Vol. XXVI, Issue 1, OTwo

Volume XXVI, Issue 1 17th September, 2019

Reduce, Reuse, Restyle An interview with Glasfashion

PLUS: Alison Spittle - Vibrant in the Dark Nostalgia Reigns Supreme 1984 - A Prophecy?

The Top 3 Place s To Eat in Dublin When You’re Broke and Hungry

OTWO VOL. XXVI ISSUE 1 CONTRIBUTORS

CONTENTS Agony Aunt Page 4 Staff Recommends Page 5

Editor Gavin Tracey

Arts & Literature Pages 6-9

Deputy Editor Aoife Mawn

Poetry Page 9

Art and Design Editor Alex Fagan Assistant Editor Nathan Young Design Assistant: Orla Keaveney OTwo Co-Editors: Jess Viola Heather Reynolds Arts and Literature Editor Conor Halion Games Editor Andy Prizeman-Nolan Film and TV Editor Cíara Dempsey Music Editor Sinéad Dunphy Food Editor Sophie Tevlin Fashion Editor Dovile Grybauskaite Travel Editor Mallika Venkatramani Online Editor Emma Kiely Chief of Photography Alex Fagan Deputy of Photography Sofia Dragacevac

Games Pages 10-12 Film & TV Pages 13-16 Alison Spittle Pages 17-20 Music Pages 21-24 Food & Drink Page 25 Glasfashion Pages 26-28 Fashion Page 29 Travel Page 30 Fatal Fourway Page 31 Aperture Page 32

Howdy y’all…

And welcome back to UCD for another year of classes, coursework and content. We hope you had a great summer, and are just as happy to return as we are. We’re so excited to be here at OTwo, to share all of the great talent we have here on campus with our loyal readers. As the arts and culture supplement, we cover everything from museums, to film theory, to the latest in fashion and food. So giddy up partner and enjoy the ride.

(Anyone else agree ‘Old Town Road’ was the song of the Summer?)

This issue we have quite the mag. Starting with Heather’s old haunt, Arts and Lit, we have a piece by Games editor, Andy (#crossover) on the prophetic nature of Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four that’s well worth the read. If Games was the most interesting part of that sentence to you, check out Conor’s piece on soundtracks, and their continued importance in gaming. Speaking of music, have we got a jam packed section for you! This issue has throwbacks all around, with articles on nostalgia and vinyl vs streaming that are not to be tuned out. Next up, flick over to Film and TV where Odin O’Sullivan explains why Disney losing Spiderman is actually beneficial. Speaking of losing, Fashion this issue is all about cutting down on waste, with Alex interviewing Glasfashion, alongside our super chic fashion spread. Spreading the love down in food, Sophie teaches you how to put anchovies into a brilliant pasta sauce, giving some affection to the much hated fish. And in Travel, Mallika highlights how to not be a fish out of water, with her amazing travel tips.

We hope you enjoy reading all this as much as we enjoyed putting it all together.

Until the next issue, we’re riding off into the sunset.

And that’s what you missed at UCD!

Jessica & Heather

Libra

Mystic Mittens

It’s time to cut some ties. Libra is represented by the scales, and it’s time to restore the balance. It’s a new year, so make some new friends that don’t make everything about them. You know the ones I’m talking about.

Scorpio

Freshers flu has hit you full force, my friend. Email your lectures, contact your programme office, because you are down and need to take care of yourself. You’ll thank me when you’re only needing Benylin and not Amoxicillin.

Sagittarius

Unlike Leo, this month is the time for you to grind even in your sleep, and you will reap bountiful rewards. Whether it be classes, societies, or God forbid a real world paying job, now is the time to give 110% to your endeavours.

Capricorn

Everything is telling you to reinvent yourself, and you need to give in to that all consuming urge.

That’s right Capricorn, the stars agree it’s time for you to get that cute bamboo Keep Cup you’ve been eyeing. It’s time for a change.

Aquarius

Be kind to your housemates this month, Aquarius. We get that you’re curious, but they really don’t need to relive that break up right now. Give it at least another week, the wounds are still fresh.

Pisces

It’s Freshers’ week, and that means a refreshed social circle, and boy have you been waiting for some new blood. Give into the urge to make friends with everyone you meet, the stars say it’s time to go ham.

Aries

The stars say to mix it up a little Aries! No use repeating last year’s mistakes, when you’ve got a chance at a fresh start. The stars also say to dump your boyfriend, but hey, they can’t all be winners.

Taurus

You’re in need of inspiration this month, so check out the Arts&Lit section for some Culture Night recommendations. It’s a safer bet than giving into that urge to give yourself a buzzcut.

Gemini

Feel free to throw yourself into redecorating your new digs, regardless of what your landlord says. It’s what you need right now. Lacking that opportunity, you could always rent a locker in Newman and kit it out High School Musical style.

Cancer

It doesn’t matter how long your to do list is, people are still allowed to get annoyed if you get crabby.

Pace yourself and communicate, unless you want to start sounding too much like your mother.

Leo

Lions are getting stuff done this month! But be careful not to lose yourself to the grind, a catch up with the lads is just as important for your wellbeing as getting all your reading done three weeks early.

Virgo

With the moon in Virgo this month, you’ve got a lot of luck coming your way, but only if you play your cards right, if you catch my drift.

Hesitancy is not your friend at the moment.

Soapbox

James Corden Needs To Stop

By Alex Fagan and Aoife Mawn

Where to begin? This pest to society will not leave us alone, and has tarnished every facet of pop culture he can lay his grubby little fingers on. Yeah sure, we all loved Gavin and Stacey but it’s time we face the fact that enjoying James Corden’s latest comedic outputs is an insult to anyone with a sense of humour.

Unless Ruth Jones is writing what he says, or he’s wearing a tracksuit and acting like an affable Essex lad, he is totally and utterly insufferable. There is no film, television show or other form of media that is better off with him in it.

Look, we know The Emoji Movie never needed to happen anyway, but having him in it somehow managed to make it even worse. And don’t get us started on his shite chat show, which is basically what Dick and Dom would have been if they were on after dark. Carpool Karaoke is genuinely one of the worst things to have ever come out of television, and that includes the entirety of Fox News.

Speaking of that overdone, annoyingly loud feature, let’s keep our shameful karaoke performances to a Sunday night in Workman’s, shall we?

Ocean’s Eight was a highly anticipated film of 2018 but nothing enraged us more after 40 minutes of watching Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett plan a heist at the MET Gala than hearing James Corden’s voice as he appeared on screen. Not that too. ‘London Boy’ by Taylor Swift? The worst song on her new album, and somehow, again, made worse by James Corden’s millisecond cameo. He should publicly apologise for it. So should Idris Elba.

Finally, it seems he has reached his peak. Cats promises to be the worst film this year, if not of all time (We’re looking at you, Dirty Grandpa). Why must he get his face everywhere, even in a film where he plays a GODDAMN CAT? Please just stop. We can’t take it anymore.

OTwo

Agony Aunt Dear Jerry Mayo, I am new to UCD this year and having come from an all boys school, do not have much experience with the ladies. I have never had a girlfriend and have been on a minimal amount of dates that I can count on a single hand. However, there is this girl in my physics class that I like but, when you’re in a course with as many guys as mine, I find I sometimes blend into the background. How do I get the girl I like to notice me?

Sincerely, Lonely-Wan Kenobi

Lonely-Wan! I’m gonna be straight to the pint, sorry I mean point. Jesus, I would love a cold one right now...If you like this girl the key is to have confidence. And how do you gain this confidence, you ask? From having pride in your GAA team, of course! As long as you’re wearing your county colours with pride, she won’t be able to keep her hands off you! One of the best places that I find this method effective is by going to Coppers. Yes, I know they do a county colour night there, but to really stick out there you’ll want to wear your jersey every time you go out.

And how does this method work? Well, let me tell you Lonely-Wan, even when your team loses and you’re reppin’ those beautiful county colours, she will know that you bleed confidence from the relentless pride you have for your favourite GAA team.

Now, look here, if that doesn’t work you can always fall back on plan B: taking her out for a good carvery! No woman can resist the smell of stale gravy and dry vegetables sitting under the heat lamps in the restaurant in Dicey’s (€5 for students, pure shteal, like!). If she can’t resist that, she’ll have a hard time resisting you. Sure, the best aftershave a man can wear is the meat sweats from his mam’s Sunday dinner.

Trust me, she’ll be all yours if you follow this foolproof plan, just make sure she knows that mammy comes first.

All the best, and up Monaghan!

What’s Hot?

The Revival of the Hairband Trend You loved it as a child, now it’s back and better than ever! Hairbands have become your ultimate best friend. The best part? Colour coordinating your headwear to your outfit. Whether it is to hold your strays back, or to conceal your greasy hair, a hairband is always an essential accessory.

What’s Not?

Fast Fashion Sure, it’s fun to buy new clothes from your favourite shop but, it is time to take action and reduce our use of fast fashion. Try buying clothes from pre-loved clothes sales or borrow outfits from your friends instead.

Saving the planet is always on trend.

Getting Rid of Instagram Likes One of the most beneficial changes coming from social media this year is getting rid of the like count on instagram. This is definitely hot as it prevents people comparing themselves to others in an unhealthy way.

Now you can share without giving a care!

Getting Rid of An Cuas in the Newman Building Our beloved seating area in Newman, located by the Coffee Dock, has been replaced by new offices which means the end of An Cuas. Now students will have to find another place to go for relaxing, eating, or just skipping out on a lecture. R.I.P. An Cuas, you will always be in our hearts.

September Chill It’s time to pack away your summer tank tops and swimsuits because, the autumn season is upon us. Now it’s time to whip out your favourite oversized sweater to keep warm in this changing climate. September weather means wearing cozy sweatshirts, layering up jackets, and most of all wearing your most sophisticated turtleneck to keep the fall chill away.

Brexit Boris Johnson, more like Boring Johnson! The only thing more insufferable than Brexit, is having to listen about Brexit happening. You actually look forward to seeing the Facebook posts that don’t include anything about Brexit, and that’s saying a lot considering it’s just stuffed with ads and unnecessary status updates from elderly family members. Brexit is certainly a veto from us.

OTwo

PODCASTS STAFF RECOMMENDS:

Vanshika Dhyani- Deputy Science Editor: 13 Minutes to the Moon

Heather Reynolds- OTwo Co-Editor: Forever Young Adult

Gavin Tracey- Editor: Chapo Trap House

Nathan Young- Assistant Editor: My Brother, My Brother and Me

The BBC World Services’, ‘13 Minutes to the Moon’ is literally out of this world. This podcast unravels the lesser known stories of the Apollo 11 expedition from mission control during their descent to the Lunar surface. So fasten your seat belts and embrace for impact, in 3..2..1...

Tired of civility and good taste in political media? Don’t understand why no one is as angry about the absolute state of the world as you? Give ‘Chapo Trap House’ a listen, equal parts funny and insightful. Politics through a leftist lense with the occasional distasteful joke. Headphones are advisable.

Lillian Loescher- Science Editor: Joe Rogan

For a long bus ride, I recommend the ‘Joe Rogan Experience.’ Rogan’s a UFC commentator and comedian who is curious about everything. His open-minded approach makes his interviews absolutely captivating. What starts off as serious dialogue easily tangents into shite talk that will be equally hilarious and engaging.

If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted literary podcast, ‘Forever Young Adult’ should be your go to. Hosts Aífe and Ciara take turns describing young adult novels to each other, but it shouldn’t be nearly as entertaining as it is. Plus, they’re UCD alumni, can’t get better than that!

Most people who are into podcasts already know, ‘My Brother, My Brother and Me’, and for those who haven’t, you are missing out. Labeling itself an advice show, the hosts answer questions from that bastion of reasonable enquiry, Yahoo Answers.com. If you enjoy the absurd, or need something wholesome to listen to, it’s the podcast for you.

Jessica Viola- OTwo Co-Editor: The Guilty Feminist

One of my favourite podcasts is Deborah Frances-White’s, ‘The Guilty Feminist.’ The host discusses modern feminist issues with a comedic spin and eccentric guests. Best of all, there will be a live recording at the Dublin Podcast Festival this November, a night you can’t miss!

Criticising Critics: A Critique

By Heather Reynolds

In a world of hot takes and clickbait, and everyone and their mother having a Twitter account, it’s not surprising that media criticism has become a risky game. Between every Joe Soap having a semi-popular culture blog and celebrities having learned how to name search on Twitter, you’re walking a fine line between getting drowned out and getting called out.

The current biggest discussion within this sphere however, isn’t about how the oversaturation of the market has led to there being a distinct downturn in paying gigs, it’s instead about whether artists should be allowed to respond to criticism of their work. I mean, I do agree that Lizzo saying music criticism shouldn’t exist is, at best, a bad look, but was Lana Del Ray really out of line to have responded to that Ann Powers review? She certainly got a lot of flack for it, but after having read the review myself, I have to say I agree with her. At least, I think I agree with her. The tweet lost me in the middle.

In any case, a review that starts with “This album will land her in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” and ends with “Her music is undercooked and lacking”, with several meandering paragraphs that had little to nothing to do with the piece she was critiquing, isn’t a good critique.

It’s instead, a self indulgent stream of consciousness that is masquerading as a review. It’s also not surprising that a not insubstantial amount of the responses to Del Rey’s tweet were less of a “Hey, is this coming from wounded pride or do you genuinely think she missed the mark?” and more of a “How dare you respond to this well respected reviewer at all negatively, you should be honoured she gave you her time.” Evidently, critic circles are not immune to Stan culture either.

When we close off any medium to criticism, we lose a proper scope for improvement. When critics words become viewed as Gospel, they lose any drive to make sure their work is good, just like an overhyped media darling on their sophomore album. Artists and critics have a symbiotic relationship, and so we also need to make sure both groups continue to inspire improvement in each other, and I for one am more than willing to put up with one or two bad faith tweets to ensure that art, and those who critique it, continue to thrive.

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1984 OTwo - Arts & Literature

A PROPHECY?

With the rise of larger than life politicians and phones which record our every move, Andy Prizeman-Nolan addresses the question, are we living in a dystopian future?

Written in 1949 as a bleak insight into the not so distant future, the Britain of Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is nothing short of horrifying. Having been assimilated into Oceania, one of three warring global factions, citizens have had their freedoms rescinded, and have been placed under the ever-watchful eye of ‘Big Brother’. The Proles, the novel’s working class, are the only citizens free from the tyrannical oppression of INGSOC, the sinister political party behind Big Brother. Yet precisely because they are kept entrenched in their back-breaking work, and not the terror of Big Brother, the crimes committed by INGSOC go largely unchallenged. The establishment of such a regime can be attributed to two symbolic characters in particular; Big Brother, an object of supreme love and veneration, and Goldstein, a figure symbolising hatred and turmoil.

These two larger-than-life characters are portrayed to the population of Oceania as being complete contrasts. Big Brother is the saviour of the people, guarding their interests against foreign threats, while Goldstein is the enemy, threatening the freedom and rights of the nation. The idea of idolising one political figure, while deeming the other as vile and detestable is not an entirely alien concept in today’s climate, and it is a well-established theory that in order for a society to thrive, it requires a force against which to strive. Media outlets, especially those with a clear political leaning, often turn to demonising the opposition to shut out any potential discourse that may clash with their preferred narrative.

(Cough, Fake News, Cough.) This inevitably results in an echo-chamber of discussion, where people refuse to believe any sort of ill-spoken accusations against their preferred political figure. Living in an age with such polarising politicians, we are left with the question as to what kind of world we are living in, and whether Orwell’s work was less a cautionary tale, and more of an apocalyptic prophecy.

The use of propaganda is pivotal in INGSOC’s goal of maintaining their grip over the people. One of the ways in which the government has constructed lies to retain power is how they essentially fabricate constant wars between one of the two other global parties, Eurasia and Eastasia.

By doing this, they are distracting the population’s collective gaze away from issues that may be plaguing their own society. They are led to believe that a war is occurring, but it is kept from their shores by their saviour, Big Brother. This has the effect of tricking them into believing that all threats come from external to the regime. One sees this ominously mirrored in Donald Trump’s 2016 electoral campaign speeches, which lay the blame for America’s crime rates almost exclusively at the door of Mexican immigrants. Examples of distractions often overshadowing immediate local or global issues is something that is extremely relevant today. A sensationalist headline can dominate general conversations, which has the effect of distracting the populace from truly pressing matters. Anything that may be detrimental towards the narrative that INGSOC has weaved is completely scrapped, as seen in the work Winston does as part of the Ministry of Truth, altering old newspaper headlines.

This is something that’s unfortunately become the case recently, as Boris Johnson has suspended parliament just days after lawmakers have returned from holiday leave, reducing the amount of time they have to potentially block their EU exit, or pass laws to soften the damage a No

“The idea of idolising one political figure, while deeming the other as vile and detestable is an idea that isn’t exactly alien in our current climate”

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“George Orwell’s bleak prediction of the future is certainly within the realms of possibility” Deal Brexit would entail. While they can serve as a reprieve from a daunting reality, it is important to ensure that these headlines don’t distract the public from issues that may affect them directly, as doing so would be to surrender their voice to the regime.

Another way in which aspects of Nineteen Eighty-Four are leaking into reality is the increase in global surveillance. In a 2013 leak, Edward Snowden revealed information about the NSA ran programme named “PRISM”, which involved mass data collection from the general public, including what was categorised as “dangerous” and “criminal” activities. The act of using surveillance to pry on unruly citizens is prevalent in Nineteen Eighty-Four, and it is seen in practice when the television in Mr Charrington’s second hand shop is revealed to be a monitor, used to spy on Winston and Julia to observe just how far they would take their rebellious relationship. This information revealed just how vulnerable people’s sensitive information really is, and just how easily government officials can retrieve such information, leaving great potential for such monitoring to increase further. If a governmental power truly wanted to further increase surveillance for any reason, they’re well within their capabilities to do so.

George Orwell’s bleak prediction of the future is certainly within the realms of possibility. Through means of shadowing, propaganda, and oppression, assimilating complete control over a nation overtime is certainly a feasible option for many a governing body, and for some, an increasingly possible reality.

OTwo - Arts & Literature

Your Guide to Culture Night 2019

By Arisha Ali

On the 20th of September each year, Culture Night, the island of Ireland is transformed into a hub of cultural and artistic events and venues across the country will open their doors, inviting you in to experience all the weird and wonderful events they have to offer.

Dublin offers a wide variety of events ranging from spoken word poetry, to comedy shows, all free of cost. So, dive in and experience first-hand this unique celebration of arts, heritage and culture.

Here’s a brief look at just a few of the many events happening throughout Culture Night: Drag and Draw: 33-34 Parliament St, Temple Bar, D2, D02 YP97, 5pm – 7pm Calling all artists and drag fans out there! Love drawing and Ru Paul’s drag race? This event might be a match made in heaven for you.

Street 66 in Temple Bar offers a rare opportunity to take part in a fun and fabulous life drawing class, with drag queen model, Bonnie Ann Clyde! All basic materials are provided, along with music and drinks. Although, with only 30 participants at a time, this one is sure to fill up quick!

Spoken Word: Lower Ormond Quay, D1, D01 R9Y5, 6.30pm – 9pm Spoken Word is an art form which focuses on the beauty of word play, tone and voice inflection. It’s like acapella for poetry. The Open University will be opening the doors of The Winding Stair Bookshop to allow everyone to enjoy this unique art form. Eager to get involved? You can take the plunge during the open mic part of the night.

“There will be a small exhibition, showcasing ActionAid’s new programme which challenges harmful cultural practices through an innovative approach to behaviour change.”

Gaiety School of Acting: 15-19 Essex St W, D8, D08 T2V0, 8pm – 10pm Are you a theatre aficionado? Perhaps an aspiring actor? Maybe you’re vaguely interested in acting but have never gotten into it. Either way, there really is something for everyone, at the Gaiety School of Acting. You can try a variety of taster classes throughout the evening, these include a beginner class (8pm - 9pm);

an acting for camera class, (8pm - 9pm); and a musical theatre class (9pm - 10pm). Not eager to participate? Not to worry, you are also welcomed to enjoy a multitude of colourful performances by the talented students of the Gaiety.

Flying Turtle Productions: 27 Pearse Street, D2, D02 K037, 5:45pm – 10:30pm Dying to channel your inner villain? Now’s your chance, small groups of 12 audience members are welcomed to take part in an immersive live performance, involving trained actors, with a special emphasis upon everything noir. This is one of the more exclusive Culture Night events, as an audience member can’t take part unless they know the password: “Speak Easy.”

Each performance lasts about 30 minutes, book well in advance and make sure to arrive five minutes early or you might lose your place!

Jesters at Sin É: 14 Ormond Quay Upper, North City, D7, D07 TF10, 7pm – 11pm Jesters is one of the most lively and vibrant comedy clubs in Dublin and this year, they’re hosting a comedy marathon! Get ready to laugh till you cry, as Jesters showcase Dublin’s funniest, wittiest and quirkiest comics. The twist? Each set is only five minutes! This means that each comedian has only five minutes to make you laugh out loud! If you love live comedy or haven’t yet explored Dublin’s incredible comedy scene, now’s your chance to catch some of the funniest comics around, completely free of charge.

Arran Street East: 1 Little Green Street, D7, D07 K744, 5pm – 9pm You’ve all seen wrestling matches, fist fights and brawls outside of pubs, but have you ever watched a pottery throw down? Arran Street East is an animated ceramic studio and café, and on the 20th September, they welcome you to join their potters for their first ever pottery throwdown.

Here, you will act as both audience and judge, as artisans participate in the ultimate test of pottery skill. To win the throwdown, Arran Street East’s potters will take the wheel and quickly throw together pieces suggested by the audience. These pieces will then be judged by the audience, taking into consideration timing, accuracy and aesthetic.

ActionAid Ireland: 172 Ivy Exchange, Granby Place, Parnell Sq, D1, D01 V125, 6pm – 8pm.

ActionAid is bringing a piece of Africa to Dublin through music, food, talks and visual art.

Rhythm Africana, an African music group, will be bringing with them a variety of traditional and popular African songs, between 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

In addition, there will be a small exhibition, showcasing ActionAid’s new programme which challenges harmful cultural practices through an innovative approach to behavioural change.

They will also be providing information on campaigns to end violence, harassment, as well as information on volunteering.

More information on events is available at:

www.culturenight.ie/dublin

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OTwo - Arts & Literature

The Dublin Fringe Festival

Dublin Fringe Festival is a celebration of multi-disciplinary talent; Clodagh Johnston explains what this means and sheds a spotlight on some productions not to be missed.

This year celebrates the twenty fifth anniversary of Dublin Fringe Festival, and events will be kicking off on September 7th until September 22nd. Since 1995, Dublin Fringe Festival has been a way to celebrate and showcase new, entertaining, innovative and emotionally moving approaches to art through a multi-disciplinary showcase of talent. With 77 productions taking place over 36 venues in the heart of Dublin City, Dublin Fringe Festival caters to almost every interest. Fringe provides a platform for fresh talent, and actively encourages the public to engage with these new and exciting artists.

Dublin Fringe Festival holds and often demands the audience’s attention and engagement through dialogue and interactive performances. Funded jointly by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Fáilte, Dublin City Council and Fáilte Ireland, The Fringe Festival is a vital resource in ensuring the survival of Irish cultural life.

Over the course of 16 days, Dublin is transformed into a vibrant hub of talent, innovation and beauty. All 77 productions that run throughout these next 16 days’ pay homage to this vibrancy by using The Fringe Festival to seize this opportunity for innovation.

They cross disciplines and artistic boundaries, and find new ways to create, display and engage the audience in their art.

With there being so many events to see at Dublin Fringe Festival a we have compiled a short list, covering some of the best and brightest events to keep an eye out for: How To Square A Circle – Aisling Ní Cheallaigh and Ronan Brady

Summarised with the line “Just because something is impossible, doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying”, How To Square A Circle is a mixture of acrobatics that defy gravity, aerial dance and pure laughter with two of Ireland’s leading circus performers. It is a story of the ego, friendship, love, and the joy a single cup of tea can provide. An event to warm hearts and spark inspiration, ticket limited, so book well in advance to avoid disappointment. It runs from the 18th-21st September in The Lir Academy – Studio.

Ticket Cost: €15/€13 concession

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Dungeons and Naggins – Steve Bennett Whether you played Dungeons and Dragons or not, this event still might be for you, as Steve Bennett confesses, he has barely played the game either; and he’s the one who wrote this role-playing game/comedy extravaganza!. Dungeons and Naggins is a simplified version of the imagination-based game, with some top comedians added to improvise the story and actively engage the audience. Don’t worry, illustrations will be provided to show you what’s happening.

Runs from 17th-21st September in The Workmans Club – The Vintage Room. Ticket Cost: €13/€11 concession Things We’ve Always Wanted to Tell You - Scottee & Friends Ltd.

If you don’t think there’s a class system in Ireland, this show is here to let you know the truth. Scottee & Friends will be in Project Arts Centre sharing tales of the reality of growing up working class in Ireland, with all that it entails. Join this motley crew for a dinner party you were never invited to, and in turn learn about them, Ireland, and maybe even yourself.

Runs from 18th-21th of September in Project Arts Centre – Cube.

Ticket Cost: €16/€14 concession.

Making a Mark – Talking Shop Ensemble and Run of The Mill Theatre.

Mark has lived a most extra-ordinary life. Having competed in the World Games, played King Lear to sell-out shows, while also packing bags in Tesco’s for 20 years, Mark’s story is not even half told. This production will be part live interview, part self-led confessional. It also provides a turning point for Mark as he accepts that this is his life and it is time, he took a seat at the table.

This production, through its reiteration of Marks ambition, grief and frustration will be the making of him. He only asks if you are ready for what he has to say?

Runs for one show only on September 17th at Axis in Ballymun.

Ticket Cost: €16/€14 concession.

All tickets can be booked online at Dublin Fringe Festival’s website.

OTwo - Poetry

Libation - Brendan O’Brien

A Cardinal Expectation - Yashowanth Kommala

They who let the sweet hellish nectar flow down their throats, Who stand by and watch as they collapse and fold, Bellowing out little whispers as it takes hold, Begin to wander in a shimmering world whilst their audience gloats.

You are a broken piece of paradise, Which has always made me mesmerise.

Stuck in a mania, a benevolent euphoria, They cannot stop. Basking in immortal glory “Please stop for all that’s holy!”

Its claws dig in, grasping tight, injecting wretched neurasthenia.

Craved to wrap my arms around your body, With love showered on you unlike nobody.

It seeps through their veins As their blood runs black, They retreat and cower to avoid attack, Abandoning their chariot yet the horses still pull the reins,

So much to say, too much to express, Your hand is what I was longing to caress.

Lost, alone, fragile and broken Who’s to say in a few hours they’ll be awoken?

Little did I know my heart was held captive, But I made sure I was proactive.

Couldn’t sense the ground beneath my feet, As I thought of you and it’s a visual feast.

Tears kissed my pillow each night, Whilst the stars in the sky shined so damn bright.

Stared at the ceiling with an empty feeling, As my soul was in search of an effective healing.

Glad to have surpassed this anguish and frustration, Because my darling, love is never about an expectation.

Raising Ashurbanipal - Alan Garrigan Countless stars in a depth of night The midnight tomb is the harbour of the Winter The whole moon gleams and Everywhere there is a voice Oh spirit behold these tidings Delivered from the gale Large ashen bones carrying Ashurbanipal Guide the way Ashurbanipal I have heard thine voice I have seen thee flash with red eyes In the pitch black visions reflect your silhouette The wind laments

Anna O’Farrell

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OTwo - Games

The Importance of a Good Soundtrack

In an age of advancement in the graphics and mechanics in video games, Conor Halion takes a step back to discuss the importance of a different, often overlooked aspect in gaming; the soundtrack.

It is said that man can weather any storm, stand up to any force no matter how insurmountable, but crumbles at the mere thought of silence. Silence has a demotivating effect upon people, it makes us think too inwardly, examining facets of ourselves we would rather have not seen. Sound, or to be more precise, music has the effect of granting the unquiet soul a form of escape from the daily grind. Studies show that videogame soundtracks have a particularly motivating effect upon the listener, making them work faster and solve problems quicker. But it is not enough for a soundtrack to be merely fast paced or catchy, you could listen to Katy Perry for that.

No, a good video game soundtrack must not only match the tone of the game but improve its overall experience. In terms of a crazy enjoyable soundtrack, you need look no further than the excellent Devil May Cry V.

Devil May Cry, all the way from its first instalment back in 2001, to its latest instalment in March of this year, just oozes style. While its flawless gameplay is a big part of this style, it also owes its crown of cool to its super suave soundtrack. Each of the three playable characters, Nero, Dante, and V, have a distinct battle theme which plays during their battle sequences. The theme begins playing quite faintly in the background, but as you pull off more stylish combos, your style rank increas-

es. (All the way from D for Dismal, to SSS for Smokin’ Sexy Style) With each increase in rank, the theme becomes a bit louder, a bit faster, getting you absolutely pumped. Nero’s theme ‘Devil Trigger’ is a particular treat, and you’ll never get tired of hearing its powerful vocals and techno beats.

“A good video game soundtrack must not only match the tone of the game but improve its overall experience.”

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At times, it feels less like you are playing a video game, and more like you are shredding a gnarly riff on an electric guitar to a crowd of adoring fans. You’ll find yourself actively trying to become better at the game just so you can listen to more of its Smokin’ Sexy Soundtrack. A slightly overlooked gem in the soundtrack is ‘Your Legacy’, which is a stark departure from the games other crazy cool beats. A slow elegy which sheds light on the characters motivations and hopes, it manages to fill the player with both a sense of melancholy and hope.

This leads us to our next point, which is tone. A good soundtrack not only matches its world, but actively adds to its atmosphere and story. The world of Dark Souls is, to say the least, bleak. You play as a cursed nameless undead, a walking piece of beef jerky destined to die and die again, until you eventually lose your mind and become a ‘Hollow’ The soundtrack of the game drives this point home to the very core, with the main area themes mostly consisting of morose string pieces which make you want to grab a tub of Ben & Jerrys; they’re so depressing. The boss themes on the other hand, are a complete and utter blast, and you’ll find yourself equally frustrated and exhilarated as you die and die again to the same boss. What is truly impressive is the sheer variety to be found in the boss themes alone, for example the ‘Taurus Demon’ features a full blown orchestra of male voices, while the ‘Moonlight Butterfly’ is a haunting elegy delivered by a single female voice, and each boss theme fits thematically with its character.

The most powerful moment that I have ever experienced in a video game arrives at the final boss of the first Dark Souls game.

Let me paint the scene: You step past the fog gate into the boss room, you have died countless times to many fearsome foes. Naturally, you expect an epic track to accompany the final confrontation.

However, you don’t get that. A life bar appears; “Gwyn, Lord of Cinder.”, and a heart-breaking piano arrangement begins to play.

You realise as the battle continues, Gwyn is not an all-powerful god, and this is not an epic culmination. Gwyn is a hollow who gave everything to save his kingdom and this is, at best, a mercy killing.

It is not the combat or story which make this point clear, but rather the slow piano arrangement, meticulously composed to resemble the tempo of a fading flame, desperately trying, and failing, to regain its former splendour, which will leave you feeling, fittingly, hollow.

Return of the King – Video Game Comebacks

A game’s reputation doesn’t have to last forever. In this article, Andy Prizeman Nolan examines different cases in which a game came back from an unpopular place.

The nature of the video game industry ensures that, while a game may be white-hot as it is released, eventually there will be a time where it fades from relevancy. Whether a newer release takes over the headlines, or whether it ends up simply playing itself out, games tend to have a limited time in the limelight. There have been times, however, where a game from years gone by starts to rebuild the fanbase and the excitement it had once boasted. Cases such as these pose the question of how a game can make such a comeback, and what implications does it have for today’s gaming landscape?

One such name that came back from an unloved place is Crash Bandicoot. With such a strong beginning, debuting on the original PlayStation with a fondly remembered platforming trilogy, as well as a cart racing game, the wheels began to fall off as founding company Naughty Dog sold the rights for the franchise. Games such as Wrath of Cortex and Tag Team Racing followed, garnering more mixed reviews, ultimately failing to live up to the standards set by the unanimously adored PS1 Trilogy. The release of Crash of the Titans and Mind over Mutant, completely abandoning the traditional platform roots it had already established, turned out to be the nail in the coffin for many long-time fans. The series had departed too far from the formula that made it so loved to begin with, and many had simply fallen out of love with the series. This remained as the general consensus, until December 3rd, 2016, when it was announced that Insomniac Games would be heading a remaster project for the original trilogy, to be released on the current generation consoles. Any lapsed fans that were left jaded by Crash’s latest efforts were immediately invested again, evident by the slew of positive reviews written upon release.

OTwo - Games

The main thing that the remastered trilogy did well was tapping into what fans of Crash were looking for. The idea of controlling a mutant as your favourite marsupial simply wasn’t what a lot of fans expected from a Crash game; they wanted a challenging, but enriching platform experience, complete with bright visuals and a vibrant soundtrack, all of which the N Sane trilogy provided in spades. Achieving this has brought the magic of Crash Bandicoot into the hands of a whole new generation.

Often, a game can retain a healthy number of concurrent or monthly users, while also experiencing varying peaks and lulls, but few games have ever seen such an explosive resurgence in popularity as Minecraft has. Being one of the world’s most popular games at the time of its release, Minecraft was a runaway success. Overtime, these numbers began to dwindle, as former players regarded it as being a ‘kids’ game’ and sought-after new experiences. Fast forward to today, Minecraft has arguably become one of the world’s most talked about games yet again, 10 years after it was initially released. In December 2018, Minecraft clocked in at having 74 million active players for the month, and reached an astounding 176 million global sales, just etching Tetris to make it the highest selling video game of all time. Part of this can be attributed to internet hype. Many content creators on sites such as Twitch and YouTube revisited the game, encouraging viewers to do the same. Creators like PewDiePie, with a subscriber list reaching 100 million, often went Number 1 on trending whenever a Minecraft video was uploaded, standing as a testament to how immensely popular Minecraft has become. Internet culture, nostalgia and continuous updates have all helped Minecraft capture, and recapture, the hearts of millions of players.

Sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of work to go into a game for it to redeem itself. Just look at how updates have saved the travesty that was No Man’s Sky. Games will continue to fluctuate between different levels of popularity, but whether it be through updates, response to fan backlash or people simply looking to revisit an old classic, it is never an impossibility for a game to reclaim some of its former glory.

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Nostalgia Review: How ‘Mario Kart Wii’ made my childhood.

While minding two of my younger cousins, one asked me about “the big white box” under the television. I plugged it in, and the solitary red light flickered on. The feeling of nostalgia already washing over me, before gently pressing the eject button, and seeing the all too familiar faces of Mario and Luigi racing in invisible go-karts. All those memories of my childhood came flooding back, before sliding the disc in, starting up the game, giving each of my cousins a Wiimote, and absolutely destroying both of them on Rainbow Road.

When the Wii was released in 2006, it was one of the most revolutionary gaming systems ever to be conceived. The glossy motion controllers, the Nintendo exclusives on the big screen in all its 480p of not-so-crispy goodness. I didn’t care about all that, I saw older kids playing it, and I saw you could play MarioKart with other people, and 7 year old me didn’t care at all about frame rates or processing power. I had to have one.

Once I had it, Mario Kart was all I played for nearly a year. It was so easy to get lost in it for hours at a time, especially if you had friends that usually got the better of you.

The Wii itself was revolutionary, but Mario Kart’s execution of the concept of a racing game was not. That fact is insignificant when I think back on how my family and I would gather around to play it. Mario Kart was always so easy for everyone to play, appealing to kids as well as adults. It brought the whole family together, accessible enough that whoever played it could feasibly win it. Mario Kart, in my opinion, will always be a great game. While the graphics compared to today’s consoles might lack behind, the game was simple to play, colourful, and fun.

The tracks offered enough of a variety to keep you invested, and couple this with the games’ simplistic nature, and competitive edge, Mario Kart is a game that has no issues resonating itself with people of any generation.

Just nineteen years late to the party, I recently took my first digital leap into the world of an iconic game that will soon be considered vintage, Pokémon Crystal. If, like me, you don’t have access to an intact Game Boy console, there’s no need to panic as Nintendo has since released a respectable catalogue of its classic titles as ported Virtual Console versions through the 3DS eShop, which includes Pokémon Crystal and many others.

This game, the third entry into the second generation (out of a current total of eight) of the series, proves to impressively stand the test of time on multiple levels, although, admittedly, is quite an acquired taste, even for longtime fans of the franchise. If your personal taste in gaming material tends to veer away from the direction of slow-paced, linear and repetitive titles, or if you simply have very little patience, then I would instead recommend that you direct your sights towards the fantastic return that the DS made to this story in 2010 with Pokémon ‘HeartGold’ and ‘SoulSilver’. From our contemporary standpoint, Pokémon Crystal is a quaint throwback to a simpler era of gaming, wherein the joy of the experience was a core value, as opposed to big budgets and realistic graphics.

I wouldn’t dream of recommending this game to a new Pokémon player but for seasoned gamers and returning fans, Pokémon Crystal is an absolute pleasure to play - that is, if you find yourself willing to overcome its dated (albeit fully functional) mechanics. It is a humbling experience to witness the beginnings and the sheer minimalism of the series before it evolved into a modern behemoth that is currently promising to abandon its tradition of linear gameplay, in order to tackle the ever popular open-world format. In this vein, I would argue that interface and presentation are the sole features that the Pokémon franchise ever needs to improve upon - ironically, plenty of heart and soul have been lovingly poured into these games since their initial inception.

Nostalgia Review: Game Review: Pokémon Crystal

OTwo - Film & TV

Why Disney Losing Spider-Man is a Good Thing

By Odin O’Sullivan

Over the last few weeks, there has been a general outcry over the news that Marvel will no longer be collaborating with Sony, the company which owns the rights to Spider-Man as a film property, for future releases. This sent fans into a frenzy, as it could very well mean that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man will not feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the future. With previous Spider-Man films already under Sony’s belt, many seemed to think it was time Spider-Man returned to Marvel and take his rightful place alongside such other mainstays as Captain America and Iron Man.

The issue, however, is that Marvel is not the friendly film studio that so many people seem to think it is. Marvel is owned by Disney, and that may initially seem harmless. After all, Disney are the family-friendly filmmakers who gave you so much enjoyment as a child. The thing is, the friendly neighbourhood Disney of your childhood does not exist. In fact, it has never existed, and their push to control the rights to yet another intellectual property is their most recent attempt to consolidate a billion-dollar monopoly of blockbuster filmmaking. As of the writing of this piece, Disney owns over twenty production studios, including Walt Disney Pictures and all its various divisions, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox.

All of which is without properly mentioning their minority stakes, television companies, music companies, merchandising sectors, theme parks, video game companies and now their new streaming service. Within the film industry alone, Disney is working to control as much as possible by either buying up or eliminating the competition. Out of the top grossing films of 2019 so far five of them are Disney films, and another is Spider-Man: Far From Home, a Sony film from which Disney takes a cut of the box office revenue. They also own all of the merchandising rights to Spider-Man, which generates a longer lasting source of income than the films with sales often beginning in advance of the films release and continuing long after if leaves cinemas. So, when Disney went to Sony and asked for a larger percentage of the box office revenue generated by the Spider-man films, after generating over seven billion from five films alone, Sony was well within their rights to refuse.

“One of the most dangerous aspects of the Disney hegemony is their ability to manipulate their fanbase.”

Disney’s creeping monopolisation of the film industry is damaging in a number of ways, one of which is the cancellation of anything that does not generate more money for the Mouse’s insatiable greed. After acquiring Fox and all its properties Disney announced almost immediately that they would be axing Fox 2000 pictures, which specialized in producing smaller, mid-range releases. Moreover, Disney also drastically reduced funding and support for their own labels Mirimax and Touchstone Films. Both of these focused on creating independent, foreign, and midbudget films. Mirimax was sold off to an investment company in 2010, and no film has been released under the Touchstone Films banner since 2016. This creates an industry where creativity is impossible. Disney will not create mid-budget films; they will not distribute independent or foreign films; they will not support the art of film in any way. Disney only sees dollar-signs and these types of films do not make a billion dollars at the box office.

One of the most dangerous aspects of the Disney hegemony is their ability to manipulate their fanbase. The likelihood is, when you heard that Spider-Man may no longer be appearing in the MCU you blamed Sony for keeping it, and not Disney for attempting to take it away. Disney’s PR team played it like they’d been betrayed by Sony, spinning the narrative to manufacture an outrage directed at the party who didn’t want to give them what they wanted. Thousands of tweets using “#SaveSpiderMan” appeared as if Disney’s loss of control over one of their many billion-dollar properties was a natural disaster, or human rights abuse. People were one step away from sending their thoughts and prayers to Disney as they weathered this difficult and unfair development.

If Disney own everything, then the film industry dies.

With Disney dominating the box office, audiences would be left with no choice but to watch an endless stream of Disney, or disengage from cinema all together. Arguably, this has already begun. Gone are the days of the original blockbuster. Nothing of that scale will be made now unless the company are guaranteed a profit, so remakes, reboots, sequels, and adapted franchises abound, with “live action” or updated animation techniques.

This is the pinnacle of lazy corporate filmmaking, and emblematic of the Disney monopoly.

Is there any hope for the film industry? Maybe. As an audience, we need to support independent and small-time filmmakers. Films thrive when they are driven by their passion for cinema, not for money and control. Give cinema your support, before all there is to see is the never-ending parade of Marvel films and the new “live action” reboot of The Aristocats.

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OTwo - Film & TV

Revisiting a Cult Classic: Discovering Goodfellas as a Film Student

By Robyn Murphy Imagine your first day in an under-graduate film course. What’s the most obvious ice-breaker question? Naturally, it was, ‘what is your all-time favourite movie?’ Although responses varied, one film which cropped up countlessly was Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas.

Having always been more of a romantic comedy kind of girl, I had never paid much attention to Scorsese’s films before I came to college. Sure, I had seen The Wolf of Wall Street the year it came out but otherwise, I had always presumed his films just weren’t for me. It quickly became clear that this was a cardinal sin.

However, despite the annoyingly frequent exclamations of shock at my lack of Scorsese-philia, and the constant assertions that his work is incredible, I never really felt like I was missing out by not having watched what is arguably one of Scorsese’s most loved films. Pop culture exposure resulted in me having seen Ray Liotta’s iconic opening narration and Joe Pesci’s improvised “funny how?’ scene multiple times before ever watching the film. This in turn led to me not having much desire in viewing it, because I had already seen two of the most memorable and recognisable scenes. What else could I be missing?

Turns out, I was missing a lot. When I actually sat down to watch the film, I was truly amazed that the pop-culture obsession with Goodfellas is well-warranted. The casting is incredible, and the films use of narration gives it a great pace and structure. Ray Liotta’s performance as gangster Henry Hill, is captivating, charming and sometimes terrifying. Watching the relationship between the mobsters evolve from being one of unity and familial love into one of distrust and senseless killing is fascinating. To my shock, it turns out that you never truly know a film until you’ve seen it. I thought I knew the story of Goodfellas based solely on having seen a few scenes and understanding a few pop culture references. What I found out is that the film is actually a wonderfully acted and crafted film which is incredibly enjoyable from start to finish. It’s understandable that people can often be unwilling to give films a chance when they are constantly berated for never having seen it, out of fear that they will never be able to live up to the hype, but in this case, Goodfellas’ status as a cinematic classic is well and truly justified.

The Four College Films You Should Watch Instead of Doing Your Assignments By Fiachra Johnston Look, it’s understandable. New semester, new-old you. Who has the time to be doing things like “exam prep” or “attending classes you paid an exorbitant amount of fees to enroll in, even though third-level education is supposedly free in Ireland”. It’s Week 2. Stick on one of these college related films and pretend that there isn’t a looming deadline on the horizon for a little while. Why four films?

Because we put off choosing a fifth to go hang out with coursemates at The Bernard Shaw.

The Graduate - A classic, despite the fact that every character comes across so creepy. Beautiful cinematography combined with the standout performance of Anne Bancroft’s historic career make for a film that unlocks more of itself to you on multiple viewings. If you’re curious as to whether this is an accurate depiction of post-grad life, just know that the number of extra-marital affairs you’ll be having with spouses in loveless marriages is less than you would hope, but more than you would expect.

Dear White People - You might be more familiar with the Netflix series of the same name, but Justin Simien’s 2014 classic still stands out as a perfect storm of Ivy League politics, racial struggles and the unwillingness of the white establishment to deal with these issues. Tyler James Williams and Tessa Thomson have standout performances in this outspoken, sharp-tongued and absolutely gorgeous film.

Good Will Hunting - Yes, we will cry buckets every time we watch this movie.

For multiple reasons. While Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s stars may have dulled somewhat in the following decades, their 1997 drama about a rough-edged mathematical savant struggling with social pressures and childhood trauma holds up perfectly. Robin Williams, as always, is the perfect blend of melancholy and humour, and one of the most engagingcharacters in any film, before or after.

Star Wars: A New Hope- No, not kidding. A young boy from a farm in the countryside, thrust into a new friend group and feeling like the dumbest person in the room at any given time, suddenly having to deal with shady characters in bars, the trials and tribulations of fancying someone out of your league, and dealing with fascists and looming deadlines, before somehow pulling it out of the bag at the very last minute. If that isn’t college in the 21st century, we don’t know what is.

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OTwo - Film & TV HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH TRASH FILMS

By Deborah Marshall

Every summer, it rolls around. Maybe you wait for it. Maybe you know it’s coming. Maybe you try to forget, in the hopes you can ignore it. But every summer, it comes: a new season of Love Island. Every social media site becomes littered with Love Island memes, Twitter becomes a string of live tweets every time it airs, and this year, for us here in Ireland, there’s been not one, but two Irish girls in the villa to further fuel our widespread obsession with these oiled-up, conventionally-attractive, twenty-somethings sitting around a posh gaff somewhere in Spain. Love Island airs six - yes, six - nights a week, and just in case that wasn’t enough, there’s a companion podcast that airs each morning. If you aren’t familiar with Love Island, it’s a reality television show whereby random people from across the UK and Ireland attempt to find love…competitively. And the best couple win, by public vote.

Bizarrely, they all sleep in the same room without any questions asked. In a sense, it’s the weirder younger sister of Big Brother.

The winning and losing aspects of both shows seem more like an afterthought, to provide some pretext for a bizarre social experiment and our apparent cultural need to watch strangers under near-constant surveillance. It’s strange, and possibly morally ambiguous, but you can’t deny its popularity.

While Love Island is the dominating reality show right now, reality television as a whole is enduringly popular. To name two examples in a sea of hundreds, Keeping Up with the Kardashians has sixteen seasons and multiple spin-offs and Geordie Shore is already on its nineteenth season. We clearly love to watch other people’s lives and yet, people love to complain about reality television. “Trash” is usually the term thrown at reality television. In part, it’s because it’s cheap to produce, easy to replicate and doesn’t require half the creative work of a fictive television show. However, the enduring notion that reality television is “trash” is really due to the perceived intellectual quality. For every tweet about Love Island, there’s another tweet

Reality Television: Trash, Guilty Pleasure, or Social Mirror?

By Cíara Dempsey

Every summer, it rolls around. Maybe you wait for it. Maybe you know it’s coming. Maybe you try to forget, in the hopes you can ignore it. But every summer, it comes: a new season of Love Island. Every social media site becomes littered with Love Island memes, Twitter becomes a string of live tweets every time it airs, and this year, for us here in Ireland, there’s been not one, but two Irish girls in the villa to further fuel our widespread obsession with these oiled-up, conventionally-attractive, twenty-somethings sitting around a posh gaff somewhere in Spain. Love Island airs six - yes, six - nights a week, and just in case that wasn’t enough, there’s a companion podcast that airs each morning. If you aren’t familiar with Love Island, it’s a reality television show whereby random people from across the UK and Ireland attempt to find love…competitively. And the best couple win, by public vote.

Bizarrely, they all sleep in the same room without any questions asked. In a sense, it’s the weirder younger sister of Big Brother.

The winning and losing aspects of both shows seem more like an afterthought, to provide some pretext for a bizarre social experiment and our apparent cultural need to watch strangers under near-constant surveillance. It’s strange, and possibly morally ambiguous, but you can’t deny its popularity.

While Love Island is the dominating reality show right now, reality television as a whole is enduringly popular. To name

from some lofty, holier-than-thou faux-intellectual, who feels it’s very important for us all to know that they would never watch this trash. We didn’t ask, but okay. Even for many of us who do enjoy reality television, we feel the need to label it as a “guilty pleasure,” as if to let everyone know that, really, we’re smarter than this! We promise!

Ultimately, reality television is a reflection of our culture, whether we like it or not. Sure, the camera is pointed at strangers, or celebrities, or some amalgamation of the two, but the show doesn’t exist without the audience. Whether we love it or feel the need to constantly critique it, our fixation with reality television is an obsession with our own human nature; we seek to define ourselves by the others that we see on tv. Maybe we like to feel better about ourselves, because we’re smarter, or less narcissistic, or didn’t cry about losing an earring in the ocean while, “there’s people that are dying, Kim.” Reality television offers up human nature back to us onscreen, and we as a species are apparently, really nosy.

two examples in a sea of hundreds, Keeping Up with the Kardashians has sixteen seasons and multiple spin-offs and Geordie Shore is already on its nineteenth season. We clearly love to watch other people’s lives and yet, people love to complain about reality television. “Trash” is usually the term thrown at reality television. In part, it’s because it’s cheap to produce, easy to replicate and doesn’t require half the creative work of a fictive television show. However, the enduring notion that reality television is “trash” is really due to the perceived intellectual quality. For every tweet about Love Island, there’s another tweet from some lofty, holier-than-thou faux-intellectual, who feels it’s very important for us all to know that they would never watch this trash. We didn’t ask, but okay. Even for many of us who do enjoy reality television, we feel the need to label it as a “guilty pleasure,” as if to let everyone know that, really, we’re smarter than this! We promise!

Ultimately, reality television is a reflection of our culture, whether we like it or not. Sure, the camera is pointed at strangers, or celebrities, or some amalgamation of the two, but the show doesn’t exist without the audience. Whether we love it or feel the need to constantly critique it, our fixation with reality television is an obsession with our own human nature; we seek to define ourselves by the others that we see on tv. Maybe we like to feel better about ourselves, because we’re smarter, or less narcissistic, or didn’t cry about losing an earring in the ocean while, “there’s people that are dying, Kim.” Reality television offers up human nature back to us onscreen, and we as a species are apparently, really nosy.

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OTwo - Film & TV

Remembering Agnès Varda

By Cíara Dempsey

It’s difficult to articulate just how beloved prolific filmmaker Agnès Varda was. Varda’s death in March of this year left cinephiles around the world bereft.

With the recent release of her final film, Varda by Agnès, a film which truly embodies her unshakeable spirit and her truly unique approach to filmmaking, now is perhaps the best time to look back on the life of Agnès, and the true blessing that it is to watch her films.

Born in Belgium in 1928, Agnès Varda rose to prominence as a photographer and filmmaker primarily during the French New Wave, alongside other filmmakers, such as Jean-Luc Godard, who was also a personal friend of Varda’s. Varda was also a key figure of the Left Bank cinematic movement, and her first film La Pointe Courte is widely cited as one of the most emblematic films of the Left Bank group. Varda’s filmic work traverses the realms of fiction, documentary and self-reflexivity. Always concerned with exploring the confines of the film form and pushing boundaries, all of her films bring something entirely new to the form. Perhaps her most well-known film, Cleo from 5 to 7, tells its story in almost real-time, a ninety-minute film which spans two hours of Cleo’s life, in the Paris in which Varda spent much of her career. Stylistically, the film draws from both fiction and documentary elements, a mode of filmmaking that reoccurs in Varda’s oeuvre.

Even beyond Varda’s revolutionary use of film form, the themes which reappear in her filmmaking are worthy of praise alone. Varda was concerned with femininity and feminism, and many of her films, such as Cleo, deal with women exploring the confines of their own femininity. Moreover, Varda was an incredibly important feminist voice. She signed the Manifesto of the 343, a petition where French women admitted to having had abortions in a time when it was still illegal in France. Her feminism prevails across her filmmaking; notable examples include moments in The Beaches of Agnès, where she notes that, “I tried to be a joyful feminist, but I was very angry,” a sentiment which resounds with any feminist.

Varda’s radical and revolutionary spirit is evident across her documentary work; she spends time with the Black Panthers, travelled to Cuba to meet with Fidel Castro and was involved in anti-fascist movements in Greece. Her activism and radical politics are as important to her filmmaking as her subversion and expansion of film form, and even so, she always managed to retain a sense of personability. The spirit of Agnès Varda, and her uniquely personal style is absolutely unmistakable.

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“‘I live in cinema. I feel I’ve lived here forever,’ and truly, Agnès Varda will live in cinema forever.”

Varda set up her own film production company, Ciné-Tamaris, so as to truly retain her own auteurial voice and her approach to filmmaking uses what she herself called “cinécriture,” or “writing on film.” Her work merged and blurred the roles of writer, director or indeed, any crew member; Varda’s filmmaking was collaborative and cohesive which is likely why her auteurial voice is so clear.

As much as Varda explored her own life on screen, she was also often concerned with people on the fringes, which is made most clear in her films Vagabond and The Gleaners and I. Varda was truly fascinated with people and their lives, and reached out to document the lives of ordinary people with as much vigour and passion as she had for her politics and artistry. No other filmmaker could perhaps capture such genuine explorations of life as Varda did, and no other filmmaker could do so with such warmth.

Varda herself has said “I live in cinema. I feel I’ve lived here forever,” and truly, Agnès Varda will live in cinema forever. Her on-screen presence, both in a literal sense and in her directorial voice is perhaps the most endearing of any filmmaker and truly seems to embody her own personality. There seems to be no disparity between the true life of Agnès and the self that she puts on screen. Her talent, genuineness, and passion have resonated with audiences since her first film, and have only increased in doing so with her self-reflexive work, such as Varda by Agnès and Faces, Places. Her work will continue to resonate with audiences for years to come. Truly, we are all lesser for having lost her, but simultaneously, we are all incredibly privileged to have lived at the same time as one of the most important filmmakers of her generation. Merci, Agnès. You will be sorely missed.

OTwo - Centre

Alison Spittle Vibrant in the dark

By Heather Reynolds

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Off the back of her run in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Alison Spittle shares her thoughts on comedy, stage vs screen, and her podcast recommendations.

Alison Spittle wrapped up her residency at the

Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh on the 26th of August to overwhelmingly positive reviews. This was the end of her third year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she debuted her new show, ‘Mother of God’. I spoke to her the following morning, about her comedy, writing, and all that falls in between.

Spittle, who brought ‘Mother of God’ to Dublin for the Fringe Festival here from the 7th to the 13th of September, felt this to be one of her best years in Edinburgh yet. Garnering positive review upon positive review, Spittle finished up her run feeling pretty confident about this year’s outcome, “It’s been a really great year, we’ve had terrible years before, but this has been a really great year”. However, Edinburgh Fringe is a labour intensive process. “I nearly lost my voice, I was doing comedy four times a day, but it was a real honour to get out there in front of audiences.”

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Alongside ‘Mother of God’, this Dublin Fringe sees the debut of her first play, ‘Starlet’. A dark comedy, ‘Starlet’ examines “the minutiae of rural life and the socio-politics between men and women in an area that feels like it was left behind in the mid-2000’s”, and Spittle is incredibly excited to see how it turns out, but is also very happy to be taking a step back from the process. “In stand up, you’re the writer, you’re the director, and you’re the performer. So, It’s nice to have the writing element and go, ‘You take it from here.’”. Due to run in Smock Alley Theatre’s Boys School from the 17th to the 22nd of September, Spittle aims to tackle the young people left behind in the boom and bust, and how they make their way, with her comedic tones layered over the top. As for the cast, she couldn’t speak more highly of them.

In fact, when asked what excited her most about turning to classical theatre, it was the cast she highlighted, “They’re both very very funny people, but I also know that they’re very talented actors.” she said of lead actors Roxanna Nic Liam and Peter McGann.

When it comes to her comedy, Spittle feels very comfortable making her home in the darker side of things, but is hesitant to describe herself as a dark comic. “I’m drawn to silly stuff, but I’m also drawn to a lot of comedy about death, because I’m obsessed with death, and I think a lot of people are.” Between her RTÉ series, ‘Nowhere Fast’, and ‘Starlet’, she has clearly honed out a niche in the dark side of comedy, which makes the vibrant nature of her stand up really stand out. Her stage at Edinburgh was decked out in a handmade technicolour backdrop, her promo posters vibrant in hue, her costuming including a multicolour cape and a flower crown, Spittle doesn’t look like the kind of woman who would write a comedy show about the death notices on a local radio show, but no one can disagree that she does so incredibly well. On top of that, she feels it to be necessary to find the funny side of serious and high impact topics, saying “A relief laugh is one of the best things in the world.”

When asked about where she prefers to make her content, stage or screen, she was very conclusive in her answer. “Live work at the moment, definitely. It’s what I’ve been focusing on but they both scratch different itches.” She is keen to share her love of live performance, and of stand up comedy in particular, but acknowledges that it’s hard to make a long term career in. Speaking of her screen work, she shared that she’s working on a few pieces, but that with television, “You don’t believe you’re putting something on telly until you see it”. The pieces that she’s working on, she’s very passionate about, but whether it gets to screen is “a matter for the broadcasters, really.”

While we were discussing ‘Nowhere Fast’, which aired in 2017, her background in radio arose. She shared that she got started while in Ballyfermot College, sharing “I probably wouldn’t see myself as a creative person, if it wasn’t for going to college and doing radio.”

However, while she saw her start in radio, and still holds a lot of love for the medium, it isn’t something she sees herself returning to. “What I loved about radio is that it’s very intimate with the audience, you’re kind of talking directly to them, but with my podcast now I wouldn’t want to go back...I don’t think it can offer me the kind of things I thought it could.”

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To hear her talk about it, her podcast ‘The Alison Spittle Show’, is clearly one of her great loves. In fact, podcast listeners are some of her favourite fans to meet, as it’s easier to have a proper chat about it. It’s an interview show, that reached its current medium through a natural progression of trial and error. It’s hosted names like Sharon Horgan, Neil Delamere, Bláithín de Burca and Rhea Butcher. “I started a few years ago because me and a couple of mates were like ‘Ah, we’ll do a chat show’” and over time bits and pieces were filed off until it reached its current, incredibly entertaining format.

It’s clear that Spittle loves podcasting as a medium, “I’m delighted that there’s lots of podcasts, everyone kind of has their own little niches, and I’m always searching myself for a podcast to listen to.” She feels that Irish people in particular are so into podcasts because of our cultural attachment to the radio, and now its natural digital progression, the podcast. “I really like the new boom and I’m really excited for the future.” She feels podcasts “Have to be super, super niche. Like my podcast is not super, super niche, it was at some point, but everyone’s doing interview podcasts now. You either have to be super niche or put your own spin on it.” She also commended her producer, Sarah Garvey, who is the “driving force” behind ‘The Alison Spittle Show’.

“It’s nice to have the writing element and go, you take it from here” As for her own listening, she’s “really into ‘Cocaine and Rhinestones’, a 20th century country music media podcast, I’m not even into country music that much, but it’s just a really well done podcast.” Also, she suggests ‘You Must Remember This’, a history podcast about Hollywood. As for Irish grown pods, she listens to “‘Up to 90’ with Julie and Emma, which is two Irish comedians talking about the 90’s. “They’re just both hilarious, and they’re getting a real audience together now.” She also listens to ‘Comedians, Comedians’ a lot, another interview podcast which focuses on comedians and comedy.

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“I’m obsessed with death, and I think a lot of people are”

Spittle has a lot of art to share, and a lot of ways in which she shares it, none of which are to be taken lightly. Even after wrapping up a stint at one of the most draining comedy festivals in the world, she remains an absolute joy to talk to. If you’re looking for a comedian who is as funny as she is lovely, and doesn’t shy away from going for the joke, Alison Spittle is the woman for you.

She will be at Cork Podcast Festival and Gallagher Redline in October. Check out her podcast on headstuff.org/the-alison-spittle-show, and maybe head to one of her upcoming gigs listed below.

Mother of god Chapel Royal, Dublin, Dublin, Ireland 2019-09-07 20:30 09-13 Starlet 2019-09-17 21:00 09-22 Cork podcast festival 2019-10-11 18:00 Gallagher Redline 2019-10-12 20:00

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OTwo - Music

ALBUM REVIEWS

with Aoife Mawn and Alan Garrigan

Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!

Tool - Fear Inoculum

The sixth studio album by Lana Del Rey is rightfully receiving the critical acclaim it deserves.

Veering away from her loving homages to American culture, this album takes a more sombre tone, reflecting on the changes the country has encountered since the election in 2016. The album as a whole, in fact, has a reflective, accepting tone, with Lana’s usual optimism about American culture evaporating as the album progresses through its 67 minute run time.

Highlights include the final two tracks, ‘Happiness is a butterfly’ and ‘hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have- but I have it’.

This final track sums up the album as a whole; her dismay at her dreamlike image of America being shattered, but also her hope that one day this will return.

Another high point is the title, and opening, track ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell’. It sets the album up neatly; the romantic tone of her past five efforts gone, and replaced with an older, wiser, more cynical outlook.

She discusses her relationship with her artist boyfriend, who shares an occupation with the songs namesake. His gloominess and depressive state is infectious, and Lana finds herself slipping into the same mind set.

This in turn carries across the other thirteen tracks on the album.

Fear Inoculum is the hotly anticipated fifth album by evocative rock band Tool. It’s the band’s first release following a thirteen year hiatus during which time singer Maynard Keenan graduated to a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. This latest offering heralds a municipal return to past glories, delivered with a profound curiosity and remarkable skill which panders to a cultic magisterium of Tool fans eagerly witnessing their idols blaze new terrain on the alternative landscape.

The rock n’ roll bastion that is Tool needs no introduction. The LA band are widely acclaimed, with three Grammys to their name. Their deep lyrical sensibility incorporates complex themes from Jungian psychology to eastern mysticism and personal transcendence. Drawing upon a range of diverse styles, their music is both cerebral and visceral, utilizing thick mid-range guitar tones reinforced with battering polyrhythms. Their latest album is a raw stricture of unbridled force.

Synth, blues and eastern aeolian synergy are summoned in ‘Pneuma’ with its tripping time signatures. The monumental track ‘Invincible’ is a sonic plateau conjuring up spectres of a Cy Twombly artwork while ‘Descending’ is a panoptic experience like sonic cubism. Another standout is ‘Culling voices’ which is a tonal odyssey of spiralling energy.

IN A NUTSHELL Simply put, the divided, antagonistic state of American culture has dripped into her music, and made it more of a reflection on the current state of the country, and not the dreamlike love story she once made it out to be.

Summer Album Round Up: The Best and Worst

IN A NUTSHELL Fear Inoculum is a musical equation waiting to be solved, a must listen for any connoisseur of music. And if you haven’t already heard the vocal dialectics and angst driven profundity that is Maynard Keenan, now is your chance to follow Tool’s ardent legions.

Worst:

The Big Day by Chance the Rapper Usually Chance’s joy is infectious but here it feels overbearing. Musically, it’s uninteresting and even at times annoying like the obnoxiously simple ‘Hot Shower’. It’s nice to see Chance so happy but it doesn’t translate.

Emma Nolan looks back on this summers releases, and breaks down the good, the bad, She Is Coming EP by Miley Cyrus and the downright ugly.

While lead single ‘Mother’s Daughter’ is a fun anthem,

Best:

Lover by Taylor Swift Lover shows a more mature, confident Taylor as she celebrates the positive place she is at in life. Full of Jack Antonoff’s bright synth production and Swift’s frank, colourful lyricism, this album is unabashedly fun.

Safe and Also No Fear by Slaughter Beach, Dog This dark folksy album grabs your attention and holds onto it for the entire runtime. Jake Ewald creates a world of sound that so perfectly captures a specific mood. This project builds on past releases and really fleshes out their sound.

the rest of this project is mostly forgettable. It has its moments, production wise and of course Cyrus’ vocals shine throughout. However, ‘Cattitude’ is absurdly bad and the overall sound is lacking.

Oasis by J Balvin and Bad Bunny One would expect big things from a collaboration from the two superstars however, Oasis doesn’t quite deliver. The slick production and pulsing rhythm of the tracks makes it easy listening but ultimately it falls flat. It’s rather one note, devoid of any real ups and downs. It certainly doesn’t break the mould of urbano-pop.

No. 6 Collaborations Project by Ed Sheeran The features here read like a who’s who of the music industry and while this doesn’t make for the most cohesive album, it’s certainly interesting. Standouts include Travis Scott on ‘Antisocial’ and Chris Stapleton on ‘BLOW’.

Sheeran is a master of hooks and manages to blend his pop sensibilities seamlessly with hip hop and grime.

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Nostalgia Reigns Supreme From PR tactics to comeback tours, the music industry in 2019 has been dominated by comebacks and nostalgia bait. Sinéad Dunphy discusses the trend.

The TV and film industry is currently awash with revivals and reboots, and the same can be said for music. Comebacks and nostalgia are proving very popular this year with artists releasing new material after years away from the spotlight, launching comeback or anniversary tours and paying tribute to their former status through social media posts, talk show appearances and even movies. Many consider this wave of nostalgia to be a cheap cash grab or even a desperate attempt to relive their glory days, but if you choose to look at the trend through a less cynical lens, it can be seen as harmless fun and even in some cases as an opportunity to witness real growth in the journey of these artists.

Blasts from the past this year include Jonas Brothers, Aly & AJ, Hootie & the Blowfish, Barenaked Ladies, TOOL, The Raconteurs and many more. The Jonas Brothers have been leading the way with their nostalgia campaign by even going as far as dressing up like their teen selves to perform a parody of their 2006 hit, ‘Year 3000’ on James Corden’s Late Late show in March. The tactic worked perfectly as their comeback single ‘Sucker’ reached number 1 on the Billboard charts in America and venues around the world have been selling out in anticipation of the pop trio’s comeback tour. Further capitalising on their current spotlight, the Jonas Brothers released a memoir and a documentary on Amazon Prime Video tracking their rise to fame and their journey to making a comeback. For anyone else hoping to cash in on the nostalgia game, Jonas Brothers have been giving a masterclass in how it’s done this year.

Fellow Disney alumni, Aly & AJ have also been re-tackling the music industry with considerably less commercial success than the Jonas Brothers but nevertheless, they have been releasing new music and touring it since last year and show no signs of stopping. Refreshingly, while fans may come to listen to the music out of a longing to relive their teeny bopper days, that is not at all what’s on offer with the sister/singer duo’s most recent releases. They have really matured and it shows in their new sound, which has evolved from generic pop rock into cool, synth pop which has been surprising and delighting new and old fans alike.

“For anyone else hoping to cash in on the nostalgia game, Jonas Brothers have been giving a masterclass in how it’s done this year.”

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Another band who have gotten back on the saddle after several years away, are prog-rock band and cult favourites TOOL who recently released their fifth studio album after over a decade of making their dedicated fan base wait. Similarly, Jack White’s blues rock outfit, The Raconteurs just released their first album since 2008. Even Irish boyband Westlife have been getting in on the action after disbanding in 2012. This year the group released the Ed Sheeran penned single ‘Hello My Love’ and they are set to release their eleventh studio album this November following a summer of touring. Country rockers Hootie & the Blowfish have also been on tour to crowds of old school fans with support from fellow 90s favourite Barenaked Ladies.

“It’s only human to look back and reminisce fondly about your former life and it’s no different for musicians.”

Hair metal legends Motley Crue released a biopic this year based on their infamous tell all book The Dirt, and released an accompanying soundtrack with a selection of greatest hits and four new recordings. The film, like the book, received a lot of criticism but simultaneously drummed up a lot of publicity for the band resulting in their first album in the top ten of the Billboard charts in over a decade and the book re-entered the New York Times Best Sellers list in the top ten.

Even Miley Cyrus got her Hannah Montana blonde fringe back and bombarded social media with throwback posts to her Disney days before the release of her She Is Coming EP, which worked a treat to garner more attention for the project. Meanwhile Blink 182 have been playing their album Enema of the State in its entirety on tour in celebration of its 20th anniversary. It seems everywhere you look this year there are throwbacks and comebacks from every facet of the music industry.

In some cases, these comebacks do seem more about monetary gain than anything else but more often than not, commercial success seems like an added bonus to what artists really want which is exactly what the audience wants: a little sentimentality about golden days long gone. It’s only human to look back and reminisce fondly about your former life and it’s no different for musicians. There’s plenty of room in the industry for new and old artists and it’s fun to see how our favourite teen stars have developed or how the content of an old favourite band’s material has changed after a decade more life experience. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter whether or not there’s virtue in these comebacks because clearly, they’re not stopping any time soon.

OTwo - Music

GIG GUIDE

By Sinead Dunphy Tiny Moving Parts The Grand Social September 24th Tiny Moving Parts and special guest Microwave will be playing the Grand Social this month in what promises to be an interesting show. Both bands blend new school and old school emo sensibilities with raw raspy and often whiny vocals on top of melodic guitars and heavy rhythm sections. Tiny Moving Parts is a family affair made up of two brothers and their cousin on lead vocals and the music they make is nothing short of cathartic. The songs deal with mental health issues and insecurity through honest, vulnerable lyrics and of course, a lot of minor chords. Anyone interested in the emo, pop punk and math rock subsections of alternative rock will get something out of this. This is music for the post-teen emo.

Price: €16 For Fans of: Modern Baseball, Sorority Noise, Jimmy Eat World

The Greatest Song Covers of All Time

By Alan Garrigan

When an artist covers a song they can re-popularise it, reinvent it and even do it better than the original. Alan Garrigan counts down the top ten best song covers of all time.

10) ‘MANY RIVERS TO CROSS’ BY UB40 From the album Labour of Love, ‘Many Rivers to Cross’ was originally by reggae artist Jimmy Cliff and was given new life by UB40’s upbeat rendition. This single peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.

9) ‘COUNTRY ROADS’ BY TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS Originally known as ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ by John Denver.

Jamaican ska/reggae band Toots and the Maytals covered this song on their 1973 album In the Dark.

8) ‘SWEET DREAMS’ BY MARILYN MANSON Marilyn Manson released this eerie cover of the 80s Eurythmics pop hit as the first single from Smells Like Children (1995), an EP of covers, remixes and interludes.

7) ‘PRESSURE DROP’ BY THE CLASH This anthemic tune originally by The Maytals has been covered often, most notably by the Specials, Keith Richards, Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds, and of course The Clash.

The LaFontaines The Workman’s Club September 26th This rowdy rock group will be back in Dublin following their performance at the UCD Fresher’s Ball. With anthemic tunes and an angsty punk bravado, this band are sure to deliver a firecracker of a show. The music exudes youthful exuberance and this won’t be a show to hang around the back walls for as their fans usually have no problem getting involved and raising the already high energy of the gig. The LaFontaines fuse rap vocals with rock styling and clean poppy hooks. This music is made to be heard live.

Price: €13.50 For Fans of: Kasabian, Twenty One Pilots, DON BROCO The Mystery Lights The Sugar Club October 5th The Mystery Lights make straight up, no frills rock n’ roll that is made up of elements of indie, psychedelic and punk rock. Meandering staccato guitar riffs and subtle utilisation of synth give the music and effortlessly cool energy that isn’t often seen in the 2019 music scene. The band themselves cite The Kinks and Television as influences which is easy to hear on their new album Too Much Tension! The Mystery Lights are bringing their Brooklyn born rock n’ roll to Dublin and it’s not a night to be missed.

Price: €17.45 For Fans of: Queens of the Stone Age, The Kinks, The Struts

6) ‘INTO THE MYSTIC’ BY GLEN HANSARD As a young musician, one of Hansard’s major influences was fellow Irish musician Van Morrison, so it’s fitting for Hansard to take on this ballad with help from collaborator and ‘Once’ co-star, Markéta Irglová.

5) ‘LOVE IS BLINDNESS’ BY JACK WHITE The Jack White rendition of this U2 song appears on the 2011 tribute album AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered, and was later released as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of White’s Blunderbuss album.

4) ‘HURT’ BY JOHNNY CASH In 2002, “Hurt” was covered by Johnny Cash to commercial and critical acclaim; it was the final single release before Cash’s death and has become cemented in the singer’s musical legacy.

3) ‘THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD’ BY NIRVANA The haunting Nirvana performance of this Bowie track was recorded in 1993 during their MTV Unplugged appearance, and it was released on their MTV Unplugged in New York album the following year.

2) ‘I PUT A SPELL ON YOU’ BY CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL This version of the classic tune originally by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, reached No. 58 on the U.S. Hot 100 in 1968. The band famously performed the song at the Woodstock Festival in 1969.

1) ‘ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER’ BY JIMMY HENDRIX The Jimi Hendrix Experience began to record their eclectic version of Dylan’s ‘All Along the Watchtower’ on January 21, 1968, at Olympic Studios in London and little did they know that the track would become a rock classic, adored by fans.

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OTwo - Music

The Age Gap between Vinyl and Streaming

Sinéad Dunphy considers the age gap between the acts dominating the vinyl charts versus the streaming charts.

Vinyl is making a comeback. Once seen as an artefact of a time gone by, made irrelevant by CDs and MP3s, vinyl records are now a hot commodity again. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl sales are steadily increasing while CD sales rapidly decline. Vinyl is now poised to be outselling CDs by the end of the year for the first time since 1986. However, streaming remains the dominant music listening medium for 2019, as paid subscriptions to streaming services generated 62% of industry revenues in the first half of 2019. It makes sense since most people are looking for the best bang for their buck and streaming subscriptions are far better value than buying individual records. Nevertheless, sentimentality and collector’s mentality ensures that some people stay loyal to vinyl. However, one can’t help but notice the disparity in age between the artists dominating streaming charts versus vinyl charts and wonder about the age and interests of the consumers listening to these artists.

The vinyl charts are heavily populated with older acts but also with alternative genres. Modern pop records in the vinyl charts are few and far between. Queen’s greatest hits album holds the top spot currently, with artists like Joy Division, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Nirvana, Bruce Springsteen and Oasis keeping it company in the top 20.

“The streaming charts seem to be full of music that listeners are quite happy to binge-listen to over and over for a brief period of time before all but forgetting the song completely.”

Younger and more contemporary artists in the charts tend to lean in the alternative direction like Catfish & the Bottlemen, Foals and Lewis Capaldi. This raises some interesting questions about why people choose whether to buy vinyl or simply stream their music. Billie Eilish is one artist who manages to dominate both, with her debut album When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go getting to second place in the vinyl charts for 2019 so far while receiving over 47 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

It’s interesting to consider Eilish’s fan base, predominantly young millennials and gen z, and wonder why these fans in particular want to buy the album on vinyl as well as streaming it. So many young music fans don’t bother with buying physical copies of their music or paying for it at all. Is it some sort of cool factor driving the desire to buy Eilish’s record on vinyl? Or a feeling that the music is worth spending money on and owning a physical copy to cherish? Perhaps a bit of both.

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“Most people are looking for the best bang for their buck and streaming subscriptions are far better value than buying individual records.”

The idea of music being disposable seems to be prevalent in these trends. While fans of older and alternative music are more likely to buy records, fans of modern pop hits don’t seem so inclined and one must wonder why that is. Artists like Drake, Post Malone and Ed Sheeran reign over the streaming charts with billions of streams to their names but when it comes to vinyl they don’t place nearly as high. With the rise of streaming and the internet in general, people seem to have even shorter attention spans and are focussed on instant gratification whether its same day delivery of packages or millions of songs available to you every month for the price of one vinyl record. Jimi Hendrix despaired at the fickle ‘jukebox’ generation but the streaming generation are a whole new beast. Artists are extremely badly paid for streams with Spotify paying $.0043 per stream over 30 seconds. This has created a trend of short songs and albums that leave the listener wanting more, therefore streaming more times over than they would with longer material. Lil Nas X’ ‘Old Town Road’ remix is the perfect example of this with a track length of two and a half minutes, you don’t quite get your fill of that annoyingly infectious hook and are more likely to listen to it over again. Similarly, Kanye West’s most recent album Ye and Daytona, which he produced for Pusha T were only 23 and 21 minutes long, respectively. The streaming charts seem to be full of music that listeners are quite happy to binge-listen to over and over for a brief period of time before all but forgetting the song completely.

It’s undeniable that some people are drawn to things that make them feel cool, like they’re part of an exclusive club.

These people are more likely to listen to alternative music and of course are also more likely to buy vinyl. Age must be a factor too however as older generations are more accustomed to owning their music. Lastly, there is something to be said about the quality of the music and the listener’s attachment to it. Older music seems to dominate the vinyl charts as a lot of people deem it more worth keeping than a lot of the hastily produced, released and forgettable music that is currently dominating the music charts.

Things In Tins: The Tinned Anchovy

OTwo - Food & Drink

By Sophie Tevlin

Hello, and welcome to Things In Tins, a series of recipes featuring tinned ingredients and their central role in a cook’s arsenal.

This week, it’s the humble tinned anchovy, a severely underrated kitchen staple. A small tin costs 99 cent in any of the big supermarkets, and they’re full of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. This is a great pasta recipe for when you’re a bit sick of tomato-based sauces and want something with a big flavour kick. It takes about twenty minutes from start to finish, and produces something so intensely tasty it’s difficult to resist going back for seconds. Don’t be afraid if you’re new to anchovies – texturally you’re not even going to notice them here. They’re going to melt into the sauce and give it its salty umami layer of flavour.

I mourn when I think of all the broccoli stalks I’ve blithely thrown away over the years, not realising that they are not only edible, but delicious.

You will need: a head of broccoli, a tin of anchovies, a few cloves of garlic, one chilli or some dried chilli flakes or a bit of harissa, enough fusilli or similar pasta for two servings, olive oil, and salt.

Chop the broccoli, dividing it into small florets and stalk. Cut the pieces of broccoli stalk up into small cubes and put them into a frying pan you’ve heated some olive oil in. Soften them over a low heat.

Tip the fusilli and broccoli florets into a pan of boiling salted water, and cook until the pasta is as soft or as al dente as you like it. Don’t worry if the florets have disintegrated into mush, it’s supposed to be like that. While the pasta is cooking, drain the anchovies and chop them, then add them to the pieces of broccoli stalk. Stir them around a bit until they dissolve. Add the chopped chilli or whatever it is you’re using and the chopped garlic, and sauté gently until everything looks cooked and smells good. Drain your pasta and put it back in the pan, then add the stalk mixture to it and stir.

Serve in bowls with finely grated Parmesan and a knob of butter.

This is enough for two people, or one dinner and one lunchbox the next day, though it smells savoury and quite strongly of garlic, so don’t get caught heating it in the communal microwave.

The Top Three Places To Eat In Dublin When You’re Broke And Hungry Sophie Tevlin breaks down the best places for a starving student to get their fill

It’s getting increasingly difficult to find a solid meal in Dublin city centre for under eight or nine euro, as another boom starts to gain momentum. A lot of my old haunts have been priced out in favour of yet another homogenised chain blasting Japanese city pop and charging fifteen quid for an oversized bowl of insipid ramen. Remember when UCD’s Cafe Brava was an actual cafe, and you could get the fry-up to cure all hangovers? Course you don’t. You’re far too young. Boojum and Camille is all you know.

“if you nip in half an hour before they close you can get a takeaway container of food for three euro”

I hope I’ll always have Govinda’s.

Stumbling into a little restaurant concealed in the back of one of Dublin’s oriental supermarkets generally means you’re about to eat something tasty. Shout out to the Brothers Dosirak on Capel St and Han Sung Asian Market near the Grand Social. For the student who’s really counting their pennies ‘til payday though, it has to be the Oriental Emporium beside Jervis Luas stop. At the warm food counter they dole out warm, soft and steaming mounds of rice flour buns filled with beef and runner beans or anpan, a wonderful sweet red bean paste, for a euro each.

Finally, for the cold and tired commuter facing a long late night journey home, you could do worse than the Supermac’s on Talbot St, two minutes’ walk from Busaras, for a curry cheese chips and a cup of tea. Warm, savoury, gently spiced curry sauce. Delicately grated red cheddar, melting and elastic. Crisp and fluffy chips, stouter and more substantial than their flimsy American counterparts. Real milk,

This vegetarian cafeteria run by Hare Krishnas, with branches on Abbey St and Aungier St, does some of the most consistently delicious and nourishing food in Dublin. Walk in and ask for a small plate with a bit of everything, and watch as they pile your plate with vegetable curries, creamy spinach lasagne, lemony potato bake, lentil daals and rice for the paltry sum of six or seven quid. Keep your eyes out for the paneer, cubes of homemade curd cheese in a tomato sauce spiced with mustard seeds and asafoetida. It’s the best thing on the menu. Their tofu version’s just (whisper it) not as nice. Wash it all down with a glass of the mango lassi (yoghurt smoothie). There’s plenty of vegan options and a soothing, peaceful atmosphere.

Govinda’s is committed to avoiding food waste, so if you nip in half an hour before they close you can get a takeaway container of food for three euro. A lifeline for many a hungry student.

not mimsy UHT capsules, and proper Barry’s tea. Bliss.

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OTwo - Fashion

Reduce, Reuse, Restyle

Follow the girls on Instagram for more sustainable fashion updates:

@glasfashion.ie Glasfashion are a sustainable fashion blog, run by UCD students Sadhbh Whitty, Victoria Latham Bruton and Meg O’Doherty, that highlights the best eco-friendly fashion brands, along with second hand clothes that are good for the environment, but still on trend. The girls also style their outfits and post all on their official Instagram account, providing inspiration on how to look on trend, while not damaging the environment in the meantime.

With Victoria away, Meg and Sadhbh met me in Richview for this shoot, to chat about the blog, the future of sustainable fashion and which brands we should be looking out for that we know aren’t killing the planet. Glasfashion started as a project in the girls second year of college, with a module for credits quickly becoming a passion project for the three. Their mission is to show that just because your clothes aren’t coming from Zara or Topshop, you can still be on trend. The topic of sustainability in the fashion industry itself is becoming a trendy concept, as Sadhbh explains “It’s becoming mainly a cool thing, almost? I feel like a lot of bloggers and stuff are kind of taking on tonnes because they almost feel the responsibility to the people that they influence – like they call them influencers for a reason.

So they have to be kind of conscious on what they promote.

So that’s what I’ve noticed recently.”

OTwo - Fashion “Their mission is to show that just because your clothes aren’t coming from Zara or Topshop, you can still be on trend.”

While the trend of eco-friendly fashion is taking off, Ireland seems to be lagging behind when it comes to new sustainable, homegrown brands. When asked, neither of the girls could think of one off the top of their heads, with Meg conceding “I feel like Ireland is vintage, and charity shopping is such a big thing.”

In terms of other, international brands that we should be looking out for, Ganni, is one of the girls’ favourites. When it comes to actually selecting brands to feature, Meg explains it is important that they all like the garments they are promoting. “Ganni would be one of your favourite brands – so I suppose even like…just being like: “This is my favourite brand, I invest in these pieces because I know that they are sustainably produced and it’s worth doing” – so it’s just nice sharing that because, I suppose, not many other people may know.” Other brands of mention? “Reformation, Kitri, they’re English I think? Rixo is English too. And Ganni is Danish.” add Sadhbh. They also cite biodegradable underwear brand Fruity Booty and Stripe and Stare too, the latter of which is generally cheaper than Victoria’s Secret.

Bonus!

OTwo - Fashion

Ensuring that the brands and garments they feature are ones they themselves would wear seems to be central to their message: that just because it’s second hand or eco-friendly, doesn’t mean it can’t be stylish and on trend. “This is something that we try and promote with our page and what kind of started it for us, is that they’re actually stylish clothes,” says Meg. “Because a lot of people think “Oh, sustainable is boring” like, a boring t-shirt or jeans. Whereas these brands are really showing you how you can be stylish and on trend but still be conscious.”

“So what is the main thing they want people to take from Glasfashion? In short: it’s quality over quantity.”

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UCD’s societies are also doing their bit to help the sustainable fashion industry in Ireland, they tell me. UCD Surf Club, for one, are holding on to their old wetsuits to be turned into handbags. “There’s a woman from down the country somewhere and she’s making handbags and stuff from old wetsuits and stuff.” says Meg. “Because she was like, “When wet suits are finished, there’s nothing to do with them” – and that’s such sturdy material.”

So what is the main thing they want people to take from Glasfashion?

In short: it’s quality over quantity.

“I know a lot of people ask us, like, why we promote designer…I don’t know, more expensive brands on our Instagram and I think it’s because we know that they’re good and they’ll last. I think that’s why people think “Oh sustainable is so expensive” but no, it works out the same because you’re buying less, but better quality things.”

Venice Film Festival 2019 Red Carpet

By Anne-Marie Lyons

It’s that time of year again! Oh yes, now that we’re into Autumn, Oscar season is fast approaching. Brace yourselves for all the envious red carpet outfits and gorgeous new makeup looks. However, before award season can begin, let’s focus on the last big film festival of the summer season, where the stars have come out to premiere their newest works. The Red Carpet at the ‘Venice Film Festival’ is nothing short of a NYFW show and here we will break down the five greatest looks that graced the Italian red carpet.

Lily-Rose Depp The daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis is much more than just a pretty face. The model turned actress premiered her new film The King in an ethereal couture gown. The lilac toned Chanel dress embodied ‘Old- Hollywood’ style and paired with a high neckline, cinched waist and her 5-inch Jimmy Choo stilettos this was a look to bow down to.

Penelope Cruz This Spanish goddess looked nothing short of gorgeous on the 76th Venice Film Festival Red Carpet. The actress stunned all in this bridal inspired Ralph and Russo gown. Cruz completed her glowing look with an orange lipstick that added the perfect pop to her look.

Scarlett Johansson Proving she looks just as good in a Couture gown as in a superhero costume, the ‘Avengers’ actress was oozing Jessica Rabbit vibes in this sexy strapless red Celine dress. Johansson completed her look with a carefully styled blonde bob and a gorgeous new diamond ring from fiancé Colin Jost.

OTwo - Fashion

Timothée Chalamet It wasn’t just the ladies that were wowing in unforgettable looks on the red carpet. The Ladybird actor looked devilishly handsome in head-to-toe Haider Ackermann. The grey toned suit with its unique draping was unforgettable, as was the young actor’s performance in his movie The King. The actor’s perfectly tailored look flawlessly accompanied his co-star and girlfriend, Lily Rose Depp’s ethereal look.

The versatile looks from gorgeous gowns to tailored tuxedos did not disappoint.

The 2019 Venice Film Festival Red Carpet proved that the event will always be regarded as one of the most fashionable and elegant film festivals of all time.

Kate Upton This Sports Illustrated model never fails to leave an impression on the red carpet, and she made no exception at the Venice Film Festival. Upton looked fantastic in a black Twinset dress, with a thigh high split adding to the dresses individuality.

America’s Sweetheart turns Bombshell: Kaia Gerber’s fashion evolution Blossoming from the girl next door to a young woman, Stella Alverina highlights key looks Kaia Gerber has worn during her modeling career.

Carrying the legacy of her famous family, 18-year-old Kaia Gerber keeps turning heads everywhere she goes especially with the iconic pieces that the supermodel has rocked over the years.

In 2015, Gerber attended the Balmain x H&M launch party wearing a futuristic dress with hand-sewn beads from the collection. A few months later, she became part of the Wangsquad for the Alexander Wang SS16 campaign, sporting a see-through top and thigh-high ripped cargo pants. Outside modelling, Kaia proved that effortless, casual chic style work for any time of the day, often rocking oversized blazers and loose trousers together, while also sometimes pairing fitted cropped jackets with trainers from designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Dr.

“Outside modelling, Kaia proved that effortless, casual chic styles work for any time of the day” In 2018, Gerber saw further breakthroughs in her career, starting with the Chanel Spring/Summer 2019 Couture show where she modelled a fairytale strawberry-pink dress by Karl Lagerfeld.

Her avant-garde appearances of the year include iconic puffy hair and a pink feather dress by Valentino, bouquet and sketch dresses by Moschino, and a yellow headto-toe cheetah print look by Versace.

The young model made her entrance into adulthood an iconic one, by recreating her mother, Cindy Crawford’s, 1992 VMA look, wearing a black, bondage-style corset dress from Versace. We are curious to see how Kaia Gerber’s fashion evolution will continue to evolve and live up to her “baby supermodel” nickname that she has acquired.

Martens alike.

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OTwo - Travel

Right Mindsets to Have When You Travel

Mallika Venkatramani discusses the right mindsets one should have before and while they travel, because travelling is more than a pleasurable escape from reality – it is a valuable learning experience!

While travelling is the best thing to do if you want to make the most out of your life, we tend to brush off the challenges that come with the process of journeying and think that we’ll deal with them as they come. But it doesn’t hurt to be mentally prepared before you travel, right? After all, you want to make your journey as hassle-free as possible.

Here are some ways you can prepare yourself before you travel so you can travel hassle free.

1. Acknowledge That Things May Not Go as Planned The last thing you want to hear after carefully planning out an itinerary is that some things will not happen as planned. I’ll tell you a little story, for my first solo trip to London, I had carefully curated my itinerary. I had planned to board a hop-on-hop-off bus, get off at Trafalgar Square, explore Soho and finally get the bus again to Tower Bridge which was near my hotel. It was a little packed, but I thought it was overall do-able. But I never expected I’d have a hard time finding the bus pick-up points (I was stranded along Westminster Abbey for a while), miss seeing Buckingham Palace because I had to chase a bus before it left, lose my way from Tower Bridge with my battery completely flat and come back to my hotel with mixed emotions. But hey, it was my first solo trip! Things cannot happen perfectly. It is important to take things in your stride and tell your mind to be prepared in case things don’t fall into place.

2. Be Prepared to Make Decisions on the Spot Travelling can take several unprecedented turns. There might be times where you need to choose between going to some places over others, simply due to unanticipated time constraints, or even remove some items from your itinerary altogether. For example, you just came back from a day trip, and according to your itinerary you have a hike planned the next morning. Realistically, it would make more sense to drop the hike and opt for a stroll along a traditional market in the late afternoon instead.

Just remember that sometimes plans do not always work out as expected, and that’s fine too.

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‘We tend to brush off the challenges that come with the process of journeying and think we’ll deal with them as they come.’

3. Be happy in your own company This goes without saying if you’re doing a solo trip, but it is important even if you prefer travelling with friends. A group of people might not have the same interests. Don’t half-heartedly commit to an activity you don’t truly enjoy, instead, make your preferences clear and be ready to explore your interests on your own. You guys are still going to come back home together anyway; it doesn’t hurt to spend a day or two doing the activities on your own!

4. Do Your Research for Your Day Trips If you’re going to a new place, make sure you have done some reading about it and be familiar with the different aspects of the journey. Even if you are with a group of people, you are responsible for yourself. So, make sure that you have done proper research, whether it is reading an online blog or in a printed travel guide, it is essential to be familiar with where you are travelling to in order to avoid getting lost.

5. Live In The Moment!

Frustrations and annoying incidents happen all of the time, even when you travel! Remember that months after your trip, you will only remember the beautiful memories. Time is fleeting, so try to focus on living for the moment albeit the challenges and trust me, you will become stronger as a person and an amazing memories to carry home with you, Overall, we learn best from experience, so keep travelling and you’ll learn loads!

OTwo - Fatal Fourway

FATAL FOURWAY: Bad Dating App Experiences Nathan Young- Assistant Editor

For the uninitiated, Grindr is a place where men go to meet other men for wholesome clean fun in an alleyway between their respective houses at three in the morning. Basically, it’s a stretch to call Grindr a “dating” app. During my first year of Uni I organised a date with a guy on Grindr. He was incredibly cute in his profile, during our conversation he was chatty and interesting. He liked reading and I read voraciously. So, I asked if he wanted to grab a coffee and hang out in Hoggis Figgis.

I arrived early, and soon after he arrived, looking as if the twink from Grindr had survived a heroin habit ten years since his photo was taken. His stubble was patchy, his teeth had yellowed, and he used a bejeweled cane as an affectation. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed he was just having a bad day. Some 20 year olds look like they’re 35, don’t they? As we paced around the shop, I tried pointing out books I’d read, books I’d like to read, and so on. His replies were subdued and mainly just “Oh, cool”. I asked him what books he liked, and he thoughtlessly picked up the closest one to him. After about 40 minutes of attempted conversation, he asked me my thoughts on having sex on the first date and I faked an emergency to leave early. Since then, I’ve still learned nothing and return to Grindr for disappointing dates.

Conor Halion- Arts and Literature Editor

I downloaded Tinder when I was a fresh faced nineteen-year-old, but the weeks crawled by without a match in sight, I had eventually convinced myself that it was because my WiFi connection was poor. (For the record, I live in the suburbs of north Dublin and have exceptional broadband.) Then one day, I noticed the app had updated itself with a new feature. “Tinder Gold,” I mused to myself, thinking about the eligible singles in my area. And 16 quid for 6 months? They’re practically giving it away! I eagerly popped in my card details and waited for the matches to start rolling in. Only it wasn’t €16 for six months, it was €16 per month charged all at once, for a grand total of €96. I was devastated, especially when I found out that spending such a ludicrous amount of money didn’t make women instantly fall in love with me.

But, I was not so easily defeated, I had to get creative. I had decided to make a Powerpoint presentation of my pros and cons, complete with charts of both the bar and pie variant, entitled: “Looking for Mr Right, How about Swiping Right?” Then came the final nail in the Tinder coffin. After redownloading the app for the millionth time, I received the message, ‘Your account has been banned’ without any explanation.

In conclusion, my WiFi had a stronger connection than I ever had on Tinder.

Heather Reynolds- OTwo Co-Editor

The thing about lesbian Tinder is that no one messages each other first. Which means, essentially no one messages each other ever. For this reason, I mainly use it both to destress through repetitive motion (swiping) and to get out some of my meanest impulses healthily (swiping, judgmentally). So when someone messages it becomes enough of a shock that I panic delete Tinder.

My usual process of just swiping and ghosting wasn’t really working out long term. See, I’m heavily involved on campus, and have the tendency of recognizing other UCD students and vice versa. Swiping right on someone else who’s ‘Involved’ becomes risky, because there’s a 99% chance that if you match, they’re gonna ask about getting an alcohol licence for Newman. This swipe though, I figured, was a safe bet as they were extremely out of my league. Then we matched. Then they messaged, directly referencing that we’re both around the SU a lot. Naturally, I panic deleted the app.

Next day, I’m updating my LinkedIn, trying to get 30 connections so they’ll stop emailing me about it, and I see their profile. It hasn’t been updated in ages. I figure that even when they eventually log on, I’ll be well forgotten. They confirm the request almost immediately. Then, I get a text from the auditor from a society I’m on asking for me to sit in on a meeting, I agree, arrive 10 minutes late, and they are also at the meeting.

They didn’t recognise me. Still don’t know how I feel about that.

Gavin Tracey - Editor When it comes to bad dating app experiences, the main issue is deciding which story to tell. In my first year of college I was a pretty voracious tinder user (the first step to healing is admitting you have a problem). I spent a lot of time on that godforsaken app. Only very rarely did my frenzied and often drunken swiping result in the promise of a date. I say promise, because only rarely were these promises kept. In everyday parlance, I was stood up. Stood up more often than they actually showed up.

I specifically chose a bar I disliked so as not to give myself bad memories in a place that I liked. Trinity Bar on Dame Street became my go-to place.

Terrible, terrible bar, expensive beer, sports on every available television. Getting stood up is the least of your worries in this place.

I had arranged to meet with a seemingly lovely girl for 8pm in the bar.

I showed up early, and began chatting to the barman. Yup, here on a first date.

Yea, I’m nervous enough but it’ll be fine. Everything was going well. Until 8pm came. No sign of her. 8:15, still nothing. 8:45, nope. No response to my texts.

The bar staff began to give me pitying looks and slid over a pint of Guinness with a knowing and sympathetic nod. I drank it by myself and walked home in the rain. Tinder is hell.

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APERTURE The Last Of The Summer Sun

Ahmed Jouda James Watson

Julia Filipczak

Doireann De Courcy Mac Donnelll

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