Reviews and rambles from a trainee journalist
Tom Misch is fast becoming the staple artist on every young 20-something’s Spotify playlists. A multi-instrumentalist working from his bedroom, Misch has since catapulted to glory in recent months, his cult following resulted in a sold out night at Birmingham’s O2 Institute. His fusion of jazz and R&B beats attracted a far more diverse crowd than I anticipated, the room buzzing with excitement waiting for him to grace the stage.
‘How can we not sort these things out in 2018?’ I am sat, phone in hand, chatting to Dan Haggis, drummer of Liverpool indie-rock band The Wombats, about all things music, politics and the power of the internet age.
Last month the world watched as one of the largest sexual abuse scandals in sporting history finally came to a dramatic end. Since 2016, former Team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar has been publicly accused by over 150 women and girls of sexual assault. The use and abuse of his position that would allow him to come into close contact with so many of these young women turned stomachs the world over, including that of judge Rosalie Aquilina. The final hearing created further headlines, with Aquilina sentencing the disgraced doctor to a minimum of 40 years and a maximum of 175 years in prison for his crimes. She emphatically addressed him following this announcement: ‘I just signed your death warrant’.
Continue reading “Opinion / Crossing the Line? Sexual Assault on Trial”
Christmas – a joyous time spent with family and friends, being thankful for the time we have with said loved ones. However, given the consumerist society in which we live, it perhaps comes as no surprise to learn that exploitation is the dish being served for many this festive season. Facing particular backlash in this regard is the ‘Queen’ of YouTube, Zoella.
It is that time of year again, folks. Yes, the festive season means only one thing: Christmas adverts. In particular, the nation waits in anticipation for the unveiling of the new John Lewis advert each and every year, in the past helping artists to achieve number one singles and simultaneously causing the British public to cry into their cups of tea. This year the department store has chosen a Beatles cover for their latest tear-jerking instalment, with Bury boys Elbow taking on the Abbey Road track, ‘Golden Slumbers’.
Wolf Alice are soaring at the moment, and judging by their live tour, they show no sign of slowing down.Celebrating the release of their sophomore album, Visions of a Life, Birmingham’s O2 Academy saw the enigmatic band take to the stage for an evening of chaotic fun aboard an emotional rollercoaster.
Having listened to Craig David as a child and watched his career fade into the abyss, it is a surprise to both you and I that I found myself attending his most recent tour at the O2 Academy. Who would have thought we would see the return of Craig David? In his own words, ‘that Miami thing was long, but I came back to the UK and everything changed’.
I’m sat at my desk on a rainy Friday afternoon, my conversation counterpart waiting for a lift to a studio in Staines. This time at the other end of the phone is Nottingham-born singer-songwriter Ady Suleiman, who is on the cusp of releasing his long-awaited debut album next year. Having previously won the ‘Breakthrough Act of the Year’ award at Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards and gaining a legion of fans from the likes of Chance the Rapper to Michael Kiwanuka, Ady is set for even higher heights than he’s experienced thus far.
