BY LAURA SHEARER

The interplay of visual importance in the exhaustingly well developed costumes and the allure of the perfectly apt soundtrack is something you simply will not be able to resist at any cost. The stylish suave of the overall film completely immerses you in the worlds of the creative minds at work and in love. Placing itself as firm competition for any much loved classic period novel to screen adaptation, the mise en scene is engrossingly befitting for the narrative. The sets are exuberant and lavish with fine detailing at the core of their success, but by no means the only achievement. Huge scaled theatres are brought to life in full colour and charismatic density that’s simply captivating.

The cinematography is of first class standard. Every element from sweeping tracking shots to dramatic stills and, of course, superb editing, places you right there in the moment – sharing heartbeats in this rollercoaster of emotions. It’s that sort of rare fiction that resembles a niche, behind the scenes, fly on the wall viewpoint. In a flirtatious way it develops your growing need to see. So vividly aesthetic you’ll long to literally reach out and touch the fabrics, walk inside the sets and feel the power of the music played first hand.

A new weight has been introduced that wasn’t present in Anne Fontaine’s enigmatic Coco Before Chanel. So much of the mysterious, sultry and work obsessed Chanel is embraced in Mouglalis’ performance. After a few scenes she becomes irreplaceable, the definite Chanel, so mesmerizing you can almost smell her No.5 as she wafts past without a care or second glance.

It’s bizarre that such an open imposition can feel natural, but as the narrative continues and as you gain more of an understanding of the characters, the quicker the surroundings and events are purely experienced and enjoyed. The sheer amount of energy put into the film from all creative participants shines through in every beautiful sequence. It’s eloquent and possesses a great warmth that lingers long after.

BY STEPHEN CONLON

Supporting Florence and the Machine was Babeshadow, a four-piece unsigned band from Kent consisting of David Thornley, Sam Nadel, and brothers Tom and Adam Cawte. They’ve previously supported Florence and the Machine during their UK tour in May and, during their short 40-minute set, it was easy to see why they had been chosen to open the festival slot. Their eclectic mix of indie, folk rock and mid-tempo acoustic numbers sure set the tone for the rest of the night.

Florence and the Machine took to the stage and filled the outdoor event space with Florence Welch’s signature ethereal sound, backed by harpist Tom Monger, bassist Mark Saunders, guitarist Robert Ackroyd, and Chris Hayden and Isabella Summers on drums and keys respectively. The band interspersed their set with songs both old and new, starting things off with the singles ‘Drumming song’, ‘I’m not calling you a liar’, ‘Rabbit heart’ and ‘You got the love’. These well-known hits were interspersed with several album tracks, before delving into ‘Heavy in your arms’, a track which was recently featured on the ‘Twilight Saga: Eclipse’ film soundtrack, ensuring that they had the crowd’s undivided attention as a deluge of rain poured down on Custom House Square.

Undeterred by the weather, Welch engaged with the crowd by thanking them for coming out to support the band despite the weather, remarking that “Every time we come to Ireland we bring the rain,” recalling their appearance at July’s Oxegen Festival which resulted in a similarly drenched crowd. Still, as the headlining set got further underway, Welch showcased her talent on both drums and keyboard, and teaching the crowd her favourite dance moves.  She received a raptuorous reception at every turn and by the time the band returned for their encore, which consisted of three performances, the hours of waiting in the rain were soon forgotten by every fan in attendance.

The headliners closed the evening with a new track ‘Strangeness and charm’, expected to feature on their upcoming second album, followed by debut hit ‘Dog days are over’ which brought a gloriously well-received end to the evening. The only negative thing which can be said about the band is that they’ve only one album from which to compile their set-list. They could have no doubt maintained the crowd’s level of enthusiasm for hours to come.

BY ANDREW MOORE

Surprisingly the film isn’t nearly as awful as I was initially expecting, and the action sequences are fairly well thought out. However, Salt stumbles a few times through some absolutely absurd storytelling, which is just too convoluted for words. Whereas the Bourne trilogy unravels a mystery over the course of three films, Salt is perhaps guilty at times for revealing too much too quickly to make even the calmest of heads think, “WTF?”

Despite her, rather irksome, off-screen exposure in various gossip magazines around the world, it is easy to forget Angelina Jolie is actually a pretty decent actress. Though the decision to applaud or simply denounce her persistence of pursuing these action heavy roles is always a struggle.

Despite her Oscar glories in beautifully crafted cinematic dramas she seems to get a kick from making films such as the utterly terrible Tomb Raider movies, the silly, yet playful, Mr and Mrs Smith and the woeful adaptation of the Mark Millar’s graphic novel, Wanted. Perhaps she just likes these types of roles where her characters are one woman war machines who seemingly can’t be killed by conventional weapons.

In Salt, Jolie fails to expand on these recurring character traits and does the exact same thing we’ve seen her do in the aforementioned films. No wonder Tom Cruise turned down the role because it’s literally Ethan Hunt crossed with Jason Bourne.

The supporting turns from, the gloriously underrated, Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor were much more compelling than the soulless, grey ‘US government villains’ in pretty much every other action film seen in the cinemas this summer, from The Losers, to The A-Team, rounded off with The Expendables.

However, one of the main issues with Salt is that it’s perhaps 25 years too late to be truly relevant in correspondence with world events. Did no one tell the writers the Cold War is over? Those ‘Soviet Russians’ might have looked effortlessly evil when placed in Sean Connery era Bond films, but just doesn’t strike the same chord with modern day audiences.

Salt is without a doubt the best of Jolie’s ventures into the action movie genre and if a proposed sequel is indeed in the works, there are, frankly, much worse ways to spend money in the cinema. The set pieces are delightfully over the top, typically defying logic yet still loads of fun to witness on the big screen. As for the plot? Well, best take that with a pinch of…No. Too easy.

BY CHRIS JOHNSON

The opening title track is disconcertingly safe by the band’s normally unconventional standards, but its subtle melody quickly gets under your skin. Perhaps given their unequivocal ability, the record could be mistaken as ‘safe’, especially on the likes of ‘Month of May’, but this album is the sound of a band airing their pretentious nuances, leaving room for a more spacious and vitalising sound where melody is king. ‘Ready to start’ is a key example; built primarily around two notes and a driving bass line, it soon ascends into sonic territory. It’s the song’s economic approach that makes it all the more appealing, and is set to sew itself into the fabric of the band’s live repertoire.

On ‘City with no children’ and ‘Sprawl II (Mountains beyond mountains)’, the Quebec-based band have rediscovered the playful, wide-eyed charm once found in abundance on their world beating debut, Funeral.

The Butler brothers’ homage to their formative years in suburban Houston is perhaps symbolic, as it not only signals the band’s return to form; it’s their return to basics; it’s their return to simplicity; their return to innocence. The suburbs is a triumph.

BY ANDREW MOORE

Based on Eduardo Sacheri’s book La Pregunta de Sus Ojos (The Question in Their Eyes), a retired legal counsellor writes a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past homicide cases and for his unreciprocated love with his past boss – both of which still haunt him decades later.

A surprisingly accessible film; the pace and execution of the storytelling is absolutely glorious, as well as its seemingly effortless ability to skip back and forth between the ’70s and ’90s in its intertwining narrative.

The settings of Buenos Aires add a resplendently understated elegance to the feature, arguably similar in many ways to the film Adrift. The vibrant settings of Argentina enhance the film in a way Francis Ford Coppola’s Tetro failed to truly demonstrate.

The performances, however, are where the film truly shines. Ricardo Darin, in the leading role as Benjamín, is magnificent. He is shown in the vintage ’70s sequences as a man full of heart, as well as a truthful exuberance for the law. The more modern day narrative is in opposition, we see a man full of regret and faint wisdom as he refuses to move on from what has already become.

Equally, his female opposite, Soledad Villamil, is as beautiful as she is compelling. Yet it is interesting that her character does not change much from how she is originally seen in 1974; younger, of course, but always waiting for her man to sweep her off her feet. In this respect the film is, at its core, quite a moving and heartfelt love story which spans a generation.

Despite some particularly gritty moments, on par with the wonderful cinematic adaptation of The girl with the dragon tattoo, the ethically grey themes, touched upon in the film are fascinating. One particular area concerns the troublesome loopholes in a justice system, where a man convicted of murder can walk free by simply providing information to authorities. Faintly similar, nothing more, to the ridiculous Law abiding citizen, but told with much more intelligence and with a resulting vengeance even more sinister than a wounded husband who goes on a senseless killing spree.

Because the film is always being told from Darin’s first person perspective, essentially Benjamin’s novel, there is a hint of over-elaborate storytelling and romanticising of his past affair, but regardless it makes for truly compelling cinema.

Whether the film deserved the Oscar ahead of A Prophet or The white ribbon is frankly a ridiculous argument to get embroiled in, and not what the film should be judged on. However, regardless of which film you prefer, The secret in their eyes is still a gloriously executed crime thriller with some genuinely classy performances and exquisite surroundings. All from a bloke who directed a few episodes of House no less.

BY LAURA SHEARER

The typical corporate Mexicans and suave American stereotypes aside, it definitely connects with the original political impulses of the TV series, naturally where else could it have gone in retrospect? The punchy and charismatic introductions for each of the famed team-members relates to that striking credit style of the cult hit, but also functions comfortably as a decent start to an action flick. Getting all the familiarities in quickly and out of the way so that the outrageous explosions can take centre stage seems to overthrow what could have been a much more narrative driven first few sequences.

Surprisingly the camera work is up close and confrontational, ensuring that you will always be right in the middle of the tension, comedy and shark kicks of adrenaline. The structure of the feature manages to retain a lovely sectionalised sensation which is much like watching a back to back TV marathon. The darker and slightly heavier gravity to the performances and the weight of the action scenes is surprising because it somehow has developed a great adaption of the TV classic.

Touching at an already weak spot in politics, the modern narrative is set in Bagdad. The main mission is to stop the illegal printing of US dollars, so it’s pretty basic and nothing that’ll make your head hurt. The strategic planning of their mission demonstrates some admirable knowledge and, of course being completely kitted out ,it’s ensured that you back the rebellious team with their honourable reasons. Strangely, even though we aren’t given a narrative alternative, it doesn’t feel overly forced siding with the team, but that’s what makes it feel natural and a real pleasure to watch.

Never mind that Mr T doesn’t star, Liam Nelson provides a good helping of cheese with his scripted catch phrase. The A-Team is everyone’s favourite do-good renegades, but with a difference. Yet the enlightened way each actor brings our heroes to the big screen is amazingly familiar to who and what we have grown to love over many an hour in front of the small screen.

BY MATTHEW MCKERNAN

Without getting too bogged down in the plot, Inception is presumably set in the near future where corporate espionage has moved on to “extraction”, a means of entering the dreams of your rival and stealing their ideas. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the extractor and he’s the best there is. He becomes embroiled in the seemingly impossible idea of ‘inception’, an attempt to plant the seed of an idea in the mind of a business rival, effectively brainwashing them. Mind, there is much more to the film than this comparatively simple synopsis would suggest.

The first forty minutes of the film are hard to fully grasp and suspicions are that this is intentional. From the first scene, Nolan is giving you a warning, “Get ready to think”. Eventually it will all become remarkably coherent, as long as you pay attention and keep up. Those seeing the film solely for the visceral action of set pieces (of which there are many) held together by a threadbare story, which seems to be the way of most recent action movies, will suffer. But therein lies the beauty of Inception.

Having to think during a $160 million action movie is a rarity, and for that simple reason Inception is unique. Who, after ten minutes, didn’t know where Avatar was going? And who really felt moved to discuss it at length afterwards? Inception is full of ideas and is a genuinely creative film. Cherish it. There will not be many films like this in the multiplexes unless, of course, Hollywood takes Nolan’s lead and start making films that are actually about something again.

However, Inception is not without its flaws. Primarily a visual film and a film about ideas: the question of the difference between the dream state and reality and how to tell them apart is intriguingly tackled. As a result, it is not an actor’s film. As good as the cast may be, they are not characters. As the posters show, they are merely roles (The Extractor, The Architect, The Mark) to which each actor is assigned. Granted, the film is 148 minutes long. Adding character development, with a little exploration into the morality of extraction and a bit of humour thrown in, it wouldn’t be a film. It would be a mini-series.

Inception is a film you will find yourself thinking about days after seeing it. It’s a work-out and great fun for that. And it deserves every penny.

BY LAURA SHEARER

Think of summer and you think of the chilled melodies of sunny reggae. Jimmy Cliff is up there with Bob Marley and the other giants of the genre, so what better way to get into the Caribbean vibe than with The harder they come, a retro 1972 flick following the rise of country boy Ivanhoe Martin in Jamaica’s reggae fame after his criminal ways come to light. If the name Jimmy Cliff isn’t terribly familiar then it will surely to be lodged firmly in your musical vocabulary by the time the end credits roll. Those of you who are fans, your hearts will swell with love for the music.

This is a tale of musical freedom, with a genuine search for the quality of truth. Perry Henzell’s debut film is a real spiritualist piece. Ivanhoe’s bohemian radical spirit is his drive, his passion knows no bounds and his self belief is immeasurable. Striving to keep his girlfriend happy, his new life in the city is tough, his turn to drug dealing inevitable and hence he becomes a stereotype.

Violence ensues in true 70’s chic, so don’t expect anything impressive, but there is plenty of giggles with the unskilled editing style and interesting cinematography choices. Sequences of Ivanhoe’s ridiculous escapades are intercut with scenes of the search for him, and all of a sudden the producer that wasn’t interested in his music can’t wait for him to reappear. Some iconic photographs offer an insightful glimpse and are surely the most technical aspect of the whole film. Like so many, this is a film that has aged terribly, but that’s half the pleasure.

Set in the heartland of reggae, Jamaica is both beautiful and fraught with troubles, much like the life of our protagonist. Living mostly in poverty and struggling to make ends meet, surrounded by richness and gospel preaching, the  reggae roots are clear and apparent in wonderfully colourful dramatics. Footage of recording and performing has the same energetic exuberance that the whole soundtrack offers. You just can’t help it as a grin creeps from ear to ear, and before you know it you’re bopping along in the dark of the cinema, much to the distain of fellow viewers.

BY BEN FINCH

The fantastic Wolf Parade will be playing Spring and Airbrake on 6th September, touring their electro tinged indie pop and new album ‘Expo 86’. Signed to legendary label Sub Pop (Nirvana, The Shins, Fleet Foxes), their first ever gig was opening for Arcade Fire; if they happened to be a dog, it would be a pedigree Newfoundland (being from Canada and all). While it’s been five years since their last album, members have since gone on to form the acclaimed Handsome Furs and Sunset Rubdown, and ‘Expo 86’ shows they still know what to do with a tune.

Johnny Flynn, troubadour extrordinaire, folks things up on 17th September in Auntie Annie’s. ‘A larum’ and the ‘Sweet William’ EP are two of the best, and most beautiful, records released over the past few years. His new album, ‘Been listening’ contains a duet with Laura Marling, who he was on the road with earlier this year, and he’ll be supporting Mumford and Son on their UK tour later this year.

If hardcore punk’s more your thing, then Cancer Bats is for you. With songs titled ‘Lucifer’s rocking chair’ and ‘Darkness lives’, they’re playing the Limelight on the 4th November. As riffs and solos pound their way straight through your skull, you’ll be wondering how it’s possible to have so much fun watching people so angry and disaffected.

Holy Fuck is a name that raises a few eyebrows, but listening to their music, it’s exactly what’s running through your mind. Most people seem to think they’ll sound like Cancer Bats when they hear their name, but if that’s what you want, you’ll be disappointed. Playing dance music live on stage with none of the rabbit out of hat tricks of the likes of Calvin Harris, last time they played Radar it was awesome, and it will be again. They’re playing the Speakeasy on November 18th.

BY CONNOR DALY

VP Community Jay Downs stated that the Union “heavily condemns” binge drinking and any bar or nightclub that may entice school leavers to drink irresponsibly. Contrasting recently blasted ‘All you can drink’ promotions with the Students’ Union’s offer, Downs maintained that the 3 for £5 promotion on Thursday night at the SU does not encourage young men and women to drink large amounts of alcohol. In addition, Downs stated that the Union has a “duty of care” and that bar staff are ordered not to serve drink to intoxicated customers. VP Welfare Adam McGibbon also claimed that Queen’s Students’ Union has the highest proportion of security staff to customers in all of South Belfast’s bars and nightclubs.

According to the Queen’s Students’ Union’s Alcohol Policy: “When students engage in high risk drinking, academic performance, health, personal relationships and safety can suffer.” VP Education Nathan Anderson, however, denied that the Speakeasy’s offers encouraged excessive drinking. Anderson claimed that “tensions will always arise” when planning similar events. He stated that the Union “attracts anyone”, students and non-students, and “it’s not a member’s club”. Anderson described the Students’ Union as “a business, a service, and also a union”, and added that here in Northern Ireland “drinking is just a part of the culture”.

The Union’s Alcohol Policy states: “Queen’s Students’ Union has a significant commercial element and, as such, will be required to promote its events to its students and other regular users.” Promoting business, this same Alcohol Policy states that the organisation “uses its internal mechanisms such as posters, flyers, and chalkboards. It also uses alternative communication means such as Queen’s Radio, SUTV and “Student Stuff””. It is, however, unlikely that many disincentives of irresponsible drinking have been advertised via SUTV, given that QUB students are still without access to this forum, and the future of the facility remains clouded by uncertainty.

VP Welfare Adam McGibbon pointed out that everyone attending Thursday’s party would be over 18 years of age and thus of legal age to consume alcohol and avail of the drinks promotions.

VP Campaigns and Communications Fiona Kidd and Student Union Director Andrew Dodge were unavailable for comment.

Send your name and your answer to arts@thegown.org.uk by 8th September.

The event will take place on 12th September in the Black Box.  Support is from Matthew and the Atlas, Marcus Foster and Pete Roe with the Open House Festival.

BY BEN FINCH

In other news, Tim Robbins, star of The Shawshank Redemption, will be performing in the Limelight with his Rogues Gallery Band on the 27th September, the date his debut album is released. Described as “raggle taggle and rousing gypsy Americana”, it’ll be interesting to see what they sound like, as many actor’s musical side projects tend to fall awry.

BY WENDY BROWNE

Darkness. Pitch-black, all-consuming darkness fills the theatre and disorientates the audience. Then light, and both Anita (Eleanor Methven) and Davey (Kerr Logan) appear, as if by magic, at the edge of the dingy scene. A bleak, unfurnished Bethnal Green flat unveils itself on stage, a refuge for Anita, fleeing the prejudices of her former community. Dark green gin bottles, sources of future solace, are prominent on the counter’s edge. Then at once the audience is plunged into an intense ninety minute dialogue, at first hesitant and a little awkward, but which crescendos into fine moments of heart-wrenching emotional outpourings from both characters struggling to come to terms with Vincent’s tragic demise.

The questions begin in earnest for both Anita and the audience; who is this strange and beaten boy? Why is he following her?  And what is he hiding? At once a verbal fencing match commences between two people wracked by guilt and guarding still-bleeding wounds, inflicted as much by a bigoted society as by themselves. There is a mutual need for each other, the two drawn together almost telepathically, inevitably by a burning desire for redemption. Questions turn to answers, and yet more questions, as stories steadily outpour like the sloshing of the gin into Anita’s china tea cups. Social stigmas, not only regarding homosexuality, are broached in these tender moments of vulnerability; Anita’s banishment from her community, even from her own family, for an adulterous affair, and Davey’s struggle with his terminally ill mother and an emotionally unavailable father are deftly teased out.

Unexpected, dark humour flecked the melancholy performance, where sometimes sympathetic, sometimes even a little awkward laughter flowed wave-like across the unsuspecting audience. Seventeen year old Davey’s initial refusal to drink was met by Anita with stark realism; “You do now,” she stated bluntly, thrusting the bottle into his hands. It is this harshly prosaic sentiment that saturates this entirely unpretentious, unassuming play; grief hurts, life’s hard and you just have to get through it some way, somehow and preferably with someone. Alcohol, reminiscence and most of all laughter are clearly what Ridley views as the keys to this process.

Lyrical dialogue washed over the audience, permeated with beautiful motifs. Snow fell softly over the play, as a metaphor perhaps for Vince’s innocence, sacrificed unfairly for his sexuality. These metaphors jar with Anita’s searingly painful outbursts. Words become obsolete as she bellows heart-felt sobs that resonate throughout the theatre, demanding empathy from a similarly emotionally drained audience. Much like the roller coaster of Davey’s familial reminiscence, the audience unavoidably partakes in the journey, wrenching from Davey’s drug addled turmoil, to Anita’s stubborn self denial, climaxing in a quasi-oedipal sexual catharsis between the troubled couple.

What Sophie Motley’s interpretation lacked in dramatic action, indeed the entire performance took place in one intense evening, in one run-down flat, the piece made up for in emotional rawness. Like the glass ground into Vincent’s eyes, like the salt rubbed into these emotional wounds, the play acts as a visually painful reminder to its twenty first century audience that little, arguably, has changed. Indeed, no real anger appears to be directed at the perpetrators of the brutal murder. Rather, the play does more for the audience by focusing on humankind’s need to accept, to understand, and to cope. As the curtain falls few issues are resolved, offering only the qualified comfort of mutual empathy.

Although a rather demanding performance, ninety minutes of straight dialogue without intermission, this emotionally and physically dark play was juxtaposed poignantly with the ostentatiousness of the Belfast Pride Parade. Despite all the glitz and the glamour, homophobia is shown by the play to remain a blight that festers in a seemingly accepting society. It was raw, it was heartfelt, and, most importantly, it was real.

BY CONNELL LOCKE

www.queensfilmtheatre.com

Within the vast good-bad spectrum of film quality, there lies a weird nether region containing movies which are so bad, they are good. In this mysterious space a director’s sincerest intentions implode, leaving a glimmering jewel of unintentional comedy gold amidst the wreckage. Identifying these movies, and distinguishing them from simple guilty pleasures or movies that are just bad, can be controversial.

This leads us to the latest “so bad it’s good” internet sensation. Birdemic: Shock and Terror, was shown at a special event in the QFT on Saturday, so that the curious could make up their minds. Birdemic is the micro-budget tale of a young couple’s struggle to survive when their home town is attacked by a flock of killer birds.

Expectation was high, and Birdemic sets the bar low immediately. In the opening scene the male lead, Rod, walks stiffly into a diner, spies an attractive girl (Nathalie), and follows her outside where they exchange business cards. It sounds innocuous, but so much is wrong in these opening minutes it beggars belief. Wooden acting, atrocious dialogue, and above all, bizarre editing makes the film look and sound like it was composited together from a dozen different sources. Birdemic continues in this way throughout the whole 90 minutes, a feat that first evokes amusement, then amazement.

There is no plot to speak of; the first 40 minutes is a diabolical attempt at character development and romance. Then, without any foreshadowing, warning, or reason, a swarm of CGI eagles, which appear to have been rendered by a Nintendo 64 console, attack the city. The film immediately changes direction, as the two-dimensional terrors maim passers-by and inexplicably burst into flames as they crash into buildings.

Awoken by the commotion and trapped in a motel, Rod and Nathalie join forces with another couple, and together they fight their way past static formations of hovering birds using coat hangers, to reach a van and escape. As with all of Birdemic, words cannot do this pivotal scene justice, the acting and special effects are extraordinarily bad.

For the remainder of the movie the quartet drive aimlessly around the countryside, occasionally attempting to rescue people, and fending off intermittent bird attacks, in a string of absurd set pieces. As in every survival horror flick, the group’s numbers shrink as they are picked off in memorably bad death scenes. Eventually, out of food, water and ammo, both the characters and the audience are spared by the eagles’ spontaneous and unexplained departure. Roll credits, cue sarcastic applause.

No words can adequately describe the nonsensical awfulness of this film; it really has to be seen to be believed. I honestly can not think of a single redeeming quality, or any instance where the spectacle was anything other than a train wreck. At first I laughed along with everyone else at the screening, but then a deeper realisation dawned. Birdemic isn’t “so bad, that it’s good”, ‘Birdemic: Shock and Terror’ is so consistently bad, that it is literally the worst film I have ever seen.

BY ANDREW SCOTT

Avenged Sevenfold have finally discovered how to combine the metal technicality of City of Evil with the pop hooks of their self-titled album, and in doing so have created a true twenty first century metal classic. Title track ‘Nightmare’ is one of the best examples of this, contrasting the exploding fury of Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance’s riffs with the sly snarl of M. Shadows, culminating in a fantastic chorus that will go down a treat live. Unfortunately, this isn’t the perfect album. ‘Danger line’ lacks originality, whilst ballad ‘Tonight the world dies’ has no clear direction.

Listening to Nightmare, however, it’s hard not to get the goosebumps associated with the very best metal music. The vocals are purposeful and powerful, the riffs and solos are well structured and original, and the furious, thundering drumming shows just why The Rev was so highly regarded. Yes, it may be a long, hard road to success as a 21st century metal band, but with this superb album, Avenged Sevenfold have surely set the blueprint for others to follow.

‘Turn the Tide on Suicide’ has held what has been described as the most successful tea and coffee morning on campus in over ten years. The event was hosted by Students’ Union President Gareth McGreevy last Friday morning in The Great Hall. Those unable to attend the coffee morning could donate online throughout the day.

BY CONNOR DALY

Gareth McGreevy has recently been selected as the Belfast Centre escort for this year’s Rose of Tralee festival and has described his work with the 3Ts charity as part of his “journey” to the annual event. This year’s Belfast Rose is Frances Rafferty, a former postgraduate student at Queen’s University.

Raising over £1,600 throughout the day from both the coffee morning and online donations, McGreevy admitted that he was “overwhelmed” by the reception from university and Students’ Union staff to the event.

Speaking after Friday morning’s fundraiser, the SU President stated that suicide “touches everybody’s lives in some shape or form”, and especially on campus, figures of teenagers self harming in QUB accommodation are “rife”. More generally he claimed that attempted suicides come from “the most unlikely people”, from those “crying for help in the strangest ways”.

McGreevy vows to be “pro-active” on the issue of mental health throughout the coming year and to work closely with VP Welfare Adam McGibbon on this. He admits that Friday’s coffee morning is “only a gesture of what the union can do” to raise awareness of the problem of suicide throughout Ireland. However, McGreevy has stated his commitment to supporting the School of Nursing and encourages all students to show “a bit more of the spirit” shown on Friday morning.

BY CONNOR DALY

Mr Dempsey explained at Saturday’s summer school that his office advisers had examined every alternative arrangement to the Gulfstream IV jet to transport him from Dublin to Derry and later on to London. According to the Department of Transport this journey cost a total of €13,000. Responding to accusations of wasting taxpayers’ money, the minister explained to Fianna Fáil’s youth group that he was due to attend a meeting at the Irish Embassy in London the following morning, a meeting he understood to contain significant potential for creating jobs in Ireland.

Mr Dempsey’s comments came during the opening session of the summer school in which the minister took part in a debate on the issue of political reform with Dr. Elaine Byrnes, Politics lecturer at Trinity College Dublin and Irish Times columnist. Dr. Byrnes in this session pointed out the worrying sign of increasing political donations towards individual electoral candidates rather than political parties in the south of Ireland, and also raised concerns about the failure of some parties to disclose various donations.

Mr Dempsey suggested that political parties must try to move away from corporate donations and to go “back to grassroots” level, perhaps by asking party members to contribute monthly as opposed to current procedures. The minister went on to question the current electoral system in place in the Irish Republic, the single transferable vote system (STV), a system which is simultaneously used in Northern Ireland for elections to the Stormont assembly and the European parliament.

On the current proportional representation scheme, Mr Dempsey argued that STV encourages “clientelism”, it enables certain types of political representatives to avoid doing the job they were elected to perform, and is generally “bad for the system”. The minister went on to argue in favour for the List system, an electoral arrangement used in Germany.

The second session of the summer school focused on the Irish economy, north and south, with former civil servant Tim O’Connor and Dragon’s Den star and business entrepreneur Sean Gallagher. Mr O’Connor opened the session by discussing economic advantages all over Ireland, citing the north’s structure and the south’s technologic potential as pulling powers for foreign investment.

Mr O’Connor also pointed out the role of the Irish family around the world, what he described as a “global tribe in a global world”, as well as the muscle of Irish culture and “the power of anniversaries”. Turning to the Irish peace process, the retired civil servant paid tribute to all politicians of all parties across the island and said “business will be the oxygen of peace”.

Concentrating on the state of the economy in Ireland, Sean Gallagher emphasised that Irish businesses must be innovative in challenging times and across Ireland generally there must be “a readjustment of expectation”. Mr Gallagher compared the business world with the Catholic church in Ireland, Irish banks and the political system when he warned of the need for accountability. Supporting the idea of an all-Ireland economy, he described the difference of tax regime between the north and south as “lunacy”, while Mr O’Connor ended the session with call for “a united Ireland of minds and hearts”.

The third and final session of the summer school featured a discussion between Alex Kane,  a journalist and a former Director of Communications with the Ulster Unionist Party, and Martin McAlistair, chairman of the recently formed Armagh Fianna Fáil branch. This session, among other topics, dealt with the issue of dissident republicans and the ideology of unionism. Each session finished with questions for the panellists.

 BY LAURA SHEARER

The tense vampire hunt of the opening scene takes viewers back to the original vampire narrative style, with much heavier and darker motifs than the two previous films have dared to include. From the rainstorm to the overhead shots of the forest landscapes, it’s all very high spec, while the deep focus photography of director David Slade gives it a fresh edge. The chase sequences are finally the bold and graphic scenes that fans of the novel have been waiting for, scenes which the other films didn’t have the creative drive to produce.

If watching giant, CGI wolves fighting glass-like vampires doesn’t tickle your fancy then the main action scene will not excite. Yet it is impressively choreographed and the rapidly changing camera angle certainly makes it a more interesting sequence.

The usual lack of depth to the novel’s characters yet again leads to black dialogues and a distinct absence of mystery in the actors’ deliveries, although the inclusion in the plot of the mysterious new born vampires goes some way towards readdressing this. As newcomers to the saga, not much is revealed about their past or what they are exactly; Slade masterfully transforms the same basic reaction and establishing shots into something unfamiliar within the saga’s filmic style.

Slade’s involvement results in an interesting synthesis of the structure and familiarity of the Twilight saga films with his own unique visual style. His work on Hard Candy gives this film more subtlety and impulse, but 30 Days of Night has given him the advantage of experience with action scenes and the vampire sub-genre. It’s thrilling and exciting to watch the action unfold, but as usual most of the narrative focuses on the love triangle of Bella, Edward and Jacob. Edward still charms his way around discussions with his smouldering stare and Jacob, always half-naked, huffs his way through the run time.

There’s no fear of the so-called “twihards” feeling neglected in any respect. Mass “oooh”s as Bella and Edward share that kiss and “aaah”s as the characters make their first respective onscreen entrance will occur at almost every screening. However, this time Twilight doesn’t seem to be solely targeting an already familiar audience. Adding to the feeling that this is easier for new viewers to enjoy, the narrative is quickly explained so there are no shocking gaps for the uninitiated.

Slight alterations to the fan-loved moments of previous instalments, such as the flowery meadow Bella and Edward share, seem like improvements and the whole feature has an added pizzazz. Slade has upped the game considerably. It’s going to be difficult to see this film followed up in such a skilfull fashion.

BY RYAN SIMPSON

Many already knew the IFA’s case was likely doomed to failure given FIFA’s very firm stance on the situation. However officials within the association saw it as an absolutely necessary step to take in order to protect the future of the national game in Northern Ireland. Many may look on the situation and think that the IFA are simply denying a player’s right to represent the Republic of Ireland under the current laws of the Good Friday Agreement. However, this is a dispute that runs much deeper than this and has indeed developed into a very complex dilemma.

The Good Friday Agreement allows citizens living within Northern Ireland who consider themselves ‘Irish’ to apply for a southern passport. Many young footballers living in the North have exploited this law to its full potential; however the IFA would argue that this directly contravenes FIFA’s own laws which stipulate player eligibility. FIFA states that to represent a footballing association, you must satisfy one of the following requirements:

-          You were born on the territory of the relevant association;

-          Your biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of the relevant association;

-          Your grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the relevant association;

-          You have lived continuously on the territory of the relevant association for two years.

In the case of Daniel Kearns and more notably Darron Gibson (now playing for the Republic), neither of them satisfy any of the FIFA requirements to represent another association other than Northern Ireland. Still, this argument runs even deeper. The Irish FA has successfully run its ‘Football for all’ campaign for several years now, encouraging people of all religious and political backgrounds to become involved in football at international and grassroots level. They have also invested a sizeable amount of money in the development of young players in Northern Ireland only to see scouts from the Republic regularly come to inspect the quality of players the IFA is grooming, and in some cases actively encourage players to switch allegiances.

This situation throws up a major dilemma for the Irish FA as with CAS latest ruling, it means they no longer have any authority to stop a player from changing sides. Indeed, the IFA would argue that this puts them at a direct disadvantage to any other European footballing nation and damages their chances of continuing to challenge on the international stage. At the very least it appears that the IFA should be entitled to some form of compensation when a player decides to defect after having been developed by IFA coaches. Inevitably, many people will question the validity of an international team that isn’t the sole representative of players from this country.

The power of football to bring people together in this country should never be under-estimated, but CAS’s decision is no doubt a setback for the IFA in its bid to create a ‘team for all’. As for player eligibility, it’s an issue that supporters and fans alike will have to continue to agree to disagree on for quite some time.

BY BEN FINCH

With the sound of samba drums and melodicas spilling out onto the street, passers-by were stopped in their tracks and sucked towards the door to see what was happening. Children, teenagers and grown adults were shown how to play ‘Single Thought’, the first track from the album, before starting a carnival through the centre of Belfast. As the sound of drums reverberated off the close walls of Pottinger Entry, confusing people eating their McDonalds and vaguely worrying police outside City Hall, the band snaked through the city centre, losing formation, joining up and bringing the carnival atmosphere to everyone in town.

Then, an (almost) family friendly gig with Out of Place. With the fuzz turned down slightly, Escape Act rattled through what must have been their most surreal performance to date, as people walked past and craned their necks for a look. Rather than restricting the band, the choice of venue and a young audience allowed for a low key performance and enabled the intricacies of Balance to be heard in full.

The next day, the warmth of McHugh’s Basement provided an altogether different atmosphere to the heat of the carnival. Tom McShane began the night with the incredibly simple and beautiful ‘Flowers’. The room appeared to shrink as all attention in the room turned to McShane and silence fell as he began to pluck his guitar. Shy and slightly awkward, McShane’s songs belie this appearance. They are full of depth and at times pain, as heard on ‘The Ballad of Morton Candell’, which is the story of an architect whose only success in life is a station on the Northern Line.

McShane was joined onstage by Chris Heaney, singer and guitarist of Escape Act, on keyboard to play two of the quieter songs from Balance, ‘K’ and ‘Flat Ocean’. Slower and sadder than the rest of the album, these songs suited McShane’s style of playing. However, he was unable to remember ‘Flat Ocean’ in full, losing some of the song’s power in the process.

You Kiss By The Book take their name from Juliet’s famous line to Romeo, but none of the implied criticism. Their superior Alt-Country is unlikely to sell many records even though their mid-tempo songs evoke the sound of a rainy day with a rainbow in the distance. The singer’s voice is reminiscent of Colin Meloy after a night out but this is often counterpointed by an almost cheerful keyboard. You Kiss By The Book also showed they have a sense of humour with their untitled ‘Feel good hit of the summer’ taking many of the tropes of dance music while the lyrics tell of a broken up relationship.

Following much of the introspection of the night, Escape Act where full of energy as they celebrated the release of Balance. Playing faster, harder and fuzzier than in Out of Place, some of the delicacy in the songs was lost, but no matter for it was an excellent performance. Taking the interaction from Saturday’s performance further, various members of the audience were invited up to play and sing with the band. During the excellent ‘Pressure’, Escape Act were enjoying themselves so much they forgot to call up their volunteers, only remembering during ‘Salt In Your Eye’.
Escape Act Balance tried to cause a stir in Belfast and succeeded. An excellent album, with an excellent release, the tracks are versatile enough to be played both quietly, in places as strange as an empty shop, and loudly, in the dark basement of a pub.

VP Welfare Adam McGibbon and MLA Anna Lo have spoken out about the latest alleged sex attack in the University area. Police are investigating an alleged rape which took place on Saturday morning. It was reported that a woman was viciously attacked by two men in an alleyway between Cromwell Road and Ireton Street between 12:30am and 1:30am. PSNI are currently appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward.

BY KERRI-ANNE CAMPBELL

Anna Lo has urged women to be extra vigilant when going home at night in the university area, and has also called for PSNI to step up patrols at night.

She also stressed that the area is currently very quiet as most students have left for the summer holidays and this could make young women even more vulnerable to attack.

Sexual assault in the university area of South Belfast has been a continuing issue. VP Welfare and chairperson of the South Belfast Green Party, Adam McGibbon said, “It is a big concern. The university area is becoming more and more of a dangerous place.”

McGibbon stated that he is currently planning a number of campaigns in order to combat the problem and is hoping to work alongside Belfast City Council. As part of the campaign, it is hoped that in the near future, students will be able to use their student card in order to pay their taxi fee at a later date if they do not have the money at the time. If the campaign is successful, this would certainly ensure that every student has a safe way of getting home. McGibbon also encourages students to use the personal safety alarms which are available in the Students’ Union.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, last year 1,943 incidents of sexual assault were reported to the PSNI, of which 381 were alleged rapes. However, a report published earlier this month has revealed that only one in fifteen alleged rapes reported in Northern Ireland ends with a criminal conviction. As a result of this many rape victims refuse to report to the police.

Please click on the link below and fill out the short survey- it’s perfect if your in the mood for procrastination:

The Gown website survey: Have your say on your student news website.

http://www.kwiksurveys.com/online-survey.php?surveyID=KMDNJH_68ddc679

BY LAUARA SHEARER

Unsurprisingly we are given the option of watching in 3D format, the same audience dazzling gimmick that passed mass audiences by during the fifties and again in the eighties. Speaking out about why they’ve used this format to their advantage, Pixar have stated that they wanted to offer fans something completely new in 3D. Instead of just giving off the normal spectacle tricks of things appearing to come out of the screen before your eyes, they have developed a style that perfectly suits Pixar. One of the first films enjoyable in 3D, it’s possible to be immersed in the scenery with the characters as the plot commences. To keep young viewers focused there are those moments of eye-popping props, but overall the feel is much more sophisticated.

Toy Story 3 is a lot more themed towards older viewers, perhaps eager parents, or film buffs that grew up with Woody and Buzz, with hugely admirable genre referencing. Touching on the darker tones of film noir, gang crime and jailbreak, as always these are used cleverly and bulked out with quick gags and a sharp wit that keeps the mood light. Definitely there for the more mature viewers is the Barbie meets Ken subplot, hugely entertaining and it plays wonderfully on all the stereotypes we expect.

It is difficult to stretch a critical eye far enough to find flaws with any Pixar film and this is no exception. Like any decent sequel should do, it re-ignites all the joys of the original, suitably adds to the enjoyment and somehow makes it even more impressive. Take the whole family, go with your friends and then go once more for sheer indulgence.

BY CHRIS JOHNSON

Folk rock heroes Mumford and Sons make a highly anticipated return to Belfast to open up the first evening of this year’s Open House Festival. Still riding high on the waves created from their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Sigh No More’, tickets sold out within 36 hours of their release. Support will be provided by Lissie, and Andrew Davie.

White Lies have provided support for an impressive number of A-List acts such as Kings of Leon, Coldplay and Snow Patrol, but Tuesday 7^th will see them take centre stage at the Marquee. Coming equipped with piercing guitar, grandiose synth and an impressive post-punk clout, the award winning London 3-piece is the volatile firecracker of this year’s Open House line up. Support will come from local band Panama Kings.

After providing support for Mumford and Sons, Lissie will headline her own evening in the Black Box on Wednesday 8th. Meanwhile, gothic-Americana troubadour Sam Beam, better known as Iron & Wine, will be bringing his unique pastoral folk sound to the Festival Marquee in Custom House Square, with support from Nathaniel Rateliff, and The Low Anthem.

Indie giants Modest Mouse arrive back in Belfast on Thursday 9^th. Frequently lauded with praise throughout their career, the band reached new heights when former guitarist of The Smiths, Johnny Marr, joined the ranks from 2006 to 2009. Front man Isaac Brock recently revealed the band is beginning work on their new album. Support comes in the form of Morgan O’Kane &Ferd4, and local darlings Kowalski, who recently released their impressive EP, ‘Take Care Take Flight’. 

Conor O’Brien’s appearance at the Open House Festival on Thursday 9^th will mark his Belfast debut. Sophisticated folk rockers Moulettes will provide support.

In McHugh’s Basement bar on Friday 10^th, Denver based singer songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff makes his debut headline show in Belfast with support coming from local folkie Captain Cameron, and newcomers Matrimony.

Meanwhile, in the Marquee, the Elder Statesmen of Alternative folk, Wilco, will be geared up to set the stage alight, with their unmistakable brand of star-gazing county folk. The band are set to return to the studio later this month to record their new album, so who knows what kind of surprises they will have in store come September. Field Music and The Felice Brothers will open up the evening’s proceedings.

All hail to the Americana gig of the year. The Dave Rawlings Machine, fronted by long-time musical partner of Americana singer songwriter Gillian Welch, play an exclusive Irish debut at this year’s Open House Festival in Belfast on Saturday 11^th September. Sharing the stage will be musical compadres Old Crow Medicine Show, creating the perfect union of “old-time string music and punk swagger.”

Everyone’s favourite crooning carnie, Seasick Steve, comes freewheeling into Belfast to close this year’s Open House Festival. Since his rise to public recognition, he has been rubbing shoulders with the likes of Jools Holland and made an appearance on the Pyramid Stage at this year’s Glastonbury. So grab your moonshine, don your dungarees and prepare yourself for a terrific toe-tapping finale.

Don’t miss this year’s Chillifest, where you can expect to find the finest in American music (including Hayseed Dixie on Sunday afternoon), record fair, cupcake corner, barn dancing, helium karaoke, and of course, some red hot chilli. It’s a great family day out, so get your tickets while they’re hot.  Be sure to check out some of the extraordinary Irish Tradition Music evenings in The John Hewitt Bar and The Black Box.

For more information, visit www.openhousefestival.com or call the Box Office on 028 9024 6609.

BY LAURA SHEARER

www.queensfilmtheatre.com

Instantaneously exciting, we are enveloped in his world, starting in World War II Paris as a young boy in a Russian Jewish home.  Everything he does and sees is bounding with bold life and colour, giving us intimate glimpses of an imaginary world into which he reverts for entertainment and the salvation of his sanity during the Nazi occupation.  Young Lucien Ginsburg (Serge Gainsbourg is his stage name) takes with him a giant-headed figure of the terrifying Jew from a Nazi propaganda billboard poster, something which at first he fears, but realising it looks very similar to his own reflection it becomes a companion.  Brash and proud to wear his Star of David, it’s evident from the first few minutes that this young boy has the eccentric potential of the future artistic legend.

Famed for his womanising ways, Gainsbourg’s daring and ability to charm begins in the Montmartre Art Academy where he sneaks glances at female life models.  He progresses to the insatiable and suave genius, able to tweak his talents from painting to song writing as each beautiful woman desires.  Laetitia Castas is marvellous as Brigitte Bardot, acting with such enjoyment that she seems to emphasise all the fantasies her presence gives way to.  Anna Mouglalis takes the role of Juliette Greco and the late Lucy Gordon stars as Jane Birkin, both dazzling actresses that have their own very unique sultry charms in these powerful roles.

From his early watercolour comics doodled late at night he creates a fairytale creature version of himself, who becomes his partner in crime and devil on his shoulder for the rest of his life.  Magically depicted by obscure puppets, his alter-ego gets the luxurious treatment of Doug Jones, who played the fawn in Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth.  In a way Gainsbourg becomes the literal embodiment of the French artist stereotype as he smokes constantly, tires easily, is very melodramatic, and is barely ever satisfied with himself.

Joann Sfar states that he didn’t want to make a realist, journalistic account of Gainsbourg’s life; he wanted to make a cult film.  Sfar’s background is of telling stories through images, so it’s only natural that his film is so visual, but this is what makes it such a huge success and accomplishment.  Production designer Christian Martí was directed to study Russian paintings and films such as Murnau’s Nosferatu, Carné’s Les Enfants and Fellini’s Amarcord for points of reference.  It’s a distinctive style that has been created on screen, but an easily subtle one that makes good references to expressionism.

Everything that makes you fall head over heels in love with Paris is sumptuously exposed before your eyes with an appealing allure unlike that found in any other city and in few other films.  The lighting is mood driven, with jazz clubs temptingly dim and always filled with the eccentric and beautiful people Paris is all too well known for.  The whole film is full of characters that embody art in what they do and in their image, a truly fascinating array that Gainsbourg fits into eloquently.  It’s just such a pleasure to watch from start to finish and I can’t see this project in the hands of anyone else. Joann Sfar has done justice to the man that so many claim inspiration from.

BY LAURA SHEARER

Sadly, swearing doesn’t compensate for the lack of dialogue strength. The plot is very basic and thinly spread out over the run time. There’s very little to think about. Any evidence to the narrative mysteries is laid bare with a mere scene or two in between explanations from the characters. Any topical thought process is quickly pushed to the side, as the Arnie replacement figure points out “it’s not important why we’re here, it’s how we get out.”

There are a few moments that encourage viewers to think that the group might stand a fair chance of survival. Their past knowledge of warfare and their revealing brutality sparks the suspicion that there may be more than just the usual single survivor. Surely with such a simple plot line this idea cannot stretch very far?

The ethnic stereotyping makes a bold 1950’s Hollywood statement, which honestly has no positive impact on the film. For fans of martial arts films, the Asian samurai warrior fight scene is a key example of this stereotyping, but highly enjoyable as a new take on the defeat of the predator character.

The homage to the original is very enjoyable and the geeky additions of other aliens, a new planet and some new predator figures really set this sequel apart from the rest. Arnie’s original is still much loved and will always have a place in many people’s filmic hearts, so it’s difficult to assume that this was a necessary production.

Predators is definitely a crowd drawer, and surely a crowd pleaser at that, but lacks the substance of the original. If you’re just looking for a nice slice of cheese to while away an afternoon, then this space romp is sure to do the job.

BY MATTHEW MCKERNAN

McBride’s film is a modern look at the outlaw, casting the old American myth in a new light, and it’s  just as rewarding as Robert Altman’s early work. Richard Gere plays the outlaw as a hipster in an interesting performance. However, coming as it does before Quentin Tarantino made his mark on cinema, it can’t help but feel anachronistic. It’s a performance that some may find tiresome, but who is really that taken by Belmondo’s cool but post-human lead performance in Godard’s 1959 original? Instead, Gere tears through every scene as his character tears through life.

While the original invites audiences to consider how much they depend on conventional film making codes and techniques, McBride questions issues that affect real life, such as, “How much would you be willing to throw away in order to live?” Gere’s hoodlum demands that the shackles of education and employment are tossed aside and forgotten. Valerie Kaprisky’s character, the object of Gere’s demands, is an aspiring architect. Why design buildings to last when, as one character states, nothing can. Gere’s car door is open and love beckons, so what will Kaprisky choose? Her inability to take the jump brings her back to the prison of a secure job.

The remake may be devoid of the infamous jump cuts and it may conventionally frame a scene, but it is not without its artistic touches. In what other Hollywood thriller would you see a big star strip naked while singing along to ‘Suspicious Minds’, which only he can hear, before jumping into Kaprisky’s shower for sex? And what about the red-tinted car sequences where the background is as fake and intangible as the ties that keep people stuck in dead-end jobs? And, without giving too much away, McBride’s ending is much more stylish, much more romantic and much more interesting than Godard’s bit of Gallic mistranslation.

The argument as to which version of Breathless is better will rage on. Stereotypically, the arty film fans will prefer Godard’s original and those who prefer non-challenging Hollywood movies will prefer the remake (if not dislike both). Both films are rewarding but completely different and cannot be compared; McBride’s film is about personal choices while Godard’s is about cinematic revolution. However, the latter has as much relevance to real life as remembering bin day.

BY BEN FINCH
In the Ardoyne area, a policewoman was injured when a block of masonry was thrown from the roof of a shop onto her head. Three officers were shot in the area and petrol and blast bombs were thrown at police. Over eighty officers were injured in the riots and millions of pounds worth of damage done to buildings in the community.

Father Gary Donegan of Holy Cross Church on the Crumlin Road has described the violence as “recreational rioting” and likened it to a theme park due to the age of many involved. It has been claimed that there were some rioters as young as eight years old involved in the disturbances.

So far, most attention has focused on the violence and consequences of the trouble. Very little has been paid to the underlying cause. If at all, it has been decried as dissident republicans hoping to scupper the peace process. Without making excuses for any of those taking part in the riots, if the Orange Order had been told they were not to pass through such areas as the Ardoyne by the Parades Commission, chances are that the high level of violence witnessed would not have happened. For years Orange parades have caused widespread rioting by both sides of the community, often in areas not directly affected by the marching. In any other part of the UK marches such as this would be treated as incitement to religious violence.

Plenty of comments made by students, over Facebook or otherwise, have been made along the lines of “If rioters want to throw petrol bombs and fire a few rounds of a shotgun at the police then the police should be allowed to fire a few rounds or a few petrol bombs back. See if they like it…Get off the streets, stop sponging off the government you don’t even recognise and get a job”. Again, this simply focuses on the effects, ignoring the current difficulty of finding and maintaining work, especially for those brought up in under-privileged areas, where young people are less likely to engage in education, thus seriously reducing their chances of gaining qualifications. A lack of engagement with education does not reflect a lack of desire to work. Also, similar comments do not take into consideration the fact that similar acts of violence and the blatant entrenchment of views were among the major reasons why Northern Ireland needed a peace process in the first place.

Comments such as these may represent a large part of the unionist community in Northern Ireland, but not everyone feels the same way. I have been speaking to students who have said that if the protests were peaceful then they’d join them, and others who have called for the outright banning of the Orange Order. These people did not want to be named. This is the crux of the matter. While the violence may be organised by dissident republicans taking advantage of ill-informed youths, the opportunity was handed to them by the Orange Order marching through areas where, as they very well know, they are not at all welcome.

Trouble also occurred in other areas during the twelfth; cars were set alight in Armagh, in Lurgan the Dublin-bound Enterprise suffered an attempted hijack and police officers were attacked in the Bogside area of Derry. All such incidents occurred in specific areas where parades did not take place. Such acts of violence can only be tenuously linked to the marches and should be condemned as Orange Lodges in these areas respectfully diverted their parades away from hostile areas. This approach needs to be followed in the few places where twelfth celebrations are still contentious.

It is constantly hammered into those studying medicine to treat the underlying cause of an illness rather than the symptoms, otherwise the treatment has no effect. Civil disobedience and uncivil disruption happens for a reason, not for the sake of it. Now that the disturbances have ended and a relatively stable situation has at last developed in the Ardoyne area, rather than concentrating solely on the violence, the cause of the riots needs to be examined and dealt with by both sides.

BY EMMA GALLEN

This proposal is likely to soothe tensions within Cable’s party over the looming threat of higher fees, especially after the last autumn’s Browne review. The Liberal Democrats pledged to phase out the fees system in their election manifesto, but have been accused of betraying students (and their many student voters) after abandoning this position in the coalition agreement.

While the student unions are broadly receptive to Cable’s proposal, student support is not universal. Many see a lifelong tax to be more unfair than fees; others may see university as an investment, with higher debt at a prestigious university worth the risk for a better potential career.

QUBSU VP Welfare Adam McGibbon thinks this mindset values university for the wrong reasons. “University is about learning about life and meeting people as well as gaining a qualification.” For McGibbon, Cable’s other proposals regarding university disregard some of the major benefits of campus life. The VP’s view is that encouraging more students to stay at home to study overlooks the importance of gaining independence.

Cable also dismisses classes with low contact time, claiming that there is “no need for seven hour weeks” and arguing they could be taught in two years instead of three. This proposal undermines the value of most Arts degrees where class time is minimal in order to allow more time for student reading and staff research.

VP Education Nathan Anderson stressed that students must be cautious in their readings of Cable’s proposal, highlighting that the majority of Cable’s cabinet are ideologically opposed to a “tax on the affluent.” He was also keen to make it known that Queen’s will not necessarily be affected by Cable’s proposals as Northern Ireland regulates its own universities and are have to carry out their own review.  However, he does warn that the Browne review will set a precedent that Northern Ireland’s Department of Education and Learning will follow.

NUS-USI Deputy President Lorcan Mullen thinks that the proposals are an overall positive:

“While this is only a proposal, and a proposal facing likely opposition from the vice-chancellors and senior Tories (including ministers in Cable’s department), it is encouraging news. It is my firm view that any settlement that makes education free at the point of access, and brings proportionate post-degree contributions will be fairer.

Of course, the various student unions will make a proper assessment of Cable’s plans when more details are available. However, this should not distract students from the dangers of a zealously pro-market, pro-cuts government seeking to concurrently slash spending in our system.”

It’s official, Guns N’ Roses are lined up to play their first ever Belfast gig. Formed in 1985, Guns N’ Roses became one of the defining rock acts of the late 20th Century, selling over 100 million albums worldwide. However, tensions within the band would see the original line-up slowly crumble away, and by 1997 vocalist Axl Rose was the sole remaining original member. Despite this, Guns N’ Roses soldiered on with a new line-up and in 2008 made their comeback with the highly anticipated album

BY ANDREW SCOTT

Guns N’ Roses’ debut in Belfast marks a trend of popular rock/metal acts playing the city. 2010 has already seen Metallica perform in Northern Ireland for the first time since 1988, and Deep Purple’s first ever Northern Irish show. Bumblefoot was surprised to hear that Northern Ireland has often received the short straw when it comes to gigs. “My question is, why hasn’t it happened sooner? I have no idea why, I’m just glad it changed. I’m glad GNR and all these other bands are coming to Belfast now.” And as a music fanatic, he had a few kind words for some of Northern Ireland’s hottest emerging talent, “‘The Continuous Battle Of Order’ is cool, a real head trip! ‘Not Squares’ can get pretty ‘out there’. Then we have ‘Putrefy’ – sick fucking vocals! (laughs) Yeah, ‘The Answer’ are real good, great singing, and a real nice feeling ya get from their songs.”

When asked what role he felt music could play in times of conflict and transformation, highlighting the success of The Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers during The Troubles, Bumblefoot said, “Music can be a strong voice in tough times. Whether it’s a voice of tolerance or to heat up the fight; it unifies people, fuels the fire, whatever your fire is. It can also be an escape from all that, to take you away from what’s weighing you down.”

Bumblefoot is looking forward to checking out the sights in Belfast, if G’N'R’s busy touring schedule allows for it. “I would love to check out the Waterfront, maybe go see Belfast Castle as well. My favourite thing is the real stuff, finding random local places, eat what y’all eat, drink what you drink, hang out and get a better sense of how life is.” Bumblefoot is refreshingly frank about life on the road, explaining “My favourite touring experiences are usually the ‘normal’ moments, when you’re with calm people having a nice conversation and you’re not getting bombarded. Then there’s the opposite extreme, and I won’t get into details of that! (laughs) I’ve had some great times in Russia, Japan, Latin America, and the UK as well. Whether it’s naked table hockey or a relaxing cup of tea, it’s the people you’re with that make the moment great.”

Concerning the Chinese Democracy album, Bumblefoot confirmed that fans in Belfast can expect some of the album’s finest tracks to be played live, including the thunderous title track, the hook-laden ‘Better’ and piano-ballad ‘Street Of Dreams’. It is abundantly clear that Bumblefoot loves to perform live. “Ya know what I’d love to do? Write a song every time we do a leg of a tour, record it, make it available to people, play it at the shows, and do that every time. Ya never know which one will really have a big impact on people.” However, fans looking forward to the next Guns N’ Roses album may be waiting a while longer. Bumblefoot admits he would love to make new music next, “but we will have to see what the future holds. For now I’m just looking at the immediate future, coming to Europe, coming to Belfast.”

While plenty of classic Guns N’ Roses material is played live, Bumblefoot does not feel that additional material will be taken from the band’s more experimental Use Your Illusion albums, released in 1991. “I’ll play any of ‘em, but right now it doesn’t look like we’re adding any more ‘Illusions’ songs to the set. Anything could change at any time, but that’s how it’s looking’ right now… I do sneak in a little piece of ‘Estranged’ during my solo.”

Of course, Guns N’ Roses are synonymous with Axl Rose, the band’s enigmatic vocalist and frontman. Chinese Democracy was worked on for a decade at an estimated cost of over $13 million, making it the most expensive album ever made. Rose has often been negatively portrayed by the media, accusing him of ruthless perfectionism and claiming the singer responsible for the break-up of the original line-up. Bumblefoot, however, insists that Axl does not deserve such a reputation, adding, “We’ve had plenty of fun times, some tough times in the trenches, but it’s all good.”

Aspiring guitarists need look no further than Bumblefoot for inspiration on how to reach the top of the rock n’ roll ladder. ”The first song I learned was a riff in ‘Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo’ from Rick Derringer. The riff before the first verse, and after each chorus. That was back in ’77, I was 7 years old. After that I think it was ‘Barracuda’ from Heart that I learned next, the intro riff. I got the sheet music for it, and man I had such a crush on the Wilson sisters. I was 8, they were sisters – perfect. Okay, it may not have worked out…I was big into the Beatles, KISS, AC/DC, Yes, Sex Pistols, Ramones as a kid, then got into Zep, Floyd, Who, Queen, Rush, Priest, then a lot of old-school metal.”

Famed for his unusual guitar designs, including his famous ‘foot’ guitar, Bumblefoot revealed that even his first guitar has received a unique makeover. “It’s gone through a few changes. I used to do a lot of guitar re-building as a teenager.”

It is apparent that Bumblefoot is a true rock star and a technical guitar maestro who is sure to give his all when Guns N’ Roses, once dubbed the world’s most dangerous band, perform in Belfast’s Odyssey arena in August.

The Manfred Mann song came to mind as I went down past the Lanyon Building one day last week at lunchtime on an errand. The hundreds of graduands, and wives and girlfriends thereof, stalking across the lawns and pavements in their 10 centimetre heels (I’m a bit of SI unit man myself) in their multicoloured best – while the men marched around awkwardly in the suits they hope will impress at those first interviews.

BY THE AULD WAN

It was such a contrast to my own graduation day when those who wished to attend were issued with a dress code -  dark suits and collar and tie for men, white blouses and black skirts for the ladies. Non-conformists would not be admitted. I bent the code as far as I dared without knocking a hole in the family’s day out and wore a lilac shirt under a mid-grey bird’s eye check three piece. Seemed trendy at the time – now just looks naff in the few photos that were taken with my camera. I didn’t bother with the studio rip-off version.

Another change today is the absence of ‘the national anthem’ at the start – for good reasons I believe, not least because it begs the question of ‘Which nation?’ In my case it saved my bacon as I overslept and was running down the Malone Road throwing on my gown at 10.57. A tolerant member of the admin staff whom I knew let me slip quickly into my seat while everyone was on their feet for what must be the worst musical dirge of any civilised country. (Think Marseillaise and Nkosi Sikelele Africa for contrast).

On Thursday of graduation week – the last day for which I have figures – 938 people were conferred with their degrees and other awards; 47 of them didn’t come. For reasons that I can’t fathom three quarters of the absentees were nursing and midwifery graduands and nobody from St Mary’s University College missed out.

About a third of my graduation class didn’t bother – the aforesaid dress code being too much for the hippie generation to which I belong. Much has been made recently in the pages (screens?) of The Gown about the proposed graduation charge of £55 and the impact that it will have on attendance. I’m betting it will pale into near invisibility against the cost of the Jimmy Choos and the Coast dresses – and the men will just do what they are told, as always.

Come on you flamingos!

Seamus Heaney officially opened the McClay Library on Tuesday 6^th July during a black tie ceremony attended by various dignitaries associated with Queen’s University. The new library has been named after late benefactor Sir Allen McClay, and has been described by Lady McClay as an appropriate way to remember Sir Allen. In December 2009, The Gown reported on QUB’s failure to notify Heaney that the library in his name was no longer open.

BY BEN FINCH

“This is a beautiful place which is bound to give people a sense of self-worth that will enhance them,” Heaney said before the ceremony. In a speech full of his usual pastoral metaphors, he also described it as a “star-ship for our scholars” when discussing the IT facilities.
Peter Gregson said it was a historic night for Queen’s and for the students, current and future, who shall benefit. In his speech he said that it had been fifty years since Seamus Heaney had graduated from Queen’s University. However, Heaney contradicted this, subtly pointing out that he graduated in 1961.

The ceremony was purposely set to coincide with the graduations. The McClay Library has already been open for a year, and John Gormley of the Information Services Directorate Office said that they “had been keen to open the library as soon as possible so students can use it and I would like to think it has played a part in some of these graduations”.

He added, “We have been very lucky indeed. If we had started any later then it may not have been possible due to economic conditions. We are indebted to Allen McClay who has been very generous.”

A new wall has been constructed beside the Short Loan Section of the library which names the benefactors who contributed to the building. Gormley also said that there is always a danger of overlooking people such as Anthony O’Reilly, whose name is prominently placed on the wall. The library was originally to be named ‘The Sir Anthony O’Reilly Library’ .

Speaking to The Gown earlier this year, Norma Sinte, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, said that there is now a protocol in place regarding the naming of buildings, and all universities adhere to this. Under this protocol, a building can only be named after a benefactor. A building cannot be named after a VIP, academic, vice chancellor or alumnus who hasn’t donated money.

Edna and Michael Longley were in attendance at the ceremony. Edna Longley is a member of staff in the Seamus Heaney Centre and is currently working on a book on Yeats, so often uses special collections. “It is a pleasant and excellent centre to work in,” she said. While Michael Longley, Ireland Professor of Poetry, described libraries as “the most wonderful places in the world”.

Few students were at the black tie event. Among those enjoying a glass of wine were the new sabbatical officers of the Students’ Union. “The library is a remarkable opportunity for students but if students have any problems with Information Services they should contact the Union,” said new SU President Gareth McGreevy. He also commented on the poignancy of having an alumnus in Seamus Heaney opening the McClay Library.

On 22^nd June, QUB Vice Chancellor Peter Gregson provided a brief summary to Senate on the Russell Group submission to the Browne Review. However, Shane Brogan, Students’ Union President at the time, believes that the summary failed to adequately describe what their proposals would mean for students.

BY KERRI-ANNE CAMPBELL

Due to the recent emergency budget, it is inevitable that there will be substantial reductions in university funding from government sources. Shane Brogan stated that Queen’s Students’ Union understands this but he believes the report to be a “systematic attempt to remove the shallow façade of fairness in the current fees system”.

If implemented, the report would see graduates being forced to pay back student loans earlier, the removal of any form of government support for student loans, and students bearing most of the costs of their degree, which the Russell Group set at being between £7,000 and £14,000 depending on the subject.

It would also mean that the protection of the ability to access higher education would be eroded through the abolition of the cap on fees, allowing the most elite and highest quality universities to charge unprecedented fees that put them beyond the reach of many students. This would mean that Queen’s would become like the Ivy League Universities of America.

The report also proposes a number of unfair models to finance student debt involving the Private Sector, many of which transfer substantial risks to students, and again reduce fairness and equality within the higher education sector.

“The proposals are a complete abdication of a university’s responsibility to work in the best interests of its students, and are blatant attempts to channel government money that currently support the poorest and most disadvantaged students, away from them and into university funds,”said Brogan.

He raised a number of comments relating to student fees during Gregson’s report. The university and Russell Group propose a model that is “free at the point of entry”, and where this is technically true in terms of fees, it fails to acknowledge the hidden costs that the university applies throughout a degree.

According to Brogan, the report also failed to address the fact that the average student who started at a NI university in September 2008-2009 can expect to graduate with an average debt of £13,299, a 30% increase on the previous year. This figure is predicted to be more than £15,000 by the time QUB students who started in September 2009 have graduated.

To help pay for the substantial cost of higher education, students in Belfast have one of the highest part-time employment rates during term time of any UK university town.

Russell Group is currently lobbying for a move away from the cap on fees, while at the same time acknowledging the fact that an increase in student fees would inevitably make students reconsider enrolling in university. The Vice Chancellor’s report quotes the initial findings of the Browne Review, which found that students are often deterred by fees.

Vice Chancellor Gregson claimed that a substantial portion of the population supports those that currently benefit from Higher Education and are responsible for contributing. This is recognised by those involved in higher education. However, over the past year all parties, bar that of the relevant minister, have refused to endorse an increase in fees, with both Sinn Fein and SDLP actively committed to their removal.

Brogan said, “The Student’s Union is disappointed that the Report has failed to acknowledge the only fully evaluated proposal put forward to the review by the National Union of Students. The National Union of Students propose a progressive and fairer way of funding student and graduate contributions and protects students from grossly unfair and inevitable debts, by providing a tax on graduates, meaning that the students who benefit most from Higher Education and good quality teaching contribute more over their career. It also proposes a fairer system of students support and ensures that all income streams are fully exploited.”

Brogan went on to say, “It is in no uncertain terms that the proposals of the Russell Group are strongly rejected by the SU and the wider student body at Queen’s, with a record 1,242 voting in a referendum on the issue on 27 May. 1,193, or 96% of them voted against the proposal.”

BY LAURA SHEARER

Curb Your Enthusiasm star Larry Davids is a huge let down, despite being given an undemanding role. Davids plays the same self-centred, easily annoyed old man role that has become monotonous within Allen’s films. At least with Vicky Cristina Barcelona Allen pushed himself away from this style of characterisation. Allen’s comic scripting ability is lost when the characters speak directly to the audience. By staring down the camera lens and seemingly straight at the viewer, Boris attempts to engage our interests in his miserable view on life. The rate at which he rabbits on incessantly about himself and his ideas quashes any form of response to his horrible comments. It is clear that this is Allen’s form of dark comedy, simply meant to be passively forgiven. What happened to Allen’s much loved and hilarious nonsensical situations and blathering? This is too dull to pass off as the same directing capability.

In an attempt to relive his glory days Allen rehashes his cinematic love of Manhattan. However, instead of showing lots of superbly desirable landscape shots, we are quickly whisked into the path of Boris again. Allen’s involvement with the city is fair, but he has opted for a bohemian approach. He appears to mock New York with the southern belle come photographer/artiste/mother-in-law, who undergoes an abrupt change in lifestyle after encountering the bustling city. This seems to be a bid to depict Allen’s own infatuation with New York City, but if so, he mocks himself and not in a way he would like.

The typical love affair impulse features in Boris’s affair with young runaway, Melody. This gives the film a sense of romantic idealism and confers new meaning to the film’s title. However, the main romanticism does not centre on Boris, completely isolating him from what becomes the key impulse of the film, even though it is presenting his theory on life. Ultimately, this begs the question of why Boris is our protagonist, a man of such ritual that the compassion of love is irregular to him.

If Allen had set out at the beginning that Whatever Works is a series of love filled tales, with Boris simply narrating and explaining his theory, then it would have made perfect sense. Instead, the film fails to show Boris’ theory working on a practical level, and the central idea of the film is lost by the finishing speech. Larry Davids fans might be disappointed by Whatever Works, but Woody Allen fans will feel robbed.

As students graduate from QUB this week, a dark cloud has emerged above them as The Guardian reported today that graduates will be up against an average of 70 other applicants for any job they go for. Not only will they be up against the class of 2010, but they will also face opposition from graduates of 2009 who are still seeking to land that dream job. This is all made even worse by the fact that vacancies are set to fall by 7%, with 78% of employers are insisting on a 2.1 degree.

BY EMMA GALLEN

Summer graduation at Queen’s takes place this week, with up to three ceremonies per day.  Monday’s opening graduation ceremony was held for the students of the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences and the week’s events will end with the graduation of those belonging to the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering.

Despite the gloomy economic outlook graduates will continue to celebrate their success. Looking towards summer graduation, History and Politics student Roisin Murray said, “I’m quite excited and it’s nice to feel that I’ve achieved something.”

Each of this year’s summer graduation events are to be streamed live on the Queen’s University website, inviting relatives and friends of graduates to take part in “a treasured moment”. Full recordings of all the ceremonies will also be available online afterwards, as well as photographs taken throughout the week.

Those receiving honorary doctorates this term Jamaican Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt. Former police ombudsman Baroness Nuala O’Loan will receive an LLD for distinction in public service and Dame Kelly Holmes for distinction in sport and public services.

Recalling last year’s events, Queen’s summer 2009 graduate Laura Gray explained that the most overwhelming feeling of the day was relief. “After three years work, I was now a graduate”, she said. However, for many of last year’s graduates the sense of relief soon gave way to anxiety as Laura and her peers found themselves in a declining job market with scarce opportunities.

According to The Guardian, “The class of 2010 have been told to consider flipping burgers or stacking shelves when they leave university as leading firms in investment banking, law and IT are due to cut graduate jobs this year.”

Former Gown editor and 2010 graduand Catherine Wylie is glad that she has yet to join the graduate job rat race but fears that things may not have improved in a year’s time. “I’m glad that I have secured plans to go on to further study, as I know that otherwise I would be on job seeker’s allowance or getting a job in retail or catering. So many careers, and definitely journalism which is my career of choice, require an abundance of volunteering and experience, and I just hope that after I complete my studies next year that I will have enough that makes me stand above other graduates. It really is a dog-eat-dog process,” she said.

BY ANDREW SCOTT

Most artists at Ozzy’s age would not want to toy around with a successful formula, yet Ozzy has never been one to rest on his laurels. ‘Scream’ is his first album not to feature guitarist Zakk Wylde since 1988′s ‘No Rest for the Wicked’. Gus G, formerly of Greek power-metal outfit Firewind, takes up the mantel. Not content with a new guitarist, Ozzy has also drafted in a new drummer, Tommy Clufetos. In theory, this would send out a clear message, that Ozzy was back, and sounding more metal than ever.

Unfortunately, music does not always live up to the artist’s expectations. Most songs are driven by sludgy riffs that make listeners question how much of the album was actually written by the new axeman because this has Wylde’s fingerprints all over it. ‘Scream’ never crosses into poor musical territory, but much of it feels overly familiar. With a worrying lack of coherent song structure, the worst offending tracks sound like a haphazard collection of discarded riffs and scale runs. Undoubtedly, this album has more in common with 2007′s disappointing ‘Black Rain’ as opposed to Ozzy’s classic early albums.

However, it is easy to be overly critical of an album that is, at its core, a pure heavy-metal record. In a musical landscape dominated by emo, pop-punk and indie, it is refreshing to hear the 61 year-old Ozzy, and his talented metal assemble, still melting faces with distorted riffs and lightning solos. There are a few tracks that really stand out as well. The opener ‘Let it die’ for instance would raise hell in any mosh pit. ‘Let me hear you scream’ is another track written for Ozzy’s loyal touring fanbase, whilst ‘Diggin’ me down’ has a superb, chugging riff and a brutal drum beat. The most important thing of all is that Ozzy is having a blast on every track; his voice sounds as uniquely mesmeric as ever.

While ‘Scream’ may not have the same catchy hooks of Ozzy’s earlier works, nor the technical genius of the late Randy Rhoads, it nevertheless receives full marks for heaviness, and the enduring character that Ozzy puts into each and every track. Ozzy has not rediscovered the secret behind his phenomenal 1980′s output, but it should still be enjoyed by anybody who loves to raise the horns and bang their heads.

BY KERRI-ANNE CAMPBELL

The correct academic costume is compulsory for all students who wish to graduate at Queen’s. Any graduate who is not appropriately dressed, or who is not wearing the hood in the approved manner, is not permitted to take part in the ceremony. Gowns must be returned by a specific time and late returns will be cost an additional fee of £150. Any student who fails to return their gown or hood will be charged a fee of £300.

A concerned parent of a final year student said:

“I just presumed that there was no cost. Cost didn’t even enter my head. When I think of the amount of money I have paid Queen’s in the last four years, and now we have to pay them to graduate? It’s scandalous. An absolute disgrace. As if Queen’s couldn’t afford to hold graduation ceremonies and provide gowns, etc. for students who have paid them up to fourteen grand on fees. I’m glad this is being publicised.”

Another parent commented in disbelief, “You’d think that at that price a three course meal would be on offer!”

Most students are not notified of these fees until just a few weeks before graduation. Final year students at Queen’s have expressed their concerns.

One final year English student commented: “I couldn’t believe it costs £55 to graduate at Queen’s. And you don’t even get to keep your gown. I have had to ask my parents for the money because I can’t afford it. It is ridiculous. You would think that Queen’s would have the decency to supply the funds, especially since students pay thousands for fees, books etc… What is even more ridiculous is that we have to pay £5 to receive our degree transcripts. It is a disgrace!”

Another final year student said, “It is unbelievable that students at Queen’s have to pay to attend their own graduation. What about those who can’t afford it? They just aren’t allowed to graduate.”

The first graduation ceremony will take place on Monday 5th July. Queen’s urge that “cheques should be made payable to Queen’s University and prompt payment is appreciated”. Graduates are instructed to pay online, in person or by post. It seems clear that Queen’s are using student graduations as a money making opportunity. When asked to comment on the substantial fees, the QUB alumni office, the organisers of the event, failed to respond.

BY BEN FINCH

Following the announcement, Tim Cooke, Director of National Museums NI, commented, “We are delighted on Northern Ireland’s behalf. This is the first time in Northern Ireland’s history that a prestigious cultural prize of this nature has been awarded to an institution in the region. This prize will encourage us as we endeavour to play a meaningful role at the heart of our changing society.”

The Art Fund Prize Bowl, created by Vladimir Bohm, will be on display in the museum for the next year and Les McLean, Head of Operations at the museum, has already stated that the £100,000 prize will be spent on “something lasting.”

BY LORCAN MULLEN

For a public assembly of 50 or more people, (a number which, according to the bill, can be adjusted on the joint whim of the First and Deputy First Ministers) the authorities must be notified (37 days in advance for a ‘procession’, 22 days for a ‘protest meeting’), organisers must be cited and those breaching the terms of the bill would be subject to arrest without warrant.

Protests are, by their nature spontaneous – they often take place in reaction to sudden, shocking or unifying public events. There can be no doubt that this new oppressive administrative framework will drastically reduce the number of protest rallies held in the North (hardly that many) for no discernible public gain.

The planned spectacle of police Land Rovers circling passionate, if only loosely planned protests is objectionable. A police commander counting to 50 under his breath from his vantage point, and sending his constables wading into a peaceful throng to make scores of arrests, all for the sake of insufficient paperwork, is a chilling, looming travesty.

Under the Human Rights Act 1998, all decisions of UK public authorities are subject to the terms and case law of the European Convention on Human Rights – laws and decisions of politicians and office-holders can be quashed if they are incompatible with the precepts of the Convention.

The Convention holds that:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others…no restrictions shall be placed on the exercise of these rights other than such as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society…”

Does the Public Assemblies Bill feel compatible to you? Anyone would imagine human rights law would have been contemplated at the drafting stage.

The question is, were the DUP and Sinn Fein bigwigs involved too customarily thick to consider the human rights implications of their actions, or did they simply not care?

Neither party has any credible legacy of valuing human rights: the hang ‘em all, knee-jerk authoritarianism of the DUP is now working in tandem with the barely-fathomable moral ambiguities of Gerry Adams’s post-ceasefire Sinn Fein. One grew out of waging a devastating war on the state, the other gathered strength as a vehicle for bleak and pitiless whataboutery. It would be madness to trust either with the sane handling of our civil liberties – they had better just keep their grubby fingers off them.

From the student perspective, this bill is potentially disastrous. Direct protesting and picketing have largely died off in recent times; the vast majority of students gladly embrace their ignorant, consumerist, drink-addled cliché-ride though university life, curiously proud in surrendering their lives to the decisions of others.

However fundamental, unacceptable changes to the education system are on the horizon for this year: the noxious cocktail of savage Con-Lib cuts (a 25% cut in the further and higher education budget come October) and default Stormont fecklessness will have a noticeable impact on university life: the cap on fees is likely to be lifted without significant protest and dissent from students.

I would hope at some point in the coming year, for these reasons, we student leaders could summon more than a meagre 50 people in one outside area, registering a righteous fury at such measures. I would hope the state would allow those student leaders to mount a peaceful, public protest under laws happily adhered to in the vast majority of fellow-European states. I would deem a state that doesn’t do this dictatorial.

Wouldn’t you?

(Lorcan Mullen is the new Deputy President of the NUS-USI)

BY SEAMUS J. MULHOLLAND

The document proposes that, in the absence of permission sought from and granted by a new statutory agency entitled the Office of Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests (OPAPP), events comprising fifty plus people, will be illegally constituted. Now, a person who wishes to organise an event, must give thirty-seven days’ notice prior to the date on which it is to take place, and then submit to the decision-making powers of the OPAPP regarding whether or not it has the go-ahead.

Peter Robinson MLA and Martin McGuiness MLA are also seeking to supply the OPAPP with an impressive arsenal of legal weaponry to ensure compliance. The primary deterrent will be judicially-issued Prohibition Orders. Moreover, in the face of defiance, “A constable in uniform may arrest without warrant a person whom [they] reasonably suspect has committed an offence under the Act.”

The arrestee will then find themselves in front of a Magistrate facing, upon summary conviction, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months and/or a fine not exceeding £5,000.

Local civil liberties groups have condemned the Bill as an attack on rights granted by the European Convention of Human Rights, including freedom of expression and the right to peaceable assembly.

The Belfast Telegraph alleges “The Parades Bill takes a detour from simple common sense”. On the contrary, at sixty-seven pages, I find it provides a rationally thought-through statutory basis on which to make difficult decisions regarding public assemblies. Such events, especially in Northern Ireland, cannot be left to some vague notion of “common sense”. The law, as it will be, sets out the process for dialogue where issues arise surrounding a given public assembly. The cost may well be a thirty-seven day delay, but if this protects the fundamental human rights to peaceful lives, whilst ultimately appeasing our qualified rights of assembly and expression, then this is a cost worth paying. Furthermore, it is important to note that it also provides for fast-tracked applications within seventy-two hours where expediency is required in exceptional circumstances.

Student representatives have noted that the Public Assemblies Bill could represent a curb on academic activism. For the aforementioned reasons, and those which will become apparent in the following prose, I find this small apocalyptic warning wholly unfounded.

In fact the Act also makes many further meritorious and progressive initiatives. For instance it provides that organisers of events must “Take account of the local context and, in particular, of any sensitive locations near proposed assemblies, including locations associated with past conflict or previous public disorder”.

Most reasoned minds will recognise the appeal of incorporating this provision. It would be unfair, for example, to allow people to gather in large numbers in residential areas where they are not wanted.

Moreover the Bill goes some way to protecting the freedoms of minority interest groups. Whilst democracy is a fundamental underpinning of our constitution, it is also desirable to avoid situations of ochlocracy – that is majoritarianism – where the person who shouts or protests loudest wins.  It will be an offence “To prevent or disrupt a lawful assembly” or “to harass persons who are taking part in, or endeavouring to take part in, a lawful public assembly.” Punishments for these offences are every bit as prohibitive as those designed to inhibit participation in illegal gatherings – they are the same .This function of the legislation allows all voices, both booming and timid, to be heard.

It is also important to take note that times have changed too. Just as the majority of Northern Irish citizens have demonstrated their preference for political dialogue, as opposed to the physical demonstrations of the past in making progressive strides forward, in reaching comprises in relation to our owned troubled history, can the physicality of demonstrations relating to contemporary issues not be subsumed and distributed by modern mediums? For instance many of my peers in academia will appreciate that media-driven storms can be just as effective as more primitive demonstrations. Take for example last year’s Facebook campaign to support Rage Against the Machine in attaining pole position in the Christmas popular music chart. Did this involve picketing the home of Simon Cowell or HMV stores? No. Power to the People has taken on a new, more civilised form.

Furthermore, in debating the efficacy of the Public Assemblies Bill one must remember that politicians do not sit on-high making law at a whim, after the fashion of an omnipotent monarch. They serve a societal function; they are accountable to their electorate. Recent and recurrent demonstrations, such as the G8 summit in London last summer and, more locally, the annual Orange Order marches at Drumcree, have revealed the need for legislation to regulate public assemblies and processions. The purpose of the regulations from a political perspective are not to stifle freedom of assembly and expression, it simply is to facilitate the need for the State to be organised in its accommodation of mass activities.

So what’s the verdict on the Public Assemblies Bill? Is it an impingement on genuine democratic freedoms or a justified leveller to give all parties their opportunity in the public arena, with the added benefit of allowing the State to maintain public order and security? Having faith in legal process, my mind firmly favours the latter proposition.

BY BEN FINCH

Les McLean, Head of Operations at the Ulster Museum, believes the museum has done so well due to the “focus on the visitor and their experience”. Over 370,000 people have visited the museum since the £17.2 million refurbishment was completed in 2009 and their reaction has been an “overwhelmingly positive one”.
The Art Fund Prize focuses on the transformation of museums and the impact this has on visitors. All the museums entered have been recently renovated; the Ashmolean’s upgrade cost £61 million. However the Prize does not focus on the biggest or most expensive change but rather “the visitor’s chance to notice change for the better”.

The renovation of the Ulster Museum has led to criticism from some quarters. Many architects were opposed to the new design and Nelson McCausland MLA, Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure recently called for Creationism and Ulster Scots to have further recognition within the Museum.
McLean is confident that these comments will not affect the museum’s chances of winning the Prize and is pleased with the “interesting debate that has engaged the public more with the museum”.
If the Ulster Museum wins the prize then the £100,000 will be spent on “something lasting”, such as a celebratory piece of art or an education programme that will have “a life beyond the closing date of the competition”.

BY MATTHEW MCKERNAN

The film is very much a personal work, extremely well made and deeply effective. With only three exterior shots, the entire film is set inside a cramped and claustrophobic tank in which four Israeli soldiers work, sweat, eat, sleep and urinate. As they move through a war-ravaged land guided by a pitiless commander, tensions rise with the heat temperature and one by one they fall apart.

The film has been compared favourably with Wolfgang Peterson’s ‘Das Boot’. The setting of ‘Lebanon’ is much more confined than Peterson’s submarine, and unveils a much more powerful vision of the horrors of war. Maoz does not shy away from presenting some of the most harrowing images of war ever put on screen. Families, not just enemy soldiers, find themselves in the firing line. Like the film’s terrified gunner, we see the world through the crosshairs of a gun and when the orders come in to fire on the enemy or civilians, we are put right in the gunner’s place. The moral dilemma is suffocating and the film makes it clear that if we were sitting in that gunner’s place we would do the same thing.

The fim’s realistic war sequences are viewed entirely through crosshairs, inescapably reminding video game fans of the ‘Call of Duty’ series. By accident, Maoz raises questions concerning the morality of recreating war scenes as realistically as possible for the purposes of entertainment. In ‘Lebanon’, those dying are family men and women and innocents with little understanding of the war around them, and their deaths are far from swift, clean and inconsequential.

However, far from a vicious splatter-fest, Maoz is more concerned with the mentality of the four men in the tank. The film is a convincing portrait of men in crisis, bickering and clinging to no longer valid orders. The most uncomfortable sequence occurs when a captured enemy soldier, chained inside the tank, screams for help after his captors explain exactly what they plan to do to him. It is a horribly convincing image of a man in panic.

The film recently won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival and looks to be the beginning of a remarkable career for Maoz. Hopefully, unlike Elim Klinov of the equally horrific ‘Come and see’, Moaz has not said all he needs to say.

BY DAMIEN EDGAR

A stunning display of attacking football from Germany saw Miroslav Kolse, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Muller (2), all find the England net. As stunning as Germany’s attacking array was, it was more shocking how poor England’s defence performed. Time and time again the central pairing of John Terry and Matthew Upson was pulled too far apart, as the Germans pass and move game took glorious effect.

This defensive frailty was perfectly illustrated by Germany’s first goal as a “Hail Mary” ball from Neuer managed to send the England duo into meltdown. Klose, helping the ball into the England net, simultaneously helped the German goalkeeper claim an assist to the goal. Again the defence was pulled all over the pitch for Germany’s second goal, allowing Muller to find Podolski in space, the German hitman smashing the ball through the legs of the advancing David James.

Terry, moved to the right side of central defence to accommodate Upson, seemed out of sorts and Upson himself seemed to be letting his nerves get the better of him, until he rose to thump in a header to make it 2-1 in the 37^th minute.

What followed was arguably the worst decision of the World Cup, a real contender with Kaka’s sending off in the group stages. Following good build up play from England in a rare ten-minute spell of dominance just before half time, Frank Lampard received the ball on the edge of the area. In the sort of position he excels in at club level, Lampard coolly lifted the ball over the despairing hands of Manuel Neuer, glancing the crossbar and finding the back of the German net. However, despite the ball being a clear foot over the line, Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda waved play on, much to the consternation of the England players and managerial team.

The England team emerged after the break with an air of defeatism, the wind clearly taken out of their sails by the disallowed goal. Capello’s words had failed to raise the spirits of the players and the Germans began to assert their authority once more,  with Ozil pulling all the strings.

England did their best to keep the game competitive, but it was no surprise when Germany broke in the 67^th minute, Muller ending a delightful move with a composed drive. England goalkeeper David James’ positioning and handling was, however, suspect for the goal, despite the excellent game he had enjoyed up until that point.

There was nothing David James could do three minutes later however, as England midfielder Gareth Barry’s complete lack of pace and belief was exposed by Mesut Ozil. Beating Barry to a long ball despite his opponent’s ten yard head start, Ozil showed shear composure in coolly outpacing Barry and slotting the ball through Ashley Cole’s legs for the advancing Muller to slot past the fruitless lunge of the England goalkeeper.

The game became a formality after that, with every England player playing for the final whistle, to release them from their misery. What has become apparent as a result of this game is that the so-called “golden generation” of England footballers lacked the big game mentality required to justify their nickname, and that this emerging generation of German talent has a much brighter future ahead of them, even if they should fail to make it past the quarter final stage.

BY KERRI-ANNE CAMPBELL
Labour interim leader Harriet Harman responded for the opposition by calling it a ‘Tory Budget’ and predicting that it would increase unemployment and stifle growth. However, Mr Osborne has defended his drastic budget, which is clearly dominated by spending cuts and tax increases, as “unavoidable” and “tough but fair”. The Coalition has promised that the burden will fall on the richest and the poor will be protected. However, researchers claim that the chancellor’s slew of tax rises and massive benefit cuts will hit the poorest hardest.

The new budget will take 880,000 people out of the tax system and give basic rate taxpayers a tax cut of £200 per year. However, this may seem less significant considering that VAT will rise to 20% on 4^th January of next year; a change that will definitely impact day to day student life. There will be no increase in duties on cigarettes, alcohol and fuel; something that many students may appreciate.

As a result of the budget there will also be a two year public sector pay freeze on staff earning more than £21,000. People earning less than £21,000 will each receive a flat pay rise worth £250 in each of the two years. Weekly columnist and former editor-in-chief of The Observer, Will Hutton, has been appointed by the Government  to draw up plans for fairer pay across the public sector so that those at the top of organisations are paid no more than 20 times the salaries of those at the bottom.

Chancellor Osborne stated that he will publish a paper on rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy later this year. What is certain is that from 2013 the large number of Disability Living Allowance claimants in Northern Ireland will face a new medical assessment.

The impact upon university funding still remains unclear. Chancellor Osborne has suggested that there could be cuts of up to 25 per cent of its expenditure. It is feared that universities across the UK will be forced to reduce undergraduate numbers and slash thousands of jobs in order to service the national debt. There are growing concerns that cuts will increase the chances of an increase in tuition fees as the government turns to students to plug a hole in university budgets.

UCU (University and College Union) general secretary, Sally Hunt, said, “Starving education of funds and making families pay more to access a university education, while authorising billions in tax giveaways to big business would be a disaster for the UK. The Corporation Tax cut could have funded university places for all students forced to cough up for university fees.”

Queen’s is a member of the Russell Group which is a collaboration of twenty UK universities that together receive two-thirds of research grant and contract funding in the United Kingdom. In response to the Emergency Budget, Dr. Wendy Piatt, Director General of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities, said, “We sincerely hope that this Government recognises the vital role that leading research-intensive universities play in boosting the economy and improving quality of life and does not subject higher education to cuts of the truly alarming magnitude of 25%… Further cuts would be hugely damaging, threatening the UK’s status as home to world-leading universities.”

Student leaders at Queen’s have already set out plans to oppose any scheme to raise admission fees and opposition will take the form of political pressure on the Stormont Executive.

Illustration by Niall Mooney

BY CHRIS JOHNSON

The title of the opening track, ‘The Start of Something Awful’, is regrettably accurate. Jason Gibson clumsily rasps vocals seemingly through gritted teeth and wired jaws, often rhyming off as many words as possible in one breath, resulting in an unbalanced muffled mess.

‘Quarterback Spy’ sounds as though the master tapes were shredded and sewn back together. Guitar and piano lines are often ground into an atonal paste through poorly chosen effects. Again, the vocals here are utterly intolerable, auto-tuned beyond decipherability and recognition, far surpassing the possibility of enjoyment.

Gibson’s grating lyrics attempt poetic sentimentality, but sound obtuse and reek of the melodramatic tones of an upset teenager. This leaves listening to ‘Low Self Esteem Engine’ a tiresome task, and to find a redeeming feature is just as exhausting.

BY CATHERINE WYLIE

The truth should cost nothing, and the Saville Report made the truth publicly and globally official; that the victims of Bloody Sunday were all innocent men, killed unjustifiably and without justification by the State. Critics of the report’s lengthy duration and cost, 12 years and £195 million, should remember why it was absolutely essential that this inquiry be carried out. Saying that they are thinking of the other victims and families of the Troubles who haven’t got a fraction of the attention Bloody Sunday has, critics need to remember the most important factor in this whole affair, and that is that the victims of Bloody Sunday were murdered by Government representatives. They were killed by the State.

The report, due to its fantastic conclusion, is worth every single penny spent by the British Government, as its length and cost is ultimately their fault and that fault needed corrected. Due to Widgery’s lies, I understand why the Saville report was an absolute necessity and why perhaps the Ballymurphy killings have been overlooked in terms of launching an inquiry. There cannot be inquiries like Saville into paramilitary killings as there are too many atrocities on both sides. However, that is not to say that people of this viewpoint value the lives of the victims any less, but it has to be accepted that those killings are different and do not warrant the same sort of inquiry. Michael Mansfield QC has stated repeatedly (even David Cameron has highlighted this), that critics of the Saville Inquiry must accept that when a government’s forces kill innocent civillians there simply has be an inquiry. How can any government, anywhere in the world, expect its people to adhere to law and order, and respect its governance if such disgusting wrongdoings are committed, and then covered up with lies in a report afterwards?

This is the point that critics are missing. Regardless of where one’s political views lie, anyone with any sort of belief in justice, truth and legality, should accept the Saville Report with joy, and that joy should be for not only the exonerated victims and their families, but for the victory over a government trying to cover up the dirty wrongs committed by their military representatives on a day that arguably kicked off The Troubles proper. There is no hierarchy of victims, and to suggest there is insinuates that supporters of the Saville Inquiry value the lives of those killed on Bloody Sunday more than lives lost in other atrocities. Supporters of the Saville Inquiry see it for the absolute necessity it is and their persistence in obtaining justice and the truth has been rewarded sweetly.

The Saville Report is not “revisionism” as Gregory Campbell said, but is instead a 5000 page long document stating exactly what happened on that fateful day in 1972. Describing it as “revisionism” suggests that Campbell holds Widgery’s report in some regard, and that can only be viewed as pitiful. On BBC Spotlight, on the day the report was made public, journalist and political activist (and previous Gown reporter), Eamonn McCann, called Campbell a “sectarian disgrace”, and a vast majority of people would surely agree with that. His insistent refusal to say anything positive about the report has ousted him as an even bitterer man than he has always been viewed. He has repeatedly asked why the Paratroopers were in Derry that day, suggesting that such aggressive force was needed to contain the Catholic violence. He fails to acknowledge why the Catholics were marching in Derry. He also repeatedly says that we now need to move on and stop looking back. In just under four weeks, Campbell will commemorate an event that took place centuries ago, so it seems that he’s quite choosy in what he wants to move on from. He’s not a fan of anything in which Catholics are the victims.

Another way in which Unionist critics of the Saville Report are making themselves look bad is their focus on the revelation about Martin McGuinness “probably” carrying a sub-machine gun. Out of all that is revealed and cleared up in the report, this is just about the least significant thing in it, and to focus on this whilst at the same time ignoring the great victory for justice, is laughable. McGuinness admitted his involvement with the IRA some years ago now. We all know he was a member. He is denying the report’s suggestion that he probably had a machine gun on him by asking how one could possibly hide a sub-machine gun. He has publicly admitted that he was second in command of the local Derry IRA at the time of Bloody Sunday, so the notion of him “probably” having a gun is hardly groundbreaking news. The IRA was active at that time, so it is not interesting to hear that the second in command “might” have had a gun.

Watching the Widgery Report being torn up was possibly one of the most emotional and euphoric moments of this week. Not to mention the anonymous thumbs up which the anticipating crowd could see at a window at the Guildhall, before erupting with cheers of relief and joy that justice had been done. Or the families of the victims emerging from the Guildhall in a state of euphoria, which had been waiting for over 38 years to be released and enjoyed. Euphoria for the families, truth for the victims, justice for the world.

The 14 men shot dead by British paratroopers in Derry on 20th January 1972: INNOCENT

BY BEN FINCH

Following the NUS Town Takeover model, plans include giving parents mock degree scripts, in the form of invoices, during the opening weeks of the next academic year. This will advertise the amount their child will owe following his or her stay in third level education. The average student debt following graduation is £22,000. The Union is also looking to promote the value of graduates and highlight their career successes in an effort to counter the “layabout” image of students in recent times.

The Union supports the NUS Blueprint, a plan to fund universities using graduate contributions, as opposed to top-up fees. 96% of Queen’s students who voted in a referendum on 27 May this year opposed the Russell Group proposals.

Queen’s University declined to comment on their plans to increase fees and also on the university’s drop in the recent Guardian rankings, but stated, “Financial support arrangements for students in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly”.