April 2013
The FESTIVAL ISSUE
Win tickets to Latitude + more!
Summer of Sport
Your guide to this summer's best sporting events...
TOMS: Uncovered AIESEC
Why YOU should join Aiesec Aston Aston Students' Union's Official Magazine
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April 2013
CONTENTS Letter from the Editor...
Welcome to our eagerly awaited Festival Issue! Jam-packed with Brummy, National and International Festivals, you'll be sure to find a festival that suits you. On top of this, we've got some amazing competitions, new music for your listening pleasure, an interview with professional photographer Karl Taylor and a guide to this year's fabulous Summer of Sport! With something to tickle everyone's facny, it's a wonder how we fit it all in! Here's to April's Issue, and hoping summer comes along soon!
Besma Whayeb @besmalucy
Contents
2
The Team
4
Students Union TEDxAstonUniversity 5 Your Executives
6
Features TOMS: Uncovered
7
Abseil for Oxfam
8
Karl Taylor Interview 9 Aiesec Aston
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The Festival Guide
14
Birmingham The U.K. International
2
April 2013 Entertainment
Innovation in the Sun 30
Annie Dressner
23
Amsterdam Open Air 30
Bird
24
Sports Report
Nick Cave & TBS
25
Summer of Sport
Darwin Deez
26
Rae Morris
26
Les Miserables
27
27
Competitions Below
30
Latitude
30
@iAstonMagazine
3
The Team
FEATURED WRITERS
Editor: Besma Whayeb Features Editor: Reha Kansara Sports Editor: Henry Walker Music Editor: Rushiv Nayee Film Editor: Noémie Noel
Rebecca Wilson TOMS: Uncovered, #7
Assistant Editor: Alex Rymer Head of Promotions: Jema Wyatt Chief Photographer: Craig Shuker This Month's Team: Noémie Noel Rebecca Wilson Sara Sakharkar Abigail Opoku
Noémie Noel Aiesec, #9
Sarah Breeze Henry Walker Craig Shuker Besma Whayeb Sandra Nimako-Boatey Rushiv Nayee
Rushiv Nayee
Nick Cave & TBS, #23
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The First University TEDx in Birmingham
AstonUniversity 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm 29 th of April 2013 Union Hall - Aston Student Union
Speakers CHRISTIAN MCLENING
PROF JUDITH BAXTER
School of Engineering & Applied Sciences
School of Languages & Social Sciences
DR MICHAEL SMETS Aston Business School
TEDxAstonUniversity
www.tedxastonuniversity.com
@TEDxAstonUni
Your Executives YOUR RAISE & GIVE (RAG) OFFICER
Michael Withers
Hi! I’m Michael and I am the Raise and Give Officer (RAG). I am responsible for all the charitable fundraising on Campus - so if you are doing anything for charity, let me know so we can help you! With my RAG Committee, RAG run many fundraising events, we are responsible for Armageddon and Apocalypse Bar Crawls, coordinating the Challenge trips on offer at Aston – Ranging from project work in Uganda, to cycling from London to Paris. We have also organised collections in cities across the UK this year, including Manchester and London. Last year, Aston RAG raised an incredible £97,000 for some of the excellent causes that we support, such as the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Cancer Research UK. This year we aim to raise even more than that, but to do that, we need your help! There are loads of ways that you can still get involved with Aston RAG, we have our Relay for Life coming up on the 27th/28th April. Relay for Life is a huge fundraiser for Cancer Research UK – in which teams of participants will walk the Aston Lake for 24 hours. If you don’t fancy joining a team, we also have some stalls and other entertainments on the day, so make sure you come down! Another huge event that we have coming up is the Aston University Summer Ball, held after exams in June as a final event for everyone and it is sure to be a fantastic way to end the year! Keep an eye out for the promotion for this! If you would like to join the RAG Committee next year, the elections are fast approaching and more details will be released on the Aston RAG Facebook page over the next week!
- Michael Withers You can find out about your Union Executives on our website, www.astonunion.com
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Feature
TOMS: Uncovered by Rebecca Wilson
On the surface, all charity seems like a good thing; you’re helping others and get a nice warm fuzzy feeling too. So what’s the problem with TOMS? Why are its good intentions not doing good at all? I am currently on placement in Uganda and living here has given me a very different perspective. TOMS’ ‘One for One’ policy seemed like a great idea - a child living in poverty gets a brand new pair of shoes at the same time you do. But when the scheme came to the small village of Bududa in eastern Uganda, it impacted the community in an extremely unintentional way: several local shoe makers went out of business, having a knock an effect on the whole village. This is now happening in villages all over the world - in 2011 alone, TOMS donated 2,000,000 shoes. In turn local shoe industries are suffering and communities are largely impacted by what seems like such a small sector. In addition to this, the company acknowledges that the shoes need to be consonantly replaced as children grow, creating a dependency for the continuous shipment of shoes. But instead, the communities best interests are being bypassed by the scheme; rather than backing and supporting local businesses that are sustainable and helping them to grow they are providing unbeatable competition. While the company does say that its tries to be considerate of local business, evidence suggests that this is not working. Their good intentions are not good enough. Many even criticise the company saying that the scheme is nothing but a marketing tool. And these schemes are starting to be copycatted by other businesses, putting even more communities at risk. The moral of the tale is: next time you aim to give to charity, question the actual benefit being received. There are many wonderful causes and charities supporting these, but there are a few deceiving ploys out there.
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Photos by Abigail Opoku and Sara Sakharkar
Feature
Abseil for Oxfam IN PHOTOS
8
Interview
Karl Taylor
With a recent exhibition at The NEC, Karl Taylor's photography is an education in itself, as Chief Photographer Craig Shuker finds out... It’s amazing what you can learn at a convention. When invited to come along to Focus on Imaging at the NEC in Birmingham, I was sceptical as to what help this could actually provide a photographer. However, with the immediate bombardment of striking images and story book photo albums, it was somewhere between the Nikon Technology stand and Karl Taylor’s motion capture seminar that I realised how relevant his knowledge is. Karl Taylor has been a professional photographer for over 15 years and has travelled the globe on assignments for some of the world's most successful companies. He left school at the age of just 16 with simply a talent for art and design. But it was when he found work at a retail photography store selling camera equipment that his life would change forever… Craig Shuker: Can you explain what it is actually like to work as a photographer and why you decided to take up photography? Karl Taylor: It was after I left school, when I took a job in a camera shop, that I discovered SLR cameras. I started experimenting and playing with cameras and I realised that this is an incredible medium where I can create images in really fine detail; I had always been interested in really fine detail in painting. I became addicted to the photographic process, but it was only when I shot some of my very first pictures of a horse running on a beach at very high shutter speed and how I captured all that detail, frozen in time. CS: How did you manage to combine your passion for travelling and photography in the early stages of your career? Where did it take you and where did you start? KT: In the early stages, I started by travelling and doing photography because I wanted to be a photojournalist. I did that for a few years but there wasn’t a lot of money in photojournalism unless you worked full time for someone like National Geographic so after doing that I had an opportunity to get a job as an assistant in a commercial advertising studio and that’s where I started learning what I do now. CS: Have you been influenced by any photographers, either famous or not? KT: Yes definitely, in my early days it was the guys at National Geographic; Steve McCurry, Jodi Cobb, Sam Abell. I loved all the National Geographic photographers’ work, I was heavily influenced by them and then later in my more commercial career; Bob Carlos Clarke, Patrick
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Interview Lichfield whose portrait work was great. CS: Can you explain what the most challenging and exciting things about actually running your business are? KT: Well, running a business, whether it’s photography or not, is about knowing your numbers, your facts and your figures. You’ve got to look at the very basics of what’s coming in and what’s going out, so you’ve got to keep your eye on the ball on the accounts. We also put a lot of work into our marketing and we promote ourselves through Facebook, YouTube and other social media which plays a massive role in what we do as we have lots of followers online. But I would say actually understanding the business plan. You always have to be very careful to make sure that you don’t lose sight of those things otherwise, no matter how good you are, you’re going to fail. CS: Getting a bit more technical, what equipment do you enjoy using the most and why? KT: In the studio it’s the Hasselblad H4 because I need a high resolution camera for some of the large scale advertising images. When I’m on location I use a Canon 5D mark 3 at the moment, a couple of those, Manfred tripods and we use Elinchrom and Broncolor lighting. However, being a good photographer isn’t just about the equipment; it’s about knowing what makes a good picture and the people skills. CS: What has been your most enjoyable photo shoot? KT: That’s a tricky one, because there are lots of different photo shoots that have been enjoyable. I really enjoyed doing the ‘paint series’ (featured) last year because we spent a whole week blasting paint all over the studio, all over the models, exploding paint out of tins. We wanted to do something that would be eye catching and technical - you need very fast duration bursts of light to capture that, 10,000 per second. CS: What advice would you give for budding photographers and entrepreneurs out there? KT: You’ve got to go with your passion to be honest and you’ve got to work very hard. We’ve trained a lot of photographers and we’ve had a lot of pros come through who started off with our training and they’re shooting top end level ads now. But they were so committed and dedicated, building devices and figuring out ways of solving a problem. They would not give up until they got the shot they wanted. It is that relentless level of passion to achieve the image, and not compromise it. When I set out on a photography project I’ll visualise the image, what it needs to look like, whether it’s for a client or for myself, and I won’t finish until I’ve got to that result. So you’ve got to see it through, and by that I mean some shots we do might take fifteen hours to get it right. To succeed in this game now, because photography is a very difficult market to get in to and succeed in, you have to be very passionate and very driven and I think that with many aspects of business, especially in this current climate.
10
Societies
Noémie Noel talks to Aisec Aston's present - and future - Presidents... Established in the 1980s, Aiesec is the world’s largest student-driven organisation. It offers young people the opportunity to develop their abilities and become global citizens. Being international, every country has its own Aisec committee and representatives within the cities but also within universities. Aiesec Aston has a team of over 30 members and on 8th March Aiesec Aston ran its annual presidential. During the three hours of elections, the atmosphere was relaxed; everyone was at ease, joyful, and very pleased to see the candidates as well as other Aisec members from other Birmingham universities. First, the candidates had to introduce themselves, deal with their motivations and finally answer the questions the current committee had prepared for them. With a lot of suspense and excitement the outcome was declared; Luke Isherwood will be next year’s President of Aiesec. I met with Gabriella Bossman, the current President and Luke Isherwood to talk about the year they’ve had within the organisation. Noémie: Hi Gabriella! To begin this interview, could you define for us what Aiesec is about? Gabriabrella: For me, Aiesec is a platform through which you can inspire and develop young people and help them to understand their potential, and as soon as they have understood that they have the ability to go beyond their imaginings. From there, when you have a group of inspired, passionate and driven people, you want to take them even further and help even more people to develop their capabilities. N: So the main purpose is to help young people? G: Yes, to put in a nutshell (laughs) N: Luke just got elected! How do you feel about the coming year with Luke as the Head of Aiesec? G: Oh, I am so excited about the coming year! During the elections I was really numb, for a combination of reasons: it has been a year since I was right here - it is just gone by so quickly - and all the candidates were absolutely fantastic! I am a believer in collective decision-making and I believe that Luke is more than
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Societies capable. I don’t want him to be as good as me, I want him to be ten times better and if there is anyone within our team I can trust in doing that, it’s Luke. N: How would you sum up the year during which you have been running Aiesec Aston? G: It’s had its ups and downs, even spirals! All and all it has been more than worth it. I cannot even imagine my life without this year, it really has been a life changing experience and it moulded me into who I am now. N: What is your best memory? G: Oh no you cannot do that! (laughs) Okay, my best memory… well, one of my best memories was at the beginning of the year, we just finished the recruiting and we had our first LC (Local Committee) meeting. We had all the new recruits and they all looked so eager, excited and ready to begin and I remember thinking that this is the beginning of something great, something unknown but with so many passionate people ready to learn, and they really drove the organisation forward. N: What would be your best advice for Luke? G: Love your team. The team are the people who drive everything and without the team you are nothing. Always let them know how grateful you are to them and recognise when they do something fantastic. The important thing is to find out what people enjoy and do what you enjoy to keep everyone motivated. N: What are your plans for the following year as a student?
The New Executive Board of Aiesec Aston (L-R): Gavin Gnanakulendran as Head of Finance, Eleanor Clatworthy as Talent Management, Emma Jay Percy the Head of Outgoing Exchange, Delila Kidanu the Head of Incoming Exchange and Luke Isherwood as President.
G: I’m going to travel to the Middle East; I would like to understand the culture there and help positively impact those that do not have as many opportunities that we do.
PTO for Luke's Interview...
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Interview Noémie: Hi Luke! Congratulations! Luke: Hello! Thank you very much! N: Can you tell us more about what you got up to before Aisec? L: Well, before coming to Aston, I was heavily involved with musical drama, everything else was an extra, academics was an extra and it made quite a lot of people angry in my life (laughs) but I loved it. I used to play saxophone; I did a lot of dressing up as a woman, things like that (laughs). N: How did you hear about Aiesec? L: I remember was in a Financial Accounting lecture; I was bored out of my mind, and I was about to leave when someone stood at the front and let everyone know about an “information session” going on in the evening. I think it might have been Gabriella, and she never really said what it was so I was intrigued. And here I am! N: How did your first year in Aiesec go? L: It has been a challenge, but I’ve gained so much already. Aiesec has really pushed me and I have so many amazing people. Being President, I want to create more opportunities for people to do that - I want to give something back. N: What motivated you to run for President? L: I wanted to make sure that more people get the opportunity to join in. I also think the team has worked so hard and yet they’re still so positive, still so full of energy and they have done so well. So why not take it all and do hundred times better, carry on the legacy? N: And finally, if you could describe Gabriella in one word, what would it be? L: Amazing! G: Oh! Thank you Luke! For more information about the organisation or going abroad with them, have a look at their Facebook page: Go Global Aiesec
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Festival Guide
presents
The[Festival[Guide! featuring
and more!
14
Festival Guide
Birmingham>
Perhaps underrated, dear old Brum offers some of the best - and cheapest - festivals around. Make sure you don't miss out!
Flatpack Festival 21st – 31st March | Across Birmingham It’s a little late for this year’s festival, but it’s definitely worth a mention. Celebrating film, performances, contraptions and surprises from across the world, and screening across Birmingham, Flatpack is an annual treat. Operating on a pick-and-mix basis, you can choose from all of the events separately. Look out for it next year! www.flatpackfestival.org.uk Man Down Festival 4th & 14th April 2013 | The Flapper | £5 Man Down Festival is a celebration of some very talented ladies who work in the music industry. Featuring both a Q&A session on 4th April and a day of music (featuring both males and females!) on 14th April, it’s a great way to get to know some of the best Brummies in the music business. www.mandownfestival.co.uk Swingamajig 5th May 2013 | Digbeth | £11 / £16.50 / £22 Calling all electro-swing, vintage sounds and gypsy madness lovers! You may be few and far apart, but that’s no means to say that there isn’t a festival for you. Swingamajig is setting sail this year for the first time, and they’re going to party like it’s 1929! Headliners The Correspondants are a must-see (recommended by The Editor!). Tickets start at £11 – depending on how early you book – so make sure you get yours fast! www.swingamajig.co.uk
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Festival Guide
Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival 5th – 7th July | Moseley Park | £37 - £89 If jazz, funk or soul is your thing, and you’d rather return home from a great night out then camp in the mud, Mostly JF&S Festival is the place to be. Spanning over three days with acts such as Chic feat. Nile Rodgers, Bonobo and Candi Staton (eek!) it’ll be a great way to celebrate the end of exams. www.mostlyjazz.co.uk
Moseley Folk Festival 30th Aug – 1st Sep 2013 | Moseley Park | £37 - £89 Moseley Folk is the place to be for any folk fan. Perhaps a little unheard of compared to national festivals, it’s by no means a lesser competitor, with 2011’s line-up featuring acts such as Gruff Rhys, Junip, Stornoway, Villagers and Willy Mason! In its eighth year now, it’s sure to have it’s loyal fans so make sure you get your tickets quick! Starting from £37 for a day to £89 for the full weekend. www.moseleyfolk.co.uk
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Festival Guide Music edit
The> U.K.
Book club Festival season is almost here! Here are our picks to get your teeth (or should we say wellies?) into this summer... Preview The PLACE to go
Isle of Wight Festival 13th – 16th June | Newport | £75 - £185 It’s the first huge music festival of the year, and with headline acts such as The Stone Roses, The Killers and Bon Jovi, they really are starting with a bang! On top of this, they’ve got Emeli Sandé, Ke$ha, Jake Bugg, Everything Everything, Bloc Party, Paloma Faith, The Maccabees and many more fresh artists, alongside a stack of DJ’s, The Cabaret Club and even their very own beach! Renowned for its glamorous camping – or glamping – in its boutique camping field, you’ll feel right at home with all your commodities. For those of you who love roughing it however, there is the traditional tent site too! www.isleofwightfestival.com
Blissfields Festival 5th – 7th July | Winchester | £16 - £85 Perhaps one of the friendliest festivals to be taking place this year, Blissfields is great for any festival virgin. With a spacious camping area, happy atmosphere and not forgetting acts such as Bastille and Mystery Jets alongside up-and-comers from all over the country, it’ll be three days of great fun. And with tickets starting at an incredible £16 (Thursday, day only) to a pocket-friendly £85 for the whole weekend, it's great value for money for any cash-strapped student! www.blissfields.co.uk
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Festival Guide
Latitude Festival 18th – 21st July | Suffolk | £84.50 - £190.50 Taking place in the heart of British summertime, Latitude Festival is a regular treat for its 35,000 guests. With a stellar line-up including Bloc Party, Kraftwerk, Foals, The Maccabees, Hot Chip, Cat Power, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Local Natives, Modest Mouse, Alt-J, Beach House and many, many more, it’s one for music lovers of any genre. On top of this are its Comedy, Theatre & Dance, Artists, Film, Spoken Word, Literary and Cabaret stages – it’s definitely worth planning out your day to a strict timetable if you don’t want to miss anything! COMPETITION – And for one lucky iAM reader, we’ve got two Saturday tickets to Latitude Festival to give away! Head over to our exclusive competitions page (pg. 30) for how you can enter. www.latitudefestival.com
Global Gathering 26th – 27th July | Stratford Upon Avon | £115 - £190 The two-day electronic festival is back! With over 14 stages jam-packed with acts such as Example, Katy B, Annie Mac, Rita Ora, Plan B, Disclosure, Major Look and so very many more, this is the ultimate festival for any fan of dance music. Radio 1 Xtra also have their very own stage! Tickets start at £115 for the full weekend including camping and parking, or for the hardcore fans, VIP passes are available for an extra £75 including exclusives yet to be revealed! www.globalgathering.com
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Festival Guide
Green Man Festival 15th – 18th August | Glanusk Park, Wales | £125 - £165 Awarded Best Grass Roots Festival last year, Green Man is the festival to go to for contemporary music and arts. Based in the grassy, sunny Glanusk Park, hidden amongst the Welsh mountains and steeped in folklore, it really is the modern-day hippy hangout. With a line-up featuring Band of Horses, Kings of Convenience, Ben Howard, Midlake, Local Natives, The Horrors and many more, their summery sound is like no other. This, coupled with their comedy, film and literature performances make it one of the best alternative festivals in the U.K. And with tickets starting at £125 for students for the whole four days, it’s pocket-friendly too! www.greenman.net
Creamfields Festival 23rd – 25th August | Cheshire | £70 - £250 Creamfields is back and stronger than ever before! The huge electronic festival descends on Daresbury, Cheshire on the August Bank Holiday weekend to celebrate its 15th Anniversary with three days of pure electronic music. With headliners The Prodigy stealing the show with their only UK performance this summer, it’s a wonder that their line-up also includes Avicci, Tiesto, David Guetta, Paul van Dyk, Annie Mac, Eric Prydz, Afrojack, Groove Armada, Zane Lowe, Pete Tong and Armand van Helden to name but a few. Tickets start at £70 for a one-day basic deal, going up to £250 for three-days of hospitality and camping. www.creamfields.com
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Festival Guide
End of the Road Festival 30th August – 1st September | North Dorset | £130 - £175 End of the Road Festival marks the end of the summer festival season, however that’s not to say that their swansong is anything short of amazing. Savour the summer at the intimate festival with its peacock-strewn former Victorian pleasure
garden offering an amazing music lineup plus art, atmosphere, workshops, comedy, cinema, a woodland library, games, a healing field and the finest food and drinks.
Perhaps saving the best line-up until last, their artists this year include Sigur Ros, Belle & Sebastian, Eels, David Byrne & St Vincent, Warpaint, Frightened Rabbit, Efterklang, Dawes, Daughter and many more. Tickets start at a low £130 for the three-day festival, ramping up to £175 depending on when your order your ticket (i.e. the sooner the better!) www.endoftheroadfestival.com
Mini>-Festivals>
If camping isn't your thing, or you're not looking to splash out, here are a few of the nation's best one-day festivals, from £15 and up...
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Festival Guide
International>
Innovation in the Sun Festival 25th June – 2nd July | Lloret de Mar, Barcelona | £120 - £364 Time to get out that factor 50 and jump on a plane to Barcelona! It’s Innovation in the Sun’s 10 Year Anniversary, and with a line-up featuring Andy C, Loadstar, Wilkinson, Ray Rampage and many more, it’s the perfect getaway for any drum and bass fan. On top of this, there’s: - The World’s Only Drum & Bass Water-park Party - The Biggest Drum & Bass 'Headphone' Beach Party - Yacht Parties - Foam Parties - The Most Coveted MC Competition - Crazy Beach Football - Drum & Bass Beach Bar + Over 100 Artists across 7 Days & Nights Prices start from £120 for ultra-early-bird club-party only tickets or £170 for a weekend holiday package, rising to £364 for a weeklong holiday package so that you miss out on nothing! COMPETITION – And for one lucky iAM reader, we’ve got two amazing Innovation in the Sun tickets to give away! Head over to our exclusive competitions page (pg. 30) for how you can enter. www.innovationinthesun.com
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Festival Guide
Amsterdam Open Air Festival 8th – 9th June | Gaasperpark, Amsterdam | €59.50 - €200 After two amazing years, Amsterdam Open Air will once again launch the summer in Gaasperpark, Amsterdam. With four large and three intimate stages, the festival is a smorgasbord for house, tech house, deep house, techno, disco, hip-hop and electro fans. Surrounded by green trees and rippling water, the weekend will feature acts such as Tiga, Ellen Allien, Paco Osuna, Matthew Dear and DJ Sneak, along with brands such as MTV, Carnivale and GirlsloveDJS. Coupled with this is the new Rock ‘n’ Roll Dream Hotel by Models at Work, where campers can stay in tipis and indulge in many amenities not commonly found at camping festivals. Perhaps at the pricier end of the scale, a tipi ticket including the festival will set you back €200. For those of you with a more limited budget, a simple weekender ticket without camping is a mere €59.50 - around £50 in sterling. COMPETITION – We’ve got two Amsterdam Open Air Festival tickets for one lucky iAM reader without so much cash to splash to win! Head over to our exclusive competitions page (pg. 30) for how you can enter. www.amsterdamopenair.nl
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New Music
Annie Dressner Sandra Nimako-Boatey gives up-and-coming star Annie Dressner's EP, East Twenties, a listen...
Singer-songwriter Annie Dressner is a young New Yorker-turned-Londoner releasing her new EP ‘East Twenties’. Annie’s sound is a mix of indie and folk – she has the poetic lyrics you’d expect to hear from an indie artist and she has the melodies of one too. Her first track ‘Heartbreaker’ is my personal favourite. The song makes you want to be nostalgic for a lover, which is a little bit frightening (!), but the song is that powerful. Annie sings about a past love and her memories surrounding that relationship, ‘This was how it was to be my love, back when you were my love.’ It’s refreshing to hear a love song that isn’t bitter, just open and honest. Even when Annie sings ‘You heartbreaker, you took my love and you tore me down’, you don’t hear anger – Annie’s voice is too gentle for that – instead you hear what would be truth, if truth had a sound. The folk instruments give it that uplifting feel, so you don’t feel hopeless that relationship that didn’t work out. Being the first track on the EP, it’s a great introduction of what Annie is like as an artist. In true indie/folk fashion, Annie’s tracks are filled with soft guitar melodies, violins and harmonicas. This is present throughout the whole EP, so it’s the poignant lyrics that really give each song its signature feel. Annie’s second track ‘I Can’t Forget’ takes us down a sad road and the deep tones in the music follow the longing and pain in the lyrics of the song. Its added depth to the EP really reveals a more personal side to Annie. Out on 8th April, ‘East Twenties’ is a fantastic piece of work and if you happen to be in London be sure to grab tickets to Anne’s launch party to support her! It’s on the 9th of April at the Slaughtered Lamb. - Sandra Nimako-Boatey
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New Music
Bird
Rushiv Nayee has a listen to Bird's Ophelia EP
Bird’s entrancing music seems to have been ripped straight out of a gothic novel. The three piece hail from Liverpool, where frontwomen Adéle Emmas and Siân Williams allegedly bonded over their shared affinity for various artists, including Warpaint, an influence which resonates throughout the EP. Bird are making waves. Having appeared on Radio 1, been touted as one of 2013’s ‘ones to watch’ as well as having been featured on the Guardian’s New Band Up North blog is sure to widen their fanbase and expose new listeners to their haunting yet seductive sound. The Ophelia EP creates an eerie atmosphere as it fills my darkly lit room in the early hours of the morning. The intertwining vocals of Adéle and Siân skirt along the floorboards and conspire to create shadows behind me. I surrender, and am left hypnotised by their voices by the time the Intro (Horses in the Waves) has drawn to a close. The title track is where Bird showcase that their musical skills are not limited to producing haunting vocals, as they lace a smooth guitar riff over an understated bassline. The introduction of drummer Alexis Samata adds a cohesive element, while they sing an ode to Shakespeare’s tragically fragile Ophelia. Both vocalists subsequently show exquisite interplay to harmonise and complement each other magnificently against the backdrop of a sombre piano riff on Pious. The EP reaches its conclusion with The Waltz, which cements the dark, ghostly atmosphere. The shadows behind me disappear as the song reaches its conclusion, but the haunting atmosphere lingers long after the music has stopped. - Rushiv Nayee
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Music
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Music Editor, Rushiv Nayee, gets to grips with Nick Cave & TBS's new album, Push the Sky Away...
The sheer longevity of NC&TBS is something to admire. Releasing their first album in 1984, they return this year with their brilliant fifteenth album, Push the Sky Away. The Bad Seeds have undergone several line-up changes since their inception, with the departure of multiinstrumentalist Mick Harvey in 2009 leaving Cave as the only remaining constant in the band’s 30-year history. Despite this, Cave still came back with fresh ideas and originality that resulted in a mysterious, melodic offering where minimalism dominates. With a stream of maturity flowing through Push the Sky Away, NC&TBS has developed a more laid back, contemplative approach. Guitar use across the album is sparse - many of the songs are driven by a persistent bassline - while keyboards are faultlessly utilised. This all indicates their quiet confidence; subtlety is key. Highlights include ‘Jubilee Street’ and ‘Higgs Boson Blues’ which both run longer than six minutes, although you’ll wish they were longer as they send you into a state of relaxed introspection. The album fades out with the hypnotic and reflective title track, where Cave strips away the majority of the instruments, has his vocals take the spotlight and lays bare his songwriting skills, leaving us looking forward to album number sixteen.
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Music
Darwin Deez
Besma Whayeb bops to DD's new album, but wishes it was live Darwin Deez is genreless. A mix of pop, psychadelia, electro, indie and some stalking too (see video for You Can't Be My Girl), it's a happy, bopping-around kind of sound. However, I think that's just my problem with it. D. Deez's first album, seeming more like a joke than a serious attempt at creating music, corresponds so well to their carefree style on stage - a crazy, dancing show, no less. And while this second album shows a slight maturity under the limelight, I do think it would sound 100x better live.
Rae Morris
Editor Besma Whayeb's recommendation for the month Rae Morris has been fluttering under the radar for a while now. With her beautiful voice and talented piano playing, it's no wonder she's recently supported acts such as Lianne La Havas and Tom Odell. Seeing her perform a little while ago at The Institute, her confidence while playing to a huge, bustling audience both in the stalls and on the balcony without faltering has clearly grown, and so too her fame. She's definitely one to watch, listen to and enjoy... and also admire, at only 20 years old.
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Film
Les Miserables
Sarah Breeze gives her take on the award-winning film
When I first heard Les Miserables was going to be made into a film, I was a bit sceptical. As a well-known musical, the success of such an iconic show seemed a lot to live up to. Then, when I heard the big names that were going to star in it, such as Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman, I thought that the focus would be on the cast of huge celebrities and the musical element of the story would be dismissed. But that just wasn’t the case. The film really is refreshing to watch. The acting in it is phenomenal, along with the make-up and the costumes. It gave the film a modern look, without neglecting the classical era in which the film was set. The use of British actors like Samantha Barks and Eddie Redmayne was really effective too. It makes you feel proud when you see true emerging British talent in such an iconic story. I have to admit, the cast were perfectly chosen for the role that they played in the film, and I really respected the directors’ and actors’ decision to record the songs live. There was no pre-recorded soundtrack that was edited into the final film; for each scene, the actor sang live so each take was different, capturing perfectly the emotions in the moment. The only negative to the film is its length – lasting over 2 ½ hours, I did find myself checking my watch a couple of times. Also, the story can be fairly complicated to follow and understand – it’s definitely one to watch again.
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iAM Competitions WIN!
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Below's 8th Birthday
Head on down to The Rainbow on us for Below's B-day!
On May 4th The Rainbow Birmingham will be hosting Below's 8th Birthday, featuring Sasha, DJ Sneak, Todd Terry, Kevin Saunderson Inner City Live, Mathew Styles. Derrick May and MR C. Event and many more. For your chance to win, send an email entitled "Below" with your name, email address and student number to editor@astonunion.com (Ends 26/04/2013)
Latitude Festival Tickets One lucky reader will win a pair of Latitude Saturday tix!
With bands such as Bloc Party, Kraftwerk, Foals, The Maccabees, Hot Chip and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, this is a festival not to be missed by any music fan! Hosted in the lovely Henham Park, Suffolk on 18th-21st July, we've got 2 tickets to give away. For your chance to win, send an email entitled "Latitude" with your name, email address and student number to editor@astonunion.com (Ends 31/05/13)
Innovation in the Sun One of you could be off to Barcelona with a mate!
If you like drum and bass, this is the ultimate getaway for you and a mate! We've got two tickets up for grabs - all you need to get is the flights! (See page 21 for more details on Innovation in the Sun). For your chance to win, send an email entitled "Innovation" with your name, email address and student number to editor@astonunion.com (Ends 31/05/13)
Amsterdam Open Air Win tickets to the AOA Festival for two!
If you like house, tech house, deep house, techno, disco, hip-hop and electro, THIS is your festival! (See page 22 for more details on Amsterdam Open Air Festival). For your chance to win, send an email entitled "Amsterdam" with your name, email address and student number to editor@astonunion.com (Ends 31/05/13)
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Sports Report
A Sizzling Summer of Sport!
With second semester drawing to a close and end of year exams looming ominously in the horizon, iAston Magazine takes a look at the feast of sporting events coming up this summer to get you through the long hard slog of revision season… by Henry Walker Saturday 4th May (12:45 KO) Birmingham City v Blackburn Rovers- the final day of the league stage of English football’s 2nd tier league. Our local side face off against Fried Chicken FC with the chance for the Blues to secure a play-off position. Win or lose, expect a carnival atmosphere throughout! Tickets: Prices TBC but will likely start at around £12 for students.
May
Sunday 12th May (3pm KO) Aston Villa v Chelsea- on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League, Villa host Abromovic’s Chelski. With this being a “big four team” AND the last home game of the season it’s a dead cert to sellout so get your tickets fast. Potentially a very emotional day with Villa battling relegation and a possible good-bye from fan favourite Stiliyan Petrov who has leukaemia. #supportstan Tickets: Student prices start at £25 but keep an eye out for cheaper tickets sometimes on sale in
Wednesday 22nd May (7.30pm KO) Birmingham Brummies v Wolverhampton- Speedway. I don’t know the rules (I’m not sure there are any) but how can anyone say no to dirt bikes haring round a muddy track without using their brakes?! Certainly beats being forced to go Orange Wednesdays by a flatmate to see a film you don’t want to see/have already seen! Tickets: £12 at the turnstiles with student I.D (www.birminghambrummies.co)
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Sports Report
June
Thursday 6th – Sunday 23rd June The ICC Champions Trophy 2013 features the eight best one-day international teams in the world, with matches held at The Cardiff Wales Stadium, Edgbaston and The Oval in London. Keep a special look out for England v Australia on Saturday 8th June and the final on Sunday 23rd June both just across the city at Edgbaston Cricket Ground. Warning: dangerously close to Uni of Birmingham Campus! Aston University hoody is a must! Tickets: Discounts for under-21s for the first time, priced from £10-£25 (www.icc-cricket.com) Monday 24th June – Sunday 7th July Wimbledon- Now Britain has a tennis player who can actually win something interest in the tournament has soared. Andy Murray is coming of age and, with a grand slam now to his name, he has a great chance to win this famous & historical competition. Come on Tim! Tickets: They’re harder to get than a computer on the ground floor of the Library! There is a tremendous atmosphere in the famous queue though and also on the “cleverly” alliterated ‘Murray Mound’. Friday 28th – Sunday 30th June The British Grand Prix- the smell of petrol & burning rubber, the screech of squealing tires and the electric atmosphere of Silverstone- whether that’s your idea of heaven or hell, there’s no ignoring the glamour F1 now carries (Sky have even given the sport its own channel!) It’s not a cheap, but it’s an experience that must be had! Tickets: £65 is the bottom of an exponentially increasing price structure (www.silverstone-grand-prix.com).
July
Wednesday 10th July – Sunday 25th August The Ashes: England v Australia- Whether you’re an avid cricket fan or just like lazing in the sun drinking with your mates, this is THE sporting event this summer! Sadly Edgbaston isn’t one of the featured grounds for this series but Trent Bridge in Nottingham is only a 1hr 15min train journey away. England has won the last two series and will be desperate to complete the hattrick. Tickets: Day 5 at Trent Bridge is as cheap as you’ll get £80 (www.bigticketshop.co.uk).
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27th-28th April 2013
Aston University Lake, Birmingham
CANDLE OF HOPE
ENTERTAINMENT
24HR BBQ
24hrs Aston RAG’s annual 24 hour Relay For Life will take place on 27th April at 12 noon sharp at the University Lake.
Fo r
n co formatio more in
ntact:
chair@ relay.nion.com u aston
In aid of Cancer Research UK, we are calling for teams of between 8-12 members to walk/jog/run/crawl/sprint around the lake for 24 hours!
Contact Ahmed Hassan: hassana3 @aston.ac.uk 07531 957502
ANYONE CAN DO IT!!! GET YOUR SOCIETIES INVOLVED!!! “Relay For Life 2013 - Aston University”
@AstonRAG