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VENUE ~~15/3/2011
Editor-in-Chief> Danny Coli ins I concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Venue Editor> Dun can Vi cat-Brown I concrete.event@uea.ac.uk Deputy Venue Editor>Fiono Howord
I Fashion Editor> Kat Jones Deputy Fashion Editor>Honnoh Brill Fashion Contributors> Freyo Berry, Steph McKenno
-'U,..\:1~~~ I Arts Editor>liz Jack son Arts Contributors> Rionne Ison, Becky Hozlewood, Emmo Webb, Ruth Goukrodger
~~""""l.l;JLI~""~a.:..a.:..o.n:.LU I Television
Editor> Tasha Golley
Television Contributors> Kothryn Deighon, Tom Theedom, Kale Alien, Moll Tidby, Nota lie Fletcher, Beth Wyott, Duncon Vicot-Brown '114:J~:I.!A!.I:~m I
Creative Writing Editor> Robert Van Egghen
Creative Writing Contributors> Robyn Comfort, Jessico Oow, Jude Borken, Jomes Sykes, Jomes Foreman, Flora Barker, Adetolo Adepoju, Rich Low, Robert Van Egghen IT.r.r.rr.1l':l
........,~..,.~""-=-'~ I
Wired Editor> Vaughn Highf1eld
Wired Contributors> DJ Turner, Josh Moll, Chris Axe, Alex Stoodley
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Film Editor> Paul Martin
Deputy Film Editor> Cotherine Watts Film Contributors> Anno Eostwick, Leo Hunt, Sorrounio Christ1onson, Beth Wyott, Tom Theedom, Alex Oobrik, Rodosovo Rudulovic, Tim Boles, Lorno Pontefroct, Jomes Burrough, Steph McKenno, Ouncon Vicot-Brown
~~J.!li:li.A21lll..._~p!l!b.!l!lcl.!.l.ll l
Comedy Editor> Dun can Vicat-Brown Music Contributors> Alex Ross
Music Contributors> Emily Prichord, Russell Hommond, Joe Oobroszczyk, Alex Ross, Tom Moore, Ant Firth-Ciork, Louren Rozovi, Joime lewis, Alex Throssell, Alec Plowmon, Fiono Howord
listings Editor> Georgino Wade listings Contributors> Georgino Wade
Competitions Editor> Henry Croft Co mpetllions Contributors> Henry Croft
0
!!@mu
How Far Can Fashion Go?
"O ne should either be a work of art, or wear a wo rk of art;' wro te Oscar \Vild e. On th e couture ca twa lks there is ofte n a ve ry thin line between what is wearable and what is not. Garments ca n be visuall y stunning but have the models ~ huffling down the catwalk like penguins in high heels. \Vhen does fashion become art? And how far Gi n fashion go befo re its pieces belong no t at a cocktail part y but in The ·rate' This week, Freya Barry discusses the absurd ity of fashi o n whilst Steph i'vlcKenna writes of her trip to th e opening of cult clothin g legend )o nny Cupcake's new London store.
SMOKIN'
From Gaga to DADA
Hippy Trousers
,
--
......... .
Probably the worst thin g to wear if it's rai n ing. Or windy. But o h 1/A so now. Get a t:~ pair now before ;:. ~ they become too popular.
._
Micro Pigs Lydia and Arg have one on The Only Way Is Essex. Nuff said.
Flesh Coloured Tights March is a nnoying. So is Ap ril. it's not quite warm eno ugh to get your legs out. The answer? Thin skin coloured tights. C raft y crafty.
'""'
I Ierve Leger un ve il ed their new range of swimwear thi s mo nth . The re's one problem with the ir pieces: yo u ca n't get them wet. ice o ne.
"Persona ll y I can't help but wonder what a jacket made o ut of Big Bird would look like- I'm thinking mohair with a luminous yellow twist..."
FASHION
RIP
Leona Lewis' New Tattoo You don't like animal testin g. We ge t it. Go chain yo urself to a ra iling or so methin g but don 't get a tattoo
UggFoot
This week Venue's goin g to attempt to answer or at lea ~t co n ~ider th e am,wcr to the ultimate question for any fashionista: ' Is this ou tfit amaLingly inventive or does it make me look li ke a pi !lock'' For exa mpl e, wa>. Lad)' Gaga\ Kermit the Frog Coa t ,1 deeply imagi native take on the fur indw,t ry or too ex treme to be cons id ered an exa mple of good taste? Pcrso n<J II y we can't help but wonder what a jacket made o ut of Big Bird wo uld look li ke - we're thin kin g moha ir with a lumino us ye ll ow twi st. If fashion is a form of exp ress ion th an what message is it that we're trying to get across 7
The Spring/Summ er 20 11 tre nds arc a perfect exa mple of this. When .\liuccia Prada wo re garga ntuan banana earrin gs to the front row , he wa' not o nl y re ferencing th e c itru~ print' th at wo ul d he im plemen ted througho ut her show and oth ers (S tella McCartney's fabul ous on111 gc-pr inted shift s to name just o ne) bu t al so Andy \Varh nl's famous banana print album cover for The: Velvet Undergrou nd & Nico in 1967.
Impractical Swimwear
It's gett in g warmer. Your feet are sweaty. You're sta rting to smell. It's time to take yo ur Ugg boots off babe ...
by Freya Barry
Elizabeth Taylor, Ho llywoo d star and st yle ico n died thi s week fro m hea rt fa ilure. She was 79. Let 's hope she's jamming out ri ght now with Uv is, M) a nd Maryli n.
The link between .ut and fa~hion and th e way both mc:diums p ush aesthetic boundarie~ ;Jnd crea te new co ncept> has been aro un d for aeo ns. From Eba Sch iap,l relli 's work in co ll aboration with Salvador Dali in the 1930's ri gh t up to Stcphcn Sprouse's :2006 ,J nd 2008 Autumn co llecti ons for Lou is Vuitt o n arti>ts and fashion designers have been bed-fellows for ,ome time. With Eisa Schiaparclli 's DA Dt\ influenced piece~ it is th e 'u rreali-,t influences of I),Jii 's vision that shi nes thro ugh, whether the h,1t ., h,Jped like a ,hoc o r o ur pc r,o nal 1;1vouritc the 'Skeleton Dres,' where Schiaparclli w.cd paddin g to constru ct a d res' complete with fabric ribs and ;pi ne. In cont ras t Sprouse's desigm draw from the gr.dli ti of the Nine ti es. The juxtaposition of hi s harsh, fluorc.:,cent lctt(T'> ,md ro;c motifs co,lti ng lu xur y Lo ui s Vuitton hag> was sublime in its simplicit y and ib me,sage - fashion is access ible, no t an excl usive intimidating clu b tilled with bland, clini ca l des igns. Fashion at it s best ca n be fres h, c:xciting a nd intellige nt in it s references to pop -culture, or in Spro use's case urban st reet cu lture.
When Ladv Caga donned that infamo u' Kermit coa t she not o nl y gained column inches but she was abo conform ing to fa sh ion's subversive under-cur rent. These fashion risk-takers that draw influence from art m ove m ent~ ~ merely serve to prove how relevant < 1;1shion is even in an <lge of econom ic austerity where lu xur y and hau te cou ture see m like dirty words. Fash io n, much like ,J rt, re,dly is wherever the be holder choose. to find it. One designer who achieves the perfect balance between ~ur rea l , arty ,Jnd wearab!t• i~ Christophcr K,lllc. His recen t Resort Coll ect ion with drcsse> 111 g.d.1xy prints arc breath -takin g in their s urr eal i ~ m , the precision of th e cut s and th e way the y illustrat e the beauty of n,Jture - the wea rer is literall y wea rin g the stars. Kan e is definitely o ne experimen ter to look ou t for. On th e fl ipside some fa ;hion is pu sh ing boundaries which wind~ up being plain hideous- this wr it er r ece nt!~· di ;covcred that lame bodysui ts arc not onl y un comfortable (swea t p.1tc hes anyone?) but also make yo u look li ke a giant sa usage stuffed int o ,1 go ld sk in . Eurgh. Lesson Learned: Being daring in t;J,hion , good. l,,lllH?: B,1d.
WoRsT DRESSED
WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!
Try hard er next tim e.
Thi s week we've sharpen ed our claws and fo cused o ur attention o n bad make-up. This bea utiful girl has broken the cardina l rul e of bold lips OR eyes. ot both.
l~los
Issue 255 31st March 20 ll
Art In fashion: How far is too far? From the catwalk...
One Man's Recipe For Fashion Success by Steph McKenna As the sun rises on Oxford Street and a scattering of early-bird shoppers slowly embark on some Saturday morning retail therapy, a surprisingly large queue is building round the corner of Carnaby. A few dozen people have camped overnight and throughout the day will be joined by hundreds more, who eagerly take their place in line to witness the grand opening of johnny Cupcakes new store: the fourth to exist, and the first to open outside of the United States. After months of preparation and weeks of pushing late into the night to finalise designs, this is what it comes down to. Crowds and crowds of fans, prepared to wait long into the night in order to get hold of new and exclusive designs, and meet the man behind one of fashion 's most inspirational stories. )ohnny Cupcakes make straightforward, vibrant, tongue-in-cheek clothing. Incorporating the cupcake-and-crossbones logo onto everything - including mugs, bags, playing dice and bakery kits. Their focal sales point remains their iconic shirts. Printed on high-quality American Apparel merchandise and tailored around various themes, holidays and cultural symbols, once a shirt is pressed, released and sold, it's gone for good; making them high in demand and hugely collectible. On Saturday, as families wander past and attempt to catch a sneak glance through the boarded windows of the shop, we settle into answering a cycle of the same bewildered questions. Is a celebrity opening today? Why queue so long for a t-shirt? Is there really this much demand for a bakery? Johnny Cupcakes, formed in Boston in 200 I by college-kid Johnny Earle, is a community-based label. Much more than a wardrobe choice, it's a lifestyle and a way of thinking; as any of the hundreds of people standing patiently amidst the crowd Aooding Carnaby Street will tell you. Nearly everyone
here is sporting their favourite shirt in their collection, from designs that have fallen hot off the press to rare collectibles that are faded and stretched from years of faithful wearing. There arc university students, fathers and sons, children and even the odd few that have travelled alone from the States - cupcake fever has spread, and it means much more than a few hip kids wearing a wacky t-shirt. johnny is successfully living the dream that every artist has nourished in their heart from a young age. Beginning as no more than a joke design for a band t- hirt which caught an unexpected amount of attention, one man has built UP. a multi-million dollar business with almost no knowledge and expertise or money to invest in risky finance and advertising strategies; a move that won him the award for 'America's # 1 Young Entrepreneur of 2008' by Business Week. Main ly
reliant on passing word from mouth to mouth and friend to friend, the brand has amassed a worldwide family that is willing to follow wherever he goes. This
includes his parents, sister and best friends, who have been employed by the business and were at the London opening to keep things ticking over. Speaking to one the Cupcake crew manning the door of the event, he laughed: "I didn't even know about johnny Cupcakes until recently. My best friend, Kellen, has moved over from the States to manage the London store, so I took my holiday from work and Aew over to help her out for the week." Entering the shop that Saturday, you need a good while to take in the scrupulous amount of care and detail that has been given to its design. Kitchen utensils hang from the ceiling, egg boxes line the shelves, and clothing is displayed behind huge glass bakery counters, topped with the trademark cardboard cupcake boxes used to package sales. The staff - clearly buzzing from the wall of enthusiasm that waits on the other side of the shop window - are taking everyone's order, which are delivered to the counter for preparation. The shirts on sale arc mostly London-base exclusives, which play on the city's most endearing symbols: a teacup, red bus, and big top hat reading the newspaper. johnny Earle himself is there, allowing only a thin trickle of customers in the store at a time in order to meet each person and learn their story. In between conversations he is polishing the Aoor and windows, ensuring that everything is perfect right up un til the final customer crosses the threshold at long past midnight. The designs might not be to everyone's taste, but there is a widespread respect across the music, fashion and arts scene towards the intense focus, determination and comradeship that has driven this company so far in less than ten years. johnny Cupcakes is working to keep the dream alive for everyone - infusing young people with a positive attitude and demonstrnting that it 's not completely insane to have very big aspirations.
... to the High Street ... Bag, Urban Outfitters £88
Playsuit, ASOS.com £135
Brooch, Butler and Wilson £18
... to the extreme!
Fancy going to Lola Lo's in this ensemble? Thought not. ·~'I'>IIP~.a.._
Theatre - Theatre Royal - Avenue Q ;\t·cnuc () deh ut ed in f\'orwic h a t the T he;t trc l {o~· al la~t week, ullltin uing ih tou r <tftcr it:-. -,tint in thL' \\'c-,t Fnd . l{ight from the ouhct it w a ~ ev ide nt th at the ~ h ow d cscr\"t.'~ eve ry acco l.tdc it h,,, l"l'LL'ivcd .tnd that it i., ,, filL' -,tar phenomL·no n 1 Comb ining Lwgh out loud ulnll'diL momc nh and a mu ~ in g Lha r ac t c r ~, L\tch IIT<tpped in '' Lh.mn ing and hc,trt war m ing 'tory, A1'CIIIIC () '> t rike., a f'erkct h.tla nLe het IVl'L'n the audicncl· choking b.tLk the ll\tr'> ,md lilL'rall) cr~· ing wi th laughlL'r. h11· ti Hl'>l' who have no t bee n "'·ep t up 111' it-, whirlwind '>UCLl''>'>, lt·crnrc () liliiOI\\ thl· li w'> of the re-,ident'> of the fict ion,tl '>trcct who l'\ j'lorc till' burden' o f life an d th e ulllLept of grow ing Uj' whii-, t L'\ploring o ne\ purpo'>L' in lo1·c, rcla tiomh ip.,, an d wo rk- inc lud ing iu'>t ho11 to 'ur1 ive in do11 ntown Hrook l ~ · n 11 it h ,1 l)i\ in I ng ii-, h 1 ·1 he ~el 'c rl en,embk member.,, ( includ in g jll" inL ii ''" Lh.Jractn-, l'r in LL'lon .tnd 1\.,Jtc ;\ lom tcr, 11'!10 become entangled in a rather tiiKo nYe nt io nal lmL' ~ t ory), ho und ed o nt o the '> tage wit h L<HIIltk.,., a nHHIIll'> of l'ncrg~ ·, l<l jl t ivat in g th e a ud ie nce\ a tt e nt io n from th e word go. l'r ior to '>eeing till' pcrforJll,llllL' it i., intere,ting to thi n k of who will c,q,ture ~ ·c llt r co nce nt 1·a ti o n thL· aL t o r ~ th c m ~l· l ve'> or thl' f'UJ'J'l' l'>i The b r igh t, 1 ihr,mt puppch .t nd the plai n-c lot hed actor-, .,eem to merge
int o onL' cntit1 <llld the .tudiL'IlCe watched bo th wit h ea.,c; with th e actor provi din g th e hod)' l.lllgu.tge .tnd 1octl intonation that the p u ppet canno t expre'>'. T h i, ckw r concept -,eemcd com j'lell'ly n.llural a' the ac t o r ~ manipul.ttcd the J'UJ'Pl'h L'ilortlc"l)' .t nd ensu red th at the)' came .dive a-, be li cv;lb lc a nd ,lJnu-,ing Lh.tr.tctn., in their own right. SpeLial mention mu't go to lttlhL·I k rr.tm, who at f'oint~ 11".~'> pl.tring t11'0 contra-, ting characte r'>; 1\.,llc 1\ lon-,ll'r <llld I uq the '>lut, who wnc com·e r-, ing wi th one <1110thcr in onL' scene. I he way t h,ll )crr.lln controlled hL'I" l'oice .t nd '>liCcc"fully tran,fornwd i"rom OllL' ch,tracter to the o ther \\,ts <l'>tounding. 'I he '>Clllg' h.td thL· .tudiL' IlCl' in -,titche, 11 ith thL' 11 itt1·, -,h,trp lyril'> and thl· C\ccllcnt dc liiLT)", with particular highl igh t'> bein g th e po litil.tll) incorrL'll, tonguL·-in chcL·k numhcr ' I ve 1 ·~·o n c\ a l ittle !)it Raci-,t' ,tnd thl· hila ri ous 'The lntcrneh For l'orn' 11h1lh had the whole .tuditm ium ro,tring 11 ith l.wghll'r. ., here wne ,ti -,o to uchin g 'o ng,, 11·hich u nderp inn ed thL· coml·d~· .tnd gL'IlL'r.tll'd '>OillL' poign.m t nwme n h . 'There\ .1 Fine l inL: enL.tp,u lall'd the Lli m.t:-. of emot ion-, .11 thL' L· nd of the 11r,t ,tcl, rL·-,ulting in ,1 h ril.tll) lHlne't numbn th.tt was <tl,o hca utifu lh- 'ung. Thcsl'l ihc lfdid not dr,lln,ttic.tllyenh,tnce tilL' production a' ,1 whok, hut "·'' 'implc
<t nd powerful in providi ng a 'ui tabk 'L'lt in g whiJ,t not e:-.tr,tcting from the t,tlcnll'd Cht ,lJld liJL' l'IL'nh tiJ,tt Wl'rL' OCLUrring Oil '>t,tgl'. Th e '>l't .tllowed for '>()Jlll' we ll e\ec ut cd ''-L' nl' ch.tngc,, JllO'>l JHlt.thh 11 hen the 'trl'L'l tran, formcd into the haL·kdrop of thL· l"mpi1·L· St,lle lh rilding 11 ith thL' lighting C<l fltur ing the moment I'L'rfectly. Alt ho ugh ;\t·cnuc C) had a r.1thc r clic hL; lkllding th,ll '>OmL' Jll,\) dL'l'm \hL"L'\1"~ it \\'<1'> l'\,\Clfl \\ h,tt ,\ mu'>iL,ll enCOmJl,)\\L''>. l"hL· cnLTg) of the uknted ca'> t 11".1'> p.tiJ'ablc th roughout , L"ll'>UI"IIlg th.Jt thr .tudiL·ncc
hL'Ctme ,1 p.tr l of \ t'C/111<' () ,tnd urgL·d the ch.tr,tclL'r' to rL·conc il e and re;tch the i1· imli1 id u,tl h.tpp~ L'ndi ng'. r\ 11 in ,tl l, the product ion h,lJlio.,hcd thL· \\IlL'' of unii·L·r,it)· 11ork .111d L.tu,cd loomi ng de.tdline' to ·'1'\'L'.tr ,1 million mik' ·"' ,l\' ' T hL· up lifti ng m tb ic.t l tr,lll,krred h r.tin -ache into i",tCL' .tLhL· fron1 thL· audiL·ncc\ continuou, ,mik, ,tnd l;tughtc r, rL·,ulti ng in undoubted ! ~ one of thL' llllhl proi"L·,,ion,tl .tnd en iLTt.tinin g J'roduLlioth to grace '\m11 ich in ,1 long 11 hilc. Riannc lson
Theatre- Theatre Royal- Matthew Bourne's 'Cinderella' \\'itt1, in ., p ir·L·d .tnd hc.lrl w.mnin ~. :'\Lttl hcw jll"!ld tiL l ion or 1\ourne\ Cint!acllo at the ., heat rL' J{oycd wa'> L'I' L'I")' Ihi n~ \ 'Oll IIO U!d want from "LtiJ") t.tlc ,t nd lllO I"L'. SL·t 111 \\'mid \\'ar 11 , thi' wa-, ( . i n d e r cl ld mu\e like ncvcr '>eL·n it hL· I(m·. l lll' ,I cur t.1i n lifted to ,, chill ing cctcophony of --~,., , wartime ., ircm .t nd.tt ckl· i, ion hroctdc.ht of ,\ homb warntng projected onto the '>t,tge; li'>L'd l'ifeL ii vc f ~· to '>L't thL' 'cene. l" hL· dc1nccr' Wl' l"t..'
L.l ptiv,tl in g
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thL· )c rb, LOm ic,d mm L'' rc ll cctcd their L' 111 o I io n ', I' r o vi din g
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.1n L'nlc'rtaining 'f'e'c tack ,t, the ug ly ,i,ter' pr.111ced .tnd '>lrttllc'd, ,t h1 pn.Kti1·e )'o ungn hrot hn liter.t lk lkw .tround the ' tage and the ' lrik ingly L'l 'ii (,t nd ol ll'n tip-,1·) '>IL' p mo th er ca;t hLT l(nchoding prc'>L'IllL' mer the hou,c·ho ld. ThL· d.tnCL'r-,' 't ,·le, .tit lwugh ,I rict I)· dell ncd "' h,tlk t, h.td de nlL'nh of hoth h.dl room ,111 d L.tt in d.tncing and contcmporar) h.dkt. m.1king the pcrlo rm.tt Kc e1·en more capti1·ating to w.t tch. Thl· h.t lll'l \\,1\ '>L't to thL' lllll'>il or l'roko li cl, which wa~ .tctu.tll)' written du ring the \\',1 r. lt "'·'' 1h i' Jh,tt g.II'L" llo urti L' thL· im pi r,tlio n l(n the '>Citing. '>etting the ''or~ · of ( 'int!crcllr~ in th e tillll' or World \\'ar 11 g.11·e the tr.tdition,ll I"OllldnlL' a ~l"l'CI I L'I" dept h or lllL'.tni ng, J"CJl l'C iin g the tr,ll\llla nun1 mm l h.ti'L' I;KL'd not know ing th e whercabouh m Ltte of thL·ir ltnnl o ne'>. The h.1llroom '>lL'lll' "·" 'L'l .lllhL· ( ak de l'.ni,, 11hich "'"' de,troyed during lhL' Bli11. The role of ' l ,tin · ( ;odnwthe r' "'"' i11 LtLI pl.1ycd h~ · .1 rn,dc .tngel, who held the .tudiL'nLe' hrc\tthk" ,1, he lltnked the m,tgic or hi'> '>O fm. JJ,tl·ing J'OI\"Cr Ol"l'r time, ,, l'·l rticul.nh llll'Jll<lr,tl'k d.t nLe' wet'> hi' bri ngi ng h.tck to lire the dccim.ltcd h.tllroom 'cenL': dead hod iL'' ,Jum~'l'd li lek" ,lLI·o,, the· , t,tgc we re re turned lo hnur' hl'li1re 11hL·n the') h,td hecn drinking and d,tncing lllLTrih·. ( 'omcd) ,tnd tragL·dy d.t ncL·d ,idc h~ · -,idc and wh,tlc'l'l"r the 'L'Iling ei"L'r) d.t rllc' '"·'' hrimmin~ 11i1h e' nHllion, wit h m am· of the c.ht dcd iclt ing the performance to Llllli l) mctnhcr, th.il !ought in thL· war.
ThL· ge·niu, LiHlrcngraplll nl 1\nul"llL', thL· d.lllccr< t.1knt ,tnd the· .tddition of 'tunning 'LL'nnl, cmturnL'' .tml 'I'L'cial clfc·Lt, m.tde
L'l L'l"l"thi n~ u >m c togL't he r to m,\ kc" t ru h- up!ift ing ,tnd illl''>me'J"i'>ing Jll.'I"J(l\"lll,lnll'. Bcckr l-lazlewood
Issue 255 fi:... ~ j _3 l_s_t_M_a_rc_h_2_0_11________________________________________________________________________~---~----~----~07
Literature Feature - Shakespeare in Popular Culture Emma Webb finds out how the Bard of Avon lives on on our screens.
Us Brits, culturally speaking, have a lot to be proud of. As IIugh Grant notably said in one of our great British rom-coms, we arc the country of, "Shakespeare, Churchill, !"he Beatles, Scan Connery, Harry Potter, and Da\ id Bcckham's right foot." The magnificent
works of Shakespeare arc tirst on the list of things people associate with Britain, ,\nd umurprisingly too, gin路n its permeation into widespread English I itcrature courses, everyday speech and even Lc1l'c 1\rt uallr. As our modern world gets ever more
modern, Shakespeare now manifests itself in various formats, most of them removed further from his original scripts than some might like. In recent years, the works of Shakespeare has been made more accessible for our teenage population, with various teen comedies based on Shakespeare plays that have become box office successes. 10 Things I Hate About You ( 1999) was loosely adapted from Shakespeare's The Iilllling of the Shrew, which has a microscopic readership amongst teens in comparison to the millions of fans of the film. Likewise, She's The Man (2006) updated the twin-switching plot of Twelfth Night and grossed over $57million worldwide. These films are purchased, down loaded, quoted and adored, in a way the original plays rarely are. Prior to this, visually updating of Shakespeare whilst keeping the origina l script intact became a popular move for script writers and directors. The Tragedy of Romeo and /uliet ( 1996), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, won awards and captured hearts, but was slammed by critics for what they called its ' ... gang wars, MTVstyle' portrayal. This year saw the release of animated Gnomeo and fu/iet, keeping wme of the original names (Tybalt, juliet etc) and plot developments, but finishing with a ha pp) ending for its family entertainment purposes. Heaven only knows the disappointment the voung viewers will feel when they stumble upon the original ending <~t GCSE. \\'illiam S. himself has popped up on numerous occasions in television and in
literature as well, ranging from ). L Carrell's 2008 novel The Shakespeare ecret, to a memorable moment in Blackadder, in which William Shakespeare (pla yed by a bearded Colin Firth) is punched square in the face by our time travelling hero, taking revenge " ... for every schoolboy and schoolgirl for the next 400 years." It seems no m<ltter what era in history, everyone has an opinion on Shakespeare, his work and his legacy. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace has become a blossoming tourist spot and heritage site for England, even winning a Gold Award for'Best Tourism Experience in the Heart of England' in 2009. Similarly, The Globe Theatre in London receives hundreds of visitors daily, from schoolchildren to holidaymakers, taking in the remodelled space of Shakespeare's performances. Despite this it's questionable how many of these visitors have seriously studied the works or the life of this great playwright. Shakespeare has become more than a cultural celebrity of our time - he has achieved a level of scholarly and literary omnipresence that few can scarcely dream of. If, as the man hin1'..clf '>aid, "All the world\ a '>tage, and all the men and women mere I~ players ... " we might reconsider the importance of these plays in terms of the serious, real-life themes they deal with instead of their mere commercial or touri'>t 'alue. Fven if we take on this \ iew, the world is watching our performance. for his -,akc, let's make it a good one.
Theatre - Dragon Hall - Under Milk Wood Under Milk Wood is a play written to be heard, not acted - so it's always approached with some diffidence by audience and actors, when being physically staged . The trick seems to lie in not allowing anything to detract from the lilt and lyricism of Dylan's words, which the Crude Apache Company achieved in their minimalistic approach to the play. The script was allowed to unfold without battling unnecessary physical embellishments. The play itself is pretty basic in terms of subject: we follow the lives of the various inhabitants of 'Liareggub,' a fabricated Welsh village, from daybreak to night.
"This was an effective, intimate performance, set in a beautiful location." Dragon Hall seems an unlikely place to suit a plain and unfussy adaptation, being quite imposing in its architecture. But the echoing space and bare walls really seemed to let the words ring out, and didn't at any
moment let the focus turn from the play itself. The relatively small, high-ceilingcd room really drew concentration into the small area that had been outlined for the stage. There was some minimalist music heard in the background, and very basic lighting effects, only utilising these features to represent the temporal shifts as we follow the lives of the people of Llareggub. Other than this, and a few quick costume changes, there was little else but the actors on stage. This is not to say there weren't some pretty drastic character changes. With seven actors, and around 60 characters, the play displayed some great shifts in personality rocketing about the stage. These shifts were only sub tl y supported by costume, wi th usually just one piece of clothing serving as some kind of visual reminder to the audience of who's who. The characters therefore had to be ac ted out through their physicalities. Again, this was largely done in路a way so as to not distract from th e script. Occasionally, the characterisation did seem to be almost drowning out the words, wi th deliverance of lines being ha7y because of the manner of speech imposed by th e
actors. But ultimately, the audience was always drawn back to the lines of the main narrators, as they poured out descriptions of the small Welsh village. This was an effective, intimate
performance, set in a beautiful locati on and delivered thoughtfully by all the actors which made the evening enjoyable.
Ruth Gaukrodger
GENDER POLITICS KATHRYN DEIGHAN TAKES A CLOSE R LOOK AT T H E RECE T CO TROVE RSY SU RROUN D INC CRIMI NA L J'vllN DS AFT ER T H E SHOW AXE D JT'S FEMALE LEA DS... Cri111inol i\linds i.'> curTL' Ilt ly OllL' o f ,\ mL·r icr\
top watc hed crime dram,h. Se,1,o n Six co ntirHre' the thr ill ing -,tor;· l ine~ fi1 ll owing Fill prolikr' ,h thL') hunt dow n 'eri,ll killer~ around the State,. llo\\'evcr, what make, thi.'> .'>L\l'>O il cwn mml' n pl o, il'e i' it , l,1te't co ntro\'er~y. With the blink of an eye, -,uddenly two ou t o f t he three k-.1d f(:m,dl''> ,Ire wri tt en out. ~b, thi , h•lP f'l'm - it \ tek1·i,ion dram, I ,1hcr .1 11 , but umNra ll y thi-, camed ,1 '>Uddl'n outcry .l lll o ng'>l t hL· ac tor.-, and crew.\ \' hi {,t one act re''· i\.]. Cook (,\gent )cnnifi:r ),1re.nr ) bowl'd out gracdulh', thanking f;lll, fi11· thl'ir -,upport over twitter, thL· other, P,lgL'I llrl'W'>Icr (t\gL'Ill 1-rnily Prentis, ), wa' not 'o polit e. t\ pl'tition ,igncd h;· the .lc to r·, and terh of thou-,a!llb of c;upportcr-, 1\,h c1en 'tar·tcd. it i' no '>lll'f'ri'L' then that thL' 1\'ritcr' of t\.).·~ la'>t cpi,mk incoq,or.lled her Lh.lr.lL·tcr\ unw ill ingnL'" to bl\ c. \ \ 'h.1 t wa-. the re.l'>Oil li1r their 'uddcn tkrni'>L'; Accord in g to many ,1ngr)' l'iL'WL'I',, the
am.wer w;1' ,c;..i, n1 . 1\k,lllwh il e the acto rs hiamL·d the C:l)~ lll'lwork, 1\'hO ,ld,llll<llll l)' dclt:nded the dcci,ion, quoting ' imply creative rL\1'>011,, llo\\'e1er, the c.bt maint,lin th,ll th,ll w,1, a lie. They ' trong lv ' L"fll'cted lin,lllcial restraint' ,1, ,1 direct r·L·,ult of thl' CO'>I of producing the -,ho\\'\ new '!'in-off; C'ri111inol ,\finds: Suspect Hchcn ·io nr. ~omL' m.1kc 110 'ccret abou t wa nti ng it to f:1ii '>pl'CI,lCul,lriy. So wh,ll happL'Il' no\\'? Thl're h<h been a '>111,111 '>igh of rl'licf a' the· II\O Lh,lr,llll'r-, ha1·l' hccn written out in a ""1;· th.ll they ca n return 1 ·1he on I)' rL·pricl'e f(Jr t\.).\ Lhar•1ctcr may be the ll ceting glimi''L'' of her helping her colk•1gul' in Brel\''>ler\ clim,ll ic la,t ewr q,i,odc, 'I.aurcn'. it h,h hL·en Lonlirmed th,ll Cl\~ h.ll'e olfcrL·d BrL'\\''>Ier an oli1e hr,l!lch .llld .l'>ked her h,Kk nc\ t '>L\l,on - the hall i' in hL'I' court. In the llle',llltime, kt Lh 1\,llch 11ith interL''>I ,1, till' '>how continUL'' 11 ithout them.
GHOSTWATCH: A BRITISH TELEVISION LANDMARK DUNCANVICAT-BROWN O N ONE O F TH E MOST CO T ROVERSI AL PROC RAMf\ I ES I So me , how' are ahe.1d of their time. , \rrc,:tcd /)cvclopniCJI/, ()z, 1-'irc/l)'; ignored ;ll th L· ti me, rL·vernl now. Hut one· -.how wa, '>ll , t.1ggcrin gl)' ahead of ih time th.1t it would he .dmo't .1 decade bcf(ne a n;·o ne else eve n .. uccc" full :· attem 1' 1ed th e 'ame thint.. If the titk of thi, art icle di d n't give it away .drL'•lth·, that -;how w,1, C:lwst11'1Itc!J. A n inety m inute horror llHH.: kulllL'IlLlry th at fi r, I ai red o n l !allowee n rn I YY2, C,'/Jo_,trl'lltch looked, to the Ull'>LI'>j'L'Liing viewer, li ke a li ve 'i'e'ci;ll irl\'e'stit.<ltint. 'l'noky goi ng' on in ,1 'mall >uhurb,ln hou,ehold. Sarah CreL'Ill' .uHI Cr.1 ig C:hMk' rq1orted from th e· 'cc ne, a nd 1\ Iichacl Pa t-kinc;on d iscus,cd eiL' Il h with .1 p.1r.r norm,1l 'f'l'ci.lli,t in the
stud io. ,\ fter initi;ll 'ceptici,m ,llld inc~ctivit1 ·, th ing' begin to get 'i'noky, ,111d e'1enh 'tart to spi ra l ll' il dh· out of co ntrol ,1, ' l)ipes' made hi' prc,ence· known .. . Suffice it to s.ll' th<1 t the public were com incctl. ThL· · HI\C recei1ed ,111 e· ~t i m,ltcd 30,000 c.1ll, from .1ngry or terrified viewer,, year' be· l\1 rc tab lo id '>t' ll "lt iona li sm made hy,teric,rl m,l,.., ullnpl.lints tk rigeur. To d,lle', thne have hecn two c1'e' of plhl -tr,wm.llic 'trL'" di-,order .1nd one 'uicide directly linked to the '>hlm, .1nd 1\'.l'> b.1nncd ,1, ,1 rc,u lt. Though it ha\ occl'; io nalh· bee n rq1ea ted .rhro.rd , it h." ne'l'c r· bL'L'Il '>e'e'rl c~gain on UK '>CI'l'l'll'>. Watch ing 1101\', it's ur1>urpns rng that 'o
BROADCAST H ISTO RY
m,lll\' fell for it. The writing i, fhwks' ,1nd n.llur.1 li..,t ic to the po int of l'ert~· Ltion. The pcrt\nmance·,, p;l rt icu larly from Park:· .llld CrL·enc, li1c up to the m,llcri,d (although the terrori!L'd L1mih- ncarlv gi1c the t.·lllle ,11\'a;·) . But \\'hat re<lll)' make, C:ho,:tll'lltc/1 wort h 'ceking out i-, th.1t it \ ,1 r-call:· cffccti,·c little horror ch iller. I ike ,dl the hes t horro r, it\ C)'lliCll, '>UI'flri,ingly dark clllli \er;·, \'LT)' 'uhtk. The plot fe\llure' refcren..:e·, to paedophilia, ,e lf-harm .1nd 'u icide. ,\ bou t lll'entl'- lilt' minuiL'' in there·\ one of the nHll'e ch il ling '{i-,te' llillt.-I0 -,1 - I.lpl'' '>eque'llCe''> e1·cr filmed ( e'I'L'Il '>C<lriL·r if :·ou're 1\·atching rc.rlh crre·fulhl. I he e·nding i, ·" bk.1k ,1, thq• come. it\ the little thing' th.1t get you; thL· L1ct th,1t CrL·cne\ increa,ingl;· 1\'orricd, rca l-lik hu-,h,lnd i' m.u1,1gi ng tlw !'hone li nL'', the U'>l' of repeated -,ound effect,, the \\'<l)' th,lt the 'ighting' of'PipL< .1re -,o 'ubtk .1nd l'<lg ue· th.lt you 'll ,t,lrt to th ink 1·ou c.111 '>e'l' him >landing behind 1·our T\'.. Gho>tll'iltch i, <~'> ml'liculou-,h· cr.1fted ,\'> .1nything ;·ou 'llciLT see· on,crcen. Thne\ Ill'\ LT bL'e'll ,1 bL·t tn time tn d i'>CO\ er C:/}()sti\ '1 1/Ch. t\ ldlnw Lll' doLUilleni.Ir)' ,1hout the ,how ( itself a po"ihle ch.mcc for more spook:· L1kery l h.h bee'll in thL' worb li11· .1 while no\\', and rou c1n '>l'e' ih inlluenCL' in the like, of }Ja rtii}()I'IIJill. \cti1 ·it1' and File Hlair \\'itch Jlrojcc'l, thL· CI"L\IInr'> of which .1dmit thL·;· saw C:/}()st11 'cllc!I before filming . L'lllhually l(n U'> Brit'>, 11 e did it tir·,t, .llld 11e' did it better.
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Issue 255
09 I~--~--W--~------------------------------------------------------------------------3_l_M_a_r_ch_2_0__ 11
PRIMETIME> Twenty Twelve
DOWNLOAD> Rasing Hope
BBC Four Monday, 1_0:30pm
SKY One Friday, 9pm
You may be forgiven for thinking, "oh no, not another mockumentary! " as the genre seems to have been bled dry of late, but Twenty Twelve is definitely worth a chance. In true documentary style, complete with talking heads and narration by David Tennant, it follows five important players in the successful launch of the London 2012 Olympics, including Head of Deliverance, !an Fletcher (Hugh Bonneville). The show is both hilarious and frightening in equal measure. Its brilliance lies in its plausibility as these five key players seem clueless in their respective fields; never more frightfully close to the truth then in episode one where Head of PR, Siobahn Sharpe (played brilliantly by )essica Hynes) organises the Olympic
From the creators of My Name is Earl, Raising Hope is a hilarious comedy that captures the
countdown clock but fails to ensure anybody can understand which way it's ticking. Hilarious and cringeworthy when considering the real Olympic clock topped less than 24 hours after its unveiling. The show is filled with great main characters, see Olivia Colman's quietly played but scarily loyal PA as well as fantastic one-offs, the ~ortuguese translator in episode two is a must-see. The laughs come fast in Twenty Twelve but you can't help but wonder whether it's a satire or a premonition- in the words of lan Fletcher "as Long as nobody dies and we've still got fridge cake we'll be fine". Tom Theedom
sweetness and madness of family life. )immy Chance is 23 years old, he still lives at home with his parents and his Maw Maw (Granny) and cleans pools for a living.
"Raising Hope will become a family classic alongside Malcolm in the Middle and My Name is Earl. .." After being sent out for ice cream, )immy 'rescues' Lucy from a 'mad man' and they have a romantic one night stand. Unfortunately, Lucy is a serial killer who likes to kill her boyfriends. After eeing her on America's Most
The Times They Are A-Changin Matt Tidby looks at the changing face of British sitco s Some things on TV will forever endure- John Barrowman's face, unsubtly titled BBC Three documentaries and Kay Burley's innate ability to raise tactlessness to a high art. However, television is going through a period of transition. Arguably, 'twas ever thus', but tune in these days and the differences are dramatic, even in the lifetime of the average screen-friendly undergraduate. The news has become the most bewilderingly dramatic hyper-narrative on the box, a new drama series can be over in a week and sitcoms have stopped being funny. Okay, that last one isn't wholly true, but the British sitcom, a cornerstone of our televisual canon, has changed beyond recognition
recently. Anti-BBC campaigns and industry terrors like the 'Sachsgate' scandal may seem to have faded into insignificance, but the impact of such negative coverage has been wide-ranging and dramatic. Comedy, particularly within the BBC, has been transformed. Commissioners and producers have earnestly prostrated themselves before the miserable moral lobby and presented a stream of character-centric, 'safe' sitcoms, for fear of being the next severed head on the well-worn pike of the Daily Mail. In some cases this has produced wonders; the charming Rev (BBC Two) and the oddball rambling club of The Great Outdoors (BBC Four) spring to mind as well-crafted examples
of this new fashion. However, for every one of these, there's the depressing Roger and Val ]11st Got In (BBC Two), the bland Friday Night Dinner (C4) and the fluffy 'satire' of Twe11tyTwelve (BBC Four). We're not uggesting there's no place for character driven comedy, quite the opposite. Nevertheless, and hurl things if this seems cynical, but when it's repeatedly possible to watch 30 minutes of a new comedy without laughing, surely there's something wrong. The success of The Inbetweeners (E4) is further evidence of what is missing- now and again the audience would like to laugh. MattTidby
Wanted, )immy's mum promptly knocks her out with a frying pan and she is incarcerated and sent to death row. ine months later and it turns out Lucy is pregnant and Jimmy is left holding Princess Beyonce, after Lucy's execution. After renaming the baby Hope, )immy struggles with the hardships of parenting, such as remembering to strap the car seat in and what type of baby food to buy. With the help of his eccentric family he tries to raise Hope as best he can. Raisi11g Hope will become a family classic alongside Malcolm in the Middle and My ame is Earl; it balances the hardships of life with the joy of family and just a touch of quirkiness. J(ate Allen
Issue 255
10 1.
31st March 201 I
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Medical Drama This issue, Venue puts medical dramas under the microscope.
House
ER
Sky One Thursday, lOpm
Currently on Sky Atlantic
C1b.NIU6
it i-. surcl)' the enigm.tlic ,tnd electric portr,l)',d of the show\ central ch<~ractcr, Dr. Crcgory !l ouse by l lugh Lauric, which ,hot the Brit to international stardom and m.tde him the highest paid actor on U.). television (earning him a whopping $400,000 an epi-,ode ), which l ruly .'>l'ls /louse a flart . For, as anyone who\ watched /-louse knows, .dthough L\tch episode ostensibly revolves around a new lla licnt, and the race ,tga insl lime to di.tgnme l hci r usu,tlly eo m plcx .md/or bi;arrc >cl of '>)'mploms, it\ not really ,Jboul the patients or the medicine. It\ about l l ou~e himself. The '>how f(lllmv' the mi-,anthropic and miserable medic.tl gcnim as he tries to juggle hi, h<tlrcd of actu .dly having to ulk to hi, patients, his addiction to prescription p.1inkillcrs ,tnd his fr,lllght rclation-,hip.,
WA-6 61Db. b.ffb.Cf6.
with thme around him , including his boss and sometime lo1·cr I )r. C:uddy, whom he frequently upsets by ignoring hosp ital rules .llld rL·gulations, and his one and on ly friend, \\'il-,on. r\llhough Lauric is the main reason to watch / louse, he is t:u· from l he only reason. House is the medical show thc~t showed the others how it should be done. How .Ill)' show should he done. lt is con,i'>lently voted one of the best T\' shows of all time and it's easy to sec whr Its comhin,ttion of consistently -, harp, witty writing and great acting from the entire Cl'>tcnsures th,tl llou'c continue~ to he both a commercial and critical hit, e\'en with -,even season-, under ih hell. Natalie Fletcher
it's only been off our screen.'> for two years but -,till no other medical dr,tllld quite come» clme to the hrilli.tnt Colden Clohe ,tnd multiEmmy Award Winning El?.. it fir~ I aired tn I 995 with a then littk- knm,·n actor, Ceorge Clooney ,1~ Dr. Uougla> Ro,s and Anthon)' Edward~ as 1\Ltrk Creenc. The siHll\< trademark flowing camera movement'> add great sense of pace and urgency about the in-hospital medicd scenes and there i, a great feeling of co operation in the wa)' the characters gl ide >camk>sly in ,tnd out of shot cng,tging in the ra;or-sharp ,llld precise dialogue it is famous f(lr. llnwc1·er, the .,hm,·\ success lay in it'> '>U perb blend of high -<KlJ ne medical scene' and ih ch<traeler 'lorics; ne\'er has a ,how been 'o dr,1maticalh· procedural as IVL'II as
Casualty BBC One Saturday, 9pm Of all of the mcdiL,d dram,ts, Casualty h.t., to he .tppl.llld ed for ih f<tnlastic <1Chie1ements. lt i-, the longest running programme of ih genre - currently in ih lWL'nl)' fifth ~cries. 1!01\ many dralll<lS l,lll '>cl)' th.tt" Clearly Ca'>uall)' h;ts the c..,.,ential ingredienh which guaranlL'L' a winning ,how - rclat<tbk characll'r'>, thrilling '>loryline-, and a good dmc of humour from lime to lime. The current main Gl.,t includes a variety of Lharaclcr., - typict l lad )ay, lovc,tb lc Big 1\ lac , motherly Tcss and stern Nick Jordan. In addition, Ct.,ualty gave U'> the geniw, character of l~ulh, a doctor who,c betbide manner would surely send everyone running for the hills. Ruth i.'> abo significant for being so 'real ' - her cold exterior is a shield designed to protect he r. The events which occur in Casualty are equally rea listic, in
Ltcl gruesomely so. Delicate soul-, '> hould look .tW,l) from their tell'\ i-,inn scrL'l'n'>, a' p.blel'l'nb include Te-,, being impaled by a pole, .1 paliL'nl de1eloping -,evcre gangrL'Ill' c~ml a char,tcler trip~ling .md landing ncck-fir-,t on a spike. Othn members of -,taff h<lll' experienced unpleas,l/ll injuries, many inflicted by angry llalient'>, hut luckily not to l he L'Xtent of ,\ Iidsomer i\1 u rders. The mcd ics have been joined by e'tecmL'd performL' rs in the ~la'>l - including K,tle Winslet, Orlanuo Hloom, Ch ristopher Ecckston <llld R.ty \\'instone . With the ftnl<~:-.tic ca li b1·c of eac h Casua lty ca.-,t, there is no doubt that the show will continue to produce exciting television. Beth Wya tt
being ch.tractcr drii'L'n. As ,m audience we <Jre hooked by the cmergencie~ ,md the way the Joclon, go about saving lil'es just ,1., much <h whether C:.nter .tnd Abbcr arc goi ng to get together (Season 9). r\bon· all ebL', J:./( was Mli~tic and inventive. The live epi-,ode in 1997 (performed twice in the sp.tce of four hours for the b~:-.t Coast and then \\'c,t Co<tsl bro,tde<Jsl) ll'<lS a jo;· to behold; there was no cracking up and the ,how glided so bc,llltifully li1·e .~:-.it did pre- rL'cnrded that it was a credit to the whok team. Though not on Freev iew T\ ' an)·mo re, onl;· av;til,tblc via box -set, /:'./?.. has '>cl the benchmark for medical dram,t'>, one that is )'Cl lobe reachL·d since, and i~ trul)· the dciin ition of unmi-,qhle tck·1·ision.
Tom Theedo m
Hedgehogs, 20/10/10 for lames Midgley We used to have hedgehogs at the bottom of the garden. We talk about China, we want noodles. He has more soy auce than me, he bets. Tiny faces with sticky-up hair, soft spines: living conkers. But I have a huge bottle of it! He says he ha millions, trust him. Pinecone spines, balled-up tiny fists, a tree more living than alive. I trust his mind , but millions? Facts are different from miscellaneous wandering . I trust there having been hedgehogs in my garden.
He squeezes the hedgehogs, he says. He milks soy sauce from their teats.
I start to question my knowledge of hedgehogs. lt's all in the mind, he says. He, of cour e, is entirely rea onable. Robyn Comfort
The Corn pleat Angler This tangled fish wire cannot be ravelled away: here all clear and knotted round us both.
There's Always One He stands up and tells us it is over. His voice, allied with time, slips in to call off the search and gently pushes us away from our desks, once such insipid ymbols, now little marks of our former cholarly lives. What we would give to enjoy these last few minutes once again. .... impossible, of course.
We have been barb-hooked fast: each by the other's rod. I swim with you, I feel your tug, my sentence structure syntaxing with yours, my stride stretching in step, my sleep surrounded by you, my cheek-flesh is ealing around the hook; clean and white skin scaling over. Don't cut away the wire, it has welded into me. Don't plier out the hook, it would bleed again. Jessica Daw
So, instead, to the air we go, where we light up our first adult cigarettes, take in the glorious fumes and laugh. We have done it. How wonderful we are; how free we are as we shed our skins and wait to bloom. On the last exhale, thoughts on our next steps are uncertain. How should we rise to the newness of the occasion? Must we? We wish we could stay put for now, just until we realise the truth (at which point we shall forget this moment, this dreamy lull ). We don't have much time, do we? Our afternoon hours treat us well. We don't do anything spectacular, but we live as though living is always like this. The worry has set in for some of us. We look at our watches, taking
cdnesday 30th March lunge Collective Cabaret at he Birdcage
Wednesday 6th April - AC Grayling at UEA Spring Literary Festival in LTI
Wednesday 20th April Late Shift at UEA Sainsbury Centre
Tuesday 29th March Edmund de Waal at UEA Spring Literary Festival
pring IS here and the vorld is going to hell in a andhaskct, so what better vay to celebrate than , night f comedy, poetry and music. The Birdcage. Ho ted by ndy Bennet. Entrance fee is 2. From 8pm
The philo opher AC Grayling will be reading from hi new book Tire Good Book - "a thoughtful alternative for the many people who do not follow one of the world's great religion ." Ticket are 6. hom7pm
Programmed by Liz Ballard with ell Croose-M}'hill, Ali on Humphrey and Susie Showers featuring music made of junk materi<~ls, radical poetry and an interactive m.lle. From 6-9pm. hec entry
Edmund de \Vaal will be reading from his Co ta category award winning biography Tire Hare witlr tire A11r/Jer Eyes - a tory of the a cent and decline of a Jewi h dynasty. 'J ic.ket are ÂŁ6. From 7pm in LTI
note of the time but not understanding it. What exactly is it we are waiting for? At last, the end is here (we just know). We cheer. This is it! We call out our goodbyes and our breaths bear the smells (of smoke and kisses, of supper and beer) of the enviable hours gone by. And away we go. Our travels see u as mourners and we weep without privacy, as you probably believe. What you probably do not believe is the life of the boy we leave behind. He checks his watch and sees it isn't time to go yet; bit of a shame, really. Our decision to let go has not been collective, but it's okay. There's always one who stays. And when we visualise the prospective meetings of old friends, we see this curious phenomenon - the boy who never grew up. We figure this will be the case, but somehow it seems very, very unexpected. Then again, this is his dream, not ours. Let him be. Jude Barker
A short story of 1,500 words
Please email your submissions to concrete.creativewriting@uea.ac. uk
by 4th May
Issue 255 31st March 2011
12 Writing a Love Poem
Nicole
She was the start of my unravelling as if a fork plunged into a plate of spaghetti had started to twist
after 'Tender is the Night'
I have written that o ut so m a ny times today it has to m ake sense. But th e suspi cio n remain s th at this is nothin g m o re than an attempt at rearran gin g what already happened a nd will no t be mo ulded into somethin g easil y defin ed. So you pinpoint moments, twist th em to what yo u wa nted till th e doubt has go ne away and all th at is left is th e th o ught o f wakin g to see her smiling at yo ur fing ers curled in her hair. Suddenl y yo u feel sheets wrapped a round ta ngled limbs, a sense o f sunli ght burstin g thro ugh th e half-open window, the faint rh ythm o f a curta in rockin g in the morning breeze with all th e reti cence o f a drea m forgotten as soon as yo u wake. Robert Van Egg hen
Unexpected
The pa rtin g kiss at th e end o f a m ess o f a ni ght The bottl e of wine yo u had forgo tten purchas in g Packed bags lying at th e foot of th e stairs The scratch of a key in th e lock heard from th e kitch en
11 Eve ry word is o ne which I neve r wo uld have p red icted . Every shinin g beacon com es with his o r her own definin g lex ico n. And learnin g it is a beautiful thin g. Hers is no exce ptio n. Eve ry wo rd is un ex pected .
Ill The T he T he T he
shape of your lips m essage at 4a m hysteri cal laughter poetr y .. .
T he Spani sh In q ui sitio n. Haha. ames~kes
Quote of the Week ~芦substitute "damn" every time you,re inclined
o write "very;" your editor will delete it and th1c: 路 jwriting will be just as it should be.'' - Mark Twain !American author and humourist
There was something in th e way she held herself wo uld be what th ey all sa id wh en th ey came to be asked It was how sh e crept and sudd enl y appea red with her ha ir round her sho ulders th at go t th eir attentio n She stood fo r ho urs thinking she was som ewhere else as th e party pressed pas t while she never turned Som e sa id th ey heard her shoes o n th e steps as she ra n wea rin g th e moonli ght like th e flim siest cloak
James Foreman Corn Dog H ands lips hips feet ki ck at drippin g a ir to turn us ro und and round aga in befo re th e di zzy feelin g sto ps us a nd the m etal to uches fl esh that sti cks and skitters little fl ecks of grave l u p across th e surfa ce o f yo ur kn eecaps. Sick to yo ur gut but push arms o ut a nd over ra ilings to the side of space so cold wi th fin ge rs pul sing pu shin g thi ck red jui ce, o r thin , we never looked too close befo re but th ere yo ur fi nge r sti ckin g to th e co rn er of m y lip th e na il yo u always bit aga in st th e crac ks of fo rei gn skin a nd I ca n tas te th e crumbs o f co rn dog th at we ate fo r lunch ac ross th e street but now I wa nt to eat it from yo ur tee th . Flora Barker
from 231 Th e silent go ng is no lo nge r. Even now, I drape m yself in th e th o usandth fe rm ent o f lac hrym al juices a nd bem oa n m y fate. Ann o un ce to th e gods, I shall sing till th e h oars e perversion of m y dirge beco m es th e tune. I shall bewa il love- lost till th e red ea rth drowns in m y reproach. Numancia, Won't yo u weep with me? T he hunter returned except the catch. T he purl o in er is my broth er suckl ed at mama's breasts o r so th e fabl e goes. If I grieve alo ud , wh o shall diss uade m e? I am an o utcast even to m y kin . If I'm shod in ragged o pul en ce wh o shall receive me? I wa il anew beseech m e no t Niaga ra is my co usin . I will be tru e to my so ng Apo ll o is m y so n. I sing o f love lost Yes! T he O ne I kn ow. Adetola Adepoju
Shards of Words Sc ramblin g, you glue sha rds o f words toge th er, sli ce yo ur fin ge r o n th e point of a verb. Ta lkin g has sudd enl y turned into ti ght ro pe walkin g a n elec tri c fen ce. And each crac k snow_s skin a nd as h, d ustin g fai ntl y th e wo rds you left Rich Law
When we think of the term 'technology,' there's a reasonable likelihood that m any of us would conjure up images of iPads, videogames, the Internet and enormous televisions. Who can blame us? Any popular technology website or publication focu ses primarily on the sleek, swish and expensive gadgets that can fit into your pocket and allow you to do really cool (and sometimes really pointless) things. A quick lo.ok at Microsoft's Kinect (the fastest selling gadget ever) tells us this much, and although this one won't fit in your pocket, one could argue that it is utterly pointless. What I am trying to say here, is what about the useful technology? The stuff that some people could not easily live without? The term 'assis t ive technology' (AT) refers to the technology specifically designed to assist people with disabilities and the elderly
people so that they can utilise the basic functions required to carry out the activities of daily living; these could be seeing, speakin g, hearing, mobilising or a million other things that many of us take for granted. FAST (Foundation for Assistive Technology) describe AT as "any product or service designed to enable independence for disabledorolderpeople,'' so why is it that such incredible technology is repeatedly overlooked? Although many forms of AT are commonplace (hearing aids, wheelchairs, ergonomic accessories), there are some tr uly incredible and unique devices out that change lives in interesting and innovative ways. A good example of this is Wakamaru, a Japanese domestic robot that went on sale back in 2005. utilises operating on multiple
microprocessors, accesses o nline connections and offers both speech and speech recognition services. The chief purpose of Wakamaru is to assist elderly and d isabled people in their homes by providing companionship, prompting users to take their medication and calling for help in the case of an emergency. Jawahar Samagond, spokesperson for MontaVista Software, told wired.com that Wakamarus" primary goal for the Japanese market is to provide companionship ... to be with [patients) like a h ealth-care provider:' The amazing thing here, is that in a not-sodistant future this actually could be a reality. The concept of robots replacing nurses may be a little avant-garde or sci-fi for 2011, so it may surprise you to hear that a lot of AT is relatively light in design and easy in implementation. This could be something as simple as height-adjustable furniture, a foot operated mouse (foot-mouse) or a brailleembosser (connects to your computer the same way as a text printer, though punches braille dots onto the paper). Even something like the Amazon Kindle or yes, the iPad, is in itselfAT. Think of the benefits (text-to-speech, adjustable font size, portability) that eBook readers and tablet computers can potentially offer to someone with impaired vision, limited mobility or a learning difficulty- the advantages are endless, and often overlooked in favour of fun apps, connectivity and media gimicks. AT, then, is everywhere. Th e touch screen on yom phone? AT. Spellcheckers? AT. Sticky Keys? AT. Whether a user h as dyslexia or dementia, the way they interact with technology is to their advantage and assistance, and these advantages will often be different from user to user. Someone with
dementia, for example, may benefit from Telecare. This d istinctive form of care offers person-centred technology to allow the older person to remain independent within their own home despite having a cognitive impairment such as dementia. In some cases this may involve a series of sensors around the home that send radio signals to a central unit (in the client's home) when one of these sensors is triggered by movement; this will then send another signal to an aroundthe-dock surveillance centre where trained professionals can alert designated carers or appropriate emergency services to the situation. Whjje the focus in technology does seem to be on glitzy gadgetry, there has been an increase in universally accessible technology - technologies that cater for typical as well as atypical users. Th is may be something as common as a TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf), though it could also be something requiring a number of devices such as an increased accessibility computer with ergonomic accessories and modified input devices. Awareness of AT appears to b e spreading in the wake of jnventions such as Wakamaru (and the less popular Cosmobot), though it looks like users have a long wait ahead of them before the likes of the 3DS and other high-key gadgets will be universally accessible. Resna.org offers a comprehensive overview of cutting edge AT, and is worth a look if you fancy checking out this alternative breed of technology. You'll be happy to know you can access the site from your shiny new iPad.
Some of the best, most interesting or just downright fun ny people tweeting right now!
Here's one of the choice facebook groups doing rounds at the moment!
Wikipanion
Fun links to pass the time between socialising and learning.
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@god_damn_batman One of the funniest fake twitter accounts (still waiting for a verified Batman account), this is . Baunan as the arrogant, pyschotic hellraiser we all want him to be. Essential if you want to keep up with how many Robin's have suffered Spinal-Tap-druminer-esque fates so far. @tabloidwatch Delightfully angry blog putting the most objectionable examples of tabloid journalism in the spotlight, so you can see why Littlejohn is trending again without boosting the Mail's advertising revenue. @Betfairpoker Pretty much nothing to do with poker, this is a masterclass in absurdist comedy and general chaos from the Betfair offices. If you're not sold yet, here's an example; 'Whenever I pass a poster of Justin Bieber, I think "Ooh. Hilary Swank has aged well.' Duncan Vicat-Brown
Offical Shake's Frozen Custard Group This group is interesting ~ because it highlights a modern ,. ,.r 3 trend in the notion that foo.d is an institution. Shake's is a restaurant in Feyetteville, AR Shake's Frozen Custard · is 'the hottest opportunity in frozen treats.' Together these two things offer up a seemingly · unique and exciting experience that fits any situation. Families go to Shake's and lave with long-lasting memories of quality and fun. They eat Shake's Frozen Custard just might relive childhood memories. The members of this group pool together over their love of the simple things in life: a good old fashioned dining experience that spans generations, and wholesome, multi-generational, electrifying fun. Times may have changed since the days of chicken and waffles, but the core concepts of suppertirne bonding persist. It warms the heart, and if you're looking for an alternative to the more uncouth groups, this one truly is a welcome change. DJ Turner
We've all been before, you're sat around, be it in your living room, kitchen or on campus in the bar, and a topic pops up that engages a heated discussion over whats what and who is right. Alternatively something crops up and you aren't entirely sure what is being spoken about. Fear not, the answer to all your prayers rests in Wikipanion! Wikipanion allows instant access to any Wikipedia article out there. It boasts an iPhone and iPad friendly layout, a quick search function so you can find words in articles effortlessly, and stores the last 100 searches you did using it so if you need to dissipate an intellectual argument you've been present at before, now you can! Never will you be stumped by a topic of discussion again! · Available on iTunes for iPhone and iPad
DJ Turner
The Daily Nice Photographer Jason Evans wants the world to be a much nicer place. He feels that at least once a day we should take time out and appreciate the hidden joys of life. His website The Daily Nice encapsulates this by showing one picture a day of something that made Jason smile that day. Truly touching stuff. www.thedailynice.com This Is Not Porn When a website makes a claim as bold as this, you imagine it to be ironic. On this occasion, however, it really isn't pom. TINP contains a whole host of vintage and unknown celebrity spaps, such as Gary Oldman as a kid· playing in a cockpit. It shows the more human side to the stars. www.thisisnotporn.net
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Issue 255 31st March 2011
Format: PS3, 360, PC. Release: Out Now RRP: £29.99- £42.99
diminishes the game's value considerably. The story feels cut short at the end in order to leave it open for a sequel. Just as you are getting into the story and starting to care Homefront has had a gradual build about the resistance and the other characters, of interest recently. With an exciting plot it finishes. One point to note about this line from high calibre writer John Millius, game, though, is that it will certainly produce writer/director of Red Dawn and eo-writer different emotions on both sides of the of Apocalypse Now, Homefront showed Atlantic. For the majority of Americans, the potential to enter the arena of blockbuster idea of their country beingjnvaded, especially first person shooters. The premise of the by communists, is very emotive; conversely, game. is intriguing. The game's setting is the for European players, this is not such an year 2027 where a united communist Korea important factor. For many Americans, has invaded and occupied the US. This story fighting communists in shopping malls and admittedly sounds a little ridiculous, but Hooters restaurants is more relatable and Millius has done a good job fleshing out the motivating than the experience is for us. The backsto.ry with a swine flu epidemic in the same idea was used in the story of Modern US, a war between Iran and Saudi Arabia Warfare 2: to better effect it must be said. driving fuel prices to stratospheric levels and Where Homefront comes into its own is Korea using an EMP to cripple America's its multiplayer. Online matches take place armed forces. The single-player campaign with up to 32 players in large levels with starts with your character, an ex-US military vehicle combat underpinning the experience, pilot, being rescued from a Korean prisoner much like the Battlefield games. Nonetheless1 bus by American freedom fighters. From the use of a Battle Points system that rewards' then on, you join the freedom fighters in players for kills and achieving objectives gives their sabotages and attacks on the Korean the multiplayer an interesting, distinctive occupiers. The story, however, never lives up feel. Points can be spent in the Armo.ury on to the setting's potential. The other characters weapons, perks and upgrades before matches whom you join throughout the game fall begin or in matches on vehicles, which can . into very stereotypical roles; the angry guy, often turn the tide of a match. The Battle the emotional woman and the tech guy. Your Points system is well developed and diverse character feels more like a spectator as he . as there is so much to buy and each upgrade never says anything to the other characters can effect each match differently, making and only follows orders. The story follows a the multiplayer quite addictive. Additionally very linear path with set routes through the the Battle Commander allows game's seven chapters. This is not necessarily pI ayers\ q.egative but, with the game's setting within a sprawling suburbia it may have made for a better and more immersive experience if there had been freedom to roam. However, the biggest with Homefront is that single-player campaign incredibly short, at the absolute
Issue 255 31st March 2011
objectives during matches such as killing everyone on the enemy team or, on the other hand, killing a player who has earned their kill streak exclusively by killing you. Graphically, Homefront average. Character design is impressive and the environments look sharp, not Black Ops standard though. There are a couple of especially explosive and chaotic exchanges that cause frame rate to slow down, but nothing too concerning. There are also one or two occasions where vehicles fall from the sky and although this is somewhat amusing, it does take you out of the experience slightly. Overall, Homefront fails to live up to its potential. The story idea is distinctive and exciting, still the pleasant, yet incredibly short, campaign will leave players wanting more, and not in the good way. The multiplayer does redeem the campaign to some extent with its diversity and addictiveness. Homefront fails to contend with the preeminent shooters of this generation in all areas, especially value for money, and therefore it is perhaps worth buying. Instead, not rent it just to have . at the multiplayer.
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Format: PS3, Release: Out Now RRP: £39.99- £59.99 The Killzone series has always been one of the most hyped videogame series in the world. Killzone 2 made the headlines with its fantastic graphics, as the first showcase of what the PS3 could really do. By now the power · of the Playstation is no longer such a surprise, . at least until you play Killzone 3. Probably the best-looking game on console, there are times when you'll just want to sit back and admire the view. No small part of this is how much detail has gone into designing the levels, everywhere you look there are little touches which help immerse the player in the game. T h e graphics aren't the only thing that impress. Killzone 3 has a surprisingly intricate and thought out storyline, giving the
player an insight into the politics ofthe Helghan High C_ommand, which includes some very extravagant facial hair and a Hitler look-a -like. Although the story is still fairly straightforward (continuing from Killzone 2, although
comrades can revive you sometimes when you go down, which helps avoid frustration. However, the game isn't without its faults, for instance exactly what your objectives are isn't always clear. At one point this writer was told they needed to reach a point behind a huge metal gate. It got. so frustrating that it resulted in ~ manning a missile turret and . li' blqwing up about 20 . . comrades in arms. Fortunately this triggered the gate to open and a Helghan "' t a n k ltrundled out, which was then blown 1 up too. T h e
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the backsto. ry is for those who , may not have l ' . played before) it i s ,.. still plagued by some of the most typical I gami:lg cliches-; Yet, it still ( man es \,f
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the often stale storylines of most videogames. The actual gameplay focuses on hard-fought and intense gunfights which require you to wear down your opposition rather than charge in guns blazing a la Rambo. This gives each objective a deeper sense· of satisfaction. One mission, just after the first third of the game, really mixes up the tried.and-tested formula for a FPS game. Tasked with sneaking your way through a thick Helghan·jungle, armed only with a machine pistol, stealth becomes the new tactic. There is also a neat revive system whereby your
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doesn't stop after campaign. either, as the game comes ,.nth a fully-fledged online mode. It's a more fluid version of Killzone 2's multiplayer and looks almost as good as the singleplayer. The only gripe would be that there are only four game modes, which seems a little sparse compared to the huge range on offer in series like Call of Duty and Halo. Despite this, there is plenty to keep you entertained in the on line arena, even if you do end up going back to Black Ops. Alex Stoodley _
JoshMott
When it comes to t4e development violent games, but others have suggested of children, gaming generally they are a safe outlet for this behaviour. Do receives a bad press. More than. once, many sports not encourage similar venting games such as the violent thriller of aggression? The positive effects of gaming Manhunt have even been directly remain a fairly untouched area, but the linked to violent crime. They are often · work that has been conducted so considered to be nothing more than far suggests that game playing a distraction from school and other actually develops many skills. 'healthy' activities, but does it have to Even in a non-educational. be this way? game the player has to develop Many studies have their memory skills as well as shown increased problem solving abilities, quick levels of aggression thinking and engage higherchildren while level processes of thought playing than those present in a school
+ Interesting and fresh story +Fun online experience
- Campaign too short - Visually poor and plenty of glitches
Some games can even translate specific skill sets over to real life. BBC's .Top .GeaJ" ~an an experiment recently using the game iRacing, taking a pro player on a real race track, which he had never experienced
t
before. He then proceeded to nearly match the level of professional racers. This is clearly the aim of educational games, translating what children learn at school, but they often aren't fun. Why can other games not teach children anything whilst they are having fun? When enjoying yourself, you are at your most stimulated and receptive,' . just like studying a subject you love. Ratings are there to protect players, your children should not be playing brutal killers at the age of six, nor should they be gaming all day, every day. However, you shouldn't restrict ·yourself to thinking games will ruin their education or promote serious violence there is a whole, largely unexplored world of good they can do. ChrisAxe
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SuBMARINE :oi~~ct~r7 Rich;r~fAy~;cie· • : together. :Release Date: 18/3/11
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Based on the first novel from UEA Creative Writing graduate Joe Dunthorne, we can only fee] pride in the success of latest British phenomenon, Submarine. Set in ' Swansea, Wales, we follow Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts), a teenage schoolboy who believes he is a cool litera~y genius but in reality, he is socially inept and awkward. Convinced that his father (Noah Taylor) is depressed, and his mother (Sally Hawkins) is having an affair with her life coach (Paddy Considine), he embarks on a mission to bring his parents dysfunctional marriage back
Alongside this, Oliver becomes ·completely infatuated by fellow student Jordana (Yasmin Paige) and must prove his worth in order to win her heart. Submarine marks IT Crowd's Richard Ayoade's and directorial debut, for those of you who just know him as 'the funny guy with the afro', this film showcases not only his talent as a comedian but also his genius as a filmmaker. With a backdrop palette of striking picture-perfect seaside landscape, and a tender acoustic soundtrack from Arctic Monkey's Alex Turner, the film presents itself flawlessly. Submarine's personality can not be denied when Oliver Tate provides a hilarious voiceover, offering
LIMITLESS
the inner most private and twisted thoughts of the
unfold with actors Craig Roberts and Yasmin Paige
average teenager. If that wasn't e·nough, Submarine exposes a strong cast of fresh, young British actors. The chemistry and relationship between Oliver and Jordana is a joy to watch
executing it with endearing innocence and sincerity. Submarine flirts relentlessly with the turbulence and playful euphoria of young romance, creating a new age love story upon screen. As
well as new talent, the film stars acting legends such as Paddy Considine, who also delivers an unforgettable, whacky performance. As for the comedy aspect, Submarine evokes a carefree, quirky humour that drives the narrative effortlessly. The coming-ofage story lends itself a lot to the humour, capturing the awkward curiosity of teenage life. Many laughs are had when a cassette tape is given to Oliver from his father, containing a playlist of relationship songs, such as those for love making, and songs for breaking up. The comedic elements however, do not overshadow the substance of the film, but compliment the highs and lows of a changing teenager
CHALET GIRL
in an ever-difficult world. As a result, Submarine sails much further into the complexities of growing up, unlike similar predecessors whom barely touch the surface. Already proving a h.uge hit on the festival circuit, it has established itself as a groundbreaking gem of a film. This movie shows exactly what the UK film industry is all about, and what it is capable of. Here's hoping this confident, indie delight will mark a trend in high quality pictures to come, because there is no doubt about it, Submarine plunges you deep into the essence and charm of a great British film. Anna Eastick
LINCOLN LAWYER
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Limitless is a thriller about a dishevelled writer (Bradley Cooper) who discovers an experimental drug which can expand the botmds of his mind and unlock his full potential. He promptly uses his newfound abilities to beat writer's block, win back his estranged girlfriend and make himself a multimillionaire v1a the stock market. It will come as no surprise that the drug has unpleasant side effects, not to· mention the issue of his supply. being decidedly limited. Hi-jinks involving hit men, Russian gangsters and corrupt Wall Street execs ensue, Neil Burger directs the
movie with considerable enthusiasm, and Cooper proves to be an arresting protagonist. De Niro 1s excellent as always, although criminally underused. Although the concept is engaging, the script is patchy as gangsters and greedy businessmen are familiar narrative devices. The camerawork is inventive and energetic but ended up feeling like an overexcited dog jumping up at you. The protagonist's constant narration is also grating as he delights in pointing out the obvious. · The final reel redeems the film somewhat, containing a dark and tense action scene. Limitless seems desperate to impress, but could have been tigh ter and more intelligent. Leo Hunt
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:Director: Phi! Traill : :Release Date: 16/3/11 : : : : •• •••• ~ • • •-~ . ...~ ·•••••• : The premise is a simple one. Poor tragic girl meets spoilt wealthy boy, and they fall in love. Traill's British film depicts the exclusive world of the luxury ski resort, where the chalets are like manswns and helicopters trump ski lifts. Kim Mathews (Felicity Jones) is a poor teenage girl who escapes a burger chain ·to become a chalet girl. Whilst there, she not only discovers snowboarding, but also finds love on the slopes. As well as its formulaic and predictable plot, the characters are tremendously stereotypical. The rich women are all bitches, the
men are alii etches except for a roguish Scandinavian and the nice one who Kim falls in love with. Chalet Girl is littered with famous faces. Bill Nighy and Brooke Shields play the uber-rich parents along with Bill Bailey as Kim's struggling father. St Trinian's Tamsin Egerton and Ed Westwick of Gossip Girl fame, provide the totty as they squint and pout their way through the film. The mountain scenery is stunning, Jones is likeable as feisty Kim and the. film does possess an absurd feel-good factor. But it is telling when the most entertaining part of a fiJm is the cast singalong that accompanies the credits. Sarraounia Christianson
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:Oirector: Brad Furman !Release Date: 18/3/11
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wealthy - Beverly Hills and has been arrested for • • attacking a woman. ~),{ ln his usual manner, • •••• • •• • • ••• •• •• •• • Based on the book by Mick takes to the streets in renowned novelist MichaeJ his beloved car - charismatic Connelly, The Lincoln Lawyer m his sharp suit and depicts the story of defence expecting to wrap up the case lawyer Michael 'Mick' Haller in no time. As with the best (Matthew McConaughey). crime dramas though, The Mick may cruise the Lincoln Lawyer deftly creates streets in a chauffeur-driven a web of threads which only car emblazoned with ' NT link together at the climax of GUILTY', but his. lifestyle the film. The cast members is far from admired - the are just as exciting mother of his child Hayley, · McConaughey and Phillippe Maggie McPherson (Marisa excel as two men engaged in Tomei), asks "How does an increasingly psychological someone like you sleep at battle. With dramatic night with all the scum you courtroom scenes and everrepresent?" changing perceptions of However, Mick's latest the characters, The Lincoln client is different from the Lawyer is one of the most rest. Louis Roulet (Ryan t~rilling films of 2011. Phillippe) is a bachelor who hails from the land of the BethWyatt
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Issue 255 31st March 2011
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WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANG.ER
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Woody Alien's latest offering, set in London, follows a starstudded cast through the rather depressing plot of love lost. Alfie (Anthony Hopkins) leaves his wife for a younger 'scrumpet' (Lucy Punch) in an attempt to remain young at heart. Suicidal Helena (Gemma ]ones) is told by a psychic she is going to find someone soon, her daughter (Naomi Watts) and son-inlaw (Josh Brolin) also go out in hunt of alternative love she turns to her boss, he to a lusty young woman. As with most of Alien's directorial outputs of late, the film has no real strong narrative but IS an observation of lives and love.
This is not a laugh-out-loud comedy, nor is it a particularly cheery one as the main theme is seemingly desperation m the face of age, with almost every character unhappy with their current relationships. In no doubt reflecting Alien's increasingly nihilistic view on life, it does make for a rather tough watch. That said, it is Woody Alien after all, and he couldn't make an ordinary filfll if he tried . The tone i pessimistic but intriguing, and it is spattered with moments of charm. .. . Stranger is not for everybody, but IS certainly worth a watch if you're looking for a departure from all the rom-com's and action flicks. Or if, like Woody, you're just bloody depressed. TomTheedom
FASTER
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Faster is dumb. Dwayne 'The
Rock' Johnson plays a man so constantly and violently wound up he makes Tug from Brick look like Third Rock from the Sun. Carla 'keeps her top on in this one' Gugino's detective refers to a suspect as a 'dude: The twist is almost offensively illogical. When asked who his new target is, an assassin replies with ' I never ask.' And, at one point, a surgical metal plate in someone's head stops a bullet. Yeah, it's full of that kind of shit. Faster is also hideously pofaced. Crank and Shoot 'En1 Up revelled in the glorious trash on display, and were all the better for it. But Faster thinks it's a proper, Get Carter-e que revenge thriller. Most of the
THE EAGLE
script's inane philosophies are delivered as earnestly as the sermon on the mount. It's easy to lose count of how much time Dwayne spends looking at the picture of his dead brother. Characters are given names like ' Driver' and 'Killer', and Jennifer ' Debra in Dexter' Carpenter, in the most hilariously earnest cameo in recent memory, is simply 'Woman.' Faster is not entirely bereft of merit. it's well paced, nicely shot and has a couple of nice action beats, particularly when engaging in some particularly filthy vehicular porn. Johnson, an underrated screen presence, makes for an engagingly intense protagonist, and clearly 'get's it' more than anyone else involved. But even he can't make this dire-logue fun. Faster; why so serious? Duncan Vicat-Brown
•••••••••••••••••••• •Dir: Kevin Macdonald • • • : Release Date: 25/3/ll
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................... . Let's get this out of the way right now. If The Eagle is trying to be historic then a reduction m American accents would be a massive leap in improving this goal. with that Now, complaint out of the way, its sense of realism is again broken down by the depiction of the Picts. Whilst no one's questioning that their civilisation was nowhere near advanced as the Romans, The Eagle portrays them as some sort of Celtic, Na'vi hybrids. You'll understand when you see them. A further let down is that the plot feels rushed . You feel you missed something when Channing
Tatum's Marcus Aquila and Jamie Bell's E ea show their sudden friendship. Despite this, what you want most out of this kind of film is good fight scenes. The Eagle certainly delivers. The action is suitably violent whilst not overdoing the gore. Undoubtedly the best part of the film being an action-packed beginning that is more than satisfying. In the end, if n1e Eagle had gone for a different tact, and chosen more action than plot, then maybe the mistakes could have been forgiven. However, as it is this is a film that, for an hour, feels like it's just treading water.
Alex Dobrik
Dvn RELEASES TAMARA
]ACKASS
DREWE
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:Release Date: 28/3/11
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All the boys love Tamara Drewe. Set in a quaint English village the film follows the title character as she returns home to sell her childhood house after her mother's death. However, she is in store for so much more. Serendipitously running into a childhood love, who just happens to be the strapping but sweet type, she is asked to choose between him and the sex god band member complete with questionably bad-ass eyeliner. The film is funny and flirty
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.................... with everyone ultimately ending up in love triangles and trying to figure out who they really want to be with. From teenagers lusting after rock stars, to marriages of 25 years, the film really does have something for everyone. Tamara Drewe, played by Gemma Arterton, has that cute but seductive way about her, but the idea that the character has had a nose job seems a little random, constantly referred to but not really contributing much to the narrative. But
it is a romantic comedy it shouldn't really be dwelled on too much. An interesting aspect to the story is the fact that it is mainly influenced by the actions of a pair of 15 year old girls trying to have some fun in an eventless village .It's a cute little romantic comedy, very English with it's humour and settings, and has a widely ranging age of characters which would appeal to the masses. Radosava Radulovic
Ten years since the conception of jackass, and Johnny Knoxville is looking a little worn around the edges. Who could blame him? There's only so much beating, scolding and electrocution the average man can take: let alone the crazy man that actually volunteers for this kind of intense trauma and phy~ical pain. Nevertheless, here Knoxville and his band of merry men are again: it's jackass 3-D, and its bigger, badder and sicker than ever before. It might be the onehundredth time that we see
Steve-0 drink someone else's bodily fluids, but somehow it never gets old. There's something almost charming about the innocent slapstick funniness of the jackass protocol; tl1at they don't need a big budget, elaborate setup or legitimate reason to do these stupid things, and yet still manage to create consistent entertainment. Sometin1e it isn't even the quality of the stunt that gets you laughing, but the hysterical guffaw omitted from a group of fully-grown men who stagger
to move past the hilarity of pulling out eachothers' chairs. Ridiculous highlights include the 'G iant high five', 'Super mighty glue' and 'Bee swingball' ... although the less said about the 'Sweat cocktail' the better. The DVD may not come in 3-D format, but we are provided with both the cinematic and director's cut version of the film - the latter of which is highly recommended, if you can stomach the amount of nudity and exploding faeces. Steph McKenna
..
Issue 255 3 1st Ma rch 20 11
SuMMER BLOCKBUSTERS Concrete Film tal
e~
a look at what's in store for Summer 2011
X- MEN FIRST
...
In 2000, Bryan Singer ~ingle handrdly resurrected the ComiL Book film genre with ,\ .\/en, a film that took the ncam of llollywood, and combined it '' ith ~talc of the art ~pecial effect~ and a dark, gritty \tory, while simultaneous!) ditLhing the camp latex of the comic~ that in~pirrd it. Th<: lilm, and its srqud~, ''Trr so succr~~ful that by the time .\ ,\/en: /he I 11>1 \tout! came out in 2006, the world had been introduced to Spidcrman,
THE
Batman Catwoman, th<: llulk, llcllboy, the Puni~hcr, Darrdc\ il, and the Fanta~tic hn1r. lt wa~ official: the ge~.:b had taken over I loll) ''ood. I'\ m,, li\<: year~ and over a billion Chri ~tophcr-i\ola n- Bat man-i nspirrd dollar~ later, the tram that kicked it all off is back for another round, yl'IJm, I.Itn and all. Completely replacing the original trilogies Gl\t, the film ditches the modern day in favour of an origin \tory set 111 the early
THISTLEBLO
Due for rclea'>r thi \ \u gu\t, I he \\ 'hi,tlchlowcr i' a politiL,d thriller h,J\ed nn thL· inLrL·dihk true 'tor: of :-\ehJ,\',k,J ( OJ' 1-.:,Ithr\ n Bolko\'ac. \\ 'hen ",ltil!")·n ~ign' liJ' with .1 J'ri\'atc milit,Jr)' LOnt rdctor 'U J'J'ortin g the L'~ PL'<Ile'- keeping camp.1ign in ,1 \\M- torn Jlo..,ni,I in 19':)':), 'hL' thought ,hL·'tl be helping re build pL·oplc\ li\L''· ln ,tc,Id, ,hL' finds hn'>clf L<lught up in .111 org,Jni;,Jtion \\hiLh '>he di'>LO\L'I''> i' ill\ohL·d in running the ma"i"e '>L'\ tr,J iliLking tJ,Jdc. I kr horror inLrea'>L''> "hen ,he· reali'L'' the LIN ,ne helping to LO\L'I' lll' the L'\ idenLL', ,t nd if '>he 1\';tllh (0 '>(Op it '>hL' 1\'iiJ h,I\'L' (O hL' fight ,Jg,Iilht the ,Ju thoritiL''> thenhci\L''>. I aLL'd \\ith the diffiLult t,hk of LOlkLting L'\ idenLL' ,1nd tl''>l imoniL''> right under the no'c' of her Lnllc,Jgun, ",1thn n kno\\~ ,hL·'ll hL· ri~king hn lifL· in ordn to light for th e ju,tice of hundrL·d, Ill women. '/h,· I I 'hi.,f lchiull 'l'l ,t,1 r' the t,dented (hL.Ir winning l{achcl \\'eiv ,\, 1-.:.lthr:·n, '>LIPJHlrlL'd h) ,1 L·l'>l whiLh includL''i\loniL.I lkllucci, \ 'dnl''>'>,\ l{edgr.I\'L' and I an ( 'unningham. hr'>l ,Jw\\n at the 20 I 0 'l(mlllto lntnn.1tion,d l'ilm le,ti,,d, I he/ \\ '/ii., ff, ·f,fuii 'CI i'> the t'c-,I(UrL' film Lkhut' for diJL'Llor I arn,J "ondr,1cki. '.o \\h,Jt h,\'> thL· rL',Idion hL'e' \l to thi'> film '>0 f,ni \\ell, it h,h ,d read\ \\OI/ "ondr,JLki ,1n \udiL'nLL' \\\,Jrd lor ' lk '> t :\,nrati,·c IL'.ItUrL' ,Jt the P,dm '> ~pring'> lnlL'tn.Ition,d
ER
CLASS
1960\, with the pre~sure of the Cold \\'ar forming a nice backdrop to all the paranoid Mutant tension that has fuelled the series. lames ,\ lcAvo) takes owr from Patrick Stewart a~ a walkin, talkin, not-baldin Charle~ Xavier, "hi le :'\lichacl hl'>'>brndrr replace~ !an 1\lckellen a\ ;\lagneto. They, along with a ho~t of brand ne\\ mutated face~, arc fighting a \CCrct mutant '>Ocietv hell -hrnt on world domination, and led b) Kl'\ in Bacon\ 'Srb<I'>tian Sh,l\\·'. The fllm look'> to up the number of i\lutants sub~tantially, with ~nenteen ~eparatr one'> appearing in the t railcr alone. The '>Crie'> '>eem\ eager to <111'>\\er li.1n~ dem<IIHb, cramming in a~ m<ln) favourite'> a~ it can, turning the lighting in thi'> lilm into an ,dl-out \\<lr from the get-go. Singer is reduced to producer thi~ time, replaced by i\1atthrw Vaughn, frr'>h off hi., ~ucce'>s with /\id .\.'.'·
THE GREE
Comic book
blockbu~tcrs
have come
a long way \incr \ -,\/en - we'll have to wait
until early June to flnd out if the ones that '>lartcd it all can k~.:rp up. Tim Bates
LANTER
him I L''>til,d ,IJld ,llldieiiLL''> '>eem to un,IninHHI'>i)' ,JgrL'L' th<lt R.!Lhcl \\ ci.,;\ pnformanLL' I'> tlllhtanding. llo\\e,·cr, although the tr,Iiln 'L'L'Jlh to J'romi '>c th,It th" film will hL· I.I~t - p.Iccd, d.nk <Ind gritty, some rl'\ ie1,·c r' h,I\'L' LO!llpl.Iincd th,Jt it fail, to kL'L'P mo\ ing ,Jnd therefore· lo '>e'' the ten,ion '>ULh a thriller 'hould pnl\ idL'. Yet , "athr' n 1\olko\ ,\L \ unhL·liL'\ ,1hly harrowin g talc cert,Jinl" dL''l'l'"e' to hL· told and it would he impo.,.,ihlc for it to not touch the L'lllOtion' of\ ie,,cr, thi, '>llllllllL'r. llopefullr thi~ film "ill pr<l\ ide ,1 change from the u:-u,d ' urge of light -hL'.Hll'd l 0 Ill Ill 0 n h· famil)' rclcawd 111 the
Lorna Pontcfract
I
I
Ryan Re:·noltb ha' been kno\\'.n to 'Piit opinion in the p.1st :,o the c.l',ting of him ,1., Til£' Green I cllllcrn cou ldn 't h,l\e come without ib risk'>. The film i'> in good hand, though .1~ Ca~inu Uo)'tlic ,1nd Iclgc of l>ark11C~ > director ,\ lartin Camphell i' in the hot '>Cat ,1nd T\'\ i\'o Onli/1(1/)' h11nill· .,cri be Crcg lkrlatini i> >u rc to give the >cript ,1 solid injection of humour and '>L'n'>e of fun. In thL' last couple of \H'ek'> thL' lir'>t clips of the IlL'\\' DC Comic' ,Jnd \\',1rn cr 'ummcr blockbu.,tcr ha\'c been made a' ,Iii,Ihk to ,·iew on linc . .. and thing' Ml' lookin g good' lt:-. on ly \l'n rough cuh but ,·ou get the picture; the .. tor: will follm,· ll,d )orddn ( Rcynold,), ,\LOLK) (L''>l-pi Jot , ,\'> he'lOillL''> ,\LI'O" ,\Lra'>h Jandcd alien who gi\'L''> him an all -powerful greL·n 1·ing and f'owcr l,tntcrn.
The ring ,Jnd lantern .u-c '><lid to gi\T the barer gre,Jt control mer the phy>ical world ,\., long as the U'>L'r has suflicient :,trcngth and ,,·iJ lpower to ,,·ield them - we're talking :-upcr '>trength, ,1bility to fly ... C\crything! )ord,Jn mu't '>lep up the g.IIlll' IJO\\ ,\:-he i'> effectiwly on ,1 inter-g;dactic peace-keep ing miS'ion and ,111 honor<lr)' member of the Creen l.mtnn Corps. I rom the image:- released it loob to be ,1 lot of fun, with Reynolcb on top ch,Jrism,Jtic/ .Irrogant form , the '>pccial affects look great .1nd there i'> certainly a lot of fun to be had with the 'ordillM) m,lll with L'\ lra -ordinan p(m er~· stor: line. \\';Itch thi'> '>p.1ce 1 . The Crccn I antcrn i' rck\I'>L'd Frid,J\' 17th June. Tom T heedom
UMMERBLOC BU TERS Concrete Filn1 takes a look at whafs in store for Summer 2011
SuPER
If aliens were ever to invade planet Earth, then why should it be any less feasible for it to occur amidst the colonial conflicts between American settlers and Apache tribes ISO years ago? This was the question asked by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg when he wrote the 2006 graphic novel, Cowboys and Aliens. After years of competition between studios for adaptation rights, it finally fell to Jon Favreau, in his first directorial endeavour since his successfu l Iron Man franchise, to bring the novel to cinematic life. Daniel Craig stars as nomadic cowboy, Jake Lonergan, who wakes up in the desert with no memory of his past, a mysterious shackle attached to his wrist, and a warrant for his arrest awaiting him on arrival in the town of Absol ution. Lonergan's captor, Colonel Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford) must overcome his pride and cooperate with Lonergan, as well as the Apache tribesman, to withstand a violent alien attack on Absolution, as it
becomes apparent that Lonergan's shackle holds the key to overcoming the invaders. The teaser trailer hit Comic-Con last year and received high appraisals regarding its surprising originality and impressive cast. Visually, the trailer gave the impression that Cowboys and Aliens will be a combination of Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars and Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, to create an entirely original fusion of genres. This buzz has now escalated into unprecedented excitement for the film's release, and sees it atop many peoples' lists of films to see this summer. If the opportunity to see Harrison Ford back in a cowboy hat is not a good enough reason alone to go and watch the film, then the chance to see a showdown between James Bond, Indiana Jones, and little green men from outer space, certain ly shou ld be. James Burrough
Welcome back, )ames Gunn, it's been a while. Unless you caught the hilarious web series ]ames Gunn's PG Porn, or saw him judge Scream Queens, aka. Saw meets America's Next Top Model, you probably haven't seen his work since his ultra-gooey debut, Slither. a gleefully sick splatter-cam that has gained a cult following on DVD but underperformed so dramatically at the box office that The Hollywood Reporter said it 'might have killed off the horror-comedy genre.' Super, his sophomore effort, bears more than a passing resemblance to Kick-Ass, both in terms of plot (Ordinary Joe and feisty young female sidekick wear costumes and take on crime) and, as the trailer and early clips suggest, in execution; gore, profanity and comic book quirkiness, all presen.t and correct. But Super promises to go further. Rainn Wilson's red-clad, wrench-wielding Crimson Bolt/Frank D'arbo is a much bigger loser than Kick-Ass' faux-geek protagon.ist (no
up-against-some-bins nookie for this chap), and early buzz calls it 'hyper-violent, enough so that some - who don't get the joke - will be turned off'. That early buzz has been very encouraging, with the blogosphere praising Gunn's vision, the script's pitch black humour and its more authentic (read 'less optimistic') depiction of the kind of mind that might turn to vigilantism. The film's ending has also received high praise, and was described by one critic as 'incredibly interesting and fresh.' Super, however funny/dark/clever/violent it turns out to be, will most likely appeal to a fairly specific audience. But Gunn, as visionary a director as Gaspar Noe or Zack Snyder (He may have gone totally bat shit with Sucker Punch, but you can't deny Snyder has vision. Gun-y, slo-mo, boob-y vision.), is never less than entertaining. If you came out of Kick-Ass wishing it was called Wrench-Ass, you'd better start working on your costume. Duncan Vicat-Brown
THE HANGOVER 11 The wolf pack is back and this time they've been let loose in Bangkok. Having kept details under wraps during production, Todd Phillips has finally released the film's synopsis and promised some interesting additions which will definitely draw in a crowd. The teaser trailer leaves you wanting more, showing the gang strutting in a badass, Reservoir Dogs-esque way, looking like they've been to hell and back. The tattoo on Ed Helms' face and the wrecked hotel, coupled with the confirmation of Mike Tyson and Mr Chow's return and a run-in with a
tiger in it's natural habitat pledges that the film will be eventful and unlike a stag night you-' ve ever experienced . If none of this tickles your funny bone then the Capuchin in a waistcoat is a safe bet for a laugh. The film take on basically the same synopsis as the original: a group of guys on a bachelor party weekend which gets totally out of hand. However, having had such an astounding success with the first, the cast and crew now have the job of making part two as good or better than the film that garnered such pra~se to
begin with, especially since the media and fans have been following the film with much anticipation. Sequels are always a rather dubious subject with people
constantly comparing them to the originals and Todd Phillips is well aware of this, assuring that they're aiming high and the film will be as enjoyable as the first.
The release date is set for the 27th May making it one of the first summer blockbuster and will provide a much wanted release from all those exam blues and
will get you geared up any holidays planned. You never know what could happen.
Radosava Radulovic
-
--=
IDIOTS OF ANTS AND
UEA HEADLIGHTS
Al.ex Ross caught up with the award-winning comedy se nsation Idiots of Ants,
and UEA's very own Head li ghts society for a night of sensat ional sketch comedy.
With nominations for Society of th e . Year and Most Improved Soc iety at the UEA stu dent awards, it ~ecnb on ly fitting that the UEA Head lights shou ld convene with Idi ots of Ant' and their five sta r ratings at the Edinburgh Fringe. The lack of live comedy at UEA is a problem that Head li ghts are more than ready to face head on and the near sell -out crowd at the UEA tonight is a fine ex a 111 plc of both the audience for comedy and th e hard work that has go ne into its publicity. Speaki ng to Daniel Taylor, himself nominated for Service to a Society at the awards, th e desire both to bring comedy to campus and to furth er the progress of a society in o nl y its second yea r is noticeable in his modest excitement. "We just want to keep taking this to th e next leve l. The goa l is to take the gro up to Ed inburgh next year and we don't think that's (tr fetched." As for Idiots of Ants, "They're br il liant", he assu res Concrete. "You' ll love them". Und erstandably, they ope n with some nerves. But such nerves serve on ly to endear and warm the LCR to their unique and scattcrgun approach to sketch comedy. This app roach ca n be see n in sketches about Jamcs Bond's meeting with a relationship co un cillor (her name is Dr Lushtits) and a donator to a cancer charit y who demands his three pounds back because 'it hasn't been cured yet'. The sketches blend scam less ly together; most probabl y because of the rapturous respo nse they arc afforded, and the audio-visual work done behind the sce nes is
"It's a fantastic breeding ground for new comedy and something that should be promoted more. The work that Headlights have done to create something like this is fantastic."
polished and professional. It's enough to make you beli eve that 1lead lights arc far more estab lished than they are, and ~Hove, that th ey arc a more th an worthy support act to their illustrious headliners. WhL'n Idiots of An ts do take to the stage after a brief intermission , they look every bit th e seaso ned professio nal s that th ey are. Of course, after shows o n 1H3C Radio 7 and a TV sketch show mooted to appear next yea r, it is little more th an expected. Bu t for an a u diencethat, l iken1uc~of ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ the population, is accustomed to Mock the Week-style stand up, the unique brand of energetic and frantic comedy that emanates from th e gro up p makes them both hilarious n t e n ~ C a d g e s and vi tal. When thin gs go wro ng, as on many occasions they do, their natu raJ comic lr--'=======iL_ _ !:::.==::::!!::::!_ ___!====::!....- -....! in stin cts take hold and such instincts are harnessed magnificently. Speak in g to Co ncrete after the show, looking visibly worn out, Elli ot Ti ney, one quarter of th e troupe, was not only gushi ng about the performance of th ei r suppo rt ac t, but o utspoken on the importance of st udent co medy. Sa id Tin ey - " it 's a fantastic breeding ground for new comed y and something that should be promoted more. The work original branded printer ink that Headlights have done to create somethin g like this is cartridges , but are up to 50 cheaper. We also fantastic." provide free UK delivery. Ti ney's not wro ng. It seems that wi th the support that they've garnered and So if you are interested in saving money on your printer ink the natura l tal en t involved in Headlights, next year the cartridges and reducing your carbon footprint, then why not visit newcomer tag will be as us at eas il y d ropped from them as has been from tonight's headliners ...
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...
Photo by Pippa Artus Back in the halcyon days of 2005, a virtual unknown by the name of KT Tunstall wa路s given 24 hours to prepare for a slot on Later... With fools Holland after rapper Nas pulled out at extreme short notice. Turning up with only an acoustic guitar, voice and a loop pedal, the Scottish singer-songwriter gave a gutsy, gravelly performance of the single 'Black Horse And The Cherry Tree' that blew the seasoned Futureheads and The Cure (the night's headlining guests) out of the water. It looked like the UK might have found its first ballsy songstress since PJ Harvey shook the country's foundations back in the early '90s.
.. .Or so we thought. 2006's Eye To The Telescope magnified less of the raw spark that had made the fools slot so vital and more of the polished, pop-rock sheen that found Radio 2 devotees absentmindedly tapping their feet. Two almost identical albums later, and it is easy to write KT off as a Terry Wogan lapdog rather than a post-modern riot-grrl. Yet, as she takes to the LCR stage on Monday night in a pair of skin-tight leather trousers with a Gretsch White Falcon slung across her torso, it seems that Tunstall's got some fight left in her yet. On record, the only grit that you're likely
to hear from KT js the unfortunate artefacts that come as the by-product of too much compression for the radio market. Live, however, TunstaU's voice sounds like Janis Joplin and Lemmy had a baby and weaned it on Jack Daniels. It's called rock 'n' roll honey, and KT knows it intimately. Enough of a polite air to placate the Radio 2 devoted, but with an underlying 'fuck you' swagger bubbling just below the surface, it's the kind of sound that, blasting through a P.A, makes you all the more pissed off that her records are so, well, average. 'Black Horse And The Cherry Tree' is, of course, the night's highlight, a fleeting
glimpse of what could have been, and as the subdued applause of the placated middleaged audience rounds out the evening, you can't help but lament the missed opportunity that is Tunstall's rocking potential. After all, while it's one thing to play to the indifference of the FM faithful, it's another altogether to bring them to their knees. The onstage display at the LCR shows that KT could go either way. Maybe it's time to remind her that, as an old Scottish rhyme once noted, sometimes it's much better to take the high road.
Emily Prichard and Russell Hammond
.. Iss ue 255 3 1st Marc h 2011
GIG REPORTS ·-
...
Quoting
t\n<lrLhi'>l philmophL'r\, and co1cring oh-,curc punk hand,, T he Lc1elkr' mu,ic \1,1, nL'\l'r '>Uj1po-,ed to he for ,1 Jll,l'>'> ,llldicnce. 1\nd )e l, th ei r fiercely inde pende nt ethi L and unin· r-.,d theme' of emiHl\\l'rlllenl Lhimed \\ ith the -,t inging hangmcr of the XO-,, ,1nd l.llllC to em body the bL'.Jting heart olthe L' K undnground in the L'.Hh ':)()-,, boiling mer and -,i!l ling the ir frothy lo lk-punk good ne'>'> ,111 mer the m,Jin-,trcam I\ ith the Ll,l'>'>iL 1':191 album I n·cllin~ TIIc I rlllrl. Popping out like a full) lormcd \'el \\,1rped <liH.I ba-,urdi;ed golden egg, the albu m fl itted be tween rowdy punk .1nt hem' -,l<~mming
rrCnlh
i\ ,\ 11,
and iangl) ,Jcou-,tiL -,torytl'iling, runal\,1\ jig' .1nd ,h<~rp '>OLi ,d ulllllllL'lltan , <111 \\'rapped Up in ,\n infcdiOU'> emTg). ~till , lhL' \\Cighl of e\peLlation i' ,1 hL'<ll) burden to hear, .1nd beg' the CJ UL''>tio n of 1\hether they 'ti ll cut it Iive? ,\-,the hand arrill' omt,lgL'lo allL'\'OC.ltil'l' mont.1gc of the rc<.cnl 'tudcnt rioh dnd th e poll la\ riot' of 20 l'l'<H' .1go, 1\e are reminded th <Jl e\'LT)'thi ng i., -,till .,hi te ,1nd that 1oice' of di-,-,cnl arc more needed than e1er. Cue ·1 he l.e1ellcr.,, hi,J-.ting into the <~nthemic 'One Way', hli,tering through ' lhe Came' and di'>Lharging the random energy of ' IS Yca1< upo n the h,1y in g crowd.
I he audience look like a homogcnom group of counter LUiturL''> 1\ho h,l\L' b,1ndcd together on" boo;e fuelled unit1 mi,,ion to 'a1e the 1\orld, and the h,1nd thL'nhL'he' arc no different. Still looking L'ICr)' p.1rtthe ragt,Jg LOll eLl il e of out!al\ '>, ~i m on I ricnd \gruff -,trcct punk poetry and i\l,1rk ( hadwid;\ me lodic Ll')' inlcrl\\·inc to take thL' -,pirit of the underground ,1nd hla,l it out to the wor ld . Think Sea-,ick Ste\T <llld '->pring-,tccn eo- fron ling ,1 earn i1 a! of I\ ,mdcri ng m i mt rei 11U n k'>. There are , hm\Cier, 'omc 'ig1h th.1t thi-, 1 ibr,lnl hand h,nc been at it for OIL'!' 20 year'. T hq let thei r more mello\1 -,idc come
through later in the '>Cl, 1\hich doe,n 't quite P•l) ofT. ,1, the Lnl\\d Me LkMI) llL'rc to p.Hl)' like the puhliL ordn ,\Ll never c\i,tcd. llut a h,Hmlormcr i' ne1er l.1r .1round the corner and the b.llld ha1c the nm\·d enr.1pturcd throughout and, come the \\\Tat drenched clim,l\, the) roa r the h,llld o n to two encorL''>. I l<~ppily ob Iigi ng, rhe Le\ l'ikr-, t rL\ll u, to the LrL'<llll olthcir '>Onic crO'>'>O\'l'r anthem' of their 23 )'L'<lr ll'nure, rL'Illinding u' \\hi thcy\c meant -,o mud1 to '>0 mam for -,o long.
}oc Dobra szc:t yk
Issue 255 31st March 2011
GIG REPORTS THE MARINER'S CHILDREN NORWICH ARTS CENTRE 16/03/2011 With the bandwagon's wheels creaking beneath the weight of kids with curly hair and cords, and London's pawnshops full of Telecasters traded in for acoustic guitars, the promise of a eo-headlining bill of ' folk' acts could so easily go the wrong way. Thank fuck then for Grenouilles. Opening with 'Bones', lead singer Matt Myles sounds like a glorious combination of Nick Drake and Zac Condon and when violinist Ali Rogers steps out of the shadows to sing lead vocals on new track 'Winter Hare', it's so fragile and graceful that the packed Arts Centre falls into stunned silence. On paper it seems like perfect introduction to a band like Cocos Lovers; all violins, flutes and bare feet. They are, however, immensely frustrating; half of their set is beautiful, half gives the impression of kids in a music shop. There's no question that their folksy exuberance and tight harmonies grab the attention of the crowd and hold it for a while. When lead singer Will
THE WOMBATS UEA LCR 13/03/2011 Nothing builds an appetite more than being made to wait. Delayed by two month for the completion of their new album, The Wombats Proudly Present: This Modern Glitch, fans were finally rewarded for their patience. So on a post- roast Sunday night, the band of three from Liverpool wasted no time instilling energy into an eager crowd. The night started with the punchy favourite ' Backfire At The Disco', a cautionary tale of dance floor rejection. This was closely followed by 'Kill The Director', a swipe at how real life romance differs so drastically from the neatly laid out plans of a rom com. The song came complete with the crowd inducing chant 'this is no I Bridget )ones', and calls to 'kill the director', a strange echo of the Smith's call to ' hang the DJ' some 25 years previously. A more apparent nod to the past came with 'Let's Dance To Joy Division' which furiously relays the irony
Greenham temporarily leaves the stage, the octet begins to rely solely upon charm with no vocalist strong enough to stitch together the often-glorious chaos in the background. The same cannot be said though of London imports The Mariner's Children. More subtle than chaotic, tonight they are nothing less than enthralling throughout. ' It Carved Your ame into the Ground' is a particular standout, showcasing the seven piece's ability to change gear in s ta n t Iy from the cry of ' I w i I I scream and shout' to the hushed whispers of Ben Rubinstein's resolve to 'p ut an axe through your front door'. That's not to say that sincerity gets in the way of a good time; accordionist and singer Emma Gatrill leaps off stage at one point to dance for an entire song with the front row and the audience responds in kind. Eventually a playful glance to the heavens results in Rubinstein requesting the use of a disco ball for the last two songs and by the time the magnificent and haunting refrain of 'Coal' has burned out,shivers run down the spine of the Arts Centre. Alex Ross
of finding happiness although everything around you appears to be collapsing. Exuberance took a back for a couple of tracks midway through the et, the most resonant being' 1996', a slower song, reflecting on the power of adolescent first experiences, growing up, and how you can ' never beat those teenage kicks'. Video projections played throughout the night worked well to compliment the songs. An atmospheric dark, tangled wood set the stage for ' Party in a Forest [Where's Laura]?', and an enveloping haze for the latest track ' jump Into The Fog'. The set culminated with 'Moving to New York' and 'Tokyo (Va mpires and Wolves)', two energetic favourites both warmly received by the crowd. This is where the Wombats really excel, in their ability to sing modern, vibrant songs, with a dash of humour and self-deprecation, without ever traying into the throwaway or vacuous. Although fans might have had to wait a little longer than expected to see the Wombats, they'll have left that night feeling it's been well worth the wait.
..
TomMoore
â&#x20AC;˘
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b suc 2 ~ S 3 1stl\ larch 2011
CD REVIEWS GREEN DAY AWESOME AS PUCK "'>omL·timc-, I think 11e\L· hL·u>n1L' tot,tll) redun da nt hecnt'>e we're thi-, big h,1nd no11, ,,·e'I'L' m.1dc ,1 lot ol nwnL'I ,,·c're not punk rock ,1n)' more. 1\ut tlll'n think about it and imt '><11', ')ou L.ln ukc Lh o ut o f ,1 l' unk rock L'111 ironmc nt , but you L.tn't 1.1ke the punk roLk out of m:" In m.1 ny way>, C reen Ua) ha-, go t ,1 right to he .1pprehL·m iiL' .1hout thL·ir rec:L'nll) .1cqu irL·d mL'ga '>l.tt"dom. \\'ith thL' nlL' Icor iL ri'>L' to -,ucce" of 200•1\ . \111cricun Idiot .1nd 2001-i\ '>L'Illi -.equcl .!/ .' ! ( nr/1111 ' /!rctrkt!oll'/1, thc1·\c l(lllnd thL·m-,L·h-e-, ,1 wider 1;1n h,1'>L' then their LUll punk -,tatu.'> of ye.tr'> gone b) wou ld el'l'l' hal'<' afl(> rded them. Indeed, a -,wift glance ,11 the tr<lCk li-,ting for the recent to ur doL Um L' nl Awe'>O mL' t\-, ht Lk I'L'Ve.l l'> ,1 -,elect ion of cu h ap parent ly cho-,en pu rely to p.111d er to th e band '~ l'm t 2005 devo tee>. '>trangl'l:·. it '>L'L'm> to hark h,1Lk to -, im iL11· offerin g' fro m the Iatin d<l)', Ph il C:o ll itb fro nll'd Ce nL·-, i,; .1 '>L'Lond ph.1'>e Larecr revil'a l tha t igno re'> the ir prL' 200·1 p.1, t. lo the ha nd\ credi t, their clfortil'ss t r.lll'> it ion from -, no l-tH>'>ed -,t,tlw,1 rh in to a '> tad ium -,ensa tion make'> for capt iva tin g 1 iewi ng/li>lening. 1\illy )oe 1\ nm trong m ight ju-,t he o ne o f th e grea t fron t men o f hi '>
genera Iion,,111d" h ilet he .1ddL·d '>a\Oj'hone ,1nd keyboard pLT,o nne l -,ccm-, le" Crce n Day and more 1\ilh· loc and thL· t.reen ~trel'l B,111d, the fu lln '>L111il offering on di-,pl.1) here cou ld h.11•e m,tde I(> r .t Ullll l'e 11 in g .wd io 1 i-,u,ll e\ perien Le. I he problem "ith ,\1\L''>OmL' ,\, l uLk is th,ll it 1:1il-, 'i'L'Liau tl <~rh · in c1pturing the e"cnce of thL· li~e· L'\j'LTience. ~ure. 11e're no t -,uh)L'll to the n.tU'>L'.Iting direllion -Lum 11anker)· of ~am 1\,li'LT\ Bullet In .\ 1\ihle herL', hut the Lll1neLL'">,Irl' haLk-,t,1ge sho ts and -,trange colour tinh th,lt ch,lrdLIL'I'ile this re le,1-,e detract from th e OIL't',dl exper ience ,111d hetr,1)' .111) illu-,ion ol ,ILIU,1il) being the re. \ \ ' h<~ t \ L'len mo re fru-,trating i-, tha t the trunL,tled Lilt and p.1-,IL' jnh of tr.1Lk -,electio n ultim,I IL' I)' hutchn-, the '>L' I Ji, t of Creen I l,11 \ 2009/20 I 0 world tour. \\'hik the ),1p,111 -,hm,, on whiLh the relea-,L' i-, h.I'L'd lll't'e, in actu.1lity, thrL'L' hour mcg.1 mar,ll hon L'\ t r,11 ag.1 n;a-, Ih.tt l'hL· Hms himse lf 11ou ld h,IIL' hL'L'n proud of. thL' sc.1n t eighty minu te run time ofhoth CD and D\ ' J) fee l, .11 he-,t, like ,1 p.11L h) doLument. There\ ju-,t no flm, and, as onL' -,ong awkwardly 'egways int o th e ne\ 1 ll'i th ou t 1\ill y )oe\ tradem.1rk on -'>1,1gc h,1ntcr, )'OULan't hL'i l' hut fee l that yo u'd he hl'lt er o lf li-, tenin g to yo ur Crcen D.ty studin ,tlhum' in an cchocy room. L\p.1n ded to ,1Lcom mml,lte a full le ngth -,how, thi'> '>Cl could h,ll'e been (;recn D<1)'\ I it·c 111111 I lun~crou .'. ,,, it -,t,ll1tb , \ u·c,;onH' , 1,; Fuck i-,, unfortuna tely, an)·thing hut. Fiona ll owa rd and Alcc Plow man
GILSCOTT-HERON XX & JAMIE WE 'RE N EW H ERE
For nw't mu-.iLi,ll1'>, "in nt ng the \krLury PriiL' j-, ,1 feat to aspi re to. So ll' h,lt ohiclliiL's do :·ou 'L' t out to ,tc:hicve when, in )'OUr e,1rly twcntie-,, when ) 'OU ,tlrc.1dy p.1rti.dly hold thi, title? Someone no t >h)' of fore-,ight in dL\1lin~ "i th thc-,e ques tion-, i-, one third of pl<t tinum -,e ll in g, mi nim,1 l in d ic band T he XX . ll i-, n.1mc i-, lamie. 'lmvMLb th e L'n d of 20 I 0, the blogos phcrc '>pi r,llled out of coni rol when it hL'C.ll11l' apparent th at )ami c, o ne of Lo ndo n', freshL·, t f.1ccd hi p-,tl'r'>, was c m b,1 r kin~ on the d,llt n tin~ ch.1lk ngc of re m i\ in ~ .111 ent ire ,1 lhum fro m o ne of the mo>l inilucntial .trli'>h of the i,llt cr 20th cent Lll'l'. ,\ m.111 wh<bL' r,q, poL't ,.,. w,t> behind the qui te '> imply <hloni-, hing The l~n·olutiou \\ 'ill ,\ 'ot He f(·h'l'i,ct!. lli' n.1mc is C il Sco tt -l lcron. The rcmix album ihcli' i' ,1 picc:c of .1rt; <1 >t.II Cment tO'>l i'C,1m from thL' roo ft Ol'' 0\'l' l' lhL' CI'Cr >O s.1turatecl'>ca of mirrored nothingnc-,-;. h o tn C il \ lirst rant ,1n d lamiL·\ shim mer in g
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sy nth '>, th i-, reco rd bu ild s mo ti on, mood an d cffo rtic'>'> ll' cmbL·II i-, hc-, mu>ica l craft with an arti-,tic com istency. lt L''>Cnrts the Ji., tencr th ro ugh ,111 .tr f',1)' o f cu rrent und ergro und clectronica; .,hifting between the futu re grime and ho u.,e tinged lciO 1\P,\1 st)'ic or Lon don ,1nd the -,p,1Liou-, rL\tlm of rom,mtic L \ hi 11 hop. Ouht,1n d ing tr,ILk' like ' ll omc', ' Runnin~~ ,1nd ';-\)' i, Ki llin g \k ' t,lkL· o n unprL·di Ltahk formul,tS full of h.1un ting melodies and .lg it;tiL'd hrL\Ikdoll " '; wit h conc lu >ion' th ,tt refuse to compromise neither the energy nor the bL\Iuty. j.1111ie\ reliance on the or igin,1 l is min im,1 l. ~Loping o ut I(Ka ll'h r,1'e' from Cil\ wr>e ,md the occ.hional key in ~t rumen t.1 1ion, he U'>L''> hi, 011 n -,tylc to cap ture emo tion omitted from the production on Tm New I k rc'. ),11nic XX h," 1.1ken onL' of the line>l, nHhl ho ne>l .1lhu m' of 201 0 and tr,lll -, fo rm cd it into ,1 m,1'>1L'I' pi ccc in it s ow n right. O nly in London wo uld yo u li nd <111 ,1r ti st with L'no ugh ~uts ,1, to re plica te the m b.1 n ~cr ip t urc o f an F,1'> 1-t o.1st d riltn, .1n d infw.e it " ith ,1 r . 111 g in ~ th1rk L'K -,ound "hich , n,llchL'' ,11 loc,ll i;cd ,1uthcntiL il) . I orgL't l.tme> l)l<lkt', la mi L' x;,. h.1, delil'cred <I 'imne mc-,s,lge th.tt nc11 .1nd orig in,1l music need not be pre tcntiou-, an d '>elf i n du l ~en t : h.11c ,1 l·i-, ion, delii'L'r the mclod) .tnd pu-,h thing' I(HII<trd. An t Firth -Cia rk
Issue 255 31st March 20 11
25
CD REVIEWS THE STROKES A
N
L E S
G ,\
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When a band comes out of a hiatus to record a new album after 5 years apart, it is generally assumed that they've gotten over any squabbles that caused the rift in the first place. With most members of The Strokes venturing into the world of solo releases for a few years, you would have thought that the various manifestations of their deluded, rock star sized egos would have been quelled. Yet the initial, ]oe Chiccarelli-produced demos for the then untitled fourth Strokes album were all scrapped because of directional clashes. Julian was barely involved in the early recording process, mostly thanks to his solo touring, but perhaps also by latent feelings of discontent. Indeed, the vlogged in-studio footage of Angles' creation shows not a band harmonious and eager to recollect their past majesty, but a group of musicians distinctly lacking their former camaraderie. The question arises as to why The Strokes felt it nece sary to release another album in the first place. The problem is that, no matter how much you try to say otherwise, no matter how much you praise the 'new direction' they may have gone in, nor how many years may have passed, all Strokes releases will be compared to
Is This It. It's a problem a few of the fin de siecle bands, but particularly The Strokes, face; that their first album, their amazing, generation defining debut, might actually be the best thing they will ever release. Yes, a few of the tracks on Angles deserve some路 credit. 'You're So Right' develops a futuristic, solo-Casablancas-esque sound, 'Macchu Picchu' is gloriously summery and both 'Under Cover of Darkness' and 'Taken For a Fool' evoke the guitar driven rock that the boys are known for, but that is precisely the problem. The new Strokes album sounds like a record from a band that sound like The Strokes, not one from the band that started it all. Angles has some merits, but releasing another record at this stage seems, dare we ay it, like a money making venture. The festival slots, the inevitable stadium tour, the CD and memorabilia sales wi ll make the band a tidy sum over the next few years. For the fans though, The trokes could have retired victorious in 2006 and saved themselves from a possible fade into obscurity; Venue can't say they are particularly excited about recent claims that a fifth album is on its way... Ultimately, more a damp flat than a room on fire, the first impressions of Angles suggest that, as the band themselves once prophesi ed, this may be it.
T H E
5 T R 0
K E 5
Alex T hrossell
THE KABEEDIES
ARCTIC MONKEYS
SANTIAGO
BRICK
The Kabeedies have been a staple part of the Norwich music scene for ome time now, boasting an album deal with Norwich's most prestigious label, R 0 E Records. Back in 2008, they earned themselves a slot at Glastonbury and since then they've toured all over the UK and Europe to great acclaim. The band have seen mounting success with Microsoft choosing their track 'Come On' to feature in an international advertis ing campaign for Xbox in November. Just two weeks ago, they won a primetime p lay on every BBC 6 Music show for an entire week when the public voted new single 'Santiago' to the top of Steve Lamacq's infamous Rebel's Playlist. Lucky for Venue readers, 'Santiago' is currently available as a free download via The Kabeedies BandCamp page. 'Santiago', in typical Kabeedies style, is a jaunty indie- tyle pop track with enough energ-y to have you dancing around your bedroom every time it comes on the radio. And judging by their recen t 6Music success, that'll be pretty often. Keeping within the high-quality standard of indie that their 2009 debut album Rumpus was praised for, 'Santiago' builds on their established sound
A N G L E 5
to create something innovative, exCitmg and original. It's easy to imagine the single becoming a festival favourite this summer, as the band combine relentless frenetic vigour with an outright classy array of fun and catchy, and sometimes unwittingly beautifu l, sonic delicacies. The band head out on a full UK tour next month in celebration of the single's release, culminating in an appearance at orwich's much-hyped new festival, Playfest. So download the tune and grab yourself a ticket to one of the upcoming shows; rest assured that the only thing better than hearing the new ingle will be seeing them perform it live. La uren Razavi
BY
BRICK
Five years on from the release of their debut album, Arctic Monkeys seem to have finally reached a point in their career where there aren't huge expectations on them to be the 'band of a generatio n'. After the curveball that was Humbug, it is difficu lt to know exactly where the Sheffield quartet will go next. However, a clue comes in the form of the new song unexpectedly posted to the band's website recently, with little or no fanfare (apparently anything Radiohead can do, Arctic i\lonkeys can do better). Surprisingly, in the aftermath of Humbug's weirdness, 'Brick By Brick' is possibly the poppiest and least subtle thing the band has ever released. A soaring, ecstatic chorus as it's focal point, the ong lodges itself in your head after the first listen. Whilst 'Crying Ligh tning' crept up behind you and tapped you on the shoulder when you weren't expecting it, this latest effort marches up to you and shouts"/ AM A CATCHY ROCK SONG" in your face. T hat's no bad thin g; the overa ll vibe of fun seventies rock 'n' roll that enuses is totally endearing, Drummer Matt Helders and AJex Turner share vocals in a call and answer style over a stomping riff which abruptly changes
pace halfway through the song, with an electrifying solo adding colour to proceedings. Turner's usual dextrous lyrics are discarded in favour of simplicity such as"/ wnn1uJ rock nnd
roll/brick by brick': It's un ucomplicated first offering, but if 'Brick By Brick' says anything about Arctic Monkeys' direction, then their next album (the candidly titled Suck It Alllt See) could be their most joyous yet. Jamie Lew is
Iss ue 255 3 1st 1\ larc h 20 I I
RADIOHEAD: NO SURPRISES? A Think Piece by Alec Plowman, Alex Ross and Alex Throssell
W ...
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len Thom Yorke ,md eo. ,umou nceJ, -,eeminglv out of the blue, th,lt tllL'i r l.1test ,1l hum ·1 he K111~ Of L1111h:; wou ld he rek,1-,ed \ i,1the b.md\ wcb-,i te baLk in 1-ebruary, the on line community wa' 'et ,1hi.11L' with new' repor t ~, 'pecu lation and general s.l li\'at ion at the pr<htleLI. Th,lt in itself i' h,trLII) surp ri,ing. Radiohe.1d arc ,1 ma.,.,ive b,md with ,1 de\·otcd worldwide folltm ing, w]HJ\l' 20 yc,lr career has 'L'l'n thL'Ill produce .t VL'ri t,lhk ple-thora of hit <~I bums. \\'h,lt \ more, gi' en t hci r long 'I <I ndi ng comm itment to the kind of .111 1i con..,umcrist ideology ch<~mpioncd b) the ilk of Naomi Kkin (of whom the h<uld ,1re ,elf wnfl·.,..,ed Lu1,), it '>L'em' perfectly logic<llth<Jt lbdiohL'<Id would rckasc their l,lte'>t record, ,h they did with it.' prL·dece,sor (in Nuinholl's); with o ut the input of a record label and wi tho ut the ,elf-prop,lgatcd m,1,, medi,1 s,l turatio n th,ll l)•pica ll y ,Kco m p.mi e, an impendi ng m,1jo r ,tl bum. Radio hca d's pro mol ion of Ti1e Ki 11 ~ OI Li111/Js prior to th e album \ release wa-, lim ited to two po'>ls on their ofliLi,l l websitc. The first, ,1 ban ner d i' t' layi ng the word' "'rfu111~ \c111 /'or \\ '11iti11g'~ wa.., posted on h:hraun· 14th, and rL·dirL'CIL'd fan' to ,111 ordLT' p.1ge I(Jr the Ill'\\' record. The 'econd, ,1 lllL"•'>•IgL' from guitari-.t Id 0 lhiL' n pmll'd (\,·o d,l\'s l,11l'1 , 'imply read: " f(, I rid,n: .. f(, ul1110.'t the ll't '<'~e lld ... lt's 11 .fit!! 111oon... \i111 n111 do11'11io11d /he Kin~ O( li111h:; no11· ifrou so ll'i,fl! 'fl111n~ I'On ~oot! people /i1r ll'tliting .. llut•e 11 greut ll'eekend lt'flael'('l' 1'0 11 lire ....I"
One tit hit on the hand\ web..,i tc, and wit hi n the hour, every maior on line new' outll't has ,111 ,1rticle on the impending l{,1diohc,1d rclca~c. A blaLk and whi te video of 'I hom Yorkc d,m cing to the record\ lead si ngle, lotus F/olt'cr,appears
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on the band\ oflici,1l You I'uhc Lh,mncl on Febru<H)' 16th . it rcccin·-. .'\ million hit> within th e space of ,1 day. i\ lu siL m.1ga1i nes acro~s the globe '> lop prc'' to upd.ltc their fro nt pages. Yorke et a! do not .1ppc.1r on D,l\ id Letterman , Cr,tll<llll Norton or /.anL' I owe. In f;1ct, bu t li1r )oh nn)' Green\mod gi' ing ,1 short interview on BBC 6 i\lu,ic, the b.md m,1int,1in~ a near Lompletc med i,1 hl,Kkout throughout t hi.., period . 1\larLh 25th ,111d IC1diohL·ad ,m Jw uncc th,ll The l 'niJ ·cr~ol Si,~ h. a 11L'\\'' P·1per ,1Ccomp.1nying Fin· /\in~ Of Lnnh record , will be distributed lin frl'L' from Jll'\\.,..,t,md' in key loL,IIion.., across the globe on i\londa) 2Rth. Thi-, will he a different l'.l~lL'r from the one that thL' group haH' included in the delu\L' L'dition of The Kin~ Li111h, which h,h by now been dubbed "the world\ fi r-,t ne'"'P<1per <1l bu m." R a d i o h c ,1 d producin g th eir own -,mack'> a nt i-Pnwt/11 of the ki nd of elus i\'e pro mo tio n th .1t _,1 ppe.1 b to th eir devo ted and seemingly 'eel-et '>ociel) of Cm~. It \ counter marketing; the kind of nHl\'l' that make~ ,1 certa in Lilt ion of 1\ 'o Lu~o devotee' go weak at the knees. it will al,o, no doubt , make me.,.,r.., Yorke, (.reenwood <llld 0 ' Brien ,1 m int in real wage. 20 YL'M'> in the game ,1nd Radioh ead kno\\ how to pla1' their m.1rkct. ~o well , in l~1ll , that it doe,n't e\L'n look like they're tr; ing. \\'ithout the visibilit) of the pres.., cogs turning, the band ha.., developed the kind of mL·dia hype m.1Lhinc that Simon C:owell would bludgeon Cheryl C:ok to death with his ow n -,hoes fo r. The ki nd of hip meet"> slightly un hi t' 20-J(bometh ing males for "hom the interne! i~ an umbilical cord of inform,ll ion. ir reverence and to rre nt fuelled back Glt,11ogue bingeing; well, thev
or
liYe lill· thi , kind of 'hit. it\ the '>L'll'e th,ll they're in on something, like ,1 Lluh for ,lightly ma lad jus ted boys wi th record players who have lin.1 ll y lin1nd their purpthe. In media 'tudies term..,, the\· c.1ll it LOmpkte- i,m. The tnm rci,IIL'' to owncr,hip and i.., a principk lihtered in Lm communitiL''· whereby member~ mu~t collect t'\t'l') th ing th,lt their cho..,en .1rti..,t comL'-dL·it) h,p, e\'er produced. Radiohe;~d might h,l\ L' read .'Yo I o~o, but Thom also apparently has r.1ther \\ellthumbed copie' of the ,\/ctfi11 ,\tut!ic, Nc11t!cr <1nd llolt' /i1 Crc11tc .-1 Cult ,\ /u:;i!' /·ollm ring in .l(} 1-'11:')' Steps on hi~ nighht,md. The hand h,1.., m<m,lged to hyp.1ss the pit l;1 lls of mass media propag.1tion, injecting thL·ir produLI' into the artery th,lt is their h.1rdcore elite. After .111,
Bloggs in to spending t 7.9<) on a dol\ n lo,1d of ,·our l<lll'..,t eftint "hen ' I ittle )immy O.,uperl:m· would h.1ppily shell out L\6 on '/he /\in~ I i111/J,; Ikluxe ':--.Jewspapcr .\!hum', f50 on the inevitable -,tad ium tour ticket, UO on
or
thL' h.1nd -W!l\L'n (-'> hirt m,1lk from rL'C)'CJcd bottle, ,md ,111 ungodh amount on the hlpane,e -exclu, ivc rem ix disc of the ,1 lhum th,tt " 'as m,ltk In <1 11 of Thom Yorke\ ' kooky' DJ friL·mk And without ,1 reco rd ldbcl , most of th,lt f I06' gOL'' -,( r,1 ight h.1LK into IhL' ,m,1ll hut tight organi,,llion th.1t thl' h.m d have bu il t ,1round thcmsehL''· It mi ght hL' ,1 hrilli,mt example of pmt-milknni,1lmu,ic di,trihution, hut it\ ,d,o a ruth les-,ly elliLient bu,ine~., mndel. Th,n\ '>Omcthing thL· h,md will never haH' to ,1dmit to when probed on talk -.hmv,, hec<lliSl' the) 'w e'>tahlished a ')'lem "hereby thL·;· don't need to ,lpf'L'ar on thL' Ill in the lir't pi.Kc. Right now, )'Ou the reade r think we an: the kind of pl'll) mimkd Lu1' that ,m,1..,hed up ,1 !1 their rL'CO rd., " hen i\ lct,1 ll iLa 'so ld out' b; t I") ing to sue :"\.1pstcr. \\'ell, guL' '~ wha t, we fucking well ,1re. Hut th,ll \ Iw, idc the po int. ,\ ., it hap pens we still love Th om <lll d the g.1 ng (hell , yo u did n't think th,1 t we we re L"\cluding oursch·es from th,ll m.1 l,Hiju,ted ho)'' com men t, did vo u'), and like vo u.
Ihe prospect of ,1 0(/nn/J, tour i.., filling our hearts "ith gke ,1nd our O\L'rdr,1fh "ith ,1 deq1 't'll..,L' of l(ncboding. It\ ju-,t th,1t , ,1., muLh ,h we want to emhraLL' the deep SL'nse of belonging th,ll LOilll'.., from imloLtrin,1tion into the cult, we\e got ,1 'neaking su'>~licion th,ll e\cr; thing i,n't in ih right place. Iron ica ll y, for ,1n ,1rtick abo ut R.1diohe,1d, it\ the 1\ord~ of :"\ocl C,dl,lghcr th,1t re,on,1te hest. ~o, "plctJ:'C rlon'tputrour li(c in the lunul~ 0(11 ro!'k 'n' roll h11nt!, tuulthroll' ito/1 tl\1'11)' . . . 1\111~
ILTISTTING§ r1 t * - The Kids Are Alright- LT! - 7:30pm (£2.80) * I Ll VC 1.1 - LCR9:30pm (£8-£10) * DNA- Theatre Royal (plays until 2nd April) 8pm (£7.50) * The FULL MOON UV Party- Mercy (free admission with flyer before 11 :30pm)
* Bowling For Soup- An Acoustic Evening With Jaret & Erik -The Waterfront - 7pm (£13)
Flawles : Chase The Dream - Theatre Royal - 7:30pm (£5.50-£20)
*
* (£3.50adv)
\\ dn •
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- LCR - I 0:30pm
1,1\ (
*
l
*
- LCRAC Grayling: UEA Literary Festival- LT! 6:30pm (£6)
l
- Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows: Part I - LT! - 7:30pm m.1r'~
-
II u
ll ,1
tI 1
LCR - 6:30pm (£ 19.50)
B h k.l
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lub
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Du
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LCR- 9pm (£10)
* * UEA Symphony Orchestra & Choir- Norwich Cathedral- 7:30pm (£4-£ 12) - LCR- lOpm (£4.50) * Troy Boy - The Playhouse - 7:30pm ( £12£15) * Hot City ound And Vision presents: A Crash Course In The Music Industry- Norwich Arts Centre- lOam (£5-£10)
- Made In Dagwlwm - LT! - 7:30pm (£2.80) * The Soldiers Tale- UEA Drama Studio 7:30pm (£5-.£20)
I 1d, * -The American- LTI -7:30pm (.£2.80) * t '.If I I\ t 11 l 01 c - LCR- 7pm (£7-£10)
What will you be doing this Easter? This year, Easter will fall on Sunday 24th April, and Venue have been pondering on what it shou ld do to celebrate this most joyful of occasions. For the vast majority of its readers, the likelihood is that you will be gorging yourself on copious amounts of chocolate and slowly vegetating in the comfort of your own beds, as is the norm for
students on their holidays. However, we've found some rather tempting alternatives ... For those of you returning to London or the surrounding areas, why not reincarnate the games of your youth and get yourself down to London Zoo in Regent's Park from the 7th to the 22nd of April for the giant egg hunt! Collect your clues to find the hidden
eggs scattered around the zoo. If you prefer your Ea ter weekend to be a loud and somewhat more nocturnal one, put on your dancing shoes and head to the 02 Arena for the One Man Melt Easter Weekender on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of April. With headliners such as Audio Bullys, AI Bassline, Benji Boko, The Orb, Jazzie B, Norman Jay and The Soul 2 Soul Sound System, who says you can't dance on the Sabbath? If instead of dancing yourself you prefer to sit down and watch celebrities pretend they can, the Dancing on Ice Tour will be performing at the Wembley Arena on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of April. What a perfect opportunity to watch Gareth Gates get his sk-sk-sk-skates on. No matter where you are in the country you can enjoy the light-hearted fun of the newly released Easter themed movie HOP, from the directors who brought us Despicable Me. This movie tells the story of CGI bunny E.B (voiced by Russell Brand) who is set to take over his fathers job as the Easter Bunny, but who runs away to pursue a career as a drummer in Hollywood. Although a rather questionable story line, it is set to be a
success nationwide and should allow for easy entertainment amongst revision angst. As some of you will inevitably stay in Norfolk for the holidays, it seems only right to suggest that you pop along to the Easter Fun Fair at Chapelfield Gardens from the 22nd to the 25th of April. You can expect everything from fairground rides and games to candyfloss and clowns. If all else fails, gather together your nearest and dearest and make your own fun by hiding some chocolate eggs in the garden and getting them to find them. It's a great excuse to get together and enjoy the sunshine. If that doesn 't tempt you, you could always recycle your boring Easter eggs by melting them all together, and buying an assortment of yummy things to dip into it, like marshmallows or strawberries. Voila, your very own chocolate fondue! Whatever you choose to do this Easter, Venue would like to wish you a restful and productive holiday. See you in May! Georgina Wade
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COMPETITIONS
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' Issue 255 • 31st March 2011 concrete.competitions@uea.ac. uk
CROSSWORD ACROSS
DOWN
7: Dubiously (~3)
~ : Prima donna (4)
8: Overly suspicious (8)
2:Acquire (6)
g: Locat ion (4)
3: Abnormal growths (7)
~o: Outstanding US tennis playe r, born
4: Womanizers (5)
~952 (7)
s: Cereal (6)
~2: it's been a hard day's
(5)
6: Ronnie Barker's Porridge character (8)
~4 : UEA's Derby Day opponents (5)
~~ : Useless (8)
~6 :
~3: Accumulation (7)
Corrupt (7)
~9: Band, __ Party (4)
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20: Require (8)
engagement (6)
22: Awfulness (~3)
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Strict vegetarians (6)
~8: 'Space Oddity' singer (5) 2~ : Chuck (4)
To be in with <1 ch<ln ce of winn ing ti ckets to see a DJ set from th e on ·1hursday
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Name: E-mail: Mobile:
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The labels on the catwalk:
"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is hapening" - Coco Chanel
House of Fraser Goldfinches LOVE Couture McRabbit Poppy Valentine Blue Jeans Co Gallyons .Daisy and Lola's New Look Swimwear Shhhh Re:treat Vintage Revolutionz
When Fashion Met Charity KAOS, that's Kids Action Overseas to those not in the know, is a charity dedicated to raising awareness of global injustices, with particular focus on the inequalities in health and education of children. That's a pretty big mission statement there. Luckily for us, the guys and gals at KAOS had a pretty big event up their charitable sleeves: the fomth annual KAOS fashion show. With half an hour to go before the doors opened, the queue to enter the show stretched right round the LCR. The buzz before the show had even begun hinted that this year's fashion show was going to be the biggest yet. When everyone was seated (or stood, crowded in at the back when all the seats were filled), the lights hit the stage. The music began; a range of indie, hipster-matic, hydro-matic, underground so-cool-you-won't-have-heard-of-it, ·achingly fashionable tunes. The models started walking and UEA's fashion elite watched with baited breath as the collections slinked down the catwalk. It was lovely to see UEA working with establishments from around Norwich, raising money for such a good cause. From vintage tea dresses to swim wear, there really was something to suit every follower of fashion. Slick, glamorous, ' even funny at times; the show really was UEA's fash ion event of the year. Hannah Britt
UEA undressed.•• Who heated up the KAOS catwalk... ?
J
TheGirls
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Behind the scenes ...
VVVVAS:VVhatVVould Anna Say? «People constantly make the mistake of Photography Credits: Greg Mann Harriet }ones Geraldine Morizet EmmaPugh ·Rebecca Lu Electra Gerolymbou
comparing London Norwich with New York, M ilan and Paris and that's not what it's about. Loudor1 Norwich has its own fas hion identity. You come here to find the next Alexander McQueen or John Galliano." . - Anna Win tour, Editor of US Vogue