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Pinnacle win Student Apprentice By Anna Templeton News Editor Four students have been crowned National Student Apprentice team of 2013. Joanna Whitty, Bethany Pain, Zoe Troughton and Charlie Oxley stormed qualifiers, the semi-finals and eventually the final to be crowned champions. The four students, who make up team Pinnacle, spoke to The Courier after the semi-finals in Birmingham. The four hopefuls were in the top two teams of the Newcastle Apprentice competition, so went through to the semi-finals. In the Newcastle rounds, the teams had to take part in a series of tasks over a three. “The first round was pitching and negotiating. There were different products and you had to pitch them to people and negotiate down the price as if we were going to stock and sell their “We didn’t go into products,” explained Beththe semi-finals any. expecting to win, The next we expected to week the comgo for the experi- petitors had to stationary ence and not get sell around camthrough” pus. “We were split into different teams. My team was at the Sports Centre, and Bethany’s was down at Herschel,” said Bethany. In the selling task, both teams made over £100 profit. The top two teams of the Newcastle Apprentice competition then went to the semi-finals in Birmingham. During the semi-finals, Pinnacle teamed up with the team from Cambridge University to hold a 50% share each. Pinnacle told The Courier how the Cambridge team dropped out without signing the release forms. “They had been dancing on the tables the night before and were videoed. But they didn’t want video footage going
anywhere, so they pulled out.” “The Cambridge team said the final was over three essential days of study for them,” Zoe added. Speaking to the team after the semi-finals, they expressed their shock at their success. “We didn’t go into the semi-finals expecting to win, we expected to go for the experience and not get through,” said Zoe. She added: “ I think we’re all going mainly for the experience and want to enjoy it. Obviously we’re going to take it seriously but we want to be able to enjoy it rather than be disheartened with what happens.” Team Pinnacle went to Canary Wharf for the final of the National Student Apprentice 2013, with the competition taking place over an entire weekend. “Going into the final, none of us expected to breeze through to winning it. Even after the success in the semi-finals, we weren’t expecting anything,” Charlie said. The team had a week turn-around before the final. “I don’t think it had the time to hit. We got back on the Monday, we were absolutely shattered, by the time we’d done our work, Friday came around so quickly. It was only on the train when it hit us,” said Joanna. Before the final, Pinnacle were all modest about their potential for victory, “We went with the attitude of taking it in, embracing it, because we never thought we would win it,” said Zoe. “After Friday, we knew we had done well. Then the possibility crept in.” The team were in first position after the first day of tasks, then slipped down to second place on the Saturday. “Second was definitely the best position for us to be in,” noted Joanna, “everyone targeted the team at the top.” Friday saw the team complete two tasks. They went to the Accenture building in Canary Wharf to take part in a consultancy task. Continued on page 8
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Campus unleashes inner child News p4
Council votes to ban Page 3 By Ben Travis Editor Newcastle University Students’ Union is to cease sales of The Sun and other newspapers deemed to contain “page 3 like content”. The decision to boycott the publication was reached last Thursday 2 May after discussion in the final Student Council meeting of the academic year. The agreed resolves of the motion will see Newcastle University join the wider ‘No More Page 3’ movement sparked by
writer and actor Lucy Anne Holmes. The movement seeks the removal of the feature from The Sun and other red-top newspapers with similar content including the Daily Star. An online ‘No More Page 3’ petition on change.org has received 99,545 signatures and received media attention. Other Students’ Unions to ban The Sun on the grounds of the infamous ‘modelling’ page include Sheffield University, London School of Economics and Edinburgh University. Whilst students will still be welcome
to bring copies of the newspaper onto campus, it will not be available to purchase in the Students’ Union shop. The motion, proposed by Welfare Officer Esta Innes, states that: “‘Page 3’ presents an unrealistic and potentially damaging picture of what women’s bodies should look like. “The objectification of women is not ‘news’ and should not be part of a daily newspaper.” The boycott is in immediate effect. For more information on the campaign, visit nomorepage3.org
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The silence that gives voice
and Language Therapists (RCSLT), of which King George VI was a patron, there are estimated 2.5 million people suffering from some form of communication impairment in the UK alone. This could potentially represent a huge financial burden to the NHS. Furthermore, it is believed that up to 55% of children in deprived areas have speech, language and communication needs, according to RCSLT. “There is a mismatch between the people that need speech therapy and the money [available] to employ speech therapists. So funding is a massive issue,” said Amy Simpson. Newcastle was the first university in the UK to start a course in speech and language therapy in 1967. It also has a strong research background in the field. According to student campaigners, lecturers from the department often travel to London to speak to MPs in order to raise the profile of the field of research. Of course, nothing raises awareness better than a role model. On Friday night the campaigners meet Lee Ridley, or the ‘Lost Voice Guy’, a North East comedian who cannot talk. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy in early childhood, Lee entertains the audience with a voice synthesizer that runs on his tabloid PC. Talking about his quick rise in comedy since 2012, he said he never thought this would happen. “It really boosts my confidence when people tell me they have enjoyed my material. “I’m glad I can make them laugh as well, it’s a good feeling.” With more understanding and tolerance, the campaigners hope life will become easier for people who suffer in silence. “The next time you see someone using alternative communication go over and say hi; and be patient!” said Catherine.
By Zhenhua Jin Five Newcastle speech and language students have taken a vow of silence. For a week, Catherine Stockwell, Amy Simpson, Jenette Milner, Lorraine Wilson and Nicola Findlay will only use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to go through their daily routine. The five are part of a bigger campaign to support sufferers of communication impairments. Initiated by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), the campaigners hope to boost dwindling funding for medical intervention. During the No Voice Week, the five campaigners will order food, attend lectures, and communicate with family using only body language, a mobile app or a speech synthesizer. “Would you like a cup cake?” was the welcome visitors received during an awareness-raising event on Thursday. It came through a free tablet app used by one of the campaigners. “We’ve had quite a few bleepers because of this [AAC device]. By accident I would say something I am not supposed to say, some of which are a little bit dodgy,” said Catherine Stockwell. “…it’s more frustration we have experienced this week than humour;” added Amy Simpson, “the time it takes, the expectations people have that you can’t hear, and [the fact] that by the time you figured out what you want to say, the topic is gone. It’s really frustrating.” The most famous AAC user in the UK is perhaps the theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking. Many more however have suffered from speech impediments, including King George VI, and the late American star Marilyn Monroe. According to Royal College of Speech
46 42 Student death shocks community
SPORTING VENUES
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Tuesday 7 May 2013
By Anna Templeton News Editor
An engineering masters student, Boniface Umale, from Northumbria University has died in HMP Durham, shortly after his arrest. Prison officials have not revealed the details of his death or the reason for arrest. The 24 year old completed his first degree in 2008 at Northumbria University before taking a Master’s Degree in engineering. Mr Umale was studying when he was arrested on March 24. Friends, shocked by the news of his death, have hired a solicitor to delve
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into the matter. They have written a letter to the Nigerian high commission in London demanding answers, and have asked for a post-mortem to find out the cause of Mr Umale’s death. Barrister Adeniji of Rock Solicitors, the lawyer hired to pursue the case, allegedly turned up at the prison to see his client only to be told that his body was being prepared for cremation. He was hired by the Idoma community in the UK, who are seeking answers about the mysterious circumstances of Mr Umale’s death. According to an Idoma community spokesman, no one was informed of
Mr Umale’s arrest and it was not until much later that it was discovered he was in custody. Daniel Okpla, a spokesman for the Idoma community, said: “HMP Durham could not confirm if he was convicted of any crime and have not submitted any autopsy report to the Nigerian high commission despite several requests by it and the Idoma community in diaspora. Without confirmation from the Nigerian high commission, HMP Durham has indicated her intention to proceed with cremating the body without following due process.”
Editor Ben Travis Online Editor Ben Brown News Editors George Sandeman, Susie Beever and Anna Templeton Online News Editor Aine Stott Comment Editors Georgie Moule and Laura Wotton Online Comment Editor Jennifer Evans Features Editor Tom Nicholson Listings Editor Sally Priddle Lifestyle Editors Catherine Davison and Ellie Cropper Online Lifestyle Editors Rosie Devonshire and Colette Hunter Fashion Editors Elissa Hudson and Lizzie Hampson Online Fashion Editor Sally Greenwood Beauty Editor Amy Macauley Arts Editors Lisa Bernhardt and Millie Walton Online Arts Editor Grace Harvey Film Editors Hayley Hamilton and Sam Hopkins Online Film Editor Chris Binding TV Editor Chris Taylor Online TV Editor Ben Parkin Music Editors Chris Haywood and Sam Summers Online Music Editor Sophie Coletta Science Editor James Simpson Puzzle Editors Sally Priddle and Tom Nicholson Sports Editors Ralph Blackburn, Nick Gabriel and Lucy Williams Online Sports Editors Freddie Caldwell and Jack Gelsthorpe Copy Editors Rachel Horrocks, Charley Monteith, Leanne Penning, Chris Smith, Matty Aston, Sabine Kutcher
“Family, friends and the entire Idoma community in diaspora have made it clear that cremation is culturally unacceptable and arrangement must be made to repatriate the body to the family at Otukpo in Benue State, Nigeria for a befitting burial. “It is completely unacceptable that HMP Durham seem to be sweeping this matter under the carpet.” Mr Okpla has also said his community would like to know if Mr Umale’s death was racially motivated or due to gross negligence and whether he was in solitary confinement without appropriate monitoring and risk assessment.
The Courier is printed by: Print and Digital Associates, Fernleigh House, 10 Uttoxeter Road, Derby, Derbyshire, United Kingdom, DE3 0DA. Established in 1948, The Courier is the fully independent student newspaper of the Students’ Union at Newcastle University. The Courier is published weekly during term time, and is free of charge. The design, text, photographs and graphics are copyright of The Courier and its individual contributors. No parts of this newspaper may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor. Any views expressed in this newspaper’s opinion pieces are those of the individual writing, and not of The Courier, the Students’ Union or Newcastle University.
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Tuesday 7 May 2013
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Defying gravity to raise money for charity in Tyne bungee jump By Nathalie O’Donovan Imagine being down by the Quayside admiring the lovely view of the Sage and the river. We’ve all been there, but on Saturday 27 April, the COCO society was experiencing Newcastle’s quayside from a very different angle: upside down, 190ft in the air, attached at the feet by a cord.
equipped to develop on their own in the future without relying on hand outs”. On the morning of the 27th April, members of the society arrived at Newcastle’s Quayside to sign up get kitted out for the jump. The organisers were really professional and friendly; they put everyone at ease and created a really good atmosphere. Aimee Vickers, Secretary of Newcastle University’s COCO society, told the Courier “a huge thanks must go out to
COCO is a Newcastle-based charity aimed at providing education for children in countries suffering from poverty and disease.
This exciting Bungee Jump challenge over the river Tyne was organised by Newcastle University in aid of the charity COCO. COCO, Children of Comrades Overseas, is a Newcastle-based charity aimed at providing education for children in countries suffering from poverty and disease. COCO be“It was wonderful lieves every to see so many child has the right to educapeople out in tion, and orsupport for ganises comCOCO, the day munity projects in countries was amazing” such as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to try and reduce the levels of poverty. Things like poor sanitation, a lack of infrastructure, nutrition and resources – all things that we enjoy on a daily basis and take for granted- are preventing over 40 million children across Africa from gaining access to education. COCO’s main concern is “to meet the needs of the community so that they are
the Extreme Sensations bungee team who made the day extra special for everyone there”. On the day, the 31 COCO members who took on the challenge completed their bungee jump over the Tyne, having collectively raised over £6000. Jumpers threw fundraising dinner parties, did bake sales at their old schools, sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts outside the Union, organised bag packing and of course created JustGiving pages. Donations on fundraising pages are still being given so this total will surely keep on increasing in the weeks to come! Not only was it an exhilarating experience for those who jumped, the money raised that day will make such a huge difference. “It was wonderful to see so many people out in support for COCO, the day was amazing and all of our volunteers showed huge dedication to the cause”, Vickers told The Courier. For any of you charitable daredevils out there, who fancy jumping off a 190 ft crane for a good cause, make sure you sign up next year!
COCO LOCO
Children of Comrades Overseas raised over £6,000 for children in developing countires Photos: Aimee Vickers
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Tuesday 7 May 2013
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Toon researchers develop app which allows users to deconstruct layers of art By Holly Callis Experts at Newcastle University and Northumbria University have created a new iPhone app ‘Repentir’ which allows the user to virtually remove layers of a painting to discover how it has been constructed. It has been created by Dr. Jonathan Hook from Newcastle University and Dr. Jo Briggs of Northumbria University and is available on the App Store. Newcastle University’s Dr. Hook, a researcher in human-computer interaction said of the app: “The app means that you’re not limited to just looking at the art - you can interact with it and feel your way through it.” The app takes its’ name from the artistic process of revisiting and editing a painting. The project was developed to make the creative process behind contemporary painter Nathan Walsh’s painting ‘Transamerica’ available to gallery visitors who would otherwise only be able to see the finished product. It was created by installing a digital camera in Walsh’s York studio which took a digital image every day for four months as Walsh created his painting.
The user of the app then takes a picture of Walsh’s painting on display (or a print of the painting) and the app orientates itself to the angle at which the photo was taken. Then the user can dissect the painting by ‘rubbing’ the screen and peeling back the layers, revealing Walsh’s creative processes underneath the final layers
said: “We’ve been working with painter Nathan for over a year and in that time were struck by the sheer effort and time he invests in each painting. We wanted to expose and celebrate this in a new digital artefact.” Furthermore, Nathan Walsh was excited about the opportunities the app opens up for people viewing his paint-
Newcastle University’s Dr. Hook, a researcher in human-computer interaction said: “The app means that you’re not limited to just looking at the art - you can interact with it and feel your way through it.” of oil paint, right back to Walsh’s pencil strokes. The final result is a unique appreciation of ‘Transamerica’, as Dr. Hooke explains, “because every visitor will capture the image from a slightly different angle, rub away the layers in a different way and focus in on different points, it means everyone’s appreciation of the piece will be totally unique.” Northumbria’s researcher Dr. Jo Briggs
ing: “The app allows people to get a feel for my journey through making this work. It gives an indication of my methodology and the honesty of my creative process.” The research team hopes to develop future projects with artist Walsh and is also looking at expanding the range of paintings that Repentir is able to deconstruct by developing the app with other artists.
SEE THE CREATOR
The ‘Repentir’ iPhone app allows users to remove layers of a painting to discover how the painter constructed it Photo: EuroMagic
Campus embraces inner child to help combat exam stress By Anna Templeton News Editor Last Thursday saw an array of exotic animals, a bouncy castle and students covered in face paint for Inner Child Day. Due to the good weather, the event took place outside the Students’ Union. Esta Innes, Welfare and Equality Officer of the Students’ Union said: “Inner Child Day was absolutely fab. We were so lucky with the weather, even thought I thought it was going to rain.” “I remember in Thomas Rogand Laura my final year, erson Brooke from the there were business Creatimes when ture Encounters brought a selecI was really tion of interesting down” animals to make up the ‘Petting Zoo’. Students were able to hold snakes, tortoises, hedgehogs and a number of different animals. The Pilates Society were outside the front of the Union, giving lessons in a form of exercise that can eliminate stress. Party bags were also given out, full of bubble wrap, sweets, a handy revision timetable and information about where to seek help during the stressful exam period. “I’m really happy with it. I think people made the effort to come down and turned out to be a very exciting day,” said Esta.
“I remember in my final year, there were times when I was really downhearted. I think the day was a great pick-me-up.” Stations were set up inside the Students’ Union giving free tea and coffee, and offering massages. Georgie Moule, Stage Two Combined Honours said: “Oh my god, the animals were amazing. It was so good to de-stress and the free tea was the best cup of tea I had all day. I loved the baby hedgehog!” She added: “Wan, the massage man, was fabulous.” The day was set to the soundtrack of NSR DJs playing school disco-inspired songs outside the Students’ Union building, maintaining the ‘Inner Child’ theme and providing a perfect atmosphere in the unexpected Newcastle sun.
Nightline: 0191 2612905 open 8pm-8am every night throughout term time Samaritans: 01912327272 www.samaritans.org/tyneside Newcastle University Student Wellbeing team: 0191 208 3333
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Tuesday 7 May 2013
Professor issues stark warning about legal highs after deaths By Aaron Hedjazi A professor of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics from Newcastle University has warned about the dangers of legal highs. Prof. Simon Thomas has spoken out against these substances, as a result of an incident involving the hospitalisation of three teenagers. The youngsters ended up coughing up blood after smoking the substance known as “Clockwork Orange”. Experts have denounced the subject of legal highs; presenting them just as, if not, more of a danger to the general public, merely because they are untested, and if anything does go wrong, then medical professionals will have vague knowledge of the necessary treatment. Prof. Thomas said: “I think some people do assume that if something is legal then it can’t be dangerous. But there is no testing of purity or safety. “Products that are legal may be as dangerous or more dangerous than banned substances. Occasionally they can be even more hazardous than the original drug on which they were modeled.”
Astronomical quantities of legal highs have emerged in the UK over the past decade alone, with the government struggling to keep up with this in“Some people dustry that lurks in the shadow of do assume anti-drug legislathat if sometion; given that thing is legal legislation cannot then it can’t be act as fast as manufacturers. dangerous” Prof. Thomas added: “Mephedrone was a legal high before it was banned in 2010. Others such as ‘Black Mamba’ and ‘Mexxy’ followed the same path of prohibition in early 2013, shortly after their usage resulted in numerous deaths. This incident has come shortly after a time when the North-East experienced its own similar episode of not legal high use, but drug abuse; with regards to the Jesmond 2CB scare, after students were hospitalised as a consequence of usage of the drug. Few had heard about this drug before the allied occurrence, and the manner in which this correlates with the “Clockwork Orange” incident, is that a lack of
education and information regarding the substance involved, is a recipe for disaster. As usual, making a controversial presence, former government drugs advisor Prof. David Nutt, last month, made the statement: “Britain should follow the model adopted in New Zealand and allow legal highs to be sold to over-18s over pharmacy counters, so that if you then decide to overdose, at least you know what you’re overdosing on.” This instance has reached national prominence, prompting figures from across the country, such as Ross Woodfield, from Cardiff based In Roads street drugs project believes. “What they are is drugs that mimic the effects of illegal drugs. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes.” A paramount legal high in the UK being Salvia Divinorum - which is widely renowned to be more powerful than LSD - just goes to show how legislation cannot reflect the gravity of a drug’s potential effects. Prof. Thomas explains that “Just because something is legal, doesn’t make it safe.”
CRIMINAL HIGH
More concerns about legal highs have emerged after the death of three young men Photo: e-magic
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Tuesday 7 May 2013
Filmmakers experience red carpet By Freddie Caldwell The NU Through My Lens competition came to a close last Wednesday with a glamorous awards ceremony in the Students’ Union Venue. It was an event 5 months in the making with competitors submitting a 40 second trailer followed by a 3-minute short film. The submissions were assessed by a panel of judges and were also uploaded to YouTube to see how many hits they could get. The trailer round finished in February with the competitors working to the brief of providing a glimpse of what they loved about Newcastle University. Feedback was provided on these submissions allowing the student filmmakers to develop their original concept into a longer feature. The directors and their teams walked the red carpet and were greeted with wine and canapés before settling down to discover the award winners. With a total prize fund of £7000 there was a good deal of excitement in the room as the ceremony began in earnest. The BBC’s Mark Scrimshaw took to the stage to talk about the impressions that the judges had of the competition describing how it “shows the true voice of students”; in addition he said of the competitors that they had shown “passion, belief and commitment”. The first award to be announced was the prize for the best trailer, which was split three ways between ‘Sometimes Wonderful’, ‘X’ and ‘Two Cultures’. Next up was the award for best original music, which saw ‘X’ nominated again
along with ‘Made in Jesmond’, however, the prize went to ‘Sounds from University’. This submission used a soundtrack made up entirely of everyday sounds that would be heard on campus. The prize was awarded by President of the Students’ Union Laura Perry, who acknowledged that this film presented the University experience in a way that everyone could understand. The third award was for best cinematography with ‘X’ and ‘Sometimes Wonderful’ again nominated and with ‘Friends from Uni’ taking the prize. The final smaller prize was for best concept where ‘Made in Jesmond’ triumphed over ‘Sounds from University’ and ‘Sometimes Wonderful’. Finally it was time for the best film award and the three nominations were announced as ‘Friends from Uni’, ‘Made in Jesmond’ and ‘Endless Opportunities’. The prize was awarded by Vice Chancellor Professor Chris Brink who described the winning submission as “very engaging and promotes the University in a very positive light” noting that it was “original and uplifting” as well as showing the possibilities and variety of Newcastle University life. Eventually he opened the envelope and announced that ‘Endless Opportunities’ had taken the grand prize. The team of Emma Oulton, Christy Clemence and Catherine Davison were overcome with emotion at the announcement. It had been a very successful evening for the team as ‘Endless Opportunities’ had evolved from the ‘Sometimes Wonderful’ trailer that had been triumphant
ENDLESS TRIUMPH
The team behind ‘Endless Opportunities’, Emma Oulton, Christy Clemence and Catherine Davidson Photo: Fran Ede
earlier in the event. They expressed the desire to use the money to purchase more filming equipment to help develop their already
promising film careers. The judges were impressed with the quality of all of the submissions and the event highlighted what a bright future
there is for student filmmaking at Newcastle University. As Scrimshaw noted, “the valid voice of students is irreplaceable”.
Competition leaves Enactus “beaming” By Elizabeth Archer The Enactus Society say they are “beaming with pride” after their success at this year’s Enactus UK Nationals, which took place at the prestigious Canary Wharf in London. The Newcastle team walked away with an impressive total of four awards from the event, and, after competing with fifty different teams from around the country, finished in the top eight overall. The task was to give a 17 minute audio/visual presento a panel Project leader tation of judges, in order Matthew to be in with a Hughes also chance to represent Enactus UK won an ncl+ their World Award for his in Cup at Cancun, work on a Mexico, later this farming co-op year. The judges, who represented Enactus UK’s business sponsors and Alumni, compared teams according to “which Enactus team most effectively empowered people in need by applying business and economic concepts [...] to improve quality of life and standard of living.” In the first round of the competition, which took place on the Saturday of the weekend event, Newcastle’s own Enactus Society enjoyed resounding success, and were promoted to the semi-finals. Then came the news that the team had been drawn against Enactus Southampton for the second round of the event: the four-time National UK Winners. “The dread grew for all of us” when the draw was announced “our knees were
shaking!” Vice President Sophie Hawley and President Rachel Horton told The Courier. But after some advice from the judges, the team bettered their first presentation in a bid to beat the returning champions. “We all left the room so proud and all buzzing from the adrenaline” Sophie Hawley said. Unfortunately, the team did not make it through to the finals, but were runners up in the semi-finals, putting them in the top 8 Enactus Societies in the country. “Beating so many teams, some who were twice the size of us, is fantastic,” said Rachel Horton. And judges were equally enthusiastic about the team’s performance, with “top partners from organisations like Ernst & Young, Tesco, KPMG, actively hunting our team down.” Rachel explained that some of the team had been offered graduate opportunities. During the team’s time in London there was also time to squeeze in an after party; a networking and awards event where the society received the first prize for ‘Best Northern President’ and second place for ‘Best Annual Report’. Rachel said: “Standing on stage, accepting our awards on behalf of the team, has got to be the proudest moment of my life. […] We are definitely one to watch for next year! We want the finalist spot!” Following the UK Nationals, Enactus Newcastle enjoyed recognition from the ncl+ Awards, with their project leader Matthew Hughes coming away with the prize for Environmental Champion for his work on a farming co-operative in Rwanda.
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Tuesday 7 May 2013
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Graduate-led sporting app to tackle unemployment By Sarah Pratley
PLAYING THE FIELD
The graduate app is said to help younger promising players develop their skills . Image: Pickersgill Reef
A Newcastle graduate has proved a great success in the cricketing field. Former Toon student Sam Eaton has been working on newly developed sporting app Cricketcoach, which assist players with training. Cricketcoach have created three separate apps complete with coaching tips: batting, bowling and wicket-keeping/ fielding, HD videos, analysed pictures and opportunities to compare your technique alongside drills, common faults and challenges. The app has so far seen great success. Developed by four local players and coaches, the apps are now being sold in 25 countries worldwide. Eaton spoke to The Courier stating: ‘University is a great way for people to start playing cricket or further their skills’. Eaton added that, “Cricketcoach will give encouragement and hope to a lot of students currently at Newcastle. We all graduated from university in the last few years whilst we were worried about the economic crisis and the lack of jobs.” “Our company will encourage students to follow their dream and use their passion to hopefully use their entrepreneurial skills.” All Out Cricket Magazine stated it was “the best all-round coaching app we’ve seen on the market so far.” Deep Extra Cover supported this, claiming “the app
is head and shoulders above the coaching apps currently available on the market”. The app aims to get more people involved in cricket throughout the UK as well as worldwide, believing that universities are particular institutions to target. Similarly, the company wish to increase numbers of people interested in cricket coaching, hoping that “Cricketcoach this will be rewill help give flected in larger university cricket encouragement and hope teams. While the comto a lot of stu- pany hope to help dents currently coach promising at Newcastle. cricketers all over We are all wor- the country at an ordable and acried about the aff cessible level, they economic crisis also believe the and the lack of app can improve the general standjobs.” ard of the game throughout the country. Criketcoach have stressed that they don’t aim to replace coaches. Indeed, many coaches have commented on how it is a useful aid during sessions. Some have stressed the app is a perfect example of unemployed graduates showing innovation to succeed during times of economic crisis. The entrepreneurial skills demonstrated indeed show how it is possible for a business to be created and enjoy great success.
“Imagine if we turned up and it was Simon Cowell!” continued from page 1 They were given information about a business to read for 20 minutes, having to pick out problems and create a speedy presentation to present to the Accenture team. The second event was a simulation task based on scaling a business by buying and selling parts to make a bigger business. Joanna said: “There was a moral message behind it, because you could take from other teams. “You had to choose an option every round, and take other people’s assets. Some teams bankrupted other teams. But in the end, the judges questioned the moves of some teams, asking them if they would perform that way in actual business situations.” “They sprung a boardroom on us, and asked us if we thought it was right to take other people’s money,” added Bethany. The whole weekend was scored by combining the score from the task with a score based on performance in the boardroom. When the team were asked if they found the boardroom intimidating, they all responded in the negative.“I loved it,” said Zoe. “People attack you verbally in the boardroom, it’s a great experience,” said Charlie. The team told The Courier how they approached the boardroom situations in a calm manner, asking questions rather than criticising other contestants. Zoe added: “We decided our strategy was to not be aggressive, to not accuse but to question people. We never wanted to put down people’s business’, it reflects badly on you.” The team from Loughborough were in the top spot going into the final day, and Pinnacle expressed how well they got along with the winners.
Charlie said: “They were really nice guys but we had to jump at some point, so we left it right to the end.” “It was a shame because they were the team we got on with the best. But we knew at some point we would have to jump,” added Joanna. The team had to take part in a midnight task, much like the contestants on BBC’s The Apprentice. The team were having drinks in the bar for Joanna’s birthday, and they were told it would be wise to stay around. “Some teams had been in bed since 11, they were all woken and they were so tired,” said Zoe. “At breakfast the next morning, we spoke to another team and asked them how much of their presentation they had completed.” “They said “What presentation?!” because they didn’t wake up and didn’t realise they had to do a task during the night The other two members of their team just couldn’t wake them up!” Bethany explained. For the last task the team had to produce an advert for a venture capitalist company. Disaster struck when their video broke, and the team were told they could pitch their advert, act it out, or make a storyboard. “It actually did us a favour. We were able to talk through our ideas rather than just show a video,” said Bethany. The team came out on top overall, winning a £5,000 prize and an opportunity to gain interview and employability tips with Accenture. Pinnacle have also been invited for a meal with a ‘national talent scout’, who remains unknown. Zoe said: “I have no idea who it’s going to be.” “Imagine if we turned up and it was Simon Cowell!”
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nationalstudentnews.9
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Nudity Study shows students more disillusioned Lecturer about jobs, whilst materialism is on the rise slams homo- banned on By Cathy Bundy Young people are more disillusioned about jobs and money than ever, says new research published last week. The study conducted at San Diego University showed that whilst students are more materialistic than ever before, work ethic has reached an ultimate low. A survey examined the priorities of 355,000 young people between 1976 and 2007. Results showed that 62% prioritised earning larger salaries compared to the smaller figure of 48% thirty years ago. 69% also wanted to own their own home, compared with only 55% from over thirty years ago.
Job Title: Newcastle Work Experience (Summer) - Digital Marketing & Business Development Officer Employer: Engineered Solutions Closing date: 12.05.2013 Salary: £2400 bursary Basic job description: Engineered Solutions is a small family owned business providing products, consultancy and project management services in the field of movement, storage and materials handling. The company has invested time and effort in “moving online” during the last few years, this has included greater involvement with social media, newsletters, promotion and website improvements. The forthcoming project will continue this work, with a focus on updating product profiles, linking between products for cross-selling and using the extensive customer and contacts database for both online and conventional marketing approaches. Person requirements: The placement is suited to an individual with experience and a keen interest in e-marketing and sales development. You must have the ability to work independently when required. The successful student must be self-motivated and professional, preparing reports, recommendations and performance trends that show the impact of their work. They must be forthcoming with ideas and improvements, and be able to communicate confidently with a range of potential stakeholders, including web administrators, business owners, business advisers and clients. Location: Northumberland. Job Title: Newcastle Work Experience (Summer) - Marketing and Engagement Officer Employer: Success4All Closing date: 12.05.2013 Salary: £1200 bursary Basic job description: Success4all run learning hubs and summer schools in areas of Tyneside with low academic achievement levels. Success4all is seeking an individual to support them in marketing their services through various sources. Duties will include: Use of social media including Twitter and Facebook highlighting success stories of learners, volunteers and the organisation; Writing press releases; Developing fund raising ideas and events with the team; Creating consultation groups with children, young people and parents for qualitative research in cooperative membership including desk research in building a learning community; Business strategy development to encourage funding and involvement. Person requirements: The successful candidate must have excellent interpersonal and face-to-face skills. You must be a confident communicator particularly when speaking with learners, young people, children and their families. You must be able to use your own initiative and be confident in the use of social media and blogging tools. Location: Newcastle upon Tyne. Job Title: Newcastle Work Experience (Summer) - Web Development Assistant Employer: Dipsticks Research Limited Closing date: 12.05.2013 Salary: £2400 bursary Basic job description: Dipstick Research Limited is a market research agency that specialises in media and marketing communications. We provide bespoke solutions to the
Professor Jean Twenge of the university led the research, commenting that: “Compared to previous generations, recent high school graduates are more likely to want lots of money and nice things, but less likely to say they’re willing to work hard to earn them.”
outlook had changed over the past thirty years, with the growing effects of advertising meaning that young people are becoming more and more dominated by consumer culture. “This suggests that advertising may play a crucial role in the development of
Meanwhile, work ethic has considerably diminished: 39% of students say they are less motivated to work hard for their ambitions, while only 25% of students admitted to this back in 1976. Professor Twenge added that students’
youth materialism,” he said. “And when our society funds large amounts of advertising, youth are more likely to believe that ‘the good life’ is ‘the goods life’.”
“Thanks to advertising, youth are more likely to believe that ‘the good life’ is ‘the goods life.’”
biggest media brands in the UK, using cutting edge technology and advanced research techniques. We are seeking an enthusiastic individual to assist with a range of web development tasks. The company has a broad portfolio of web sites, many of which require ongoing maintenance, re-designing and new content to maintain a fresh look and aligned with our ambitious business development and marketing strategies. Person requirements: You must hold a solid foundation in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, ASP.Net and/or related scripting technologies. Experience using image manipulation packages such as Fireworks and Photoshop would also be desirable. Location: Northumberland. Job Title: Customer Service Advisor Employer: Home Group Limited Closing Date: 08.05.2013 Salary: £15,000 - £18,000 pro rata Basic job description: Home Group have a number of fantastic opportunities within their Customer Service Centre at Quorum Business Park and are looking for people to join their team in handling rent arrears calls and associated processes. You will be responsible for supporting our customers with either accurate diagnosis of repairs within their homes or supporting them in arranging arrears payment plans. To do this effectively you should be able to analyse available information and make decisions taking into account relevant details. You’ll also be responsible for arranging appointments, keeping our customers informed and supporting back office functions as required. Person requirements: You will have significant experience in working with customers or clients, preferably with a background in collections within a commercial organisation with a focus on reaching positive outcomes. You will be adept in managing difficult conversations and will possess excellent communication and negotiation skills. You will be IT savvy, outcome focused and able to work well under pressure and to targets. You should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Location: Newcastle upon Tyne. Job Title: Street Fundraising Employer: Evolution Recruitment Closing date: End of September Salary: £8.00 - £10.00 per hour Basic job description: Shelter are the UK’s largest housing advice and homelessness charity. They campaign for affordable and decent homes for anybody living in the UK and they will exist until this mission is achieved. In 2004, Shelter established their own London based street fundraising teams who inspired the British public with stories of how they changed lives. The teams achieved outstanding results and Shelter made a decision to roll the teams out nationwide. They now operate in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, Liverpool and Glasgow and have plans to expand further. If you are looking for part time work during term time with the opportunity to work full time once you finish your exams, then we’d love to hear from you. Hours of work are 0930 – 1800 and you need to be able to work at least 3 full days per week between Monday and Saturday. Person requirements: Street fundraisers are
an interesting group of people. They share certain characteristics: they’re clever, articulate, passionate and confident and they definitely have a social conscience. A huge number of our most successful fundraisers are students or recent graduates and many of these people develop fantastic careers within Shelter in the longer term. Location: Newcastle upon Tyne. Job Title: Waiting Staff Employer: Frankie and Benny’s Closing date: 09.05.2013 Salary: Competitive + Benefits Basic job description: Frankie and Bennies are looking to recruit part time Front of House Team Members and Bar Staff as well as Kitchen Team Members/Chefs to work at the new Frankie & Benny’s restaurant opening in Cramlington, Northumberland. Two Recruitment Open Days will be held on Tuesday and Thursday 7th and 9th May 2013 from 10am to 5pm at The Keel Row, Foremans Row, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear NE25. No appointment is needed, simply come along and bring your CV. Person requirements: If you have relevant experience and a genuine passion for hospitality and providing excellent service we would love to have a chat with you! Location: Cramlington. Job Title: Jewellery Sales Assistant Employer: Jon Richard Closing Date: 15.05.2013 Salary: National Minimum Wage Basic job description: Leading jewellery brand, Jon Richard, is looking for a confident, self-motivated, and passionate 20 hours per week Sales Assistant for its concession within Debenhams, Gateshead. Duties will include stock replenishment, merchandising, liaising/ advising customers to create sales and meet targets, cash handling and other general store duties. Person requirements: Applicants will have excellent communication and numeracy skills, the ability to work within a team, and be able to work alone when required. Previous retail experience and an interest in/knowledge of jewellery is preferred. Self motivation and the ability to promote sales will be rewarded with an attractive salary and benefits including generous staff discounts. Location: Gateshead. Job Title: Sales Consultant Employer: Calvin Klein Underwear Closing Date: 22.05.2013 Salary: Exceeds National Minimum Wage Basic job description: A Sales Consultant is required to work 12 hours per week at the Calvin Klein Underwear concession within the House of Fraser, Gateshead. Duties include stock replenishment, liaising with customers, cash handling and general store duties. Applicants must be flexible with working pattern as days/ shifts will vary. Person requirements: The successful candidate must have excellent customer service and communication skills and able to work as part of a team. Previous retail experience preferred. Location: Gateshead.
sexuality
campus
University of Cambridge
University of Leeds
Cambridge Theology lecturer, Timothy Winter has been condemned this week after a recording on YouTube exposed his derogatory remarks about homosexuality. The six minute video, although twenty years old, reveals Winter’s homophobic comments describing homosexuality as both an “inexplicable aberration” and “a flagrant defiance of God’s good purposes”. Winter defended himself in a statement retracting his former opinion, remonstrating that: “It is depressing how the past can return to haunt us [...] Please let me know if it reappears anywhere - it is a ghost with no right to speak”. Despite some students calling for his dismissal, Winter will continue as both lecturer of Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Divinity and preacher Cambridge Central Mosque.
A proposal to ban nudity on Leeds University campus has failed this week. The nude posters used in Union leadership elections were targeted by three Union forum members. These forum members collectively condemned the propaganda as adding to a general “disrespect to the women community”. Laura Potter, an advocate of the nude campaign supported freedom of expression inher statement. She said that: “ T h e people who got involved in [our] shoot did so because they wanted to and felt comfortable to take their kit off for a good cause.” The proposed banning was unsuccessful with three Union members voting for the motion and nine against.
Library in controversy over fines
Students discover flaming comet
Glasgow University
Birmingham University
A Guardian investigation this week revealed that Glasgow University library has received £90,000 in library fines between September 2011 to December 2012. Despite cuts being implemented across campus, library fines still remain costly at 50p an hour for overdue books. Glasgow’s library fining system is such that a student with over £25 in fines can be prevented from graduating. In addition to this, it was discovered that, despite h i g h charges, the lib r a r y only used 3.8% of the fine money to replace books, leading to questions about where the surplus money was being spent.
The ‘comet of the century’ has been discovered by Birmingham students this week. The giant Ison comet, which travels at over 1.5 million miles an hour, is predicted to pass only 40 miles from the earth this year and, being 15 times brighter than a full moon, will potentially be visible to the naked eye. The comet was sighted by second year undergraduates Paul Carter, Thomas Syder and Callum B ellhouse at the Wa s t Hills Observatory on the final night that the telescopes were commissioned. Callum Bellhouse described the discovery as “a thrilling moment for everyone” as well as “a fitting send-off for the old telescope”.
Images: Nuts Magazine & Wikimedia Commons
Laura Wotton
10.comment 3 reasons why...
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Quality not quantity
...buying a After a recent study showed huge discrepancies in contact hours between universities, ‘suspended Katie Sunley explains why she thinks quality of teaching is more important coffee’ is a good survey on the number of conStandardising the contact hours In addition the contact hours ob- I don’t think value for money can be tact hours received by univerwould not standardise the quality of served by the survey do not include the judged solely on the number of conidea... sity students has revealed that teaching and so I don’t see how it would time with lecturers such as one-to-one tact hours, and so there is no reason for 1) It’s not just for the homeless Some people seemed put off by the idea of it being for a select group. It is actually for anyone in need, people who are out of work or desperate (and I don’t mean just a bit thirsty). Those who would love a proper cup of coffee and just can’t afford one. Coffee may not solve all their issues but it might just brighten up their day.
2) Paying it forward
If you have never seen the film Pay It Forward, do. It is beautiful, you will cry and your faith in humanity will be restored (even if it is the Hollywood version of it). But the idea is you give something to somebody and expect nothing it return. They then pay it forward (get it?). You would be helping someone without it benefitting you, which a good boy scout or girl guide knows is important for day to day life. This campaign gives you a wonderful opportunity to be a bit selfless and it is handed to you on a plate (or in a coffee cup).
3) It’s just a cup of coffee I know students are renowned for complaining about how poor they are, or how little they get to eat, but somehow we always manage to find that £3 for a pint or £5 to get into a club. The ‘suspended coffee’ concept is not expecting a lot from you, no long term commitment, no one is going to phone you up regularly asking you to donate more or become a life long member. It is one of kindness and will cost you around £3. That amount of money is so insignificant in the long run but ultimately could put a smile on someone’s face and let’s face it, that is priceless.
Sally Priddle
A
some students only get a third of the hours that others receive doing the same course at other universities. This has sparked critics to say that some students are not getting value for money for their degrees now that the fees are tripled, and I would agree that it does seem a large discrepancy in hours ought to be addressed. However, I think that it is unnecessary for contact hours for each subject to be completely standardised across universities. Although the subjects are the same, the way that degree courses are structured differs from university to university and this should be taken into account when reviewing the number of contact hours. Some universities focus much more on the value of independent study and the lectures and seminars are a starting point for students to read around the topic themselves rather than being spoon-fed the information. This encourages time management and independent thought which are important skills that graduate employers are looking for. University should be a step towards more independent work, and the lectures and seminars are there to support your work rather than being the whole course of study, like school or sixth form. The phrase ‘quality not quantity’ also comes to mind and I think that the quality of the teaching is what needs to be addressed, rather than obsessing over the amount of time you spend in class.
improve ‘value for money’. Personally, I would rather study my subject at a Russell Group university with fewer hours than a less respected university, which boasts more. Having lecturers who are experts in their field and passionate about their subject, and
drop-in sessions and dissertation supervision that are offered by some universities, which could prove to be more valuable than contact hours in lectures.
contact hours to be standardised across universities when the courses can vary so much and different universities offer different teaching methods.
“Standardising the contact hours would not standardise the quality of teaching.” who give interesting and informative lectures, is more important than the quantity of hours. I have an average of 10 contact hours a week for my subject and I have sometimes sat in lectures and seminars and thought “am I really paying £9000 a year for this?” but if every timetabled hour were worthwhile and you gained something from it then, in my opinion, my degree would be worth the money. However, I think paying the raised fees means that we should have the right to demand a high standard of teaching, and that should not be sidelined by lecturers in favour of university research.
MORE HOURS?
Universities provide different numbers of hours for the same courses Image: Canadian2006 (Wikimedia)
Is foreign reporting too risky? As journalists continue to die whilst reporting from abroad, Johnny Farrar-Bell discusses why it is important for reporters to continue to report from dangerous regions JOHNNY FARRARBELL
O
nce – in a fit of angst about the future – I asked a journalist what avenue he recommended one take to get in to his line of work. ‘Well’, he said, ‘there are four options open to you…’ (He then reeled off three rather dull and conventional approaches) ‘But if you are serious about it you could park yourself in a foreign country, wait for something newsworthy to occur, and then get in touch with us. Somewhere like…Libya, Egypt or perhaps even Syria’. ‘How exciting’! I thought. ‘Is that really what people do’? ‘Yes…totally’. ‘Interesting…perhaps it’s a possibility’. But it gradually dawned on me that Syria and Libya were both recently, or currently, involved in bloody conflicts that had seen journalists killed. It was unsurprising, therefore, that when I regaled the conversation to my parents they quickly dissuaded me from taking the curve-ball fourth option. But it left me with a lingering thought:
in war/overseas journalism, are the rewards worth the risks? Indeed, the rewards are clearly numerous: scooping an unknown, highly valuable news story, uncovering an atrocity and bringing perpetrators to account, not to mention
don reporting when the risk is far too great? Or is it journalists themselves who need to stop pursuing inquiries or going into war zones if they know it to be a gamble in which they and their cameramen’s lives are at stake? It is true that sometimes reporters can justifiably have very high and noble motives in reporting, perhaps with the goal of saving further loss of life. If this is the case journalists may not see risking their own life for that end to be too great a cost. But most of the
“In war/overseas journalism, are the rewards “Clearly to be worth the risks?” a good foreign personal interest, acclaim and career reporter advancement. But the risks are many too. Last year the famed American reporter Marie calculated Colvin was killed in Homs, Syria. Already this year, 18 journalists have been gambles have to killed worldwide including 5 journalists at the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta. The Panorama/UCL/North Korean be made.” controversy has further revealed the extent to which journalists can go to get a story. So do newspapers, such as Novaya Gazeta (they are investigating the corrupt practices in Russian society), aban-
time though, I would presume, that this is not the case. If so, I cannot believe it is worth newspapers or journalists risking the lives of others (cameramen, interpreters etc.) as
well. The question, therefore, is where does one draw the line in determining risk? And who (the journalist or the newspaper chief) has the final say in whether journalists go ahead with an assignment? When John Simpson disguised himself in a hijab – so as to be smuggled into Kabul before the Coalition liberated the city in 2001 – did the BBC give him clearance? I imagine they advised him against it. But now, obviously, he is lauded as a hero. Clearly to be a good foreign reporter calculated gambles have to be made. Wars need to be reported and they are not always to be found in the most amenable of locations. But it cannot be a good thing if newspapers, or journalists, place pressure on themselves to report somewhere which undoubtedly will put their, and others’, lives in danger.
What are your thoughts? Tweet the Comment section at @couriercomment
The Courier
.11
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Comment
Comment Editors: Georgina Moule and Laura Wotton Online Comment Editor: Jennifer Evans thecourieronline.co.uk/comment courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk | @Courier_Comment
BOYCOTT Student Council voted to boycott Page 3 on 2 May Image: Bobbie Johnson (Wikimedia)
Is it right for NUSU to boycott Page 3? NATASHA SPREADBOROUGH
YES
W
hy should we boycott newspapers that still sell pictures of topless women? Because these images are harmful to women, and they need to stop. Whether people dislike these images or not, they perpetuate the idea of women as sex objects, the idea that women’s sexuality is not their own but something that exists for the pleasure of men, the idea that it can be bought and sold. Continuing to value women based solely on their appearances, as these newspapers do, perpetuates the idea that this is the only measure of a woman’s worth. Ideas like these mean incredibly successful women in positions of political or financial power are still scrutinised a disproportionate amount on the way they look compared to their male counterparts. The pictures of women in these newspapers play to an unrealistic, fetishized ideal of women that influences, in varying extents, the overarching image of a ‘perfect’ woman in the media. These women are mostly white, of one particular body type (thin yet unnaturally curvaceous), all apparently physically able-bodied and stereotypically feminine. This image seeps into all other forms of media, dismissing the majority
of women who do not match this image as unattractive, to the point where if you google ‘beauty’ only one particular image of a woman – similar to the ones in Page 3 – appears. This is unhealthy, and ignores the incredible diversity in women’s appearances.
“The pictures of women in these newspapers play to an unrealistic, fetishized ideal of women” But what about images of topless men, people ask, are they not sexist too? Those images are not sexist, because sexism is a form of institutionalized oppression of women that is ingrained in our society. It is not simply a matter of gender stereotypes, it is a structural system that pays women less for doing the same jobs, makes a mockery of assault against women and blames them for bringing it upon themselves and perpetuates images of them as less intelligent and subordinate to men. Men do not suffer this oppression, therefore whilst sexualised images might not promote a positive image of them, they do very little damage against the mass of images of men, mostly white, as suc-
cessful and in positions of power; images which reflect the reality of a society mostly controlled by men. Women should be allowed to do with their bodies as they wish, and this includes selling pictures of themselves clothed or unclothed. However, these images should not be the only images of women available, and they should not be sold in a way which perpetuates a fetishized, unrealistic ideal solely for the pleasure of men. Women are not just our breasts. We have the right to be accurately and fairly represented in all our different sizes, sexualities, ethnicities, abilities and gender expressions that exist in the real world. We have the right to be revered and admired beyond what we look like. We have the right to be respected. The images in Page 3 do none of these things.
GEORGIE MOULE COMMENT EDITOR
NO
D
on’t get me wrong; I think Page 3 is awful. I think it’s degrading, demeaning and gives both men and women an unrealistic expectation of females. I’d really, really like it if Page 3 just stopped being a thing and disappeared forever, along with any sort of sexism.
But the news last week that NUSU Student Council had voted to ban The Sun and The Daily Star from the Union shop as part of the No More Page 3 campaign really depressed me. At University, we’re all adults. We’re meant to be mature enough to live alone, to look after ourselves and to make decisions for ourselves. Surely that should extend to being able to decide for ourselves where we get our news. If you want to ogle a pair of tits in a national newspaper, you probably aren’t the sort of person I’d like to have a conversation with but by all means ogle away.
“Having somebody else’s will imposed on you isn’t going to change your attitudes towards something”
Please don’t think I’m not a feminist. I am. I 100% believe in equality of the sexes, in equal opportunities and in having zero tolerance of sexual harassment in the Union, which should be a welcoming and safe place for all students, regardless of gender, race, sexuality or anything else that differentiates us. But I also 100% believe in people
being able to make their own decisions when it comes to what they want to buy. In order to change society’s perception of women in the long run, it’s going to take a lot more than a boycott of Page 3 in the Union. If people want to buy The Sun, they can do that five minutes down the road. If they want to see a pair of tits, it’s easily accessible on a smart phone, within the Union building if they so desire. I can see the aim behind the boycott and I respect it, but if you’re going to boycott Page 3, why not boycott The Daily Mail too, as surely the proliferation of articles about ‘bikini bodies’ and vile articles such as ‘What is wrong with Zooey Deschanel’s eyelid?’ - yeah, I’m serious, that happened, Google it - are equally damaging to women’s perceptions of themselves, and men’s perceptions of them? Why not ban women’s magazines that feature topless men? Equality works both ways. In order to make any progress in the pursuit of an equal society, it’s going to need a complete rejigging of societies attitudes towards women. I don’t think banning Page 3 is going to do this; not when porn, which I believe is much more degrading in some cases, is so readily available. What it comes down to is that people must make the decision for themselves whether or not they support Page 3. That’s where the change will start. Having somebody else’s will imposed on you isn’t going to change your attitudes towards something. I’m sure a lot of us would rather nobody bought The Sun, that it died a death and was never seen again, but making it unavailable in one shop isn’t the way to go about changing attitudes.
12.comment
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Famine in Somalia
Bird-Flu outbreak in China
A study into the Somalia famine published its findings this week, revealing that over a quarter of a million citizens died between 2010 and 2012. Half of this figure were children under the age of five, says the UN food agency who led the research. The crisis was caused by a severe drought, while civil political conflict is thought to have played a role in the famine through its effects on Somalia’s farming industry.
An outbreak of bird flu in China is said to pose serious threats to human health, although scientists are yet to predict how far the virus will spread. 126 people have so far been affected, 24 of whom have died leaving many more in critical conditions. The virus has not yet shown signs of spreading from person to person. Experts advised the threat should be ‘treated calmly, but seriously.’
US citizen arrested by North Korean government A US citizen has been sentenced to 15 years of labour by the North Korean government. Pae Jun-ho, known as Kenneth Bae, was tried in court last week after the country accused him of anti-government crimes, including the attempt to overthrow them. The 44 year-old, who is of Korean descent, was arrested last November in the city of Rason, near the Chinese-North Korean border.
WORLD AT A GLANCE
‘Morning-after’ pill to be available to women of any age in US An appeal to make the morning-after pill available to women of all ages has been filed by the US department of justice. The drug is currently only available to women over the age of 17. Last Tuesday the Food and Drug Administration approved the availability of the drug to be sold over the counter for women above the age of 15. A New York judge approved of the appeal, claiming the limitation of the morning-after pill without a prescription was ‘capricious.’
Susie May Beever
Image: NASA (Wikimedia)
Great White, great night? Regarding Oxford Ball organizers proposed hiring of a live shark , Elizabeth Archer argues that a University Ball is no place for marine life
ELIZABETH ARCHER
H
ave you heard? Some Oxford students spent a lot of money on something silly. The media recently had a field-day after students organising The Last Ball for Oxford’s Somerville and Jesus Colleges were prevented from hiring a live shark in a tank for entertainment at the event, which took place this weekend on 4th May. The inspiration for the shark tank was the famous scene in Baz Luhrman’s 1996 film Romeo + Juliet, which showed the young lovers’ eyes meeting for the first magical time through a fish tank in a lavatory, according to a statement released by the Ball Committee’s Chairman, Sam Levin. But the fate of the shark at the Ball could have been as tragic as Shakespeare’s romance itself, given that the poor creature would probably have been poured a whiskey or other beverage by an inebriated rah. That’s a flippant example, but the shark’s welfare is is not to be taken lightly. A spokesperson for the RSPCA told papers that the Ball would have been a highly unsuitable environment for the fully-grown shark, since the enormous fish are extremely sensitive to low-level vibrations. And with DJ High Contrast in attendance, there were bound to be ‘vibrations’ into the wee hours of the morning. In this day in age, with a law having recently been passed by Parliament to ban live animals from featuring in UK circuses from 2015, surely it’s no longer socially acceptable to subject living creatures to duress for this sort of entertainment?
A further concern is what this incident shows about the event itself, described by the Somerville-Jesus Ball Committee as “one last night of decadence, debauchery, and indulgence.” With tickets costing in excess of £110 – to include breakfast cooked for students by none other than world-renowned chef Raymond Blanc – and the organisers being rumoured to have spent over £16,000 on the event in total, this seems like a case of more money than sense. My concern is not that the Ball’s committee got carried away; especially since at least two-thirds of The Courier’s readers can empathise with students gasping for the opportunity to let their hair down. I am more worried by the delayed response of Somerville and Jesus Colleges.
“The poor creature would probably have been poured a whisky by an inebriated ‘rah’” It took the administration a total of eight days to respond to letters of complaint, following demonstrations and threats of boycotting the Ball by students. Only under growing national media pressure did Somerville College’s President finally release a press statement condemning the committee’s plans. But this is unacceptable considering that we no longer live in the swinging ‘60s, and privilege no longer makes people exempt. Oxford should be a cut above, not cut out of the real world.
The Courier
comment.13
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Hero of the entire free world?
With regards to the recent announcement that Winston Churchill will feature on the £5 note, Joe Wood discusses the link between someone’s fame and their subsequent tribute in society JOE WOOD
S
BYE BYE FRY
Winston Churchill will replace Elizabeth Fry on the £5 note. Image: Laura Wotton
This news has raised the question of whether it is right in a modern, equal society to have only male figures on our banknotes with the exception of the Queen, whose face has to be there. At present the £20 note has Adam Smith, the £50 note has John Houblon,
Matthew Boulton and James Watt, and by 2016 the £5 note will have the face of Winston Churchill. With the exception of Charles Dickens on the £10 note, all the men found on our banknotes are men of currency, politics and business. Elizabeth Fry seems an exception to this. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I did not actually know what Mrs Fry had done in her life. But, with the wonders of Wikipedia you soon find out how instrumental she was in the reforms made to the British prison system and find a great sense of admiration towards this seldom mentioned, philanthropic social heroine. Churchill is evidently more famous than the prison reformer Fry and would be more easily recognisable. Does this
suggest a person’s fame determines how we honour them in society? In the modern world we are very familiar with the famous faces of people who have become ingrained into our social psyche, but that should not diminish the respect we show to the unsung greats of our history. Fry represents the significance of those people in history who may not have won wars, or produced business empires, or set up the Bank of England, but who in their own way re-shaped and bettered the society we live in today. She, who signifies the determination of women in a fiercely male dominated environment, has been forced out of her small limelight on a piece of paper we use every day to be replaced by a face
we already know well, a man of politics and war, who does not need this extra monument to further his notoriety. I respect Winston Churchill as a great leader of our nation in one of its most troubled times and I would feel no sadness in seeing his face on a banknote. But, it is gutting to see the only woman of British history represented by the Pound Sterling forced into the shadows, exchanged for another man of British history. I believe Mervyn King made a mistake replacing Fry with Churchill, for he will forever be remembered regardless of his place on a banknote whereas she was suitably recognised with the memorial of a £5 note. As we have to see her go, I say, here’s to Liz!
Tories discredit UKIP political credentials In the light of Ken Clarke’s comments aimed at UKIP, John Blewett discusses whether UKIP will prove politically successful or simply a ‘harbour for protest’ JOHN BLEWETT
K
en Clarke is once again under the spotlight, this time for comments aimed at the new Tory nemesis: UKIP. Last week, he referred to the UKIP party leadership as a ‘collection of clowns’, claiming their popularity stems only through ‘protest’ against the established political classes. It would appear that Mr Clarke’s comments are merely another salvo by the Tory party to discredit UKIP’s political credentials before the upcoming local elections. Conservative Party Head Quarters has labelled this new media surge as ‘natural scrutiny’ and has unearthed several cases of far-right links among the 1732 candidates that UKIP hopes to field. Whether this is a smear campaign or political scrutiny, it reveals an underlying nervousness amid top Tories. If these old Machiavellians
are concerned, it begs the question: are UKIP going to prove politically successful? Or are they, in Ken’s words, simply a harbour for protest? Until five years ago, UKIP would have been placed in the same category as the BNP: a collection of nutty fruitcakeeating racists and xenophobic far-right groups (by the lefty-liberal media mafia, one might add). By playing on insecurities of white-minority communities and old-empire types, they could probably muster a substantial number of votes for a council seat, but never enough to win any more than a handful in the Town Hall. Since 2005, however, UKIP has managed to detach itself from this image. This is due primarily to the return of Nigel Farage to centre stage. He’s a true firebrand but sharp and politically aware. His return coincided with a growing euro-scepticism amongst voters, as well as increasing fears over immigration and the growing anger over the benefit system, and he’s performed admirably. After the 2010 General Election, UKIP’s main issues, for too long ignored by Westminster, became top priority to the electorate. Nigel Farage’s
ON THE BLOG #8- Queen B fever
o, our Great British currency is in for a makeover come 2016. Unfortunately, we won’t be getting the all too necessary 99p coin, which would spare us from the first world dilemmas of ‘should I trawl through all my two, five and ten pence coins’ or ‘should I grit my teeth and break that twenty-pound note’. It is never an easy choice. Instead, Sir Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England and all round silver fox (I joke), has announced that our great wartime Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, shall be the new face of the five pound note, replacing Elizabeth Fry and making the Queen the only female face on our banknotes.
“It’s gutting to see the only woman in British history represented by the pound sterling forced into the shadows”
LYDIA CARROLL
rhetoric sounded appealing. Crucially, these issues; Europe, benefits and immigration; have a cross-class appeal- they affect everybody. Farage now sat astride the proverbial ‘centre-ground’, with the rest of Westminster swiftly about-facing from the left.
“One could go as far to say that UKIP’S raison d’etre is to return the Tories to their allotted place on the political right”
However, UKIP may now be sat on the key issues of the day, but they do so from an extra-parliamentary position. Here our rather unsporting electoral system comes into play. UKIP can win proportional seats in the EU parlia-
ment until they are purple in the face, and they may succeed in getting a few councillors elected in the Shires or the immigration hot-spots, but they would struggle to get anyone elected into parliament. The political parties are too firmly established, the swing in votes would have to be seismic. ‘Thank god’, the lefty-liberals sigh. Don’t hold your breath dears. Mr Farage is not stupid. For all the rhetoric about the impending revolution he knows that UKIP will never storm the Westminster cafeteria queue. To him, his political success has been to bring the Westminster parties to heel on the issues that have been ignored. It does not matter how many UKIP councillors are elected. It matters only that the Tories fear their popularity. One could go so far as to say that UKIP’s raison d’etre is to return the Tories to their allotted place on the political right. When commentators refer to UKIP as the Conservative party ‘at mourning’, they are not far wrong. If Cameron continues his rightward march, the purple will surely turn blue in the years to come. One has to hand it to Farage, he played the game quite beautifully.
Unless you live under a rock without the internet and have somehow missed a thousand ‘OH MY GOD I SAW BEYONCE LAST NIGHT SHE IS THE QUEEN OF MY LIFE’ statuses, then you’re probably familiar with - or attended - Bey’s recent ‘Mrs. Carter’ tour. Beyonce is, quite undeniably, one of the most famous, widely adored women in the world right now, and as with most women at the top of their game in the public eye there are huge expectations of her. At all times Beyonce must be a blazing feminist icon, whilst also being a ‘role model’ for girls and young women. She must represent every woman, whilst also being considered by her enormous fan base as the highest point in human evolution. Keeping all those plates spinning at once is inevitably going to lead to a few tit-ups. So it was with some controversy that Mrs. Knowles-Carter (her official surname – both Beyonce and Jay-Z took the same name when they married, because AWESOME) named her tour just ‘The Mrs. Carter Tour’. Why was Bey chucking away the name she’d worked so hard to make famous, and going all Good Housekeeping on us? Simply put, because this is not a problem for Beyonce, because she is built up of such alter-egos. Like Sasha Fierce before her, Beyonce will wear the Mrs. Carter name like a stage outfit, using it to show off another facet of herself – the part that is wife to Jay-Z. It makes a declaration of Bey’s love, but it also sort of comically domesticates her. It pokes fun of the idea. You know, here she is dressed up like a queen; but she also balls socks sometimes. Mrs. Carter doesn’t matter for Beyonce, because being Mrs. Carter is not the be all and end all of her person. Her old name – that is, Beyonce, Unofficial Queen of the World – remains the dominant aspect of her personality. Her past self will not disappear. And after the tour she’ll go back to being Beyonce, an immortal superstar who also happens to be married. But for the rest of us, it’s a little bit harder. Like so many aspects of life at which we would all excel if we could just fucking be Beyonce for once, the issue of changing one’s name is far more life-altering for the rest of us non-fabulous plebs. When you are not as easily recognisable as Queen B, and you don’t have multiple alter egos to fall back on, there’s a very real danger that your identity will be defined entirely as ‘Mrs HisName HisName’. And should an ordinary woman wish to keep her name, there are a number of social pressures in place to try to put her off. Beyonce, I’m sure, did not worry about in-laws asking if their name wasn’t good enough. Beyonce did not need to worry about throwing away her name because it’s “just a bit easier with all the bank cheques and stuff ”. There is nothing so dispiriting as the idea that women should be the ones to throw themselves away just to cause a bit less hassle for everyone else. Nor should they have to bashfully justify their choice with a sheepishly apologetic “well, I need my maiden name for work”. Women shouldn’t need to make timid apologies for their decisions. All you really need to say is, “Welp, I’m keeping my name because I’m a plutonium-grade feminist nutter. This really is going to be the least of our matrimonial problems, I’m afraid. Now stop obsessing over safeguarding your patriarchal lineage and make me some toast”.
14.features
Monday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Robinson library: an
extended study It’s that time of year again – deadlines are stacking up, free computers are at a premium, and printing credits suddenly become a viable form of currency. But just how long can the human mind stand to be in the library before it turns to mush and starts dribbling out of your ears? Features Editor Tom Nicholson threw himself into the line of duty to find out 11am: Setting up Preparation is everything: I’d brought lunch with me (sandwiches: two, cheese and pickle; crisps: cheese and onion, two bags thereof; an apple: Golden Delicious, slightly bruised), and in light of the fact that I was unlikely to be able to use a library computer without having to use a kidney as a bartering chip, I brought my laptop and set up shop on the top floor, the better to survey the back lane leading to the library and remind myself that escape was possible. I made sure my pens for perpendicular to the edge of the desk, and settled into my swivel chair confident that today was definitely going to be the day my dissertation was finished. I wrote ‘DON’T LEAVE UNTIL IT’S DONE’ in luminous orange letters on a piece of paper positioned at eye level. Feeling giddy with self-congratulation on being so bloody well prepared, I promptly went on Buzzfeed and lost an hour and a half to it.
3pm: Procrastination station Having made certain that absolutely everything about my workstation was perfect, I glanced at my watch to see that I’d been in the library for four hours and not done anything except walk around a lot and try to avoid looking at the bloke sat next to me who was wearing flip flops and eating grapes in the most nauseating manner. The way he slurped and chomped would have tested even the Dalai Lama’s patience. Twenty minutes were lost in trying to ascertain whether it’s possible to make someone’s head explode just by staring very, very intently at the back of it (answer: no). Happily though, I did find an article by the amazingly-monikered Angelia Poon which generated enough mirth to pass a good twenty minutes or so. The article itself was about Victorian literary responses to colonialism though, which rather put me on a downer. To clear my head, I went for another wander round and nearly got myself killed in the rolling shelving units in the basement. The girl who tried to murder me (she was deeply apologetic about the whole thing, but then so was Ted Bundy) didn’t even want to
Oh come on, that’s pretty funny
look at the children’s literature section – she just wanted a go at rolling the shelves about. Had it not been for an Indiana Jones-style lunge through the closing gap, this moment of horseplay could have ended in a judicial enquiry and a small plaque to my memory placed above the Biff, Chip and Kipper section. Dismissing the thought that a small plaque might actually be quite nice, and restraining myself from looking up exactly how much it would cost to dedicate a park bench to myself, I soldiered on.
8.30pm: Is there a bar in here? At this time on a Friday evening, there are many things I would rather be doing with my time than researching critical responses to pantheism in The Wind in the Willows. I would rather, for example, play rugby with a hornet’s nest, or stab myself in the legs with knitting needles. Mostly, though, I would rather be in the pub. Is there a rule against bringing in jugs of Stella from the Hancock? Someone has to find out eventually. It also became clear that there were, for some reason, first years nearby hacking through the undergrowth of their ‘workload’ at about 9.30. I think I speak for all second, third, and masters students when I say to these dweebs: CUT IT OUT RIGHT NOW. Firstly, you irritate everyone with your moaning about workloads. Secondly, you take up valuable room which could be used by students who need to get over 40% in their assessments. Thirdly, your insistence on being so bloody happy all the time makes us work-laden hacks want to murder you. I put this to a friend once and asked if I was being too harsh; he said I was being quite the opposite, and offered to murder not only the chirpy, chatty youngsters but their friends and family too at no extra cost. A third friend chipped in and said he should offer the same service and throw in a complimentary jig on the top of the deceased’s graves. We laughed, but it was a laugh of anger and jealousy. You don’t need to be in the library taking up computers at half past 9 on a Friday, first years – run around and be stupid while you still can.
1.30am: The night time is the right time The sense of impending doom which had been building since about six o’clock began to dissipate a little as the weaker-minded among the library community started to drift off, leaving a hardcore of the iron-willed, the anti-social, and the terminally lonely. My flatmate popped over to say hello: he is something of a pro regarding long library stints, even going as far in one instance as to bring a change of clothes with him. This is, of course, mildly insane, and not to be encouraged unless
you happen to be Superman and there’s a minor crisis going down around the hot water machine which needs sorting out pronto. The flatmate dispatched to another area of the library, I used the rather novel aura of tranquillity around the library to plough through a relatively hefty 400 words in relatively brief two hours. As a reward, I spent some time flicking through vinyl in the media room and trying to look cultured, nodding sagely at a recording of Tchaikovsky.
devil-may-care laughter of the dayshifters began to jab my poor fatigued brain like so many rusty nails. Three separate friends told me I looked like I’d had a particularly horrible bereavement. Thanks to a combination of Realising things were likely to get worse before they got better, I grabbed my stuff and slinked out of the revolving doors.
5am: Sunrise
26 hours, 13 minutes
The view of the dawn breaking over Newcastle is a wonderful sight in most circumstances, but when one is surrounded by empty coffee cups, indecipherable scribbling which definitely made sense six hours ago, and the overwhelming ennui generated by watching the last stragglers from nights out in town making their way home, it’s a harrowing experience. The wastefulness of the last 18 hours stared me full in the face, the endless expanse of time I’d imagined stretching into the distance from 8pm having been frittered away in a blur of vaguely amusing authors’ names and irrelevant musings on the likelihood of a Gregg’s being open all night long (the one on Bigg Market shuts at 4am, it transpires). It was all a bit too much. I had to have a sit down and a Twix. That took me through to 6.30am, officially the start of an early morning and the end of a late night. Looking at my screen, it became clear that I’d put on barely 200 words in the last three hours. I could have wept. At least grapeboy had fucked off.
8am: Morning, mourning Seriously flagging now, my bold predictions that I could stay in the library for a full day had been quite conclusively shown to be hubristic in the extreme. A short nap in the parliamentary records section of the basement was calling, but really, once one starts thinking it’s alright to sleep in the library, what else might one condone? Sleeping in a skip? Sleeping in a bush? Sleeping in a carefully constructed shack made of corrugated metal sheets in a scrapyard? In a last-ditch attempt to push my word count over the 1500 mark, I popped to the café. It might seem counter-intuitive to push through the 1500 word mark by wandering off and ignoring my work, but the brain needs sustenance much more than it needs intellectual sustenance after 20 hours in a horrendously overheated box which feels like it might become one’s tomb.
1.13pm: Admitting defeat Passing the 24-hour mark, the spritely chatter and
The final time: It sounds a bit pathetic, I know, but show me someone who’s stayed in the library for longer than that and I’ll show you a sociopath.
TOP TIPS
- Make sure you have a rotating cast of mates to take breaks with and make sure you don’t go mad - Vender food is great and everything, but eating kettle chips for a day solid will do weird things to your bowels - Look up first aid techniques for dealing with heatstroke - If you value your dignity, don’t bother trying to find a quiet spot in which to take a nap – you will definitely, definitely be found by someone - Bring along a board game to break up the long hours of work and make new friends, though library noise rules restrict games of Frustration and Articulate to the café area - DON’T GO ON BUZZFEED. REPEAT: DO NOT GO ON BUZZFEED
The Courier
features.15
Monday 7 May 2013
Word count vs. time 2am: a burst of acceleration having drunk so much coffee I can see through time 4pm: art history suddenly becomes fascinating
11am: in the library in body, but not in mind
Beyond Robbo: where else can you study? Likelihood Comfort MENSA offices of work Bed getting Secluded log John Lewis soft cabin in the furnishings done arse-end of department nowhere
The impossible dream
4am: the inevitable crash
2pm: I’ve got bloody ages, no worries
Commando training camp 8pm: at a low ebb, massively jonesing for a Greggs
Camaraderie
What do people actually do in the library?
Team building exercise involving rope swings in Epping Forest
Someone else’s bed Wet ‘n’ Wild
On a brewery tour
The Library Effect: a case study
3% reading 29% endless, aimless walking
45% existential angst
20% morale-boosting chats with friends The Library Effect in four distinct stages: initial normality; the brain’s exit; the initial illusion of sentience after the brain’s exit; and, finally, death.
3% unsuccessful chirpsing
Bored? The long, slow hours of revision will fly by with our library bingo card - spot all of these common library happenings, get a full house and put off work for a while. Hand in a completed bingo card to the Courier office and receive a heartfelt ‘congratulations’ from our Editor
Utter boob wearing flip-flops greets friend with “Yo man”; 1993 turns up asking for its greeting back
A full-on fist-fight develops in the Tyne cluster over a prematurely loggedoff PC
An instance of heavy petting in the Spanish history section
The Student Texts Collection is occupied by a chemical engineering student frantically waving a sharpened textbook at all who approach
Printers break down, but are fixed by a technician ‘doing a Fonz’ and elbowing it in just the right place
The entrance gates go crackers, slicing students’ legs to ribbons
A small-scale rave breaks out in the media room, complete with dry ice and lasers
A small group of students stream football in the basement but the mood quickly turns sour when hooligans in vests and bucket hats turn up and start throwing plastic garden furniture around; a water cannon restores order
The Robbo rabbits complete the final stages of their warren under Northumbria’s library, which promptly sinks into the ground
Nicolas Cage found liberating artefacts from Special Collections; library staff refuse to believe he is “just practicing for National Treasure 3”
16.fashion
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Fashion Editors: Elissa Hudson and Lizzie Hampson Online Fashion Editor: Sally Greenwood
What I wore this week
First year English Literature student Miranda Eedle shows us two of her favourite outfits from this week.
Jumper: Street Vendor, £10 Dress: Ann Taylor, £80 Tights: Primark, £3 Boots: Topshop, £45
Jeans: 7 For All Mankind, £2 at a charity shop Top: Liz Claiborne, £3 at a charity shop Sandals: NaturalSoul, £15
Total cost: £138
Total cost: £20
For years I had been searching for a simple shift dress but every dress I came across in the shops was either puffed or pleated, rigidly structured or exaggeratedly flowing. It was not until I had given up in my search that, quite unexpectedly, I finally got the classic clean line I had been searching for. I was staying with my aunt and one day I walked into the kitchen to see this dress hanging up in the doorway. My Aunt told me this dress, which she had bought about 10 years earlier and worn on her first date with her husband, was going to be mine. Since it is Spring I have been wearing this dress more often but as we are also in Newcastle I feel the need to pair it with a big jumper, tights and boots. This jumper was also a gift from my aunt and is similarly about 10 years old. It is so comfortable and warm that I’ll wear it with anything but I felt like putting it together with the dress was a nice way of creating a little outfit in homage to my aunt.
Two things I love in clothing are timeless simplicity and cheapness. That is why many of my favourite items of clothing are charity shop buys. Unfortunately disappointment is frequent. I’m always on the lookout for brand names so first I hope to find a label, but of course a good label on a horrible item is meaningless, so I must find something I really want and like and finally it needs to fit! Recently I was in need of a pair of jeans and as jeans are notoriously tricky to wear I knew I wanted a good brand but I didn’t want to pay for the price tag, so to the charity shops I went. As usual I searched for a label first and after going through several shops I was excited to find a pair of jeans from 7 For All Mankind. Looking at them and holding them up I thought there was no possibility of them fitting but I decided to try them on anyway. Somehow, as I pulled them on, their strange shape moulded comfortably and flawlessly to my body! I love their 90s feel and here have worn them with a silk and wool Liz Claiborne top, another charity bargain, and sandals.
Comic girl chic or simply comical?
Do you marvel at graphic prints and go mad for Mickey Mouse tees or find Superman less than satisfactory? Two of our fashion writers argue for and against the latest comic inspired trend to hit the high street.
Yes
If you’re loud, proud, bold and bright, one of Topshop’s biggest trends this season fits the bill perfectly. From pop art-inspired crop tops to oversized statement tees, the comic girl trend will help add a bit of fun to your wardrobe this summer. Topshop aren’t the only fans of the comic-bright statements. Graphic prints stole the street style shows at Spring 2013 fashion weeks with big designers on board. Oversized statement tees with bold prints played a big part in Phillip Lim’s show, whilst Marc Jacobs dressed his models in iconic Mickey Mouse crop tops, even wearing a cartoonembellished top himself to greet the crowds. With pops of colour set to be big this season, be it; nails, eyes, lips or even neon accessories, these bright bold pieces are perfect to effortlessly add a bit of fun to any outfit. When I first set eyes on the array of colours, I was worried I’d end up looking like I’d stolen a small child’s wardrobe with the mix of spots, stripes and Lichtenstein’s dots. Admittedly, I never thought at the age of 19 I’d be back sporting Disney characters on my top, but if it’s good enough for celebs like Miley Cyrus, Christina Aguliera and Nina Dobrev, it’s enough to convince me. Whether it’s the cuteness of the nerdy t-shirts or the boldness of the graphic-printed dresses, I decided paying tribute to childhood memories with crazy car-
No
toons could only be good for fashion. My personal favourites in the Topshop collection are the cute crops deemed with ‘POW’ ‘KABOOM’ and ‘BANG’ and the joggers splashed with graffiti prints - perfect for this summer. Team the crops with mid-length tube skirt or highwaisted leggings, add a bit of statement jewellery and you’re good to go. If you’re like me and don’t want to look like you’ve walked straight out of a Marvel comic book, the main thing is to keep it simple- stick to one pattern and wear it with a block colour. Add bold lips, which compliment this trend perfectly and you’re ready to look every bit a Wonder Woman. Ashley Waterhouse
The comic trend which has recently reared its ugly head on the high-street baffles me. I do not know a single person who reads comics, or has ever expressed any interest in them. Therefore, it seems strange to me, that as soon as a ‘ka-pow’ or ‘boom’ is plastered across a t-shirt or a jumper, anyone would think that it is all of a sudden a good look. Why, if it’s on a jumper does it make it any better than when it was in comic form? Answer: It doesn’t. We are not at Comic-Con, this is the real world, and we should wear clothes suited for reality, not a sci-fi convention. The comic style motifs and Warhol inspired prints make it look as though the person donning these items accidentally got their clothes mixed
up with those of their little brother. The childish nature of this trend seems like people are trying a bit too hard to be kitch and quirky. It’s all just a bit much; nobody wants to look like they’re trying to look good. If you throw on a jumper branded with a Superman logo you’re going to be accosted by comic book super-fans bombarding you with questions; they need to determine if you know enough about these superheroes for you to be wearing their emblems in apparel form, obviously. I’m sure most would fail to win this kind of interrogation, and I don’t know about you, but I really don’t need that kind of hassle in my life. Most importantly, the bold, colourful, random prints and designs do not flatter anybody’s figure. Stripes, block colours, or smaller prints such as florals will compliment our womanly curves more than this trend ever could. The crucial factor when buying clothes is that they need to look good and flatter us. Sadly, this trend fails to fulfil the most vital point of criteria, so it gets a big thumbs-down. The comic trend should have stayed where it belonged – in comics, Hollywood films and on little boys’ pyjamas. Rebecca Gregory
The Courier
fashion.17
Tuesday 7 May 2013
thecourieronline.co.uk/fashion c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk | @Courier_Fashion
How to style: a bikini
As bikini season approaches Nicole Stevenson and Kathy Davidson show us how to style one up for two different types of holiday
J By Jasper Conran at Debenhams, £16
Fashion Blog of the Week
www.smocktofrock.co.uk
Office, £48
On family holidays, I still get told to make sure I have enough sun cream on and to cover up during the hottest parts of the day (obviously parents don’t understand that this is prime tanning time). Thankfully you can do this and still look bang on trend. This sun hat is perfect for ticking the parent pleasing box as well as looking stylish on the beach or by the pool. Embracing the 60s trend this bikini is both modest yet flattering at the same time and the white will make you even more tanned (Always a bonus). A simple t-shirt material cover up is perfect for lunch time when your parents insist you give the sun beds a rest. When teamed with these accessorize sandals you’re sure to achieve an effortlessly chic style that will please both the fashion critics and family.
Ibiza with Friends
Accessorize, £35
Family Holiday
Be creative when styling a bikini – think big, bold and bright and take glamour from the catwalks to the beach. The waves are crashing, there is a hint of romance in the breeze and you’re sipping on your Piña Colada. These oversized sunnies, if complemented with a bright lipstick, will achieve the perfect Ibiza party vibe. Add a vibrant beach kimono and block heeled sandals for practicality and style. They look great on the beach and increase your bikini-confidence.
Beki’s style is fashion-forward yet completely her own. She tends to wear darker colours giving her outfits a slightly rock ‘n’ roll vibe, but her skirts and dresses ensure her look still retains a girly edge. Her accessories are majorly covetable, and with her lovely range of jewellery, bags and hats, she really knows how to nicely finish off an outfit. Beki mixes current trends, such as monochrome and pinafores, with a touch of her own personal style. Her clothes and accessories are always from affordable high-street stores, which is great if you’re looking for inspiration on how to be stylish on a budget. Smock to Frock also has some great lifestyle posts and beauty reviews to keep things interesting, and she also has the cutest dog in the world. Rebecca Gregory
Online Boutique of the Week www.monki.com
Bikini: bottoms, £14 and top, £9 asos.com New Look, £4.99
Accessorize, £27
Urban Outfitters, £16
River Island, £35
Skinted to minted: sunglasses Frances Stephenson
Primark, £2.50
Urban Outfitters, £20
If you’re as clumsy as I am, more than one pair of sunglasses is certainly an essential, especially if you’re planning on travelling or going to a festival this summer. The bargain price tag means you can buy multiple pairs. The round shape is a key trend for the season, tapping into the 60s vibe and at this price, you can afford to test out this alternative style, without the risk of wasting money. Trying this substitute to the traditional Wayfarers will make sure you’ll stand out on the beach. Just be careful of the hilarious tan lines, don’t fall asleep in the sun or you’ll wake up looking like a panda.
Always a fan when fashion doesn’t take itself too seriously, I was delighted to see silly sunglasses galore at the S/S13 catwalks. The more outrageous ,the better; decorated sunglasses are certainly not confined to the festival circuit this summer so grab a pair and inject some fun into your wardrobe. This pair from Urban Outfitters is super cute, incorporating tiny roses onto the cat eye frame. The decoration is beautiful and although they are a bit pricey, the embellishment has the potential to look a bit tacky so I think it’s worth spending the extra to really make an impact.
Guess, £85 Yellow is the colour of the season, so if you want to show off your fashion know-how then grab yourself a pair of yellow sunglasses. A nice pair of sunglasses is a luxury, but if you can nab a pair they are worth the investment. For a start, they offer a much higher level of protection from harmful UV rays (that’s how you justify the spending). There’s something seriously classy about putting on expensive sunglasses and we all need a bit of indulgence once in a while! This cat eye, oversized frame in the sorbet shade would look fabulous with a tan. Think of it as an investment…
If you’re searching for street style with a polished, tailored edge, Monki is the place for you. This Scandi-cool fashion brand has the perfect mix of quirky prints, with my favourite being their selection of socks with cats on (not as creepy as it sounds), and their classic denim shirts. Like Acne but without the price tag, Monki offers Scandinavian luxury, perfect for lazy boho summer days. The brand is all about strong, fierce and independent women and the clothes reflect this, with their manifesto stating ‘we’re a tight-knit tribe of passionate, creative rebels, poets and dreamers who believe that work should be fun, fashion should be personal and every girl should be herself.’ What could be better?! Frances Stephenson
The Courier
beauty.19
Tuesday 7 May 2013
thecourieronline.co.uk/beauty courier.beauty@ncl.ac.uk | @Courier_Beauty
Beauty Editor: Annie Morgan Online Beauty Editor: Amy Macauley
How to: Lilac eyes
Product dupes
As a self-confessed beauty addict and beauty blogger, Daisy Ridley knows a thing or two about makeup. Sleek and NARS blushes are often compared Annie Morgan shows us how to do to each other, namely because of the similar packaging. But are they really a daytime look with a simple makeup comparable considering the huge price gap? look and lilac eyes. Purple looks good on all eye colours - especially green!
Holy grail!
Nicole Stevenson shares one of her favourite products of all time, and why she recommends it so highly
Step 1: Base & Brows
If you’re going to wear colour on your eyes, rather than neutrals, during the day then it’s safer to go for simple makeup everywhere else. I decided not to wear much blush in this look, because otherwise this would look like a clown tutorial. Make sure to fill in your brows if they are a bit sparse.
Step 2: Eyes
I used The Body Shop’s eyeshadow in number 30 for this, because it’s a really light lilac with a really lovely buttery texture. I applied the eyeshadow all over my lid and lined my lashes (rather messily) with the Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Pencil in the dark purple colour.
Step 3: Eyes
Add a small amount of the dark purple liner on the bottom lashes. The next step is to smudge the purple liner with a brush (this is why it doesn’t matter that it was done messily). Apply mascara to your top and bottom lashes, and add a shimmery champagne highlighter to your inner corner. This will really brighten up your eyes and make you look like you’ve had more sleep than you really have. This step really helps at this time of year, especially if you are in your final year!
Step 4: Lips
NARS Mata Hari VS. Sleek Flamingo
Everyone loves a good dupe; I have come across a dupe of NARS’ most famous blusher. NARS blushes cost £21.50, which is definitely on the more expensive side of things. The real question is- is it really worth it? The brand Sleek has a wide variety of makeup on offer at Superdrug (you won’t find it in Boots). They sell lots of eyeshadow palettes, contour palettes, face powders. But one of their best known products is their blushes, which come in ten different shades to suit all and at the bargain price of £3.49. Sleek’s blush colour ‘Flamingo’ is an almost identical dupe to NARS ‘Mata Hari’. Sleek also do blush palettes with three different colours, so if you fancy trying a few out all at once I would highly recommend giving those a go.
• The staying power of NARS is second to none. Whereas Sleeks you had to reapply throughout the day. • The pigment on both is of a very high quality, with both giving a beautiful pink colour. • You actually get more product in Sleek’s version than NARS. • Both come with a compact mirror. • Sleeks packaging is smaller therefore easier to carry around on a night out, whereas NARS has the typical matte finish case where every little mark shows up. All in all I think in the future I will be sticking with Sleek over NARS simply for the £18.01 saving! (Also everyone loves NARS ‘Orgasm’ right? Check out Sleeks ‘Rose Gold Blush’ for another dupe).
My best friend for the past two/three years has been the Umberto Giannini Curl Friends Natural Curls Styling Spray (Boots, £4.79, 200ml). For that classic, suggestive bed hair look, this product is effortless to use resulting, in a perfect blend of grunge and glamour. After washing my hair, I usually leave it to dry naturally and apply a tiny amount of styling serum from the roots to the tips to reduce frizz. Once the hair is dry, I simply spray all over and scrunch it with my hands to seal in the product and create flowing curls. It is also designed as a ‘revitaliser’ for curled hair, as it de-tangles and adds volume. In a world where a nonchalant attitude to fashion is becoming cooler, this post-party, timesaving alternative for heat styling products is perfect for the minimalist type of girl. The bottle also comes in a practical handbag-size (50ml), which is great to have with you for topups. I’ve had a lot of people complimenting my hair after I used the Natural Curls Styling Spray, nicknamed ‘magic spray’ by a close friend of mine. What’s more, it smells gorgeous, with a hint of a masculine scent, mmm.
Home or away?
If you are thinking of going away this Spring/Summer, you might want some beauty tips on how to get prepared. Kayleigh Marshall is here to help and share her pearls of wisdom
Tip # 1 - Hair We have all heard of the lemon juice trick to lighten your hair in the sun - but does it really work? The simple answer is: Yes! For best results, premix half lemon juice and half water into a small spray bottle, then when you are in the sun saturate your hair with it and leave it to dry. Reapply every 4 hours and repeat the process until you’re happy with the colour. Easy peasy lemon squeasy. Tip # 2 - Face Need the protection of sun cream and the coverage of a foundation when you’re away? Then look for a SPF 50+ tinted melt-in cream. I use one by La Roche Posay (Boots: £12.40) which is perfect for my dry skin. A waterproof mascara is essential if you are going to be swimming. I love the 100% Waterproof by Rimmel (Superdrug £4.99) as it’s cheap and effective. Tip # 3 - Body Whilst I am not trying to sound like your mother…have you packed your sun screen? The word sunburn alone makes me wince so no excuses. Go for a spray on and waterproof lotion as it is easy to apply and will protect you even when you’re wet. This step is important because not only do you not want to look like a lobster, but you want to protect your skin from more serious skin damage. Tip # 4 - Nails I know I speak for many when I say smudging freshly painted nail varnish is the bane of my
beauty ritual (first world problems, I know). But as a repeat offender of bad nail varnish I thought it too good to be true when I heard about gel nails. Applied like normal polish, gel nails are set under a UV light and give you 3-4 weeks of chip-free and perfect nails. What is more, unlike with acrylic nails, your natural nail will remain in perfectly good condition. A minor miracle really! But at around £30 a pop realistically they are a treat; and what better time to treat yourself than for your summer holidays? My go-to colour this summer season has to be a bright coral.
Apply a neutral lipstick if you like, or you can just skip this step and use a normal lip balm. I would definitely recommend staying away from pale pink lipsticks for this look, because too many pastels together can look incredibly sickly.
Tip # 5 - Staying in the UK? My advice to you poor people is wrap up warm and make sure you don’t leave the house without an umbrella - but make sure to enjoy that one week of sun that we do get!
20.lifestyle
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Lifestyle Editors: Catherine Davison, Ellie Cropper and Ellyn Bramley Online Editors: Rosie Devonshire and Colette Hunter
How to: Procrastinate during the exam period. The
Lifestyle writers check out the best kind of ‘revision breaks’... Words by Katie Smith, Eve McGeady and Ella Hughes Illustrations by Ellie Heggarty
Make an unrealistic timetable
When it comes to revising, we all know that organisation is key. Gone are the days when you just read a book. No, no, it’s all about the flowcharts, postits and military-style designated toilet breaks. What do you need to be this organised, I hear you ask? A TIMETABLE! Aka the ultimate counter-productive, yet still useful, procrastinating device. The idea is to take up all your revision time making the perfect timetable (it always works best if you make it unreasonable, thus next week you can make another to replace it). And I’m not talking a scruffy bit of paper, I’m talking the big guns: colour co-ordinate it, write it in your neatest writing… Even invest in some graph paper so you get those perfect squares. BUT, be very careful, if you mess it up you WILL have to start again. No tippex, just ultimate perfection. And practice makes perfect.
Have a BBQ Bake!
We all know that there is no better way to procrastinate than to eat. Whether we’re hungry or not, during exam time our food intake is doubled, maybe even tripled. Therefore the perfect activity to break up your day is food, and food means energy, right? So the more food, the longer you’ll be able to spend working later. With this in mind, the act becomes justified. After you’ve spent hours making a meal that could feed your whole street and possible the next, it is likely you may pass out. Do not fear - the cure is simple. SUGAR. This is necessary to restore energy levels, so get the oven on 1800C and get baking. It’s a selfless act that will leave you in number one position for housemate of the year. It tastes good, provides you with that all important sugar rush and, yep, you guessed it, takes up time. What could be sweeter?
Stumbleupon
I admit, quite a strange form of procrastination. But with the longer days and (almost) red hot sunshine there is nothing better than buying a BBQ and wasting valuable hours of revision time. Not only does this take a while to start going, with the inevitable north easterly wind and strong possibility of burning yourself due to lack of kitchen utensils, but it involves dragging your house mates down with you, resulting in the best form of distraction: collective procrastination. This concept basically says: ‘if they’re not doing work, then I don’t have to either’, which obviously makes the procrastination a lot more guilt-free and enjoyable. It is inevitable that BBQs will lead to bigger and better forms of procrastination too, for example walking to Tesco to buy alcohol (because what is an illusionary summer without drunkenness?!) or inviting more people over to make an evening of it. Nonetheless, a brilliant form of procrastination that should waste a reasonable amount of your day.
You’re sitting at your laptop, typing away. 1000 words to go. 900 words to go. It’s getting closer to midnight. You’re tired. You want to take a break but you don’t quite have the energy to move out of your seat. Enter stumbleupon.com. Stumbleupon is what they call a discovery engine. You select your interests from categories such as Indie music, fashion, photography, food, fitness, literature and the like. Then you stumble. You stumble upon blogs, articles, videos, photographs, comics and all that the World Wide Web has to offer. From hair tips to undiscovered artists to incredible photos of places you never knew existed. It will blow your mind. And while you might not find any study tips, you are guaranteed to find some inspiration.
Start games with strangers Write an article for The Courier
When your ‘to do’ list has become so ridiculous that it has resulted in writing on your hand (and possibly up your arm) there is nothing better than taking on the task of writing an article for The Courier. As much as re-arranging your room or stalking yourself on Facebook is worryingly fun, the best form of procrastination has to be spending time that you don’t have doing something completely irrelevant to anything on your ‘to do’ list. So if you can’t face the reality that your infinite lists scream at you, why not hide from this for an hour or two? Rather ironically, my procrastination was on top form even writing this article. So there we have it, an unavoidable viscous circle of procrastination that is oh-so-easy to fall into that we have no choice but to embrace it and more importantly enjoy it! Needless to say, article writing beats staring blankly at your Facebook newsfeed for hours on end day dreaming back to the days of going out, drinking and certainly no ‘to do’ lists.
Over the cheery period we all call assessment weeks, a lot of us will be piling into the Robinson to fight over computers, nick seats and ultimately spend all our time putting off our work. The easiest way to procrastinate is to dawdle. Simply let that student with the crazy, twitching eye get to the desk and books first! Therefore, the matter is out of your hands, it can’t be helped and you may as well go home and call it a day (regardless if its 9am or 9pm). Or, you could get the desk opposite and start a staring competition with crazy eyes. When they inevitably - due to a lack of sleep - blink, you have all the glory of knowing that although they’re getting a first, you whooped them at a staring competition and wasted a few vital minutes. Even better, make friends with them (after your victory lap) and engage in a friendly “it’s-the-taking-part-that-counts” game of hide and seek.
The Courier
Tuesday 7 May 2013
sex&relationshipslifestyle.21 thecourieronline.co.uk/lifestyle c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk | @Courier_Life
Blind Date: James Kolokotroni 2nd Year Chemistry meets Nicole Stevenson, 3rd Year English Literature and Language
James on Nicole What’s your usual type? Someone who has a sense of humour and enjoys a drink. First impressions? I was surprised to learn that Nicole was Russian, however I was more intrigued to see how our date was going to pan out. Any interesting conversation topics? We covered the usual preliminary topics, family, friends etc. I was interested to speak to Nicole about her upbringing in a different culture to my own.
Nicole on James What’s your usual type? Tall - that is a condition on which I cannot compromise as I am 5’11 and dating shorter guys hasn’t worked out in the past. I like a fun, intelligent guy with good prospects and a nice dress sense. First impressions? He was a manly man, with rugged yet chic stubble and a good build. His looks also reminded me of someone I cared about in the past, so I took a liking to him immediately.
Any awkward moments? Ensuring I came across as the perfect gentleman, I immediately offered to buy Nicole a drink, but was slightly disappointed when she asked for a J2O. What was her best trait? Her fashion sense was something that really impressed me. What was her worst trait? Although it suited Nicole, I’m not usually a fan of the fringe. At any point did you understand why she was single? I think she’s just been a bit unlucky in love to be honest, but I’m sure she will find her soulmate in the not too distant future. Were you tempted to lean in for a kiss? Girls usually need a few drinks to fully appreciate my charm, so I spared myself the embarrassment. Would your parents approve? I think my parents would be over the moon if I brought anyone home, let alone someone as lovely as Nicole. Having said that, Nicole told me during dinner that she is currently a vegetarian of sorts, and I don’t think she would appreciate my dad shoving meat in her face... What would your ideal date be? A curry, a few pints followed by a film and wandering hands. How did the date end? Our date ended rather abruptly, with Nicole requesting I order her a taxi within seconds of finishing her meal, leaving me alone to finish my drink and pay the bill. Thankfully the evening was not a total loss, as I had the pleasure of chatting to a couple out for their 35th wedding anniversary, giving me a sliver of hope that I might find my one true love stumbling around Sinners on a Thursday night. The only number going into my phone was unfortunately Blueline’s, but I wasn’t too disappointed as I don’t see there being a second date with Nicole. Marks out of 10? 6
Unlucky in love? The Courier is here to help! Send your details to c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk
Any interesting conversation topics? We both have different cultural backgrounds – I am Russian and he is half Greek. I find his passion for travel interesting as it shows he wants to make the most of his life and understand the world. Any awkward moments? Not for me. I think he found it awkward excusing himself to go to the gents but that is inevitable when you drink so quickly. What was his best trait? His politeness and talkative character made the date enjoyable. Also, he made me feel looked after, which is an important trait in a guy. What was his worst trait? He gets a little clumsy when he’s nervous. At any point did you understand why he was single? We didn’t talk about our relationship history so it never crossed my mind. As he is studying Chemistry, I think it is the intensity of the course which limits his chances of finding his match. Were you tempted to lean in for a kiss? We had the normal kiss-on-cheek when we greeted and said goodbye. I don’t think there was a romantic chemistry vibe between us. Would your parents approve? I would never take a date home. I think she would definitely approve though. He’s very easy-going and well-mannered. How did the date end? Well, we finished our lovely dinner and I suggested he called me a cab into town – it takes a while for me to get home – and when it arrived I realised I had left him with the bill! We didn’t exchange numbers but we were both pleased to meet each other. What would your ideal date be? For a first date, I like to be treated romantically. Ideally, it will be something relaxing like a picnic with champagne, strawberries and canapé or a ride in a boat. Marks out of 10? 9. Although it definitely felt like a date, it lacked the main ingredient that James specialises in – chemistry.
Evie O’Sullivan
University Challenges #4 - Choices The life of a student isn’t a walk in the park. Having to live on your own in the big wild world forces you to take responsibility for yourself… and, that’s right, make choices! And I’m talking about serious choices, not just your run-of-the-mill sorting out bills and tenancy agreements, but the big ones - like the eternal Saturday morning stand-off between HP brown sauce and tomato ketchup. Because after all, you just never quite know which way it’s going to go. And in all seriousness, you might not realise it, but the choices you make have a sort of domino knock-on effect, not just affecting you, but affecting everyone around you, and then everyone around them… and so on and so forth. So it’s important to fix up, look sharp, and make the right one. Why not take a step back for a few minutes and have a little think about where you’re at and what you’re doing at the moment? So starting with short term choices… it might be time for a haircut, and do you really need that fifth tequila shot? If so, please use protection and have a bucket on standby for the morning. Or, perhaps, isn’t it about time you went and showed your face in the library? And surely you can just say no to one night out… or maybe you can’t? But I guess it’s not just the little choices that make a difference but the bigger ones too, and with exams and summer on the horizon, it’s important to not only work hard and then play hard later, but also to think ahead. For everyone knows that uni is a time for working, bobbing around, socialising, making new ‘friends’ in more ways than one, and just generally spreading your wings. But I think that sometimes people forget that being at university doesn’t make you untouchable, and you can’t survive in your little bubble forever, so do make sure you’re not trampling on anyone else’s feelings as you go about finding yourself. And this does include refraining from leering at anything that moves, having endless one night stands, upsetting those you care about, or just maybe generally being a little bit of an icky sticky creature in general. And with the future in mind, it is always important to put your happiness first. So without sounding clichéd, make your choices on the basis of what is going to make you happy, stick to them, and work hard at them. No one ever said that getting a 2:1 or your dream work placement would be easy… but if you want it, go get them tiger! And after all, if you want something bad enough, use up all your birthday wishes, never walk over three grids, and throw your spare change into all the world’s lucky fountains, then you’re bound to end up sorted, aren’t you? It’s all just a game of choices and just a teeny little bit of luck.
22.lifestyle
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
thecourieronline.co.uk/lifestyle c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_life
The Intern
What really goes on in the world of summer internships...
Fresher Chef Swiss Fondue Mackerel? Liqueur? Wasabi? Am I made of money? Do I shop at M and S? It’s nice to make something different every now and then without breaking the bank, to celebrate without making it complicated. This week: Sharing is caring and fondue is a lot easier (you don’t need a fondue maker) and more affordable than you think! Ingredients Many cheeses can be used in fondue. The classic ones are Gruyère and Emmental but as I couldn’t find Gruyère in Tesco I made do with Brie, Camembert and Emmental together. Use about 150g of cheese per person White wine (300ml for 600g of cheese) Cornflour (2 teaspoons) Garlic clove (optional)
#3 Prestige There is a certain prestige associated with the acquirement of an internship. That prestige, however, is entirely dependent on the manner by which such an internship is secured. My friend John, for example, proudly flaunted the means by which he came to be employed, and why wouldn’t he? He had battled his way through a blizzard of online applications, interviews, group tasks and self-evaluations; emerging with a paid internship at a respectable law firm in hand and a promising future ahead. There are, however, a great many less inspiring methods of procuring work. My own avenue into the city is one such example. Another friend, Joshua, slept with the daughter of the managing director of a leading record label, and consequentially manoeuvred his way into a 6 month paid internship with the company. Or so the story goes. George Paulston made claims to have secured work experience in London on a number of occasions with various different banks, but would never clarify the means by which these jaunts were acquired. Our suspicions were raised. The scent of nepotism was in the air. George was reluctant to relinquish that prestige which goes hand in hand with the glamorous employment of a young person, but he had clearly been making exhaustive use of his “Dad” card, his “Mum” card, and just about every other card. During one Friday night gathering in London, George unveiled his recently
To dip French stick Sour dough (toasted) Carrot sticks 1. Grate your choice of cheeses or cut them into small pieces if they cannot be grated. If the cheese has a skin be sure to chop it off. 2. Pour the wine into a saucepan (or a fondue maker if you have one!) and bring to a simmer on the hob.
Restaurant Review Keith’s Caff
acquired “big shot” image in all its extravagance. He arrived in a particularly lavish suit, having had literally no time whatsoever to change after work. He had brought along a bottle of champagne; the cost of which was of course negligible considering his impressive (minimum-wage) salary, which he carried around the party for an inexplicably long period of time. I imagine he was just frustratingly unable to locate the host. It was as if he believed he had somehow beaten out the rest of us to secure his current position. The truth was, however, that George never really had any competition for the job; he didn’t have any brothers or sisters. Several weeks into the internship, I was offered the chance to help out at a company event. It fell upon me to man the entrance of the building, greeting new arrivals and fishing out their respective name tags before ushering them towards the hours of presentations which awaited them. It was always a little awkward when I couldn’t find a name immediately, but I never gave up on a guest. Let’s face it, who would want to crash this party? Sorting through the nametags was all the more difficult given the recent work-related injuries I had suffered. Each of my fingers was lacerated with the most vicious paper cuts imaginable. The re-ordering of outdated marketing collateral, which I had been tackling in the past week, had taken its toll. Management had failed dismally to make clear to me the dangers of filing. I am over-dramatizing the common paper cut in an attempt to be funny, and I
Opening times: Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5.00pm Fine Art Building
“All day breakfasts on Wednesday. throughout the week boasting a variety of hotpots, chilli con carnes, all day breakfasts on Wednesday and pasta dishes. It is guaranteed the cheapest place on campus to grab a bite to eat. Whether you’re hungover and in desperate need of carbs or fancy a more wholesome lunch than the Robbo library café, Keith’s Caff is a great shout. Opening hours are 9.30am till 5pm and they serve food all day. You can find them in the Fine Art Building, (next to the main office) The Quad, Newcastle University. The café is also available to hire for society events. If you would like to enquire please contact Events Coordinator Jennifer Bucknell at j.bucknell@ncl. ac.uk.
3. Gradually add the cheese, stirring as you do, until it has all melted and has become one mixture. 4. Add the cornflour and garlic clove if you wish. 5. Serve and dip away Tip: Fondue is incredible tasty but of course...very cheesy! It might be a bit overwhelming so its best to not think of it as a ‘main’ dish but serve it with other appetiser style dishes. I usually make bruschetta and a salad when having fondue.
Katie Smith
suspect that this intention is reasonably clear. To one particularly seasoned gentleman at this event, however, it was not at all clear. I was jokingly showcasing my wounds to a fellow employee in the venue foyer, when, without warning, an elderly stranger descended upon us, and he was not happy. “You think that’s bad?” He scowled. “You should have seen the state of my hands after a day down the mines!” Neither Scott nor I had the faintest idea how to respond to so abrupt and bizarre an interruption. “I tell you,” he continued, uninvited, “The Thatcher years. Those were tougher times.” “Oh right.” I finally said; I had to say something. “I can imagine.” “No you cannot!” He began, before reeling off his life’s grievances. What had I done to deserve this lecture? At which point, whilst eavesdropping on our conversation, did the old miner believe I had laid down the gauntlet? Contrary to his belief, I had not been trying to engage him in a game of “whose hands have been more severely weathered”. I knew all too well that he have won hands down (or up, depending on the rules). Ryan Weeks
The art café aka ‘Keith’s Caff ’ is a student run café, with all proceeds going towards the fourth years’ Fine Art degree show. The art café originated in a corridor of the Fine Art building where demand for a quick caffeine fix became so high, the space could no longer hold the swarm of aspiring Picassos, Damien Hirsts and Tracey Emins. The building refurbishment coincided with the sad passing of Jazz legend Keith Crombie who ran the popular Jazz Café in the heart of Newcastle. You could always count on him to be at the heart of this unique congregation as he has always been a massive supporter of the students and their work. It only seemed fitting to rename the café in memo-
ry of this inspiring man. Keith’s Caff is entirely student-led, each year the responsibility is passed down to the prospective fourth years. The whole year group is involved in everything from sourcing premium coffee providers to creating mouth-watering toasties. Each day you can purchase freshly baked goods, some of last week’s favourites included warm almond scones, strawberry and vanilla fairy cakes and Mediterranean vegetable and mozzarella tarts. These delicious treats can be enjoyed alongside freshly ground Ouseburn coffee, enchanting herbal teas or refreshing soft drinks. The café is introducing a selection of hot foods
Jennifer Bucknell and Jessica Norbury
The Courier
lifestyle.23
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Lifestyle Editors: Catherine Davison, Ellie Cropper and Ellyn Bramley Online Editors: Rosie Devonshire and Colette Hunter
Travelling the Unknown: ideas for Summer holidays Photo: Flickr (mroach)
Tips for visiting Northern Italy
With Isabella Montague
Thinking of visiting Northern Italy? Make sure you don’t miss the hidden treasures that people often over-look when heading straight for Milan. Best city to visit Not to be confused with the Palma in Majorca (this can prove a fatal mistake when final boarding is called – believe me, I’ve seen it happen!) This relatively unknown city is home to the famous Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan cheese to the likes of you and me). It may be high on the list of places to visit in the guidebooks, but it is definitely worth a look if you fancy somewhere a little calmer than Milan. Word of warning: if you’re planning to shop here then you’d better start saving your loan now… the main street is lined with the likes of MaxMara, Prada and Hermès! Best traditional Italian restaurant If you are looking for an authentic Italian restaurant then Trattoria Corrieri is perfetto! Nestled just off the main shopping street, Corrieri offers a
great selection of food at a reasonable price. The locals often choose this place when eating out for big occasions, which is always a good indication that it’s worth visiting. Dish to try: The ‘Torta Fritta’ (a kind of fried dough) is a starter that is a MUST-TRY when eating here. Also, if you don’t feel you’ve hit your yearly horsemeat quota with all those Tesco’s lasagnes, then you should sample the local speciality – ‘Pesto di Cavallo’. This is minced horsemeat, often served raw with lemon and olive oil… No, really! Best pizza After some great Italian pizza instead? Pizzeria Portello serves pizza with a difference – everything on the menu is named after a different model of Alfa-Romeo! The interior is all themed too, but without feeling too gimmicky. Best places to drink Wine bar: Ostemagno This rustic wine bar is hidden in a small alleyway opposite the theatre, so don’t miss it! The place is tiny, with old floorboards and pictures of musicians like Bob Dylan scattered around the walls. You can get great wine by the glass for as little as 1 euro 20. A great place to chill outside on a warm night, with a glass (or 6!) of Montepulciano. Beer and atmosphere: Surfer’s Den You may be miles away from any sand and surf, but you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise in-
side Surfer’s Den. The bar is covered in surfboards, and the atmosphere is perfect for a chilled Corona. They often have DJs playing a mix of dubstep, electro and house music at the weekends, so it’s perfect if you fancy something a bit more lively. Cocktails: Caffetteria da Beppe If it’s a mojito with the friendliest service in town that you’re after, then Beppe’s is the place for you. Feeling adventurous? Try an Italian ‘Spritz’ made with bitter Aperol and Prosecco...I’ll let you make your own mind up about that one… TIP: Also the local haunt for all the Erasmus students, so if you’re hoping for some easy holiday romance, then this may be your best bet! Best sights to see Castell’Arquato, Piacenza Still got energy after all that eating and drinking? Take a day trip to this Medieval town upon a hill. The architecture is breath-taking (as is the walk up there) and really worth a wander around. Avoid going at midday though, as everything will be shut… and a bit creepy. Best beach Finally, if you’re sick of Italian towns and just craving some beach time, then head over to Rimini beach. Sun, sand, sea and alcohol. What more could you ask for? Grace Stephenson
Mum’s the word
Sometimes, things go wrong. Here’s advice from Mum for some of life’s little trials... Laundry: it doesn’t have to be a chore, although for those of you whose inexperience turned a white
wash pink within a week of your parents waving goodbye, it might seem a daunting task. Doing a joint wash with housemates to ensure the machine is full is cheaper and eco-friendly, and washing on a cooler temperature saves on costly energy bills. Choose carefully when picking detergents, as paying more can earn you more washes. Switch brands frequently so detergent build-ups that can make clothes look dull are washed away. Half a cup of white vinegar can improve clothes softness, and eliminate the sunshine-and-sea-breezein-a-tropical-meadow smell from previous cycles. Reading the labels in clothes shrinking your favourite jumper costs a lot more seems obvious but is important; shrink than a dry cleaning bill! And finally, unless you really love to iron, put clothes on hangers to dry once the machine finishes. Alix Thorpe
Illustration: Daisy Billowes
The internal battle of “should I, shouldn’t I?” when it comes to post sell-by date foods is a weekly occurrence, and those dare devils among you who eat the creation that’s been festering in the fridge for a few too many days have, I am sure, dealt with some nasty consequences. So, Mother, how off IS off ? Is it scrape-able? If the mould/fur/ fungi that has collected on top of your favourite cheese or jam can be scraped off, then eat what’s underneath Trust your nose – If a bag of mixed salad is beginning to smell like rotting flesh, then it’s probably a no-goer. However, if it isn’t anything more offensive then a slight tang, it should be safe. Has it expanded? Apparently any tinned / potted food that has swelled to a shape or size not dissimilar to a football should be disposed of quickly and carefully. Nicole Stevenson
Monday Finally got a new laptop after an anxious weekend of refreshing the Facebook newsfeed on my iPhone. I’ve never felt so behind - it took me TWO DAYS to find out about Saskia’s 21st this weekend. So annoying though because Daddy stupidly didn’t back up all my stuff so now I’ve lost half my photos including some totes jokes old ones of me and the l a c r o s s e girls drinking in the school dorms – super rebellious but at least it was Prosecco. Felt really down about the photos so had to get Kitty round to compare bank balances. Tuesday Made in Chelsea was jokes last night. I’m starting to think I should have agreed to take part because I have quite a bit of free time with doing Geography and it would have been quite productive in terms of career, you know, getting my face seen, well, more seen. Plus my wardrobe’s at least five times more expensive than any of theirs, my mink sock collection is alone. Wednesday Getting pretty bored of exam season, there’s only so much work a geography student can pretend to have, and no one wants to go out at the moment because of revision. Plus I keep seeing Hugo in the Robbo deliberately carrying huge piles of books so his biceps stick out and practically hit me in the face. So inconsiderate, can’t believe I ever liked him. Plus I saw his new girlfriend carrying a Primark bag the other day. She wasn’t being ironic. Thursday Followed Hugo and his girlfriend into uni so I could laugh at how much I don’t want to be in their relationship. Her Links bracelet is definitely fake which is just so lame because it’s totally obvious. Didn’t realise they were going to the Business School so nearly missed my lecture, luckily Daddy’s just started a tab with Blueline so I got a taxi back just in time. I don’t know why all parents don’t start one, it’s so useful for nipping to Waitrose when you’ve run out of salmon taramasalata or croissants. Friday So excited for Saskia’s party tomorrow, it’ll be jokes to see all my old friends from school plus I’ve heard Eddie Redmayne will be there and we’ll definitely get on cause I know we’ve got loads of mutual friends. The theme is Moroccan which is great because it means I can wear harem pants from my gap year and take selfies of me blowing shisha rings. Eddie’s gunna love that. Caroline Mackrill Illustrations: Daisy Billowes
24.listings6-12May
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Listings Editor: Sally Priddle
Monday
Giggle Beats launches comedy pub quiz 7.30pm, for 8pm start The Hancock Pub
Calling all comedy buffs. Can you name every episode of Friends? Do you have an unhealthy knowledge of Vic and Bob? Thought you were wasting your life watching daily repeats of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet? Well think again. Hosted by comedians Lee Kyle and Simon Buglass, the quiz is coming to The Hancock pub in Newcastle on the first Monday of every month. We promise a pub quiz that’s funnier, sillier and more rewarding than any other; a totally unique, interactive comedy experience. There will be topical questions, themed rounds, a music round with a difference and more - plus a special caption competition, with the winner receiving a batch of comedy DVDs from independent comedy distributor Go Faster Stripe Entry is a recession busting £2 for each team member.
Digits
7.30pm O2 Academy 2
Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of former North East favourites Cut Glass Accent, Digits deliver bold, proggy alt-rock that’s as intricate as it is heavy. Tickets from £8 available from O2 academy’s box office or website.
Tuesday
A Good Yarn 7pm Tyneside Bar
If you’ve never knitted (or crocheted!) before never fear, as Tyneside Cinema’s very own knitting queen Jenny Payne is here to welcome you and help you get started. A Good Yarn takes place in the 3rd floor Figgis Room and entry is free - howvever capacity is strictly limited so we recommend advance booking. Need more incentive? Bottles of wine for £10.
Wednesday Give It A Go: Horses Races 5.30pm Newcastle Racecourse
Let your adrenalin soar as you cheer, chant and scream for the jockeys atop their horses to get round first. Enjoy a free drink and a free bet, and whether you spend a little and win a lot, a night packed with excitement is sure to be on the cards. Tickets available from the Activities Centre
Gary Delaney: Purist
Derek Walcott Literay Reading
From Mock The Week, Dave’s One Night Stand and Radio 5 Live’s Seven Day Sunday. Gary thinks that most shows don’t contain enough jokes, and is trying single handedly to redress the balance. I’m now 20 hours into my sponsored semaphore marathon, unfortunately I’m starting to flag quite badly. I could tell it was a Monopoly board from the word Go. I accidently filled the escort with diesel. She died. Expect: Jokes. Don’t Expect: Narrative, themes or a voyage of self-discovery . Not suitable for bairns or sensitive souls. Tickets £10 available The Stand’s box office or website.
Noble Prize winning author, Derek Walcott, is reading from his poetry collections and answering questions. Derek Walcott was born in St. Lucia and his poetry reflects the complex colonial nature of the island combined with his adult life teaching English in the USA. According to Sean O’Brian ‘Walcott is faithful to his origins, while speaking to the world.’ Booking in advance is advised at http://www. ncl.ac.uk/ncla/events/ item/derek-walcott, but there may be tickets on the door. Tickets: £2 for Newcastle students.
7.30pm The Stand Comedy Club
7.15pm Kings’ Hall
Thursday GIAG: Massage Sessions 11am-2pm Venue, Students’ Union
Forget your troubles and indulge yourself in a relaxing free massage as part of Mental Health Awareness Day, it’s sure to leave you calm and collective. Booking recommended, email giag@ncl.ac.uk
Homemade Jam 8pm
MensBar’s open mic night Homemade Jam is back! The standard rules apply: turn up, listen and play. It’s as simple as that – anyone is welcome, you could win a free bottle of bubbly if you play, and MensBar’s own ‘Mind Over Matter’ real ale will be on sale for just £2.50 a bottle.
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Friday China Drum (with Emergency Door Release) 7pm Venue. Students’ Union
China Drum (Source: Last.fm) were formed in the late 80’s and were made up of Adam Lee (Drums and Vocals), Bill McQueen on guitar and his younger brother Dave on Bass. (They were to be augmented later by Jan Alkema, ex Compulsion, on drums when Adam stepped from behind his kit) They are probably best described as poppunk but that really doesn’t do them justice. They had the guitars, they had the energy and the speed, but their melodies were just that cut above the usual offerings. Emergency Door Release are a four piece Indie Rock band based in Newcastle. Formed in late 2011, their energetic performances throughout the UK consistently receive positive Tickets available from NUSU reception or website.
The Friday Show 7pm The Stand Comedy Club
There’s no better way to end the working week than with The Friday Show. Our ace comperes, seasoned headliners and roster of up and coming home grown comedians combine in this two hour live show. There are five acts on every bill including the very best comics from the UK and beyond. Tickets £12 available from The Stand’s box office and website.
Something for the weekend Bob Marley Day
Saturday 11th May The Central, Half Moon Lane
It’s 32 years since Nesta Robert Marley died. One of th emost influential reggae artists, an advocate of Rastafarian movement, and posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, his legend lives on through his music. We’ll be celebrating the life of Bob Marley throughout the day/night, with reggae-influenced music and Caribbean food specials.
The 39 Steps
2.30pm &7.30pm, Saturday 11th May Theatre Royal
Direct from the West End, Broadway and 25 countries around the globe comes ‘a joyous version of the Alfred Hitchcock classic’ (Sun Times) spy thriller, The 39 Steps, brilliantly and hilariously recreated as the smash hit Olivier Award-winning Best New Comedy. This blissfully funny show follows the incredible adventures of our handsome hero Richard Hannay, complete with stiff-upperlip, British gung-ho and a pencil moustache he encounters dastardly murders, doublecrossing secret agents, and, of course, devastatingly beautiful women. This wonderfully inventive and gripping comedy thriller features four fearless actors, playing 139 roles in 100 minutes of fastpaced fun and thrilling action. Tickets £9 available from Theatre Royal’s box office and website.
Go Global: International Party Night Thursday 9th May , 8pm Venue, Students’ Union Come and join in the Go Global end of the year International Party Night! Ticket includes a free drink, and entry to the salsa lesson, live 9 piece band and DJ. Get yours before they sell out! Tickets available from Activities Centre or Reception. £3 advance, or £4 at the door
NSR: Show of the Week Subsession
Wednesdays 9pm
The best way to start you night, with brilliant music that will get you dancing before you even leave the house. Set it as the backdrop to your predrinks.
Why people should listen You don’t have to faff about with itunes or creating your own playlist, you have a pre-made selection of tunes that are sure to get you ready for your night out, no matter where you are heading.
Something to look forward to:
Newcastle Fashion Week
11-18th May
Billy Ocean 7.30pm City Hall
Billy Ocean is the biggest black recording star Britain has ever produced, one who has sold over 30 million records in his lifetime. He has collected a pile of Gold and Platinum records across the world and hit the number one spot worldwide on pop charts including the USA, Australia, Germany, Holland, and the UK. Billy has achieved extraordinary success as both an artist and a songwriter. Tickets from £20 available from City Hall’s box office or website.
Event of the week
Gavin Webster’s Northumbrian Assembly 7pm, Sunday 12th May The Stand Comedy Club
Keep the weekend going with a laughterpacked poke at the goings-on in the Northeast. Host Gavin Webster promises a topical review every week as he targets who’s who and what’s what in Northumbria. Stand-up guests, games, characters and sketches too. Tickets £6 available from The Stand’s box office or website.
NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week 2013 is back and bigger than ever for eight days of fashion fuelled events. There’s catwalks, celebrity guests, parties, shopping promotions and much more. Events this year include the Martini Manicure Monday at Fat Buddha, Eldon Square Spring/ Summer Catwalk, ‘The Royal Wedding’ bridal show at Theatre Royal and the VIP Mercedes Benz Car Bootique with after party at Livello. New for 2013 is Newcastle Fashion Weekend, hosted by Northumbria Students’ Union, kicking off with Newcastle Fashion Weekend. Enjoy 2 days of fashion, catwalk shows with hair by Y Salon, demonstrations, talks, celebrity guests, designer clothes, shopping, stalls, makeovers and much much more – all under one roof. Each day we’ll have a fabulous celebrity presenter, on Saturday 11th May, you will be joined by ex Clothes Show presenter and fashion extraordinaire Caryn Franklin. On Sunday 12th May, Made in Chelsea’s Ollie Locke will be hosting the catwalks. The weekend tickets include: - Be pampered in the Zen Den - Free makeovers from Lush & The Body Shop - Meet and Greet Lauren Pope, Face of Nikki Lissoni and co-host of our ‘Stillettos, Stockings & Sparkle’ catwalk - Free Style Body Shape Consultations from Evans - Get spotted by our Boho Model scouts - Watch catwalks galore - Shopping discounts and offers - Grab a NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week goodie bag - Get your limited edition NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week t-shirts - Industry talks from Asos Marketplace, Motel, and many more - Win prizes galore with competitions throughout the day - Champagne Sampling - Get Jewellery Bombed by Tresor Paris Tickets for the weekend £5 and day tickets £3
26.features
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Lunice: Reaching for higher ground After his headline set at theCUT last month, Online Music Editor Sophie Coletta sat down for a chat with the music producer-of-the-moment Lunice to talk about high school, MSN and repping the Spice Girls...
It’s almost 3am. Outside theCUT in Newcastle the freezing cold air snarls and snatches at anything in its way; whipping around clothes, hunting for skin contact
A lone police officer pats down a worried looking club-goer against an outside wall. A figure emerges from the depths of the club, swathed in black, a scarf draped over his cap that sways from side to side with every step.
Lunice Fermin Pierre II is a difficult man to get hold of. After an entire night of back and forth texting, we finally meet an hour after his set as he and his one-man entourage emerge from the club. Once on the street Lunice lights up a joint, nonchalantly smoking as we walk along the streets of the city centre. Its content is so strong that, as we reach his hotel and stand outside chatting about an appalling bar across the road owned by Ant and Dec, a young man runs over from the other side of the street, excitedly rubbing his fingers and thumb together on one hand as he stage whispers. “Have you got any, you know?” He nods his head suggestively. Lunice laughs and hands it over and the young man runs off gleefully into the night. Hours earlier, inside the sweaty, low-ceilinged vicinity of theCUT, Lunice played to a moderate crowd, cap bobbing frenziedly as he delivered a set that effortlessly merged mainstream with underground. In just over an hour, he generated a musical microcosm on the dance floor; it didn’t matter whether you were dancing with reckless abandon to Beyoncé or Al Ripken Jr. because in that moment the very notion of a trend became obsolete, and that self-assuming guy in the snapback who once might have shoved you out of the way in a Shazaming frenzy to the DJ booth becomes just another sweat-ridden body in the crowd with a ring of coke around his nostrils. Now, in a relatively nondescript hotel lobby, Lunice grins when the fact he played out his set with
the Spice Girls (‘2 Become 1’ at that) is brought up. “That mindset all comes from literally me midway through the first year of high school being like, ‘fuck all that’,” he says. “It was basically me just freeing myself from everything and understanding myself more and getting a clearer picture of things and being more aware. And then I just created better things, rather than creating what’s now, I create what I feel is right for me.” In 2011, Lunice teamed up with Scottish producer
“In high school I was like, OK, its my first year, I’ve gotta be a bad boy
but I gotta be
the coolest kid.”
The Courier
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Tuesday 7 May 2013
“I remember the first day when we were signing up, holding my homies skateboard and some girl being like ‘Hey, nice skateboard’. I was like, ‘Ohh, shit some girl said ‘nice skateboard’, I gotta buy a skateboard!”
and fellow LuckyMe label mate Hudson Mohawke to create the since-widely-heralded side-project TNGHT. Their debut self-titled EP, concocted over a couple of supermarket whiskey fuelled nights in a cupboard-sized studio off Oxford Street in London, made waves with its anarchic 808s and Perrey and Kingsley’s ‘Countdown at Six’ baby gargling sample loops. Their debut live show shattered a glass window in a garage door at SXSW. In little more than six dance floor-crushing songs they built up a reputation that has drawn in a whole host of cannot-yetbe-named MCS and resulted in Kanye West making a six second on-stage appearance during their remix of ‘Cold’ at a show in Williamsburg. Lunice insists that he never was “a music person” growing up back in his hometown of Montréal, Canada, and that he was “always the kind of guy that was more interested in coming up with creative projects. “I would get friends over and we would create like theatre acts, you know, scenes. I would start a scene and my friend would continue the scene, we would make up our own games and things like that. The whole concept of creating something was always around stuff I do.” “In high school I was like, OK it’s my first year I’ve gotta be a bad boy but I gotta be the coolest kid. I remember the first day when we were signing up, holding my homies skateboard and some girl being like ‘Hey, nice skateboard,’ and I was like, ‘Ohh, shit some girl said ‘nice skateboard’ I gotta buy a skateboard.’ I tried for that first year and discovered it was all bullshit. Then I started buying LRG clothing and getting into underground hip hop and just digging for vinyl – anything involving hip hop I just started getting into that and thought fuck high school. Me and my best friend, we just did our own thing, the whole high school thing.” Starting out using bedroom artiste software favourite, Fruity Loops, which he still uses today, he meticulously learned the ins and outs of every button before actually creating anything, (“I just forced myself not to make anything for a really long time
and just learn the program”) before corresponding with acquaintances over MSN. “We would send voice clips to each other of shit we were working on, and so that really helped in terms of constant feedback and getting ideas. Eventually I just got used to it to a point where I don’t really think about it anymore.” Does he think the evolution of social media has made the music industry more acceptable collaborations-wise? “Networking is definitely effective. Collaboration is tough; I don’t find it as effective online. I find it extremely effective when you’re there physically in person in the studio, cos it’s live feedback; it’s happening, it’s happening until the track is done.” Lunice’s sound is one that seems to have evolved alongside this learning process. On debut solo EP Stacker Upper, he was tentative, often crude in execution, following a distinct line of hip hop influences; ‘The Name Dunnit’, featuring an appearance from Montréal rapper Troy Dunnit, and ‘Hip Pop’ with its lazy, ‘Drop it Like it’s Hot’–esque drum patterns and back-of-class sneers. On follow up One Hunned, he was glossier, leaner, forgoing the vocal collaborations and the often-stuttered moments of its predecessor to give way to smoother licks of synth and arcs of percussion that moved his sound away from the streets and towards the warmth of the dance floor. Having since worked alongside the likes of Diplo and Azealia Banks, with forthcoming collaborations with upcoming talents Casey Veggies and Rockie Fresh and sights set even further afield – “There’s this singer from New Jersey. His name is Pure and he’s amazing” – Lunice’s mentality is one that very much looks forward, never back. “Eventually I just want to be beyond music,” he muses before we let him slink upstairs to bed. “I’m not all about the music it’s just something that I create, that I’m able to put a lot of work and expression into that is easier than other things. I just like to see where I can put my idea in to effect wherever possible.”
28.arts
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Arts Editors: Lisa Bernhardt and Millie Walton Online Arts Editors: Grace Harvey
National Theatre Connections Festival
Last week, the National Theatre Connections Festival came to the Northern Stage with a different youth theatre staging a production every night. We sent our writers to see if this year could live up to the festival’s prestigious reputation. Mobile Phone Show
B
The Charms and Mysteries of the Hatton Gallery
efore the show begins, can everybody please... leave your mobile phones switched on’ - Jim Cartwright’s Mobile Phone Show was clearly not going to be your usual piece of theatre. The lights went down and suddenly the auditorium burst into life with the noises of the 21st Century, that is, mobile phones. The cast itself was comprised of students from Barbara Priestman each of who were equipped with a neon-coloured ‘mobile phone’, which they pretended to text and call on throughout the performance.
“Good art should elicit a response of ‘Huh? Wow!’ as opposed to ‘Wow! Huh?” (Ed Ruscha)
T
he Hatton Gallery is in the heart of our university campus. Yet if you ask an average Newcastle student about it they stare blankly at you, judging you for having the discourtesy to ask such a bizarre question. It’s a shame that people are missing out on this wonderful slice of culture, but those who have never visited are not completely to blame with the gallery being tucked away within the confines of the Fine Art department. Once found, the building is abundant with quirks and curiosities. The rooms have an air of spaciousness, yet the gallery is relatively petit in comparison to the Laing Gallery or the Baltic. Two intricate glass domes adorn the ceiling of the front hall, creating a splendorous entrance. ‘The Merzbarn Wall’, by Kurt Schwitters, is a permanently placed sculpture that sticks out from the back of the gallery with a strange entanglement of various forms. With prior arrangement you can be lead to see the secret rooms where the Hatton keeps the treasures of it’s permanent collection; once there you can find works by Frances Bacon, Richard Hamilton and Eduardo Paolozzi. The gallery attendants are exceedingly easy going, but this is on the basis that you do not have hell bent intentions to deface artwork with marker pens (which famously happened at Tate Modern a few months ago). Normally there are two exhibitions on show at any given time this always entails sophisticated preview nights where wine is served on the house. For the most part, their choices of exhibitions are exciting and fresh. Inarguably it is the collection of small details that give the Hatton its characteristic charm. With only a few fleeting weeks left of term and the recent arrival of the touring Ed Ruscha exhibition, there is every reason to plan a visit soon. For those that may not be familiar with this fellow, he’s a pop artist and his work is big, bold and beautiful. He’s known for his offhand outlook on American culture: depicting gasoline stations exploding in balls of fire and twisting media slogans to seem imprudent. In 2010 President Obama bestowed upon David Cameron a signed lithograph print by Ruscha; however, if the Hatton’s current display of Ruscha’s work were brought to the attention of our beloved prime minister, he would see that his little lithograph is utterly surpassed by this great show. Ruscha’s large typographical paintings spread themselves out upon the walls and when approached, you can’t but help feel a little overshadowed. His painting, ‘The End’ displays the two words at the centre of the canvas in the gothic typography one can find in a newspaper’s title and these in turn are back dropped behind the silhouette of dried grass. Within this work Ruscha has turned around the common usage of doom and gloom front-page headliners that newspapers sell themselves by, to express an apocalyptic sense of dread. This work is confrontational and empowering in its experience, much like the other great paintings within the exhibition. The Hatton Gallery has effectively shown Ruscha’s work in a way that is challenging and impressive. It’s somewhat surprising to how this humble gallery has come to show such major works by an internationally recognized artist, but luckily for us it continues to bring the big names in. If you find yourself with a spare half hour between lectures or with an overwhelming desire to do something different on a lonely Saturday afternoon, remember that the Hatton Gallery’s big green doors are open to those who seek it. image: Mad Scientist by Ed Ruscha 1975
James Ricketts
each member of the cast displayed huge potential 45 Minutes
We Lost Elijah
F
orty-Five Minutes portrays the experiences of a group of teenagers who have been given the wrong deadline for their UCAS application submission; instead of having a week left to complete them, they have 45 minutes. The young actresses effectively portrayed varying personalities and reactions to the situation, which seemed to give every audience member a character to relate to. There were some brilliant comic moments, with many discussions that had a ring of truth for the audience, including analysing why students actually want to go to university and highlighting the ridiculousness of the list of words we’re advised to avoid in our personal statements. However, I felt that the performance did not reach its full potential, as it seemed to lack a sense of structure. At times, dialogues between different characters occurred at the same time, making many of them, as well as the plot, difficult to follow. Frequently the excellent moments of conversation descended into the characters just yelling and swearing at each other, which left me feeling uncomfortable and unsure about the plot’s development. This could certainly be improved by a tighter structure and clearer story line, as well as making far more use of the comic moments that made the play so enjoyable at times. Overall though, a great effort from a young cast with promising talent. Sophia Leggett
W
e Lost Elijah is a look at teenage angst set against the backdrop of the 2011 London Riots. It opened with captivating live music from Lydia Hayman, who showed herself to be a formidable talent both in that particular scene and through her musical accompaniment throughout the play. The use of a narrator, played by Tanisha Waters, was an unusual device and wove what could have been a disjointed story into a cohesive piece. Waters, an engaging speaker, came in and out of the onstage action fluidly and her ending speech was poignant and touching. The cast maintained an element mystery throughout, despite the play being structured as a flashback in which the story moved towards the opening scene. Although the tragic outcome shown in the opening scene hung like a shadow over the play, seeing exactly how the events unfolded was enough to keep the audience’s attention. Whilst the play at times ventured into rather far-fetched territory, the actors of the Greenfield Youth Theatre showed themselves to possess enormous potential and they all played their parts with gusto and imagination. Sapphire Rees
The narrative itself consisted of several short, humorous anecdotes about mobiles, giving each member of the cast a chance to show off their individual acting skills and connect directly with the audience. One boy ordered the lights of the auditorium to be turned back on whilst he searched the audience for his lost phone and hilariously panicked that his friends thought he might be dead because he hadn’t be in contact for half an hour. However, the most impressive scenes were those performed in ensemble as they effectively portrayed the sociability and constant buzz of modern society. Whilst each member of the cast displayed huge potential, individuals’ voices occasionally got lost over the sound effects and the narrative lost its energy in places so that the audience’s interest waned. That said the overall standard of the production was impressive considering the age and inexperience of the performers. Millie Walton
they all played their parts with gusto and imagination
Ailie And The Alien
What Are They Like?
Don’t Feed The Animals
P
L
D
erformed by the Heaton Manor Theatre Project, Ailie and the Alien was an amusing and original play performed by a promising young cast. As a comedy the piece functioned well, due in no small part to the stellar performance of Will Gammack, who played the woefully geeky Igor. His unabashed attempts to profess his clearly unrequited love raised many a laugh with the audience and the Jabba the Hut costume he sported towards the end of the play was certainly a sight to be seen. The core pair of Ailie , played by Kate Jeffries, and Finn, the alien, played by Ethan Younger Banks, worked well together, although Banks’s best scenes were perhaps those in which he featured with his alien family. His descriptions of human life were witty and sharply observed, however these were sometimes overshadowed by the costumes worn by the other aliens. These were bright green, two-to-a-costume affairs topped off with bulbous green heads. Needless to say they were a hilarious spectacle and the actors inside them did a good job of manipulating them convincingly. Overall, the comedic elements of the play slightly overshadowed the more serious parts ,but this was to its advantage and judging by the laughter the audience certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves. Sapphire Rees
ucinda Coxon’s brand new play, What Are They Like? explores the changing nature of the relationship between parents and their children as adolescence takes its grip and adulthood beckons. It was perhaps a risky choice of play, as although the cast members could draw on their own relationships with their parents, it also required 14-16 year old children to step into their parent’s shoes, quite literally. However, each of the cast members managed to realistically convey their characters to great comical effect and with immense enthusiasm, which they maintained even within the choral scenes. The narrative itself was disjointed; made up of short monologues and stories, but nevertheless it was enjoyable and kept the audience engaged. That said, some of the choral scenes seemed out of place with the general pace of the piece and could have perhaps been left out, adding little to the production as a whole as the accompanying music did not correspond with the action on stage. However, the actors who performed monologues deserve recognition for their insightful portrayals of parental figures as they managed to really capture the hardships that come with parenting as well as the fun. Overall, it was a well-rehearsed, lively performance and a huge achievement for the youth theatre company taking part. Millie Walton
on’t Feed The Animals is a thoughtprovoking story written by Jemma Kennedy, about the impact of modern day technology on traditional entertainment and how events such as circuses are no longer captivating enough for the youth of today. A circus that has been running in a traveller family for hundreds of years is faced with the devastating prospect of being closed down due to no customers and help and safety regulations. Thankfully, a gang of bored, squabbling youths get involved as an alibi for bunking school and somehow manage to pull off a triumphant performance which prevents the circus from being closed down. The youths learn the value of trusting each other as they perform acrobatics and make leaps of faith into each other’s arms. While the travellers are taught to modernize and update their acts so that they could once again become appealing to the youth of today. Organized by Stage Tynemouth, the whole cast gave strong performances, particularly Simon Stuart who played Zack, the young acrobat. The production was also executed convincingly considering it was difficult to pull off with no circus skills or animals available. Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and I look forward to watching more budding young talents next year. Beatrice Walker
The Courier
arts.29
Tuesday 7 May 2013
thecourieronline.co.uk/arts c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_arts
Spotlight on...
previews
The Taming of the Shrew Theatre Royal , 30 April - 3 May
T
here are very few plays where you, instead of instantly being able to point out your least favourite moment, have to vainly attempt creating a hierarchy of everything that was brilliant about a production. As a lover of Shakespeare, I was extremely excited to see Propeller’s production of The Taming of the Shrew, especially as the company were reverting back to the traditional style of performing the play with an all male cast, an interesting challenge when two of the central characters are confident women. However, it is fair to say this challenge was effortlessly overcome and the audience were as lost in Sly’s dream as he was, leaving the play completely convinced the performers were female. The play combined dark comedy, live music, a cappella singing and an ever moving set with an overriding air of a camp farce. The production was well executed, with perfect timing of every actor on stage, no matter how big or small his part was; the use of singing and vocal noises throughout the play added a unique continuity to the show, as well as creating some hilarious moments. The star of the show, however, was Vince Leigh who played Petruchio with a sexy arrogance that made him both repulsive and appealing. He was the perfect villain, abusing Katherine with his bad temper and sexist domination whilst retaining a charming relationship with the audience. Although I could not fault one of the actors on stage, Leigh shone and held the stage whenever he was on it and the chemistry between him and Dan Wheeler (Katherine) was excruciatingly addictive. The Propeller cast were enchanting, bringing a regularly told story to new life with a unique approach that allowed scenes to flow, characters to change and effortlessly between roles. They transformed this dark tale, often described as a tragedy, into a cynical comedy that made the audience laugh out loud, as well as retained the important question of The Taming of the Shrew of what makes a happy marriage. I could not recommend this play enough, it was a performance I never wanted to end. Sally Priddle
The 39 Steps
B
Theatre Royal 7 - 11 May
ased on John Buchan’s 1914 crime thriller and the Alfred Hitchcock’s movie adaptation, The 39 Steps is a comedy that follows Richard Hannay as he embarks on a journey from London to Scotland to prevent top secret government information from leaving the country and falling into the wrong hands. Hannay finds himself thrown head first into a conspiracy involving the mystery of the The 39 Steps organisation that is attempting to steal government secrets whilst meeting some devastatingly beautiful women along the way. The play is performed by four actors, one playing Hannay, another playing all three women he is involved with and the final two taking on all of the 135 other roles, playing anything – man or woman, adult or child, human or inanimate object, ensuring a lot of hilarity. Full of action, comedy and Hitchcock references, The 39 Steps has won numerous prizes, including an Olivier Award and two Tonys. It has also won the prestigious Moliere Award for Best Comedy, so if you’re looking for a good laugh this is a play definitely worth seeing. Catriona Lawrence
reviews
Sleeping Beauty Theatre Royal 16 - 20 April
M
ost famous for his controversial adaptation of the ballet Swan Lake with a cast of all male swans, Matthew Bourne is an innovative choreographer who makes an arguably elitist art form far more accessible. His adaptation of Sleeping Beauty is no exception, giving the classic tale a modern and darker twist. While I adore the traditional ballet version, Bourne’s adaptation is spectacular. In re-ordering the original music, more emphasis is placed on telling the story, excluding dance for dance’s sake. He also adds many brilliant elements of whilst still retaining an extremely high standard of dancing. The story is told across three different centuries: after being cursed to sleep for 100 years in 1911, Aurora is finally awoken but kidnapped into a seedy nightclub before being saved by her one true love. The costumes and set were simply gorgeous, especially Count Lilac (gender-swapped from the original Lilac Fairy) and his fairies, dressed in a gothic fairy-tale style. Bourne innovatively incorporates puppetry as well as travelators into the dancing, creating a whole new dimension to the performance. The entire production radiated talent and energy, and portrayed the story both clearly and beautifully. I would certainly recommend this, as well as any other Bourne production, to anyone with a passion for dance. Sophia Leggett
Rent
Casa Bellini Burlesque
Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre 28 April
The People’s Theatre 27 April
D
ubbed Newcastle’s finest burlesque experience, Casa Bellini Burlesque promised a high quality theatrical extravaganza- and it delivered in every respect. On entering the theatre we were welcomed with a variety of novelty stalls before we were ushered into the auditorium. The show commenced with a glamorous and comical dance in which two scantily clad performers hid ‘shyly’ behind their giant feathery wings, cheekily shaking their literal tail feathers at audience members as they made their way onto the stage. From hilarious comedy sequences about sexual diseases to corseted men shaking their hips to slow seductive singing, the production had the audience whooping, laughing and stamping their feet throughout. The enthusiasm and fun of the performers was infectious, relaxing even the most timid audience member and encouraging everybody to participate. All the performers were vastly talented and each act was executed with the utter most professionalism. However, the stand out performers had to be Heidi Bang Tidy, the Heavy Petting comedy group, and the compere, Baron Bartholomew Black. Unfortunately, this was Casa Bellini’s only performance for the moment, but I would definitely recommend burlesque as a highly entertaining alternative to a night out on the Toon. Millie Walton
M
odernised retellings of classic stories are a bit of a risky affair: Whilst there are many shining examples on how it’s done well (think 10 Things I Hate About You, based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew), there are just as many utter failures, like the 2011 chick flick From Prada to Nada that besmirches the legacy of Jane Austen. Luckily, Rent belongs to the former category and has been an audience favourite for the past two decades. The story of a bunch of poor young artists trying to survive in New York during the late 1980s at the height of the HIV/AIDS hysteria is based on Puccini’s La Bohème and captures the bohemian lifestyle of a hopeful generation. Despite the rather sparse stage set design, the 20th anniversary tour cast managed to electrify the audience with their brilliant acting and magnificent voices. Amongst the incredibly talented cast, the outstanding stars of the night was musical goddess Kerry Ellis whose amazing voice and star status added a touch of Broadway glamour to the otherwise rather serious (yet uplifting) plot. Rent might not be The Phantom of the Opera, but it doesn’t need to: With a moving story and a stunning cast, it is a fantastic musical experience that doesn’t need any sequins or dramatic anthems. Lisa Bernhardt
Prisoner of Second Avenue
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The People’s Theatre 7 - 11 May
t’s seems appropriate in our current period of economic gloom that Neil Simon’s Prisoner of Second Avenue, which explores the effects of unemployment, comes to The People’s Theatre. Released in 1971, the 40 odd years between Simon’s writing and the current production seem only to have amplified in our daily lives the chaos and the pressures of city life that drive the central character Mel Edison, living in Manhattan in 1971, to the brink of mental breakdown. After being fired from his job as an advertising executive, Edison gives full voice to his rages against the society in which he lives. Yet Neil Simon, a peer of Mel Brooks and Woody Allen, manages to communicate this bleak picture with unrelenting humour and through his pen even the most unfortunate situations have the light of laughter shed upon them. Through this juxtaposition of despair and comedy, Simon also highlights certain truths; he asks us reconsider the common tendency to be blown around in the whirlwind of daily toils and instead, encourages us to refocus upon, and value what’s really most important in life. Miranda Eedle
The Importance of Being Interested The Stand 30 April
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n a world where we seem to be constantly surrounded by idiots, Robin Ince is the light at the end of the tunnel. He is the saviour of the intelligent, and he’s making science funny in a brilliant and unique way. He incorporates anecdotes from Crawley town being used to explain black holes as they both suck the life out of you, and explaining evolution in the concept of Top of the Pops. Robin Ince is smart in a non-patronisng manner with his show being very different from the usual shallow comedy you see on TV. His incessant ramblings and deviations lead to a mammoth two and a half hour show, and at times it seemed like he’d never shut up. During the performance it almost felt as though I was watching a man on stage having a mid-life crisis, but regardless of this I still continued to laugh. From Darwin’s love of barnacles to his musical earthworm experiment, Ince introduced the audience to a fresh perspective on a variety of scientific matter. He’s like David Mitchell in Peep Show giving a lecture on biology whilst on cocaine. His show offered a refreshing look on evolution and the wider universe in an accessible and witty way. This is definitely a niche show about one man’s incessant ramblings on science and the wider world but if, like me, you’re a geek, you’ll love it. James Simpson
30.musicreviews
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Music Editors: Chris Haywood and Sam Summers Online Music Editor: Sophie Coletta
How to Buy...
Home
Rudimental
Gangsta Rap
T With a slew of smash hits about guns, drugs, and general wrongdoing, early ‘90s gangsta rap is still what many imagine as hip-hop. Sam Summers points you in the right direction.
For Beginners:
Snoop Dogg Doggystyle (1993) Back before Snoop Lion plaited his first dread, Snoop Doggy Dogg was making a name for himself as a guest rapper on Dr Dre’s The Chronic. The unflappable cool displayed on such classics as ‘Nuthin’ But A G Thang’ saw Snoop become the biggest name in rap overnight, and his solo debut didn’t disappoint. The platonic ideal of Dre’s ‘G Funk’ subgenre, Doggystyle blends gangsta posturing with dirty funk samples and pop hooks, most famously on ‘Gin & Juice’ and ‘Who Am I (What’s My Name)?’ It’s all topped off with some exquisite R&B hooks from the late, great Nate Dogg, gangsta’s own inimitable baritone. It’s the ideal introduction to the genre, and it has the greatest intro track of all time to boot.
he soul drenched drum and bass quartet make good on the potential shown in their singles by following up with an impressive roster of tunes, and those who were hoping for more of the same will not be disappointed. From the album opener ‘Home’, their intentions are made clear, as the organ and the subtle, dulcet guitar give way to big beats and soaring vocals. Nothing needs to be said about the next track; ‘Feel The Love’ is simply a massive tune which saw them heralded as one to watch for 2013 by iTunes, and rightly so. It’s a song which will always be uplifting no matter how much you hammer the play button. The influences are far ranging, but they manage to achieve the perfect blend of dance, old school soul and Motown. Steel drums with garage beats, why not? Occasionally it can feel as if the band are running away with themselves creatively as they slip between genres, sounding like Ray Charles one minute and Ram Records the next can prove tiring on the ears. That said, as long as you keep an open mind and are willing to throw yourself into their feel-good vibe, this album will be worth every penny. Their ability to pick collaborations is amazing; Angel Haze crooning and then rapping complete with overly complex garage beats and huge hip hop subs is sick. I still love their first release ‘Spoons’, featuring MNEK, which is essentially a deep house tune, showing that they aren’t held down by any genre. Maybe this is due to the fact that the four young men who comprise Rudimental have a mutual love for simply creating tunes regardless of scene or genre. Soulful pop sensation Emeli Sandé adds her fantastic voice to the impressive collection of artists
For The Bin:
The Notorious B.I.G. Greatest Hits (2007) Alright, calm down. Nobody’s dissing Biggie Smalls. The issue here is with the tracks chosen to represent the ‘greatest hits’ of rap’s biggest and baddest. Yes, ‘Juicy’ and ‘Hypnotise’ are present and correct – there’d be riots in the streets otherwise. Still, the majority of songs on this disc are for some reason culled from the posthumous albums Born Again and Duets; by and large, low quality cash-ins cobbled together from whatever leftover Biggie verses they could find. Inexplicably absent are legendary numbers like ‘Party And Bullshit’, ‘Suicidal Thoughts’ and the incredible Diana Ross-sampling posse cut ‘Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems’. Looks like you’ll have to shell out for Ready To Die and Life After Death instead.
A lesson in house, garage, drum & bass and soul all delivered with appropriate levels of Hackney swagger and aggression, rather than a collection of singles Home is an album which can be enjoyed track by track. It sounds like it could be put on by a DJ, left to run and people would have a mint night. This should be your summer album. Recommended download: ‘Hell Could Freeze’ Max Palmer-Geaves
If you like this, try ... SBTRKT SBTRKT
The mysterious masked DJ’s killer debut is packed full of addictive hooks and loops, as well as just enough gorgeous dubstep bass and fantastic guest spots, from a career-best turn from Little Dragon to a career-making turn from Jessie Ware.
Some Say I So I Say Light
Altar Of Plagues
Sub Verses Akron/Family
When it comes to dark, minimalist beats, nobody can top The RZA. His work on 36 Chambers was a watershed moment in hip hop, proving that a sinister atmosphere could be just as compelling as the party bounce of the New School era. Combine that with the brutal aggression of Method Man, the cold and calculated flow of The GZA, and the pure, unbridled insanity of Ol’ Dirty Bastard and you have the reason generations of parents were terrified of rap. 36 Chambers is the ultimate crew record, giving each MC ample time to show off (well, almost everyone. Sorry, Masta Killa). It also perfects the art of the skit, with lines like “I’ll fuckin’ sew your asshole closed, and keep feedin’ you and feedin’ you, and feedin’ you” killing every time.
If you keep an open mind and are willing to throw yourself into their feel-good vibe, it will be worth every penny...
Teethed Glory & Injury
For Experts:
Wu-Tang Clan Enter The Wu-Tang (1993)
who have lent vocals to the album. She features on ‘More Than Anything’ and ‘Free’, both of which are more introverted, but still manage to have that triumphant nature that all Rudimental tracks seem to exude. The end of the album is peppered with the rest of their singles which still aren’t a drag to listen too. ‘Not Giving In’ makes you want to go outside and rescue a baby from a burning building, whilst ‘Waiting All Night’ makes you want to go out and dance with a total stranger.
Ghostpoet
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ike a distant Spartan army slowly approaching the crest of the horizon, introductory track ‘Mills’ begins as a distant rumble amongst a bed of static, creating one hell of a wave of anticipation, and leaving a brilliantly sombre primer for when second track ‘God Alone’ finally kicks the doors in. If you’re a newcomer to black metal, there’s something instantly standoffish about a genre where the core sound actively rejects what commonly makes a song engaging and memorable. Nowhere to be seen is anything less than a pulsating mass of wretched screaming, coupled with grimy guitar tones soaked in a production that promises to drag you kicking and screaming into the depths of Hell. Half the time you’ll swear your audio equipment has just broken down; James Kelly’s puerile vocals are distorted into incomprehension, burying his vocal lines under a mountainous amount of guitar feedback. For that other half though, there are occasional moments of something slightly more palatable. Not palatable in the form of ‘here’s something genuinely tasty’, more in the vein of ‘I guess I’ll devour my own shoe if I’m going to be on this deserted island for that long’. In the end I totally get what Plagues are going for, and the genre overall. If you’re hankering after a sound that somewhat resembles a thousand people being burned alive inside an oil drum buried just far enough underground that you can make out a syllable or two, then dive on in. For me though, I’ll take my intense screaming with the occasional slice of melody.
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ome Say I So I Say Light resonates a despondent atmosphere. Obaro Ejimiwe’s latest release is a gorgeous continuation of his exploration into the dark monotony of urban life as it walks you through dark city streets. The recurring use of pulsating synths helps to emphasise this dreary image, ranging from droning dejected tones to sharp razor like inflictions, whilst Ejimiwe’s exhausted vocals are halfway between rapping and singing. At times his low droning tone introduces an ambiguity to the lyrics, each of which resonates an impressive and important poetic significance. In ‘12 Deaf ’, the phrase ‘fear takes over me’ is repeated with an incessant hopelessness to end the song, a message that reverberates until it drowns in a reverb saturated amalgamation of melodies. The theme of fear semantically reoccurs throughout the album but always with the same dispassionate and acceptant undertone, mirroring the monotony of urban life that Ejimiwe is conveying. Ejimiwe has worked with a number of beautifully appropriate vocalists on the album, most effectively on the lead single ‘Meltdown’. Woodpecker Wooliams’ endearing chorus instils a sense of unified depth and reality to a sincerely sober representation of a crumbling relationship. Some Say I So I Say Light is an experimental album that steps away from the conventions of hip hop, and steps into a rain cloud of soft electro, and rap reminiscent of Gil Scott Heron. Ghostpoet drags us through a dream state that is vividly close to reality, and it is beautiful.
Recommended download: ‘When I Was Young’
Recommended download: ‘God Alone’
Recommended download: ‘Everybody’s Watching Me (Uh Oh)’
hree-piece Akron/Family’s new album Sub Verses shows the band resurging themselves into new musical spectrums, diverting from their modest, acoustic upbringing and procuring a more bolder resonance. The album opens with their recent release ‘NoRoom’, which sets a dark and melancholic tone for the album, with penetrating, punchy guitar, up-beat, intensive drums and sorrowfully honest lyrics. Such adjectives may have been used to describe the band in the past; nonetheless, songs such as ‘Way Up’ indicate how the band has arrived into a new realm. The band has almost become reminiscent of Animal Collective’s style, introducing experimental vocals and sci-fi aesthetics. The release of ‘Until the Morning’ from early March this year gave us a snippet from what was to be expected. Having a catchy and almost haunting chorus, it is memorable. It does not, however, seem to match the rest of the album. Closing the album with ‘Samurai’ delivers quite a disappointing and slow-paced conclusion. I found myself listening in hope of some dramatic buildup, but the song exceeded no such expectations. Usually with final songs on an album, bands attempt to build anticipation for the next album, but this song doesn’t meet those requirements. Far from being ground-breaking, I hope Sub Verses is welcomed amongst commentators and fans as it is brave for a band to explore new regions of music. Though, if you’re set on their past discography, I would recommend listening to this album with an open mind.
Will Taylor
Scott Tailford
Charlie Dearnley
The Courier
localmusic.31
Tuesday 7 May 2013
thecourieronline.co.uk/music c2.music@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_music
sceNE Special: Generator
In a band? A solo artist in Newcastle? Interested in setting-up your own record label? Matty Aston caught up with Joe Frankland of Generator, the UK’s leading artist and music business development agency based here in Newcastle
B
ased in Ouseburn Valley, Generator now proudly holds the title of being the UK’s leading music development agency. But the organisation is a far cry from what it was at its inception in 1991, as Artist Development Manager Joe Frankland admits: “It’s changed quite a lot. “[Generator] was set up as a kind of well-meaning organisation and a collective of people who wanted to make a difference in the North East. Obviously that’s still at the core of what we do, but it’s become a lot more professional and in terms of the funding we get from various projects and the numbers of people we support, it’s huge now”. One of the key reasons for Generator’s transformation was the organisation’s current CEO, Jim Mawdsley, who “got involved 10-12 years ago and turned it round. He developed key relationships with people like the Arts Council, but more importantly with the music industry at large. So unlike
some younger and newer development agencies, we’ve had these relationships for over 20 years, which means they trust us to do what we do well in the North East”. Generator have recently spread out nationally: “we run a lot of projects in partnership with other development agencies now and other industry bodies that there are projects where we’re in charge”.
What the artists say ... AJIMAL
When did you initially go and meet Generator? What were you hoping to get from that meeting? I first came across Generator when Ajimal was just starting out and still more of an idea in my head. I got involved with a showcase that they ran called Transmission - The NEw wave, at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle.
“We try to help people with having a DIY attitude, and making sure they can release stuff succesfuly themselves” So how has Generator attained the status as the country’s leading music development agency? “I
How has Generator supported your development as an artist? Without their support, do you think you would be in your current position? Generator have been really helpful in providing advice whenever I’ve had questions about how things work in the music industry, for example with issues like publishing or sync, and providing opportunities for exposure or funding. It’s hugely helpful to know that people are there to provide advice without trying to cut in on what you’re doing and regardless of what level you’re doing it at.
think because we’ve been around longer we have that advantage, but [we also have] a lot of the structure and drive. Jim’s vision was good; as soon as he started he knew exactly what he wanted to do to support businesses as well as artists. A lot of other music development agencies we’re very close with don’t have the remit to support artists and businesses”. The agency has clearly played a central role in developing local talent over the past two decades, although Joe struggles to identify individuals who have benefitted the most. “It’s difficult to say”, he confesses. “There are certain bands we’ve worked with more intensely like Let’s Buy Happiness, who we worked with for about two years. Lulu James came through one of our courses, so she definitely benefited a lot”. “There are loads, like back in the day there was Maximo Park who did events for us and we’ve worked with the people from Field Music and The
Futureheads. Then you’ve got the likes of Mausi and some of the newer artists coming through now like The Lake Poets and Natasha Haws.” While Generator’s success has invigorated the North East music scene, Bands from the region do encounter their fair share of problems, with national recognition arguably the biggest issue. “I think the most queries we get are about how to get noticed nationally”, Joe points out. “Obviously people want to get recognised round here first, but the biggest issue for any band from any area is breaking out of that and getting national radio play, blog coverage and eventually industry interest. “What we try and help people with is having a DIY attitude and making sure they can release stuff successfully themselves and make the most of the tools available, because you can release material really cheap or for free now.”
What the artists say ... MAUSI
When did you initially go and meet Generator? What were you hoping to get from that meeting? We first went to a Generator course about two years ago. We knew if we wanted to be successful, we had to understand the music industry. We wanted to be in control of everything that surrounds the band and we needed to know that we weren’t being screwed over. (You hear a lot of horror stories). So we went to learn everything we could about the industry. It’s not enough just to play music any more, you have to be in control of everything you do.
continued on page 32
How has Generator supported your development as an artist? Without their support, do you think you would be in your current position? We wouldn’t be where we are without Generator. The initial course we took gave us a really clear idea of how we could make it. They’re the heart of the music scene in the North East but also one of the keys to breaking out!
The Courier
localmusic.33
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Unknown Pleasures
No artist. No title. No clue... continued from page 31 “Their challenge then is to try and build enough momentum and get others elsewhere interested as well, so you can go and gig in Manchester, or Plymouth, or London. It’s just a little bit of strategy and a little bit of thought; you don’t need a massive team around you. Hopefully we’re helping to address that.” Since expanding into a national agency, Joe admits they’ve found it increasingly difficult to maintain a balance between local and national artists. “With all the gigs around here you want to support the local artists as much as you can. But when we run ‘The Tipping Point’ blog and our ‘Singles Club’, we get our pick of artists from across the UK, so the chances are, out of the six releases we might do every 12 months, one of them might be from the North East and the rest will be from elsewhere”. Their focus on developing local talent is nevertheless reinforced by the courses they provide. “We run courses for young musicians, but the one with the highest interest is our DJ course. We run our course with three weeks of DJ skills and three weeks of production. That is always oversubscribed. “Generator’s always out and about in town and you get a feel that there’s a DJ scene. We see that people need tuition so we set up a course and applied for funding and it’s just grown each year. Now we run a course for vocalists which is popular and a course for younger musicians who play any instrument”. Generator’s tremendous success over the past 22 years, however, would not have been possible without the level of funding they receive. “We get core funding from the Arts Council that helps cover or-
What the artists say ... NADINE SHAH
ganisational costs and some projects”, he discloses. “On the business support side, the majority of our funding is European; it’s called the European Regional Development Fund. We had a three year project that finished in December and we’re one of the first creative agencies to have successfully used that and hit all our targets in terms of businesses we supported”.
“It’s just a little bit of strategy and a little bit of thought; you don’t need a massive team around you. Hopefully we’re helping to address that” Clearly, hopes are high for the future of the agency. “Our European funders have just funded a new three year project, so whereas most people are having their funding cut, we’re ok. With the position we’re in and the relationships we’ve developed, we feel safe for at least the next three years”. This financial security for at least the immediate future has allowed them to move forward with plans for the company’s expansion, along with working to support other agencies nationwide. Joe states, “the best example of this is a new project that launches in May and June called ‘Mapped Out’. We’ve got key relationships with a lot of agencies in England and this is the first time we’re working with all of them at the same time”. “We applied for Arts Council funding for a strategic touring plan and that is to work in 12 cities across England and develop promoters in six smaller towns and also help to build scenes. So I think increasingly that’s going to be our role”, he
What the artists say ... SHIELDS
admits. Closer to home, Generator have further plans to develop the company with additional projects. “There’s a new project called ‘Ladders’ that we’re hoping to get more funding for and that’s for young entrepreneurs of any creative background, so it doesn’t have to be music”, highlighting how the company is opening up new avenues for local talent. “We’re definitely expanding into supporting filmmakers, games companies and tech companies, with music at the core”. Plans are afoot to develop the touring and promotional side of the agency too, with a regular touring format being introduced this summer. “The first ‘Mapped Out’ tour starts in June and will be every three months. We’ve structured it in a way that we ask booking agents who wants to go on tour and then all twelve promoters vote and decide who does which gig”, Joe reveals. “There are going to be quite a few high profile artists on the tour and then in each town there will be regional support. It’s like a touring network”. The future certainly looks bright for the country’s leading music development agency and with it being almost right on the doorstep, why would any local talent not want to take advantage of the help and expertise they provide?
Upcoming Events Songwriting and Production in 2013 Time: 5 June, 17:00-21:00 Venue: Live Theatre The relationship between producer and artist is ever changing like the industry. What are the best ways forward for an up-and-coming producer or songwriter in 2013 and how can effective relationships be created? Featuring talks from Futureheads frontman Barry Hyde, Pulp producer Ed Buller, Wild Beasts producer Richard Formby, and Sean Devine, vice president of the ASCAP performing rights organization.
Labels/Publishing - A New Approach Time: 12 June, 17:00-21:00 Venue: Live Theatre The old days of knocking on the doors of labels and music publishers are long gone. While there’s still a giant leap to take to ‘get signed’ in the traditional sense, new models give an artist the freedom to take a new approach. But what options are available to emerging artists in 2013? Featuring talks from 4AD creative director Ed Horrox, Bucks Music Group A&R head Jimmy Smith, and Scott Cohen, co-founder of digital pioneer The Orchard. When did you initially go and meet Generator? What were you hoping to get from that meeting? I first went to Generator for a songwriting workshop with Becky Owen, a local singer songwriter. I later went to them for advice with other musical ventures I was involved with. I didn’t know any musicians or musical people so they seemed the best place for information and guidance. How has Generator supported your development as an artist? Without their support, do you think you would be in your current position? I think Generator was the first organisation I was involved with that actually helped for no financial gain or motive of their own. This in itself was refreshing as before then people seemed to always want something from me. To date their support has been invaluable, I can still hassle them for advice and they still promote my work and come to my live shows. I think without them I’d have still done what I do but without the bank of knowledge and skills they provided me with... which’d be shit.
When did you initially go and meet Generator? What were you hoping to get from that meeting? Having been in bands before Shields we had learnt that it really helps to have a plan of action in place before you start. We went to Generator mainly for some advice and a bit of guidance. They helped us focus our ideas on the business side of things and pointed us in the right direction to get some funding, which bought our little red post van that we toured in. How has Generator supported your development as an artist? Without their support, do you think you would be in your current position? They gave us our first gig as Shields, and they also do a thing called the Tipping Point which gives up-and-coming artists some deserved exposure online. I think it would have been much more difficult to get to the point where we are right now if without the guidance and exposure they gave us. It’s also really good to know that all of that is available to North East musicians if they want it.
DIY Marketing on a Shoestring Time: 19 June, 17:00-21:00 Venue: Live Theatre With so many digital marketing channels available to the modern artist, it’s easy to lose focus. Generator takes a look at the best tools and strategies for building your profile effectively and selling directly to fans. Featuring talks from Alistair Tant, manager of marketing at Essential Music, Darren Hemmings, founder of digital marketing consultancy Motive Unknown.
Contact Details For a free consultation concerning you’re own development as an artist or music enterprise with the advisors at Generator, or to book your place on one of their free courses, contact them via: Telephone: 0191 231 4016 Email: mail@generator.org.uk
This week we gave Sarah McIntyre Death From Above 1979’s cult classic dance-punk album without telling her what it was...
Death From Above 1979 You’re A Woman I’m A Machine (2004)
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was very apprehensive after being handed a CD which I knew nothing about, and putting it in my walkman I was preparing myself for the worst. First impressions seemed to suggest I was right to be nervous as Track 1 [‘Turn It Out’] opened with what sounded like a tortured pig squealing. Thankfully, this was short lived and what followed was surprisingly good. It kicked into a nice little guitar riff played over a good drum beat with the singer having a hint of a punk style. However, my relief was not to last when the second song started and sounded a lot like the first, with the same dull lyrical themes of love and lust and the same basic guitar parts put to a slightly different rhythm. Unfortunately, I found this was to be indicative of the rest of the album. Track 7 [‘Little Girl’] had a bit of a surprising twist with a tambourine added to the musical mix. The lyrics on this track are truly inspired and original with such gems as “My brother has a baby oooh ooh-noo” and “You see this lady she’s my baby, baby, baby”. I can only assume that one of the band members hired a younger sibling to write the lyrics for these songs, and I hope that for their next album they invested in a rhyming dictionary. My faith in this album was restored slightly when Track 9 [‘You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine’] started playing off with a rockier edge to it and vaguely more imaginative lyrics. However, it still had it’s fair share of whiny filler noises between lines to reassure me that this was the same band that produced the rest of this album. My main criticism for this album is the repetitiveness of all the tracks, and by about Track 5 I began to wonder if I’d accidently set the album on repeat. This band had clearly found their ‘sound’ for this album and was going to run with it, a sound which clearly either heavily influenced Muse or was heavily influenced by Muse. The singer even sounds a bit like Matt Bellamy crossed with Jimmy Urine of Mindless Self Indulgence. While listening to this album, it quickly became apparent that I am not typical of the intended audience. I must have missed the ironic message of the generic lyrics or the fact that the laziness in the music was supposed to reflect society or whatever, but overall it was a fairly enjoyable listen, excellent background music and probably something everyone should listen to at least once.
34.tvlistings
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
TV Editor: Chris Taylor Online TV Editor: Ben Parkin
Say what you see Tom Nicholson loves Catchphrase. But he hates Stephen Mulhern and he hates the new Hollywood Bowl-style 3D Mr Chips. Is the new incarnation of the classic TV gameshow worth tuning in for?
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s you may be aware, ITV has decided to revamp its Sunday night schedule. You will also probably be aware that part of this revamp is a resurrection of classic gameshow Catchphrase. On paper, it might sound like a great idea – a good format is still a good format, even 25 years later – but upon actually watching one finds that the only paper this reboot looks good on is Andrex. Firstly, the original Catchphrase relied heavily on the bonhomie and Irish charm of Roy Walker. His jokes weren’t funny and he delivered them like he’d just come out of hospital after suffering a concussion, but he was nice. The new Catchphrase is helmed by Stephen ‘Magic Hands’ Mulhern. Even as a 10-year-old watching CITV, he came across to me as insincere and weirdly plastic-faced. He’s even mangling Roy’s imperishable catchphrase from yesteryear too. “Say what you see” has become “see it and say it”, which is immeasurably worse. He could at least try thinking outside the box: say someone nicks an answer from under the nose of another contestant, he could shout “SNATCHPHRASE!” I came up with that in under an hour. Pull your finger out, Mulhern. An odd thing happened while I was watching Catchphrase last week: I found myself yearning for Bradley Walsh. That’s BRADLEY FUCKING WALSH. The man wears Velcro shoes for God’s sake. He laughed for three days when he found out there was an Olympian called Fanny Schmeller, and yet in presenting terms he beats Mulhern into a distant second place.
Archer rcher is an animated James Bond spoof in which Bond becomes Sterling Archer, top agent at intelligence organisation ISIS. He’s incredibly self-centred, sexist, egotistical and reckless; pretty much how Bond would come off if you actually knew him. In Archer, M becomes Sterling’s overbearing, alcoholic mother Mallory, who keeps a tight, Freudian grip on her son. Remind you of anyone? Yes, Mallory is pretty much identical to Arrested Development’s Lucille Bluth, also played by Jessica Walter. She even has an on-again off-again affair with the head of a rival intelligence agency, played Jeffrey ‘George Sr.’ Tambor. As excitement in the run-up to Development’s return reaches fever pitch, Archer will satisfy anybody’s Lucille cravings in the meantime. Miss Moneypenny becomes ISIS’s sex-obsessed
secretary Cheryl, who manages to sleep with pretty much everybody in the office, male or female, in scenes which are pretty graphic for a cartoon (if that’s your thing). I hope it isn’t. Q becomes the deranged Doctor Krieger, a direct descendent from Adolf Hitler who uses ISIS labs to indulge his bizarre fetishes. No, he isn’t a real doctor, but ‘Doctor’ is his first name. Other characters include top female agent Lana, Archer’s bitter ex and a parody of Lara Croft-style female action heroes, and ISIS accountant Cyril, her emasculated new boyfriend. You’d expect a show about spies to be pretty action packed, but for the most part Archer keeps its action in the office. The comedy comes from the interplay between the characters; their relationships, their fights, and their pranks and name calling, like any workplace sitcom. Of course, the fact that it’s a cartoon lets it get away with a whole lot more, and also lets it work in a big action set piece every now and then. This usually makes for excellent comedy, like the squabbling between Lana and Archer as they try to disarm a bomb on a zeppelin. Just as often, though, whole episodes go by which
Vicious
The Politician’s Husband
Netflix
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ITV, Monday 9pm
V It doesn’t help that everyone who actually gets onto Catchphrase is a medical moron. You know the type: when presented with a short clip showing Mr. Chips (Mulhern’s animated co-host) hitting a nail on the head, they shout an unconnected stream of words relating to DIY, none of which are phrases in themselves: “Nail! Hammer! Hammertime! Time machine!” And all in the vain hope that their brain-vomit will win them a week in the Algarve. The producers must pick the most abominably stupid people on purpose in order to preserve their slim supply of prizes. Most troubling of all, though, is the reincarnation of Mr. Chips which Mulhern has to work with. Far from being the same beloved 2D anthropomorphic salt shaker who was animated in a manner which was endearingly retro even in the early ‘90s, ITV have decided he needed revamping. I don’t know why, but he has made his comeback in garish 3D CGI. That’s not the problem though; the problem is that whoever redesigned him has stripped him of his benevolently innocent expression and instead given him a deeply unsettling rictus grin and the bulging, penetrating eyes of a Korean War veteran. He looks utterly horrifying. His new face is that of a man who wants to wear your entrails as a scarf. Catchphrase? I’d rather catch leprosy.
icious is a new comedy starring the brilliant Ian McKellan and Derek Jacobi as a gay couple who have been together for ‘forty-eight hideous years’ and live in a small flat in Covent Garden. Freddie and Stuart have transcended into a life of constant bickering, sniping and walking the dog. When they met, Freddie was an actor and Stuart a bartender. Now, Freddie is still reliving his one moment in the limelight as the ‘tenth best Doctor Who villain’ and Stuart is still ‘waiting for the right moment’ to come out to his mother. The cast also includes Frances De La Tour as the couples’ best friend Violet and Misfits’ Iwan Rheon as their new (straight) neighbour Ash. The first episode has the two holding a wake for a recently deceased friend and managing to make it as awkward as possible for everyone involved with their squabbling and lack of finger food. Ash, having just moved, is trying to be a good guest but is also having to fend off the advances of the cougerish Violet. Vicious is written by American Gary Jenetti and occasionally you can tell it was an American who wrote the script. However, Jenetti was the genius behind Will & Grace, so we can expect the show to be of a continuously good quality. Although, as a studio comedy, Vicious is very different territory from their usual roles, McKellan and Jacobi are brilliant as the delightfully camp couple, and they do well at depicting a strong relationship where snarkiness is the primary mode of saying “I love you”. Tria Lawrence
have nothing to do with baddies or bombs, and the show is as close to The Office as James Bond. Like any good sitcom, you become attached to Archer’s characters over its run, allowing them to work in compelling story arcs such as Sterling’s search for his biological father – a tossup between Jeffrey Tambor’s Len Trexlor and the head of the KGB. Oh, yeah, that’s right, the KGB. Archer exists in a bit of a time warp, meaning that modern technology can crop up alongside Cold War-era politics, pushing it even closer to the spy fiction it spoofs. Archer is a lot of things, but when it comes down to it, it is silly. It’s full of outrages sex jokes, absurd situations and ridiculous one-liners. Yet alongside its silliness, they just throw in really obscure jokes that reference the likes of the USS Pueblo Incident or the creator of the telegram. Not everyone’s gonna get hooked, but it’s perfect for dipping in and out of when you need a laugh, especially since it’s on Netflix. Sam Summers
Banshee
BBC1, Thursday 9pm
Sky Atlantic, Monday 10:15pm
fter the huge success that was Broadchurch, David Tennant is back, this time playing scheming MP, Aiden Hoynes in BBC Two’s new drama, The Politician’s Husband. The show centres on the ‘golden couple of politics’, Aiden and Freya Hoynes. The story begins with Aiden quitting politics, perhaps hoping to gain the support of others and eventually become leader himself, but this all backfires when his best friend betrays Hoynes by not supporting his bold decision. It is at this point of the show when the ‘real’ politics begin. When his wife is offered his old job, Aiden sees this as a good opportunity to sabotage his best friend’s rising career, but things go horribly wrong when his own wife alienates him by not following the plan. Just as you shouldn’t put Baby in a corner, it seems that you shouldn’t put a politician in a corner either; they will only come back fighting harder than ever. This is actually a follow-up to writer Paula Milne’s 1995 political drama, The Politician’s Wife, and what Milne shows is a stereotypical, negative view of British politics that is set in a drab and bleak London. Though it seems that in today’s politics, Twitter was of great importance, as is the overall image of the politicians, which simply adds to the deceptions made by almost all the characters in the show. Complex and moody, The Politician’s Husband, is more than your usual drama, and with it being set in the political spectrum, you can be sure to expect more backstabbing and complexities to come.
eleased from prison after serving 15 years for stealing diamonds from Ukrainian gangster, the unnamed protagonist travels to the fictional small town of Banshee, Pennsylvania in an attempt to find his former lover and accomplice Anastasia. When a new incoming sheriff is killed, the protagonist takes on the identity of Lucas Hood and leads the life of a wolf in sheep’s clothing in an attempt to further his own interests. A virtually unknown newcomer, Antony Starr, produces an enigmatic and layered performance as the unnamed protagonist. Although filled with many similar magnetic, revelling characters, the series follows the internal turmoil of the Starr’s character in his struggle to adapt to his new identity. Banshee clearly has high ambitions, and despite the cavalcade of horribly choreographed sex scenes and a script that is obviously lacking certain panache, there is an underlying smartness to it that creates a chaotic and atmospheric backbone. With an almost comic-book style approach to the cinematography, it preserves certain stylistic choices which seem to greatly aid the extensive use of violence and dramatized nature of the storylines. Airing on Sky Atlantic, it maintains small-town drama tropes we all loathe and love in equal measure. Banshee is no unsuitable addition to the ever-growing group of low-budget original programming, and whilst it might not reach heights unknown in the wake of fierce competition, it’s definitely one to keep your eye on.
Helen Daly
Beth Durant
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The Courier
featurestv.35
Tuesday 7 May 2013
thecourieronline.co.uk/tv c2.tv@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_tv
Higher or lower?
Everyone loves high stakes TV, particularly executives, but slower-paced character-based pieces are easily overlooked. TV Editor Chris Taylor explains why you really should be caring about shows like Bunheads
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verything these days is all about making things big. Big meals, big deals, big houses filled with big things, big explosions and big threats. You can’t flick three channels without seeing someone with an alcohol problem trying to solve the death of a young child in a sleepy village or watching a rugged hero running through explosion after explosion which would make a nuclear test site quiver with fear. 24 even had a nuclear weapon go off while our hero Jack wept against a telephone pole. Drama! Betrayals here, angry superiors there, tearing up of the rule book everywhere. High stakes shows are in abundance, which is why I support the Movement To Quiet Things Down A Bit And Lower The Stakes. Not there’s anything wrong with high stakes. It adds a lorryload of drama and keeps many people coming back to a show week after week to see whether the hero of the piece will make it out alive or if all his friends and family are going to perish in a few episodes time. But sometimes we need to slow things down a bit; grab a cuppa and some biscuits and just enjoy something where the stakes are so low, it’s impossible to limbo under them. Cheers is one such example. Taking place entirely within a bar in Boston (occasionally heading out front for a bit or into the restaurant upstairs), it focused on a group of barflies where the most pressing matter was whether or not Sam and Diane were going to have a quickie in Sam’s office, or if Cliff was actually right about some absurd fact he’d just spouted out. And people loved Cheers. It went on for eleven years between 1982 and 1993, even creating a spin off in the equally successful Fraiser. Seinfeld had equal success, with episodes focusing on whether or not they were going to get a table at a Chinese restaurant in time. Yet these days it’s all about the grand scale of things. If anyone dares to have less than four explosions an episode or if a main character isn’t killed off after two episodes, it’s most
likely to get cancelled. Bunheads, created by Amy Sherman Palladino, is one such show that it is on the brink of cancellation. It hasn’t been announced as cancelled yet but there is trepidation amongst fans such as myself. I love Bunheads and I don’t want to see it go so quickly. Sherman Palladino is most well known for creating Gilmore Girls, which I also unashamedly love with all my heart. The mix of pop culture references, quick talking characters and sarcasm are exactly what I desire from a show and Bunheads carries this mantle that Gilmore Girls perfected. Essentially it is the Friday Night Lights of ballet, in that it has ballet in it but it isn’t the main focus. Rather, it’s a hilarious look at small town life as Michelle, a dancer from the city, tries to get accustomed to her new life after she elopes with a devoted fan of hers who later dies soon after they marry. But nothing really happens. By not having anything hap-
pen, you get to know the wide range of eccentric characters much better than in something like 24 where such characters are almost throwaway. From perfectionist barista Bash to my favourite Bunhead Ginny (she’s the best. Team Ginny all the way), each has a part to play in this theatre of nothing. They have problems but it never reaches as high as defusing a bomb set to blow up a bank, aiming more for crushes on boys and just trying to get a cup of coffee. Yet despite the buckets and buckets of charm and critical acclaim that came with it, Bunheads has been in recommission limbo for months now, which is never a good sign. The stakes are small but it doesn’t make the show as small, instead providing us with a rich world full of developed and excited characters. If there’s any reason to join The Movement to Quiet Things Down A Bit And Lower The Stakes, it’s Bunheads.
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Most memorable deaths
8 Simple Rules - Paul Hennessey When the wonderful John Ritter passed away, 8 Simple Rules decided to keep going without him, having his character, Paul, die off screen in one of the saddest episodes to ever grace television. “Goodbye” showed the immediate reactions and struggles of his family following his death, evoking a deep response from the viewing public.
Game of Thrones - Eddard Stark I don’t think anyone genuinely thought this character could die – if the book was ignored. This was Sean Bean; on every poster and every advert, the centre of so much action many of us wondered how the show could go on without him. But George RR Martin is heartless with his characters. A truly ballsy move.
What’s all this then?
Crime dramas have been around since the dawn of TV, and reruns of Poirot, A Touch of Frost and Inspector Morse dominate the likes of ITV4. But what is it that makes them so watchable? Jack Thomas tries to crack the mystery
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the last month or so saw a nation of Sherlock Holmes wannabes inundate one another with lavish theories, claiming to have unravelled the illusive Broadchurch mystery. You know the one - detective David Tennant looking like he’s teetering on death’s door and his assistant: buck toothed, curly perm, hasn’t missed a series drama since the ‘90s? You know her. Well the pair were as captivating as ever on their quest to solve the murder of young Danny Lattimer, cantering towards character execution week upon week, leaving us with motive to frame every Tom, Dick and Harry around; vicar, newsagent – you name it. So engrossed in this comprehensive plotting we became, the finale was nearly overlooked. All of which unfolded in a delicately, intense slow-mo. Wonderful, hey? But what criteria does a crime drama like this have to tick to captivate us for weeks on end? It all begins with the detectives; often a painstakingly thorough alpha male, with a nagging disregard for his personal life and an oh-so-tragic, dysfunctional love life. Not forgetting a characterdefining obsession with the bottle and a female counterpart who acts as a patronising older sister figure to voice frustration for the most part, and a calming surrogate mother figure for the latter. Often possessing a blatant neglect for authority, conformism and doing anything by the book, they’re everyone’s favourite character, and a typecast that needs to be adhered to in every crime drama. After all, who wants a nice family man solving boring cases by the book? Some take the unstable persona to new levels; Dexter, a blood splatter analyst by profession, deviates from the successful detective stereotype embraced by Luther and the likes; or at least puts a sociopathic, emotionless twist to it. Doubling up as
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Buffy - Joyce Summers A surrogate mother to most of the cast, Joyce was a loveable and loving character. In a series like Buffy, we perhaps could have dealt with death by demon, but death by brain aneurism demonstrates how easily we are all open to real world horror. That’s something Buffy does well; reminding us that, despite all the mysticism, the characters (well, most) are still human.
The Simpsons - Maude Flanders The family were off to the racetrack and Homer was attempting to win a t-shirt from a cannon. Until, suddenly, he bends down revealing an unsuspecting Maude. She is subsequently hit by a tshirt and thrown out of the stadium. Not only is the death bizarre and unexpected, it demonstrates the sinister minds of the writers.
a serial killer, whilst working for the Miami metro, he somehow stays trouble free. Strictly killing only the bad, he’s effectively doing them a favour; and killing the criminal makes a change from cautioning them, so it makes happy viewing! What don’t we want from a brilliant crime drama? A completely ‘out of the blue’ ending. One so outlandish, no one gets remotely close to guessing it. Although something of this nature can intrigue, we’d often prefer something with a glimmer of rationale to reward our detective prowess. Broadchurch executed this nicely, it was by no means straight forward, but a surreptitious clue or two could have been spotted by the keener couch potato amongst us. Don’t get me wrong, it’s prefer-
able to the most obvious ending going, but the best drama’s will strike a balance between rationale and ingenuity. Cramming a crime drama into just one episode or two can certainly spoil the extent of its success. Why not hold out, and explore the intricacies of every character? Throw the plot every which way, and watch the viewer squirm in anticipation, as you near a conclusion? I’m just putting it out there - no one wants the mystery to be over before it ever really got started. Oh, and make sure you pack it with social outcry, hints of sexual deviance and of course the obligatory dysfunctional male lead. After all, what’s a good crime drama without it?
Dexter - Rita Morgan We finally thought the trauma of season 4 was done when Trinity lay on Dexter’s table. Then you hear Rita’s phone and the prophetic “It’s already over” is understood. We are left with Harrison sobbing in Rita’s blood overflowing from the bath. A harrowing scene and really not something we ever saw coming. Alexandra Stonebanks
36.filmfeatures
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Film Editors: Hayley Hamilton and Sam Hopkins Online Film Editor: Chris Binding
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Bad taste or belly laughs?
Dark Comedies
Dark comedy: a delicate balance between delight and distaste. Jacob Crompton -Schreiber explores the art of turning a serious subject matter on its head
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Synecdoche, New York Set, for the most part, in a secluded warehouse/ microcosm of New York life, darkness, obsession, surrealism and pain fuel this film. Yet, in all its absurdities and schizophrenic tendencies, it is very funny. It isn’t a side-splitting comedic journey, but more of a subtle, chuckle-under-your-breath kind of funny. Nevertheless, it is excellent in its black surrealist humour.
4 Fight Club Not only is this the story of a wandering insomniac who finds comfort in hearing about others’ misery, it is a dystopian commentary on humanity itself. Eminently quotable and eternally brilliant, Fight Club is one for the memoirs with its twisted humour that becomes less humorous once you realise what it is you’re actually laughing at.
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umour and dark subject matters within cinema are two concepts that generally shouldn’t mix well but somehow do. It’s a combination which has created some truly fantastic films that manage to be dark yet comedic. Dark, or black, comedy is a mischievous and niche sub-genre that has evolved and grown over time, garnering many fans along the way. It is not a new sub-genre by any means; probably the best-known mainstream black comedy is Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, an evocative look at the perils of the Cold War and nuclear armament. The serious subject matter of nuclear war is turned on its head by Peter Sellers and company, injecting hilarious comedy into authentically scary scenarios that could have occurred during the Cold War, which was still raging when the film was made in the 1960s. The sub-genre has expanded and grown considerably since the times of the Cold War though, with many dark comedies releasing every year – including the latest Jack Black vehicle, Bernie, which has released in the past week. Watching the wicked yet wonderful Heathers the other week reminded me just how good, and deliciously black comedies can be. Mixing dark and macabre subjects such as death, suicide and other ghastly business with cheerful comedy doesn’t sound initially promising; taking ‘gallows humour’ too far even, at the risk of being distasteful and causing upset. Somehow though, the sub-genre of dark comedy manages to contain films that, while perhaps not entirely tasteful, manage to blend comedy and grim matters into somewhat delightful and memorable pieces of cinema. The balance does have to be just right though; films such as Harold and Maude manage to be effortlessly charming and hilarious
but also poised, perfectly balanced with heavy and emotional views on life and death. At the other end of the scale, films such as Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) get the dark stuff worryingly offbeat, with a miscast John Cusack, and spectacularly unfunny ‘comedic’ elements – a real mess of a film ensues. Certain directors seem to have the formula nailed down; the Coen Brothers have a particularly good knack of crafting memorable and quite brilliant dark comedies. Fargo (1996), The Big Lebowski (1998), Burn After Reading (2008) and so
The many talents of...
The Big Lebowski A Coen brothers classic of death, desperation, fate and hope. With a case of mistaken identity all too familiar to the comedy genre, the more philosophical and sombre undertones of the narrative deliver a fresh, incredibly entertaining film that embodies all that is a dark comedy.
2 Harold and Maude This is a must-see for all dark comedy fans. Way ahead of the curve in its comical outlook of an obsession with death, the relationship between young Harold and quirky septuagenarian Maude, oozes tar-black humour.
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Dr Strangelove...(1964)
A perfect balance of political satire, implicit social critique and Laugh-Out-Loud comedy. With the Korean War only a decade prior and the Cuban Missile Crisis still fresh in the global psyche, depicting a ‘what if…’ scenario of nuclear holocaust was a bold move, and an even bolder one to make it a knee-slapper. Muneeb Hafiz
Jack Black. Not many people can call themselves a musician, actor and a panda. Dylan Healy looks at the incredible career of the loveable front-man
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e’s just sat back in his chair on a US chat show donning a blue and green Hawaiian shirt with an incessant grin from ear-to-ear. Why not, eh, Jack? He’s promoting his thirteenth film to date, Bernie. His rock band, Tenacious D are still hugely popular and DreamWorks are paying him to voice a cuddly animated Panda. He is quite possibly the definition of a Hollywood star. Black’s parents, divorced rocket-scientists, encouraged his artistic flair from an early age and he properly harnessed it at UCLA. Here he brushed shoulders with Tim Robbins, the man who propelled his career up a gear. He hit prime-time television on shows such as The X-Files, subsequently pushing him into minor film roles like Bob Roberts and other un-memorable stints. Luckily for Black, Tenacious D became a hit on HBO. Down to their humorous, ironic lyrics they became an overnight sensation. His band broke down the modern conceptions of rock music; they were seen as the charming, tubby underdogs sworn into the 21st century as rock’s answer to a funny Led-Zep. Jack Black’s Hollywood film career took another step up after Tenacious D’s initial success. Leading to a role in High Fidelity and a leading role in blockbuster The School of Rock playing the unforgettable Dewey Finn, these per-
formances truly nailed him down as a certified star. Black showed his diversity as an actor when cast in Peter Jackson’s King Kong. The man has had quite literally a ‘bucking bronco’ of a career. Black is also a peripheral member of the ‘Frat Pack’ with other male Hollywood actors featuring Ben Stiller and Will Ferrell, starring in movies such D Orange as Tenacious D, County and Tropic under These days, Thunder. Black has lent his voice to an animated cuddly Kung-Fu Panda, and the franchise has been DreamWorks’ biggest to date. He has shown a bucket-load of courage and endurance during his three-decade long stint in Hollywood. His wacky combination of both humour and musical talent is a flash in the pan. He’s a tubby ball of energy that has shaken up modern entertainment, and he is deservedly a household name.
it goes on – their filmography almost reads like a list of famous dark, comedic films that have popularised the sub-genre no end. It can be hard to categorise dark comedies: what boxes do films have to check off to enter the subgenre and not just be labelled as dramas/thrillers with comedic elements, or, alternatively, just comedies with infrequent and mildly dark parts to them? All I know is that when done right, the dark comedy sub-genre can deliver some wonderful and cherished cinematic experiences.
WIN!
It’s competition time again! This time win tickets to see Star Trek: Into Darkness at Tyneside Cinema
One of the most highly anticipated blockbusters of the summer, JJ Abrams’ re-boot of the sci-fi classic continues with Star Trek: Into Darkness. Not just for die-hard Trekkers, the first instalment was one of the most exciting sci-fi action films of recent years. And this time, Benedict Cumberbatch is involved! The fantastic Tyneside Cinema have given us two tickets to give away to one lucky winner. Which Avengers Assemble star played Cpt. Kirk’s father in the opening of Star Trek? a) Robert Downey Jr. b) Scarlett Johansson c) Chris Hemsworth Email your answer to editor.union@ncl.ac.uk before midnight on Thursday 9 May to be in with a chance of winning. Star Trek: Into Darkness opens at Tyneside Cinema on 9 May
The Courier
reviewsfilm.37
Tuesday 7 May 2013
thecourieronline.co.uk/film c2.film@ncl.ac.uk | @Courier_Film
Bernie (12A) I must confess, I had not heard or read much about Bernie prior to watching it last Saturday lunchtime. Judging by the bewildered expressions on the faces of the horde of excitable teenage girls sat on the row in front of me when the credits began to roll, neither had they. I assume they based their decision on Jack Black’s presence in the movie. Quite often you know what to expect from a Jack Black film. Which is not to discredit him. He’s brilliant at shouting, and singing and doing grandiose face expressions. And in fact none of these things are entirely absent from Bernie. But the film definitely takes you by surprise. For the girls in front of me, I don’t think it is the story they were expecting to be told. But there is no doubting that Bernie is a story that deserves to be told. Bernie is a true account of the 1997 murder of a wealthy, hateful and bitter widow named Marjorie Nugent (Shirley Maclaine) by funeral director and all-round good guy Bernie Tiede (Jack Black). Bernie strikes up an odd relationship with Marjorie after bringing her gifts to help ease her grieving, and they become full-time companions, much
to the dismay of the hilariously Black and White Texan locals. What begins as an odd, but innocent social engagement, quickly mutates when Nugent gets her claws into Bernie, and begins to exploit his kind heart. He becomes more a slave than a friend, answering her every beck and call, and receiving little thanks for doing so. It lasts for months, and Bernie’s faith is tested to its very limits, before everything overcomes him for a few fateful seconds. The story is told partly through interviews with the real-life villagers who knew Tiede, and their glowing reports about his good nature, despite the knowledge of his crime, are what lends the film its darkly comic appeal. This, and Jack Black’s performance as the cheerful and ever-so-slightly camp Tiede. Nobody wants to believe or see anything bad in Bernie, except from the equally brilliant Sheriff (Matthew McConaughey), a police officer with noble intentions, but unashamedly smug about his crackdowns. He is only too happy to lend a punchy soundbite to the news teams during the murder trial. The thing is though, the Sheriff never has a particularly difficult job in the Bernie trial,
Love Is All You Need (15)
because the accused never pleads anything other than guilty. Moving between the accounts of the squabbling locals and the biographical caricatures created by Black and McConaughey can be jarring, but that actually works in the films favour. It is telling a unique and disturbing story, so it is appropriate that it is presented as such, and you will leave the cinema both amused and baffled.
VERDICT: You will laugh at Bernie. Sometimes under your breath, as you are not always sure that you should be. It’s a very cleverly directed satire, achieving both authenticity and comedy. It also shows that no matter how nice somebody is, they can still be capable of something terrible, and ultimately, for that we all pay the same price.
The Look Of Love (18)
Home (U)
I Am Nasrine (15)
Love Is All You Need is the latest tearjerker from Danish film director Susanne Bier, best known for the 2010 academy award winning In A Better World and the 2007 Halle Berry vehicle Things We Lost in the Fire. The story follows Ida (Trine Dyrholm) who comes home from her last chemo treatment to find her husband having an affair with Thilde (Christiane Schaumburg-Miller) from accounting. Denying the collapse of her marriage, Ida travels to Italy to for her daughter’s wedding only to find that her husband, Lief is engaged to Tilde. Fortunately, and bizarrely considering the majority in the film is in Danish with subtitles, this is where Philip (Pierce Brosnan - former James Bond alumni) steps in to save the day. So yes, the storyline was predictable, stereotypical and clearly geared towards a middle-aged audience, but somehow it was actually really enjoyable and touching; I even shed a genuine tear. The soundtrack was painfully cheesy, but the script was subtle and the acting powerful. Admittedly, it probably helped that it was mainly in Danish so that you forgave lines, which would have made you shudder in English, but you could spend two hours of your life in a worse way. Sure, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but in the genre of romantic drama, this is a pretty good entry. Worth checking out.
An in-depth look at how Paul Raymond (Coogan), once a travelling nude show host, became Britain’s wealthiest man with his success in the world of pornography and controversial entrepreneurism. Almost a fly-on-the-wall documentary, The Look of Love feels very real and immerses us deep into the smoke-filled rooms of Raymond’s personal life. It is undoubtedly a warts ‘n’ all account of how he made his millions and, along with the highs of fame and fortune, it depicts the lows of failed relationships and periods of hurt. It is here that the films succeeds the most in the performances of wife Jean (Friel), mistress Fiona (Egerton) and daughter Debbie (Poots), each with their own complexities, and pawn-like role on Raymond’s grand chessboard. Coogan, in typical fashion, is marvellous in his pitch perfect impression, and embodies the motivations, inspirations and drives Raymond would surely have had in his heyday. Even with brief remnants of Alan Partridge, he is completely believable in his delivery. But what this film lacked was velocity, some ‘umph’ which, at times, can leave you twiddling your thumbs. It isn’t boring as such but it felt slightly hollow and a bit too Brit-com for it’s own good. Nevertheless, Coogan successfully draws us into the enigma that was Raymond, along with his foils and toils in a world created by Michael Winterbottom.
Home is a documentary film taking a look at the earth from above. Incorporating an artistic array of aerial shots coupled with a Mother Natureesque voiceover make for easy viewing. Director Yann Arthus-Bertrand takes you on a journey from the fertile agricultural fields of Spain to harsh arid desert environment of Dubai illustrating the sharp contrast between environments and how each nation deals with that. It investigates the broad spectrum that could be categorised as ‘the world’s problems’, dealing with issues including famine, oil, and urbanisation. It assesses the effect that we as humans have had on the earth around these central themes over our short-lived existence relative to the earth’s life history. With scenery enough to blow your mind, and some emotive shots incorporating a human element, it really tugs on the heart strings and gets the message across. Whilst presenting the argument that the human race is that of a destructive one it sort of leaves you feeling depressed and guilty. It is also taking a small amount of scientific data and using a large amount of hyperbole to illustrate one person’s point of view. Finishing with a bombardment of depressing statistics about how much Homo sapiens are to blame for the earth’s problems it’s definitely not a feel good film. It’s like Attenborough’s ‘Life’ but with more moral meaning.
VERDICT: Once you get over the cheesy, clichéd title and the fact that Pierce Brosnan looks like a slightly smarter version of your Dad, Love is All You Need is a surprisingly good watch with a beautiful setting and a poignant storyline.
VERDICT: Full of strong performances and a production of competence, yet the biopic just doesn’t feel powerful enough. Coogan is, of course, superb as the fascinating Paul Raymond, but ultimately we are left with a faint sense of disappointment. Good, but not great.
VERDICT: It combines stunning photography and a hard hitting message and no matter how much you try to resist, you can’t help but feel and awe-inspired and encapsulated by the breath-taking scenery. It’s definitely a must-see for anyone with an interest in natural sciences or just if you fancy something a little bit different.
We’re excited to see the return of this film to Newcastle. It was directed by Newcastle University’s own Tina Gharavi, a lecturer in filmmaking. Set in 2001, Nasrine is introduced as a vibrant Iranian girl living a comfortable life in Tehran. However, after an incident with the police Nasrine is exiled to the UK under her father’s wishes, along with her brother Ali. A far cry from her life in Tehran, Nasrine is nevertheless excited for a new life in the West, even if the starting prospects are living in a flat and eating cereal for tea (sounds familiar, right?). Although a journey of love, courage and self-discovery, with a new life comes immeasurable tragedy. More than anything, the film is thematically relatable (love, family, friendship etc). Gharavi resists director-dictation by letting you decide on what you want for these characters, where you want them to go and how you want them to do it, as if you were in her position. What stood out in particular seemed to be a constant, yet ironic reflection of Middle Eastern culture against our own Western values (hint: fashion, class and sexuality). Importantly, Gharavi does not lecture on political, economical or even social values but morals of the individual and the creation of your own world against a lashing of prejudice and disapproval. This film has undeniable power and Gharavi has created an impressively moving must-see. Make sure you catch this in the cinema.
Millie Walton
Muneeb Hafiz
James Simpson
Matt Tate
VERDICT: Rightly nominated for BAFTA’s outstanding debut by a British writer, director and producer, I am Nasrine is not just a story of finding your feet, but a film about struggle, unity and courage.
Luke Garbutt
The Courier
science.39
Tuesday 7 May 2013
thecourieronline.co.uk/science c2.science@ncl.ac.uk
Science Editor: James Simpson
Build a rocket, boys
Sleepy Outer space is something that has always interested mankind. Peter Style looks at the history science of space travel and how one small step for man turned into one giant leap for mankind I
t was only during the ‘50s that the most high end and modern luxury was transatlantic air travel. The iconic blues of Pan America airlines were a symbol of technology and innovation which many would have considered to be ‘space age’ at the time. Most people would have brushed off any suggestion that in less than twenty years, Neil Armstrong would be saying those famous words as the first man to set foot on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission on 20 July 1969. The journey to the stars has been long and not without the help of animals used in test flights. Throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s, the Soviet Union and America were competing in a new type of conflict: the first ever space race. Both nations were sending animals into space to test the effects of space travel on living organisms before sending any humans up to put their lives on the line during manned flights. First fruit flies were tested, and then monkeys. Finally in 1957, Laika, a Soviet dog, became the first living mammal to orbit the earth. Upon her safe arrival back onto solid ground, it displayed that mammals, when housed in the right internal conditions of a space craft, were indeed capable of surviving the journey in and out of the safety of the Earth’s atmosphere. Laika put the cogs in motion for manned missions into space. The Soviet Union continued to precede the US to the early space milestones, successfully firing Yuri Gagarin into orbit around the Earth making him the first man in history to enter space on 12 April 1961. Less than a year later America matched Soviet efforts, putting
Charlie Dearnley looks at new research emerging as to why we need more sleep
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Image:Wikimedia
their own NASA representative Alan Shepard into space. On 16 June 1963, Valentina Tereshkova became the first female to enter space. The history of space travel is not quite as epic as Hollywood is prone to making out - in fact, much of the testing phases are littered with tragedy. One of the most telling examples occurred in January 1967 when a fire broke out during launch pad trials, resulting in the death of all three crew members on board. Immediately after the first moon walk of 1969, amongst the explosion of media hype and speculation of what the future of space travel would hold, there
was talk of holiday resorts on the moon by the turn of the century. This is still far from the case, though space tourism is one of the main subjects to arise when future space travel is considered today. Dennis Tito, an American engineer worth millions, became the first space tourist when he paid roughly $20m to ride in space, and became the first selffunded astronaut. However Dennis’ trip away was not everyone’s idea of a dream holiday - for him to just be a passenger in the Russian Soyuz aircraft, he had to physically and mentally train in excess of 900 hours. SpaceShipOne became the first ever
fully privately-funded, -built and -manned space flight in 2004. Now Virgin is leading the race for space tourism. Virgin Galactic is Richard Branson’s latest venture, aiming to provide thrill seekers with suborbital space flights. This will provide passengers with the feeling of weightlessness, while observing the full curvature of the Earth with a view of the changing colours of the atmosphere protecting what we all call home. However a $200,000 deposit is required, so if you think it sounds like a neat trip to take your mind of your essays, you’d better start saving your loans now.
One way ticket to Mars
A one way trip to Mars has been offered to anyone who fits the criteria. Tom Lundy looks at exactly what is involved, how to go about applying, and why those lucky people won’t be coming back
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esilience. Adaptability. Curiosity. Trust. Resourcefulness. Self-reflection. These are the qualities which Mars One, the Dutchbased company attempting to populate Mars, say future Martians will require. In 2022, four people (two men, two women) out of thousands of applicants will disembark on the first ever mission to the Red Planet. They won’t return. Mankind does not yet possess the technology to launch a return trip to Mars, meaning the select four will be
spending the rest of their days 40 to 140 million miles (depending on time of year) away from Earth. They won’t be totally helpless, however, as their journey will be preceded by two preliminary missions; in 2018, a landing rover will be sent to scour the face of the desert planet for a suitable site, shortly followed by a ship carrying building and living supplies. Only once the camp is set up - consisting of living quarters, facilities to grow vegetables, life support units, supply units, and more rovers will the newly-crowned astronauts set
off on their seven month voyage. As if the whole affair wasn’t bizarre enough, Mars One have decided to turn it into a form of reality TV show – everything from astronaut training and selection to the journey and landing will be televised. Already described as “Big Brother in space”, a final 24 candidates will be trained and prepared, before viewers’ votes whittle them down to the final four. If you thought Mars One would be happy with just four humans making Mars their home, you’d be dead wrong. Image:Wikimedia
Image:Wikimedia
If all goes to plan, more normal men and women will be transported out, arriving every two years, until the initial population rises to about 20 by 2033. Whilst supplies will be sent out periodically, the aim is for the colonists to become self-sufficient, producing energy via solar panels, recycling water and extracting it from soil, and the astronauts will grow all food. Applications opened on 22 April, and Mars One have already received well over 10,000 messages from aspiring space men and women. No specific experience in any field of science, military or engineering is required, and Mars One aren’t looking for a specific skill set – i.e. Doctors or mechanics. Applicants must merely be “at least 18 years of age, have a deep sense of purpose, a willingness to build and maintain healthy relationships, the capacity for self-reflection and the ability to trust”. The capacity to speak English, or to learn it quickly, is also preferred, and eight years of extensive training via Mars One will be undertaken, so physical health is a must. The terrain will be barren, the air unbreathable, the temperature ranging from scorching hot to freezing cold, but if Mars One’s vision prevails, Mars could be populated within our lifetime. So if you’re worried about summer exams, forget about your job prospects and head over to www.apply.mars-one. com and sign up. You never know, you could become the original Martian.
rapped in a state of constant fatigue, tiptoeing with uncertainty on the border between dreams and daily life, and the more I concentrate on reality the less feasible it seems. Along with countless other university students, I ruined my sleeping pattern a very long time ago; somewhere between the bright lights of Newcastle’s night life, and pursuing my current ambition to watch every film on IMDB’s top 100 list. I seem to get along fine with the amount of sleep I get, or well enough at least. My eyes are open in lectures and any immediate issues I have with heavy eyelids can quickly be resolved with coffee. Each morning I rise from my bed, to an alarm that is more invasively abusive than the thundering torrent of hot water that I walk towards, and as I wipe the sleep from my darkening eyes I tell myself “tonight, tonight is the night I sleep, tonight is the night this ends!” Unsurprisingly, it never does, and my unremitting fascination with bright lights and moving images continues to fabulously inflict upon my life. Recent scientific discovery has left me somewhat concerned regarding my selfimposed inability to lull my brain into a state of brief unconsciousness. Scientist Russell Foster has forcibly revealed that adolescents should ideally sleep for nine hours every night. Considering my average time spent sleeping each day is dwindling dangerously behind this figure, what effect is this having on my health and vitality? It has been discovered that our sleeping pattern correlates with hormonal activity induced during puberty, and that by the time we reach 55; we naturally wake up two hours earlier than we did in our teenage years. Although, this sleepless adolescent lifestyle is greatly heightened through more relaxed parents, and access to films, video games, and mobile phones during the twilight hours. The hindrances of the subsequent irregular and fractional sleep pattern are really quite concerning. Detailed research has uncovered that sleep is vital in our ability to solve intricate problems with rational answers. Disrupted sleep also increases the level of the hormone cortisol, which causes stress. Consequently our ability to empathise with people, our sense of humour and our rationality are affected. Perhaps most shockingly, recent scientific studies have uncovered that a young male who sleeps for only four hours, for six consecutive nights demonstrated insulin levels comparable to someone in the early stages of diabetes. One solution to ensure that young people get more sleep is for educational centres to begin their day later. Unsurprisingly this idea is popular due to the abolishment of 9 o’clock lectures, though this seems like an unlikely reality. Pragmatically, it’s up to adolescents to begin to take sleep more seriously in order to enhance their performance throughout everyday life. My plan for tonight was to continue my journey up the dizzying heights of the best movies ever created… and watch Space Jam. But I suppose the Looney Tunes can wait, just this once.
40.puzzles
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Puzzles
The Courier
Puzzles Editors: Tom Nicholson and Sally Priddle
Win a £4 MensBar voucher*
Find yourself stumped? Check out The Courier’s website next week for the solutions
Busy day? Have a sit down, grab a coffee and unwind with this week’s puzzles - and return them to the Courier office to have a chance of winning drinks at MensBar Be the first to work out which celebrities these pictures
Crossword 1
2
spell out to win a £4 Mens Bar Voucher
4
3
Picture-makey-phrase
5
6 +
=?
+
7 8 9
10
11
=?
12
13 15
16
14 17
18
Across
Down
1 Debatable (12) 7 Is kept at about boiling point (7) 8 Mainstream Korean music (1-3) 9 Derogatory term for bald person or scientific expert (7) 12 Molly, Una, Rochelle, Frankie and Vanessa (9) 16 Derisive way of referring to studious or bespectacled person (10) 18 Electronic musical instruments (12)
2 Without being challenged (9) 3 One who may have carried out a crime; dodgy; unreliable (7) 4 Welly; force; power (5) 5 Surprisingly soon; by now (7) 6, 11 Shocking or surprising event; revelation (3-6) 10 To grind one’s teeth together; to screw one’s face up unrecognisably (4) 11 See 6 down 13 Enjoyable event; owl’s call (4) 14 Point about which a body rotates (4) 15 Welsh father of the NHS, Aneurin ‘___’ Bevan (3)
Sudoku
5 1 7
2 8 7 1 4
6
1 3 8 2 1 4 7 5 4
4 8 2 5 4
6 3 9
*The first person to bring the completed crossword or Picture-makey-phrase to The Courier office in the Students’ Union will be awarded the £4 prize and the respect of their peers, which let’s be honest is priceless
The Courier
featuressport.41
Tuesday 7 May 2013
NFL Draft: Watson goes in round two
With Manchester born Menelik Watson getting picked up by the Oakland Raiders in round 2, George Sandeman analyses the winners and losers of this years NFL Draft “With the third overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select Dion Jordan, linebacker, University of Oregon.” As NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the Dolphins’ pick of a lean and rangy pass rusher to a shocked Radio City Music Hall, Manchester-born Menelik Watson sat at home with no idea his fate was now tied to the surprising selection. Miami was originally drafting at pick number 12 but gave up that pick and their number 42 pick for Oakland’s number 3 pick. That number 42 pick became Watson when the Oakland Raiders took the outrageously athletic but ridiculously raw offensive lineman on Day 2 of the draft. His journey to the California team has been a long and winding one that saw him leave his tough Manchester environment for a basketball scholarship in New York via an academy in the Canary Islands. After deciding basketball, and then boxing, were not for him, he played his first year of organised ball at Saddleback College before transferring to Florida State, a storied college football team rich in tradition. Despite just the one year of playing top flight football, Watson ignored the pleas of his coaches to stay on another
person. The story was broken by the raucous sports gossip blog Deadspin who methodically laid out why they believed Te’o to be a liar of staggering stature. In short, Te’o inspired his mediocre Fighting Irish team to an unbeaten season and national championship game on the back of revealing his grandmother and girlfriend had died on the same day earlier on in the season. Whilst his grandmother certainly did die, it appears his girlfriend did not exist at all. Whilst this intriguing and still ambiguous story gripped the NFL offseason the once sure-fire first round pick shockingly dropped into the second. More shocks came in the form of Flordia State quarterback E.J. Manuel being selected as the first player at his position in the draft. In what was universally seen as the weakest quarterback class in years, Manuel’s selection was seen as a surprise given his raw technical abilities. Although he possesses outstanding physical traits, he was seen as a lesser thrower of the ball than second round pick Geno Smith and fourth round pick Matt Barkley. Returning to Miami’s selection of Dion Jordan, there were audible gasps
year and entered the draft. He’s got a young daughter now and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to start earning and providing for his family. However, Watson’s remarkable story isn’t the only headline grabbing one of this year’s draft. Another Brit, Olympic shot putter Lawrence Okoye, went undrafted but posted freakish measurables in his work outs and was eventually picked up as a free agent by Super Bowl losers, the San Francisco 49ers. Much more captivating was the story of Mormon middle linebacker Manti Te’o. A star and team captain from the legendary Catholic University of Notre Dame, he was exposed as having been allegedly ‘catfished’ on the internet. For those unfamiliar with the term, it’s where an individual is deceived into believing they are having a relationship with someone they have met on the internet but without having met them in
and vociferations from pundits on both ESPN’s and NFL.com’s desks. It’s not that Jordan isn’t worth the pick, he’s a stud player with a truly awe-inspiring set of physical skills, but everyone expected the Dolphins to select the similarly freakish Lane Johnnson, a lean and mean offensive lineman from Texas A&M. Although the success of any particular draft class can’t be accurately gauged until the players have played for three years, it seems the Minnesota Vikings have got an early A+ grade. They took burly and thunderous defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd at number 23 overall when everyone expected him to be a top five player. They then used the number 25 overall pick on big and rangy cornerback Xavier Rhodes and then traded back into the first round to take raw but explosive wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. Conversely, the Cleveland Browns were likely seen as having a rather weak draft particularly as they used their number six overall pick on linebacker Barkevious Mingo. Whilst he possesses similarly freakish athletic ability to Dion Jordan, he isn’t as big and isn’t as accomplished. He’s incredibly raw with no defined defensive position and is a huge risk for a team that is supposed to be rebuilding and passed on several, more solid players who could’ve started contributing right away. There’s a lot of debate as to whether the draft is an art or a science. Whether it is more of a quantitative than qualitative exercise. The fact remains that it is a process which seeks to predict the futures of young men on the cusp of becoming millionaires, young, athletic, often arrogant millionaires who now have all of the offerings of South Beach and Las Vegas only a purchase away.
Controversial Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o’s fictional girlfriend scandal almost certainly cost him a pick in the first round Photography: Getty Images
“Despite just the one year of playing top flight football, Watson ignored the pleas of his coaches to stay another year and entered the draft.”
How the draft works:
1. There are seven rounds of the draft. 2. There are 254 picks divided up between 32 teams. 3. The draft order is decided inversely based upon each team’s regular season record. 4. Teams are free to trade those picks throughout the draft.
BEST PICK
SHOCK PICK
BEST DRAFT
“There are no sure fire Hall of Famers in this draft but Shariff Floyd at no.23 overall is incredible value for the Vikings. Paired next to All-Pro defensive tackle Kevin Williams, he’ll have a fantastic mentor and Minnesota will have one of the most disruptive tandems in the league. They’ll need it in the super competitive NFC.”
“Dion Jordan to Miami left Radio City Music Hall aghast. Not because Jordan isn’t worthy of being picked so high but because everyone expected them to take Lane Johnson to fill the void left by the off-season departure of All-Pro Jake Long. Jordan’s selection is a clear indication that they are coming for Tom Brady and the AFC crown.”
“Arizona found the most players who will be effective contributors in their rookie season and arguably the two players with the most talent at their position. If they can get the best out of Mathieu and Okafor it will transform their defence. Cooper and Minter will start, and minutes will be given to Watford, Taylor, Swope and Ellington.”
Shariff Floyd
Dion Jordan
Arizona
42.sportfeatures
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Around the grounds Sport can be as much about where you see it as what you see - The Courier takes a look at some of the most unique sporting venues from across the globe CENTURYLINK FIELD, USA In a country famed for its larger than life stadiums, CenturyLink Field in Seattle is one of the more remarkable. Home to both the Seahawks in the NFL and the Sounders in the MLS, the stadium is a striking feature on the already impressive Seattle skyline. The city’s iconic horizon is incorporated into the design of the stadium, with the north and south ends of the ground remaining open so that downtown Seattle is visible from inside the ground. The stadium is also renowned for being one of the loudest in the NFL, the design of the stadium helping to retain the huge noise generated by Seat-
tle’s huge following. The design of the roof of the two main stands along the side-lines helps direct the noise from the stands on to the pitch, making the ‘Clink’ one of the toughest places in the NFL for visiting teams. Seattle’s ‘12th man’ generates up to 112 decibels of noise, and often causes opposing offences to commit false start penalties. Since the stadium opened in 2005, opposing offences have committed 121 false starts, the most in the league. The 12th man’s finest hour arguably came against the New York Giants in November 2005 when the Giants had 11 false starts and missed three field
Downtown Seattle visible through the open-ended CenturyLink Field Photography: Getty Images
goals as the Seahawks earned an overtime victory. The following day Seattle coach Mike Holmgren dedicated the game ball to the fans, recognising the huge impact they had on the game. The biggest impact the stadium has ever had however came in the 2011 play-offs when the Seahawks hosted the defending champions, the New Orleans Saints. The Seahawks shocked the titleholders, the celebrations of Marshawn Lynch’s game-clinching touchdown run generating so much noise that it caused an earthquake registering 3.2 on the Richter Scale. Jack Mackenzie
INDYCAR CIRCUIT, USA To the west of Indiana’s State Capital sits a relatively unassuming two-and-a-half miles of tarmac, surrounded by a golf course and classic American suburbia. However, at the end of May each year this piece of the Midwest becomes a cavalcade of petrol heads and race fanatics as the most illustrious oval race on the IndyCar circuit drops the green flag for 500 miles of high-speed racing. On race day, close to 250,000 people descend on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to see who will be parking in the winner’s circle and have their face added to the Borg Warner Trophy following three hours of arduous racing. The Brickyard, so called because the original race surface was made up of over 3 million bricks, is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest racetracks. While a banked oval track cannot compare to somewhere like Spa-Francorchamps and the infamous Eau Rouge corner, the skill of drivers in IndyCar and NASCAR (which also holds a major event, the Brickyard 400 at Indy each year) to lap at average speeds close to
200mph while inches from one another’s wheels cannot be denied. This kind of close racing, inches from a concrete wall, has given rise to spectacular incidents, most famously in 2001 when JR Hildebrand crashed out on the last corner and allowed the late Dan Wheldon to sneak through and take his second 500. The history at Indianapolis has led to other motorsports trying to be a part of the story of this famous racetrack. For this, an infield section was added with mixed success. Many will remember the farcical 2005 Grand Prix where only six cars ran; while MotoGP has seen packed stands and thrilling racing, with riders out-dragging one another down the start/finish straight and across the bricks that serve as the line. No other track comes close to Indy on race day. The fans, the atmosphere and the spectacle all make it a truly great arena. James Docherty The start of the Indy500 Photography: Getty Images
The Courier
featuressport.43
Tuesday 7 May 2013
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NY From visiting Madison Square Garden to watch New York Knicks play, and beat, Milwaukee Bucks it became apparent that the venue captures the whole New York experience in a nutshell. Due to both the nature of indoor sport and the way that MSG is situated in the centre of the city, there was a buzz present throughout as in true American style they put on an event, as well as just a sporting fixture. There was the usual quarter time entertainment led by a mix of cheerleaders, fans completing games on the court to win prizes or spectators being sneakily picked out by the big screen while indulging in a quarter time hot dog. For all these reasons in an arena such as MSG, it’s almost as if the sport is a sideshow, played between the entertainment. Clearly there are many passionate fans, but the infrequent songs sung by the home faithful were neither imaginative, nor spontaneous. Occasionally, prompts would appear on the superb big screens calling for
the crowd to burst into a shout of “DEFENSE!” or “LETS GO KNICKS!” but it was certainly different to watching a team sport game in England. It was undoubtedly far removed from the intensity of a football match, or the strangely enticing lackadaisical atmosphere prominent at a County Championship cricket fixture. The venue itself is a multipurpose arena which plays host to high profile boxing bouts, the New York Rangers NHL team and, as mentioned above, the New York Knicks. The capacity for these events is around 20,000 but can vary depending on the specific sport being played. MSG also plays host to many concerts and is the third busiest music arena in the world in terms of ticket sales, only behind the O2 Arena and the MEN Arena, both of which are in England. With a total construction cost of approximately $1.1billion, MSG is ranked as one of the ten most expensive sporting venues ever built. Joey Barton
WIMBLEDON, LONDON
A packed Henman Hill shows their support for Andy Murray Photography: Getty Images
It is possibly the only sporting venue where competitors play on a graveyard, hawks act as guard dogs and you get paid a staggering £23,000 for entering. The manicured lawns of The All England Club are celebrated as a piece of British culture, with a tournament that is as regal as those in the Royal Box overlooking centre court. Having been there myself, I can vouch that the grass is that much greener inside. The place is faultless, oozing class and excellence. With immaculate flower beds, pristine uniforms and the distant line calls of ‘Out,’ it easy to get swept away in the magic of Wimbledon. Steeped in history, heritage and John McEnroe’s temper tantrums echoing around the grounds, it is the oldest tennis tournament in the world; offering a possible explanation as to why the tickets into the grounds are so costly. £27 to walk around the outside courts, without the guarantee of seeing any of the ‘big names’ playing, the fee is for the experience of being there, the privilege of witnessing one of the world’s favourite sport’s grounds first hand. There is nothing more characteristically British than sitting on Henman
FENWAY PARK, BOSTON As dusk begins to set over Boston common, and the piercing blue sky turns into an ethereal orangey red, people begin to filter down the steps to subway stations. Most of the trains are already rammed and you have to squeeze between kids wearing oversized baseball tops and old men with worn out Red Sox caps. The train clears as you get to Kenmore station and follow the hue of navy and red down Commonwealth Avenue before crossing the Massachusetts turnpike. The bright, iron floodlights stand aloft, illuminating an awkward, angular green structure hugging the edge of the diamond. The oldest baseball ground in the world, having turned one hundred last year, it is easy to notice paint crackling off the old stanchions. The stadium is one of the smallest in America holding a relatively paltry 37,000 spectators, meaning unlike many baseball teams, Fenway Park is always brim full. Fenway Park holds the remarkable record of selling out 820 games consecutively between the 15th of May 2003 and the 15th of April 2013. That is despite
The Knicks on court in MSG Photography: Getty Images
there regularly being five games a week, showing baseball really is a religion in New England. Fenway Park is very much its Mecca, with all the quirks of a ground which developed organically, unlike the Mets’ newly-manufactured ground. The Green Monster sat opposite me, a relatively docile bright green left field wall, stands alone like the shy kid at a party. The legendary manual scoreboard is stationed here, only around 300 feet from the home plate, and regularly gets flagellated with home runs. Fenway Park, unlike many other grounds, does not have televisions in the stands. The grandstand hangs over you like the Gallowgate end of St James’ pulling you into the pitch. Sadly on the warm summer night I visited, the Red Sox went down meekly without much of a fight, Dustin Pedroia in appalling form. It however really is an essential visit for any sports fan, a true sporting wonder of the world. Ralph Blackburn
Hill, with a white panama hat, sipping pimms, and watching the latest national hopeful on the big screen at Wimbledon. With strawberries and cream on tap, it is impossible to not feel more middle class walking around the grounds. Good taste exudes from every statue, every shop, every food court – Wimbledon exemplifies perfection. The tradition of this arena is not epitomised in many other sporting events. With a strict white dress code for players, female players being referred to as Miss/ Mrs and with the incessant, ‘Ready? Play,’ to open proceedings, the legacy of the SW19 club is absorbing upon walking through the gates. Its location, 7 miles outside of London, hidden next to a Park with rowing boats and crazy golf, adds to the idyllic, ivy clad venue. The palpable energy circulating the grounds is proof that each visitor has been absorbed by being given the courtesy of visiting. Immersed in pride, The All England Club will undoubtedly always be regarded as the world’s greatest tennis venue. Francesca Fitzsimmons The Red Sox in action under Fenway’s floodlights Photography: Getty Images
44.sportintramural
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
Hurricanes seal promotion
Division Two
The Hurricanes
4
Aftermath
1
Duckworth 10 (pen), Devlin 56 65, Martin 83 Jones 72
this a watchable contest. Hurricanes began the game brightly, and deservedly scored the game’s opening goal with just 11 minutes gone. There was however an element of controversy surrounding the goal. ‘Canes forward Blaine Devlin appeared to begin his pursuit of a hopeful ball over the top from an offside position prior to being brought down by a retreating defender just inside the area. Confusion then ensued when the makeshift linesman, an Aftermath substitute, unsurprisingly flagged for offside. Undeterred, the referee opted to overrule the judgment of his ‘assistant’ and award the spot kick. Talisman Adam Duckworth made no mistake from the spot, lashing the ball home to give his side the early advantage. ‘Canes continued to threaten following the goal. In particular it was the direct approaches of the lively Devlin, and of left-winger Chris McCrory, that consistently posed significant problems for the Aftermath back four. They came close soon after, as Duckworth just failed to get on the end of a dinked cross from the impressive Devlin. Hurricanes continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession up until the interval, fashioning a number of openings in the process. Devlin flashed a leftfooted effort from outside of the area narrowly wide, before McCrory had a goal chalked off following the referee’s decision, on this occasion, to heed the advice of his adamantly flagging aide. Despite undoubtedly receiving a touch of the ‘hair-dryer treatment’ at halftime, the second period continued in the same vein as the first, with Aftermath still struggling to get going. They were fortunate not to fall further behind within five minutes of the restart, as Duckworth uncharacteristically missed a golden opportunity that would have doubled his side’s advantage. His closerange lobbed finished was aimed too close to Aaron Eccles in the Aftermath goal, enabling the keeper to fumble the ball on to his crossbar and narrowly over. ‘Canes, however, didn’t have to wait long to at last extend their lead. On this occasion, Duckworth made amends for his earlier miss by way of producing a delightful, teasing ball across goal along “the corridor of uncertainty”. Devlin was subsequently rewarded for gambling at the back stick by way of being able to bundle the ball home to double his side’s advantage. The conceding of the second goal
By Nick Gabriel at Longbenton
Skinner Tyler
Mann
Lake
Ripley
Butler
Wood
Duckworth
McRory
Devlin
Wilson
Golzari
Dickens
Lund
Basham
Jones
Birly
Rout
Jones
Jordan
Brown
Eccles
Last Tuesday evening, The Hurricanes secured top-flight football for next season with an impressive 4-1 win over fellow promotion chasers Aftermath. The beaten Wednesday Cup finalists played with an impressive level of intensity and impetus throughout, and were thoroughly deserving of victory by such a handsome margin. The win sees the ‘Canes join Ecosoccer, who were promoted as league champions last week, at trying their hand at life in Division One next year after a prolonged period out of Intra Mural’s top-flight. The game was played while the majority of the footballing world’s interest was drawn to the return leg of the Champions League Semi-Final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. Whilst it hardly boasts the same glamour as the Bernabeu on a European Cup night, there is undoubtedly an element of magic surrounding night games under the Longbenton lights that made
League Tables
An Aftermath player looks to turn his man as darkness descends on Longbenton Photography: Nick Gabriel
seemed to at last instill some life into the previously comatose Aftermath outfit. Clearly spurred on by the thought of having to endure another arduous season in the division, they began to play some neat stuff that saw them fashion a series of decent opportunities, coming close through Lewie Wilson who fired straight at Hurricanes goalkeeper, Ben Skinner.
the ball was eventually hammered clear. With Aftermath beginning to show the kind of passion and determination that might well have enabled them to get back into the game, they were soon dealt a crushing blow as a swift ‘Canes counterattack all but put an end to the affair as a contest. Their third goal was undoubtedly the most aesthetically pleasing of the lot.
“Canes’ two frontmen were clearly in possession of a mutual understanding akin to that of Yorke and Cole circa 1999” From the resulting corner, they thought they were perhaps harshly denied a route back into the game as the goal line technology debate reared its head in Intra Mural football once more. Following a whipped setpiece delivery from the right-boot of Oli Golzari, a frantic goalmouth scramble in the ‘Canes penalty area ensued. Despite strong appeals from a number of insistent Mathmeticians that the ball had been scrambled over the line, the referee opted to wave away the appeals as
Picking the ball up inside his own half, Simon Wood raked a searching Steven Gerrard-esque crossfield ball into the path of the advancing Duckworth who had made an intelligent run off the shoulder of the last defender. Not for the first time on the day the one hundred and two goal veteran showed there’s more to his game than goalscoring, as he proceeded to show great composure to unselfishly roll across goal. Once again the tireless Devlin was on hand to stab the ball home into the
unguarded net and make the result safe. In truth it came as little surprise that all three of ‘Canes’ goals so far had arrived as a result of intelligent link-up play between the two frontmen. The pair were clearly in possession of a mutual understanding akin to that of Yorke and Cole circa 1999, to which the Aftermath’s backfour had no response. Aftermath did eventually manage to grab themselves a consolation, as another dangerous Golzari corner was this time met with a powerful, towering header from Owen Jones to reduce the deficit. However, any burning embers of hope surrounding an unlikely late revival were soon extinguished absolutely. Scrum-cap donning substitute forward Harry Martin, who had previously missed a number of decent opportunities to get his name on the scoresheet, was finally rewarded for a spirited cameo off the bench. He was on the end of a swift passing move down the righthand side to neatly tuck the ball home, rubbing further Blue salt into the proverbial Aftermath gaping wound. Man of the Match: Blaine Devlin
Wednesday 11 a-side Football
Division 1 1
Division 13
Division 2
Team
Pld
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
Team
Pld
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
Newcastle Medics 2nds (C)
12
10
1
1
46
14
31 1
Ecosoccer (C)
12
9
0
3
33
16
27
1
Division 41
Team
Pld
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
Pld Pld WW
DD
LL
Jesmondino FC (C)
12
10
2
0
59
14
32
1 1 FCBarca Bayern Toonich Law Na (C)
12 12
99
31
0 2 7050 2015 29 28
Team Team
F F AA
Pts Pts
2
Newcastle Medics 1sts
12
8
0
4
46
20
24 2
The Hurricanes (P)
12
8
0
4
38
30
24
2
Brown Magic FC (P)
11
7
1
3
31
23
22
2 2 Thundercats (P) Newcastle Medics 1sts
12 12
88
32
1 2 6136 2120 23 26
3
Barca-Law-Na
11
7
0
4
47
20
21 3
Aftermath FC
11
6
1
4
33
25
19
3
Newcastle Dynamos
11
5
2
4
24
23
17
3 3 Sub-Standard Liege Henderson Hall
12 12
77
21
3 4 5141 3229 23 22
4
Henderson Hall FC
12
6
1
5
33
29
19 4
Boca Seniors
11
5
2
4
33
34
17
4
Politic Thistle FC
12
4
1
7
28
31
13
Dyslexic Untied 4 4 The Establishment
12 12
76
01
19 5 5 4132 2826 21
Roman Villa FC
12
4
1
7
21
28
13
5
Multiple Scorgasms
11
3
3
5
23
25
12
5 5 Trigger Happy Crayola
12 12
45
00
8 7 3718 6222 12 15
5
Dyslexic Untied
12
5
0
7
22
34
6
Crayola (R)
11
4
0
7
18
37
15 5 9 6
7
Borussia Forsyth (R)
12
0
0
12
10
68
0
Top Goalscorers 23: Batham (Medic 2s)
9: Hoctor (Barca)
19: Hurworth (Barca)
8: Womersley (Crayola), McAllister (Hendo)
10: Campbell (Medic 1s),
6: Mellor (Hendo)
Results (Week beginning 29/4/13)
Division One Borussia Forsyth 0 - 5 Barca-Law-Na Barca-Law-Na 5 - 3 Newcastle Medics 1st Barca-Law-Na 8 - 2 Crayola Borussia Forsyth 0 - 5 Henderson Hall
7
Castle Leazes (R)
12
2
1
9
21
33
7
6
Newhist FC (R)
12
3
2
7
21
37
11
6 (R) Geomatics Aftermath
12 12
23
00
109 1914 5647
69
Lokomotiv (R)
12
4
1
7
28
41
4
7
Bio Neverlosen (R)
11
2
1
8
7
40
7
7 (R) Crystal CastlePhallus Leazes
12 12
11
01
1110 1512 7542
34
Top Goalscorers
7: Bond, Humberstone, (Eco)
Top Goalscorers
4:Hughes (Politic Thistle)
24: Duckworth (Hurricanes)
6: Wilson, Golzari (Aftermath), Jones, Hyndman (Leazes)
13: Thornton (Politic Thistle)
3:Wren (Brown), Walton (Ne- 21: Wimshurst (Subwhist) Standard Liege), Armour (Toonich) 2: Grosvenor (Scorgasms),, Rowe (Brown)
11: Jones (Aftermath) 9: Goddard (Ecosoccer)
5: McCrory, Butler (Hurricanes)
Division Two Boca Seniors 3 - 1 Ecosoccers Aftermath FC 1 - 4 The Hurricanes Boca Seniors 6 - 4 Lokomotiv
6: Smith (Jesmondino), Nash (Neverlosen)
Division Three Politic Thistle FC 0 - 1 Bio Neverlosen Multiple Scoregasms 1 - 1 Jesmondinho FC Jesmondino FC 5 - 0 Multiple Scorgasms
Top Goalscorers
12: Hammil (Trigger) 9: O’Callaghan, Page (both Toonich) 8: Prichard (Thundercats), Comer (Trigger)
Division Four Thundercats 3 - 3 FC Bayern Toonich
The Courier
bucssport.45
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Top tier awaits for Fencing
Ladies impress Continued from page 48 After tea, Newcastle came out refreshed to the field ready to limit St. Andrews’ openers, who made a slow start in chasing down Newcastle’s score. There was great work in the field, which restricted St. Andrews’ run rate in the first 5 overs, mounting early pressure on their top order batsmen. This pressure turned into wickets as two of the St. Andrews top order were left reaching for the safety of the crease. This left the chasing side on 52 after 10 overs. St. Andrews’ 6th wicket partnership mounted a brief comeback, but this only ensured that the home side did not lose all their wickets inside the 30 overs. The momentum switched as the sun came out with the loss of St. Andrews’ sixth wicket, which proved to be a pivotal moment; a run out from Lizzie Sowden’s bowling ensured Newcastle stayed in control of the match. In the 24th over, wicket keeper Charlotte Baker showed her quick reactions in taking a great catch behind her stumps, not only exposing the tail end, but also giving Sara Worsick a well-deserved wicket. Conceding defeat and needing 20 runs from the last over, Rachel Hook made short work of taking 2 wickets in her last two overs, finishing with figures of 3 wickets for 14 runs from 7 overs with 2 maidens. Rachel’s player of the match display ensured St. Andrews finished on 135-8 giving Newcastle a well played 15 run win away from home. This will give the Newcastle ladies a much needed confidence boost as next week their season gains momentum against Edinburgh. In a double header, Newcastle travel to Edinburgh on Wednesday 8th May, and on Saturday 11th May, Edinburgh travel south of the border to face the home side at Heaton Sports Ground. To round off this short season, they then face Northumbria away and St Andrews at home the following week.
Men’s Fencing
their toughest league opponents to date. The strength of the Glasgow-based side was reflected by the two international level fencers in their line up, and backed up by five more in their squad, Strathclyde looked like giving the Royals a tough time. Nonetheless, the Newcastle side were not phased and rose to the challenge. In the épée, both team’s strongest event, the fencing was tentative resulting in a tight start to the bouts.
Player of the match Rachel Hook warming up for the first away match of the season Photography: Jen Haslam
Spot the ball
Testing times
A
1.) 2008 2.) North Korea 3.) Napoli 4.) Saint-Denis 5.) True
(01 May) Sports journalist Williams points fun at the supposedly infallible Barcelona and their inability to score in either leg against Bayern
135
“The strength of the Glasgow-based side was reflected by the two international fencers in their line up, and backed up by five more in their squad, Strathcyde looked like giving the Royals a tough time.”
Tip of the week
For Bayern Munich striker Thomas Muller to attain the Champions League Top Goalscorer prize, he would have to score 4 goals in the final and Lewandowski not to score - Martin Williams- @Martin1Williams any goals but why not “Oh diddums. What happened to the greatest club side the stick a cheeky fiver on world has ever seen. Failure in Champions League again. it?! You never know what could #Barcelona 0 7#BayernMunich happen!
Tweet of the week
Newcastle
Having remained undefeated throughout their league campaign, the Newcastle Men’s Fencing first team found their champagne celebrations of promotion pre-emptive, with several play-off matches needed to make the Premier League a reality. Once again, the team of only three fencers hit the road: Andrew ‘Long’ Dixon, Danny ‘Calves’ Ming, and Sam ‘Spanish’ Ridley headed to Strathclyde University in Glasgow to face off against
1) In what year was the Champions League Final held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow? 2) The highest capacity stadium in the world is the Rungrado May Day Stadium. In what country is this located? 3) Stadio San Paolo is home to which Italian football team? 4) The Stade de France is situated in which French commune? 5) Twickenham is the largest stadium in the world devoted solely to the sport of rugby union. True or false?
“He literally disperses his atoms inside of his body on one side of this defender and collects them on the other” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-j4qP9vtyE Former Newcastle United player Ray Hudson gets very excited over a goal by Lionel Messi and offers up another piece of excellent commentary.
102
By James Docherty
Back of the net Video of the week
Strathclyde
However, the prowess and power of Dixon, several matches in, opened up the lead for Newcastle, which in turn snowballed leading to a 45-34 win. Next up was the foil, in which Ridley proved his ability, scoring world-class hits, causing even the Strathclyde team to be impressed by the Newcastle side’s skill. Strathclyde’s strongest fencer, a huge 6ft4 giant, also showed his experience and managed to make a cool comeback forcing the Newcastle team into a tight spot. Yet the Newcastle side came through strongly, finishing with a final score of 45-36; this left Newcastle needing 26 points to secure victory. Though confidence was high, energy levels were diminishing as the opposition substituted fresh legs for the sabre (Newcastle’s weakest weapon). Heading into the third bout, Ming rallied, scrapped and jumped to make up a huge seven-point deficit taking Newcastle one hit into the lead.
33/1
1 2 3 4 5 6
B
C
Once the lead was established, the Scottish side never had a chance to pull back, with the final weapon finishing 45-32 to Newcastle. Hard work in training and the gym paid off, and hopefully will continue to do so against Leicester next week. Victory here will lead to a final match against Loughbrough and possibly the sweet taste of Premier League Fencing at Newcastle for the first time in four years.
D
E
F
46.sportfeatures
Tuesday 7 May 2013
The Courier
“It’s just the pinnacle” With the tour upcoming, Online Sports Editor Freddie Caldwell and Jennifer Evans talk to Lions past and future, Ben Kay and Richie Gray After the recently announced sponsorship deal with Newcastle University, Adidas held an event at the sports centre last Wednesday to show what it could offer the University’s sports teams. Along side static features such as the men’s and women’s Champions League trophies, they also brought along more dynamic figures such as rugby players Ben Kay and Richie Gray. The Courier chatted to these two giants about their sport, focusing in particular on the upcoming Lions tour of Australia.
Ben Kay in action for the Lions against New Zealand in 2005 Photography: Getty Images
How important is university sport in developing the careers of professional rugby players?
Ben Kay: I didn’t take that route because I was already in the first team of a club, but I wasn’t ready for a big club when I went to uni so I didn’t join Leicester till I was 23. One of the dangers of the academy set-up in rugby is that you lose people that aren’t quite ready. I’ve seen guys who have turned up at Leicester who have combined their time with uni and playing for the academy; it certainly has
a role. Richie Gray: I would echo that, personally I didn’t manage to do university, I played rugby full-time from when I was 17 but I do know people who have balanced the two, I know someone who played international rugby while doing a law degree. BK: People often lose track of the fact that when you’re young you put everything into rugby and actually what Saracens do really well now is make sure that everyone has an interest outside of rugby and I think it improves their performance.
If you get solely focused on rugby it becomes all-encompassing and you actually turn out to be not as good a player, and equally we all know of the dangers of guys putting everything into the rugby basket and getting injured and dropping out, so in terms of the future I would always advise any young player to keep going with their education as Richie has. How do you rank playing for the Lions in contrast to your other career achievements?
BK: Well obviously I was gutted to miss out this time obviously. It’s just the pinnacle. Unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to become a victorious Lion and I’m very jealous that Richie has that opportunity. It’s how you’ll be remembered, you’re always an ex-England international but with this you are always just a Lion. This shows how special it is; you’re part of something that only happens every four years and you’re playing against these greats of the game, it’s amazing how much more it means to them to play against the Lions, they probably only have one chance with the exception of George Smith this time around, so it’s a massive thing.
also the chance to work with Warren Gatland and some great coaches. Obviously what Warren’s done since he’s been in the UK taking Wales to a couple of Grand Slams has been phenomenal so I really can’t wait to get more experience from these coaches, that’s always something I enjoy, meeting a new coach. Warren’s obviously had a lot of success in the Six Nations but less so in the Southern Hemisphere, unlike yourself with Scotland, do you think you will be giving him a few tips? RG: Well I would maybe say that he could bring a rain machine then that would be good. BK: They might struggle in Melbourne. Do you think you’ll find it hard playing with people that you’ve played against so recently in the Six Nations? RG: I don’t think so, obviously you go out to do a job on the pitch against these guys in the Six Nations and you try and impose yourselves on each other, but I think when you come together for such a special tour and focus on the one goal of winning a test series, so I think everyone will have that in mind.
Ben Kay on being a Lion: “This shows how special it is; you’re part of something that only happens every four years and your playing against these greats of the game” What advice would you give to Richie, as it’s his first Lions tour? BK: Well the Lions is about building momentum and getting everyone on track together, they did it in 1997 which was the last time they won and they were obviously a close-knit set of players and actually that was probably one of the weakest Lions squads in recent memory, on paper no one gave them a chance. That was probably the tour that rescued the Lions because the game had just gone professional and everyone that ‘this isn’t going to work’, but actually if you can create that tight bond early on and then get the momentum through the tour as well it becomes very difficult to lose and I think that’s the key. They nearly did it last time around in South Africa, they had the right sort of attitude and they’ve got the same coaches so I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun to be on. Richie, how much are you looking forward to playing under Warren Gatland? How do you rate him as a coach? BK: Well you can’t say he’s shite. RG: Firstly, I’m really looking forward to being part of such a special tour and
Do you have any early predictions about the Lions team and how the series will go? BK: Well so much changes so quickly in rugby; a year ago Dan Cole was pretty much nailed-on to be the tighthead, but that’s probably changed now as Adam Jones has come to the fore. A year ago the Lions had such a good chance because Australia were playing really badly but they’ve turned it around now which is probably a good thing because I think it will focus the minds a bit and there’s plenty to analyse; sometimes when a team is playing badly you can’t really analyse them. It’s going to be tough, out of all the destinations that the Lions go to, it’s the easiest one in terms of the build-up because playing the South African and New Zealand provincial teams is different to playing the Australian teams, predominantly because of the physicality and it’s almost as if the South African and New Zealand provincial teams want to smash the Lions to pieces so that the national team have an easier time. The Australians want to play running rugby as much as possible, they’re probably the most intelligent team in world
The Courier
featuressport.47
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Richie Gray in action for Scotland in the Six Nations. He’s been selected on the Lions tour for Australia Photography: Getty Images
rugby and Richie will have experienced this with Scott Johnson. He was on the last Lions tour and he said to me that Australia should get thrashed every time by New Zealand and South Africa but we don’t because we think we’re smarter than them. It’s things like the development of the technique of losing the tackle so that their support players were closer so the Lions have to be smart. They can’t play one style of rugby, they’ll have to really vary their game but they’ve got the personnel to do that and have also got some real game breakers so I think they’ll come out on top. The vital thing is the second test because you can lose the first test, you can lose the last test but if you win the second test then not many teams win number one and three so that second test is all important. Are there any Australian players to particularly look out for in this series? BK: George Smith is the only one who has experience of playing against the Lions before, his work around the breakdown is superb but the key man that the Lions have to stop is Will Genia, if they can stop him and what he brings to the team, stop him releasing what is probably the slickest passing backline in world rugby then they’ve got a very good chance. RG: I think Australia across the board are a very good side but it has been identified that the 9 is a very strong position for them. Will Genia is a fantastic player and he can do things to sides that a lot of people can’t so he is a key man in their team, and I’m sure that part of the tactics will be to try and shut him down to prevent him getting good ball to a very good backline.
Conversely, is there anyone in particular that you are looking forward to playing with that you haven’t before? RG: Yes, there is exceptional talent across the squad, however, if I look to my position, it would be a great occasion if I could play second row with Paul O’Connell, he’s played fantastically well over the last however many years and he’s set the benchmark for second row play so it would be a huge thrill. The second row appears to be a hotly contested position, who would you pick? BK: Again, it shows how much changes so quickly; so much changes on a trip with regards to form, a year ago I would have nailed on Richie and then he had his injury and we’ve got to see how he
You’ve both had experience of playing for a few different clubs, how important do you think varying a club career is to be competitive internationally? BK: Well I’m not a mercenary. RG: It’s a tough question and it varies from player to player, many players do spend their time at one club and get settled and have a very good relationship with the club pay that back with loyalty, other players do move around, maybe to seek new challenges and gain different experiences. If players went down to the South Hemisphere then it would benefit them, I think it gives a different dimension to your game, you could maybe say that Northern Hemisphere rugby is a more forward orientated type of game, perhaps more defensive and in the South-
Leicester is a club that gives you a lot by putting you in the international window but once you go away on international duty, once you come back if you have a remotely off game then you will be out of the team at Leicester, and that’s why Leicester was such a good driver for me. Geoff Parling for example was at Newcastle, he would never have got capped at Newcastle but he’s now nailed on to be England’s second row for the next five years or so. Part of that is perception, you are in the shop window with Leicester, but partly how he reacted to coming to what at the time was probably a more professional set up and his game just moved on a huge amount, he always had the raw talent to do it but probably wasn’t recognised.
Richie Gray on playing against Australia: “Will Genia is a fantastic player and he can do things to sides that a lot of people can’t so he is a key man for their team”
comes back from that, you’ve also got the fact that Paul O’Connell is coming back from injury as well. 3 months ago, Geoff Parling I would have said, but it’s all change. Purely based on form over the last few weeks it would be Paul O’Connell, and Ian Evans was brilliant for the Six Nations. If you look at talent and ability over the last three years if everyone had been fit for that whole time I’d probably say Richie would get his wish.
ern Hemisphere it’s more about attacking rugby, in Australia in particular so it would be a nice experience but it completely depends on what sort of person you are. BK: I got my travelling out of the way early; I played a season in Australia when I was 19, which was a massive influence on my career and made me a lot better player, but equally as Richie said everyone’s different, for me it was right to stay at Leicester.
It’s different for everyone; I think it probably will suit Richie, moving down to France. It’s not a criticism, but if there was one area that people would say about French rugby that isn’t necessarily what everyone associates Richie with it’s that physical lock that does all the scrummaging side; he will learn a massive amount from that game, then when he puts all of his huge strengths with it he will become the complete second row.
How do you think the women’s game is developing at the moment? BK: I think it’s finally getting a bit of recognition and the RFU are driving it, which is a really good thing. When I played that season down in Australia it was slightly different there, similar to their men’s national team, they knew they couldn’t necessarily compete physically so it was a different brand of game to what the men played and it was hugely entertaining, they got really big crowds to watch it. It’s a bit like when women’s tennis overtook men’s tennis as the number one spectator sport, they found their own style; that’s the big thing, women’s rugby needs to find its own style and not just try and emulate what the men do because it is not necessarily going to make it as attractive. It’s like asking why a Premiership team has a better crowd than a fourth division side, it’s because the level is not quite as good at fourth division. If you attack it from a different angle, now there’s finally a bit of recognition, of course it could take off, it could be a great thing and it’s great to see the crowds staying after internationals to watch England France after the men have played the same fixture. My advice would be to try and be your own sport, don’t try to copy the men’s game. RG: I actually took a women’s coaching session at Ben’s old club Waterloo about a month ago where I really got an insight into the women’s game and was hugely impressed with the standard. I think over the years there has been more recognition and the sport is growing, certainly back home in Scotland it’s becoming a lot more professional and the Six Nations is growing and growing.
Sport
www.thecourieronline.co.uk Tuesday 7 May 2013 Issue 1271 Free
thecourieronline.co.uk/sport
Sports Editors: Ralph Blackburn, Nick Gabriel and Lucy Williams Online Sports Editors: Freddie Caldwell and Jack Gelsthorpe courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk | @Courier_Sport
KAY AND GRAY TALK INTRA MURAL THE HURRICANES SECURE LIONS TOUR p46-47 RETURN TO TOP FLIGHT p45 NFL DRAFT
Hook half ton leads Newcastle to victory
Women’s Cricket Newcastle
150-7 30.0 overs
St. Andrews
135-8
Newcastle won by 15 runs
30.0 overs
By Lavinia Hudson at St Andrews It was a great way to kick-start the season for Newcastle University ladies cricket as they recorded their first win of the season away at St. Andrews. After our first ever game resulted in a decisive defeat at the hands of the Poly, last Wednesday’s success at St Andrews proved Newcastle Women’s cricket are
a force to be reckoned with. After losing the toss, Newcastle were put into bat on a pitch where overcast conditions seemed to favour the bowlers. Nev-
for a split-second, and this cost them their first wicket on the first ball after drinks. Explosive Sara Worsick scored a quick fire 21 to increase the run rate
“As per usual, Britain cannot be relied upon for its weather, especially on the North-West coast of Scotland”
ertheless, Newcastle’s opening batters made a steady start, however a spontaneous hail shower led to a half an hour break in play. As per usual, Britain cannot be relied on for its weather, especially on the North-West coast of Scotland. Newcastle did well to regain their composure as they reached 58 at drinks without the loss of a wicket. Yet, Newcastle lost their composure at the crease
GEORGE SANDEMAN CHOOSES HIS TOP PICKS FROM THE 2013 NFL DRAFT p41
to over five an over, and so set up the second half of the innings for Newcastle to reach a fine total. Further boundaries from Captain Jen Haslam and opener Rachel Hook, who top scored in the match with 64, plus some big hitting from the tail end, gave Newcastle a very respectable 150 for the loss of just 7 wickets in 30 overs. Continued on page 45
TOP VENUES p42-43