself as an investigative journalist for News, a cartoonist for Comment and Opinion, or you want to interview up-and-coming bands for Music, we want to hear from you! Get in touch with us by emailing Danny, our editor, on concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk. If you want to take a more direct approach, you can find the email addresses for the different sections at the top of the pages in both Concrete and Venue. You can also join our Facebook group to keep up with all of the latest news from the society. Search for Concrete - UEA’s Independent Student Newspaper. If you’re not a member of the society, it costs just £4 to join. You can contact Davina, our President, on D.Kesby@uea. ac.uk. We hope you enjoy this issue of Concrete and hope to see you at the National Demo on the 10th November in London. Tickets can be bought at the box office for £5, which is refunded on the coach.
Editorial “I pledge to vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to introduce a fairer alternative.” So declared the Liberal Democrats’ prospective cohort of parliamentary candidates in the build up to the 2010 General Election as they signed the NUS fees pledge. What a difference six months makes. Last week we watched as Vince Cable and Nick Clegg sat either side of David Willetts as he announced the suggested rise in tuition fees. Among those who signed the pledge was Simon Wright, the MP for Norwich South. It is fully understood that Wright faces a difficult choice: remain loyal to his party, or honour a pledge to the students who undoubtedly contributed significantly to the 310 vote majority he achieved. Wright is a former student and teacher; he understands the implications of the vote. What can be certain is that if he remains loyal to the students of UEA and votes against a hike in fees, this loyalty will be repaid in kind at the next election. With nearly 20,000 students in his constituency, can Wright afford to lose their votes?
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bars you can try local beers and cocktails, such as the tangy pisco sour or the delicious pink camu camu fruit juice. From Iquitos this writer advanced to Nauta, a small town, to embark on a boat and begin a journey delving deep into the heart of the Pacaya-Samiria national reserve, with Operation Wallacea, an organisation which provides academic student research trips. Staying in the rainforest for over a month, so remote from civilisation - except the small indigenous communities living in the reserve - is a fantastically liberating experience. Without internet or phone access, you spend your time with the fellow students living on the riverboat. Each day is spent recording animal research censuses and doing cameratrap work, with the help of indigenous Peruvian guides who constantly astound you with their knowledge of the forest they call home. The swarming insects are indescribable. At one point during the trip this writer’s unfortunate friend discovered a botfly had deposited its larvae in her head, though luckily to no ultimate harm. If you are a tough-skinned explorer with a fervour for wildlife, the Amazon boasts the largest species biodiversity on Earth and you will treasure your time in this exotic place. Here you can experience extraordinary pink river dolphins waking you up with their sneezelike snorts as they break the water’s surface for air, listen to the eerie wails of the howler
monkeys and to the cacophonous squawking of macaws. At night, when the darkness transforms the rainforest, you can motor through the river searching for caimans in terrifying excitement, repressing nightmare thoughts about the small canoe tipping over in the black water. From the river to the sea, this writer next headed to the coast. Paracas and the Islas Ballestas, described as the Galapagos Islands of Peru, lie about three hours away from Lima by coach. The islands are host to an array of marine wildlife, where thousands of birds flock and you can see enormous sea lions sunbathing, Humboldt penguins waddling and, during the right season, view thousands of migratory flamingoes. For the final leg of the journey, this writer travelled to Cuzco, a wealthier Europeanstyle city, located almost three-and-a-half thousand metres above sea level. The altitude sickness can bring on a nauseating sensation and migraines, which can be eased with the popular ‘mate tea’, brewed with the leaves of the coca plant. In Cuzco and the nearby stunning Sacred Valley, you can explore the myriad of Inca ruins with tongue-twisting names such as Ollantaytambo, Sacsayhuamán and Pukapukara as well as the astonishing salt pans of Las Salinas. After an inordinate amount of trekking up and down these ruins, you arrive at the Mecca of the South American experience - Machu Picchu. This ancient archaeological landmark, cloaked within the Andes, is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and lives up to its magnificence, providing exceptional panoramic vistas while quintessentially Peruvian llamas graze on its grass. Peru, benefiting from a growth in ecotourism and stable government, has a rich kaleidoscope of environments. The country offers a life-changing experience, making it difficult to capture the essence of an incredible trip in words that no one will truly understand unless they undergo the journey themselves.
ISSUE 247
Get Your 5 A Day
Christine O’Sullivan Food Writer
Any health magazine or TV programme will emphasise the importance of your “5 a day” of fruit and vegetables, which should be about a third of your daily food consumption, but the UK averages two to three portions a day. As students, we are probably among this category, as we either end up being too busy to make a proper meal or find our budget a little too tight. We’d rather spend our last few pennies on sweets than a lovely juicy apple. So this week, Concrete Food are helping to get your fruit and vegetable intake nearer to that golden five with some easy healthy meals
that are quick and fun to make. To start you off, here are some ideas for those all-important snacks that get us through the day. You’ll be surprised how little you need to count as one portion.
• One piece of medium-sized fruit, such as an apple, peach, banana or orange. • One slice of fruit, such as melon, mango or pineapple. • One handful of grapes. • One tablespoon of dried fruit. • A glass (roughly 150ml) of fruit juice. • An 80g serving of vegetables, such as frozen peas.
Red Pepper and Tomato Bruschetta Kyle Spencer Food Editor
This Italian classic is great as a starter or even as a small lunch. Packed full of vegetables, it’s a great way to get some of your 5-a-day. Serves 2
Stuffed Roasted Peppers
This recipe is a tasty alternative to conventional pizzas, and seeing as it only takes around ten minutes, it’s perfect for those one hour lunch breaks. Top it with vegetables and you will be even closer to that magic 5-a-day. This can be served with all manner of things to turn it into a more substantial meal.
• One tortilla wrap • One jar of pizza topping or one tube of tomato puree
Serves 2
You will need: • Two red peppers • One packet of microwave couscous • Mozzarella cheese (grated is fine)
Two ciabatta rolls, One red pepper Half a red onion Ten cherry tomatoes Olive oil Balsamic vinegar
Tortilla Based Pizza
You will need:
• Slice the peppers in half from top to bottom and then de-seed. • Prepare the couscous according to the instructions on the packet. • Mix the couscous with the mozzarella cheese • Fill the peppers with the couscous and mozzarella mix. Top with more mozzarella • Roast in a pre-heated oven at 250ºc for 40 minutes. • Serve with your chosen accompaniment
• • • • • •
• Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. • Finely chop the red onion. You can use as little or as much of this as you like. • Slice the pepper up into chunks that are about the size of the half cherry tomatoes. • Mix the chopped vegetables with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. • Slice the ciabatta rolls in half and toast the side that was in the middle. • Serve the bruschetta mix spooned upon the ciabatta bread.
Serves 2
Method:
You will need:
Method:
Superfoods!
No, they aren’t foods with super powers, but they can help prevent against certain diseases, so they are always good to try to get into your diet. Blueberries contain flavonoids that can improve circulation and help defend against infection. Broccoli is rich in the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene, as well as folate, all of which can protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that can protect against various harmful cancers.
This simple little dish makes a great main meal with a carbohydrate-based accompaniment or a side salad. Naturally high in vitamins A and C, red peppers are a great source of vitamins
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• Grated cheese (mozzarella or cheddar will be fine) • Your choice of topping Method:
• Place the wrap under the grill and lightly toast it on both sides. • Spread a thin layer of the tomato puree over the wrap. • Add your chosen topping. • Sprinkle the cheese over the entire wrap, you need to cover as much as possible. • Place under the grill again until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.
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STOP THE TRAFFIK how a human trafficker was found living in UEA accommodation.
Anni Ueckerman Stop the Traffik UEA
Ever wanted to travel the world, or work in another country? Does this sound like your dream job? Thousands of people are currently doing it, but not how you’d imagine; they are trapped in the nightmare of slavery, without a voice or means of escape. That’s where you guys can help make a difference. Last year UEA students felt so strongly about the issue of human trafficking that they set up Stop The Traffik UEA, a society that aims to raise the awareness of trafficking and aid the charities working to eradicate it- such as the A21 campaign. All of the organisations involved have one aim: to find and free those people taken to work as slaves and help them back to their families.
“People are products, I was one of them, but I am a survivor.”
It’s easy to think that these things don’t happen in Norwich, that they’re restricted to Eastern Europe or India; but now the issue is quite literally on our doorstep. At the start of semester, Concrete reported
“When people act, things change”
On October 21st, International “Key 2 Free” day, the events that Stop The Traffik staged on campus were hard to miss. T hose of you out and about couldn’t have failed to see the impression made by various volunteers dressed up as pimps and sex workers on campus, who demonstrated how ordinary girls could be exposed as victims to sex trafficking. Following the success of the Body Shop window display that Stop The Traffik put on at their first major event in Norwich last year, students were asked to give an estimation of what they would pay for any of the girls. Meanwhile, other demonstrators were pushed around in shopping carts to symbolise that traffickers view people as products, to be bought and sold for profit. As one of the survivors of sex trafficking said: “People are products, I was one of them, but I am a survivor.” With this inspirational story in mind, the society also put on flash mobs and free running displays in the Square, bringing their campaign to the very
How much would you pay? Students make an impact for ‘Key 2 Free’ day last month.
heart of UEA. A stall in the hive promoted the finer details of the campaign, including leaflets on survivors’ stories and how members of the public can get involved in helping to stop slavery.
Even doing something as small as signing up to the A21 campaign and wearing a key, any key, from house keys to rustic gate keys, symbolises commitment to unlocking freedom for people taken against their will as
slaves. For more information, search for “Stop The Traffik UEA” on Facebook or visit www.stopthetraffik.org. To join us in our cause email : stopthetraffikuea@hotmail.co.uk.
LIVE MUSIC SOCIETY Tom Goldsmith LMS President
Gregory Alexander Joseph Mann
LMS success at their live event in Blue Bar last week.
It seems that people often think that the Live Music Society is just for people who play instruments or want to be in a band. That is far from true. What we aim to do is provide something for everyone, whether you play or just love watching and listening to live music. On Friday 5th, LMS held their first live event of the year in the Blue Bar, consisting of a brilliant lineup. Every semester we try and give the artists in the society the chance to perform in a number of places, for a night of entertainment that all of our members can enjoy. These Blue Bar events are free for everyone and shall be taking place again in the spring. LMS’s main event is the Open Mic night which takes place regularly in the Hive; the first of
which this academic year will be on 14th November. This is free for members and £2 for non-members (though, as membership is only £3, you would be better off just becoming a member)! On these nights the society try to provide a great selection of varied acts, from metal bands to soothing acoustic tunes. Open Mic night is being held twice this semester and usually has a lot of acts wanting to perform, so if you are interested in playing then get in touch as soon as possible. Aside from all that live music goodness, LMS also have our own radio show on Livewire1350 that you can check out on a Sunday evening 7.30-9 pm, bringing you the best in new music from UEA artists and providing a round-up of all the gigs happening both at Union venues and in town. There are also some live acoustic tunes broadcast from the studio by LMS
members! On top of all of this, LMS have a number of great offers for their artists. The society has deals with two of the leading studios in Norwich so you can get great value on practice time. With Plug Studios, LMS members get a £5 discount with your LMS card (which will be printed off in the next week or so for all paid up members). In addition, there is a free practice slot with Access to Music on Wednesday evenings 7-10 pm, though if there is a high demand the slot will be split to make it more beneficial. All of these fantastic benefits and opportunities are provided by Live Music for a membership fee of only £3 for the entire year! To get in touch, email uealivemusic@ googlemail.com in order to be signed up to the mailing list, or check out the facebook page: UEA Live Music Society.
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Tuesday 9th November
Maths spot on with penalty calculations
All Blacks too much for spirited England
Sports Correspondent Ian Hobbs reports on a thrilling night of Ziggurat football One of the highlights of the Ziggurat competition took place last week in the form of an exciting knock-out football tournament at the Sportspark. The first round of games saw a number of teams finding their feet and settling into proceedings, resulting in many games drawing blanks and leading to sudden death penalty shootouts. This trend continued as the rounds progressed but despite the lack of goals, many games were still full of end to end action. The tournament really got into its stride going into the semi-final rounds, Maths snatching the lead late on in the second tie only for opponents EDU to grab a last-gasp equaliser to take the match to penalties. Players from both teams fired confident and sometimes audacious penalties home but it
Football earn their first win UEA Women’s I Worcester Women’s II
5 0
UEA advanced to the second round of the BUCS Conference Cup with a consummate 5-0 mauling of Worcester II, the team’s �irst win of the year in their second outing. UEA’s superior �itness showed throughout the game as they were capable of consistently out-playing the visitors. A series of neat passes between strikers Aisha Shuaibu and Kate Silver soon set up Bernie McSharry to put UEA in front, a neat lob over the Worcester keeper getting McSharry on the scoresheet. Once the �irst goal went in the �loodgates were forced open, and winger Christie Haynes �ired home a �izzling effort to double the lead before the break. After half-time the UEA barrage continued. A Nicky Shanks header and a neat �inish from Leanne Stubbings put UEA 4-0 up before McSharry netted a �ifth from Shuaibu’s cross in the dying minutes. Ruthana Christo�ides
was Maths’ Matt Clark who netted the vital spotkick to
send his team into the final. In the night’s showpiece game Maths faced up against the other EDU team, who had triumphed over History in the first semi-final.
Many supporters gathered to witness the final and they were certainly not disappointed as Oliver Dingli, a firstyear Maths student, opened the scoring with a superb finish after footwork even Gareth Bale would have been proud of. D i n g l i then killed off the game with a simple finish, completing a virtuoso performance to secure the title for Maths. Speaking exclusively to Concrete, Dingli mused that had Andy Gray been one of the final’s many spectators, he would have told the Maths match-winner to “take a bow, son.”
Chris King Sports Editor
Saturday’s autumn international saw England’s revival come to an abrupt end against New Zealand, going down 26-16 despite �ighting back from an signi�icant �irst-half de�icit. Martin Johnson’s side continued England’s unenviable record of having lost their last 9 games against the imperious All Blacks with an auspicious start that saw New Zealand roar into a 14-0 lead courtesy of converted tries from Hosea Gear and Kieran Read. Two penalties from Toby Flood and a converted Dylan Hartley try weren’t enough to bring England back into the game, with Carter’s kicking maintaining a comfortable
margin for the All Blacks. Despite a victory over Australia in the second test of a summer tour, England were clearly second-best, but the manner of England’s �ightback from 14-0 down should encourage both fans and players alike. Despite England’s domination of the scrums, Johnson’s side were outclassed by the All Blacks’ pace and power, and were largely on the back foot before England’s late �lurry left New Zealand somewhat hanging on to victory in the face of repeated onslaughts. Wales were also defeated by Southern Hemisphere opposition in the form of Australia, whose superb attacking performance saw them claim a 25-16 victory at the Millenium Stadium. Tries from David Pocock, Kurtley Beale and Ben Alexander were enough for deserved winners Australia, with Ben Rees’ try for Wales nothing more than a consolation. Next up for England and Wales are tricky ties against South Africa and New Zealand respectively, and a chance to improve for both sides.
Netball narrowly beaten Kirsten Wade Sports Correspondent
UEA I Nottingham III
44 49
Netball 1st team went down in a closely fought match against the University of Nottingham’s third team in round three of the BUCS Cup last week. While UEA went into the match with the home team advantage, Nottingham also had an advantage due to their placing in league 2B of the Midlands League with UEA in 3B. Despite this, UEA were able to put significant pressure on Nottingham, dominating possession at times, attacking with speed, and regaining possession on numerous occasions whilst in defence. Both teams held the lead during stages of the match, however, in the end Nottingham were too strong, with UEA going down 49-44. Captain, Rosie Sheward, said after the game the
team “were disappointed that we couldn’t pull through right at the end.” UEA player of the match went to Emma Parker, who played goal shooter for the entire game. Parker was a dominant force at the attacking end of the court with precision shooting and support play to goal attack and ViceCaptain Becca Hargreaves, helping UEA remain close to Nottingham’s score for the majority of the game. The result means that after three matches UEA have recorded one win and two losses. The two losses were close with UEA losing by five goals on both occasions, while the win came against the University of Leicester first team in round one 48-31. These results put UEA in equal second place on the 3B ladder based on goal differential, with Sheward adding “the rest of the season looks very promising”. Nottingham Trent are up next at home for UEA, a side who have also recorded one win and two losses to date in the BUCS Cup.
Lizzy Margereson
Netball will be hoping for a change of fortunes at home to Nottingham Trent
22 SPORT
U:EA
Update: East Anglia Chris Teale Sports Correspondent
Norwich City were stunned in the first half away to Cardiff City, currently occupying the Championship’s second automatic promotion place. The Welsh side were ahead early through a Jay Bothroyd header in the 9th minute, before Michael Chopra added a second three minutes later, set up by a sweet flick from Bothroyd. Wes Hoolahan pulled a goal back for Norwich with a header from a Simon Lappin cross, before Peter Whittingham slotted home a penalty in the 37th minute after a handball by Canaries centre-back Elliott Ward. The game finished 3-1 to Cardiff, Norwich’s second away defeat of the season, which saw them fall to fifth in the table. The Canaries welcomed Burnley to
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Carrow Road at the weekend, and again found themselves two goals down in the first half courtesy of a brace from the in-form Martin Paterson. Chris Martin put Norwich back in the running in the 71st minute with an exquisite finish, and then Andrew Crofts scored from close range in the 92nd minute, denying the Clarets a first away win in the Championship this season and sealing a thrilling 2-2 draw. After taking just a point from their last two games, City have slipped outside the play-off places on goal difference, and suffered a number of injuries to their defence, which have forced midfielder Russell Martin to be employed as a right-back in every game this
season. However, as their recovery against Burnley would suggest, the Canaries definitely have the potential to reach the play-offs. Ipswich Town had to come from behind against giantkillers Northampton Town in their Carling Cup fourth round tie at Portman Road. Liam Davis put the Cobblers in front before Trinidadian international Carlos Edwards levelled for the home side in the 26th minute. Damian Delaney then put Ipswich in front just before half time, with a header from Tamas Priskin sealing the win in the 88th minute. Ipswich were rewarded by another home tie in the fifth round, where they will host Premier League surprise outfit West Bromwich Albion.
concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk
The Tractor Boys went on to secure a comfortable 2-0 win over Millwall thanks to a goal from Jason Scotland and a penalty from Grant Leadbitter. It was Ipswich’s first clean-sheet since mid-September, and ended a run of three straight league defeats. Hitting the road after successive home matches, Ipswich travelled to Sheffield United, and looked to build on their recent good results. Tamas Priskin opened the scoring from close-range in the sixth minute for the visitors, before Stephen Quinn levelled for United in the 29th minute. However, captain Gareth McAuley fired home in the 40th minute to seal the points for Ipswich and keep them in the play-off places. Ipswich’s victory over Northampton Town has clearly helped to alleviate their poor run of results which saw the Tractor Boys slump to three consecutive league defeats. Such form suggests that, like East Anglian rivals Norwich, should they continue to put in such impressive performances, they also have the potential to be in the promotion hunt come the end of the season, most likely via the play-offs.
Wolves edged out in thriller Oli Platt
Sports Correspondent
UEA Panthers Women’s I 67 W’hampton Women’s I 56
UEA’s Women’s Basketball team got their first win of the season thanks to a late fourth quarter surge against a previously unbeaten University of Wolverhampton side. Until that UEA rally in the closing minutes the two teams had battled out a close, exciting game, the second half in particular seeing them exchange the lead regularly, with the momentum frequently swinging from one team to the other. In the end it was UEA’s discipline and composure that proved to be the decisive factor, with two of Wolverhampton’s six available players fouling out - leaving the visiting team a body short for a large part of the decisive fourth quarter.
The home team got off to the stronger start, passing the ball well and drawing several fouls around the net to establish an 18-13 lead after the first quarter. Jemma Gordon in particular capitalised on these free throw opportunities, putting up 18 points for the game. While UEA were maintaining most of the ball possession, Wolverhampton remained dangerous; what they sometimes lacked in height, they made up for in speed and skill, and shot accurately from all ranges. The visitors’ fast-paced style started to pay off in the second quarter as Wolverhampton wiped out UEA’s first quarter advantage, taking a 30-27 lead at half-time. UEA had become guilty of playing too many long, ambitious passes in that disappointing second quarter, but whatever head coach John Harris said during the break clearly worked, as they came flying out in the third. UEA’s excellent energy was epitomised by the
Simon Partridge
Control: UEA guard Lauren Jackson
hard-working Sandra Bednar, with 12 of her team-leading 20 points coming in the second half. “Sandra has really helped our team this year as we’re now able to callon a lot of height in our front line”, UEA coach John Harris told Concrete Sport after the game.
The visitors’ perseverance was admirable, though, particularly after dropping down to four players. UEA had to do a professional job, patiently matching the visitors before eventually extending a lead in a game that had only a point or two in it for much of the fourth quarter. Bednar and captain Nicole Lucioni led the final drive, Lucioni providing a timely five second half points to take her total to nine as UEA clinched an eventually comfortable 67-56 victory. “I was really proud of the team throughout the Wolverhampton game, especially their focus in the 4th quarter with the game on the line”, said Harris. “The players worked hard until the final buzzer and executed very well in the final period.” And he suggested there is more to come from his team, adding: “All the players are finding their feet but it’s still going to take a while for this team to fulfil it’s full potential.”
BUCS results
WEDNESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2010 BUCS LEAGUE Badminton UEA Men’s I Notts Trent Men’s I Football Luton Men’s I UEA Men’s I
Tennis Bedford Women’s I UEA Women’s I
BUCS CONFERENCE CUP 1st ROUND
8 0 0 3 0 12
Football UEA Women’s I Worcester Women’s II
5 0
UEA Women’s I Bedford Women’s I
5 3
Hockey UEA Men’s I 12 Birmingham City Men’s I 0
Netball UEA II Nottingham Trent I Rugby UEA Men’s II Aston Men’s II Tennis UEA Men’s II Coventry Men’s II
19 63 67 0 4 8
Representing UEA this week: Football Men’s II, Rugby Men’s I and II and Lacrosse Women’s I are all in action on a busy Wednesday at Colney Fields; Basketball Men’s I and Football Men’s I travel to Northampton; UEA Fencing hosts a three-team BUCS tournament this weekend, welcoming Staffordshire and Warwick to the Sportspark; UEA Pirates American Football entertain Hertfordshire on Sunday.
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Tuesday 9th November
Editors’ So You Think You Know Taekwondo? Column Sports Correspondent Sam Tomkinson struggles to get any information from Rob’s pretentious housemate It’s been a big fortnight across the sporting spectrum, with the FA Cup already beginning to work its magic and the climax of the Formula One season edging ever closer. FC United’s shock victory over League Two Rochdale means a ‘Roy Of The Rovers’ tie against Manchester United in the third round remains an exciting proposition. The Champions League also chipped in with its fair share of excitement, with Tottenham Hotspur recording a historic 3-1 victory over Inter Milan at White Hart Lane following yet another masterclass from arguably Europe’s hottest property, Gareth Bale. Yet the fortnight’s action was by no means bereft of controversy, with Nani’s goal against Spurs once again provoking football’s own ‘great debate’ over video technology. At the weekend’s Brazil Grand Prix Sebastian Vettel took the initiative in the title race, which will be decided in a week’s time in Abu Dhabi. Fernando Alonso remains in the lead with 246 points, eight clear of Australian Mark Webber, and needs only to maintain his composure to claim what has been one of the most fiercely contested World Championship titles in recent memory. Briton Jenson Button, though, saw his title hopes extinguished. Elsewhere, the tip-off of the NBA season in North America has captured our attention. This season marks the dawn of a new era for the Miami Heat, who worked tirelessly over the summer to compile an allnew roster around their three star summer signings, All-Stars LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and the returning Dwyane Wade. Already there have been surprises aplenty and more than enough nailbiting action to point towards an enthralling season. Closer to home, BUCS competition continues to provide excellent entertainment at the Sportspark and Colney Fields every Wednesday. Why not turn up and see for yourself - our sportsmen and women are always appreciative of the support! - Chris King and Rob Schatten -
The numerous martial arts clubs available to UEA students offer a variety of combat training but retain a common friendly attitude and enthusiastic following. Taekwondo, despite representing a less wellknown martial art than karate or judo, is no exception. Early records of the discipline can be dated back to 50 BC Korea where it was divided into the three kingdoms of Silla, Koguryo and Paekche. Although taekwondo first appeared in the Koguryo kingdom, it is the Silla’s Hwarang warriors that are credited with the growth and spread of taekwondo throughout Korea. The modern-day version was formalised in 1955, and since then it has grown rapidly, with an estimated 30 million practicing the discipline in 123 countries. This growth led to it being accepted as a medal competition in the 2000 Olympic games. Though similar to karate and judo, taekwondo, according to Armitage, “differs in two important ways – it focuses a lot more on kicks, and there’s a lot of in-close grappling.
“It’s almost a fusion between the technique-based style used in karate and the grappling emphasis in judo,” he continues, “and taekwando applies these skills in more of a street setting so they’re more usable in the real world. It’s the best of both worlds.” Apart from an increased ability to
fight off an assailant through patterns and self defence, the sport also teaches meditation and a focus on mental and ethical discipline - from justice and etiquette to self-respect and self confidence. Such benefits are clearly very popular with celebrities. Stars such as Kylie Minogue, Phil Mickelson,
Lizzy Margereson
Sarah Michelle Geller (black belt), Sharon Stone and Willie Nelson (black belt) practice the discipline as a means of staying in shape and personal reflection. Even Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has been training in taekwondo. “At UEA we have a budding society where members have the chance to hone their skills in training with patterns and moves with an aim to achieve high grades. In the second semester sparring is the focus with a club competition at the end of the year.” If the competitive side does not lure you in then, according to Armitage, there is more on offer than just the fight: “It’s a great social atmosphere, there’s a real friendly but competitive nature about the club that pushes everyone forward, and we have a strong relationship with other martial arts clubs too.” Taekwondo is open to everyone with two training sessions a week, Tuesday at 7.00pm – 10.15pm (Martial Arts Room) and Friday at 7.40pm – 10.15pm (Dance Studio).
UEA roar to victory Vettel blows title Rob Schatten Sports Editor
UEA Men’s I Nottingham Men’s I
17 0
A belated home debut for UEA’s top table tennis aces saw a consummate victory against the University of Nottingham, with the hosts producing a stunning performance to whitewash their opponents.
“Hopefully we can take the momentum into
our biggest match of
the season at home next week”
The first tie of the match rather set the tone for the afternoon, with UEA’s fourth seed Long Zhang overcoming the Nottingham top seed 3-1. From there on UEA were unstoppable, losing only one other set in the following 16 matches. The UEA quartet of Zhang,
Johnny Bispham, Sam Collins and Matt Haynes put on a fine display, with several spectacular shots highlighting the home team’s superiority. Haynes, the president of UEA Table Tennis, enthused after the demolition was complete, that “the match couldn’t have started better, with Long’s win. After that we never looked like letting them off, with all our players playing at a standard the opposition couldn’t handle.” This was UEA’s first victory of the young BUCS season, following a narrow 10-7 reverse away to Oxford I the previous week, and an abandoned tie against Aston I in what ought to have been this season’s BUCS opener. As Nottingham will attest, though, the UEA team are certainly starting to find their feet. Haynes added: “Hopefully we can take this result and momentum forward into the biggest match of the season next week, home against Loughborough I.” The match takes place at the Sportspark on Wednesday afternoon, with a starting time yet to be confirmed.
race wide open Chris King Sports Editor
Sebastian Vettel ensured that the Formula One World Championship title race will go down to the wire in Abu Dhabi in a fortnight following a Red Bull one-two at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The result also ensured Red Bull’s first ever Constructors Championship title after just six seasons in the competition, with a massive 48 point advantage over Ferrari. Red Bull’s decision not to employ ‘team orders’ in order to set up what would have been a spectacular showdown between second-placed Mark Webber and current Championship leader Fernando Alonso could come back to
haunt both the driver and the team, with Alonso holding an eight point advantage over the Australian driver which looks likely to be enough to see him over the line for a third title. Surprise pole-sitter Niko Hulkenberg was easily brushed aside by the imperious Vettel off the starting grid, finishing up in a stillimpressive eighth place, another positive result for the young German in his first season in Formula One. Following the race at Interlagos, Alonso declared himself to be “100% confident” of landing the title at Abu Dhabi next week, no matter how well his Red Bull rivals perform. A dejected Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, gloomily wrote off his title chances after a disappointing fourth-placed finish that left the Briton 24 points behind Alonso, and in need of a miracle in the desert.
sport
Update East Anglia Norwich City salvaged a last gasp draw whilst Ipswich Town continued their recent resurgence
Rugby England and Wales taste defeat in the first of this year’s autumn internationals
RUGBY MAUL OPPONENTS Beth Robertson Lucie Kibblewhite
Sports Correspondents
UEA Women’s I N’Hampton Women’s I
Mixed week for Korfball Dominic Smith Sports Correspondent
31 0
Following a comfortable win against the medics in early October, UEA Women’s Rugby have made a fantastic start to this year’s BUCS campaign with a 31-0 win over Northampton. The match was not without its difficulties, with an absent referee and the request for uncontested scrums prior to kick-off. UEA coach Andrew Driver stepped in to referee, and the match began with UEA dominating the first half. Strong rucking by number eight Chloe Leaning and impressive runs by wingers Holly McDonnell and Stephanie Creasy paved the way for a barrage of attacks on Northampton’s try line. A break by inside centre Lira Park led the way for scrum half Kelly Gomez to score UEA’s first try fifteen minutes in. UEA continued through the first half with a strong attacking line, keeping Northampton away until the whistle. The second half commenced and UEA showed no sign of slowing down. A try by Park fifteen minutes
Greg Mann
UEA Women’s Rugby ran in five tries in a controlling display over visitors Northampton I at Colney Fields in was converted by captain and fly half Nicola Kaciubskyj, followed swiftly by a try in the left corner from debutant winger Creasy. Northampton were unable to stop the forward march of UEA, and prop Katie Walsh made a superb run, breaking down Northampton’s defence to cement the fourth try, again converted by Kaciubskyj.
UEA still weren’t finished, and a fifth try by second row Camille Brayer brought the final score up to 31-0. Man of the Match went to Gomez and Creasy, with flanker Marta Bokiej also being commended by Northampton. Captain Kaciubskyj said after the match: “This is such a brilliant start to the year for us. We’ve
worked hard to secure this win, and I couldn’t be more proud of the team. We’re all very excited for the next match!” UEA currently sits in 2nd place in BUCS Midlands Conference 2A, and the team will attempt to carry momentum into their next match, against Anglia Ruskin on November 17th.
ATHLETICS ENJOY CLEAN SWEEP Athletics President Simon O’Meara describes the latest triumphs for his club in the East Anglia Cross County League On October 27th, the UEA CrossCountry team travelled to the second race of the East Anglia Cross Country League. A strong performance at the first race, two weeks prior, saw the men’s team take a solid lead in the team competition, whilst Sarah Burdett showed real grit to finish 6th overall, justifying the team’s high pre-race expectations. From the off, UEA took full advantage of the absence of the usually competitive Easton College,
with nine UEA athletes in the leading pack. Opposition was not light however, as the likes of RAF Marham, City of Norwich Athletics Club and Great Yarmouth Road Runners fielded a vast number of runners.
Though hard pressed by fresher Darren Southcott, who made an impressive debut, Nick Earl used his tactical experience to finish 1st. The overall men’s result was a landmark clean sweep of the first eight
places. Of UEA’s other athletes, Man Cheung finished 10th and Andy Dixon brought the team home in 47th. Representing the ladies, second year Lydia Growns ran well to finish 3rd ahead of Burdett in 6th; the girls will be out in force and aiming to move up the standings of their team competition in the next race, at UEA on Wednesday 17th November. The team as a whole are also gearing up for the City of Norwich HalfMarathon, later in November.
UEA’s Korfball side bounced back after one of the club’s presidents, Amanda Halliday, quit her post, by claiming second place in a freshers’ tournament in Nottingham last week. The shock resignation had left the club a coach down, yet with the introduction of some talented freshers, some of whom brought previous experience in basketball and netball, the side were still able to exceed expectations and better last year’s performance. The shooting proficiency of Josh Woodbridge and Will Abbot gave UEA a helping hand, whilst coach and captain, Emily Keel, was praised for pulling together the less experienced side. This was a remarkable effort, and after suffering a defeat to Cardiff in the first game, UEA were able to go on and win all their games up until the final, where they fell short to favourites Sheffield Hallam. This form is fantastic news for the squad as they continue an impressive winning streak, which the tournament in the East Midlands further highlighted last week.
“Despite being a coach down, the side were still able to exceed expectations”
First-team member Lisa Stevens commented on how this was a “cracking start to the season” for a club looking to retain its impressive record in local and BUCS competition. Korfball’s current president, Ashley Caimies, vice president, Harry Fish, as well as Johnny Harries and Meredydd Wilkinson, have received praise from members for handling “a trialling few weeks for the club, reshuffling and delegating, which had demanded immense commitment from those left to pick up the pieces”.
Hugo HugoPollock Pollock
venue
VENUE Editor-in-Chief>Danny Collins| concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Venue Editor>Duncan Vicat-Brown| concrete.event@uea.ac.uk
concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk| Fashion Editor>Kat Jones Deputy Fashion Editor>Hannah Britt Fashion Contributors> Kat Jones, Hannah Britt
concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk| Arts Editor>Liz Jackson Arts Contributors> Victoria Highfield, Jeremy Dales, Roberta Philips, Carolina Bodmer
concrete.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk| Creative Writing Editor>Robert Van Egghen Creative Writing Contributors> Adepsiu Adetola, Rachel Lum, Hazel Compton
concrete.tvdigital@uea.ac.uk| Television Editor>Tasha Golley
I’m rare, like Mr. Clean with hair.. So, a few people have been asking me about my sign off line.. Is it a typo? Is my grammar just horrendously sloppy? Or is it something so profound that mere mortals can only dream of understanding it? Actually, it’s a reference to Kevin Smith. On the one hand, anyway. On the other, it’s a challenge. I could invite you to ‘have a good week’. Y’know, a nice week. A fine week. Nuts to that. Have a week. The kind of week that you’ll always remember. Do something great, something exciting, something that matters. That could mean going along to the demonstration in London on Wednesday, or coming to the Concrete social in the Red Bar on Friday evening. Whatever you get up to, make sure that when your friends ask how you’ve been, you can respond with ‘Man, I’ve had a week’. Although, seeing as this is a fortnightly publication, ‘Have two weeks’ might be more appropriate. Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it though, does it? Maybe just read it twice. So yeah, have a week.
n a c un
D
Television Contributors> Helen Eaton, Natalie Fletcher, Helen Jones, Matt Tidby, Eleanor Brown
concrete.wired@uea.ac.uk| Wired Editor>Vaughn Highfield Wired Contributors>DJ Turner, William Moran, Stephen Pestor, Vaughn Highfield, Tim Bates
concrete.music@uea.ac.uk| Music Editors>Alec Plowman & Alex Throssell Music Contributors>James Woodward, Ellie Kumar, Rose Clark, Alex Ross, Joe Dobraszcxyk, Chris Hayward, Ed Leftwich, Emily Prichard, Adam Wedlake, Ant Firth-Clarke, Alec Plowman, Duncan Vicat-Brown
concrete.film@uea.ac.uk| Film Editor>Paul Martin Deputy Film Editor>Catherine Watts Film Contributors> Tom Ross, Lorna Ponterfract, Bell Thomas, Josh Weatherill, Katy Quigley, Drew Nicol, James Dockeray. Emily Bater, Alek Stoodley, Alec Plowman, Paul Martin, Amy Griffiths
concrete.event@uea.ac.uk| Comedy Editor>Fiona Howard Comedy Contributors>George Michael, Sarah Arnold, Duncan Vicat-Brown
concrete.listings@uea.ac.uk| Listings Editor>Georgina Wade Listings Contributors>Laura Hotten, Georgina Wade
concrete.competitions@uea.ac.uk| Competitions Editor>Henry Croft Competitions Contributors>Henry Croft
Photo by Alec Plowman “Is Rob Damiani really that fun?” Oh yes. Definitely. Check out the interview with up-and-coming hardcore band Don Broco on page 17. Yes, this is a shameless plug. So sue me.
COMPS LISTINGS COMEDY
fashion
concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk This issue we look back to the times of yester-year. Yes, we have done vintage before, but this is vintage with nostalgic tendencies. Think of fashion as your diary, a window of memories and mix it with the brands you love from today. It’s not all or nothing; it can be everything and anything. Deputy Fashion Editor Hannah Britt defines what vintage means to her, and Fashion Editor Kat Jones captures the trend by recreating a fairytale favourite.
The Smug Factor “Everything I own is vintage. It smells funny. Maybe that’s why I don’t have a boyfriend.” Lucy Liu has a point. Who wants to snuggle up to a cardigan that was prised from an incontinent old woman just before she was carted off to a home? Lately, it would appear that quite a lot of people actually would. Everything nowadays seems to be considered vintage, from a 1920s Chanel dress, to last year’s Primark tights. “Oh this old thing, it’s vintage!” is the worst answer someone can give when asked where their outfit is from. It’s enough to make you want to punch them in the face. Pretentious idiots. You feel the need to correct them, to tell them that it’s not vintage, it is second hand. It’s just old, and smells. Vintage, second hand, hand-me-down, plain old... Whatever you want to call it, I must confess, that I myself am becoming one of those terrible people. After years of resisting, I have embraced the vintage.
Picture the scene, if you will. You’re trudging around Topshop and uncover a beautifully oversized woolly jumper. You begin salivating. Then you looked at the price tag. The 7 and the 2 were the wrong way round. Gutted, you remind yourself that you are a student who bought Tesco’s value rice last night because Tilda’s was a bit extravagant. You turn your back on the jumper and descend into a “shopping mood”you know, the most self indulgent, materialistic mood that your boyfriend can only relate to when you liken it to not being able to buy the latest and greatest Xbox game. You are truly grumpy, and stomp half-heartedly into a vintage store. You rummage whimsically; your heart is not in it, you’d left it in Topshop on the sleeve of that jumper. Suddenly, you come across something cream, something woollen, something cable knit, something oversized. Your shopping grump vanishes and is replaced by what you can only describe as smug satisfaction.
You hold in your hands a vintage version of the coveted jumper. It wasn’t going to be worn by hoards as the Topshop one would have been. And the best bit: it is only £10! You could cry. Your boyfriend looks at you as if you’ve gone insane. This is the season to get your butt out of Topshop and walk your feet to a vintage store. Charity shops are also full of little gems if you take the time to rummage. Vintage shopping has one thing that high street shopping doesn’t- the smug factor. I realise I have just lost hipster points by admitting to such a thing, but it is true. When asked where your outfit is from, answer them with a knowing, “Oh this old thing? It’s vintage!” Be safe in the knowledge that when someone compliments your dress, they cannot then go and buy it too. Selfish? Maybe. Satisfying? Definitely. Hannah Britt
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Little Red Riding Hood and the Big, Bad Wolf It’s cold, it’s dark, it’s late, you are warm and cosy in your pyjamas tucked up safely under the covers waiting for a bedtime story to ease you into the land of nod. A memory from the past maybe, but fairytales are not just for children. Dark tales with disturbingly whimsical illustrations by Tim Burton are one of many examples that fairytales are making a come back. So let this story lead you through a world where vintage and modern entwine.
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ISSUE 247 4 09nov10 Once Upon a Time...
Poppy Valentine 11 Royal Arcade Norwich NR2 1NQ Tel: 01603 928802 http://www.poppyvalentine.com
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Poppy Valentine can be summed up in one word: ‘darling’. When you were five years old, this would be the shop window you would stand on your tiptoes and press your face against to try and peek inside. Dreaming, hoping that when you grew up into a big girl (or a princess in my case) then you would shop in a place like this. Gleaming and glistening inside is a wardrobe of full sumptuous gold brocade cut into 60s minis, luscious candycane striped fabrics sculpted into flirty 50s dresses, and elegant polka dot blouses with loose pussy bows. “You can look but you can’t touch”, my mother would tell the five-year-old me, but now I’ve blown out my twenty one candles, I can happily cross the threshold and bask in vintage at its finest. Poppy Valentine relishes British heritage as it only sells products that are made in the UK and each piece is lovingly crafted by hand from a personal collection of fabrics. This means that many of the garments are one offs, accentuating that ‘oh so special’ feeling you get when you slip into something oozing with upper-class quality. Beyond clothes, there are charmingly made bags which mix leather and florals and quaint coin purses that are sealed with satin bows. This boutique certainly mirrors its picturesque setting of the Royal Arcade, so shake the droplets of your brolly, catwalk it to the end of the arcade and play shop for real. Thanks to Tim and Claire for all their help.
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Kat Jones
Greg Mann
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Greg Mann
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Smokin’
Accessorize cosmetics collection
Mix and match nail colours
D-list celeb clothing lines
Braces
Essex: home to the vogue vintage fashion fair (5th/12/10)
Lanvin menswear at H&M
Bare ankles and boat shoes
Chokin’
White suits
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Having written many a time about Philip Browne of Norwich, let me introduce you to another of the city’s treasures, which should be part of every man’s black book. Elements is smaller than Phillip Browne but just as laden with an eclectic array of garments; its younger and equally dynamic cousin if you will. Situated just round the corner, step into a compact space of lacquered wood floors, streamlined white shelves, low snooker-style lights and a soundtrack brimming with urban testosterone. High end labels? Yes. Pretentious? No. The balance is achieved by supplying the best of the British crop. Jam-packed with innovative designers from our kingdom, including Luke 77, which seeks to create an edgy look by merging traits of the gentleman with a bit of the rogue. It’s your organic bacon, your free-range eggs, your 100% pork sausages, your locally produced black pudding, say good morning to your fashion full English. It offers you what you know but better, familiarity but in quality. Savour the jeans, street tees and shoe selection downstairs before moving upstairs to more substantial armour of blazers, sleek shirts, ties and scarves. With a confidently styled yet suitably relaxed team on hand to help. No doubt you’ll leave feeling full and satisfied.
Poncho coats
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Venue would like to thank Elizabeth Lake and Michael Pointer for modelling for this shoot. Thank you elements and Poppy Valentine for the clothes and support.
Elements 8 - 10 Lower Goat Lane Norwich NR2 1EL Tel: 01603 618661 http://www.elementsclothing.co.uk/
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Greg Mann
Greg Mann
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concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk
Art>’Surreal Friends’ Exhibition The Surreal Friends Exhibition celebrates the artistic achievements, astonishing lives and meaningful relationships of three leading female surrealist artists of the 20th century: British painter and sculptor Leonora Carrington, Spanish painter Remedios Varo and Hungarian photographer Kati Horna. Surrealism is a form of expression exceeding realistic effects, but also one that involves an element of surprise. This is apparent in all three artists’ work, where they have used previous life experiences in order to produce unique and imaginative pieces. The exhibition takes place in the Sainsbury Centre on the upper and lower galleries. It is split into three separate displays. The exhibition presents viewers with the startling problematic world that the three women encountered when targeted by the fierce Nazi regime. All three artists fled Europe for differing reasons and ended up in Mexico City in 1943. Though still young women, they had the experiences of a lifetime behind them and they shared memories of Paris, Surrealism, the Spanish Civil War and WWII. Mexico offered the freedom they desired in order to explore their art in ways that had not been possible before. André Breton once said Mexico was the surreal country ‘par
excellence.’ Kati Horna (1912-2000) was the first of the Surreal Friends to land in Mexico. She made a living through reportage and portraiture of the cultural elite, but
“they have used previous life experiences to produce unique and imaginative pieces” also produced independent work, often Surrealist and in series. The exhibition features Horna’s captivating photography - first showing you atmospheric scenes from appealing Parisian cafes and flea markets of the 1930s, moving on to contrasting images showing the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War which were photographed for Anarchist Republican magazines (Horna was a photojournalist for various newspapers). There are also a number of intimate images that document the lives
of her close friends, including Carrington and Varo. Leonora Carrington (b.1917) developed a highly distinctive style. Her complex paintings and sculptures feature humans, animals and fabled creatures - referencing fairy tales, myths and her Catholic upbringing. Horses are a reoccurring feature in her work and often symbolise her own situation. Works in the exhibition include Dans Below (1940-42) which shows a petrified horse, perhaps a symbol for the artist’s own fear from when she was previously hospitalised in a mental institution. Remedios Varo (1908-1963) produced a wealth of paintings inspired by her new home in Mexico, full of magic, humour and illusion. The awakening of her father’s interests on philosophy, mysticism, plants and minerals are apparent in many of her works. This is seen in paintings such as The Creation of Birds (1957) which shows a woman transformed into a creature using a prism for aesthetic needs. The exhibition is skilfully arranged to showcase each of the artists’ works as part of a larger story of their lives and fully engages with the viewer to provide a highly interesting insight into these prominent Surrealist artists, regardless of
whether you are an art student or just a casual visitor. The exhibition ends on 12th December 2010 and is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue. Victoria Highfield
Literature>In Patagonia
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In Patagonia was Bruce Chatwin’s first book, and was a radical departure from convention, yet a work that has also
become a classic; having been ushered into the pantheon of great travel writing. His writing is sparse, laconic, stripped of extraneous adjectives, and yet it sparkles with clarity. It is a book which is easy to pick up and read even if, as when this reporter first picked up the book several years ago, you have never heard of Chatwin and are not entirely sure where Patagonia is. At first Chatwin’s style seems almost arid, but then the scale of his interest becomes apparent, and nuggets of information on a vast range of subjects are dispensed with a contained and understated eloquence. The book is almost a sequence of anecdotes, a succession of characters encountered that range from Welsh farmers to Galician anarchists, and he talks to everyone: priests who believe in unicorns, exiles with tales of Vikings in the Brazilian rainforest, the Frenchman who is the self-proclaimed King of Araucani - each has their own story that adds colour to the stark scenery of Patagonia. He has an eye for the extraordinary, and is constantly uncovering hidden gems and making
connections, whether cataloguing Charles Darwin’s dismay at the primitive Indians of Tierra del Fuego (who called them “most abject and miserable creatures” when they didn’t fit in with his theory of evolution), or searching for the remains of the extinct giant sloth, a piece of which had sat in a glass case on his grandmother’s mantelpiece.
“sparse, laconic, stripped of extraneous adjectives, and yet it sparkles with clarity” Chatwin was fascinated by the nomadic lifestyle, which became a recurring theme in his later work, and elements of it can be seen throughout In Patagonia. A great walker, he formed theories of how many
of the stresses of modern life could be alleviated by walking, and the lack of possessions, of being alone on foot in an empty landscape, of travelling at the natural lope of the nomad’s pace, all somehow shape the writing. Desolation Island, Last Hope Sound, Hermit Island – the names that dot the map convey the sense of the land. Patagonia lies at the ends of the earth, and has attracted its share of eccentrics and fugitives over the years; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid holed up in a cabin here for a while, and sightings of them continued long after their reported deaths in a shoot-out in Bolivia. Sorting the facts from the myths is impossible, and to an extent it doesn’t matter – Patagonia was long held to be a mythical place, and this book shows that the reality is no less fantastic.
Jeremy Dales
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“live music, unforgettable performances [...] a A poster for the recent German film of Ghetto (2006)
Ghetto was the first Minotaur Theatre production for this academic year, and it was certainly a great way to start things off. An incorporation of live music, unforgettable performances and death; a Minotaur production is not one to miss. The performances from all of the cast were outstanding, especially that of the fantastically chilling character of ‘Kittel’, a Nazi officer in charge of the Jews. Terrifying yet comical, and slightly like a pantomime villain, ‘Kittel’ was so convincing that he made the audience feel constantly on edge. Dealing with the difficult subject of antiSemitism is not easy due to its controversial
Minotaur production is not one to miss” At some points it was slightly unclear as to whether we were viewing two different times; that of the ghetto in war time and then years later, as certain costumes and scene transactions suggested such a transition. Nevertheless, as we left the studio with the whimpering of one of the Jews behind us, one thing was clear: Ghetto would not be an easily forgotten production - harrowing and poignant, it made for captivating and poignant viewing. Roberta Phillips
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nature, however the play as a whole handled it well. The projected photograph of the dead Jews as a backdrop for one of the songs was perhaps an exception as it was so shocking and could have been seen as excessive, however it brought home the reality of the issues that the Company had dramatized. The production made good use of the UEA drama studio, with short monologues projected from the balcony and an added stage on the right, providing different levels to the action of the play and holding the audience’s attention throughout.
elaborate and poetic mythical narrative.
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Theatre>UEA>Ghetto
promoting his latest book Elegy for April as Benjamin Black, the third instalment in his crime series set in 1950s Dublin, and his current Banville book The Infinities, an
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we take. Probably a mistake.”) However, he still retains an essence of that stubborn arrogance, which is both comical in its own acknowledgement, and laudable, with his declaration that “anyone who wants to be an artist needs a healthy dose of arrogance”. Banville’s curiously open split public identity is a distinct decision, which he explains was in order to notify his readers about the departure in his writing style. Under the pseudonym Benjamin Black, he can quickly write a crime noire fiction novel in the space of 3 or 4 months, whereas to write a meticulous John Banville novel would take 4 or 5 years. In the Benjamin Black mode of fluid and spontaneous writing he can mentally view the novel’s outline and structure, whilst the crafting of a John Banville post-modern novel which flirts with magic realism, invokes him with much more infuriation. He jokingly says that he keeps writing Banville novels in the hope that a new novel will exonerate him from all his previous ones, and that all he can do is “fail again, fail better.” Banville is currently on a UK book tour
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UEA hosted its third event in its esteemed Autumn Literary Festival calendar by welcoming Man Booker prizewinner John Banville, also known as crime fiction writer Benjamin Black, to Norwich on 20th October. Banville provided an illuminating insight into his life, and spoke candidly about his past, his faults, and his view of the world. Growing up in Wexford and going to an infamous Christian Brothers School, Banville began writing at an early age because he was “fascinated by words, in which Joyce was the ringleader”. James Joyce, being a fellow Irishman from Dublin, was an eye-opening figure that showed Banville “writing could be about life, life as I knew it”. Other strong influences include Samuel Beckett’s earnest prose and high style and W.B. Yeats’ rhetorical stance on the world. Banville rejected the expected university pathway, instead choosing to educate himself - a decision that he now openly regrets, blaming his youthful ignorance for believing he could do anything himself, (“We take the directions
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UEA Literary Festival>John Banville
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Childhood is a bird whose soul is bound for flight. But men would clip their wings and force them to the ground. Remember this for tomorrow it’ll ignite your dreams so bright.
Angels are flying around You need to clean your soul, Carmi I don’t know what I wrote Wait for it Where are my hands? Adepoju Adetola
Prose Serial continued... And that was when it all seemed beautiful, impossible, for he reached out deftly, and stole the balloon some child had let go as it sailed into the air, caught it before it was lost into the void of the unknown. And that was when it all seemed easy, impossibly easy, to know what she was to do. Just as he deftly plucked the balloon from the fearful sky, she plucked their baby from the sable choice of abortion and decided to clutch it, clutch it, sure that in clutching it, he would be just as amazed of her red, magic hold as the rubber hold of the balloon.
Grown-ups gather just to witness such a sight. Their bullets pierce the air till the crows come crashing down. Remember this for tomorrow it’ll ignite your dreams so bright. Some, in pain, let go and choose to lose the fight; Others in a whisper let the message be passed round – Childhood is a bird whose soul is bound for flight. Those who still believe, like a swan that holds on tight Glides beyond the clouds, the sunlight captured in its crown. Remember this for tomorrow it’ll ignite your dreams so bright. Who knows? Your reverie from yesterday just might Be a phoenix perched upon an ashy mound. Childhood is a bird whose soul is bound for flight: Remember this for tomorrow it’ll ignite your dreams so bright. Rachael Lum
Next Issue WIRED
Monét has done many things to the flowers I write for jokes Do you know the flowers? If you’re in the mountains, there’s nothing, there’s anything.
Outside, the swing belongs to the little girl in white. Inside, the carpet brings the boy to a quaint Arabic town. Childhood is a bird whose soul is bound for flight.
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I am awake but I can’t wake up I feel it but I can’t see it I’m not running away from my mirror I should pray lest things get ugly I should use mushrooms I need to see a lot.
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But he was not amazed, he was horrified. He sat there, stoic as she now did in the garden, before his eyes turned to the balloon. He began to loosen his fingers like it was the baby, like if he let go, the baby would do too and whilst the balloon would rush upwards, a small dot of red in a harsh white sky, the baby would fall down, a large splash of red against the small white of her underwear. His last finger was loose from the balloon; it was about to float upwards, before Carrie’s hand grabbed it, held it with her. She was going to keep the baby, even though that meant losing the boy as he glided, without a second’s glance back, out of the carnival and away, into the cloud of people, never to be seen again. She cradled the balloon once more, before placing it back into the shed, its crib, waiting for when it would grow older, loose its youthful smoothness and wrinkle, like the foretelling of her own child. The balloon was replaceable, the boy was replaceable, but the choice was not.
Hazel Compton
Creative Writing Events Wednesday 17th November
Wednesday 24th November
Rose Tremain at UEA Literary Festival - Author of The Road Home and Music and Silence and winner Whitbread Novel of the Year Award and the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction appears at UEA Literary Festival in LT1 from 7pm. Live video-link tickets available for £2.50.
Here is a painting by John Copley to inspire you for the next issue... Email your submissions to:
concrete.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk by 17th November
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An Evening of Prose and Poetry with Jane Ormerod and Ashley Stoke - Unthank Books present An Evening of Poetry and Prose with Jane Ormerod (Recreational Vehicles on Fire, 11 Films, Nashville Invades Manhatten) and Ashley Stokes (Touching the Starfish and SubGrubStreet) at The Workshop, 53 Earlham Road, Norwich from 7:30pm. Free entry.
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headCrash Cabaret - Russell J Turner presents a full-on spoken-word extravaganza with a dash of comedy and music at The Birdcage, 23 Pottergate, Norwich from 8:30pm. Only £2.00 entry for “words, booze, and more sexy mo-fos than you can shake a stick at”.
09Nov10 ISSUE 247
PRIMETIME: THE EVENT
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concrete.tvdigital@uea.ac.uk
DOWNLOAD: GLEE
CHANNEL 4, FRIDAY 9PM
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What is The Event? This is the first question that arises after viewing the trailer for the latest US television show to air in the UK however, after watching the first few episodes the answer is still somewhat of a mystery. The Event follows the story of Sean Walker as he searches for his girlfriend, Leila who has been kidnapped by a woman who may or may not have some connection to the government. During his search, as with any typical US drama, Sean manages to stumble upon a conspiracy. Alongside this runs the narrative of the President of the United States who is uncovering and attempting to publicise said conspiracy. While this may all seem reasonably standard viewing, everything is thrown off balance when a plane disappears midair and reappears in the desert. How on earth did this happen? Well it was the work of aliens of course; aliens who are being held prisoner by the United States government and who, naturally, are not alone. It is seemingly impossible to watch The Event without making comparisons to Lost, FlashForward and 24. The Event, like so many
before, has it all: the damsel in distress, the devoted yet somewhat useless boyfriend, the sympathetic FBI agent, the morally conflicted President, the guy who may not be who he appears to be, not to mention aliens, traitors, massively exaggerated cliffhangers and a narrative timeline that jumps around all over the place for no apparent reason. While the premise for the programme might have promise, it could simply be a repetition of everything that has been before. How long will it be before viewers get tired of waiting for answers? Have we, as an audience, not learned our lesson from the likes of Lost? Although it managed to hold on for six series, it was only the most loyal and stubborn viewers who lasted until the end, determined for answers; the same might not be true of The Event.
Helen Eaton
With the second season already in full swing over in America, if you still haven’t seen Glee yet, where have you been? The hyper-cheerful, hyper-energetic hit show, which has made immediate stars of its all- singing all-dancing cast, has already gained a dedicated following, including a whole host of celebrity fans who’ve been battling it out for a chance to appear on the show (a special Britney Spears-themed episode kicked off season two, guest-starring the lady herself, no less). The show is hyper-hyped, but for once it’s fully deserved. Believe the hype. Glee truly is glee-ful. Set in William McKinley High School, Glee follows the highs and lows of the school’s newly reformed Glee Club, New Directions, a club whose misfit members, branded ‘Gleeks’ and ostracised by their peers, struggle to deal with the sexual and social difficulties of adolescence, at the same time as having to fend off the advances of their arch nemesis, rival show choir Vocal Adrenaline, whilst being led by teachers as clueless as they are. And all this set to an amazing soundtrack, performed by a wildly, if not annoyingly
talented cast! What more could you ask for? With its charming mix of quirky silliness, ludicrously implausible storylines and occasionally important life lessons, the awardwinning show consistently entertains and
“The show is hyperhyped, but for once, it’s fully deserved” sometimes tugs on your heart strings too, meaning you’ll soon be sucked into the dizzying world of Finn and Quinn and Sue and Shue, and of course, mash-ups. Glee is perhaps the happiest show on TV but surprisingly, never sickly and always smart. Oh, and it’s really funny too. But don’t worry, you’ve still got plenty of time to catch up as sadly the show doesn’t return to UK screens until next January.
Natalie Fletcher
COMING SOON: TEMPTING FATES HELEN JONES TAKES A LOOK AT THE NEW LOCAL DRAMA, TEMPTING FATES
Tempting Fates presents an entertaining plot with a novel twist. Mocking The X Factor, it begins with the three apprentices being chosen by a public vote. The three girls are then sent to earth to prove themselves, and learn the skills they will need in order to take over from the retiring Fates. In each episode they receive a mission, reminiscent of The Apprentice, which they have to decipher and solve with the help of their contact on
earth; a university researcher. The mismatch of styles such as reality TV, drama and comedy come together cleverly in this original piece of programming. There is one major downfall; the whole thing is shot using handheld cameras, one for each girl. While this is a potentially good idea, and reflects the reality TV style, it doesn’t completely work and the number of ‘Facebook profile picture’ style shots are slightly cringeworthy. At times the style seems fitting; for example, when the cameras are used to create video diaries. But, in most cases, the characters are all too aware that they are being filmed, and even when it is obvious that they should be talking to the other people in the scene, they seem to direct all their attention and eye contact to the camera. This gets too much when the girl behind the camera frequently turns it onto her own face to speak the
line that is clearly directed to another character, not to the supposed audience. So, although the idea was good, the way it is carried out has some fatal flaws. However, that said, the characters are likeable enough, and occasionally it is even quite funny. Also, for an amateur piece, the special effects are very impressive and seem almost professional. The programme does have potential and it is exciting to see something filmed in and around Norwich. Perhaps the strongest aspect of the show is its continued devotion to involve students from UEA, NUCA and City College. On those grounds alone, it is definitely worth a watch. Tempting Fates is available to watch online now. Visit www.temptingfates. com Helen Jones
YOUR CHANCE TO GET INVOLVED: Cash prize competitions of £25-£100 are running alongside the launch, including the chance to write the first episode of the series. For more details, visit the website.
concrete.tvdigital@uea.ac.uk
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television WAR TIME TELEVISION
DAD’S ARMY
Simply put, Blackadder Goes Forth is mind bogglingly perfect television. The hilarious, pitch-perfect and, ultimately, touching conclusion to the Blackadder franchise remains beloved by a huge cross-section of British society. With a sterling cast that modern-day producers would throttle their own mothers for, and scripts from the now legendary Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, it took to the trenches of the Somme in World War One and found comedy gold in the darkest of places. Always treading a fine line between intelligent satire and endearing silliness, the series charts the schemes and struggles of Captain Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) and his motley crew of loyal comrades (Hugh Laurie and Tony Robinson), as they battle to avoid ‘having
It’s impossible to talk about wartime TV shows without mentioning the classic BBC sitcom Dad’s Army. Set in the fictional seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea, Dad’s Army chronicles the formation of the town’s Home Guard, a group of men either too young or too old to go to war but still had the desire to defend England during her hour of need.From defending local telephone lines to orchestrating river patrols, throughout its 80 episodes, Dad’s Army gave viewers many memorable catchphrases and hilarious scenarios. But Dad’s Army isn’t all about the ‘don’t panic!’ and ‘stupid boy’ moments: the melting pot of the entire show is without a doubt the dynamic relationship between Captain Mainwaring, the Manager of the local bank, and his deputy both in the
Following the massive success of Band of Brothers, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks returned earlier this year with the release of The Pacific. The show follows the same formula as its predecessor, tracing the events of a select group of Marines and their true experiences in Guadalcanal. While the opening episodes may have been criticised for the slow moving character development, it is precisely this that makes The Pacific fascinating. Unlike Band of Brothers the protagonists of the programme are somewhat unrelated; the stories of Robert Leckie, John Basilone and Eugene Sledge run alongside each other but rarely cross paths and therefore provide alternative accounts of the events in the Pacific. The Pacific picks up straight after the attack on Pearl Harbour with the Marines, and the audience, are dropped onto a
silent, secluded beach, the complete opposite of what has been seen before in Band of Brothers and especially Saving Private Ryan. There is a clear presentation of a side of World War II which is relatively under-represented and yet is likely to have had the most devastating effect on those involved. The Pacific undoubtedly focuses on the psychological effects of war rather than the physical effects shown in Band of Brothers this is most effectively represented in the character of Eugene Sledge. The audience is presented with his journey from humdrum yet incredibly moral life in Alabama to a gold-tooth stealing killer. It is this development of character that is present throughout the programme that makes The Pacific gripping. Helen Eaton
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THE PACIFIC
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office and in the Home Guard, Sergeant Wilson. Arthur Lowe’s glorious pomposity and John Le Mesurier’s carelessness, is one of the forgotten yet truly great comedy partnerships of the 20th century; both actors always gave confident and amusing performances, even on the rare occasions when the plots were a little too zany for words. Yet the accumulation of nine series’ work came with a poignant tribute to the men who gave up their free time and sometimes their lives, to serve their country. And that’s the true beauty of Dad’s Army: although it’s very much a sitcom which portrays the funnier antics of the Home Guard, it never seeks to mock the work those men did but celebrate their courage and determination. Eleanor Brown
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their brains blown out for Britain’, an occupation readily encouraged by the insane General Melchett (Our Universal Emperor, Stephen Fry). The series is well loved because it successfully amuses and entertains, whilst providing a cutting satire against the thoughtless slaughter of the Great War. A subject very closely bound to the British identity of the post-war period. The final episode, as Blackadder and his friends finally prepare to go over the top, is one of the most finely written and acted pieces of comedy in the history of British television. It is funny, warm, endearing, intensely moving but also stingingly critical of the attitudes and fallacies of an era of great heroism and great loss.
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In honour of Remembrance Day, Venue takes a look at some war time TV classics.
30 million per console to be more precise...), however the latest financial reports show losses for Nintendo for the first time since the Wii launched back in 2006 couple this with Sony and Microsoft bringing their appeal to the family market, – and all in HD – one has to wonder what other tricks the Wii has up its big white sleeve. Rumours of the Wii HD were thinned out at
there is the odd great title here and there (franchise heavy weights Zelda, Metroid and frankly anything with Mario in the title... oh and then there’s the new GoldenEye 007), and the DS consoles are never short of a good timekiller when Professor Layton pops in for his annual magical mystery tour, though if consumers are after a big mindblowing technically impressive game
DJ Turner
Incoming: Sonic Colors
Format: Wii, DS Release Date: November 12 Sonic the Hedgehog is a well-known name in the Video Game world. Ask any Gamer today and they’ll either go misty-eyed about his heydays on the Sega Genesis in the 90’s, or start raging at you about pretty much everything he’s been in since then. Back when the world was 2-D, no-one denies that Sonic was one of the best, most beloved mascots in the Industry, with a string of huge hits and games still beloved by fans today. But, a lot has changed in the Gaming
world since then, and the blue Hedgehog, ironically, just hasn’t been able to keep up. His recent efforts have been generally received as a string of failures, full of poor gameplay, lame dialogue, an unlikeable cast and have generally been seen as bad all-round. There’s no denying it; up until this year, Sonic’s career has been in a tailspin. However this year its all set to change, because Sonic Team finally seem to be listening to the waves of anger fans have been throwing at them for the last decade; Sonic 4, Episode 1, a download-only title for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 was a well
received trip down memory lane, paring the gameplay down to the bright colours and fast speeds that made the early Sonic games so popular. But, Sonic Team’s real efforts to revive this franchise are being focused on the next full console release: Sonic Colours. The game looks just as simple and retro as Sonic 4 was, and structurally, it’s the same as always; here’s a long linear colourful pathway littered with evil robots, start running. The plot is also pleasantly simple; the evil Doctor Eggman has built a series of planet-sized theme parks designed to capture members of an alien race called the ‘Wisps’, and it’s up to Sonic to go save them. The twist here is, each of these Wisps have special powers depending on what colour they are, and, the more Sonic rescues, the more Powers he unlocks; there’s one that turns him into a laser beam, one that gives him unlimited boost, etc. The developers say this is going to add a real diversity to the gameplay, without sacrificing the core of the experience fans have always loved. Fans have obviously approached this ‘gimmick’ with some caution; Sonic Team
have said their newest ideas will enhance the core gameplay of this franchise before, but none of the past efforts have stuck. But, here, it just might be true; the gameplay we’ve seen so far with the Wisps has been fast, and flowed well with the fast pace of the series; the style of the early games is clear in the theme park aesthetic. There’s no guns, no human girlfriends for Sonic to awkwardly mumble romantic lines to, Sonic Team really do seem to have finally found that balance for Sonic in the modern Gaming world. But, we’ll have to wait until November 12th to find out for sure.
The Good
Tim Bates
- A hopeful return to form for the franchise with all the lessons learnt on the way.
The Bad -Potentially another 2.5D/3D Sonic to fail to capture the sonic essence.
An Internet sketch comedy troupe that specialises in surreal humour in odd situations. Often video game related and highly self- referential. http://loadingreadyrun.com Spreadshirt An online clothes store – with a twist! You can design and sell shirts yourself through this website, as well as buy other peoples’ designs. http://www.spreadshirt.co.uk The Daily Squee This site is part of the ‘cheezburger network’, famous for its site on lolcats – cats given captions, effectively. No matter what your feelings are on them, however, you can’t deny that cute assortment of animals in adorable poses is the best way to end the day, which is what daily squee is. http://squee.icanhascheezburger.com/ Gametabs Ever been playing guitar, and thought ‘wouldn’t it be awesome to play the theme song to <enter game here>? Now you can! Gametabs offers a larger variety of gaming music than is available on a more general tab website. http://www.gametabs.net
Stephen Pester
Twitter Gems
Some of the best, most interesting or just downright funny people tweeting right now! @TheOnion - Americas greatest satirical news source has its own Twitter feed! Follow the random, and continually funny, ‘news’ updates that perfectly sum up the political and social attitudes of American society. @JimCarrey - As spontaneous and irregular as the man himself. Follow his semi-regular updates and tweetpic posts that show he is as crazy off screen as he is on. He also seems to be arming his Twitter followers into an unrivalled military force, just in case you fancied joining. @pitchforkmedia - Fan of music? Want to keep up to date with the big artists, the small artists and next big thing? Pitchfork media is the best place to do it! Now utilising Twitter as well as their own website, no longer will you be musically left in the dust. Vaughn Highfield
COMPS from the battle between iPhoneOS and Android that users enjoy the freedom to customise their phone, so all the tiles can be rearranged, and their colours changed. Despite this, some might be put off by the 2D-esque UI, which isn’t as shiny as that of
Android or iPhoneOS. It certainly gets the job done, though. In the past, Windows Mobile was used very little by ordinary consumers because it was fiddly, slow and often did not offer any utility useful to the average person
Free and Easy
beyond a weak web browsing capability. Furthermore, the phone hardware was often underpowered, meaning the already awkward software would often run sluggishly, providing a bad user experience. Microsoft has since massively improved their phone software with WP7, and taken control of the end user experience by only licensing the OS for use on handsets that meet Microsoft’s exacting hardware requirements. This means that the phones now have much improved software that isn’t hampered by poor hardware. Each handset must pass a gauntlet of Microsoft tests, and have standardised hardware. Each phone must have the same four hardware buttons, at least 8GB of builtin flash storage, high-end CPU’s, high resolution capacitive touch screens and a camera that is at least 5 megapixels or more with flash. So, all phones running Windows Phone 7 are fast and aren’t lacking in any hardware area. The only thing differentiating them will be external casing – the shape, colours, presence of hardware QWERTY keyboards and so on. So far, no one has been able to come up with a ‘perfect’ smart phone operating system, but it was generally accepted that Windows Mobile was rather bad. With WP7, Microsoft is making a strong attempt at re-entering this burgeoning market, and if you are in the market for a new phone, this new platform is certainly worth a look. William Moran
Boxer
Celtx
With an increase in old MSDOS games, such as Escape from Monkey Island and Elder Scrolls I and II, turning up for free on many game developers websites, the urge to relive the classics is too strong. Previously it was an exercise in tedium getting MSDOS to work on your computer, let alone your Mac. With DOSbox failing to be a viable replacement for MSDOS, Boxer has answered all Mac users prayers. Boxer is quintessentially Mac. It turns the trial and error of mounting and installing games into a simple drag and drop action. It makes playing gems of the past for five minutes plausible as it wont take 10 minutes to launch a game. It even installs all your games and manages them in one easy to use and browse folder, and it does all of these things for free!
Celtx is a free software programme designed to help you plan and create industry standard written media, and is particularly handy for screenplays and theatre. From creating storyboards to applying the finishing touches, Celtx makes great use of its simple and easy to use interface so that the user can get to grips with the preproduction of their chosen media. Writing a script? Loglines, scene headings and even actions can be done in seconds with the software’s handy hot-key features, making this a perfect companion for drama and film students; anyone who has ever tried to format a script in Word will find a much needed breath of fresh air here. Available on your laptop and your iPhone, Celtx means that you’re never far from your project, and if you fancy getting some feedback on your work simply upload your script to the Celtx forum and let loose!
http://boxer.washboardabs.net/ Vaughn Highfield
Above: Boxer running two games at once! Below: Celtx and its wide array of uses!
LISTINGS
LoadingReadyRun
Microsoft is re-entering the smart phone market with a new mobile Operating System (OS), and a new line of phones. It looks set to succeed and give Apple and Google a run for their money. Why is Windows Phone 7 (WP7) so great? The standout feature is an innovative user interface (UI). Android and iPhoneOS have several home screens that slide from side to side, on which there are icons that launch various functions. Microsoft’s approach is rather different, both aesthetically and in principle. The new approach is that users should be able to get all the basic information updates they want or need with a single glance at the simple, minimalistic home screen. Instead of clicking on each icon to get updates on their Facebook, emails, etc, there is one home screen. On this screen are two columns of squares – or ‘live tiles’. Each of these ‘tiles’ represents functions and applications of the phone, and change dynamically, in real time, whenever something is updated. So if someone updates a thread on Facebook, the ‘People’ tile on the home screen changes to reflect that. Touching the People tile shows all updates on Facebook or other social networking sites the user has subscribed to, and this is pretty much how everything works in WP7 – a tile changes to reflect an update, you either think “ok, great” and leave it at that or you think “I want to know more” and press the relevant tile. It’s a slick, efficient way of doing business. Microsoft have apparently learned
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Fun links to pass the time between socialising and learning.
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most will find themselves turning to the other major consoles. The 3DS, due for release next March, should give Nintendo a much needed kick, and this will no doubt be a great advancement in the handheld market, but it’s not going to be the same as blowing up the Helghast Empire (Killzone 3) on your massive full HD 3D Panasonic television is it? Yet It seems that Nintendo are happy churning out their eclectic mix of classic hardcore games (for the diehards) and super fun social party games (for families and casual fun). It’s a good formula, and you really can’t beat a simple well-made game like Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but when we consider where the industry is heading it is sometimes difficult to see a place for Nintendo another 25 years down the line (unless you fancy a quick whizz on Mario 2035 – possibly in HD!). There is no doubt that the Wii and DS currently offer the best range of games for the widest range of consumers (there really is something for everyone), and as stated above the sales are definitely there, but and it’s a big one - there is no doubt that 2011 will be a trying year for Nintendo as Sony and Microsoft enter the family playing field, and with all the recent advancements in the gaming industry will Nintendo still offer the full package? The proof is in the plumbing.
MUSIC
Since the arcade release of Donkey Kong in 1981 Nintendo have been a household name and a family favourite when it comes to video games entertainment, as the success of the aptly titled Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was testament to back in 1983. With a multitude of both home and handheld consoles under their belt, Nintendo recently celebrated the 25th birthday of a gaming milestone – Super Mario Bros. (If you didn’t feel old before reading this article I can promise that you will by the end of it!), which has raised the question “are Nintendo still doing it right?” At a glance it may be easy to dismiss any accusations levelled at Nintendo losing their touch. As of this September the combined models of Nintendo DS had sold over 135 million units, making it the best-selling handheld console of all time, and the second best-selling console overall (beaten only by the Playstation 2), though in a rapidly advancing home console market are Nintendo swimming or treading water? The Nintendo Wii was initially well received
Simple and Effective?
Http://
E3 earlier this year when Nintendo claimed they would have a bigger surprise for the industry. Hmm.... It has been a while since video game designer and producer Shigeru Miyamoto stated that Nintendo are interested in working in HD, though not at the risk of sullying the gameplay experience. Ironically the current Nintendo consoles are not known for delivering quality games. Sure,
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Problem with the Plumbing? back in 2006, with Wii Sports becoming a fad in homes, pubs and...well, anywhere with electricity really, but with the launch of Sony’s Move and Microsoft’s Kinect the novelty of pointing a controller at the screen as it mimics your body movement is no longer an exclusive one. Sales figures show that the Wii has sold a ‘few more’ units than both the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 (somewhere in excess of
concrete.wired@uea.ac.uk
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http://celtx.com/ DJ Turner
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Burke and Hare Director: John Landis Release Date: 29/10/10 Director John Landis places a black-comedic blanket over the historic and murderous Irish immigrants William Burke (Simon Pegg) and William Hare (Andy Serkis), as they attempt to make a living in Edinburgh. After failing to sell goods in a TrottersI n d e p e n d e n t -Tr a d e r s esque approach, the two characters venture into the everyday world of the c o r p s e s - f o r- d i s s e c t i o n industry; everyday at least for two medical professors teaching human anatomy by dissection, in lectures that Gunther van Hagen
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would have been proud of. The two entrepreneurs start to provide dead bodies to Dr. Knox and Dr. Monroe in what, at first, seems a slightly immoral but plausible business. However, as demand increases, supply struggles to keep up, leading Burke and Hare to start killing civilians in order to maximise their business potential. Although murderous, funny and incompetent, Burke and Hare are crowd pleasers, but they do have their enemies; the three man strong Edinburgh Militia (effectively the police of 1828). Ronnie Corbett gives a fantastically funny dimension to their leader
Jackass 3D
FACT: Originally cast as William Burke, David Tennant’s timetravelling prowess was brought into question as he had to decline due to work commitments.
Captain McLintock, whilst his two haemophobic assistants help complete the visual definition of bad law enforcement.
pulled out of a corpse and snapping vertebrates are not your cup of tea then you’ll want to look away and read your popcorn box.
The scarce laughout-loud moments are treasured when they come, which is unfortunately all too rarely. Also if blood soaked lungs being
Constant cameos during the film work well for light entertainment; Stephen Merchant’s googly eyes provide one laugh in his short thirty
Easy A
seconds of glory. Amidst the admirable cast are decent actors such as Tom Wilkinson, Jessica Hynes, Christopher Lee and Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentlemen). But the most satisfying cameo is Michael “ C a l m - D o w n - D e a r- I t s Only-a-Commercial” Winner. An axed down falling tree sends Winners’ horse and carriage over a cliff edge as Burke and Hare try different methods to become connoisseurs of accidentally-on-purpose murders; what a shame Esure wasn’t around in the seventeenth century. Bill Bailey, who plays a hangman, directly addresses the audience at the beginning and the end of the film, contextualising
the location, characters, and livelihood. This works well at the beginning, but the ending seems a cop out to clearly tie off some loose ends when the film’s budget started to run out. Safe cinematography provides a gateway to consider the script in more detail, which unfortunately suffers from the multitude of actors employed. The leads are so caught up in chasing after their goal that it is never apparent who they really are; its best to check beforehand whether Pegg is Burke or Hare. Complicating the story is Ginny (Isla Fisher), who seems just to be there to give the marketing team a marketable love interest. Tom Ross
The Kids are Alright
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Director: Jeff Tremaine Release Date: 5/11/10
A word of warning: don’t see this film if you have a weak stomach, and even if you don’t – take a sick bag. But anyone with a vague idea what Jackass entails knows the set up. Indeed the audience gets it all, from dog poo to pulled teeth, often featured in glorious one thousand frames-persecond slow-motion. After possibly the most visceral opening credits scene you’ll see this year, the film jumps straight into traditional Jackass fare with a basic but effective first stunt, ‘The High Five’. From there the stunts become increasingly excruciating, with selfinflicted pain and bodily
fluids flowing liberally. Some of the scenes are so agonising, such as the ‘Lamborghini Tooth Pull’, that they wouldn’t seem out of place in the latest Saw movie. Unfortunately, amid stand-outs such as ‘Super Mighty Glue’, most stunts fail to generate many laughs. The 3D technology neglects to add much freshness to the now slightly tired format; although the team manage to use it to great effect in the exhilarating final scenes. Alas, Jackass 3D too often whiffs of stale ideas and stuntmen past their best. That said, the film still manages to appeal best when making you writhe back into your seat, barely daring to watch. Josh Weatherill
Director: Will Gluck Release Date: 22/10/10
Would you lie and pretend to be a whore in high school to get popular and noticed? This may sound very contradictory, but Easy A is a true testament to the famous saying ‘Any publicity is good publicity’. The film stars the witty and gorgeous Emma Stone who plays Olive Penderghast, a droll and clever girl who pretends to sleep with the boys at school in order to propel her social status up the proverbial ‘high school pyramid’. The movie is a cross between the high school classic Saved and the US drama series Gossip Girl. High school drama
aside, the film does highlight how little white lies can become misconstrued and blown out of proportion. Also starring is Amanda Bynes (Marianne) who plays a puritan that condemns Olive for her brazen alleged sexual misconduct. Both actresses have a good chemistry on screen with funny banter such as “There’s a higher power that will judge you for your indecency”, to which Olive replies “Tom Cruise”? Overall, it is a light hearted comedy to watch, however the whole plot seems a little bit far fetched, and lacking in depth. As chick-flicks go, it’s no Mean Girls, but you could do much worse; Wild Child, anyone? Bell Thomas
Director: Lisa Cholodenko Release Date: 29/10/10
The Kids are Alright follows the lives of lesbian couple Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) whose family life is thrown into disarray when their eighteen year old daughter Joni decides to bring her sperm donor dad, Paul (Mark Ruffalo), back into their lives. Paul’s laid back approach to life doesn’t sit well with Nic’s nononsense, controlling manner and, as both Jules and the kids become closer to him, the cracks in the couple’s relationship begin to show. With a recent influx of films focussing on the theme of artificial
insemination, such as The Back Up Plan and The Switch, it would be easy to assume that this film is merely regurgitating the same tired ideas. However, this simply isn’t the case. Writer and director Lisa Cholodenko has managed to create an incredibly intelligent comedy, moving seamlessly from scenes of excruciating social awkwardness, which will have you dying inside, to intense, bittersweet moments. Annette Bening gives a particularly great performance, and has a surprisingly convincing chemistry with Julianne Moore, creating one of the most witty and moving films of the year. It’s already generating a ton of awards buzz; don’t write it off come Oscar season. Lorna Pontefract
Saw 3D
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Director: Nicholas Stoller Release Date: 1/11/2010
and soldierly comradeship. Unfortunately most of this is undone in the last 20 minutes by the embarrassingly cheesy ‘happily ever after’ ending. This is a film to be consigned to the bargain bin forever; a shame, as it had the potential to be an interesting and realistic look at modern warfare, like Hurt Locker, or Lebanon, either of which you would be well advised to watch before paying to own this. Alek Stoodley
Perhaps what is most disappointing about Get Him to the Greek is that the film did have the potential to be a successfully bawdy, slapstick comedy. Russell Brand is washed-up rocker Aldous Snow, who has agreed to do a ten-year anniversary gig at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Jonah Hill is the lifelong fan, an eager young record executive who proposed this idea to his boss (Sean Combs) and now has to get Snow from London to the Greek in 72 hours. This proves far too short a time when Snow seems
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Director: Mark C. Andrews Release Date: 25/10/2010
a helicopter at night, land in the sea at around midday (you can tell from the sun) and then reach the beach at 6AM (this appears on screen). The fact that the acting is generally fairly soulless throughout doesn’t help. However, the film’s main strength is that it is based on real events and this comes through in the script. Until the last 20 minutes or so the viewer is presented with a harsh and realistic view of war
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drug use and crude sexuality is certainly funny in places, it is shortchanged by the lack of effort to create a rounded film. A threadbare, underdeveloped script means that all the film amounts to is a series of badly connected comic sketches which are often successful in being inanely funny, but not engaging enough to stop the 109 minutes feeling painstakingly slow. Emily Bater
Get Him To The Greek
Seal Team VI
Seal Team VI is the story of an elite squad of US soldiers carrying out a covert operation in Kuwait. Three days before the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the United Nations Seal Team VI are sent in to run around the desert shooting soldiers. Then they run around a city shooting soldiers. That’s about it. Some scenes appear to have had random footage thrown in for no reason; this, combined with generally poor editing, makes the film extremely hard to follow at some points. For example, at one point, Seal Team VI appear to parachute out of
hell-bent on destroying the plans through partying and drug taking, which Hill’s character Aaron Green quickly gets caught up in. The central, initially humorous, set up of Brand and Hill’s relationship and their ridiculous antics, are simply regurgitated in various different locations creating a disjointed final product with little sense of a proper narrative arc. Whilst Brand’s pastiche performance is worth watching and the shocking
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Retired and Extremely Dangerous. This is the code word for Frank Morris (Bruce Willis), an ex CIA who in his hay day brought down governments. Now in his twilight years, Morris tries to establish a normal life for himself. Look forward to seeing Bruce Willis; putting up Christmas decorations, reading a trashy romantic fiction, sitting in a chair watching his avocado plant grow and calling the lady from the call centre for a chat. Anyone who has spent time on the dole recently will be able to sympathise. However Morris’s domestic life finishes in
very violent and extremely satisfying way, when his white washed American house is reduced to a pile of corpses and rubble by a team of paid assassins. Retirement over. Morris takes to the road, one of the great features of this film is its incorporation of the romance of travelling around America. Our heroes are a team of CIA agents who must grapple with the paranoia that a life of wire tapping and spying through the keyholes induces. The script explores this idea with superb black comedy. Marvin Bogg’s (John Malkovich) odd behaviour, for example, is attributed to the LSD unknowingly fed to him every day for 12 years by the US government. James Dockeray
Director: Robert Schwentke Release Date: 22/10/10
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Normally, it would be difficult to review a film like Saw without having to give a spoiler alert. Luckily, this instalment gives the audience absolutely no answers that could be given away. As a final chapter, this is a huge anti-climax. Like its predecessors, it answers one question but creates two more. It has cheated the entire franchise. After being strung along for 6 years; hoping (and paying) to get some answers to the plots many riddles, the fact that this final instalment fails to tie up the loose ends is a huge slap in the face. Let’s talk 3D. The 3D
element is the major selling point of this instalment. This fact alone should be a huge indicator that they have simply run out of ideas. However, even worse, the 3D just isn’t that good. There are only a handful of scenes where it made the film more entertaining. It’s defiantly not worth the extortionate ticket prices. If you can’t resist the urge to see Saw 3D then you’re a sucker for punishment. There is no moral message, and it is not funny to watch people get cut into little pieces for no reason. To quote the advert ‘the last piece of the puzzle is YOU!’, which can be taken to mean that we are all Jigsaw’s victims by being subjected to another of these meaningless sequels. Drew Nicol
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Director: Kevin Greutert Release Date: 29/10/10
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After finding themselves in the Congo rather than the trials for the World Cup 2010 opening ceremony, talented Rwandan footballer Fabrice and his manager decide not to give up. They embark on a quest to get to South Africa on foot, picking up Foreman George, an ex child soldier, and Celeste, an escaped sex slave along the way. Africa United is colourful and bright, but clearly has taken much of its style straight from Slumdog Millionaire and unfortunately pales incomparison. The editing and styling has been borrowed from
its forerunner and pulls it off for the most part, but the attempt to tackle issues within Africa falls short. The 88 minute running time means that everything the group have to endure, whether it be crime, war or encounters with sex slaves, is brushed over. As the film goes on the story is rushed with the team’s progress shown using dots on a map and montages, leaving the film seem empty at heart. On the other hand, the use of stop motion animation and the characters cheerful personalities make this a light hearted and enjoyable film, even if it is a little hollow. Maybe next time they will try and tackle a smaller slice of Africa, like Hotel Uganda. Katy Quigley
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Director: Debs GardnerPaterson Release Date: 22/10/10
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Africa United
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UP & COMING... When Ted Turner announced in 1985 that he was considering colourising Citizen Kane, there was outcry. The threat of altering one of the most beloved movies of all time riled many a film aficionado. Orson Welles reportedly begged filmmaker Henry Jaglom, “Don’t let Ted Turner deface my movie with his crayons”. At the time, George Lucas was one of the most vocal opponents of the colourisation process. His criticism of the alteration of film texts would become far more relevant later on than he perhaps realized at the
time; “I am very concerned about our national heritage, and I am very concerned that the films that I watched when I was young and the films that
I watched throughout my life are preserved, so that my children can see them.” Last month, Lucasfilm
concrete.film@uea.ac.uk
Alec Plowman asks whether George ‘Judas’ Lucas sells his soul as the Star
Wars series is set for 3D and blu-ray releases in 2012. ‘The Emperor strikes back’.
announced that the Star Wars series would be getting both 3D cinema and blu-ray releases in 2012. With regard to the original trilogy of films, a number of fans’ worst fears were confirmed; only the ‘special’ edition versions of the movies would be making it onto the next generation format. For those not familiar with them, the ‘special’ editions of the trilogy contain several new CGI sequences and are updated in order to synchronise better with the prequel movies that Lucas released a few years ago. Naturally, allegations of hypocrisy have been
TALKING MOVIES Let The Right One In first meets Oskar she tells was released in 2008 in Sweden and was met with widespread critical acclaim. The film is about a girl who is a vampire and the bullied boy that she befriends. Set in a small town in Sweden where everything is covered in snow the setting feels very genuine, from the thick forests to the equally thick clothes. Although there are elements of horror, and a lot of violence, the film is essentially about the relationship that blossoms between the two children. When Eli (the vampire)
him that they can’t be friends, and his only contact with other children is getting bullied. Drawn together by
their shared loneliness, the two become close and help each other out with their respective problems. This may sound like a typical PG kids’ film but there is also a large amount of surprisingly graphic violence and horror; she is a vampire
Matilda’s head teacher, Miss Trunchbull, is a butch, evil villain and takes some sort of sadistic pleasure in locking children in “The Chokey”. This terrifying form of discipline involves a child standing in a cupboard with shards of iron sticking into it and probably doesn’t conform to OFSTED standards.
Anastasia
The creators of Anastasia took a few artistic liberties and made the villain of the piece Grigori Rasputin. It’s hard to be Russia’s greatest
love machine when you’re portrayed as a rotting corpse with limbs frequently breaking off. Along with his morbid bouts of leprosy, the mad monk was also given an unhealthy obsession with murdering Anastasia. The scene in which Rasputin tries to drag young Anastasia into an icy river is particularly harrowing.
levelled against Lucas for both the alteration of his movies and the suppression of them in their original form. While some of the on screen changes are minor, they mean that episodes IV, V and VI aren’t the versions that a generation of children were first captivated by 30 years ago. Lucas defends that, unlike Turner with Citizen Kane,
after all. Without going into too much detail, one scene towards the end of the film involves several children, yes children, being ripped apart by Eli, and although you see very little of what’s going on, it’s extremely shocking. What the director was trying to achieve through the seemingly gratuitous violence is puzzling, like much of the film, but it’s still a fascinating watch and it’s beautifully filmed. If you do choose to watch this, make sure you avoid the English dubbed version and go for the subtitles. Alek Stoodley
The viewer is then treated to unsettling shots of ghouls riding skeletal horses as they swirl around him. There are creatures dancing
Let Me In
Now if Fearne Cotton is to be believed, and she is a dubious woman that one, Matt Reeves ‘shotgunned’ his production for Let Me In a year before its Swedish predecessor. First of all, Matt Reeves directing... WIN! So, calm down all you naysayers out there, this film works in its own respects. Keeping to the same stylish shot for shot of Let the Right One In (2008) it shows that Hollywood can, albeit trying hard, maintain the horror essence created in the European film. It
This week,
Alec Plowman
follows a similar gawky kid type (McPhee) and his vampiric Kick Ass buddy (enter Chloe Mortez) who team up to teach those damn bullies a lesson. Setting the film in 1983, Reeves said it was to ‘contextualise’ his film but it cannot be helped in thinking
films which scared you as a child.
devilish creature’s glowing eyes, flames engulfing harpies and billowing smoke make the infant forget that they’re watching Disney.
them to try and explain the horror to everyone else who hadn’t seen it. The villain is the Horned King - a sinister skeleton with John Hurts’ voice and Alan Sugar’s temperament. His features are rarely shown, leaving the child’s imagination to conjure a truly terrifying image of him.
Jumanji
and writhing on the ground, until he scoops them up into his hands and raises them to his malicious grin before tossing them into a fiery gorge. Repeated shots of the
that it’s more to do with the original’s questionable fashion and technology. But, then again, it begs that question if the same magic would have been created if it were set in modern day. Some little things are lost through its translation, but what it lacks it makes up for from powerhouse performances from the child actors, drilling down to the core of their odd and awkward conversations. It’s the first vampire film, in a long time, that doesn’t piss your money or their blood up the wall, so check it out. Paul Martin
Amy Griffiths gives a run down on five
Fantasia
A notable example of the nightmare fuel from Disney’s Fantasia is the “Night on Bald Mountain” sequence, in which the demonic Chernabog raises an army of spectres from their graves.
he owns the films. They are his creations and he has the right to do with them what he will. The thing is... that isn’t strictly true. Obviously, you could argue that a whole team went into producing the Star Wars series, not just Lucas. Surely the Ben Burtts, Larry Kasdans and Dennis Murrens of the world deserve a say in all
of this? There’s a greater issue than that though; George Lucas doesn’t own Star Wars. His public does. When films inspire a religion, when children are named after both principal and minor characters and when catchphrases become imbued in the vernacular, no one man can claim ownership of that. Nor can one man try and change it. Get your damn Crayolas away from our movie Lucas, lest you disturb the force any further.
Up for debate this week is the Swedish film Let The Right One In against the American remake Let Me In
THE POPCORN CHART Matilda
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The Black Cauldron
Not the best-known Disney film, The Black Cauldron is able to traumatize its young victims and leave
Jumanji has quite a frightening concept for a family film. The titular board game emanates a tribal drumming sound until it’s discovered, then proceeds to hold its players hostage while it moves the counters
around the board by itself. Eerie riddles foreshadow each trial just before it occurs, and dangerous animals spawn into the real world to stampede through houses and attack the public. The most traumatic element is Van Pelt - a hunter who pursues Robin Williams’ character and has no issues with shooting other humans, including children. A psychotic murderer, anarchy and deadly animals - all the components that could form a horror movie. Well played, Jumanji. Amy Griffiths
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Last time I spoke to you, Laurence, we talked about the importance of the family of people around My Passion and the way that they impact the material that you put out. As you’re getting bigger and bigger, do you feel that dynamic changing? Laurence: It’s still pretty much the same right now. I mean, we’re looking at how best to release this next album which may mean expanding the people that we work with.
Laurence: You always have dreams of what you want to do when you have the means to do it. Photo by Alec Plowman Simon: There comes a point where you have to branch out... Laurence: I mean, the workload becomes greater and you want to reach more people
so you need to do that. The core group of us still stays the same. We’re still working at Outhouse which is a small studio, but it works well for us. We like that intimacy. It feels right .
Simon: We’ve got the light show now that we’re programming. That’s pretty much the limit of what we can do right now and we’re thinking what the limits will be in the future. Lawrence: We want it to be as big as the music will allow it to be.
Coming into Norwich fresh from their month long stint supporting My Passion, DON BROCO sat down with Venue’s James Woodward to discuss music, university life, and strawberry picking…
Photo by Alec Plowman How did you find the show? How was opening up for a band like My Passion? Simon: It was really sweet as the crowd were really good. The venue is amazing: it’s an old church with real character. In Norwich there are a lot of kids who have seen My Passion on the Kerrang tour so they packed
the venue out and they were really up for it.
Luke: We wanted to do something original.
It seems that with every tour you increase your fanbase and take a step up in the UK underground scene. What would you attribute this success to at the moment?
You all went to Uni before forming Don Broco. How important was it for each of to get your degree before you put this band together?
Simon: I guess with the latest tour it has been the video. We did a video a couple of months ago for our tune called Dreamboy with our good mate Lawrence Hardy. It’s been on TV and having a video on Kerrang, Scuzz and things really does make a huge difference with things. You get kids who sit at home and watch the day through and if they see a band on there they will think “Oh, wow!” and instantly go and check them out.
Matt: We never wanted to go without the experience of Uni. It was just awesome, the best three years I can remember. But we wanted to do both; I guess it was us just being greedy! I think if we are honest this is ultimately what we wanted to pursue afterwards. It was always in the back of our minds and we kept up our playing through Uni.
Where did the idea for the video (which features strawberry picking, a stage of hay bales and aeroplanes) come from? Rob: When we wrote the song it was in the summer heat and we just wanted a fun, bright video that really got down what the song was about.
This one is for Simon. As a former UEA student, what aspects do you miss the most from campus life in Norwich? Simon: I miss hanging out at the Red Bar in the afternoon between my lectures, going to the LCR like all the time. I guess I just miss the general feel of the place, being in those rooms, being in the library. It sounds weird but being around all that concrete is
something I never thought I’d miss but a few years on it is something I miss a lot. Getting a gig in Norwich has been a hassle for you guys. You have had 5 cancelled gigs, the only other time you have played here the promoter pulled out at the last minute. Ever been tempted to say ‘fuck it’ to playing here? Matt: Nah, never. Simon: No. I love Norwich. It is one of my favourite places in the UK. Even though we have had massively bad luck in trying to get shows here we always knew it was a place we had to play. By whatever means necessary we were going to play in Norwich and now we have a couple of times it has been brilliant both times. So, is the city destined to feel more of the Donny B love? Matt: We are definitely going to come back. We are heading out on tour in February 2011 and coming back to Norwich on the 28th.
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John: Our dreams for the band are as big as they can possibly be. Our favourite bands are groups like Muse that put on these huge stage performances in Wembley. That’s the sort of thing we really want to do. We’re planning it in our heads now.
John: It’s the first time we’ve been out and sold out all the major cities. We’ve never had that, going out on the road and knowing that. It’s amazing really. I mean, London sold out weeks after going on sale, which is crazy.
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Where do you want My Passion to be in the next five years?
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Laurence: Most important to me is that they understand what we’re doing and where we are coming from. That we’re all working towards the same goal rather than having different agendas and ideas.
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Laurence: Yeah, it gets tiring, but when we’re doing shows that are so good... this tour has been our first proper headliner since this time last year and to see how it’s grown in that time is very encouraging. You’re quite happy to play so many dates when it goes like that. To get such great responses from the crowds... you get over the aching body parts and dying bodies because it’s so great every night.
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John: We consider everyone we work with friends. We want to be able to go out for drinks with the people we work with, enjoy their company, and think that they’re honest and nice people. That’s important to us.
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You’ve played almost every day of this month on what seems to be an incredibly rigorous tour. How does it feel playing so many dates in such a short space of time?
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Plowman was on hand to chat with Laurence René, John Be and Simon Rowlands before the show...
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MY PASSION blitzed the Arts Centre on 29th October as part of their relentless UK tour. Venue’s Alec
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GIG-GATE 2010 MY PASSION/DON BROCO: ARTS CENTRE 29/10/10
Don Broco - Photo by Alec Plowman The queue outside the Norwich Arts such as Dreamboy, made them focus. Centre was made up mostly of teenagers Hailing from Sweden, Dead By April with vibrant coloured hair and multiple seemed to be an apparent draw for a facial piercings, itching to get out of the section of the audience tonight, and late October wind and indulge in some even without a drummer, just a picture pre-Halloween revelry. of Alexander Svenningson’s face taped Despite some questionable denim to the back of the drum kit; their set was shorts and a couple of feebly received smooth and built up of their most wellattempts at starting a mosh-pit, first act known songs. The band’s dedicated fans Don Bronco’s infectious energy dragged wasted no time in turning the floor into a the crowd away from the merchandise frenzy and trying to tear Zandro Santiago stand and their irresistibly catchy songs, (vocalist) from the stage into the pit.
CRYSTAL CASTLES: LCR 24/10/10
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It’s that time of year again, where every band and their mums’ bridge clubs have booked an autumn tour. This is Gig-Gate 2010...
Sunday the 24th of October brought experimental electronic band Crystal Castles to the LCR on their last leg of their second album tour. Three rounds of impatient applause and the festival favourite calls brought an aloof Ethan Kath and his accompanying drummer onto the stage. An electrical storm of strobe lighting, ear splitting synth and drumming started off the night and Alice Glass, notorious for her stage antics, hurled herself on for Baptism and the crowd went wild. It is rare that a band gets the entire venue jumping, but throughout the gig there was a sea of raised hands and mosh
Having only been around since 2005, My Passion is a band on the cusp of something special, with fans so loyal they border on insane. Taking to the stage in front of around 300 rabid devotees, the group set about shedding any lingering suggestions that they are nothing but a My Chemical Romance copy, with a fierce smash of metallic pride. Their songs cross the best of dramatic goth performance and dynamic punk with a burst of electronic sound; they are a band refusing to be pigeon-holed. For a tour promoting their forthcoming album, the fans were well rehearsed in the new material, and the old songs were welcomed with endless shrieks of delight. Laurence René strutted around the stage like he was born there and the audience clearly loved it, as he tossed charisma all over the crowd, his trademark white striped quiff standing out like a crown. Ladies, there is a new idol in tight black jeans – get ready to throw some underwear. Ellie Kumar
My Passion - Photo by Alec Plowman
DARWIN DEEZ: ARTS CENTRE 24/10/10
pits that swallowed up black clad sixteen year olds and spat them back out into the hands of the bouncers. The atmosphere was emphatic and favourites such as Alice Practice and Crimewave were delivered with all the energy and power expected. Ethan Kath remained cool and hooded throughout the performance, juxtaposed by Alice who was every bit the punk front woman her demeanour promised. Her vocals were not always audible above the heavy synth, but she made up for it in her stage presence; making repeat stage dives with reckless abandon. By the end of the set she was bleeding, standing on the drum kit thrashing the cymbals with her microphone. With her white skin and blacked out eyes, which don’t always appear to be responsive to the outstretched hands around her, she resembled the living dead. At the end there were none of the standard “thank you’s” to the crowds, the music stopped suddenly and the LCR went black. The band get their name from SheRa’s fortress theme tune; “The fate of the world is safe in Crystal Castles”. Well, if the fate of the world is in their hands, it will be energetic, chaotic, sweaty and very exciting. Rose Clark
It’s a Sunday and it’s cold outside so a sold out venue of indie kids dancing to Darwin Deez’s East Coast pop looks like the best way of keeping warm. For those unable or unwilling to embrace their inner Sebadoh, Deez’s eponymous debut LP may have seemed repetitive and even a little lacking in depth. Live and in person, however, Deez and his band are a notoriously different animal. With complete nonchalance they open with twisted and distorted b-side Lights On before new single Up In The Clouds gets the audience eating from the palm of the lanky protagonist’s hand. The vaguely vitriolic Bad Day shimmers as if Mogwai had been let loose on it and drummer Greg Richardson fills out the
brilliant Bomb Song whilst retaining all of the charm and Pavement-like beauty of the album version. Both Radar Detector and the infectious Constellations are met with the kind of rapturous response that they deserve, every word being hurled back at the stage. Throughout it all hyperactive guitarist Cole Smith bounds and writhes around the stage looking like the Ritalin-starved bastard son of Tom Morello and Rivers Cuomo; his outbursts of noise giving Deez’s geeky pop the Sonic Youth edge that it needs when taken to the stage. Somehow the quartet’s regular forays into rap battles and choreographed dances (tonight an Enya/Rage Against The Machine mix and a disturbingly good Single Ladies to name but two) fall perfectly into the set, never cringe-worthy and always worryingly entertaining. Deez’s electric personality and flawlessly captivating band allow the set to switch between the ridiculous and the sincere with consummate ease, carrying the crowd with them effortlessly. All of this points towards the fact that Deez is an immensely talented songwriter with all the charm and charisma to grow still further; but like reading the book before watching the film, Deez has to be seen live in all his skinny, moustached glory to be fully understood. Alex Ross
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SUM 41: LCR 27/10/10
Jools Holland is one of those rare musicians whose personality is utterly charming and whose music has the capacity to captivate an audience of all ages within seconds. With nearly 2000 people crammed tightly into the LCR on a bitterly cold Friday night, it didn’t take long before the band’s extensive passion for rhythm and blues shone through, transforming the room into a euphoric trip down musical memory lane, one which could warm even the coldest of hearts. Despite being alongside over a dozen
other members of his band, Holland and his piano took centre stage in every sense. They ran through a fantastic set of jazz and boogie-woogie classics which included Double O Boogie and Remember Me, which got the crowd bopping, tapping and clapping away vigorously from start to finish. However Jools was by no means the only star of the show, and throughout the evening he invited some of his special guests onto the stage. First was reggae legend Rico Rodriguez who performed an unrivalled cover version of Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World which everyone sang along to, as well as singer Rosie May who performed a captivating version of Muddy Waters I Got My Mojo Working. The main vocal star of the evening was the wondrous Alison Moyet whose sultry set, which included some of her most well known songs such as Love Letters and Only You,wowed the crowd with every word. By the time gospel legend Ruby Turner was introduced towards the end of the setlist and got everyone dancing and cheering to her soulful sounds, Jools Holland and his Orchestra had succeeded it making it a memorable night for all those who attended, and every face left the LCR with a glowing smile. Chris Hayward
Joe Dobraszczyk
CHROME HOOF: ARTS CENTRE 30/10/10
Something genuinely terrifying happened this Halloween. Something incredible, absurd and monstrous. The Norwich Arts Centre threw a fancy dress party, where the fancy dress was not compulsory. Not normally cause for concern, however, at this ‘not necessarily’ fancy dress party, two incredibly strange bands unleashed their mind-warping noises on an unsuspecting audience. Sam James Hill, a Norwich based artist who describes his music as sounding like, quote, “DELAY DELAY DELAY NOISE RARG LOOPING REVEEEEERB MANDOLIN MANDOLIN!!!!!” started the evening. A darling of the London and Norwich, Indieweird-but-kind-of-cool-noise pop scene, his
charming performance and musical skill got a good audience reaction. Who knows, one of these days, maybe post-rock ambient folk music will make the comeback it deserves. However the main event of the evening was Chrome Hoof, a 10-piece, progorchestral, electro, hip-hop, death-doom metal disco band. Not yet famous for dressing as 25th century space knights, Chrome Hoof have 3 albums under their collective belt, and grow in popularity entirely by word-ofmouth. Formed by the Cathedral bassist Leo Smee and his brother in 2000, the band have been mostly bewildering people for the past 10 years. For those of you who know the Arts Centre, you may be thinking, how does a 10-piece band fit on that rather small stage? The answer is, don’t worry about the band, how do they fit that much music into one song? Trumpets, trombones, guitars, synths, multiple drums, saxophones, violins, bassoons, two dancers and a mesmerising front woman, Lola Olafisoye, make the most incredible and diverse sound. For the purposes of a Halloween party, you couldn’t pick two more perfectly out-ofthis-world bands. Catch either whenever you can, but when you do, make sure you aren’t on any kind of medication, or you will be in for one hell of a trip. Ed Leftwich
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Sum 41 circa 2010 find themselves in a good position then. Having forged out a cosy niche between the pop-punk fun that defined them and the darker flourishes that characterised their later output, whilst still keeping their fanbase, what they do next is entirely in their hands...
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Considering the fact that the output from US skate-punk stalwarts Pennywise has started to sound more and more like a poor man’s Bad Religion, it is with a sigh of relief that ex-singer Jim Lindberg’s The Black Pacific burst onto the stage. Bringing with them an infectious energy and some top quality melodic hardcore/punk tunes, they do a fantastic job of inciting the partisan crowd. Although many people would have you believe that headliners Sum 41 belong to an age past and relics of another generation, on the evidence of tonight
them to the attention of the mainstream get the response you’d expect, every single line of Fat Lip and In Too Deep are howled out with clamour and conviction. What’s surprising though, is just how well cuts from their more recent albums are received, sometimes thin on record, they become multi-dimensional fan favourites in a live setting.
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Photo by Andrea Lastrange
this is far from the truth. The LCR is rammed and the excitement in the air is palpable, as the lights go down and the epic intro music rings out across the room, screams of excitement pierce through the crescendo of sound and raised devil horns litter the crowd. Strange then that, in the midst of this call to arms from the baying crowd, Sum 41 almost blow their chance to send everyone in the room absolutely mental, opting to open with the downbeat metalpunk hit We’re All To Blame. The response is lukewarm at best and it’s a discouraging start, but the strength of the band’s back catalogue shines through and as soon as they drop bouncy, pop-punk hit Motivation all is forgotten as the floor turns into a sea of pogoing loons. The energy levels rarely drop after this as the Canadian touring veterans blast out hit after hit, varying from the melodic punk riffage of The Hell Song and Over My Head to the soft rock balladry of Pieces. Aside from just providing the soundtrack to a fun night out, these songs clearly strike a chord with many in attendance with tales of small town boredom and disillusionment. The anthems that brought
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GIG-GATE 2010 DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN/ROLO TOMASSI: WATERFRONT 03/11/10
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Dillinger Escape Plan - Photo by Alec Plowman Ascending the stage to piercing synths, album, Cosmology illustrates a more Rolo Tomassi appeared as futuristic coherent, melodic sound without losing soothsayers of math rock, on a mission to any of the discordant hysteria that typified eradicate the lingering fog of the previous their first release. support band. The new Diplo produced It is testament to the band’s longevity
that their live shows have embraced their musical development and tonight was no exception, with the melancholic, yet uplifting Kasia showcasing Eva Spence’s split-personality vocals. One second a cooing choirgirl, the next shrieking as though demonically possessed, the petite singer drew all eyes upon her as she sinuously wound her way across the stage. Old favourite I Love Turbulence saw the front row engage in a dedicated display of head banging that surely triggered a sharp rise in cases of neck arthritis across Norfolk. However feverish the reception for Rolo Tomassi, there was a sense of anticipation building that could not be quelled by the Sheffield mob alone. Two flickering spotlights hung from the ceiling into the darkness, transforming the Waterfront into an apocalyptic bunker – the perfect setting for The Dillinger Escape Plan’s cacophonous clamour. There was no chance of fleeing from the quintet’s devastatingly complex sound as they launched into a set that pitted songs from new release, Option Paralysis against classics such as Sugar Coated Sour. Renowned for the high octane nature of their live shows, the band did not disappoint, with front man Greg Puciato scaling the overhead piping and delivering his vocals upside down, his head disappearing into the seething crowd.
For a band built upon contradictions, it seems fitting that Puciato’s brawny frame conceals a surprisingly tuneful voice and he put it to great effect, stirring the audience into a sweaty and ferocious whirlwind during the climatic Sunshine the Werewolf. Technically brilliant and fascinatingly complex, The Dillinger Escape Plan have been challenging musical complacence for thirteen years. After tonight’s gig, it’s clear to see that they won’t be changing for anyone. Emily Prichard
Rolo Tomassi - Photo by Alec Plowman
TINIE TEMPAH: LCR 25/10/10 Following Ant Firth-Clark’s damning review of Tinie Tempah’s debut album last issue, Venue sent Adam Wedlake to see the man in action and report back for debrief and cocktails; Operation CounterScathe is in effect... Tinie Tempah has proven over the last year that he is at the forefront of British rap and hip hop. Being one of many to emerge from the ever expanding British grime scene Tinie has risen to the top of the pack, both in his reputation and the charts. His gig at UEA was part of his debut tour and a chance to prove that he could live up to his reputation in person, rather than being protected by studio trickery. Pull down screens above the stage teased fans, showing him backstage sipping champagne and revelling in his new found fame and riches. Despite this his entrance was oddly calm, however the air of concentration he emerged in was soon abandoned as he erupted into the explosive Intro. An onslaught of freestyled lyrical dexterity followed, but was then segued into Simply Unstoppable, where lyrical skill
was not so present, being sacrificed for big club beats. Tinie paused for breath after these two thundering tracks, choosing to greet his audience with the usual appreciative speech we have all heard too many times. He went on to play Frisky, however Tinie made it clear throughout the gig that he didn’t want fans to just be enthused by his commercial singles. He explained that his debut album included many personal songs of substance, something he feels lacking in today’s music industry. Such songs included Obsession and Let Go the subtle beats and reflective lyrics of which had the fans standing serene and appreciative. Miami 2 Ibiza, Tinie’s collaboration with Swedish House Mafia, was the storm that followed, creating a frantic mosh pit in the middle of the crowd. He ended his gig with an encore of his number 1 hit Pass Out and Tinie reached out to his many fans, showing his true love and appreciation for both them and his music. Fans left pleased and fulfilled having seen an artist who seems to have proved his worth. Adam Wedlake
Photo by Greg Mann
MAGNETIC MAN/KATY B: WATERFRONT 26/10/10 Stepping into a humidly packed Waterfront, support act Katy B got off to a spritely and eager kick-start, desperately aiming to brand herself the queen of pop-step. She effortlessly sends the eager crowd loopy, especially when dropping her chart smasher Katy On A Mission. She also had an interesting, Shoreditch-esque backing band, and performed a great cover of DJ NG’s Tell Me What It Is. The build up to Magnetic Man’s entrance had a perfectly constructed, subbass led, tension-building atmosphere that you wouldn’t usually see shy of a festival. The stage sported a white-light set up that would leave the most levelminded a bit glitchy afterwards. Then, on swaggered three silhouetted figures dressed in all-black, oozing a confidence which immediately captured the hype of this audience. Alongside them was the MC for the evening, renowned for his residency at DMZ @ Mass, Sgt. Pokes. Kicking straight off into some squelchy
techie business from the start, they seamlessly flowed into Ms. Dynamite’s banger Fire. The Bug, a track from the new album, saw Sgt. Pokes’ vocals synthesized live. Alongside all this gut-wrenching noise, the crowd were treated to an epilepsy
inducing lightshow. However, half an hour into the show and things had become a bit stale, as a stroll through some of their weaker tunes had started to lose the crowd’s attention. This may have had more to do with keeping
their record label happy, but either way something large needed to drop… Forgetting this ‘popstep’ formula that’s caught the majority of this audience’s attention, Magnetic Man substituted their commercial melody for the wibbly, stomach-punching agro music that so many love them for. This clearly came as a shock to the ‘gap-yah’ clique, who were left scratching their heads, but the reemergence of Katy B for Perfect Stranger was enough to get them excited. With laptop controlled music, it’s pretty hard to see how it can go wrong, and considering the talent of these three individuals, you can’t help but wonder whether they are three times as good together. Still, Magnetic Man is the perfect display of how commercial, and yet how twisted, dubstep has become. The future of the genre is uncertain, but it’s undeniable that these guys are heading straight to the top. Ant Firth-Clark
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Next is the album; we have had no idea what to expect from all this, but an album, naturally, looks like the next step. We are going to keep gigging and hit next summer with a whole list of songs, rather than just an EP’s worth. What’s the deal with The Miles Away Project? The Miles Away Project are a very talented group of musicians who I’ve been lucky enough to work with over the past year, for some even longer, but we are working at the moment to properly come together and make a whole album, all names aside. How do you see yourself developing musically from here?
I feel it has been like putting the songs to rest by finally recording them. With each end comes a new beginning, and musically I have no idea what will happen. This is the time I Photo by Nick Warner, www.nickwarnerphoto.com like to savour as I could be a song away, or With the mood set by some and the gloriously heavy Another incident/accident away, from writing a salsa much appreciated duvets Kiss, featuring virtuoso guitar album or a Peruvian flute album. and the captivating Girl in a work from Fabian Chaundy. Thunderbolt with her stunning, Atlas is available now from What’s your favourite aspect of the ‘Atlas’ unearthly voice, Josh took to the Amazon and iTunes. Do yourself EP? stage. He first tackled some of a favour and pick up a copy, then My favourite aspect from the EP is the choice his quieter tracks backed by only make sure you catch him live. of songs. Looking now, it is quite funny to see violin and drums, of which the standout was the clearly deeply Duncan Vicat-Brown how these songs were connected. I will never
forget the dark cold winter in Norwich last year that led me to express myself in such a way. As much as I’m looking forward to the next step, I hope this winter is a bit happier.
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What’s next, after this EP launch?
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Duncan Vicat-Brown caught up with Josh after the gig to discuss ‘Atlas’, future projects and Peruvian flute bands...
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personal Seasong, a gorgeous showcase for his voice (which drifts seamlessly between brittle and powerful). He was then joined by The Miles Away Project, and the gig switched from an intimate acoustic affair to a full on psychedelic folk jam. Particularly great were Failed Experiments, with its breathtaking harmonies,
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One of the many talented artists who currently make up the Norwich underground scene, Josh Fisher has been making enough of a stir to attract label attention. The result of this, the Atlas EP, produced in part by legendary Smiths producer Robert Pusey, emerged blearyeyed and delicate before a spellbound Bedford Crypt.
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JOSHUA FISHER, ‘ATLAS’ EP OFFICIAL RELEASE: THE BEDFORD’S CRYPT 25/10/10
09nov10 22 ISSUE247 REVIEW: Stewart Lee - Vegetable Stew
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After almost thirty years of slaving away in the alternative scene, Stewart Lee is hitting something of a career peak. His celebrity fans, including Ricky Gervais (who, essentially, ‘borrowed’ Lee’s schtick for his own stand-up tours) have been getting increasingly numerous and vocal, and his stand-up/sketch show hybrid, 2009’s Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, was a sleeper hit, despite Lee’s own attempts to sabotage it; in a satirical review in Time Out, which he wrote, he described his performance as “positively Neanderthal, suggesting a jungle-dwelling pygmy, struggling to coax notes out of a clarinet that has fallen from a passing aircraft.” To cap it all off, Lee’s much feted status as ‘41st Best Stand Up Ever’ was upgraded to 12th earlier this year by a public vote. Still below Michael McIntyre, but that’s just the world we live in. So it is with no small weight of expectation that Vegetable Stew tentatively
makes its West End debut. Anyone nursing fears that his recent success will see a turn to more mainstream material can breathe easy; if anything, the new material is meant to test the mettle of new fans. The trademark repetition, lengthy pauses and lack of ‘jokes’ are all present and correct, as is Lee’s habit of singling out one half of the room for special attention. As he is always quick to point out, he “doesn’t have time to work a mixed ability room”. In terms of the content, Lee states at the start that the show is split into three twenty-five minute bits which he is prepping for a new series of Comedy Vehicle; charity, Adrian Chiles (“a Toby jug that has somehow learned to speak”) and the government. Within these topics he covers everything from crisps and Russell Howard to Mothra and teenage mothers (“I’ve been told I could sell that joke to Mock the Week – it shows the requisite level of contempt for the poor”).
comedy This is very much a show in genesis. Though laugh-out-loud funny throughout, it still feels a little light compared to earlier tours. However, this is unsurprising, as Lee’s oeuvre has always been to tour relentlessly, and hone rough material into a final product over time. This was very much the case with his last tour, If You’d Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One, and it’s more than likely to be the case for Vegetable Stew. This is not to say that Vegetable Stew feels sloppy. Lee is a true craftsman, and never feels any less than completely in control of his audience. There’s no telling how good Vegetable Stew could get by the time the tour runs its course. Don’t you dare miss it when he brings it to Norwich. Duncan Vicat-Brown
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Stand Up on the Rise Kevin Bridges played three dates at the Norwich Playhouse this week, with sold out crowds at each. The Glagow-born comedian, a mere 23 years of age and already a national star, is selling out venues across the country in his 59-date autumn tour. He is not the only one. Television has woken up to stand-up comedy, and wave upon wave of circuit comedians now find themselves on our TV screens. Not since the alternative comedy scene of the 1980’s, when stars like Ben Elton and Harry Enfield racked up big audiences on Saturday Live, has stand-up comedy been such big business. If there was a starting point of the rise of the stand-up, it may have been Mock the Week. The programme’s format allows comedians to shoe-horn parts of their routine into a panel-show environment
and has made stars of the previously littleknown comedians Russell Howard and Frankie Boyle. TV execs soon twigged to the fact that stand-up was cheap to film and easily marketable. Vehicles like Live at the Apollo, Stand-Up for the Week and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow have been created as showcases of comedic talent. Like McIntyre and Howard, stand-ups like John Bishop and Stephen K. Amos have been handed their own shows. Bridges is perhaps the biggest benefactor of all, skipping the slog of loss-making Edinburgh shows and tiny cellar gigs that is the path for comedians in their early twenties. Like many popular comedians, Bridges maintains a Twitter account. Since its advent, previously niche comedians have been able to build up large followings, making light work of publicity. In the chummy world of comedy, a few re-tweets
and a lesser-known friend’s follower count can go through the roof and in the world of the pithy one-liner, many gag-merchants have found a natural home. Following in the footsteps on Stephen Fry, comedians can shape public responses to both government and the media. The press, in turn, eagerly swallow cheap, popular copy, gathering tweets and printing them in “Best of Twitter” columns, further exposing comedians to a joke-hungry British public. No boom lasts forever, of course. But with TV companies still feeling the bite of the recession and Twitter firmly embedded in the national media, it’s unlikely the stand-up bubble will burst for some time yet. For Bridges and co., the crowds are only getting bigger and bigger. George Michael
Introducing UEA Headlights - The Comedy Society Despite only being in its second year, UEA Headlights is fast becoming an established hub of student comedy at UEA. Every Friday, somewhere in the recesses of the INTO building, Headlights come together to have a giggle, share their skills, and generally unleash their inner attentionseeker. Within the volume of the average two-hour meeting, a whole host of comedy forms are catered for – the focus alternates on a fortnightly basis between sketchwriting and improvisation, and every meeting makes room for a fifteen minute “Bring Your Own Funny” segment, in which members are urged to share pre-prepared material, be that in sketch or stand-up form. The workshop-esque nature of these sessions means that, if the material that begins life here is well-received, the chances are it will end up being performed
in Norwich at some point. Indeed, despite only having hosted its first open-mic night less than a year ago, Headlights has already ascertained
a healthy reputation for stand-up comedy both within the society and throughout Norwich at large. Throughout 2010, the Norwich comedy scene has been heavily supplied and supported by up-and-coming comedic talent from within UEA’s walls. A variety of comedy nights across the city now benefit from Headlights’ services, listing at least two members on every bill. In addition to this, the society now plays host to two gigs on campus on a monthly basis – the now year-old Graduate Bar showcase and the recently-introduced open-mic night in the Blue Bar. As far as future projects are concerned, the troupe is currently rumoured to be working towards a Spring Showcase in aid of Comic Relief, comprised of sketches, stand-up and musical comedy, as well as guest appearances from any other
performance-based societies they can get their wandering hands on. Ultimately, however, their goal is to take a show to the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2012, although a “reconnaissance mission” there is already planned for this coming summer, during which members might very well have a hand in the odd open-mic night here and there. So, a society worth watching, then? Most definitely. Returning this year with a doubled membership and two regularly hosted nights on campus, Headlights is, quite simply, unavoidable and, like a guilty smile, it’s only going to keep growing until it bursts into peals of explosive laughter somewhere dangerously quiet and terribly public. Don’t say you weren’t warned. Sarah Arnold
* Chavs & Emos - LCR - 10pm (£3.50adv) * UEA Graduate Short Film Show Norwich Arts Centre - 8pm (£2) * Kevin Bridges - The Playhouse - SOLD OUT
-7:30pm(£5-£7)
Saturday 20th
Wednesday 10th
* Foals - LCR - SOLD OUT * NUS/UCU National Demo - London (£5 - includes return coach seat; tickets available at box office, £5 deposit)
Thursday 11th
International alternative rock band Jimmy Eat World will be performing at the UEA
* Kids In Glass Houses - LCR - 7:30pm (£13 - call for availability) * Film - Green Zone - LT1 - 7:30pm (£2.80) * Bubble Flange - The Hot Tub Party Mercy - (free admission before 11pm with flyer) * Fatpoppadaddys Opening Night - Lola Lo (free entry/£2 before 11pm)
Saturday 13th
Friday 12th
* Remembrance Sunday
* Lola Lo Official Opening Night - (doors open at 8pm) * Sir John Houghton, Prof Phil Jones and Sir David King - UEA Literary Festival - LT1 - 6:30pm (£6 - call for availability) * Klaxons - LCR - 7:30pm (£16) * Army Night - Mercy (free admission before 11pm - In support of Help The Heroes)
* Jimmy Eat World - LCR - SOLD OUT * Urashima Taro - Norwich Puppet Theatre - 7:30pm (£8-£10) * Tinchy Stryder Live - Mercy (£2.00 off admission with flyer before midnight)
Sunday 14th
Monday 15th
* Goo Goo Dolls - LCR - 7:30pm (£23.50) * Hamlet - The Playhouse 2:30pm/7:30pm - (£10.50-£12.50) continues until the 17th * Stornoway - The Waterfront - 7:30pm (£11)
Tuesday 16th
* 999 Emergency Services - LCR - 10pm (£3.50adv)
* Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory - Mercy (£2.00 off admission with flyer before midnight) * The Cat That Walked Himself (light and shadow show) - Norwich Arts Centre - 2pm (£5-£7)
Sunday 21st
* Athlete - LCR - 7pm (£16.50) * 65daysofstatic - Norwich Arts Centre 8pm (£10)
Wednesday 17th
* Penelopy Lively - UEA Literary Festival LT1 - 6:30pm (£6) * Steve Harley - LCR - 7:30pm (£20) * Norwich Jazz Collective Jam Session Norwich Arts Centre - 8pm (£4)
Monday 22nd
Thursday 18th
* Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory at Mercy promises a Chocolate Fountain, sweetie giveaways, incredible decor and crazy entertainment. So head on down on the 20th of November, no Golden Ticket Required!
* Christmas Lights Switch-On - St Peters Street and Millennium Plain - 6:15-8pm * Sleepy Flange - Mercy (free admission before 11pm with flyer) * Film - Whip It - LT1- 7:30pm (£2.80)
* John Shuttleworth: A Man With No More Rolls - The Playhouse - 8pm (£15)
Not to be missed!
BRINGING A SLICE OF SOUTH PACIFIC SUNSHINE TO NORWICH the week: Mondays will see the return of ‘TRASHED’, the always popular (and aptly named) student night which has graced our city for the past 13 years. Playing a mix of Indie, Pop, Electro, Techno, Disco, DnB, Hip Hop, Dupstep and Rock there is music to suit everyone. To kick off the night and to ensure that the first TRASHED Monday goes off with a bang onto the Norwich club scene, multi-award winning DJ trio Scratch Perverts will be performing a set of their unique brand of club music. Wednesdays will be dedicated to the ISP International Student Night playing a fresh array of global sounds. With competitive drink deals, Lola Lo are positive in claiming to be ‘the most exclusive international student night in the city’. On Thursdays we will see the return of Fat Poppadaddys. A night of utmost popularity in Po Na Na’s, it will no doubt continue in the same fashion. As well as the night being a great success in Norwich over the past 3 years, Fat Poppadaddys
is a huge club night all over the country including places such as Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge and Oxford. Quoted as ‘quite simply class in a glass’ by NME, expect to hear crazy mixes, dirty indie and dance floor bangers. With Lola Lo having had a brand new sound system installed, Fat Poppadaddys will almost certainly be bigger and better than ever. Last but not least, the drinks! With an extensive cocktail list including concoctions inspired by the Polynesian islands and an impressive selection of champagnes to choose from, you will never be left high and dry when choosing your poison. With private booths and exclusive VIP areas also available for booking, you can be sure that Lola Lo will cater to your every whim in style. We at Venue are sure that Lola Lo will indeed, as their promoters claim, capture the pure essence of care-free South Pacific joie de vivre. Laura Hotten
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From the people who brought us the hugely successful club franchise Po Na Na, comes the eagerly anticipated opening of the Tiki bar club Lola Lo; with chains now open in Norwich, Brighton and Oxford, no doubt Lola Lo will be quick to rocket to success with both students and discerning club-goers alike. As we said our goodbyes to the Moroccan themed warmth of Po Na Na, we must now welcome with open arms (and open wallets) the newly styled, tropical themed club. Eclectic Clubs & Bars, the mastermind behind such chains as Sakura and Embaro 59, took inspiration from the lush extravagance of the ancient Polynesian islands and its inhabitants. Complete with bamboo seating and handcarved wooden decorations styled like the Polynesian Gods, Lola Lo promises an intimate bar and club experience which will transport you to the fresh decadence of the South Pacific. There are set to be three different student nights to choose from throughout
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LISTINGS
* We Are Scientists - LCR - 7:30pm (£13.50) * UEA Symphony Orchestra - St Andrews Hall - 7:30pm (£4-£13) * Children In Need - Mercy (free admission before 11pm with flyer) * Brazil 2 - Norwich Arts Centre
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A campaign poster for the new club Lola Lo
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1: Conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods (13) 6: Unifying idea recurrent in a literary or artistic work (5) 7: Capital of Sicily (7) 9: State of lawlessness and disorder (7) 10: Quite fat (5) 11: Wash by immersion (5) 12: Judean King that tried to kill Jesus (5) 13: 1990 film starring Swayze, Moore and Goldberg (5) 15: Bewilder (5) 17: Robinson Crusoe author(5) 19: 7th largest country (5) 20: Erase (6) 21: Device that prevents vessel from moving (6)
1: Lively Brazillian ballroom dance (5) 2: Draw back (7) 3: Performing in the best possible manner (9) 4: Hypothetical mode of instant transportation (13) 5: 8th sign of the zodiac (7) 7: Science of diagnosing and treating mental disorders (10) 8: A parlimentarian during English civil war (9) 11: Capital of Iraq (7) 14: Entrails and internal organs of butchered animal (5) 16: British statesmen who became prime minister in 1997 (5) 18: Take in solid food (3)
WIN GOO GOO DOLLS TICKETS Grammy award winning rockers the Goo Goo Dolls will be playing the LCR on the 15th Novermber. With a string of popular hit singles, including Iris and Name, and a reputation for terrifc live performances, this promises to be a fantastic gig from one of America’s most lauded bands.
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For a chance of winning a pair of tickets, just bring your completed crossword to the Concrete Office by 3pm on 12/11/10. Name: E-mail: Mobile:
WIN STEVE HARLEY TICKETS The legendary Steve Harley, one of England’s most popular singer songwriters, will be playing the LCR on the 17th November. To be in with a chance of winning, just circle the correct answer to the following question and bring it to the Concrete Office by Wednesday 05/11/10. Steve Harley and the Cockney Rebels had their biggest hit with Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me). But in which year did it top the charts? A) 1965 B) 1975] C) 1985 Name: E-mail: Mobile:
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