The Verse – June and my last issue as features editor…

As regular readers of my blog will already know, this year I have been heavily involved with the organisation and revamp of Brighton University’s student newspaper. It was known as the Pebble until April this year, when a small group of us with no previous experience took a course, redesigned the paper and re-named it The Verse. The last issue for this academic year came out this week and is my last issue as features editor.

The paper is available from all Brighton University student union offices, On the Big Lemon Bus and copies can be picked up in the Odeon Cinema on West Street.

This months issue may be slightly shorter, but doesn’t skimp out on quality with some fantastic features. I wrote and laid out a festival feature on Beach Break Live and Lounge on the Farm (which also features a competition to give away a pair of tickets for each festival), as well as a piece on the graduate show. My Great Escape Diary and Photography is also featured in music a few pages later. Due to my co-editors uninvolvement in the last issue I took the opportunity to get some keen potential editors for next year involved writing and laying out the food and fashion pages, which I think also look great. Overall the paper is an improvement on last month’s both visually and content wise.

It’s quite sad for me to let go of this project, now or in September. Working on the paper has opened so many doors for me, I know that I wouldn’t have my BBC placement without the experience or met so many fantastic Brightonians over the last year. It has been stressful, we have made major errors mistakes, but it has been such an enriching and invaluable experience. I have enjoyed working with the team and wish everyone one of you the best of luck in the future. Even Virginia. Really Really Really.

A new editorial team will be elected in September, but I will be keeping an eye on the email boxes until the handover. If you would like to reach out to the student community email us on: contactverse at gmail.com

The Verse Festivals special: Lounge on the Farm and Beach Break Live

I loved writing this piece. I tried to get another student to write it as I had quite a lot of final year work on, but I ended up rising to the challenge. It involved a bit of PR hunting, but it was worth it for the brilliant competition I managed to organise. Published in the June issue of the Verse, I also layed out the page myself which looks very delicious too: Page 6

Summer musical madness

For the first time this year, a bumblebee got stuck in my bedroom. This means two things: not only did I get myself into a girly flap but summer is finally approaching. Where there is summer, there are also those small things us Brits are famous for: festivals. Time to bring out those Wellington boots!

The last few years have seen many smaller festivals spring up, offering something new to the discerned festival goer. With so much choice around and the coppers getting even tighter, even a student with the most disposable income can only realistically afford to go to one a year. However, with the bigger offerings such as Glastonbury and Bestival selling out in advance, those less organised have a wealth of smaller festivals to choose from, which in some cases are better than their larger counterparts. Where these festivals shine is not through an ear-bleeding line-up, but by creating an atmosphere so warm and welcoming you won’t want to go home. So, in my true alternative style, rather than go on about the festivals that everyone is going to, I want to tell you about two festivals that everyone should be going to.

Lounge On The Farm: 9^th – 11^th July

Remember Middle Farm’s Apple festival in September? Think of that but bigger and better. Set on a working Merton farm where lounging is actively encouraged, this sweet little festival is based in the heart of Kent and has a real locals vibe. Celebrating its 5th birthday in 2010, Lounge on the Farm is a festival for food lovers, winning Guardian best foodie festival in 2008. Like any farmers market, all the food served at the festival is locally sourced and handpicked to create cuisine from around the world.

Furthermore, Lounge on the Farm boasts not only its own special ale – if that is your kind of thing – but also boasting their own cider, which is my kind of thing. Not that fussed about mouth-watering food? Ok, how about some great entertainment? The Playhouse is the festival’s performance art venue by day, but transforms into the Udderbelly at night to host the cream of comedy. The Groovy movie picture house, the country’s only solar power cinema will also be showing audio video delights. What about the music I hear you cry? The line-up features a wealth of up and coming and eclectic ‘folkertainment’, with the headlining bands Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Toots and the Maytails, DJ Yoda & Tunng. On a personal note this is one of the few chances to groove along to the fabulous The Phenomenal Handclap Band, but there will also be some fabulous Brighton bands in attendance including Peggy Sue and The Agitator. Adult tickets for the weekend cost £95, the day tickets are £40. For more info and tickets, head to the website: www.loungeonthefarm.co.uk.

Beach Break Live:  14^th – 18^th June

This festival aimed specifically at students was started by Celia Norowzian and Ian Forshew in 2007. The graduates of The University of Birmingham appeared on ‘Dragon’s Den’ and started a bidding war for their second event and have since been the subject of a 2008 BBC documentary. Now in its fourth year, Beach Break Live was named 2009’s best small festival, yet doubles in size every year, this year aiming to satisfy 17,500 students. 2010 sees a relocation to South Wales and Pembrey Country Park, boasting over 500 arches of woodland and eight miles golden sandy beaches of the Gower Peninsular – yes where you went and did your A-level Geography coursework. The Woodland itself is also an adventure playground for kid-ults, with a 130 metre dry ski slope, ‘Go Ape’ tree courses, as well as the longest toboggan run in Wales.

How can a festival that is aimed at students set in an area of outstanding natural beauty be ethically viable? Well, Beach Break Live pride themselves in their ethos towards reducing carbon emissions by running a bus service from university campuses and supporting the local community and environment through sustainable projects. Even the decision to run the event during the week rather than a weekend not only limits the damage on local tourism, but also fits in with students midweek lifestyle! Many reviews of last year mentioned the relaxed and friendly atmosphere that was unrivalled at any other UK festival, which I feel is obviously a testament of the nature of student-kind.

All this sound too good to be true? Well there is even more in the shape of a stellar line-up. Headlining bands include Vampire Weekend, Calvin Harris, a live set from Chase and Status and Ellie Goulding, while on the DJ front 2 Many DJ’s, Annie Mac, High Contrast and Fake Blood lead the pack to keep you raving until the early hours. The festival also has a variety of venues and tents on offer to party in including a vintage fun-fair, a lost garden complete with hot tubs and a moustache tent where facial hair is not just recommended but is an entry requirement – especially on the ladies. Tickets including camping cost £89 + £5 booking fee, but be quick, the event sold out last year. For more info and tickets, head to the website: www.beachbreaklive.com

Rosie’s festival essentials

Anyone who knows me values my organisational skills. A self proclaimed mother hen, I thrive when it and put the thrifty into festival. Here are the things I cannot live without when I am residing in a field for the foreseeable future.

Camel Sac: Bought in camping shops, used mostly used by hard-core hikers, I fill mine with Cider by day and water by night. Also, letting randoms suck on your third nipple for liquid refreshment is also the most random but hilarious conversation starter ever. Top it up before retiring to the tent so save those cold, thirsty, morning trips.

Hand Sanitiser: You never know what state those toilets are going to be in, or even if they have soap. Keeping your hands clean is essential if you want to avoid getting ill: no-one wants a dodgy tummy when the only available toilet is full to the rim. In the same vein here is toilet paper, bring a roll or two.

Ploppies: I am letting student kind in on a little secret recipe. Get 3 bags of Harribo and a bottle of vodka. Pour into a water tight lunchbox and soak for a few days. Now these things are not just any Vodka jelly, this is the stuff that creates those stories to tell your future grandchildren; hence they should come with a government health warning. Do not consume in one sitting, let the fun spill over the whole weekend.

Make friends with your Neighbours: Festivals are all about meeting new people. You may never talk to your neighbours at home, but make sure you talk to them at a festival; chances are they will be your new best friends. Tempt them with a ploppy and let the good times roll.

Burt Brill & Cardens Brighton Graduate Degree Show – Preview

This is a preview feature on the Brighton University graduate degree show as featured in the June issue of the Verse. The last and most difficult piece I had to write for this issue. I estimate that I have written well over 10,000 words this month (not including the dissertation I completed the month before), so this was the most difficult 500 words I have ever had to write. Unless it is on a topic that I am really passionate about, I really struggle with the formal writing style that news writing commands. I guess I am getting a little too used to writing provocative tosh to flirt with one’s mind.

The real page laid out is here: Page 7, which also features Callum Kelly’s lovely review of the new Sea-life centre mural by Tunnel Vision.

Burt Brill & Cardens Graduate Degree Show

Grand Parade has been a hive of activity recently as final year students of the Faculty of Arts erect their degree shows. Every year, the building is transformed from a bustling teaching building of 25 courses to the largest

art gallery in the South East, showcasing the work of Brighton students. The title of this year’s show is Hook, Line and Sinker, revealing the time and patience involved for the students to put on a show of this level, and the sense of achievement that they will face after.

The show, sponsored by Burt Brill and Cardens Solicitors, gives over 500 students the opportunity to showcase their work to over 15,000 visitors. For many of these students, it is the first opportunity for their work to be seen and be purchased by the public. In some ways, the private view on the 4th June is as important as graduation day in July.

Brighton is well known for its forward thinking and eclectic artistic talent; previous arts graduates include Turner prize-winning artists Rachel Whiteread and Keith Tyson. Fashion graduate and founder of the Biba label Barbara Hulanicki returned to Brighton last November to give a rare talk on her life as a legendary fashion designer. More recent fashion graduates have also embarked on successful careers since leaving Brighton. Julien MacDonald was voted British designer of the year in 2001, alongside Gresham Blake who has now become a tailor to the stars.

Eyes are again on the Fashion graduates for the annual fashion show that taking place in the Sallis Benney theatre, which has always has sold out in advance. One student to look out for is Steven Woodward, who has already showcased some of his garments in London fashion week after entering a competition through Vogue.com. Highlights of the knitted Textiles show also point to Sophie Penn and Debbie Holman who have both won bursaries from ‘The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters’.

Other popular shows include Editorial Photography, based in the Gallery, and Architecture, which has moved this year to the garden. The rest of the shows are based where the courses are taught: first floor houses the fashion and sculpture disciplines, the second floor showcasing the fine and performance arts, while the third floor is home to the majority of graphics, illustration and printmaking.

Third year Graphic Design students Pete Dungey and Miles Gould created the visually striking poster for the show. Responding to the open brief set at the beginning of the year to all graphics and illustration students, Dungey and Gould wanted to come up with a design that encompassed the release of tension that graduate students get at the end of their final show. The pair settled on a fishing theme with the idea that the final year show is about catching the attentions of the public.

Many students are hoping that their work will reel the public in to commission future work to kickstart of their artistic careers. However, it is not just the examiners that decide the fate of these students. The public can also vote for their favourite work to receive the Peoples Award. The winning student will receive a cash prize and local media exposure through Juice FM and Latest Homes magazine. Your vote also enters you into a draw to win an original artwork.

During this busy time, it is easy to overlook the degree show by students from the school of Historical Studies. That show is located just down the road towards the sea front, at Pavilion Parade. Third year students on these courses will also be putting on exhibitions, relating to their research for their dissertations completed earlier in the year. Their private view is a day later than the show at Grand Parade – on the 5th June. The exhibition will then be open to the public from 6th – 10th June.

The Great Escape 2010

Despite being recently voted by NME as the UK’s best festival, I still can’t work out the Great Escape. In the last 5 years is has been running I have attended three and will admit I find it hard work. The festival requires much planning, a central crash pad, a deep wallet and very comfortable shoes. The line-up is so overwhelmingly unknown to even the moderately clued up you are sometimes at a loose end as to who to see. But this is why it is a great escape, freeing yourself from what you know and discovering new music. The bands that blow you away are the ones that you had no idea about before the festival. 3 days and 19 bands later, my body is aching and my mind is whirling from all the fantastic music I have discovered.

My weekend started with Chateau Marmont aided by a light show at Digital, providing a futuristic dystopian horror soundtrack. Komedia provided the perfect venue to be romanced by The Dodos, before I settled in for a (slightly) drunken celebratory night at the Source vs Recommender party, featuring Mirrors, Foreign Office, The Agitator, King Charles & Pope Joan.

The Dodos

Friday started a little fuzzy but was rectified by the blissful Japanese inspired beats of Gold Panda. Unfortunately Life didn’t do him or the sardined crowd any justice; slightly roomier instead was Wolf Gang @ Coalition followed by Hurts straight after. I didn’t want to try my luck for Wild Beasts after seeing the huge queue, so I settled on the Moshi Moshi records party @ New Hero with everyone’s favourite boy-next-door James Yuill & Mirrors – they were getting around and were dapperly dressed every time.

Wolf Gang

Already missing out on a variety of daytime gigs due to deadlines and hangovers, Saturday was mission day and I was determined to check out the Alternative escape and the various street gigs, the first of which was Fenech-Soler. Adapt Barbers shop hosted a gig so intimate the crowd were feeling each other up, complete with free Mohawks and facepainting. Stagecoach were the first to wow with their bouncy grooves, but I quickly dashed to the Foundry to catch Kovak and their No Doubt-esque stylings, before dashing back to catch one of my favourite local bands Kinema with their geektastic homage to all things electronic.

Kovac

:Kinema

After a quick dash home to recharge my batteries, I stopped into Komedia to check out the eerily familiar Erland & the Carnival, perfect for a heart-breaking road trip across no-man’s land. Prince Albert hosted the psychedelic oddities of La Shark and the orient other that Is Tropical. I ran to catch the end of The Phenominal Handclap Band, before my feet gave in and told me to go home.

Erland and the Carnival

The Album you must buy next: The Dodos

Echoing on the familiar sounds of indie folk that have been doing the rounds on the blogs thanks to bands like Yeasayer and Grizzly Bear, this experimental San Francisco 3-piece took me back to the those adolescent days where I would daydream to Jeff Buckley on repeat, but with much needed oomph and guts. Percussion is where the wonder lies; wowing the crowd by playing a Glockenspiel with a violin bow. Their most recent album is reminiscent of The Shins, but check out the debut Visiter (yes, that is the way it’s spelt) to go on a mesmerising lovesick walkabout that dreams of a happy ending.

The next big thing: Fenech-Soler

If the ‘it’ factor consists of pop-tastic catchy songs, barrels of energy, beautiful faces and spangly costumes, these guys have got it in spades. Add to that their ability to make a remix so stunning it could get your Grandma doing the twist, and you have the recipe for something as hot as Cut-Copy and Friendly Fires. They even had a dancing flash mob and a confetti explosion for their relentless street gig – which was one of 4 they played at the weekend.

Fenech-Soler

The next band to see live: The Phenomenal Handclap Band

Playing rather appropriately at the refurbed Jam, this 70’s infused psychedelic-rock yet retro-funk band screams summer with style. Their energy so was infectious there wasn’t an um-bopper in the house. Everything about this 8-peice was so hot, my camera spontaneously combusted and I just had to give in and dance into a sweaty stooper like everyone else. Their record doesn’t do this band justice, they one to be seen live to be believed, loved and worshiped.

The big maybe: Hurts

This band appeal to people for two reasons. First you have the thirty-something crowd, who are nolstalgic for the 80’s when the new-romantics were well… new. With my generation being catapulted back into the 80’s not only stylistically but politically (thanks Dave) the theatrical power ballad may be making a comeback. While I was initially aware of them and pre-judged them as pretentious, particulary due to the ginger Paul Potts-esque singing statue at the back. However, throughout the gig lead singer Theo Hutchcraft came out of his shell a smidging and the crowd loved it. Hell, half of them were mouthing the words. But I am hoping for more Yazoo and less Spandau Ballet.

Hurts

Gutted to miss: Theophilus London and Oui est Le Swimming Pool

It wouldn’t be the Great Escape if you didn’t miss at least one act you wanted to see. The rumour mill is that both acts were great. Sigh.

I have also made a spotify playlist of some of the bands I managed to catch.

This peice will also be published in the May issue of The Verse, alongside Issac’s and Caroline’s review, and a Kovac competition. Check it out!

Page 10 – Music

Page 11 – Music

Brighton Festival 2010

Unfortunately due to exam peril, i am unable to attend any of the events going on in this years Brighton Festival. Last year I volunteered and invigilated some of the Anish Kapoor sculptures situated around Brighton, which I really enjoyed. This is a piece about the 2010 Brighton Festival, printed in the April issue of the Verse.

Each year, Brighton Festival is always an unexpected, spellbinding experience. There is always a guarantee that the programme is going to contain a few hidden gems sandwiched between a sea of unknown cultural delights. Legendary artist and creative muso Brian Eno will curate this year’s festival so it is no exception, boasting 113 events, 16 exclusives and eight new commissions.

Eno is most well known for his involvement in the Glam Rock band Roxy Music in the early 70’s, most famous for the song Love is a Drug. When he left the band due to disagreements with the lead singer Brian Ferry, Eno embarked on his own solo projects, pioneering the beginnings of experimental electronic music. Many call him the inventor of the ambient genre, while others praise him further by calling him the father and an inspiration to anyone dabbling with a synthesiser. He has worked on albums for U2, Coldplay, Talking Heads, Grace Jones and Paul Simon among many others, although his management call him a ‘sonic landscaper’ rather than a producer. He hasn’t just stuck to music either. He also writes for the Observer and Prospect magazine, as well as working on many other multimedia projects.

The most famous of these is 77 Million Paintings, which is going to be situated in Fabrica for the duration of the May festival. This work, created in 2006, features geometrically arranged slides and light projections, constantly changing. Described by Eno as ‘visual music’, every viewing experience will be different due to the 77 million combinations. The church setting makes the viewing experience even more sacred. Fabrica are even installing sofas so you can make yourself comfortable; you may get transfixed for hours.

While this is one of the few free events being put on this year, it will undoubtedly be the most accessibly spectacular and is not to be missed. The only other free events take place on the final day of the festival, Sunday 23rd May. This will involve a family orientated street art and performance afternoon by Urban Playground at the Marina ending with a firework show, and a night-time circus extravaganza at The Level by No Fit State.

But what is Eno himself like? After watching a few documentaries and being lucky enough to hear him talk in the flesh, I can only describe him as intellectually stimulating yet challenging, captivating yet tangent travelling. Eno has said that Brighton is a special city that has a citizenship unlike any other in the UK, and he “wouldn’t have wanted to curate a Festival in any other city.” He has also said that the eve of his 62nd birthday “will be the greatest evening of his life”, when Afrobeat perform on the 14th May (Dome). His other personal highlights include: This is Pure Scenius! a four and a half hour experimental improvisational collaboration featuring Eno, Karl Hyde of Underworld, Jon Hopkins and Leo Abrahams; This is Acappella! a celebration of non-instrumental singing featuring Reggie Watts, as well as two talks that he is hosting himself on the on a variety of subjects that will flow into each other.

Eno has purposely organised events by groups and performers that you are bound to have never heard of before, so you arrive with no preconceptions of what to expect, forced to surrender yourself to an experience that you do not know where you will be taken.

Eno facts

Has made his own app for the iPhone for you to create your own experimental music, called Bloom.

He scored the music for Peter Jackson’s My Lovely Bones.

Eno created the music for the amazing PS3 game Spore.