Concrete - Issue 258 - 11/10/2011 by Concrete - UEA's official student newspaper

Employability Week

UEA’s independent student newspaper since 1992

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17th-21st October

For further details visit concrete-online.co.uk @Concrete_UEA /ConcreteNewspaper Issue No. 258 Tuesday 11th October 2011

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Campus safe room closed Anna Tomson News Reporter Following increased pressure on university accommodation this year, UEA’s “safe room” on campus has been closed. The room, located secretly on University grounds, was designed to accommodate any student who felt unable to return to their own home. In the past, the room had been used by victims of abuse, violence and rape and was often utilised as a short term place to stay before students felt they could move on to a more permanent location. Up until the beginning of

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this semester, the room had been available to any student in need and was monitored by both Nightline and the Advice Centre of the Student Union. However, following heavy demand for campus housing for the 2011-12 academic year, the Dean of Students Office (DoS) made the decision to close the room in favour of opening it up as accommodation. The DoS has pledged to provide an alternative to the room, but so far it is unclear what form this will take. UEA Nightline’s internal coordinator told Concrete: “It’s a shame UEA feels it doesn’t have the resources to keep the room open.

“Having a women’s room or a safe area demonstrates the University’s commitment to the safety of students.” Nightline reported that in previous years the safe room had been used by up to 8 people a year but that more recently it had been under-utilised, potentially due to a lack of awareness of the facility among students. However, Nightline’s spokesperson added: “Irrespective of its usage, UEA should have the room. It’s not only about providing the resource, it’s also about the safety that this resource represents.” A recent NUS study found that one in seven women aged 18-25 have experienced serious

physical or sexual assault. More than one in ten have been a victim of serious physical violence. 12% of respondents reported being subject to stalking. UEA student Alice Johnson said: “It seems rather ironic that it has been closed just as the Feminist Society has been formed. Shutting the room clearly demonstrates a failure to accommodate the needs of students both on and off campus.” Whilst it is unclear what form this support service may take in the future, the shocking details of the NUS study make it painfully clear that there are students who may be in need of such a facility.

Richard Joslin analyses the future for student occupations

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Charles Crisp reacts to the death of Apple pioneer Steve Jobs

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UEA enters top 150 Josh Resoun News Reporter The Times Higher Educational supplement released its World University Rankings for 20112012 this month, and the University of East Anglia has been placed at 145th, up from 174th in the previous year.

Achieving an overall score of 47.3, the survey shows that UEA is consistently improving year-on-year. The survey ranked 75 US universities in the top 200, compared to the UK’s 32. University Minister David Willetts said that relative to its size, the list demonstrated that the UK’s university system was the “world’s best performing.”

Turf’s Joey Innes-Hopkins analyses the recent bizarre weather patterns

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inside venue this fortnight: • Hannah Britt and Susanna Wood interview Spencer from Made in Chelsea

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• Music review Emmy the Great’s recent gig at the Arts Centre

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• Equus, recently at the Playhouse, is put under the spotlight in Arts

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Concrete Sport take a look at Sebastian Vettel’s second F1 World Championship

Editors:Editors: James James Dixon and Dixon Susanna and Susanna Wood Wood Email: concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Email: concrete.news@uea.ac.uk

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Editor | Chris King Deputy Editor | Hannah Britt News Editors | James Dixon and Susanna Wood

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NEWS

Anna Tomson, Josh Resoun, Richard Joslin, Philip Thomas, Freya Barry, Chris King, Francis Mckeown, Andrew Leighfield, David Murphy, Amelia Edwards, Catherine Hardy, Bianca Hutchinson

COMMENT

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Chris King, Judith Chriqui, Norah Munyagwa, Ciara Jack, Beth Wyatt, Jess Collett, Philip Thomas, Sebastian Crawford, Oliver Sanham

Travel Editor | Greg Lewry

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Kimberley Sparkes, Laura Holroyd, Greg Lewry, Richard Bennett

Features Editor | Lauren Razavi

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Lifestyle Editors | Hasina Allen and Rianne Ison

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Comment Editor | Josh Resoun

International Editor | Rachael Lum

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Turf Editor | Becky Hazlewood Competitions Editor | Sam Tomkinson Sport Editors | Matt Scrafton and Chris Teale

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Chief Copy Editors | Amy Adams and Harry Slater Chief Photographer | Laura Smith Deputy Chief Photographer | Harriet Jones

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TRAVEL

FEATURES

Lauren Razavi, Charles Crisp, Lauren Cope

LIFESTYLE

Hasina Allen, Rianne Ison, Jessica Ball, Ally Kayler, Imogen Steinberg

INTERNATIONAL

Isabelle Carty, Qingning Wang, Robert Norris

TURF

Neil Jennings, Joey Innes-Hopkins

SPORT

Matt Scrafton, Michael Marren, Joey Innes-Hopkins, Joe Levell, Richard Brookman, Tom Shaw, Chris Teale, Billy Sexton, Kris Nelson

COPY EDITORS

Amy Adams, Harry Slater, Beth Wyatt, Matt Mulcahy, Alex Hodson, Frances Mckeown, Nikki Cox, Harriet Smith, Norah Munyangwa, Gemma Morris, Kirsten Haywood

A word from the Editor

What a fortnight it’s been for Concrete. From taking over campus on arrivals weekend, to our jazzy Socmart t-shirts, nervous stage debuts in the LCR and drunken shenanigans on the social, we’ve certainly been loving life. Best of all, however, is the fact that almost 500 of you have signed up, and the paper seems to have flown off the metaphorical shelves. Remember, Concrete is your newspaper and we are your voice on campus. If you don’t like what we’re doing, want to see a new section or you’ve got an article idea, let us know. Finally, Concrete would like to retract the statement provided by James McAvoy in the previous issue, Number 257.

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Future looks bleak for student occupations Richard Joslin News Reporter Government plans to crack down on squatting will also outlaw student protests on grounds of trespass, student leaders and lawyers have claimed. Bowing to recent pressure from the right to toughen laws on squatters, a recent justice ministry consultation paper contains proposals to make trespass a criminal offence, rather than a civil offence as it is classified now. Lawyers fear the

proposed legislation will also create a legal grey area over the subject of what constitutes a valid form of protest, which will be exploited to prosecute students who participate in sitin and occupation style protests - effectively setting a precedent outlawing peaceful sit-in and occupation protests. Such sit-ins and occupation protests have been seen at UEA over the last few years, with the entire top floor of the Arts Building being taken over for an extended period of time by protestors in the 2008-2009 academic year. During last

year’s intense wave of protests against the tuition fee debate and subsequent rise, dozens of campuses were occupied by student political protestors. The University of East Anglia acknowledged the right of students to peacefully protest, but stopped short of fully condemning the government plans in a press release issued to Concrete. “The University understands that many students will have strong views about a variety of issues and acknowledges their right to peaceful protest, as long as it does not disrupt the

Norfolk academics express anger over HE reforms Philip Thomas News Reporter Seven academics from the University of East Anglia have signed an open letter to politicians condemning the coalition government’s policy on further and higher education. They are among a total of twelve signatories all of whom are from Norfolk. The letter expresses a particular concern for the implications of cuts to education in Norfolk, citing that the county’s university admissions are already low by national standards. The letter accuses the government of failing to encourage a culture which values education and “life-long learning” as “a public good in today’s society,” whilst also highlighting the detrimental effects of increasing the cap on university tuition fees, which the letter states is likely to deter applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds. Additionally the letter criticised the scrapping of the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA), which it argued benefitted those poorer students in further education. It suggested that Norfolk in particular has been a “long term educational under-achiever,” and that proposed changes will harm the prospects of learners of all ages in the county. The academics’ leader and Visiting Professor at Kingston Business School, Martyn Sloman, said

“What we have got here in Norfolk is the perfect storm.” A statistical study indicated that among Norfolk students studying between 2005/06 and 2008/09, only 26% progressed into higher education, whilst only 9% of those on free school meals enrolled. This is notable when compared to 33% and 17% respectively at a national level (Source: Department for Business and Innovation Skills).

Emeritus Professor John Elliot from the School of Education on why he chose to participate in the letter: “What is at stake nationally is ‘equality of opportunity’. The cuts are ideologically motivated because they appear to be biased against the value the majority of us place on reducing inequalities in the distribution of social goods in our society, rather than finding ways of dealing with the crisis the banks plunged us into that preserves much of what we value as citizens.” Within broader contexts the letter implies that the national budget deficit has prompted an ideologically driven attack by the Conservative Party against the public sector, whilst moreover it conveys a sense of dismay at the county’s Liberal Democrat

MPs’ support of these proposals. The academics issue the stern warning that the coalition government’s policies could risk ultimately causing “damaging long-term consequences for economic growth and social cohesion,” furthermore jeopardising the UK’s position as a leading global centre for higher education. Meanwhile in response to the letter, two Norfolk MPs have challenged the claims made by the academics. Richard Bacon (Con), MP for Norfolk South remarked that the letter was “not helpful” in light of the burgeoning deficit and overspending of the previous government. Simon Wright (Lib), MP for Norwich South, said: “I’m disappointed by this one-sided critique of the government’s approach to education which fails to recognise a wide range of new initiatives that will help many young people.” Mr Wright notably voted against the rise in tuition fees following a lobbying campaign implemented by the Union of UEA Students. Signatory John Elliot added: “If one believes that equality of opportunity throughout the whole society is at stake then our argument is not very one-sided at all, unless Simon Wright thinks that a pro-equality bias is too onesided for him. Are some of these initiatives little more than a sop to the conscience of the liberal democratic party leadership as it reneged on its promises to the electorate?”

rights of others who wish to get on with their studies and work. We will await the outcome of the consultation with interest,” a UEA spokesperson said last week. The National Union of Students (NUS) vowed to mount a vigorous campaign against the proposals, with executive member Michael Chessum claiming the NUS would make it “politically impossible.” “It will be a fundamental affront to the right of students to protest if occupation was criminalised,” Chessum said. The Ministry of Justice has

denied that the proposals target “legitimate” protestors, with a spokesperson stating: “These proposals are not targeting legitimate forms of protest but those people who enter and occupy homes or business properties without permission.” However, it would be “difficult” to distinguish between squatter and political-activist, housing solicitor Giles Peaker believes. “Is it necessarily for the Ministry of Justice to be the ones proscribing what constitutes a valid form of protest and what doesn’t? The potential for legal grey areas is huge.”

Sex symbol scrutinised in new lecture series

Freya Barry News Reporter Brigitte Bardot, the iconic French actress who starred in Jean Luc Godard’s cult 1963 film Contempt, will be celebrated and explored through a series of public lectures at UEA entitled: ‘French star, international icon: why Brigitte Bardot still matters today.’ Bardot starred in 47 films, worked as a model, singer and an animal rights activist and achieved the always difficult task for any European actor by gaining

success in America. However, as the professor of film studies at King’s College London - Ginette Vincendeau - will discuss in the lecture series, Bardot’s influence went beyond just Hollywood. The lecture will discuss how Bardot’s impact can be related to the development of new cultural habits and social types, especially as they affect women. The series, organised by the School of Language and Communication Studies, begins on October the 13th and ends on December 8th, taking place in Lecture Theatre 3 from 10-2pm.

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Your priority, not ours Chris King Editor The Union of UEA Students’ (UUEAS) Priority Campaigns Poll winners have been announced, in a vote plagued by low turnout and minimal interest. Just 114 people voted in favour of the ‘Stop the cuts’ and ‘Hungry for feedback’ options, which were both jointly chosen as the UUEAS priority campaigns for the academic year. Communications Officer of the UUEAS, Matt Myles, spoke of his disappointment at the low turnout: “We wanted to run the campaign at the start of the year to set out an agenda as early as possible. “I don’t feel it was a worthwhile endeavour,” Myles continued. “In my opinion an

electronic vote is the best way of doing it, but this will have to be reviewed.” With a projected target of 1000 students voting in the poll, and just over a tenth of this number actually doing so, compared to more than 800 last year, questions may well be raised as to the legitimacy of placing extra funds towards, and additional emphasis on, campaigns which may not represent a majority of students. Myles continued: “It’s actually useful that this has gone so wrong, because it has taught us that you won’t learn the information you need from an anonymous vote. “Doing it in the second week was too soon, as you need greater build-up from a marketing perspective, and students are already inundated with information; it’s too much

to take in.” In terms of the finances that will be made available to fulfill the increased focus on the two campaigns, details are yet to be finalised by the student officer committee, and possibly raised at Union Council. In identifying the reasons for the disappointing result of the Priority Campaigns Poll, Myles had the following to say: “The idea that the Union preaches to people and doesn’t listen is a fairly embedded concept, and it can be quite an alienating concept for a lot of students. “We need more direct engagement and interaction to discover students’ views.” Myles continued: “There wasn’t enough of a build-up, the vote should really have taken place in the third week, and it wasn’t marketed as effectively as it could have been.”

www.concrete-online.co.uk Tuesday 11th October 2011 - Issue 258

PhD Student wins story award Frances Mckeown News Reporter A postgraduate student has won this year’s National Short Story Award. Dave Wilson, who is now undertaking a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing, won the award for his short story “The Dead Roads,” which is part of a collection of stories written during his MA year. The story follows two old school friends who set off on a road trip. For winning the competition he will receive a £15,000 prize.

The competition is managed in partnership with Booktrust, and aims to expand opportunities for British writers, readers and publishers alike. Last year’s winner was the British poet and translator David Constantine. Wilson’s work appears frequently in literary journals and he has won several awards, including UEA’s Booker Foundation Scholarship. As described by his PhD supervisor Dr Stephen Benson, Wilson is “a writer, no doubt about that, and he has a voice. Dave is definitely one to watch”.

Lecturers yet to be convinced by new academic hubs Andrew Leighfield News Reporter The changes implemented by the newly established faculty hubs may have been largely overlooked by the student population of UEA, but some academics warn that we may soon start to notice the disruption. Their main concern is whether the hubs can handle the volume of coursework submitted around deadline days; the hub located in the Elizabeth Fry building alone caters for a total of thirteen different schools. To counter this academics have been asked by the hubs to stagger their module deadlines, causing some dissatisfaction among teaching staff who feel it is unfair that they should shoulder this extra work. The place where students could really feel the sting, however, is in coursework feedback. The added bureaucracy of the hubs may eat into UEA’s twenty day coursework turnaround period, meaning some students may face having coursework returned to them later than expected. One academic told Concrete: “We have sought reassurance, and not received it, that this won’t impinge

on feedback and essay marking”. When questioned about some of these concerns Jon Sharp, the Head of Learning & Teaching Services, told Concrete that “We are realistic, there will be things that we haven’t thought about which we will have to fix”. According to Sharp the hubs are designed to integrate, not lose, the services previously provided by the teaching offices. He assures that “people should not experience a shortfall in services; it will just be different.” This may not be enough to alleviate the Union of UEA Students’ concerns, however, who uphold that “it is vital that the impact...on students is minimal.” One of the more interesting concepts behind this administrative refurbishment is viewing students more and more as “customers.” It all comes back to cuts in university funding, which have caused many universities, including UEA, to charge the maximum amount in tuition fees to incoming students. With this increased price tag on a university education it is imperative that students are given the best possible service during their time studying, which is what the hubs are aiming to do.

Harriet Jones Whether they will succeed or not remains to be seen. Hopefully in

the coming months we will see every effort being made, by both

staff and students, to make this new system work.

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SocWeb issues provoke student anger David Murphy News Reporter The Union of UEA Students (UUEAS) has released the latest version of SocWeb to mixed reviews from club presidents. The new version of SocWeb, which students use to join societies and sports clubs, as well as buy Sports Association Membership, has been criticised for not delivering what was promised at the end of last year after the UUEAS advertised that they worked with students to make a better SocWeb. Committees who have spoken to Concrete have listed many areas where they feel the system falls short. One president, who asked not to be named, said: “There is no facility to email all members of our society, which we needed to do as soon after SocMart as possible. And we have no way of telling apart fully paid members

from those who still need to pay their subs.” The student also said they felt more guidance was needed from the UUEAS to new committees before the start of term.

The offending website

Rianne Ison, from UEA Drama Society, told Concrete that she felt this year’s system would be harder to use for new committees because they had not yet had training on how to use it. “Last year, we had meetings with Rob Bloomer to explain the way the system worked, as well as to convey what we wanted from the new SocWeb.” The training sessions for new committees did not take place until the 10th October, well after most students had joined clubs and societies. When asked about problems

with SocWeb, Rob Bloomer, Finance Officer of the UUEAS, told Concrete: “The reason things aren’t working yet is because it ended up being about six weeks late from the web designer and these are all the problems that we would’ve expected to encounter. I know that doesn’t make up for it to a student, but there’s nothing else I can say to justify it.” When asked about the contract in place, Mr. Bloomer said that while a deadline was agreed in principle it could not be put in writing due to the designer’s contract with UEA. He also could not tell Concrete the name of the company who developed the website, however he did confirm they are involved in maintaining it and addressing all technical problems that arise. When told about the problems with releasing SocWeb on time, the anonymous president thought it was “unfair on students that the Union didn’t put a deadline on the project.”

Beetle science: Students’ cost of all you need is love living soars Amelia Edwards News Reporter University scientists have discovered that promiscuous female red flour beetles are more likely to mate successfully in inbred communities. When red beetle populations become inbred, the probability that mating is successful is reduced by 50%, compared to beetle reproduction in places with a varied gene pool. However, when females mate with five members of their family rather than just one – and yes, beetles will do that – the possibility of producing offspring is increased to normal. The UEA team believes this is because the females possess mechanisms which allow them to filter out sperm which is genetically unsuitable for their egg – and thus choosing the best possible combination of genes for their offspring. Following their findings, the scientists (L Michalczyk, A Millard, O Martin, A Lumley, B Emerson, T Chapman and M Gage) went on to

deliberately inbreed red beetles to discover how this interesting fact would alter the beetles’ behaviour. According to their research, the female beetles started to become more promiscuous after fifteen generations of inbreeding, being quicker to mate with new males and doing so more often. Currently, the team does not know exactly how the female beetles are selecting genetically appropriate sperm for their eggs. The suggestions are that the females are choosing the males least related to them and possibly storing their sperm, that the fact that the promiscuous females are mating more frequently is simply giving them access to the sperm which will impregnate them (thus leading to more successful mating) or that it is due to a sperm: egg recognition system which scientists have not yet explored. Whatever the reason for the success of promiscuity, it is bound to importantly affect breeding programs for endangered species. Thanks to the UEA team, we might soon be hearing tales of promiscuous pandas.

Catherine Hardy News Reporter As the cost of living soars, students are set to begin university facing £8,000 student finance shortfalls, according to recent surveys. New analysis by the National Union of Students (NUS) has revealed that for the average student living outside London the gap between Government provided support and the cost of being a student is £8,037 for the 2011/12 academic year. This rise of 10% since 2010/11 highlights the need for the Government to increase the amount of support available to students while they study. With the average cost of being a student currently £16,279, the typical income from Governmentfunded loans and grants (£8,242) is no longer enough to cover basic living costs. Commenting on the shortfall, NUS President Liam Burns said: “Not enough of the student support in the higher education system is getting into the pockets

of students and there is a real danger that the situation is getting worse.” Annie Odgen, Head of UEA Communications, told Concrete: “Any student experiencing financial difficulties is encouraged to see one of the finance advisers in the Dean of Students’ Office. They offer advice and may be able to provide additional financial support through a range of hardship funds. “ The NUS are now launching a new Student Financial Support Commission to perform an in-depth analysis of the costs faced by students and the support measures on offer, to see if people are getting the help they need. Mr Burns added: “It is important that we get a full picture of where the failings are. Tuition fees are a disincentive for many students but it is the support funds available at university that define its affordability.” The commission of eight serving student officers and five other student finance experts convenes for the first time on October 17.

Jazz orchestra to premiere

UEA’s “Duke Ellington” and “Symphony” orchestras have teamed up to create “From the New world to Jazz” - the orchestral progeny which promises to be the jazz soiree of the semester. Audiences can expect pieces across a musical scale from the archives of Ellington, “America’s most prolific composer” as titled by co-ordinator Vic Hobson. From a stripped back arrangement of “Black and Tan Fantasy”, to experimental explorations of the compositional process, there will be something for the avid fan as well as the inevitable convert. The show opens at St Andrew’s Hall on the eleventh of November. Bianca Hutchinson

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An emoticon speaks a thousand words Why language matters Chris King laments the true nature of communication on social networking site Facebook Facebook is a horrible invention. A stalker’s paradise, the triumph of impersonality and insincerity over genuine communication, and a way to publicise your life to others, it’s a miracle real social interaction still exists in the world. I see it as nothing more than an advert, a means by which we can all stand beaming in the thousands of identical photos that have been tagged, ‘like’ each other’s pearls of wisdom (otherwise known as status updates) and talk about how interesting and exciting our lives are to everybody and nobody all at the same time. Now I don’t claim to be innocent in this; I, like many

people, am an avid user of Facebook and deeply ashamed to say I look at it every day a number of times. I would delete it, but I’d feel somehow disconnected, like I were missing something, even though nothing really occurs in a virtual universe, and no pleasure can be derived from reading about the lives of others at the expense of your own. As if the social networking giant which could, in a postapocalyptic vision of our future, constitute the world’s first ‘global database’ with which our lives might be controlled even more, wants to dictate to its ‘users’ even more, we now

have the deeply unsettling side bar. In this no activity undertaken on Facebook goes unnoticed, it seems, so stalking or at the very least obsessively observing what other people are doing becomes as easy as nodding and speaking when you’re instructed to. The most terrifying prospect of all, however, is that Facebook’s power and hold over our lives will only augment, as will the amount of data they hold on each of us. If this doesn’t bother you, then just make sure you don’t reduce your interactions purely to this, the social network. Otherwise in reality, you just won’t be saying anything at all.

Boycott stupidity, not Israel With calls to boycott Israeli goods gaining momentum, Judith Chriqui defends the production and exportation of Israeli products When I walked into SocMart two weeks ago, I was startled and appalled to see a sign that read: “End the Siege of Gaza, Boycott Israeli Goods.” Those words screamed at me, sounding even more cacophonous than the general amplified clamor lent by the poor acoustics of the room. For an Israeli such as myself, I was angry, but I had to ask myself, why? Let me begin though by saying that the pro-Israeli/proPalestine binary is foolish, as it forces people to take sides and submit themselves to whatever fashionable banter is thrown their way. It is easy to do that because it requires very little thought or effort, and even less of an understanding to the situation which exists on the ground. It is for that reason that the sign which was on show at SocMart angered me so. For those on the far left of the political spectrum, statements such as this only add to the current polarization of the Israeli/Palestinian discourse, and do not reflect the real life nuanced experiences of Israel and Palestine. I am an Israeli citizen, and I stand against the occupation of Palestinian territory, yet I firmly believe that Israel has the right to exist – and therefore the right to engage in free exchange of goods and services.

To some, that may be a contradiction; yet was Ralph Waldo Emerson not spot on when he wrote that “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” Should I be consistent only for the sake of consistency? I do not believe that boycotting consumer goods, or the boycotting tactic in general, is going to be an effective way in ending the occupation, and if that is our ultimate goal, we should use smarter techniques, such as informing people of the situation at hand. Or perhaps we could try and pressure our governments (whether they be Palestinian, Israeli, British or American) to take part in the diplomatic processes, rather than boycotting privately consumed goods. Please do not boycott. For one thing, you are hurting the economic livelihood of innocent Israeli citizens, most of whom

represent the political fallout of the boycott campaigns and are just trying to make an honest living. Do you think that US boycotts of Cuba, or Iran, or even North Korea, have had any effect on those countries and changing their course of development? In short, no, they have not. None of the aforementioned countries have altered their ideological convictions because of the tactic of boycotting. That is why boycotting goods proves an unproductive, ineffective, and inconsequential tactic. If anything, it merely fans the flames even more, and has the unforeseen result of pushing average Israeli citizens further to the right. As an Israeli citizen, I can say one thing with certainty: this is a futile attempt to get people to give a shit.

With the announcement of language courses for five year old pupils, Norah Munyagwa argues why language is so important For many, language is a symbol of patriotism and power, without which we would become lost in a deep cloud of obscurity, uncertain of one another’s intentions and unable to express our joys and our sorrows. Being trilingual myself, fellow multilinguals will understand that having another language builds a bridge of opportunities both professionally and socially. The possibility of being connected to another culture in this way is both exhilarating and overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong: English is a rich and sensuous language thanks to classic writers such as Defoe and Shakespeare as well as several historical invasions! With the emergence of large and fruitful economies from the East, the world is now ready to move on from us and embrace a new path. It is this linguistic revolution which makes England’s resistance to languages such an embarrassment. Ironically, for a country whose language is a pastiche of

most of continental and Northern European tongues, many Britons do say that learning another language is difficult, especially when socially, there is no need or use for it. It therefore comes as a positive disadvantage to have ones language as one of the most widely spoken across the world. In contrast, in countries such as Belgium or Uganda, there is a domestic need to have more languages in order to be understood. Again, there is a deep social expectation, a consistent obsession to be understood, which fuels our need for languages. It embodies our cultural outlooks and forms our social identity and its presence is vital in bonding us all together.

Flaws of the smartphone If the bandwagon of the iPhone and Blackberry is well on the way, Ciara Jack refuses to jump on it Chances are that you, reading this article, have just slid an iPhone or a Blackberry back into your pocket or bag. Make room on the bandwagon, because the iPhone and Blackberry have become more ubiquitous than ever. Apple are notorious for producing oblong, touchy and pleasingly sleek gadgets, and the iPhone promises this all within one fantastically fragile device that cracks if there’s a sudden change in temperature, or if you’ve hurt its feelings. Maybe the iPhone’s screen needs to be treated more tenderness than one’s house keys or wallet. It has also recently developed the technology to unlock by face recognition. I can’t cope with machines judging me now too. Perhaps soon it willl open with its feelings on your appearance:

“You’ve let yourself go again, haven’t you :( ?” Blackberries are certainly the more robust of the two contenders, and it is less easy to accidentally hang up on someone by pressing too hard with your cheek. But I suppose my main issue with Blackberry is this: how did a smartphone, pitched for businesses, end up in the hands of teenagers? Is ‘lol made out wiv Gavin wuz well funni’ really worthy of a business meeting schedule? In all honesty, the iPhone is a lovely little gadget and so is the Blackberry, but they are used as status phones. Plus, if you look very, very closely, they both float delicately on a thin airbed of smugness. Of course, other brands of smartphone are available for those who wish to avoid the bandwagon.

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for Beth Wyatt

Simply put: yes, they should have been evicted. After a decade of wrangling between Basildon Council and the travellers, at a huge cost to the taxpayer, the dispute has finally come to an end. The illegal residents on the site should certainly have been removed. What is the point of having a legal system if some people do not adhere to it? However, Basildon Council must accept part of the blame. In 2001, when many families were moving in and planning breaches were discovered, they sat back and did nothing. This meant that the situation was allowed to fester, and now we have reached a point when it is proving difficult to bring the saga to a close.

“The illegal residents on the site should certainly have been removed. What is the point of having a legal system if some people do not adhere to it?” Adding to these frustrations are the High Courts and the UN. The eviction of the travellers was voted for by Basildon Council in March, yet the ongoing legal battles have delayed a conclusion. I do not see the point in delaying the inevitable; it is going to happen, and frankly I think you should just get it over with and move out. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has also interfered, calling the planned eviction immoral, and suggesting that the eviction would severely alter the travellers’ lives for the worse. Professor Yves Cabannes, previously a UN advisor on eviction, said that Basildon Council was ‘abusing the law’. Please do not get me wrong. I believe the UN was set up with good intentions, but it has no right to lay down the law to Britain to command a halt to an eviction such as this. It is simply

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THE BIG DEBATE After ten years of legal battles, a decision has been made at Dale Farm. Concrete asks: Did Basildon Council have the legal and moral right to the remove the travellers?

none of its business. Meanwhile, there are ordinary citizens whose lives are being made hell: the residents at Cray’s Hill being one group. In a recent video on the BBC website, the outraged citizens from Cray’s Hill were able to put their view across, portraying their anger and frustration. The residents at Cray’s Hill are fully aware that the travelling community has always been victimised, but they are saying that enough is enough and the situation must be resolved. I say, this is the spirit that Basildon Council needs to employ within its ranks. The law has to be upheld; it’s as simple as that. You cannot have one rule for one group, and another rule for the rest of us. They have offered the travellers alternative accommodation, which has been refused, so now is the time to march in and force the eviction if necessary. For the residents of Cray’s Hill, the illegal residents at Dale Farm must be removed. The decade long saga, which has come to an end with the law being upheld, will finally give the local community a chance to not only return to normality, but also to rebuild their lives.

THE FACT BOX >> Created in the 1970s by Basildon Council >> It houses 1,000 residents with an Irish background >> Some residents have planning permission for homes, some do not >> In 2001 planning breaches were discovered >> Between 2000 and 2001, English travellers moved out, and Irish travellers moved in >> In 2002, Billy Williams was shot dead over a land dispute >> In July 2011, the Court of Appeal ruled that Basildon Council was acting lawfully when refusing planning permission for the disputed tracts of land Basildon Council offered alternative locations for the evicted residents >> October, 2011, and the High Court gives Basildon Council permission to evict 49 of the 54 families living at Dale Farm illegally

The legal status of travellers within the UK has always been fairly contentious, often provoking emotive arguments on both sides, and the Dale Farm case is no exception. The facts are these: Dale Farm is part of a site in Essex, which is used as a travellers halting site and is currently the largest such site in the UK, with around 1000 residents. The entire site is owned by the residents of the site, who are distinguished into two groups: residents whose homes have planning permission, and those who were refused planning permission.

“Basildon Council are abusing the law and discrminating against the travelling community” The disputed section is a mere seven acres of land which the council claim has been established without planning permission since the early 1960s, first as a scrap yard and now as a concreted area. The High Courts have had to actively step over the years to stop the council’s proposed use of force to physically remove travellers from the site, and both Amnesty International the UN

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oppose the eviction, claiming that Basildon council are abusing the law and discriminating against the travelling community. Interestingly, the press has continually insinuated that the entire community is living on the site illegally, using the fears that the middle classes hold of squatters and shirkers to prevent the travellers from attracting sympathy. What the matter is truly about is this: as a culture, we fear those who we believe live outside of the norms of our own society. Look at the actions of France in recent years. Neither the actions of the French governments, or our own, are excuses for discrimination and the institutional hostility against the travelling community. Indeed, complaints were not made against the residents of Dale Farm until 2001, when the English travellers moved out, and a group of Irish travellers moved in. If this is true, then it is an act of an age-old prejudice against the Irish, and not just the travelling community at large: a prejudice which absolutely disgusts me. I

don’t want to live in a society that thinks like that, and for that reason the residents of Dale Farm should be allowed to stay. We should not let mainstream prejudices hurt a community which have done no wrong. As a final note, 90% of planning applications filed by travellers are rejected, compared to the 20% national average. The residents at Dale Farm never stood a chance.

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Prospects for the future With this year marking the tenth anniversary of the conflict in Afghanistan, Philip Thomas examines what could be in store for one of the world’s most unstable countries On October 7th 2001, UK and US armed forces embarked upon ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’. Ten years on it seems that ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ has proved sadly ironic. What the future holds for Afghanistan remains enshrouded in doubt and uncertainty, whilst international policy continues to be questioned. The devastation of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre prompted then US president George Bush to launch a fullscale ‘war on terror’ and today this conflict continues to cost lives. The death of marine David Fairbrother in Helmand last

month brought British military fatalities in Afghanistan to a total of 382, whilst nearly ten thousand Afghan civilians have died between 2007 and 2010. Often in the shadow of these statistics are the long term effects of the debilitating casualties suffered by foreign servicemen and the local population, which undoubtedly will remain as bitter legacies of the conflict. The domestic authorities claim that significant social and economic progress has been made towards a better future for Afghanistan, with primary school enrolment increasing significantly

from only 1 million under the Taliban regime in 2001, to 6.5 million in 2009, among whom a far greater proportion are girls. GDP per capita has increased from a mere $171 in 2001 to $515 in 2011, however 36% of the population continue live below the poverty line, raising questions about long term economic development. In 2004 Afghans voted for the first time since 1988 in democratic elections, nevertheless the 2009 the presidential election was marred in controversy and allegations of corruption. Paradoxically a viable democracy in Afghanistan is necessary

With Britain having placed last in a uSwitch survey on happiness, Sebastian Crawford argues that every cloud has a silver lining pesky neighbourhood dog who just will not stop barking. It is, however, a bit of a British tradition to whinge and white, just as it is a British tradition to talk about the weather during conversation. Both of these things though are minor British institutions, just as the Queen’s speech on Christmas Day is, or the county cricket matches, or the bawdy nature of the Houses of Parliament. If anything, we should be proud to be British. Our

be a persistent struggle, but nonetheless its people must ultimately learn to embrace the ideals of free democracy and remain bravely resolute against extremists who threaten to disrupt the reconstruction process. Perhaps the kites that have long come to symbolise freedom in Afghanistan, may continue to represent the hopes of future

Down it, Fresher!

Always look on the bright side of life In recent weeks Britain has been voted the least happy country in Europe by uSwitch. This conclusion seems at best a generalisation, at worst a direct insult. As I see it, Britain is the richest amalgamation of political, cultural and artistic diversity existing in the world today. Our political system, which of late has come under immense pressure, ensures that every citizen over the age of eighteen receives an opportunity to vote for their government. Our multiculturalism may be seen as a threat by certain individuals, but that same diversity has allowed Britain to become a melting pot of dozens of different cultures. Where would we be without the local Chinese takeaway? The delight of French bread? The refreshing taste of German beer? Some of the greatest artistic minds have also originated from Britain, both from the past and from the present. Turner, Hirst, Blake, Shakespeare, Orwell and Rowling are a mere drop of water in the vast ocean which is the great flux of influential Britons. To be honest though, Britons love nothing more than standing in a nice orderly queue, and having a little rant about that

to prevent the discontent and political instability that hampers social and economic development, which subsequently is the stable basis for a successful democratic system. If reconstruction is to succeed, then it is essential that stability is established in Afghanistan. Personally I believe that long term peace in Afghanistan will

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history stretches back over a millennia. Without becoming too Imperialistic, our Empire covered a quarter of the world for the best part of a century. The bottom line is we live in a country with a free, national health service, an unparalleled education system and the ability to make our voice heard, whenever we want. Cecil Rhodes once said, “To be born English is to win first prize in the lottery of life.” And that, my friends, is why we should all look on the bright side of life.

Oliver Sanham is swallowing a new kind of living, and finding it tastes better When I tell people that I am a first year, I usually get one of three reactions. First, a kind of resigned jealously from those older students who have fond memories of their first year, of nights out, morning lay-ins and cheap takeaways. Or, I encounter another first year and I’m met with a shared, knowing look which describes the strange and unfamiliar situation we’ve found ourselves in. Lastly, though admittedly the least frequent, is a slight hostility that is summarised as ‘fresher-bashing’, who some older students believe is an inevitable rite of passage. For the latter, it’s sad that even in these young adult years there is still a playground mentality. Even now Freshers’ week has drawn to a close, there should be no more late night fire alarms, or food happening to ‘disappear’ in our kitchens (on this, if anyone knows where my ham is, could they please get in touch).

Life on campus is beginning to reveal itself as strange and spontaneous. It is seldom easy to guess what a day will bring, and though lectures are regular the moments in between are anything but. We are told often that this is our first taste of independence, finally having full responsibility for our own learning, our own lives, but is this first year really that similar to life in the ‘real world’? This new kind of life we’ve found ourselves with, in which so many moments are social ones, is surely an improvement on the sheltered living that we experience before university. Those ‘on the outside’ shift from work to home to work to home on a regular, and frankly, uninspiring basis. Maybe I’m jaded, knowing how satisfying life is at university, but it seems that those on the outside could learn something from the way that we live in our first year, and to that, I shall raise my glass.

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3. Flying tool with a curved shape 4. Fear of Heights 5. 2005 Libyan Presidential candidate 7. 2011 Johnstone Paint Trophy finalists 10. Notorious Italian American gangster 12. The capital of Georgia 15. Author of “Paradise and Beyond” 18. The centre of an atom 19. The longest river in Europe 21. The winner of the 1987 Rugby World Cup 22. The Greek Goddess of love 23. Creator of ‘Downton Abbey’ 25. Former French Emperor 26. The author of ‘Dracula’

1. Lead in the film “Limitless” 2. Female voice in the Shrek tetralogy 6. Type of artillery piece 8. Men’s Tennis World Number 6 9. Alleged anti-Semitic designer 10. One of the 3 Musketeers 11. The writer of Equus 13. The founder of Sinn Fein 14. Probiotic drinking yoghurt 16. A leading brand of vacuum cleaner 17. To put an end to 20. A highly alcholic beverage 24. A country involved in the Arab Spring

Editor: Greg Lewry Email: concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk

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Spend next summer working Stateside Ever wanted to spend a summer in the USA? Get planning, as Concrete Travel takes you through some of your options for Summer 2012 Summer may feel like it has just ended, but that’s no reason to not start thinking about summer 2012 and what you options you have to make it better than this summer. Opportunities to work abroad over the summer months are very popular, offering students the chance to explore some of the world’s most exciting destinations whilst funding your travels through paid employment. BUNAC’s Work America programme is only available to university students and is a fascinating way to experience the USA. BUNAC have been offering UK university students the chance to find casual employment in America for fifty years now and they assist with every step of the journey, from visa applications to group flights and full support in finding jobs in the States including an exclusive jobs database. Jobs can be found on the database or alternatively you can go job hunting yourself. Many students end up with interesting and exciting placements, some of which have ranged from being part of the hospitality team at a posh country club in New York to working for a film company in

LA. With BUNAC’s Work America programme, you are able to get pretty much any job you want for the four months you are there so the sky is the limit! BUNAC have a resource centre in the middle of Manhattan where you can get CV advice, look at the jobs and accomodation listings and meet fellow travellers to explore the States with. For those who are interested in working with children and have experience in teaching sports and other activities, BUNAC’s Summer Camp USA programme is the best way to spend a summer. Working in beautiful surroundings, you will be teaching your activity throughout the day and looking after a section of kids at night. Commonly referred to as “the hardest job you’ll ever love”, working at a summer camp is a challenging yet incredibly fulfilling experience and for many people one summer at camp is never enough. Summer Camp USA’s benefits include flights, accomodation and food, plus you get a guaranteed salary of around $1000 for the summer; enough money to tour around some of America’s great

cities or go on a road trip across the country! Popular destinations include the beaches of Miami and the glamour of Los Angeles. With 30 days at the end of camp to explore it’s possible to see many of the great places that this country has to offer. BUNAC also offer’s a third option for travelling America which involves making a difference to some of the iconic national parks in the southwest of the country. Volunteer USA is a conservation project operating in Arizona, Utah and Nevada, helping to conserve national treasures such as the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. The physical work includes constructing fences, helping with trail maintenance and working to protect local endangered species. Although it is tough physical work, it offers a fantastic opportunity to help make a difference to America’s stunning national parks.

BUNAC’s ‘Summer in the States’ presentation is being held on Thursday 20th October, 5-6pm, in Arts 2.03

Sunny delight in Southwold Kimberley Sparkes heads to the Suffolk coast to sample the charms of Southwold It is October and summer is eking out its last few days of sunshine before the cold of winter sets in. What better place to soak up the last of the summer rays than sunny Southwold on the north Suffolk coast? So it isn’t exactly an exotic paradise getaway but it does have a working lighthouse, cute little beach huts, an awardwinning pier, a busy harbour, cliff top cannons and, of course, the beach.

DO Southwold Pier is very popular with the locals and is always packed out in the summer. It opened in 2001 and has a few shops, a cafe, vintage amusements (which you have to see to believe) and a normal amusement park. The Pier clock is also definitely different, especially when it comes to life

on the hour. There is also much more to see, including a boating lake; a small mini golf course nearby and of course the Adnams brewery tour where you can sample the famous Adnams ales and see how they are made!

EAT You can buy traditional fish and chips or an ice cream on the Pier but it is quite expensive. Your best bet is to have a stroll around the town, walking right down the promenade from the Pier, then turning into the town to find a quiet little Suffolk pub for a home-cooked meal at a reasonable price.

STAY Southwold is close enough to Norwich to just go for a day visit,

but if you fancy getting away from the city for a weekend break at the seaside there are plenty of hotels and B&Bs to choose from. Just check out http://www.southwold.ws/ for more details.

HOW Get a bus from Norwich bus station to Southwold on the number 588 Anglian bus to Halesworth (runs every day) and then the 520 to Southwold (runs Monday to Saturday). The fee is approximately £12 return but it is well worth it if you want to get out of the city and see a bit of the Suffolk countryside and coastline. Check out www. angliancoaches.co.uk/ for the bus timetables. Even if it isn’t nice weather by the time you read this it is still a nice trip in the winter.

“Wish you were here?” This photo is of Sydney’s beautiful harbour, facing away from the twin Australian icons of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. It was actually taken from the terrace of our hotel, the Sebel Pier One, which is set in a magnificent location right next to the bridge. Waiting for friends to arrive, I watched

as the glowing sun descended slowly into the water, the sky painted a deep orange colour. It was one of many Australian sunsets that I saw whilst travelling around the country, but this is my favourite, simply for the shimmering water of the harbour as the boat passes by.

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Il y a beaucoup de monde ici: Visiting the French Riviera Laura Holroyd Travel Writer Located on the French Riviera, between Nice and Cannes, Antibes Juan-les-Pins is a historic town which has inspired countless artists and writers, most notably Pablo Picasso and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, during the summer months it becomes unbearably busy as thousands of tourists descend upon this little seaside town, forcing up prices and crowding the narrow streets and even narrower beaches. An excellent way to escape the hectic atmosphere of the town centre and to truly appreciate the beauty and charm of Antibes Juan-les-Pins is to walk the coastal road that runs along the old fortress walls. The outstanding view is captivating, with its vivid colours and historic scenery. The bars are overcrowded and overpriced, yet nothing beats drinking a cocktail in the “vielle ville” whilst listening to the street musician, who night after night plays the same five songs on his acoustic guitar. The Brazilian

acrobats are never far away from the centre of town during the evening; usually they are desperately trying to control the crowd so that they can perform in the bustling streets. If street performances do not appeal, then Antibes Juan-lesPins has an exciting and varied music scene with its numerous clubs and bars. Additionally, it is home to the world famous international Jazz festival Jazz à Juan. Every year, the best of the Jazz world graces its stage from Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles to Jamie Cullum and Norah Jones, this is truly a place for outstanding performers. Best of all, the tourist office attempts to make the festival accessible to all by selling half price student tickets and holding free concerts in the streets.

Top 5 things to do in Sydney Greg Lewry Travel Editor 1. Tour the Opera House. Like no other building in the world, the iconic white sails of the Sydney Opera House are the global symbol of Australia, and there is no better way to discover its fascinating history than to take a tour around. Tickets for performances are expensive and sell out quickly, so this could be your best chance to get inside. 2. Visit Manly Beach. Bondi maybe the closest and most popular beach in the city, but Manly Beach is considered by many to be the most beautiful. 30 minutes from the Opera House by ferry, Manly allows you to get away from the crowded city and relax amongst the palm trees. 3. Eat at the top of the tower. Sydney Tower Eye, as it is now known, has two revolving restaurants. Head 300 metres

into the Sydney sky to enjoy a wide-ranging buffet which includes Australian delicacies such as kangaroo and crocodile. Take your camera to snap some panoramic views of the city whilst you enjoy your meal. 4. Take a boat to Taronga Zoo. One of the largest of its kind in the world, Taronga (the Aboriginal word for “beautiful view”) sits upon the shore of Sydney Harbour and houses a huge selection of Australia’s unique wildlife. There is a dedicated ferry from Circular Quay that takes visitors straight to the zoo. 5. Cruise the harbour. Sydney’s harbour is what makes it a great city and its two main attractions, the bridge and the Opera House, are best seen from the water. Join the commuters going to work in the morning, take a dinner cruise at sunset with Captain Cook Cruises or venture out to watch humpback whales appear along the coastline.

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Paradise found in Fiji Concrete Travel talks to Richard Bennett, who volunteered in the Pacific Islands of Fiji What did you do in your time volunteering? For much of my stay I was teaching a class of 21 children in their primary school. It was very rewarding, but occasionally frustrating. Building the community hall was also exhausting. Applying the strapping on the roof was a combination of fun workmanship, experiencing painful blisters from hammering, and climbing around the skeleton of the building like a lunatic! Many times I dropped my hammer and felt relieved that noone was walking underneath. Early learning in kindergarten was also incredibly challenging, not just because of the language barrier, but their attention span was about two seconds! It was a great feeling to help many of the children begin their education. Where did you stay? I stayed with a Fijian family whose hospitality was incredible. For eight weeks in Uluibau village, they made me feel really welcome. Living in their house, I experienced such simple pleasures. Half way through a cold bucket shower, it would start to rain, and going to the toilet was difficult in fierce winds, but how many people have a toilet which has a sea view of the morning sunrise? What are your favourite memories of your time volunteering? I introduced “What’s the time Mr Wolf?” to them and taught them a Fijian Meke dance, which they performed at the Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony! During sports sessions, they loved paying kwik cricket. We threw full tosses

to make it easier for them over crab-hole infested ground, but the main aim in coaching a new sport was to make sure they enjoyed it. I also directed Joseph the Musical. I will never forget the first rehearsal, where you could have heard the children singing for miles around! What did you learn about Fiji’s culture? Fiji is rich in culture. The Fijian narcotic drink, Kava, like wine, is drunk in accordance with a set etiquette and in different environments. I also attended a funeral which was surreal, as a whale’s tooth was passed around the funeral party to signal when it was each person’s turn to speak about the death. The kava became sacred. I often went fishing or went to the plantations with our father, Savve. He showed us how to use a spear to kill fish, caught us clams and balloon fish, and took us crab catching. To kill crabs, you pierce a stick into the side of it’s brain! Eating with my hands on the floor at meal times was also fantastic. How did you celebrate your birthday in Fiji? My birthday was a once in a lifetime experience. I wore a bark dress and I said a speech in Fijian and everyone sang “Happy Long life” before the band gathered around for kava and dancing! The next day we had a rugby match and I had the time of my life with everyone singing “Happy Birthday” while I was playing. At the end of the game everyone sang a hymn together: another example of how happy and how close the community is to each other.

Essential Fiji Capital: Suva Population: 849,000 Demonym: Fijian Currency: Fijian Dollar (FJD) How do I get there? Getting to the islands from the UK takes over 24 hours and requires a stopover in Los Angeles. Qantas and Air New Zealand are the main carriers that serve Nadi, the largest of Fiji’s two international airports. Getting around It is cheap to get around the islands with “sharetaxis” and public buses are a reliable option. South Sea Cruises offer cheap inter-island transport which can get busy during holiday periods, but are known for having a good safety record. When should I go? Fiji’s weather has minimal change and is split into warm (November - April) and cool (May - October) seasons. Temperatures in the cool season still average 22oC however, so Fiji attracts visitors year round. Top tip Fiji’s islands are known as the “soft coral capital of the world” and they offer some of the best scuba diving in the Pacific. There are plenty of scuba diving companies that offer competitive prices to tourists as well as other experiences such as waterskiing and snorkelling.

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The rising cost of education Lauren Razavi explores the ongoing debate surrounding university tuition fees and the cost of education The tuition fees debate is one that has caused much controversy in the UK over the past twelve months. The government’s decision to raise the cap on university tuition fees from £3,290 per year, to £9,000 per year was a shock to students past, present and future, and has certainly been one of the most debated topics on the UEA campus since its announcement. The rising cost of the modern degree is a stark contrast to the situation of 14 years ago, when tuition fees were fully subsidised by the government and students therefore did not pay tuition fees towards the cost of their university education. For the 2012 student intake, a three-year degree course will cost a shocking £27,000 before even considering the cost of essentials, like accommodation, food and transport. It is important to note, of course, that the additional £5,710 cost to each student is not actually providing any additional finance towards their education. Rather than upping tuition fees to provide a better service to students, universities are being forced to raise their tuition fees as a result of government cuts in the education sector, the money that used to be spent on subsidising a student’s degree and providing a university with more finance is now being placed elsewhere. The cost of a degree now goes

directly to the individual student, which some cite as a positive notion given that tax payers who did not attend university will no longer be providing funding for university-goers. Whatever the justification, questions of whether universities are providing value for money have been raised within the government, the media and among students themselves given the enormously increased cost to students beginning next year. A first year student on an Arts degree course at UEA receives an average of just nine contact hours per week for approximately 24 weeks of the year – that’s a total of just 214 contact hours every year. Under the new fees scheme, the alarming price per head for each one of those contact hours will be £41.66; this academic year, the same student would pay a comparable £15.37 per hour. Does this seem like value for money, given the hundreds of students you are sharing those hours of contact time with? £42 per hour is the same price charged by the UEA’s Language Centre for one-to-one tuition, and a personal, one-to-one education is clearly not what students at UEA or most of the UK’s universities are lucky enough to receive. Like many governmentfunded or government-subsidised areas, the university sector seems to have been suffering from a unique complacency over the past

“UEA may be known as a leading university in student satisfaction, but paying triple the previous year’s tuition fees will lead to much higher expectations for the individual in terms of student experience, and it will be interesting to see the consequences of this in the coming years”

decade or so, and this is playing a key factor in light of the budget cuts universities are now facing. Budgetary improvements that are being considered and actioned now could have been addressed years ago, but during fruitful economic times, the university sector is happy to haemorrhage money, in the same vein as the NHS and other public services. On the UEA campus, the travel shop and box office have finally been combined to create a new ticket office, something that clearly could have and should have been actioned years ago. Perhaps if universities were better prepared to examine their budgets and actively attempt to turn a profit, there would be greater scope to provide better services for students despite these arguably unavoidable government cuts. The only real consolation for students is that the availability of student loans will be increasing to match the new amount being paid by students – though it will now cost you £27,000 for tuition on a three-year course, money is readily available from the government to cover both tuition fees and student living expenses. Students will also have to be earning more to begin paying back their student loans when they graduate, with this threshold rising from £15,000 to £21,000. No matter what finance is available and no matter what the justification is for the rising cost of education, many students will feel they are losing out under the new scheme, and justifiably, they will be more critical of their university and their government as a result of this. From now on, universities will come under much greater scrutiny for all aspects of the services it provides, from teaching to resources to events. UEA may be known as a leading university in student satisfaction, but paying triple the previous year’s tuition fees will lead to much higher expectations for the individual in terms of student experience, and it will be interesting to see the consequences of this in the coming years.

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The social legacy of Steve Jobs Charles Crisp talks about the impact of the late Steve Jobs, and details the ways in which the Apple innovator will be remembered The death of Steve Jobs, cofounder and technological innovator of Apple, sent shockwaves through the world and promoted a torrent of grief this week, illustrating his overwhelming influence. A college-dropout at the tender age of 20, he conceived his modest vision of Apple in his parent’s garage, later transforming it into an international economic power, albeit with a chequered history. The introduction of the Apple II, the first commercially successful personal computer, was the first step towards the wider dream he envisioned. After two years as an interim CEO at Apple, he officially assumed the helm, which marked the beginning of a technological revolution. In 2001, the launch of the iPod revolutionised the MP3 player market, as well as the music industry with the introduction of the software platform iTunes. Since then, Apple has progressed further with the addition of products like the iPhone and the iPad to its

wide portfolio and has achieved remarkable sales. Steve Jobs taught us it was okay to fail, and okay to have faith in your instincts - true entrepreneurial spirit. The controversy surrounding his stance as a self-proclaimed dictator who adhered to an intuitive leadership style was largely offset by the continuing success of Apple. This faith ensured that his next dream could become reality, and as a result he has influenced our way of thinking about not only technology, but the way we live our lives. Despite health complications, his insistence on presenting key product launches demonstrated his commitment to his personal vision. This example is one of many selfless endeavours that have affirmed Steve Jobs as a figure devoted to utilising his boundless energy and creative genius to change the world, over and over again. His captivating speeches inspired a generation to push the boundaries and find creative solutions to refine

existing products. In this way, he did not just revolutionise the technological market, he refined our way of approaching

technology within the modern world. Love or hate Apple, Steve Jobs’ influence, passion and

commitment are irrefutable, and his pioneering designs will likely shape our technological future for a long time to come.

Help us save our concrete jungle Lauren Cope explores the various ways in which to become an more environmentally friendly and aware student at UEA Many are sceptical about the concept of global warming and are frustrated at the constant lectures about turning TVs off standby and turning taps off when brushing their teeth, but it is undeniable that climate change is an issue in today’s society. Student life contributes and it is hardly surprising with millions of university students countrywide going through innumerable bottles, masses of electricity and ¬piles of paper every week. The threat may be unsure, but there are some practical tips that students can adhere to that can reduce the carbon footprint as well as saving some muchneeded money. To those who live near or in Norwich and still drive to campus – why? Parking rates aren’t cheap and taking public transport can help the environment massively.

Bus routes around Norwich are frequent and direct, the 25 and 35 bus routes being especially convenient for students. Bikes are also invaluable, and one of the cheapest options available. If it is difficult to avoid driving, UEA offers a car share scheme to reduce petrol costs while also aiming to cut down on congestion and pollution from the roads. It also guarantees a reserved parking space on campus! Deforestation is responsible for 20% of the world’s carbon emissions. Wood-based products, such as textbooks, store carbon dioxide for up to ten years, preventing it being released into the atmosphere and guarding against global warming. When books are sentenced to the landfill, they decompose which prevents them from providing this safeguard.

Selling or passing on books avoids this and also provides some extra cash. With textbooks costing up to £50 each it seems the best option, both financially and environmentally, to pass them on.

“Bikes are also invaluable, and one of the cheapest options available. If it’s difficult to avoid driving, UEA offers a car share scheme” The university itself is, of course, always looking for greener ways of doing things, and the new UEA Keep Cup scheme is an interesting example of this; buy a Keep Cup for £5.00 and receive a 15p discount on every hot drink purchased at a UEA food outlet. This is sure

to cut down on wastage, and if you’re a big coffee or tea drinker, it’s an investment that will soon pay for itself. Despite the government initiatives and campus-wide schemes, the ‘back to basics’ advice is what really can’t be ignored. So turn off that light,

switch that appliance off of standby and separate your rubbish. Interested in becoming a more environmentally friendly student? See this issue’s Lifestyle section for inventive ways to recycle your copy of Concrete and start a new green path now!

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101 tips The dos and don’ts of University life Hasina Allen & Rianne Ison Lifestyle Editors

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Concrete Takeover Were you spotted reading Concrete on Campus during Freshers?

For the freshers amongst you: always be prepared for a fire alarm, have your shoes and dressing gown ready!

Always have Pasta in the cupboard; a quick and easy meal.

Embrace University life; get involved with as many societies and sports clubs as you can.

Don’t miss your lectures, when it comes to exams you’ll regret it!

Check for online codes before you purchase something online- save those pennies.

Take advantage of the cheap rates at UEA’s Sportspark, you’ll never get such fantastic facilities at such a reasonable price.

If you don’t have a TV licence, get yourself on to BBC I-Player and ITV player; don’t miss out on the television you love!

If you want a job in Norwich, visit UEA’s Employability website for job opportunities on campus and in the city.

Make sure you get every issue of Concrete, every other Tuesday. Otherwise you’re missing out! If you have a tip you would like to share tweet us @Concrete_ Lifesty (#101Tips)

Have you read Concrete this fortnight? Send in photos of yourselves with a copy of Concrete to concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk

Recycle with Lifestyle: Wrap it up in Concrete Hasina Allen Lifestyle Editor There is evidence of UEA’s drive to become ever more environmentally friendly all over campus. From the Keep Cups on sale in all the catering outlets to the ZICER building

which features some of the most environmentally friendly building design in the world, going green is a growing trend and Lifestyle are jumping on the bandwagon. Every week we are going to show you a new way of reusing your Concrete. This week, why not try reusing your Concrete as

wrapping paper? A single sheet is the perfect size for wrapping books and DVDs, or tape a few sheets together for larger gifts. The print and stylish logo make it a fashionable way to jazz up any gift, and it’s free. Get in touch if you have any re-use ideas. Tweet us (@Concrete_Lifesty) or send an email to concrete.lifestyle@uea. ac.uk and your idea could be featured in an upcoming edition of Recycle with Lifestyle. Get out there and get creative with Concrete!

www.concrete-online.co.uk Tuesday 11th October 2011 - Issue 258

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lifestyle

The off-campus experience: not quite as raw as Fresh Meat

Jessica Ball Lifestyle Writer First year has flown by and in between stumbling home from the LCR, waiting in the cold for the fire alarm to turn off and making

elaborate fancy dress costumes, you’ve managed to scrape a 40% pass and found yourself in your own student house. The new Channel 4 drama, “Fresh Meat”, takes a look at the grimier side of off campus student accommodation. Now

I’ve never seen any Norwich house quite so squalid but take a wander into any area of the city and it is pretty easy to identify a student abode It’s distinguishable from its neighbours by the green recycling box that overflows with cans and bottles. Fliers, traffic

cones and beer-soaked playing cards cover the house with the curtains not tending to open before midday. It can be easy to miss the carefree days in halls with the responsibilities of second and third year, but they can be the

years of house parties, mass predrinks, cosy meals in and trying to entice the neighbourhood cats to come live in your house. There are still the trials of living with other people, noone wants to clean, washing up can linger for weeks and you will never be able to find a clean fork. But you no longer have to sprint to your room to avoid that flatmate or hide your groceries from the ever bothersome food thief. While we do miss having our bins emptied every morning and someone mopping the floor rather than occasionally wiping it, it’s nice not to see a judgemental cleaner’s face as you empty your bedroom of filthy shot glasses or turf a straggler out of your flat at two in the afternoon. We miss the free electricity, especially when it starts to make sense to constantly wear a duvet in the house rather than turn the heating on or when black mould begins to snake its way up the bathroom wall. But the freedom of a student house is wonderful: living with friends is great and you get to see a bit more of Norwich. You can’t roll out of bed and into lectures in your PJs anymore, and post LCR buses are a pain, but more than anything else, having a sofa makes up for it.

The Landlord Complex: New Tenants Know Your Rights Along with the increased responsibilities that are associated with moving out of halls, comes perhaps an even greater test. Dealing with landlords and letting agents. From the fantastic

her letting agent for a working hoover: “I always thought that keeping the house I was paying to live in clean was part of an unspoken agreement, but we weren’t supplied with the tools and when we tried to get them we were fobbed off repeatedly and treated with disdain.” The over-friendly landlord can

to the fiendish, the personality of the landlord you end up dealing with can often seem like potluck. One student, who would prefer to remain anonymous, describes a yearlong battle with

be an equally gruelling plight. A third year tenant recalls a series of intrusive visits and phone calls from his landlady, who seemed to be trying to take on the role of his mother.

Hasina Allen & Rianne Ison Lifestyle Editors

Your Rights >> The right to ‘quiet enjoyment’. Landlords cannot enter the property unless they have given 24 hours notice. >> The right to remain in the property until an eviction order is served. >> The right to receive a copy of a current Gas Safety Certificate from the landlord within 28 days of requesting one. >> The right to be given the name and address of the landlord within 21 days of making a written request to the acting agent. >> The right to know which approved tenancy deposit scheme your deposit is registered with within 14 days of signing a tenancy agreement and paying your deposit.

lifestyle

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www.concrete-online.co.uk Tuesday 11th October 2011 - Issue 258

Comfort foods: not just for home!

Granola Bars A tasty Autumn treat Ally Kayler Lifestyle Writer For students, September is really when the New Year begins. People generally associate January with the start of a New Year – a time of reflections and resolutions. To me, it only means a new calendar year. September has always been the most significant time for change in my life. It’s when a new school year begins, when jobs are starting or ending, when friends are coming or going – it really is quite the transitional period.

I believe these chewy granola bars are the perfect end of summer/back to school treat. They are deliciously wonderful as they are all together sweet, salty and most definitely satisfying. They’ll cure any sadness you have for returning back to school or work. They have become a staple in my family.The only guaranteed constant is that they’ll never be anything short of marvellous. You need this recipe. Trust me. The challenge will be to eat just one! So long sweet summer, bring on the fall time sweets.

Tip: Vary the flavours every time depending on what ingredients you have

Society Spotlight: Baking Imogen Steinberg Lifestyle Writer Do you like baking, cooking or eating? Then you will love this. The aims of UEA Baking Society are to cook, chat and, most importantly, eat baked goods together. Excitingly, our first workshop will be on Cake Decorating from 3-4 and 4-5pm on Monday 17th October in Union House, Room 1.33. Bring your own cake(s) and we will provide icing sugar! We will be bringing some piping bags, food colouring, books for

inspiration etc. but if you have your own or other decorating implements please bring them along so there are enough for everyone. You are welcome to stay for the two hours, to have another go or eat what you have produced! If you are a fresher then give cupcakes a practice in your convection oven. It is possible, or you could have a go at a five minute chocolate mug cake (Google it). Alternatively, you could just buy a cake. It is just three pounds to join and that goes towards buying things for everyone, so you can

Ingredients: 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2/3 cup chunky peanut butter ½ cup maple syrup ½ cup margarine, melted 2 tsp vanilla 2 tbsp cinnamon Add in: 3 cups quick cooking oats ½ cup sunflower seeds 1 cup chocolate chips (I used Reese’s Pieces in the bars photographed) 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees 2. Blend all ingredients well 3. Grease a 9x13” pan 4. Bake for 15-20 minutes 5. Cool to room temperature and cut into 24 squares 6. Watch them disappear!

use communal ingredients and equipment. At our “bring and share” social I brought almond and cherry cookies because they’re super easy to make (even in a convection oven). They don’t require any specialist equipment or skills and taste great. The basic cookie mixture is easy to make and you can change the topping to whatever you like. Chocolate chips, raisins and crystallised ginger all work really well. If you are intersted in becoming a member of Baking Soc email them at ueabaking@ hotmail.co.uk, or search for ‘UEA Baking Society’ on Facebook.

Real Italian Carbonara Perfect for sharing Rianne Ison Lifestyle Editor If you love Italian food and want to master this classic dish then this is the recipe for you! It is quick, easy and affordable and your flat mates will absolutely love it! So, you won’t have to go to Rome or Venice to get real Italian cuisine, it’s right here in your kitchen. Tip: For extra flavour add some chopped mushrooms!

Ingredients: 500g spaghetti 4 egg yolks 3 handfuls pancetta, diced 100g salted butter Hand ful of grated parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste 1. Boil pasta in salted boiling water 2. In a saucepan, slowly fry the pancetta in the butter until very crispy 3. Drain the pasta and add to the cooked pancetta. Immediately add the egg yolks and season with salt. 4. Stir thoroughly until you have a creamy texture 5. Add the parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Cherry and Almond cookies:

A sneaky peek at what Baking Soc does best!

Ingredients: 100g Unsalted butter 50g Caster sugar A few drops of vanilla extract 150g Self-raising flour 15 Dried almonds 15 Glace cherries

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease several baking trays. 2. Melt the butter. Add the sugar, vanilla extract and the flour and mix to form a firm dough. 3. Shape into 15 small balls (about a teaspoon of mixture each) and top each with an almond and a cherry. Leave plenty of space between them on the baking tray as they will spread. 4. Bake in the oven for 10-15 or until golden.

Editor: Rachael Lum Email: concrete.international@uea.ac.uk

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The mono-lingual state of America Concrete International writer Isabelle Carty explores America’s age-old linguistic issue - its overdependence on a single language In America, monolingualism has gradually turned into an epidemic. America has become a place where languages are first deconstructed and then discarded in favour of English. At first this statement may seem counterintuitive since America is undoubtedly the land of immigration and immigration is indeed what keeps languages flourishing and alive in the country. However, several generations later these languages have all but died out. English is so dominant in the US that non-English speakers find themselves at a huge disadvantage. Immigrants have understood this more keenly than anyone else and have thus adjusted accordingly. Recent census figures showed that even though 1 in 7 US residents now speaks a language other than English at home, a century ago

the proportion of non-English speakers was nearly five times as large. As the US population grows in diversity, newcomers seem to be acquiring the

national language more rapidly than ever. Political ideology has also shaped the minds of modern-day Americans with an

Interested in learning a different language outside university studies? You can choose to join a society to meet, communicate and learn from native speakers. Several UEA societies have their own language courses, for example, the Japanese society gives lessons on a weekly basis. Set in informal atmospheres, such classes require no extra preparations and give no pressure on how much one needs to learn through each class. Joining a society is a

political attacks from those concerned about immigration policy and cultural change.

“English is so dominant in the US that non-English speakers find themselves at a huge disadvantage. Immigrants understand this more keenly than anyone else and have adjusted accordingly.” Yet it must not be forgotten that America was born from lingual diversity with early immigrants speaking Dutch, German, French, English and Italian, among many others. Therefore, as a way of integrating more fully into the global community, Americans should now strive to move forward to a state where bilingualism is both maintained and appreciated.

Try Mandarin lessons at UEA Qingning Wang International Writer

“English Only” movement that came to prominence in the 1980s. The campaign’s ideological effects have made bilingual schooling a lightning rod for

good choice for those who are interested in both the language and the culture, and will be especially helpful in developing speaking skills. Individuals and groups of international students are organizing different types of language courses themselves. UEA Mandarin is one of them. Arranged by a group of mainland Chinese and Taiwanese postgraduate students, UEA Mandarin aims to provide Mandarin classes and also hopes to introduce Chinese culture to their students. David Liu, the creator of the group, explains that there

is a large Mandarin speaking population in UEA but no formal teaching group on campus. He and other members believe that this absence is a pity and they decided to rectify this. The classes are still in small sizes and therefore more people are welcome to attend their meetings from 6 to 8.30pm on Wednesdays at the first floor of the INTO centre. The learning starts with pronunciation, followed by the drilling of everyday communication. It would be a good choice for those who prefer one-to-one learning in a relaxed environment.

A new global language? Robert Norris discusses the likelihood of English being replaced by Mandarin Chinese As China’s booming economy continues to grow, interest in the country has increased massively. The number of students studying Mandarin outside of China currently exceeds 40 million worldwide. In 2010, India’s Education Minister even proposed adding Mandarin to the state curriculum. Children can learn Mandarin by watching “Ni Hao, KaiLan,” an animation which promotes the learning of Chinese. Parents who work in the financial sector have also begun taking their children to Mandarin classes in order to give them a ‘head start’ in the world of international business. The Chinese government is primarily behind this push to introduce the Mandarin language worldwide. Over the last six years the UK has seen a rise in the number of ‘Confucius Institutes’ set up by the Chinese government to promote the learning of Mandarin. The demand to learn Mandarin on this side of the world, however, comes equally

matched in China, where there is an incredible demand for native English teachers. There are an estimated 30,000 organisations and companies offering English classes in China. Between 2005 to 2010, this market has nearly doubled in size and is roughly worth US $3.1 billion.

“Over the last six years the UK has seen a rise in the number of ‘Confucius Institutes’ set up by the Chinese government to promote the learning of Mandarin” So will Chinese become the new global language? Most analysts agree that this seems unlikely due to a number of factors such as how China has adapted to western ways of business and the ever increasing demand for its population to learn English. For the foreseeable future, the world of business and economics will continue to use English as its main language.

Editors: Rebecca Hazlewood Email: concrete.turf@uea.ac.uk

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Students turned on by switching off 15,860 Tonnes of carbon dioxide, 17,074 Flights from London to Manchester or 88 million cups of tea: However you look at it, a little effort can reap great rewards. Neil Jennings from Student Switch Off reports If you have listened to enough cheesy 90s medleys, you may have caught an earful of the 1998 almost chart topping (no.4) hit single from BoyBand sensation 5ive, “When the Lights Go Out.” The refrain, for the hazier amongst us, begins “Baby when the lights go out,” and continues to expound the virtues of a “turning off unnecessary lights” policy. We couldn’t agree more. Welcome to the Student Switch Off! Although disappointingly few of the remaining lyrics so concisely relay our energy saving aspirations, hopefully you’ve got the picture! The Student Switch Off is an energy-saving campaign running in halls of residence – and we’re asking everyone to get down with some energy-savvy actions. The hall that saves the most energy by the end of the year will get a free film screening at Odeon Riverside to celebrate. “A film

screening?” you say. Read verse two, line six - “I can see I’m getting through babe”). Congratulations Nelson Court for stealing the show last year! Even better, there will be loads of great prizes for energy-

saving actions every few weeks throughout the year, including Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, Odeon and LCR tickets, NUS Extra cards and much more! Make sure you like the Facebook page UEA Student Switch Off and join the

email list to find out when we’re dishing them out. The energy-saving actions we’re talking about are just small and super easy. Switch lights and appliances off when not in use, put a lid on the pan when cooking, don’t overfill the kettle and put on an extra layer of clothing rather than the heating. Collectively, this makes a big difference. Last year students across UEA halls helped to reduce electricity usage by over 11% compared to the baseline and saved enough energy to make 4.7 million cups of tea – that’s a lot of tea! For more information and to ‘show you what it’s all about’ please visit the website www. studentswitchoff.org. You don’t have to be a 90s pop enthusiast to take part (the fewer the better probably!), but it would be great if you could turn the lights off (and all the rest of it) when you’re going out.

Facts on the Student Switch Off >> Student Switch off is a not-for-profit campaign run through a Community Interest Company >> Winners of the 2011 People and Environment Achievement Awards for the Best Energy Saving Idea >> Finalist in the 2011 Climate Week Awards for the Best Campaign category >> The campaign will be running at 43 UK universities this academic year

Climate chaos or climate change? An Indian summer, icy winter and rowing to the North Pole, Joey Innes-Hopkins reports on the record breaking temperatures Once again the weather in the British Isles has been unpredictable to say the least and suspicions of global warming are resurfacing. We were blessed with pre-season sun and warmth in April and a mediocre summer of dry days but nothing to report home about. Last week we were getting excited about an Indian summer style heat wave only to be plunged straight back into what seems to be the beginning of winter, complete with the first snowfall on the Scottish Highlands. It must be non-stop at the Met Office just to keep up with it all. Last week was a week of sizzling record breakers. The highest ever 29th September temperature of 28.8C was at Kew Gardens last Thursday, surpassing the 1985 mark of 27.8C at York. Cambridge set a new record temperature for 30th September on Friday reaching 29.2C, beating the previous high set at Maidenhead, Berkshire, in

1908. And the heat was turned up again on the first day of October with a high of 30C at RAF Finningley, Yorkshire, a 0.6C increase on the previous record in 1985 at March, Cambridgeshire. A national record was even broken in Wales with an almost tropical 28.2C in Hawarden, Flintshire, compared to the 26.4C high set on 1 October 1985 in Ruthin, Denbighshire. Here in Norwich, temperatures on 1 and 2 of October reached a respectable 28C. The topsy turvy weather has confused sheep at a farm in Devon, and you can hardly blame them. Five ‘spring’ lambs have been born in the last week at Riddlecombe, because the uncharacteristic heat in April caused the flock to think summer had arrived and they mated five months early. To raise awareness of melting ice in the Arctic and ongoing climate change, a crew of six, led by Scotsman Jock Wishart,

set themselves the challenge to ‘Row to the Pole’. They were met by surprising amounts of open water due to the disintegration of the ice sheets and finished their 450 mile journey to the 1996 Magnetic North Pole in just 33 days, arriving on 31 August. Timothy Osbourne, Lecturer in Climate Change in ENV, expects that “the key factor in causing this heatwave was the atmospheric circulation, with high pressure to our east and strong air flow from the south bringing very warm air from lower latitudes.” There were probably some more intricate details influencing the particular magnitude of this warm spell, but a meteorologist would be needed to identify these. Will climate change provide us with future years of unseasonal basking in the square? At present, Tim says there is nothing to indicate whether or not similar patterns of atmospheric circulation will become more or less frequent

with climate change. However interestingly enough, it appears that global warming did indeed make some contribution to the particular warmth we experienced during this weather event. Based on findings from past research, Professor Osbourne believes that if we had experienced the same atmospheric circulation pattern one hundred years ago, “It would have still been a heatwave, but it probably would have been about 1 degree Celcius cooler. So still a heatwave, but perhaps not a record-breaking heatwave”

Wherever we point the finger of suspicion, the outcome is the same; it is clear that the global climate is changing and patterns and trends here in the UK are being replaced by extremes and freak weather events. The Met Office has already warned of another bitter winter ahead, but at least this year we’ll be prepared for it. While most of us were making the most of the unseasonal sunshine, Norfolk County Council was restocking its grit supplies with 20,000 tonnes of salt. Jack Frost, we’re ready for you.

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Mazes It couldn’t be easier. Find your way from the left to the middle on the first maze, and left to right on the second.

sport Editors’ Column

Despite England being knocked out of the Rugby World Cup by the French, their tournament will be remembered for a series of misdemeanours. The ill-mannered behaviour from the England squad includes an alcohol-fuelled visit to a “dwarf-throwing” bar, crude taunting of a young barmaid as well as a fine for wearing a “sponsored mouth guard”, and on-field suspension for dangerous tackling. On the subject of on-field issues; England never really looked like world-beaters, despite winning all four group games. As our international footballers can testify, a lacklustre approach at a major international tournament will make such controversial stories as mentioned above seem far less defensible than had they swept their opponents away with consummate ease. Unfortunately, it seems the “what happens on tour, stays on tour” attitude - which is deemed acceptable for club rugby players - has been adopted by the national side despite them being in full glare of the country’s media. Before getting carried away with moral righteousness, it should be pointed out that the sensationalist tone emanating from our national newspapers has certainly over-exaggerated the stories, and it’s not just the tabloids who are to blame. Perhaps the players should have been more restrained in their conduct? Nevertheless, the media have certainly examined their actions far too closely under the microscope. Naturally, their actions will be compared to those of our multi-millionaire footballers, who can be similarly inclined to behave in such a manner. Unfortunately for the rugby guys, there’s only one winner in that contest. Matt Scrafton

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So You Think You Know Capoeira?

Michael Marren Sports Correspondent Chances are you probably don’t know capoeira. Unless you have ever practiced it yourself, capoeira is likely to be something of a mystery to you. Some may have come across it in a movie (anyone who’s seen “Ocean’s

Twelve” should be familiar), or perhaps in the “Tekken” series of video games. To the uninitiated, capoeira is a game that incorporates elements of martial arts, dance and music. However, this is a simplistic description of an art form that has hundreds of years of history behind it. Originating in Brazil, capoeira was pioneered by the descendants

Editors: Matt Scrafton and Chris Teale Email: concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk

of African slaves in the late sixteenth-century. Working in inhumane and humiliating conditions, the slaves developed capoeira in order to learn how to defend themselves. In addition to teaching them how to fight, capoeira gave them a sense of identity and purpose in what would have been an unfamiliar and hostile environment. Nowadays, capoeira has acquired global popularity, and it isn’t hard to see why this is. The dance-like movements, as well as the lively music that accompanies the roda (the circle in which people play capoeira), are an instant attraction to many people. Moreover, capoeira is played with a strictly no contact rule. Techniques are always delivered with maximum control; the intention is to demonstrate one’s ability to defend against an attacking opponent without actually having to physically strike them. Training in capoeira typically involves conditioning to develop strength and flexibility, as well as more complex yoga-like positions and handstands. Music also plays a prominent role in any class, helping to generate energy

through rhythmic drumbeats and stirring vocal chants. Those who train in capoeira can expect to acquire excellent upper-body strength, agility and fast reaction times, as well as knowledge of a fascinating and exotic culture which is steeped in history. Ultimately, capoeira is difficult to understand unless you have practiced it yourself. What is more, each individual’s interpretation of capoeira is different. Some have chosen to develop capoeira as a fighting system, crossing it with other martial arts to create hybrid forms. Others are more interested in the traditional side of capoeira, with its strong emphasis on music and the roda. For those interested, there is a lively capoeira scene in Norwich in the form of Cordao de Ouro, which teaches traditional capoeira in a relaxed and informal manner. UEA also has its own group, which continually attracts new members with its mixture of quality training and a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Anyone interested in learning an unusual, but very beautiful, martial art would do well to investigate capoeira further.

Rowing look to stick their oar in Sports Correspondent Joey Innes-Hopkins assesses past results and upcoming events and competitions Riding on a success-induced high, the UEA Rowing Club has been hard at training since the start of September for what promises to be another exciting year. Beyond the final issue of Concrete last year, squad members of UEARC were still gearing up for the most highly contested events of the season: Henley Women’s and Henley Royal Regatta. Both the men’s and women’s eights made it through the qualifying time trial and the women’s squad missed out on a spot in the Academic VIII Final by losing narrowly to Newcastle University. At the BUCS Regatta in Nottingham earlier in the season, two UEA boats earned their

been the only changes. 6th July saw the official opening of the new boathouse in its phase one completion. The new Whitlingham build will house Norwich Canoe Club, Norwich Rowing Club and UEA Rowing Club. The upstairs of

the complex, intended to house changing rooms and a gym, currently remains a shell as fundraising efforts continue to enable work to restart. Expansion is vital to a thriving and competitive club, and UEARC has recently welcomed many new faces onto the Learn to Row course following an unexpectedly sunny (perfect for barbecuing) taster weekend at the beginning of October. The newcomers will be given a four week introduction to the sport before becoming fullyfledged club members, ready to race in anger. For your chance to try rowing, look out for posters regarding the upcoming BUCS Indoor Rowing Competition on 26th November.

Murray defeats Nadal in Japan

the third set was some of the best I’ve played against him.” BBC Sport correspondent Jonathan Overend described the final set, in which Nadal won just four points, as devastating from Murray. It’s hard to disagree.

Andy Murray came back from a set down to defeat world number one Rafael Nadal in the Japan Open final. The result comes off the back of the Scot’s

place in a semi-final. And the club took three wins at Bedford Regatta, to be matched only by three more at Peterborough, bringing home shiny pots galore. The improvements in the Rowing Club’s results haven’t

victory in the Thailand Open, and continues a rich vein of form for the top-ranked British player. Murray hit six aces and and broke the Spaniard twice, and

having lost the first set, went on to claim the second and third to steal victory (3-6, 6-2, 6-0). Afterwards Murray said: “I played some great tennis, and

Chris King

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Canary Corner by Joe Levell Having celebrated their first league win of the season away at Bolton Wanderers, Norwich looked to continue their run of form with a home match against Sunderland. Captain Grant Holt again started on the bench as City maintained a successful 4-5-1 formation which utilized the pace of the wide players and allowed the creativity of Wes Hoolahan to shine through. The game was never in doubt. Sunderland looked nervy and rarely strung together a coherent team move. First goals of the season from Leon Barnett and Steve Morison ensured a comfortable victory, despite a late consolation from Kieran Richardson. However, a sterner test was to come when the high flying Canaries faced leagueleaders Manchester United at Old Trafford. Despite a side composed of players with minimal experience facing the likes of Nani, Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez; the Canaries had more than enough chances to win the game.

An outstanding performance from the entire defence alongside a disciplined midfield meant that Norwich made life extremely uncomfortable for United when they attempted to attack. The result of this was the effective use of the counter attack led by Elliott Bennett and Anthony Pilkington,

“The 2-0 score line did

nothing but flatter Alex Ferguson’s men and showed that a similarly strong performance against Chelsea was no fluke” who should have given Norwich the lead in the 64th minute when he capitalised on an error by Antonio Valenica, only to see his shot squirm the wrong side of the post. The 2-0 score line did nothing but flatter Alex Ferguson’s men and showed that a similarly strong performance against Chelsea was no fluke. Next up at Carrow Road are Swansea and if the Norfolk team continue this fine run of form, a home win must surely be awaiting them.

concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk

sport

The puck drops for an exciting new sport at UEA Sports Correspondent Richard Brookman asseses the future for UEA’s ice hockey club Described as the fastest, most physical sport in the world, UEA has finally adopted Canada’s favourite pastime by having an ice hockey team for the first time. The aptly named UEA Avalanche was formed in the summer by three keen British born players; Rob Gale, James White and Richard Brookman. Unfortunately, the team was not able to enter the British Universities Ice Hockey Association for the upcoming year so the committee has opted to use the time to train up their new members in both skating and stick handling, with the aim ultimately to help their new players gain experience. The British Universities Ice Hockey Association was founded in 2003, and its first season in 2003/04 was a great success as its then 13 members battled for the right to be called national champions.Now, there are 25 member teams in the BUIHA in three divisions, in addition to BUIHA Cup fixtures. The Sports’ Fair proved to be a very successful day with 25 students signing up to play ice hockey; some for the first time, others because they play in their

hometowns across Britain and the world. A sport steeped in history, ice hockey has been played in Canada for the last 150 years, starting on frozen ponds in Ontario and slowly evolving to be played all across Canada and the U.S.A. The National Hockey League (NHL) in the U.S.A is the world’s most prominent ice hockey league, and was founded in 1917 and began with just 6 teams, known as the Original Six. Now the league boasts 30 teams and the sport’s popularity is on the rise in the UK.

Joining the UEA Avalanche promises to be a great, costeffective way of participating in a fantastic sport, learning new skills and making new friends in the process. They hold an afternoon skate on Wednesdays, meeting in the Hive at 15:30, which is a chance to hone skating skills. Training will be on Monday nights between 9:30 10:30, leaving Campus at 9, and membership costs £5. If you are reading this and are interested in finding out more, search for the UEA Avalanche group on Facebook.

England qualify for Euro 2012 despite Rooney’s petulance Sports Correspondent Tom Shaw analyses England’s draw in Montenegro as Fabio Capello’s men march on to Ukraine and Poland Wayne Rooney’s red card overshadowed England’s 2-2 draw with Montenegro in Podgorica, as Fabio Capello’s side assured a place at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. The striker unnecessarily kicked out at defender Miodrag Dzudovic after losing the ball, and earned himself a straight

red which will now see him suspended for at least the first game of the finals. After the match, Capello defended his decision to start Rooney after his father was arrested on Thursday in a probe on betting irregularities. The match seemed to be heading for a standard away

Rooney is shown the red card after a frustrating night in Podgorica

victory for England early on, as Ashley Young scored within ten minutes from a close range header after good work from Theo Walcott down the right wing. And once Darren Bent made it 2-0 with only half an hour played and the away side in control, it was hard to see how even England could let things slip. However, on the stroke of half time, Montenegro brought themselves back into the game after the England defence had a lapse in concentration and allowed Elsad Zverotic to score via a deflected volley. Montenegro started the second half in bright fashion and impressive debutant Phil Jones survived a penalty appeal early on after Stevan Jovetic went down under his robust challenge. The second half belonged to Montenegro as they showed the

Darren Bent gives England a 2-0 lead in the first half of their final qualifier

quality they have in their squad and after Rooney’s sending off, an equaliser seemed inevitable. It eventually came in the 90th minute when Andrija Delibasic was able to head in from close range after a cross from Manchester City defender Stefan Savic. Montenegro fully deserved

their draw for an excellent second half display that revealed glaring weaknesses in the England side and left Capello with question marks regarding his next team selection. Despite England’s qualification, they now face the prospect of missing their star man for the beginning of Euro 2012.

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www.concrete-online.co.uk Tuesday 11th October 2011 - Issue 258

INTERVIEW: Chris Sutton

Sport editors Chris Teale and Matt Scrafton talk to former Premier League and Canaries striker Chris Sutton

The former Premier League footballer had an illustrious career in both England and Scotland having started his career as a trainee at Norwich City in the early 1990s. He gained

fame for his famous ‘SAS’ strike partnership with Alan Shearer at Blackburn Rovers, but also courted controversy when he refused former England manager Glenn Hoddle’s selection of him for an England B game before the 1998 World Cup.

“The England thing is something I deeply regret now. Though at the time I felt I was justified in what I did, it was a hot-headed decision and was something I certainly shouldn’t have done.” Now, he is back in Norwich promoting his new book “Paradise and Beyond,” and while he was unsurprisingly happy to talk about the successes in his career, he was also very candid about his regrets, in particular his refusal to play for Hoddle’s England B side. Sutton spoke first about the highlight of his career, and mentioned winning the Premier League in the 1994-95 season, in which he scored 15 league goals, but was also keen to give credit to Martin O’Neill for his time at Celtic, where he formed a deadly partnership with Henrik Larsson. Sutton said: “I think winning the Premiership with Blackburn

would be a highlight in terms of what I won, but I also enjoyed playing at a lot of the clubs. I didn’t finish my career at Celtic, but the five years I had up there under Martin O’Neill, after a

pretty indifferent year to say the least at Chelsea were great. I knew the game better then, and I really enjoyed my football up there.” Having said this, the Canaries academy product was then also surprisingly open to talk about his big career regret: refusing to play for England B under Glenn Hoddle in the late-1990s. “The England thing is something I deeply regret now. Though at the time I felt I was justified in what I did, it was a hot-headed decision and was something I certainly shouldn’t have done.” It was very refreshing to hear a former player talk so openly about the mistakes they made during their career. Sutton spoke of his anger at not being selected for the full England side, but how this anger lessened with reflection. Sutton began his career in 1991 at Norwich City having come through their apprenticeship scheme, and reserved a large amount of praise both for the then-manager of the Canaries, Dave Stringer, and their current manager, former Celtic teammate Paul Lambert. Sutton said: “I’m always grateful for the start Norwich gave me. I talk about the enjoyment I had at Celtic, but I was young and free [at Norwich]. I came through the youth team and a two-year apprenticeship, and I was very

lucky to go into the team and play with so many good, experienced players, and I felt being brought up at Norwich with the type of football they played, and some of the players I played with, was

really crucial to the development of my career. “I think Paul Lambert has done an incredible job. I’ve said many times I don’t think Norwich are a Division One club, far from it. But the way the financial markets are in the game, getting out of the Championship in one year and coming into the Premiership, they’ve done incredibly well. He’s recruited players in who have got real freedom about themselves and don’t have bad experience of the Premiership, which is a good thing.” Having finished his playing career, Sutton first tried his hand at management in the 200910 season at Lincoln City, and despite an impressive run in the FA Cup and keeping the Imps in the Football League, he resigned, citing personal reasons. However,

it is clear that he is still keen to have a career in management, but only if the right position is available. He said: “I’m doing my ProLicence now, but I’m not in a mad rush to get back in. If something came up that I fancied I would consider it. I’ve got a young family at the moment, so that’s something I have to consider. But if the right opportunity came up I’d take it.” Sutton finished his interview with more reflections on his career, in particular the strike partner he most enjoyed playing alongside throughout his time in football. Despite having played with such illustrious names as Alan Shearer, George Weah and Gianfranco Zola, Sutton was unequivocal in his response of Henrik Larsson. Sutton added: “I was very fortunate at different times, but I just felt Larsson could do everything. He could score goals, hold the ball up, if he dropped deep he had pace and he was phenomenal in the air. His international record was incredible, and playing at Celtic alongside him was a really great experience for me.” With this, the interview was concluded, and Sutton seemed like a man comfortable with the media attention. His willingness to talk about the regrets he has from his long playing career was particularly refreshing. Sutton rightly takes his place as one of the best English strikers in the modern era after such an impressive goalscoring record throughout his career. It is clear from this interview that while he has achieved great things, he will always remember where he began at Norwich City.

Phenomenal France knock flailing England out of World Cup Billy Sexton Sports Correspondent An inspired French performance and basic errors from England meant that Martin Johnson’s men crashed out of the World Cup, 1912 the final result in Auckland. Going into the quarter-finals, England hadn’t had the best set of results in the group stages, while France hadn’t had the easiest time in the pools either. They suffered at the hands of the All Blacks and, embarrassingly, Tonga, in the upset of the tournament so far.

Despite England starting strongly, France put the first points on the scoreboard with a penalty from Dmitri Yachvili, as they began to take control. A sloppy English side were struggling against a strong French team who looked completely different to the side that were humiliated just a week earlier. A lineout steal allowed Vincent Clerc to score the first try of the game, giving his team an 11-point advantage just 20 minutes into the match. Maxime Memard added a further five points as a shambolic English defence struggled to cope. Moments of incentive came, but hesitation inside the French 22m meant England were unable to get on the score sheet until the 55th minute when a converted try from Ben Foden provided a glimmer of hope. Despite threatening a comeback in the final 20 minutes (with a Mark Cueto try in the 76th), England had clearly left it too late; a solid defensive display from France and a Trinh-Duc drop goal meant that they took a deserved victory to reach their sixth semi-final in seven tournaments. France will now face Wales for a place in the final after they beat Ireland 22-10 at Wellington.

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issue258 11october2011

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UEAsport

>> Ice Hockey club preview | p26 >> So You Think You Know Capoeira? | p25 >> In focus: Rowing club | p25

Inside concretesport this fortnight:

• Joe Levell assesses a fruitful fortnight for Norwich City, which culminated in a respectable narrow defeat away at Old Trafford • Disappointing results for England’s rugby and football teams are put under the spotlight by Billy Sexton and Tom Shaw

Chris Sutton talks to Concrete Sport Former Norwich City and Chelsea striker Chris Sutton speaks openly to Concrete Sport about his long career >> turn to page 27

Vettel secures second World Championship Kris Nelson Sports Correspondent Mclaren’s Jensen Button finished first in the Japenese grand prix in a race in which Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel’s third place finish was enough for the 24 year old German to claim the Drivers’ Championship. The race at the Japanese Suzuka circuit was a

monumental event, as Vettel not only won the 2011 championship, but wrote his name into history by becoming the youngest double world champion at a mere 24 years and 98 days. A second title has looked inevitable most of the season thanks largely to Vettel’s blistering start, which saw 6 wins and 2 second place finishes in the first eight races. However, this victory

will still be a cause for celebration in the Red Bull camp, as they have well and truly lain down the gauntlet to the likes of Mclaren and Ferrari and demonstrated exactly how a professional racing outfit should be run. For regular F1 spectators, Vettel and Red Bull’s dominance this season will come as no surprise. A combination of two of the best drivers in motor-

racing (Vettel and Australian Mark Webber), a superb general manager in Christian Horner, and the strongest car has provided the platform for Vettel to dictate this seasons Drivers’ Championship and turn it into a mere procession with four races of the season still remaining. The German has won 9 of a possible 15 races so far and has taken 12 pole positions. Dominance

of this type has been relatively unheard of since another famous German commanded the sport for Ferrari during the 2002 and 2004 seasons. While Vettel cannot be considered Michael Schumacher’s equal just yet, the signs suggest that it will take a massive effort for anybody to topple the Austrian-owned Red Bull team next season. Few would bet against the German claiming a third Drivers’ Championship this time next year.

Got a camera? Want an opportunity to use it? This semester Venue’s front cover will showcase student’s photographs on the theme of ‘Fall’ Email your image, your name and some words describing the photo, to concrete.photographers@uea.ac.uk by November 4th. (Photos will need to be portrait) The winning image will be printed on November 8th and the photographer will recieve two gig tickets.

VENUE

Concrete’s fortnightly culture pullout

issue 258 | 11/10/2011

arts | review the madness of george III | p.14 wired | were at the 2011 eurogamer expo | p. 17

Photo by Laura Smith

music | went to see enter shikari | p. 4

All the ingredients for one meal just at the click of a button!

Want to be part of a food revolution? At The I Way we know food matters. That’s why we’ve created a world first with our ‘ingredients only meals’. Now you can enjoy home-cooked and locally bought food that doesn’t involve hours trawling the shops. It’s the intelligent way to eat, bringing you everything you need to make a delicious meal, fast. Just choose what you want online and you can collect your ingredients from a convenient spot on campus. You’ll get exactly what you need with no waste so it’s easy on the purse strings too. Just follow the recipe card and in minutes you’re tucking in to a guilt-free meal that hasn’t stomped its huge carbon footprint all over the country. Everything we sell is bought locally so we’re doing our bit for the environment – even our van is electric. It’s fresh food with a conscience that puts you in control. You can even collect from us one day and keep it in the fridge for the next day. We’ve got something for everyone and change our menu regularly with sneak previews of what’s on offer the following week so you can plan ahead. We’re always trying new recipes and each one is tested on The I Way team to make sure they taste great. You can also see a list of our suppliers online and tuck in knowing your meal hasn’t collected hundreds of food miles. Our vouchers mean you can stock up when you’ve got some spare cash and if you open an account with us you start earning loyalty points as soon as you order your first meal. Make your way to the The I Way and see what we’ve got to offer at www.theiway.co.uk. Just a few clicks and you could have fantastic, hassle-free food that won’t cost the earth.

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VENUE CONTENTS

ssue 258 | 11.10.2011 ditor-in-Chief | Chris King | concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk

enue Editor | Alex Throssell | concrete.event.uea.ac.uk It’s an ill-advised, yet self-confessed character flaw of mine to make small talk about the weather. Despite it being quite awkward for everyone involved, it still needs to be said that the weather has been ridiculous recently. Sweltering heat followed by gale-force winds and incongruous April showers have frankly...well...actually only minorly inconvenienced us...but it’s still not cool, its either autumn or summer, it can’t be a weird hybrid of the two: make your mind up Mother Earth. One thing I’ve made up my mind about though, and one thing that’s a damn sight better than that tenuous link, is our new issue of Venue. Loads of new writers, exciting articles and some top-notch photography made this issue a pleasure to read and, despite some brief moments when Arts’ review of The Madness of George III resonated a little too well, a pleasure to edit too, so I hope you enoy it as much as I did. Oh, and one last thing, if any of you were particularly captivated by the photography from Music’s Taking Back Sunday review last issue, then I am forever indebted to the unmeasurably lovely Milly Sampson to whom I forgot to credit, my apologies and your praise should go out to her eternally. Now, turn the page before I keep on talking...

concrete.music@uea.ac.uk | Editors | Alex Ross & Jordan Bright Music Contributors> Hayden East, Seb Crane, Joe Fitzsimmons, Hannah Lockier, Sam Warner, Lorna MacKinnon, Patrick Oddi, Ellie Kumar, Cheri Amour, George Hamilton-Jones, Alex Ross.

Alex

concrete.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk | Editor | Ella Chappell Creative Writing Contributors> Emma Webb, Stephen Pester, Rachael Lum, Christopher Ogden. concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk | Editors | Hannah Britt & Milly Sampson Fashion Contributors> Hannah Britt, Suze Wood, Josie Lister, Chris Young. concrete.tv@uea.ac.uk | Editor | Matt Tidby TV Contributors> Matt Tidby, James Sykes, Kate Duckney

concrete.wired@uea.ac.uk | Editor | Josh Mott Wired Contributors> Josh Mott, Richard Joslin, Timothy Bates, Oliver Balaam, Theo Cresswell, Joe Fitzsimmons. concrete.film@uea.ac.uk | Editors | James Burrough & Anna Eastick Film Contributors> Radosava Radulovic, Joseph Murphy, Tom Moore, Rachel Greene-Taylor, A.J. Hodson, Claire Sansgter, Ellissa Chilley, Tom White, Julia Sanderson

Photo by Harriet Jones

concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk | Editor | Emma Webb Arts Contributors> Emma Webb, Imogen Steinberg, Sarah Boughen.

MUSIC

11.10.2011

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LIVE REVIEWS

Emmy The Great

Enter Shikari

Norwich Arts Centre 30.09.2011

iven the recent popularity of the indie-folk scene (see Laura Marling, Mumford and Sons, etc.) it remains a puzzle how Emmy The Great is yet to win over the masses. Despite this, a varied but dedicated fanbase easily fills the humble sized Arts Centre. A lone Emma-Lee Moss set the tone of the night by commencing with the short acapella song Eastern Maria before her touring band accompany her on stage. It’s not so much a brave introduction as an affirmation of her effortless vocal range and beautifully pure delivery. It doesn’t take long before everyone inside the Arts Centre realizes the appropriateness of the venue. Originally St. Swithin’s Church, the acoustics greatly enhance Moss’ powerful voice, especially when delivering the tender chorus of upcoming single Paper Forest. The haunting Trellick Tower also establishes the parallels between the religious themes throughout her latest album Virtue and the original purpose of the building. After a short burst of songs, even Moss comments “this is one

UEA LCR 05.10.2011

of my favourite venues”. Although the band serves to flesh out her older, more acoustic material, the synthesizers lack the punch from the studio versions of newer tracks such as Creation. In fact, it seems as though Moss shouldn’t be so dependent on them, such is the air of confidence that she possesses. She endearingly breezes through the majority of her work at a more increased pace than on record to great effect, particularly on Canopies and Drapes, and Exit Night, both of which are transformed into Mumfordsized folk hits. As her encore comes to a close, Moss dedicates Edward Is Dedward to two girls who “made a pilgrimage” to honour their best friend’s favourite song. Performed with a noticeable degree of emotion, it’s a fitting tribute, and as a young couple embrace, nestled in one of the alcoves in the walls, the audience feel as though, given the nature of the venue, they’ve witnessed something a little more special than the “average gig”. Hayden East

onight, there is every reason to the venue early, as Letlive, one of the most talked about hardcore bands at the moment, prepare for the first of two confirmed UEA appearances. Their fastpaced progressive hardcore sound and much talked about intense live performances have propelled them to a slot on the Kerrang! Tour. The band enter the stage with a buzz of anticipation from a packed out crowd as the Los Angeles five piece launch into album, Fake History’s opening track where lead singer Jason Butler propels himself into the audience. This is followed by The Sick, Sick, 6.8 Billion in which he continues his incessant carnage on stage, screaming his vocals; a constant feature throughout. An exhilarating, high energy set comes to an end with Casino Columbus, certain to increase their ever growing fanbase. The second support band from St Albans is another hardcore outfit,Your Demise. They keep the crowd entertained well but lack the cutting edge shown by Letlive, and fail to distinguish themselves from many hardcore bands around at the moment.

Finally, headliners Enter Shikari take to the stage, immediately bursting into their 2010 single, Destabilise followed by fan favourite, Mothership mixed with their recent dubstep intro. “We’re Enter Shikari and we’ve been abusing music genres worthless boundaries since 2003”, vocalist Rou declares before continuing their set made up of songs taken from their two albums including old favourites such as No Sssweat and Sorry You’re Not a Winner which keep the packed out crowd moving throughout. New single, the “punknatious” Sssnakepit, a pre-release to the forthcoming album with expected release date in January 2012 gets a massive crowd reaction. As does Arguing with Thermometers, with its mix of high energy rock, pop, dance and dubstep beats, heavy riffs and hardcore vocals. Finally, set closer OK! Time for Plan B is greeted with an insane light display and mass fog from the dry ice machine which was used throughout, leaving the exhausted, sweat ridden crowd greatly anticipating the new album. Seb Crane

11.10.2011

MUSIC

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LIVE REVIEWS

Kids In Glass Houses | UEA LCR | 02.10.2011

here is a definite age gap in the LCR tonight. The dance floor is packed with people not quite old enough to get away with a fake ID yet, whilst the surrounding steps are filled with the “older” generation, most likely their parents, clutching a drink, looking slightly bored, slightly bewildered, just waiting for when the time comes to drive their children back home again so they can be up in time for school tomorrow. Newport’s Save Your Breath are up first. Their generic pop-punk is functional, if forgettable. The kids seem to like them though, and they generate more movement

than your average opening band, even if their attempt at starting a circle pit is short lived. Next up is Crewe’s Blitz Kids. They fare a bit better, mixing up the standard poppunk format to create something with a bit more musical depth and excitement. They do, however, bear more than a passing resemblance to tonights headline act, which distracts from their desperate attempts to get the crowd involved. Unfortunately, Oxford’s Francesqa suffer the same problem, and whilst the crowd are warming to their pop rock sound, you can’t help but see that most in the room are just

waiting patiently for the real thing. When Kids In Glass Houses do arrive, they take to the stage in an explosion of techno, neon, strobe lighting and screams so high pitched they just might shatter the windows. Launching straight into the title track of their new album In Gold Blood lead singer Aled Phillips has the young crowd in the palm of his hand, as the band power through Youngblood (Let It Out), Undercover Lover and Teenage Wonderland without pause for breath. Things start to falter as new songs The Florist and Animals are brought out and the audiences interest starts to wane, but

Benjamin Francis Leftwich Norwich Arts Centre 30.09.2011

Photo by Lizzy Margereson

ame: Ben. Gender: Male. Age: 22. Smoker? Yes. These generic facts could indeed relate to any old Ben, but this Ben is different. First things first he goes by Benjamin, and most importantly he has a mind blowing talent that allows him to silence a room, not with awkwardness but with anticipation. While standing amidst the crowd everyone seemed content: there was no shouting, no hustling, no bustling, and no loose teenagers running around by your feet buzzing off a J20. Fairy lights sit at the back of stage, clouds of dry ice induced smoke float across the stage floor. The lights give a delicate glow to the arches that give The Arts Centre its effortless character.

When Benjamin steps out onto the stage, the feeling is similar to that if your best friend had walked up to the platform, after not seeing each other for what feels like years. Opening with the first track on the album 1904, he not only holds the floor, but the walls, the staging and the lightbulbs. After a brief introduction he follows into the ever heart chilling Pictures. It’s clear that not only can this young twenty-something man sing exquisitely, but that he has the ability to tell a story, and one that the whole audience can empathise with. If tears were to well-up anytime during this performance it would no doubt be to Butterfly Culture, mainly for the fact that every man longs to have a girl

tracks like Airbreaker I and Give Me What I Want recapture the audience and remind us why KIGH exploded from the Cardiff music scene in such rapid force just a few years ago. By the time Sunshine and fan favorite Saturday are played the room has become a mass sing along and with closer Matters At All Aled can barely be heard under the voice of the crowd. In summary, Kids In Glass Houses may not have been perfect, but they definitely reminded us why they are currently one of the most popular British rock bands around. Joe Fitzsimmons

they adore in a dress, even more out of it, and every girl in that room wants to be that girl: in a word, genius. With the next song Snowship announced, he tells us how he went to meet some new management, but walked out due to them being responsible for the creation of Crazy Frog. Who knew that Crazy Frog could be responsible for a song with more than two notes and backstreet soundeffects. The night closed with favourites Box of Stones and finally the eagerly awaited Atlas Hands; both left the audience completely mute. A few seconds passed and then came the realisation that the songs were sung and applause filled the entire room right to the archways. In a nutshell Ben Leftwhich is for every boy, man, girl and woman. So whether you’re in touch with your emotions or not, this is the place to stand up, listen and learn. Hannah Lockier

MUSIC

11.10.2011

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Album Reviews Bjork Biophilia

et’s be honest, the idea of an album focused around a series of apps, with an introductory one narrated by David Attenborough himself, sounds rather baffling. However, a feat like this doesn’t come as an outright surprise from someone who has made a career out of bold experimentation. Biophilia establishes itself with the serene opener Moon, setting the tone by “rinsing the fear out, nourished with their [the gods] saliva.” These naturalistic words evoke a sense of innocence that is wonderfully complemented by Björk’s child-like voice. The album continues to pick-up on leadsingle Crystalline, which is arguably the standout track. With its nursery-rhymeesque tone combined with drum and bass, it seems to epitomise Björk’s daring passion for experimentation. That touch does not cease, as the album continues to swing from haunting melodies and dark subtle undertones, both evoked by its creator’s honest words, and inimitable voice, to calm, simplistic touches such as the candid xylophone on Virus.

You Me At Six

Sinners Never Sleep

fter months of torturous anticipation, You Me At Six finally returned to the British music scene this week, with their third album Sinners Never Sleep. For months, You Me At Six have stressed that this album was their progression to a heavier direction and although there are several songs which support this theory on the record, the hype was somewhat exaggerated. Nevertheless, the quintet have, once again, managed to produce a great album. Opening with the singalong-worthy debut single Loverboy it feels as though we’re already in familiar You Me At Six territory. Reckless, with its edgy guitar riffs and danceable drumbeat, echoes Loverboy in its mainstream-radio potential. This return to pop-punk on a heavier album shows that You Me At Six are smart: what they do, they do well, so glorious sing-along tracks like this will always be flawless. The next single Bite My Tongue is a personal favourite from the album. Not only have Franceschi’s lyrics darkened for this track, but Dan Flint, Chris Miller, Matt Barnes

and Max Helyer have managed to create an instrumental force to be reckoned with, merely complimented by the strength of Franceschi’s vocals, which have progressed to a perfectly-pitched snarl for this album. Songs like This Is The First Thing, No One Does It Better, Little Bit Of Truth are all melancholic love songs. They slow the pace of the album, carrying poignant messages in simple lyrics. In these songs, Franceschi has taken a pleasure in layering his own voice, creating a mix of desperation and clean-cut, smooth vocal. It has to be noted, though, that all of these songs are trumped by the beauty of Crash. Darker than their previous love-songs, and yet, still managing to be achingly delicate, this is a truly exquisite track. The only bone to pick with this album would be Franceschi’s lyrics. Although the album is immensely enjoyable, the majority of Franceschi’s soul seems to have been emptied in previous albums, ensuring that the words behind these songs are simplistic: there are no breathtaking metaphors or cheeky innuendos. Although this album carries success regardless, the lack of quotable lines is noticeable. Hopefully this will be restored for the next album, eh?

Lorna MacKinnon

This constant rise and fall finally erupts on penultimate track MutualCore. This song, as its title suggests, contains tectonic imagery, complemented by various beats inducing volcanic bursts and an apocalyptic-like quality. The album eventually calms down on closer Solstice, which draws it full circle with parallel imagery to that of Moon and leaves you with a sense of inevitable doom: “it [the earth] travels along an orbit, drawn in the darkness.” Its admittedly gloomy stuff, but it seems almost optimistic in its own Björkish way. This is what makes Björk a unique artist: a daring blend of experimentation and fearlessness to push musical boundaries. This album is one of her more accessible works, but only if you’re willing to let it be. Each song is an experiment in itself, a combination of raw eccentricity and imagination with brutally honest lyrics that holds that distinctive Björk touch. It has been over four years since the Icelander released her last album, Volta; a long gap by any standard. This seems to have paid off though, as Biophilia is a provocative work of art that keeps you engaged through its audacious experimentation and fascinating unconventionality and insight, the subtlety of which is something that is rarely seen in this glossy, Lady Gaga driven pop age. Sam Warner

Solko

Fix This Fire [EP]

ocal lads Solko are a band who could easily be filed under the ‘indie rock’ tag, but this would be a mistake, their sound is far more layered than that. The opening track from their debut EP Fix This Fire has a satisfyingly King Crimson-esque feel, whilst Weatherman switches between a funkier version of Foals and some Cinematic Orchestra moments. Weekend Blues flouts the EP’s slick production and provides a rewarding climax. As the harmonies lead you to the end of this record, you will no doubt want to start it over again. The interaction between two saxophones and the guitar offer a challenge that Solko have taken head on, with mesmerising results.

There is a hypnotic quality to this EP, which any fan of Cinematic Orchestra will enjoy. The only possible criticism is the lack of coherent style in places. Otherwise there is something for everybody hidden in this little gem, and my God is it refreshing to hear real musicians play. Muso’s will enjoy sitting around playing spot the influence. Fix This Fire is a fine example of good rock music from a jazz background. It is a promising EP that displays musical maturity and it will be intriguing to see where this band go in the future. And, of course, it would be intriguing to watch them live. Patrick Oddi

11.10.2011

Blink-182 Neighborhoods

ands up who misses the fart jokes. Don’t lie, we all remember how What’s My Age Again? defined a generation of baggy shorts wearing, Vans scuffing teenagers giggling at three naked men running down the street. The new Blink-182 album has lost something. While the songs are still catchy enough to sing along to in the car, the fun has gone out of the music. Instead of teenage lust and awkward adolescence the

Wild Flag Wild Flag

iot grrrls everywhere wept like Alice when their Wonderland unravelled in 2006 as Sleater Kinney announced their indefinite hiatus. Queens of femme politics and one of the essential rock groups of the 90s, their barbed tongues and banshee wails [not to mention, numerous famed albums] were bottled up and marked ‘Play Me’ for future generations. Last year saw the relaunch of the groups killer caterwaul front woman, Corin Tucker who, after time home making with her family, put down the family scrapbooks and embarked making memories with her solo effort, 1,000

Dum Dum Girls Only In Dreams

he sophomore effort from California’s Dum Dum Girls features more than the occasional nod to the Phil Spector girl group hey-day of the first half of the Sixties. This is just a starting point. The straight ahead chording of the Ramones and the periodic emergence choppy tremolo guitar sounds, as heard on Link Wray’s Rumble, indicate an ambition to bridge the vocal harmony and guitar band scenes. While experimentation with the ‘Spector Wall of Sound’ is hardly a new concept, what makes the Dum Dum girls fresh is the quality of their group harmony singing on record. Symphonic, not

MUSIC

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Album Reviews songs reference “dying inside” and there is a melancholy undertone to every track that leaves you feeling dissatisfied and just a little miserable by the end of the album. Not even the best written songs make you smile or laugh, and even though songs like Wishing Well and bonus track Even If She Falls are reminiscent of the older classics, the album lacks a true anthem to be heralded as the new Rock Show. This is not a bad album; on the contrary, the songs show a refreshing new side to the band. They’re older, and the music reflects this, it’s definitely to their credit that they haven’t hopped on the nostalgia train. The new songs have a mixture of trademark Blink melodies and more substantial meanings, rather than a churning out of ‘greatest hits’

rejects. Not that they are trying to escape their previous pop-punk definition, but listeners are told to “stop living in the past” and the music has a heavier sound than the sarcastic sugary tones of previous hits. No one can deny that on top form, Blink-182 were a band that didn’t take themselves too seriously, and who understood what it meant to be a socially stunted teenager. So if you want a classic Blink album, complete with the fart jokes and the First Dates then listen to their greatest hits. If you want decent songs, and a bit more than worn out teen angst then Neighbourhoods delivers perfectly.

Years. Those expecting to be thrust back into the bewildering and huge sounds of The Woods however, were sorely mistaken and many ardent admirers of the group were left feeling less than complete. Luckily for them, the two remaining parts of the 90s legends are still flying the flag for high kicks and rock and roll licks. Featuring beloved Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss’s of SK fame, Wild Flag’s line up is completed by Mary Timony [Helium] and Rebecca Cole [The Minders] and this foursome’s debut release couldn’t be more of a contrast to Tuckers sobriety and sweet sentiment. Album track, Future Crimes, opens with an awkward and jerking riff that only goes to showcase Brownstein’s much missed nonchalant vocals whilst former single Romance is 4 minutes of perfect, peppy organ trills and zealous sing along fun. By the same

sentiment, Glass Tambourine has the reverb drenched squalor of Brownsteins SK days and swaggers off into a righteous, rollicking blues amble. Chosen by Les Savy Fav to perform at the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas festival this December in Minehead, Wild Flag are teetering on the edge of husky blues chaos; mayhem fighting melody, this record is so alive and so soaked in rock and roll swank that, riot or not, these girls are stepping out with something truly exciting and original. Sleater Kinney may have told us that we were “no rock and roll fun” but Wild Flag implore you to listen up and get down with them and after all, isn’t it about time we rallied around and supported such a long overdue femme super group?

caterwauling, it is inspired by groups like Bikini Kill who impart a genuine sense of empowered women in rock music. The problem with this album is that it is a fork in the road improperly negotiated. Are they a harmony group, a guitar group, or a solo artist vehicle? All branches feature and are well executed, with girl group harmonies played off against spaghetti western guitar to a strong back beat, but the treatment of singer Dee Dee’s lead vocal throughout is in danger of squeezing them out of the frame. That said, her vocals are very much up front in the group’s lo-fi debut too. The production is definitely more polished than the first album, but it does not position the band as the purveyors of the music. It has a rather not-live feel to it. While Venue will avoid a discussion of such technicalities as overdubbing, it is worth considering that for a recording to truly

rock it needs to have a fictional live element to it. The pool of influence is interesting with elements of the Stooges, Ramones, Blondie, dirty rockabilly, Spector and Riot grrrl featuring. There is a genuine ambition at work to make a female orientated and affirming piece of work, but the presentation and feel of the finished product leaves the listener cold. The demure production does not hint at a great night out. The transient energy of the music doesn’t quite flow. In contrast Best Coast’s debut imparted a real sense of fun that ran alongside its aesthetic concerns: viewing their live videos encouraged you to go and see them play. No such thing happened with Only in Dreams, though the live shows could be revelatory.

Ellie Kumar

Cheri Amour

George Hamilton-Jones

MUSIC

11.10.2011

www.concrete-online.co.uk

Sweetheart I Ain’t Your Christ

Josh T. Pearson - Photographed by Laura Smith

he lights don’t go down and the soundman hasn’t turned off the music. Bon Iver’s latest album is playing out from the sound desk when a heavily bearded, gaunt and slow-moving Texan man walks onto the stage at the Norwich Arts Centre and it’s four minutes before the track fades out, in which time he fiddles with some cables. Silence. Josh T. Pearson looks at the crowd and says nothing. Listening to Last of The Country Gentlemen, 38 year old Pearson’s first and as yet only solo offering, it’s all of a sudden very difficult to imagine how else this could have started. Speaking to Venue only days before his Norwich show, Pearson had revealed that, whilst the album did take two days to record, there was a ten day gap in between in which he “just went to bed and drank some juice, ate some bread”. Recording had become too much and these

songs, frail, skinny and stunningly beautiful, were taking their toll. Pearson hasn’t even listened to the album back; it’s “just a crushing personal blow.” He says he’s “not far enough removed from these songs yet”. “Very cold’” was all that Pearson could offer on the conditions in Berlin, chosen as the recording location. Last of The Country Gentlemen is the sound of a man barricading himself from the blizzard outside and asking for warmth. Pearson talks for a few minutes before he starts; small talk mainly. “So I’m gonna play some real fuckin’ depressing songs for y’all and then maybe try to break it up with some dirty jokes,” he says timidly. He’s not comfortable, as he made clear to Venue when he said that “there are days when you just think ‘there’s no friggin’ way I wanna get up and play these songs’. I just cannot do it. But then it get’s closer to stage time and you

see a crowd and you think okay maybe I can do this, I can go up there and confess my sins in front of this crowd of people” Every show is a struggle for Pearson and, rather than bring about some sort of soul cleansing catharsis, these songs are barbs that dig into him and remind him of his breakdown. He bleeds into Sweetheart I Ain’t Your Christ, all 12 minutes of it, and a heavy atmosphere engulfs the old church. The small talk was an admirable delaying tactic but there’s no real preparation for this. Pearson turns in on himself and all of a sudden he’s on his own. When he does manage to open his eyes, he seems shocked that anybody is there and shuts them eyes again almost instantly. And yet, the more that Pearson sinks into himself, the closer the sold-out Arts Centre is to him. Pearson may think that he’s confessing his sins in front of this crowd, but the truth

is, he’s torturing himself for the greater good. Sure, it’s a little biblical, but maybe that’s appropriate. Josh T. Pearson suffers in plain view for almost an hour and a half tonight: from the impromptu extended version of Woman, When I’ve Raised Hell through to the delicate tones of Country Dumb. This is a 10 date tour, Pearson moves on to Cambridge tomorrow evening and has to do this all over again, whilst tonight’s crowd have witnessed a level of honesty and sincerity that they may never witness again. It’s that intensity that makes Pearson one of the greatest performers of our generation, even if major labels would baulk at the idea of any singer over 30 singing about anything deeper than a paddling pool. Last of the Country Gentlemen is so painfully honest that the artist himself can’t listen back to it. On stage, Pearson is Christ. Alex Ross

11.10.2011

www.concrete-online.co.uk

CREATIVE WRITING

The New Queen, Part Two - A Short Story by Emma Webb

“There’s my little Princess,” croaked the King, as his daughter edged a little further to the foot of his bed. His left eye had deteriorated from a slight cloudiness to complete blindness, and so he tilted his head slightly and recognised his daughter. His chest tightened and he let out a wheezing cough. The Princess quickly placed the rose near her father’s hand and sharply backed away a pace. She shifted her weight from one foot to another as he groped for it. She clenched her little hands into fists at her side and rocked a little on her toes. Stillness felt like sin and she couldn’t bear it. “White, how lovely,” the King said with the slightest smile. He twirled it lightly between his fingers and gently placed it back where the Princess had laid it by him. “You look too thin,” he interjected suddenly. “Miss Emmeline needs to fill you up.” He nodded vaguely to a pale woman in the doorway and she strode away without a word. The Princess nodded frantically and stared at the King’s emaciated face and noticed the handkerchief in his left hand, speckled with blood. A small puncture wound from the rose thorns maybe – but then again, probably not. He coughed and convulsed again. The Princess clasped her hands together and winced. “I have a few little presents for you,” he wheezed, and beckoned weakly to a steward in the corner. The steward marched to the bed and handed the Princess a red wooden wand, adorned with a red heart at the tip. The Princess caressed it lightly and stared awkwardly at the King. “I had it made when you were born,” her father explained. “All you ever did was chew it, so I had to keep it safe for a years until you stopped liking the taste of wood.” The King tried to chuckle. “And also…” Coughing overcame him and the King did not finish; the same steward produced a key to the King’s private chest and drew out his favourite croquet mallet, elegantly carved into the shape of a flamingo head. One of a

“

kind and utterly irreplaceable, it had been a gift from the elderly Sir Jack Spades – whilst the old man had been alive himself. It was the King’s most prized possession – with the exception of the Princess. She stared at it, wide-eyed and in continuing silence. Her entire childhood she had gawped at it, but had been strictly forbidden to touch. “You must practice every day,” the King ordered. The Princess nodded without removing her gaze from the flamingo head. Her cheeks began to burn. “I’m not very well at the moment, my darling,” the King wheezed. “So I can’t look after these little treasures properly at the moment. I would like you to look after them, until I am well again and can do it myself. Can you do that for me?” The King looked at his tiny child, and she blinked repeatedly, and then nodded sharply, once. “Thank you, my good girl,” the King croaked, reached for his rose, then shut his eyes. It was dark now; the sun’s light had finally crept back behind the hills and the gardens were now haunted with shadows. She thought for a moment that her father stood in the window and was watching her, but with a closer look she saw it was just the Duchess, leaning against the glass of the pane with her shoulders heaving, and her back to the gardens, and her daughter. The steward remained awkwardly at the child’s side. He shifted from foot to foot, and rubbed his hands together until they were blushed and clammy. Without words of comfort he reached out a slightly quaking hand to lightly pat her shoulder. She sharply slapped him away. “Well,” she sighed, with good diction, like her father had taught her, and without turning back to look at him. “I see I am closer to the throne than I thought.” Then she burst into tears. Alone at last in the darkness of the evening, she wandered back to the rose bushes.

Perhaps red would have been better after all. Maybe red would have been so much better that he would have stayed. She was uncertain how exactly the difference might have been made but suddenly the idea, fantastical as it was, utterly consumed her – red roses never killed anyone. Her cheeks grew scarlet with rage as she looked at the white roses that had killed her father, killed the King. How foolish they were! How cruel of them! Suddenly she heard the violent smashing of the glass windowpane and the frantic sounds of panic – she decided not to look to see what had fallen. She felt she knew anyway, there was no need to be certain. She realised, quite abruptly, that she was still holding the gifts her father had given to her – her terrible gift to him had remained in his hand as he lay on his purple pall. She twirled the wand in her fingers and glared at the roses, their curious heads peering back. She struck the head nearest her with the wand and its pale petals drifted lifelessly to the ground and settled into the grass. The head looked bare now. A gentle breeze blew the petals to Her Majesty’s feet, and so she struck again, to the next rose and the next, until dozens of bare little neck-stems drooped towards the floor, which was now coated in petals, like white satin torn to pieces. Once begun, she found it impossible to stop – she hacked and axed at every white rose that had dared grow in her garden until not a single one remained. Everywhere she looked there were empty heads and ruined petals, positioned next to the most perfect arrangement of glowing red roses. She looked around the gardens, to the hills and back to the castle. There was no one, no one at all, and as she gripped its neck tightly with her tiny hands, into the elegant wood of the flamingo head fell the cold, pearl-like tears of the Queen.

Poetry Corner - Beginnings

The First Step - Stephen Pester I stare into the storm, Watching for some break In the ever dropping rain Drowning the windows, In the wind battering Against the door.

When none comes, I brace myself And open the door Instantly the rain drizzles and fades The wind breaks away And I remember the phase “The first step is always the hardest.”

“

The Rented House - Rachael Lum From the corner of her eye the apparition Dissolves into flakes as the shadow, glazed by light, Rocks its faceless hand against the door. The carnivorous blinds chatter with elation To see such a sight: a dishevelled girl plagued by fright While Peter Parkers skate across the floor.

Arthritic stairs betray another arrival Whose failed tiptoe amplifies into a carefree stomp. The walls are ventriloquists contented with winning, Establishing their presence to prolong their survival. Home it may be, full of splendour and pomp, Until the moon shines in. And that is just the beginning.

SPOTLIGHT

Q&A with UEA writers. This week - Christopher Ogden

What are you studying?

Creative Writing MA in Poetry, having taken a year out after my undergraduate degree which I also started here in 2007. Norwich is remarkably good at holding on to people.

What’s your favourite word?

In Year 8, I earned a merit for using the word ‘internecine’ to describe a bomb in a story after discovering it in the dictionary. Despite its morbidity, I’ve always had a rather guilty fondness for it.

How do you defeat writer’s block?

Drafting until I find an opening has been known to work, although I vacillate so much while I’m writing that I benefit from the closing walls of a deadline.

What inspires you?

A lot of my ideas emerge whilst travelling, particularly on trains at night, or finding acceptance in unusual environments. Writing is my wind-up light in the dark, shrike-full forest of the future.

Who are your favourite writers?

Rainer Maria Rilke, B.S. Johnson, Henry James, Jeffrey Eugenides, Alan Ball and the football writers Jonathan Wilson and Brian Phillips, who wrote an entire series based on his Football Manager save.

To Kindle or not to Kindle? Nothing beats the physical pleasure of cracking open and finishing a book.

Do you prefer handwriting or typing? Scrawling on paper in various colours is how I start, eventually taking to computer when I have enough tentative words to fill up unnervingly blank Word documents.

Where do you write? In my room, the library or my mobile phone while out. Writing is a solitary occupation even in a room full of friends.

Read Christopher’s poem A Tale of Six Cities at the Creative Writing blog

FASHION

11.10.2011

www.concrete-online.co.uk

Dare To Bare? Chris Young discusses his irrational fear of being cold

The Hotlist Smokin’ Spencer’s new look Turn the page to read our interview with the man himself.

The Barbour Still the coat of choice for autumn. X Factor Makeovers Improvements all round? We think so.

Chokin’

very cutting-edge fashionista recognizes the importance of wrapping up warm in winter. Do you think that Jean Paul Gaultier got where he was with a tickly cough and a sniffle? Think again, mon amis. That’s why whenever I go clubbing ... I wear a coat. I’m not one of those robogirls who queue up outside the LCR naked, or boybots who wear a tank top in Siberian winds. I wrap up warm. The problem is, the rest of the fashion world hasn’t caught up with me. Coats for some reason are seen as uncool in a club, and you are expected to keep them in horrible things called ‘cloakrooms’ I will never use a cloakroom. I refuse to pay someone for basically owning a cupboard, and I have irrational fears that when I get my coat back its pockets will be stuffed with cocaine against my knowledge and I’ll be jumped by police attack dogs five minutes down the street. Or, even worse, I’ll come in with my pockets stuffed with cocaine and get my coat back totally empty. So, as a result, I must wear my coat in the club, and because all the squares on the dance floor can’t handle my risky style, I am perceived as looking somehow freakish. Perhaps it is because I sweat like cheese in an oven, but the most common responses are that I look like a) a paedophile, b) a cheeky bearded child sitting on another

What

Jodie Marsh Now a bodybuilder, apparently. Still a moron.

childs shoulders, c) a dad arriving to pick up his daughter, or d) lost. The misconception of the latter often results in a kindly individual asking me if I am OK, calling a cab and asking me if I remember where I live. While I appreciate the gesture, they do not realise that they are committing a crime against fashion. Dancing is another problem. People don’t know what I’m doing. They think that because my coat is long I look like a giant possessed glove puppet, or an anthropomorphized windsock - but they’re wrong, because I look amazing. After a few such experiences I thought I had come up with a solution: draping the coat over my arm. Think about it! I’m wearing socially acceptable club clothing but ha! Damn you all, I still have a coat. One night I was walking around enjoying myself by the door with my coat on one arm when one cheeky individual put his coat on top of mine, said “thanks” and slipped me a quid. Then another person did. Then everyone was doing it. It seems that no matter what I try, people are blind to my style. So, fashionable readers of Venue, I urge you to come out to the club and wear your coats. The world may not be ready for us yet, but play your cards right, and you might get a few new coats out of it. Chris Young

to wear around campus this week

The Shoes

The Accessories

The Dress

All Saints £250 (eat toast for a while...)

River Island £40

Try hard freshers fashion You won’t be able to keep this up for long ...

New Look £34.99

Creepers The name says it all. Burn them, don’t wear them.

...

Urban Outfitters £48

Topshop £25

Asos £25 H&M £14.99

FASHION

Photo by Laura Smith

www.concrete-online.co.uk

Photo by Laura Smith

11.10.2011

All About Autumn What we should be wearing right now

utumn’s been sneaky this year, with the late summer sun making us fail to realise that October has come round again...which means A WHOLE NEW FASHION SEASON! So here’s a quick fashion forecast to get you up to speed. For the prim and the proper keep the dresses short and straight because the sixties are back (yes again) and they’ve smartened up their act. The ‘New Mod’ trend will see you in buttoned high blouses and sharp, clean cuts casting strong silhouettes, best suited to all you boyish figures out there. For the daring among you, bypass the shift dresses and dress like one of the boys (trust us, it’s in.) And don’t forget to roll up the bottom of those masculine trousers to show off your

shoes and socks, go on, give us a peek! If the sixties theme is a little too sweet for your taste buds go glam. Designers have had a dark romance with seventies glam rock giving it an edgy, urban twist. Throw on a pair of skin tight jeans to let the world know what you’re working with. Team with a pair of heavy black boots (easy to walk in chunky heels are an autumn life saver) to really give you the empowered feel that only Beyonce could rival. Nearly naked tops are always a good call but cover up with luxurious faux fur coats for a touch of glamour and warmth. All a bit too luxe for your liking? Then keep the faux fur on the collar of your coat and go a little retro. Vintage inspired clothing is always a hit on the highstreet, and this season we’re seeing 40s fancy dress box effect all

over the shop. Princess cut coats and peter pan collar dresses are the way to go if you’re feeling girly. And don’t reach for the woollen tights just yet, leave them be at the back of the drawer and pick up some stockings until the winter winds roll into town. But let us not forget what Autumn is all about...bonfires, the return of mulled wine, kicking your way through piles of leaves... translation in the fashion world: Bavarian. Cosy up next to the fire in mixtures of chunky knits and faux fur gilets, whimsical floor length dresses and silky tops. Bavarian lets you wear it all giving your look a home-made, folk feel perfect for the blustery season. The contrast of chunky layers and feminine fabrics allow you to casually look sophisticated. An easy way to achieve the “I’ve just thrown this

outfit together yet I look friggin’ hot” look, which (if we’re honest) of course we all want to achieve. That aside, the real beauty of this trend is that whilst it’s a formulated look, you can be as creative with it as you like! Experiment with different prints, textures and layers because you can hardly go wrong with Bavarian, the more make shift the better. So, whether you’re chasing the last of the summer sun on your moped, making the most of your post-summer beach perfect body in 70’s skin tights, hosting tea parties or jamming round a crackling bonfire; Autumn has the answer with a look to complement each and every one of us.

Josie Lister

FASHION

Two

11.10.2011

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girls, one toff

The night Concrete honeyz Hannah Britt & Suze Wood threw themselves at the stars of Made in Chelsea

hanks for joining us here at TAO, boys. We gotta ask, are the friendships we see on camera true friendships? Spencer: 100% real. Relationships...she has some nice shorts [Spencer’s attention wanders towards a leggy blonde]...sorry... no, all the relationships are 100% real. Jamie: Spencer’s my boy, he’s my brother; to be with your best friend on camera, there’s nothing better in the world. Do you mind being referred to as a reality TV star? Spencer: Kind of. Lots of us have real jobs. I’m a foreign exchange trader in the city and the show is very much an aside. For other people, it is acting as a vessel for their aspirations and ideas. As you are the heir to McVitie’s, tell us your favourite type of biscuit. Spencer: Let’s give you kinds of biscuit... Jamie: [to Hannah] Okay, so I reckon that you’re a dark chocolate hobnob. You’re really sweet but at the same time you have

“It’s better in Norwich than Cambridge!” a dark side. And you [to Suze], you’re a hobnob caramel, unbelievably tasty on the outside but on the inside you’re a bit, like, dark ... How fucking dare you. Spencer: And Jamie’s a jammy dodger! Jamie: Spencer’s a jaffa cake. He was once a little bit dodgy...a little bit chubby...but now he’s trim as fuck! Spencer. Your new look. What happened? Spencer: I didn’t really change... I always try to keep athletic usually, but given the fact that the first season came at the same time I accepted the job in the city, it turned out that I didn’t really have much time to look after my health.

Is there much rivalry? You have a lot of love interests, Spencer... Spencer: Well, my main love interest has always and will always be Caggie. Jamie: [jumps off his seat] HE’S IN LOVE! Spencer: You’ll see it all unfold... [Hannah] I can’t wait. Spencer: I’m sure you can’t, caramel hobnob. [Suze] She was dark hobnob, I was caramel hobnob. [Hannah] You make people fat. [Suze] You’re bitter. Spencer:...I’ve pretty much been in love with Caggie my whole life. How did you two guys meet? Jamie: We hated each other! Spencer: Hated, hated! Oh dear...why? Spencer: I think it was just a clash of egos. Jamie: A good friend of his, who went to school with him, went out with my exgirlfriend. On a night out, we met each other, you know how it goes, young kids being idiots get aggressive...Anyway, since then we’ve been like brothers, dude! Spencer: It’s all changed since then. Is it weird that you come to places like this now and talk to people like us who all know who you are? Jamie: Not at all, it’s great! Spencer: I tell you what, its better in Norwich than Cambridge! Norwich better than Cambridge?! Mint! Spencer: Norwich is cool so far, we’ve met some great people, even on the train coming here. You guys seem lovely too. Do you regard yourself as a celebrity? Spencer: I see people knowing your name as a sign of them loving the show. It just means people have appreciated the work we’ve put into it. Given the economic climate, people may watch a show like Chelsea and feel a bit hard done by, a bit jealous...You have to just take that with a pinch of salt, realise that we’re all just doing our job and our friendships/relationships are real and that is what people really care about. That’s what is important to viewers. Jamie: I think if you’re strong skinned, you roll with it. How is it juggling a private and public life? Spencer: I’m not a particularly private person. I don’t really like being alone. Jamie: He hates being alone. Spencer: People reading about me doesn’t bother me at all. Some people get really freaked out. Some people say stuff that isn’t even real about me, but what are you going to do? Call the paper up? No. It’s already gone out. You know you’ve made it when you’ve earned the nickname Scraggie ... Jamie: My boy’s hit the big time! Spencer: It’s Spaggie…

Oh yeah, that would make more sense. It’s better than Cancer, which would be another alternative... [silence...] Spencer: Er...Scraggie is actually Caggie’s fake Twitter account. Jamie: Yeah, Scraggie Dunlop. Spencer: I have one as well. We all have fake accounts. People posing as you? That’s a bit bizarre... Spencer: Yes! If you go to @SpencerMIC that’s not me! It’s some guy with a picture of me in sunglasses! Jamie: And he tweets fucking hilarious things. Spencer: He’s like, “I’m at Chelsea football club with Hugo,” and I’m like really, I’m at work. Do you follow him? Spencer: I do, so I can keep on top of what he’s saying! I’m going to get him deleted as soon as I can! One thing I pride myself on is that I work hard and so when someone says

“He’s trim as fuck.” I’m just chilling on the Kings Road at 2pm on a Monday it’s just like, I’m not! What’s next for you for you guys? Jamie: Sugar and Shake, baby! You guys are the first to hear about it. Spencer: Exclusive interview with Norwich! Jamie: Sugar and Shake exclusive! So, I want to open up a sweet shop and a milkshake shop. Spencer: He loves sugar... Jamie: It’s going to be called Sugar and Shake, SW3, Chelsea. I hope it’s going to be big! I hope we’re going to get an invite to the opening... Jamie: You guys, for sure! 100% it’s going to be a red carpet event. It’s going to be all out. You’re the first to hear about it, I’ll never forget! This is my first time, I’m a virgin, you’re breaking my hymen. …Wicked. Do you get much girl attention? Spencer: I find it nicer that when you come to a place like this [a bangin’ Monday night at TAO] in Norwich and find that guys come up and ask for a photo, that’s cool to me. I’d expect every guy to hate me. Jamie: If we were in the opposite position, we’d go and say “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!” If you want my top off for the photo, you can have it off... If you could both take them off, that would be nice… Special thanks to COME PLAY at TAO Mondays for letting us get our mitts on the boys.

11.10.2011

TELEVISION

www.concrete-online.co.uk

DOCTOR WHO WITH THE SIXTH SERIES OVER, MATT TIDBY LOOKS BACK ON THE DOCTOR’S MOST RECENT ADVENTURES

ften, old ideas are the best. Or they endure, hence why they’re good ideas. Saturday nights on British television have been a pitched battle ever since the genesis of ITV. All sorts of iconic ideas have sprung forth from this weekly bun fight and at the centre of this maelstrom is Doctor Who. Running about in time and space since 1963, the good Doctor is in remarkably good health, with the sixth series of the shows revival coming to a cathartic conclusion with The Wedding of River Song, 50 minutes of condensed insanity and plot exposition that was never short of entertaining but never more than self-congratulatory. This incarnation of the show, commanded by Sherlock supremo Steven Moffat since the arrival of Matt Smith’s eleventh Doctor, very much wears its intelligence proudly on its sleeve. And its hat, umbrella, lederhosen… and any other openly visible piece of metaphorical clothing, really. Simply put, whilst it is very clever, and beguilingly so, Moffat’s writing seems to be increasingly imbued with a selfconfidence that isn’t always charming. Luckily for the show, the central cast are arguably the best the programme has ever had. Matt

Smith’s terrific performances, as a verbally dextrous but increasingly troubled Doctor, are complemented perfectly by Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill as newlyweds Amy and Rory, and given an extra dimension by the regular appearances of the fantastic Alex Kingston as the ever-enigmatic River Song. Furthermore, this series has played well to one of the formats key strengths: that of location. We’ve seen the Oval Office of Richard Nixon, a sentient, TARDIS-eating asteroid voiced by Michael Sheen and a creepy hotel overseen by a less-thanwelcoming maître d’. All of these settings have been lent a threat and realism of their own, confirming Doctor Who as one of the most visually arresting programmes on TV. Indeed, its popularity shows no sign of falling down a black hole. As per the modern tradition, the Doctor will be back in December for the Christmas Special, this year with an eclectic mix of stars including Claire Skinner of Outnumbered fame and comedian Bill Bailey. Seemingly, nothing can stop the Doctor now. But what of the allusions in The Wedding of River Song to “the fall of the Eleventh on the fields of Trenzalore?” Is another Doctor on the way? If only we had a TARDIS…

DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME? : Venue Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons

Pokemon: The Indigo League

he BBC repeated Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons when I was very young, after its initial showing in 1967. The premise: in the year 2068, three men from Earth go on an expedition to Mars and discover an alien complex belonging to the deep, booming, disembodied voices of the Mysterons; who destroy and then recreate people and objects to serve their own ends. The men get scared, blow up the base, and accidentally start an interplanetary ‘war of nerves’. Therefore, at the beginning of every episode, the Mysterons tell both the viewer, and Spectrum (an agency dedicated to fighting them) what they plan to do. Probably not the best way to go about a war, but bear with it. Via Mysteron intervention, one of Spectrum’s men, the eponymous Captain Scarlet, becomes indestructible, kind of like the John Barrowman of the Sixties, and is often the hero of the hour. Unlike creator Gerry Anderson’s previous show Thunderbirds, serious danger lurks behind every corner and people, well, puppets, often suffer incredibly brutal deaths at the hands of the Mysterons. And yet as a kid I loved it. It was grim and violent and terribly exciting, and to make matters

reminisces about our televisual youth

M darker, sometimes the bad guys triumphed. So engaging were the characters and the “shoot first explain later” plot that I quickly forgot that it was not real people I was watching. One particularly bizarre element of the show was the mixing in of occasional human action – for example, someone opening a briefcase would be shown by a real pair of hands opening a real briefcase, or the puppets would sweat. In retrospect, it was incredibly creepy. It certainly affected me as a child. My mother enjoys telling me about the time when, aged four, I turned to a passing customer in a shop and in a deep voice, inquired threateningly “WHAT ARE YOU DOING, EARTHWOMAN?” Ah, memories. James Sykes

y Mother always detested the fact that I loved Pokémon and its associated television series so much as a child. She gritted her teeth as I cast aside the English language for a high-pitched repetition of my own name, came home with my clothes in tatters following an overzealous Charmander battle re-enactment and, the final straw, when I wept more over the theft of my shiny Zapdos trading card than I did following our cat’s euthanasia. Needless to say, my Primary school used “ban attack”; it was super effective and Wild Pokémon Craze fainted. Some years later, I decided to re-watch the Indigo League anime series. I have to say that it’s still absolutely charming, and really you can’t find fault in the surface lessons: stick with your friends, believe in yourself, try your best, learn from your mistakes and never be swindled into purchasing a Magikarp for extortionate prices. However, I really can spot some problems. For example, I’d love to know quite how it’s acceptable to battle what are essentially your pets in utterly biased matches. The Onyx versus Pikachu showdown in Pewter

Gym for example, would be like me pushing my trembling gerbil before my rival’s grass snake, backing well away and then shouting “you can do it, pal!” from the sidelines. And can you imagine the animal-equivalent of a Pokémon Centre? “Oh dear, what happened here?” “Ah, my dog came across this wild level 25 badger in the long grass and I made him attack so it would be weak enough to contain in this airless ball which is an eighth of its size...but it was too strong, and now my Jack Russell’s foaming at the mouth. Do you have a specific kind of berry for rabies, Nurse Joy?” It’s funny what you can pick up on during a second viewing of a childhood series, but I really feel that my eyes have been opened (unlike Brock’s) to the root of all the playground conflict. Kate Duckney

ARTS

11.10.2011

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The Madness Of George III - Theatre Royal

lan Bennett has written an impressive array of award-winning work from stage plays to television dramas. An Englishman Abroad, The Madness of George III and The History Boys having all been turned into feature films on the basis of their success. Madness charts the decline of the king’s first bout of insanity (he was to have five further attacks) which lasted from 1788-9. At the time, medicine was still in the process of becoming a science and the king’s various symptoms (including abdominal pain, high pulse rate, hypersensitivity to touch and pain, blue urine and, most disturbingly, ‘an intire alienation of the mind’) had the king’s physicians at a loss. It is now believed he suffered from porphyria, a hereditary condition which to this day has no absolute cure. Many doctors were called and consulted and none could agree on a diagnosis, let alone a remedy. This meant that the king went through all sorts of torment in the name of treatment. At first the London doctors prescribe bloodletting, blistering and purgatives but then a Dr Francis Willis was brought in. Clive Francis plays this radical exclergyman who gets his patients to work on the land until they can “control their madness”, but with the king he resorts to physical restraint and gagging to stop his nonsensical and often vulgar ramblings. These distress his wife Queen Charlotte (Beatie Edney) who remains loyal and believes he will get better. While this continues, parliament cannot continue to function as all

laws passed require the king’s signature and he is not well enough to sign them. William Pitt (Nicholas Rowe) attempts to keep order, but the turbulence in the House between the Tories and Whigs is played out in a power struggle in the royal family. Christopher Keegan makes a gloriously odious, conniving Prince of Wales quite ready to see his father locked up for the rest of his life so that a bill can be passed to make him Prince Regent. Throughout the play, the interweaving plots of the effect of the king’s illness on the public and domestic are played out well by an impressively large cast in a complex but brilliant unfolding story, drawing out intimacy and feeling even with the less heard characters. The defining star of the show however is the king himself. David Haig has many varied theatre and television credits to his name and for good reason. His portrayal of the king, through serious matters of state and enjoyment of court life to physical pain, unhinged lust and abject anguish was wonderful to watch. His comic timing even through solemn scenes was impeccable and perfectly handled. Madness, with its gradual degeneration of the king’s mind into insanity and out the other side, all seen through a euphoric haze of Handel’s Zadok The Priest, is a masterpiece showing how one man’s illness affects himself, his family, his affairs, and, sometimes, the entire country. Imogen Steinberg

INTERVIEW: CHRISTOPHER KEEGAN You were here last year in The History Boys – what have you been up to since? Not a lot really! We finished The History Boys in July and I did a short play at the Arcola in London. I have been working on a podcast which is my own little project, and then getting ready for The Madness of George III! What’s it been like working with David Haig? He’s just fantastic to work with. From the first day we were in rehearsals he came at the script with 150% energy, he was completely on the ball from the word “go” and he’s just the most charming gentleman ever. In fact we just started playing Boggle together in the lunch break!

Keep up with Christopher at www.christopherkeegan.co.uk

What can you tell us about your character in The Madness of George III? The Prince of Wales is the eldest son of George III and Queen Charlotte. He’s very spoilt and doesn’t care for ruling; he’s more interested in drinking, women, gambling, lovely houses and all the garb that goes with it. He’s quite a greedy person when it comes down to it.

Arts editor Emma Webb speaks with Christopher Keegan, returning to Norwich to play the Prince of Wales in The Madness of George III. So – Hugh Laurie in Blackadder III? Indeed! Possibly less charming than the Hugh Laurie character but it’s the same person, based more on historical events of course. You trained at The Drama Centre in London – what was that like for you? It was quite hard for me, I don’t come from a theatrical background at all and so I went into training at a London Drama school rather blindly. I struggled getting into the mindset of someone who was acting as a job rather than someone doing it just for fun. It was only after I left and started doing jobs that all that started to sink in. You have some very unusual skills – could you tell us about them? When I was about 11 I rang up the BBC, they were doing a Magic Call-In show, and I got a magic trick shown to me on air by one of the presenters. Then they sent me a magic box set and from magic I got into some circus stunts like stilt-walking, and from there it was a natural progression into balloon-modelling!

UEA harbours some real dramatic talent – what advice can you give our rising stars? Never give in, never give up and take rejection as well as you can because it happens a lot. Luck is more than 50% of getting a good job – if you’re in the right place at the right time, if you have the right speech and are auditioning for the right person then you’ll get the job, but all those things have to be in place. Don’t ever get downhearted, just keep plugging along and the right thing will turn up eventually. What’s next for you, Christopher? I really don’t know! I’m sure once The Madness is finished I’ll be thrown back into obscurity, until the next job comes along. You always hope that someone will come and see the show and really enjoy the performance that you give enough to cast you in something else. I’m sure something will come along, but its back to auditioning for me!

15 P

11.10.2011

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Equus - Norwich Playhouse

eter Shaffer’s Equus tells the unusual story of a 17-year-old boy who, after blinding six horses, visits a psychiatrist as an alternative to imprisonment for the crime that would no doubt disgust and shock many. After Daniel Radcliffe’s Broadway performance as the lead in 2007, Equus has become better known, perhaps preventing theatre companies from daring to perform the often controversial play due to the high level of criticism it may receive. However, London Classic Theatre (LCT) have braved Equus for their 2011 tour (Norwich Playhouse 20-21September). Although Alan Strang is at the centre of this detective-like story, the play progresses into a commentary of worship and the need for the emotions produced by it. Dr Dysart, the young boy’s psychiatrist, begins to question parts of his own life, from his dreams and ambitions to his mundane relationship with his wife. It was his development that was a real highlight of the LCT’s production. With worship being such a focal theme within the play, it is designer, Kerry Bradley deserves praise for his simple but effective set design. Dr Dysart, played by Malcolm James, refers to Greek art and ancient mythology throughout the play, inspiring the look of the LCT’s production. A circular set with marble-effect benches creates the feeling of an amphitheatre and with it, connotations of theatricality and extremity. This is an excellent setting for Shaffer’s Equus with the extreme crime and Dysart’s extreme realisation that the 17-year-old, labelled

insane by the courts, has felt more intense emotions in his short life than Dysart has in his own. Above the marble circle hangs a large wreath with a cross in the centre, which can only remind audiences of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, which links so closely within the play to the discovery of Alan Strang’s motives for committing his crime. The LCT’s production held only a small cast of eight actors, each taking their main role alongside the role of a spectator, never leaving the stage; instead remaining at the edge of the circle. This works well in the performance, with the audience constantly being reminded of the fact that they are watching a play, a play designed to force them to question worship and how it may or may not be accepted in society. Actors step in and out of their main role without breaking the fluidity of the performance. However it is the movement of Aidan Downing as Nugget, a favourite horse of Alan Strang, that is most impressive. Wearing a wire horse-shaped frame across his head, Downing instantly becomes Nugget creating the iconic scenes of the play. The LCT’s Equus may appear to be simpler than past productions of the play, which have had more scenery and larger casts, but the LCT showed the story from a new angle. The play was stripped to the bare essentials with a basic but ideal set to demonstrate the real development of the story and the extremity of Strang’s crime. Sarah Boughen

This Week In Arts History... Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? opened on Broadway on October 13 1962 at the Billy Rose Theatre. An extensive and intense piece of drama at almost three hours long, and a repeated sell-out production at the time and to this day, Edward Albee’s play of domestic disturbance and verbal profanity is awardwinning, socially volatile and ultimately profound. The play concerns two married couples; one significantly older than the other who, demonstrate a great sense of bitterness and disappointment along with their age. Two male university professors (George and Nick) socialise one evening with their wives (Martha and Honey) after a faculty party; alcohol-fuelled and full of rage, the younger couple are utilised by the elder in games of emotional brutality and despair. A hysterical pregnancy, domestic violence, made up children and extramarital indiscretions litter this production where the lines of fiction and reality are blurred, and appearances are deceptive. Between Honey’s brandy chugging and frequent

1962

vomiting, and Martha’s taunting humiliation of her husband, the audience is given two very different but equally disturbing views of marriage and mayhem on stage. Secrets and souls are laid bare in a vicious dissection of relationships and sterility, culminating in the ultimate confrontation with one’s own demons and lies. Since its Broadway success in 1962, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was also adapted into a successful film four years later, starring the late Elizabeth Taylor as the despairing Martha, alongside Richard Burton, George Segal and Sandy Dennis in the other principal roles. The play won various prestigious dramatic awards, including Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Actor and Best Actress for the originating cast members. It also attracted considerable controversy though; depictions of violence, swearing and the theme of sexual promiscuity were considered so indecent that the play was turned down for a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1963, and there were several consequential attempts to have the play banned.

Almost 50 years on, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has, for the most part, withstood the test of time and become a scholarly classic, spending considerable time on A-Level literature syllabi for its representations of communication and twisted sense of reality. The resonance of Albee’s play for the modern reader or viewer transcends our fast-paced world of disillusionment and falsehoods, to remind the reader that only in bare-faced truth can we be real. Emma Webb

WIRED

11.10.2011

Apple announce iPhone 4S

Battlefield 3 Beta Review

t’s no iPhone 5, the lack of which sent Apple’s stock value tumbling 5%, but Apple’s new CEO Tim Cook did announce a refreshed version of their bestselling iPhone 4 at the Apple conference in Cupertino, California, last Tuesday. The iPhone 4S, much like the 3GS, is outwardly exactly the same as the iPhone 4; the guts of the beast are where the changes have been made. But will it be enough to combat the fantastic, award winning Samsung Galaxy S II? The iPhone brand now has its first dual core member, with the 4S packing a dual core Apple A5 chipset, the same as the iPad 2. Apple boasts twice the CPU power and seven times the graphical processing speeds. Internet data speeds of up to 14.4mbps download and 5.8mpbs upload were claimed by the. American giant, while battery life has been marginally improved, with eight hours of talk time as opposed to its predecessor’s seven. Disappointingly, the standby battery life has been reduced by 33%, down to 200 hours. The signal problems of the iPhone 4 have been fixed, with the new design utilising two separate antennas. One of the biggest changes from the iPhone 4 to 4S are the massive improvements made to the camera, a critical feature to most users. The camera takes better quality photos faster, and double tapping the home button now opens the camera. Oh, and there’s 1080p video recording, which was to be expected as it’s now standard for top tier smartphones. As for weight and feel, it uses exactly the same exterior design chassis as the iPhone 4, so no changes there. So what’s different from the iPhone and why is it better? Well, while it may feel and look exactly the same as the iPhone 4, it’s faster, more powerful, and essentially better in every single way. Most importantly, that new A5 chip makes iOS 5 and features such as Siri run as smooth as warm butter. What’s Siri? Siri is the most impressive and notable thing about the iPhone 4S. Siri was originally an app available to all iOS users, but Apple liked it so much it’s now an integrated iOS 5 voice interface feature, available exclusively for iPhone 4S users. Essentially, you now press and hold the home button and then talk to your phone. Ask for directions, ask what the weather is like, tell Siri to send a text to your mum, or set an alarm for 20 minutes time. Engadget, the tech blog, “tried to psych it out with a bunch of random requests, including the history of Chester, Vermont (a lovely town) and the best Ramen places in San Francisco. Siri never faltered, never missed a beat. There’s nothing better to say than that.” Voice apps and interfaces aren’t new,

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n the dominant gaming landscape of realistic, modern first person shooters, the Battlefield series has always had to settle for second best. That doesn’t mean it’s been failing, or even doing badly. When Battlefield’s rival series, Call of Duty, released Modern Warfare 2, it broke all sales records. These records sustained Activision’s franchise for almost a year … until Call of Duty: Black Ops came along, and broke all those records all over again. Compared to these games, second place is nothing to be ashamed of. But when Battlefield 3, sequel to 2005’s Battlefield 2, was announced in February, it was clear EA was no longer satisfied with the silver medal, and the marketing campaign since has cost over $100m dollars, and generated unrivalled hype, above and beyond that of Activision’s own upcoming Modern Warfare 3. This is not a game that wants to succeed. It is a game that wants to break records. Released on 29th September, and available for download now, the Battlefield 3 beta seems like just the latest part of this marketing campaign. Released less than a month before the actual game, of course. It’s been done for years, and quite well on Google’s Android OS in the last couple of years, but it has never been anything more than a gimmick for the vast majority of people. Siri might be able to change that. Or not, and it will go unused like every other voice interface until now. While the iPhone 4S is a great update to the iPhone 4, many Apple fans were however left disappointed by the lack of a “revolutionary” iPhone 5 announcement, and with Apple only revealing a revised iPhone 4, many wonder if Samsung and Google will steal the centre stage this year with the imminent announcement of the Nexus Prime, which is expected to have a 720p HD screen and Android 4.0. Richard Joslin

the developers over at DICE aren’t really going to have time to implement sweeping changes to the multiplayer based on this, but it does give the average consumer a chance to check out the basic online experience for the first time. The beta gives you one map, covering a small park and an abandoned subway station. One mode is offered, a variant of attack and defence, with one team guarding various objectives while the other team tries to capture them/blow them up. The beta lacks the wide open maps, and 64-player battles shown in recent gameplay trailers, and you won’t find any tanks to drive, or aeroplanes to fly, but the experience remains solid, with the same varied class load outs and shooting mechanics any FPS enthusiast will know like the back of their hands. The package sports a crisp, clean presentation, and the underground sections really give a chance to show off the game’s lighting effects. So far, so simple, so popular. Gamers can only wait until October 28th to find out if there’s a new king on the block. Timothy Bates

Steve Jobs Dies At 56 Steve Jobs passed away last Wednesday after a seven year battle against pancreatic cancer, which forced him to step down as CEO in August this year. Jobs, who co-founded Apple in 1976 has become, over the past 35 years, one of the most influential and recognised people in the technology industry. This is due partly to his superb keynote speeches at Apple press conferences over the past 12 years but also to his dedication to practical, impeccably designed gadgets. When Jobs re-joined Apple in 1996 the company was on the verge of folding.

Since then, Apple has grown to be one of the largest companies in the world, with a annual income exceeding that of most countries. Jobs’ career and reputation were firmly established following the enormous popularity of some of the world’s most groundbreaking technological innovations, all of which were the result of his commitment to functionality. Jobs will be missed as a CEO but also as the leading figure to a generation of technology lovers. Josh Mott

11.10.2011

Game exhibitions are a difficult thing to do well. This is because, unlike music and film, both of which are suited for crowded auditoriums, games are often a more solitary experience. Crowded, noisy and garishly lit, at an expo it can often be difficult to engage with a game in the same way that you would at home. Thankfully,

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Eurogamer Expo 2011 Wired can report that this year’s Eurogamer Expo did a lot of things right and it was easily the most successful yet. Shooters were in abundance and the biggest queues were for Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3. The former showed off its Spec-Ops mode which ditches linear missions for wave-based survival. The

shooting felt as good as ever and deployable turrets and equipment add some interesting tactical depth, but it’s doubtful that the mode will distract players from team deathmatch for very long. The latter clearly outperforms its competition graphically but, set at a more methodical pace, it caters for different tastes. Both games were

fantastic and with Rage, Resistance 3 and Gears of War 3 also impressing, shooter fans are going to be spoilt for choice this Christmas. With an endless cacophony of gunfire ringing and fully grown men sporting camouflage and balaclavas, it’s easy to write off the expo as a violent and decidedly masculine affair. Taking a closer look Wired also found some absolute gems for the pacifist in us all. Rayman Origins takes the series back to its roots, exchanging annoying minigames for 2D platforming. The game is entirely hand drawn and, playing faster and more fluidly than before, it looks like a return to form for a series that has dwindled of late. Indeed, there seemed to be a resurgence of quality platformers this year, with Super Mario 3D Land looking to end the 3DS’s game drought and even the movie tie-in for Tintin was more fun than it had any right to be. Of course this is only scratching the surface, there was something for everyone at this year’s expo and, with so many great games on the horizon, the only thing gamers need worry about is their wallets.

Oliver Balaam

Retro Column: Vagrant Story

2000

As the only PlayStation game to date to be rated 40/40 by Famitsu magazine, Vagrant Story is a timeless classic with something to offer any gamer, from its intriguing plot to cinematic visuals groundbreaking for its time (2000). All of this has led to a growing demand for a re-release of the title, which finally occurred this year via the PlayStation Network. In this Squaresoft masterpiece, the player assumes the role of Riskbreaker Ashley Riot, a member of the Valendia Knights of Peace who is falsely accused of having taken the life of a prominent Duke. Prior to this, the Duke’s manor was overrun by a murderous religious cult known as the Müllenkamp, who seek eternal life. In the week between them seizing the manor and the assassination of the Duke, Ashley travels to the city of Leá Monde, an eerie gothic locale whose prosperity came to an end when a powerful earthquake struck it, killing thousands and reducing the land in and around Leá Monde to twisted ghost filled ruins. The game spans the week Ashley spends in this haunted city, on the surface presenting itself as a classic dungeon crawling RPG, following labyrinthine tunnels through the ruins, filled with enough loot, equipment and character development to keep even Diablo fans happy. However, the game offers far more than so many in its genre,

including box puzzle solving elements that start simple, but towards the end of the story become mind boggling to the point of frustration. Throughout this mix of platform style game-play and role playing elements, the combat system, which requires far more player input and thought than many RPGs both past and present, gives polish to the entire experience. A recurring criticism of the game revolves around how difficult the battle segments are to control for novice players, but in a modern console game market so flooded with “accessible” rubbish, developers could do worse than to recreate some of the deeper aspects of past classics like Vagrant Story. Theo Cresswell

Appy Corner: Game Dev Story Kairosoft has made a name for itself as one of the most consistently good developers on the Apple App Store with games such as Pocket Academy and Mega Mall Story frequently topping both the ‘best selling’ and highest rated Apple charts. Thankfully, Game Dev Story is no different. Game Dev Story is a micro management game centered around running a game development company, taking it from indie status, through to becoming an industry l e a d i n g development studio. In the same vein as classic PC games such as Theme Hospital you are the CEO of your company, commanding your staff to complete tasks in order to finish various projects by their deadline. You start out with a small, inexperienced team, and must accept contracts from larger studios in order to build up your revenue and research data. Your research data is one of the key factors of Game Dev Story and is one of the things that make it so addictive to play. As your staff perform tasks they gather research data, which can then be used to level them

up, increasing their parameters and stats. Research data can also be used to attempt to increase productivity of staff or overall quality of work on a project, resulting in a fun risk/reward system. Once you have gained enough capital you can begin to develop your own game, from negotiating development licenses all the way through to launching, assigning staff to write proposals, program and debug. Game Dev Story is deceptively in depth, asking you to decide on your target market, tailoring your game’s design and advertising campaigns to suit the demographic. Game Dev Story’s, cartoon-like, 16-bit art style perfectly suits the light hearted nature of the game play and, despite its depth, is easy to get in to and is perfectly balanced for beginners to the genre. In summary, Game Dev Story is another addition to Kairosofts list of great games on the App Store and is definitely worth the price tag of £2.49. Joe Fitzsimmons

FILM Crazy, Stupid, Love.

al Weaver (Steve Carell) has the perfect life; a good job, a well-kept house and a loving family. Then his wife (Julianne Moore) asks for a divorce. The film primarily follows endearing Cal as he tries to cope with losing his high-school sweetheart and rediscovering his manhood. Enter Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling), the smooth talking, sharp-suited womaniser who rather immodestly revamps Cal’s image and teaches him the tricks of the one-night-stand trade. However, the joke’s on Jacob when he falls for Hannah (Emma Stone). Rounding up the storyline is Cal’s son Robbie (Jonah Bobo) who believes his babysitter Jessica (Analeigh Tipton) is his soulmate but is fighting a losing battle, as she only has eyes for Cal. Although the film has multiple love triangles and overlapping characters, it never becomes too complicated or confusing. As romantic comedies go, Crazy Stupid Love is one of the most refreshing in it’s genre. There are even a couple of plot twists that are genuinely a surprise, subtly hinted at but not so obvious that you know what’s in store. The medley of characters and issues also sets the film apart, particularly Emma Stone’s character, who, though nervously verbose, is always self-assured in who she

Tyrannosaur

iven their frequent collaborations and close friendship, it is no surprise that this directorial début from Paddy Considine bears a passing resemblance to the films of Shane Meadows. What is surprising is that rather than being a second-rate Meadows imitation, Tyrannosaur is brilliantly assured in its own right; a brutal, beautiful film about rage, violence and, ultimately, redemption. That it portrays this without descending into sentimentality is largely down to its uncompromising realism and its central performances. Peter Mullan is incredible as Joseph, a man caught in a cycle of violence and self-destruction, but the real triumph is a

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Director: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa Country: USA Starring: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore and Emma Stone

11.10.2011

is. Additionally, the representation of divorce which runs throughout is a realistic portrayal of love and the hardships people face after they think they’ll live happily ever after. Something else that must be noted is the limited but perfect use of slow motion which simultaneously seduces the audience and allows them a little giggle at the exaggeration of it all. The actors have each brought their own brand of comedy to the film which complements their characters and gives it a great mix of humour that plays off each other brilliantly. The film moves from heartfelt moments to awkward situations, but balances them well enough that it has you laughing throughout. It seems as though the film makers have really thought about this, rather than trying to crank out another predictable and cheesy romcom. Having said that, the ending is a little clichéd, but by the time you get there you would have laughed so much you may buy in to it a little. It’s forgiveable. It can be summed up, rather perfectly, by a pick-up line from the film itself, it’s both wildly sexy and unbelievably cute. You’d be crazy stupid to miss it. Radosava Radulovic

Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark

startlingly brilliant, fragile performance from Peep Show’s Olivia Colman as Hannah, the charity worker who tries to befriend and redeem him. But her sunny optimism and pious charity work hide a domestic hell far worse than Joseph’s, and it is her plight and the unravelling of her seemingly perfect life that are the most uncomfortable and tragic aspects of the movie. Tyrannosaur is not an easy film to watch, and its darkness and graphic violence will certainly not be to everyone’s taste, but if you can stomach it, it is an abrasive, yet often uplifting and consistently moving human drama. Joseph Murphy

roy Nixey’s directorial debut, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, a remake of the 1973 cult chiller of the same name, follows young Sally Hirst (Bailee Madison) as she moves in to a 19th-Century mansion undergoing restoration by her father, Alex (Guy Pearce), and his new girlfriend, Kim (Katie Holmes), only to discover that the once majestic, now decrepit manor possesses the terrible ancient origin of the Tooth Fairy legend locked away in its bowels. Owing to Nixey’s background in comic book illustration and the input of producer Guillermo Del Toro, one would expect Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark to be visually striking. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from

the truth. Nixey’s debut is perhaps the blandest horror film of the year, not just because of its drab environments, uninteresting cinematography and woefully uninspired monster design, but also its mundane script, which squanders the considerable talents of Pearce and, to a lesser extent, Holmes. This results in a distinct lack of that most important of elements in the horror genre: atmosphere. Due to his lack of artistic vision and perhaps reluctance to break away from genre conventions on his first foray into feature filmmaking, Nixey has delivered an utterly forgettable and entirely unfrightening film. Tom Moore

11.10.2011

FILM

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Killer Elite

atching a film starring Statham, De Niro and Owen delivers exactly what you would expect: fists, guns and testosterone pumped violence. Unfortunately, a modern audience now expects more than fighting and explosions from the action genre, and the plot falls disappointingly short. Set in the 1980s, Danny (Jason Statham) is a top-notch assassin who quits the world of violence after his conscience kicks in, only to be drawn back in by a Dubai sheikh who has kidnapped his friend and former teacher, Hunter (Rober De Niro). Danny agrees to take a “last job”, avenging the Sheikh’s three sons who were murdered by SAS soldiers 10 years ago in the secret war of Oman. Strangely, it is the film’s “true story” that slows the plot and the acting down. What may have read well in Ranulph Fiennes’ novel alternates between slow and bizarre on screen. Much like the plot, the chemistry between Statham and Yvonne Strahovski is strained and unrealistic, which is a shame because the pairing had so much potential. Over all, Statham is more Jason Boring than Jason Bourne. The film will entertain fans, but will disappoint audiences who want the action to match a more developed story line. Rachel Greene-Taylor

Johnny English Reborn

as there really any need for a Johnny English sequel? After seeing Johnny English Reborn it can safely be said that the answer is no. The first film was mediocre at best, appearing as an average (but at least humorous) addition to a tired genre that has already been convoluted by films such as the Austin Powers series and the classic Pink Panther franchise. And that’s the problem with Johnny English Reborn, it brings nothing original to the genre to justify its existence. The story begins with Johnny English in exile, being trained by a team of Tibetan monks before he is, oddly enough, recruited yet again by MI7. From then on, the movie follows the same tired old spy-spoof formula you’ll be familiar with from the previous film (and countless others), with gag-aftergag of English doing something spectacularly dim-witted, and yet still coming out on top in the end. While the first film at least made these gags wacky and surprising, the sequel is far too predictable, with a string of scenes that produce little more than a chuckle. Whilst it will certainly be entertaining for children under 10, most of the adults will leave the cinema feeling incredibly underwhelmed. A. J. Hodson

Abduction

he rather original and promising plot-line of Abduction allows the film to take an optimistic veer away from its annoyingly stereotypical teen movie beginning. After just a few minutes you start to wonder whether Taylor Lautner has somehow missed the point when taking on this conventional teenage character though, considering that he is trying to break away from his role as typical teen heart throb, aspiring to become a serious actor in more staid roles. Action does infiltrate the later scenes though, and some rather impressive stunts possibly help to explain why Lautner was chosen for this role. His typical cold, unemotional acting style definitely seems out of place in the teen scene, but does tend to complement his character throughout the rest of the film, especially as he actually manages to create some kind of chemistry with Lily Collins, who plays Karen Murphy. If you’re planning on seeing Abduction because the hot guy from Twilight plays the starring role, then you will be thoroughly disappointed. However, if you fancy seeing a film which has excellent potential then it may be worth your while, if you can bear to sit through the numerous cringe-worthy moments that is. Claire Sangster

Ranter’s Corner

Competition To coincide with the release of Paranormal Activity 3, Paramount Pitures are offering the chance to win an exciting Parnormal Activity prize bundle. To be in with a chance of winning, just email us the answer to this question:

Paranormal Activity 3 is directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Shulman who rose to fame by making what reality thriller in 2010?

This week, Ellissa Chilley discusses the widely debated subject of 3D Technology

fter several years of a relatively quiet influence in the film industry, 3D is back, but not quite as we know it. Gone are the days of those ill-fitting cardboard glasses of red and blue that let you painlessly vary the colour of your family members on the drive home. But never fear, reformed 3D still brings the same short-lived excitement with painful storyline compromises. Too much of a “good thing” is being had when it so often replaces the previously better regarded well written plot. This revival fad has seen film makers everywhere justify digging into the bin of failed storylines by slapping “3D” on the marketing plans. It’s true that most of these crimes can be pinned on children’s movies; but I can’t help, perhaps selfishly, hoping I could be as entertained as my six year old brother when it comes to cinema outings. If dragging down children’s entertainment isn’t tragic enough, we also have to endure classic films being remade in 3D. I don’t know about you, but I have never once thought that the best way to improve Titanic would be to add a technologically enforced certainty that the giant sinking ship is definitely further away than the driftwood hog that is Kate Winslet.

FILM

11.10.2011

From Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Adaptation has always been a prevalent force throughout the history of film. Whether it is literary adaptations or a retelling of historical events, these types of films have continued to produce classic cinema moments. However, the relatively new type of adaptation from television shows has generally had a poorer reception. Successful and critically acclaimed TV shows like The Simpsons, South Park, The Inbetweeners and Sex and the City have all been transformed into films that were poorly received in comparison to their televised counterparts. The most cynical will claim

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Talking Movies

The Simpsons Movie: Venue

takes a look at the best and worst films adapted from television shows.

no need to make these films of great quality because they were never going to flop. However, there may be other reasons for the generally poor quality in televisionto-film adaptations, and most prominent amongst them is the medium in which

they are delivered. Viewers are used to the episodic format of television shows like The

“A sudden shift to an extended 90-minute-plus narrative can often feel strange and drawn out” Simpsons, for example, so a sudden shift to an extended 90-minute-plus narrative can often feel strange and drawn out. It is not, however, all failure in the genre of television adaptations. The recent adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, for example, draws upon the 1979 BBC television series as well as John Le Carre’s iconic novel. There are also great hopes for the recently announced Arrested Development film planned for 2013, which will be preceded by a 10-episode television series. Perhaps the reason for the success of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the expected success of Arrested Development is the

“There was no need to make these films of great quality because they were never going to flop” that this is solely because of money. These massive brand names draw the crowds to the cinema, bringing in healthy profits. There was

proven cinematic talent that was enlisted. In Tomas Alfredson and Ron Howard respectively, both films have directors with a proven reputation in cinema instead of, for example, Matt Groening, who prior to The Simpsons Movie had no film experience. To sum up, it seems there may be some light on the horizon for the TV to cinema adaptation. A more considered approach is being taken in the production of these films, to create adaptations of true quality, instead of rushed films that focus more on profit than entertaining their loyal fans. Tom White

The Popcorn Chart

Following Taylor Lautner’s

unconvincing foray into serious acting in

Abduction,

we take a look at those who sucessfully made the transition from child-stars to respected actors

Drew Barrymore Hailing from a long-line of successful actors and actresses, a seven year-old Drew confidently strode into stardom as Elliot’s bratty little sister in E.T. Aged 11 she was nominated for a Golden Globe, by 13 she’d checked herself into rehab, and had won legal emancipation from her parents by 15. Nowadays, Barrymore is best known for her romantic comedies, such as Never Been Kissed, The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates and the Charlie’s Angels franchise, which helped turn Barrymore into a household name.

Christian Bale Plucked from relative obscurity to star in Spielberg’s ambitions World War ll epic, Empire of the Sun at age 13, Bale has had a relatively

smooth transition from child actor to leading man. The teen years were slightly barren (that

classic Disney musical Newsies, anyone?) but he came out fighting with a chillingly realistic portrayal of psychopath Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. He worked consistently through the early noughties, losing 63-pounds to star as Trevor Reznik in The Machinist in 2004, before hitting the commercial big time with Batman Begins. While continuing to star in the Batman franchise, Bale also took leading roles in critics’ favourites 3:10 To Yuma and The Fighter, which helped solidify his status as a serious actor.

Joaquin Phoenix Despite his brother River’s quick (and ultimately tragic) rise to teen heartthrob, Joaquin (then acting under the name Leaf) had limited early success until he starred in Parenthood opposite Steve Martin aged 13. He hit big again in 2000 with Gladiator, then two successful collaborations with director M. Night Shyamalan in Signs and The Village further increased his commercial success. However, it was his Golden Globe winning portrayal of Johnny Cash in Walk The Line that really sent him flying into the Hollywood orbit.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Rising from humble beginnings of cameos

in various 90s tv shows, Gordon-Levitt eventually graduated to regular cast member

playing Tommy Solomon in 3rd Rock From The Sun. Starring opposite Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles in teen favourite 10 Things I Hate About You and voicing Jim in Disney’s Treasure Planet helped nudge him further into public awareness. Indie faves Mysterious Skin and Brick followed, but it wasn’t until 2008’s 500 Days Of Summer that GordonLevitt found the right blend of quirky meets commercially appealing to really break out. His subsequent role in film of the moment Inception cemented his reputation as one to watch.

Kirsten Dunst Interview With A Vampire, Jumangi and Little Women provided Dunst with an impressive resume as she entered her teen years. Roles in

Sophia Coppela’s quietly disturbing adaption of The Virgin Suicides and comedies Drop Dead Gorgeous and Bring It On proved her ability to play extremely varied characters, while the Spiderman franchise affirmed her commercial appeal. 2004’s Eternal Sunshine Of A Spotless Mind reminded the world again that she was no one trick pony and with her recent role in the much talked about Melancholia and upcoming On The Road adaption, Dunst looks set to continue her rise to the top. Julia Sanderson

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