Culture & Literature – Page 25 of 37

9Sep

By Laura LawrenceNo Comments

No More iPlayer

Over the past few years the BBC has seen major changes to its organisation. These changes have included the proposed closure of BBC Three, the shutting down of the BBC Trust, the appointment of the National Audit Office as its financial auditor and a whole new board put in charge of the company. In addition to these changes, the government have just announced that from 1st September the Licensing Law will be changing. This will result in it being illegal to watch television programmes on BBC iPlayer without a TV licence. Although this does not affect the huge number of Britain’s population who already have a licence, it will affect the thousands of students who rely on the medium for entertainment without having to pay £145.50. Now many students may be thinking that it doesn’t matter th...

The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition 2016

9Sep

By Jordan ThorneNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Visual Arts

The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition 2016

One of the biggest art events of the year is also one of the most accessible art exhibitions. Running until 21st August, this year’s Summer Exhibition is definitely worth a visit. The art world is often seen as impenetrable, pompous and downright confusing. The plethora of exhibitions and events that run every year often prove to be an intimidating and uncomfortable place to be for anyone who is not an art dealer themselves. Many times I have found myself stifling giggles at pieces that those around me find fascinating. There is one exception to this unwritten rule of the art world: the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition in London. This yearly event is open to all. All kinds of punters and all kinds of artists, and that is what makes it so special. Every year the Royal Academy accepts...

5Aug

By Joanne ArcherNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Orbital Introducing: masses.

This week Orbital checked out up-and-coming band ‘masses.’ The 4-piece band, based in Leeds, is made up of guitarists Cain Cookson and Jacob Corr, bass player James Grover and George Van Renselar’s electronics. The band have described themselves as ‘a melodic earful of guitars, synths, samples, and affecting four-part harmonies; lyrical disdain and proper songwriting; masses.’ What makes this band so unique is the fact that all members produce vocals, resonating haunting tones. You may wonder what is so diverse about an all-singing boy band, but this is certainly no One Direction. Each member has experience as a professional music producer and just as much expertise with their instruments. The tracks are produced entirely by the band at Peak Studios. The result is a truly unique sound that...

Bowie From Your Bottom: Midsummer at The Globe

3Aug

By George SomersNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

Bowie From Your Bottom: Midsummer at The Globe

Concealed in the midst of artistic director Emma Rice’s traditionally authentic season of Bard-based foolery, nestled within the open air glory of Sam Wannamaker’s theatrical baby, the controversial wackiness of the Kneehigh Theatre Group's updated, revamped and revitalised 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' is a spectacle to behold. Colliding the wandering woodland players with the splendour of Ziggy Stardust, while regenerating the romantic comedy of the Demetrius-Helena spats via the hilarity of an on-off gay couple, Rice is utterly immersed in her element, with sold-out performances splitting Shakespeare purists and newly indoctrinated Bard followers into Marmite-like love or hate camps. This eccentric production has been both adored and loathed alike by critics. With self-deprecating Nick...

25Jul

By Beth CarrNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Film & TV

New Blood: A new concept for BBC One?

I was introduced to New Blood by the Metro, promising a fantastic foray from Anthony Horowitz into the gritty side of London's policing and fraud investigation. Once a friend from the capital mentioned the show and its greatness, I knew I had to 'tune in' and find out for myself. I use 'tune in' in the figurative sense because the first I heard of the show was as a box set on BBC iPlayer, not realising it had a prime time slot on BBC One. The way this works is that the series is made up of three cases, each consisting of two episodes (except the first which has three instalments), and released on a case by case basis. The episodes are also aired weekly over seven weeks on BBC One on Thursday evenings. A strange idea, some might think, considering that the episodes are already available ...

#KeepTheSecrets: Harry Potter Play Reviewed

7Jul

By Beth CarrNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

#KeepTheSecrets: Harry Potter Play Reviewed

Beth Carr reviews the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Cursed Child ahead of its official opening in late July Walking up to the Palace Theatre, it is clear that this is the only place in the West End to host Harry Potter's eighth story. Visually spectacular, the Victorian red brick frontage is reminiscent of Hogwarts and the interior is equally magical, benefiting from a refurbishment especially for J. K. Rowling's newest creation. The theatre was surrounded by eager fans and as doors opened the queue was already winding around the entire building. A warm welcome awaits spectators from security and staff, and after parting ways with an unfortunate packet of BBQ Beef Hula Hoops (no food is allowed into the theatre but you can take in water bottles) we were soon seated, ready to enj...

Film adaptation of Wicked announced to be released in 2019

27Jun

By Beth CarrNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Film & TV, Theatre & Performance

Film adaptation of Wicked announced to be released in 2019

The adaptation has been discussed since 2004, but was viewed by some fans as a mere rumour after news of the film had gone quiet. Universal Pictures, however, confirmed via Twitter that the motion picture is scheduled for release on 20th December 2019. Within 24 hours, their tweet has received over 5,000 likes and 7,500 retweets, with speculation already rife about who will play the lead characters and visible excitement from eager followers. The musical phenomenon WICKED comes to the big screen. In theaters 12.20.19. pic.twitter.com/rFojgh56oH — Universal Pictures (@UniversalPics) June 16, 2016 Wicked retells L. Frank Baum's 1900 story The Wizard of Oz, popularised by the 1939 film, from the perspective of the witches, exploring their childhoods and how they came to take the titles o...

Chase & Status release their latest track ‘Spoken Word’ ft. George the Poet

24Jun

By Joanne ArcherNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Chase & Status release their latest track ‘Spoken Word’ ft. George the Poet

The catchy and uplifting sampling of Rozalla’s 1990s song, ‘Everybody’s Free’, demands dance floors to be filled, whilst George the Poet’s words transport ‘Spoken Word’ to its own genre. Rozalla’s rave tune paired with his inspiring, echoed words, can only really be described as a bit chalk and cheese; a combination that will almost definitely peak in the charts regardless. The track, which is third to be previewed from their latest unreleased album, was first aired by Zane Lowe on his Beats 1 show as a ‘World First’ on the 16th of June. It’s clear to see why Zane chose this track, with its modern poetry and old school vibe creating a blend that feels entirely new. Some listeners, however, feel that the song is not all that revolutionary, citing its likeness to Chase & Status’ previ...

17Jun

By Nebiu SamuelNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Krept and Konan, A Night to Remember

Krept and Konan are one of the biggest names in rap at the moment since the success of their mixtape 'Young Kingz' in 2013. They have worked tirelessly, producing hit songs known across the country. On April 1st, the pair promised a night to remember with the first performance of their spring tour at the O2 Academy Brixton and they certainly delivered. After Ty Dollar Sign had warmed up the crowd, the lights went out, phones were out with Snapchat and Instagram ready, the anticipation of the Duo’s grand entrance grew among the crowd. The screen covering the stage fell to reveal a London underground tube carriage across the stage, followed by the sound of the very familiar underground voice-over which was used throughout the show to introduce special guests. Then the vocals from Konan’s tra...

16Jun

By George SomersNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Fifteenth Annual Eden Sessions Kick Off

‘See world-class bands and artists perform in front of our beautiful biomes with the amazing acoustics created by our natural amphitheatre’. The Eden Project, a conservation project nestled within an abandoned quarry in St Austell, Cornwall, attracts over a million visitors per year. While the tropical bio-domes and artificial subterranean atmosphere attract the eccentric tree huggers and renewable energy enthusiasts, the Eden Sessions have become a hub for rockers and appreciators of quality music throughout the south. While the miniature festival’s initial years saw fledgling recognised names such as Elbow and Supergrass grace their stage, Eden has now boasted some of music’s greatest artists over the course of a decade, including Amy Winehouse, Grammy award winners Muse and 80s deity...