Student rag issue21 glasgow

GRADUATION SPECIAL

Student Rag Glasgow Edition #21

FREE

Spring 2015

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BUY ONE GET 20 FREE - As part of our staff training we‘re letting you ride everyday in March for free at Glasgow Wakepark. All you have to do is buy one Student Pass for £ 30 and you‘ll get 20 free shots plus all these amazing season long benefits.

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contents TREND SETTER

Spring fashion.............4-12

MUSIC & MAYHEM Festival Guide............14-17

YOU’RE HAVING A LAUGH Tom Stade....................19

THAT’LL BE THE BAY James Bay.................20-21

WHO WHAT WHERE Spring/Summer city guide..22-26

CLARKE OF SMIRKS Des Clarke interview......27-28

GRAD SUPP Guide to the next step....29-44

one off cost

GIVE US A MINUTE 60 seconds with Slaves.......45

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN Twin Atlantic interview...46-49

AU NATUREL IN SPRING Health & Beauty...........50-53

HOWLING MAD COMEDY Raised by Wolves..........54-56

WHATEVER NEXT Who’s coming to town?.....58-59

HI-TECH, LOW BUDGET Entry level gadgets.......60-62

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Editor: Debbie McInnes. glasgow@student-rag.co.uk Design: Calvin Douglas.

Contributors: Stephen Butchard, Alice Cruickshank, Richard Jones, Susie Daniels, Katie Campbell.

www.student-rag.co.uk Published by Track 10 Media. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Student Rag magazine takes no responsibility for claims made by advertisements in this publication.

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fashion

It’s time to get STAR BUY

Rosie Lace-up Suedette Tassel Jacket @www.boohoo.com £15

Hurray! It’s finally time to banish those jumpers to the back of the wardrobe and welcome the new fashion season.

Prepare to embrace new colours, patterns and styles.

Each season we’re bombarded with

hundreds of images or ‘new trends’, supermodel style and key looks we’re supposed to buy into. But where to begin?

Alice Cruickshank breaks down the latest styles and explains how you can work catwalk looks right now.

suede Take your inspiration from the 70s as suede steps back into the limelight.

Yes, this super soft fabric is no longer the reserve of cowboys but will be hitting the High Street for spring.

You can work this trend into your everyday look with a simple suede bag, or invest in a suede biker-style jacket. For the brave amongst you, try an all suede dress; it will feel heavenly.

How to wear

l On a shopping trip: Try a suede A-line skirt and a printed blouse for a 70s vibe. l On a night out: Dance the night away in suede shorts and shoe boots. four

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fashion

t spring loaded get shirty Shirts have always been a steadfast feature of the typical student’s uniform.

However, prepare to see your old faithful reimagined for

the new season. For spring it’s all about the shirtdress.

Layer under your favourite jumper, accessorise with a boho belt… this must be one

of the easiest trends to pull off in 2015. The hardest part is choosing what style to go for – military inspired, denim or paisley print?

How to wear l To uni: Dress down a boldly-printed shirtdress with a neutral cropped jumper and brogues. l On a shopping trip: Accessorise a denim version with a statement necklace and your favourite leather jacket.

STAR BUY

Black Stripe Print Longline Shirt Dress @www.newlook.com £24.99

STAR BUY

Faux Suede A-line Skirt Taupe @www.missguided. co.uk £18

STAR BUY

Gretta Shirt Dress Paisley Print @www.missguided.co.uk £28

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fashion

STAR BUY

STAR BUY

Pink Lightweight Half Lace Back Duster Jacket @www.riverisland.com £65

Gerry Geo Print Waterfall Duster Jacket @www.boohoo.com £12

THE ‘duster coat’ has been buzzing round the fashion nether sphere for some time now.

What is it? A long-line, lightweight coat giving off Scandi-style vibes.

The great thing about a statement coat is that it doesn’t really matter what’s underneath – your duster will earn you enough style points on its own.

If you’re after more of a boho vibe, trade the duster for a long kimono.

dust it off

How to wear l To Uni: A pair a statement duster over high-waist skinnies and your favourite crop tee for laidback cool. l On a night out: A long-line kimono over shorts and a lacey crop with skyhigh sandals will have you looking picture perfect.

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fashion

culotte what you want NOT quite a skirt, much wider than your average trouser… say hello to this season’s fashion must-have: culottes.

Hear us out on this one.

Not only are culottes an elegant option, they are so much more practical for springtime adventures than the super-tight pencil midi skirts from last year.

The catwalks were overflowing with these new-season necessities but expect to see them popping up all over the High Street too, so you can emulate this high-end trend even on the tightest of budgets.

How to wear l To uni: Team with a high-neck jumper and tassel loafers for a sophisticated, on-trend look. l At a family meal: Pair statement-print culottes with a sleeveless crop top and heels.

STAR BUY

Black Floral Print Culottes @www.newlook.com £17.99

NEW SEASON STYLE ICONS: Rita Ora Rita Ora has long been a fashion icon, but since becoming a judge on The Voice her style choices have come to everyone’s attention.

Plus, we can’t forget about THAT white blazer.

Not everyone could pull off a Marilyn Monroe/ 90s Hip Hop crossover, but Rita has it nailed.

The big fashion houses clearly adore her style too and she recently starred in a campaign for DKNY. All right for some.

STAR BUY

Love Culottes @www.asos.com £36

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fashion

STAR BUY

Paisley and Stripe Print Babydoll Top @www.topshop.com £26

aren’t you nauti(cal)?

IF there’s one trend you can count on to be in for spring, it’s nautical.

Stripes are so versatile it’s no wonder we keep returning to this staple look.

While the navy/ red/ white combo will always be a winner, why not shake it up for 2015 and try some candy-coloured stripes instead?

Or brighten up your favourite Breton tee with a bright skirt or blazer?

STAR BUY

Pink Floral Stripe Pointed Court Shoes @newlook.com £19.99

How to wear l On a Night Out: A monochrome striped dress will definitely grab everyone’s attention. l Meeting Friends for Coffee: A Breton tee with coloured skinny jeans is simple yet stylish.

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fashion

it’s a synch Celebrate your figure this spring.

Designers couldn’t get enough of waist-synching styles, such as obi belts.

The great thing about this trend is that you can revamp clothes you already have simply by adding a new belt or tying a skinny scarf round your middle.

How to wear l On a night out: A wrap-style belted playsuit will highlight all your best bits. l Meeting friends for coffee: Team a chunky waist belt over your favourite long-line cardi and skinnies.

STAR BUY

ASOS Loop Detail Waist Belt @asos.com £12

STAR BUY

Snake Gold Plate Belt Natural @missguided.co.uk £12 nine Student Rag 21G.indd 9

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fashion

back to basics You’ve probably heard the term ‘normcore’ thrown about by your fashion-obsessed girlfriend or in men’s style pages.

Really, all this entails is wearing simply cut clothes in a neutral palette (looking ‘normal’- get it?) and this

look is much more wearable than the alienating terminology might suggest.

However, don’t think this is an excuse to whip out that old, greying white t shirt or those scabby trainers you’ve had since you were 16; the normcore trend is about looking clean-cut and immaculate.

STAR BUY

Grandad Collar Shirt With Scoop Back Hem @boohoo.com £12

How to wear l On a Night Out: A pristine

STAR BUY

Black Leather-look Backpack @riverisland.com £32

STAR BUY

Dark Washed Indigo Stretch SKinny Fit Jeans @boohoo.com £28

white tee under a light grey blazer with light chinos looks sharp. l To Uni: The fleece jacket becomes your new best friendcosy and is now socially acceptable to wear again.

denim deluxe

Every man needs the perfect pair of jeans.

They can be dressed up or down, require minimal effort and are super comfy.

So what more reason do you need to invest in a new pair this season?

There are so many cuts on the High Street this season, from super-skinny to slouch, straight-legged to cuffed, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

For the fashion-forward amongst you, embrace double or even triple (did we really just go there?

Yes. Yes we did) denim for a catwalk-fresh look.

How to wear l Pfft. As if we need to tell you how to wear your favourite jeans!

NEW SEASON STYLE ICONS: Mr Cumberbatch first came to our attention as the suave Sherlock Holmes and has since become the embodiment of modern British style.

While wearing a suit every day is just not feasible as a student (although if you really want to, hey why not?), Benedict’s laidback uniform accessorised with brogues and trademark scarf is much more obtainable.

Benedict Cumberbatch In fact, Benedict is so keen on his fave neck-warmers that he manages to wear one all four seasons of the year.

Well if it works for him, why can’t we all wear scarves and shorts?

To pull off Benedict’s sophisticated look, a blazer is a must.

Team with a high-necked jumper and slick hair for instant preppy cool.

ten

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cut & style from ................. £22 cut & colour from................. £40 gents cut & style from...........£15 (discount applied) all salon services include shiatsu massage, wash & dry with L’oreal Label M products

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fashion

trench coats

Since British Army Officers were doing their thing during the First World War, the humble trench has been an undeniable wardrobe staple.

While the traditional camel-coloured

version is probably the most versatile, designers explored colour and print to reinvent this classic piece.

We promise if you buy a trench coat it will be one of the most loved items in your wardrobe.

How to wear l To Uni: A classic trench over your favourite jeans and a colourful jumper is stylish and practical. l To a Family Meal: Impress the parentals with a sophisticated chino/shirt/trench combo.

STAR BUY

Fred Perry Slim Fit Twin Tipped Polo Shirt @asos.com £50

STAR BUY

ASOS Lightweight Trench Coat @asos.com £60

Wh o’d have thought the monobrowed, denim jacket-wearing Gallagher brothers and their Britpop comrades would re-emerge as style icons 20 years later?

OK, maybe give the mono-brows a miss, but it’s hard to escape the definite 90s influence on the High Street right now.

Dig out your dad’s old Elesse sweatshirts and team them with a nylon jacket and light denim.

Baseball cap optional.

STAR BUY Blue Shower Resistant Mac @burton.co.uk £45.50

90s Revival

How to wear

l To Uni: To embrace the full 90s ‘sporty’ trend (ie. the no effort required look) with fitted jersey joggers, a statement sweatshirt and bomber jack et. l On a Date: A denim shir the neck with black jean t buttoned to effort” while keeping thins says “I made an gs casual.

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we predict a great night out

Get £10 tix if you’re under26. Any seat. Any performance.

Il trovatore Theatre Royal Glasgow | 7 • 9 • 12 • 14 • 17 May Festival Theatre Edinburgh | 21 • 24 • 27 • 30 May Eden Court, Inverness | 4 • 6 Jun His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen | 11 • 13 Jun

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Student Rag 21G.indd 13 Il Trovatore U26 210x148.indd 1

13/03/2015 22:42:42 24/02/2015 16:40

festivals

Now I do love a bit of Mumford and Sons. And Metallica would be sick. Along with Deadmau5, Run the Jewels and Jamie T, Reading or Leeds could well be on the cards this summer.

Both are slightly later in the year, from 28th-30th August, which allows more time for pre-festival detoxing and the hopeless fiasco which I like to refer to as ‘attempting to save money’.

GIVE it a FEST

Leeds WHAT: Reading and g and leeds WHERE: erm, readin WHEN: Aug 28-30

However, there is the added travel cost to consider. And both are slightly more expensive than T, with weekend tickets costing a cool £213.

Our brothers and sisters south of the border generally get better weather than us in the summer, particularly in Reading. Leeds, though, is guaranteed to be a blast.

Good, old fashioned, not-so-clean fun. Tickets go for around £180 for Thursday-Sunday camping tickets, or around £90 for a day ticket.

According to the website, the new site at Strathallan Castle is smaller than before, but around the same amount of tickets will be up for sale.

For T in The Park, I’m almost certain the deciding factor on whether or not I have a good time is down to the

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interview For millions each year, going to one of the world’s big summer festivals is the highlight of the calendar.

Choosing the right festival, though, can be a bigger headache than the worst of exam timetables.

Deciding whether to head to one of the UK’s big festivals or venturing abroad can be very tricky.

Richard Jones is facing just that problem, so below he weighs up all the options around for those who can’t wait to don their wellies and head to a festival.

WHAT: T in the Park Castle WHERE: Strathallan WHEN: July 10-12

weather. Too hot and I’ll die of thirst.

Too cold and I’ll die of hypothermia.

Too wet and I might drown.

Like a sort of Scottish, beer-loving Goldie Locks, conditions need to be just right. Although the Libertines have been announced as headliners, so maybe the weather isn’t that important…

Glastonbury is the HMS Titanic of the festival scene; Enormous, beautiful, world famous: but I’m not sure if I want a ticket.

Especially because over my dead body will I ever in my life pay the £170 to have my ear drums broken

by Coldplay.

Coldplay? Seriously?

It’s not official yet, of course, but it’s been heavily rumoured weepy, beady-eyed bore Chris Martin

WHAT: Glastonbury WHERE: Somerset WHEN: June 24-28

and his depressing squad of band mates will be headlining Glasto 2015. That being said, It’s who Coldplay have been rumoured to be headlining alongside that really interests me.

Foo Fighters. Florence + the Machine and AC/DC have also been touted as potential headliners. fifteen

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WHAT: Creamfields WHERE: Cheshire WHEN: AUgust 28-30

WIN This summer, T in the Park will take up residency in the beautiful grounds of Strathallan Castle, the festival’s new home, from 10th – 12th July.

Centrally located in the heart of the stunning Perthshire countryside the Strathallan Castle estate is a massive 1000 acres, surrounded by beautiful woodland that’s sure to make T in the Park a voyage of discovery!

Be part of T in the Park history and enjoy the festival’s brand new home at Strathallan Castle – get your tickets now from www.tinthepark. com The stellar T in the Park line-up features some of the world’s biggest bands, DJs, solo artists and hotly tipped breakthrough talent.

Headliners Kasabian, Avicii, The Libertines and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds plus David Guetta, The Prodigy and Stereophonics will be joined

by Sam Smith, The Script, Stereophonics, Rudimental, Twin Atlantic, Jamie T, Fatboy Slim, alt-J, Paloma Faith, Hozier, George Ezra, Annie Mac, Kodaline and many, many more!

An impressive line-up of electronic artists will take to the decks in the legendary Slam Tent over the festival weekend, including Adam Beyer b2b Joseph Capriati, Art Department,

WEEKEND CAMPING TICKETS FOR T IN THE PARK Alan FitzPatrick, Âme, Gary Beck, Dense & Pika, Ben Klock, Jackmaster b2b Joy Orbsion, Dixon and more!

T in the Park is guaranteed to be the best weekend of the summer. Check out Refresh, the festival’s pamper parlour that offers hair straighteners, hair washing stations, hair dryers, showers and flushing toilets – it’s the best way to stay looking good at T in the Park.

The festival’s global kitchen offers quality festival cuisine made from the finest fresh ingredients, with an emphasis on Scottish produce.

Culinary delights include healthy grilled ostrich burgers, wood-fired pizza and fresh seafood from Loch Fyne!

Tennent’s Lager’s popular Be Chilled service, which allows campers to pre-order chilled cans of Tennent’s Lager and Magners Original Cider at www.tennents. com/bechilled, is a festival essential.

Make yourself at home by pitching your tent in the legendary campsite – soak up the famous atmosphere and join the community of campers, all gearing up to experience the weekend of their lives.

Be part of T in the Park history – don’t miss out, get your T in the Park tickets now from www. tinthepark.com.

Thanks to festival organisers DF Concerts and founding partner Tennent’s Lager we have a pair of weekend camping tickets to give away!

To win, just tell us which rock band are headlining Friday night at T in the Park?

a) Kasabian

b) Guns ‘n’ Roses

c) AC/DC

Closing date is 1st June 2015. For more information and regular updates from The T Lady visit www.tinthepark.com.

For the facts about alcohol www.drinkaware.co.uk.

Over 18s only

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WHO doesn’t love some heavy, heavy EDM? Crazy people, that’s who. And old people. And my dad. And almost certainly all of my lecturers.

And my mate Steve. Steve’s more of a smooth jazz kind of guy. Regardless, I like EDM (which for those of you who might agree with Steve, stands for Electronic Dance Music).

This year’s headliners include Avicii,The Chemical Brothers and Tiesto? Tickets cost around the same as T in the Park and it’s in Cheshire so travel isn’t an issue.

Paradoxically, Creamfields’ main strength is also it’s weakness: Being all about EDM is great because it can offer almost all of your favourite artists from one genre, although it simply can’t offer the same variety as other festivals like T. The question, really, is how much are you willing to rave? d

WHAT: Tomorrowlan m WHERE: Boom, Belgiu WHEN: July 24-26

I’ve been obsessed with going to Tomorrowland ever since I was pitched the idea of going at 4am in the car park of a Taco Bell in 2012.

For the uninitiated, Tomorrowland is an electronic festival in Boom, Belgium (cool name, I know) that has a truly international appeal attracting festival-goers from all over the world.

It’s essentially on a lake in a massive forrest, and looks amazing. Amin Van Buuren, David Guetta and Alesso are among the confirmed acts. A festival is special, but a festival and a holiday? Double special!

Only problem is the price.

Not only do you have to get all the way to Belgium, but tickets are 272 euros, which doesn’t include camping tickets you have to buy separately for 100 euros. If I’m going to go to Tomorrowland, I’m going to have to be seriously committed.

WHAT: Melt , Germany WHERE: Ferropolis 19 17y Jul : EN WH

Melt! In Ferropolis, Germany is only 136 euros for a Friday-Monday ticket.

The coolest thing about Melt, though, is the fact that Ferropolis is actually an open-air museum filled with enormous, disused industrial equipment from the 20th Century.

Partying next to a fluorescent crane might just provide me with the

festival experience I’ve been wishing for.

Melt! is primarily an indie electronic/techno event, and usually doesn’t feature many of the artists that grace the likes of Tomorrowland and Creamfields.

For Melt! 2015, however, Kylie Minogue, La Roux, Flume and Alt-J are set to perform.

Cheap and very cool.

13/03/2015 22:43:27

WHAT: Dimensions WHERE: Pula, Croatia WHEN: August 26-30

DIMENSIONS is an immense techno festival situated just outside Pula, on Croatia’s north-western Mediterranean coast. It takes place 26-30 August, which gives me time to save, plus it’s guaranteed some decent weather – up up to about 25 degrees.

The almost certain sun would mean I wouldn’t worry about drowning in a very large, viscous field of mud a-la T in the Park.

Festival and camping tickets for Dimensions will set you back 245 euros – around £180.

Factoring in travel costs, Dimensions could constitute quite an expensive trip.

However, we are talking hardcore techno here, which is always fun.

This year’s line-up includes Ben Klock, Daniel Avery and Horse Meat Disco, and some of the acts even perform aboard a boat which sails the Adriatic as part of the festival.

nd WHAT: Primavera Sou in Spa WHERE: Barcelona, WHEN: May 28-30

THE earliest festival on the list, Primavera runs from 28-30 May in Barcelona, costs about 185 euros for a ticket and artists include James Blake, alt-J, The Strokes and The Black Keys.

So, Timing? Check. Location? Check. Price?

Check. Line-up? Check. So, why don’t I just drop everything immediately and go ahead and book the damned ticket? Mainly because I don’t know if it’s enough of a festival.

Primavera doesn’t have on-site camping and I can’t help but feel that kind of ruins the allure. I’m not so sure I’ll get the full festival vibe leaving the arena at night to stay in a city centre hostel.

WIN Reading & Leeds Festivals have announced all three Main Stage headliners for the 2015 events and they’re already shaping up to be the place to be for rock, indie and electronic music fans this August Bank Holiday.

Global superstars Metallica, Mumford & Sons and The Libertines top the bill, with an incredible supporting cast confirmed already – and many more still to be announced!

Royal Blood, Deadmau5, Bastille, Bring Me The Horizon, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Jamie T, All Time Low, Kendrick Lamar, Marmozets, Years & Years, Limp Bizkit…the list goes on and on.

WEEKEND CAMPING TICKETS FOR LEEDS Reading & Leeds boss Melvin Benn said: “I really think we’ve got the ultimate line-up this year.

“Where else can you see Kendrick Lamar on the same day as Deadmau5 and Years & Years, or Marmozets on the same day as Azealia Banks or Metallica, or All Time Low on the same day as Knife Party or Mumford & Sons!”

Metallica’s drummer Lars Ulrich said: “We are obviously beyond thrilled to be returning to headline the magnificent and mighty double shot at Reading & Leeds for the fourth time.

“We are practically the house band. Bring it!”

Reading and Leeds Festivals take place on the Bank Holiday Weekend 28th to 30th August 2015.

For the latest lineup details and to buy tickets go to www.readingandleedsfestival.com/

WHAT: Sziget gary WHERE: Budapest, Hun WHEN: August 10-17

Sziget in Budapest, Hungary runs from 10-17 August – and it’s only £170 for the whole week.

The 266 Acre site is similar to Tomorrowland in layout: big, leafy, and flamboyantly colourful.

Warm sunny weather is pretty much a shoo-in, and almost 1000 arts and music performance took place last year, so there’s basically something for everyone.

So far, Robbie Williams, Alt-J, Florence + the Machine, and Awolnation have been announced as headliners.

And therein lies the problem.

The colourful setting and atmosphere at Sziget looks amazing, but when all is said and done, you’ve really got to question whether or not the acts are worthy of the ticket price.

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Student Rag has a pair of weekend camping tickets for Leeds festival to give away.

To enter, just answer this question:

How many times had Metallica headlined Reading and Leeds Festival?

Text your answer FREE along with your name, contact phone number and email address to 07746-792724 or email competitions@ student-rag.co.uk Closing date June 1. Editor’s decision is final.

13/03/2015 22:43:40

S

.

Note to readers: Most of Tom’s answers started with ‘f**king’ but in the interest of avoiding repetitiveness we’ve only used it once.

You’ve started a new online discount business that really takes off. It’s similar in concept to Groupon but your company is offering something very different.

What is it offering and what’s its unique selling point?

F**king...I’m selling personality. The reason everyone wants it, the personality I’m selling offers all of the offence and none of the shame.

It’s my dog’s mind away from the rules and regulations. I call it Freedom of Speech.

You agree to pose on the front of Playgirl – Playboy’s saucy male pin-up equivalent – with a full centre page spread inside but you insist on keeping one tiny part of your body covered.

What is it and why cover it up?

You’d wanna see my masculinity so we won’t cover that. My toe next to my big toe I’d cover up. It’s a freaky toe! It’s longer than my big toe!

YOU’RE HAVING A LAUGH

You’re locked in an ‘All You Can Eat for a Fiver’ buffet restaurant for one week and when you finally manage to break out you have three revelations. What are they?

My first revelation would probably be I am now going to be what I eat. It turns out I am sweet and sour pork.

My second revelation is the fact that nobody found me in a week means I now realise how unloveable I am.

you’Re at a school reunion and when you are handed a microphone you do a routine on someone in your class you didn’t like. What do you say that has everyone in stitches?

I was a popular person at school. Hmm, is there anyone I know that’s dead?..... It would definitely be a guy named Gary on how he stole ski glasses from Maple Park Shopping mall and then sold them for £2!

with TOM STADE

You’re in a desert in Afghanistan but you’re not scared as you have three key items (not electronic) that will keep you alive and feeling good. What are they and how do you stop them running out?

My first one would be the Neville Goddard book, ‘Your Faith is Your Fortune’ for my spirituality. My second item would be a bow and arrow which I would use if I had to kill in the desert and my third would be a Festival pop-up tent.

It’s 2050 and everyone is addicted to a new stimulant you have created. How do people absorb it and what are the side effects?

I call it ‘Imagination’ and the side effects are you become what you want to be.

You’re in a reality programme with Frankie Boyle and Katie Price. You famously wrote a joke about Katie’s son Harvey for Frankie Boyle that outraged a nation. What do you say (that is printable) to Katie that allows her to totally forgive you for the joke?

‘I’m sorry’. That’s a really touchy one.

You’re in Scotland the day after the Referendum and the majority of people have voted yes. As Prime Minister what new Bills do you immediately get put before Parliament hoping to become law?

We change our money and we no longer use the pound. Instead it’s the f**kbot. All the money is changed into curse words just to make the monetary system a little funnier. I’d also put Coca Cola in 12-year old malt whisky.

interview ed by the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. But after the meeting you are banned from going on stage thanks to what you wear, who you say you’ve befriended and what you say you’re going to do on stage. What are these things you’ve done or are going to do that are so shocking?

I’m wearing nothing, I told him I was friends with the Dalai Lama and I’m going to do the Katie Price joke.

You’re spending a secret weekend in a log cabin with a married woman (before you got married) in the Rockies and no-one knows you’re there.

You’re having a bit of fun role-playing in bed and she ties your hands and feet to the bed but then suddenly she has a heart attack and drops dead.

You decide to have a chat with God. What do you say?

I definitely say to him, ‘I didn’t see this one coming!’ Ha ha. Joke’s on you, I have cancer, ha ha!

TOM Stade will be at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow on March 28. www.atgtickets.com

AN old class mates takes the mic and has the whole class in stitches as he reveals something very embarrassing about you that no-one knew.

What is it?

He reveals the day a guy named Kurt had a pencil standing on my seat and I sat on it and I had lead poisoning and had to go to the hospital.

I’ve still got a black mark on my anus!

It’s the year 2024 and Scotland has to cede one town or city to England to gain independence. What town or city is it and why is everyone happy to give it up?

Elgin! I’d totally give up Elgin because it was the only town where I did a show and it didn’t sell out!

You get sent back in time to teenage you and get a chance to impart some pearls of wisdom that may set you off in a new career path.

What are they?

I would definitely tell myself to use a water bomb more and smoke less using papers because of all the weed I’ve ever smoked it’s the healthiest way to smoke it.

YOU’RE in Canada for a sell-out gig and are greet-

nineteen twenty-five

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Hat’s off to Nashville.

Next stop: the world I

F ANYTHING is going to define your music then doggone it, why not let it be a wide-brimmed hat.

A hat you could wear when you’re chewing some straw, taking a slow paddle in a kayak down the lazy Mississippi river.

A hat you can wear while playing a mean blues set in the coolest recording studios in Nashville, Tennessee.

James Bay decided to do the latter, stay on dry land and meet the hat when he took his good self to Nashville to whip up a storm recording his new album Chaos and The Calm at the famous Blackbird Studios.

The studio has played host to some of the biggest names in the rock and pop business from Beck, Kings of Leon and The White Stripes to Taylor Swift and Faith Hill so James felt right at home belting out Hold Back the River, Best Fake Smile and other bluesy hits from the impressive album.

The singer says the high point of recording the album was being in a city whose history is steeped in blues and soul.

The 25-year-old enthuses: “As much as there’s so much to see in Nashville the history of the studios in the 12 years it’s been running is so amazing.

“It was a mad moment to be in the studio. I guess it was daunting at times. The list of must-sees in Nashville is endless.

“I got to see some things when I wasn’t doing anything on Sunday. I can’t recommend enough East Nashville. It’s incredible!

“There’s so much Bohemian stuff going on. It’s about being in town and in the bars when you’re there. It’s one of the friendliest places in the world.

“They have a healthy dose of guitar shops like Grimey’s record store and tasty hat shops.

“The hat I’ve been wearing for a year I bought in Nashville. Could the hat come off or be a trademark? It could come off or it could become a thing. It’s not something I care much about.”

Maybe not but the Brits Choice Award winner – with hat – sat next to Sam Smith at the ceremony in a room bursting with his music peers and James rocked the look. It would be hard to imagine his extremely defined Kirsten Stewart jawbone without a hat to balance his features.

The stockman hat and James are now bound together.

They have performed an acoustic set on the Burberry catwalk runway and toured with Hozier last year.

They are standing in shadowed doorway on the front cover of his album, released this month.

But there was a time before the hat.

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The young singer, who grew up in Hertfordshire, remembers a lucky night when he was playing an acoustic set in the right place at the right time, filmed by an off-duty TV cameraman – what are the chances?

James recalls: “It was a couple of years ago and I dipped my toe in London with two years of open mics in Brighton before that.

“I spent a lot of time in London. The video that was filmed for Youtube was in one of the first two or three nights in London.

“A guy came in with a huge camera on his shoulder and got himself a pint and in the middle of the second song he picked up the camera and started filming.

“He told me he was a cameraman and had finished his work and come down for a pint. He uploaded the video onto YouTube.

“There had been a few other things on the table and I had a manager but nothing had happened to write home about and then coincidentally, maybe with the help of that video, soon after I signed to a label in New York.

“My new album is a debut and sounds like one. Your first go round you get the most time, freedom and privacy and you get it all to do when no one knows you.

“The album is named Chaos and The Calm because it’s the madness of every day. “‘The song Scars is about, put simply, the struggles of dealing with someone on the other side of the world.

“She was away for a good year and six

months is how long it took to write. We’re still together.

“When I was younger I was obsessed with pop music on the radio and was falling head over heels for Blues and loads of Aretha and ‘Where is The Love’ by the Black Eyed Peas.

To me they are all soulful and emotional and their music is incredibly powerful.

“I haven’t written a song yet that’s got me into or out of trouble, not yet!

“But the songs I’ve written, they’ve definitely affected one or two folks about whom they’ve been written.”

James had been told in advance about his Brit Awards win earlier this year so was able to relax more than must at the ceremony and though he loves his Tracey Emin-designed award, like a magpie he has his eye on another glitzy award.

“The Grammys always look shiny and nice so that would be great to win but truly, if you sell out a venue way in advance of the gig date then that directly reflects me as a performer so that’s the best award!”

Let’s look forward to seeing James and his durable black hat later this year and watch this space for next year’s Grammy’s.

interview

James Bay will play the ABC in Glasgow on April 14.

twenty-one

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ED IN B

UR

GH

You could never be bored when living in a vibrant city like Edinburgh or Glasgow.

As a student, there are countless exciting and diverse events happening every single week.

And yet, I find myself spending nights watching old Friends episodes and Hagendaasing myself into an early grave, simply because I haven’t heard of half these events.

Naturally, with so much going on all the time, it can be hard to keep up with what will interest you, and so this list will act as an entry point into some of the cool things happening across the two cities over the spring and summer, with something that will hopefully suit everyone.

We’re all familiar with T in the Park and the Fringe fest so STEPHEN BUTCHARD brings you the events that you may not have even heard of...

Voca People, an Israeli-based a cappella ensemble, gained worldwide exposure thanks to a YouTube video of one of their performances that amassed over 14 million views.

That has allowed them to bring their novelty music show to stages all over the world.

Filled with gimmicks galore in the best possible sense, Voca People could be compared to the Blue Man Group both in their infectious level of cheese, and their half-charm-

Voca People ing-half-absolutely-terrifying white makeup.

The members use their voices alone to reconstruct songs from a wide array of styles and cultural circles, filling the room with the opening notes of Handel’s Hallelujah one minute and awkwardly moonwalking to a beatbox-backed version of ‘Thriller’ the next.

It’s all delivered with a sense of

humour and an impressive amount of musical chops.

The unadulterated corniness to the group’s act might grate for some, but the overwhelmin g positivity they shoot for will make it a guilty pleasure that can’t be refused for many more. o VOCA People are at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre on May 16.

MagicFest Edinburgh’s International Magic Festival launched five years ago with a goal of revitalising the city’s street and stage performance scenes by treating audiences to a slew of impressive and entertaining magic shows, hosted at intimate venues across the city.

With elaborate stage shows blowing minds, and old-school street

magicians impressing with a humble deck of cards, the festival became a wild success, and 2014 was its strongest year so far.

This year’s festival seems to have plenty up its sleeve too, and tickets for its closing gala are already on sale.

It promises to feature some of the most wondrous, ambitious and downright bizarre

acts performing in the UK, and should make for a thrilling grand finale to an energetic, charm filled festival.

If you’d like to see where the magic happens for yourself, I stay at Victoria Hall. Call me. o Magic Fest runs from June 26-July 4 at venues across Edinburgh. Check out www.magicfest.co.uk

twenty-two

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SPRING in the city

Yer Granny Yer Granny is a new comedy focusing on a family who are trying to survive through the antics of their 100-year-old granny, who has literally eaten them out of their fish and chip shop business.

While that may sound like the synopsis of a really weird Mrs Brown’s Boys episode, it is actually a new production from the National Theatre of Scotland.

The screenplay is by Douglas Maxwell, the award-winning playwright behind Variety.

Rab C Nesbitt himself stars in the title role and Still Game icon Paul Riley and West End award winner Louise McCarthy also star in the project.

The play promises to be heartfelt, wickedly funny and downright bizarre, and with a list of Scottish cultural icons tied to the project, it’s not one to miss when it arrives. o Yer Granny is at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow from May 26-30 and at Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre from June 2-6.

Lippy Fourteen years ago, four women sealed themselves into their flat in the small town of Leixlip, Ireland and starved themselves to death over the next few days.

Lippy is an award-winning play that is written as a response to this mysterious suicide pact, not focusing on answers, but on the surreal and disturbing idea of never knowing why this could have happened.

Cheery stuff then!

As a piece, it won’t be for everyone.

At times it can be completely Red Raw, the Stand comedy club’s flagship open mic night is renowned for being one of the best in the UK. It’s proved so popular from beginners to seasoned veterans that its coveted five minute slots get filled months in advance.

More than that, though, it’s just a really funny and

unique way to have a night out. At £2 for a ticket, it doesn’t cost much either.

The beauty of Red Raw is that you never know what act is going to be popping up next.

From dad jokes, to dark gags to observation based comedy to wacked out surrealism, every night at Red Raw is going to be differ-

uncompromising in its shrill and surreal aesthetic, and the way in which it deals with its sensitive subject matter, which will naturally polarise opinion.

But for fans of challenging storytelling and cerebral narratives, Lippy will impress.

No matter what your stance on the play, it’s clear that it’s something you will want to talk about long after viewing. o Lippy is playing at Citizens Theatre in Glasgow from April 8-11.

Red Raw at The Stand ent. Maybe you’ll be lucky and catch Frankie Boyle or Daniel Sloss practicing some new material.

Regardless of who’s performing, though, Red Raw is a fun night out, and an essential stopping point for any central belt student.

o Red Raw runs every Monday at The Stand’s comedy clubs in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, with tickets available at the door or online. twenty-three

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Live at Glasgow

Live at Glasgow 2015 is the first in what will hopefully become an annual festival, with gigs taking place at some of the city’s most iconic small venues across its Sauchiehall Street strip.

For the price of one ticket (£18.50), attendees are given access to any and all of the intimate gigs running over the day.

It will feature an eclectic mix of indie bands, with Danish post-punks Iceage, Glasgow garage rockers Jim Valentine, and acclaimed

psychedelic quartet Django Django among the first groups to be announced, with many more acts to follow.

Also featured are Honeyblood, JP Cooper, Laura Dogett aand Tobias Jesso Jr. The festival is a celebration of Glasgow’s diverse music scene, and will surely earn you some hipster points if go. o Live at Glasgow will take place on Sunday the 3rd of May across central Glasgow.

Dead by Dawn This gory alternative to the Edinburgh Film Festival embraces all things gruesome and bloodsoaked, focusing on features and shorts of the horror persuasion.

It’s the longest running festival of its kind in Scotland, entering its 22nd year.

The festival wreaks havoc over the Edinburgh filmhouse for one weekend, hosting an array of independent previews, horror classics and clever shorts.

Special guests from the horror film industry will make an appearance, and the festival’s ‘Shit Film Amnesty’ has audience members competing against each other, by bringing the most hilariously awful film they can think of to the festival for a chance to be named champion at the end of the weekend. The event may be above your budget,

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at £75 a pass, but those wishing to get involved can purchase individual tickets for film screenings at Dead by Dawn too.

As well as this, Dead

by Dawn’s evil little brother Spawn of Dawn is available for the much more affordable price of £25.

This sister festival cherry-picks five features and up to ten shorts from the main festival programme and screens them at Filmhouse from midnight on Saturday 25th April, finishing around 11am on the Sunday.

If you fancy a wickedly entertaining film marathon with a group of like-minded friends, it’s sure to deliver. o Dead By Dawn takes place from April 23-26. Tickets available from the Edinburgh Filmhouse and deadbydawn.co.uk

13/03/2015 22:45:40

GL AS

GO W

West End Festival The West End festival is perhaps the biggest event in Glasgow’s summer calendar, with last year’s offering covering over 400 events across 80 venues in the prettier side of town (or more pretentious side depending on your relative geographical location).

It acts as a celebration of Glasgow’s arts and culture, with over 100 organisations, art groups, local and international artists hosting their own events under the WEF banner.

There will be talks, exhibits, workshops, dances, screenings, congo lines and more – many of them free of charge – as well as the traditional parade on the closing day.

West End fest is a diverse and exciting cultural event unlike anything else in terms of scale in the city. o NO event list is available right now, but a brochure with the complete list of timings will be available from April 24.

Put a creative date in your diary this Voluntary Arts Week!

From free taster workshops and open days to CraftBombs and Flashmobs - we’re celebrating the nations creativity from 15 - 24 May 2015.

So if you’re into visual arts / drama / craft / music / dance or want to try something new . . .

. . . visit our website to find out more and search for an event near you:

www.voluntaryartsweek.org

@VolArtsWeek #VolArtsWeek

Voluntary Arts Week is an initiative of Voluntary Arts - a charity registered in Scotland as Company No. 139147 / Charity No. SC020345. We acknowledge funding from the Spirit of 2012, Arts Council England, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Creative Scotland and the Arts Council of Wales.

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On June 6, Scotland’s longest running dance festival, Coloursfest will return to Braehead Arena for its 15th year.

And for many dance fans, this signals the start of the summer.

While main stage headliner Steve Aoko pulls in the crowds, there are four other arenas to check out as the party rages until 4am.

Glasgow natives will be familiar with Radio Clyde DJ George Bowie’s GBX Experience, which hits Arena Three.

There’s many more big name DJs blasting out house, trance and techno till the early hours of the morning.

It doesn’t feature the diversity of a T in the Park line-up or the scale of Creamfields, but Coloursfest still attracts thousands of dance music lovers thanks to its lively atmosphere and sense of home.

Coloursfest 2015

o COLOURSFEST takes place at Braehead Arena on June 6. Tickets from www.skiddle.com

Candlelit Vigil Music Festival moved by the tragic events of Queen Street’s bin lorry crash in which six people died, 17-year-old Jamie Charlton oversaw a Facebook page entitled ‘RIP Glasgow Lorry Crash Victims’ as a sign of support for those affected.

After amassing thousands of likes on this page, Jamie then decided to go one step further, to use this exposure

to raise money for a worthy cause.

He said: “I wanted to do something to raise money for the Lord Provost’s George Square Fund and thought about organising a festival.”

The festival seems to be coming to fruition under the name Candlelit Vigil.

It will be a free ticketed event hosted at Glasgow

Green with the goal of raising money for the George Square fund as well as raising enough to install a memorial bench on George Square.

Support for the festival seems strong, with over 500 volunteers offering to help.

Acts such as DJ Azzartii, Katee Kross, Twin Heart, Enemies of the State and Coeur have also shown

interest in taking part. The Festival’s line-up is really not the focus, though, and many of those supporting it see it as a way to give back to their city which has been wounded by tragedy once again. o Tickets are available on Skiddle, with the event taking place on June 6 at Glasgow Green.

Pioneer The Curious Directive theatre company make their Traverse debut with Pioneer, an engrossing multimedia sci-fi thriller that utilises innovative staging and production techniques to tell the tale of the first humans to land on mars and attempt to colonise.

Since 2008, Curious Directive has produced 17 shows – from Your Last Breath, which achieved critical acclaim at the Edinburgh festival in 2011, to Pioneer, which opened there last year.

Their latest production was created with

the aim of “exploring life through the findings of science”.

It is a multi-layered, absorbing piece of theatre that found success on its launch, earning the Scotman Fringe First Award and gripping audiences in its cerebral feast for the senses.

At it’s core, Pioneer is a poignant tale dealing with what it is to be human, and it’s grand sense of scale amplifies the emotional depth of this central idea. o Pioneer will play at Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh from April 2-4.

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interview

Des: I’m always happy to be the fall guy H

E WAS destined to be a fumbling doctor or scatty scientist but the bright lights of fame in the distance lured Des Clarke on a very different path.

As a kid the comedian shone as an academic achiever and although the Citizen’s Theatre in Glasgow was literally a stone’s throw from his high rise Gorbals flat it was only thanks to a friend that Des found his forte in jest.

Des recalls his schoolboy years at Holyrood Secondary: “I remember falling over the finish line at cross country.

“It’s the worst place to fall but I had genuine stumbliness and I was awkward.

“I was a quiet, shy boy.

“I know people that knew me back then would think someone quantum-leaped into my body.

“My teacher probably thought I was going to be a doctor and not making a living from talking p*sh.

“I’m a walking contradiction like a secret agent of comedy. I am Serghei Krakov!

“I was 12 years old in the school talent show. Just me and my pal Paul, who’d entered us, were doing impressions and voices.

“We showed up against sixth formers who were in rock bands and girls all looking pretty singing west end musicals.

“Me and Paul were doing impressions of celebrities and the teachers and we won it in front of an audience of 600.

“I got a wee bug for it. For Paul it was a laugh in school for a couple of years.

“The Citizens Theatre was directly

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opposite my home. I had to walk by it every day so maybe unconsciously it did make me think.

“Comedy has been the root of everything and a great way of dealing with my boyhood awkwardness. I started when I was 19 and I’ve kept going.

“You keep creating. I’ve been lucky enough to have done so many small comedy clubs around Glasgow and I thought, ‘If I can just be funny for five minutes’.

“Sadly the Gorbals high rise I lived in has been knocked down so there’s nowhere to put the blue plaque for me!” es cut his comedy teeth at SMTV as a presenter following in the footsteps of Claire and H from Steps in 1993.

The show enjoyed massive success and was the platform for Ant and Dec to reveal their modern day Morecambe and Wise double act.

Des reveals: “I thought, ‘don’t be the one to follow Ant and Dec, be the one after’. Ant and

D

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Dec’s brilliance was still there on the show. I was the last presenter and for one of the last shows we played all the old clips and Ant and Dec came down. They are so complimentary.

They’re everything you hoped.

“I was a fan of the show when they were on and they said to me, ‘we still watch the show’.

“It’s so nice to see how talent works when it works well. The right balance of funny and real.” es seemed to find balancing those ingredients a cinch and followed his SMTV stint hosting kids’ show, Discovery’s Invention SOS, Club Cupid, Adult Dating, Sports Broadcasting and Children in Need.

But there was clearly one role that pipped the post as favourite for Des and he wouldn’t dare attempt to approve on its cheesy brilliance.

Des says enthusiastically: “The Commonwealth Games in the summer!

“One billion people watched it and I’ll never do a TV gig with that kind of audience again.

“I did the warm-up preshow. What else would I love to do? I really like meeting people.

“I also loved Travel Log. It was a gig on the radio, a travel thing in Scotland and Ireland I did which was weird and wonderful.

“I love meeting people. Once a year I’ll do gigs

D

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somewhere in America. When I tour America I think my accent is sexy.

“There’s a romantic version of Scottishness but what I’ve found is they think I’m Susan Boyle as they shout, ‘hey I’m like one-18th Scottish!’”

Des’s show for the Glasgow Comedy Festival is, The Trouble With Being Des, a full length version of his 2014 Edinburgh Fringe show. It focuses on mishaps in his life.

The Scottish Capital Breakfast DJ explains: “For the Glasgow Comedy Festival I said I’d love to do the Citizen’s this year, this is the gig where we’ll have a right good laugh.

“Every comedian decides to naval gaze at some point. I’ve got to a stage of my life and thought, ‘what about me?’ What actually am I going to do?

“Am I a student in the game of life and am I ever going to graduate?

There’s a lot of stories of me and my mishaps.

“I met Prince Charles during the summer and I nearly got tackled to the ground with his security.

“In the 15 minutes before meeting him and shaking his hand I bought scissors to cut a tag off a new suit I’d bought.

“I thought, I’m just giving him a hand-shake, that surely can’t go wrong. The chat I had with him was featured by a journalist, a story about Prince Charles say-

DES CL ARK ON TOU E R

March 2 8 Glasgow Theatre , Citizens April 17 D un de e, Theatre Gardyne April 18 Theatre Cumbernauld May 1 F alkirk Tow n Hall, Falkirk May 2 G reenock, Beacon Arts Centr May 14 e S May 16 tirling, The Tolboo P th May 23 aisley, Arts Centre In Court The verness, Eden May 29 atre Annan, C ornerhouse Hotel May 30 Stranraer , Ryan Centre June 5 D un ke ld ,B Institute A rts Centre irnam

ing something dodgy about Scotland.

“It didn’t happen but got lots of publicity at the time. Another time I interviewed Britney Spears when she was live on SMTV. e were doing a spoof of This Is Your Life and no one told her. I appeared by jumping out through a polystyrene wall with the This Is Your Life red book.

“Her security men are about to grab me but you can see my producer waving the security off.

“Shortly after she shaved her head and went mental!”

Not one to be put off by fame going to someone’s head Des has a craving for more of the comic stuff. A Late Night With Des sounds the perfect path to take next.

But who makes Des laugh: “I always loved Robin Williams, Billy Connolly for the energy, Eddie Izzard, Vic and Bob with their mad surreal stuff.​ “You cannae copy it, you’ve got to have your own style.

“When you’re in their presence it’s so creative.

“I want people to enjoy my company. Comedy is all about escapism.”

And maybe Des’s teachers were right about his intellect.

He may not be academic but he sounds like a canny kid who wants more of the good stuff.

He remarks: “You’d love to be able to chase what you’re interested in and I will be interested in anything for money!

“I always think, ‘enjoy doing what you do but always think about the next thing’.”

W

13/03/2015 22:46:46

GRADUATION SPECIAL

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GRADUATION SPECIAL Don’t stress it, this is party time...

Finally. It’s all over. You’re about to graduate!

This will be simultaneously one of the most exciting and most daunting events in your life, and the last big event before you’re shoved into the terrifying world of adulthood.

Some don’t consider showing up to it, but for many it’s an opportunity to celebrate everything they’ve achieved and a chance to see out their college or university career in style.

But it takes months of preparation to get it right. Even then, no-one is guaranteed an easy ride.

KATIE CAMPBELL presents your cheat-sheet to a stress-free day...

Dress for Success Graduation is not a simple thing when it comes to dress code, because that would save us just too much stress, and the universities wouldn’t want that, would they now?

First and foremost, book your gown. Seriously, book your gown. Go right now, check – have you booked your gown?

Have you paid for it? Do you have the 4000 necessary but unavoidable forms that the gown hire company make you print out and bring with you, even though your one ditzy friend who will inevitably forget their stack of forms will still get their gown?

This is not a joke – go and check right now. Look out the forms. Print them and give them to someone you trust because you will lose them, and it will stress you out.

Do you have them?

Good.

The gowns can easily be the most terrifying part of your graduation (especially

if you forget to book them, do not be that person). All graduation gowns are designed to either fit children or basketball players; they constantly slip and slide off and, let’s face it, they’re not the most flattering of things.

That said, wearing one does give you an immense sense of pride, and makes the day feel special.

In reality, the gowns aren’t even the worst part of the graduation ensemble – oh no, that’s a title ceremoniously awarded to the nightmarish hoods, which will take every opportunity to make a great escape off your shoulders, down over your neck and out the door.

When they’re not trying to leave without you, the hoods are riding up the gown and trying mercilessly to choke you to death in front of your family and fellow graduands.

A good piece of advice: bring a load of safety pins and get there early enough to coerce someone into helping you wrangle your

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GRADUATION SPECIAL hood into sitting properly. Either that or make friends with someone who has loads of safety pins and steal theirs.

Remember as well what you’re pinning your hood to.

Ladies, it might be easier for you to wear a blouse with buttons on it so you have something to hook the hood to, meaning it’s probably going to spend less of its time wrapped around your throat.

If you wear a dress and pin it to the dress, there is a chance that it could ruck up, and you will look back later at the photos your parents took of you receiving your award and think “why didn’t I just wear a blouse?”

What do you mean, “is this coming from personal experience?” No, I looked fabulous at my graduation. I did, I swear.

The Best Laid Plans Where is your graduation? Are you sure you know where it is? Do you know how to get there? How you’re getting there?

Did you remember to book your gown? (Seriously, I am not joking about that. Book your gown. And your photos. Your mum is going to be so annoyed when she realises you forgot to get photos.)

Your university will inevitably have a load of stupid rules to follow and directions that it demands you follow before it hands you your degree and boots you out into the real world. Did you know, for exam-

ple, that some unis won’t let you graduate if you have outstanding library fees?

It sounds ridiculous, yes, but it’s true. Go pay your library fees. It’s going to be the worst if you can’t graduate because of a 20p fine you got in first year.

Make sure you know where you’re signing in for graduation, where you’re picking up your tickets and your gown.

Your uni will have an online guide that walks you through the day, and while it might seem like a lot of boring guff, it’s important to follow,

because otherwise, your day will be a stressful nightmare.

If you’re one of these people who couldn’t pour water out of a boot with instructions on the heel, your best option is to make friends with someone who is organised.

That way, if you find yourself in a bind as to where you should be going or what you should be doing, you can get them to check their itinerary – there is always one person with an itinerary – and use them to keep you right.

Take some of the stress out of the day by loading it onto your pals!

Food Glorious Food AT a certain point in the day, champagne will start to flow. So much champagne. Free champagne.

Your wee granny will give you hers and complain about there being no vodka. So will your mum because she’s driving.

Before long, you will have had half a bottle to yourself completely by accident, and at least one Bucks Fizz “because it’s one of my five a day,” you’ll tell yourself.

This is all great. There are very few people in the world who will turn down free alcohol (“free” objectively speaking if we’re not considering the ludicrous fee they’re charging just so you can go to your own graduation, that better be Crystal they’re serving, right?).

You, presumably, are not one of those people who would turn down free alcohol, and you are right to do so because alcohol is expensive and delicious in small amounts.

Eat something before you go. Have

something – anything – to line your stomach before the inevitable gallon of alcohol you consume hits you like an unexpected deadline and makes you act like a drunken idiot at your special day.

Is there anything worse than the thought of going up to shake the principal’s hand and ending up saying or doing something ridiculously stupid because you’ve decided to skip breakfast in favour of getting your hair done?

Or maybe taking a trip across the stage because, let’s face it, walking after a few drinks is tricky business, and with all those people watching you, it’s not going to be any easier.

Key to having your big day go well is to remember to have fun and take advantage of all the event has to offer, but be sensible.

Drink after the ceremony. And remember to eat! Food is great. Maybe even make a thing of it – take yourself out for breakfast before you head off for your big day. You’ve earned it.

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GRADUATION SPECIAL

Family Matters

PARTY + PROM ALERT GRAD BALL

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ONE of the most important parts of your day post-graduation is deciding whether you should spend your afternoon with your friends or your family.

Getting this decision right is crucial in establishing what kind of day you’re going to have.

Graduation is as much a celebration of your achievements as it is a mission in trying to balance the two sides of your life: who you are with your family, and who you are with your friends.

Because let’s face it: you’d never act the way you do around your pals that you do around your mum.

Even though your family will spend the day annoying the living daylights out you, remember that this day is also for them.

This could well be the first time they’ve ever visited your university, or at least the first time since they insisted on coming to your open day with you.

They’re going to want you to show them around, point out where you had your classes, who your lecturers were and loudly ask “is that the one who gave you the bad mark” loudly and well within earshot of the lecturer who gave you the bad mark.

Remember, though, you’ve spent most of the last four years

there, and just because it’s old news to you, don’t get annoyed if they’re asking you what feels like a lot of stupid questions.

At least one family member will appoint themselves as unofficial photographer for the day, so don’t get too annoyed if one of them spends the day looking at you through a lens.

They just want to keep a memory of the day forever, and one day you’ll be glad they did.

On the other hand this could be the last time you see some of your university friends for a while; it’s a fact of life that you all move in different directions after university and some go further than others.

Because they’ve gone through uni with you, it feels right to finish the day off with them.

It’s difficult to balance family and friends throughout the day, but getting the balance right is a reward in itself.

Doing both isn’t impossible.

You can still hang out with your family and make time for your friends.

It’s that balance that makes the day go well.

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GRADUATION SPECIAL The Benefits of graduate placements

IF you’re reading this, it’s likely you are currently working towards a degree, or just about to graduate.

Gaining a qualification is the first step – but the reality is, these days employers are looking for more than just your qualifications.

Gaining work experience in a competi-

Since 2010, over 900 graduates from 23 countries have had the satisfaction of making their mark with scores of projects across Scotland, in all kinds of companies and social enterprises through ScotGrad.

The programme offers paid, full-time graduate roles, in small to medium sized businesses across Scotland.

All of the placements last from 3-12 months, and are paid a minimum salary of £16,000 pro rata,but salaries can be anywhere up to £35,000 PA depending on the role.

The opportunities you’re given when working for a smaller company are wide and varied, and you’ll gain invaluable experience during the placement. It’s common for

students to only consider larger organisations when faced with the prospect of applying for graduate jobs, but small to medium sized businesses make up 99.3% of all private sector enterprises, and account for 54.8% of private sector employment in Scotland.

To put it another way – if you’re not looking at smaller businesses, you’re cutting out over half of your job prospects.

“I know too many graduates who have hoped to get a position in a large international company and been forced to compete for one job vacancy against hundreds of other applicants – and, as a result, many are still unemployed.

“There are plenty of smaller companies who go relatively unnoticed

tive job market is of vital importance, and shows employers that you are able to use your skills practically.

ScotGrad can help you put your talents and graduate qualifications to work in the real world and provide you with that all-important stepping stone into your future career.

by job seekers but can offer the same thing and, as I have found, they are more than willing to help you develop your skills and give you useful and varied work experience.” (Campbell Vaughn, Bardyke Chemicals Ltd) ScotGrad also provides a fantastic free residential

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13/03/2015 22:53:44

GRADUATION SPECIAL training course when graduates are on a placement. This benefits the graduate as it provides extra skills and experience that you wouldn’t gain in a regular role, which can then be taken and applied to your future career.

The training is a bespoke course delivered by two of Scotland’s top universities, and is aimed at sharpening your business skills, with a distinct focus on personal development and delivering innovation.

It’s all designed so that the attendees can take what they have learned, and apply it to their host company when they return to their placement.

Fiona Thomson, Dunollie Projects says: “Before I came on the ScotGrad course, I wanted to work in business, but didn’t have the hard skills.

“The role-play exercises were really valuable – they prepared me for how to handle real life situations.”

There’s also a high chance of being made permanent within your host company – over 92% of Associates are in graduate-level employment after their placement.

With his degree in Chemistry, Campbell told us how he moved straight from uni into the real world, working in his area of interest and finally bagging a per-

Student Rag 21G.indd 35

manent post in his placement company: “Having completed my placement, I was offered a full-time job at Bardyke Chemicals – leaving me in the fortunate position of going straight from education to employment.

“I absolutely recommend ScotGrad to other graduates as it has made me more employable and I have really enjoyed becoming part of the team at Bardyke.”

During a ScotGrad placement, you’ll be

given a ridiculous amount of experience and responsibility. It is a fantastic way to get your foot in the door and make a salary, whilst working in a fascinating smaller business.

What are you waiting for? Search current Graduate vacancies and find out more about ScotGrad, including our Student Placements, here: www.

ScotGrad.co.uk, or search for ‘ScotGrad’ on Facebook and Twitter.

13/03/2015 22:57:26

GRADUATION SPECIAL #3 Kerala, India

#2 Santiago, Chile Now here’s a challenge; get to Chile. Sounds easy, but it ain’t. You could bus across Australia and fly from Melbourne or Sydney, or head back to Perth and fly from there.

Or if you’re the competitive type I don’t believe anyone has ever kayaked across the Pacific Ocean (Disclaimer: Do not attempt to kayak across the Pacific Ocean.)

Some fun facts: 1) Santiago is the capital of Chile, located in the West Coast of South America.

2) The Atacama Desert, to the north of Santiago, is the driest place on earth and 3) Santiago is cooler than the Fonz.

To the East of Santiago lie mountains which form part of the Andes range. Their snow-capped peaks are visible from just about anywhere in the city, which is comprised of mainly gothic neoclassical architecture

(think Edinburgh and Rome mashed up in one) and windy side streets.

The city’s recent economic growth has also led to the building of modern, daring architecture and a bustling arts, restaurant and nightlife scene.

Some streets are even lined entirely with graffiti which parallels the city’s rich culture. Santiago, essentially, is the new Barcelona.

Aside from the architecture, you’ll have some more natural beauty to admire at the end of your trip.

You know all those super HD pictures you see of the entire galaxy on the internet? They’re all taken in Chile.

The combination of low light pollution, clear nights, and geographical position makes the Atacama desert a perfect storm for stargazers.

Don’t bother with a camera; it won’t do it justice.

HOP on a plane to India and fly into any one of four airports along the Malabar Coast in the south east, although I suggest the northern-most of the lot – Cochin Airport – so you can move further south.

Much of India’s tourist industry is comprised of domestic tourism. In a country so big and diverse, it makes sense many Indian people would rather travel within their own country than go abroad.

When Indians go on vacation, it’s Kerala they choose. I ask you: what’s more traveller than travelling to where the locals go on holiday? Nothing, that’s what.

Located in India’s south west coast, Kerala has been named as one of the 10 paradises of the world by National Geographic, and with good reason.

It’s a tropical wonderland, filled with pristine beaches, rolling green hills and its own unique culture.

The food in Kerala is said to be unlike anywhere else in the world. In the ‘backwater’ region (a series of interlocking lakes and rivers away from the coast), It’s common for tourists to rent houseboats and drift aimlessly, sampling the local foods and entertainment as they travel.

Essentially, Kerala is like a muggy Valhalla. With more curried seafood.

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13/03/2015 22:57:42

GRADUATION SPECIAL GAP year this, gap year that.

It seems like wherever you look these days, gap years are being readily advertised.

For those looking for the gap year route to end all gap year routes, Richard Jones plans out the perfect travel guide for those looking to go on the road less travelled..

‘Travelling’, these days, is a term bandied about quite a great deal by essentially everyone you will ever encounter.

“I just spent two weeks travelling around Marbella” they say. God! I had the greatest time travelling for almost three weeks in Rome with my parents” they say.

It’s become a byword for ‘going on holiday’, and I don’t think its OK. Thesaurus.com might suggest both words can be used interchangeably but I assure you they cannot.

‘Travelling’ is not a weekend in Paris with ‘bae’. It is not two buses to London and Blackpool for a boozy weekend.

Travelling is about pushing yourself.

It’s about finding things out, about learning, about other cultures, other religions, other viewpoints and by god, it’s even about picking up the top ten tips for bribing a Bur-

Travel’s sick mese border patrol guard at 4 in the morning (Disclaimer: DO NOT BRIBE) (winky face).

Playing volleyball in the Algarve with your aunt for a week is not ‘travelling’ because you won’t learn anything.

Apart, that is, from the fact that Aunty June’s

spiking is well below par. You need to go somewhere special, somewhere interesting, somewhere the Lonely Planet isn’t suggesting.

Somewhere the locals will not understand your broken Standard Grade Spanish. Somewhere far away from fry-up-toting expats.

Allow me to plan out a proper traveller’s gap year for you.

#1 Regensburg, Germany

What to Wear

Boom you’re in Germany. It’s not important how you make your way east, although bonus points for hitchhiking (Disclaimer: DO NOT HITCHHIKE) – as long as you do get there.

Regensburg won’t be at the top of most people’s lists, but it should be.

Regensburg is a (relatively) small city nestled in between Munich and Nuremberg in Bavaria, in the south of Germany.

It’s a listed UNESCO world heritage site, chiefly because it happens to be “the only authentically preserved large medieval city in Germany”.

Simply, Regensburg is

mind-bendingly beautiful, with tiny, traditional German houses squashed together in a series of narrow alleyways.

Out of the labyrinth springs the jewel of the city, the Regensburg Cathedral, which rises high above the surrounding buildings like a gothic ode to Satan himself.

I’m told it makes Notre Dame look positively boring.

Spend some time in Bavaria after visiting Regensburg if you get the chance.

Germany’s south has its own unique culture and customs.

Travel from town to town around Munich and absorb the atmosphere while you absorb beer after beer.

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13/03/2015 22:57:59

GRADUATION SPECIAL Now you’re headed North-East towards #4 Bagan, Myanmar Myanmar (formerly Burma). Now,geography enthusiasts, you are correct; Myanmar does indeed border India.

So, if Kerala felt more like a starter than a main course, head clear across the sub-continent, through Mumbai and New Dehli and around Bangladesh through the Sikkim state high in the Himalayan Mountains.

Then all you need do is cross the border into Myanmar (here’s where you might learn those aforementioned bribing skills) and head south east towards Bagan.

Even for experienced travellers, this trip would be a logistical and practical cluster headache, so just flying across India might be nice instead. are almost 1000 years old, painted Bagan is an ancient city, situated all in gold and adorned with imin the Mandalay Region in the heart measurably detailed features. of Myanmar. It was once the capital They say dawn is the best time to of the Pagan Kingdom, and today visit Bagan. As the morning mist lifts the remains of around 2200 Budabove the flat, grassy landscape dhist Temples are still on show. which surrounds the temples, nothSome of the remaining buildings ing will prepare you for what you are will take your breath away. Some about to see. of the temples and towers in Bagan #5 Emeishan, China

AT this stage of the trip you’re headed North East into China.

From the mountains which role off the Himalayas in the south west, to the tropical climate of Hong Kong, to the vast farmlands in the north west, China’s got it all.

On your way to Emeishan (or Mount Emei in English), you’ll get to enjoy some time to yourself nestled in some of the most incredible scenery in the world.

Emeishan is a tiny town in the centre of China, not too far to the west of major city Chongqing, in Sichuan province.

Myanmar’s culture is a unique mix between the central Asian culture to the west and the perhaps more familiar east Asian culture that lies to the east of its borders.

The country has had its share of ethnic, political and military problems in the past. Civil war raged as recently as 2014, so be very careful.

#6 Pink Lake, Australia

A friend who lived in China for three years told me: “By far the best place to visit in China is Emeishan.

“It’s hard to access, but worth it. A colony of monkeys lives on the summit alongside an enormous statue of Bhudda.

“There’s also a monastery at the top and they welcome you with open arms if you hike all the way to the top.

“There’s snow on top almost all year round and when you’re there, you can’t help but feel you’re somewhere very, very special.”

pretty much every there from Perth, you’ll student with access to an need to travel round the overdraft seems to have south western tip of the been snorkelling on the county into Esperance, Great Barrier Reef or spent but the journey will hardly an afternoon at Byron Bay. be difficult for you, the That’s not to say Australsuper-traveller who ia doesn’t still hold some bribed a Burmese border surprises, though. You’ll patrol guard at 4am with When it’s over fly into Perth, on the west a currency you found in a coast before bussing, trainshoebox near the Ganges. ing or hitchhiking south.

This region is renowned As you may have for its wineries, while the guessed by the title, Pink climate also makes it a Lake, in the Esperance perfect place to produce region of Western Australia chocolate and olive oil. on the country’s south The orange soil, mixed coast, is a lake which is with the greenery of a genuinely, actually pink world class wine region thanks to a special brand and the marble blue sky of algi that live in the lake. make the area a truly It’s spectacular. To get special destination.

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21 steps to heaven WHEN rumours spread of a little slice of Sicily turning up in Byres Road I threw on my sparkly top and skater girl skirt and sought out a traditional trattoria.

After the moderate climb of around 21 steps I found my Italian hideaway.

What Casa Russo lacks in romantic vista views it makes up for in efficient service, tantalisingly tasty food and rustic décor.

As we sat down and glanced at the menu my dinner date and I decided we were definitely in the right place for some good conversation and

With her forthcoming graduation celebrations in mind, SUSIE DANIELS goes in search of a memorable dining experience to share with family and friends. At Casa Russo she finds one. great food. After tea and perfectly executed hot chocolate – which was still hot when it arrived (don’t get me started on the frustrations of a hot drink arriving lukewarm!) – we ordered.

I started with duck pate, followed by veal and then torta millefoglie.

My fellow diner ordered cauliflower soup followed by haddock goujons and then strawberry mess.

My pate was accompanied by three perfectly cut triangle toast slices and red onion relish. Unlike most pates this felt light which was great because there’s nothing worse than feeling like a stuffed goose after the first course!

The cauliflower soup had a perfect balance of creamy taste mixed with a cheddar cheese kick.

The veal main course was presented in a delightfully buttery creamy sauce with the perfect amount of black

pepper twist. As for the fish goujons – the batter was light, perfectly crisp and cooked just right.

And what can I say about desert?

The strawberry mess was a delight of whipped cream, crushed meringue, vanilla ice-cream and strawberry coulis – licking the bowl wouldn’t look good but believe me, it crossed my mind…and that wasn’t even my desert!

Mine was the torta millefoglie – layers of puff pastry filled with patisserie cream, covered on the sides with Chantilly cream and crushed sponge, finished with icing sugar stripes was how the menu described it.

But all I heard myself say every time I scooped another spoonful was Mmmmmm. Truly irresistible.

Would I consider this restaurant for graduation with friends and family?

Definitely. Will I be coming back?

Absolutely.

And do I now need to do Insanity for three weeks non-stop? Um, yep!

Oh well, you can’t have it all...

Talent? No contest.

Are you fed up of ‘internships’ that make no use of your skills? Are you bored of ‘internships’ where you twiddle your thumbs until your boss asks you to make them a cup of tea or pick up their laundry?

Do you hate the thought of an ’internship’ where you slave away all day and all you get in return is £2 towards your train ticket?

At Adopt an Intern we believe internships can and should be so much more than this.

For us, #TalentNotTea is more than just a hashtag, it’s the ethos behind each and every one of our internships.

Adopt an Intern exists to bring you internships that are not only paid but meaningful. Internships where you can get the quality experience you need to put your hard-earned skills into practice, where you can earn real wages for the real work you contribute to your host organisation.

Our internships will allow you to get a taster for a particular field, industry or role before committing to that 2-year graduate programme or a permanent role.

They’re a great way to get your first foot on the career ladder and develop your talent.

With over 850 interns ‘adopted’ in just under 5 years we’ve seen success story after success story.

Tom secured his internship through Adopt an Intern and spent 4 months working with Rolls Royce in Ger-

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many in their Logistics and Operations Department.

“This job is exactly what I was looking for, but this experience in its entirety just goes beyond everything I could have possibly expected from an internship.”

Serina, a Marketing Intern with CPP Seminars Scotland said: “It gives graduates like me a big boost in these hard times. Looking for a job was a nightmare and by interning, you can learn some basics skills and make connections with people in the sector that you would like to work.

“What I found most important about Adopt an Intern is that by being paid as an intern, I was more motivated in working with the company, resolving issues for them, working on my own initiative and develop some of my ideas to them.”

Whether you’re looking for an internship in the public sector, within a large corporate, working for a charity or a Scottish startup, we’ve got a wide range of paid internships available every single week of the year.

From marketing to research, IT to business, events to fashion, visit our website to view and apply for an internship that’s about so much more than just tea.

www.adoptanintern.org.uk #TalentNotTea

13/03/2015 22:59:06

FINE FOOD. FINE WINES. FINE TIMES.

A celebration for your Graduation

Gla Bubbly osns of 3 courses arrival, & coff for only ee

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Call to book on 0141 352 8310 La Bonne Auberge, 161 West Nile Street, Glasgow G1 2RL labonneauberge.co.uk theatreland@labonneauberge.co.uk Subject to availability. 3 course meal from Prix fixe menu. Loyalty discount does not apply.

Student Rag 21G.indd 41

14898 LBA A4 Graduation poster.indd 1

13/03/2015 22:59:26

17/05/2013 16:05

GRADUATION SPECIAL Now we’re in business...

Just started a business but reluctant to take on office space because of the prohibitive costs?

At the Youth Enterprise Zone, (YEZ) we can offer you the perfect solution.

We have fully serviced resident and hot desk space which is FREE to help you get started.

One of our hotdesk members Graham Grieve started up his own marketing c ompany last year and has been working out of our incubator space in Ladywell Business Centre, only 5 minutes from High Street and the centre of Glasgow.

!

N A C U O Y YEZ Who are you and what is your business?

My name is Graham Grieve (21yrs).

I am a student at City of Glasgow College and I run my own marketing company called Grieve Marketing Systems, GMS. We specialize in Social Media and Market Research, serving the Greater Glasgow Area.

Why do you enjoy running your own business?

It gives you the freedom to be your own boss. Every day is different and anything you do directly affects your company’s success. Running your own company gives you more control over your career and builds your character.

What were you doing business wise before you applied to YEZ? I ran my business from my home and various cafes in the city centre.

This was tricky as we can all be easily distracted at home and I never had anywhere suitable to meet potential clients.

Describe what’s involved in your business and how is YEZ useful/ helpful to you.

My business involves a lot of interaction with the public and other businesses as well as a lot of planning behind a desk.

YEZ is very useful as the incubator space has given my business a base in the city centre and a first class office environment to plan various campaigns. The meeting room at YEZ is brilliant if I need to meet clients, it is very formal and impresses clients.

What are the advantages of being in the incubator? What are the facilities like and the location?

The incubator is great for sitting down and getting on with work.

Office space can be a huge overhead that many companies starting out just can’t afford. The facilities are incredible. The building itself is a work of art and the office space is a very pleasant environment to work in.

How do you get along with the other members in the incubator?

The environment in the office is great between incubator members.

Ideas are constantly being bounced around and everyone is in fairly early stages of their own ventures so we all encourage each other.

Various partnerships have been formed in the office and everyone has their own area of expertise.

It is a truly unique working environment where you have people from different professional backgrounds sharing ideas and knowledge.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of setting up their own business, would you recommend someone engaging with YEZ? For someone wishing to start up their own business I would say just do it. Make sure you have done the right planning, the YEZ team are brilliant at helping you get your ideas out of your head and onto paper.

If you have a part time job keep it until you are earning a steady income from your own business - that was my biggest mistake.

I would recommend engaging with YEZ, even if you are not looking for office space or funding, the team are really helpful and know what they are talking about.

One of the most important things when setting up your own business is having a strong web of support.

Organisations like YEZ are brilliant support networks that give first class advice and mentoring.

Want to know more?

IF you need more in-depth advice, we recommend that you make an appointment to speak to one of our team of advisors who are based all over Glasgow.

Our advisors can give you guidance on a range of issues, from market research to searching for premises, completing funding applications or opening a business bank account.

Tel: 0141 274 3371 www.facebook.com/ YEZGlasgow Twitter: @YEZGlasgow www.yezglasgow.org.uk

Graduation Special Pullout Page Fourteen Student Rag 21G.indd 42

13/03/2015 22:59:47

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Are you aged 16 to 25?

Have you ever dreamed of starting or growing your business?

If you answered Yes to these two questions, then Your Future Starts Here...

Talk To Us At: T: F: T: W:

The Youth Enterprise Zone offers: • One to one start up and aftercare support to develop • FREE Hothouse Incubator space • Monthly workshops and events covering a range of business topics • Regular networking opportunities

0141 274 3371 www.facebook.com/YEZGlasgow @YEZGlasgow www.yezglasgow.org.uk

Student Rag 21G.indd 44

14/03/2015 11:14:52

interview

give us a minute Quick questions with: SLAVES’ LAURIE VINCENT Some people are obsessed with brushing their teeth, their hair or checking under their bed at night, what’s your obsession?

I’m not really sure. It might be easier to assess someone else’s obsessions.

Isaacs obsessed with ironing.

What’s the dirtiest habit you have that you can share with Student Rag? I’m quite clean. Maybe picking my nose when a tissue won’t cut it.

Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus or Kesha – which music do you prefer and which one is more your type of girlfriend. If none, what is your type?

I like that tune ‘Wrecking Ball’ by Miley Cyrus. That is a banger. None are my type of girlfriend. My Mrs is blonde petite, amazing personality and fashion. Guess she’s my type.

I once dipped an evil flatmate’s toothbrush in the toilet pan and then replaced it in the toothbrush holder.

What’s the worst thing you’ve done to someone and why did they deserve it?

It was probably something to do with my sister. I’ve never been much of a prankster though so I don’t even remember.

What practical joke have you ever or always wanted to play on someone?

Did it work and did you ever play a practical joke that didn’t work – what happened?

You seem like quite a sadist. There is definitely a theme surfacing in this interview! I’ve never been much of a practical joker to be honest I can’t even recall doing anything like this. I stole a Crunchie bar from Fat Whites dressing room, what a daredevil.

IF you were one of the X-Men what would be your special power?

Flying maybe. Mind control ones have way to much responsibility. The simple X-Men are always the best.

Wolverine is my favourite.

You’re asked last minute to headline T in the Park but you’ve booked a romantic weekend away with your girlfriend and you’ve promised her nothing will interfere with it. What do you do and how do you make it up to her?

Take her to Scotland with me then ditch the festival after we have played to celebrate together.

WhAT type of holiday do you enjoy the most – surf, snow, sun for sunbathing or touring and what do you find yourself doing most on holiday.

Touring isn’t a holiday! I reckon in an ideal world I’d like to mix both together. I love swimming and chilling out but skiing is loads of fun.

What would be the worst nightmare for you – doing stand-up comedy or performing a party trick at a stranger’s party? What would be your party trick and what’s your best joke that we can print?

Probably stand-up comedy. I have no material. That takes guts doing what they do.

My best joke is what do you call a

three legged donkey? A wonky. Ha ha.

Which holiday have you been on that you think of with a smile and why?

A journey of the west coast with my mum and dad when I was about 16 that always brings fond memories.

IF you could crash any artist’s party who would it be and why and what would you say to them?

Grayson Perry. He’s my favourite artist I think. I’d like to just convince him to collaborate with me.

Best: Bond, Bond villain? Bond car, Bourne or Bond and why?

The one with the metal teeth is cool.

Jaws is it? I don’t know. Piers Brosnan was the Bond whilst I grew up so he’s my Bond. That green Aston Martin Vanquish is pretty cool.

What do you have to have or do before performing a gig?

My guitar. I like to eat a couple hours before too. Make sure I haven’t got food bouncing around whilst I’m performing..

Slaves play King Tut’s in Glasgow on May 10.

DO YOU “MY BEST JOKE IS ‘WHAT A WONKY’” CALL A 3-LEGGED DONKEY?

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14/03/2015 11:15:10

interview

T

HERE WAS a Viper Room fracas…. but the police didn’t get called.

And they upset their neighbours...with loud music.

Twin Atlantic are really squeaky clean-living boys who like a good old family singalong and playtime with their pets.

It’s not rock n roll but it’s the way they like it and with their latest album breaking into the top ten last year who cares!

The Glasgow rock band’s bassist Ross McNae admits: “We’re embarrassingly boring and we make up quite quickly if we fight.

“We had a bad alcohol-fuelled argument in LA a couple of years ago outside The Viper Room on Sunset Boulevard and we were all shouting at each other.

“It was a proper shouting match. Sam and me

didn’t want to be there and we were shouting and drunk and the police were called.

“We have a vivid memory of our record company turning up fast and us being driven away quickly!

“We’re quite lucky. We’ve been going under the radar for the last couple of years.

“Sam and I live in Glasgow’s south side and Barry and Craig live in the west end.

“Sam’s probably the baby of the group who needs a lot of looking after and I’ll admit to being awkward and stubborn but our girlfriends and wives are all a big family though sometimes the last thing you want to do is all hang about.

“We don’t do dinner parties together.

“I wish we were that civilised.

We’ve not had to grow up yet.

“Me and Sam live near to each

other so we see each other more and we’ll all end up singing if we’re round but I’ve no party tricks though I’m learning how to juggle!”

So no handcuffs or drug-fuelled parties.

The boys got together eight years ago with Sam McThirsty on lead vocals and guitar, Barry McKenna on lead guitar and backing vocals, Craig McKneale on drums and backing vocals and Ross on bass guitar, backing vocals and piano. heir latest album Great Divide has been a serious improvement on the first two albums Vivavium and Free and most of it is down to Sam’s talent though enough of an input from the other band members helps them to frame the band’s focus.

Ross enthuses: “Sometimes the lyrics do get in my head and I do secretly want to take over the singing

T

forty-six

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interview

Twin Atlantic boys won’t sink into debauchery

forty-seven

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14/03/2015 11:15:50

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14/03/2015 11:16:08

but the majority of the onus is on Sam. He’s such a good songwriter and we’re all part of the gang so we’re all equal members.

“I feel we’re all content to do our own songs. Sam will have the starting point and it’s up to us to sculpt that idea.

“When we were younger we were all in different bands and when we got together we all practised at Craig’s house in the room next to his living room.

“We did it while his family were all at work during the day.

“His neighbours hated us and tried to get his dad to get rid of us but he wasn’t having it.”

Thanks to upgraded venue status, the band are due to gig in the world’s second busiest live indoor arena when they play Glasgow’s SSE Hydro in May. London’s O2 may be the busiest but the boys still feel Glasgow’s where it’s at, though ask them which small venue’s the best to perform at now and they’re at a loss for words.

Their first gigs at Nice ’N Sleazy in Sauchiehall Street feel like a distant memory now.

Ross says: “Maybe gigs at The Hydro and the O2 and Barrowlands in Glasgow are probably the best we still like to play.

“It’s so hard to keep up with what’s going on. When we started out we played in Bloc and Nice ’N Sleazy in Glasgow.

“We still go to see gigs in King Tut’s, it’s our favourite place in the world for gigs.

“Glasgow is always amazing to play so the Hydro will be great.

“We’ve played Europe, Australia and America and it’s always amazing and exciting that people want to see your band but the only place we can be humbled and think, ‘f*ck, that’s what I want to do is play in my own city.”

The boys will tour in the UK in May and play at T in The Park in July and after the music festivals Ross is looking forward to some siesta in Spain, some quality time with his cats and lots of FIFA chill-out time.

He admits: “We’re doing loads of festivals this year and I’m going to Madrid and Barcelona with my wife.

“We’ve been to every major city in Europe, America and Canada with the band but I’ve never been to Ma-

drid and Barcelona! On holiday is the one time in the year when I go away that there’s no musical instruments involved.

“I’ve got two wee cats Olive and Poppy and spend loads of time with them when I’m not touring or on holiday.

“When I was younger I had three family cats, Sid, Jessica and Buddy all named after singers – Sid Vicious, Jessie James and Buddy Guy – so I’m used to being round cats.

“I play loads of FIFA when I’m just relaxing too.”

So it’s really not quite the wild boy image you might expect from a rock band but Ross does admit to one addiction he’s finding it hard to shake.

He jokes: “The biggest perks of being in a band are getting the free clothes because I have a clothes addiction, although you wouldn’t know it because for the whole of this album I have worn a striped t-shirt and I honestly feel like it’s all I own – stripes and shirts!”

Twin Atlantic play the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on May 9.

EXPERIENCE THE TASTE OF MEXICO Enjoy tapas style traditional food found on every street corner in Mexico in a lively and relaxed atmosphere.

15% STUDENT DISCOUNT 26 Bell Street, Merchant City Glasgow G1 1LG t. 0141 552 7737 240 Canongate, The Royal Mile Edinburgh EH8 8AB t. 0131 557 4416 Open 7 days a week from 12pm

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14/03/2015 11:16:22

health and beauty

Cara, We Want Your Brows!

A good pair of eyebrows can totally alter your face, and it seems the whole word is obsessed with Miss Delevigne’s bushy offerings.

And while not everyone is so blessed, that’s what we have make-up for.

Here are our top tips for achieving the perfect catwalk-ready eyebrows.

1. Use an eyebrow brush to perfect your natural shape and to see where needs to be filled in.

2. Using short, light strokes, softly fill in any sparse areas with an eyebrow pencil in a shade that matches your own brows.

3. Use an angled brush and pressed powder to outline and define the brow shape, being careful not to create too harsh a line in the inside corners.

4. Lightly brush through the eyebrows again to blend.

5. Fix with an eyebrow gel.

6. Use a highlighter under the brows to emphasise and lift.

Alice’s top eye brow products BROW ZINGS BROW SHAPING KIT benefitcosmetics.co.uk £24.50

RIMMELL PRO EYEBROW PENCIL HAZEL 2 Superdrug £2.99

BROW SET maccosmetics.co.uk £13.50

Embrace Your Blonde

Kim Kardashian and WIT H famous brunette bracing blonde em h bot oe, Khl er, her sist son, is it time for you to styles for the new sea ? too s lock r you t ven rein everyone, and you Blonde might not suit a DIY-job if it’s id certainly want to avo lighter side, your first foray into the r hair just in but brightening up you the pertime for summer can be r look. fect way to revamp you or If you’re new to blonde ed kiss just fancy a slightly sun lights look, opt for subtle high . throughout your hair a great way to Alternatively, ombré is o doesn’t want to look channel this trend. Wh like a beach babe?

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ESSENTIALS FOR SPRING

MUA UNDRESS YOUR SKIN HIGHLIGHTING POWDER superdrug.com £3

fifty

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health and beauty A new season equals a new you. For spring, beauty looks are pared back, with glowing skin and natural make-up taking place of winter’s heavier, more done-up styles.

So ditch the false eyelashes and cakey foundations and let ALICE CRUICKSHANK guide you through some of the latest beauty trends that will leave you both looking and feeling refreshed.

Half-painted Nails

Lazy girls, rejoice! There’s no need to spend hours faffing over your nails, repainting chips, stressing over smudges… this season the catwalks went crazy for half-painted styles.

Think single metallic stripes, pastel cuticles and reverse French manicures. The key is to have the majority of your natural nail showing and accentuate it with little pops of colour.

Hair Braids

The French braid is so last year, darling!

Instead, experiment with some of spring’s more creative styles.

It’s hard to go wrong with a fishtail or, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, go for a rope braid.

To achieve this, tie hair in a ponytail.

Next, separate the ponytail into two sections and twist each one.

Cross the two twisted styles over each other for the length of the hair eh voila!

You just mastered spring’s top hair look.

Dewy Skin

Let your skin breathe this season. Swap your heavy, highly pigmented foundations for one of the new lightweight, liquid kind, as favoured by all the designers.

For skin that’s positively radiant, start with a lightweight moisturiser, follow with a light-reflecting foundation and finish with a sweep of highlighter.

No one needs to know you didn’t just wake up looking this fabulous.

it’s better BOURJOIS COLOUR BOOST LIP CRAYON PLUM RUSSIAN superdrug. com £7.99

MAYBELLINE BROW DREAM FLAWLESS SET NUDE FOUNDATION maccosIVORY 10 metics. superdrug.com co.uk £8.99 BARRY M NAIL ART PEN superdrug. com £4.99

Cat Eyes

RIMMEL GLAM EYES LIQUID LINER BLACK GLAMOUR 1 superdrug.com £5.29

NO girl should be without liquid eyeliner; just a simple flick can help shape and lift your eyes and make lashes look thicker.

However, for spring designers have gone for a dramatic, cateye winged liner look.

If you find the application too difficult, look for a liner with a solid stick brush or try a pot of gel eyeliner.

Berry Lips

Trade your autumnal matte brown and burgundy lipsticks for lip crayons in bright purple and rich plum.

This bold look is a striking change from the standard red lips and, best of all, these colours suit all skin tones. fifty-one

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14/03/2015 11:16:53

Get fit with your TV faves their aunty has a IT seems everyone anddays. Why not turn se the out D DV ess fitn ourites to see how to your reality TV fav ? they shifted the pounds

VICKY PATTISON’S 7-DAY SLIM This DVD comprises of 6 10-minute workouts, so there’s no excuse not to fit some exercise into your day.

Mix and match the routines to vary your regime for top results.

Don’t be duped by expensive lotions and potions – for an intense moisture burst, nature has the answer.

Coconut oil can be used as an intensive hair mask to repair and encourage growth, as an all-over moisturiser and even as a make-up remover.

A big tub will generally set you back

CHARLOTTE CROSBY’S 3-MINUTE BELLY BLITZ Getting a flat stomach takes more than crunches. That’s why in this DVD there’s a focus on HIIT to burn fat and tone muscle.

MIC: FIT THE boys and girls work together tackling different exercise crazes, such as tabata, body-weight workouts, yoga and HIIT. This is a great choice if you get bored easily and want to sample a range of fitness regimes.

Smile Dental Care We love to see you smile Students welcome Full range of treatments Advanced orthodontics New NHS patients welcome Appointment reminder Private treatment available Wide range of whitening 126-128 Great Western Road Glasgow G4 9AD

smiledentalcare1@hotmail.co.uk

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0141 331 1366 / 0141 333 9275

14/03/2015 11:17:10

Let’s go loco with

the coco!

around £10 but it should last for months. Oh, and it’s amazing for cooking too instead of olive oil as the fats are good for you and it leaves your food with a light coconutty flavour. What’s not to love, asks ALICE CRUICKSHANK...

Hair mask

Before bed, heat up a few spoonfuls of oil. Drench the lengths and ends of your hair before wrapping it up in a shower cap or old t-shirt.

When you wake up, wash your hair as normal and say hello to super silky, soft locks.

Body moisturiser

COCONUT oil is great to just rub into your skin as an intensive moisture treat.

Mix in a few drops of essential oil such as lavender or sandalwood for skin that smells as good as it feels.

Make-up remover

AS a make-up remover- gently rub coconut oil all over your face.

Leave it to sit for a minute before wiping off with a cotton pad. Rinse the skin then rub in any residue for a make-up remover and moisturiser in one!

Dry foot treatment

Dry foot treatment- combine coconut oil with salt and rub a thick layer over rough areas.

Put on a pair of cotton socks and leave for a few

hours (ie the length of a film on Netflix). Rub in any residue then rinse off remaining salt.

Shaving foam substitute

Fed up of shaving foam always rinsing off? Well water will bounce right off coconut oil. Spread a thin layer all over your legs then shave as normal. Be sure to rinse the razor in between strokes to prevent it getting clogged.

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Student Rag 21G.indd 53

20% STUDENT DISCOUNT Tuesday & Wednesday

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14/03/2015 11:17:25

interview

H

ELEN MONKS was Birmingham’s first young poet laureate, acts and has won numerous writing awards.

And yet of all the books the uber literate 22-year-old read growing up from Tolstoy to The Female Eunuch, one of the actress’s favourite lines is ‘wank away the pain’.

The line, spoken by Helen’s character Germaine while masturbating, is from Channel 4’s new comedy-drama Raised By Wolves.

Helen says: “I think it is just brilliant. When I read that line in the script I couldn’t wait to say it! Raised

By Wolves is quite rude. I was so embarrassed when my dad came to see the screening in Wolverhampton.

“The show’s about knickers, shopping, getting your first period and masturbation. Thankfully they didn’t show the masturbation scene at the screening.

“I’m absolutely dreading it being screened on television. My mum sat me down and reassured me by saying ‘you must never sense yourself’.

“Germaine is discovering masturbation but teenage girls don’t talk about it but they do do it and teenage boys do it all the time and we know about it.

“Showing it validates something that already exists.”

The drama is a biographic written by sisters Caitlin and Caroline Moran – the former is a broadcaster, Times columnist and author – and is set on a Wolverhampton council estate.

And note to all, it is most definitely not Shameless!

In case there was any doubt, on set the cast were banned from saying the ‘S’ word for fear of upsetting the director.

Helen explains: “The big thing Ian the director banned was the word ‘Shameless’ on set.

“Television either reflects or idolises life, that’s what art is for.

“Raised by Wolves does both and it’s shown in a beautiful, happy, loving way.

Shameless focuses on the broken bits.

Considering such a huge population in Britain lives on council estates it shows that just as life, particularly in a culture of benefit street.

“What’s exciting is all the characters, particularly Germaine, love themselves believing they are great. You often see people being

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Helen’s insecure, particularly because Germaine is bigger but that’s not mentioned in Raised by Wolves.

Helen stars as Germaine and 18-year-old X+Y film actress Alexa Davies plays Aretha. Germaine is based on Caitlin and Aretha on Caroline.

Amazingly, Helen almost clinched the role purely by turning up at a book signing.

She reveals: “I went to see Caitlin at a book signing event and ran over to her to get my booked signed.

“She remarked how I looked like a Moran and I joked and said I could play her life story. She responded ‘you should’ and exchanged an email address and I went for the audition!

“Getting to know Caitlin when I started reading the script genuinely I can say how much of what I read and you will see is so real.

“There’s no pretence with Caitlin and Caroline.They’re not interested in fame or anything else like that.

14/03/2015 11:17:42

self- touchy subject “I could relate to my character Germaine not in the home schooling but my parents told me to wear sensible knickers and don’t think of what other people think of you.

“I went to a massive all-girls comprehensive where most were fiercely intelligent and were reading similarly literary books to the characters in the show. My brother was reading Tolstoy at 13-years-old. ermaine and Aretha’s lives aren’t really dysfunctional although their upbringing is so unusual. It’s Aretha who says ‘it’s very ordinary things done in an extraordinary way’.”

What’s unusual about the character’s lives based on Caitlin and Caroline Moran’s real life is, seen as a family of hippies, they had home schooling and during the day were taken on trips round the park, busying themselves by slinging mud at their house with no daily structure.

Helen says: “Their bond with each other brought out the

G

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extremities in each other. Caroline is a massive introvert and Caitlin is an extrovert. The girls are polar opposites so where Germaine experiments with masturbation Aretha amusingly reveals: “Not even I have seen myself naked” as she is so private with herself!”

There are numerous funny scenes in the show and one that springs to mind for Helen involves a relationship with the heartthrob character Lee Rimes in a ‘will he won’t he notice Germaine’ quandary.

Helen recalls: “Germaine was retelling a story to a friend of how the last time Germaine spoke to Lee he threw a dog at her!

“But she’s blinded by love and she lives in this fantasy world where he loves her. Her cousin is normal, beautiful and popular and Germaine thinks she is too.”

Legally blonde it isn’t but Helen admits that the lure of the ever-changing wardrobe almost had her begging

14/03/2015 11:17:55

to take home her character’s clothes if not for one thing – the young actress wore a fat suit to look the part for her 15-stone character.

Helen said: “I want to borrow all of the clothes. It was like playing dress up. There were no rules with this and Caitlin said ‘go wild and go to town’.

“When she was growing up she dreamed of wearing the clothes my character wears and she wasn’t allowed to so I get to wear her dream clothes.

“Germaine is often in old Victoriana and the description in the script was, ‘Elizabeth Taylor (50, 60, 70s actress) at one of her husbands’ funerals’ so I wore pinched in waists, amazing lapelled dress jackets, spotty netted hats draped over my face and Victorian-style boots.

“Sadly it was all made to fit me wearing my fat suit so I wouldn’t fit into it. The fat suit was my favourite thing ever and so curvaceous and womanly, though I would rip it off at the end of the day as the smell was awful. I now know how I’ll smell when I die.”

A far cry from Helen’s role as patron of the World’s Words Festival in 2007, or when she toured her poetry with the London Mozart Players and had her poetry commissioned by the BBC, Birmingham Library, Birmingham City Council and Brook Sex Advisory Clinic!

Her radio play One Day, won the

BBCs young writers competition ‘Radio Online’. When Helen’s not acting, winning playwright awards and writing poetry, she pens for feminist online magazine The F Word and feels feminism is still relevant in 2015.

Helen says: “The term feminism comes in many forms and comes with a

lot of stigma. If you just say ‘equality’ you imply it’s something that really exists.

In 2015 we still don’t have equal pay and have forced marriages and on TV it shouldn’t just be about talking about it.

“Caitlin and Caroline, by putting their show on TV they are normalising women on TV.”

RAISED BY WOLVES is on now until the end of April on Channel 4, 10pm on Mondays.

TIME TO GET ON BOARD! Looking to try something new this summer? Then how about a day out learning to wakeboard.

The world’s fastest growing watersport, wakeboarding is safe fun and easy to learn.

At Loch Lomond Wakeboard, Scotland’s first purpose-built wakeboard and wakesurf school, we cater for all abilities, from first-timers to experts.

Our experienced team will help you progress your skill level at your own pace, whether it’s getting up for the first time or learning to land that new trick.

It’s a relaxed sociable atmosphere at LLWB, hanging out on the boat watching your friends ride with the tunes pumping from the boat’s speakers – perfect for chilling out or blowing away that hangover.

Set in the idyllic location of Ardlui on the shores of Loch Lomond, LLWB system2 cable that makes wakeis within easy reach by road boarding extremely easy to learn from both Glasgow and Edinand progress. burgh, or you can get a direct Once you’re up and going train from Glasgow which stops there is a selection of sliders and directly opposite LLWB. ramps for showing off your skills.

New for 2015, LLWB has With Buy One get One Free on opened a wakeboard park just lessons for all students, LLWB a 15-minute walk from the cenoffers one of the best waketre of Glasgow at the Pinkston boarding deals in the UK while Watersports Centre on North Canal Bank Street. ensuring you enjoy an awesome Glasgow Wake Park is a day out.

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STUDENT PASS BENEFITS l l l l l l l

£30 one-off cost 1 x LTR or BOGOF at Loch Lomond Wakeboard 1 x LTR at Glasgow Wakepark BOGOF all season for £25 (off peak) VAT free at our Pro Shop (20% off everything) 1 x one hour SUP or kayak hire (off peak) £5 credit to your social events

14/03/2015 14:10:18

WIN A FOUR-PACK OF MACKIE’S LUXURY CHOCOLATE

WE have fifteen fourpacks of Mackie’s new chocolate to give away – so you can try them all!

What’s your #MoodForMackies #chocolate?

Mackie’s of Scotland is a family business in Aberdeenshire which has become one of Scotland’s top and favourite food brands.

Mackie’s make ice cream, potato crisps and recently started making chocolate.

You might not be surprised to know that students are one of the

groups with the biggest appetite for chocolate!

You can find Mackie’s chocolate in Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores (£1.89).

We will pick five winners each month (April, May and June) at random from all mood messages received by the last day of each month.

Just tweet to tell @mackiesscotland what your #MoodForMackies is and

If you’re good to talk...

We know a lot about what can help you through tough times.

Talk to us any time you like, in your own way and off the record about whatever is getting to you.

You don’t have to be suicidal. Just having someone to talk to that isn’t family or friends can be a tremendous help.

We can help you explore your options, understand your problems better or just be there to listen.

It doesn’t matter who you are, how you feel or what has happened. If you feel that things are getting to you, get in touch.​ 08457 90 90 90 (national) 0141 248 44 88 (local) www.samaritans.org

mention @studentragmag. Here’s how to enter: just tweet your most common mood need for chocolate..

XXXXXXX is my #MoodForMackies #chocolate @mackiesscotland @ studentragmag For example: Panicking about deadlines is my #MoodForMackies # chocolate @ mackiesscotland @studentragmag

Feeling stressed?

No one to talk to about how you are feeling?

Samaritans are available 24/7. Our trained volunteers won’t judge or make assumptions about what is causing you concern.

They are carefully trained to put aside any personal beliefs. We won’t give you a label, a diagnosis or a prescription.

And because you’re talking to a stranger you don’t have to worry about our feelings.

You can speak to us in confidence, we don’t record your calls nor can we trace your number.

We want you to feel safe while talking to us, so you can tell us how you’re really feeling. That’s why we take your confidentiality very seriously.

...then we’re ready to listen fifty-seven

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14/03/2015 11:18:24

COMING SOON TO A PLACE NEAR YOU...

Looking for a gig or new release and don’t know where to go? Never fear, STEPHEN BUTCHARD has a gander at what’s goin’ on...

AS a founding member of celebrated indie rock group Arcade Fire, multi-instrumentalist and all round cool-dude Will Butler had a lot to live up to with his recently released solo album Policy.

Will earned an Oscar nomination last year alongside Owen Palett for scoring the Spike Jonze film Her. He’s a natural performer too, known amongst Arcade Fire fans for his energy and frequent stage antics, as he shared with Pitchfork in a recent interview.

He said: “I do so many embarrassing things in public that I wasn’t that worried about going solo.

At the Barclays Centre,

I took off my shirt and put on a bobble head and pretended to dance like David Byrne while rubbing my tummy.”

Policy is an eclectic mix of sounds and styles, coming together to form a canvas that acts as a celebration of American music.

The synth glossed ‘Anna’ flirts with disco and new wave, while ‘Take My Side’ has Will yelping though Buddy Holly-esque rockabilly choruses.

The diverse and colourful musical palette Butler has is endearing and reminiscent of eccentrics such as Ariel Pink.

You can catch Will Butler at Glasgow Art School on April 20.

will butler

ghostpoet Operating somewhere between singer, rapper and spoken word artist, Ghostpoet – real name Obaro Ejimiwe – has a style that still feels fresh and utterly compelling, nearly four years since his debut album Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam. Previews from his latest album Shedding Skin suggest that the producer and vocalist isn’t happy sticking to his tried and tested sound down the road, though.

His debut and its follow up You Say I and I say Light were moody and spacious, instrumentally, with glitchy electronics and crackling trip-hop inspired drums filling up the mix.

The new album will make for an interesting change of pace that could catapult Ghostpoet into the mainstream.

Early preview Off Peak Dreams suggest that it may well succeed, with his woozy vocal flowing well over brittle guitars and energetic drums. His lyrics are still sharp too: “Hold it down, keep it calm/Whining kids will harden up, Maybe a couple quid in your palm/ But we both know that ain’t near enough” Ghostpoet will play Edinburgh’s Electric Circus on the second of April. Shedding Skin is available now.

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belle and INDIE pop legends Belle and Sebastian have been captivating for years with albums brimming with charming melodies, tongue in cheek lyrics and lavish pop instrumentation.

Early albums Tigermilk and If You’re Feeling Sinister have earned cult

status thanks to their sharp songwriting and influential charm, pushing the band on to become one of the most celebrated Glaswegian bands of all time.

They’ve never strayed far from their sickly sweet acoustic instrumentation, but their latest album Girls 14/03/2015 11:19:23

s

d

shlohmo

LA electronic producer Shlohmo’s 2011’s Bad Vibes was filled with crumbling beats, melting synth sequences and a hazy ambient fuzz that clouded up the mix like a thick smoke.

He went on to work on EP Laid Out, which brought the sounds of alt R&B and trap styles together with beautiful results and a stunning use of vocal manipulation.

Just when I thought I had Shlohmo’s sound pinned down, he surprises again with the track

young fathers

Buried, a preview from upcoming album Dark Red. It’s a menacing, industrially tinged track that goes a shade darker than anything we’ve heard from him before, without sacrificing his keen ear for melody.

Shlohmo’s label promises that the album will blend “shades of ’90s IDM, R&B, cassette-tape Jungle, and sludge metal”.

To hear this genre fusion come into fruition, pick up Dark Red when it releases on April 7.

“Did I see you planting seeds in the forest?/Is it for the green of the dollars?/ Now don’t go telling me it’s for the needs of the poorest/ Now Imma take a sh** in your palace.”

This is how Young Fathers opens their song ‘Low’. It’s lyrics are confrontational, filled with frustration towards a corrupt governmental system.

They are delivered with a passionately, expressive

vocal, over African inspired drums and a humming organ, before the track explodes into a cacophonous, electronic breakdown.

As hip-hop groups go, Young Fathers are hard to pin down, blending a range of styles to create something new and undefinable.

This eclectic mix is perhaps what led to their surprise win of the Mercury Prize last year for debut album Dead.

The group were largely

seen as the underdogs having sold only around 2,000 copies.

After winning though, the group found themselves in the charts for the first time, with Dead reaching 35 the following week.

The Edinburgh based trio headed straight back into the studio after the win.

Young Fathers will be at Glasgow Art School on May 20.

james blake

sebastian in Peacetime Want to Dance sees them radically moving away from the baroque pop of their roots and focusing their attention on electro disco and synth based dance tracks.

Belle’s trademark lyrical flair is still present, such as on the track Cat With The Cream which observes “everybody bet on the boom and got busted”.

Belle and Sebastian play The Hydro in Glasgow on May 22.

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Electronic tinkerer and singer-songwriter James Blake has been impressing since his eponymous 2011 debut, on which he paired icy synths, clicking hi-hats and cavernous wubwub bass (yes, wubwub is it’s technical term), with equally chilling melodies and a soulful croon.

The success continued onto Blake’s second effort Overgrown which saw him add R&B into the mix on tracks such as Retrograde, and picking up a Mercury Prize in the process.

Blake is set to return with the album Radio Silence which is rumoured to feature Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, as well as Kanye West, who has praised Blake as one of his favourite artists.

This won’t be the first time Blake has collaborated with a hip-hop titan, with the Wu Tang’s RZA popping up on Overgrown highlight Take the Fall for Me to spit a moody verse.

Even more surprisingly, Blake currently has a flateshare with Chicago based MC Chance the Rapper in LA, which seems like an odd couple sitcom waiting to be written.

Let’s hope Blake continues his winning streak when he releases Radio Silence later in the year.

fifty-nine

14/03/2015 11:19:38

tech

Game on for Lenovo

Hudl up, this is gonna be good Tesco Hudl 2 £129 AS uncool as having a Tesco branded product is – believe me, I had an Audio Technika mp3 player throughout secondary school and it killed the style icon inside me – the Hudl 2 is one of the sharpest budget tablets around.

It does surprisingly well given the lame connotations that come with being a supermarket’s branded tablet.

It’s a bit like being a supermodel for Cillit Bang.

Not the most desirable gig.

Yet the Hudl 2 succeeds. It has a similar but updated look and feel compared to the original.

It uses the same type of plastic casing, giving an attractive matt finish and a rubbery grip to it.

It feels nice to hold although, due to being a bit larger, it’s a little heavier – 401g up from 364g.

It makes up for this though by being a little thinner at 9.1mm.

The Hudl 2 boasts sleek rounded edges, and a smooth back plate that comes in a range of bright colours.

The tablet’s best feature is its gorgeous screen. It’s bigger than its

predecessor, with a nottoo small, not-too-chunky eight inch segment which utilises an impressive Full HD (1920 x 1200).

The display is vibrant and offers good viewing angles and rich colours.

Tesco claims that the Hudl 2 is three times faster than its predecessor, which is especially impressive considering that it costs only £10 more than the original.

This is thanks to an Intel Atom quad-core processor which clocks up to 1.83 GHz, and Tesco has doubled the amount of RAM to 2 GB. The single model of the Hudl 2 offers 16 GB of storage. Though that seems passable, it should be noted that just over half of the internal storage is already being used by the operating system, which is disappointing.

Don’t fret, though, as additional space is provided by the micro SD slot which would add up to 32 GB to the systems storage.

Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 £379 With the Z50-70, Lenovo are hoping to offer more than just your standard budget laptop.

It boasts a full-HD 1920 x 1080 display, a fourth-generation Intel Core i3, and a discrete n Vidia graphics processor, giving laptop gaming capabilities previously unseen in a budget model such as this.

It also looks really shiny, which is nice.

Its design has a premium feel, even if most of the silver on display is just painted plas-

tic. But the top deck as well as the metallic trim around the laptop is made of real metal, and gives it an extra sturdiness.

The trackpad is a cut above most budget laptops, with a textured feel that allows for smooth scrolling, and a keyboard that, while not feeling premium, is functional and well designed.

Only 4 GB of memory is installed but easily upgraded if needed, and the 1 TB hard disk is a generous amount of space for a model of this price.

Processor, memory speed and system performance is average as would be expected, but the laptop is more than capable of performing the lightweight tasks it was intended for.

There are two USB 2.0 ports, one on each side; as well as an extra v3 port on the left that joins HDMI and VGA video ports there, which is an added bonus.

A tablet you should Acer Aspire V13 £350 THIS is the cheap little sister of Acer’s ultrabook, and by removing the bells and whistles such as a touch screen, it packs a surprisingly big punch given its budget price tag.

Whereas many budget laptops feel clunky and cumbersome, the V13’s design is lightweight and portable.

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It is just over 20 mm thick and weighs just over 1.5 kg. It boasts an elegant matt-white finish giving it an aesthetic similar to Apple’s original MacBook, with tough white plastic covering the back for extra protection.

With 4GB of RAM, it’s on the low end, but for lightweight tasks such as web-browsing, listening to music or writing essays, it should cope just fine.

Hard-disk based storage is

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tech

TOP GEAR Student Rag’s guide to the best tech...on a budget

AS a student, living on a budget is a pretty sad state of being.

It usually means you can’t go out that much, and when you can, you’ll be drinking Tesco’s ‘everyday essentials’ vodka at parties, which is just as depressing as not going out at all.

You’ll be eating more baked beans and tuna pasta than is medically advisable, and you probably don’t think you have

any money left over for cool tech, either.

While we can’t help you out with your liver damage or fishy-ass breath, this guide will hopefully be able to help you find the best technology to buy when on a budget, as well as giving tips on the ways to get the most out of the tech you already own.

STEPHEN BUTCHARD investigates the no-frills end of the market...

Not for the selfie-indulgent Motorola Moto E £75 Available for this budget price with a prepay phone plan, the Motorola Moto E nails the foundations.

It feels sturdy and responsive, and its screen excels when compared to most other budget phones.

It’s scratch and water resistant too, and has an all-day battery life, making it more reliable than even the most expensive phones on the market.

It also runs Google’s Android and will be updated to the latest version, ‘Lollipop’, very soon.

The phone is not without its shortcomings, though.

The camera is rather poor, and – unforgivably – the lack of a front facing camera means no selfies.

Storage is limited to just 4GB, but there is a micro SD card slot for extra space.

Kestrel comes to the 4 EE Kestrel £89

Aspire to usually the slowest link in the budget notebook chain, but Acer has covered this by utilising a Seagate SSHD – a 2.5in 500 GB laptop hard disk with an added 8 GB of fast flash, which essentially means it should have accelerated performance.

This, along with its sturdy qwerty keypad and impressive battery life of over 6 hours makes it a worthy contender for the best budget laptop around.

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THE EE Kestral is the cheapest Android phone with 4G available.

It is built by China’s Huawei for the EE network, and as the price would suggest it feels a little bit cheap, but it is lightweight and streamlined, when many budget phones suffer from their clunky aesthetic.

The decent quad-core processor makes the phone responsive, and the battery gives over a day’s worth of use without power-saving modes activated.

It has 8GB of built-in storage and a micro SD card slot.

The 4.5in screen will suffice for watching videos of cats on YouTube or browsing the web for porn. The 4G network makes downloading and playing videos faster than most 3G budget smartphones.

A 5-megapixel camera and 1-megapixel front-facing camera capture decent photos, but aren’t too impressive in dim lighting.

Moto G has it all going on Motorola Moto G 2014 £150 THE Moto G offers a lot when compared to other phones of the same price.

It comes in two models, with the £150 version boasting a 5 inch screen compared to the 4.5 inch screen of the £130 model, which offers faster 4G connection. The Moto G comes

with the latest version of Android ‘Lollipop’, a sharp HD screen, solid performance and an equally solid build quality.

It’s scratch and water resistant and has a replaceable back cover.

While its 5-Mp or 8-Mp back-facing camera (depending on version) are average, it will do for simple pictures, and the front-facing camera’s handy for selfies and video chats.

Both versions have 8GB of memory and a micro SD card slot.

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tech

Get more out of... it very hard for Netflix to bring content to UK shores when owned by an Binging shows on Netflix is perhaps American network. the greatest invention of the 21st As well as this, it should be noted century so far. that the UK Netflix has vastly improved And for an expert binger such as since it first arrived. me, it’s unfortunate that after making But to be frank, you’re missing out it through a slew of shows, the British on some gems if you aren’t tied to a version of Netflix is somewhat lacking US account. compared to its Stateside brother.

Thankfully, the internet gods have This is understandable, with the heeded our prayers and bestowed us mess that is TV licencing laws making with services such as Hola, a proxy server plugin for Chrome which allows you to access the American Netflix free of charge and with complete ease.

What’s even better is that Netflix’s TOC make it that any Canon IXUS 150 you get the perfect shot. The ability to Netflix account is legally able Price: £84 manually tweak several settings also to access this US version of Available now in: Grey or red. means the camera allows for a depth Netflix, and so there is really of customisation nothing to lose.

The Canon IXUS 150 is a nifty little Unlike some budget compacts, the By now, a large number of compact camera that is light in the IXUS 150 doesn’t sacrifice snappy Netflix users have cottoned pocket, but not lacking in features. speed. onto this loophole, but in case We’re not exactly sure how Canon It’s quick to focus and you won’t you have not, do yourself a can be making a profit on this, but we have to waste time waiting for the favour, and get the most out of aren’t complaining. screen to clear before you can snap your Netflix account.

It sports a 16-megapixel sensor another shot.

Now, I’m off to binge watch and Canon’s striking Digic 4+ image All this would be pointless, though, Bob’s Burgers... processor. if the camera didn’t capture good It’ll also record HD video and there photos, and thankfully, it’s are several art filters to play with, too, very reliable, with steady for those too cool for Instagram. hands producing very little The camera is user friendly, with image distortion features such as Live Mode that allow Despite its budget price the photographer to see the effect of tag, the IXUS 150 manages setting changes in real time. to produce quality images As well as this, there’s a help button and is an excellent choice to explain various functions to, er, help for novice photographers.

Hola!

Focus on...

WIN

We’ve got TWO PAIRS of tickets to see Il Trovatore to give away – one pair for the Theatre Royal in Glasgow on May 12 and one pair for the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh on May 27. For a chance to win a pair of tickets simply answer the following question:

WHO SCORED IL TROVATORE? Text your answer FREE along with your name, phone number and email address AND PREFERRED THEATRE to 07746-792724 or email competitions@ student-rag.co.uk

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Opera at its grandest, Verdi’s Il trovatore hasn’t been seen on the Scottish Opera stage since 2001.

Directed by Martin Lloyd-Evans, the stark, brooding lines of the imposing set stand in impressive contrast to the blood and thunder of Verdi’s score, and provide a majestic backdrop for a cast and chorus of over 50.

A gypsy woman is discovered in the castle of the Count di Luna, crouched over the cradle of his youngest son. When

IL TROVATORE TICKETS the boy falls ill, she is burned at the stake for witchcraft. Her daughter, crazed with grief, snatches the child intending to kill him, but in her madness, throws her own son onto the fire.

Years later, she has brought the Count’s son up as her own and he and his elder brother, unaware of their relationship, are rivals for the beautiful Leonora.

Jealousy, revenge, love and hate collide as the opera crashes towards its inexorable conclusion.

Closing date April 15. Editor’s decision is final.

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