Venue 372

Ellie Robson Venue Editor

Amelia Rentell Venue Deputy Editor

concrete.venuedeputy@uea.ac.uk

ellie.robson@uea.ac.uk Hello, and welcome back to Venue 372, our first issue of the decade! We hope that you all had lovely holidays and are feeling somewhat refreshed for the new semester. 2020 has always sounded kind of like a fake year to me, andI can’t really believe it now we’re here. We’re three weeks into Janurary and I’m still not used to it. I set the usual resolutions for the year - to eat better, do more exercise, and read more. You’re probably not surprised to hear that so far I’ve only really stuck to one. At least my Goodreads challenge is looking pretty healthy. As well as the beginning of a new year, it’s also the beginning of my final semester at UEA. Even though I have plans for once my course is done I’m trying not to think too much about it. It’s really true that university is over before you know it, and I know I’ll miss it once it’s gone. On a slightly happier note, Imogen has retunred to do another gorgeous, and this time eerie, cover for us.

Well hello there, welcome back. I do hope you had a good Christmas break but I don’t want to hear about it because I stayed in Norwich working a retail job instead of being able to see my family. What a world this whole adulthood/making money thing is eh? This is my last term at UEA and to say I’m bricking it would be an understatement. It feels like yesterday and a hundred years ago since I arrived here and now it’s coming to an end. In fact from the date of publication, I’ll have about 93 days left. That’s around 8,035,200 seconds. Scary, isn’t it? Or is it exciting? I’ll get back to you on that. Speaking of exciting, this term of Venue is already looking a real treat. Our editors have been working their socks off, as well as our writers, to have all this content ready and it looks great. I hope you enjoy it. Best of luck for the New Year, 2020 seems like a monumental date. See you in the next issue.

Featured Articles:

Check out Fashion editor Maya’s article on the costumes of Little Women. I’ll take any excuse to encourage people to watch it!

Head over to the Film and TV section to read some reviews of this season’s Oscar nominated films!

SECTION EDITORS ARTS - Leia Butler

concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk

FASHION - Maya Coomarasamy concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk

CREATIVE WRITING - Oliver Shrouder concrete.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk

02 Cover art: Imogen Ince @imogen_ince

MUSIC - Lewis Oxley

concrete.music@uea.ac.uk

GAMING - Martha Griffiths concrete.gamingtech@uea.ac.uk

FILM & TV - Fin Aitken

concrete.film@uea.ac.uk

Moving into 2020 Exciting times ahead... I’m looking forward to an update about Doors of Stone by Patrick Rothfuss. It’s the third and final instalment of the Kingkiller Chronicles, which began way back in 2007 with The Name of the Wind. The second novel in the trilogy, The Wise Man’s Fear, was released in 2011, and fans have been itching for a conclusion since. Rothfuss and his

team have been elusive about when we’ll get to read the finale, and readers are torn between respect for Rothfuss and his craft and impatience at the lack of information. The series is one of my favourites and follows a magician named Kvothe who is telling his life story to another man over the course of

three days (hence the three books). Kvothe has grown to be a notorious wizard, but the trilogy’s opening work focuses on his origin, narrating his childhood and education. It’s truly a masterpiece and a staple of the fantasy genre.

Ellie Robson

The wave that shaped a decade and how creative internet-led activism will continue to take the world by storm According to Ofcom, more people got their news from the internet in 2019 than from newspapers. It may be sacrilege to print this, but it’s true - the way we engage with our personal, national and global dialogues is changing, shifting away from the control of centralised networks into the hands of the individual. Whilst this shift has admittedly lead to a nasty twist of events I like to call ‘the terrifying rise of global fascism’, it has also created an unprecedented global wave of counter-protest, creative civil disobedience and grass-roots activism. We now have a hyper-awareness of injustice that transcends borders - the internet’s influence has disrupted the narratives upheld by traditional media, exposing both global issues and the resistance movements

fighting them. This constant flood of images and information has united us; We are all confronted with the realities of climate change. 99% of us are struggling in comparison to a privileged few. We know this now, and, through our newfound interconnectivity, we have the tools to collaborate. Think of it this way. Creative individuals and collectives such as @we_are_adg, @ freyaft, @globalclimatejustice and @realolifrost create politically motivated art, films and graphics for various activist groups. These are shared across Twitter, across Instagram - maybe your friend reposts their work; maybe you find it on your explore page. You share it, or dm the artist, or send it to your friend - the reach of the original activist

group widens, whilst awareness of the issue at hand rises. All it takes from here on in (on your part) is a couple of messages, or a google search, or a Facebook request, and suddenly awareness has turned into action. In the space of an hour, a digital graphic has added one more member to a collaborative, internationalist solidarity movement, hellbent on enacting change. As our global socio-political climates reaches molotov-flinging levels of dissatisfaction, 2019’s Protest Wave shows no sign of stopping - the era of internet-led organisation and creative civil disobedience is only just beginning.

Meg Watts

Image: Confetti, Pixabay

Discussions in the arts world ‘The subject matter is more important than the author or creator’ For

Against

Whilst the context surrounding a piece of work usually enlightens its content to some extent, it’s easy to see that the work’s subject matter is more significant. The subject matter can stand alone and be appraised: a painting can be enjoyed without knowing the painter, a song can be enjoyed without knowing the singer, amongst other examples. Knowledge of the creator is simply an addition to the piece: it can improve appreciation, but it is more likely to improve an already positive impression than to change a negative one to a positive one for instance. The latter example would suggest a piece of work is too reliant on its context rather than its actual substance.

The artist has more control over the subject as the artist acts as a creative zeitgeist, whether their art is satire or provocative. This can be said for “cult” artists, writers, musicians et al., where the aura of their personality becomes as important as the work itself. Sure, subjects will appear universal, the subjects don’t really change, for example, love and relationships. The part where art is recognised is through the revolutionary methods and approaches that creators and artists develop. A striking example of this is the move from Impressionism to Cubism, pioneered by Picasso. The pioneering innovations of artistic genius is something that cannot be ignored. For, if it were, most art forms would just be imitations and ending up being the same to what went before. It is also important to consider the effect of legacy, the more ground-breaking an artist (e.g. David Bowie on society and music) the more varied the impact and influence they have.

Jack Oxford

Lewis Oxley

Fingers crossed for Game of Thrones It’s been nine years since the last instalment of A Song of Ice and Fire was released, and G.R.R. Martin promises (as he does every year) the next in the series, The Winds of Winter, would be released this year. The franchise started great, like a nice morning coffee, but as it progressed, just as caffeine slips through the digestive system, it became increasing-

Image: Wikimedia Commons

ly indigestible until blooming into metaphorical laxative; draining poor fans of pacing, quality and satisfaction. These books have overextended their half-life. I hope 2020 helps propel an already decreasing popularity. Ice and Fire, you were great when you started, but you aged as badly as bread I forgot about when I went home for Christmas.

Unless Martin is lying again, and Winter isn’t released this year. But he wouldn’t do that, I’m sure. He’s not the equivalent of a lazy, unmotivated fresher starting his summative in the final week of the semester, I hope.

Alex Grenfell

The Truants by Kate Weinberg – From UEA, about UEA

Author Kate Weinberg is a UEA graduate. This comes as no surprise to readers of her 2019 debut novel The Truants, which is largely set on the UEA campus and follows a quartet of freshers who build an unlikely friendship. Protagonist Jess Walker is an English Literature student, quietly intelligent and longing to get away from her large and stifling family. It isn’t long before she befriends Georgie, another English Literature student living in her halls, who is her exact opposite – popular and sexy. Georgie falls hard and fast for South African journalist Alec, who has come to study at UEA, while Jess catches the attention of Nick, a loyal and likeable science student. A fifth figure soon overshadows the group. Professor Lorna is known for her work on Agatha Christie, but most notably, her enticing and engaging teaching, and brilliance that makes every student fall in love with her.

Even before the two interact, Jess has read her books and is in awe of her expertise and talent. The Truants is packed full of the fears and experiences that come with being a fresher and hits the reader with tumultuous moments that throws their expectations off-kilter. However, as the narrative progresses further, Lorna and her links to the four students are slowly revealed. I really enjoyed the first half of the novel. The chapters were short, the characters were engaging, and my intrigue kept me turning the pages. I appreciated how Weinberg quickly drew me in and brought the not too far gone concerns of firstyear back to the front of my mind. I immediately found myself impacted by the emotions of Jess - her inner monologue is frequently relatable, and I began to deeply sympathise with her even when she was in situations I hadn’t experienced.

Unfortunately, I feel like The Truants lost me halfway through. The depictions of seminars were extremely unrealistic, and whilst I could overlook this at first, it began to irritate me. Once the initial enjoyable discussions of university faded, all that was left behind was an unrealistic relationship between a tutor and student, and a soap opera-like series of events. I always felt like I understood the actions of the characters and the decisions that they were making, but the events of the novel were too farfetched, and I could no longer find a way to really believe in what I was reading. This was such a shame, as the beginning was so promising, but ultimately, I feel like Weinberg took some turns that didn’t align with my personal likes in literature. It was still lovely to see some UEA representation in the text as well as in the author, and I would still encourage students to give it a go!

Ellie Robson Images: (left) Flickr, .Martin, (right) Wikimedia Commons

Does fashion negatively impact our mental health? As young people, fashion and the fashion industry touch almost every part of our lives, whether deliberately or not. The media we consume on our computers and phones, the way we present ourselves to represent different aspects of our personality, even if we do not actively choose to participate in this world it is impossible to avoid as it slowly trickles down from the runway to the window of an H&M store. The all-encompassing infiltration of fashion into our lives surely has an effect on how we see and feel about ourselves and others, using the standards set up by the fashion industry to see how we measure up. The conversation surrounding fashion and mental health can throw up many negative comments about body image from su

Remember when school non-uniform days created a buzz? Remember when clothes were fun, and we were driven by colours and textures and patterns, the ability to show off your favourite looks? We need to uncover this buzz again, the thrill of wearing clothes, our love affair with fashion. To feel the benefits of fashion to our mental health, we must see the beauty in clothes again; at their root, they are simply expression. Expression, feeling free to be who we want to be, feeling empowered in our authentic self, is only ever beneficial to our mental health. When stripped back, brought to its rawest and most basic form, fashion is a language. It is a way to speak your soul, to explore your truest self and show off this

per skinny models on the runway and the exclusion of POC, plus size bodies and those with disabilities from the industry highlights many problems. However a conversation that is often forgotten about is the way fast fashion also has a negative impact – not just on our environment but also on our mental health, creating a need to keep up with the never ending parade of new styles and silhouettes or risk feeling left out and unattractive. The constantly updated ‘New In’ section on websites like ASOS encourage us to check in daily to see what the latest thing we should buy is, and create a culture of instant gratification with things like premier next day delivery services to fulfil our need for constant newness. This leaves many people with an empty bank account and a wardrobe full of clothes they’ve

flare to others. Despite what we are told by the high-street industry, all clothes are fashion, a fresh creative outlet which you are free to interpret. The gift of fashion is that it is limitless, if you like it you can wear it: clash bright colours, flaunt your red beret in the club. It doesn’t matter if you are ‘in’ or ‘out’, ahead of fashion or in love with the seventies, the beauty to clothes is that they are an extension of our self. Fashion is woven with the precious liberation to be who we want to be, regardless of gender, age, background, likes, dislikes. In a society where people feel thwarted by ‘normality’, the ability to break free is golden. Clothes present an outlet, an expression, a freedom. In buying clothes, you engage in a unique dialect with

only worn once with no sense of achievement or enjoyment outside that fleeting moment when the parcel arrives at the door. The fashion industry’s growing number of shows per year fuels this endless cycle as the two collections fashion houses used to release each year has grown over time to four, five or more and high street fashion has followed suit. Ultimately it tells consumers that what we have now, and therefore who we are now, is not good enough if it is not constantly being updated and refreshed, leaving us feeling exhausted and unfulfilled while we impatiently wait for the next package to arrive. For the new decade we should all try to slow down, appreciate what we already have, and hopefully avoid going bankrupt.

Josephine Nyeko-Lacek

life, playing with your personality, creating a façade to the word. This isn’t to say clothing is fake, it is to say it opens the gate to empowerment, to be who we want regardless of what we feel we should be. A mirage of colours and patterns and materials and shapes is a creative outlet, the ability to paint your soul, to play with who you are. Not only is this freeing, it is inspiring! Fashion is a gift. Fashion scintillates excitement; fashion is art; a statement to the world; an opportunity to explore yourself. Within the arrangement of cloth, the array of textures and the spectrum of colours is a magic that we too often overlook. To engage with clothes is to engage with an expression of our soul.

Hannah Emery

Now Trending It might be colder than ever in Norwich, but close your eyes, picture yourself on a hot beach, and let me take you through some of the Spring/ Summer trends for 2020. Let’s start with the usual suspects. Pastel and sorbet colour palettes were, of course, plastered all over the runways, as brands from ‘Loewe’ to ‘Gucci’ showed off a fresh approach to the classics, with lots of sheer fabrics in muted colours. Every season also brings about the revival of decade dressing, and this time round it appears to be 90’s minimalism at the forefront. From silk dresses to asymmetric cuts, ‘Bottega Venetta’ and ‘The Row’ firmly placed themselves in the less-is-more camp. If

that isn’t your cup of tea, don’t fret, ‘Dolce & Gabbana’ and ‘Burberry’ made the case for zebra and tropical prints, giving us a quick breather from the never-ending wave of leopard print (for now). A much talked about newer trend on the scene was colourful tailoring. If you haven’t already seen the ‘Jacquemus’ 2020 show, where on earth have you been? Set in the lavender fields of Provence, models strutted down the hot pink runway in outfits that drove fashion insiders into an absolute frenzy. A recurring piece was an oversized boxy blazer, in a range of colours from bright pink, to pistachio, to burnt orange. Whilst black,

white and beige blazers were all the rage around the high street this winter, a colourful take on this is the perfect piece to invest in this season. Easily worn in the day over a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt or thrown over a summer dress when it finally starts to get warmer. Look to ‘Topshop’ for plenty of sheer floral options and colourful leather/tailoring, or if pastels and 90’s minimalism has sparked your interest, ‘Zara’s’ new collection is the place to look.

Maya Coomarasamy

Concrete Style: pick of the week

Do you want to write for us? Are you a budding journalist or looking for something cool to put on your CV? Look us up on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @ConcreteUEA. There you can find all the information needed to access our content calls and pitch your own ideas to our editors.

Image: Instagram/ @uea.style

The modern March sisters: the costumes of ‘Little Women’ Timothee Chalamet’s tousled hair wasn’t the only thing that caused a stir when images from Greta Gerwig’s film adaptation of ‘Little Women’ were released. The colourful array of costumes has delighted movie goers and critics alike, with Gerwig retaining the classic period feel, whilst appealing to modern viewers with a wholly relevant approach to layering and styling, proving how often trends circle back around. With the outfits framed by the warm golden light and sumptuous scenery, costume designer Jaqueline Durran drew inspiration from classic 19th century paintings to inform how she dressed sisters Jo, Beth, Amy and Meg. Each sisters’ personal style is clearly defined, as Amy’s playful side comes out in her pastel striped dresses, whereas Jo’s rebellious nature is evident in her rejection of corsets and frilly frocks. The beach scene is one of many vignettes packed with sartorial delights, with lacy dusty rose dresses, chequered blazers and a multitude of wicker baskets to delight any Jane Birkin wannabe. Amy’s Parisian dresses provide ample wardrobe inspiration for the inevitable scenario of your wealthy aunt, who happens to be Meryl Streep, whisking you away to France for

the summer to learn to paint and attend champagne fuelled soirees. She practices her art in bohemian linen shirts tucked into dramatic skirts, and goes dancing in black and gold dresses dripping in jewels. Whilst the March sisters’ gorgeous gowns take centre stage, the over the top white puffy sleeves that Chalamet’s character, Laurie, wears throughout the film, are what truly captivated viewers. You only need to look at the recent Golden Globes red carpet to see that powerful oversized sleeves are in vogue, and I dare say Chalamet rocks them better than any Hollywood starlet, with Durran styling them with a multitude of velvet and printed waistcoats. Even though the costumes are all true to the time period, an element of modernity still shone through while I was watching. With every outfit that appeared on screen, I saw hints of runway trends. From massive lace collars à la ‘Shrimps’ and ‘Louis Vuitton’, to prairie dresses that rival ‘The Vampire’s Wife’ collections and a pistachio and lavender colour combo which can be seen all over recent street style snaps. So when people talk about a 60’s revival, might they now be talking about the 1860’s? Consider me on board if it means I can embrace my inner March sister and hop into Gerwig’s cinematic masterpiece.

Maya Coomarasamy Image: Wikimedia Cmmons

Bristled The razors are conspiring again. Planning their death at His hands. One suggests nicking His cheek, its legacy a single scarlet bead of blood before it is cast into the dustbin below. The other scolds it for its violence, proposing instead to perform so poorly in its sole function that it leaves an uneven stubble in its wake. Typical disposable razors. Blades dulled, handles worn, they choose to abandon their humble place in the great routine. I have been here, perched on His toothpaste-stained sink, a bit longer. My bristles are straight, my loving rubber handle fresh as the day I was torn from my packaging prison. I am clean, I am pure. Not by my own design, of course. Toothbrushes cannot self-maintain. No, I enjoy a different fate to my triple-bladed neighbours. I am a victim of neglect. In the mornings, He presses me to His teeth, stained by coffee and tobacco. It’s a brief dance, a dental tango as I glide over incisors, canines, molars. If He has the time, I visit the wisdom tooth in the corner of His mouth. But He rarely has time. It’s the nights that get to me. I can hear Him, stumbling outside long after the sun has fled the burning sky. Under the bathroom door, two pillars of darkness against an orange haze of cheap light bulb and grey carpet. He hesitates at the door, as if tempted to visit me. But I know the routine. He makes for His bedroom, belching or singing in a slurred voice. The light goes off and I’m left desolate in the damp darkness. Where the razors see only their own end, I see His. I have decided, against my very nature, to cast off the yoke of dental servitude and avenge my stolen fate. It’ll start with a small abrasion to His gum. Barely enough to draw blood, but a scratch nonetheless. The decay that lingers in the dark corners of His mouth will invade and spread. Knowing His dereliction of dental duty, He’ll ignore the toothache. The gnawing ache will bother Him, though never enough to approach a dentist. Dull ache will turn to a burning agony, as my vengeance brings Him sleepless nights. Maybe then will He notice me. I am not a demanding toothbrush. I have no aspirations for anything beyond my rank. But I will not let my purpose be abandoned by sloth and poor hygiene. I seek only purpose, inclusion in routine and everyday life. I suggest, dear reader, that you extend your own toothbrush the same courtesy. You never know what it too may be plotting. Rahul Mehta

Images: Unsplash, David Babayan

Another Day You Happen to Live Another day you happen to live I’m one of those days you can’t quite remember, when your body gets out of bed because that’s what it does everyday, and when your feet take you along these streets where the pavement knows your prints. I’m the soft pitter-patter of the rain, quiet and unassuming, and only when you step into a dry room (the drip-drip-drip from your coat, your hair, your glasses a pool of raindrops), do you realize that you’re drenched. I’m one of those days you live with your eyes half closed, when you can’t quite pinpoint if you’re still in a dream, but then you pinch yourself and it hurts. I’m just a little box to cross off as you count down to Christmas or summer break or date night or your twenty-first birthday. I’m always the day before, sometimes the day after, but never, never the day. I’m another day that the sun happens to rise, that the ants march along your windowsill and the universe doesn’t swallow itself, and another day you happen to still be around. Enough to live through the day, but not quite alive. I’m your forever, because I’m all you’ve ever known. So why do I only deserve a fraction of your time? Why have I only ever received a piece of your mind? I know. I’m one of those days you will never quite remember. Perhaps you’ll say: I think I called my mother that day, but I’m not really sure. And when your mind starts slipping and darkness calls you back for one more night, and today becomes yesterday, so will I. I’m just another day gone by.

Erica Thajeb

Their Echoes

Everyday there’s someone new who doesn’t know. Everyday there’s someone new who needs to be told old news. Everyday there’s someone new I have to tell; you died, and yet every day I decide to wear your ring. The fine but fragile golden thing around my finger makes a mighty manacle for something so small. Too tight even at the time, which hasn’t been kind. And heavier than a ring has any right to be. When Orpheus only had to look around to be rid of Eurydice. They always ask where you are. After they say they hadn’t heard of you. Didn’t even know I had a husband. Or wife, they add reflexively.

They wonder why you’d leave me alone at such a fancy function. But it’s worth it. So for a while all you are is away. Only over an ocean or two. And flying back fast. Then I can tell them what I can’t tell you. While they give me the gift of presuming present tense. And allow me to lie by omission. And as I talk about you to them. I feel you fast approaching. The pressure of you pressing down on our own safe soil. As you coaleas out of our old conversations. And you’re coming home. Only this time I’m hoping you don’t fall so bad over the threshold.

Avouleance Aaq

Gone For Good I was convinced she would have come back, (even though she had tucked our spaniel pup into the back of her Ford, caged up next to her bedside radio, shaped like a fridge bundled corduroy shirts, denim skirts, a mirror punctured with the prongs of a fork, her toothbrush and spitefully mine) until I found she had taken half of the mantelpiece ornament shaped like two magpies preening themselves over the dome of a glass clock. The one stared back at me, beak full of feathers, ready to peck down at a shattered ‘O’ forever saved at 4:00am though she left four hours after. I was convinced she would come back (even though she drove away from the hills where we had shared our first kiss, apprehensively, both of us fifteen years younger and hopeful, seconds from fighting off our oversized jeans and black brand shirts) until I saw the car thunder over the horizon, past the tufts of sheep she’d hold up a finger to, scribble in notepads, whisper peacefully how she’d own some one day and shear them, dress them as children never dropping speed, throttling itself into the pool of horrid brightening sky, directed where only she knew. She had left the notebook behind, pages unmarked, clean from disuse, settled in the living room where we had screamed the roof down at seven at night (every night) though the pup had just begun to sleep through, and I ducked as a plate swirled towards me, before the weight of the room caught it and thrust it to shards at my feet and I screamed back though we forgot who was right and who was wrong and whether we deserved to know the answer, whether we cared why. I threw the book at the wall for memory’s sake, hoping the pup would hear me and howl, realising what she had gone for.

Oliver Shrouder

Images: (above) Pixabay, (below) Unsplash

Mac MillerCircles Review On the 7th of September 2018, Mac Miller passed away suddenly from a drug overdose. At the time of his death and the release of his assumed final album, he appeared happy, despite the melancholy tone of Swimming. Circles is Mac Miller’s real final album, pairing together with Swimming in concept: Swimming in Circles. Mac Miller’s sound has constantly evolved throughout his career, drawing on a huge catalogue of influences. On Faces he sampled underground movies and jazz, whilst on The Divine Feminine he took a more laid-back R&B approach, even featuring his then-lover Ariana Grande on a track. Here, however, it

seems Mac took a final step in his musical progression, singing for most tracks over minimalistic strings, drums and pianos. Mac was always a talented producer but like on Swimming he is assisted by Jon Brion- in this case, Jon Brion was required for the album to even be completed. Good News is a haunting single, featuring a chorus where Mac expresses frustration at fairweather friends and ponders the afterlife. I Can See has a shifting, drifting instrumental, with Mac describing the dreamlike nature of life- it’s also worth noting the presence of some subtle backing vocals that many suspect to be Ariana Grande. Every-

body is an impressive cover of a song by a contemporary of the Beatles, Arthur Lee, with Mac’s vocals resembling that of John Lennon- in fact, the entire album feels the influence of Lennon, who Mac was a fan of. The album ends almost abruptly with Once A Day, with Mac singing in a melancholy tone over subtle production. The track ends abruptly, leading straight back into the first track- in a circle. Although Mac Miller’s final album is not his magnum opus, it is nonetheless the perfect end for such a unique and prolific artist.

Jack Oxford

Brit Awards Gloss Over Female Talent Last week saw the release of the Brit award nominations, recognising the work of British and international artists of mainstream pop music. However, there was one glaring trend, for some very peculiar reason, it seemed that British female artists weren’t worth the same recognition as their male contemporaries. The Brit awards this year are led by signature grime artist, Dave for his album Psychodrama which won the Mercury prize. It also sees Scottish singer, Lewis Capaldi lead the line for Best British Single and Best British Album. However,

within these mixed-gender categories, women appear absent. The only exception to this is Mabel, the daughter of “Buffalo Stance” famed singer Neneh Cherry.

release of the NME awards where female recognition is at least included. With the case of NME, their coveted “God-like” Genius award will be given to Emily Eavis, organizer of Glastonbury festival, who has been in charge of Stormzy and The Cure as headliners last year. There is no doubting British female talent crossing all genres. There is a problem with the trajectory of focus on male artists. This is a smokescreen that should be diffused.

The Brit awards lack of female representation is in a sharp contrast to the

Lewis Oxley

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Curing Music Fatigue - how to find new music

Being able to listen to all music ever-made, 24 hours a day, at any location, is a double-edged sword. Tracks can get old fast and constantly searching for that new hit like a hungry baby-bird can be tiring. Hopefully I’ll be able to help you break that rut and just get out of the nest a bit.   Most people have at least one friend with a similar music taste as them, so ask away. They’ll be in different places, different spaces and different circles to you, so they’ll most definitely have something they’re desperate to share. ‘Got any good playlists’ or ‘recommend me an album’ can send you down some of the best rabbit holes.   Most people also have internet access, which opens you up to online radio stations (assuming you’re a student who probably doesn’t have an actual physical radio) - 6Music is great for finding some stranger old records, especially on Sundays (the day made for sitting around and just letting stuff happen to you). Radio 1 can have some great new stuff too, especially on their introducing sets or new music shows (Annie Mac is very good). Keep Shazam handy, or use the more retro method, a pencil and a pair of sharp ears. There are of course countless other online radio stations – for example UEA’s own Livewire 1350!

Images: Pixabay

This edition also has a few comments from Concrete’s writers on their favourite radio-stations, give those a try!   Artist playlists are great too – lots of artists have a Spotify playlist where they’ll slap on some tracks they’ve been listening to, best thing about this is you don’t need Shazam, or a pencil. Just create a nice master playlist with all of the best songs and soundtrack your life with that for a few weeks. Fred Perry strangely enough talk to a lot of different musicians too. They make a playlist for every single one (available on Spotify) – that might be a good start, especially for newer music.  The compilation album is also a brilliant resource. Compilation albums can give the impression that they’re just the big songs from an artist – and that’s the only purpose they serve. But lots of compilations have unreleased tracks, lost classics or just bizarre music that perhaps you’ve not had a chance to listen to yet. Publications, like magazines, are an obvious one. People like to share opinions, this piece is a testament to that, and so there are hundreds of different local, national and international publications which talk about music. Thousands of

lists, and massive databases of knowledge are available with a quick google. Find a publication which you think orientates best with music you like, google ‘publication name top albums of year you want’ and it’ll be there. Probably don’t pick anything pre album though (pre 1940 can be a bit dangerous, you might be better off looking for compilations or individual classical pieces around then. Sorry no dancefloor fillers in the 1850s.) UEA’s Concrete sometimes have lists of things that people think you should listen to – try one of them.   Largely, to find new music, break your habits, you’ve got to search in every corner of the internet and your social life – use every tool. The only risk is developing an aggressively addictive need to find new, more experimental music, every day. Try not to get there unless you enjoy listening to undiscovered 7” techno remixes from the early 90s that you found in a record store’s backroom (bin).    I still turn to YouTube for that personal touch of learning more about the industry and the process of the artists that I admire.

Callum Gray

Online Music Poll g Is listenin to music cline? via radio in de Although radio is on decline because of the availability of music streaming sites such as Spotify and audiobook sites such as Audible, I still listen to my favourite station: BBC Radio 1 regularly, at least twice a week. I listen to Radio 1 because I enjoy the regular interviews with, usually my favourite artists and how some of my favourite artists, for example The 1975, premiere some of their new music on Radio 1 before putting it elsewhere.

Yes -

No -

Bryan Mfhaladi Listening to music via radio is becoming a thing of the past. Before the invention of smart phones and apps, radio was an important source of entertainment. If we wanted to hear the latest top hits, before they were released for purchase, radio was the only way. Now, soon as new music is published by an artist, it is available to stream and download instantly.

We no longer need to wait. A search engine or streaming app will inform us of when new music releases. Music streaming services are even clever enough to suggest what music we may like. Sure, radio is still needed for many generations who are unfamiliar with music streaming and downloads, but over time it will become less significant.

Lucy Burrows

On the Radar for 2020 Concrete writers give their response to their most anticipated music events of the new year. After his album Heavy Is The Head became the first Number 1 album of the decade along with Own it becoming the number 1 song in the UK with a new Wiley diss track dropped too, this year I am looking forward to Stormzy’s UK tour starting in London this September after having announced it about a year before it actually starts, promising to be a few nights to remember for the self-proclaimed ‘king of grime’.

Bryan Mfhaladi

I’m most anticipating the release of Tame Impala’s newest album, The Slow Rush. The singles have left me feeling very optimistic about it; however, I am definitely hoping for some more psychedelic rock in the vein of ‘Posthumous Forgiveness’. Nonetheless, the progression of all his previous records seem to smoothly lead him to release an amazing synth-heavy, vaguely psych-infused disco pop album. And I’m so ready for it.

James Ward 2020, the year Halsey brings out her new project, Manic. Not only does Halsey’s Manic project include the release of music, but the project plans to be an immersion of all the senses, from sound, sight, touch and so on.

The details of such are still to be revealed but come the 17th of January, the sound portion, in the form of Halsey’s album will be released.  Over the last few years, we’ve seen fantastic music such as ‘Without Me’ and most recently ‘Graveyard’, ‘clementine’, ‘SUGA’s interlude’ and ‘Finally// beautiful stranger’. These amazing songs released as singles from the album hold so much promise for what Manic will be.

Leia Butler

Image: Flickr

We Need to Talk About Gaming. In the last three years the gaming industry has made an incredible amount of money. In fact, studies show that every year they make almost double the combined profit of music and film. With this rise in popularity we have seen an explosion in the number of games produced and a considerable increase in the quality of said games. So why do we not talk more about games? Now, I’m not saying that you and a friend don’t discuss FIFA over a drink or none of us occasionally chat about Pokémon Go or enjoy a round of Mario Kart, I’m talking about academic discussion and a deep analysis of why a game operates the way it does. Whilst views on this subject are slowly changing, it is not uncommon to see games treated as a form of entertainment and little else. Just as film theory was initially shunned during the mid-twentieth century, game theory is balancing between art form and pastime, study-worthy and the opposite. Several books have been written on the subject and plenty Image: Kari Shea, Unsplash

of published articles consider how we should study gaming in an appropriate way. But why does this discussion need to happen? Because games are a unique experience with incredible potential. No other visual art has the opportunity for viewer interaction and immersible narratives quite like video games. Just like a good film or book, they can offer a deep connection to characters, but unlike any other format, they force the gamer to take control of their fate. You cannot play a game passively; whereas you can focus in and out of film. A game requires hands-on attention even from the most experienced of players. They are also much longer than any film or TV series (your average AAA game sports at least 50 hours of main storyline) so the potential for character development, world building and narrative movement are massive. Red Dead Redemption II, for example, has over 500,000 lines of dialogue and took eight years to develop. God of War (2016) deals

seriously with ideas of bereavement and toxic masculinity, and don’t get me started on how Neil Druckmann proved how games could be with the flawless and heart breaking story running through The Last of Us. The truth is that games are only going to get more popular, particularly with further developments in VR, so sceptics are going to have to accept that the day of gaming being reserved for spotty youths spending days holed up in their bedrooms is over. Research not only into how video games work, but also analysis of narrative structure and contextual influence are key if we are going to make video game study a serious academic specialty and further develop their potential.

Martha Griffiths

The decline of mobile gaming? I remember a time when 2048 was all that was on everyone’s phone screens, when Flappy Bird hit the nation by storm and lastly when Angry Birds consumed conversation at school. It is key to emphasise that these games are a distant memory for me, they are no longer a part of my life and we rarely talk about them anymore. It appears to me that with the rise of social media applications, any apps and games that were popular in the last decade have taken a plunge in popularity. I used to wait at the bus stop and play Two Dots, but now I scroll

Image: Qinghong Shen, Unsplash

through my Instagram feed. Is this change a reflection of my vanity and pride or does it point to how the nation’s priorities have changed? It appears society has shifted and the public are now more interested in other people’s lives rather than having fun playing a game on their phone or tablet. Out of the 77 apps on my phone, only one is a game. I think this is reflective of how gaming has shifted from being extremely accessible, portable and flexible to being something that is now associated with being a sit-down activity which is scheduled into your daily routine.

Last week I was trying to arrange a meet up with a friend but couldn’t make the time I suggested because those two hours conflicted with when they played Fortnite. It seems there is no place for 2048 on your phone when you can have Fortnite on your Xbox. Gaming has shifted from being something to do on your phone when you’re bored and have a spare few minutes to something that you schedule in your daily routine in order to help you to unwind and relax.

Jess Barrett

What went on over Christmas? So, another Christmas is over, and with it came some gaming news to end the decade with a bang (or a whimper). A new Batman game has been teased, which is very exciting news considering Arkham Knight was supposedly the last in the series. This is rumoured to coincide with the release of the PS5 and Xbox Series X in holiday 2020. This time, however, it is developed by WB Games Montreal, who previously worked on Batman: Arkham Origins, often considered to be one of the weakest in the series alongside Arkham Knight. It will be interesting to see what they can do with the new technology available to them; however, I am cautiously optimistic, as I’m not sure you can truly recapture the greatness of Arkham Asylum and City. Regardless, this is definitely great news. Earlier this month, the Pokémon expansion pass was revealed. This comes with two DLC packs: ‘The Isle of Armor’, and ‘The Crown Tundra’, apparently modelled after the Isle

of Wight, and Scotland respectively. These come with new Pokémon to fight against and with, along with new items. It would also seem that Gamefreak are adding back in some Pokémon that were removed from the game, which is a step in the right direction – and you can use Pokémon Home to transfer these from older games for a small fee. This is the first time a Pokémon game has had an expansion pass, with previous generations distributing new Pokémon through mystery gifts – is this a good thing? Maybe the production quality will be higher, although Gamefreak have a track record at this point of not exactly listening to their fanbase. Only time will tell. And that’s it for gaming news. Here’s hoping that 2020 will prove to be a milestone year for gaming, as the next generation is launched and we finally get to play games we’ve been waiting years for (looking at you Cyberpunk 2077).

I’ve not even finished one out of this enormous RPG’s four routes - that’s right, four, not three - and I’ve already clocked over forty hours of gameplay, with many a night over Christmas being spent sleepless.

Although I would highly recommend Fire Emblem: Three Houses, it is very much a timesink. With four routes, three difficulty levels - I recommend hard mode at least - and a wealth of side content, this title is for someone who wants their money’s worth, especially considering the production quality as well.

James Ward

Review: Fire Emblem: Three Houses

In Fire Emblem: Three Houses you assume the role of the professor - either male or female - who is given the choice out of three houses at the Officers Academy to teach. Depending on which one you choose, the characters you control in grid-based, turn-based battle, and the story, will be very different. Each of the three houses has a leader of sorts; a member of the royal family for one of the game’s nations, with each of the leaders being very important to the game’s story. Image: sbgonti, Pixabay

A game as long as Three Houses would usually suffer in some way, but the soundtrack, character design, story, and gameplay are all at the series’ absolute peak.

Jack Oxford

Oscar Nominations 2020: Too White? After the controversy surrounding the #BAFTASsowhite and the near total absence of people of colour in Britain’s premier film awards ceremony, one of the biggest questions surrounding this years Academy Awards was whether or not their voters would fare any better in recognising diverse ranges of talent. The purpose of discussing inclusion in awards ceremonies is not to demand that quotas be set up to displace high quality films from the awards in favour of marginalised groups, but simply to recognise that excellent work from women and POC in the film industry often goes unrecognised. On that note, Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’ has been praised as both an excellent adaption of an American classic as well as a high-quality piece of cinema. Despite nominations for Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh in the acting categories, and a Best Picture nod, Greta Gerwig has been inexplicably overlooked for Best Director, leaving an all-male

list of nominees. In terms of racial diversity, the Academy scores only slightly higher than the BAFTAS, with a Best Actress nomination for Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman. However, even if one were to ignore the idea of diversity as a self-validating reason to include certain films, one must question whether or not the current crop of nominations really represent the best cinema had to offer in 2019. The Best Picture list especially reads as a popularity contest with films that are instantly

recognisable to perhaps the majority of moviegoers (Parasite and a few others are notable exceptions). In no way should the Academy Awards be biased in favour of largely unknown arthouse movies, giving off strong vibes of snobbery, but neither should it revolve around giving a marketing push to the likes of ‘Joker’. Returning to diversity, even when ‘black’ films receive nominations, the recipients are usually highly

predictable, relating to either slavery or twentieth century civil rights movements. With ‘Moonlight’ being a significant exception, the Academy has a general preference for stories about people of colour that allow room for some form of white saviour to stand up equally against oppression; ‘The Help’ and ‘Green Book’ come to mind. Even Cynthia Erivo’s nomination falls into this general trend. While the film selections raise a number of questions on the Academy’s approach to nominations, these are the ones we have been given this year. My mind now turns to potential victors in each category. Best Picture sees two critically lauded Netflix produced films in ‘Marriage Story’ and ‘The Irishman’, alongside box office hit ‘Joker’. ‘Joker’ winning Best Picture would send a message similar to that of ‘Return of the King’s’ sweep in 2004, that the blockbuster has returned as the dominant force in Hollywood.

Harry Routley

The Name’s Eilish... The 18-year-old Billie Eilish will be the song. ‘No Time to Die’ features Daniel the fictional MI6 agent ,James Bond. Personally, I do think that Billie job as her music is very popular which I think will be good for the However, recently Sam Smith sang gave us “Skyfall”. Can she live up to

youngest singer to do a 007 theme Craig in his fifth and final outing as Eilish was a good choice for the and she is authentic, and unique theme song as it will be different. “Writing’s on the Wall” while Adele the Oscar-winning expectations?

Caitlin Telford

Images: (above) Unsplash, (below) Pixabay

Ricky Gervais Vs. Hollywood Ricky Gervais has doubled back from what he was in 2009: a UKborn comedian hired to make a quick laugh at the expense of several glitter bombed Oscar hopefuls. Four Golden Globes later, he’s finally been able to shake off the family friendly persona Hollywood see’s him as having, taking to the stage with a glass of fine lager and a year of discontent from the home of blockbuster cinema he was willing to bring along. It was nothing controversial on a level we’re used to seeing in America today, but it clearly stung for Hollywood’s inhabitants. Criticism for the speech is peculiar, mainly on the grounds that the offended parties are the billion dollar companies that have monopolised our media, and the puppet bound trading pieces they call actors. Apple and Netflix were equated to the morality of ISIS, a movie linked to Roman

Catholicism was introduced under the slogan: “A big year for paedophile movies”, and actors of the trade were finally told to “F*** off”. In all I found 23 attacks on different groups and personalities including Felicity Huffman, Leonardo DiCaprio, friends of Jeffery Epstein, the cast of ‘Cats’, and every opinion of an afterlife. Criticism is not coming from the viewers, it’s coming from the companies, their hardcore supporters and paid mouths. In fact the speech holds hope for the future of Hollywood to fix up the immoral, cutthroat, trillionaire tax haven it’s revealed itself as in the last few years. If only there were more figures of the acting trade willing to give it all up to show they were human under the rented $650’000 suit. Directors who could do more than smile on the branded photo line. Gervais has

pointed out one important piece of knowledge, not all is peaceful in the American East Coast. I’m will

sceptical host a

Mr Gervais sixth time.

Fin Little

JoJo Rabbit: “A Heartwarming, Funny Film” Taika Waititi’s latest comedy ‘JoJo Rabbit’ tells the story of a young Nazi during the final days of World War II who finds a young Jewish girl hiding in his home. At first glance, you would probably question the choice to create a comedy about a group that committed such horrific atrocities however ‘JoJo Rabbit’ truly works. Its a heart-warming, funny film which highlights the horror of the actions that took place through its comedy. Roman Griffin Davis helms the film fantastically. His performance is a perfect balance of sweetness, humour and arrogance. Scarlett Johansson

arguably gives one of the best performances of her career playing JoJo’s anti-war mother. The star -studded additional cast is fantastic with Stephen Merchant and Rebel Wilson add some good laughs to the film. Māori Jewish director, Waititi’s portrayal of Adolf Hitler is wonderfully goofy, if at times taking away from some of the heart of the film. If you have seen any of Waititi’s previous work, you are aware of the type of tone he strives for. Whilst all these laughs are there in ‘JoJo Rabbit’, the film truly shines when it slows down for dramatic moments. The scenes shared between

JoJo and Elsa (the young Jewish girl) are gorgeous and really tug at your heart strings. There are, however, a few issues I have with the film. Notably the gay Nazi subplot that is never fully developed, and why the adorable Yorkie speaks with an English accent whilst the rest with a German. However, these are nit-picks. ‘JoJo Rabbit’ is fantastic, but I don’t feel like it will win many awards due to its goofy nature. Don’t let this deter you, ‘JoJo Rabbit’ is a wonderful film, and I implore you to watch it if you haven’t already.

Niamh Brook Image: Unsplash

The Force is...Meh ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ was released in December last year and follows Rey, Finn and Poe in their latest galactic adventure. Before I watched the film, I hoped that the film’s narrative would feature the confrontational relationship between Kylo Ren and Rey in the hopes that they would unite against the Dark Side and lead the rebellion to victory. This hope was not made in vain as both Rey and Kylo Ren defeated Palpatine and the First Order by uniting their power. However, the ending of the film was predictable. It was inevitable that Kylo Ren would fall away from the First Order but his death was

frustrating because it forced Kylo Ren’s and Rey’s relationship to an end, when really their story line was one of the most interesting elements within the trilogy. One of the greatest plot twists within The Rise of Skywalker was the revelation of Rey’s identity (a question featured in both ‘The Force Awakens’ and ‘The Last Jedi’). She was dramatically revealed to be Palpatine’s granddaughter. Although this shocked the audience, the story line obviously mimics Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker’s relationship where the child is abandoned to protect them from their evil and

powerful family member. I also have to commend the film’s handling of Carrie Fisher’s death, and the clever usage of cut scene footage from The Force Awakens to enable Princess Leia to feature in the narrative. On the whole the film was entertaining, but I’m left feeling unsatisfied with the film’s ending. Perhaps it’s a miss on JJ Abrams’ film writing, or perhaps this is a deliberate attempt to entice the audience to watch future ‘Star Wars’ films, I guess we will have to wait and see.

Jess Barrett

1917: “Worthy Of Its Acclaim” A First World War epic about two young British soldiers journeying across barren battlefields to alert others of an enemy ambush, ‘1917’ is made for the big screen. This is in some part due to its audacious cinematography and single-shot action. Director Sam Mendes pulls this off with cinematic scale and, like all good revivals of war, it drags the audience through sheer horror - from watching a friend die to trudging past dead bloated bodies floating in a river. The long take struggles first off, though, in the opening, with the two soldiers walking through the trenches, it feels strained and

Image: Pixabay

unneeded that had me doubting the excitement of the film. Once they’re trekking across the empty fields, caught under the rubble of an explosion and are fleeing from the enemy the long take sinks you into the drama and there’s no scene change for your eyes to feel like you can have a break, nor do you want one. Young Private Schofield is the narrative vehicle for the majority of the film, played by a relatively unknown George McKay. What’s commendable is the youth of the casted soldiers, legitimising the soldier demographic as being historically accurate, as well as

the ethnic diversity of extras which is often neglected in war cinema. A particularly memorable scene follows Schofield being dragged through the currents of a river after escaping the enemy, eventually ending up back on land to the sound of a soldier singing. It allows the audience to take a breath, whilst acknowledging just what Schofield has endured. A cinematic success on all fronts, the acting, the scale, the music; the way ‘1917’ drags you in makes it worthy of its acclaim.

Rowan Grove

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