The Courier 1194

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Issue 1194 Monday 12 October 2009 www.thecourieronline.co.uk

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The paps are out: who’s been causing a stir on campus?

News, page 7

A. WILSON

Local council plans student ghetto such as Jesmond and Heaton. Liberal Democrat councillors claim that their ‘Living and Learning in Newcastle’ strategy will increase choice, drive down rents and improve living conditions. A plan for similar purpose-built student blocks was originally proposed in 2007, as reported in The Courier, but eventually fell through. The Labour opposition called for further debate on the strategy which they believe could put people off studying in the city. Labour’s leader Nick Forbes told The Chronicle, “Our concern is that this strategy is not ambitious enough and only sees students as a problem in terms of housing, rather than as an asset to the community�. He continued, “The Lib Dems seem to think that driving students out of areas such as Jesmond and Heaton will free up properties for family housing. Landlords will not

sell these properties; they will just rent them out to other groups of people. All it will do is replace one set of issues with another�. However, Liberal Democrat Councillor Bill Shepherd insisted they were not trying to force students out of certain areas of the city. Shepherd told The Chronicle, “We are aiming to ensure students in Newcastle have access to safe, wellmanaged and decent accommodation, while balancing the needs and welfare of residents�. At the meeting on Friday he denied the council were trying to dictate where students lived and said he would welcome further discussions between all parties on the matter. The city of Newcastle encompasses two universities and is home to 37,000 students in full time education, giving it the highest proportion of full-time students to population of any of England’s largest cities.

Council chiefs say that over the last decade the number of students living in rented accommodation has ULVHQ VLJQLĂ€FDQWO\ EXW QRW HQRXJK SXUSRVH EXLOW Ă DWV IRU VWXGHQWV KDYH been built. As a result of this, the council says it wants to make sure SXUSRVH EXLOW Ă DWV DUH FRQVWUXFWHG for students. Students at the meeting said they felt they were being unfairly hounded out of communities. Newcastle Union’s Student SupSRUW 2IĂ€FHU 3HWH 0HUFHU ZKR DOVR attended told The Courier, “This document clearly isn’t about a shortage of student housing because there isn’t one; we haven’t got students living on the street. “If having students living in communities is really becoming a problem, we need to resolve those issuesâ€?. Tensions between students and residents in local communities such

as Jesmond and Heaton have risen VLJQLĂ€FDQWO\ DIWHU KXJH LQFUHDVHV in the number of complaints made against students. Jesmond resident Bobbie Harding told The Courier, “I think the solution to this is along the lines of the strategy presented today. This will help to lessen the tensionsâ€?. She continued, “There’s a difference in lifestyle between students and residents, which is understandable. I don’t expect or want students to come back at 12 o’clock at night, but you can’t have families and working people next to each otherâ€?. “The problem is numbers. Sheer overwhelming numbers. In the summer, there are few permanent residents. It has stopped being a year-round community.â€? Continued on page 7 Comment on page 10

Ross Moodie tribute

BNP on the BBC?

Out with the old?

The Futureheads

Royals lose opener

Friends of the late Ross Moodie have paid their respects after the former Boat Club member’s tragic accident. News, pages 4 and 5

Yes / No debates whether or not the %%& VKRXOG DOORZ 1LFN *ULIÂżQ WR DSSHDU on Question Time later this month. Comment, page 11

Why drink and Facebook make it GLIÂżFXOW IRU ORQJ GLVWDQFH UHODWLRQVKLSV to succeed at university. Life & Style, page 14

7KH ÂżUVW LQVWDOPHQW RI Culture Chat brings to you an exclusive interview with Sunderland band The Futureheads. Culture, page 19

A late penalty saw Newcastle’s men’s rugby union side slip to home defeat against Leeds Met. Sport, page 44

> Proposal to rehouse 5,000 students Simon Murphy & Jessica Tully News Editors Students clashed with local councillors and residents over new housing proposals set forward by the Liberal Democrat led council. The plans, which would see purpose-built blocks catering for 5,000 students in Newcastle, were challenged by Labour opposition councillors in a call-in which was defeated by three votes to one on Friday morning. Critics claimed the proposed housing plan sought to drive students out of residential parts of the city,

Inside today >>>

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Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

The Union Society, King’s Walk, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QB. Tel: 0191 239 3940

News Not so Nobel Research done by University scientists is given the Ig Nobel prize Page 5

Culture

News Editors: Simon Murphy and Jessica Tully - courier.news@ncl.ac.uk

Medical School celebrates 175th birthday

Culture Chat

Lois Locker

Interviews with bands, The Futureheads and Hockey, as well as Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine Pages 20, 29 and 33

Newcastle medical school celebrated its 175th anniversary with a bang RQ WKH Ă€ UVW RI 2FWREHU E\ KDYLQJ D party for present and past pupils, academics and NHS partners. Newcastle School of Medicine and Surgery (as it was then known) started its humble beginnings with 26 students in a small building at %HOO¡V FRXUW LQ 3LOJULP 6WUHHW 2YHU the years, the medical school has grown dramatically to its modern state and is now currently training over 1,700 student doctors at its present location in Framlington Street. The Medical school, which began in 1834, was the founding institution for Newcastle University itself. This makes Newcastle University unique in being the only English university to have begun life as a medical school. Professor Chris Day, pro-vice chancellor for the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University, said, “We acknowledge the shared history we have with our regional partners at Durham University – the College of Medicine was a Durham University College from 1870 until 1963 – and the regional hospitals that continue to provide the practical training ground for our trainee medical students.â€? Professor Day added, “The medi-

Life & Style Travel photo of the week How you can win ÂŁ10 worth of photo prints as well as a framed copy of your own photograph by entering our new weekly competition Page 17

Sport Intra Mural is back Comprehensive coverage of the opening day of the Intra Mural football and rugby season Page 40-43

‡ (GLWRU 'DYLG &RYHUGDOH ‡ 'HSXW\ (GLWRU )UDQ ,QIDQWH ‡ 1HZV (GLWRUV -HVVLFD 7XOO\ DQG 6LPRQ Murphy ‡ &RPPHQW (GLWRUV &DUROLQH $UJ\URSXOR Palmer and Nicholas Fidler ‡ /LIH 6W\OH (GLWRUV /DULVD %URZQ $OH[ Felton and Ashley Fryer ‡ &XOWXUH (GLWRU $OLFH 9LQFHQW ‡ $UWV (GLWRU 6WHSKDQLH )HUUDR ‡ )LOP (GLWRU )UDQFHV .URRQ ‡ 0XVLF (GLWRUV 0DUN &RUFRUDQ /HWWLFH DQG Chris Mandle ‡ 79 5DGLR (GLWRU $LPHH 3KLOLSVRQ ‡ 3X]]OHV (GLWRUV 6X]L 0RRUH DQG 1HG Walker ‡ 6SRUWV (GLWRUV 3DXO &KULVWLDQ -DPLH *DYLQ DQG 7RP -DPHV ‡ 'HVLJQ (GLWRU 9LFWRULD 3URXGIRRW ‡ &XOWXUH 2QOLQH (GLWRUV *RUGRQ %UXFH DQG -HVVLFD 0RQVRQ ‡ 3URRI (GLWRUV 5XWK $OVDQDN &ODLUH &KLOGV Kath Harmer, Lucy Houlden, Anna Kenolty, Charlotte Loftus, Emma Peasgood and Claire Russell Meetings Timetable: Monday Sport - 11am, Function Suite News - 12pm, Function Suite Comment - 12pm, Function Suite Photos - 1pm, Function Suite Tuesday /LIH 6W\OH SP )XQFWLRQ 6XLWH Wednesday Film - 12.30pm, Committee Room B Music - 1pm, Committee Room B Thursday 79 5DGLR DP )XQFWLRQ 6XLWH Arts - 12pm, Function Suite

The Courier is printed by: Harmsworth Printing Limited, Northcliffe House, Meadow Road, Derby, DE1 2DW. Tel: 01332 253013. Established in 1948, The Courier is the fully independent Student Newspaper of the Union Society at the University of Newcastle-UponTyne. The Courier is published weekly during term time, and is free of charge. The design, text, photographs and graphics are copyright of The Courier and its individual contributors. No parts of this newspaper may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor. Any views expressed in this newspaper’s opinion pieces are those of the individual writing, and not of The Courier, the Union Society or the University of Newcastleupon-Tyne.

D. HAMILL

cal school’s history is intrinsically linked to the social and cultural development of Newcastle as a city and the North-East region as a whole. “As part of the cultural fabric of the region, we plan to use the anniversary celebrations to get as many people involved as possible over the next few months.� The medical school will be inviting

people from across the north-east region to get involved in events organised to celebrate this important anniversary. Newcastle medical school is viewed as one of the top medical schools in the country closely folORZLQJ 2[IRUG &DPEULGJH DQG University College London. It is also world renowned for its research into

S.OAKES

Debauchery night at Venue banned Natalie Taylor Popular student club night ‘Debauchery’, held on Fridays at Venue has been shut down. 2ZQHUV RI 9HQXH 0DUNHW 6WUHHW have been ordered by the council to close down the night for the second time in two years. The name ‘Debauchery’ was prohibited in 2007 as Police and local authorities believed it to be irresponsible, encouraging heavy drinking and unsuitable behaviour. Councillor Anita Lower told The Chronicle, “The whole idea of a night like this is exactly the kind of thing we are trying to get away from.â€? Promoters agreed to stop using the word two years ago, changing the night to ‘DB’. Recently, howHYHU SROLFH VSRWWHG Ă \HUV XVLQJ WKH original name, and alerted the City Council licensing committee. “Both the owner and the promot-

er of the night appeared before us and have told us ‘never again’, so it seems we have reached an agreement.â€? Anita Lower continued. Although the name has been replaced again by ‘db’, the night will continue with the same theme and drinks promotions. Promoters of the night announced, ´:H ZRXOG OLNH WR FRQĂ€ UP WKDW the name ‘debauchery’ has been stopped, and from now on we have rebranded the night as ‘db!’ Venue’s legendary Friday nights will continue, as ever, the same as always, but under the name ‘db!â€? The ban comes after popular student club Attic was reprimanded in the summer for introducing a night named ‘Trashed’. Promotional material said the club aimed to help attendees get “nailed, battered, done-in and, well, proper ****ing trashed.â€? To ensure those attending would drink as much alcohol as possible, organisers planned to breathalyse each person as they left. The most intoxicated person would gain free entry the following week, yet “if you’re legal to drive at 3amâ€?, the promotion boasted, “we’ll refund your entry money because in our eyes you’re not Trashed, so we’ve failed in our mission.â€? Newcastle area commander Chief Support Graham Smith told The Chronicle, “In conjunction with Newcastle City Council we responded promptly to the information received about this particular drinks promotion and we have been given assurances it will no longer go ahead.â€?

some of the world’s biggest health challenges, such as ageing, chronic degenerative disease, neurological problems, brain diseases and cancer, as well as research into genetics and cell biology. It is adding to its already global stance by building a campus in Malaysia which will be ready by 2011.

Bumps record attempt fails Taz Burwaiss Newcastle University kicked off the start of term with record breaking ambitions as students from around halls and campus took part in a World Record Attempt of the ‘Biggest Game of Musical Bumps’. Unfortunately, the attempt fell just short of the world record but the event proved to be a great day with cheesy music and dancing in the sunshine, including over 200 people taking part, and even more in attendance. The ‘Give it a Go’ event was organised by the Union’s Activities Development Coordinator Emily Leaper. She told The Courier “I was really

pleased with the day! It was a fun afternoon, and I’d like to thank all the students who came along and really got into the spirit of things. I am planning now to run it again on Union Day (coming up in November sometime‌watch this space) and we WILL break the world record!â€? The eventual winner, 1st year Law student Rebecca Gerrard, was rewarded with a ÂŁ20 HMV voucher, as well as the prestigious title of Newcastle University’s best musical bumper. She told The Courier “I saw it in the paper and happened to be walking past. It was really good fun and a great way in get involved with the Union.â€?

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

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Fun

NEWS

Bean there, done that... Charlie Oven The baked bean- part of a staple diet for many students. Just one tin sets in motion a whole range of culinary possibilities, from being served with jacket potatoes, to the timeless classic of beans on toast. Never has there been a more loyal and honourable friend to vegetarians and meat eaters alike. There truly are no boundaries to the use of the little bean that punches above its weight in nutritional value. During Freshers’ Week enthusiastic students put this claim to the test by jumping into a tub full of them. The “bean bathing” spectacle took place between the 23rd and 24th September in the Union Basement, and was part of a campaign by Taybarns restaurants, who were promoting an all you can eat buffet offer at £4.99 exclusive to students. Speaking to The Courier, Helen Treadwell, a representative of Taybarns, described the busy two day event as a “brilliant and fun atmosphere” and was particularly impressed by the “no limits approach” adopted by each of the brave bathers who took up the challenge. What exactly was the motivation behind the 14 brave souls who took WKH GLS" 2Q À UVW WKRXJKWV VXFK GDU LQJ DFWLRQV PD\ VHHP WR EHÀ W WKH nature of Freshers’ Week, where caution is quite simply cast aside in the pursuit of student courage and honour. However, there was a far greater prize at stake. Each bather was entered into a competition draw held by Taybarns, whereby the winner would be able to eat one day a week for free at the restaurant over the course of a year. The grand prize was awarded WR 7RP 1LFKROVRQ 5HÁ HFWLQJ RQ the win, the 1st year Ancient History student commented that it was “brilliant news”, particularly as he conveniently lives close to the Taybarns restaurant in Swallwell. For Tom, “Freshers Week is all about new experiences and it is not every day that you get to jump in a bath of beans”. For Tom at least, it is now a case of bean there done that.

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Part-tea on at the Union > Student parents, carers and family members upbeat for the new semester Anthonia Ijeoma Onyeahialam Newcastle University Student Parent and Carers Forum played host to over 40 parents, children, carers DQG IDPLO\ PHPEHUV IRU LWV À UVW family tea party. The event, which took place on Saturday September 26 at the Student Union, kicks off a series of social events across the semester. Families had the opportunity to chat and there were lots of games for everyone. The children had their faces painted and enjoyed arts and crafts activities. The tea party was a huge success and the turnout overwhelming. Parents and carers were really pleased, because the party provided the opportunity to learn that others share in their challenges. The tea party was organised as

part of Freshers’ week by the Student Parents and Carers forum, Student Union Society and Newcastle University. The forum aims to provide support to students who have parenting and caring responsibilities to help them cope with parenting, caring and student life. The forum also organises family social events, addressing issues in open dialogue with the university and relevant authorities on the concerns of student parents and carers. It is open to any student parent and carer of the university and their spouses/partners. Children are also welcome at the meetings, which WDNH SODFH RQ WKH À UVW :HGQHVGD\ RI every month at 1pm in the Training room at the Union Building. Meeting details are: Date and Time: 1pm, 1st Wednesday of every month Venue: Training room, Student Union Building, Newcastle University For more information, contact Deborah Smith: d.a.smith2@ncl.ac.uk

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Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

NEWS

Tribute

7ULEXWHV Ă RRG LQ IRU SRSXODU VWXGHQW > Friends, team-mates and teachers pay respects to Ross Moodie Fran Infante Deputy Editor As the sporting season gets underway this year, one club is still reeling from the loss of one of its most

promising and popular members. Ross Moodie, 20, died on the morning of Friday 23rd of August after a rock climbing excursion with friends in Greece went tragically wrong. After falling more than 80ft the talented sportsman was left with two broken legs, a broken wrist and extensive head injuries. Due to their remote location, local rescue workers could not reach the group until the evening, leaving Moodie’s climbing companions

helpless as their friend died waiting to be rescued. The 3rd year Marketing and Management student had been climbing in the Etoloakarnania mountain region in the north of Greece on a day off from his summer job as a sailLQJ LQVWUXFWRU ZLWK WKH KROLGD\ Ă€UP Sunsail. After a year in industry with IBM in London, he was due to return to Newcastle this September. Moodie had always been at the forefront of Newcastle’s sporting excellence, both as a gifted rower and as part of the Intra Mural rugby team The Titans. Tributes have poured in from both clubs. His former coach at the Boat Club recently told the Journal “ Ross was a very popular character within the club who was always full of life. His loss is a tragedy; everyone at the boat club was shocked and upset by the news.â€? Just weeks after Ross’s death his former teammates represented their club and University at the European University rowing championships. 7KH\ Ă€QLVKHG QG DQG GLG VR ZHDUing black armbands in memory of their friend. Ross’s close friends Alex Richardson, Bea Suarez and Steph Ritson told The Courier of how the news has affected them: “the days of Jesmond streaking and cider showers are no more. Christmas is going to be lacking its giant snowman. [Without Ross] our days may be a little more peaceful but certainly a lot less fun.â€? Ross’s family plan to commemorate his lifelong passion for rowing by donating a four-man boat to his beloved Newcastle University Boat Club. The boat is to be used by the 1st team and will be named in his honour “Moodie Blues.â€?

Happier times: Ross (left) with his mum and brothers Duncan and Jamie

Andrew Corrigan and Ed Ford pay their respects at the European Championships in Poland

Extreme makeover: the university edition Mary-Beth Frater The Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE) has released a report recommending an overhaul of the present university grading system. First, second and third class degrees would be replaced with a detailed report card under the new proposals. This follows an increase in the number of top grades being awarded. Figures show that close to twothirds of all students now leave university with a 2:1 or higher. The HEFCE has denied claims that degrees are becoming easier but warned that universities cannot afford to become complacent. The Burgess Group – which measures and records student achievements – has slammed the present system. The group – chaired by Professor Robert Burgess, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester – has labelled the current system “no longer Ă€W IRU SXUSRVHÂľ LQVLVWLQJ WKDW VWXdents and employers deserve an improved system. The report recommends that universities adopt a US-style report card system entitled the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). The report card would contain a

breakdown of students’ marks in individual modules and assessments including details of extra-curricular activities. Sophie Archer, a second year law student, told The Courier: “The use of a report card would potentially be splitting hairs over WKH Ă€QHU GLIIHUHQFHV LQ RXU PDUNV and put students who, for whatever reason, have not taken part in other activities at a disadvantage.â€? (GXFDWLRQ 2IĂ€FHU (PPD %XGJH

told The Courier: “The use of HEAR is a great way to encourage further involvement in university life, whilst giving academic credit to extra-curricular activities - something which has not strictly been done before.� Newcastle University will join 14 other universities across the UK in trialling the use of HEAR.

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

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Tribute

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NEWS

nd, est sou d u o l e d, ing th y mak ways be foun r a r b i l l e e can a y in th e, The gu in the gym h shing muscl hussle. u y p l of a d Usual hts an there’s sight g i e w Lifting to run when st pursue Yet fir uldn’t u! o w e h castle led yo in New probably pul fe aim, l r i g a ame. li s Not e he ha o achieve his h a playful g r a s e c Chan up wit tious t s ambi first to come y l, a w l A the hal tle he t n i s t y h a g as fi Yet alw at the C a food s u a o w y , w you o avoid ul e we sa ere trying t m i t onderf t w s w a e Fir h w c e t of su xt tim he star The ne t s a ! l w l ba e this olical Leazes e realis ly diab w u r t d i s d i e h Littl with t hip, justice s t d i n o e i d r f ’t we can time, Shame he best !) t r o f . u p or port t to yo penshi sit nex le of wine… ( ation, o t t s e bott spir requ lways down a h an in on. We’d a y to see you you were suc ti ll rmina s Especia ous note Ros fun and dete eri k, On a s our hard wor y l this, For al riting y missed. w n u f h rel so muc you are seve d a h e xox) We hav g you know Skipp n i e t t t t e o l l r t Jus nd Cha ilney a A poem for Ross Moodie written by his friends T e t a Kate Tilney and Charlotte Skipp r love K u o l l A (

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Ig Nobel prize for cow study > Newcastle University scientists awarded dubious accolade Elliot Bentley Newcastle University researchers have been awarded an Ig Nobel prize for a study showing that naming cows increases their milk yield. The Ig Nobel prizes, not to be confused with the Nobel prizes, were announced last week. The awards UHFRJQLVH ´DFKLHYHPHQWV WKDW À UVW make people laugh, and then make them think”. Some of the other prizewinning studies included one determining why pregnant women do not fall over and the invention of a bra that doubles as a gas mask. This bizarre insight was the result of an investigation into cow welfare, carried out by the department for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. Speaking to The Times, Dr Catherine Douglas, who led the research, said “the whole study was about how stress and fear can have a biological effect on milk yields”. For the study, which was pub-

lished earlier this year, researchers interviewed 516 dairy farmers about their opinions on relationships between humans and animals. 48% of the farmers agreed that positive contact with humans resulted in a better milk yield, and further experiments showed surprising results: the milk yield from cows called by individual names was one

The Courier reported Dr Catherine Douglas’ study back in February

to two litres greater than that from cows herded as a group. Dairy farmer Dennis Gibb, who owns Eachwick Red House Farm outside Newcastle, agreed with the À QGLQJV “They aren’t just our livelihood, they’re part of the family” said Dennis. “We love our cows here, and every one of them has a name. Collectively we refer to them as ‘our ladies’, but each one has her own personality”. Dr Peter Robinson, Dr Douglas’s co-investigator, added, “On a serious note, our research was all about improving animal welfare”, pointLQJ RXW WKDW WKHUH LV VLJQLÀ FDQW HYL dence of a link between the stress hormone cortisol and the production of milk in cows. However, only 10% of the farmers interviewed believed a fear of humans affected milk production. The Ig Nobel peace prize went to a team who investigated whether it is more dangerous to be smashed over the head with a full bottle or an empty bottle. The answer was a full bottle, though either is going to cause serious head trauma.

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Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

NEWS

University H.HAYES

National Samantha Hockney

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Inside today >>>

Should the BNP be on the BBC? Comment, page 11

Byker revisted Culture, page 24

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

7

University

A Royal welcome David Coverdale Editor After a summer of speculation, Princess Eugenie of York arrived at Newcastle University to begin her three year BA Hons Combined Studies degree in English, History of Art and Politics. National media including the BBC, ITV, The Sun, Daily Mail and The Mirror gathered on campus the day DIWHU )UHVKHUV¡ :HHN WR JHW WKHLU Ă€UVW glimpse of the younger daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, as she attended an inducWLRQ RQ DFFRPPRGDWLRQ Ă€QDQFH DQG welfare. ,Q WKH RIĂ€FLDO SUHVV VKRRW WKH Queen’s granddaughter walked hand-in-hand with a fellow student from the Bedson to the Armstrong Building, stopping only for a reporter who asked why she had chosen Newcastle, to which the 19-year-old simply stated, “because it’s a great city.â€?

Continued from front page

As Eugenie acclimatises to her new surroundings, media have been asked to respect the Princess’ privacy for the rest of her time at university, as was the case with her cousin, Prince William during his time at St Andrews, and her sister Beatrice, who is a current student at Goldsmiths, University of London. 7KH 3ULQFHVV¡ DUULYDO Ă€QDOO\ HQGV months of rumours which began back in July when the Daily Mail Ă€UVW EURNH WKH QHZV WKDW WKH VL[WK in line to the throne was coming to Newcastle. The University would not comment on the story at the time but media attention on the University and Union grew as reports over her potential motives for coming to the city and her likely Halls of ResiGHQFH FRQWLQXHG WR Ă€OO WDEORLG FROumn inches. Now, however, the Princess will be looking forward to settling in to student life amongst the rest of this year’s new intake.

Nice to see you: excited staff peer out from the Armstrong building

P.DIXON

NEWS

Walk on by: Princess Eugenie arrives at the Armstrong Building with a friend

A.WILSON

8QLRQ &RPPXQLW\ 2IĂ€FHU 'DYLG Hickling feels the strategy as it stands is a largely regressive document, and whilst titled ‘Living and Learning’ in Newcastle, merely focuses upon shifting not solving the issues related to student housing. Paul Allison, who publishes New Student magazine, said: “Even though there has been an increase in students no one is sleeping rough so there is enough accommodation. First year halls were oversubscribed this year but spaces were found, there aren’t people in hotel rooms or camp beds in sports centres. Jesmond will be the last place students leave. “Students want to live where there are amenities, transport links, shops, where they can go out. It is not going to alleviate the Jesmond problems and it could make them worse.â€? John Henderson, director of Acorn Properties, who operate in Jesmond, said: “Many businesses in Jesmond would not be here if it was not for the students and most other businesses would struggle. “Students are highly sophisticatHG FRQVXPHUV 7KHLU H[SHFWDWLRQV of standards of accommodation is much higher than it has ever been ZKLFK LV H[FHOOHQW EHFDXVH WKH\ along with the responsible agents in Newcastle, are helping to raise the standard of accommodation throughout the area.â€? He continued: “In our own SHUVRQDO H[SHULHQFH WKH YDVW majority of the students we deal with are easy to get on with, appreciative of the service they get and discerning in their choice of properties.â€?

8

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

NEWS

Photos of Freshers’ Week Page 22 and 23 >>>

Editorial

Editorial Editor: David Coverdale - editor.union@ncl.ac.uk

Freshers’ Week proves a huge success Newcastle University Freshers’ Week 2009 promised a lot and delivered even more. With 3,500 wristbands completely selling out IRU WKH Ă€UVW WLPH LQ LWV KLVWRU\ VWXdents from all over the world got the best introduction to Newcastle they could possibly have hoped for. Once cars were unloaded, bags unpacked and smart cards reFHLYHG Ă€UVW \HDUV KHDGHG GRZQ WR the Union for the huge ‘Beach Party Blowout’ to kick their week off in style. +DLZDDQ VKRUWV Ă LS Ă RSV DQG garlands were the order of the night as freshers revelled amongst the 20 tonnes of sand, beach balls and LQĂ DWDEOH FURFRGLOHV WKDW Ă€OOHG WKH Basement, as well as the outdoor VLOHQW GLVFR ² DQRWKHU Ă€UVW IRU 1HZcastle Freshers’ Week. The summery theme continued outside the Union the following day, as the late September sun SURYLGHG D Ă€WWLQJ EDFN GURS WR WKH dodgeball tournament, live DJs and bouncy castle on show. It was a festival-like atmosphere and this was the way it stayed for the majority of the week. There were a vast array of daytime activities for freshers to get stuck into and help them settle into their new surroundings, from cocktail making, pole dancing and skiing, to trips to the Quayside, Durham and the Angel of the North And the nights only got bigger, with students getting their dancing shoes on to the Celidh before dancing in a different fashion the following night at Pandamonium to the sound of chart-topping Chicane. The week’s events were then EURXJKW WR D FORVH LQ Ă€WWLQJ IDVKLRQ as Freshtival saw the Union turn into a mini-Glastonbury. Viva City, Bombay Bicycle Club and North

Vacancies www.careers.ncl.ac.uk/vacancies The Careers Service at Newcastle University provides information and DGYLFH RQ GHYHORSLQJ \RXU VNLOOV ÂżQGLQJ D part-time job, work experience, supporting business start-up and (when the time comes) exploring graduate opportunities. Below is a selection of the part-time jobs currently being advertised through the Careers Service. For more details about these and other vacancies, including details of how to apply, visit their website at www.ncl.ac.uk/careers.

Job Title: Telephone Interviewers Employer: TBR Business: Economic and Strategy Based Research Services Closing date: None given Salary: £8 per hour Basic job description: TBR is looking for motivated people who would like to form part of a small survey team engaged in business surveys. The nature of the work they do usually relates to conducting telephone surveys with businesses – they do not contact households or carry out street / door-to-door research. Questions are generally about respondents’ views and opinions, there is no selling involved and these calls do not lead to further sales calls. All of the work is project based. 7KLV FRPSDQ\ FDQ RIIHU D ÀH[LEOH ZRUNLQJ SDWWHUQ WR ¿W DURXQG RWKHU FRPPLWPHQWV VXFK DV lectures. Person requirements: You should have

East favourites Maximo Park took over the main stage, while the other outdoor stages added to a night freshers will never forget.

The week proved a huge success for all concerned, not least the four student organisers Alex Elwick, Ned Walker, Sally Willan and

Becky Turner, who more than made sure Newcastle University kept its reputation as the best Freshers’ Week in the country.

Education Station Emma Budge (GXFDWLRQ 2IÂżFHU education.union@ncl.ac.uk

Feeling fresh: Maximo Park ended Freshers’ Week in style at the Union

a can-do attitude, commitment to the job in hand, common sense and a thoughtful and intelligent approach to work. As your role will involve direct contact with businesses, good communication skills and a pleasant and conÂżGHQW WHOHSKRQH PDQQHU DUH HVVHQWLDO 3UHYLous experience in telephone based work is HVVHQWLDO 3UHYLRXV H[SHULHQFH LQ D FXVWRPHU facing role is important. They look for good DFDGHPLF DFKLHYHPHQW LQ DQ\ ÂżHOG ,7 OLWHUDF\ FRQÂżGHQFH DQG SHUVRQDOLW\ ,I \RXÂśUH ORRNLQJ to add some high-level experience to your CV then this is a great opportunity. Location: Newcastle

Job Title: Web Server Administrator Employer: Bolsover Networks Business: Web Development Closing date: 30/10/2009 Salary: £15-25 per hour (depending upon experience) Basic job description: Bolsover Networks is an internet start-up that builds web applications for niche markets (e.g. e-commerce sites for antiques dealers, holiday home rental sites etc), with customers signing up on a monthto-month subscription basis. A part-time Linux Web Server Administrator is required. There is the potential that the post could become full time. This post is initially for 8 hours per week, DOWKRXJK WKH KRXUV DUH ÀH[LEOH Person requirements: Some experience is required, but they want people keen to teach themselves on-the-job. Location: Newcastle

Job Title: Student Brand Managers Employer: Campus Group Business: Student marketing and promotions

Closing date: 01/11/2009 Salary: £6 - £8 per hour Basic job description: Campus Group are looking for student brand managers to promote prestigious brands at universities across the country during the academic year of 2009/10. They carry out marketing campaigns for brands such as Jack Daniels, The Foreign &RPPRQZHDOWK 2I¿FH 6RXWKHUQ &RPIRUW The Times and 3 Mobile. As a campus brand manager you will gain invaluable experience of running a series of exciting marketing acWLYLWLHV VXFK DV VWXQWV 35 HYHQWV OHDÀHW GLVtribution, promotions, road shows, sampling, graduate recruitment, as well as working towards the prestigious Chartered Institute of Marketing Award. Average of about 8 hours per week. Person requirements: They are looking for dynamic students who want to gain experiHQFH LQ WKH ¿HOG RI PDUNHWLQJ <RX PXVW EH able to work well individually, be able to really make an impact and be keen to earn some H[WUD FDVK LQ D ÀH[LEOH UROH ZKLFK ¿WV DURXQG your studies. No experience is necessary but being outgoing and enthusiastic is essential. You should also be hard working, innovative and willing to learn quickly. Location: Newcastle

Job Title: Short Break Workers Employer: KIDS Direct Short Breaks Business: Charity Closing date: None given Salary: ÂŁ7.39 per hour Basic job description: A KIDS Direct Short break means that Disabled children and young people can enjoy and experience activities that they are interested in with the VXSSRUW RI D VNLOOHG 6KRUW %UHDN :RUNHU 3HU-

A. WILSON

sonal Assistant). This is a permanent position to provide support to Disabled children and young people in a variety of settings to promote independence, inclusion and positive behaviour. Person requirements: Experience of working with Disabled children would be an advantage but is not essential as full training is provided. Location: Gateshead Job Title: Seasonal Brand Replenishment Assistants Employer: LMG Business: Field Marketing Closing date: 04/12/2009 Salary: £5.80 per hour plus bonus Basic job description: On behalf of their client, Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands, LMG are looking for outgoing individuals to visit local stores in three major grocery groups - Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s - between 14/12/09 and 24/12/09 to ensure the portfolio of brands including premium global brands such as Bacardi Superior Rum & Jack Daniel’s are fully stocked on the shelves. The job entails: replenishment of stock on the shelves; liaising with grocery staff on stock ordering issues; checking promotional display compliance; gaining additional display space & recording DFKLHYHPHQW DQG ¿QGLQJV RQ D GDLO\ EDVLV RQ line. Members of the BB-FB sales & marketing teams will provide support and pre-activity EULH¿QJ 7KLV LV D WHPSRUDU\ IXOO WLPH SRVLWLRQ 3HUVRQ UHTXLUHPHQWV $OO DSSOLFDQWV PXVW have a full driving license and access to a motor vehicle between the drive dates and have access to the internet on a daily basis. Location: Various across the UK

Hi, welcome to the 2nd edition of ‘Education Station’ your weekly update on educational news from across the University and the Union. Just in case you didn’t get to UHDG RXU Ă€UVW HGLWLRQ , DP (PPD %XGJH \RXU (GXFDWLRQ 2IĂ€FHU RQH RI VL[ VDEEDWLFDO RIĂ€FHUV ZKR run your Union. I have been in post since July and things have been non-stop there is so much to learn and understand in a very short period of time but so far I am really enjoying it. As well as attending meetings and working on different projects I was also involved in Freshers’ Week which was fantastic. I hope all of the new students had a good ZHHN DQG DUH Ă€QDOO\ UHFRYHUHG and ready for the year ahead. As for continuing students, I hope you have had lovely summers and had a chance to relax at least a little bit before the hard work starts again. Anyway, whilst most of you students have been of playing or working (sorry to the PG students -you are always working) the Union has still been a hive of DFWLYLW\ IRU WKH RIĂ€FHUV DQG VWDII at least. I have spent the summer going to several training sessions run by the National Union of Students. These have been really useful and helped me a lot with what KDV EHFRPH P\ Ă€UVW SURMHFW WKLV year - implementing the course rep system which I discussed in WKH Ă€UVW HGLWLRQ RI Âś(GXFDWLRQ 6WDtion’. You may have already heard of the course rep system and possibly been a course rep last year but this year we are trying to make the system uniform across campus. Yoshiko Stokoe, a full time member of the Student Advice Centre, has been helping me settle in and get to grips with my work as well as working alongside me to implement the new course rep system. Yoshiko’s role is Representation and Democracy Coordinator, so as well as helping me she works with Pete Mercer (Student SupSRUW 2IĂ€FHU RQ SURMHFWV VXFK DV hall reps. As part of the new course rep system we have been lucky enough to have a fantastic intern working with us, Rebecca Cousin, a student who has been working on the new course rep handbook. Make sure you look out for ways to get involved in the course rep system this term. That’s all for this week, but keep checking up for ways to get involved and news on what has been going on.

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

9

Comment Editors: Caroline Argyropulo-Palmer and Nic Fidler - courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk

The wheels of justice?

Student squalor Katie Bayles E. WILSON

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10

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

COMMENT

No students, no more city Nicholas Fidler Comment Editor Liberal democracy is intended to be, as much as is desirable, an embodiment of the free market. Choice is a means to freedom. We have free elections to facilitate political liberty and we have a largely laissez faire economy to facilitate economic liberty. Pro-capitalist economics lesson over. However, on that note, you might reasonably ask, how can anyone possibly suggest they hold the right to “encourageâ€? students into “alternativeâ€? forms of accommodation (probably super high rises) than in the suburbs they legitimately desire? As I angrily mentioned to most of Newcastle City Council at last week’s meeting “we are not cattle to be herded where you pleaseâ€?. In my eyes, the council’s potential plan to encourage students out of Jesmond and Heaton is morally, VRFLDOO\ DQG HFRQRPLFDOO\ XQMXVWLĂ€able. It is a joke born out of parochialism and discrimination, and one that, as students, I believe we have a duty to bring to its knees. This is but one chapter of the seemingly inescapable issue of students versus locals (as if, somehow, our locale isn’t Newcastle as well?). Such an opposition between the two, and a confrontational mentality, was exactly the tone of last week’s meeting; a viciously antistudent tone. Of course, students by and large are far from perfect (show me a faction that is perfect) and aren’t above redress. However, that redress is called the police and the due process of law, not an accumulation of parochial Geordies

complaining about students. I shan’t list all our social ills but a few booming parties now and then is a laughable grievance compared to what many others in this country and abroad have to contend with: namely real problems. Students don’t tend to steal or murder or form groups with which to terrorise the streets; we are not society’s enemy but, if anything, its future ÀQDQFLHU DQG GHVHUYH WKH HTXDOLW\ of opportunity in the housing market afforded to the rest of society. Contrast this with the near inexhaustible list of desirable factors that students merit. First and most obviously, we are an economic mainstay of this city. The volume of rent a student body nearing 40,000 (between us and Northumbria combined) generates is almost incalculable, but certainly well into the millions. My landlord last year drove a Mercedes, and I was taken to another viewing in a Range Rover Vogue‌ Similarly, who keeps the microeconomy that is Osborne Road IXQFWLRQLQJ" ,W LV VWXGHQWV ZKR ÀOO these bars and restaurants (and pack out Tesco Metro every day for that matter), creating both jobs and prosperity in doing so. These are only the present economic advantages; the prospective HFRQRPLF EHQHÀWV FXUUHQW VWXGHQWV will yield as graduates are irreplaceable. Given the dissilution of shipbuilding and collapse of manufacturing, it is a fair question to ask what it is that this city actually does to earn its keep. The answer, in no uncertain terms is research and education (oh, and run a failing football team). 1RZKHUH H[HPSOLÀHV WKLV EHOLHI LQ a more real sense than the Univer-

sity’s new business school, which is to be built on the old Scottish & Newcastle brewery premises; a successful industry literally supplanting a failing one.

“We are not cattle to be herded where you pleaseâ€? Indeed, our University is inextricably linked with the economic development of the city. Who provides the lawyers and accountants who will drive the city’s business sector in the future? Who puts doctors in training in every major hospital in this city? Whose Geomatics Department did the land survey for the Angel of the North? Whose biomedical research centre /LIH LV D ZRUOG OHDGHU LQ WKH Ă€HOG" Who directly employs around 5000 people and thousands more indirectly? Who turned over ÂŁ342 million in the year to July 2007? Who provides almost everything this city could ever need for a high standard of living in the future? The answer of course, is right in front of you, it is our beloved Newcastle University. It seems to me as if the City Council are all too KDSS\ WR HPEUDFH WKH EHQHĂ€WV RI D solid, research intensive university yet are quick to dismiss the housing needs and desires of the people of which ultimately it consists. Conversely, Newcastle is to my knowledge one of the only, if not the only, red-brick university located at the very centre of a city. It is ridiculous to suggest we shouldn’t be allowed to live in suburbs with the closest proximity to our institution (namely Jesmond

and Sandyford) when we have the Ă€QDQFLDO PHDQV WR GR VR ,QGHHG ridiculous being the active word with regard to the suggestion from the Jesmond Residents Association that we should all live in Westerhope. Brilliant, we’ll all just drive in I guess? Oh, wait a minute‌thanks to the punitive permit system, we can’t do that either. Other stupid assertions, devoid of any reason or substance from the JRA went along the lines of “this is our cityâ€?, “we pay taxesâ€? and “we’re the electorateâ€?, as if one could claim ownership of city or as if we can’t vote or pay taxes. Given the above, I really resent these anti-student proposals; yes, students are imperfect but we as a collective and as individuals have plenty to offer this city as its future backbone (and as taxpaying, electorally empowered, legally recognised adults with self-deterministic ideas, I should hasten to add) that WKHUH FDQ EH QR MXVWLĂ€FDWLRQ WR even attempt to marginalise us as a group. If the word student was replaced with any other label, literally any other word, as a target of this policy, there would be social uproar. Discrimination by creed, colour or gender is supposed to be abhorrent in society, so why should discrimination by educational status be morally permissible? If Newcastle City Council are so stupidly introverted and idiotic as to disincentivise coming to study at a fantastic place like Newcastle University, this city will die a very noticeable death. Maybe then, the Jesmond Residents Association would be happy when there’s not a single student in Jesmond, and not a single job in Tyneside.

Converse: a symbol of what? Tom Lowenstein Converse Allstars: love ‘em or hate ‘em? If you’re a lover, chances are it’s because of what they aren’t, rather than what they are. When you wear Converse there’s no need for air-bubbles, or pumps, or disc-fastening-systems. They don’t make you jump higher or run faster. They’re plain and simple. They’re everything that someone ZKR GRHVQ¡W ZDQW WR EH LGHQWLĂ€HG by trendy labels would choose to wear on their feet. Rockstars aren’t paid to endorse them, they wear them because they rock. They’re the anti-corporate shoe. They’re the WZR Ă€QJHUV WR 7KH 0DQ VKRH $QG in 2001 they were bought out by Nike. )ORXQGHULQJ RQ WKH Ă€QDQFLDO URFNV a wee bit, Nike stepped in and saved the iconic shoe manufacturer from going under. Was this some altruistic deed to preserve Chuck Taylor’s heritage? Hardly likely. Originally an American shoe manufactured in America, Nike have outsourced the majority of production to Asia to cut costs. Imagine the board meeting: a bunch of the sportswear behemoth’s execs sitting around a big table, pondering how to tap into all those ‘consumers’ that were just be\RQG WKHLU Ă€QJHU WLSV 1LNH DOUHDG\

had their iconic Air Force 1 range, but they’re a bit too hip-hop. They needed something to bridge the divide, to give them another stylistic subdivision and let the individual assert their individuality that little bit more. While still wearing a pair of Nike sneaks. All signs point to this being the age of the individual, but it’s EORRG\ GLIĂ€FXOW WR EH DQ LQGLYLGXDO these days. We all try to look unique, whether going for the sophisticated nouveau-riche conspicuousness of the designer label or the ‘I’m–abohemian-get-me-out-here’ charity shop look; what we wear is usually an attempt to say something about ourselves.

“Pre-printed anarchy for pre-pubecent anarchists� There’s nothing wrong with this. We all do it. It’s self-expression. The problem emerges when cultural roots are dug up and vacuum packed to preserve the shareholder’s dividend. Can the original values remain intact? Are we still

expressing ourselves? It was almost inevitable that a chunk of our personal identity would wind up hanging in our Ă DW SDFNHG ZDUGUREH ,Q WKH Ă€Ities, an advertiser called Sydney J. Levy had a light-bulb moment and invented the term ‘lifestyle’. He realised that everyone has their own style of life – complete with ideals, beliefs and personal identity. Tap into their lifestyle, brand your product accordingly and hey, presto! By targeting the right ‘lifestyle consumer’ through the brand’s imagery you could create a product that people will see as representing how they see themselves. Not only that, they would ‘aspire’ to own them. Levy was a clever guy. Ever since then, clever people LQ PDUNHWLQJ RIĂ€FHV KDYH EHHQ persuading us that certain brands mean certain things and consuming them can endow (yes, endow) us with those values. Brands became social entities that people could relate to. For years, Allstars were the rebel’s choice of trainer, and not because of clever marketing. That’s just what rebels wore. Now read any Converse ad and they’ve gone full circle, explicitly promoting the ‘freedom’ and ‘rebellion’ that used to be implicit. Can they still be the rebel’s shoe now they’re owned by Nike? A company whose

rebellious nature is perhaps best demonstrated in the way they rebel against paying factory workers a living wage. The image of Converse is still one of freedom of expression and open mindedness, but these images are now portrayed rather than perceived. Who doesn’t want to be a bit of a rebel? But in doing this, the originality has been subverted to sell us a product we identify with. It might be the case that it’s the foot inside that shapes the shoe, but can this really be the case when the manufacturer openly acknowledges that all they care about is making the most money they can from their lines (it actually says this on their website)? The other day I saw a kid on the Metro wearing a pair of Converse with a printed on anarchy symbol. This wasn’t a kid who had bought some Allstars and gone home and painted it on himself to piss off his parents; he had actually bought them with the logo already on. Preprinted anarchy for pre-pubescent anarchists. Maybe while impoverished children sew together canvas trainers with an anarchy symbol adorning them, we in the West will tie up the laces to tear down the establishment. Or maybe the ‘anarchist’ is just one more ‘lifestyle’ that is now branded, boxed and shipped out.

Morals, anyone? James Stubbs Columnist The other day as I hovered around Haymarket station trying to remember whether it was KFC or McDonalds that I had dreamt of the night before, a gentle looking old boy of about 80 was slowly getting cash out of the machine in front of me, and I thought little of seeing him key in £200. Stepping up to the machine I was wondering why my card refused to go in and noticed that, in a hurry to do whatever it was he was doing, he had taken out the card but left all ten crisp £20 notes sitting there. By the time I took out the wad to stop the beeping he was already around the corner. Panic station! What do you GR" +XQGUHGV RI WKRXJKWV à DVK across your mind in a second. Take the money and run! Nobody watching, or is there? Clearly, a massive man with muscles is going to pop out of nowhere and break my nose, pointing out my crime to a gathering crowd. The old man will come back and shake his hand. He will probably give his saviour a reward. Cameras! Police will come knocking on my door later in the day and tell me I’m nicked following the indefatigable evidence from the 37 CCTV cameras on Northumberland Street recording every masterful duck and weave of my escape route.

“Take the money and run!â€? Robbing a nice old man of his pension is despicable, they would say, before planting drugs on me and sending me to prison for 10 years, probably to get raped in the showers. But think of the money‌ a student could be made very happy with that much. Some new clothes, trainers, music, DVDs, a huge TV, all are easily in reach now. Put off the inevitable descent into the second overdraft just after your student loan(s) come in. Live a little, live a lotto – get really pissed and go to the casino and lose it all on one game of roulette. Amazing. Fuck KFC and McDonalds, I can afford to dine at Burger King today. But then again he was such a kindly old gent, what kind of horrible degenerate am I by taking away his hard earned cash? This is the kind of man I want to be when I grow older, taking out ÂŁ200 to buy my grandson a Playstation 12, chuckling away whilst I suck on a Werther’s Original. Maybe if I knew he was a convicted Nazi paedophile the decision would be a touch easier. What would be very easy money would not, however, outweigh the overwhelming shame and guilt that would inevitably follow as I bathed in the success of my robbery. The more pious amongst you will be pleased to know that I instantly put those ideas out of my head and ran after him. Needless to say he was thankful and laughed at his own clumsiness. I felt great about it. Cash back. I went to McDonalds and had the tastiest Big Mac I’ve ever had.

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

11

COMMENT

A ticket too far Katherine Bannon There is something undeniably bitter about being required to pay for pubic transport. Going to work is bad enough, but to have to exchange the money you’ve yet to earn for the privilege of sharing the same breathing space with potential Will Young fans, to get to a place nowhere near where you want to be, at a time long after you’re meant to be there, almost makes you wonder who should be paying who. It was perhaps this which sparked 27 year old IT expert Jonathan Moore’s two year stint of producing fake train tickets in order to travel to work from Brighton to London, saving himself a whooping ÂŁ12,472. His reign of free travel by fabricating the forged tickets on his laptop began in 2006, and came to an abrupt halt in November last year when a ticket inspector noticed discrepancies with the colouring of the WLFNHW 0RRUH Ă DVKHG GXULQJ D URXtine check. Eleven more forged tickets were found in a plastic wallet and police discovered designs for 70 more fake tickets. Last week he received a nine-month suspended sentence and a 240-hour work order. He was also ordered to pay the full ÂŁ12,472 price of the tickets that he faked, as well as ÂŁ510 in costs. In an interview with BBC News, Detective Constable Rob Constable assured viewers that ‘the British transport police, with their partners the railway company take this very seriously, and we are committed to bringing these people to justice.’ The victims that ‘suffer’ due to Moore’s criminal offence are the travelling public. Us. The hardworking, law abiding citizens who pay their way because they haven’t got the same IT expertise to follow in Moore’s footsteps, or train tracks. And would happily buy him a pint. Comments after the article on The Times website include ‘Who can blame him?’ and ‘No wonder’. Despite constant promises by the government to improve the country’s

public transport service, September found a reported unsubstantiated rise on current ticket prices, making it no surprise that one reader will ‘stick to his car, thanks.’ Although the government has once again failed in the public transport sector, the standard of its educational services has given us enough to realise that ÂŁ12,472 over the course of two years makes ÂŁ6,236 per annum. Which is, as Judge Richard Hayward commented, a ‘considerable amount’.

“The victims that ‘suffer’ due to Moore’s criminal offence are the travelling publicâ€? Furthermore, the statement by Hayward that it is ‘very sad’ that Moore used his skills for a fraudulent purpose is up for discussion. Very sad for whom? Sad that Moore, in his well respected job, as a well respected British citizen of no previous convictions lowered himself to criminal status? Or sad that the British government is making a diUHFW PRFNHU\ RI WKHLU VXSSRVHG Ă€JKW against global warming by trying to get as many as possible acquainted with the joys of public transport by charging us through the nose. 0RRUH¡V RQO\ MXVWLĂ€FDWLRQ IRU KLV actions was that he was undergoLQJ GLIĂ€FXOWLHV DW KRPH DQG ZRUN Which I translate as ‘the British rail industries are pirates.’ Karen Boswell, the customer services director at First Capital Connect, praised the ticket inspector who spotted the scam, and labelled it ‘a tribute to our quick witted staff that this thief was caught out’ as ‘fare dodgers are robbing the rail industry of ÂŁ400 million a year — money that could otherwise be invested in better services for the vast majority of law-abiding passengers who pay for their ticket.’

P. DIXON

If this is truly the case, there must be a hell of a lot of Moore protĂŠgĂŠes riding wild and free on British Rail. And I am here to offer a solution. Install said ‘quick witted’ inspector who brought Moore to his demise as leader of a twelve week course detailing the exact shape, feel, size and smell of the tickets they’ve supposHGO\ EHHQ TXDOLĂ€HG WR LQVSHFW GXUing their previous years in the same career. Provide reports detailing to the penny totals of how much is being repaid to British rail companies, together with paparazzi-esque shots of said criminals shying away from cameras, whilst readers compare these would-have-been yearly transport costs to their mortgage repayments. Then I’d like to know: will it

bring down the price of a Mars bar from the trolley? Robbing the public blind, deaf and GXPE LV D SUDFWLFH QRW RQO\ FRQÀQHG to the pleasure of getting from A to B. At £2 for a bottle of coke and 80p a pop for a KitKat Chunky you begin to wonder why you even bothered to get out of bed at all. Not to mention 20p for a pee. Hell, at least they’re consistent. Obviously, I’m not condoning the boycotting of paying for public transport. Although it is the robbery of a faceless, cold hearted, cash devouring system that once again lines its own pockets by emptying ours, it is still ultimately wrong. No, I opt for Plan B: use a car instead. City centre car parks demand more per hour than the price of a

Starbucks, but tally up the price of a few train tickets, add a couple of quid for some extortionately priced cod and drink, and the costs getting to and from stations. Then a few months down the line add the cost of petrol, congestion charges, road tax and insurance and we’ll see if you’re not still making a killing against the trains . Even if not, listening to the Pocahontas soundtrack on the way there and getting a McDonalds drive through on the way back, pushes public transport off the radar. Meanwhile we’re all well aware what unemployed, potentially bankrupt Jonathan Moore is thinking; should’ve changed the ink in the printer.

Should the BNP be on the BBC? YES Alex Bishop The harrowing June day that the BNP won two MEP seats, including one IRU /HDGHU 1LFN *ULIĂ€Q VLJQLĂ€FDQWO\ changed the position of the explicitly UDFLVW SDUW\ DV WKH\ RIĂ€FLDOO\ HQWHUHG RXU political spectrum. With utmost regret, we must accept that it now has democratically elected members of the European Parliament. Despite them holding beliefs contrary to the founding ones which allowed them to be elected, the BBC must present, not JLYH SODWIRUP WR WKHP LQ LWV Ă DJVKLS GHbate programme Question Time.

“Democratically requiredâ€? The most disturbing and crucial deWDLO RI WKH *ULIĂ€Q¡V 1RUWK :HVW YLFWRU\ in June is that his support did not even rise; it fell. In the 2004 European Elections, he polled over 2,000 more votes \HW Ă€YH \HDUV ODWHU /DERXU¡V FROODSVH ZDV enough to see him elected. Thankfully Labour has recognised

its part in both that election and the future campaign to take back those seats, changing its original stance of not engaging the party, a policy Jon Cruddas MP and anti-BNP campaigner admits now ‘offers diminishing returns’ due to the HOHFWLRQ RI *ULIĂ€Q DQG KLV IHOORZ QHZ MEP Andrew Brons. This change of tact has been represented by Justice Minister and North Western MP Jack Straw’s sitting on the panel amongst members of the other leading SDUWLHV DQG *ULIĂ€Q VD\LQJ ÂśZH¡YH JRW WR make the argument for people’. ‘Shame on the BBC’ will be the message of Unite Against Fascism protestors RXWVLGH 7HOHYLVLRQ &HQWUH GXULQJ Ă€OPing on 22nd October. To say this and that the BBC has ‘rolled out the red carpet’ to *ULIĂ€Q LQ WKH VDPH ZD\ PDQ\ FODLPHG the Oxford Union did in November 2007, when hundreds of protestors stormed the debate to voice their disapproval, is irrespective of the need to preserve the BBC’s integrity as a public service broadcaster: to present without bias the views of the country. But the appearance is not just democratically required. It is needed for the other panelists and audience to prove that under bright studio lights of intelligent discussion and engagement, the KDWHIXO IHDU LQGXFLQJ PHVV *ULIĂ€Q DQG his party call policy, which has so far grown in the darkness of obscurity, becomes painfully clear.

“Our audiences - and the electorate - will make up their own minds about the different policies offered by elected politicians� BBC Chief Political Adviser Ric Bailey

The edition of Question Time will be broadcast on October 22nd, and a protest against their appearance is being held in Newcastle on the same day, meeting outside the Union at 5pm.

NO Nick Kershaw Extremist parties prey on mass hysteria. They attack peoples’ worst fears, imposing concepts that are both damaging and GDQJHURXV 7KHVH YLHZV GR QRW ÀQG VXSport amongst the electorate when things are going well in a country; yet as soon as things take a turn for the worse they look to gorge upon the insecurities of a worried nation. This has been a torrid year for the mainstream political parties; the recession coupled with the rather untimely H[SHQVHV ÀDVFR KDV FULSSOHG %ULWLVK SROLtics. Now is not the time to give the BNP any chance to legitimise their abhorrent policies. , FRXOG ÀOO WKLV ZKROH DUWLFOH ZLWK WKH horrendous ideas of this nationalist party – such as sinking the ships that carry hopeful but helpless humans to their chance for a better life. Our current immigration policy may have its weaknesses but surely they are superior to what can only be described as mass murder. The BNP claims they have a right to free speech, yet their policies would undermine the human rights of millions within this country, many of whom are British citizens – this contradiction is un-

acceptable. 1LFN *ULIĂ€Q FDQ KDYH DOO WKH IUHH VSHHFK he so desires at BNP events but the BBC should not be offering him an opportunity to speak to the nation and attempt to make his views appear as common VHQVH 7KHVH YLHZV DUH DW EHVW LQĂ DPmatory and at worst socially destructive and racist.

“Now is not the time to give the BNP any chance to legitimise their abhorrent policiesâ€? The BBC may have to act without bias but they must also be socially responsiEOH , KDYH QR GRXEW *ULIĂ€Q ZLOO EH SODQning to convince us that he is a moderate DQG UHDVRQDEOH PDQ ² VSHQGLQJ MXVW Ă€YH minutes reading through his past comments will show you that this is a complete lie. As the BBC appear keen to go ahead with the debate, I can only hope that the other panellists will be aware enough to counter-attack this political predator and leave irreparable scars on the face of his disgusting opinions.

12

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

Life & Style Editors: Larisa Brown, Alex Felton and Ashley Fryer - courier.life@ncl.ac.uk

Health & Beauty

Just how safe are our vaccines?

Hot Tips Poppy Gardner 1) When you know it’s going to be a heavy night, take evening primrose supplements before you go out and the morning after to sort out that all too familiar sallow hangover complexion. 2) Soak orange peel in water and then splash your face with it to tighten pores and brighten skin. 3) Got a spot right before a big night out? Try mashing aspirin and parsley into a paste with water and pasting lightly onto the spot. Alone or under make-up the two ingredients work to lessen redness and alleviate infection.

Laura Graham Cervical cancer is the second highest cause of death for female cancer patients in the world and the NHS has estimated that the HPV jab, the LPPXQLVDWLRQ XVHG WR ÀJKW WKH GLVease, could potentially save about 700 lives a year. In Great Britain alone there are 2,800 reported cases of the disease annually, 1,000 of these being fatal. HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) causes abnormal tissue and cell mutation in the body, especially in areas of softer membrane such as the female cervix. A jab to protect from the HPV viruses was introduced by the government in 2008 for girls between the ages of 12-13. The government have also implemented a run of catchup immunisations for girls still at school that would otherwise miss out on the jab. In the wake of the tragic and unexpected death of 14 year old school girl, Natalie Morton, merely hours after receiving the jab, parents of teenage girls nationwide are reassessing the idea of having their

daughters vaccinated. In the case of Morton, it has been revealed that the injection, in fact, had nothing to do with her untimely death and that an undetected tumour in her chest was the cause of the schoolgirl’s fatality. This fact, however, has not prevented queries about the jab being bought to the forefront of national news and also caused the batch of immunisations in question to be quarantined and removed; this was some 200,000 doses of Cervarix. Of course, the vaccination of children has never been controversy free; one only has to look at the furore surrounding the MRR jab to note that this is a bound to be a highly contentious issue. Knowing that there is potential risk with the immunisation itself, the choice that parents face is not a simple one and over the past decade it has been a major task for the NHS WR LQVWLOO FRQÀGHQFH LQ WKH SDUHQWV RI Britain that immunisation is, in fact, the safest and best option for their children. The government’s choice of vaccination in itself, before the programme of immunisation even began, was surrounded by controversy.

How to...tone thighs Sophie Anthony The thighs. The most-hated body part amongst woman-kind? Whether they be too long (don’t even ask me why some people complain DERXW WKLV WRR VWXPS\ WRR à DEE\ too dimply, too this or too that, us ladies are never happy with our troublesome thighs. Just open any beauty magazine or online blog and you are inundated with hundreds upon thousands of tips, secrets and recommendations of ridiculously overpriced products,

all promising the same thing: thin, lean and cellulite-free legs. I for one have tried and tested everything from the coffee bean trick (yes, I was stupid enough to believe Cosmopolitan when they told me that rubbing coffee beans on your legs would in fact release caffeine which in turn speeds up the blood Ă RZ SUHYHQWLQJ FHOOXOLWH WR WKH ODWest “high-techâ€? serum advertised in the glossy mags, all to little avail and much disappointment. A multi million dollar industry of creams, serums, gels and even surgery has been created on the basis of us females (and even some men)

Great Britain has chosen to use Cervarix, the vaccination distributed by GlaxoSmithKline, as opposed to the rival brand of Gardasil. Gardasil also protects from other strands of HPV, as opposed to Cervarix which only serves effectively against the two strands which directly cause cervical cancer. Gardasil, for example, should protect against genital warts as well. Other countries have chosen to use Gardasil and critics claim that Cervarix has taken preference over Gardasil in our country because of cost issues, the former being the cheaper option. The government will not comment on this issue and claim that after various tests they decided that Cervarix was better for our nation’s young girls. They have refused to release the full details or results of the assessment. With the current HPV vaccination, one of the most hotly debated issues is the government’s refusal to decrease the age of young women having access to the cervical smear test. Around 40% of all HPV diagnoses are related to sexually transmitted diseases; since there is such a high

association between HPV and STIs there has been a call to lower the age of smear tests. Some would argue that if young girls are old enough to be protected from diseases often linked with sexual promiscuity, then they should be old enough to get tested for the diseases themselves. Conversely, those calling for the complete removal of the vaccination argue that the immunisation itself is promoting sexual promiscuity amongst young girls. Theirs, however, should be an issue to take up with the sexual education system as opposed to the vaccination of young girls against a potentially deadly disease. Despite the fact that there have been more than 4,500 complaints of bad reactions to the jab since its iniWLDWLRQ WKH ÀUVW PRQWKV RI LPSOHmentation seem to have been wholly successful for the HPV vaccination. Ultimately the vaccination of children must be something that parents begin to take as standard. As these new medicines become available it seems an obvious choice to have the youth of our nation protected from potentially fatal diseases.

being so horribly insecure about our thighs. The sad thing, ladies, is that we are never actually told by these beauty companies or magazines that the dimpling effect of cellulite under the skin is in fact caused by the swelling of subdermal fat cells pushing around the connective tissues that hold the cells together. And there is only one way we can get rid of that; a revolutionary and extraordinary concept known as exercise. We get swept away in the sea of these beauty products, non-invasive treatments, vibrating plates and indeed coffee beans, but we fail to remember the basics. If we want toned legs, we must use them more! Exercises such as lunges, squats, stepping and inner

and outer thigh presses are all easy as well as free. We are misled into thinking that Jennifer Aniston’s legs are the norm and that this is how we all must look in order to be socially accepted. Wrong. How is a gap between the thighs when we put them together sexy or natural?! Unlike Jen we do not have 24 hour access to personal trainers, dieticians, yoga instructors and spas. We are students for God’s sake! But we do have the ability to use our legs. So before we all splash RXW RQ WKH QH[W ´Ă€UPLQJ WUHDWPHQWÂľ or “dimple-busting formulaâ€? we should maybe all grab a pair of trainers, go for a run every now and then and embrace the wonder that is the thigh. It might not be so bad.

4) If you’re out of shampoo, fairy liquid makes a surprisingly good alternative and you can make a great conditioning treatment by mashing together mayonnaise and banana. 5) To avoid shiny forehead syndrome, an insider tip for clubbing is to put a little roll on deodorant along your hairline. While it’s not great for your skin on a regular basis, it does work a treat if you want to be oil free for a big night out 6) If you’re blonde you may be aware of the perils of both chlorine and brassiness. If you have had a swimming disaster and ended up with green hair, or have found yourself veering a little too near to ginger for your liking, tomato ketchup is an unlikely but excellent cure. Squeeze some on your hair and leave for 20 minutes for perfect results. 7) There is nothing more depressing than having a skin breakout prior to a special occasion. Expert make-up artists and dermatologists swear by milk of magnesium. Originally used to cure stomach ailments, it is available at Boots in liquid form and when dabbed onto skin with a cotton pad before bed or before make up it reduces oil production and soothes breakouts, making skin look more even. 8) If you don’t fancy splashing out on expensive skin treatments but ZDQW D TXLFN VNLQ À[ WU\ PDVKLQJ together baking soda and cucumber for an exfoliating treat. 9) After washing your hair, simply rinse with cold water after conditioning then give hair a blast with the cool setting on your hairdryer for extra glossiness. 10) Vaseline truly is the best multipurpose product. Use it to make your eyelashes thick and glossy by rubbing it on at night, as it encourages hair growth. Use on lips for VRIWQHVV RU DV DQ H\HEURZ À[HU

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

13

Fashion

View Askew

Fashion

Kathy Jackman Columnist

Lauren Girling

What’s Hot... Balmainia Finally! Balmain-inspired garments DUH KLWWLQJ WKH VKRS à RRUV RI RXU favourite high street stores. Earlier in the year we saw the 80’s-inspired trends rock the catwalks of Paris with embellishment, studs and sculptured tailoring. Now we are lucky to see every store from French Connection to Primark try their hand at an affordable homage to the label on everybody’s lips. Christopher Kane at Topshop Yes girls you heard right! The Scottish design legend-in-the-making now has his own capsule collection of neon dresses, bejewelled t-shirts and graphic print tunics on sale at Topshop! 6WXGHQW GLVFRXQW À QDOO\ PDNHV a designer item so much more appealing! My favourite is the leather box clutch bag but grab it whilst stocks last!

Uni’s Best Dressed Addy Pope Name: Sophie Farrar

Name: Dom Cuthbertson

Course: Fine Art, 2nd Year

Course: Structural Engineering, Postgrad

)DVKLRQ ,Qà XHQFH œ, don’t really follow fashion, I just wear what looks good and like to think I have my own style.’

)DVKLRQ ,QĂ XHQFH 'DYLG Bowie Fashion Predictions Winter 2009: ‘Wear a hat, its going to be cold!’

Fashion Predictions Winter 2009: ‘Fur and leather jackets are a must for this season.’

Blue windbreaker jacket: ÂŁ40, Oi-Polloi Jeans: ÂŁ70, Garbstore

Hat: ÂŁ5, H&M

Blue Boat shoes: ÂŁ50, Online

White T-shirt: ÂŁ12, Topshop

Burberry’s back!

Blazer: ÂŁ15, New Look

On the eve of LFW’s 25 year anniversary, the return of the British fashion house to the London catwalks, showcasing the cream of British design, is enough to make any fashionista drool - let alone Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof and the new face of Burberry herself, Emma Watson, who were all there on the front row.

Jeans: ÂŁ30, Topshop

So there you have it, two of Newcastle’s most fashion forward students! Next week we will have two more fashionistas for you, so remember to dress up for those lectures and you might be The Courier’s next stylish student!

White leather plimsoles: ÂŁ20, Topshop %DJ Â… 8UEDQ 2XWĂ€ W ters Mens Department

What’s Not... Student Loan Binges Why do you feel these sudden pangs of guilt after buying a pair RI à XRUHVFHQW OHJ ZDUPHUV WKDW \RX were convinced you were going to wear on Pandamonium but didn’t? Or equally, is it actually possible to shop too much as you tot up a total of more than a month’s wages in one trip to the Metro Centre? Topshop Student Shop+ Maybe I need to cut them some slack for the amazing 20% off but you can’t help wonder if that was a small reward for an hour’s wait LQ WKH QRUWKHUQ UDLQ WR À QG WKH shop packed to the rafters. It was handbags at dawn for the last pair RI %D[WHU VNLQQLHV RQO\ WR À QG \RX have an hour-long wait when you get to the till! Jeggings A nation divided! They are very comfortable, versatile, cheap and easy to put on with a hangover but they shouldn’t be worn as a substitute for jeans as most have no back pockets, which are a necessity! Furthermore, they are worn by everyone on campus in a very similar way but they haven’t quite reached wardrobe-staple status.

LIFE & STYLE

H. HAYES

Ground Zero? Ashley Fryer Life & Style Editor The fashion world is dominated by a particularly scary breed of woman – the model. Beautiful and often intimidatingly tall, models are every normal woman’s worst nightmare. We have even coined the term ‘modeliser’ – describing a womaniser who specialises in models. Like I said, models are a scary bunch. And to most women, the most outstanding feature of the model is her Ă€ JXUH ² D YHULWDEOH FORWKHV KRUVH IRU designers the world over, the model KDV WKH Ă€ JXUH WR ZHDU DOPRVW DQ\ RXWĂ€ W DQG ORRN VHQVDWLRQDO After all, designers design their clothes to be the infamous American size 0, so who could look better in them than the actual models themselves? Whether you think size 0 is the ul-

timate turn on or the ultimate turn off, both the catwalk and the celebrity worlds have spawned a nation of teenagers desperate to be skinny, with around 70% of American teenagers considering plastic surgery before they are even 20. 7KH PHGLD KDYHQ¡W TXLWH Ă€ JXUHG out their take on the size 0 debate – it seems magazines will damn a woman either way, and only occasionally will they genuinely celebrate a woman’s body. It seems almost sad that people still make such a fuss about weight, with the biggest news from London Fashion Week being about Daniel Fast’s use of plus size models. Daniel Fast made headlines this year when his stylist walked out of his show due to his use of size 12 and 14 models in his knitwear collections. I should point out here that plus size in fashion terms is actually anything from a UK 10 to 14, which just goes to show how skewed the fash-

ion world is. Considering the commonest size in the UK is a 16, women everywhere feel damned by the fashion world. But for how long? A recent issue of Glamour in America spurred a new wave of celebration due to the printing of plus size model Lizzie Miller’s tiny belly roll. It may seem like a simple, inocuous photo, but it stands out amongst WKH ZDLI OLNH PRGHOV WKDW À OO WKH UHVW of the pages and has caused ripples around the publishing world. With Glamour promising more and more normal sized women in its pages, could this be a sign that things are changing? I would love to see some normal looking women in my magazines, as well as on the catwalks. Let’s hope this is a sign that changes are ahead, and that someday, all healthy shapes and sizes will be celebrated the world over.

Sitting in the pub with friends, as I do most Monday evenings, the conversation typically slipped from one subject to another almost imperceptibly. As the night wore on however, we eventually landed onto the subject of comic books. Being a group of out and proud geeks, this is, without a doubt, the holy grail of conversational topics, and before long I found myself in the midst of a heated debate: which of the X Men reigns superior above all others? Tricky stuff, this is one. It’s one of those questions in which specialist knowledge is essential. If I was going to participate then I needed do it with sincerity and passion, and on no account could I allow even the slightest hint of self doubt to sneak its way into my argument in order sabotage it from the inside. There are too many things to consider in a very short space of time: who is my favourite mutant and why? Are their powers defensive or offensive? Do they have a compelling history? Is their code name good enough? These things considered I put my candidate forward – the ever fascinating Nightcrawler. Why, I hear you ask? Simple: he teleports, he can swash some serious buckle, and he’s blue. That’s right; I like him because he’s blue. I like him because he looks ever-so-slightly demonic. In fact I don’t just like him; I think I may be a little bit in love with him. And then it hit me. The epiphany: the moment in which I suddenly realised the full extent of my geekery. Did my strange, borderline obsessive appreciation of all things great and blue mean that I had a fetish of some sort? Suddenly I was plagued with visions of me hustling my poor, helpless boyfriend into a corner and lunging at him with a tub of navy body paint. Did this mean I would soon be scouring the alternative districts for an attachable tail, pointy ears and goodness knows what else? Probably not, but it was a discerning moment in my career as Marvel Fan. My fascination with Mister Nightcrawler is one that is equal to the obsessions of my fellow geeks and comic lovers. After all, I have a sneaking suspicion that the aforementioned boyfriend would do terrible, terrible things to have a pair of wings like his favourite X man, Angel. And this that’s the thing about us geeks; we simply don’t do things by halves. We’re in it for the long haul. It doesn’t matter what your specialist subject is, be it music, comics, Sci Fi, whatever, it is a guarantee that you will be welcomed with open arms. It’s always nice to know you’re not alone, isn’t it? So I guess I’m not in it for a bit of blue demon lovin’ after all. It’s just a symptom of Chronic Fandom, the kind of condition that goes undiagnosed in many year after year. Not that it matters; the treatment is alarmingly painless and pleasingly cost effective. All you have to do is get together with your own personal support group of fellow fans and talk/debate/argue to your heart’s content. I hope that there will be more debates to come; we’ve yet to have the great ‘Lord of the Rings vs. Star Wars’ conversation, after all. And if all else fails, there’s still that tub of blue body paint.

14

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

LIFE & STYLE

Sex & Relationships

Sex & Relationships Out with the old, in with the new?

Confessions of....

freshers Alice Riley-Smith & Alice Miller

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THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

15

Sex & Relationships

Ask SenĂľra Rosa

L. BROWN

SenĂľra Rosa answers your questions on everything from boyfriend advice to beauty tips. If you have questions that need to be answered or any problems then email her at courier.life@ncl.ac.uk

SenĂľra, I have been fairly promiscuous over the last three years and have slept with 52 people whilst at university. As I’m now in my third year, I’m hoping to settle down a ELW DQG SRVVLEO\ HYHQ Ă€QG D JLUOfriend. However, I’m worried that if I tell the girl that I have had so many sexual encounters, she will be put off a relationship. Is it better to tell the truth or to lie? Fairly promiscuous?!!! Yes, I should say. Now, think about this carefully – whilst the female population are of course‌thrilled‌that you’re thinking of putting the monkey back in its cage, what no one needs is a rampant rabbit on the prowl for what he mistakenly construes as ‘love,’ when really he’s just going to stomp DOO RYHU WKH KHDUW RI WKH Ă€UVW JLUO KH meets. What you really need is a girl who’s just as passionate about meaningless sex as you seem to be, ZKLFK OHW¡V IDFH LW PD\ EH GLIĂ€FXOW so, by all means calm it down a bit, but rather than actively looking for a girlfriend, let her come to you. Now please don’t try and pretend that you remember the name and appearance of every single girl you’ve been with at university. Imagine the shame of having lied to your lady about your sexual past, then being presented to her group of friends and having to do a mental checklist‌yup‌blonde – Freshers Week ’07‌brunette - on my kitchen table‌ginger - whilst her parents were sleeping in the same room‌’ NO! You’ll be waving goodbye to your ticket to girlfriendom quicker than you probably climax. Moral of the story – TELL THE TRUTH. Yes, it may make things a little trickier, but that’s your fault for hanging out with your wang out for all these years. Good luck.

SenĂľra, $V D Ă€IWK \HDU DUFKLWHFW , KDYH MXVW got back to Newcastle after my year in practice. As all our friends have graduated and moved into careers, we are forced to make some new ones. We have met this really cool group of guys but unfortunately I really fancy one of them. It isn’t awkward at all but I don’t know if I want to take it to the next level as it might ruin our budding friendship. Should I take the plunge and tell him how I feel or keep quiet and try to remain friends? Interesting‌why don’t you try this DSSURDFK OXOO KLP LQWR D IDOVH VHQVH of security by keeping the friendship cooking, whilst secretly tryLQJ WR Ă€QG RXW DV PXFK DERXW KLP as possible. Oh – whaddya know – you’ve showed up at his favourite Saturday night haunt? Oh‌what a coincidence, you both have the VDPH IDYRXULWH Ă€OP \HV Âś,QVSHFW her Gadget’ hasn’t always been your number one choice, but hey, people can change‌) Indeed, the word ‘stalker’ may cross your mind, but just make sure that your night

Senþra, In Freshers’ Week I might have had a little too much to drink and after a night out I came back to halls and walked into the wrong bedroom as one of the girls on my corridor keeps their room on the latch all the time. She was with her boyfriend and so wasn’t there. In the middle of the night I woke up and christened her sink with the contents of my stomach. It is completely blocked but I didn’t say anything as I was so embarrassed. Should I confess up?

SenĂľra, My girlfriend wears far too much makeup even though she is naturally stunning. Do girls think that JX\V OLNH LW RU LV LW MXVW WKDW VKH¡V insecure? Is there a way that I can EURDFK WKH VXEMHFW ZLWK KHU" If she’s naturally stunning then I’m sure she’s not insecure, she’s just making herself feel good, and what’s wrong with that? Don’t give yourself that much credit‌she’s not doing it for you and all the other men out there, she’s an independent lady and she’ll be doing it for herself! If you spend too much time focusing on what you perceive to be KHU ψ DZV ¡ WKHQ \RX¡OO QHJOHFW JLYing her the attention she deserves. If you still feel the need to broach the subject with her, wait for that perfect post-sex moment, when VKH¡V DOO UXIĂ HG DQG DX QDWXUDO DQG tell her that this is when she looks at her best. At the end of a steamy VHVVLRQ VKH¡OO KRSHIXOO\ EH VR HODWed that she’ll lap it up. However, if this ends up simply being a massive mood killer, at least you’ve tried and you could always head on down to the physics labs where I’m VXUH \RX¡OO Ă€QG SOHQW\ RI QRQ PDNH up-wearing-hotties‌far more your type.

Sex and the Univer-sity Vannessa Costello Columnist

vision goggles don’t fall out of your bag at the crucial moment‌ He’ll soon realise how much you ‘have in common,’ and start seeing you in a whole new light, without you having to bare your soul. NB: Be careful, being too ‘matey’ is DOZD\V D LVVXH ² \RX¡YH JRW WR Ă€QG WKH ULJKW EDODQFH DYRLG IDUW MRNHV and belching loudly in public, and \RX¡OO EH Ă€QH

1R WKDW¡V Ă€QH SHUVRQDOO\ , WKLQN it was mighty considerate of you to actually relieve yourself in her sink rather than anywhere else! I once awoke to a friend of mine taking a slash right onto my desk – he had been convinced that I actually had an en suite and kept yelling at me to get out of his cubicle and stop watching him! Upon closer examination the next morning I found my desk a puddle, my boots soaked and P\ WRDVWHU RYHUĂ RZLQJ 6R GRQ¡W fret over a bit of chunder, the halls of Newcastle have seen a lot worse. Maybe leave her an anonymous bottle of bleach and leave it at that?

LIFE & STYLE

Uni’s Got Talent! Josie McNally 3rd year Sociology Email courier.life@ncl.ac.uk to nominate your friend

Sex Position of the Week: 7KH %XWWHUà \ An amazing position that will drive both partners to dizzy new heights. Dirty Directions - The lady needs to lie on her back on either a counter, desk, table or whatever else you fancy, ensuring that her pelvis is slightly lower than the man’s hips when he's standing. The man needs to stand between the lady’s legs, then lift her bottom up with his hands to the level of his hips and penetrate. Try changing the lady’s leg positions, either over the man’s shoulders or round his waist. $QG 9RLOD WKH EXWWHUà \ LV complete. Hannah Yates

OK, so I’m no Carrie, I have never been to New York, never dated a millionaire and I have never even seen a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. But I’m not complaining, after DOO VKH LV D Ă€FWLRQDO FKDUDFWHU DQG not a very plausible one at that. Writing only one measly colXPQ HYHU\ ZHHN IRU ZKDW ,¡P told is actually the English equivalent to The Metro) and somehow managing to live in a lavish apartment stuffed to the brim with designer clothes, is alright for some. What I do intend to do however, is re-produce my own version of her imaginary column by taking her titles and topics and seeing how relationships up in the North East of England correlate. Are all relationships essentially the same? After skipping through various Season 1 absolute rubbish I eventually arrived at my question, ‘What should you be able to say in a relationship?’ This seems to me to be a fairly REYLRXV RQH \RX VKRXOG EH DEOH to say what you want. The best part of having a boy/ girl friend is the closeness, the way they become your best friend and ultimate ally. If you feel like you can’t say what you want around your partner then surely you are not being yourself, how long can a facade really last? Obviously there are the obligatory lies - they get a new hideous haircut, you say that you love it. <RX PHHW DOO WKH IDPLO\ LQFOXGing the predictably pervy uncle) and you say they’re all great. That’s just how it works, and it’s no different for friends. I used to detest one of my friends boyfriend, did I tell her...no! I nodded along as she referred to him as the best thing since sliced bread and simply ‘forgot’ to mention how I actually thought he was a complete and utter idiot. When it comes to situations like these, you learn to shut your PRXWK LW¡V XQOLNHO\ VKH¡V JRLQJ to split up with him because of your opinions. She is however, likely to never VSHDN WR \RX DJDLQ XQWLO WKH\ break up of course). It’s universally acknowledged - sometimes the truth is better left un-said. 7KHUH LV GHĂ€QLWHO\ D GLVWLQFW GLIference however, between these ‘obligatory lies’ and being unable to say what you want to your partner. Understandably at the start of a relationship, you may be a little careful about admitting you think their mum is a complete bitch. After the six month point, if you’re not slagging off their favourite band and telling them how you accidentally farted in a seminar that day, then it’s time to re-consider.

Inside today >>>

Photos from Freshers’ Week 2009 Culture, page 22-23

16

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

LIFE & STYLE

Going out

The Penny Pincher

Going out

Rowan Taylor Columnist

Restaurant reviews

Cocktail of the week E. WILSON

Firenze, Jesmond

Eleanor Wilson Long Island Iced Tea Ingredients: 15ml Vodka 15ml Tequila 15ml White Rum 15ml Triple Sec 15ml Gin Juice of a Lemon/Lime Dash of Cola Ice

Ashley Fryer Life & Style Editor Located just off Osborne Road atop Mr Q’s, Firenze is truly a hidden gem. Rising from the ashes of the less than successful Mettzo, Firenze is a class above the average Italian eatery in Jesmond. From its fresh and romantic dÊcor to the intimacy of the dining room itself, Firenze is a winner for eveU\WKLQJ IURP ÀUVW GDWHV WR IDPLO\ meals. The starters are presented with an original touch, such as the foccacia bread served on individual bread boards with olive oil and balsamic glaze. As for entrees, the Florentine-style pot-roasted beef was cooked to perfection, and served with a delicious combination of creamed potatoes and olives. The pan-fried salmon and king prawns were also very good, and the side salads were both fresh and delectable. The presentation of every course was particularly impressive, which J. WEEDEN

Glass: Highball Method:

added to the feeling that Firenze was more than the average Italian. The ambience was both warm and pleasant, with a lively atmosphere throughout the evening, complemented by good music and good service from the waiting staff. The desserts were the highlight of the evening – the vanilla cheesecake was sublime. The tiramisu was also delightful, served in a cup and saucer for an individual touch. As for pricing, Firenze caters to both the professional and student markets alike, with pizzas and pas-

tas from £5.50 and grill orders from £11.95. They also do Happy Hour twice daily Monday – Saturday and a Sunday lunch menu every Sunday, with two courses for £12.95. All in all Firenze is a lovely dining experience, which is both friendly and affordable without losing the touch of class that so many restaurants compromise. , ZRXOG GHÀQLWHO\ UHFRPPHQG LW for a lovely meal out.

La Gabbia, 6KLHOGĂ€HOG

haute cuisine. $V IRU WKH PDLQV P\ Ă€OOHW VWHDN was enjoyable, whilst Clare’s chicken and mushroom risotto tasted homemade and authentic; all dishes are freshly prepared in the open kitchen where you can see the Italian chefs at work. Dessert proved to be a mixed bag; while the tiramisu was bang on the money, the Nutella cheesecake nearly reduced my companions to tears. Both devoted followers of the chocolate spread, I witnessed much head-shaking and plaintive “This isn’t real Nutellaâ€?. By this point, I had nearly polished RII P\ Â… ZRUWK RI :LQH 5DFN¡V Ă€Qest vino and needed to leave, so our cheery host Simon treated us to a tour of the premises. The function room is ideal for parties or society events, and as there is no licence, La Gabbia can stay open

Hannah Priddey Never one to say no to getting something for nothing, I happily hopped LQWR D WD[L ERXQG IRU 6KLHOGĂ€HOG with my lovely companions Clare and Larisa to sample the culinary delights of La Gabbia. The set menu from which we ordered comes in at ÂŁ7.99 for two courses. We shared potato skins and garlic mushrooms to start, the latter of which Larisa declared ‘amazing’, although bear in mind she also believes cheese and chutney sandwiches followed by Jaffa Cakes to be

-Juice the lemon or lime -Fill a highball glass with ice -Measure the alcohol into a shaker, add ice and juice -Shake the mixture and strain into the glass -Top up the glass with the cola, stir with a swizzle stick to mix in the alcohol As long as the alcohol remains in equal parts, the recipe can be made to any quantity desired. A pitcher or two of Long Island Iced Tea at a house party will get things going quickly! Best with: Paracetamol at the ready for the morning’s hangover, Long Island Iced Tea is renowned for being a very strong cocktail!

for as long as you like. This also means that you can bring your own drinks, so avoiding the usual restaurant mark-ups on booze. If you’re hiring the room you also have the option of using Spotify, so if the 80’s pop rock that we were treated to isn’t to your taste, fear not. Lunch is also served and available to take away in the day, with prices ranging from £2.50 for a Panini, to £4.95 for pizza or pasta. Although the desserts were hitand-miss, the prices and convivial atmosphere make it worth the trek off the beaten path.

“Please return to Castle Leazesâ€? Franky Arundell As Freshers’ week ends, and you are dragged from the drunken haze of merriment and sweet ignorance only to be plunged into the harsh UHDOLW\ RI \RXU REOLWHUDWHG Ă€QDQFHV going out once again becomes a luxury rather than routine. So, as you proceed to invest both precious time and money into the evenings entertainment and have gone through dilemmas, such as ‘Do you really think no-one will notice I ZRUH WKLV RXWĂ€W RQ WKH Ă€UVW QLJKW"¡ \RX IHHO OLNH \RX KDYH TXLWH MXVWLĂ€ably deserved a good night. The very last thing you want to

hear that night, after the taxi fare and the painfully tedious queuing, is that your mate is off her face, completely intoxicated, and needs to be taken home. What follows is the old routine of the extremely urgent trips to the toilet which, due to the one-in-one-out queues, prove to be extremely unsuccessful. Nothing sobers you up more than having to hold the hair back of the alcohol victim and pretending to be deeply touched by her incessant drivel about how much she loves you despite only knowing you a week. Where you really want to be is on WKH GDQFH Ă RRU LQ D VZHDW\ PRVK pit of oblivion, potentially hooking

up with some guy who was eying you up in your Geography seminar and which you know full well you’d regret in the morning. Yes, it’s quite clear she needs to go home, but you are determined to enjoy this night- this night cannot be remembered simply as the night of projectile vomiting. Your slightly pathetic cries of Âś*X\V VKH¡V Ă€QH VKH¡V MXVW KDYLQJ fun’ are met with stony looks from the rest of your corridor, plus some extremely judgmental onlookers. Her effusive agreements from somewhere inside the toilet bowl doesn’t seem to sway them either. What you really want to do is shove her in a taxi home, put a sign around her neck saying ‘Please re-

Lesson One: Groceries I assume you will want to eat at some stage in your university career. You have at your disposal many routes to full-cupboard utopia, some costing more than others. 1. Supermarkets (Morrissons Byker, Asda Gosforth, Sainsbury’s Heaton). As well as their range, they are also useful for their quantity of special offers. It is often posVLEOH WR Ă€OO D ZKROH WUROOH\ VROHO\ of ‘2 for 1’ offers, and therefore eat twice as much as usual. 2. Convenience stores (Londis). &RQYHQLHQFH VWRUHV DUH Ă€QH DV long as you realise that you’re paying for the convenience. 3. Farmers’ markets (Grainger Market). The relic of Grainger Market, which opened in 1835, sits quietly between Monument and The Gate. Enter this labyrinth of EXWFKHUV JUHHQJURFHUV DQG Ă€VKmongers, and the friendly shopkeepers will sort you out. This is without doubt the cheapest place to buy quality fruit and vegetables and eggs. ‡ 'RQ¡W EH D EUDQG VQRE ([SHULment with own-brand products and value products and see if you notice a difference. Some may be inedible, but many are the same product as their equivalents which cost twice as much, just in plain packaging. Taste with your mouth, not your eyes. ‡ 'HVFHQG XSRQ VXSHUPDUNHWV within the last hour of closing, when perishables can be found at up to 90% off. Either eat your reduced bargain that day, or preserve it in the freezer for later on in your life. ‡ ,I \RX GRQ¡W OLNH WKH LGHD RI OXJging bags back from the shop, you can get the supermarket to do the lugging. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda offer online delivery servLFHV 3HUXVH WKH YLUWXDO DLVOHV Ă€OO your virtual basket with virtual pasta and beer, then they deliver items in physical format to your door. The food prices are the same as in the shop, but there is usually an extra delivery charge of ÂŁ3-ÂŁ6. ‡ ,W PD\ EH \HW DQRWKHU VXSHUmarket-titled website, but mysupermarket.com is one worth remembering. It will reveal which supermarket is cheapest for your basket of goods. ‡ 2QFH \RXU JURFHULHV KDYH DUrived home, consider the strategy of cooking in large batches. Foods such as chili and soup are easy to make and can be frozen in portions to provide meals for several days.

Deals of the Week turn to Castle Leazes-’ and hope she makes it back all right. But as the night grinds on, with more trips to the loo and general FROODSVLQJ RQ WKH GDQFH à RRU WKH LQevitable hits: this night is completely unsalvageable. Even the token do-gooder in the group (who did the majority of the hair-holding and back-rubbing) is fed up. So, extricating her again from the embraces of the large balding Geordie, who- in fairness- she really does seem to believe is her potential soul mate, we take our inebriated friend and head back to the luxury that is Castle Leazes.

1. Any 2 Topman T-shirts: ÂŁ8.50 delivered @ topman.com Fuel Topman’s assault on mens’ fashion with this cheap T-shirt offer. Choose from red ones, black ones, granddad ones, in fact any from a range of 40. Enter codes ‘CAMPUS’ and ‘UK15K’ at the checkout. 2. Inbetweeners Series 1 & 2 Boxset: ÂŁ10 @ Asda instore Spend your start-of-term wealth responsibly with a cosy 12 episodes of suburban adolescent mishaps. It’s also available for ÂŁ12.99 @ play. com. Don’t repeat the quotes this time though, we’ve already heard them.

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

17

Travel

LIFE & STYLE

MIDDLE EAST

Letters from abroad Clare Burrows

Bali

A. YOUNG - 3rd year, Economics and Business Management

Stuck in the Middle East with you Joshua Shrimpton Dean The guidebook notes there is ‘one squat toilet and one reasonably clean western toilet at the end of the carriage’ and that you should ‘bring your own toilet paper as this may not be supplied’. The train groaned out of IstanEXO¡V +D\GDUSDĂźD VWDWLRQ DV , PDGH a mental note to start reading such tips in advance. The small cabin was my home for the next two days as I travelled to Aleppo, northern Syria. Aleppo is described as the most conservative of Syria’s cities, evident in the most visual sense by the number of women wearing the chador. In the most distressing sense, by the distinct lack of alcohol. I spent a couple of days exploring the cool interior of the citadel before heading to ‘laidback Lattakia’, a seaside town where the young women ‘don skintight jeans and apply their lipstick lavishly’, according to Lonely Planet. 7KH Ă€ UVW GD\ ZDV VSHQW ORLWHULQJ

around Lattakia with very little purpose. The city seemed imposingly industrial, even reaching the beach involved a complicated minibus journey, bypassing the docked cargo ships. Although opening up Syria to the West a little since coming to power in 2000, Bashar Al-Assad still mainWDLQV D Ă€ UP UHJLPH +LV H\HV IROORZ you from state-issued portraits that dominate shop walls, hotels and restaurants. Damascus was my home for a few days, the main entry point into Lebanon. I was still in two minds though, just six weeks earlier 80 people were killed in clashes between Hezbollah and pro-government factions. Beirut once again seemed on the brink of disaster, just as it was rising from the devastation of the 2006 horror that left 1,200 dead in 36 days of crushing Israeli bombardment. An inexplicable compulsion and sense of exhilaration pushed me on. Beirut had been known as the ‘Paris of the Middle East’ and was enjoying a surge in international tourism prior to the events of 2006. Now, it was undergoing an audacious and

opulent reconstruction program. As I walked along the Miami-esque promenade the atmosphere became welcomingly vibrant as the locals enjoyed their swish new city. In the middle of this lies the infamous Holiday Inn. Commandeered by militants shortly after opening in 1975, it was used as a sniper base during the civil war and pummelled during the ensuing battles. It is still there today, riddled with thousands of bullet holes and missile craters the size of vans – a sober reminder of Beirut’s bloody past. A coach took me back to Damascus and then another to Amman where I stayed a night before heading south to the village of Wadi Musa, a base for the historical World Heritage Site. Failing to acquire beer the previous evening was a good thing. I rose early and headed down to the ruins, taking in almost everything, including some frightening and overambitious rambling to ensure the best views. The Martian landscape was a welcome change after the time I had spent in cities. The Rift Valley provided a stunning view towards my next stop and point of exit – Israel. A few days later I passed through Jordanian immigration at the southern city of Aqaba and onto a long high-fenced road, the shimmering heat obscuring the Israeli border point some distance ahead. After hours of extensive questioning and searches I stepped back into the Western world, grateful for its abundance of air conditioning, beer and safe transport. And, of course, toilet paper.

Send your travel pictures to courier.life@ncl.ac.uk and you could win ÂŁ10 worth of photo prints as well as your photo printed and framed

Top 5... Student summer destinations Kate McDonald 1. South East Asia – Gorgeous beaches exuding sumptuous sunshine by day transform into allnight parties worshipping every phase of the moon by night. Must do: venture into Laos and go tubing. 2. Music Festivals – Whether your vibe is the eclecticism of Glastonbury, dancing ‘til dawn with the EHVW '-¡V DW &UHDPĂ€ HOGV RU URFN ing it all off at Download, the atmosphere is electric and unmissable! Why not mix it up and seek out the endless fun at The Secret Garden Party. 3. 6XUĂ€ QJ 8. – The south-west of England is the perfect place to unleash your inner surfer right on our very own doorstep. Go explore DQG Ă€ QG \RXU RZQ SHUIHFW SLHFH RI surf heaven as great beaches pepper the region, especially the rolling surf of Cornwall’s north coast. 4. India – Whether you are into exploring some of the oldest cultural relics in the world, chilling out on stunning beaches, gorging yourself on fabulous food or simply meeting incredible people, this is the country for you. Don’t miss getting caught up in the chaos of Mumbai and exploring the roots of Slumdog Millionaire. 5. 7KH )ULQJH – A true myriad of all things cultural and creative takes over Edinburgh’s August every year. Experience everything from hard-hitting theatre right through to the best (and worst!) of comedy, and into the fantastical world of the weird and wonderful street performers.

The summer always rushes by and before you know it it’s September and you’re packing your bags for uni. This September I found myself packing bikinis, journals, and my passport – to start uni in Barcelona. What people don’t realise about this exciting time is how horrendously scary, achingly lonely, and generally intimidating this experience can be. There are thousands of students right now, all over the world in WLQ\ URRPV LQ TXHVWLRQDEOH Ă DWV LQ strange cities, in foreign countries, missing home and wondering whether they will meet a friend today. In spite of this, all these people are aware of the fantastic opportunity they have been given, and we know this is the time to start taking advantage... Barcelona is a city with a buzz. Go to La Rambla at any time of day and witness a spectacle of some of the most bizarre characters you have ever seen, with street performers, pet vendors – that actually have pigeons for sale - and much more. Then hop on the metro to the beautiful Sagrada Familia, one of Antoni Gaudi’s architectural masterpieces that exist in Barcelona today. The tall towers and intricate GHVLJQ EDIĂ H WKH KRDUG RI WRXULVWV passing by – and for a bit of home comfort there is a Pizza Express right next door. Back down to the centre and the grand buildings of Passeig de Gracia allow you to shop in style, among smart restaurants, designer shops, and more of Gaudi’s notorious work that is symbolic of Barcelona city. So for me, the city is perfect, the nightlife is vivacious, and the people are friendly...so what is the problem? It seems we have all forgotten that – oh yes, we’re supposed to be speaking in Spanish. The language is harder to speak than one may think. A curse has been put upon us from England as everybody speaks English. So as we struggle on swinging from highs to lows, every day we are all trying to speak the language we came here to learn. Each day brings new challenges, such as trying to print something from a university computer that is programmed completely in Catalan. Or, wandering around aimOHVVO\ WU\LQJ WR Ă€ QG \RXU FODVV EXW realising you’ve gone to the wrong metro station and are in an industrial estate instead. All these things add to the feeling at the end of the day – ‘should I laugh or cry?’ Well, what we have discovered is, you should laugh, because it just gets better from here. To have such a unique opportunity is a wonderful thing, and months from now I already know that I will never want to leave. This is just the beginning of our year abroad.

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

19

Culture Editor: Alice Vincent - courier.culture@ncl.ac.uk

The Debate: Powerhouse and Freshers’ Week Stuart Lennie Opinion Let me start by saying that Powerhouse should have been brought out of the closet! The implications of Freshers’ Week advertising it as “one of the city’s biggest clubsâ€? are widespread and in my view, contradict the Union Society’s inclusive and equality orientated ethos. The issue is not that Powerhouse sponsored Freshers’ Week 2009, the issue is that in accepting said sponsorship, the organisers participated in a heinous campaign to re-brand it as a straight venue, and also chose for their own reasons to market it as such. The change in ethos from Powerhouse’s marketing worries me greatly. I feel that homosexuality has been treated as an institutional taboo, and by the institution that is our Union Society. I have come to the conclusion that the organisers of Freshers’ Week 2009 must have and could only have determined that any implication of ‘gayness’ would put the majority of Freshers off attending the event – what does that say about the mentality of students here at Newcastle University? $UH ZH SXEOLFO\ DQG RIĂ€ FLDOO\ ‘okay’ with homosexuality, but privately disgusted and appalled to the extent that we can’t tread the same GDQFH Ă RRU DV D /HVELDQ *D\ RU %L sexual person? The organisers of Freshers’ Week 2009 have assisted Powerhouse’s

owners, Pure Leisure, in their rumoured aim to market the venue as a mainstream club. I personally welcome the inclusion of straight people in gay venues, however people should be tolerant, unlike the relatively large but still minor portion of homophobic people who have begun to frequent Powerhouse over the last few weeks. I do not expect to hear “eugh Lesbianâ€? and “f******g f**sâ€? ever, but least of all in a gay club. The welcoming of straight people in such clubs can harm the gayVSHFLĂ€ F LGHQWLW\ ZKLFK PDNHV VXFK venues feel like a safe haven for /*%7 SHRSOH WR VRFLDOLVH Therefore, attempts to market Powerhouse as a mainstream venue would be grossly irresponsible and VHOĂ€ VK RI 3XUH /HLVXUH LI LW UHVXOWV LQ IDLOXUH WR PHHW WKH QHHGV RI /*%7 people.

I do not expect to hear “eugh Lesbian� and “f*****g f**s� ever, but least of all in a gay club. I feel that the Freshers’ Week organisers have assisted in this negOLJHQW WUHDWPHQW RI /*%7 SHRSOH LQ Newcastle, including the University’s own students, in accepting sponsorship from Pure Leisure. The fact that a gay venue must

re-brand itself as straight is a sad statement of how society really feels DERXW /*%7 SHRSOH *D\ DQG /HVELDQ SHRSOH UHJXODUO\ go to so called straight clubs and bars, so why can’t the straight majority do the same in gay and lesbian venues, without making offensive remarks or being tricked into doing so by a clever advertising campaign? I think branding a gay venue for whatever social purpose is clearly the tip of the iceberg, an iceberg of hidden and archaic attitudes toward /HVELDQ *D\ %LVH[XDO DQG 7UDQV people. In short, I feel that our Freshers’ week contribution to the re-branding of Powerhouse is shameful and contradictory of all that the Newcastle Student’s Union claims to stand for.

Freshers’ Week: Art or Antics? > Freshers review their week Rose Akehurst You don’t need me to tell you how amazing Freshers’ was. However, you might need reminding on a few details - I’m sure it’s not just my week that blurred into one massive drunken party! It’s because of this complete blur, that when I was asked if I’d experienced any ‘culture’ during last week, my automatic answer was no. %XW ZKDW is culture really? It could be almost anything, and when you consider popular culture, I’d say last week was a pretty good example of ours. )URP WKH FUD]\ DPRXQW RI Ă \ ers we all had thrust at us at every turn, the fancy dress the freshers and crew alike rocked, to the nights themselves, you could argue we were surrounded by pop culture in every form - from art to fashion to music, and much, much more in the form of day time activities.

We’ll gloss over that I unfortunately missed them because, along with WKH UHVW RI P\ à DW , ZDV VWLOO DVOHHS *XWWHG My personal favourite of last week, perhaps not the best example of culture - but a wicked night - had to be the silent disco that spilled out onto the streets after Freshtival. After dancing away with everyone for hours, I took my headphones off for a minute to look around. I looked up at the prestigious red brick walls of our lovely Uni and then laughed when I looked down at all the mad Freshers silently raving away in the grounds of this reputable establishment! So was that a cultural experience? Well, make of it what you will, I, like most, loved Freshers’ Week and will always remember it...well, most of it anyway!

Sarah Skinner Clouded by the two pound trebles, ‘Diesel’ (cider, lager and blackcurrant) and endless pints of ‘Skittles’, the question could almost be “do

\RX UHPHPEHU Ă€ QGLQJ FXOWXUH LQ Freshers’ Week!?â€? Looking back over the Freshers’ Week edition of the Courier, it’s hard to deny that there was plenty of culture on offer, from viewings at the independent cinema to surfing, cocktail training and a visit to Durham – if culture was what you wanted, culture you could have – we are in Newcastle after all! %XW KRZ PDQ\ RI XV DFWXDOO\ JRW out of bed with that thumping headache in time to make these events? , NQRZ , GLGQ¡W %XW GRHV WKDW PDNH P\ Ă€ UVW ZHHN LQ D QHZ FLW\ ÂśFXOWXUH free’? Within just a few hours of arriving I found myself surrounded by people from all over the world, and from places in the UK I had never even heard of, let alone been. Everyone was from a different walk of life, with a different story to tell and a different accent to tell it in. Shadowed by the roar of Newcastle’s St. James’, and a sighting of Ant and Dec, days were spent mimicking each others’ ridiculous slang, swapping music tastes, and generally discovering what butters your

The Response: Alex Elwick Freshers’ Week Organiser The inclusion of Powerhouse (the capacity of which sets it out as one of the four biggest clubs in the city) in Freshers’ Week 2009 marked a step against the trend over the last few years of clubs and bars in Newcastle being seen as either gay or straight. Pure Leisure, the owners of Powerhouse, became involved in the sponsorship of our Freshers’ Week in order to promote a new student-oriented night on a Monday, which made no claims to be aimed at people based upon their sexual orientation. Powerhouse took a bold step in

targeting this (student) market and knew they would have to overcome many prejudices (from both gay and straight people). We were more than happy to engage in this campaign as it provided a high quality alternative venue to our Pandamonium event which, due to the number of VWXGHQWV WDNLQJ SDUW FRXOG QRW Ă€ W solely in the Union building. It represents a sad state of affairs when anyone, gay or straight, takes offence that a venue moves towards an inclusionist marketing standpoint and away from the tag of being, above all else, a ‘gay venue’. I, for one, feel proud to represent the Union as it strives to include everyone in all that it does.

VOX POP: What did you make of Freshers’ Week? Laura Tomlinson, Chemistry ´, KDG VZLQH Ă X so I only got to three nights, but WKH %HDFK 3DUW\ was amazing and Pandamonium was really fun too - I liked the t-shirts!â€? Freddie Appleby, Archaeology “I thought it was brilliant! All the Union based events were great and everyone’s so friendly. I loved getting to know the city.â€? average student’s parsnip. From ethnic food to local speciDOLWLHV 1HZFDVWOH %URZQ $OH RU the Middlesbrough ‘Parmo’), raves, clubbing, alternative cinema, and the theatre, you start to realise how EURDG WKH GHĂ€ QLWLRQ RI ÂśFXOWXUH¡ DF tually is.

Erin Slack, Archaeology “I didn’t think it was that great. There was too much drinking for me! I really enjoyed the pub quiz though as it was a good ice-breaker� Anna Glenwright, Combined Hons

“It was really good. I thought Maximo Park were absolutely great! I didn’t go to every event though.�

Newcastle is a vibrant place to GLVFRYHU FXOWXUH IURP Ă€ QH DUW WR KX manities, but Freshers’ Week alone gives insight into what we know, what we believe in and how we behave: ultimately, “the way we do things around here.â€?

20

CULTURE

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

More Culture Chat with Hockey Page 29>>>

3am Girls

with The Futureheads > Lucy Johnson caught up with the Sunderland band at the launch of new festival Split How’s the crowd in Sunderland, tonight? Coming home once you’ve got fans elsewhere, it’s a bit hard to play after gaining fans in other cities. It’s a bit of a weird one to play. Once you break past that your home crowd is your true home crowd and they’re proud of you. Are you excited about the new album? Of course, yeah. It’s pretty much all recorded and done. It’s been quite a long process as our drummer who’s my brother Dave - him and his girlfriend had a baby. We’ve done some of it up here ourselves in our own space, and also we’ve done a few sessions with the guy who produced our third album. Do you think that’s changed the sound of it? Yeah, it’s more rugged, it’s got a real live feel to it. Then again some of the songs we did with Youth is more kind of polished and powerful. Is there anyone you’re excited to see today? All the bands really, I’ve just watched a band called Coal Train who are good friends of mine, they used to be in a band called This Ain’t Vegas who were great, I really enjoyed them. I’ve seen Frankie and the Heartstrings a few times now and I’m keen to see how the audience take to them. Will you be watching Field Music?

ODXJKV So you’re local boys; and what do you like best about the North East? Oh, I just love its culture. People are lovely - it’s very different to say, the London culture. I think we should be really proud of our cultural heritage. The reason why I’ve got involved in helping organise this festival is because it’s a crying shame that Sunderland doesn’t have one; this is going to happen every year and it’s going to get bigger and bigger.

IURP KDV LQà XHQFHG \RXU PXVLF" <HDK GHÀ QLWHO\ EHFDXVH ZH VLQJ in our own accents, but we would have done that if we were from anywhere - if we were from like, the Highlands, we’d sing in our accent if we were from there. I think being far from the music business, i.e. in London is a bit of an advantage for a young band, because it’s quite easy to get swept away in the circus of London and we’ve never moved there. We’ve always stayed up here; it gives us that distance and creative space. :KDW DUH \RX PRVW LQà XHQFHG E\"

Yeah, it’s hard to tell when you are here, to know what life is like elsewhere, you know? But I think the 80s were grim, pretty much everywhere in the UK, and I survived - I was raised with manners, my parents did quite a good job. I had a happy childhood - lots of music!

Well, experiences in life. For me when I sing a song, I have to care about it. I get very inspired with a hangover; if I’ve got a bit of a hangover, it’s almost like my brain is still open, and if you’re watching D À OP RU DQ DGYHUW ZLWK D KDQJRYHU you might start crying; you have to be able to harness that emotion. 0XVLFDOO\ ZKHQ ZH À UVW VWDUWHG the bands that got us excited were bands like Fugazi, The Buzzcocks, The Clash, you know, and more modern bands as well like Les Savy Fav, all sorts of stuff really.

And what about the local music scene?

Is there any new music that you like?

Oh I love it; Newcastle’s isn’t as tightly knit as Sunderland’s. I’m not one of those Mackems who hates Geordies, cause me parents are both Geordies. I mean, if we can’t get along with people who live ten mile away, then what good do we have getting on with people two thousand miles away?

Yeah, I really like Frankie and the Heartstrings, and there’s a band from Manchester and I can’t believe how good they are, they’re called Dutch Uncles – they’re amazing!

Did you enjoy growing up here?

How much would you say where you come

Have you played Newcastle Students’ Union? Yeah, we have, we’ve only played there once, supporting Shed Seven about six years ago. Would you do it again? Way-aye! We’ll play anywhere, anytime, any way!

Do you think you’ll sign anyone to your label? No, I don’t think so to be honest with you. It would defeat the object, we would be robbing someone else of their independence by being their label bosses. Although, some bands have asked to be, like the Von Bondies, they rang us and said; “We want to be signed to your labelâ€? and we were OLNH ´6RUU\ QR Âľ ODXJKV

What are your plans for the future then? Well, fourth album next February, get that out, maybe play a couple of hundred shows next year. I want to have some kids at some point, do a bit of DJ-ing and keep helping to organise this festival!

Check out more of Jazzy’s photos on Flickr : KWWS ZZà LFNU FRP photos/ jazzylemon

Do you enjoy playing live?

Oh of course \HDK LW¡V WKH Ă€ UVW time they’ve played in a few years.

Yeah, of course, you’ve got to try and enjoy it; when you hear those bands complain about playing live, I just think well, why did you want to become a musician? Because that’s what musicians do.

How does it feel watching him, considering Peter Brewis used to be in The Futureheads?

You split with your old label back in 2006; how is it having your own label?

Oh I dunno, me and our Dave have know the Brewises for about 12 years, we’ve been in bands with them since we were kids. They’re like the other side of the coin; the Hyde brothers were one side, the slightly scruffy party animal side and the Brewis’ were the more scienWLÀ F VLGH

Great. We’ve got freedom. Now is the time to be independent in the music business; we’re lucky enough to kind of put our foot in the door, during the last days when major labels had any money. They spent loads of money on us and promoted us to the nth degree. We got a fan base, sold some records, had the ability to travel; once the label has done that for you, there’s no real purpose for them any more, because that’s the hardest part, is establishing a band. Now that we have that we’re KDYLQJ TXLWH D ORW RI IXQ à H[LQJ RXU FUHDWLYLW\ DQG WU\LQJ WR À QG interesting ways of promoting music – there’s a lot of pressure on bands in the business at the minute if they’re signed to major labels. We don’t have that pressure and I’m very pleased, because it ruins it.

J. LEMON

Megan & Maudie As night sets in, Megan and Maudie come into their own. Mornings are not our time. Afternoons are alright, but it is at night - when the streetlights pollute the view of the stars - that is when our blood starts pumping. And no, we are not a new vampire duo bursting into your paper. We are the 3 am girls. We are here to tell you about our night-out antics. Now, last Friday was one of our Ă€ UVW ELJ RQHV DQG VR VWULFWO\ LQ WKH name of research) we decided to go all out, abandoning the typical student haunts, and head to this city’s shining beacon of big nights; it could only be Digital. Wax:On, the electro-house night meant heels were relegated to WKH EDFN RI WKH ZDUGUREH Ă DWV tonight ladies - for jumping about, shaking and getting generally mashed up; there will be no teetering around on ridiculous heels. On a night like this Digital is not the place of 80s cheese or indie classics. Drinks and entry are hardly student friendly, but it is on these big nights that the club seems to come into its own. Fingering alley is empty, no couples canoodling in the corners; the GDQFH Ă RRU LV ZKHUH LW LV DW The line-up included the ever impressive Beardy Man - whose mouth does things your mother wouldn’t believe - along with the Eskimo Twins who showed off their skills, although they barely made it on time; we bumped into the pair on our walk down to the club looking late and in need of directions. The innovative Doorly also graced the stage, getting the crowd excited in anticipation of his soon to be realised EP on the Wax:On record label. The real draw of the night however was Fake Blood himself, fresh from the festival circuit. If you are a DJ-reject like Megan you may have mistaken this ‘fake blood’ for the dress code of the evening, but this is what the crowds were there to see. All the sets lived up to expectations, managing to keep us dancing the whole night through, with samples as diverse as Florence and the Machine and Abba. The night pulled in an eclectic crowd, more students than expected, but nonetheless an entertaining mob to be part of. Those that stood out were the indoor sunglass wearing pillocks - you just draw more attention to your over-dilated pupils than necessary; the check shirt brigade - look around boys, sometimes stripes are good too! - but the most spectacular of all was the Elephant Man; not the real one, obviously, but a sweaty alternative who decided to wear a child’s elephant party costume. Natch. Interesting shapes were beLQJ SXOOHG RQ WKH Ă RRU EXW WKH most popular dance move of the evening was what we like to call the ‘Orangutan’. This consists of bobbing up and down while extending arms to look as long as possible and waving them in orbit around their body; we are big fans. Some valuable lessons were learned that Friday eve: 1: When Megan asks Maudie to describe what kind of music to expect, not to believe her when she says, “You’ll love itâ€?. 2: Maudie learned the hard way that a supportive bra will take you a lot further when dancing till 4 in the morning! 6R WKHUH \RX KDYH LW RXU Ă€ UVW night back on the Toon, but no doubt there will be many more to come. Watch out!

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Newcastle’s cultural future examined James Brown We hear an awful lot about culture in Newcastle these days, even during the recession and even after the humiliating loss of the Cultural Capital title to fellow northerners Liverpool a couple of years back. Mapping the cultural future of the city is not as wishy-washy as it may sound, and these lectures aim to do just that. The Lit&Phil down near Central Station is Newcastle’s Victorian gem of a library; a listed building (the ÀUVW LQ WKH 8. WR KDYH HOHFWULF OLJKWV no less), and a cultural venue worth a visit on its own. They have teamed up with the Mining Institute and Newcastle Philosophy Society to offer a series of debates about the future of all those treasured theatres, galleries, cinemas, music venues and public art that make Newcastle the cracking, vibrant city it is today. This is not boring. Cultural awareness is vitally important in the current endless economic misery; as more people than ever become employed in the creative industries, the questions raised at these lectures will shape the way we see our city for years to come. Others in the series cover all sorts of topics, such as the Geordie dialect, polemics on the future from local culture vultures and thoughts on Newcastle’s past by historians. Perhaps you get enough of lectures at university, so do that classic student cheat; skip the series and go straight to the concluding lecture, which promisingly aims to turn us all from passive culture-absorbers into participants with energy like those Geordies who give it some on

a Saturday afternoon at St James’ Park, or Saturday night at the Bigg Market.

Philosophy, history, politics, geography and town planning students VKRXOG ÀQG LW IDVFLQDWLQJ )UHH HQWU\

VR KHDG RQ GRZQ WR ÀQG RXW PRUH Tuesday 13th of October, 6:30pm –

8pm, Mining Institute lecture theatre, Neville Hall, Westgate Road. www.litandphil.org.uk

Guide to Geekdom... > Jake Aiken Winter reports on the Open Storywriting Zine Session at Star and Shadow this Saturday

with Matt Stoppard Last Thursday saw the return of Inertia at World Headquarters, a monthly independent club night I have followed closely over the last two years. However, this night has assumed D QHZ VLJQLĂ€FDQFH IRU P\VHOI DQG my friends Katie, Joe and Tim, as we have been provided with an opportunity to get more involved with the running of the night; an experience which has already proved to be rewarding even before our debut party. For four years Inertia has been run by students with student interests at the forefront of its approach, and has proudly stood out as a club night which offers a valuable sense of personality, providing familiar faces behind the slogans and proPRWLRQDO Ă \HUV We feel that this is an essential component of any kind of party; whether it be a house party or at a club with exciting live acts. This has informed our promotional work for Inertia so far, as we have found that talking to people about our night and gauging their responses to be far more useful than PXWHO\ KDQGLQJ RXW Ă \HUV Our aim is for Inertia to be a club night that provokes student input, ranging from which acts people

want to see to feedback on how to improve our parties. )URP ZD\ EDFN DV D Ă€UVW \HDU IHHOing slightly detached from the typical midweek student ‘lash’, Inertia’s inclusive approach proved to be incredibly refreshing, and continually offered me a platform for meeting great people and hearing cutting edge music ranging from techno, dubstep, dancehall and punk rock. We’ll continue along these lines whilst taking the talent on show up a notch; be assured that this is a night committed to exposing innovative acts from all areas of alternative music. This month we had a live dubstep act in Jazzsteppa, whilst in November we’ll be shifting approach completely to host Smoove and Turrell, the most exciting funk and soul band in the UK. Keeping Inertia fresh is just as important to us as establishing a switched-on crowd - its going to be an unpredictable, roller coaster ride of a year for this respected student favourite; be sure to check us out! The next Inertia is hosted on the 12th of November @ WHQ: Smoove and Turrell (Jalapeno Records) + Residents Sully and Tim Shaw.

Step 1: Eat Breakfast. Step 2: Leaf through a battered paperback. Step 3: Disappear for 2 hours and write D ZLOG VWRU\ IXOÀOOLQJ \RXU ZLOGHVW thoughts and dreams set in the Star & Shadow Cinema. There’s a little known modest arty neighbourhood in the Toon. In a small warehouse, a group of volunteering hippies while away their days altruistically tending to a little cinema. :LWK SURÀW WKH ODVW WKLQJ LQ WKHLU minds, this little slice of community life set itself the task of spreading culture to the people of Newcastle. On 17th October the Star & Shadow

are calling every Geordie and student to come running waving their writing weapons of choice (typewriters, pens and laptops alike) to write for their free printed fanzine. When their eclectic army of story sculptors has been assembled and thoroughly breakfasted, they’ll send them out into the depths of the cinema. Tales of vampire attacks in the bar shall be written; lust fuelled affairs in closets will be speculated over and murder mysteries in the theatre pondered. At the end of the day, the sagas will be gathered together VRPH FRPSOHWH VRPH XQÀQLVKHG

and in fragments) and printed into D EHDXWLIXO IDQ]LQH WKDW ZLOO ÀQG LWV way into the hands of all who frequent the cinema. Clearly this is a chance at Star & Shadow fame not to be passed up. Besides, any event that puts breakfast as the number one issue on the agenda is one that can count me in. So, I suggest you pluck the forgotten stories from the dusty corners of your head and bring them along. And maybe your story will be scouted and met by critical acclaim; that’d be nice.

Get Hard to Love @ WHQ Polly Randall Another ‘alternative night’? Surely not necessary. But with the description of being, “A mixture of hidden gems, forgotten favourites and music that is made to make people dance�, you can’t help but be intrigued to see if it will live up to is claims. The night has been created as an answer to the dilemma posed between nights which play the same indie songs week after week – “oh great, The Strokes’ ‘Last Night’

again� - and those that go so far to be individual that they become inaccessible to most people. When talking to George, one of the organisers of Hard to Love, a second year student at Newcastle, it’s a nice reminder that there are people out there who want to try something new, and can be bothered enough to take the risk. The night, I’m told, isn’t meant as a musical education. It’s eager to please on every level, bridging a gap they see in the current array of club nights and really just aiming to have a good time. The music provided by local DJ

partnership It’s-A-Happening, promises to play everything from Beastie Boys to Soft Cell, as well as any obscure requests. The setting of WHQ appears perfect to give the night that independent feel, and obviously cheap drinks are also never going to be refused. At the moment, the night is being put on as a one off; if it is a success there are hopes that it could become a bi-monthly event. Really, it looks like a very appealing prospect, and a chance to hear something new. 3HUKDSV ZH Ă€QDOO\ KDYH DQ DOWHUnative to ‘alternative nights’.

CULTURE

22

Photos

Freshers’ Week Photos

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

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Photos courtesy of Sophie Andrews, Christa Chen, Alice Dewing, Peter Dixon and Alexander Wilson For more Freshers’ Week photos please visit www.thecourieronline.co.uk

Photos

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Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

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Arts

Arts Arts Editor: Stephanie Ferrao - courier.culture-arts@ncl.ac.uk

Byker Revisited

Larger than life drawing classes come to town

> Ciara Littler heads to the Side Gallery for an exhibition that gives Newcastle’s most famous district a totally different perspective

> How we need look no further than Jesmond IRU D FUHGLW FUXQFK DUW À [ WKLV $XWXPQ

It’s well worth popping into the Side Gallery if you’re ever down by the Quayside. The small, tucked away gallery is currently hosting ‘Byker Revisited’- a photography exhibition depicting images of the varied people who live and work in an area with a history of great development and change. The exhibition is part of the ‘Reinventing the City’ festival currently running in Newcastle, and the imDJHV UHÁ HFW D GLYHUVH DQG FKDQJLQJ community. Photographer SirkkaLiisa Konttinen is revisiting Byker 40 years after hosting an exhibition that portrayed the people and places she observed whilst living there in the mid 1970s. A lot has clearly changed in the forty intervening years. Terraced houses have been replaced by the Byker Wall housing scheme, and the faces photographed are often of

À UVW JHQHUDWLRQ LPPLJUDQWV RI PDQ\ cultures, from all over the globe. But what hasn’t changed is the sense of community, albeit perhaps a more ‘alternative’ one. There is a huge diversity of culture, but to all these people, Byker is still home. Possibly the most interesting aspect of the exhibition is how the working-class population of the North East has changed in some ways, but not in others. The faces, values and beliefs might have shifted, but the images capture a sense of hope, development and optimism. Konttinen’s images were taken over a six year period, as she familiarised herself with the new Byker community. The large square images are predominately home shots, showing the lives of these people in single frames, capturing a sense of family, society and often a kind of patriotism.

I was really taken by one image of a man covered in Newcastle United tattoos - a reminder that hope, for both individuals and the city as a whole, has yet to falter. The brightly coloured photographs are evidently juxtaposed with the gritty black and white images of the earlier collection, but a lot has happened to this community since the originals were taken. In celebrating this exhibition, Kontinnen is working with local leading publishing house Northumbria Press to produce a book containing all the photographs from the exhibition accompanied by the stories behind the people involved. Byker is a reinvented place, and this collection is a perfect portrayal of it. Byker Revisited is running at the Side Gallery until Saturday 31st October.

Beth McClure Calling all Art geeks! Life drawing lessons are coming to Jesmond! You don’t need to be a Fine Art student to take part. If you have a passion for drawing, sketching live models gives you the opportunity to develop really valuable skills, and is probably one of the only occasions where staring intently at a naked person is OK! Forget the fruit bowls, because drawing human forms is a lot more detailed– using charcoal, pencil, graphite, ink and paint, anyone can develop the techniques to create a masterpiece. If you’d prefer to be on the other side of the canvas and pocket a few quid at the same time, there’s the opportunity to pose as a model.

Males and females of all shapes and sizes are welcomed; you just need to be able to strike a pose for about half an hour, and (of course) be naked! But don’t worry; just think of it as something out of Desperate Romantics, but without having to freeze to death in a bathtub! Weekly evening sessions will be run by a band of dedicated Newcastle students, so whether you’re a total beginner or a budding Picasso, it’s a fantastic opportunity to get creative on the cheap. Though you’ll need your own equipment, the only other pennies that need spending are to cover the cost of the model. For more information on Life Drawing classes, contact Beth McClure at b.l.mcclure@ncl.ac.uk.

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Are you NUTS about theatre? > Theatre society President James Bailey chats about the society’s recent Fringe festival success and his plans for this term’s theatrical season... Stephanie Ferrao Arts Editor Stephanie: So we hear that NUTS made the journey to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival? James: We took an American play called ‘Bob’s Date’ to the Fringe – it’s never been performed in Europe before so it was a pretty unique experience for us. It was based on one man’s psyche as he prepares for a date, so it was light-hearted comedy and the audiences seemed to enjoy it. Each character played a different aspect of his personality, so you had aspects of emotions, memory, logic and libido all played out.

S: After that success, what have you got planned for this term? J: This year we’ve signed up about two-hundred people. Obviously they can’t all be in the plays, but NUTS offers opportunities to work backstage, on lighting, make-up,

costumes and set design, so there’s plenty of ways to get involved. This term we’re doing six plays: ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘Complete Female Stage Beauty’, ‘Woman In Mind’, ‘Cinderella’ for our pantomime, ‘Fame’ – the musical, and for our Fresher’s play, we’re doing ‘The Crucible’, for which we’ve already done the casting. S: What else does NUTS offer? J: We also run workshops on acting, on how to produce a NUTS play, and on how to direct – it’s really

useful for people who want to get stuck in next semester. We’re also planning a day where people can perform monologues, though that tends to be for people who want to apply for drama school. S: Sounds good. Have you got any links with local theatres? J:. In the past, we’ve performed in the Learning Space of the Theatre Royal, as well as Stage 3 of the Northern Stage. In the Spring term we’ll do six more plays, and then in the Summer

term we’ll do a two week drama festival at the Northern Stage which will feature three student-produced plays a night: one week for rehearsals and one week of performances. Because of its length, it shouldn’t interfere with exams. We’ve also got plans to kick-off the year with something new – we’re performing this year’s Fresher’s play in the newly-reopened Hancock Museum, so I’m hoping the rest of the season will be just as interesting.

S: That’s fantastic for a student-run society, how did it go? J: We were really lucky and got to perform in one of the biggest venue chains in Edinburgh, and performed there for just under three weeks. We had a couple of sell-out dates in the run-up to the end of the festival, which was fantastic for us: Fringe Review Magazine actually listed us as one of the ‘Top Things to See at Lunchtime’, as well as receiving some really positive feedback from the Scotsman. S: So you lived in Edinburgh for the duration of the festival? J: Yeah, we took seven actors, two directors and a producer up there DQG ZH DOO VWD\HG LQ D ÁDW WRJHWKHU It was great to have other members of NUTS popping up to visit us and watch the plays too! A scene from ‘The Crucible’ - this year’s Freshers’ play

Enjoy A Night Less Ordinary! > Free theatre tickets? Too good to be true?

>3XW \RXU JUHHQ ÀQJHUV to creative purposes

Laura Armitage With the excitement of Fresher’s Week over, now is the perfect time to explore the vast cultural scene Newcastle has to offer. A Night Less Ordinary is a scheme that offers you the perfect opportunity to do so! Presuming you are aged between 16 and 25, you can bag yourself a free ticket from a colOHFWLRQ RI ÀIW\ IRU HDFK SOD\ LQFOXGHG in the scheme. There is a wide range of shows, ranging from comedies to romance, so there is something for everyone! If you’ve never been to the theatre before, this is a new, exciting experience that you can enjoy guilt-free, as it won’t eat into your student loan! They will be held at the Northern Stage (Barras Road, near the Union) and Theatre Royal (Grey Street, near Grey’s Monument) and you can view the whole collection of participating plays on the theatres’ websites. Some of the best picks are from the Royal Shakespeare Company who are hosting a range of shows with some of the best known being ‘A

Keep it green this year with the Fine Art department Hannah Davey

Tender Thing’, ‘Julius Caesar’ and ‘As You Like It’. The Royal Shakespeare Company have a reputation that speaks for itself, and it seems mad to pass up an opportunity to see them for FREE! Act fast to book your ticket, simply E\ SKRQLQJ WKH ER[ RIÀFH RU SRSping in, and have a student savvy, cultural night out with friends, with a partner or by yourself. Don’t worry if you don’t snag yourself one of the free tickets, as within the scheme

you can buy a ticket for any of the associated plays for only £5! Still a total bargain for a fantastic night out; one you certainly won’t forget. So why not try something different? You have nothing to lose and certainly a lot to gain! For more information visit www.anightlessordinary.org.uk

If you fancy winning £50 and doing your bit to go green, the School of Fine Art wants you to put a creative spin on recycling and incorporate it into your artwork! Recyclable art has never had so many green credentials: with Newcastle University now recycling 60% of our rubbish, students and staff are savvying up to the cost-cutting advantages of mending rather than spending. The Fine Art department are hoping to raise awareness of recycling and sustainability through the medium of sculptures. University Waste Manager Daniel O’Connor commented: “Communicating to students about recycling issues in this way will hopefully have a deeper impact and subsequent action than standard communications such as emails, posters and inductions”. The School of Art are encouraging entrants to think about the bigger ideas surrounding recycling as well,

such as politics and global warming. An unusual source of inspiration certainly, but it’s not unheard of: for a bit of evidence, check out the double helix sculpture near the Royal 0DLO RIÀFH RQ WKH 4XD\VLGH ZKLFK LV made entirely out of old trolleys! About 70% of your artwork will need to be comprised of recyclable materials, but if you’re stuck for inspiration, check out the House of Objects on North Tyneside which features loads of green ideas, as well as materials up for grabs! Entries will be judged by Fine Art representatives and the University Sustainability team, and the winner will be announced on World Environment Day which is the 5th June. For more details about the competition, contact Daniel O’Connor at daniel.o’connor@ncl.ac.uk

Inside today >>>

Interview with Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine Culture, page 33

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Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

CULTURE

Film

Film )LOP (GLWRU )UDQFHV .URRQ FRXULHU FXOWXUH Âż OP#QFO DF XN

The pictures made perfect > Grace Harvey takes a trip to the Tyneside Cinema, to suss out 1HZFDVWOH¡V ELJJHVW LQGHSHQGHQW FLQHPD Anybody fancy the pictures tonight? These are words rarely spoken nowadays - nowadays we go to the allAmerican movies at a big cinema complex with twenty-odd screens. But something is lacking from these places. Yes, we go to view the ODWHVW ER[ RIĂ€ FH KLW DQG VLW RQ RXU arses for a few hours munching on Ă€ YH SRXQG SRSFRUQ 6XUHO\ WKHUH¡V more in a trip to the picture house than that? This is where the Tyneside Cinema casually steps in. Originally built in the 1930s, the Tyneside is one of the only surviving news reel theatres in the country. With four individual screens and three unique bars spread across IRXU Ă RRUV D WULS WR WKH Ă LFNV LV QR longer synonymous with the rouWLQH ,¡P VXUH \RX¡UH XVHG WR %DVHG RQ 3LOJULP 6WUHHW QRW HYHQ Ă€ YH PLQXWHV DZD\ IURP FDPSXV there really is no excuse for not being there. They show the pinnacle of both new and old avant-garde, for-

HLJQ DQG LQGHSHQGHQW Ă€ OPV ZKLOVW QRW IRUJHWWLQJ +ROO\ZRRG¡V Ă€ QHVW too, in possibly the most authentic cinematic setting. 6R VD\ JRRGE\H WR \RXU XVXDO RYHU priced and over-rated IMAX and be ready to embrace the future that is the Tyneside Cinema. Here, you can relax with a glass of wine, rather than an extortionately priced Coca- Cola, and kick back in the cosy leather sofas of the Classic Circle. Here, each screen has something different to offer, from the authenWLF V DUW GHFR Âś&ODVVLF¡ VFUHHQ WR WKH FXWWLQJ HGJH Âś(OHFWUD¡ DQG HYH rything else in-between. All screens are fully-licensed, so go a little earlier to get a drink from the bar or stop off in Intermezzo to pick up a hot cup of Java. 2QH RI WKLV VHDVRQ¡V KLJKOLJKWV LV WKH Âś&XOW &ODVVLFV¡ VHDVRQ ,W¡V DO ready been running for a week, so \RX¡YH MXVW PLVVHG RXW RQ WKH -RKQ

+XJKHV WULEXWH EXW GRQ¡W GHVSDLU 6WDUWLQJ ZLWK 7HUU\ *LOOLDP¡V Brazil, Ă€ YH PRUH Ă€ OPV ZLOO EH VKRZLQJ RQ Monday nights from the 12th OctoEHU Ă€ OPV IURP WKH OLNHV RI *LOOLDP John Carpenter and David Lynch, DV ZHOO DV OHJHQG $OIUHG +LWFKFRFN¡V masterpiece, North by Northwest. This is a one-off chance to view WKHVH VWULNLQJ RII EHDW Ă€ OPV RQ WKH ELJ VFUHHQ $OVR GRQ¡W IRUJHW WKDW 0RQGD\ QLJKW LV VWXGHQW QLJKW 6R JUDE \RXU 186 FDUG DQG JHW RQ down. Not only can you get discounted tickets but drinks are discounted in WKH 7\QHVLGH EDU WRR 6R JR EHIRUH JR after or take one in with you, but go HDV\ WKHVH Ă€ OPV DUH EL]DUUH HQRXJK for even the soberest of minds. ,I FXOW Ă€ OPV DQG Ă€ OP QRLU UHDOO\ DUHQ¡W \RXU FXS RI WHD The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, featuring the late great Heath Ledger, in what ZLOO EH KLV Ă€ QDO FLQHPDWLF SHUIRUP ance, starts on Friday 16th October. 7KHUH¡V DOVR RQH Ă€ QDO VKRZLQJ RI Dirty Dancing as a tribute to one of +ROO\ZRRG¡V PRVW LQĂ XHQWLDO OHJ HQGV 3DWULFN 6ZD\]H DV IHDWXUHG below. For those who want an added or DOWHUQDWLYH FXOWXUH Ă€ [ IURP WKH 7\ QHVLGH JHW RQ GRZQ WR WKH 6SHFLDO Events that run throughout the year. 2Q WKH Ă€ UVW 0RQGD\ RI HYHU\ month, The Polite Room showcases local songwriters and poets in the Tyneside bar. These nights do prove to be very popular and some are ticketed, but for only a couple of TXLG LW¡V ZHOO ZRUWK LW 2U LI \RX FDQ¡W PDNH LW WR WKH :HVW (QG \RX can catch screenings of live theatre and opera satellite broadcasts throughout the rest of October and November. There really is something for everyone at the Tyneside Cinema - I FRXOGQ¡W UHFRPPHQG LW HQRXJK

7KH 4XD\¡V FDQQ\ 6LGH > All you need to know DERXW WKH 4XD\VLGH¡V 6LGH *DOOHU\ Jennie Mitchell 8QOHVV \RX¡UH VWXPEOLQJ EDFN IURP 6HD RQ D )ULGD\ QLJKW PRVW RI XV GRQ¡W VSHQG PXFK WLPH GRZQ E\ WKH Quayside. This is a real shame, as you could be missing out on one of NewcasWOH¡V KLGGHQ JHPV WXFNHG DZD\ EH tween the sumptuous restaurants DQG VZDQN\ FRFNWDLO EDUV LV WKH 6LGH *DOOHU\ DQG &LQHPD FRPSOH[ $ UHDO WUHDW ZDV WKH FLQHPD¡V UH FHQW H[KLELWLRQ 6LNND /LLVD .RQW WLQHQ¡V Byker Revisited. This exhibiWLRQ DERXW KHU H[SHULHQFH LQ %\NHU¡V terraced streets and estates uses porWUDLWV DQG Ă€ OP WR FDSWXUH WKH GLYHUVH nature of urban lives on the estate. Of Time And The City by Terence Davis similarly captures the nature of regional identity and has subse-

quently been described as a ‘love VRQJ WR /LYHUSRRO¡ GXH WR LWV IRFXV RQ WKH ODQG RI WKH 6FRXVH The dedication of the cinema to documentary in the Urban DevelopPHQW VHDVRQ RI Ă€ OPV KDV JLYHQ D UHDO splash of culture to the city in the last month. Along with this, the cinema has also continued to re-screen classics, my favourite being Get Carter, starring a rather youthful-looking Michael Caine. 7KDW¡V QRW WR VD\ LWV DOO FXOW FODV sics and documentary. Coming up is the global blockbuster Independence Day ZKR GRHVQ¡W ORYH D ELW RI :LOO 6PLWK $OVR WKH 0RWRZQ WULE XWH VRXQGV OLNH LW FRXOG EH D GHĂ€ QLWH PXVW VHH Standing in The Shadows of Motown incorporates interviews and performance dedicated to the history of pop music, meaning it should be set to have one hell of a soundtrack with both covers and original Motown recordings. Following up this is Cadillac Records, which focuses on such blues legends as Muddy Waters,

Etta James and Chuck Berry. It also IHDWXUHV VRPH RI %H\RQFH¡V YRFDO WDO ent. Despite what you think of her, \RX FDQ¡W KHOS EXW EH EORZQ DZD\ 7KH JLUO¡V JRW VRPH VHULRXV OXQJV The one on my must-see list though is Time Will Tell D Ă€ OP GHSLFWLQJ WKH powerful message of reggae through the life story of the legendary Bob Marley. A guaranteed feel-good 0DUOH\IHVW 6R WKHUH¡V QR H[FXVHV JHW \RXUVHOI GRZQ WR WKH 6LGH 7KH JDOOHU\ LV IUHH SHUIHFW IRU RXU WLJKW EXGJHWV 7KH cosy 44 capacity cinema is an ideal off-beat alternative, showing some insightful and equally entertaining Ă€ OPV With authentic seating including rare doubles to nuzzle up together, and a charming cafe that opens thirty minutes prior to screenings, its intimate atmosphere means it really is a venue to fall in love with.

6ZD\]H WDNHV KLV ODVW dance on Tyneside >In honour of the late star, the Tyneside re-screens Dirty Dancing Lucy Jones From the opening music of The Ronettes to that dance routine, Dirty Dancing has become a classic. The main appeal for me and most females, I suspect, is the uncomproPLVLQJ FRROQHVV RI 3DWULFN 6ZD\]H DQG WKH ZD\ KH PRYHV WKRVH KLSV 7KH VWRU\ RI VZHHW GDGG\¡V JLUO )UDQFHV Âś%DE\¡ +RXVHPDQ IDOOLQJ in love with sexy dance instructor Johnny Castle is one that continues to capture the affections of thousands of women across the globe. 6HOGRP GRHV D Ă€ OP KDYH VXFK DQ LP pact twenty years on. The main reason for its success is the unquestionable talent of its main star. This passionate, heart-warming classic is enough to set pulses racing and will manage once again, as it did twenty years ago, to make every woman at the cinema screening fall in love with him. Dirty Dancing ZDV WKH Ă€ OP WKDW FDW DSXOWHG 6ZD\]H LQWR WKH +ROO\ZRRG phenomenon he became. After the

Ă€ OP¡V VXFFHVV 6ZD\]H FRQWLQXHG to tug at heartstrings in Ghost, but also proved his versatility alongside Keanu Reeves in Point Break and -DNH *\OOHQKDO LQ Donnie Darko. Following his tragic death last month, the Tyneside Cinema have organised a tribute to the star, VFUHHQLQJ WKH Ă€ OP WKDW XQGRXEWHGO\ made him the legend he was. The cinema has undergone a massive refurbishment over the past 18 months and was temporarily based DW WKH 2OG 7RZQ +DOO LQ *DWHVKHDG 2Q WKH HYH RI WKH FLQHPD¡V UH opening last March, there was an outdoor screening of Dirty Dancing DW *UH\¡V 0RQXPHQW ZKLFK SURYHG to be a huge success. The Tyneside Cinema said, “Following the success of the screening last March for the re-opening of our FLQHPD ZH UHDOLVHG MXVW KRZ SRSX ODU WKH Ă€ OP KDV EHFRPH We decided to screen it once more LQ RXU FLQHPD DV D Ă€ WWLQJ WULEXWH WR the actor as it seems a perfect way for us to honour his life.â€? +RZHYHU \RX VSHQG \RXU 6DWXU GD\V , XUJH \RX WR VSHQG 6DWXUGD\ 17th October falling in love all over again with the legend that is Patrick 6ZD\]H I guarantee you will have the time RI \RXU OLIH

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

27

Film

CULTURE

Reviews Surrogates Dir: Jonathan Mostow Starring: Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell Runtime: 88 mins STDs, unwanted pregnancies, addiction, humiliation, hatred, pain, murder; all have become things of the past. You can be whoever you want, do whatever you like, and live each day without fear. Sounds like paradise, doesn't it? This is the world of Surrogates, where humans have opted out of WKHLU à HVKO\ HQWDQJOHPHQWV IRU WKH comforts of synthetic doppelgangers. But when a mysterious weapon threatens to shake this sanctimonious way of life, it's up to FBI agents Tom Greer (Bruce Willis) and JenQLIHU 3HWHUV 5DGKD 0LWFKHOO WR ÀQG it, before billions of human lives are lost.

Clearly, this is the kind of blockbuster fare that has come to domiQDWH VFL À FLQHPD 7KH SORW FDQ EH seen as a blend of I, Robot and Minority Report. It's far from original, and suffers from being on the verge of clichÊ throughout. But that said, LW LV D VDWLVI\LQJ VFL À URPS HYHQ with the foreseeable twist. Bruce Willis performs with a bit more heart and soul than his previous badass cop roles, and there's no denying that the Die Hard star is FDUU\LQJ WKH ÀOP The special effects are also certainly something to boast about - Director Jonathan Mostow ensuring all his actors look perfectly doll-like. The sudden transition from Willis' robotic body-double to faltering à HVK LV DPD]LQJO\ MDUULQJ I would, however, have expected WKH ÀOP WR RIIHU PRUH RI D VRFLDO comment, given that the loaded FRQWHQW RI WKH ÀOP RSHQV XS WKH

possibility to explore more in-depth topics like issues of identity, and moral structure. This makes for a run-of-the-mill action thriller that is more in-tune with I Am Legend than Children of Men. Though I suppose one shouldn't expect much from the director of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines! So if you’re craving something that’s minimal effort, Surrogates is \RXU WLFNHW %XW LI LW¡V VFL Ă€ VRPHwhat more poignant that you’re after, then you are better off looking elsewhere; perhaps Duane Jones' Moon.

The Invention of Lying

As a huge fan of the hero that is Gervais, I was initially skeptical about what the trailers perceived to be a cutesy Rom-Com based loosely on Liar Liar. I was thrilled that in fact WKH ÀOP LQGHHG WKH UHOLJLRXV VDWLUH it was rumoured to be. Basically The Invention of Lying is set, as the title would suggest, in a world where everyone tells the truth, no matter how brutal the truth may be. This fact alone leads to a rather

good satirical comment on consumerism in general, where Pepsi is advertised with the by-line ‘for when there’s no Coke’ - so true. In said world, Gervais plays average downbeat guy (as per) Mark %HOOLVRQ ZKR KDYLQJ EHHQ Ă€UHG IURP KLV MRE DQG VLPXOWDQHRXVO\ UHMHFWHG E\ $QQD 0FGRRJOHV -HQQLIHU Garner), gains the ability to lie. The actual moment of the invention of the lie is explained, somewhat lamely, by a malfunctioning brain synapse. This would lead me to question why the title was changed from the original The Other Side of the Truth, which seems more appropriate, as the invention is not really the point. Mark soon uses his new found DGYDQWDJH IRU EHQHĂ€FLDO JDLQ 7KLV evolves from the initial materialistic reaction to hit the casino, into

JHWWLQJ KLV MRE EDFN DQG RI FRXUVH getting the girl. However it is Bellison’s little white lie that he tells his dying mother where the comedy gets good and is turned, with a huge nod to The Life of Brian, from a run-of-the-mill Rom-Com into something more. This lie being that when you die you are not simply worm food, but go to a special land where everyone is happy and everyone gets a mansion. After this lie is spread, Mark is forced to explain it by inventing a Ă€FWLWLRXV ÂśPDQ LQ WKH VN\¡ ZKR FRQtrols earth‌..sound familiar? This has lead to some critics callLQJ WKH Ă€OP DQWL &KULVWLDQ %XW LQ the world of the free what are you gonna do? If anything, a lick of conWURYHUV\ ZLOO DGG WR WKH Ă€OP¡V DSpeal in the U.K. , VWLOO WKLQN WKHUH¡V VRPHWKLQJ MDU-

VXFK D SRSXODU Ă€OP DV VLQFH WKHQ WKH ZKROH GDQFH Ă LFN JHQUH KDV been done to death - at some points I felt like I was watching a strange mixture of Save the Last Dance and High School Musical. The biggest fault with this was the lack of emotional attachment to the characters. Most of them come with x-factor style sob stories. But when these problems are resolved there is QR VHQVH RI UHOLHI MXVW D YDJXH ´RK goodâ€?. In fact, the main feeling I felt was scepticism towards the characters. All seemed to be introduced as the ´EHVW GDQFHU VLQJHU ZKDWHYHUÂľ LQ WKH VFKRRO 0RVWO\ WKLV LV MXVWLĂ€HG but in some cases you are left thinkLQJ ´UHDOO\"Âľ

However, director Kevin Tancharoen is certainly one to watch. His background as a famous choreographer, working with the likes of Britney Spears, is obvious. And where WKLV Ă€OP UHDOO\ GRHV GD]]OH LV LQ WKH JREVPDFNLQJO\ DPD]LQJ GDQFH DQG song sequences. At least one star of the three and a KDOI , JDYH WKLV Ă€OP LV DWWULEXWHG WRZDUGV WKH LQFUHGLEOH JUDQG Ă€QDOH This is where shy student Naturi Naughton lets it all out, singing to the wonderful remix of ‘Fame’s’ most famous song, ‘Remember my Name’. Kudos also to Tancharoen for using a whole bunch of newbies in his cast with only a few old favourites knocking about, like Megan Mul-

lally (Karen in Will and Grace), who plays a teacher at the school. This GHÀQLWHO\ SDLG RII DV LQ WKH VRQJ DQG GDQFH ÀHOG WKH\ DUH PRVWO\ H[tremely talented (acting, as previously mentioned, is a little thin on the ground). Long and short, you get what you go for really. Cringe through the dialogue to get to the show-stopping singing and dancing which is something I guarantee you’ll remember.

The Soloist

Although the Soloist reaches no rounded conclusion, this is a refreshing change from the usual unrealistic epiphany found in HollyZRRG ÀOPV Instead of a happy ending you have a situation where audience DQG 6WHYH /RSH] DOLNH KDYH WR FRPH to terms with the fact that Nathaniel cannot and does not want to be saved or cured, and there is little hope of him ever returning to his old way of life. The presence of Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx alongside newcomer Nelsan Ellis, from the US series True Blood, undoubtedly provides the ÀOP ZLWK LWV JUHDWHVW GULYLQJ IRUFH Jamie Foxx, for instance, once again shows his talent for bio-pics. For the role, Foxx went to new lengths in method acting and learnt the cello from scratch. The Ray star also ground his teeth down to create a more authentic

homeless look. /RSH]¡V RULJLQDO FROXPQV IURP which the book was created, won over the hearts and minds of LA through its daily and weekly instalments. On screen however the plot seems stretched too thin over the 117 minutes. It seems as well that the personal JURZWK RI 6WHYH /RSH] GLIIXVHV DWtention from Nathaniel - the character the audience wants to learn about the most. Instead WKH Ă€OP ORRNV PRUH FORVHO\ DW /RSH] FRQIURQWLQJ KLV GLYRUFH and the ethics of his friendship with Nathaniel during the course of the Ă€OP Nathaniel remains as elusive WKURXJKRXW WKH Ă€OP DV KH LV LQ UHDO OLIH ZLWK RQO\ D VHULHV RI LOO Ă€WWLQJ Ă DVKEDFNV WR Ă€OO LQ DQ\ QHFHVVDU\ gaps in his history. $OWKRXJK WKLV GRHV UHĂ HFW WKH VRFLeties relationship to the homeless on

Dir: Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson Staring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Jonah Hill Runtime: 100 mins

Fame Dir: Kevin Tancharoen Starring: Naturi Naughton, Asher Book, Collins Pennie. Runtime: 155 mins Fame is the remake of the 1980s classic which follows the stories of several teenagers as they try to prove their talent at the New York School of Performing Arts. The sentiment of talent as a way to the top is certainly refreshing in a time of Paris Hilton and Chantelle Haughton, but sadly the story line is pretty generic with generous dashings of cheese. This was always going to be the problem with doing a remake of

Dir: Joe Wright Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr. Runtime: 117mins The Soloist is a true life tale, based RQ 6WHYH /RSH]¡V ERRN RI WKH VDPH name. Following the LA Times writHU 'RZQH\ -U WKH Ă€OP WHOOV RI KLV encounter and gradual friendship with Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man and talented violinist. /RSH]¡V LQWHUHVW EXLOGV DV $\HUV¡ past reveals him to be a former cellist and Julliard pupil, who as a sufIHULQJ VFKL]RSKUHQLF KDV EHHQ OLYLQJ on the streets of LA’s Skid Row, in the shadow of his former glory. As the latest offering from Joe Wright of Pride and Prejudice and Atonement fame, the viewer should certainly not expect a light-hearted romp.

Jonathan David Lim

ring about Ricky’s way of performing within the context of a polished +ROO\ZRRG à LFN Overall it seems that a good idea is let down by an average plot. However, the orgy of big name cameos is enough to make me recommend it. Seymour Hoffman as the bartender and Edward Norton as the trafÀF FRS DUH HFOLSVHG WKRXJK E\ WKH cameo from Steve Merchant and ‌.wait for it‌Barry from Eastenders! Inspired.

Frances Kroon

Evie Hone

the whole. 7KH EHVW PRPHQWV LQ WKH ÀOP DUH those at LAMP, where Wright used real-life homeless people as extras. This gives a chance for the audience to see the people behind the statistics - 84,000 sleep rough every night in LA and over 250,000 are homeless at some point in a year. The Soloist is a thought-provoking ÀOP WKDW JLYHV DXGLHQFHV DQ LQVLJKW into the lives of those who are normally hidden away from public attention. 7KH VFRUH LV DOVR GHÀQLWHO\ ZRUWK any money spent to see it.

Grace Harding

inks r d d s an t e k c e ti his week e r F ay your halls t d i r F this staff around y t r a l P Wired promo l a H erson Look out for d n e H

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

29

Music

CULTURE

Music Music Editors: Mark Corcoran-Lettice and Chris Mandle - courier.culture-music@ncl.ac.uk

with Hockey Chris Mandle Music Editor Courier Culture spoke to Benjamin Grubbin and Anthony (Tony) Stassi from Hockey before their gig at the O2 Academy, where they told us about famous friends, water features and the biggest musical showdown LQ WKH KLVWRU\ RI WKH ZRUOG CM: Why did you pick the name Hockey? T: Oh man, we get asked this so PXFK % ,W¡V MXVW D QDPH UHDOO\ ,W¡V QRW OLNH ZH ORYH WKH VSRUW RU DQ\WKLQJ CM: I saw an interview with the tagline ‘Hockey couldn’t give a puck’. I liked that. T: That’s clever! % 6WXII OLNH WKDW KDSSHQV D ORW CM: How is everything going on tour? 7 <HDK WKLQJV DUH FRRO PDQ ,W¡V VWLOO early, but the reaction over here has EHHQ FRRO :H¡UH QRW UHDOO\ WKDW ELJ in the US, but over here, it seems OLNH \RX JX\V NQRZ DOO RXU VWXII CM: What are your support acts like? T: They’re cool, Little Comets are supporting us and they really get WKH FURZG JRLQJ UHDOO\ HQHUJHWLF , OLNH WKHLU VRXQG B: I think they’re from Newcastle, right? CM: Right. 7 <HDK , OLNH WKHP PDQ

IUHH WLPH ZH¡OO KDQJ RXW CM: How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard Hockey before? B: Awesome! 7 ,W¡V D ELW DOO RYHU WKH SODFH ,W¡V OLNH indie music, but I guess some of it is NLQGD SRS %DFN KRPH HYHU\RQH VD\V LWV FRXQWU\ PXVLF PHHWV HOHFWUR % , OLNH WKDW GHVFULSWLRQ

% 7UXH , PHDQ FRXQWU\ VLQJHUV have big guitars, so they could reDOO\ KXUW LI WKH\ KLW \RX T: Are weapons involved? &0 :HDSRQV DUH GHĂ€ QLWHO\ LQ volved. T: Ravers have glowsticks, like they FRXOG VTXLUW \RX LQ WKH H\H CM: Like a neon octopus. 7 , ORYH WKDW GHVFULSWLRQ 5DYHUV ² 7KH 1HRQ 2FWRSXVHV

CM: I know a guy who has played a gig with Little Comets.

&0 :KR ZRXOG ZLQ LQ D À JKW EH tween a country musician and a raver?

T: (Sarcastic) What a claim to fame!

7 (UP

T: I don’t know what the plural is?

CM: Do any of you guys have famous friends? Any stories?

B: Well ravers are usually on pills, VR WKH\¡G EH DOO RYHU WKH SODFH

CM: I think we can assume this Ă€ JKW ² QD\ EDWWOH EHWZHHQ FRXQ try singers and ravers will be a never-ending one. Even worse if goths got involved.

7 :HOO ZH¡UH SUHWW\ WLJKW ZLWK 3DV VLRQ 3LW :H SOD\ VKRZV ZLWK WKHP back home, and like, if we have any

CM: Ah, but that would make them elusive

7 2K PDQ

T: Yeah!

CM: What do you guys do when you’re on tour? Do you chill out or explore the cities?

CM: I love that place. Did you? 7 6XUH LW ZDV SUHWW\ FRRO 7KH PX VLF WKH\ SOD\HG ZDV JRRG

B: It depends when and where we DUH 6RPHWLPHV ZH JHW WR KDQJ RXW a bit, like we were playing in ShefÀ HOG DQG ZH KXQJ RXW WKHUH IRU WKH GD\

&0 6KHIĂ€ HOG KDV D ORW RI ZDWHU features. Did you feel an urge to jump in the fountains and splash about?

&0 6KHIĂ€ HOG¡V SUHWW\ FRRO %XW LW¡V no Newcastle.

% 1R

B: Well we didn’t get to see much in 1HZFDVWOH WRGD\

CM: Really?

CM: Octopi? T: We went out when we were in 6KHIĂ€ HOG 7R WKH FOXEV DQG VWXII CM: Where did you go? T: Umm Leadhouse? CM: Leadmill?!

7 1RSH

7 <HDK CM: Weird... Hockey’s debut album, Mind Chaos LV RXW QRZ -RH 6NUHEHOV OHQGV D FULWLFDO HDU WR WKH 3RUWODQG 4XDUWHW¡V GHEXW RQ S

The Debate: Not fair or silly Allen? > Each week, Courier Culture’s music scribes mouth off about the big sonic issues of the day - why not write in and tell us what you think? This week: Do you agree with Lily Allen’s views RQ À OH VKDULQJ" Christopher Scott First of all, I’d like to ask - why has it taken this long for a major artist to raise this point?

I totally agree with Lily Allen’s EORJ DERXW LOOHJDO Ă€ OH VKDULQJ ,W¡V taking money away from so many talented artists, hitting new bands the hardest as they are the ones who QHHG WKH PRQH\ WR JHW VWDUWHG But I think that the real issue that needs to be addressed is why people resort to illegal music sharing in WKH Ă€ UVW SODFH The price of albums, either in their CD format from outlets, or from websites such as iTunes, is quite H[SHQVLYH With the average chart album costing around ÂŁ10, people often don’t want to spend that much on an album, especially if they want to purchase a few albums a week, or are cash-strapped students who wish

WR VSHQG WKHLU PRQH\ HOVHZKHUH So when offered the alternative of RQOLQH Ă€ OH VKDULQJ WKDW¡V IUHH ,¡P not surprised people opt for the ilOHJDO RSWLRQ :LWK VR PDQ\ SHRSOH doing it, it doesn’t seem to be such a serious crime in many people’s H\HV I think the problem needs to be addressed, and I’m behind Lily AlOHQ¡V Ă€ JKW DJDLQVW LOOHJDO Ă€ OH VKDU LQJ %XW , GR IHHO WKDW WKH SULFH RI PXVLF VKRXOG EH ORZHUHG

Polly Randall When talking to a friend in a band DERXW Ă€ OH VKDULQJ WKH\ EHFDPH LQ FUHDVLQJO\ IUXVWUDWHG ‘Stealing’ is how they described it, ZKLFK , KDYH QR TXDOPV DERXW ,W LV But I then proposed the issue of how he was supposed to get people to listen to his music in this day and DJH ZLWKRXW Ă€ OH VKDULQJ It appears that for many acts, including Lily Allen, poster girl of the MySpace phenomena in her early days, it may be a necessary HYLO 3HRSOH ZDQW H[SRVXUH IRU WKHLU music, especially at the early stages, but how are they supposed to get people interested if they can’t ac-

cess it easily? Obviously there are many ways to access music, but people have been accustomed to this process of GRZQORDGLQJ ,W DSSHDUV WKHUH LV QR ZD\ WR Ă€ JKW LW ² SHRSOH QR ORQJHU IHHO WKH\ QHHG WR SD\ IRU PXVLF That poses a question, can you battle something this big, or do you have to accept it as unavoidable obstacle? It doesn’t help of course, when there are acts who can afford to give their music away for free, perhaps setting a precedent which makes Ă€ OH VKDULQJ DSSHDU DFFHSWDEOH For me, it’s no longer an issue of whether it’s right or wrong; it simply seems that realistically, nothing FDQ EH GRQH DERXW LW

30

CULTURE

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

Music

Seen and Scene Spotlight

What we’re listening to

Richard Dawson

Joe Barton $ FKDLQVDZ VRPH ZREEOH EDVV :KDW PRUH FRXOG \RX QHHG" $ PHO RG\" 3VVK« %LW·V &KDLQVDZ &DOOLJ UDSK\ SHUKDSV WKH QRLVLHVW GDQFH WUDFN WR VHH WKH OLJKW RI GD\ VLQFH $SKH[ 7ZLQ·V ¶9HQWROLQ· EDFN LQ SURYLGHV DOO RI WKLV DQG PRUH ZHOO D GUXP EHDW«WKDW·V LW ,I WLQQLWXV LVQ·W \RXU WKLQJ WKHUH·V SOHQW\ PRUH RXW LQ WKH WULSS\ KHPL VSKHUHV RI 3ODQHW 'XEVWHS WR IHDVW \RXU HDUV RQ :LUHEORFN 5HFRUGV KDV UHFHQWO\ XQOHDVKHG ¶%DG 6FLHQFH· E\

Mark Corcoran-Lettice Music Editor 7KLV IDLU FLW\ WKDW ZH À QG RXUVHOYHV LQ KDV PRUH WKDQ LWV IDLU VKDUH RI JUHDW PXVLFDO WDOHQW EXW QHLWKHU KHUH RU DQ\ZKHUH HOVH ZLOO \RX À QG WKDW FUDIW PXVLF ZLWK WKH VDPH GHOLFDF\ SRLJQDQF\ DQG LQWHOOLJHQFH DV WKDW PDGH E\ 5LFKDUG 'DZVRQ :KLOH KH PD\ DOVR EH NQRZQ OR FDOO\ IRU KLV LQWLPLGDWLQJ REWXVH VLGH SURMHFW (\HEDOOV RU IRU PDQ QLQJ WKH GHVN DW WKH HYHU UHOLDEOH HYHU VWUDQJH $OW YLQ\O UHFRUG VKRS LW·V KLV UHPDUNDEOH ZRUN DV D VLQJHU VRQJZULWHU WKDW VKRZV KLV UHDO JLIWV $ VHPL UHJXODU SHUIRUPHU DURXQG WKH FLW\·V FRVLHU YHQXHV WKH FRPEL QDWLRQ RI KLV LQYHQWLYH JXLWDU SOD\ LQJ KLV ZLGH YRFDO UDQJH DQG KLV KHDUW ZUHQFKLQJ O\ULFV UHVXOWV LQ VHWV RI UDUH SRZHU )RU D WDVWH RI KLV ZRQGHUIXO VRXQG OLVWHQ WR WKH DIIHFWLQJ ¶2UQLWKRORJ\· D WUDFN WKDW PRYHV ZLWK D OLJKW IRRWHG JUDFH IURP ELUG ZDWFKLQJ DQHFGRWHV WR PXVLQJV RQ PRUWDO LW\ DQG IDPLO\ KLVWRU\ IRXQG RQ KLV 0\6SDFH DW ZZZ P\VSDFH FRP UL FKDUGPGDZVRQ /RRN IRU KLV UHFHQW VSOLW UHFRUG ZLWK 1HY &OD\ DQRWKHU KLJKO\ UHFRPPHQGHG ORFDO VLQJHU VRQJZULWHU WKH SRHW $OO\ 0D\ DQG WKH H[SHULPHQWDO EDQG -D]]À QJHU +H·G EH D WUHDVXUH LQ DQ\ FLW\ EXW ZH RXJKW WR EH WKDQNIXO WKDW ZH·UH OXFN\ HQRXJK IRU KLP WR EH RXU RZQ WUHDVXUH

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Live Reviews King Khan & The Shrines, Jack of Hearts The Other Rooms, October 3rd

The Cribs Newcastle University Basement, September 30th

The Boxer Rebellion, The Molotovs The Other Rooms, October 2nd

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William Tasker

Daniel Bos

Benjamin Jackson

The NSR Blog Annie Harrison-Dunn 6WDUW WR JQDZ \RXU RZQ DUP RII IRU ERUHGRP HYHU\ WLPH \RX·UH IRUFHG WR OLVWHQ WR $QQLH 0DF·V LGRO FKLW FKDW" 7KLQN 6FRWW 0LOOV VHHPV OLNH D ELW RI D WZDW" 7KHQ PXVLF LV WKH VWD WLRQ IRU \RX &HU\V RQ LV WKH VWDWLRQV ODWHVW VXF FHVV VWRU\ )RUPHU &DWDWRQLD VLQJHU &HU\V 0DWKHZV WUHDWV XV WR D SRVL WLYH SOHWKRUD RI PXVLFDO WUHDWV UDQJ LQJ IURP -XUDVVLF WR $UHWKD )UDQ NOLQ 0RGHVW 0RXVH WR 6O\ DQG WKH

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THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

31

Music

Record Reviews

Singles & Downloads David McDonald

Massive Attack Splitting The Atom Now it’s not often a really good band goes AWOL. Indeed, in my lifetime I can only think of about three hideous cases; Incubus apologising for Science, Guns ‘n’ Roses letting Axel loose alone and Smashing Pumpkins employing a GUXPPHU DV ROG DV WKHLU Ă€UVW DOEXP However annoying, whenever this happens it’s a tragedy, and usually marked by an impromptu EP release. This says “we’re not quite dead yet, but we’re too at odds/bored/high/ unimaginative/busy doing community service (delete as appropriate) to write an album, sorry guysâ€?. Sadly – and you probably grit your teeth while reading – this may have happened to Massive Attack. Put simply, Splitting the Atom is confusing. You shove it into your CD drive (I’m old-school!) in anticipation of soaring synths, writhing vocals and ethereal beats. Yet instead you’re met with the album’s title track, which when played at their recent Newcastle gig some kid shouted, “Where’s Marilyn Manson then?â€?. Now imagine Mr Manson k-holed, writing music at a ket party, for a

ket party, and we’re almost there. It’s clunky and awkward, and the uber-generic yet relentless chord progression insinuates somebody’s backstage chums with Status Quo. Even more frustratingly, track two ‘Pray for Rain’ is almost worse. Easily mistaken for a Mighty Boosh piss-take, all they need are some ‘crimps’ and it’d be cool, almost... Despite all this, ‘Splitting the Atom’ was Zane Lowe’s ‘Hottest Record of the Week’, which seems potentially vindicated by the last two tracks (yet one still dreads the other contenders). Although not comparable to usual Massive Attack brilliance, ‘Psyche’ is at least an adequate bath-time/yoga accompaniment. ‘Bulletproof Love’ KRZHYHU LV GHĂ€QLWHO\ ZKHUH LW¡V DW Poetic, sensuous and clever, it’ll join ‘Teardrop’ in any ‘cliff top sunset’ playlist. To whoever their muppet producer was, that was your single right there! Despite being slightly suspect that the only two decent songs on this EP are other peoples’ remixes, if diehard fans want a listen and your student loan’s not holding out, save yourself a breakdown and just

Hockey Mind Chaos

CULTURE

Hardcore heroes Converge return at the end of the month with new album ‘Axe to Fall’, and over on their MySpace you can hear two exclusive new tracks, ‘Axe To Fall’ and ‘Dark Horse’. But be warned, it sounds like the new record will have enough energy and crushing riffs to bring down the walls around you! For something more danceĂ RRU IULHQGO\ %ULWQH\¡V ODWHVW release, ‘3’, was released last week on iTunes. Is it or isn’t it about a threesome? Who knows! Check it out and decide for yourself (send in answers on a postcard if you like‌) 1RZ LI WKH LQGLH GDQFHĂ RRU LV more your scene, then I’d highly recommend Mando Diao’s ‘Dance With Somebody’, an act who apparently count boxing champ Vladimir Klitschko as a fan, and they certainly pack a punch! Cheesy puns aside, this Swedish RXWĂ€W¡V ODWHVW RIIHULQJ UHDOO\ GRHV get the toes tapping - think Franz Ferdinand playing gritty garage rock with some funky synth bass and a smattering of Gang of Four. Finally, local lads Smoove and Turrell are another band worth investigating with their fresh take on Northern soul, with ‘Beggarman’ sure to be cause a scene on the World Headquarters danceĂ RRU HDFK DQG HYHU\ ZHHNHQG

get ‘Bulletproof Love’ on iTunes. As the Geordies say, for future Massive Attack releases...haway!

5/10

Fuck Buttons Tarot Sport

Bell Orchestre

A Sunny Day In Glasgow Vivian Girls Everything Goes Wrong Ashes Grammar

Hockey have been one of those bands. Their early releases were lauded with typical bloggy fervour, before being turned on and lambasted for their ‘fashionable’ image. Now, after numerous festival appearances, they have a remade, remastered version of their 2008 debut album, Mind Chaos. If there’s one thing that can be said about the album, it’s that it’s never short of ideas. The hipster prerequisites are present - indie, post-punk, dance EXW WKHUH DUH Ă HFNV RI VRXO FRXQWU\ classic rock and god knows what else all over the record. It can seem a little tumultuous at times, but singer Ben Grubin’s Casablancas-Dylan lovechild vocals hold it together, giving the album a through line. It all sounds unforced too - this isn’t a band who’ve had to meticulously construct what they want, and they seem to have a knack for some pretty catchy anthems, with ‘Learn To Lose’s riotous conclusion D GHĂ€QLWH KLJK SRLQW This is a very good indie-pop record, and could have been superb if was a little more cohesive, but Hockey have enough up their sleeves to come back bigger and better.

Surely, 2009 will go down as the year that the second-album curse died an ignoble death, with superb efforts from even the most surprising quarters – did anyone seriously expect The Horrors to pull that out of their sleeves? Now, with Fuck Buttons’ triumphant Tarot Sport, there’s another stunning sequel. That’s not to say that those who enjoyed last year’s debut, Street +RUUVLQJ ZLOO Ă€QG WKHPVHOYHV LPmersed in an entirely alien sound: - the scorched-earth drone and migraine-inducing synth sounds are all present and correct here. %XW LQVWHDG RI D Ă€UH DQG EULPVWRQH noise apocalypse, Tarot Sport wields distortion to create life, rather than annihilate it. Opener ‘Surf Solar’ immediately sets the scene with beats far more intricate and jubilant than anything we’ve heard from them before, and by the time ‘Flight Of The Feathered Serpent’ appears almost a hour later, the record’s metamorphosed into an ecstatic, experimental rave. Where they may have once been a chin-stroking proposition, Fuck Buttons are now perhaps one of the most distinctive dance acts this country has.

“THIS ALBUM SHOULD BE PLAYED LOUD!� is the advice given in neat bold capitals on the reverse of ‘As Seen Through Windows’. The album demands your full attention for the newest orchestral cacophony on the block. Intense and heady stuff not suited to the music enthusiast who likes to skip and skim from track to track or looking for an idle 5 minute break, Bell Orchestre build complex melodies and complicated solos that weave together gradually through eight tracks, until the album’s climax is reached in its ultimate 52nd minute. It makes for hard listening and perseverance is required, but when you arrive, it’s worth it. Truly, this epic album is the soundtrack to your life. Without words it speaks only through its symphonic instruments, revisiting your own trips of elation, sorrow and melancholy from your past. It picks up, falls off, and whirls through your mind painting the inside of your skull in technicolor. Bell Orchestre have a clear vision of how classical music should adapt to survive in today’s world of scratchy guitars and soulless synths. This is real music for the 21st Century.

The second album from Brooklyn hipsters Vivian Girls follows the VDPH OR Ă€ VXUI SRS IRUPXOD DV WKHLU VHOI WLWOHG Ă€UVW HIIRUW The 60s girl band style three-part harmonies are still in place, but when teamed with the buzzing guitars and some shoegaze-style reverb, the separate components complement each other perfectly. ‘When I’m Gone’ is Vivian Girls at their best - all-jangle pop and sugary harmonies, which swirl together under a sea of distortion to create a lovely dreamlike feel. There’s a genuine sense of Shangri - La’s-esque teen heartbreak at play throughout, which only adds to the wistful retro appeal. ‘Tension,’ the gem on this album, shows the girls to be capable of moodier, less breezy moments. The vocals are delivered with a bratty, semi-bored howl, while the lyrics themselves can barely be deciphered under the layers of fuzz. Everything Goes Wrong is certainly not ground-breaking and never strays too far from tried and tested formulas, but if Vivian Girls continue to make fuzzy guitar-pop that’s this addictive, who are we to complain?

A Sunny Day in Glasgow are an apt example for those music intelligentsia out there who want to debate the EUHDNGRZQ RI JHQUHV DV D GHĂ€QLQJ term for music in the modern age. A Sunny Day in Glasgow eschew traditional pop song structures on second album Ashes Grammar, in favour of dreamy, ambient soundscapes that wouldn’t sound awry on a Brian Eno or Tangerine Dream album. Guitars wash over tons of meandering synth droning and distant drums played at the bottom of a well with particular effect, especially on standout tracks such as ‘Shy’ and ‘Passionate Introverts’. Of course, proceedings wouldn’t be complete without a healthy dose of noise and mild cacophonia, as on their track ‘Failure’. Unfortunately, going right through Ashes Grammar, one gets the feeling that the ideas in this sophomore effort could have been better and further developed with a bit more structure. Nevertheless, Ashes Grammar is quirky, dispassionate rainy day music, with the only caveat that listening to it too actively will start annoying you after a few plays.

8/10

9/10

8/10

7/10

6/10

Joe Skrebels

Mark Corcoran-Lettice

Jake Winters

Linsey Teggert

Romain Chenet

As Seen Through Windows

Eleanor Chilton-Knight

32

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

CULTURE

TV & Radio

TV & Radio TV & Radio Editor: Aimee Philipson - courier.culture-tv@ncl.ac.uk

Soapland

TV Highlights Flashforward Five, 5pm Mondays

Off the Hook BBC3, 8pm Thursdays

True Blood C4, 10pm Wednesdays COURTESY OF C4

COURTESY OF BBC3

COURTESY OF FIVE

Emma BBC1, 9pm Sundays COURTESY OF BBC1

What’s happening this week in the land where anything is possible... Aimee Philipson TV & Radio Editor

Coronation Street

COUR-

If, like me, you’ve missed the plethora of American-imported TV pheQRPHQRQV RYHU WKH ODVW À YH \HDUV including the apparently excellent Lost and 24, you have an opportunity to get in from the start with Five’s Flashforward. The series starts as everybody in the world blacks out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, during which time they see their future. If the programme followed fellow students we’d probably see a mundane series of nights out and 2:2s, but luckily for us the story revolves around FBI investigator Mark Benford, played by our very own Joseph Fiennes. It’s Benford’s job to try and make sense out of people’s visions, but his own future didn’t look too rosy HLWKHU +H VHHV KLPVHOI GULQNLQJ DW work whilst people are trying to kill him, and he sees his wife with another man. The series began on 28th September and there was plenty to get you hooked. The disaster of the blackout is particularly impressive as everybody suddenly freezes in the middle of their working day. One man even manages to set himself alight as he gets out of his car. The series looks promising. The only GLIÀ FXOW\ PD\ EH À QGLQJ D SODFH IRU it amongst the other blockbuster U.S dramas in your schedule. Christian Allen

2II WKH +RRN LV %%& ¡V ODWHVW FRP edy series to target the late teen/ early twenties market. Following the trials and tribulations of main character Danny’s Ă€ UVW WHUP DW Ă€ FWLRQDO %DQNVLGH 8QLYHUVLW\ 2II WKH +RRN Ă€ UVW DLUHG DV D VHULHV RI Ă€ YH PLQXWH ÂśZH bisodes’ last year on BBC Switch. ,QWHUHVWLQJO\ WKH VKRZ LV WKH Ă€ UVW UK comedy programme to evolve from online episodes to a television series comprising of seven 30 minute episodes. 'DQQ\¡V Ă DWPDWHV LQFOXGH KLV ‘worst best mate’ from school Shane (big, ginger and just plain annoying), the feisty Scarlet and permanently pessimistic Fred (played by James Buckley (Jay) from The Inbetweeners). It’s safe to say that some of the scenes are unrealistic as they don’t paint a true picture of student life (no swearing?!) and the acting is a little wooden in parts. +RZHYHU ,¡P VXUH ZH FDQ DOO identify with Danny who succeeds in embarrassing himself in front of numerous crushes and lives in typiFDO VWXGHQW VTXDORU VWROHQ WUDIĂ€ F signs anyone?). It may not be winning any awards for originality, but if you fancy reminiscing about the joys of being D IUHVKHU 2II WKH +RRN PDNHV JUHDW comfort viewing. Catch it at 8pm on Thursdays on BBC3 or on BBC iPlayer. Helen Atkinson

If you’re missing the days when Kiefer Sutherland was a Lost Boy or you’ve got Twilight withdrawal symptoms (you know who you are), here is something to get your teeth LQWR $QG LW¡V Ă€ OWK\ True Blood is the sizzling American vampire series arriving on British TV this month and it promises not to disappoint. Throw together a busty telepathic ZDLWUHVV D Ă RSS\ KDLUHG YDPSLUH and a dead-end town in Louisiana, and it’s no surprise when the camera cuts to the bedroom. But if you’re looking for more than vampire erotica, the story isn’t half bad either. Adapted from the Sookie StackKRXVH QRYHOV E\ &KDUODLQH +DU ris, True Blood centres on a world where, thanks to a manufactured bloodlike substance, vampires no longer need to kill to survive. A race war ensues as the vampires Ă€ JKW IRU HTXDO ULJKWV ZLWK KXPDQV Add some ‘fang-banger’ murders (yes, that’s girls who get intimate with vampires) and a love triangle, and you’re addicted for the next eleven episodes. Other characters to watch out for include an un-dead Civil War veteran and a guy who can turn into animals, not to mention hot Ryan .ZDQWHQ +RPH DQG $ZD\ DV WKH naked-in-every-episode character. 7KH Ă€ UVW HSLVRGH DLUHG RQ :HGV 7th but you can still catch it on 4OD. The series continues on Channel 4 on Wednesdays at 10pm.

Introducing the BBC’s new adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel ‘Emma’. In the format of four one-hour shows over the next month, the series has allowed the development of the many characters and subplots that a feature length would not permit - so fans of the book need not be worried that too much of the plot, charm and humour will be lost. The director wanted to bring the adaptation into the modern age without losing its place in history, so modern body language was added among the curtseys. The lead is taken by Romola Garai, who starred in Atonement, DQG ZDV WKH Ă€ UVW DFWUHVV WR EH VHHQ E\ WKH SURGXFWLRQ WHDP +HU PDQ\ subtle facial expressions really portray exactly what Emma thinks of everyone and everything. Michael Gambon, who plays Emma’s father, portrays Mr Woodhouse’s quirks brilliantly and helps bring humour and lightness to the story. Overall the adaptation looks gorgeous, the house and costumes are beautiful and the characters leap from the pages of Austen’s book. The four part series started Sunday 4th October and will continue next Sunday on BBC1 at 9pm. Catch up on BBC iPlayer. Check out www.thecourieronline. co.uk/culture to see what a Victorian Literature student made of the adaptation. Eleanor Wilson

Aimee Philipson

> Can you dance to Dirty Diana? Swing to Smooth Criminal? Belly dance to Billie Jean?

+DYH \RX HYHU FDXJKW \RXUVHOI ORRN ing at the man in the mirror and wondering if you’ve got the bad moves to beat it WR WKH Ă€ QDOV RI D QDWLRQDO dance competition? Well you’ve got to be there at the auditions for the new BBC dance show ‘Move like Michael Jackson’ this

month. I know you think you can’t take anymore Michael this year, but don’t stop ‘til you get enough (last one I promise) of his legendary music and dancing with a new King of Pop-inspired dance competition. The contest encourages dancers from all backgrounds, from bhangra to ballet and hip hoppers to body poppers to come down to the auditions and show the judges their

Michael moves. The judges, including Jackson 5 legend Jermaine Jackson, are not looking for someone who mimics Michael’s moves but somebody who is inspired by his creativity, has their own iconic style and who demonstrates showmanship. Groups and solo dancers over the age of 16 are welcome at the auditions which will take place in: ‡ 0DQFKHVWHU 6DW WK 2FWREHU

Eastenders

This Monday, Owen returns to the Square, but what is he up to? There’s tension in the Slater household as they come to terms with Stacey’s absence. Sam bonds with Janine, and Shirley’s new job is going as well as she thought‌

Hollyoaks

Leila, Ravi and Anita throw a house party to cheer themselves up, but things get out of control. Cue a series of bed-swapping aftershocks, as Elliot is left reeling after Leila tells him she slept with Archie, Sheila is feeling awkward after sleeping with Elliot and Anita apologises to Theresa for kissing Newt.

Emmerdale

Gennie leaves Faye curious after talking about Katie’s chequered SDVW DQG +ROO\ FRQWLQXHV WR WR\ with Aaron who is still trying to woo her. And the question of WKH ZHHN ZLOO 6DOO\ À QDOO\ PRYH out?

Neighbours

Move like Michael Jackson Aimee Philipson TV & Radio Editor

Lloyd regrets spending the night with Teresa and tries to sneak off - just in time, as Liz is about to apologise to him and tell him she wants to give ‘them’ another go. But who will be keeping his sheets warm by the end of the week? Meanwhile, across the Street, Maria and Tony endure a GLIĂ€ FXOW IDPLO\ PHDO ZLWK +HOHQ and Barry.

‡ /RQGRQ 6DW WK 2FWREHU ‡ *ODVJRZ 1HZFDVWOH DQG &DUGLII - week beginning October 19th If you are interested, request an application form at Dance@fevermedia.co.uk or call 0207 428 4632. The six-part dance series will be broadcast in December for one week on BBC3.

6WHSK Ă€ QGV RXW VKH¡V LQ WKH FOHDU but doesn’t tell Declan, so that he doesn’t put his life in danger by hunting down Johnno. But KH Ă€ QGV RXW ZKHQ (OOH SXEOLVKHV a story about him, leaving him JXWWHG DQG (OOH Ă€ UHG 0HDQZKLOH Ringo is struggling with his work until Karl steps in with a surprising study method.

Home and Away

Nicole becomes more obsessed with Sid and starts to follow him everywhere, even exaggerating a minor burn so she can be treated by him in hospital. Meanwhile, Kirsty isn’t happy about the pregnancy and tells an angry Miles that she isn’t sure she wants to keep the baby.

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

33

TV & Radio

CULTURE

with Jeremy Vine Aimee Philipson TV & Radio Editor What was the last TV programme you watched? The Street. The racist chef episode. The writing on that series is unbelievable - even though it’s made by a different bit of the Beeb - the acting bit - I feel insanely proud. Jimmy McGovern is the writer.Great concept - looking EHKLQG IURQW GRRUV DQG ÀQGLQJ D different story each time. If you could guest star in any TV programme, what would it be?

I have small children. I would want to shock them by popping up during an episode of Peppa Pig. The one drawback is that I’d have to be not just turned into a cartoon, but a piggy cartoon character. Can I think again? What was your favourite childhood TV programme when you were growing up? When I was very small, Tony Hart. (It reminds me of the great Ali G question to the Head of Sotheby’s: ‘Is Tony Hart the greatest artist of all time?’). Then when I got a bit older, The Men From Uncle. Which off-air TV programme do you wish they’d bring back?

It has to be the New Avengers with Joanna Lumley. I’m sure she’d do it. You’re live on a radio request show. What song do you request and why? It would have to be ‘Thunder Road’ by Bruce Springsteen. Simply the greatest rock song ever written, about anger and escape. The lyrics are cinematic and the music is like being hit by lightning. Listen to Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2 (88-91FM) every weekday at 12pm-2pm COURTESY OF BBC RADIO 2

Radio regulars

TV Gold: Bringing back great TV > This week the nineties classic ‘The Dinosaurs’

Just a Minute! BBC Radio 4, Mondays 6.30pm

The Jeremy Vine Show The Rock ‘n’ Roll Years

BBC Radio 2, Weekdays 12-2pm

Kerrang Radio, Weekdays 10am

Have you ever tried to talk for a whole minute about a particular topic without repeating any one point? Sounds pretty simple, unless the subject is something like...buckets, sweating, or an uncomfortable sex topic? Just a Minute! is the most random panel game on radio. The latest recording on BBC iPlayer with Graham Norton must be one of the more eccentric ones. It’s hilarious hearing him try and talk about tea while keeping the sexual references to a minimum. Another amusing part of the show had to be hearing a man that sounds just like my Grandad talk for what seemed longer than a minute about waxing. 5DWKHU DPXVLQJ DQG GHÀQLWHO\ worth keeping an eye out for. Could also easily be turned into a great student drinking game!

The Jeremy Vine show presents an excellent mix of talk radio and upbeat music. There are caller discussions about some of the day’s biggest news stories. The callers are sometimes directly involved in the story, but often they are normal people with an opinion. Often they have some very strong and sometimes stupid opinions, but you never get tired of listening to the diverse range of calls which make you laugh, cry, DQG RIWHQ UHà HFW The discussions are broken up by music and as always on Radio 2, the music comes not only from the popular charts but also includes classics from as far back as the sixties. If you like The Wright Stuff on channel Five, then you’ll love The Jeremy Vine Show.

If you’re interested in classic rock and want to know how rock music has evolved over the years, then check out ‘The Rock n Roll Years’ on Kerrang Radio . This show focuses on the best tunes from a different year each day. From 10am every weekday Stuart Cable takes you on a journey through the years of rock, enabling you to discover and learn how rock has changed over the years. Guess the year by texting in to 64100 and you could win exclusive prizes such as album giveaways, free tickets and exclusive merchandise. If you’re a regular reader of Kerrang Magazine then why not tune in to Kerrang Radio on DAB and online at Kerrang Radio.co.uk.

“Not the mamma...â€? often blared out of my television when I was younger (and older!). Disappointingly, the only way to reconnect with the programme of my childhood, The Dinosaurs, is via YouTube - often the case with legendary children’s programmes of the nineties. 5DUHO\ WRGD\ FDQ \RX Ă€QG TXDOity children’s television that will entertain the whole family, where it is acceptable for a baby to be DPXVLQJO\ Ă XQJ DFURVV WKH URRP by their parents, and where charDFWHUV FDQ LQĂ LFW DEXVH XSRQ WKHLU father with a frying pan. Children’s TV today is nothing compared to this as it has to

comply with extensive regulations and must try to enhance children’s development, rather than providing belly-laugh comedy like the legendary Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs could be viewed as poetry, tackling many key themes of society in such an amusing way that you barely realise the serious undertones. Highlights of the show include Earl attempting to destroy the plans of an evil orange hippo; hurling day (the day of a son-inlaws dreams), when Earl awaits to hurl Ethyl into the tar pits; and Baby’s own music video, “I’m the baby and you gotta love me...�. The Dinosaurs is clearly one of those golden oldies that would make a fantastic comeback.

Inside today >>>

The Courier crossword and other puzzles

Ash Robertson

Laura Ingham

Liz Davies

Puzzles, page 35

Liz Davies

NSR Live Providing you with the soundtrack to your time at Newcastle University, NSRLive is Newcastle’s only Student Radio Station. This year NSR aims to be bigger than ever, and we hope that you can help the station to become one of the strongest in the country. NSR needs volunteers. Not only for the obvious roles as presenters, but also to contribute with reviews, interviews, marketing, and live events which the station is involved in. Additionally we are looking to reFUXLW WDOHQWHG LQGLYLGXDOV LQ WKH Ă€HOG of design. If anyone is interested in any of these areas please don’t hesitate to contact us! Today is the day we go live. There are a variety of shows, with presenters both new and old, to keep you entertained in between all that hard work and socialising. )URP LV ZKHUH \RX¡OO Ă€QG our more commercial daytime programmes, then from 5 onwards you can look forward to hearing the specialist DJs in action. So make sure you log onto our bright new website and listen to raGLR WKDW¡V FDWHUHG VSHFLĂ€FDOO\ IRU WKH students of Newcastle. Check out NSR at www.unionsociety.co.uk/nsr/ and look right for NSR’s weekly schedule.

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THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

35

Puzzles Editors: Suzi Moore and Ned Walker - courier.puzzles@ncl.ac.uk

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37

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38

SPORT

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

BUCS

Football club set their sights high ! *DYLQ DQG 1HZWRQ ORRN WR EXLOG RQ ODVW VHDVRQ·V VXFFHVV Tom James Sports Editor

TJ. What’s your squad like for the season? -* :H·YH JRW D IDQWDVWLF VTXDG WKLV VHDVRQ 2YHU IUHVKHUV FDPH WR WULDOV DQG ZH·YH WDNHQ 7KH WULDOV SURFHVV ZDV UHDOO\ WRXJK WKLV \HDU DQG ZH·YH PDQDJHG WR UHFUXLW VRPH UHDOO\ WDOHQWHG SOD\HUV

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Tom James. All three Men’s teams were promoted last season, what’s the aim for 09/10?

TJ. This was the game when the 3rd’s beat the 2nd’s 5-1?

-DPLH *DYLQ $V D FOXE ZH IHHO WKDW D UHDOLVWLF DQG DFKLHYDEOH WDUJHW LV WR JHW DW OHDVW DQRWKHU WZR SURPRWLRQV DV D FOXE :H PDQDJHG WR ERXQFH EDFN ZHOO ODVW VHDVRQ DIWHU UHOHJDWLRQ LQ DQG KRSHIXOO\ WKH V FDQ NLFN RQ QRZ DQG JHW DQRWKHU SURPRWLRQ ,I WKH V DQG V ERWK JR XS DQG WKH V GR ZHOO LQ WKHLU OHDJXH WKHQ ZH ZLOO KDYH KDG DQRWKHU H[FHOOHQW VHDVRQ 6DP 1HZWRQ 7KH V ZLOO KDYH WKH WRXJKHVW WDVN WR JHW SURPRWHG EHFDXVH WKH\·UH LQ % ZKLFK LV ZKHUH WKH VW WHDP ZHUH ODVW \HDU ,W ZLOO EH D JUHDW DFKLHYHPHQW LI WKH\ FDQ PRXQW D SURPRWLRQ FKDUJH TJ. So do you feel like the 1st’s have found their level again? 61 'HÀQLWHO\ ,I ZH KDGQ·W JDLQHG SURPRWLRQ ODVW \HDU WKH VHDVRQ ZRXOG KDYH EHHQ D FRPSOHWH IDLOXUH EHFDXVH ZH ZHUH TXLWH ORZ GRZQ IRU D VW WHDP 3URPRWLRQ ZDV D PXVW DQG WKDW·V RXU WDUJHW DJDLQ IRU WKLV \HDU

61 <HDK WKDW·V ULJKW DQG WKDW LV REYLRXVO\ JRRG IRU WKH FOXE EHFDXVH FRPSHWLWLRQ IRU SODFHV LV JRLQJ WR EH UHDOO\ WRXJK -* :LWK WKH UG·V EHDWLQJ WKH QG·V VR HDVLO\ LW JLYHV XV D UHDOO\ JRRG SUREOHP WR KDYH EHFDXVH HYHU\RQH NQRZV WKH\ KDYH WR NHHS ZRUNLQJ UHDOO\ KDUG WR NHHS WKHLU SODFH 7KDW UHVXOW VKRZV WKH VWUHQJWK LQ GHSWK WKDW ZH KDYH TJ. So do you feel like the freshers have replaced the group of players you have lost from last season? 61 :H ORVW DERXW ÀIWHHQ SOD\HUV IURP ODVW \HDU IURP ZKLFK WKUHH RU IRXU ZHUH NH\ VW WHDP SOD\HUV %XW WKH JX\V FRPLQJ WKURXJK IURP WKH V DQG V DUH ORRNLQJ JRRG DQG ZH·YH JRW D ORW VWURQJHU VTXDG TJ. And you’ve managed to recruit a couple of Medics this season? 61 <HDK $UWKXU >2NRQNZR@ DQG -RHO >(QJOLVK@ DUH WZR 0HGLFV ZKR

SOD\HG LQWUD PXUDO ODVW \HDU EXW ZH·YH SHUVXDGHG WKHP WR MRLQ XV 7KH\·UH ERWK RQ WKH YHUJH RI EUHDNLQJ LQWR WKH VW WHDP DOUHDG\ TJ. The 1st team Captain this year is George Coyle, how is he to play under? -* 6LQFH KLV DSSRLQWPHQW KH·V EHHQ RXWVWDQGLQJ +LV ZRUN UDWH DQG FRPPLWPHQW LV VHFRQG WR QRQH +H·V OHDGLQJ E\ H[DPSOH ZKLFK LV ZKDW \RX ZDQW IURP \RXU FDSWDLQ 7- 7KH VWDQG RXW À[WXUHV DUH REviously the games against NorthXPEULD $UH WKHVH WKH À[WXUHV \RX are most looking forward to? -* 7KH V DJDLQVW 1RUWKXPEULD V ZLOO GHÀQLWHO\ EH D KLJKOLJKW DQG D FKDQFH IRU XV WR SURYH RXUVHOYHV 3HUVRQDOO\ IRU PH DQG 6DP ,·P ORRNLQJ IRUZDUG WR WKH 6WDQ &DOYHUW JDPH DJDLQVW 1RUWKXPEULD V ,Q WKH ODVW WZR \HDUV WKH VW WHDP KDYHQ·W KDG D 6WDQ &DOYHUW PDWFK VR WR JHW WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR FRQWULEXWH LV PDVVLYH IRU WKRVH RI XV ZKR KDYH \HW WR WDNH SDUW ,W·V UHDOO\ LPSRUWDQW WKDW ZH JLYH D JRRG DFFRXQW RI RXUVHOYHV LQ WKDW JDPH TJ. How has pre-season gone? 61 7UDLQLQJ KDV JRQH UHDOO\ ZHOO DQG HYHU\RQH LV ORRNLQJ IRUZDUG WR WKH ÀUVW %8&6 JDPH :H·YH JRW D QHZ JRDONHHSLQJ FRDFK 0DUN 'DYLVRQ WR JR ZLWK WKH FRDFKHV WKDW KDYH EHHQ ZLWK XV IRU WKH ODVW WZR VHDVRQV DQG WKH\ KDYH DOO EHHQ ÀUVW FODVV -* (YHU\RQH LV WUDLQLQJ WRJHWKHU WKLV VHDVRQ LQFOXGLQJ WKH V ZKLFK LV JUHDW DQG WKH VHVVLRQV KDYH EHHQ UHDOO\ SRVLWLYH $JDLQ ZLWK WKH FRPSHWLWLRQ IRU SODFHV PDNHV IRU VRPH UHDOO\ KHDOWK\ WUDLQLQJ VHV-

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OHDUQW WR EH PXFK VKDUSHU ZLWK RXU SDVVLQJ DQG WKDW·V VRPHWKLQJ ZH FRQWLQXH WR SULGH RXUVHOYHV RQ TJ. So you’ll be aiming for a winning start on Wednesday? -* 'HÀQLWHO\ 7KH VW·V DQG QG·V DUH ERWK SOD\LQJ DW KRPH DW &RFKUDQH 3DUN RQ :HGQHVGD\ DQG DQ\ VXSSRUW ZRXOG EH PXFK DSSUHFLDWHG WKH ODGV ZLOO EH JLYLQJ LW WKHLU DOO 7KH KRPH À[WXUHV NLFN RII DW SP DW &RFKUDQH 3DUN EHKLQG +HQGHUVRQ +DOO WKLV :HGQHVGD\

%ODFN DQG 5DLQH\ IRUHFDVW EULJKW VHDVRQ S. OAKES

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THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

39

Volunteer Programme

SPORT

From strength to strength > Sports Editor Paul Christian talks to Mark de Lucia about the Sports Volunteer Programme Two years ago I received an email. The sender was the exotically named Marc De Lucia. Before I dismissed it as another bonkers society hopelessly trying to push cheese and wine night, something caught my eye. Marc, the University’s Sports Development Manager, advertised the opportunity to coach in the comPXQLW\ 0RUH VSHFLĂ€FDOO\ WR FRDFK football. It was called the Second Chance Programme, offering local youths and adults an escape from their troubled pasts through the blissful medium of kicking a ball. Keen to give something back, I put my name down. The free kit had nothing to do with it. A week later, on a typically blustery day, I threw my coaching experience (none) against the wind. I was instantly hooked. Despite a humble team of three student coaches, Marc’s ambition was big from day one; surpassed only by his dedication. The future looked bright. Two years on, the present is bright. Blinding in fact. The Second Chance Programme (recently renamed Street League) continues to shine, but now comes under the umbrella of Sports University North East England (SUNEE), a scheme instrumental in Newcastle’s own Sports Volunteer Programme. As I sit down to talk to Marc, his passion for the development is no less engaging. “The programme in its new format is now into the second year. We’re bigger and better, and offer coaching opportunities in a range of sports, rather than just one or two.â€? The Sports Volunteer Programme was created in September 2008. Overseen by SUNEE, it has expanded student coaching by creating links with local schools, clubs, charities and various community groups. The idea is for students, regardless of their previous coaching experience, to actively encourage participation at any level. 6R ZKHUH GRHV 0DUF¡V UROH Ă€W LQ" As Sports Development Manager his job encompasses a lot: managing current sources of funding, seeking new ones; supervising the Sports Volunteer Programme and

constantly striving to improve budding community projects. “It’s all about looking for new groups and organisations to work with,â€? he explains. At present, the volunteer programme is funded from four different streams. The most prominent is the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) who have distributed almost one million pounds over three years across all Ă€YH XQLYHUVLWLHV LQ WKH 1RUWK (DVW as well as providing a member of staff in each (Sarah Todd in Newcastle). More funding has been sought from the likes of the Northern Rock Foundation, the Football Foundation and the Catherine Cookson Foundation. By interacting with these bodies, Marc has paved the way for the expansion of the programme- particularly in schools. Last year volunteers regularly coached rugby league, badminton, netball and trampolining in eight schools throughout the North East. From football to fencing, the programme prides itself on inclusivity; is driven by the enthusiasm of students. It’s rewarding too. “It enriches your student experience; gives you the chance to put something back into the environment you have lived and studied in,â€? says Marc. He has a point. One of the hidden beauties of volunteering is the chemistry struck up with fellow volunteers, the satisfaction of collectively making a difference. As well as working with schools, the volunteer programme promotes community engagement. This involves linking up with hard to reach groups such as those with backgrounds of drug abuse, the homeless and asylum seekers. Here, the programme really comes into its own, giving students a taste of life’s harsher realities, and showing how sport softens them. Coaching your peers can be FKDOOHQJLQJ DW Ă€UVW EXW H[SHULHQFH LQVSLUHV FRQĂ€GHQFH “It can be quite daunting at the startâ€? Marc says through a wry smile. “But students can take comfort in the fact that everyone’s

in the same boat. Liaising with specialist coaches helps them feel at ease too.� The programme has teamed up with other charities to offer specialist development programmes across various activities. The Princes Trust is a case in point. A charity dedicated to youth development, the University provided the 7UXVW ZLWK VSHFLÀF VSRUWV FRDFKLQJ last year including fencing and trampolining. Students also have the option of developing their own professional coaching future. A top perk of the programme is the opportunity WR JDLQ 1*% TXDOLÀFDWLRQV IUHH of charge. Of the one hundred

students present on the database in 2008, thirty two either were or EHFDPH TXDOLĂ€HG FRDFKHV ,W UHDOO\ is a fantastic opening to progress up the coaching ladder. This year, the database has clocked ninety one sign-ups already. A stark contrast to that windy afternoon two years ago. No more endearing though. Free sports clothing is still provided as it was then, travel still reimbursed. There’s a free CRB check. Coaching still enhances FRQĂ€GHQFH VWLOO FUHDWHV OHDGHUV DQG still develops team work. ClichĂŠd phrases we’ve heard before. Still vital nonetheless, especially in relation to the buzzword of our WLPH HPSOR\DELOLW\ 0DUF UHDIĂ€UPV WKH EHQHĂ€WV ´7KHUH LV QR GRXEW that in the present working climate, getting involved in something like the Student Volunteer Programme can only improve your employment credentials.â€? It sets you apart from the crowd; adds substance to your CV. It’s things like this that employers crave. Not everyone interested in sport enjoys coaching, and it would be naive to think it is the sole proprietor of development. The scope of the programme covers other areas such as marketing, mentoring, adPLQLVWUDWLRQ HYHQ RIĂ€FLDWLQJ Marc feels these are overlooked. “Clubs are always on the lookout for admin staff to help with the workload. Moreover, some people don’t realise that in order to increase activity for events like Sport Relief, we have to actually promote and market them.â€? The Podium Project last year, in which students planned and delivered a sporting event interactively at Walbottle Technology College, is an example of how involvement FDQ WUDQVFHQG WKH Ă€HOG Feedback has always been positive from past participants. The programme is accessible and doesn’t eat into class time, which

further taps into the student psyche. Last year’s head student coach Sarah McChesney claimed it was the highlight of her three year degree. And it was the fabric of my last two summers- both of which were spent coaching in foreign countries. As our conversation draws to a close, Marc looks to the future. He speaks of increasing awareness of sporting events such as Sport Relief. He speaks of involving students through scholarships; of working with more schools, more groups; more communities. 'R \RX HQMR\ LW , DVN" ´, HQMR\ LW more the more I do it.â€? Unassuming as ever. The dark evenings may be closing in; the future’s still bright for the Student Volunteer Programme.

Intra Mural Wednesday Results Men’s Football Division 1 Garnett 5 Lokomotiv 2; Dyslexic Untied.2 Barca-Law-Na 1; Castle Leazes 4 Hurricanes 3. Division 2 Real Mechanical 6 Sex Panthers Athletic 2; Crayola 1; Henderson Hall ‘A’ 2; Gashletico 0 Ecosoccer 0. Division 3 FC Bappage 4 Inter City 2; AFC Hydro 2 Aftermath 3 Division 4 Tub Boys 0 R U Shaving A Laugh 3; Breast Rummage Albion 2 Roman Villa 1. Rugby Union Engines 0 Agrics 46; Cheeky Ladies 61 Agrics 2nds 3; Armstrong 16 Larrikins 7

40

SPORT

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

BUCS

Injury-hit Royals go down at Cochrane > Fitness worries compound narrow Leeds defeat Continued from back page Productive kicking from scrumhalf Nick Dempsey ensured Leeds Met repeatedly found themselves penned into their own 22. On 50 minutes however the Royals lost concentration and found their defence stretched by a number of penetrating Leeds Met moves UHVXOWLQJ LQ WKH YLVLWLQJ à \ KDOI adding a penalty to his side’s points total, leaving the hosts trailing 8-6. Despite the score-line showing a narrow Leeds Met advantage Newcastle were certainly edging proceedings and they continued to test the visitor’s defence throughout the early parts of the second period, with a combination of quick breaks LQ WKH PLGÀHOG DQG SRZHUIXO GLUHFW running from the pack. ,Q D VLPLODU WUHQG WR WKH ÀUVW KDOI however, Newcastle struggled to turn their temporary dominance into points and once again found themselves under intense Leeds Met pressure. Newcastle struggled WR KDQGOH WKH LQFUHDVLQJO\ LQà XHQtial Leeds forward pack, while the YLVLWLQJ à \ KDOI ZDV HQMR\LQJ WRR much time on the ball and was cre-

ating all the plat for his back line. The Royals’ defence was continually stretched for the next 10 minutes but the Royals showed great unity and courage in resisting the Leeds Met onslaught. Indeed, the visitors’ frustration boiled over mid-way into the second half, with a number of violent altercations stopping the game, displaying the intensity and passion of both teams. The home fans were once again given a reason for optimism with only 15 minutes remaining after centre Patrick Irwin again dissected

the Leeds Met defence with a well WLPHG UXQ IURP PLGĂ€HOG ZKLFK OHG to the referee being forced to award the Royals a penalty straight in front of the posts. Reliable kicker Adam Armstrong JUDWHIXOO\ DFFHSWHG DQG Ă€UHG WKH hosts into a deserved 9-8 lead, and set Newcastle up for an opening day victory. However, echoing last year’s inability to close out games, the Royals’ ‘best laid plans’ were cruelly undone four minutes from time. $IWHU SRRU GLVFLSOLQH RQ WKH Ă RRU

of a ruck, the referee’s diagonally RXW VWUHWFKHG DUP FRQÀUPHG WKH worst, and allowed the Leeds Met à \ KDOI WR VXFFHVVIXOO\ FRQYHUW WKH late penalty and condemn the Royals to a grossly unfortunate opening day defeat. It was a cruel end to the game for the Royals as they had spent much of the second half playing with only PHQ DIWHU VL[ LQMXULHV LQFOXGLQJ four hospitalisations, forced them to play with a man down. Most worrying for the 1st team is WKH LQMXU\ WR &DSWDLQ .HLWK /DXJK-

lin who broke his ankle in two places. Tom Rainey said after the match that ‘it is a pretty devastating way to lose but all in all there is a much better feel about the team this year and our performance certainly deserved a better result.’ Next week sees the Royals visit Loughborough which will be a massive test but also represents a massive opportunity for them to prove themselves as genuine challengers in this division.

S. OAKES

Poly well beaten as Newcastle warm-up with win Men’s Hockey 1sts

Newcastle Northumbria

3 1

Charley Wright at Longbenton Northumbria University failed to avenge their 4-3 defeat at the hands RI 1HZFDVWOH LQ WKH 6WDQ &DOYHUW &XS ZLWK D ORVV WR D UHPRXOGHG and re-energised Royals side at WKH 6WDQ &DOYHUW 0HPRULDO 3LWFK Longbenton. )URP WKH ÀUVW ZKLVWOH LW ZDV FOHDU that the game was not going to be one for the purists, with numerous errors on show from both sides. But ten minutes in with neither team controlling the game the away side pounced on an error to win and then clinically convert a penalty corner to put them in front. To the annoyance of the gathering crowd the goal didn’t settle either side down, with the game being

dominated by misplaced passes and poor control on both sides of the halfway line. When the Royals got the ball under control they looked by far the better side, but

extended periods of possession were few and far between. However, towards the end of the half both sides looked dangerous on the break and it was Newcastle

who nearly took advantage of this ZLWK ÀYH PLQXWHV WR JR :LWK WKH Northumbria defence napping, &KDUOH\ :ULJKW WKUHZ D ZHOO SODFHG aerial pass to Rollo Lewis, who struck a vicious reverse shot onto the helmet of the surprised goalNHHSHU ZKR LQDGYHUWHQWO\ GHà HFWHG it to safety, keeping his side in front at half-time. After the break the Royals looked far more settled on the ball, with forwards Ollie Fraser and Paul Hardiman making good runs round the back of the Northumbria defence. And it was Fraser who equalised 10 minutes into the second half from a penalty corner, nipping in front of his captain Ian Rossiter to claim the glory. From then on the home side were almost constantly camped in the Northumbria half, with the away side only able to relieve the pressure with long, hopeful balls to the corners. With ten minutes to go the pressure told as man of the match Mike Sedcole showed great skill to keep

the ball on the end of his stick whilst dribbling across the top of the ‘D’ before striking the ball at goal and watching as it hit both posts before nestling in the back of the net. The Royals almost had a third soon after when newly promoted George Heaton-Renshaw rounded two defenders and the keeper only to see his shot bounce back agonisingly off the far post. However, the home side did not wait long for WKHLU Ă€QDO JRDO ZKHQ Ă€YH PLQXWHV from time Sedcole piped up with his second from a deceptive penalty corner routine. At 3-1 up the home side looked very comfortable and kept the ball ZLWK VW\OH XQWLO WKH Ă€QDO ZKLVWOH came to signal the end of the game and a win for Newcastle. Every victory against the rivals is one to savour, but with harder opponents in the shape of Manchester 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ %8&6 QH[W ZHHN WKH Royals will be working hard in training to iron out their game.

Armstrong take spoils in heated Intra Mural opener IM Rugby Union

Armstrong Larrikins

16 7

Graham Matthews at Heaton On a breezy yet sunny Wednesday afternoon at Heaton Sports ground, WKH ÀUVW 1HZFDVWOH 8QLYHUVLW\ ,QWUD Mural rugby union game ended in D ÀQH YLFWRU\ IRU $UPVWURQJ RYHU Larrikins. This was a game for last season’s players to get back into the swing of things, but also to showcase some new rugby protÊgÊes. As both

teams warmed up there already seemed to be good team spirit in both sides. 7KH JDPH NLFNHG RII MXVW DIWHU WZR and in less than a minute Armstrong were already ahead, thanks to Samler converting an early penalty. Larrikins hit back with a promising run made by the full-back but it led to nothing. Five minutes later Samler converted another penalty to make it 6-0 as Armstrong seemed to be doing most of the attacking. Larrikins ÀQDOO\ VQLIIHG D FKDQFH ZLWK 4XHVW going on a darting run before being EURXJKW GRZQ MXVW VKRUW RI WKH WU\ line. From the following scrum the

ball was passed towards the centre WR 4XHVW ZKR PDQDJHG WR VTXHH]H between the posts and score the ÀUVW WU\ RI WKH PDWFK The Larrikins full-back then followed up with a simple conversion, and the game was on. Two minutes later and Larrikins made a substitute - with Taylor coming on - only to be awarded the ÀUVW \HOORZ FDUG RI WKH VHDVRQ WR the outrage of some Larrikins fans, for rising during the scrum. Armstrong kept pressing and it eventually paid off, with Richardson scoring a try with the last move of the half. 7KH\ WKHQ ÀQLVKHG WKH KDOI DV WKH\ started, with Samler converting, making it 13-7 at half-time.

The second half started slower WKDQ WKH ÀUVW EXW $UPVWURQJ ZHUH DZDUGHG DQRWKHU SHQDOW\ MXVW inside the opposition’s half - only for it to sail wide. Five minutes later Samler hit DQRWKHU SHQDOW\ MXVW SDVW WKH SRVWV blowing their chance to further increase the lead. Halfway through the second half Armstrong were awarded yet another penalty, and with the wind on his side Samler scored this time giving them a nine point lead. Larrikins pressed and came close with one lineout near the try line, but it was to no avail. Frustration could be seen near the HQG DV D EULHI VFXIà H EHWZHHQ WKH SOD\HUV HQVXHG WKHQ À]]OHG RXW

with the whistle going a minute later. $UPVWURQJ¡V &DSWDLQ &KDUOLH McLean, who was watching from the sideline, was clearly delighted with the win. “The performance was absolutely brilliant. We turned up today and have got a good team hereâ€?. “Jack Mayhew was superb today. He’s a new lad and his personal performance was fantastic.â€? Larrikins on the other hand will need to ensure they are more disciplined in the next game, as that proved their downfall today.

42

SPORT

Monday 12 October 2009 THE COURIER

Intra Mural Football

Five star Garnett sink Lokomotiv

J. WEEDEN

IM Football Division One

Garnett Lokomotiv

5 3

Paul Christian at Heaton Garnett’s opener against Lokomotiv had all the ingredients of the archetypal Intra Mural tie. Eight goals for a start, four different coloured shirts, and twenty-two giddy students chasing a wind-swept ball. It’s what Wednesday afternoons are made of. That said, quality wasn’t lost on either team and both showed title-contending form in patches. Garnett started slow and were 2-0 down within ten minutes following an impressive brace from Lokomotiv’s Stee Mclovin. With a few new faces, and a host of IM veterans, last \HDU¡V FKDPSLRQV VWUXJJOHG WR Ă€QG their shape early on. They were duly punished. First a mix up at the back allowed the pacy number ten to race through the defence before slotting home. Five minutes later Mclovin added a second with his head, following a neat cross from notable captain Dan Parkinson. Lokomotiv were buoyant; Garnett clueless. %XW IRRWEDOO¡V D JDPH RI FRQĂ€dence, and Garnett’s grew as the game progressed. Rob Pearson began to stabilise the defence and the PLGĂ€HOG Ă€QDOO\ ZRNH XS $ SHULRG of sustained pressure from Garnett forced their opener when Morrant WDSSHG LQ D .LOYLQJWRQ FURVV $ IHZ minutes later Fairmichael headed the equaliser from a tantalising corner. Game on. The comeback was complete before half-time when Morrant broke WKH RIIVLGH WUDS DQG GHĂ€HG WKH RGGV with a delightful lob. Garnett, not IRU WKH Ă€UVW WLPH LQ WKHLU KLVWRU\ were doing it the hard way. The second half was subdued but Garnett were unrelenting in their dominance. Kilvington continued to deliver

like a postman; Craig was industrious up front. His industry paid off and it was 4-2 within 20 minutes of WKH UHVWDUW DIWHU D VPDUW ÀQLVK IURP the Scotsman. Lokomotiv dug for inspiration and Parkinson led the way. But it was

clear something was missing. Did VRPHRQH VD\ 7RP $JQHZ" Garnett were happy to sit and soak in the pressure, hitting on the break. It worked a treat and 20 minutes from time it was 5-2. Substitute 7KHR $GMHWH\ WRRN DGYDQWDJH RI

some slack defending and breezed through to clinch the win. His celebration was modest; his speed explosive. Mclovin completed his hat trick to give Lokomotiv a glimmer of hope. %XW WKH JDPH À]]OHG RXW DQG FKDP-

pions Garnett ensured a successful start to the season. Lokomotiv could only put it down to a Superbad day DW WKH RIĂ€FH

Matthews brace sees off Lawyers in opener IM Football Division One

Dyslexic Untied Barca-Law-Na

2 1

Charles Scott at Longbenton $ VXSHUE JRDO IURP %DUFD¡V 0RVV was not enough to earn his team the victory today as they lost 2-1 to a resilient Dyslexic side at Longbenton. Dyslexics went in at half-time 2-0 up courtesy of two goals from self-proclaimed ‘tenacious striker’ $QG\ 0DWWKHZV DQG VXUYLYHG D late Barca surge to come away with all three points. Both teams lined up in very continental/Football Manageresque 4-3-2-1 formations and it seemed that players on both sides weren’t too clear what their roles ZHUH DV D VFUDSS\ Ă€UVW WHQ PLQXWHV transpired. The breakthrough for Dyslexic came after Barca lost the ball cheaply on the left. Lawrence Jackson took full advantage by supplying a neat cross into Matthews who tucked the ball past the keeper from six yards. Moss had a good chance to level for Barca but only managed to lift

his shot over the onrushing keeper and the crossbar. Both teams continued to create chances with JackVRQ FXUOLQJ D VKRW MXVW SDVW WKH SRVW for Dyslexic and Barca’s Harbison à DVKLQJ D VKRW ZLGH DIWHU EHDWLQJ two men on the edge of the area. Dyslexic’s second goal came when the ball fell kindly to Matthews in the six yard box and he made no PLVWDNH LQ ÀQGLQJ WKH EDFN RI WKH net for the second time. Harbison, starting to prove a handful for the Dyslexic defence, replied in vain with a strike from 20 yards. Halftime arrived with the scoreline a PHDJUH UHà HFWLRQ RI WKH FRQWHVW Despite moments of quality neither side looked too comfortable playing 4-3-2-1. Not long into the second half Barca realised it wasn’t working and changed to a more traditional 4-4-2 in search of a comeback. Play, however, was disrupted by a bizarre moment involving a player changing his undergarments. Determined not to be caught off guard he showed great control dealing with a long goalkick, whilst topless, only for the referee to stop play for what I can only imagine was indecent exposure... Dyslexic rarely troubled the Barca JRDO LQ WKH VHFRQG KDOI $OO WKH SUHV-

sure came from Barca. Moss and Harbison in particular were causing numerous problems. Then came Moss’s moment of

FODVV $IWHU GLVSRVVHVVLQJ RQH RI WKH Dyslexics’ centre halves he nonchalantly lobbed the keeper from the edge of the area. Despite a hand-

ful of other chances that followed Barca failed to get the vital second goal that would’ve earned them a point. J. WEEDEN

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

43

All the photos from Wednesday’s games www.thecourieronline.co.uk >>>

Intra Mural Football

SPORT

Leazes weather early season storm >Inspired second KDOI ÀJKWEDFN VHHV off Hurricanes IM Football Division One

Castle Leazes The Hurricanes

4 3

Robert Logan at Longbenton Castle Leazes got off to a winning start on Wednesday against The Hurricanes after coming back from D WKUHH QLO GHĂ€FLW DW KDOI WLPH 7KH Ă€UVW PLQXWHV RI WKH PDWFK were scrappy with only one real chance for Castle Leazes created by -RVHSK $UWKXU )LQGLQJ D SRFNHW RI VSDFH GRZQ WKH OHIW Ă DQN KH SOD\HG a diagonal ball across the defence meeting the foot of Jack ‘Crouchy’ 0HOORU +LV VKRW KRZHYHU ZDV NHSW RXW E\ WKH +XUULFDQHV¡ NHHSHU 2Q PLQXWHV &DVWOH /HD]HV created their second opportunity RI WKH JDPH &ROLQ 0DQOH\¡V VKRW ZDV VDYHG E\ WKH NHHSHU DQG WKH rebound was scuffed by ‘Crouchy’ LQ IURQW RI DQ RSHQ JRDO This miss created a counter-attack for The Hurricanes who broke GRZQ WKH ULJKW Ă DQN ZLWK PHQ LQ

VXSSRUW 7KH FURVV ZDV PHW E\ D Castle Leazes hand and a penalty ZDV DZDUGHG 7KH +XUULFDQHV¡ OHIW EDFN $OH[ 6PLWK FRQYHUWHG WKH SHQDOW\ JLYLQJ WKHP DQ HDUO\ OHDG It was only three minutes later when The Hurricanes’ Rory Mc'RQDOG VPDVKHG WKH EDOO IURP \DUGV LQWR WKH /HD]HV¡ JRDO OHDYLQJ WKH NHHSHU SRZHUOHVV The two goals seemed to settle 7KH +XUULFDQHV ZLWK $QG\ 6HOE\ PDUVKDOOLQJ WKH GHIHQFH +RZHYHU RQ PLQXWHV D FRQWURYHUVLDO SHQDOW\ ZDV JLYHQ WR /HD]HV IRU DQ DOOHJHG KDQGEDOO LQ WKH ER[ $ SRRU SHQDOW\ NLFN DQG IDLOXUH WR FRQYHUW the rebound left Leazes still goalOHVV Castle Leazes continued to chase WKHLU Ă€UVW JRDO RI WKH PDWFK IRU WKH UHPDLQGHU RI WKH KDOI SLOLQJ the pressure on The Hurricanes’ GHIHQFH +RZHYHU 7KH +XUULFDQHV looked a lot more clinical in front of goal and were able to secure their third on the stroke of half-time with Aaron Richie delicately chipping /HD]HV¡ NHHSHU ZKR FRXOG RQO\ get a soft hand to the ball before it GURSSHG DFURVV WKH OLQH The second half saw a completely different Leazes team emerge with WKH LQWURGXFWLRQ RI WZR VXEVWLWXWHV Joseph Arthur found the top corner RI WKH QHW HDUO\ LQ WKH VHFRQG KDOI After the match he was quick to quash rumours that the goal was LQLWLDOO\ PHDQW DV D FURVV Castle Leazes’ front pairing of

J. WEEDEN

Colin Manley and Jack Mellor grew stronger throughout the game with ERWK RI WKHP QHWWLQJ FODVV\ ÀQLVKHV VHWWLQJ XS D JUDQG VWDQG ÀQDOH ZLWK

PLQXWHV WR VSDUH 2Q PLQXWHV $GDP )HUQ ZURQJ footed both of The Hurricanes’ central-defenders before placing a

FODVV\ Ă€QLVK LQWR WKH NHHSHU¡V ULJKW KDQG FRUQHU WR VHDO D PDJQLĂ€FHQW FRPHEDFN

6H[ 3DQWKHUV PDXOHG E\ VL[ JRDO 0HFKDQLFDO IM Football Division Two

Real Mechanical Sex Panthers Athletic

6 2

Colin Henrys at Longbenton An accomplished second half GLVSOD\ JDYH 5HDO 0HFKDQLFDO DQ HPSKDWLF YLFWRU\ DJDLQVW 6H[ 3DQWKHUV $WKOHWLF DW /RQJEHQWRQ The match began as a scrappy HQFRXQWHU ZLWK WKH UHIHUHH EULQJLQJ PRUH IDQV WKDQ HLWKHU VLGH Indeed he was at the heart of the Ă€UVW JRDO ZLWK D GLVSXWHG IUHH NLFN SOD\HG GRZQ WKH ULJKW ZLQJ OHDYing Real striker Phil Morton with a VLPSOH Ă€QLVK The referee continued to dominate proceedings with neither side grasping the concept of taking a OHJDO WKURZ LQ The ballet-like one-legged throwins of either side were frowned XSRQ E\ WKH PDQ LQ EODFN OHDGLQJ WR IUHTXHQW GLVUXSWLRQV LQ SOD\ $V WKH JDPH VHWWOHG KRZHYHU WKH 3DQWKHUV WRRN DGYDQWDJH RI VRPH confusion in the Blues’ defence and VWULNHU (G 6WHZDUW OHYHOOHG SDVW WKH RQUXVKLQJ 5HDO JRDONHHSHU 0RPHQWV DIWHU WKH UHVWDUW DQRWKHU poor clearance by the Real defence was pounced upon by Nick :LOPRUH WR JLYH $WKOHWLF D OHDG Neither side managed to dominate but Morton had a good chance WR OHYHO IRU 5HDO RQO\ WR VHH KLV ZHDN VKRW VDYHG 7KH 0HFKDQLFV GLGQ¡W KDYH WR ZDLW ORQJ IRU WKHLU HTXDOLVHU DV VRPH good work from Neil Carey alORZHG KLV FDSWDLQ +XJR %URZQ WR PDNH LW ZLWK D JRRG OHIW IRRWHG Ă€QLVK The introduction of Henry Morley in central defence for Mechanical

J. WEEDEN

made them look far more assured DQG D VWULQJ RI FKDQFHV IROORZHG $ IUHH NLFN IURP %URZQ ZDV VDYHG well by the Panthers’ keeper and some good work from Carey EURXJKW DQRWKHU VDYH 7KH KDOI À]]OHG RXW ZLWK WKH RQO\ KLJKOLJKW EHLQJ D ÀQH EDFN KHHOHG à LFN E\ WKH UHIHUHH DIWHU \HW DQRWKHU ball found its way into the adjacent FDU SDUN 7KH KDOI WLPH ZKLVWOH followed and neither side could FRPSODLQ DERXW JRLQJ LQ OHYHO 7KH VHFRQG KDOI KRZHYHU SURYHG WR EH D FRPSOHWHO\ GLIIHUHQW DIIDLU

Real Mechanical set their stall out LPPHGLDWHO\ VKRRWLQJ ZLGH IURP WKH NLFN RII Carey twice played great throughballs only to see his team-mates ZDVWH WKH RSSRUWXQLWLHV $ 5HDO JRDO ZDV LQHYLWDEOH DQG DUULYHG LQ VSHFWDFXODU IDVKLRQ IURP D \DUG curling free-kick from skipper %URZQ 7KH JRDO RSHQHG WKH à RRGJDWHV for the Blues and Carey had a shot tipped wide before another good EDOO IURP WKH LPSUHVVLYH %OXHV¡ forward allowed strike-partner

Morton to double his tally and PDNH LW Real continued to pepper the Panthers’ goal with Brown shooting ZLGH IURP D IUHH NLFN DQG D ORZ FURVV E\ &DUH\ MXVW IDLOLQJ WR ÀQG D WRXFK IURP D 0HFKDQLFDO ERRW 7KH ÀIWK JRDO VRRQ DUULYHG ZLWK DQRWKHU ORZ FURVV ÀQGLQJ 1LFN 'XPLQLO RQ WKH EDFN SRVW ZKR VFRUHG ZLWK D ORZ VLGH IRRWHG ÀQLVK Neil Carey then grabbed a wellGHVHUYHG JRDO WR PDNH LW EHIRUH being substituted to loud applause IURP KLV WHDP PDWHV FOHDUO\ JUDWH-

IXO IRU KLV VHOI WLWOHG Âś3LHUUH YDQ +RRLMGRQN HVTXH¡ SHUIRUPDQFH Athletic searched for a late FRQVRODWLRQ LQ YDLQ OHDGLQJ WKHLU captain to bemoan the ‘brief lapse of concentration at the start of the VHFRQG KDOI¡ Meanwhile Real skipper Hugo %URZQ ZDV HIIXVLYH LQ KLV SUDLVH IRU KLV WHDP PDWHV GHVFULELQJ WKH performance as ‘the best we could KDYH KRSHG IRU¡

THE COURIER Monday 12 October 2009

44

Hurricanes stunned by Leazes comeback > Intra Mural Football, page 42-43 Sports Editors: Paul Christian, Jamie Gavin and Tom James - courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk

S. OAKES

Met heartbreak for wounded Royals Men’s Rugby Union 1sts

Newcastle Leeds Met

9 11

Jonathan Taylor at Cochrane Park There was a sense of injustice around a blustery Cochrane Park last week, as Newcastle were narrowly beaten on the opening day of the season. Despite appearing to edge a tight affair, a late Leeds Met penalty meant it was the visitors who came

out victorious, condemning the hosts to a desperately disappointing defeat. The Royals were desperate to get off to a winning start in the BUCS Premier Men’s North A division, but were left wondering ‘what might have been’ in the season opener, after lady luck perched on the side of the visitors. The ‘early season syndrome’ appeared evident immediately, as the ball was spilled forward from the kick-off, resulting in an early scrum for the visitors. The opening ten minutes followed a similar trend,

with both sides struggling to cut out handling errors, made admittedly worse by the swirling wind across Cochrane Park. After a cautious opening the game exploded into life after 15 minutes, with the Royals denying Leeds the opening points by holding up the ball behind the try-line. This appeared to inspire the hosts, as Newcastle subsequently opened the scoring and their point tally for the season after a successful penalty converted by winger Adam Armstrong on 25 minutes. )RU WKH À UVW WLPH LQ WKH PDWFK 1HZ

castle appeared to have the edge over their league counterparts and rightly had the spectators dreaming RI D IDLU\ WDOH YLFWRU\ RQ WKH À UVW GD\ of the new season. This optimism however was short-lived; with the Leeds outside centre beating two defenders and scoring the opening WU\ RI WKH JDPH À YH PLQXWHV ODWHU With the windy conditions proving a tough test of the kicker’s credentials, the Leeds stand-off could not add the conversion, and the Royals once again found themselves dictating the pace of play before half-time.

After impressive breaks from the centre partnership of Gavin Hadley and Patrick Irwin, the visitors were forced to concede another penalty outside their own 22, with Armstrong successfully sending the hosts into half-time holding a narrow one point advantage. Newcastle started the second period in an identical manner to the HQG RI WKH À UVW VKRZLQJ FRQÀ GHQFH in attack, commitment in defence, and the forwards consistently supplying their back-line with quicklyrecycled balls. Continued on page 40

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