2 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
News
De Montfort Hall Facing Troubled Times Ahead Victoria Coffey News Editor
De Montfort Hall will not be outsourced to private companies, despite recent recommendations. As De Montfort Hall falls deeper into the red, talks were held by Leicester City Council to discuss the part privatisation of the venue. The Hall currently costs the council £1.3 million yearly and as funds continue to falter thanks to the comprehensive public spending cuts, theatre management consultant Hazel Clover proposed outsourcing as a more cost-effective way to keep the concert hall running. Conservative party leader Ross Grant said that privatising the hall would be the best way to “secure the long-term viability of the venue”. He added: “If we could get a private operator, that could take away some of the risk and possibly allow
us to focus our increasingly limited resources on supporting things. I don’t see we have either the capital of the budget to support the hall. Ruling out options before properly investigating them is just dogmatic.” Despite Mr Grant’s favour towards privatisation, the proposal was overruled by Leicester City Council’s Labour Group as speculations surrounded the positive impact it would have on the hall. Council leader, Veejay Patel said the most important thing would be getting De Montfort Hall out of the red. The Leicester Mercury reported that Mr Patel said: “My position is quite clear. We cannot keep overspending by the level we do, year on year. If we are not going to go for the outsourcing option that it (De Montfort hall) has to come in line with the budget.” He added that the decision might change if the hall continues to be a drain on the council’s finances in the near future.
Research has revealed that millions of Britons are still trying to pay back debt from Christmas 2009. With Christmas 2010 fast approaching, most people will be reaching for their credit cards to pay for the perfect Christmas again this year. But with 2.3 million of the seven million borrowers from last year, when will this debt end? Moneysupermarket.com findings showed that overdrafts, personal loans and credit cards are among the nation’s favourite ways of affording Christmas spending. Head of loans and debt at moneysupermarket.com, Tim Moss said: “We know times are incredibly tough for consumers and it’s no surprise to see such a high number of people will be pushed into debt this Christmas.” New research revealed that approximately 3.8 million people would be expected to be in debt after Christmas this year thanks to increasing financial strains. Unexpectedly, these figures are an improvement on recent years as two years ago; figures showed that 4.5 million people still had credit
card debt running up from previous years. Mystery shopping group, Consumer Intelligence said that 55% of shoppers are planning to use their credit cards at Christmas, 3% would take out a personal loan and 25% plan to use savings. A spokesperson for ThinkMoney said: “Christmas can be a very expensive time of year, and many of us turn to our credit cards as a result. The important thing is to plan ahead – to think about how we’ll repay the money and to make sure we don’t borrow more than we can repay in a reasonable time, before the debt accrues more interest than we can comfortably afford.” The Telegraph reported that with the 19.6 million people currently in debt, an addition of 3.8 million after Christmas would mean half the population starting the New Year in arrears. Moss agreed with ThinkMoney adding: “Preparation is crucial and those who have saved will be able to start the New Year without the burden of debt hanging over them, however if saving is not an option, there are other steps consumers can take to lessen the impact of the festive season.”
DMU works with DSU to find out about good teaching De Montfort University is working with DSU as part of a national project looking at the way that institutions work to improve the student learning experience. Students are encouraged to complete the survey to give their views on what is considered to be outstanding teaching and learning. The survey is available until December 31 and offers students the chance to tell the University what they’d like to be improved on their course. Focus groups will be running in the New Year following on from the survey. All students who take part in the focus groups will be entered into a prize draw to win one of four £50 book tokens or one of twenty Big Bad Cheese tickets. To complete the survey visit: https:// www.surveymonkey.com/s/DMU_ studentsview_learningandteaching
2.5 million Britons will Hundreds die at begin 2011 in debt Cambodian festival Victoria Coffey News Editor
News in Brief
Naomi Marcus News Editor
Over 300 people have died in a stampede during Cambodia’s annual Water Festival celebrations. Millions of people took to the streets to mark the end of the country’s most popular festival on November 22. The stampede began when a crowd rushed on to a bridge in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The bridge became jammed with people when the chaos began, with many people being crushed underfoot and others being pushed into the sea. Eyewitnesses reported that bodies littered the streets as everyone panicked for their own safety. Those who escaped with injuries were taken to one of the four hospitals closest to the city.
The crush began on Diamond Island where a concert was being held before the popular boat race. Local drinks seller, So Cheata, who witnessed the catastrophe unfolding, told Sky News that the panic began when ten people fell unconscious in the crowd, which caused hype leading to a surge forward. The panic was made worse as people rushed to get off the bridge, which caused some visitors to fall into the water. Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Sen, made several live television updates as the confirmed death toll steadily rose far beyond the initial estimates of around 180. Authorities had approximated that two million visitors would decent on the city for the annual three-day festival, which culminates with the boat race on the Tonle River.
DMU Movember is FanTASHtic! De Monfort Students’ Union RAG Society has raised over £1000 for this year’s Movember event. Students and DSU Exec spent the month growing moustaches to raise money for The Prostate Cancer charity and the Everyman Charity. The International event has proven popular with students at DMU over the past couple of years, and many of the sports teams and societies often spend November fund raising.
How long will you spend Christmas shopping this year? Women spend an average of 38 working days preparing for Christmas, research has revealed. The study, by Clothes Show Live, suggests that women start researching Christmas presents, decorations and food as early as October – but men leave it until mid-December. First year Biomedical Science student at DMU, Adam Percivel, said: “I don't mind battling with the Christmas crowds – as long as I can get to Boots when their three-for-two offer is on!” Late night shopping will take place in Leicester at various retailers on weeknights throughout December.
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 3
News
RAG Release Christmas Single Amy Seabrook Editor-In-Chief
De Montfort Students’ Union Raise and Give Society are challenging Simon Cowell to Christmas number one with their charity single, ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas?’ The single will be released on December 1 and features singing from students at the university and union staff. DMU’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Dominic Shellard, even got involved and sang a line in the song. All proceeds from the single will be going to Leicestershire AIDS Support Services (LASS) and the Terrance Higgins Trust, in support of World AIDS Day on December 1. Members of sports teams and societies were involved with the
single, singing a line each. Demon TV have filmed and edited a video for the single, which will be included on the CD. Liam Davis, Vice President Student Activities at DSU, organised the project and encouraged a number of students to take part in the recording. He said: “I’m really pleased with how many people we had involved with the single. “It was a really good day, the atmosphere in the studio was great and everyone really enjoyed themselves. “We really hope it sells well and people take it on board as a bit of fun and raise lots of money for a good cause. “We chose Band Aid’s ‘Do they know it’s Christmas’ because it’s such an iconic Christmas song, which
people associate with charity and fund raising. We also had the idea of a similar video with all the faces of the union seen singing their lines. We wanted to pay homage to what they did.” The first play of the single was on 27 November at the infamous Big Bad Cheese in Level 1 at the Students’ Union, receiving cheers from the crowds of students awaiting a performance from Teds Band from popular US Sitcom Scrubs.
The ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas’ CD is priced at £2.50 and can be purchased from the Students’ Union Shop on the ground floor of the Campus Centre. It will also be available for download on iTunes.
Vodafone in Leicester Targeted by Protests Hayley Smith
Vodafone have been the target of protests, for the third time in three weeks, amid claims that the mobile phone company have failed to pay up to £6 billion in tax. Campaigns began on October 30 with Vodafone stores across the country blockaded by frustrated protestors brandishing the company ‘tax dodgers’. The action followed the accusations of satirical magazine Private Eye stating that HM Revenue & Customs had agreed to accept £1.25 billion in tax payments, ‘a mere fraction of what it was due’ from the wealthy British company. It has been claimed that Vodafone
purchased a German telecoms firm through a Luxembourg subsidiary, which allowed them to avoid paying tax for the firm in Britain. Both Vodafone and HM Revenue & Customs have denied these claims stating that the £6 billion figure ‘is an urban myth’. Students were left furious when the allegations were revealed at the same time as University Funding was cut by £2.9 billion, under half of what it is claimed Vodafone owe. Frustrated protestors, including DMU students, at Leicester’s Gallowtree Gate Vodafone Store, said: “Vodafone owe the British public money. Reclaiming that money would make over half of the government’s planned spending cuts unnecessary.”
The events in Leicester’s city centre have made an impact on the company. Members of the public had informed protestors of their plans to cancel phone contracts with Vodafone in light of the revelations. A poll for PR Week magazine found that 44% of the public view the company more negatively following the allegations. A further day of action against tax avoidance is being planned for December 4 on a ‘significantly bigger scale' than past events. Thom Costello, leader of direct action group UK Uncut, added: “It is going to be a campaign against tax avoidance companies. This shows the power of Twitter and also the anger out there at the cuts.”
and their families. They promote good sexual health throughout the year and also the dangers that people may face if they do not look after themselves. Tuesday brings The Condom Olympics into Level 1. Condom Olympics is a variety of games involving sexual health trivia and condoms! The aim is to make students at DMU feel comfortable talking about sexual health. Wednesday is World Aids Day, so volunteers will be asking for donations in exchange for a red ribbon- the trademark logo for this day. Alongside this, Krispy Kreme doughnuts will be on sale around
the Campus Centre and local sexual health organisations will have stalls to promote their services to students. The Gospel Choir and Dance Society will also be performing throughout the day on the campus steps. In the evening Bonkerz presents Battle of the Sexes at Liquid/Envy in the city centre to help promote the cause. Thursday brings The Jizz Quiz into Level 1 in the evening, starting at 9pm. A combination of sexual health rounds mixed with general knowledge, music and sport. A cheeky twist on the traditional pub quiz! The Rag Bar will be serving sexy cocktails and shooters throughout the night at the popular
DSU Welcomes SHAG Week Sarah Miles
DSU welcomes Sexual Health and Guidance Week onto campus today, incorporating World Aids Day on December 1 into its agenda. The week aims to raise awareness of sexual health and HIV/Aids to students through a variety of fun and playful activities. All proceeds collected and donated throughout the week will be split evenly between two chosen charities; Leicestershire Aids Support Service (LASS) and Terrence Higgins Trust. They both provide a strong support service to HIV positive individuals
Kinky night in Level 1. Sarah Miles, Vice President Welfare at DSU said: “I hope that this week will be a success and create a mini buzz around campus on World Aids Day. “The two chosen charities do such excellent work that we would like to raise as much money as possible to give to them. So please come down and show your support by getting involved.”
4 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
News Plane Crash Closes Birmingham Airport Charlie McCulloch
Thousands of people were left stranded at Birmingham Airport on Friday, 19 November, after a private jet crashed into the landing system antennae in foggy conditions, leaving the pilot with serious injuries. An airport worker told a local radio station about the event he witnessed: “[The aeroplane] appeared in a gap between the trees and I just happened to be standing in the gap. There was a horrible noise and it burst into flames with a trail of flames behind it. “When I ran over to the plane all I could see was the tail and the rest was in flames. There was a huge ball of flames when it exploded. The engine was still running so it could have been even worse”. The light aircraft was carrying a donated liver from Belfast which was due to be transplanted into a patient at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth hospital. The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance were called to the scene where they found the pilot trapped in the
wreckage. The crew from the Air Ambulance managed to locate the fuel supply of the burning aircraft, to prevent it from causing another explosion. The West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “One patient, a man believed to be in his 50s, was seriously injured. He was treated at the scene for multiple injuries and airlifted to University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire for further assessment and treatment.” They went on to say that another man, thought to be in his 30s was treated at the scene for flash burns and a back injury. The second man was later taken by land ambulance to a nearby hospital for further treatment, but his injuries are not thought to be serious. The liver which was en route to a patient, was safely delivered to Queen Elizabeth hospital thanks to a police escort. A police spokesman said: “We were able very quickly with the transplant service to escort the ambulance from here to the hospital the organ was going to.”
Student visas to be cut by 120k
Despite being rescued from the burning debris, the liver was undamaged, and was able to be used in a transplant believed to have taken place shortly after its arrival. A spokeswoman said that the patient was in a stable condition at Queen Elizabeth hospital, and that the operation had been “successful.” She also added: “The transplant team would like to thank the pilot of the light aircraft and his colleague for
their bravery. Our thoughts are with the individuals and their families. The team would also like to thank the quick-thinking of the fire and rescue teams at the scene who saved the organ.” Birmingham Airport reopened the following day once the wreckage and debris had been cleared and it was declared safe for incoming and outgoing flights to resume.
Calls to Change Royal Succession Naomi Marcus News Editor
Following the news of the engagement of Prince William to his long-term girlfriend, Kate Middleton, calls have been made to review the law on the royal succession. Current law means that females are superseded in the line of succession by younger male siblings. This would mean that if William and Kate’s firstborn is a girl, she would not stay in the monarchy line if the couple went on to have a son. The law dates back to the 1701 Act of Settlement, which Leicester East MP, Keith Vaz, says is out of date, and should be changed. Mr Vaz said: “This [wedding] gives us an opportunity to change the law, so it is important that we take it. “The current practice of giving sons precedence over daughters should definitely be changed to suit the 2010 landscape.” Mr Vaz also said that it is time to look at altering the law that means a royal cannot marry a Catholic, as this is “also an issue in the way Parliament operates." MPs have agreed that it is the time to change the outdated law, and the upcoming wedding is the perfect opportunity to bring the royal family
into the 21st century. Government ministers have accepted that this law may be discriminatory, and have agreed to continue talks with Commonwealth countries, which began under the Labour government. Talking to the London Evening Standard, Lib Dem deputy leader, Simon Hughes, said: “Laws which discriminate against sex or religion have no place in a modern monarchy.” The young couple, who got engaged whilst on holiday in Kenya in October, are to marry on Friday April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey. This date has been declared a bank holiday in celebration of the wedding. David Cameron welcomed the announcement of the wedding date, which he said would be a “happy and momentous occasion”. The Prime Minister added: “We want to mark the day as one of national celebration - a public holiday will ensure the most people possible will have a chance to celebrate on the day.” Under current law, William had to ask his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, for permission before proposing to Kate, who now proudly wears Princess Diana's engagement ring.
News in Brief
The number of visas issued to foreign students will be cut by up to 120,000 in an effort to achieve the Tories’ pledge of a large fall in immigration. DMU students will be affected as there are a high number of foreign students with nine per cent of students coming from abroad. Teresa May, the Home Secretary plans to impose a limit of 21,700 next year on the total of skilled nonEuropean workers allowed to move to Britain. The focus is now turning to foreign students who represent 60 percent of migrants coming to Britain. The University and College Union said the measures would damage the reputation of UK higher education,“We need to be able to offer places to the world’s best and brightest. The last thing we want to do is send a message to academics and students that they are not welcome here,” said general secretary Sally Hunt.
DMU Fashion student’s success Two graduate students from DMU have won top prizes in a fashion industry event recently. Garfield Kar Chun Li was one of 13 finalists chosen from more than 100 students nationwide to win a coveted ASBCI Student Design Award and £1,500 prize sponsored by New Look. Laura Wilson’s research into chemicals used in fashion won the Dissertation Award 2010, sponsored by Marks & Spencer, worth £500.
Leicester car parks may see rise in price to ‘maximise revenue’ Council-run car parks in the city centre could see charges rising to help make up some of the shortfall from Government funding cuts. Over the past 12 months these car parks have generated a profit of approximately £750,000 for the council. The city’s transport boss, Councillor Abdul Osman, said any potential price rises would have to be weighed against the risk of putting drivers off visiting the city. Private car parks in the city centre were unwilling to say if they will be increasing prices too.
6 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
News
NUS National Demo 10/11/10: Photos: Rachel Robinson
November 10 2010 saw tens of thousands of students and lecturers descend upon London to voice their anger against tuition fees. What began as a peaceful protest turned into a violent rampage of those who took things too far. As the coalition government announced their plans to raise the cap on university tuition fees to £9,000, around 50,000 students and lecturers took to the streets of London to make their voices known. General secretary of the University and College Union, Sally Hunt said the turnout was delightful. She added: “It isn’t fair to make our public universities the most expensive in the world.” Along with the increase in tuition fees, the government told of their aim to cut teaching budgets by 40%. With the best of intentions, four coaches from our very own DMU headed towards London ready to voice our views along with sixth form students and teachers from Leicester College. Armed with placards such as “No
ifs, no buts, no education cuts”, we went together with one goal: to be heard. We marched through Westminster with students from all over the country and peacefully made our views known. President of the National Union of Students, Aaron Porter told the crowd on the day: “We have taken to the streets of London in the biggest student demonstration this century to tell politicians that enough is enough. “We will not tolerate the previous generation passing on its debt to the next, nor will we pick up an eyewatering bill to access a college and university education that was funded for them.” Unfortunately, for those who turned up for a peaceful protest, a small few may have deterred the focus from student fees and the implications of increasing them. As violence at the protest made front-page news, students are now left with the burden of looking like yobs. A number of smaller protests and walk-outs also took place across the country on 24 November, where students marched through the streets of the towns and cities they study in. Although the number of students who attended the National demonstration in London showed the strength of feeling regarding the fees increase, the actions
A lot of protestors directed their anger towards Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
Scenes of the riots at Millbank, which unfortunately became the focus of press attention.
of a minority may have undermined this message as national press focused on the violence caused by some who attended the protest. Aaron Porter said the violence meant members had “lost a lot of public sympathy” because of what happened. A day that began with harmless banter and the combined view of ‘fighting the cause’, ended in at least eight people taken to hospital. DMU president, Andy Schooledge said: “It was such a shame a minority of the protestors engaged in violent action. We, along with the NUS, condemn the actions
taken. We were there to protest peacefully and urge the government to reconsider its position on such a vicious hacking of higher education budgets.” Prime Minister David Cameron has since stated that he would not abandon his plan to reform tuition fees and said the cap would be raised.
He said: “I think every single person wants strong universities that are well funded, that have greater independence and we want to make sure that people from the poorest homes can go to the best universities in our country. “That is what the proposals are going to achieve. They grew from a decision made by the last government to set up the Browne report and what a pity that opportunism has overtaken principle.” The majority of students were there for peaceful protests and to enjoy the historic day for students.
Photo: Jack Siddons
Victoria Coffey News Editor
DMU student Chloe White, who went to London with DSU said: “I really enjoyed the day, and felt quite overwhelmed by the amount of people there. Despite the riots I feel proud that so many students came along.”
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 7
News
Has Our Message Been Lost?
The Demon asked our students what they really thought about the protests... “I support organised and peaceful protests and welcome more. I however cannot condone acts of violence and was saddened to hear of police officers being injured in the riots. I am pleased to see students becoming more aware and active politically.”
“I saw the anarchists towards the front of the march and was surprised the police weren’t keeping an eye on them”
“I don’t think the riots have lost students sympathyI don’t know anyone who agrees with rising tuition fees.”
“You think students have a bad name now, students today are tame. In my opinion students seemed a lot more politicised twenty to forty years ago.”
Rachel Robinson “The type of protests that are going on is not putting across the correct message and is not going to help our cause.”
Lewis Pountney
Becky Graveling
Amy Norris
Students were running down side streets, both away from and towards the violence and riots outside Tory HQ. DMU student Rachel Robinson said: “When I saw a large group of protesters appear from a side street with music blasting, followed by a speeding line of police vans, I knew it was time to leave.”
Ben Faulkner
DMU Politics Society are hosting DMU Does Question Time on Tuesday December 2. Discussion will be focused on Government funding to higher education, and the rise of tuition fees. The event will be held in the Clephan Building from 6.30-8pm. Sir Peter Soulsby (MP), Nicky Morgan MP, Jason Zadrozny MP and DSU President Andy Schooledge will all be answering questions from DMU students.
Photo: Jack Siddons
Above: scenes from the student protest in Leicester city centre on November 24 Left: one protestor from Bath University gets creative for the National Demo
For more information visit the Facebook group- DMU Does Question Time.
10 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Talk
Meet The Demon Team Throughout this academic year, these will be the people putting together The Demon and Diablo. This issue is full of the stories that they've been collecting from you recently, and each section has been edited by them.
Michael Somerville
Garry Steel
I'm Michael a 2nd year Journalism student and am looking to expand the amount of contributors throughout The Demon. If you'd like to write for us get in touch!
Hi i’m Garry a 3rd year Journalism student. I will be in charge of The Demon online next year. If you’d like to be part of the online team please get in touch with me, we’ll always need contributors.
If you have any stories you want to send us, these are the people to contact...
Rachel Robinson
Ian Cockerill
Picture Editor
Sports Editor
Hi there, I'm Rachel the Picture Editor and am currently studying for my Photography MA. If you want to contribute photographs or illustrations to The Demon please email me!
Hi i'm Ian a final year Journalism and Media Student and Leicester city fan. If you'd like to contribute to the sports section please get in touch.
Deputy Editor
michael_943@hotmail.com
Online Editor
p08298842@myemail.dmu. ac.uk
Andrew Dunn
Leonie Sturman
Sub-Editor
Proofreader
I'm Andy, a third year Journalism and Media Studies student at DMU . We're after more contributors, so if you want to write for us or have any ideas please let me know.
Hi I'm Leonie a Creative Writing student. My job is to check all the articles in The Demon are spelt correctly and grammatically correct. If you’d like to send me any suggestions for the team please do!
andyjamesdunn@gmail.com
leonie_15@hotmail.co.uk
p09256753@myemail.dmu. ac.uk
Kerry Stallon & Stanley Ashton Creative Editors Hi everyone! Stanley studies Graphic Design and Kerry studies Performing Arts! Please feel free to email us with any suggestions you have for the paper. sjaphotos@aol.com kerrystallon@hotmail.co.uk
Iancockerill89@hotmail.co.uk
Holly Smith Fashion Editor Hi! This is my second year as Fashion Editor for the Demon. I am a second year retail buying student. I love looking at street style in magazines and online so watch out...my team and I will be round campus with a camera soon! Hollyvsmith@me.com
2 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Features
Christmas Light Switch-on Alice Wilson heads to Town Hall Square for the big Christmas light switch-on The Coca Cola advert is seen by most people as the start to Christmas. However hundreds of people left the comfort of their TVs on Sunday to brave the cold and watch the ‘official’ start to Christmas – Leicester’s switch on of the Christmas lights! With Halloween, Dwali and Bonfire Night over, the festive season is just around the corner and the countdown has already begun. Preparations are underway in Leicester city centre to make this year a magical Christmas. All this is to enhance the Christmas atmosphere that shoppers already experience when carrying out their late night shopping under the glow of the impressive Christmas lights. Sunday 21 November saw Leicester’s Town Hall Square filled with hundreds of people ready to watch the switch on of the spectacular Christmas Lights. Everyone was getting in the mood meaning you had to watch your step as tiny children darted in and out of the busy square dressed up as their favourite Christmas characters. Preoccupied parents kept a close eye on their children as they ran around dressed as miniature Santas and Rudolphs as they are unable to contain their growing excitement for the big day. The eager crowd were entertained in the lead up to the switching on and were welcomed into the crowd by a youthful brass band playing the likes of Mariah Carrie’s Christmas hit, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’. A quartet later followed playing traditional Christmas hymns. The over-whelming sound of out of time and out of tune voices belonging
to families, friends and students could be heard as they gathered around to sing Christmas songs and get into the festive spirit. To add to the festive cheer, street performers on stilts wandered the streets during the ceremony dressed as reindeers and Mrs Claus. Children and parents alike strained their necks as they looked up at them and were wished a merry Christmas. Whilst watching the event the excitement was clear to all, as the artificial snow fell to the ground the community wrapped up warm and eagerly awaited the Mayor of Leicester, Collin Hall, to flick the switch and turn on the festive
lights. Although a number of people at the event were disappointed with the decision to not have a celebrity present, the build-up to celebrate the occasion remained unshaken. Sophia Williams, a first year student at DMU said: “This is my first Christmas in Leicester and I really enjoyed watching the lights being turned on. I thought there was a great atmosphere in the square this afternoon.” In the square there is also the traditional nativity scene and a large 12 days of Christmas display. Along with these there are also three Christmas trees in Leicester city this year. One decorated with beautiful
burbles and one painted white to represent snow with the hopes and dreams of many for a white Christmas this year. Although there was the deafening countdown from hundreds of excited children, the switching on of the lights didn’t quite go to plan with many of the lights coming on before
s t e k r a M s a m t s i r Ch
Photos by Dan Gooding
the end of the countdown. Despite this lack of coordination, once the lights were gleaming down, it’s an event many enjoyed. This is just one of a number of events that are being held in the city centre in the lead up to Christmas this year.
Kelly Tunnicliffe discusses Christmas Markets around the world
Whether it’s German, French or Polish, Christmas Markets popping up all over the UK are the perfect way to get you and your friends into the Christmas spirit. From quaint craft stalls to delicious selections of European food, there are a number of reasons why Christmas markets are well worth a visit during the holiday season. In-between the hustle and bustle of inner-city life you can delve into a diverse range of cultures and experience Christmas in a brand new way. Best of all you can have a great time with friends
while you munch on gorgeous French Crepes, tuck into a hearty German Bratwurst, and sample the large variety of continental beers on offer. Great food isn’t the only reason to visit a market this winter, most markets also feature traditional stalls selling a range of gifts, including handmade toys and original jewellery pieces. This offers a really unique shopping experience away from the usual stress of Christmas shopping. These markets provide the perfect chance to buy a rare gift that your mum, dad, boyfriend or girlfriend will cherish
forever, and you get to soak up all of the atmosphere in the process! Although Leicester has already celebrated its successful Continental Market this year, there are still plenty of markets just a train ride away. Birmingham will hold its Frankfurt Christmas Market for the tenth year running, starting in November running all the way through to 23 December. This means there’s a full month to go and explore this well established market held in Victoria Square. At the heart of the market, a traditional bandstand will serenade
shoppers around the market and throughout the festive season a selection of local carol singers will stage special performances to get everybody in the holiday mood! Best of all, Birmingham (and all that continental beer!) is just 50 minutes away from Leicester on the train. If Birmingham doesn’t take your fancy, there’s also London’s Hyde Park Winter Wonderland which runs from the 19 November until January 4 2011. As well as the normal food and craft stalls, this unique market set in beautiful park land also features an
observation wheel, ice skating rink, a circus and a wide range of adrenaline pumping fairground rides! London can be easily reached from Leicester, with a train journey taking just over one hour, and return tickets can be bought for as low as £22 if booked in advance. If you can’t reach London or Birmingham in time for their Christmas Markets, luckily Markets can be found all over the UK this winter! To find the perfect one for you, visit: http://www. christmasmarkets.com/UK.html for more information.
4 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Travel
Peter Moore
Travel Review
James King talks to the travel author about his epic journeys around the world, and about his next book, due out next year. Peter Moore is one of the funniest and most engaging travelers writing today. Born in Australia, Moore first started travel writing when he decided to quit his job, travel around the equator and write a book about it. This first book was rejected by every publisher he tried, so instead, he started a website called No Shitting in the Toilet, which was a light hearted and alternative guide to travel. He later turned the website in to a book, and has since written seven more. He has visited a total of 99 countries, but his hopes of reaching 100 were ruined by a volcano. “I was all set to head off to Iraq in April, but the whole trip was scuppered by the Icelandic ash.” Going to Iraq whilst there is a war going on is typical of Moore. “I thought Iraq would be a pretty cool place to notch up number 100, but it wasn’t meant to be.” When you go on to his website (petermoore.net) you are instantly greeted by pictures of Peter posing with a Somali rebel (who later took him back to his cave for lamb stew) and a rather mean looking machine gun, as well as with an Afghan war lord in 1994. He has traveled through many countries in the grip of war, including Bosnia and many in Africa. But he seems to take it all in his stride. The one time he most feared for his life was in Birmingham on his very first trip to the UK. “I was waiting for a bus after midnight and every drug addict drunk and hoodie in Brum kept walking past sizing me up. I thought I was about to get mugged or worse.” This particular story ends with Peter going to the pub with one of these drunks, and seeing all the other drunks who made him fear for his life outside. Peter’s earlier books tell the stories of some truly epic journeys. The Wrong Way Home describes his exhausting and sometimes perilous journey from London to Sydney without flying, The Full Montezuma is a tale of how Peter fell for the girl next door and trekked around the entirety of Central America with her for months, and Swahili for the Broken Hearted tells the story of what happened when they broke up, (Peter ran away from her and her family by
Travel Author Peter Moore in Russia in 2007.
travelling from Cape Town to Cairo, often through African danger zones). On all of his journeys, Moore finds it terribly easy to make new friends and experiences things that other people wouldn’t because of it. “In Mozambique I stayed with these guys I met on a minibus. Whilst I was there their mum returned home from Portugal unexpectedly so there was an impromptu party. We had old records playing, singing, dancing and a night spent listening to a guy in undies and a vest snoring.” Moore’s ability to instantly make friends and trust even the strangest of people has opened doors to some amazing experiences, such as going clubbing with Mirindi in Albania. “I met him in Skandenberg Square. He put me up in his home – packing his wife off to the in-laws for the night – and took me to a disco set in Enver Hoxha’s tomb. Pages from The Book of Mormons and Penthouse Forum were stuck on the walls of the toilet. On one side you had Jehoshaphat leading his people out of the desert and on the other, a fruity tale involving a red head and a carrot.” Peter Moore is now a family man and living in England. His most recent books, Vroom with a View and Vroom by the Sea, tell the story of his travels across Italy on classic 1960s Vespas as he lives ‘La Dolce
Vita.’ These trips show a calmer side to Peter as he takes the easier and more comfortable option more often. This suggests he may have grown out of staying in dodgy hostels and bumping along dirt tracks in the back of pickup trucks. But that’s not so. “Things like that get under your skin,” he says, “It’s an addiction. I was happy as Larry when I went to Moscow a couple of years ago and the hotel I was staying in gave me the option of renovated or un-renovated rooms. I went un-renovated, of course, and got a little time capsule of Soviet Russia, right down to a Babushka (an old Russian lady) at the end of the corridor dolling out toilet paper, sheet by sheet, and only when you really needed it.” Peter’s next book is about his travels around the UK as he prepares to take the citizenship test. “Rather than study the book put out by the Home Office I decided to have a wander round Britain and do the test armed only with what I had learnt from my travels.” He’s still prepared to rough it. He put out requests online through Facebook and Twitter asking anyone if he could crash on their sofa. “I was dragged into people’s lives and homes, as per usual.” Peter’s philosophy on travel is one that less and less people are subscribing to, due to misconceived
conceptions and over thinking travel safety. “My best experiences have been in places that the rest of the world avoids such as Iran, Afghanistan and Bosnia during the war.” He’s not saying everyone should be travelling to war torn countries, just places off the beaten track and unusual, Albania, Angola or an ex-soviet republic are some of his suggestions. “Even somewhere like Sweden. I spent a week in Stockholm and loved it.” The bottom line is Peter Moore will always have trust and belief in human nature due to his time spent travelling. “I think the greatest experience has been learning that the default setting for humans is ‘good.’ We see so much horrific stuff on the evening news that there’s a tendency to believe that the world is a big scary place where everyone is out to get you. My experience has been the exact opposite.” He’s the kind of traveler we should all aspire to be, as it seems to make life a little more interesting.
Demon Travel would love to hear about your travel experiences and stories. If you think you could write an interesting article or you'd like to write anything for The Demon's travel section, please get in touch with Travel Editor James King.
The Wrong Way Home was Peter Moore’s first major book after No Shitting in the Toilet. It’s the story of his epic journey from London to Sydney, through 25 countries over eight months, without flying. Inspired by a “severe case of hippie envy” Moore follows the trail travelers took in the 1960s from London to the East, to see if it could still be done. Even though a lot of the countries he travels through are war torn and impoverished, Moore still finds it easy to see the funny side of things, and enjoy even the most bizarre situations. It is in this book that we first see Moore’s unbelievable ability to trust everyone he meets. He spends time in a small village in Bosnia that had only recently been on the front line of the war, and rather than find help with the police, he goes to stay with three young boys he meets on the street. It is for this reason that Moore’s books are such engaging reading. He takes you on the journey with him and you find yourself wishing you were able to travel in the same way. You become attached to the amazing people he meets and share his incredible journeys. His experiences don’t seem exaggerated or faked as with some other writers. It really inspires you to travel as he makes it look so easy whilst also making you laugh out loud. The Wrong Way Home is an easy and entertaining book to read, and is a great introduction to the travel genre.
To read more about Peter Moore, or to find out more about his books, visit petermoore.net. Peter regularly updates his blog and has picture galleries from all his trips.
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 5
Travel
The Forgotten Gem of the Adriatic Wondering where to go when the year is out? Five top reasons to visit Zadar. Andrew Dunn Sub-editor
Croatia might not be the first place that springs to mind when thinking of holiday destinations, but the city of Zadar in northern Dalmatia is a goldmine of culture, intrigue and good times. Here are just a few reasons to visit: The People While this is admittedly based on personal experience of just ten days in Zadar, the laid back and friendly attitude of people from the city never seemed to falter. You are not greeted with a bustle of too-busy people with too-busy lives, but approachable, happy faces, and taxi drivers who have no problem with talking in depth about their sex lives after only minutes of saying hello. It beats asking them if they had a busy night. The Adriatic Sea Commenting on any one of the “Three Ss” of a holiday location may seem like the sort of assessment that should be reserved for the unimaginative
traveller, but the Adriatic is something to behold. Its surprisingly warm, sapphire blue waters provide a breathtaking backdrop to look at, swim in or ski over. Then there is the Sea Organ. As the waves hit the various tuned underground pipes, the organ produces deep hypnotic drones. It was opened to the public in 2005 as part of a project to regenerate the city’s coastline, ridding it of the damaged relics of World War II and replacing them with a set of acoustically astounding white stone steps that lead to the sea. Alfred Hitchcock once said that the most beautiful sunset in the world could be seen from that exact spot — the sea organ provides the perfect background music for it. The Garden Bar Owned by the UB40 drummer James Brown, The Garden is probably one of the most relaxed places to sip a cool one with a few good buddies. Set on a tree-adorned terrace in the rustic side of town and overlooking the waterside, the atmosphere by day is so relaxed that you forget there
is a rest of the world (not that you would want to since there are still two more things to see on this list.) By night, the bar wakes from its slumber to become one of the most eclectic destinations in the city in terms of both music and cocktail choice. It is not cheap, but it is worth it. Plitvice Lakes This is perhaps cheating a little since it is not actually in Zadar, but if you are in Croatia it would be foolish not to visit. Spectacular waterfalls pour into turquoise lakes and are framed by almost mythical looking forestry and caves, making the scene look uncannily like it could have been a filming location for Avatar. Soundwave Festival The final reason to visit Zadar lies about 3 miles north of the city in Petrčane, a forested fishing village. Set in the sister site to The Garden Bar, Soundwave Festival in is essentially a four-day beach party. The 2010 line up included acts such as Dam Funk, Cinematic Orchestra, Zero 7, Laura J Martin,
DJ Format, Andreya Triana and an impromptu in-sea performance by Riot Jazz. If none of the line-up tickle your fancy, you can always play volleyball on the in-site court, head out on a boat party, or dangle your feet in the sea while drinking the beverage of your choice. With just 2000 people attending, it is pretty intimate, though never dull.
The good spirits, varied music and fit-for-human-use toilets make for a startling contrast to evermore ramjammed and muddy British festivals. While Soundwave is organised by Brits, it accomplishes creating a distinctly Croatian atmosphere, ultimately bringing some of the best elements of the country into one unforgettable long weekend.
Hitting The Slopes This Winter?
Diablo is here to help all those going off skiing this holiday season. ‘Tis the season. From now until early May is ski season and if you’re heading out on to the slopes for the first time here are some top tips to help. Best places for Beginners in Europe: Two of the best, cheapest and probably lesser known places to ski in Europe are Romania and Bulgaria. Poiana Brasov in Romania has some of the cheapest all inclusive deals around. You won’t get luxury but then you’re not going to be paying luxury prices. Around £350 will get you everything you need, board/ski hire, lift passes, flights and hotels, food included and a much needed beer or two at the end of the day. The instructors at the ski school are multi lingual and annoyingly enthusiastic and there are two great nursery areas to practice on before taking on the slightly more advanced runs. Also, if you ever fancied a break from the skiing, there are some great excursions, including Dracula’s Castle. It is Transylvania after all. Bansko in Bulgaria is another resort that won’t be breaking the bank. Once you’ve mastered the necessary skills on
the nursery slopes, there is an excellent intermediate slope that runs for 16km, and descends almost 2000m. Both Romania and Bulgaria are cheaply accessible by easy jet flights, however, as with most ski resorts, transfer times can be up to three hours. If you’re lucky enough to be able to spend more money on your holiday, the Dolomites is one of the best places to go. Situated in north east Italy, Cortina has some absolutely breathtaking views. It’s regularly cited as one of the most beautiful skiing resorts in the world, and it’s wonderfully maintained nursery slopes are perfect for beginners. However its beauty is reflected in its prices, and the fact that it played host to the winter Olympics do nothing but boost the price up more. Tips for Beginners: As with most holidays, no one wants to be paying more than they have to, this is especially true of skiing holidays, which are expensive enough as it is. A lot of resorts now do cheaper beginner lift passes, which get you on the lower level slopes. There’s no need to pay
for a pass for huge area if you’re only going on the beginner or lower level intermediate slopes. Booking lessons before you set off is another great way to save a bit of money. If you purchase a package you will find a lot of companies will offer lessons and lift passes at discounted
rates, which will save money over booking once you arrive. And finally if you have the chance, getting a few hours skiing under your belt in the UK will save you time once you hit the real slopes. Places like Chill Factor in Manchester and Sheffield’s Ski Village are great if you want to learn
the basics before jetting off. They offer a wide range of different lesson packages that can be rather expensive, but it could save you money and time on lessons once you’re skiing in the Alps.
Most of all, remember to have fun! Enjoy your holidays, and see you in the new year.
6 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Arts
Open to Interpretation Morgan Gaylard reviews the ‘Open 22’ Exhibition 2010 The City Gallery’s annual open exhibition is this year being hosted by the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery. The ‘Open 22’ art show reaches its fourth year this November. The exhibition aims to promote and support artists of Leicestershire and the East Midlands by offering them a place to showcase their talents. They also have a chance of earning one of six shortlist spots, out of which a single entry is chosen to win the £2,000 Attenborough Prize, awarded by Leicester City Council. The winner of this year’s prize is David Raine with his oil painting entitled ‘My sister, Emily’,announced at the opening of the show on the 12th November. Other artists shortlisted were Brian Hible with ‘Dilemma’, Harman Dickson with ‘Giant step’, Elisa Panerai with ‘Chirping Wood’, David Stevenson with ‘Stars and Straps’ and Steven Ingman with ‘Department Store’. The shortlist this year contains some very strong technique and harbours a wide range of approaches. A Monopoly dog faces the conundrum ‘Pay a £10 fine or take a ‘chance’,’ in one painting, another,
‘Chirping Wood’ is a collage put together with pieces of furniture from magazines, while another is a re-representation of Leicester’s Highcross Shopping Centre. The winning painting boasts a very experienced technique and is a high quality piece of work. The show hosts an eclectic array of artworks from a massive 238 artists selected from 344 submissions. The show itself is impressive, with a section dedicated to younger artists, who themselves have created some strong work and great potential. The quantity and variety of pieces make a great opportunity to find local artists that you may like, all in one place. You may even spot a few familiar names So what does the Open exhibition do for artists in and around Leicester? I spoke to De Montfort University student, Daniel Kelly, who has been shortlisted for the Attenborough Prize the previous three years running, and currently has a painting displayed in this year's exhibition. Daniel has been involved in art for most of his life and is now in the third year of his Fine Art degree. What does it mean to you to be
The exhibition is a good opportunity for the local art community to come together and see what they have been working on for the last year and to get feedback from their peers.
Punk Rock Review: Opening Night
Simon Stephens’s critically acclaimed production both enthrals and disappoints. An air of suspense is evident in almost every sentence before a climax that displayed emotion but lacked conviction. The first hour of the play maliciously illustrates the lives of seven boarding school students from Stockport. Edward Franklin (Bennet Francis) gives a strong performance as a typical sixth form bully, masking his lack of confidence through outlandish outbursts towards timid bookworm Chadwick (Mike Noble), who puts in a competent professional stage debut. The storyline centres on the mysterious character of William Carlisle (Rupert Simonian), a young
looking actor who has appeared in programmes including the Bill and Ashes to Ashes. He plays his peculiar role in a convincing way, becoming more and more absorbed in his deep philosophies on social relationships and life in general. He is crushed on discovery that his crush, attractive and flirtasous Laura Pyper (Lilly Cahill), is sleeping with rugby player Nicholas Banks. The plot meditates on issues such as social exclusion, mental health, and teenage lust but you never really feel that it scratches beneath the surface. This revelation slowly triggers developing hate towards the plays various characters. However Simonian’s caring side never
Barry Edwards Jr.
News in Brief Chromophilia, Pedestrian Gallery, Rutland St.
An electric display of recent work by the Art & Design Faculty's very own Jamie Scott, Mark Boot, and Simon Woolerton. Their work is united by the love of colour, and each piece has its own, unique energy about it, especially Boot's rotating flurescent copper piping and cable tie mobile, which is a must see!
shortlisted for the Attenborough Prize? It’s a nerve-wracking experience and part of me is glad not to have been nominated this year, but it is also good encouragement to be shortlisted. What do you feel the exhibition does for the local art community?
Do you intend to win it one day? Yes, world domination shall be mine. Just Kidding, But seriously, maybe one day I will, maybe I won't. I'll continue to paint either way. Finally, What is your opinion on the winning piece this year? I think you can tell this year that the winning piece took a lot of hard work and patience.
The exhibition runs until 9 January 2011 at New Walk Museum, Leicester, admission is free.
completely disappears, even after shocking displays of fury at the end of the play, disliking him feels wrong. Driven by his hate of the people around him, he threatens class bully Franklin. The insecure oppressor thinks nothing of it, until five minutes of nothingness pass and Simonian enters the room with a gun. At this point the audience sits forward, for the first time in over an hour, it has to be noted. Filled with sociopathic rage, heart-broken Rupert shoots the entire cast, apart from the quiet and terrified Katie West who is left sobbing in a corner. In a moment that, for the first time in the evening, grips the audience, Rupert puts the
Hounds of Love,The Great Central, Sussex St. For the next month this artist-run studio and gallery is hosting recent work by Rachel Cattle - pure, traditional drawings inspired by pop music, folklore, romance, and kitschy horror. Cattle gets up close and personal with the trees in her local park, documenting the laments carved into their bark with great detail, ideal for those who appreciate technical skill and draftmanship.
pistol in his mouth. He then makes a joke, runs off stage and the lights dim. The finale puts to bed the obvious theory that the premature death of his parents has made him mentally ill. In cased in a mental institution and assessed by a psychiatrist, Simonian still doesn’t seem to realise the full extent of his actions. It’s difficult to blame him, such is the confused naivety of his character. A play that promised so much spends too long trying to build up to a climax that is all too sudden and flat. The actors put in decent displays but their performances are ultimately flawed by a play that lacks direction.
The Book Belt This issue we take a look at some studious gift ideas
You can't have Christmas without a bit of knitting and "The Knitter's Year" boasts 52 seasonal knots for you to try out. From simple scarves to intricate corsages Debbie Bliss knows it all and will give you plenty of ideas for your "oops I forgot!" last minute presents!
For the tattoo enthusiasts out there, like myself, there's infamous Kat Von D's "The Tattoo Chronicles" where the vixen herself documents 'a critical year in her personal and professional life'. The book is sort of an add on to the format of television series LA Ink in which those under the needle talk about the significance of their tattoo, with some fantastic and insightful interviews.
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 7
Arts
Ex-Student Success Story! help disabled people and the third one, Traffy, we got to keep – she is the Forever Puppy in the book”.
Anoushka Wroblewski Arts Editor
Recently graduated author, Megan Rix has just debuted her first Christmas Novel, 'The Puppy That Came for Christmas and Stayed Forever’. Rix describes her book as "a true story, a memoir about the year we had three tiny puppies, one after each other. The first two – Emma and Freddy – went on to be trained to
E.M 10, Continua
Surface Gallery, Nottingham
An amusing stocking filler in the form of "Jelleyman's Thrown a Wobbly" will keep your average footy fan laughing with pages of facetious interviews and commentary, interspersed with hilarious drinking games, all concocted by Jeff Stelling, a man brimming with wit.
How did it feel to have your debut novel get onto The Sunday Times Bestsellers list so quickly? I was amazed and delighted when the book went straight into the Sunday Times Bestseller list – and has remained there ever since. It needed to be reprinted within weeks of publication as it sold out wherever it’s been sold. Before completing your course where you already working in the industry? The Puppy that Came for Christmas is my debut memoir and my first book for adults. But prior to attending the DMU from 2008-2010 to do the MA in TV Scriptwriting Daniel Kelly
E.M 10 brings together the work of six emerging artists from the east midlands, shortlisted from 2010’s degree shows. The exhibition forms part of the sideshow to the British Art Show 5 currently showing at Nottingham Contemporary, Nottingham Castle and the New Art Exchange. Representing DMU was 2010 graduate Emily Warren, who specialises in installations that merge sculpture and moving image. The work presented here, entitled ‘Long Stick Series 1’ consists of three monitors each showing a bell, positioned next to a long stick supported by a drainpipe and framework structure. At intervals the bells are rung by the sticks which
course I’d had 15 children's books published, from picture books to novels, under the name of Ruth Symes (www.ruthsymes.com) and I’d also written some episodes of Channel 4's Bafta Award winning pre-school show, The Hoobs. Do you feel that going to university enriched your career and practice? I feel attending DeMontfort University has definitely enriched my career and practice – sometimes in ways that I hadn’t expected. In the first term of the first year we all wrote an original one hour script for TV. I wrote a one hour comedy drama called ‘Merry Meet’ about a witch who sets up shop in a prim Devonshire village and the chaos that ensues. My tutor suggested entering it in the 2009’s Cheltenham Film Festival’s Scriptmarket competition and it was chosen as one of the scripts to be taken forward - which resulted in me meeting my current TV agent. All the chosen writers were asked to produce a second draft of their script and as part of the process we were asked to think what our lead character might gives the viewer the illusion that the ghost of the artist is in the room with them, eternally repeating this seemingly futile action. The work recalls the oeuvre of 70s post-minimalist video artists such as Bruce Nauman and Vito Acconci, with its clean, functional aesthetic used to present something which is at heart pointless and repetitive, but in a good way, like a Zen ritual or strange game. Also represented at the exhibition are Loughborough graduates Scott Illingworth and Jonathan Ryall. Illingworth, or rather the business suited mannequins in his sculptures, seem to have an unhealthy obsession with train sets, with one sat at his desk watching a video of some bikini clad ladies trampling a miniature city and train, and another being
"Teenage Wasteland: The Slasher Movie Uncut" will excite any horror movie buff. Overflowing with trivia about those early slasher flicks, with their wonderfully gory bright red blood, when cinema was unconquered and outrageous J. A. Kerswell documents it all. And I bet most of these films are in the Kimberlin Catalogue!
have been like as a child. I did this and found myself with an idea for a children’s novel, which I sold to Piccadilly Press as ‘Bella Donna’ and was subsequently published in October 2010 with a second Bella Donna book commissioned for April 2011. It has been particularly popular in Germany where two publishers bid for it. What inspired you to become an author, and to write about something so close to home? I started writing The Puppy that Came for Christmas in the second year of my course at DMU and an agent wanted to see it on the basis of one line e-mail query. Penguin commissioned it and needed it written really quickly so it would be out in time for Christmas. You’ve written a novel but studied script writing – do you have bigger plans for The Puppy That Came for Christmas? I also wrote the script for The Puppy that Came for Christmas as my final project for the MA in TV Scriptwriting. It is currently being circulated by my TV agent. crumpled under a mountainous train set like the Wicked Witch of the West. Ryall’s work on the other hand is more process-based, with the sculpture ‘Mortar Column’ consisting of a stack of cement covered foam blocks being propped up by steel rods. The work strongly recalls that of Phylidda Barlow, whose improvised messy structures were showcased to great effect at the Serpentine Gallery this summer. Nottingham Trent graduates included Kyle Hands, Calvin Sangster and Victoria Smith. Hands’ monochrome high gloss paintings seemed to me typical of the paint fetishism that is all too common at art schools; very shiny but not much else. Shiny too was Sangster’s athlete’s
What do you have planned next? Will your next novel be along the same lines as 'Puppy…' ? Will we rejoin Megan and Ian at another point in their life? Since completing the course I’ve been really busy: I’ve just finished book 2 in the Bella Donna series of children's novels. It's called ‘Too Many Spells’ and will be out in April 2011. And I’m planning to write another memoir and also some children's books about the puppies. Plus we're getting a second puppy on the 21st of December – a little golden retriever called Bella – after the Bella Donna books. She’s Freddy’s half-sister and we’re very much looking forward to her coming to live with us. And finally, have you any advice for the budding authors out there? I’ve always loved writing and have always enjoyed writing in a variety of genres – I think it helps to keep my writing fresh and my writing career exciting! I’d advise any budding authors to experiment with their writing. podium/high street display unit, its obsessively polished glass reflecting three white towels in the place of national flags. The Deep Heat sprayed occasionally in the gallery was a nice touch, but added only a small amount of depth to a work, which was all surface (and intentionally so). Rounding off the trio of Notts graduates, Victoria Smith’s cardboard periscope treated the inquisitive viewer to views of a far away lake filmed in super 8. The interactive element of the work was appreciated but the film itself was a little on the nostalgic side. Overall, Surface Gallery should be commended for bringing together a strong show of work by six east midlands based artists with great potential.
"The Awkward Book of Family Photos" reigns supreme. Everyone's experienced that horrific moment when you have to pose in your new Rudolf sweater, grinning like you mean it, while Granddad tries to figure out his new digital camera. Page after page of magnificent 'WTF?'
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 9
Lifestyle
Christmas on a Budget Struggling for gift ideas for the festive season? Amy Cliff brings you cheap and cheerful presents with a difference.
The Goodwill Gift Buy someone a chicken. Or safe water. Or fertiliser. Oxfam Unwrapped allows you to buy gifts to aid people in third world countries. From £5 you can buy someone a lifesaving injection, schooling and seeds. These gifts enable people to provide for themselves and offer satisfaction to those who receive them. Similarly, the goodgiftsshop.org offer the chance to buy warm clothes for an Afghan orphan or footballs for a poor UK youth team. Buying a ‘cat for comfort’ will give elderly people company, and is guaranteed to make anyone smile.
Secret Santa
Homemade gifts They always say a gift from the heart means more than one from a store- maybe, maybe not. Handmade presents have come a long way since glitter glue baubles and have evolved into a creative niche. Jewellery, calendars, candles, playlists and even knitted woollies can be made cheaply by yours truly. All it takes is a trip to Hobbycraft and a little know-how. It shows care, thought and a little creativity. Sites like etsy.com sell cute handmade jewellery and art if you don’t fancy getting inventive and if all else fails, melt some Cadburys and make snowball truffles.
Saviour for offices and halls everywhere. Planning for friends at home, uni and work soon adds up-as does the dollar. To rectify seasonal bankruptcy, a hat and names on paper will suffice. Steer clear of hot chocolate mugs and smellies- we only pass them on anyway. For a £5 budget, think candles and socks, pocket mirrors and gloves. Set, a little boutique store in St. Michael’s Square do quirky gifts and there’s something for everyone. For a £10 budget, quirky necklaces, coffee table books, nail varnishes and iTunes or Starbucks vouchers always go down well. Take a look in the gadget shop in Highcross or on iwantoneofthose.com for the men in your life. A mini desk hoover costs only £6.99.
Gift of Time
Recycled gifts We all have things we haven’t worn or used or love. Pass them on. That top your mate loves and you no longer wear can get a new lease of life this Christmas. Make a little label and fold it up fancy. Likewise, CDs, books and movies. It’s not necessarily about things you don’t want anymore, but things you’ve recommended to a friend they can’t buy anymore, or things you know they’ve loved and you no longer do.
Practical gifts: Sometimes we just don’t know what to buy for the mate who has everything - or the friend who never has enough money. This is where practicality comes in. Rather than guess, buy something you know they will like and more importantly, use. Mascara, pyjamas, uni books, nice notepads, pens, photos, or if you’re willing to splash out a little, most salons are offering money off manicures in time for the festivities. Check out isubscribe.co.uk for magazine subscriptions that are practical and many offer special collectors covers which are nice to keep.
Leicester Town Hall Christmas Lights
Oh! And the present for the one you forgot. Every Christmas there’s the inevitable situation of old friends and distant relatives turning up armed with gifts and goodies- and we face the annual panic of finding something in our vicinity to give in return. Toiletries, wine, jewellery and unwanted CDs or DVDs make quick gifts and if you can sneak away, you can always buy a couple of tickets online. We all have a drawer full of stuff we’ve never used, opened or loved so just don’t empty it until January 2011!
Perfect for people who we want to spend time with. Check out lastminute.com for last minute deals. Invite your friends round for a Christmas themed tea party or cocktail night- all it’ll cost is a few teabags (or spirits) and some snacks, and the ultimate gift is a good time with good friends. Gig or cinema tickets are also ideal gifts when you get stuck and you can always treat yourself too. Train tickets can also be gifts – buy someone an excuse to come and see you.
16 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Music
Music of the Era Katie Bowley looks back at our favourite music through the last decade
The last ten years have seen some of the most famous acts and songs come and go, and as enter a new era, we see how the music world has changed for the better, or for the worse! I look at the top 10 most awfully remembered tracks of the years. I guarantee these end up on your iTunes.
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
Does anyone remember the cheesy millennium songs that children loved to dance to and adults used to despise? 2000 was the year of childish bands and irritating one hit wonders. With the mark of the millennium bug over, it seemed artists used to celebrate by releasing some truly awful tracks. Remember these bad boys?
It was the year that the US invaded Afghanistan and the FIFA World Cup was held in South Korea. 2002 saw Graham Coxon leave Blur, Kelly Clarkson win American Idol and Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez died in a car accident. again, 2002 kept us in the R&B scene but we start to see a little alternative pop break into the charts as newcomer Avril Lavigne released “Complicated”.
Brian McFadden has left Westlife, much to my disgust; the year Britney Spears married her friend, for a day. Then gets married to Kevin Federline, and we know how long that lasted. In terms of albums, Mcfly break a record set by the Beatles for fastest selling album and Kings of Leon release “Aha Shake Heartbreak” and become slightly more commercialised. The music industry takes a slight turn towards the better in my opinion, as Keane release a new album and Maroon 5 have that brilliant hit “She Will be Loved.”
Possibly my favourite year of music, such a great collection of random rubbish one hit wonders that are possibly classics to our generation. James Blunt released “You're Beautiful” and became the first British artist to take the number one spot on the Billboard 100. Shakira released “Hips Don’t Lie” and Nelly Furtado’s “Loose” album hits number one. Remember the “Here it Goes Again” video by OK GO? well, this is the year it is released and becomes an internet phenomenon.
Thriller by Michel Jackson was re-released for the celebration of his 25 years in music, as well as turning 50. Westlife played a 10th anniversary gig in Dublin and Lady GaGa enters the music industry by force, achieving two number 1 singles in a year. 2008, a year for celebrating and the GaGa. Music is definitely about to turn into something of a different nature.
1. Oops I did it again – Britney Spears 2. Thong Song – Sisqo 3. Try Again – Aaliyah 4. My Love is your love – Whitney Houston 5. Real Slim Shady – Eminem 6. Shake Ya Ass – Mystical 7. Shakles - Mary Mary 8. Independent Women (Part 1) – Destiny’s Child 9. I Try - Macy Gray 10. Girl on TV - LFO
2001 This year was the beginning of the R&B craze. We see the likes of Blu Cantrell and Craig David. 2001 was the finalization of the old 90’s pop scene and entered itself into a world of rhythm and blues. Also, the year of the reality TV shows to rear their ugly heads and produce some shocking results...Hear Say. The year of the 9/11 attacks, lead Gerard Way to produce his band, My Chemical Romance. 1.Lady Marmalade – Christina Aguilera, PINK, Lil Kim, Mya ft Missy Elliot 2.Fallin – Alicia Keys 3.U Remind Me – Usher 4.Bootylicious – Destiny’s Child 5.It Wasn’t Me – Shaggy 6.Beautiful Day – U2 7.Get your Freak On – Missy Elliot 8.Plug In Baby - Muse 9.Stronger – Britney Spears 10.Liquid Dreams - O Town
1.A Thousand Miles – Vanessa Carlton 2.Get the Party Started – PINK 3.Lose Yourself – Eminem 4.7 Days – Craig David 5.Escape – Enrique Iglesias 6.Stole - Kelly Rowland 7.Starry Eyed Surprise – Paul Oakenfold 8.Hey Ma – Cam’ron 9.What about Us – Brandy 10.Livin it Up – Ja Rule
2003 The year of the sad passing of country legend Johnny Cash and Michael Jackson is arrested for child molesting. It seemed the music scene could not be rid of its most famous genre, as the pop scene just keeps increasing. Justin Timberlake and Avril Lavgine go on tour, Beyoncé’ wins about a thousand awards and Jessica Simpson releases a third album, not sure how. There is one good thing that came out of 2003, and that was the split of S Club 7. 1.In Da Club – 50 Cent 2.Hey Ya – Outkast 3.Cry Me a River – Justin Timberlake 4.Fighter – Christina Aguilera 5.Miss Independent – Kelly Clarkson 6.Harder to Breathe – Maroon 5 7.’03 Bonnie & Clyde –Beyoncé & Jay Z 8.White Flag – Dido 9.All the Things She Said – TATU 10.Come into My World – Kylie
1.Yeah! – Usher ft Ludacris 2.Leave (Get Out) – JoJo 3.Dip it Low – Christina Milian 4.Let’s Get it Started – Black Eyed Peas 5.Milkshake – Kelis 6.I Miss You – Blink 182 7.Overnight Celebrity – Twista 8.Lean Back – Terror Squad 9.Hotel – R Kelly ft Cassidy 10.I Like That - Houston
2005 The year of the Blink 182 break up! Madonna has a number one album in 40 countries and Elton John married David Furnish. This year, Usher bought out his brilliant album “Confessions”, which still remains in my collection to this day. The theme for the year is hip hop and R&B again, we just can’t rid of the genre. It’s written all over the teenies and it’s hard to shake off. They ruled the last five years, so let’s see if things change. 1.We Belong Together – Mariah Carey 2.Pon De Replay – Rihanna 3.These Words – Natasha Bedingfield 4.Holiday – Green Day 5.Feel Good Inc. – Gorrilaz 6.Mr Brightside – Killers 7.One, Two Step – Ciara 8.We Be Burning – Sean Paul 9.Your Body – Pretty Ricky 10.Only U - Ashanti
1.When the Sun Goes Down – Arctic Monkeys 2.Run It – Chris Brown 3.Ridin’ – Chamillionare 4.Everytime We Touch – Cascada 5.Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol 6.Dani California – RHCPs 7.Laffy taffy – D4L 8.Me & U – Cassie 9.Beep – Pussycat Dolls 10.I’m Sprung – T Pain
2007 Elton John was sixty this year, and celebrated by singing in Madison Square Garden’s NY. We had a comeback single from Miss Shaven Headed Spears “Gimme More” and Spice Girls start their reunion tour in Canada. The Sex Pistols also reformed, as well as Rage Against the Machine and Spinal Tap. 2007 was the year of reforming bands it seems. 1.Umbrella – Rihanna 2.Hey There Delilah – Plain White Ts 3.Crank That – Soulja Boy 4.Stronger – Kanye West 5. Cupid’s Chokehold – Gym Class Heroes 6.Beautiful Girls – Sean Kingston 7.This Ain’t a Scene – Fall Out Boy 8.Misery Business - Paramore 9.Apologize – One Republic 10.Ayo Technology – 50 Cent
1.Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis 2.Closer – NeYo 3.Viva La Vida – Coldplay 4.I Kissed a Girl – Katy Perry 5.Just Dance – Lady GaGa 6.Shake It - Metro Station 7.American Boy – Estelle ft Kanye 8.Let it Rock – Kevin Rudolf 9.The Way I Are – Timbaland ft Keri Hilson 10.I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
2009
The year of Susan Boyle. What a wash out; do we really want to look back on 2009 and think of SuBo? I think not, so we must remember the return of Eminem and his number one album; The U2 world tour, the reunion of Blur and the entrance of Pixie Lott to the pop music scene, joy. And who would forget the tragic death of superstar Michael Jackson? MJ ruled the radio for about 3 months. 1.Boom Boom Pow – Black Eyed Peas 2.Single Ladies – Beyoncé 3.Right Round – Flo Rida 4.Watcha Say – Jason Derulo 5.So What – PINK 6.Paparazzi – Lady GaGa 7.Don’t Trust Me – 3OH!3 8.Empire State of Mind – Jay Z 9.Sexy Chick – David Guetta ft AKON 10.Hotel Room Service – Pitbull
2010
And so we come to the end of our decade, with some excellent albums and songs produced this year, we have seen so many throughout the past ten years, but no music will beat 2010. It was the year of the re-release of “Don’t Stop Believing” thanks to Glee, I don’t know why we still hear that everywhere. It was the year of Usher’s return and David Guetta seemed to take over the radio. But as we enter 2011, we say goodbye to a brilliant year of music in 2010, and the last decade.
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 17
Music
Not ‘Forgotten’ but ‘One Step Closer’ Take over at the LG Arena as nu-metal giants Linkin Park storm in for their world tour following the release of their new album ‘A Thousand Suns’. Gemma Harling reports.
Photo: Gemma Harling
After the release of their new album ‘A Thousand Suns’ Linkin Park were faced with mixed reviews.
People claiming they were desperately trying to create a new genre or that it didn’t sound like them. Making everyone nervous about their tour; many were afraid they wouldn’t play material from their old incredible nu-metal albums as the songs wouldn’t mesh with the new. Linkin Park also had the added pressure of having won the 2010 EMA award for ‘Best Live Band’; their reputation was hanging on this tour. The support act for Linkin Park was ‘Does it offend you, yeah?’ an electro, rock, punk, dance band from Reading. Judging by the crowd they were not ‘well received’, to be polite. Their set consisted of what they dared call ‘Punk’, an insult to legends of punk such as ‘The Sex Pistols’, which translated to the audience as nothing other than noise. They had screeching that replicated a train’s
brakes on a cold day, lyrics which were inaudible and just caused discomfort when listening. The stage was very dimly lit with strobe lighting blinding the audience, adding the effect of a night club not a world tour for a monster band like Linkin Park. ‘Does it Offend you, yeah?’ failed to provoke a small mosh pit, even from boredom, it seemed as if the audience were asleep where they stood/ sat. From their set it is obvious that they belonged in a ‘rave’ at a club and not in an arena. After this sluggish start Linkin Park could not have come sooner. As the arena darkened the eerie voice heard on ‘The Requiem’ echoed from the sound system running straight into a video with the start of ‘Wretches and Kings’; a wave of screams followed as members of the band came on one by
one. Chester Bennington knocked out track after track, hardly coming up for air. Everyone soaking up the energy the band was continuously throwing at them; the audience had definitely recovered from the fatigue the support had caused. The band shot down the rumours that they wouldn’t play their older material, mixing tracks from their three older albums, ‘Hybrid theory’, ‘Meteora’ and ‘Minutes to midnight’ with the new. ‘Faint’ and ‘Numb’ being just two of the songs that got the crowd going. To break up the endless reeling out of songs, Chester asked the audience if anyone could play the guitar to the tracks on ‘Hybrid Theory’. Many screamed and raised hands with probably only half telling the truth, one being the lucky Christopher who joined the band on stage to play ‘Crawling’. All of
Linkin Park welcomed Christopher on stage as if he were one of their own; funnily he was wearing the same shoes as Mike Shinoda. Christopher was the ultimate fan, who got a once in a lifetime opportunity and didn’t disappoint with his performance. They finished for a 20 minute interval before coming back to do the ‘encore’ which was long enough to be a second half. Stresses of performing showed when Chester got some of the words wrong to ‘Leave out all the rest’ even though he had the lyrics printed out and stuck on the stage beneath him. This aside the whole band gave an electric performance that did not fail to impress. Some could complain that the hour and a half set was too short for the price of the ticket (£44.50), nevertheless the decibels of screams in that arena proved that everyone had an epic time.
stage, jumping manically and head banging in the fashion she is known for. The other band members took a more static position, hardly moving throughout the entire set. The audience literally buzzing, some attempted mosh pits but Paramore is not the gig for such brutality. Ending the official set with ‘The Only Exception’, everyone raising their lighters or mobiles to create an artificial starry night which turned out to be visually remarkable. Those that have been to gigs before knew that Paramore would not leave it like that and of course they didn’t, running back to complete the night with the ‘Brand New Eyes’ single ‘Brick by boring Brick’. Finishing with what many would consider their ultimate single, ‘Misery Business’. Hayley called out to the audience for help to sing the epic track, picking the ‘Tambourine guy’ accompanied by a girl from the barrier. Each looked genuinely amazed to be picked and be in
front of a full audience. Explosions of orange confetti drowned the front of the arena as the band said their final farewells. Energy fed the adrenaline junkies from Tennessee, USA, to put on an incredible show which for some fans was their first, but probably not last, Paramore gig.
No ‘Pressure’ for Paramore They claim to be in the business of misery, but for Gemma Harling there was nothing but hyped up electricity at the LG Arena The audience at a Paramore gig seem to have a million times more drive than any other crowd; the seated blocks doing a Mexican wave to burn excess energy, while Paramore set their stage behind a black curtain. The occasional ‘We love you Hayley!’ being shouted from all directions and sporadic upsurge of screams for no reason. It was obvious that it was going to be one hell of a night. No mathematician, scientist or genius could figure out or explain the choice of supports. Their sounds were completely different from Paramore’s and each other’s. The first support was Fun, an American indie-pop band based in New York. They were slow to provoke anything from the crowd they were so desperately prodding with their unknown tunes; however there was only so long people could sit/stand still without surrendering to their lively attitude and charming charisma. The lead singer, Nate Ruess, had a vocal pitch worthy of a west end star, pulling off an impressive cover of Queen’s ‘Radio GaGa’. All in all they did well to raise the attention of the crowd after a slow-moving start, even though they didn’t fit into the same genre as Paramore. The next support would have been
more random if it wasn’t for his and Hayley’s number 1 collaboration recently. Stage name B.O.B, the alternative, R’n’B, hip-hop artist also known to some as Bobby Ray. Entering the stage with his entourage including two backing dancers and harmonists, it was hard to concentrate on this circus amount of performers. B.O.B mixed some slightly less familiar tracks with the massively popular ‘Magic’, ‘Nothin’ on you’ and the fan favourite ‘Airplanes’. Miss Hayley Williams, sporting yet another vibrant hair colour, pink, different from the orange we are familiar with, graced the stage with her presence for this duet which sent the fans wild. More pumped than ever the crowd screeched the three syllables ‘Pa’ ‘Ra’ ‘More’ until the tension was at its peak; then as if my magic, the curtain dropped revealing the band. The set had an interesting layout with screens at the back, a festival size screen at the side and light-bulbs hanging in an ‘Ignorance’ video style, which was their opening song. A ‘tickled pink’ Hayley Williams claims the crowd as Paramore’s when comparing their upcoming set to the Reading and Leeds festival. Saying: ‘You belong to us’ which to a room full of obsessed fans seems like the best thing
ever. Basically because the attention wasn’t spilt between several bands, as it is at a festival, it was going to be a more focused epic rock-out with Paramore. The band mixed the moods by playing fast tracks, getting the blood pumping, and then slowing it down with a mini acoustic session. Playing ‘Where the Lines Overlap and ‘Misguided Ghosts’ among others; Hayley borrowing a fan’s tambourine to accompany her gentle vocals and the soft instrumentals. In interviews the band claims that it was nearly the end of them after their massive album ‘Riot!’ the other band members apparently getting sick of being in Hayley’s shadow or that is what some have suggested. This is why in the middle of the set for no real purpose, with a fan crowd like this, they introduced each other; vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarists Josh Farro and Taylor York, drummer Zac Farro, bassist Jeremy Davis and tour guitarist, tambourine player, keyboardist John Howard. They played classics from their first album ‘All We Know is Falling’, their popular ‘Riot!’ album and the newest piece to the collection ‘Brand New Eyes’. Hayley becoming a pink blur as she ran round the
18 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Music
My Chemical Romance Review Gemma Harling reviews the famous US band at the Hammersmith Apollo Screams erupted from the eager crowd of the Hammersmith Apollo as My Chemical Romance stormed the stage for the first show in the UK for three years; and it could not have come sooner. The band kicked off their ‘mini European tour’ in London, Saturday 23rd October. Some fans queued outside the venue for a massive thirty-six hours for a chance of being at the barrier of this sell out show. Controversy surrounded the American band after their 2006 concept album; ‘The Black Parade’ brought negative connotations to their music, MCR being called a ‘Suicide Cult’ by the national newspaper ‘The Daily Mail’, this causing the band to take a break from the whirlwind that had become their lives and reassess what rock meant to them. In an interview with ‘Kerrang!’ lead singer Gerard Way says “There was something in the back of my head asking, ‘Is this going to happen again? Are we done?’.” and thank the Gods of rock they weren’t. The New Jersey rockers hit back with more vengeance than ever, banishing the dark costumes and themes, trading them for new, colourful comic book personas. The support was the Scottish pop
punk band, Twin Atlantic, who gave a lively performance and were a great warm up for the main attraction that everyone was waiting for. At 9pm the anticipation of the crowd was at a peak, a few minutes later the house lights went down and the walls of the Apollo shook. My Chemical Romance ran on stage, starting the show with their new single ‘Na Na Na’, which was barely audible through the ear-piercing screeching from the mainly female audience. Gerard Way smiled at the response of the crowd and seemed genuinely humbled. He gave a truly remarkable performance, his electrifying vocals brightened up the entire venue, joined by a chorus of over 4000 fans, as the band punched out old and new tunes. As promised, MCR played songs from all four of their albums (the fourth not yet released). Reeling out favourites such as ‘Our lady of sorrows’, ‘Helena’, ‘I’m not Okay’ and ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’, just some of the nearly 2 hours’ worth of songs performed. For the track ‘Honey, this mirror isn’t big enough for the two of us’, Way asked for a fan to come on stage and assist with the vocals, he was joined by twins who looked as if they had won the lottery with this opportunity, though
they were slightly over enthusiastic hugging and grabbing all the members of the band whilst on stage. But what fan wouldn’t? Guitarist, Frank Iero, appeared to have lost his onstage personality from earlier years as he took a ‘Kurt Cobain’ like stance for the entirety of the set, saying just one word. Still, he was able to shred the guitar riffs he is known for, with Ray Toro blasting the hair raising solos with an avid excitement at the other side of the stage. The amalgamation of the guitars and drums pounding riled up the crowd to form brutal mosh pits to the older tracks played, fans sharing sweat in this energetic frenzy the band had created. During songs Gerard Way flirtatiously played to female audience members by licking his hand several times and blowing kisses, showing the playful side he has always displayed and being a father and husband hasn’t changed. Gerard’s brother, Mikey, took a confident position with his bass next to the singer during the set, he too being a favourite amongst the female fans. Four tracks from the new album were unleashed on the crowd during the gig, two making their world debut, ‘Planetary (go!)’ and ‘The Kids From Yesterday’ were incredibly upbeat but different
to what the fans are used to; they were also the only tracks that the audience gave their full attention to as no one knew the lyrics. The other two ‘new tracks’ being the already epic ‘Na Na Na’ and ‘The Only Hope For Me Is You’, both very diverse from each other, but equally as crowd rousing. Although the set was long, being approximately an hour and fifty minutes, the band didn’t lose energy
for one moment, making the long wait worthwhile. Gerard Way saying “we’ll be back very soon” and “we always come back for more” during the gig, are promising indications of a bigger tour next year and some more eccentric shows from the colossal My Chemical Romance. My Chemical Romance’s fourth album ‘Danger Days: The True Lives of The Fabulous Killjoys’ is out to buy now.
Funeral For a Friend Review Artist of the Fortnight Sam Keene
Funeral for a Friend are a band who a lot of people will be happy to see touring again. With a new album coming out soon and a change in line up: with a new member on bass in Richard Boucher (formerly of Hondo-Maclean) and band member Gavin Burrough changing from bass to guitar. With all these changes I think it is safe to say that people are curious to see what these vicissitudes have changed with regards to the band’s music. As the stage darkened after the second and last support act of the night finished on the stage at Sub91, it was clear by the response of the crowd that they were almost all there to see one band and one band only…. Funeral for a Friend; after a hiatus of almost 2 months after a recording session for their new album (to be released in March 2011); Funeral for a Friend are back to touring, and this was evident by the fact that plenty of diehard Funeral for a Friend fans were present and testing the venues 450
capacity. Even though the new venue clearly has a sound system which would probably be loud enough for a venue of double the size; you could hear every word of every song coming from the audience, which is more than can be said for Funeral for a Friend frontman: Matthew Davies-Kreye; both evidently and self admittedly the vocalist for Funeral for a Friend had used up his vocal well in the bands previous two gigs at Swansea and Reading. Having to call upon the lead vocalists from the two supporting bands to help him sing his own songs; a clearly unplanned move as the supporting vocalists’ clearly did not know the words of the songs they were trying to sing. To the helpful frontmen’s credit however; they quickly learnt the chorus lyrics to a few songs from the audience’s sing along antics, whilst the songs were being played. To the lead singer’s merit he tried to sing the songs even with his clearly faltering voice, and between every song he reiterated how sorry he was for sounding out of sorts, due to this he poured even more energy into
trying to get the crowd involved. The set list was somewhat predictable, however when it comes to a band like Funeral for a Friend with such a devoted following; that perhaps, is not such a bad thing. They played songs from all of their albums, ranging from fan favourites such as “Escape Artists Never Die” from their 2003 album “Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation” as well as more recent tracks like “All the Rage” from their album “Hours” which reached number 12 in the UK album chart in 2006; and a couple of tracks from their upcoming album such as “Front Row Seats To The End Of The World” showing the bands more modern sound with their new line up, not too dissimilar to the bands old sound that their old songs sound off, but just an evolution of the bands sonic scape if you will. Funeral for a Friend are a band that are still clearly in the alternative limelight and somewhat in the mainstream also, I still expect them to being playing the big festivals next summer and continuing for many years to come.
Charlie Brennan
Example Full Name: Elliot John Gleave Age: 28 (20/6/82) Hails from: Fulham, London. Interesting Fact: His performing name is a reference to his initials, EG, which is an abbreviation for the word Example.Example has earned his place as this fortnight’s ‘hottest star’ due to his collaboration with Blackberry, being featured as the first star participating in their new Live and Lost project. This week Example started off at the summit of Mount Snowdon in North
Wales. Where he was contacted by a member of the public who gave him the opportunity to paraglide down the mountain! His task was to get through the week with only a phone, a charger and £20. The rest was up to his fans. He left it up to them to organise a route and all decisions were made purely based on the best suggestions and offers provided on twitter. This ultimately meant staying at a different fans house each night, often DJ’ing a house party and meeting all the screaming fans that the aforementioned host had invited round to ogle the ‘celebrity’. The experience eventually included milking cows and getting stuck with a flat tyre before finally ending in a gig at an arcade in Southend. On reflection of his Live and Lost adventure, Example felt that his experiences would severely change the way he looks at and treats his fans forever. Fancy a Live and Lost challenge? How about waking up to find Kings of Leon in your kitchen or taking Cheryl Cole out to your local McDonalds. Oh the possibilities.
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 19
Music
Editor's Reviews and Debuts Katie Bowley looks at what's hot and what's not in the music world today Upcoming Gigs 29/11/10: Pixie Lott @ Demontfort Hall 04/12/10: Madness @ Demontfort Hall
Take That Back Oh it’s the middle aged woman’s dream, the famous five some are back. With the return of Robbie Williams after 15 years, Take That performed their new single “” live on the X Factor last week. Backed by an orchestra, the band proved
04/12/10: Courteeners @ 02 Academy 10/12/10: Frank Turner @ 02 Academy 18/12/10: Human League @ Demontfort Hall
Magnetic Man
Dubstep, drum and bass and a lot of loud banging, Magnetic Man is the new up and coming club artist.
Album Reviews
Jump on the Band Wagon
The Brights A band from my home roots in Essex, The Brights have released their new single Footsteps. The single is of similar taste to sixties sound of The Beatles, successfully producing some endowed new music. The Brights play up to their indie-pop genre very well, with glittering guitars and fresh lyrics. You could say they have titled themselves appropriately. Worth a listen I would say.
age proved only success, as the band sung to a wildly screaming crowd. Their success is only proven as tickets
for the “Progress Live” tour sold out within minutes, selling over a million tickets. Take That, The Flood was however kept off the number one spot for the first week, but then broke records in the second.
Let's Blink Again
The Commercial Factor Is there really any point anymore? This year’s X Factor has become so controversial, it’s not really about the music any more. With acts still standing like the infamous Wagner, I think the point is proven. He is an example of how a show so emphatic towards talent has ignored its goal and taken a turn for the worse. Last year we saw winner Joe Mcelderry lose his Christmas number one spot against a Facebook competition. It’s looking that way again as we see The Trashmen hit Surfin Bird is taking the lead this year.
Rihanna - Loud ****
To accomplish the new hair and style, it seems Rihanna has a slightly new a better in my opinion style. After the highly successful Rated R, it seems Rihanna has worked hard into produced a well lyricized album with flow and bounce. However, the sound of Rihanna’s voice is so unique there is no way you could determine her new album as a fail. She has some brilliant vocal skills and has used them accordingly toward the style of her music and tracks. Five years in the business and she’s still recording some crackers. It’s different, vibrant and exciting as every song differs from the other. Listen out for Skin + Lyrics and Fading Away for classic Rihanna.
Oh wait, that went straight to number 26. Just goes to show it’s not all about your voice aye Cheryl.
Cheryl Top, Nadine Flop Nadine Coyle has released an album, pretty much the same week as fellow Girls Aloud band mate Cheryl Cole. And guess what, Nadine’s album went straight to number erm, 47. A nice big slap in the face for her as Cheryl went straight to number 1, even knocking US rockers Kings of Leon of the top spot. Poor Nadine, let’s hope that her single does well!
90’s soul take on brit electro pop may well be the next single. Lose It (In the End), partly written by Jonathan Pearce of The Drums, actually features Mr Ronson’s vocals. The less said about his contribution, the better. Stick to your day job Ronson. But despite the latter fact, an allround fun collection.
Mark Ronson & Business Intl Record Collection ***
Who said the Sixties couldn’t be revived? Well I kind of agree now. The album is a big mix of guest writers and singers/rappers. Does it work? Well every song sounds totally different, I guess that’s why it’s titled as it is. My favourite song has to be the lead single Bike Song, fronted by The View’s Kyle Falconer. The song is a psychedelic sixties number, that might irritate at first but it sure sticks in your head. Another song worth a listen is You Gave me Nothing elegantly sung by Boy George. This
Swedish House Mafia - Until One****
A long awaited album release from the Swedish boys, Until One is finally here. A well complied album of singles such as I Found U and Show me Love. Made up of Steve Angello, Axwell and Sebastian
2011 will see the legends that are Blink 182 tour again, around the UK. They are set to play Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Newcastle and the 02. With the Europe tour still ongoing, and the Reading and Leeds headline this year, tickets sold out fast. The band are said to be recording a new album for the tour and hope to release within the year.
The Good Natured
If you like keyboards, Ka te Nash and Ladyhawke, then list en to The Good Natured. Nice 80’s style rock to brighten you r day.
Ingrosso, I’m not really sure I’m in a place to slate it to be honest. The album is a mix of new and old singles and the massive success that was One. The album features a mix of each of the DJ’s takes on singles and has collaborations by Coldplay, Benni Bennassi and Daft Punk. With a progressive electro and pumping house sound, touching on a storming dance that will take command of your itunes. An absolutely incredible blend of superstar Dj’s unbelievable sounds, under one name.
Editor's Choice 1.Pyro: Kings of Leon 2.Cooler than Me: Mike Posner 3.Bike Song: Mark Ronson & The Business Intl 4.Shine the Light - McFly 5.Lights On: Katy B ft Ms Dynamite 6.The Flood – Take That 7.The Time: Black Eyed Peas 8.On the Lam: Kele 9.Promise This: Cheryl Cole 10.Constellations: Darwin Deez Check out our Spotify playlist at http://bit.
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 21
Film
X-Mas With The Demon Film Crew We suggest our favourite films to kick back with this holiday Demon Film Editor Sam Nicholson Reccomends: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Christopher Bell Reccomends: Bad Santa
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) is the classic holiday mash up film. Jack Skellington causes chaos when, as the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, he decides to take over Christmas, kidnapping Santa Claus in the process. Tim Burton’s stop motion feature film is one of the greatest Christmas films ever made, and utilises the traditional Christmas story, before taking it and warping it into a slightly frightening tale. Coupled with some amazing music by Danny Elfman (also heard singing as Jack Skellington) and unforgettable characters such asOogie Boogie (Ken Page), this is the film to get out and watch this Christmas. If you want to truly experience this film, then splash out and go to the cinemas and see it in 3D. In 3D you can truly experience Tim Burton’s stop motion vision, as Jack leans out of the screen to ‘scare girls and boys’.
Developed from an original idea by the Coen brothers, Bad Santa is an excellent piece of sleazy wise-cracking counter programming ideal for those of us who look to the festive season with a sarcastic cheer. Billy Bob Thornton stars as a cad alcoholic Santa Clause who’s never more at home then when he is sat in his own arcane debilitating self-pity, pouring the devil’s juice down his bonce. He and motor mouth side-kick Tony Cox hire themselves out as the festive team in order to crack shopping centre safes. Bad Santa is an irreverent piss taking of ol’ Christmas and a delightfully obscene one at that. Dry humour with genuine substance and side-splitting stand out scenes make it a colourful and inventive alternative to the typical festive rubbish.
Tia Pennant-Lewis Reccomends: Gremlins
Nico Lehmann Reccomends: Home Alone
"For those who have seen Gremlins, you will know as I do that once you have seen how cool -and let's face it, adorable-a Mogwai is, the film is sold to you. The story begins with an inventor (Hoyt Axton) buying his son (Zach Galligan) a mythical creature-the Mogwai later named as Gizmoas a pet for christmas, but this gift comes with a catch. Three very simple rules that you would break at your own peril: Don't expose him to bright lights, Don't feed him after midnight and Don't let him near water. That sounds easy enough, doesn't it? A classic, the award-winning Gremlins is well worth a watch. This hybrid comedyhorror is both hilarious and horrific, but will never leave you bored
Columnist Chris Wells Reccomends: Joyeux Noel Do you remember that inspirational story about the soldiers in World War One who played football on Christmas Day? That’s the basis for this film, the 3 leaders of a Scottish, French and German Regiment form an uncomfortable truce on a most special of days. Featuring Diane Kruger (Inglorious Basterds), Gary Lewis (Billy Elliot’s father) and Gary Lewis (Trevor in Eastenders), to name a few, all speak in the real languages giving the real story extra authenticity. Despite being a dramatised version of the events, it captures the real horror of the trenches as well as the humanity all sides had, just wanting to celebrate Christmas like any other person would.
It's easy to fall in love with 'Home Alone' especially at Christmas time. It not only invokes a series of childhood memories and feelings, but also pleases with action and wittiness. It doesn't matter how often you have seen it as there is something for everyone. The inventiveness of the kid and the explorative qualities of his adventure capture every young or old boy/girl. I’d love to have such a big house just for myself, not being troubled with consequences. On top of that, there is the sentiment of Christmas values: Kevin realises the importance of family; parents fly all over the world for their kid; even growing up plays a big part in scenes where he stops being afraid.
What's Coming Out This Christmas
Megamind in 3D (PG) Starring: Will Ferrell & Brad Pitt The Warrior's Way (TBC) Starring: Jang Don Gun & Kate Bosworth Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (15) Starring: Onni Tommilia Hamlet (TBC) Starring: Rory Kinnear & Ruth Negga The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of The Dawn Treader in 3D (PG) Starring: Ben Barnes & Simon Pegg No Problem (TBC)
Starring: Sanjay Dutt & Paresh Rawal Tron Legacy in 3D (TBC) Starring: Jeff Bridges & Alan Cumming Burlesque (TBC) Starring: Christina Aguillera & Cher Animals United in 3D (TBC) Starring: James Cordon & Dawn French Fred: The Movie (12A) Starring: Lucas Cruickshank & Pixie Lott Gullivers Travels (TBC) Starring: Jack Black & Catherine Tate
22 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Film
The End Of An Era: Bye Bye Potter
The Demon bids farewell to Harry Potter, and decides whether we're glad it's going Sam Nicholson Film Editor
Everybody knows the story of the little boy living under the stairs, with a scar on his forehead. At least he was until he discovered he was a wizard, and that scar on his head was gained when he survived Lord Voldemort’s killing curse as a baby. The story of Harry Potter has been the most successful fantasy series of the last decade. Beginning 13 years ago in 1992, the twenty-something’s among us would have just been primary school children when this series started. By 1999 the books were best sellers. Who would believe that the initial book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, had an initial print run of only 1000 copies? In 1998, the rights to the first four Harry Potter books were sold to Warner Brothers for a reported one million pounds. It was in 2001, that the world was introduced to the faces of Harry Potter. Now synonymous with the series, the then unknown actors Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, alongside actress Emma Watson, were debuted to the world as the troublesome trio. Fans came to love them so much so that even the rumours of the principal cast being replaced for film five caused uproar. Now we are nine years down the line from the first film, with book seven (part one) having just hit our screens. Has it all become too much? For fans it seems not. The franchise
ranks high in the top 10 ‘favourite films’ lists, and financially has been an amazing success, with revenue for the sixth film Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince reaching a staggering $933,959,197 worldwide revenue. The series to date has made an unbelievable $5,417,096,705.
to say ‘goodbye good riddance’ to it. It has been an important cornerstone of this decade, a guaranteed summer (or winter as this film will be) blockbuster. The anticipation year on year waiting for the next part will end next July, and when that day does come, it will be a sad one.
“The end of an Era – today is officially the last day of principal photography on ‘Harry Potter’ – ever. I feel honoured to be here as the director shouts cut for the very last time. Farewell Harry & Hogwarts, it’s been magic.” – Warwick Davis For the film makers, Potter certainly hasn’t lost it shine for producers or film makers, with profits rising film by film. However, to us who are not Potterholics, are we not just a little bit sick of it all? Thirteen years is a long time to have wizardry pushed at us. It’s more of the same old same old isn’t it. One important person in particular seems to have had enough of Potter. Emma Watson aka Harry’s school friend Hermione Granger, said to The Daily Mirror that she doesn’t have a burning passion for acting and that her film career maybe over after Harry Potter finishes. Whilst not a Potter-holic myself, I don’t think I will be amongst the ones
Above: Daniel Radcliffe now: Harry Potter as seen in film seven Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part One (2010) Below: Daniel Radcliffe then: Harry Potter as seen in film one Harry Potter And The Philosophers Stone (2001)
Warwick Davis said on his Twitter on June 12th 2010 that, “The end of an Era – today is officially the last day of principal photograph on ‘Harry Potter’ – ever. I feel honoured to be here as the director shouts cut for the very last time. Farewell Harry & Hogwarts, it’s been magic.” I have to agree that even though the era of Potter does have to end, and with it one of the greatest fantasy stories of this century, leaving some of us just that little bit sad to see it go. See Harry Potter at DMU's closest cinemas: Cinema De Lux and Odeon.
Check out The Diablo's review of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows - Part 1 over the page.
Music Meets Silver Screen
Do legends Green Day have the same oomph at the cinema? Green Day’s 21st Century Breakdown was presented in cinemas across Europe on November 15th, with Leicester’s Cinema De Lux taking part in the latest ‘live music’ showcase. The show was recorded at Olympia Halle in Muniche by MTV, the 80 minute concert featured most of the bands hits and treasured favourites. There is no doubt that fans will have loved every moment, with hits from the bands latest album powering out through huge speakers and on a large screen. Still, the silver screen made some powerful tracks such as ‘American Idiot’ seem smaller than they are, the messages shrunken into
bite size format by their appearance on a recorded format. The ‘live’ experience wasn’t there. Overall the energy disappeared. Half of Green Day’s live appeal is their amazing fan interaction, which was cut from the shortened show, bar 2-3 minutes involving an angry Billie Joe Armstrong (Guitar & Vocals) pulling a fan onto stage, only to push them back down. With the bands ninth studio album still at least one or two years off, and a live album in the works, it seems that maybe this recording was just a way to keep fans happy in the waiting period. Overall, as enjoyable as the punk rockers performance was, without the live spark it just wasn’t right.
Four Random Green Day Facts 1. The band formed in 1987, consisting of Billie Joe Armstrong (Vocals & Guitar), Mike Dirnt (Bassist) and Tre Cool (Drummer) 2. The band have 8 studio albums, 5 live albums, 3 compilation album and 34 singles. 3. American Idiot (2004) and 21st Century Breakdown both went to number 1 in the US and UK 4. The band has sold 65 million albums world wide
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 23
Film
What's On Now: Reviews Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Due Date Tia Pennant-Lewis
The long anticipated first half of the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series, 'Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows' hit screens on November 19th wowing audiences across the county. Starring as usual, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, the film is action-packed, thrilling and 'on the edge of your seat' entertainment from start to finish, not to mention visually stunning. The stars of the series give it their all and produce a sensational performance-no doubt their best yet. As usual the supporting roles are also fantastic, and include acting legends John Hurt and Bill Nighy. This is the darkest film yet and can be considered in some ways as completely separate to the rest of the series. This segment sees Harry-away from the comfort of Hogwarts-facing his biggest challenges yet and journeying on a path that's end is, as of yet, unknown. With only the help of Ronand Hermione. Harry must find and destroy the horcruxes in order to destroy Voldemort, whilst resisting the lure of the mysterious, Deathly Hallows. For people who haven't read the books, the film may well be confusing
as the storyline develops from the assumption that the audience knows what is going on. Some elements of the book are as expected, missing; those that follow the books will notice these. However, this is the most 'true to the book' film of the series yet, and will be dearly loved by most - if not all - Harry Potter fanatics. The film will make you laugh one minute and cry the next; book lovers especially will find it highly emotional, tissues are recommended! The ending to this half in particular, will not disappoint as it sets up part two, released next summer, perfectly. This is a must see for all Potter fans!
Tia Pennant-Lewis
Deathly Hallows Part 2 will be released on 15 July 2011.
RED (Retired, Extremely Dangerous) Nico Lehmann
Whoever thought Bruce Willis is dusty and incapable of doing excellent action anymore gets proven wrong. 'Red' demonstrates how stars like Helen Mirren and Morgen Freeman still use a potential energy for exploding screens. Frank Moses, top CIA-agent starred by Bruce Willis, is retired – and bored. Lucky for him that a special force tries to eliminate him. Of course it turns out to be practically impossible. Thanks to the chase he gets caught in he has a reason to visit and kidnap his endangered customer service agent – the young, just as unhappy hotline worker Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker). Her self-ironic character adds much humour to the story. While being targeted throughout most of the country, they recruit other former agents. Each brings a unique style to the team that accounts for a variety of comedic and
disastrous events. Morgan Freeman with his strength in calm, but mysterious reasoning, Helen Mirren as the cold and nonchalantly brutal woman, John Malkovich – just as we know him – madly manic but still genius in his own way. Apart from a welldone storyline, this film is enriched with special effects, superb acting and distinct cinematic devices. Retired, but more than fit agents reveal a doomed American conspiracy when fighting against their own infiltrated intelligence agency. Another action film a la Bruce Willis which fans have been waiting for.
Want to write for Demon Film? Send your content to Film Editor Sam Nicholson at no1_dingbat@hotmail.com
After the phenomenal success of The Hangover, the long anticipated Due Date, also directed by Todd Phillips, has been held in high expectations. Zach Galifianakis returns to screens to fulfill these hopes, playing a similar role to his previous character in The Hangover, Alan, whom the audience so loved. Alongside him in 'Due Date' is Robert Downey Jr., award-winning actor famously known for his roles as Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes. The pairing of these two-though not one that obviously makes sense-does not disappoint. The characters initially clash but their qualities later find balance with Ethan's (Galifianakis) outrageous quirkiness complimenting Peter's (Downey) uptight nature perfectly. The focus of the story is on Peter Highman and his efforts to get home to his pregnant wife before she goes into labour. Chaos and ludicrous situations ensue when Ethan Tremblay helps-or rather, hinders-his efforts by offering to drive him home. Due Date is a classic road trip movie but with a twist as the motive behind the main characters is not superficial as is usually seen in movies like this. Though parts are hilarious, it is not 'a laugh a minute' film; it is clear that the success of 'The Hangover' is an overhanging shadow that forces this film to try too hard in some ways. Some of the jokes are a bit hit and miss and controversy is pushed to its limits in attempts to win the audience over. In general, the film is enjoyable and worth a watch for fans of The Hangover or of the lead actors, who both produce stunning performances as always. The film however falls short of a bar which was set high by The Hangover.
On This Day In Film Christmas 2009 saw James Cameron's sci-fi epic dominating the box office. The 3D marvel broke multiple domestic and worldwide records including highest grossing movie and fastest pirated movie.
Christmas 2005 is a bloody one with 35 bodies bodies piling up, including Grandma who gets run down by Santa's "hell-dear".
Christmas 2000 sees Jim Carrey as The Grinch. I'd be terrified if I knew Jim Carrey was going to slide down my chimney!
Useless Film Trivia: What film was first released at Christmas 1990? Answer: Home Alone
2 for 1 tickets
Bring a friend for free! Simply present the attached voucher with a valid student ID at the box office of ODEON Leicester when purchasing your Student ticket and you’ll receive another ticket for Free.
2 for 1 tickets
Simply present this voucher with a valid student ID at the box office of ODEON Leicester when purchasing your Student ticket and you’ll receive another Free. TERMS & CONDITIONS: 1. Simply present this voucher and a valid student ID to receive one free Student or Teen ticket when another is purchased. 2. Valid between 29th October 2010 and 16th November 2010 inclusive only. 3. Only valid at ODEON Leicester. 4. Offer is not valid on ODEON Plus, ODEON Directors Chair, ODEON Newbies, ODEON Premiere Club Film Fan Tuesday 25% off deal and bank holidays. 5. Not valid for ticket paid for with ODEON points. Any Odeon points awarded will be earned at the discounted price paid. 6. Subject to film and seat availability. 7. Voucher can only be redeemed at the box office and cannot be used via the ODEON website, Filmline or ATM machine. 8. Not valid with any other offer or discount including Orange Wednesday’s. 9. Not valid for premieres or special events. 10. Voucher can only be used once and must be surrendered upon use. 11. Void if altered, reproduced or transferred. 12. The re-sale of vouchers is strictly prohibited. 13. ODEON Cinemas’ general admission terms apply. 14. The cinema manager’s decision is final. Promoter: ODEON Cinemas Ltd, 54 Whitcomb Street, London, WC2H 7DN
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 11
Talk James King
Anoushka Wroblewski
Travel Editor
Arts Editor
Im 21 from Sussex. I'm doing a business and management degree, and have travelled a lot in North America and Italy. If you'd like to write about your travel experiences please email me.
Hi i'm Anoushka. If you'd like to write about art, theatre, books, or cultural places you've been to visit then please let me know. I'd love to hear any suggestions for the Arts section.
p09252430@myemail.dmu. ac.uk
noushwro@gmail.com
Emma Baylis
Katie Bowley
Lifestyle Editor
Music Editor
Hi, I'm Emma and I'm from Leeds. I'm in my final year studying Journalism and love Starbucks, Musicals and Urban Outfitters.
Hi I'm Katie, I'm 19 and studying 2nd year Business and Management. I'm your Music Editor this year so if you've been to a gig or like a new album why not get in touch?!
p08273001@myemail.dmu. ac.uk
ktbowley@hotmail.co.uk
Samantha Nicholson
Andy Brady Features Editor
Film Editor
I'm a first year Journalism student from Shropshire. Please get in touch with any ideas you may have for Features!
Hi! I'm Sam a 3rd year Journalism and Creative Writing student. I enjoy live action role playing and burlesque. I've written for the Film section since my 1st year and would love lots of contributors this year!
andy@andrewbrady.net
No1_dingbat@hotmail.com
Naomi Marcus & Victoria Coffey News Editors
Naomi is 23 and a Creative Writing & English student and Vicky is 21 studying English Literature & Journalism. We're back again as your News Editors to bring you the most relevant stories. Let us know what's happening DMU! naomimarcus@hotmail.com victoria_emily@live.com
Anna Rog & Brett Leppard Politics Editors
Hi we're both in 2nd year studying courses pertaining to British Government & Politics We are committed to increasing the standard of political writing and debate within The Demon. All views are welcomed. Anna.rog@hotmail.co.uk Brett_leppard@hotmail. co.uk
Amy Seabrook
Editor in Chief
Hi my name is Amy and i'm the Editor in Chief of The Demon this year. I'm 21, and a Journalism and Media Studies graduate. I'm currently working as the Vice President Media & Communications at De Montfort University Students' Union and love The Demon newspaper.
Happy Christmas from your Demon Team!
12 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Politics To be or not to be... in the labour market? Anna Rog Politics Editor
The current economic climate does not seem promising for students and graduates aspiring to enter the labour market. Throughout the period of study many of us complement Student Finance loans with part-time work or consider taking a placement year to get an insight of the industry and increase our career opportunities after graduation. No matter how demanding the
programme of study, students are required not only to consider future employment well ahead of graduation, but also gain as much work-based experience alongside their studies. The period spent at higher education, university or college is not associated with passing modules just for ‘not failing’ sake any longer, on the contrary academic achievement and additional participation in societies are often crucial requirements of ever more demanding employers.
We are frequently reminded about skills that could potentially help with securing jobs after graduating, abilities that would give us an edge in the labour market. What is certain, is the undergraduate diploma will not guarantee us dream jobs, what is more it might not secure any employment at all. According to the Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HECSU) graduate employment is falling as indicated by research publication What Do Graduates Do 2010? Released in early November.
The research analyses data regarding 2009 graduates’ destinations in 6 months after leaving university. The recent document shows that 57.6% of 2009 graduates secured jobs in the UK and 1.6% overseas. However, the alarming rate of graduate unemployment at 8.9% is the highest since 1993. Graduate unemployment hit hardest students qualified in subjects like IT, media studies or mechanical engineering, whereas geography and psychology graduates were below the average level of unemployment. The lucky ones who manage to secure jobs could expect a mean salary of £19,695 (£22,228 in London). Not surprisingly the starting salary for graduates depends on subject of study, hence those with degrees in Chinese could enjoy the highest entering salary of £24,540, in comparison to the lowest £14,625 for degrees in fine arts. According to the HECSU, the public sector was among only a few employers still recruiting throughout the period of recession, it also created more posts than the year before for social and healthcare professionals. In the private sector only retail and marketing still saw an increase of recruitment. This situation can change dramatically as the Coalition government urges us to swallow big changes associated with spending cuts. Those cuts will most definitely affect all of us, however to students throughout the country more anxiety is added to an uncertain future. The cuts in public spending will affect the public sector tremendously, which is still the single biggest employer in the UK. With the proposed public sector job cuts, the future of current employees as well as graduates aiming to enter the public sector employment is unclear. The cuts in provision for courses in humanities, social sciences and arts will result in a transfer of the majority of study costs directly onto students. This not only seems illogical, but also are a major cause of concern when taking future employment into consideration. Since art graduates were severely affected by unemployment and those who found jobs had the lowest entering salary, it is likely that future courses in this subject will be less popular among students entering higher education. The more expensive to run courses which will receive state backing like medicine, science and technology might develop even more competitive and rigorous recruitment practices.
Yet courses like these still might not guarantee employment. Although tuition fees rise will affect students entering higher education from 2012 onwards, it is a reminder to make the most of what is on offer at DMU. As the employment market becomes more and more competitive employers, both in public and private sectors, are looking for most suitable candidates. How can we make the most out of our study at DMU to boost our employability? According to Stuart Marriott, Careers Employer Development Manager at DMU Careers and Employment Support, employers are increasingly valuing experience as there are more and more graduates with good degrees and A levels. There is also an increasing pressure on graduates to find jobs quickly in order to pay off tuition fee loans. The rat race should not then begin with the undergraduate diploma in our hand but well ahead of it. The participation in societies, volunteering or student representation could have a significant impact on job prospects, as skills mastered in those activities are just what employers seek along a good degree. Even though the employment market seems blurrier than ever, getting career advice well before graduation is a good step forward. As education is the best motor for social mobility, the Coalition government claims the need for unlocked social mobility ‘regardless of background’ where everyone ‘has the chance to rise as high as their talents and ambition allow them’. The reality is that talent and pure will to gain well paid employment, might not be barely enough to succeed. It is then a good idea to make the most of our study at DMU and use the services on offer, which potentially could make a difference to our career prospects. DMU Careers and Employment Support are based on the ground floor of Student Services, Gateway House offering advice from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm on subjects such as CV writing, part-time jobs and full time graduate posts. It also offers a Career Information Zone, updated with recent publications on jobs, employers and further education.
More advice about career prospects can be found on: Careers and Employment Support: dmu.ac.uk/careers For current vacancies visit: dmu.ac.uk/dmuworks
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Valid only at 110/112 Narborough Road and 63 Humberstone Gate with student I.D. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer, including sub of the day. ©2010 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc.
14 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Politics
War is Torture Have we lost the moral battle over torture while waging our “War on Terror”? During a rather heated joint press statement in 2005 with Panama's President Martin Torrijo, President George Bush responded to a question about the use of torture, with the words “We do not torture”. Quite a blatant lie. Whether you mask the word “torture” behind “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques” or not, torture is torture. It is a step too far. It provides dubious information. For example, according to an official memo* a man named “Abu Kenami“, died whilst in an American detention facility in Iraq. The memo states: “on the day he died, Kenami had been punished with ups and downs several times . . . and had his hands flex cuffed behind his back (1285). He was also hooded, with a sandbag placed over [his] head. (1284). Ups and downs are apparently a correctional technique of having a detainee stand up and then sitdown rapidly, always keeping them in constant motion(1284). He was
found dead in the morning after having been placed in his bed cuffed and hooded.” U.S. Army psychiatrist, Maj. Charles Burney, said in 2006, that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay were under pressure to produce a link between al Qaeda and Iraq. Burney said: “While we were there a large part of the time we were focused on trying to establish a link between al Qaeda and Iraq and we were not successful in establishing a link between Al Qaeda and Iraq,” Burney told staff of the Army Inspector General: “The more frustrated people got in not being able to establish that link . . . there was more and more pressure to resort to measures that might produce more immediate results.” There appears to have been a bit of panic on the part of the Bush administration, to be seen to be actively seeking out everyone responsible for 9/11, regardless of the means. Philosophically consequentialist but morally abhorrent to us in the Western World. In February 2010, three judges demanded that the UK Government hand over any information it has on their complicity in the torture of detainees at the detention centre at Guantanamo Bay. The judges referred to the treatment of the detainees as: “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.” One of these detainees was Binyam Mohamed. Mohamed is a British Citizen, captured in 2002 in
Pakistan, flown to Morocco and Afghanistan before being transferred to Guantanamo for seven years. He had been held on suspicion of links to terrorism, but was actually arrested on visa violations. He was never charged and no evidence has ever been provided linking Mohamed to terrorism. To suggest he is a terrorist, is simply wrong. During his tenure in Morocco, Mohamed claims British intelligence were complicit with alleged torture he received at the hands of American officials. Foreign Secretary at the time David Miliband, attempted to suppress evidence linking British intelligence to complicit torture, citing reasons of National Security. There is a whole host of apparent ‘evidence’ in the hands of the US, linking Mohamed to terrorism. There is a suggestion that Mohamed attended pre-9/11 terror camps, and was advised by Bin Laden himself to “prepare” for “something big” for example. The US claims he trained at the Al Farouq terrorist base for combat against the US. They dropped all of the charges in 2008. Miliband failed in his attempts to suppress key information, and it was made public soon after. It became known that the UK Government knew that Mohamed had been made to suffer intense sleep deprivation, was subjected to extreme bouts of changes in climate from unbearably hot to icy cold, at the flick of a switch, for days on end. He had been shackled in complete darkness for days and he claims he had his genitals slashed with a razor, in Morocco. All without trial and all without charge. For the UK Government to have known this, and not intervened to stop such unacceptable practises from continuing, casts a dark shadow over our moral standing in the World. Instead of being outraged at claims of UK complicity in torture; the Secretary of State for Justice, Kenneth Clarke only appears to be taking issue with the fact that the documents relating to the case of British complicity in torture were made public. Clarke was speaking in the wake of a major compensation pay out by the Government to, allegedly, seven victims of torture.
The sum of money to be paid out and the details of the agreement are not known. Clarke stated that the government had not admitted the charges and the claimants had not withdrawn the allegations. Clarke said that to carry on with the case, he could not be certain that he would be able to “defend the security and intelligence agencies without compromising national security.” The question then has to be, does releasing documents and information pertaining to a case like this one, of which Kenneth Clarke intends to suppress from the public eye, really put our National Security at risk? Kenneth Clarke was a world away — in archaic robes, eating at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet —earlier this month, from the blood stained cells of Morocco in which Mohamed was deprived of sleep and threatened constantly if he did not give up information he might or might not have had. It is essential, that for a free and fair democracy to flourish, information about how our elected officials are operating is necessary, whether positive or negative. Especially when your Country has identified itself as a beacon of democracy. If you are going to shine that torch, you have to be prepared to deal with the consequences when they appear to contradict your public moral stance. Now, obviously there must be exceptions. It would be ridiculous to presume the public needs to know the troop movements and stations throughout Afghanistan; that quite clearly would be a threat to their security. But documents that simply embarrass and criminalise Government activity are entirely necessary simply because Government is not above the law. If I were to rob a bank, I couldn’t suddenly suggest that it be kept quiet, and my name be kept under lock and key, because it’s a threat to my future job prospects and my personal security. When it comes to war, covering up complicity in torture, is simply a tool used for propaganda purposes. Western Governments suddenly worry that they might appear to be the bad guys whilst attempting, quite ludicrously, to maintain the
illusion of being the good guys fighting on the side of freedom. They are simply saving face. National Security has absolutely nothing to do with it. We are a Nation of fairness. We are not a Nation of torturers. To maintain a moral high ground, we must separate ourselves from those we seek to defeat. Invoking the term “National security” whenever suggestion of a cover up becomes public, simply appears to confirm a cover up. The ludicrous claims of ‘National security’ should never be applied to a situation of justice. If the UK Government acted wrongly, and in breach of any international law, they should be held accountable for it, and it is in the public interest that they are. It is my opinion that in the wake of 9/11, the Bush administration had to be seen to be doing something in retaliation for such an horrific attack. They in fact, had no clue as to what they were doing. We know this because the links between the 9/11 bombers and Iraq were tenuous at best, and entirely fabricated at worst. There existed no WMDs. No one has any idea where Osama Bin Laden is, and we are still fighting what seems to be another Vietnam, in Afghanistan. People like Mohamed were used as a pawn in the game of politics. The CIA has been able to get away with a lot over the years — presidents have been able to escape lengthy prison sentences, because they have very clever protocols in place that seem to entitle them to escape judicial scrutiny of any kind. Reagan escaped a prison sentence or even talk of impeachment, despite the fact that he had clearly given the go ahead to fund and train Right Winged terrorists groups throughout Latin America and Nicaragua specifically. If you or I were to be found funding terrorist organisations, we would be prosecuted. Presidents and Prime Ministers have always managed to escape justice when it comes to questionable practices. The torture of suspected terrorists is just another in a long line of questionable practices; but let us not be mistaken, national security has absolutely nothing to do with it.
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 15
Politics
Fear and Loathing in Coalition? Brett Leppard Politics Editor
The wonderful, but yet coincidental timing of events in the world are rather spectacular. In the same week of student protests which turned into a violent escapade, we saw the ever sought after release of Aung San Suu Kyi, a Burmese political prisoner who was imprisoned under house arrest for a staggeringly long 15 years. What these two events have in common is protest. There have been various people who have not condemned the direct action of violent and illegal damage taken by part of the student protesters. I find this rather disturbing. To quote Aung San Suu Kyi: “We are convinced that the non-violent approach is the best. In the long run it pays off, even if that run is longer because of its nonviolent nature.” The idea that you can suspend democracy because a party, or coalition in this instance, you dislike proposes a policy you disagree with is madness. If this is true, then why didn’t we have mass riots against the Iraq War, against various draconian civil rights repeals
by the former Labour government, or against Labour not fulfilling all of its manifesto pledges? Even though they won the election, and two subsequent ones, outright. If I entertained this idea, I would have been smashing windows daily during Labour's reign. But no, I was a good citizen who voiced his opinion at the ballot box, and although the MP I voted for didn’t get elected, the party did. Much to my surprise might I add, in no way did I foresee the Liberal Democrats in government. The surprising revelation that most of you probably will now find is that I’m rather pleased. This is principally because I am at heart a pessimisticrealist (both contradictory positions to hold) – I see what is real then expect even worse from it. In my view, Labour had lost touch with the electorate on many issues and had become a lame duck, and since New Labour was nothing more than watered down Thatcherism with a smiley face here and there, I wanted the Conservatives, if not the Liberal Democrats, to win. Imagine my joy when I hear of a hung parliament and the possibility of a coalition with the Lib Dems. I knew that neither
Labour nor the Conservatives were actually the party I supported, but the Conservatives, in my view, were the lesser of two evils. To have the Liberal Democrats being able to get some (being the key word) of their manifesto pledges implemented was, and still is, fantastic. Could you imagine the Conservatives solely on their own, along with all of those popular Thatcher horror stories? “Margaret Thatcher, Milk Snatcher!” We might have had the full Browne Review implemented, and then we would really be in a furore. In no way do I mean to defend the tuition fee rises or any other non-Lib Dem policies that have to be endorsed due to the coalition. Rather, I acknowledge that without the Lib Dems this government could be a lot worse, I also go on to appreciate the realities of power, and that of coalitions. I ponder what NUS’ President Aaron Porter is plotting when he speaks of targeting every seat, which votes for the tuition fee rise, by recalling MPs with recently proposed legislation. Such is even suggested in Nick Clegg’s seat in Sheffield
Hallam. The fact that Mr Porter is a member of the Labour party probably has nothing to do with it, I merely speculate. Additionally, every NUS president, bar one, since 1998 have been Labour party members, many of whom have gone on to be Labour party employees, two even became councillors. Forgive me if I don’t give our glorious president, Aaron Porter, the benefit of the doubt. In the face of the above evidence I very much doubt he really cares since those past have held party line on tuition fees to further their own ends. But then, how could he not oppose the rises publicly? Threatening to de-seat an MP over a single policy is rather rash, especially when you suggest targeting one of the key figures in the coalition. May Mr Porter please think about the ramifications this decision might have on government stability and that without the Liberal Dems in cahoots with the Conservatives, Britain would be a much gloomier place in which to be. Interestingly, six Lib Dem councillors have left the party recently citing too many u-turns as their reason. An important point to be drawn out
of this may be that the Lib Dems are mostly a party of opposition. They live for the moral high ground of no tuition fees and no illegal wars, but some seem apprehensive of governing. Did they think they would be elected to a full majority government without having to show their weight in gold first? This coalition is a test. If the economy is ‘fixed’ by the next election then it will show the Lib Dems as a credible governing party. The rule goes that the state of the economy is reflected in election results; hence Labour in a poor economic climate lost the last general election. Some may argue that if the economy does regenerate it will be down to Cameron and Osborne, however, with Danny Alexander, Vince Cable and Nick Clegg also at the helm you cannot deny them credit. Being close to the executioner lets you push the axe as far away from the victim as possible. Politics, in general, is about compromising ideals and values and this is further highlighted in coalitions. Some cake is better than no cake, even if part of that cake is covered in marmite - and let me tell you. I. Hate. Marmite.
The extinction of the Celtic Tiger? Sean Moore
If you would, please picture the luscious green Republic of Ireland, the year is 2009. Everyone was on an economic high. People were buying houses and land for ridiculously cheap prices and getting loans for mortgages that they could never afford to pay back. Sound similar to the rest of the world pre-economic recession? The difference is it wasn’t the people of this wonderful nation that seemed oblivious; it was their Prime Minister Brian Cowen. I remember working as a waiter in the same year at a restaurant in Caherdaniel, situated in a lovely secluded hotspot on the ring of Kerry, popular with tourists travelling from Cork. During my time there I learnt a lot about the way these tourist hotspots worked and survived. Locals made a vast amount of income only in an incredibly short space of time during the summer, when the Celtic seas winds and waves weren’t crashing off the rocks and the rain wasn’t lashing onto the nearby beaches. There were three main sources of income: the pubs, the restaurants and
holiday homes. Working in a small tight knit community alongside people with vast amounts of land which they had plans of building houses on, that at the time they thought they could sell (now empty due to the housing market crash), even to an economic simpleton such as me seemed like madness. Especially when I knew many people back home in Devon and Cornwall, a place of a parallel geographical layout and a similar reliance upon the tourist industry, who were builders without work or first time buyers who couldn’t get on the property ladder. However, I was not alone in my thinking. The owner of the house I was lodging at, even though they were self employed, making a fair amount of money, was receiving €150 per month for one child. In the UK at the time parents were getting around £80 a month. He thought the payment he received could be decreased, the difference being spent on more worthwhile things in the welfare system or added to the benefits of lower earners. I also recall people mentioning how they
would occasionally cross to Northern Ireland to stock up on food and petrol because it was far cheaper than getting it from where they lived. Ireland’s government was in a state of economic lunacy, especially as the country was importing more than it was exporting, prices domestically were unsustainably high. The Euro’s strength would soon be the Republic’s downfall. The newspapers, not always the best place to find accurate information on the economy, in hindsight can now be read as prophetically anticipating the disaster. I remember a comment page sketch in the Irish Times where Brian Cowen was drawn as thriftily unreliable and unaware of the inevitable doom about to befall Ireland a year or so later. How long would it take him to listen to the economists around him who were screaming about the financial road crash ahead like nervous car passengers? In a recent edition of The Guardian, we read the same relentless attack on the seemingly ignorant ‘Taoiseach’. In it Cowen seems to be in denial: ‘(he) repeated that "no formal application" had been
The Irish Prime Minister, Brian Cowen, and his front bench colleagues.
made for a bailout or loans’. It took the Central Bank governor Patrick Honohan to say he expected the Government will have to accept a "very substantial" loan, amounting to potentially 80-90 billion euros. Cowen is also under a heated attack over Ireland potentially losing some of her sovereignty. It is not the jobs of the economically reckless ministers I worry about, it is the people of these small communities. If pubs close
down or landlords cannot afford to rent houses, people’s livelihoods will be lost. Locals of towns traditionally and historically rich and surrounded by untouched places of beauty will have to shut shop and move to big cities. All thanks to an irresponsible free market that was too naive to even have the lightest touches of regulation. Cowen has finally bowed down and accepted the need for a loan, let us hope it’s not too little too late.
16 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
DSU Welfare
Academic Offences – Know the Facts DSU's Welfare and Education Centre gives you a guide to the dangers of academic offences and what you can do to avoid them.
Every year, students Submitting group work that you Remember: Both the faculty meeting and the to be your own A programmable calculator. come to our Centre claim You can discuss your assignment Mobile telephone hearing will take place whether you Submitting group work without for help when they with classmates, but you must attend or not, but your side of events Pager or any other acknowledging contributors plan, organise and write your communication device. will not be heard if you don’t so it’s are accused of an assignment alone, unless it is Any notes, drawings, tracings or important to go. It is easy to plagiarise accidentally academic offence. group work. by forgetting to reference or books (including electronically You or your friend may be able Seek advice and stored information) other Last academic year, referencing incorrectly. You might to defer coursework if you have than those that are specifically even use notes that you copy from a representation we provided advice book or another student and forget it serious problems. permitted. and representation is not in your own words. Be careful! Speak to your tutor if you have any concerns about doing the The Welfare and Education Centre If you are caught having ‘access’ to hundreds of assignment. can help you with advice and guidance to any of these items you will have and may be able to represent you at the Collusion committed an offence. Having ‘access’ students on this meeting or hearing so contact us for means having the items on your Collusion is when a student copies Cheating in Exams matter. Know how another student’s work and tries to The University regulations state that person or on or by your desk. The help as soon as you get a letter asking you to a meeting or hearing. pass it off as their own. Giving your you commit the offence of cheating in invigilator will confiscate any item to avoid being in which is not allowed in the exam. We can give you advice based on work to someone to allow them to an exam if you: the same position? copy it is an academic offence as your individual case once we have spoken to you and read the letter well and you can be found guilty of Deliberately acquire advance Remember: Read on… An academic offence can take many forms and is defined by DMU as a deliberate attempt to avoid or change the terms of assessment in “an unauthorised manner and by unfair means”. Any act that comes under this definition could be seen as an academic offence but in practice, the most common offences are plagiarism, collusion and cheating in exams.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism covers a wide range of activities for example:
Copying from another student’s work Copying or paraphrasing source material without acknowledgement Downloading info/text from the Internet without acknowledgement
collusion for doing this as well as your friend. It is hard to say no to a friend who is struggling with their course especially if they have genuine personal problems preventing them from studying. However, if they copy parts or all of your assignment you will face failing your work, failing the module, failing the year or possible exclusion. To really help your friend tell them to speak to their tutor or to us rather than you both facing an academic offence, making things worse. It is also very easy to decide with your fellow classmates to complete your assignments at the same time using the same notes. However, this makes it easy to duplicate phrases, use the same quotes and structure your assignment in the same way. The University will see this as collusion, unless you are doing authorised group work.
knowledge of the detailed content of the examination Copy from the exam paper of another student Allow another student to copy from your exam paper Obtain any other assistance from another student Use or has access to unauthorised material Impersonate another student or allow yourself to be impersonated Provide information to another student in an exam Have access to an electronic communication device Does any other thing with the intention of gaining unfair advantage over other students.
It is easy to lose your head in exams and forget that you have items in your pockets that if discovered will be an academic offence. Examples of unauthorised material includes:
The invigilators do not have to be satisfied that a student has used or attempted to use the unauthorised material. Just having the material in the exam is enough for the student to be charged with an academic offence.
What will happen if the Faculty believe that there is a problem with my work? Firstly, you will get a letter asking you to go to a meeting within your faculty. The meeting is for your faculty to investigate the allegation of an academic offence against you and for you to give your side of the story. Depending on the seriousness of your case, a decision may be made at the faculty level or if the allegation is more serious, the Academic Practice Officer in your faculty may refer the matter to an official panel hearing.
from your faculty so don’t hesitate to contact us.
Remember: If you don’t understand how to reference or are struggling with your course speak to your tutor. Visit the Kimberlin Library to speak to CLAS in the library and / or the study support officer in your faculty for further help to ensure you know how to reference correctly. If you are experiencing problems on your course, tell someone! It is much better to ask for a deferral or an extension on an essay than panic and submit something that may be plagiarised. Please come in and talk to us about any problems you’re having.
For further information on the DSU Welfare and Education Centre, visit www. demontfortstudents.com/welfare or call 0116 257 6307.
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18 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Sport
Top Five Finish for Ultimate Frisbee Craig Fullard
Demons Ultimate went to Great Barr Crawl last weekend and made the most of some spirited play to take home 5th place. Held in Birmingham, the indoor tournament was in its tenth year and saw some high-class teams take part. The first day for Demons consisted of a nine team round robin, which saw them play eight games on Saturday morning. Demons’ first game was against Lemmings 2, and saw the team quickly get down to some good offense play. The defence play, however, was a little weak and led to a quite close final score of 5-3 to Demons. This game was followed by a match against Birmingham’s UBU 1, which would prove a much harder game. The Demons picked up their defensive play, though this would not prove enough as UBU1 edged the game 4-3. Although Demons claimed compensation in the next game, when they beat UBU2 7-6 in what was a blow-for-blow match. After this confidence boosting victory they faced a much more youthful team in the form of Arctic 2. It was a competition of height versus speed and the lofty Demons managed to grind out a 6-4 victory. This game was followed by two
defeats, the first of which was a 7-5 loss to Lemmings 1, who would go on to finish second overall. The match was closely fought out with Lemmings producing some strong late play to claim the victory. Demons’ other loss was to Stourbridge, who brought their A-Game to the pitch and won 8-2, which was largely down to their quick transition play. Day one was closed out with two confidence boosting victories, the first of which saw the Demons passion ignited to beat Arctic 1 6-5, in what proved a very energetic game. Whilst their final victory of day one was a convincing 6-3 victory over Airwolf, which saw Captain Andy Lee record two stall-outs and all players produced strong defensive and offensive play. There were significant substitutions between day one and two, with Freshers Alex Rowley and Becky Daniel going out having shown strength and skill, and Fresher Kevin “Batman” Leddy and experienced Jonathan “Chuck” Simmen joining the team. For the second day Demons would play just three games, but all three would be hard fought clashes. The first game saw eventual tournament winners Dog Eat Disc dish out a demolition job on Demons, with the final score lying at 16-3.
Demons produced some solid play throughout this match; however, they just weren’t in the same class as the winners. A re-match with Arctic 1 was to be their second game of the day, with Arctic 1 looking to avenge their first day defeat. Although it proved to be a very similar case to the first day, with Demons this time grinding out a 5-4 victory.
A score that definitely represented the game, as Demons always seemed to hold a minor edge overall. For Demons’ final game of the weekend against Snatch proved to be a point scoring gold mine. With eight different members of the Demons team scoring a point and the team producing their strongest play for the final game. They claimed a 15-9 victory over
Snatch and in the process took their second fifth place finish of the year. Demons’ Captain Andy Lee also represented in the All-star game, producing a dominant display to give his team the victory. The MVP for the weekend was Rich Sutherland, whilst the Spirit Award was split yet again with Simon Newbon, Craig Fullard and Tom Evans all getting three votes.
DMU Rugby season off to mixed start Kieran Lawrence
De Montfort University Rugby Men’s 1st XV are still seeking their first win of the season after defeats against Harper Adams University College, University of Birmingham, and Nottingham Trent University. Despite an encouraging first half performance at home against Harper Adams University College 1sts, that included a try from Joe Firth just on the half hour mark, as well as a penalty from Adam Frost just before half time. The away side went on to up their game in the second half, to eventually win the game 68-8. Four tries, including two from Martin Dumbill, were not enough to prevent them losing 48-31 away to the University of Birmingham 2nd's. Other tries during the match came from Robin Ajder and Mark White. They then were outclassed and suffered a heavy loss at home against Nottingham Trent University 3rd
team, Leighton Clarke being the only try scorer for them as they lost the game 63-8. De Montfort University Rugby Men’s 2nd XV continue to maintain their 100% winning start to the season after hard fought victories over Staffordshire University Men 3rd’s, Aston University 2nd’s and University of Bedfordshire 3rd’s. Two late tries from Alastair Hall and Marvin Brown, with earlier tries during the game being scored by Seb Green, Joel Bostock and Deepesh Dalal, helped them achieve a 27-17 victory against Staffordshire University 3rd’s. They then travelled to Aston University with the final score 22-15, with tries coming from Alexandre Passemar, Basil Awoyemi, Tom Frost and man of the match Nathan Harrison. 17 points, including two tries, from Joel Bostock as well as a try from Reisse Taylor helped them secure a 22-5 victory at home to
University of Bedfordshire 3rd’s. The next matches are away trips
to face Loughborough University 3rd’s and University of Worcester
2nd’s, for the 1st XV and 2nd XV respectively.
Tuesday 30 November 2010 | 19
Sport
Bitter rivals fluke victory over DMU
Matt Stott reports as Leicester overcome a dominant DMU to claim pre-Varsity bragging rights A Jekyll and Hyde performance from De Montfort handed bitter rivals Leicester University a 2-0 league victory in a strange affair away at Oadby. Leicester firsts skipper Callum Convey dealt an early blow when he arrowed a 25-yard free kick into the roof of the net after ‘JT’ had handled. Admirably, this goaded DMU firsts into swift and determined action. Playing as though odds-on favourites, we dominated the rest of the half and, despite squandering a litany of routine chances, had flummoxed the home side. However, like an experiment gone drastically wrong, we mutated into a limp and lifeless monster, making the entire second half a laborious and ultimately futile one. Leicester took advantage and doubled their lead with a simple header 25 minutes from time to clench all three points in a puzzling and discouraging contest that petered out. The sluggishness was inexplicable. And answers were hard to find for player-manager Kole Ogundipe. Tasting defeat for the second time in four matches, he said: “We just didn’t start straight from the first minute of the second half, and I've got no explanation to be honest. “At half time I was proud of how everyone was playing. I was impressed; we looked so promising after we went a goal down. I thought we would go on and win the game 2-1 or 3-1. “But there were two contrasting halves today, and obviously I’m very disappointed to lose the game like that.” In just their second encounter of the season, having lost 3-2 away to Lincoln seconds three weeks previously, Leicester could only hoist their game to the realms of mediocrity. Our failure was their success. It engendered from stage fright when confronted with their keeper and an electric display that had an unexpected power cut midway through. After Derby firsts had overwhelmed us 4-2 on our seasonal bow, we followed up with two 2-1 victories over Derby seconds and Warwick fourths in the league and cup respectively. This gave Kole, who had scored in each triumph, every right to be sanguine of their chances of success before stepping off the team bus.
DMU sports teams including Football 1st team, wore orange bands in support of the National Demonstration as they were unable to attend.
He said: “It has been a difficult start to the season. We haven’t had the big performance for 90 minutes that we know we’re capable of yet. But I’m confident that the big games will bring out the best performances. “A win today would mean a hell of a lot to the players. It is such a big rivalry that I would be lying if I said it’s just about the three points; there is a lot more at stake here. “It will mean a lot in respect to Varsity and I do not want to let them get one over us,” were his infamous last words. In finger-numbing conditions, there was an ebb and flow start to the match that only pacified when DMU centre-back ‘JT’ handled on the outskirts of the box in the fourth minute. With the setting sun evidently a problem for keeper Lewis Hearne, the free-kick looped over him. Guessing at the trajectory of the ball, he could only sway and flap in haste. One down against your sworn enemy. If the players required a test of character, here it was. What happened next? 41 minutes of unmitigated DMU pressure.
This was the Dr. Jekyll half. Ross Thaker was soon blitzing through the left wings, on a oneman mission. His slaloms went unpunished though, as he delivered cross after cross and saw header after header either balloon high over or float into the keeper’s open arms. Left-back Michael O’Grady soon followed suit as he plundered into the box but snatched at a half-volley. Next was Smith’s turn. On the half-hour mark, he waltzed through their porous defence, linking up well with Thaker and Michael Reeves, but poked a close-range effort against the left upright with the keeper beaten. It was desperately unlucky. Kole and Thaker were unperturbed and relentless; a reflection of the team. They stumped Leicester’s full backs with a string of one-touch passes and penetrative movement, sweeping in crosses that begged to be turned home. ‘Frosty’ nodded straight at the keeper. Reeves outstretched a foot but to no avail. Such enterprise merited much better finishing. We wove a tapestry of attacking beauty till the end of the half.
Having kidnapped the ball, there was wave after wave of onslaughts, with this sort of showboating something next year’s Varsity crowd at the Walkers Stadium could treasure. So surely it was only a matter of time before the scales of justice tipped in our favour? But then came the Mr. Hyde half. Our inefficiency in front of goal came back to haunt us as the poverty of our second half performance was such that we never looked like dragging Leicester back. The streamlined passing had vanished. What seemed a boundless supply of threatening crosses had dried up. Even the committed tracking back of our midfield had eroded into a leisurely Sunday morning jog. It was pure drudgery for the reds, as their half of the pitch was an undiscovered island. A somewhat improved Leicester got a second in the 65th minute. They attacked with force down the right which yielded a corner. It was poorly defended as Convey sent it in low, giving Hearne slim chance of
repelling a well-placed header. The cheer of their fans and the frenetic celebrations of the team rubbed salt in the wound and knelled the end of a red recovery, with no-one more vociferous than their captain. Thaker and Frost went close late on, but DMU were bewildered statues in freezing winds at the final whistle. Kole forthrightly prophesized some changes. He said: “I expressed my disappointment to the players and told them there’s going to be a lot of hard work [at training] Monday. “We’re going back to the drawing board and will come back stronger. We’re going to get a team effort that wasn’t there today. “We want to do DMU proud but the players who were out there today didn’t do that – and I was part of that. “I haven’t decided yet, but I can foresee some changes. Obviously we have got a lot of depth at DMU; in particular the seconds. “That’s what I’m going to be working on, and anyone who doesn’t want to be part of that won’t be there.”
20 | Tuesday 30 November 2010
Sport
Netball firsts triumph over UEA Lulu Burton
With the season is well under way the DMU Netball first team met the UEA second team at home in what was tough and competitive fixture, with DMU triumphant 39-20. Before the game. First team captain Hannah Tulley said: “Whilst we haven’t been getting the results we have hoped for, I feel that today will hopefully be different” And different it was. The UEA girls protested before the game to as there was only one umpire, a fault on the DMU side, meaning that if the DMU girls win, the game would be replayed on UEA’s terms. The protests of UEA only spurred the girls to play on more determined than ever. The first quarter began with DMU girls quickly establishing control, keeping the UEA girls on their toes. The shooting combination of Steph Thornton and Sophie Whitmore was unbeatable, sinking in all their shots. After the first quarter DMU took the lead nine goals to seven. The DMU girls re-entered the court for the second quarter feeling confident they could maintain their lead. The midcourt combination of UEA suddenly woke up intercepting some striking passes, forcing the ball to their shooting third. As they attempted several shots they were overcome by the impressive defensive skills of Jummy Champion and Emily Kirby.
Despite UEAs best efforts the DMU girls still took the lead after the second quarter 18 goals to 14. The third quarter pulsating and end-to-end; the fresh legs of Hannah Tulley replaced Jummy Champion after an outstanding first half performance as GD. Further changes were made, with Sarah Davis replacing Rhi Edwards at WA. As the UEA team failed to bring
any subs they were un-able to rotate their squad. The incredible stamina and fitness of Juliet Vine as C kept the UEA girls constantly under immense pressure, forcing them to work harder and try and keep pace. As the UEA girls visibly began to tire, DMU wasted no time in scoring more goals, pushing them even further in to the lead. A remarkable quarter on the DMU girls part,
(and above) DMU Netball showed their support as students marched on London against tuition increases
securing a fantastic thirteen goal lead, leaving the score at 29-16 in favour of DMU Slight changes in the last fifteen minutes as Hannah Tulley moved to WD replacing Sarah Olsen after a fantastic game. The UEA girls returned to the court looking tired and overwhelmed, DMU used this fully to their advantage. A last ditch attempt from the UEA centre was overcome after some great interceptions from Rhi Edwards and Juliet Vine. At this point the DMU girls had dominated all three thirds of the court making it almost impossible for UEA to gain possession of the ball. DMU consistently passed from defence to attack and took their opportunities, successfully converted ten more goals. UEA were unable to sustain the pace, showing clearly in the score. A thrilling game came to an end and the final score came to DMU winning 39 goals to 20. After a superb victory for DMU, Hannah Tulley commented: “What an absolutely fantastic game, the whole team came together and we deserved the great result, it is unfortunate that we have to play them again due to protest but we look forward to beating them next time.” Juliet Vine was awarded Man of the Match for her fantastic perseverance and Sarah Olsen was awarded players player for an outstanding performance. Ex first team Vice captain Emma Lines was in the crowd of spectators, alongside the newly born
team mascot Grace Lines, and was delighted at how far the team had come, saying: “I can’t express how well the girls are playing together and how proud I am to see how far they have come, I can only hope they keep up the great work.” The Second team also played last week away against Anglia Ruskins first team. A highly disputed game came to a disappointing end, with Anglia Ruskin coming out on top 27 goals to 15. A disappointing result as the girls all played so fiercely. Jade Morgan was awarded Man of The Match for her fantastic spacing and constant effort, the players player was voted for and awarded to Georgie Winters for a spectacular game. Captain Lynette Williams reflected on the match: “The girls played tremendously, there was barely anything I could fault, it made me extremely proud not only to watch them play but to be part of the team as well. “I'm more than confident that with a little more practise, we'll soon be bringing home some fantastic victories.’ The DMU netball squad have been training extremely hard and as an outcome have managed to secure a third team into a local league. Captain Lulu Burton and Vice Captain Anna Francis look forward to leading the girls into hopeful successful wins against other universities. Keep your eye out for DMU netball securing more wins in the upcoming season.