Issue 6 – Summer 2011

Transcription

THE FESTIVALS EDITION
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Features Rewriting history
Fashion Soothe the sole
Travel Valencia: Home of the Paella
Arts NTU DramaSoc’s The Rivals
Health Festival survival guide
Gaming & Tech Who’s laughing now?
catching that summer bug
Festival
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Editor’s Letter
www.platform-online.net
E D ITO R- IN - C H IE F
MARY ANN PICKFORD
[email protected]
D E P U T Y E D ITO R
OLIVER WHITFIELD-MIOČIĆ
[email protected]
N E W S/ F E AT U RE S E D ITO R
ALEXANDER PAGE
[email protected]
M U SIC E D ITO R
JAMIE MIDDLETON
[email protected]
F ILM E D ITO R
JAMES GORDON
[email protected]
H
ey Trent Army,
It’s with a mixture of joy and sadness that I write my final editorial for Platform’s last
edition of the year.
As a third year I’m sad to have to leave Trent Uni, as I’m sure many other final years
are, but on a happy note we’re nearing the end of the academic year and it can
only mean one thing for the summer: FESTIVALS! Turn to page 12 for our special
coverage.
Summer also means holidays right? Our travel section is bursting with
loads of destination ideas if you’re planning on travelling, check out our
recommendations on page 28.
As it’s our final issue it means you guys coming back next year will have
a new Platform Editor. He’s only just been elected recently but I’d like to
say congrats and best of luck to Christian Baker!
P H OTO GR A P H Y E D ITO R
STEFAN EBELEWICZ
[email protected]
That’s all for now folks, thank you for reading Platform this past year
and for everyone who contributed, especially the section editors.
A RTS E D ITO R
MICHAEL WORRALL
[email protected]
Hope you all have a great summer!
FA SH IO N E D ITO R
LUCY BUDGE
[email protected]
T R AV E L E D ITO R
LIZ RIORDAN
[email protected]
GAM IN G & T E C H N O LO GY E D ITO R
AARON LEE
[email protected]
Mary Ann Pickford
Editor-in-Chief
H E A LT H E D ITO R
THOMAS DELL
[email protected]
SP O RTS E D ITO R
VACANT
Email [email protected]
D E SIGN E RS
SIMONA CIOCOIU
ANDY LAWRENCE
LEE SKINNER
[email protected]
Platform Magazine
Nottingham Trent Students Union,
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Nottingham NG1 4GH
Main Event: £38 - Capital FM Arena - 8pm - 2:30am
VIP Dinner: £67 - Capital FM Arena - 6:30pm - 2:30am
Includes a free drink on arrival, VIP drink reception area,
3 course dinner in an exclusive arena suite plus entry to
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2IÀFLDO$IWHU3DUW\£5 (when bought with either of the tickets
above) - NTSU, Byron House. 2am - 6am. With Climax DJ’s and
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7LFNHWVRQVDOHTuesday 10th May & Wednesday 11th May,
10am - 4pm in Sub Bar (City Site). The Point (Clifton)
and Brackenhurst Bar.
Arrive early to avoid disappointment. Previous Graduation Balls
have sold out in advance. Payment via credit/debit card or cash.
Nottingham Trent Students & Guests only. ID required for entry.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor.
Contents
6 Union News
20-25 Fashion
44-45 Film
+Fly FM presents Grad Ball
+Summer prints
+Iconic summer moments
+Rick Owens
+Soothe the sole
+Raw print zine fair
+Spots & frills takeover
+Review & Premiere Report
Arthur
7-10 Features
+Who’s laughing now?
+Japan & Fukushima
+Rewriting History
+Revolutions
26-33 Travel
11-19 Music
+Top 10 student destinations
+Saint Tropez
+Berlin
+Valencia
+NYC
+Interview Motormouf
+Festivals Special Glastonbury,
Leeds & Reading, Download,
Indoor festivals
+Album Review Clapton Fox
+ Review Assault @ NTSU
46-47 Gaming
48-51 Sports
+Varsity Photos Rugby
52-55 Photos
34-37 Arts
+Platform’s hot picks
+Youtube: Ones to watch
+What’s on
+Theatre Reviews Avenue Q,
NTU DramaSoc’s The Rivals
+NTSU Awards 2011
38-43 Health
+Festival survival guide
+Savoury and sweet recipes
+Restaurant Review Red Hot
World Buffet and Bar
p12
4
| Nottingham Trent Students Union Magazine
p36
p46
Union News
Features
www.trentstudents.org
Edited by Alexander Page ([email protected])
a
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A
s I write this, it is four weeks to
the day that a 9.0 magnitude
earthquake caused a tsunami that has
devastated Japan.
FLY FM
PRESENTS GRADBALL
W
ell hello there! We’re Fly FM, your
student radio station for NTU.
We’re in Platform every month telling
you all you need to know about our shows
and making sure you don’t miss a thing!
IAre you into your last EVER month of
university? Yes? Well then you’ll already
have your ticket to the Graduation Ball
at the Capital FM Arena! Even if you
aren’t graduating this year, it’s definitely
worth buying a ticket. This year’s line
up is one of the best ever, and you’d
expect Fly FM were the first to announce
the acts. In case you missed out, the
line up includes Nero, Example, The
Futureheads, DJ Fresh, and as many DJ’s
as you can drink VK’s on a night out in
Ocean. If that’s not enough, there are also
casino tables, fairground stalls, and THE
biggest chocolate fountain you will ever
6
see! Professional photographers are also
around to capture the biggest night out
on the student calendar!
As usual, Fly FM is Home of the Varsity
coverage and we’ll tell you everything
about the biggest Varsity Series in the
UK, as well as covering live matches and
interviews with the players! The score
is incredibly close...let’s hope that Trent
bring the cup back where it belongs!
Be sure to check flyfm.co.uk regularly
as you’ll find out about all the latest
news and competitions first. We’re
on Facebook: facebook.com/flyfmuk
, Twitter: twitter.com/fly_fm and our
Youtube channel is flyfmuk. All the
shows have Facebook pages too!
Have a great summer!
The Fly FM Team
It is difficult to underestimate the
damage caused – 12, 700 deaths officially
confirmed, but almost 15, 000 people still
unaccounted for. As if this isn’t enough,
150, 000 people remain homeless. And
while money pales into insignificance
when looked at next to those statistics, it
is said to be the most expensive natural
disaster on record, and that the Japanese
economy will take years to recover. For
a student sat in her bedroom typing the
article on her Dell Inspiron laptop, it’s
impossible to imagine.
But the aspect that has captivated the
newspaper headlines is the ongoing
disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power
plant. Naturally, our panic-addicted press
has flown into action, with comparisons
to Chernobyl and Three-Mile-Island
flooding the papers. Mention the word
‘nuclear’ next to the word ‘disaster,’ and
suddenly, the ‘facts’ are presented in the
most dramatic way possible. Our papers
have a guilty record for this sort of thing.
Certain papers have been known to
publish headlines with a general message
of ‘We’re All Doomed!!!,’ after all (cough
Daily Mail cough).The reality of the
situation is that, although nuclear fallout
is expected to reach as far as America and
Europe, it is a much smaller amount than
the fallout experienced after Chernobyl,
as the safety measures at the Fukushima
station are significantly more efficient
than the Chernobyl power plant.
While the problematic reactors have
been hogging the limelight however,
a diligent clean-up operation has been
working to rebuild the damaged country.
There has been little criticism towards
the government reaction. Recently,
Prime Minister Naoto Kan thanked
the international community for their
support, claiming that Japan will “recover
and come back even stronger.”
So what news, if any, is positive? As
always, such a devastating disaster has
the power to bring out the best in the
human race, with 128 countries and 33
international organisations offering aid
to the Japanese. Amongst the citizens
themselves, it has been reported that the
famous Japanese attitude for forbearance
and laws that encourage honesty have
enabled the avoidance of large-scale
looting and disorder.
Japan was certainly devastated by the
tsunami. Officials have warned that it
may take months to bring the situation
in the Fukushima nuclear plant under
control. But the nation is looking towards
the future, and in the words of Prime
Minister Kan,“We now stand together
dedicated to rebuilding a nation.”
Imogen Hall
www.platform-online.net |
7
Features
re-writin
g histor
y
A
lan Gribben, world renowned Twain scholar
and Professor at Auburn University at
Montgomery, Alabama, has this month publish a
re-devised edition of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry
Finn. In this newly published edition the reader
can expect to find what is deemed racially
offensive language, replaced with watered down
version in an attempt not to avoid offending or
putting off readers. Gribben removes the use of
‘nigger’ replacing it instead with the word ‘slave’
alongside the changing of “Injun Joe,” to “Indian
Joe,” and “Half Breed,” to “Half blood.” Although
these are the only changes made to the original
text, there is still a great deal of controversy
surrounding this censorship of a classic text.
But why, 127 years after its original publication,
has Gribben decided to re-edit this well loved
novel, without terms that could appear racially
offensive?
In an interview with Publishers Weekly, Gribben
stated that the replaced language “Is not an effort
to render Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn colourblind,” but that“It’s such a shame that one word
should be a barrier between a marvellous reading
8
experience and a lot of readers.” But should this
original language stand as such a large barrier?
Does this change actually achieve anything?
The novel could be seen to mock the ridiculous
nature of slavery. Therefore, by denying it the
language used within the time, it waters down
the implications of the racial divide.
Censoring texts may water down important
areas of our history.Ignoring or washing over
the fact that slavery and racism existed for a
large part of our timeline is almost an insult
to people who suffered as a direct result of
slavery. It is important to remember times
in which our history is not so rosy, otherwise
we risk the chance of repetition.And with the
topics of slavery and racism becoming so taboo
there is a danger that it will lose focus and this
replacement of language could be an example
of this. Is this simply attempting not to offend
people of different races, or are we as a society
attempting to change our view of our shameful
period of history?
It’s all about context – Twain penned Huckleberry
Finn just after the abolishment of slavery in
Southern states of America, and it’s
set during an era when slavery was not
only present, but an accepted way of
life. We should be at a point in cultural
development to understand the actions
of the past and to learn from them.If this
is being done in order not to introduce
children (as Huckleberry Finn is in fact
a book initially aimed at children) then
how are we going to educate kids about
race?
The idea that a novel may encourage
racist language in children is to assume
that it’s not being used in other mediums.
Rap music for instance, is allowed to
produce albums which are brimming with
racial slurs, however as long as it has
an ‘explicit content’ sticker on the front,
it’s fine. In a classroom environment a
child may be allowed the opportunity to
questions Huck’s use of racial slurs and
develop an understanding of the way
that society has now deemed the use of
offensive racial language toward another
human being as morally wrong.
Finally is it our place to re devise texts
in this way? The reason that the text
has gained canon and worldwide status
is due in large part to the language that
Twain uses. To deny the author his
language could be a way of denying his
speech. Is it not the readers responsibility
to understand and interpret texts, to
question and challenge that author, and
therefore to challenge racism? And if
the answer is yes, then why not in the
classroom where children can be educated
in a safe environment before they are
exposed to it on a wider range? And if the
answer is no, then why allow children to
read it at all? Why not begin to censor
literary texts in the way that music and
media are? Literature remains one of the
forms of free speech left; The Adventures
of Huckleberry Finn challenges the
idea of race by establishing a strong,
grounded black character. And let’s
face it, isn’t ‘slave’ just as offensive and
condescending?
Eloise Dorkette Mclennan
9
Music
Features
revolutio
Edited by Jamie Middleton ([email protected])
ns
T
unisia 2010/11 is old news, Egypt
has ousted President Mubarack, and
Colonel Gaddafi still clings onto power
in a performance that should win him a
nomination for ‘Best Barnacle Impression
of the Year.’
It’s a fascinating time in history to be
alive. A revolution in Tunisia last year
has caused rapid change across the
world, with fascist regimes facing uproar
in many countries amongst the globe.
It’s almost like living in the Star Wars
universe. That’s the classics, not the
prequels, fortunately.The revolutionary
feeling has even reached us Brits –
March’s anti-cuts protest in London
attracted between 250, 000 and half a
million people, second only to the antiwar protest of 2003.
Obviously, it’s not quite on the scale of
protest that’s going down in Libya, where
a full-scale rebellion is steadily working to
remove the aforementioned Mr Barnacle
from his position of power. (Well,at the
moment, they’re stuck in a stalemate
because they can’t push forwards without
the aid of our bombers, but hey, by the
time this is published, that might have
changed!).
So was our intervention the right thing
to do? Personally, I think yes. Bringing
down a corrupt dictator is better than
ignoring him, especially considering
we’ve been supplying him with weapons.
But equally, our presence there looks
dodgy to say the least because Libya has
a rich supply of oil. I’d like to think our
politicians didn’t realise this – that there
is no ulterior motive. But after Iraq,
scepticism is inevitable, and I wonder
if the NATO forces might have looked
better if Turkey or Greece had led the
offensive.
Then of course, there’s the cost of
revolution to consider. Some might argue
that it’s wrong to spend millions on a
war when the government are cutting
essential services, not to mention their
support for university tuition fees. Not
to mention the cost of human life –
casualties are never restricted to soldiers
when armies fight, after all. In a recent
bombing of one of Gaddafi’s weapons
So I suppose the question that it all boils
down to is this: are these places ready for
democracy? Are they willing to pay the
price? Are we? Well, I’m not sure, but it
certainly seems as though democracy is
coming for them, ready or not.
Alexander Page
Motormouf
Platform loves to put the spotlight on
Notts talent, and this time we’re introducing to you Alex Young. MARY ANN
PICKFORD talks to Alex aka Motormouf
about his mad beatboxing skills and the
Beatboxing Championships that was held
in our own fair city last month.
So what was going on stage like at
the championships?
This yeargoing on stage was a bit nerve
racking to be honest. The competition
stepped up a lot! But I kept in mind
‘just do what you do and enjoy yourself
whatever the outcome’. This kept me sane
haha.
How did you prepare for it?
I had some ammunition beats planned
out depending on who I was against,
otherwise I would just freestyle some
crazy dubstep.
We were gutted to see you get
knocked out! Are there any other
dates we can catch you do your thing
in the near future?
Yeah I was a little surprised myself to get
knocked out of the first round after seeing how the crowd reacted. I would’ve got
through if I was judged through crowd
reaction but the judges made their decision which I respect. They must have seen
more technique in the other beatboxer
which I can see because the set I did
10
was more on the entertainment factor,
however the beatboxer came fourth and
didn’t qualify for the grand finals so that
made me feel better I guess hahaha! In
terms of gigs, I’ll be performing with a
band I have recently been playing with
named Just James and we will be rocking
out at the Golden Fleeceon 5th June.
Come down for a night of beatboxing and
some hectic raving!
How did you actually find out you had
the talent to beatbox?
I found out I could do it when I was 15
and I was out with a few friends who were
rapping. I randomly busted a beatbox and
they were so surprised and from then on
the rest is history.
Finally, do you have any advice for
any future beatboxers in the making?
To all you beatboxers who are on the rise,
if anybody tells you you’re rubbish, do
not let it get you down but at the same
time take the negative comments and
turn it into positive energy. Plus, nobody
likes a one-trick-pony, try to branch out
by doing other things like singing, rapping or anything else musical. That way
you can have more exposure for different
things.
The grand final of the Vauxhall UK Beatboxing Championships will take place on
11 June. For more info visit
www.ukbeatboxchampionships.com.
Photography: Paul Carroll
11
MUSIC
Worthy Farm, Pilton
D
rawing bigger crowds, bigger
bands and more amazing
memories than any other
festival in the world, Glastonbury is
the undisputed ‘King of Festivals’. In
recent times, Blur’s epic Sunday night
set, and Snoop Dogg on a sweltering
Saturday afternoon could only happen
at Glastonbury. The festival opens
opportunities, breaks down boundaries,
and brings together some of the biggest
names in current music.
2011
I have been to Glastonbury for the
last two years, and it is fair to say that
I have had some of the most amazing
and diverse experiences of my life. In
2009, I found myself walking around
on the Thursday afternoon amongst a
huge amount of hype that none other
than East 17 were going to be playing
that evening. The rumours turned out
to be true, and by the evening in one of
the biggest thunderstorms I’d ever seen,
there I was singing House of Love and
Stay.
Friday morning rolled around, people
spent the night phoning relatives to see
if the news was true - and slowly but
surely, families confirmed that Michael
Jackson had indeed passed away. The
rest of the festival passed with mystical
quietness. Various tributes from the likes
of Dizzee Rascal and The Streets made
people realise the various artists that
MJ’s influence had touched, his ability
to touch the diverse musical talents that
collected at the festival.
Last year, the festival was gripped by
World Cup Fever, as me and my friends
dragged crate after crate of alcohol
through the festival site in 30+ degrees,
hoping we could set up the tent in time
to get down to the main stage and watch
the match. Indie group Two Door Cinema
Club replaced East 17, and that year’s
12
highlights were Muse and Stevie Wonder.
A very different feel, but the same festival.
This year, sees arguably the biggest
names of their genres arrive once again.
Fresh after splitting professionally from
her father, Beyonce Knowles will be the
latest R&B star to grace the Pyramid
Stage, alongside rock gods U2 and Chris
Martin’s Coldplay. Perhaps the most high
profile headline acts we’ve seen for a
while; shadowed no doubt by a huge array
of talent on the various stages. Michael
Jackson is now departed (R.I.P.), the
World Cup is over for another four years,
so there will be nothing to disturb people
as they sip their Brothers Cider and
bask in the consistent sun of the British
summer.
To me, Glastonbury is the best festival
in the world. I have had two very
different experiences, but in no way could
I say one was better than the other. Both
have brought a diverse range of talent
to a farm in England. I have camped at
opposite ends of the site, and both have
their strengths and weaknesses. One was
wet, one was 30+ for the whole time. The
toilets are awful, but then anyone going
to a festival should be well aware of that
anyway. Any advice to give? Wet wipes
are essential, alcohol even more so. Any
food is approximately £5, and the choice
is as wide as the music, from Chinese to
curry, Tapas to tortillas. Any festival goer
has to experience Glastonbury. For me, it
represents everything that festivals aim
to achieve. Bringing people from all over
the world to relax, socialise, and witness
the talent that generations old and new
have enjoyed. Nowhere else could you
see Rolf Harris, Tinie Tempah and Stevie
Wonder on the same stage, and that, for
me, is Glastonbury.
Tom Wallin
13
MUSIC
LEEDS & READING
M
ost regular festival goers will
still agree that Glastonbury
is the crème de la crème
of the summer. But with the more
mainstream line-ups of the past few
years, the festivals at Leeds and Reading
over August Bank Holiday weekend
have become more popular than ever.
Having worked at Leeds Festival for the
last two years, I feel like I can safely say,
it’s definitely worth the money for the
atmosphere whether or not the line-up is
to your taste.
Cinema Club, Pendulum and Mumford &
Sons to name just a few. This year we’ll
see The Streets, 2manydjs, Beady Eye,
White Lies, Jane’s Addiction and Panic!
At The Disco gracing the tent.
There’s also the Festival Republic Stage
bestowing upon us Peter Doherty yeah, I dunno when he became formal
either - The Horrors, and The Midnight
Beast. Not to mention the alternative
stage hosting comedians and other
entertainments, so far this year including
Russell Kane and Tim Minchin.
When I think of Leeds, I think of warm
hazy days, bonfires and a general sense of
comradeship and euphoria. Maybe that’s
just me, but it seems like Leeds is one of
those festivals where anyone will talk to
anyone - and the topic is usually music,
which is what we like!
And of course, there’s the usual festival
business alongside all this musical
mayhem. Stalls selling everything from
clothing to furniture to… oxygen? Yup,
now you can rejuvenate from last night’s
cider hangover in style.
Recent years have brought us huge
headliners such as Kings of Leon,
Radiohead and Arctic Monkeys in 2009,
with Arcade Fire, Guns N’ Roses and
amazingly Blink 182 on the main stage
last year. It might seem strange to put
bands so dissimilar in style and tone on
across one festival, but somehow Leeds
and Reading pull it off each year - there’s
something for almost anyone, because
there are literally so many stages you
have to troll for twenty minutes to get
from one to the other. Headlining this
year is the biggest variety we’ve seen yet,
with Muse, Elbow and Interpol playing
Friday night, My Chemical Romance,
30SECONDSTOMARS and The Offspring
on Saturday, and Sunday finishing with
the reunion of Pulp, The Strokes, The
National and Jimmy Eat World.
To me, Leeds is as much a holiday as it is
a festival. It’s a place to make friends with
people you’d never normally meet - and
you’d be surprised at what strangers have
to say. Who’d have thought the stoned
looking guy with the knee length dreads
was an All Time Low fan? Or the preppy
looking girl with the bleach white hair
was hugely into Limp Bizkit? If there’s
one thing I’ve learned, it’s not to judge
anyone by their appearances - when it
comes down to it and you’re all jumping
up and down, waving your arms like a
maniac under a starry sky, everyone there
is a music lover.
Each year, the main stage gives us
something radically different each night
while the NME/Radio 1 Stage spoils us
with yet more variety, usually showcasing
the slightly odder artists with a more
specific following - recently Frank Turner,
Crystal Castles, Band of Skulls, Two Door
14
If I could tell you to do one thing this
summer, it’s go to this festival. It may
seem like it costs a bomb for just three
days of mud, no sleep and hangovers, but
really it’s what you make it. I’ve made
friends for life wandering round the Red
Campsite at 3am in a reflective jacket,
even as a member of staff - and there’s
nothing better than sharing music with
people that way.
Jamie Middleton
15
MUSIC
Three stages, three days and over 100,000
people living at a racetrack - it must be
time for Donnington Park’s Download
festival, this year featuring some of the
most revered bands in the alternative
world of classic rock, metal, punk and
hardcore. Friday’s main stage features
classic rock kings such as Thin Lizzy and
Duff McKagan’s Loaded as well as more
modern rock acts including The Darkness,
Alter Bridge and CKY with legends Def
Leppard headlining. Friday’s second and
Pepsi Max stages features an interesting
mix of more modern punk and hardcore
bands like the divisive Bring me The
Horizon, Anti-Flag and rising act, Young
Guns, with Danzig headlining and Korn
and Pendulum taking top honours on the
second stage.
Saturday sees a much more metal
theme with the reunion of System of a
Down to headline the main stage with
support from Avenged Sevenfold, Down
and Escape the Fate as well as more
interesting acts Hollywood Undead and
Skunk Anansie also high up on the bill.
The second stage follows Friday night’s
theme of more classic rock acts Twisted
Sister, Mr Big, Cheap Trick - with Alice
Cooper headlining and Funeral For a Friend.
Sunday seems to be the more
mainstream day with Linkin Park
headlining with support from Bullet
for My Valentine, Disturbed, The Pretty
Reckless and Bowling for Soup. Sunday’s
second stage and Pepsi Max stage feature
more alternative and less well known
acts with The Cult, Black Veil Brides,
Buckcherry and Turisas supporting Rob
Zombie on the second stage with acoustic
hero Frank Turner headlining the Pepsi
Max.
Overall this year Download offers a very
interesting and wide ranging group of
alternative acts over the entire weekend,
which caters for pretty much all tastes.
in
festivals
David Holden
T
Fri 10th - Sun 12th June
Donington Park
he night time slots are often the
most coveted by festival bands, the
place reserved for perhaps the top
two on the bill. The moments in the dead
of night when a band can enter onto the
stage shrouded in smoke and shade, only
to be finally illuminated and brought to
life by the blaze of lights unto a fervent
crowd of festival goers.
passing suited bankers and traffic
wardens rather than mud stained, straw
hat bearing, alcohol induced customers.
It is the time that a city is presented in
its most vibrant and spirited state in
order for you to enjoy its custom. And it
is for this reason that there is that little
bit of community spirit that is often
disassociated with these events.
The confines of a pokey clubroom where
shoes stick to the floor, the stench of
sweat is ever present and the cling of
bodies is ceaseless. This is live music as
it was intended. These are the places
that most closely resemble those
coveted night time festival slots. So it
seems a pleasing prospect to have these
conditions present throughout the day,
midday to midnight. It would seem that
an indoor festival is a perfect festival
compromise, or maybe not.
Festivals such as ‘The Great Escape’ in
Brighton host a consistently impressive
line up along with a bright seaside
atmosphere. ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’ makes
use of Alexandra Palace for the weekend
boasting perhaps
the most varied
and genuinely
intriguing line up
this side of the
Atlantic, whereas
closer to home
‘Detonate’ and
‘Dot to Dot’ link
the many pubs,
clubs and bars
of Nottingham
presenting some of
the best bands in
the country.
‘Festival’ is a word of many associations
that range far from music, it is the
community spirit, the ‘vibe’, that shared
patch of land, the dependence on the
weather. All these things that are of a
lesser importance to an indoor festival.
And it is for this reason that indoor
festivals do not receive the same amount
of hype and publicity as the larger
outdoor festivals. However this is not to
say that they are incomparable, rather
that the experience is entirely different
to that of Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds
or the like. Indoor festivals are more for
the love of music than anything else,
the rushing from one venue to another
16
So rather than disregarding the indoor
festival this summer, go and stay with
your mate at Brighton Uni and pick up a
cone of chips for 80p at a chippy rather
than spending £3 on a doughnut at a
vendor called ‘Go Nuts 4 Doughnuts’.
Matthew Timms
17
MUSIC
clapton
fox
W
ith such a name, it’s not
surprising to find that this first
studio album is a bit strange
too… and from the word go the influences
same. Yet on other tracks it all drops into
rhythmic, pulsing electronic beats. Which
after a while, gets a bit jarring.
A few tracks seem to be cut short, as
seems to slide into throwing obscure
metaphors to add to the background
music - not to mention the singer seems
to have taken vocal cues directly from Syd
O
18
of psychedelic forefathers is evident,
strange noises abound throughout the
album, smattering over the buzzing bass
and splashy drumbeats. Electronica vibes
though there were no better way to end
the song, leaving the album feeling rather
disjointed. There also seem to be a few
instances when the random sounds - such
Barrett and Roger Waters.
Having said all of this, this isn’t a bad
album. There’s something lurking
under all the confusion and clashing
pepper the aural landscape too, throwing
everything into a confusing mix of Pink
Floyd and MGMT. And that’s the main
feeling I get from this album – confusion
over what it’s trying to be.
There are some moments where the
whole thing drops into a very Animals
era Pink Floyd style, sparse acoustics and
shimmering slides over the airy vocals
- the song ‘Procrastination’ definitely
feels like homage to Pink Floyd’s ‘Pigs on
the Wing’, hell even the bassline is the
as a woman crying - feel very much like
an attempt to bring the listener back to
the music… If I’m honest I totally missed
half the songs on my first listen because
it just washed over me. The songs seem to
lack any powerful kick, each one trundles
along its course without much of a bang.
Lyrically, Amazing Thunderstorm seems
to struggle with the balance between
psychedelic and still holding any meaning
– even Pink Floyd had lyrics with potency.
For Clapton Fox, most of the singing
sounds that has a glimmer of promise.
Confusing? Disjointed? Maybe. But every
band has to start somewhere, and this
definitely isn’t a bad starting point.
Amazing Thunderstorm is available August
1st on Peacock Skins.
Alex Adams
ccasionally, the SU dares to allow
NTU’s Rock Society to have its
very own night filled with the
most eclectic and interesting mix of
punk, rock, metal, EBM and guest niche
sets. Assault takes up the main rooms
upstairs in the Pulse bar and takes place
every second Friday during NTU term
time, and is run by both the society itself
and outside DJs who started the night
many moons ago.
Both rooms split the content of music
being played with the conservatory
featuring the metal storms, punk
sets and guest niche sets - which have
included hip-hop, 90s grunge and dad
rock. Meanwhile the main room featuring
an EBM set - electro body music, which
is essentially dance music for Goths.
I’m not kidding, the sight of thirty
Goths with glow sticks stomping away
to dance music is worth the £3 entry
alone - and a more mainstream set which
has been known to feature everything
from Disturbed, Taking Back Sunday
and Lamb of God, to Vengaboys, Aqua
and Men Without Hats - a personal
favourite). From £2 entry before 11pm
and only £3 after, various cheap drink
prices including £1.60 for pints and £2.50
doubles and mixer, Assault is definitely
suited to those who enjoy the more
alternative and rock music of Hey Hey
Hey but prefer the prices of Tuned.
David Holden
19
Fashion
Edited by LUCY BUDGE ([email protected])
The lethal dose of vivid colour and bold print is just the
fashion hit we need after the camel stampede we saw on
the catwalks for Autumn/Winter 2010/11. This summer
it’s all about making a statement and with the 1970s
being the decade of the season – pairing up printed
garments is going to be a key look.
Summer
1.TUTTI FRUITI
2.FLORAL
EXPLOSION
We see the floral trend on the catwalk
every summer, whether its ditsy prints,
delicate or graphic floral patterns. This
season the designers are still recreating
our old favourite summer trend from
the bold to the subtle prints, there’s
something for everyone with this trend.
Take your pick...
3.SUPER
STRIPES
Stripes are a must this season and high
street brands have definitely taken this
trend on board. Prada has played a key
part in this season with their tropicana
prints and bright stripes.
Daisy Simpson
For many, one glimpse of the sun in the sky and the phrase ‘bare all’ comes to mind.
Skirts, sandals, flip flops, summery tops; they all dust themselves off ready for summer. However, it is the bikini which trumps all when it comes to must-have summer
items and there are many iconic summer moments which influence and inspire today’s
fashionistas. From Baywatch beauties to James Bond girls, they have all inspired the
changing fashions of the summer months in their own way and I have compiled a rundown of the most iconic.
1. Raquel Welch playing Loana the
Fair one in One Million Years B.C
(1966)
Here are the top three prints that
are a must for a Spring/Summer
2011 wardrobe...
Fruit prints are fun and playful – think
bright yellow banana earrings and
pineapples. This trend was seen on the
catwalks of Stella McCartney and Prada,
and can be bought in a variety of high
street stores such as RiverIsland and
Topshop.
Fashion’s Iconic Summer
Moments:
It was the publicity shot released of
Welch dressed as Loana wearing a fur
bikini and matching boots which turned
her into a star overnight. Welch stands in
the bikini amidst a haze of dust, gazing
up at the sun above her, it was this shot
and this bikini which turned her into an
instant sex symbol.
2. Brigitte Bardot on the beach during the Cannes Film Festival (1953)
At only 18, the images of Bardot wearing
a flowery bikini became perhaps the most
iconic images of her, inspiring many to
follow in her footsteps.
6. Elizabeth Taylor in Suddenly, Last
Summer (1959)
In tribute to the late Elizabeth Taylor, I
felt it was fitting to include her. The film
shows Taylor kneeling in the sand in a
white one piece, looking every bit the
glamorous, iconic star she was and always
will be.
Poppy Taylor
Raquel Welch
Brigitte Bardot
3. Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in
Star Wars (1983)
Captured by the evil Lord Jabba the Hutt
and forced to sit by his side wearing the
famous gold bikini that is now known
around the world. This iconic image is a
favourite at dressing up parties and has
even made an appearance in the television sitcom Friends.
4. Pamela Anderson in Baywatch
(1990s)
Everyone knows the Baywatch theme
tune and we all associate the tune with
the Pamela Anderson running along the
beach in slow motion wearing the red
lifeguard swimsuit. The phrase ‘forever
remembered and never forgotten’ comes
to mind; as Pamela Anderson spawned a
thousand look-a-likes, making her one of
the most iconic beach babes.
5. Ursula Andress as Honey Rider in
the James Bond film Dr.No (1962)
20
Perhaps the most iconic bikini moment
in history is where Andress emerges from
Jamaican waters in a white bikini, shaking her wet hair from side to side. Men
wanted her and women wanted to be her
and the scene itself has been re-created
time and time again.
Elizabeth Taylor
21
Fashion
Stand tall this summer in this season’s must have seventies inspired
wedges. From New Look to Kurt Geiger, chunky platforms to easy-wear
espadrilles, Darcy Summerton says there’s a style to suit everyone.
To say Rick Owens’ designs have
been gracing the bodies of grunge
royalty such as Moss and Love since
the 1990’s, it’s fair to say that of
recent he seems to have burst onto
the fashion scene from relative
obscurity. Jade Naylor reports.
This combined with a father who was
deeply homophobic (Owens himself
is bisexual), racist and conservative
(many of which Owens says his father
still avidly believes in, but turns a blind
eye to when considering his sons own
lifestyle) has helped aid the self titled
king of ‘glunge’ (a heady mix of glamour
Owens unconventional upbringing
continued through to his college
education where he studied at Otis
College of Art and Design, only to leave
prematurely due to lack of money to pay
for his education. Unlike many of his
American designer counterparts such as
Marc Jacobs and Halston, Owens didn’t
get his education through glamorous
industry placements at top couture
houses. He got them through working
with an abundance of Korean ladies
down the backstreets of LA in knock
off stores, working as a pattern cutter.
However despite his perhaps ‘low brow’
background, it’s this education that
has helped him become such a master
of draping. His clothes often ooze
fluidity, yet remain intransigent in their
structure and fit - much like that of
one of his major inspirations, Charles
James, who he insists is one to admire
“making beautiful things and live in
glamorous squalor in Hollywood”.
However, it was in the 1990’s that you
could argue Owens career really began
to roll. After becoming the Go-To man
to grunge inspired designs, making
clothes for friends and family, one of his
synonymous leather jackets was picked to
grace an editorial in French Vogue. At the
time it was featuring a little known model
by the name of Kate Moss. Soon after,he
was picked up by American powerhouse
and editor of American Vogue Anna
Wintour, who then sponsored his first
show in New York. The rest they say is
history.
Owens’ aesthetics is striking to say the
least, both personally and throughout
his collections. He doesn’t advertise
and only does two fashion shows a
year (both men’s and women’s). It’s
becoming increasingly hard to escape
his magnitude. Everything he does
is kept monochromatic, whether it
be his collections (black, white and
all the ‘smoke’ and ‘pewters’ inbetween) or sparse, yet undeniably
luxe stores. He chooses only the best
in fabrics and materials, using only
the finest cashmere to ladder and
the most delicate silk chiffon to fray
and desecrate and playfully switches
between soft and flowing to hard,
rigid and structured. He embodies the
resurrection of 90’s grunge trend yet
updates it to 2011 standards showing
that partying hard and the reckless
nature of fashion is still as prevalent
now, recession or no recession. After
all, as the man himself says “the candle
that burns at both ends might burn
shorter, but it burns brighter”.
Rick Owens Fall/ Winter 2011 womens collection Rick Owens Fall/ Winter 2011 mens collection
http://www.rickowens.eu/
http://www.rickowens.eu/
Born in Porteville in Los Angeles in
1962, Owens’ turbulent relationship
with his excessively right wing father
during his sheltered upbringing is
apparent through his work. Talking
about his Catholic upbringing he says, “I
was a very sheltered, very thinned, super
sensitive little boy. It was hard, it was
very hard. I mean, the other kids were
vicious, like animals. I could totally have
gone Columbine over there.”.
and grunge) channel his anger into
his luxurious disheveled and damaged
designs.
The best thing about wedges is how they
can be dressed down and worn with sun
dresses, playsuits and bell bottom jeans
or dressed up and teamed with maxi
dresses, jumpsuits or smart trousers.
The wedge heel is definitely the most
comfortable way to party in style, be it at
Portrait by Owenscorp for Vice Magazine
http://www.viceland.com/int/v16n3/htdocs/rick-owens-736.php
A
merican born and part Mexican,
Owens may at first seem a fairly
unassuming, niche brand in itself,
but considering he turned over $50
million last year it would appear he has
the appeal of a much broader audience.
When living in an economic climate
which has left fashion falling back on old
favourites, many of which evoke a sense
of monotony and an indistinguishable
style, it’s an inspiration that a designer
such as Owens - who still very much
lives on the fringes of the industry- has
managed to flourish providing such an
unconventional view of fashion.
22
Sole
Soothe the
a family barbeque or out on the town.
So, Platform has hunted high and low
to find the hottest styles for summer
wedges. We have chosen six high street
hits which all show different ways you
can interpret this season’s trend.
ASOS
New Look
These ruched strap wedges from ASOS
are perfect for adding a bit of humph
into an outfit. Striking tie-dye is one
of this season’s most loved prints
and if you want attention grabbing
footwear then ASOS have provided an
affordable way to stop people in their
tracks. Take Boho to a new level.
£45.00
Be bang on trend with these coral
leather ankle strap sandals with cut
out and punch hole detail. The peep
toe appears again however this time
with a chunky straw wedge. This key
style would look beautiful with a
crochet dress or even with flares or
hot pants; a great alternative for a
more laid back look.
£34.99
ALDO
Kurt Geiger
Mules are also a must this season.
ALDO has epitomised the seventies
with the platform heel and flowershape cut-out detail. The wedge
combines fashion with function and
this look is a much more comfortable
way of interpreting the clog trend too.
The tanned leather look would suit
most summer ensembles, particularly
teamed with denim. The cute peep toe
detail allows room for those brightly
polished nails.
If you fancy a splurge this spring/
summer then indulge in these Kurt
Geiger espadrilles. Beautifully woven
and casually chic, these KG comfys
are a perfect canvas to style with cute
summery pieces; A-line skirts, Sailor’s
stripes and cropped, gypsy tops.
If you can’t pocket these designer
lovelies then they are more styles in
a variety of colours and prints on the
high street.
£95.00
£70.00
Office
Be bright and bold with block colours.
Check out these suede fuchsia bad
boys from Office. This style is a
more glamorous and sophisticated
interpretation of the seventies,
taking the look more Studio 54 than
Woodstock festival. Do it like Dior
this season and brave major colour
blocking and contrasting. Mix up
your colour palette and combine light
and harsh hues in your clothing and
footwear – the brighter the better.
£75.00
Next
Another key trend this season is
texture and Next has brilliantly
created high fashion footwear with
black snake skin strapes and cork
heel platforms. The buckle is a great
chunky aesthetic, adding that extra
detail, making them look less cheap
and more cheerful. Complete the look
with creamy colours, plaited hair and
cat eye sunglasses.
£24.00
Reach new heights this season with stylish yet practical fashion footwear, the seventies style
is definitely here to stay. Straw, rope and cork or brights, neons and patterns, there’s a look
for almost anyone.
23
Fashion
spots
&
It’s
frills
t a k e o v e r
T
here is no denying that polka dot is
back for good. It’s all over the high
street at the moment, and as the
shops begin to fill with bikinis and beach
wear, there is the ever-looming dread
we all have of stripping down in front
of everyone at the pool side. However,
So, first things first, let’s clear up what ah
zine actually is…
zine
(zin) — n informal a
magazine or fanzine
.
fan zine
/fæn zin, fæn zin/ [fanzeen, fan-zeen]
–noun
a magazine or other
periodical produced
inexpensively by and for
fans of science fiction and
fantasy writing, comic
books, popular music, or
other specialized popular
interests.
24
T
he Raw Print Club is a collaborative
project within the school of Art
and Design here at Trent, for
creators, admirers and lovers of zines,
indie magazines and artist’s books.
On Saturday 28th May, Raw Print will
play host to Nottingham’s first big Zine
Fair, down at the Hopkinson Gallery
(found on Station Street, right near the
train station!).
Here, we will be selling zines created by
students and fellow zinesters. Raw Print
would love to showcase new zines, so
please feel free to contact us if you would
like to sell your own creation here.
Leading up to the event, we are also
holding meetings at The Orange Tree
pub. This is a great chance for you to
discuss your favourite zines over a pint
with other zinesters and students. Look
out for posters around uni and events on
Facebook for our next meeting!
is of course what most of these designs
are based on as they are a re-make of the
50-60’s style).
Lots of us just stick to bikinis and shorts,
but for those of you who want to cover
up a bit more, or perhaps just want a
more glamorous look, there is also a great
Check us out on Facebook for more info,
just type ‘Raw Print Club’ into the search
engine to find us! Here you will find
information on booking your table, be it
a half or a whole one, where you can sell
your zines.
there aren’t many on the high street this
year, however this year kaftans are the
height of fashion. With soft colours and
light weight materials they are perfect for
a beach trip with the girls. Topshop has a
great selection of kaftans and also a few
simple playsuits that are slightly cheaper
but just as useful and practical for the
beach.
Hats are also an essential for looking
good, but more importantly for
preventing the onset of early wrinkles
– something we students don’t seem to
worry about now, but I’m sure we will
be glad in the future if we do! H&M has
a beautiful collection that is ‘cheap and
cheerful’ meaning we can hopefully afford
more than one – which is great if you
want one for every occasion.
Charlotte McGahon
We have also set up a blog for some
inspirational findings for your zines:
rawprint.tumblr.com
If you wish to sell your zine at Raw Print
Zine Fair, please don’t hesitate to contact
Matt, Julia or Alix at:
[email protected]
Raw Print Zine Fair
10 – 4, Saturday 28th May,
Hopkinson Gallery, Nottingham
Alix Hope
looking at the selection in the shops this
year we needn’t worry ourselves with
painfully boring diets.
Polka dots and frills have taken over this
summer and it’s definitely not something
to complain about. Especially bikinis with
frilled edges as this can often accentuate
hips and bust, making the waist look
smaller in comparison and therefore
giving a more hourglass figure (which
selection of swimsuits out there. River
Island has a lovely range that includes
many fashionable and flattering styles.
However, if you’re into online shopping
Asos probably has the largest variety of
styles to choose from.
In addition to the swimsuits and bikinis,
we of course need the all important
cover-ups and accessories to co-ordinate.
The sarong seems to have died down, as
25
Travel
toptrentten
destinations
students want to visit this year
Edited by Liz riordan ([email protected])
borneo
the island of the unknown
The thing about travel is the sense of adventure, of discovery and that child-like spirit of curiosity and wonder. For 2011, my dream
destination is a place which embodies the traditional elements of fairytale adventure – ancient forests, daunting mountains, exotic
creatures and hidden beauty. Borneo conjures visions of deep, dark jungle and mythical tribes-people, and increasing numbers are
venturing into its jungles in search of the unknown.
The world’s third largest island, Borneo comprises Indonesian Kalimantan, the two Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak and,
sandwiched between, the tiny nation of Brunei.
Malaysian Borneo offers the challenging trekking peak of Kinabalu and a landscape of dense jungle and formidable rivers, populated by over 25 ethnic groups, some of whom live in traditional tribal communities. Kalimantan is one of Indonesia’s least visited
provinces, with a hidden world of impenetrable forests, local tribes-people and semi-wild orang-utans swinging through the trees.
Floating markets, hot springs and amongst the best dive sites in the world are just a few more reasons to discover Borneo this year.
Clare Absolon
brazil
I want to visit Brazil this year and in particular its capital Rio de Janeiro. Said to be Brazil’s most beautiful city I want to walk along
its pristine beaches while also taking a look at the culture which the city streets provide. I’ve never been to South America before so I
think this would be as good a starting place as any.
I want to take a tour of the tropical islands, have a picture taken in front of the famous Christ Redeemer Statue, walk to the top of
Sugar Loaf Mountain, visit Tijuca National Park (said to be the largest urban forest in the world) and feast on Feijoada - a meat stew
dish with rice and a bowl of beans. This might sound like the typical tourist thing to do but from my experience you only really get
under a place’s skin once you’ve had the chance to walk around and discover things for yourself. Right I’d better get learning some
Portuguese.
Liz Riordan
croatia
Over the summer, I plan to fulfill my dream of travelling across Europe whilst I have the opportunity, lest I regret it later. The trip
I have in mind will take around a month and with so many places to visit along the way there’s a lot to look forward to. Research
proves to me that we live on a beautiful continent, and there are gorgeous landscapes nearby that you perhaps wouldn’t imagine
you’d find so close to home; because they’re not an obvious tourist spot, it’s a relative luxury. For that exact reason, the Dalmation
coast is high on my agenda.
The Western coast of Croatia, particularly the cities of Split and Dubrovnik and the many surrounding islands, claim to have fascinating geography and stunning scenery. Famed for its traditional Roman architecture, breathtaking natural beauty and highly praised
for the quality of its beaches, Croatia is a little-known European gem. I think it’s safe to say the pictures speak for themselves.
Lindsay Arch
26
laos
This summer I am really looking to go tubing in Laos. Basically, it is the ultimate in organised drunken debauchery where hoards of
backpackers gather together for the sole purpose of getting smashed and playing around in the Nam Song River all day.
After a two mile tuk tuk journey you come to your base camp for the day, and the small town of Vang Vieng becomes overrun with
tourists, with everyone there for the same thing so there’s no trouble making a few new friends before you slam into the water, and
rumour has it there’s enough free alcohol to top the river up should it ever go dry.
But it’s not just paddling, there are zip lines and swings to propel you about in-between hitting the floating bars, dunking each other
and munching some of the famous ‘happy pizzas’.
Obviously there is going to be some dangers attached, but for those not too health and safety conscious it’s not a time to worry
about that, and if the worst does happen, hopefully you’ll be too wrecked to realise it or feel the pain, but you didn’t hear that from
me.
Zac West
prague
“Czech out Prague” my friend texted me wittily over the last holidays, a text which revived my desire to explore this eastern European
capital.
Probably most known in Britain as a popular destination for crazy stag parties, I think Prague is a quirky city with loads to offer
whether it comes to history, nightlife or food.
Personally I would love to go for a stroll down in Stare Mesto, the old town. Go look at the beautiful Charles Bridge while rubbing
elbows with other tourists, and when they annoy me take a boat ride up the river. I would bring out my geeky side by spending hours
wandering through the Franz Kafka Museum and the Museum of Communism, maybe I could even find my way to first floor cafés he
hung out at.
Finish the day slurping goulash and traditional dumplings in a local restaurant, followed by a visit to a small brewery trying out some
of their hundreds of beers. Then finally ending up in one of the city’s great nightclubs until the early hours.
Checking out Prague is quite simply my project for 2011.
Anna Tranberg
tibet
Mt Kailash is a peak in the Gangdisê Mountains, which are part of the Himalayas in Tibet and is the site for an annual pilgrimage
that brings together religions from all around the world including Hindus and Buddhists as the peak is held with religious significance by both. In the case of the Hindus they believe that Shiva – Destroyer of all evil and sorrow lies at its heart.
The mountain has 4 sides perfectly facing North, South West and East and is the source of several of the world’s longest rivers that
bring life to the hills and grasslands of many Asian countries. The Tibetan name for the mountain translates as ‘Precious Snow
Mountain’ and the site is often viewed by scientists as a ‘World Barometer’ on Climate change. When the snow melts from Kailash
we are at our most desperate hour. So despite the beauty of this magical region; unless you tend to visit it by foot: Don’t bother.
Tarran Huntley
russia
In reality visiting Russia this year isn’t really an option, but one can only dream, right? If I were to go I’d head straight for the capital,
Moscow. I’ve heard a lot about the city’s edgy art galleries and underground clubs housed in old warehouses and factories. And it
sounds exactly like my kind of thing.
There are also the more famous buildings like the Kremlin, which is described as a city within itself for all the palaces it contains
inside, and the world-renowned Armoury, one of the oldest museums containing royal artefacts dating back to the 16th century. Add
to that the stunning architecture of Saint Basil’s Cathedral and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a travel-hungry tourist.
There are a few cultural etiquettes that need to be learnt before going, though. I’ve heard it’s rude to smile at Russian strangers as
smiling is only reserved for close friends and family. Apparently it’s considered insincere to beam at people you don’t know. Now if
that’s true I’m going to have to practice my deadpan look, as I don’t really do not smiling at strangers!? But since I’m not going this
year I guess I’m safe for now.
Mary Ann Pickford
27
Travel
swanning my new year
around saint tropez in berlin
O
ne of the advantages of living in
the south of France is the nearness
to the sea and the myriad of little towns
ready for exploration. So one sunny,
early spring on a Thursday, some friends
and I decided to clinch the matter, and
at the ripe age of 22, I set out on my first
proper road trip. Our destination: the
pearl of the Riviera, Saint Tropez.
Most famous as a jet-set hot spot, this
little town is where royal families, A-list
celebrities and every other wannabe
famous person go on a pilgrimage
every summer to live the high-life on
the Riviera. The story of how this small
fishing village transformed into the
glamorous getaway it is today serves as
something of an allegory for its current
visitors.
Intrigued to see if Saint Tropez would
live up to these expectations,we set off,
armed each with acamera, a guide book
and several bottles of sunscreen SPF
30 in an attempt to protect our pale,
northern skin. A pride to the tourist
species I must say, only lacking the ohso-(not)-flattering hip pack to make the
picture complete.
Getting there proved to be our first
28
adventure andthough it looked simple
enough at the start, the roads soon
turned into a squiggly line on our Sat
Nav, slowly taking us up the mountains.
If you are prone tomotion sickness take
caution beforehand. The view, however,
is stunning when you for a second forget
that the tires of the car are less than
a meter away from the cliff. What you
would call living on the edge, literally.
It is nothing like I imagined. Based on
its reputation, it was a surprise to see
that the invasion of a bunch of loud
Anglo-Saxon people would make the
Tropezians’ heads turn.Perhaps we
attracted so much attention for lack
of the celebrity clientele that normally
swamp the village.
Walking through the harbour you get a
glimpse of what it must look like during
the summer months. Humongous yachts
side by side, all of them extending
further than the long side of my parents’
house, with names ranging from the
odd “Little Princess” looking like it could
have starred in Star Wars to “Don’t
touch” which all of us, of course, had to
touch.
St. Tropez is a town of contrasts: its
people, architecture and atmosphere
all clash like socks and sandals. There
are old men walking their dogs next to
preppy looking boat owners. The old
stone houses painted in mint green and
pale pink share the space with fancy
modern restaurants bringing out the
frosted glass and chrome. Finally you
find the off-licence store is right next to
the Dior boutique.The relaxed beach is
right next to a churchyard which in turn
neighbours the parade street with bars
and clubs.Truly an eclectic mix.
It is quite evident after a brief tour of
the bars and restaurants that this is a
place where the champagne and money
is flowing. We quickly realised that none
of them can offer ice-cream under a
tenner, or anything for that matter, so
we resorted to a nearby supermarket. A
box of Vienetta and strawberries next to
the line of yachts is the closest we got to
jet-set life.
Nonetheless, we can now count
ourselves to the same crowd as Jay-Z,
Jack Nicholson, Oprah and Barbra
Streisand, all of us having hung out in St
Tropez. Not too bad, my friends.
Anna Tranberg
I
n a bid to escape the inevitable tedium
of paying £50 into a venue where the
queue for the bar is 6 deep, your new
shoes stick to the floor and the chances of
remembering midnight are slim to none,
I travelled to Berlin for NYE 2010. On
first impressions, the city is urban in that
European way that appears glamorous
rather than grimy, with impressively
illustrative graffiti covering the buildings,
Germans wrapped up in effortlessly
chic winter layers and neon fairy lights
glinting off the snow covered pavements.
Known for culture, Currywurst and
coffee bars that never sleep, Berlin is an
intriguing hybrid of an exciting modern
city with an up-and-coming fashion
presence and a legendary party scene,
steeped in a rich historical atmosphere
evident in the sobering remnants of war
and memorials integrated into the fabric
of the city.
Berlin embodies a unique aesthetic,
exemplified in boutique hotels,
illustrative retail spaces and explosive
street art, all of which combines to lend
the city an air of modern bohemian
excess mixed with a futuristic arts
scene. Galleries and exhibition spaces
throughout the city offer an artistic
experience for even the most determined
neophyte, and there are museums for
every interest. The Hamburger Bahnhof
gallery is a definite recommendation,
with a permanent exhibition featuring
original Warhol pieces as well as
temporary installation spaces – during
January these were inhabited by live
reindeer!
New Years Eve in Berlin is legendary,
with thousands of people flocking to the
mile long strip at Brandenburg gate for
live entertainment, fireworks, funfair
attractions and a mile of dance tents,
food and outdoor bars. The atmosphere
is electric, and the light show onstage is
spectacular – not to mention the Hoff
performing live at midnight! The party
goes on until the early hours, and there
are plenty of bars on the mile open to
keep you dancing until dawn. New Years
day is all about brunch
– most cafes and
restaurants serve
fresh bread, eggs and
German sausages
until mid afternoon
for those with a heavy
head.
What makes Berlin unique is the sense
of historical importance that permeates
the city streets, bringing a relevance
and poignancy to the urban beauty of
its buildings. The laid back atmosphere
encourages lazy brunches in warm cafes
and afternoons mooching around the
many galleries and museums on offer,
while at
night the city comes
alive as
the eclectic locals and
creative
expats flock to the
cafes,
bars and clubs which
open until dawn.
This is a city of the
future cemented
in the past, of
lazy days and
electric nights, of
fashion, music
and art – and
you will want to
return
again
and
Another
must see
in Berlin during
the winter period
is definitely the beautiful
Christmas markets, a lovely
way to pick up unique gifts whilst
taking in some traditional German
culture. We visited the market in
the square at Gendarmenmarkt
for frankfurters, mulled wine
and live music sets against
the historical buildings which
surround the square, festooned
in fairy lights.
again.
Clare
Absolon
29
Travel
valencia
home of the paella
ecently I wanted to plan a trip with
friends somewhere in Europe, and as
I’m on study exchange in France, I thought
why not go to Spain - somewhere near.
My friend suggested we do Valencia as it
would be a lot cheaper than more popular
places like Barcelona or Madrid. At first I
was a bit sceptical and I had no idea what
to expect when we set off. However, it
turned out to be one of the best holidays
of my life, from the moment our plane
landed near a stretch of beautiful Azure
blue Mediterranean Sea.
The first thing you will notice about
Valencia’s city centre, is that there’s a
huge, long park that runs in-between
the roads, and it’s sunken becauseit
used to be an old, dried-up river. It is
absolutely beautiful and every time we
walked around, we would take this park.
Everywhere we looked we would see
delicious oranges on orange trees and
breathtaking nature views.
30
In Valencia itself, there is so much to do.
The City of Arts and Sciences is huge and
is so nice to look at. It reminds me of the
02 Arena in England, with the way that
it is designed, and really is something
special. There are amazing cobble-stoned
paths and a nice, old-fashioned, Spanish
feeling that you get when visiting the city.
There’s a lot to eat in Valencia, with
restaurants dotted about absolutely
everywhere. It is worth noting that
Valencia is famous for its cuisine. Being
in Spain we had to try Paella – for those
who don’t know this is a delicious mouthwatering dish of rice, mixed with seafood or meat (chicken, or rabbit). I wasn’t
quite up for eating rabbit so I had it with
chicken, and it tasted delightful. Also,
drink with fresh orange juice – bliss.
Spanish people are really friendly. I had
a friend studying there this year so went
to visit him and his Spanish friends and
they were so warm and welcoming. They
assured me that this is a tradition for
Valencian people, to make visitors feel
welcome in their city.
The nightlife is amazing. It’s interesting
that clubs there don’t really open until
about 2am in the morning, and then they
party well into the morning.
It is generally a warm country. The
universities have massive outdoor
“gatherings” on campus at night - this
was a great experience and so different to
any party I had ever been to before.
I would definitely recommend Valencia
to students – whether going for a fun
holiday with friends, or going with your
family, Valencia is a city you will have
plenty of fun in.
Jason Beilby
Photos by Mary Ann Pickford
R
31
Travel
walking in a
retail wonderland
T
hink New York and you think shops,
shops and more glorious shops.
For the girls anyway! Here DAISY
SIMPSON compiles her top ten list of
places to visit while in the Big Apple.
10. FIFTH AVENUE
Fifth Ave is home to flagship stores of all
the big brand names from H&M to Louis
Vuitton. Even if you left your bottomless
purse at home, Fifth Ave is worth a
trip down just to have a look at the
extravagant and beautifully put together
window displays, which get better year
after year.
9. CHINA TOWN
Stepping onto Canal Street aka knock-off
heaven, felt like stepping into a totally
different world. When walking down
through China Town you totally forgot
that you are in America – all the signs,
little stalls and shops are in Chinese –
well it is the largest Chinese community
outside of Asia. A very surreal place
which is crammed full with lots of tasty
Chinese restaurants.
8. BROOKLYN BRIDGE – FINANCIAL
DISTRICT
Walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is a
must. The view of the New York skyline is
32
amazing. When you are walking around
the streets of NYC you don’t realise
how crazy and built up it really is, it’s
only when you take a step back that
you realise. So much so New York looks
to have been made out of Lego pieces
stacked up on top of each other.
7. ORCHARD STREET GALLERY –
LOWER EAST SIDE
Don’t be fooled by how small this gallery
is, as it’s not about the quantity but the
quality. I got chatting to the owner of the
gallery about how he exhibits and holds
event nights for student’s and up-andcoming artist’s work. It’s a must visit
for anyone interested in alternative and
modern art. When I was in New York a
local student was exhibiting his work, the
collection by Zachary Delacruz named
‘Provocative Pump Series’ which explored
and probed consumerism, fetishes, and
the modern day woman, included shoes
decorated with stubbed-out cigarettes,
black glitter, gold paint and pretend
cockroaches.
6. OBSCURA ANTIQUES – EAST
VILLAGE
Interested in the macabre or the
slightly disturbing? Then head to
ObscuraAntiques , a weird and wonderful
shop which sells bear heads, butterflies
in cases, old strait jackets, freakish
looking dolls, photos of dead people, and
old poison bottles... Anything that sends
shivers down your spine. This best-kept
secret of the locals is a far cry from your
mid-town department store.
5. ATRIUM GARDEN – FIFTH AVENUE
Walk through the elaborate and
overwhelming Trump Tower and you will
enter into the Atrium Garden. Adorned
with art work, it’s a place where you
can step off Fifth Ave and away from
all the hustle and bustle of the tourists
and shoppers into a still and relaxing
atmosphere.
4. THE HIGH LINE
This landscaped park (once a disused rail
line) runs from the Meatpacking District
and through west Chelsea. Adorned with
wild flowers the High Line is a great way
to see New York, and in the summer a
must-go-to place for a picnic.
3. GREENFLEA – UPPER WEST SIDE
This flea market is perfect for a good
rummage and you can find some pretty
cool stuff there if you are prepared to
get stuck in. Greenflea markets are the
oldest flea markets in New York, which
makes them the cream of the crop.
Head down on lazy Sunday afternoon
(admission $10 – it’s worth it) or if
you’re lucky – get in for free on the first
Friday evening of every month. Check
out www.greenfleamarkets.com for more
information.
2. CHELSEA MARKET - CHELSEA
The Chelsea Market is situated in a
redeveloped factory formerly owned by
Nabisco the great creator of the mighty
Oreo. It now includes food shops such
as Hale and Hearty Soup and the Green
Table organic-food cafe, indiebook stores,
and imports from Marrakesh which
sells Moroccan art. This a great place to
wander through and grab a snack.
1. TIMES SQUARE – MID TOWN
Times Square is the heart of New York
City, and when you’re there you feel
as if you’re stood in the centre of the
world. It is typical NYC – bright lights,
advertisements, giant flagship stores,
billboards, and Broadway. Head to the
Hershey’s shop to stock up on delicious
chocolate.
33
Arts
Edited by Michael Worrall ([email protected])
ONES TO
WATCH
Catch Me If You Can – The Musical
Broadway Preview
HOT
PICKS
http://youtu.be/jJlxc6GRg_I
The show recently opened on Broadway and is based an old favourite starring Tom
Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s a shame it’s not nominated for many TONYs.
Catch Me If You Can on Broadway
This new show based on the film that starred Leonardo DiCaprio opened on Broadway
last month starring Aaron Tveit. You may recognise him from his guest role on Ugly
Betty and his role alongside James Franco in the film Howl. Check out some footage
from the show in our Ones to Watch.
How to Succeed in Business
Without Really Trying
http://youtu.be/7AL3qpCbJqM
Daniel Radcliffe recently made his musical theatre debut on Broadway in the revival
of this show, which has been nominated for several TONY awards. Unfortunately,
however, Daniel himself wasn’t nominated for an award.
Portrait of a Princess
http://youtu.be/BVcEXh1Nj2M
After been retweeted by Stephen Fry and various celebs, this video recently made
waves when it became viral. A modern satirical take on Disney fairytale musicals,
Portrait of a Princess is the music video of a song by Michael Bruce and is featured on
his album Unwritten Songs (available now).
How to Succeed in Business
Without Really Trying on Broadway
Daniel Radcliffe, known for his role as Harry Potter, is currently performing in a revival
of this 1950s musical. The show’s been nominated for Best Musical Revival at the 2011
TONY Awards. See Ones to Watch for some exclusive footage from the show.
Michael Worrall
COMING UP...
ON THE NOTTINGHAM ART SCENE
XV at Surface Gallery
Crocus Gallery
Based in Lenton, Crocus Gallery recently celebrated its first birthday and is a great
gallery and supports Nottingham Trent art students.
23rd May – 4th June
The 15th annual Nottingham Trent Photography Festival
Huang Yong Ping & Wael Shawky at Nottingham Contemporary
15th April – 26th June
ON THE NOTTINGHAM THEATRE SCENE
Footloose
Michael Worrall
34
Theatre Royal
16th-21st May
Tickets from £13
The League of Youth
Nottingham Playhouse
13th May-1st June
Tell Me On A Sunday
Theatre Royal
31st May-4th June
Tickets from £14
35
Arts
Review
AVENUE Q
NTU DRAMA SOCIETY’S
THE RIVALS
21 April 2011
Nottingham Arts Theatre
A
venue Q is a concept so unique that nothing
else remotely similar exists in theatre. The
idea of puppets taking the lead roles in an adult
themed musical is greeted with a confused look
and a “huh?” from almost anyone hearing said
description.
The UK tour kicked off in January after the show
broke records in the West End, running at three
different theatres during its 4 year run.
Rachel Jerram, who plays feisty nursery school
assistant, Kate Monster and genuine slag, Lucy
the Slut, is a sublime performer and absolutely
stole the show. She managed to effortlessly switch
between puppets and voices, often having to act
a conversation with herself. At the same time,
after understudying the roles for two years in the
west end, she has the characterisation down to a
tee and it is clear why audiences warm to her. Her
wonderful vocal brought the audience to tears in
the Act One finale, There’s a Fine, Fine Line.
36
Meanwhile, male lead Adam Pettigrew, as
Princeton, the unemployed university graduate
and Rod the gay investment banker, had the
audience in the palm of his hand for the duration
of the show. His cheeky portrayal of Princeton
evoked huge laughter from the auditorium whilst
the subplot of Rod coming to terms with his
homosexuality was both heart breaking and heart
warming at the same time.
The show provides an evening of hilarious
entertainment featuring songs such as The
Internet is for Porn, Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist,
It Sucks to be Me and If You Were Gay. This is
without a doubt, the perfect musical for students.
The production has a wonderful cast and this show
deserves to run for many years to come, both on
the road, where it is doing excellently and in the
west end where it previously played to sold out
houses.
Michael Worrall
This year at the Nottingham Arts Theatre
the laughs were-a-plenty as another
NTU Drama Society production took
place. After the success of last year’s
performance of A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, the society have gone for a more
challenging text, in Richard Sheridan’s
The Rivals.
The play, which – granted - is sometimes
difficult to follow and was harshly
received by even Sheridan’s peers when
it was first delivered in 1775, provided
a fine setting for a chaotic scenario to
unfold. Co-Directors, Will Buttery and
Nick Collins gave the eighteenth century
comedy-of-manners a feeing of anarchic
frenzy, which rotated around the playful
scheming of a young nobleman, Captain
Jack Absolute.
Each character was well constructed and
consistent, making the side-reel of gags
all the more amusing. Andy Rankin’s
cool and collected Jack Absolute had
an adequately arrogant manner. He
descended from a strutting presence over
his domain into swooning confusion
as he joined his victims in their pit of
disarray. Laura Ward gave Mrs. Malaprop,
the Lady Bracknell of the seventeen
hundreds, an air combined of refined
integrity with crushing eccentricity.
Her waves of madness were hilariously
amplified by the aerial of a long quivering
feather in her enormous wig.
made for very witty musical asides. After
a heated argument, Anthony Absolute’s
post-exit return of ‘Would you mind
picking up some toilet-paper…’ was
perfectly delivered.
Grace Quinn and Olivia Kingsley as
ladies-to-be-suited, Lydia Languish
and Julia Melville, brought a witty
elegance to the stage that was eventually
brought to its knees. Their first scene
was delivered with an unstoppable
pace, which built a comically unnerving
sense of uncontrollability. Their dashing
to-and-fro raised the temperature of
the scene and the heat of tension was
inextinguishable. Joined by the gusts
of a rapid, constant beating of their
oriental fans, Lydia and Julia left their
hairstyles perplexed – and their audience
bewildered. Anthony Absolute was given
a lecherous and sinister, yet lovable
rendition by, Platform’s own Features
Editor, Alexander Page. His lively
rapport with Jack produced a close and
yet competitive relationship that was
remarkable to watch.
Special notice should be made for the
commitment of Producer and CoDirector, Will Buttery, who stepping up
to the role of Faulkland, on the day before
opening night. His true professionalism,
wit and resourcefulness under pressure
made a Hamlet of an auxiliary character.
With several modernising motifs,
additional gags featured references to
Harry Potter etc., and a selection of solo
entrances enhanced by comic renditions
of ‘It’s Raining Men’, ‘I Can’t Live (If
Living Is Without You)’, and others,
As a big fan of last year’s NTU Drama Soc
production, I felt proud see the baton
handed to such an imaginative team and
to such talented actors. Each character
had a unique quality but all were driven
by their destructive natures - the parts
were cast exactly and played supremely.
The audience were often left in stitches,
undeterred by Sheridan’s unnecessarily
convoluted text; it was the actors that
they fell in love with, as well as the
characters.
Overall the production was distinctly
disorderly, but this only added to the
hysteria of the plot and was well received
by all.
Nicholas Charity
37
Health
Edited by Thomas Dell ([email protected])
The Festival
Survival Guide
Here at Platform we love the summer and all it
stands for: sun, warmth, and most importantly
festivals. There ’s no better way to spend a
summer ’s day than to kick back with friends and
great music. Festivals are the epitome of a great
weekend. Whether it ’s rock music or a hippy
convention, there ’s a festival for everyone. With
this in mind I decided to compile a few tips to
surviving the hedonism of the festival.
Tom Dell
M
y first real experience of a
festival was Download at
Donnington Park in 2004 and
boy was I in for a fright. In my naive
excitement I even forgot to bring a tent
or any blankets which meant sharing
with my friends. The weekend was great
although it has to be said it could have
been a whole lot better.
My personal view on festivals is that it’s
always good to be over prepared. Best to
have that extra toilet roll or change of
clothes than not. After all, you’re going
into an environment where pretty much
anything that can happen does happen.
So you’ve got a brand new tent, a lift
to the site and you’re clutching the
tickets close to your chest. What more
do you need? Well if you want to have
a comfortable weekend here are a few
essentials that we think you’ll need.
The Essential
Alcohol - This is for better or worse
one of a student’s essential items. Bring
a crate with you or a couple of bottles
of vodka and juice if you want to reduce
the hole in your wallet. Festivals are not
cheap places and they’ll try and charge
you extortionate prices for a humble
pint or cocktail. In the words of my
housemate “never underestimate the prelash” or for us - “save money by drinking
beforehand”.
Tinned and dried food
- This doesn’t need to be bog-standard
beans. I camped next to someone who
had a full English breakfast in a can that
looked well... Interesting. Like the booze,
food is pricey and I wouldn’t personally
trust festival food.
Tin opener - An essential item
that will help with the above.
38
Gas stove and pans
Decide which of your friends will bring
one so you can have warm food every day.
The Not-So-Essentials
A flag - So you can find your tent
Sun cream
at 6am when you stagger in. You’d be
amazed how easy it is to become lost.
Plus many of the campers may also have
taken advantage of Halford’s £20 tent
too. Mark your territory with a giant
Pirate flag or one confessing your love for
Justin Beiber. Be imaginative!
Deodorant,
toothbrush, soap
Wet wipes - There’s nothing
-Everyone’s seen
that one guy or girl who’s got some
redneck tan that glows in the dark and is
painful to the touch. Don’t fall into this
trap. Slap on the cream!
- Keep
your nashers clean and your underarms
smelling great. May also help you keep
your friends!
A foldable stool
Something I always forget, but very
useful when you get tired of standing
up, which is most likely very quickly in
the sun.
Phone-charger - I know that
there are places where you can recharge
your phone on site although they can be
expensive. See if you can invest in one
from your phone manufacturer.
more humiliating than the cattle push
for showers in the morning. Avoid the
morning grind with a quick freshen up
with the wet wipes until the showers
aren’t as busy. Might also be an idea to
bring a swimming costume and towel if
you don’t want strangers seeing your bits,
although this is up to you.
Stereo - Sometimes you will want
to bring the party back to your place.
There is a time and a place however and
if your neighbours are trying to sleep I
wouldn’t recommend playing it too loud
past 12. More often than not however
people will be glad to have some tunes
around them.
A few wise words
Don’t padlock your tent. This screams
‘valuables’ to any opportunistic thief. If
someone wants to get into your tent, I’m
sure they won’t be trying to pick your
lock when a knife could slice through the
mesh lining. Here are a few things that
I’ve tried in the past:
1.
Dig a hole under the tent and stash
away any valuables there. The casual thief
would not think of looking under a tent.
2.
Bring a role of duct tape with you and
tape your pockets shut to avoid any idle
hands nicking your wallet or keys. Also
prevents anything from falling out when
crowd-surfing, moshing etc.
3.But the best possible advice I can
give is don’t bring anything that you’d
mind losing. Nobody’s going to cry over a
stolen disposable camera or cheap phone,
however bring your iPhone or Digital SLR
and losing it would be pretty bad.
Finally
Have fun, enjoy the music and don’t take
any illicit substances. It’s just not worth
being chucked out for!
39
Health
Savoury
By Tom Dell
This is a delicious recipe and a brilliant way to re-fuel
your body post workout. Containing 40g of protein and
at only 360 calories it’s a great way to build muscle and
keep the flabby belly at bay. You can experiment with
other fish like tuna, however I find that the delicate
flavor of fresh salmon is really complemented by the
honey and mustard braise. Beware of over-cooking the
fish by making small incisions every 5 minutes to check
that the middle is cooked.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
450g asparagus
2 tbsp olive oil
50g Parmesan
Salt and pepper
4 salmon fillets
By Tom Dell
Caramelized apples are a perfect energy booster or
after dinner treat. If you want to get into shape over
summer and don’t want to spend oodles on energy bars or
sugary-based drinks then the humble apple is just what
you need.
Method
1.Preheat the oven to 200C. Combine
the butter and brown sugar in a bowl and
microwave until they melt together. This
shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds.
Remove the mixture and stir in the
honey, soy sauce and mustard.
Honey-mustard
salmon with
asparagus
40
Sweet
2.Toss the asparagus with half the oil,
grate in the Parmesan and season to
taste. Place the spears in a baking dish
and roast until firm but not hard.
3.Heat the remaining oil in a pan over
a high heat. Season the fillets and add
to the pan, flesh side down. Cook until
browned for 3-4 minutes. Turn them
over, brush on half the honey-mustard
mixture and place in the oven. Bake until
the salmon is firm and flakes easily about 5 minutes.
Apples are a great accompaniment to any meal and best
of all they are cheap and easy to prepare. Personally I use
dessert apples as they are larger and they absorb the
sugar better but that’s just personal choice, if you prefer
other types you can use that too.
Honey-mustard
salmon with
asparagus
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
50g margarine
4 apples sliced (dessert or eating)
50g brown sugar
1 tsp mixed apple pie spice
25g sultanas
Method
1. Melt the margarine in a frying pan
2. Add the apples and sprinkle with the
sugar. Fry tossing occasionally, for about
3 minutes until the sugar has melted.
3. Add the mixed spice and sultanas and
toss gently for a couple of minutes. Serve
with whipped cream or yoghurt.
4.Remove the fillets from the oven and
brush them with more honey-mustard
mixture. Plate them up with the
asparagus and serve. This should make 4
servings.
41
Health
WIN
A
RED HOT MEAL
FOR TWO!
Three verdicts. One Restaurant. MARY ANN PICKFORD, LIZ RIORDAN
and MIKEY WORRALL headed over to Hockley to seek out what was
quickly to be a gem of a dining experience...
Take a break from revision with a
delicious meal at Red Hot World Buffet
in Nottingham.
MIKEY’S VERDICT
The selection of food on offer at
Nottingham’s Red Hot Buffet is not
dissimilar to the amount of food you
might see provided for about eight
weddings. Of course, when there is so
much food to choose from, it’s difficult to
try out everything, but I endeavoured to
eat as much as I could. It would have been
rude not to, right?
Whilst I found the made-to-order pizza
disappointing (I ordered a modest
chicken and sweetcorn), in both size and
taste – it was small and a little bland –
the rest of the food was most definitely
of a delicious and rather intimidating
standard.
My favourite dish of the night was
undoubtedly the Mexican paprika
chicken, which the chef later informed us
is a secret recipe. It was light and creamy
with a zesty after taste. Several servings
later, I thought it was time to try some of
the other cultures…
The various curries on offer from the
Indian counter were also full of flavour
and just thinking about them now makes
me want to go back there.
Desert wise, the chocolate fountain
was clearly a must. Fashioning a sort of
marshmallow kebab and holding it under
the fountain for a good twenty seconds,
42
I don’t think I’ve ever made such noises
when eating before.
The entire selection of food is to die for
and I would defy anyone to go and not
like a thing. Also, the many different ice
creams they had made me wish I wasn’t
so full before dessert. I feel a return visit
is definitely on the cards.
the pizza’s take around 10 minutes to cook
allowing you to fill up your plate and stuff
your face while waiting.
Their burger with rosemary was a
highlight for me – hot, soft, juicy meat
packed full of flavour and cutting into it
was like cutting into butter.
When you think of a world cuisine buffet
you tend to imagine every dish to be
mediocre – because surely it’s impossible
8/10
for them to specialise in absolutely
everything? But not Red Hot Buffet.
Most dishes I tried were hot, okay so
LIZ ’S VERDICT
some had cooled down to warm, but the
flavours I experienced were better than
Friendly service, a buzzing atmosphere,
and food by the gallon-load, what more
most Indian or Chinese restaurants I’ve
been to. Their pizza was a little doughy for
could you want? Oh yes, a huge metal tub
my liking but their onion bhajis were hot
full of warm, melted chocolate – they had
and spicy and went well with their spicy
that too.
Bhuna chicken curry.
Red Hot Buffet pulled out all the stops
tonight. I entered the restaurant and
Another personal favourite was their
Mexican paprika chicken which was so
immediately several different cuisines
creamy and cheesy and
from Italian,
DISH OF THE EVENING:
runny that it probably
Mexican,
The Mexican Paprika Chicken didn’t belong in a fajita
Chinese and
but that’s where it went.
Indian, hit me.
That’s the thing with world cuisine buffets
It’s hard to know where to start first so we
– anything goes. Pizza and noodles,
decided to order a fresh small pizza each.
Up to three toppings are allowed including
calamari and curry, it’s the one place you
chicken, pepperoni, sweet corn, ham,
can mix anything together and not be
mushrooms, pepper, onions and more and
judged.
What truly won me over was their
mine was a bit disappointing. The size
homemade ice cream parlour and ladles
was good, probably similar to a beer mat
of melted chocolate.
which is the perfect
QU OT E O F T H E EV EN I N G:
Not that you have
size for a buffet,
any room left by this
I v e n ev er h a d s o m a n y but I found that it
point. At the end of d i ffer en t c u lt u r es i n m y wasn’t as crispy as I
the meal you are left m o u t h!! Mikey (we had a proper expected it to be. I
wondering how on
also chose the wrong
laugh-out-loud moment!)
earth you are going
flavours. Pepperoni
to make it home
and shrimp. Eugh.
without exploding.
That’s my own fault though - lesson
learnt.
7/10
The rest of the mains were brilliant
and so so delicious, but my favourite
dish definitely has to be the Mexican
MARY’S VERDICT
paprika chicken. It goes with rice, in a
fajita, with veg or even on its own. It’s a
versatile dish and I was gutted when the
Rarely do restaurants bring together a
concoction of many different types of
chef didn’t reveal the recipe for it.
cuisine under one roof, but here is where
There’s still so many dishes I could talk
Red Hot World Buffet finds their niche.
about but that would take all day. But
that’s the beauty of Red Hot World
Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Italian…
Buffet. I’m pretty sure that there’s such
Name it and I’ll bet you it’s there.
My starters were a mash up of calamaris,
a huge variety of foods from different
cuisines that even the fussiest eater
fish goujons and mini hamburgers. It
wouldn’t be able to resist to go there.
sounds wrong but trust me, it really
Plus the service is great, the staff are
wasn’t. It was tasty and you had the
really polite and friendly, and very
option to spoon in a little bit of sauce (a
wide range again, from mango chutney to
prompt in clearing up dishes.
chilli) if it was too dry.
We got to ordering our own pizza, and
7/10
“’
”
For anyone looking for a break from
revision and exams, Red Hot invites
guests to choose from their unlimited
buffet menu at their stylish restaurant
situated in Hockley, Nottingham. Choose
from over 110 dishes, freshly prepared by
their team of experienced chefs.
Whether you fancy pizza, pasta, curry,
oriental or even Tex Mex, Red Hot offers
cuisine from all around the world –
guaranteed to satisfy everyone’s taste
buds. After your meal, why not enjoy a
glass of wine or a cocktail with friends in
their contemporary bar.
Red Hot is offering Platform readers the
chance to experience their world buffet,
with a complimentary meal for two
people at their restaurant in Nottingham.
All you have to do, to be in with a chance
of winning a meal for two at Red Hot
World Buffet, is to answer this simple
question:
How many dishes are on offer
at Red Hot buffet?
a)
b)
c)
116
110
75
Terms & Conditions apply: This prize is for a maximum
of two people dining at the Nottingham restaurant
only. The meal must be claimed before 1st July 2011.
Redemption of this prize cannot be done so in conjunction with any other offer. The monetary value of the
meal cannot be exchanged for a cash alternative.
Platform’s competition T&Cs also apply. See website
(platform-online.net) for more details.
43
Film
Review: Arthur
Director: Jason Winer
Starring: Russell Brand,
Helen Mirren, Greta
Gerwig, Jessica Garner
Rating: 12A
Edited by James Gordon ([email protected])
Arthur is the story of a billionaire playboy,
who has no concern for himself or others.
Embroiled in alcoholism, and sleeping with multiple
different girls every night, he is wasting his life – and
his family’s money – having what he believes to be a good
time. That is until his mother drops an ultimatum on him:
settle down and marry a woman she believes can be trusted with
this inheritance and with the family business. Otherwise: he’s cut off
from everything.
PREMIER REPORT & REVIEW
I
n the latest in a slew of
Hollywood remakes recently,
Britains’ favourite big-mouth
Russell Brand tries his hand at
Arthur – the role made famous by
Dudley Moore in 1981’s original.
Platform was on the red carpet
at the films European premier in
London, and our reporter JAMES
GORDON has all the details:
In the shadow of the O2 Arena in
London, hundreds of screaming fans
aligned the red carpet hoping to catch a
glimpse of Arthur’s star: Russell Brand.
Some had turned up hours early, just to
ensure a prime position, and they would
not be disappointed, as not only the man
himself, but his wife: Katy Perry, graced
the audience with their presence.
Having missed the World Premier the
previous week, it had been a question
among the waiting crowds whether
Perry would indeed be there to support
her man this time around, and as the
announcer said her name the onlookers
exploded into the largest cheers of the
night so far.
Speaking to the crowds, Brand said that
he hoped to take parts of Dudley Moore’s
performance, while also giving the role
his own unique spin. “It’s important to
take certain parts but to make my own
man. It’s like a Frankenstein monster or a
chimera. It’s a mixture of lots of things.”
He also joked that while his kiss with
Greta Gerwig (his love interest in the
film) had been fun, it was his other costar, Dame Helen Mirren, who he really
longed to kiss.
When the Dame overheard him, she
walked up to him, and planted him
with a kiss on the lips, while the crowds
wooped and cheered them on.
announcing simply that “I hope you all
like the movie. I’d say more but well: I’m in
it. You’ll be seeing me in literally less than
a minute. So to say anything else would be
pointless.”
With that, the lights dimmed, and the
film got under way. The million dollar
question though: was it any good?
Meanwhile he suddenly finds himself completely bewitched by a woman (played
by Greta Gerwig) he meets on the street, falling madly in love with her at first sight,
only to realise that if he wants to be with her, he has to give up the money.
This film is at it’s best when Russell Brand is really allowed to flex his acting talent, and while
there are clear parallels to be drawn with his own life, it doesn’t feel as much like he is
simply playing himself in this film as it has in his previous work.
One particularly funny sequence at the very start of the film sees him and his
butler dress as Batman and Robin, purchase the original Batmobile, and
race through the streets of New York before finally crashing into
the famous bronze bull statue.
The real moral compass of the film though comes
from Dame Helen Mirren’s character, Arthur’s
long suffering nanny – yes this middle
aged man still has a nanny.
Before too long though, the star’s began
to filter into the cinema itself, with
those fans lucky enough to get tickets to
the sold out event hot on their heels.
Just before the film was due to begin,
Brand appears at the front of
the auditorium,
It’s clear that although
she has a blindingly fast wit,
her admonishment of Arthur is
never more than a case of having a bark
worse than her bite. She clearly loves him
like the son she never had, and it is through her
that the audience is able to see past Arthur’s flaws and
believe in the entire situation.
Is Arthur a masterpiece: no it’s not. But it made me laugh out loud on
several occasions, and the romance story genuinely seemed to work. For a
film which could have been a train wreck - massacring a classic - Jason Winer has
managed to make a perfectly fun and enjoyable romp of a film.
44
45
Gaming&Tech
On the frontlines of laughter
Edited by Aaron Lee ([email protected])
WHO‘S LAUGHING NOW
Aaron Lee explores why games haven’t fully embraced the school of laughter
W
e all love to laugh. Be it Basil
Fawlty’s hilariously outrageous
comments causing you to snort the soda
you were drinking from your nostrils or
the lyrics of a song that make you chuckle
when you hear them, there’s no shortage
of ways to get your comedy fix.
However, ask for ‘comedy games’ in
a game store and you’ll be lucky to
be directed to the shameful console
iterations of Leisure Suit Larry. For all
their technical advancements, games still
haven’t cracked the nuances and gestures
of the comedic formula, instead they’ve
shied away, and as a result interactive
comedy is still to be recognised as a genre
of its own.
non-playable character jittering in and
out of frame in an error loop can elicit
a vindicating cackle, while referential
tasks(‘save the princess’) and cameos
(“I’m Will Wright, bitch”) are a not-sosubtle wink to those all too familiar
with the workings of games and the
personalities that grace its business.
can be enjoyed by any and everyone.
Unfortunately, the idea of incorporating
comedy into gameplay itself remains so
wildly unexplored that game developers
are hesitant to approach, as much
because of the likely lukewarm
reception of such a ‘gamble’ as their
own inexperience.
Of course, all this self-referential
humour often flies way over the heads
of inexperienced players. But imagine
when a developer does master the art of
combining comedy and interactivity to
produce a seminal work - a Monty Python
and the Holy Grail of video games that
So could comedy’s best chance to grow
in this seemly incompatible space lie
not with games themselves but with
game culture?
We’re a good few decades from
seeingangel-faced young couples settling
down in front of an interactive romcom
- though the thought chills us, but for
years games, like Grim Fandango, Grand
Theft Auto, Jak and Daxter, Monkey
Island and Portal, have made us laugh
with acid-tongued one-liners, hilarious
visual bumps and bruisesand scenes of a
satirical nature.
Clever writing, acting and animating is
behind almost all of these pre-arranged
moments, however, the spontaneity of
our actions, and the effects they have
on virtual worlds, can be equally
amusing for us as players.
Seeing an annoying
46
Graham Goring is a game developer
and stand-up comedian. His material,
which isaudio-visualand far from
family friendly, is almost entirely
related to games and those who play
them. By lampooning games and social
stereotypes his show is moving games,
and the idea that comedy can be part of
them, further into public consciousness.
“Frankly it’s taken me three years to
write a decent fifteen minutes of jokes,
so the chances of writing a whole
half-hour of stuff in the timeline I had
(five months or so) was impossible, so I
decided something audio-visual was the
way forward. And it didn’t hurt that I
already had a computer program which
I could use to do this, as my Edinburgh
show uses the same engine that my
remakes of Wizball and Exolon,” says
Goring.
Popular comedian Dara O’Briain is
another strong advocate for the medium,
proclaiming his love for games (and
his dislike of them “locking you
out of content”) live on
BBC1 (http://bit.
ly/hHMfUs).
Anddoers
of
HA!
HA!
take themselves less seriously?
“Some do, yes. There are a lot of game
designers who fancy themselves as
earnest storytellers and they could do
with pulling the stick out of their arses
and lightening up,”
says Goring.
“It’s only really companies with an
indie ethos (by which I mean both
pure indies and companies like Valve
[makers of Portal] who are beholden
only to themselves) which really embrace
humour - look at Zombie Cow’s adventure
games for written humour or Underwater
Base’s Gesundheit! for humour derived
from the animation and sound.
I hear it has a really witty script’. Even
games like Portal 2 I’m looking forward
to primarily because the gameplay looks
excellent. The excellent writing and vocal
performances are just the icing on the
cake. I’d probably still buy it if it was a
joyless dirge.”
So anysuch crusade will have to
begin with gameplay, because
it’s players that drive
the experience. For
that to happen
Goring
says
For pure indies, it’s
probably because
they don’t
have to
filter
their
humour
through layers
and layers of
bureaucracy, because
nothing nerfs comedy like that.
For companies like Valve, well, they
simply have the best attitude towards
game production.”
comic
fun, Mega
64, bring gaming
to the masses with
their hilarious street
sketches of ICO (http://bit.
ly/12idfT), Final Fantasy XII
andSuper Mario Bros. to name but a
few.
Witty dialogue and moments of humour
have existed in games for years and
are showing no signs of fading away.
Perhaps a ‘comedy’ genre isn’t where this
trajectory is heading, but, asOverlord
series writer Rhianna Pratchettsays, a
realisation that comedy should be used
across all game genres to entertain
players.
As entertainment people are actively
seeking, comedy is gradually
gaining ground in the world of
games. Getting back to games
themselves, do they need to
Goring says players aren’t hungry for
more comedy in games, but enjoy
its presence.
attitudes
in the games
industry will need
change.
“In terms of triple-A games,
attitudes would have to change
massively, but I can’t see it happening.
The triple-A industry is built towards
making stuff which is a safe bet. How
would you justify putting content into
your employer’s 10-million-quid game
which might alienate part of the audience
because the humour is a little ribald?
Sure, you could say that extreme violence
alienates people, but it’s also proven
catnip to others. Comedy is less proven as
a ‘sell’, however.”
Looks like it could be several years yet,
then, before we can walk into HMV and
say, “where are the games that are good
for a laugh?” Although, the beauty of
interactivity means we can always find
ways to amuse ourselves.
Aaron Lee
See more on video game culture at
www.platform-online.net.
“No-one says ‘I can’t wait for game X,
47
Sports
Edited by Mary Ann Pickford ([email protected])
Photos: Letitia Randell
48
49
SportS
50
51
PHOTOS
Edited by STEFAN EBELEWICZ ([email protected])
T
he annual NTSU Awards recognise and celebrate all the hard work
and commitment that you, our members, put into SU activities
and committees. Without your efforts, we wouldn’t exist - so we like to
thank our exceptional student volunteers in style with a swanky awards
evening, complete with live entertainment!
Photos: David Baird
52
53
PHOTOS
SOCIETY EVENT OF THE YEAR
EVENTS WEEK (CITY CU)
54
BEST NEW SOCIETY
NIGERIAN
SOCIETY INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION
SEAN LAWLESS (AIRSOFT)
TRENT MEDIA BEST NEWCOMER
SCHOOL REP OF THE YEAR
Alexandrea Kerr
Initi8 Vol. of the Year (Clifton)
EMMA ROBINSON
MIKEY WORRALL
Initi8 Volunteer of the Year (CITY)
LYDIA DEARS
RAG EVENT OF THE YEAR
SHANI JAYAWARDENA
RAG EVENT & VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
BETH MURPHY
CITY OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
VINCENT AU
COURSE REP OF THE YEAR
LYDIA SAWYER
Teaching Excellence Award
PHILL QUINN
PLATFORM OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
FLY FM OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
TRENT TV OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
Teaching Excellence Award
LORETTA TRICKETT
STUDENT DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
LIZ McCLUSKEY
NTSU VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
LIZ McCLUSKEY
AARON STEVENS
ANDY LAWRENCE
JAMES CUTTS
55
end your
year in
capital fm arena
tuesday 14th june
8pm-2.30am
tickets £38
Open to all NTU students & their guests - The Graduation Ball
After Party 2am-6am @ Byron House, Nottingham Trent Students Union
Tickets £5 if purchased with a Main Event Ticket
Tickets from SU Express (City & Clifton), Brack Bar
and online:www.trentstudents.org
in support of Union activities

Issue 6 – Summer 2011

Transcription

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