the siren , the college tribune
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The Siren , the entertainment supplement in The College Tribune.TRANSCRIPT
The KlaxonsInterview
Lady Gaga?Who cares?Page 4
Music
127 Hours Review
Page 12
Movies
Campus Style Examines UCD Fashion Page 8
Fashion
College Tribune Entertainment Supplement
25.01.2011
The Siren 25.01.11Music2
Although a very minor scene in Ireland,
ska - from its peeled-back roots to its more
recent aberrations, and the current regalia
of mediocre cover bands - has contributed
significantly to musical styles the world over.
And rather surprisingly too, considering its
origin on a Caribbean island less than half
the size of Munster. The development of ska
in Jamaica coincides neatly with the rise of
that nation to independence. The emergent
period of the late 1950’s - when ska was
the confused embryo of American blues
and soul mating with Caribbean mento and
calypso - lasted until 1962, when British
rule was renounced and ska exploded onto
the social scene with vigour, exported to
the UK and USA within a few years.
Ska, like its regional and American
reference points, was both a pathway
for social commentary and a backing
track to efforts for emancipation. These
characteristics remained a strong element
of the genre, until more recent third wave
ska groups carried it from a subculture
to mainstream popularity, where, much
like the punk stylings of the time, it was
massacred and abandoned, picked over by
scavenging copycats and indifferent former
champions. The skank is the real key to ska
however, an offbeat upstroke characteristic
of Caribbean styles, which offers a jaunty,
almost optimistic backdrop to songs which
often draw inspiration from race and class
struggles, such as Prince Buster’s “They Got
To Go” or Maroon Town’s “City Riot”.
The frequent inclusion of vociferous brass
and walking bass-lines, particularly in first
and second wave groups, and early third
wave groups such as The Mighty Mighty
Bosstones, are also important to the ska
sound. The flip-side to this laid-back, upbeat
arrangement is a lamentable simplicity and
the power to grate on the listener, especially
if the tempo is increased and coupled with
Californian accents. If you wish to claim
insurance on “accidental breakages”, stick
on some turn-of-the-millennium Reel Big
Fish or Aquabats, and test your endurance.
Despite these shortcomings, ska
experienced 30 to 40 years of popularity
as an evolving but compact genre, and was
responsible for the development of many
styles, regional and worldwide. Rocksteady,
reggae and dancehall, early dub, and
toasting all find their origins in ska music
and culture. These, in turn, became global
and spawned ragga, dancehall and bongo
flava, with a pronounced influence on
hip-hop, house, dubstep and rap. Lyrics
are typically in English, although peppered
with distinctive Jamaican slang, and, as
might be expected, ska was most strongly
embraced in Anglophone regions, such as
Australia and the USA. Surprisingly, the
“ska wave” has hit elsewhere, experiencing
particular success in Japan and Indonesia,
where the style has been assimilated with
more traditional influences, producing sub-
genres such as ska-dhut and J-Ska.
Whichever way the music is interpreted
or transformed into a viable independent
genre, ska possesses an unusual trait for a
musical style hailing from relatively obscure
origins, as its corresponding dance styles
were exported simultaneously. Or rather,
it might appear unusual, until you try to
sit through the likes of The Ethiopians’
“Train to Skaville”, or the classic “Rudy, A
Message To You”, without at least a sporadic
head-bop or finger-tap. Ska’s rhythms are
infectious, irresistible even, coaxing the
most painfully cool and aloof hipsters and
tomato-faced, self-conscious teenagers
into a loose-limbed sway. The ‘ska! ska!
ska!’ guitar tones, paired with horns that
amble along like a sprightly grandfather
straight from a Werther’s Original ad,
lull your body into an easy security, and
BAM! - there you are, shaking and doing
‘The Ska’ before you even knew it had a
name. ‘Rowing’, ‘Running’, ‘Milking-The-
Cow’ and the oddly shuffling ‘Monkey-
Dance’ were the order of the day in 1960s
Jamaican dancehalls - think ‘Grease’ meets
Elvis Presley, and you’re somewhere in
the region. Speed it up a bit with some
second wave material such as The Specials,
Selecter or the ever-popular Madness, and
you understand why skinheads cherished
their Dr. Marten boots. ‘Skanking’ comes
into its own here – a diverse form covering
all manner of dancefloor brutalities, from
innocent ‘herking and jerking’ to playful
‘slamming’, ‘moshing’, ‘skank-pits’, and
more extreme ‘HXC’ or ‘striking out’,
known to result in face-breaking and blood
baths in certain parts of America.
Wherever ska’s benign rhythms turn up,
these dancing styles, or similar, present
themselves as a matter of course. Some
believe that the offbeat accents are
rhythmically compelling, others that the
universal appeal lies in the cheery ‘skank’.
Regardless, when the likes of Neville
Staples, frontman of The Specials, tells you
he wants to see some of that “Ol’ Moon-
Stomping”, resistance is not an option. The
future of ska may be glum, with a bounty
of poor covers knocking about, but the past
contributions of this genre are pure gold.
The Specialist: Any ska, lad?by Tracey O’Connor
Beady Eye – ‘The Roller’
Being comprised of former Oasis members (minus major component Noel Gallagher), comparisons betwixt Beady Eye and Oasis are perhaps as inevitable as they are stale and unimaginative.That being said, ‘The Roller’ sounds quite like an Oasis song. Not to say it’s a sing-along rock ballad in their traditional style, but something about the nasal vocals of Liam Gallagher, the simple chord pattern and the catchy chorus (“Just call me the rollaaah-ah-ah-aah”) really does recall those halcyon days of “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory”. Listen and enjoy, just don’t expect innovation.
Mánran – ‘Latha Math’
For those of you who don’t know (as I didn’t, until I found this song floating around on the net), Mánran are a recently-formed band that try to incorporate Gaelic traditions, Scottish folk and pop-rock elements. So, uh, good luck to them I guess.What we wind up with here is a vaguely pleasant sounding proto-trad tune that’s unlikely to chart terribly highly (which is sadly due in part to the Gaelic lyrics) that owes more to The Corrs than The Horslips. Not awful, just too forgettable to make much of an impact.
PJ Harvey – ‘The Words That Maketh
Murder’
PJ Harvey is a rather marvellous English musician who, on this track, somehow manages to make a series of high-pitched yelps sounds extraordinarily good. Her ethereal voice aside, the addition of the brass and chorus lines in the chorus is sublime. As for the lyrical content, it seems to be a fairly straightforward and standard anti-war tale (“I’ve seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat” and “What if I take my problem to the United Nations” seem particularly telling), but if that’s the case it’s certainly better told here than I’ve heard in a while.
Imelda May – ‘Inside Out’
Selected for single-dom from May’s latest offering; Mayhem, ‘Inside Out’ sounds wonderfully like a sort of ‘50s showtune. Specifically, I feel like I should be in a classy Las Vegas barroom listening to a full band belt it out. May’s vocals are throaty and sung with an audible relish, and the band’s talents are superbly showcased, rather than relegated to playing bland background muzak as is commonly expected of the kind of shitty pop shovelled at us nowadays. Well worth a listen.
by Dan Binchy
playlist
The Siren 25.01.11 Music 3
Mogwai:“Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will”6.5/10
by Graham Luby
In November of last year, the world got a glimpse of Mogwai’s upcoming seventh studio release in the shape of
“Rano Pano”. The first single from the album, available free from the band’s website, was an example of what fans
of the Glaswegian post-rock outfit had come to expect - an unconventional chord pattern, roaming synths and
hypnotic layering delivered as standard. However, it served as a mere taster to an album that diverges greatly from
the genre that the band have helped to create.
On their previous effort, 2008’s The Hawk is Howling, Mogwai satisfied their taste for the same lumbering art-
noise that had helped to establish their reputation in the mid-nineties, and the resulting follow-up is arguably the
most accessible record that the band have made to date. The album opens slowly, with the opening track “White
Noise” unfolding gradually to reveal the lilting bass line of “Mexican Grand Prix”, before a complete change of
direction in “Rano Pano”. It is worth noting that, at this point, every song stays south of the six-minute mark,
further signifying a more conventional approach to songwriting. The most striking evidence of this is in “San
Pedro”, whose shamelessly indie chord progression would ensure extensive radio play in a just world. The album
then changes course repeatedly until the close, as ambient dreamscapes “Letters to the Metro” and “Too Raging
to Cheers” rub shoulders harmoniously with the more typical feedback-laden guitar jams. When the amp fuzz
finally dies down at the close of “You’re Lionel Richie”, not one word has been uttered throughout the entire
disc, the band preferring to let their instruments do the talking.
The result, while not an album that will grab the front of “Kerrang!” any time soon, is a pleasant exercise in
power chords and pretty noises. Make this your study soundtrack this coming May.
Anna Calvi:Anna Calvi8.5/10
by Simon Mulcahy
I always feel slightly sorry for the multitude of artists that are put on the seemingly unending “Best of 2011” or
“Hotly tipped new acts” lists, drawn up by out-of-touch executives each January in an attempt to boost artists’ sales
figures at the start of each new year. As a result, I sympathise with the musicians, who are over-hyped and put under
so much pressure that they crumble under the weight of it all. The majority of these acts are one hit wonders, but
some are consistently, but quietly, making music under the radar, and are only entered on these meaningless hype lists
as a result of some NME writer having a look through their nephew’s iPod during Christmas dinner. Thankfully for
this review, and this writer’s sanity, Anna Calvi belongs to the latter party.
Simply put, this album is an absolute delight. Within the first 30 seconds of the first song, the tour de force that is
“Suzanne and I”, one can already feel the undeniably powerful presence of an artist who has been gifted with the
ability of grasping the listener’s attention. Her passion can be heard in every note that is sung, from hushed and
sobering musings to epic exclamations of pain and mistrust that bellow and echo through one’s mind long after the
song has finished. Accompanied by instrumentation which sounds as if it has been created in the desolate wastelands
of a long forgotten ghost-town, this is one of those albums that truly does transport the listener to foreign shores,
leaving one feeling peacefully at sea. Highlights include the captivating “Rider to the Sea”, the haunting “No More
Words” and the tragic beauty of “The Devil”.
There are some songs that come across as having been tampered with to make them more radio-friendly, which
sometimes detracts from the fluidity and pace as well as dampening the harsh and unforgiving atmosphere, but
thankfully these moments are far and few between.
It is plain to see that there is something truly special in Anna Calvi, and it would be very surprising if this album
does not make her a household name by the end of the year.
James Blake:James Blake7/10
by Graham Luby
The past twelve months have been a whirlwind for James Blake. Since his filthy re-working of Untold’s “Stop What
You’re Doing” in late 2009, the 22-year old, who once cobbled beats together in his bedroom, has rocketed into the
stratosphere, attracting the praise of even the pickiest critic. The release of three landmark EPs have documented his
transition from student upstart to ambassador for electronic music, and his long-anticipated full-length sets him in
another league.
Opener “Unluck” is an exercise in minimalism, a sparse click-track demonstrating Blake’s mastery of the use of
silence, before gradual waves of synth threaten to overwhelm the listener. This reviewer, unfamiliar with the nuances
of ‘post-dubstep’ and testing its waters with “Unluck”, was grabbed by the throat and dragged beneath the surface by
the following track, “Wilhelms Scream”. Arguably the album’s most accessible song, Blake’s unashamedly auto-tuned
chanting hypnotizes the listener, as a wall of feedback gradually closes in like a vice. So far so good, but the record
is not entirely flawless. “Lindesfarne I and II” serve as little more than an interlude, as more echoey rambling and
ornamental noises guide proceedings into “Limit to Your Love”. The album’s pleasant first single begins with clean
piano and vocals, before Blake again feels the need to drown everything in filth.
Womp-womp noises, while making sure to display Blake’s dubstep influences, really are surplus to requirements
on this otherwise very listenable track. More filler then ensues in the form of “Give Me My Month”, before “To
Care (Like You)” treats the listener to four infectious minutes- it follows a now-apparent pattern, beginning with
clean vocals before seguing into something other-worldly. “Why Don’t You Call Me”, reminiscent of Antony and
the Johnsons’ more recent work, is another pleasure that ends too quickly, before the listener is jolted awake with “I
Mind”. Closer “Measurements”, consisting of little more than harmonised vocals and synth organ, acts as the perfect
goodbye and ends the album on a high note.
This album, despite the hype, will not break the top ten any time soon, but has more than enough clout to keep its
creator in the public eye for some time yet. Watch this space.
Adele:21
by Jonathan Barry
As X-Factor season has come and gone, it seems a shame that such an audition-friendly album is released just a few
weeks after the end of the popular talent show. Adele’s follow up to her 2008 debut album 19 - unimaginatively
titled 21 - was anxiously waited on by critics and fans alike; if only to use it as a guide to gauging the success or fail-
ure of other popular female artists whose second albums are yet to be shown to the world (Florence, Marina et al).
Teaming up with various producers - who nonetheless all appear to have been motivated by the fear of messing this
up - Adele delivers an extremely ballad-heavy album that is petrified of taking risks, preferring instead to remain in
chartered waters.
The initial promise of opening track, and lead single, Rolling in the Deep, is dampened by the poor performance
of the following tracks. According to the opening lyrics of this album, there is a fire starting in Adele’s heart, and for
the rest of Rolling in the Deep we would be led to believe such a thing is true. Adele delivers a powerful rendition,
and we are left giddy at the thought of an entire album packed with the same soul felt in this song. Sadly, this is not
to be the case. Instead, she is either lost within a cacophony of instrumentalization (Set Fire to the Rain) or else the
energy of the track peters out and we’re left with another generic ballad (Don’t You Remember).
All hope is not lost however, with the tenth track Someone Like You, a yearning lament about a married man. This
is by far the best song on the album, and Adele seems really let out of her cage on this one. She’s left alone with
only a simple piano melody and all her lovelorn emotions. Her raucous and powerful delivery, gives the listener a
genuine feeling of unrequited love, and is sure to some jealous looks from Duffy in her direction.
Sadly my thoughts on this album echo Adele’s sentiments in this song. We both had a taster of something brilliant,
yet we never quite hung on to it.
By Jonathan Barry
The Scoop
The Siren 25.01.11Music4
Roddy Doyle was once quoted as saying of
Dublin, “it’s a big con job. We have sold the
myth of Dublin as a sexy place incredibly
well; because it is a dreary little dump most
of the time. “ Nowhere helps to reinforce
this theory better than the UCD campus on
a grey January morning.
Some days, when even the swans can’t be
bothered showing up, one could be forgiven
for thinking they had woken up in the
surrounds of Erich Honecker’s Berlin. But
things change, drab communist architecture
aside, Berlin is now one of Europe’s most
welcoming hubs of art and culture. Could
Belfield offer itself up as a haven of culture
to Dublin’s students? Of course. You just
have to tear down a few walls first.
In the meantime it’s probably worthwhile
looking a little further down the road if
your dreary little dump needs brightening.
It’s always good to have something to look
forward to, and the next month or so has a
few musical gems to offer the residents of
Dublin, so start stealing from tesco and save
your money for these great gigs.
Bringing January to a close is Chicago’s
Felix Da Housecat, he plays Tripod on the
The year 2010 was owned musically by one person. She topped all the charts, sold loads of records, had a sell-out world tour - but most importantly of all, she climbed into a dead cow and forgot to get out of it before going to the VMAs. Now 2011 is here, and Gaga is nowhere to be seen, most likely hiding out in a mansion in the Alaskan mountains with a team of producers and PR slaves, working on what to do next. Realistically, how much time can she waste? With the likes of Ke$ha, Katy Perry and the rest of the robotic pop brigade on her tail, how much longer are her fans going to stick around for? If these people are fans of music which relies on catchy hooks of repeated moronic statements and stuttering cliché, then not long at all. Can she extend her power into the New Year and capture the world’s attention once more? I couldn’t care less.It seems that everyone has an opinion on Lady Gaga, everyone except me. I just don’t care, as dull repetitive music and attention-seeking outfits don’t excite me. I used to despise her, but later chose to ignore my deep feelings of discontent, after realising that I wouldn’t be able to force her into retirement by quietly hating her. Now, faced with actually having to write about this horrid, pointless wench, I find myself at a loss for words. I was driven to get into contact with a friend of mine who
29th. If you don’t think he’s worth €21.50,
You probably won’t be interested in shelling
out €35 to see Imelda May in Vicar Street
two days later. Unless you steal the till, your
savings won’t be that great.
Keep the next week or two quiet and you
might have enough to get you through
February which is a bumper month for
great music. I can’t tell what everyone else
wants to see, but I doubt you’ll find it in the
student bar. So give it a miss for a while, cut
back on the pints and spend your savings on
one or all of the following, depending on
how dedicated you are to sobriety.
One not to be missed for many will be
Wire who play Academy 2 on the 5th of
February. The band were arguably one of
the first bands to emerge from London’t
punk explosion who were completely
unaffected by the mohawks and fashionable
anarchism. The band never have in the past
and still don’t pander to the popular. They
will still charge you €20 though.
Just as unfashionable, are four men who are
pushing forty, dress like your dad and try
to play music like the kids, but The Hold
Steady are more talented and energetic
happens to be a fan, in order to question her admiration for Gaga and give me some inspiration. Her argument: ‘Lady Gaga is so unique and amazing. She is an amazing singer and she can dance too. She has the coolest and most unique fashion sense and writes class songs.’I will spare you the rest of this incoherent nonsense and summarise by saying that this ambassador’s speech has resulted in my conclusion that her fans are yammering idiots. This could be a possible explanation for her ridiculous success, but that can’t be true, as I have encountered many intelligent, self-sufficient, fully grown people singing along to Gaga’s numerous musical efforts. There are many people who enjoy this manic creature’s generic, mindless drivel so much that they buy her music and listen to it on a regular basis. I will admit that her music is contagious, but so is syphilis. I cannot understand her success, but it is something I will obviously have to come to terms with.So instead of trying to unravel the mystery behind the machine that is the Gaga empire, I will instead question what she means to us all, and what relevance she carries now that her year in power has come to a close. From what I can gather, after drifting through recent news features on L.G, she is not up to much at all. This leads me either to the fear that she is working on a new album,
or to reignite my unrelenting hope that she is dead. Seeing as we would have heard if she had died, one must assume the former, which puts the world in a sort of limbo.Many will be frothing at the mouth come the grand unveiling of her next video - typically a smutty cheap black leather and pretentious arthouse imitation, with loads of ridiculous over-the-top choreography and sexual stereotype clichés in abundance (see the case study “Alejandro” video on YouTube). From what I have interpreted from the activity of her fanbase network, maybe people won’t care anymore. People mature and get older, realize that what they used to listen to is absolute tripe, and move on. I know this seems more optimistic than not, but one can hope at least.The more likely result, of course, is that she attracts the same audience, plus a few million more, and increases her net worth and popularity with her next album and tour. She makes everything bigger and better. She uses her fame to draft in a multitude of famous guest stars to appear on her album, which in turn increases her relevance, and raises awareness in other areas of music and so on and so forth, ever so gradually leading to the collapse of society. This is the undeniable truth. Lady Gaga is going nowhere, so your best bet is to do your utmost to blank it out until next Christmas.
than half the young bands out there today.
Springsteen style storytelling tinged with
seriously catchy rock n’roll from a bunch of
old men higher and cooler than any of us, all
for the price of €27.50. Complaints about
ticket prices can be lodged with MCD at
The Acadmey that night (Feb. 10th).
Much cheaper, is Grandmaster Flash at
The Village on February 18th. Ticket’s are
€12.50, whereas tickets for Mogwai in The
Olympia on the same night are €29. As
expensive as that is, some buddhists spend
years trying to transcend. It’s pretty much
part of the package with Mogwai, and at
€29 that’s a spiritual bargain.
In last place is Sleigh Bells, arriving at
Whelans on February 18th. Armed with
only an iPod, a guitar, a microphone and a
shitload of shiny leggings it’s amazing how
much aggressive noise this duo generate, but
they’re catchy as hell too. Tickets are €16.50,
but earplugs are NOT included.
Beat the Early Season Blues, Get OutJim Scully provides the perfect prescription to get over the new year by giving a low down on some of the best gigs coming to Dublin in the next few weeks.
Lady Gaga: Who Cares?by Simon Mulcahy
The Siren 25.01.11 Music 5
A Los Angeles band who’ve recently come
from obscurity to make waves on boths
sides of the Atlantic, Funeral Party look set
to continue to gain people’s attention with
the release of their new album
Their punk-styled garage rock music has
earned them the praise of many critics, as
they made it into NME’s ’50 Best New
Bands of 2010.’ Ahead of their first headline
tour, frontman Chad Elliot spoke about the
excitement within the band and his own
personal feelings about the time ahead,
including an upcoming gig in Academy 2.
“Yeah we’re really excited for it. The Dublin
show is our first of the tour, so hopefully
that’ll get us off to a good start. It’s a bit
intimidating playing big gigs as the headline
act for the first time, but we’re really looking
forward to it.”
Up until recently, the band only had
experience of playing very small gigs, so
Elliot was mindful that the transition to
playing bigger venues as a professional act.
Despite this difficulty and adjustment which
the band had to adjust to, he believes they
have now become at ease with this so-called
pressure.
“Well yeah, we mainly just had experience
of playing in back yards or at parties with
friends, where you just plug in and hope
the cops don’t show up before you finish.
We didn’t really have our own equipment
or anything, we’d borrow a lot of out stuff
from friends and from other bands we knew.
So going from that to setting up on a stage
with lights and soundchecks and all that,
it took a while to get used to. But I think
we’re kind’ve veterans to it now, we’re pretty
comfortable with it.”
The battle to make it in the industry is
something that most artists and bands must
experience, before hopefully making it to
the big time. Elliot spoke of the band’s
emergence, though was honest in admitting
that being signed was not ideal and does not
always end up being plain sailing.
“We first got signed to Fearless Records.
That came about when a guy who’d seen
us play a couple of shows and had some
contacts got us in touch with the guy who
became our manager. And from there they
started booking us kind of legit gigs and
putting us in front of the right people. Next
thing we knew we were signing contracts
with Fearless.
“Unfortunately we had some differences
with them, ‘cos they wanted us to be the
next At The Drive-In, but that’s not really
what we were about. So we split with them
and moved to RCA (A subsidiary of Sony)
who had been interested in us. So that
worked out pretty well.”
Unhappy at the label as the new ‘At The
Drive-In’, Elliot cited a lot of ‘post-punk
bands, like Gang Of Four’ having been
a major influence on his music, before
revealing that the band have varying tastes.
“James (Torres, guitarist) is really into bands
like Ratatat, and Kimo (Kauhola, bassist)
listens to everything, really.”
But it is ‘The Golden Age Of Knowhere’
that is the huge talking point at the moment
in relation to Funeral Party. For every band,
with every album release, the pressure seems
to rise. After a lot of hype both in America
and Europe in the run-up to the debut
album’s release, Elliot admitted to feeling
the strain of expectation of both the album
and tour.
“Well at the moment we’re really enjoying
it, but there is also some pressure, with the
album and the live shows. With the shows
we really feel we have to sell it now. And it’s
a big difference doing the headline shows,
‘cos before the most time we were ever on
stage was about 30 minutes, and now they’re
talking about hour-long shows, which is
tough.”
Elliot talked about the process of making
the album, citing it took “three months in
all for the music to be recorded, and then
I had to go back and do a lot of vocal re-
takes.”
In terms of the music though, Elliot
revealed that in a day and age where most
bands rely on the lead singer to provide the
lyrics and music, the band wrote all the stuff
together. “We all kind of jam together to
figure out the tunes, and then try to work
that into songs. I help in arranging it, or I
might have an idea for it. The lyrics come
last. I’m no poet, I consider myself as more
of a musician. I just take the music and try
to think of experiences it reminds me of, or
a certain way it makes me feel.”
For the band’s debut studio album though,
the instructions of producer, Lars Stalfors,
were paramount.
The ways which the band usually do things
were put to the side, and as Elliot reflected,
it proved to succeed. “When we went into
the studio, the way our producer wanted to
do it was to have us each in separately to
record our sections. He was really insistent
about us being in the studio at different
times. I even tried to come in a day early
one time, when the bass was being recorded,
and he sort of kicked me out. That was a bit
strange to us, but in the end it worked out
fine, and it probably made the process go by
much faster, for him and for us.”
On the future of the band, Elliot expressed a
desire to explore different sounds and not to
become tied down doing the same things.
A sentiment which most express, the tone
of Elliot’s voice differed from those who
usually state this.
“I definitely want to explore as many areas
as we can with the music. Even as a singer, I
don’t want to be pigeon-holed or associated
only with one style.
We’ve already started writing for the next
album, and we’re definitely all trying to find
different ways of playing stuff and new ways
to write.”
It seems as though the success for Elliot
and co will leave them partying for years
to come.
Funeral Party play Academy 2, Tuesday 1st February 2011.
Let’s Get This Party StartedWith their debut album, The Golden Age Of Knowhere, released in america this week, lead-singer of Funeral Party, Chad Elliot, talks to Dan Nolan about the bands sudden rise and their upcoming gig in Dublin.
The Siren 25.01.11Music6
The Klaxons arrived on the UK indie scene
in late 2006 amidst huge hype. After a string
of well-received early singles saw them
gather momentum, they released their debut
album, Myths Of The Near Future, in early
2007. While the record did divide opinion,
it was a bestseller that also received critical
adulation from influential publications
such as the NME, quick to label them as
the frontrunners of the unfortunately-titled
‘new rave’ movement.
When the College Tribune interviewed
him prior to their recent gig in Tripod,
lead singer and songwriter Jamie Reynolds
spoke about the group’s formation and rise
to success.
“Well, our story is that we formed and
immediately booked a gig for five days
later, so we were under some pressure to
write some songs pretty fast. The band went
from being an idea to a going thing very
quickly, it was really immediate. After that,
we started playing gigs for London club
nights and stuff like that. We knew a lot of
people who were involved in that kind of
thing from before we started, and once we
got on that circuit, they started helping us
out. And everything just took off really fast
from there - stupidly fast really.”
When the Klaxons first appeared in the
public eye, the music scene they entered
was flooded with bands modelled on The
Strokes and The Libertines, leading back
to their core influences of classic guitar
bands such as The Velvet Underground
and Television. The Klaxons’ wild, high-
octane electronic sound was completely
out of the blue, and in high contrast to the
garage-style sounds dominating the indie
scene of the time. Reynolds admitted he
was surprised by the immediate acclaim for
their early work.
“It’s something that we undoubtedly
wanted, you know, we always said we
wanted to be a pop band, we wanted to be
as big as possible. But we knew our sound
was quite unusual for the time, so we didn’t
know how anyone would react. So when
[that] reception came it was a bit daunting,
but we were still really happy about it. If
the songs we wrote weren’t being heard
by many people they wouldn’t have been
achieving their purpose. Our music is there
for people’s entertainment, that’s the idea
of the band: for as many people as possible
to enjoy our music.”
The Klaxons’ eccentric lyrics are another
aspect which has set them apart from their
It’s Not Over YetAfter becoming the media darlings of the “new wave” movement, the Klaxons disappeared from the indie music consciousness. Now they’re back with a second album, an evolved sound, and a strong sense of their future, as singer Jamie Reynolds tells Dan Nolan and Simon Mulcahy.
Music 7
GIG REVIEWThe Klaxons - 23 November - Tripod, Dublin
The fairly confined Tripod venue is well
suited to the Klaxons’ sound. While intimacy
may not be a quality commonly associated
with their music, the small area allows them
to fill the room with their invariably high-
octane songs. They immediately summon
up an energy which the audience feeds off,
making for a frantic live show.
Lead vocalist and bassist Jamie Reynolds
sits in the middle of the stage due to his
leg being in a cast, apparently the result
of a recent football injury. His immobility,
however, doesn’t take from the general
liveliness of proceedings
Older song favourites such as ‘Atlantis
To Interzone’ and ‘Gravity’s Rainbow’ are
particularly well-received by an enthusiastic
crowd. Songs such as these are probably
better represented live than on record, as
they do rely on a kind of noisy abandon
captured best on stage. Songs from their
more recent record, Surfing The Void,
also go down well. In particular, ‘Echoes’,
‘Flashover’ and single ‘Twin Flames’ sound
great live.
Predictably, the biggest reception is reserved
for the band’s calling card, singalong-
ready hit, ‘Golden Skans.’ Again, the
live performance is considerably more
invigorating than the album equivalent. The
crowd reaction to the ‘ooh’ing choruses is
almost feverish.
Regardless of your opinion of the Klaxons’
recorded material, they bring an undeniable
sense of fun and vitality to the live arena
that is lacking amongst many other bands
of their ilk. They’re also admirably averse
to irritating between-song chat, which is
always a bonus.
When they eventually leave the stage,
their audience seems fairly drained, but
nonetheless appreciative of the experience.
contemporaries. They seem more inspired
by books, films and whatever else might
strike a chord, rather than the work of
other songwriters. Their debut album even
took its name from a J.G. Ballard novel.
Reynolds, the chief songwriter, revealed
how things developed in their earlier days.
“I think, with the first record, we tried to
write in a more esoteric style, so as to give
more back in terms of the lyrical content
of the songs. We wanted the music to focus
on something more than just our lives. So
while the last record [2010’s ‘Surfing The
Void,’ their sophomore album release] was
quite personal, that’s all wrapped up in [a]
sort of psychedelic metaphor. Most of the
songs describe something that was going
on in... our lives around the time we were
making it, which wasn’t really something
we were expecting, it was kind of an
accident, but that’s just how it turned out.
We just end up writing about whatever’s
making our minds tick.”
The success of Myths Of The Near
Future led to the band being awarded the
2007 Nationwide Mercury Music Prize,
one of Britain’s most prestigious music
awards. Previous winners include indie
heavyweights Pulp and Primal Scream,
while more recently the award has played
a part in the success of Arctic Monkeys and
Franz Ferdinand. When asked if winning
the award had a game-changing effect on
the Klaxons’ career, Reynolds responded:
“To be honest it was more of the end of
the game for us really, I mean we didn’t do
anything after that. After that happened we
didn’t release another record or do another
tour... That was... the end of that first phase
of our career.”
But, when they returned to the studio to
record their follow-up, did the band feel any
added pressure?
“Not so much, no. We still just viewed
ourselves as a touring band, we’d spent
about a year doing that, and it’d pretty
much become our lives. Then we just went
off and enjoyed ourselves for a while with
no pressure whatsoever. We then put some
pressure on ourselves to write a new record,
and we wrote the bulk of it in a four week
period after that. We actually wrote a lot of
it in a ten-day period, we wanted to get it
done fast. So generally, we don’t [feel] much
pressure - I mean, we see our jobs mainly
as [enjoying] ourselves and [to] have fun
making music.”
Watching the Klaxons soundcheck before
the gig, it was evident that they still do have
plenty of fun while playing their music,
despite having now spent a lot of time on
the road.
“Well yeah, I see it as being very important
that we keep in mind we’re really just a
bunch of idiots trying to entertain people,
and not taking ourselves too seriously. If
we weren’t having a good time, the gigs
wouldn’t be fun for the audience either, and
then what’s the point?”
After the success of Myths Of The Near
Future, it was probably expected for
the Klaxons to try and continue their
momentum by releasing its successor
in the next 12 to 18 months. However,
Surfing The Void did not emerge until
August 2010, three-and-a-half years after
their debut. During the long delay, there
were reports that the band had completed
an entire record, only to have it rejected
by their record company for being ‘too
experimental’ and taking their progressive
stylings too far. The band then reportedly
went away and recorded a new version of
the album, which became Surfing The Void.
Reynolds’ version of the story, however, is
different.
“We originally wrote a few songs that fit a
kind of style that we were happy with and
that we liked. But then, when we tried to
write more songs that would fit together
with those to make an album, we weren’t
happy with the work at all, so we had to
rethink. Our label felt the same, that the
first attempt at the album just wasn’t really
working. So we were given more time
to try and create something different. In
hindsight, we’re really happy with the
decision, and we’re really happy with this
new music we’ve created, we’re really happy
to have brought that into the world.”
When asked if the Klaxons would
consider following a more psychedelic and
experimental path in the future, Reynolds
pragmatically responded: “Well, although
the future’s something we have complete
control of... and are working on, I’ve learned
it’s not really something to talk about. We’ll
just keep working and see where that takes
us.”
The video of the Klaxons single, ‘Twin
Flames,’ is difficult to describe, and appears
to be a slightly disturbing depiction of
some form of conjoined orgy It makes for
unsettling viewing, and caused plenty of
comment at the time of its release.
Pressurised to finish the interview before
the band made their way onto the Tripod
stage, Reynolds was quizzed about the
inspiration for the video.
“Well usually it works through Saam
(Farahmand). He and I have a conversation
about the song and what it’s about, then
he’ll take that and apply it to his warped
mind, and there it is. Our main input is
really that conversation between him and
me. The video for ‘Twin Flames’ is one of
his most striking yet, I think - we’re really
pleased with it. Although showing it to your
parents is another matter.”
In hindsight, many would agree – the
Klaxons are a band not suited to the parents
of many people.
The Siren 25.01.11fashion8
This spring, fashion is still revelling in its love for minimalism, and also introducing a loose and flowing seventies’ line. Marc Jacobs, for both Louis Vuitton and his own line, as well as Phoebe Philo for Celine, remain the innovators of the moment. The stand-out trend for spring is the long, or mid-length, draped skirt, often shown with a seductive slit. Lanvin’s versions in parachute silk give us high-octane drama, while at Pucci and Marc Jacobs, the skirts were pure seventies’ glamour, often with flounces, and always full of motion. Jill Sander paired full-length skirts in vibrant colours with simple black or white t-shirts, in what was a beautifully executed, minimalist collection. This look is likely to make it onto the high street this season, and will hopefully break the body-con mindset we’ve had ground into us by Balmain for the past three years. Looks that could be easier to translate for the masses are shoulder cut-outs and sheer panelling, as well as deep, plunging V-necks.
Rodarte and Yves Saint Laurent gave us two very different examples of how cut outs at the shoulders could be seductive. Rodarte’s interpretation was incredibly structured, with tailored garments which had perfectly angled panels removed from the shoulders.
Yves Saint Laurent approached the trend in a seventies’ way, making a teardrop-shaped cut-out, and allowing the material to drape elegantly over the arm. Sheer panelling remains important this season, with the best examples to be seen at Proenza Schouler.
This should be a big hit on the high street, as people have become familiar with the idea over the past few seasons.Colours and patterns this season will likely be inspired by Muiccia Prada, who showed us minimal nineties’ shapes in bright block colours and playful fruit and monkey patterns. This trend will be given heightened relevance by Anna Della Russo’s well-publicised fruit hats. Vibrant jewel tones, as seen at Louis Vuitton, will also be important colours for spring. Feather trim, as shown at both Alexander McQueen and Chanel, would soften the look when paired with the somewhat brash colours of the season. Another trend that will be easy to warm to is ballet style clothes, a look inspired by the Rodarte costumes in the film ‘Black Swan’. Dancewear wasn’t a major runway trend, but as with the turbans in ‘Sex and the City’ last season, ballet looks should make an impact this spring. Minimalism, although still dominated by
StyleBy Danny Lambert
Spring/Summer 2011Roisin Sweeney gives us a heads up on what to expect for the upcoming season.
Celine, was done beautifully by Francisco Costa at Calvin Klein. He made incredible use of the flow of materials, and everything was impeccably cut and often to midi-length. Much of the collection was done in white, on a par with Celine’s showing. Although still retaining her minimalist aesthetic, Phoebe Philo added some fringing and draping into her Celine collection this season, as well as an unusual patchwork. Minimalism will hopefully gain greater prominence on the high street this season. However, with this trend, the quality of material used is vital, and this is something that Penneys and Topshop don’t excel at. Spring/Summer 2011 heralds the early trends of a new decade, and I believe the collections showed a renewed vigour and life, which will hopefully continue. The looks were bright and appeared to come from a hopeful mindset, a good antidote to the economically negative end to 2010.
From Left:
Aisling Flowers (Age 18)2nd Economics & PoliticsFavourite Shop: Penney’sStyle Icon: Zooey Deschanel
Michael Love (Age 19)1st ScienceFavourite Shop: TK MaxxStyle Icon: Akon
Rose Brennan (Age 18)1st Arts (English & Drama)Favourite Shop: HarlequinStyle Icon: Twiggy
Campus
The Siren 25.01.11 9fashion
Chic
Eek
by Aoifa Smyth
Sanity is a grey area. It can be defined as
adhering to the general consensus of a
community where any deviance becomes
an attribute of insanity. In a world where
being unique is considered successful,
but being different is failure, this sounds
like a contradiction. Designers strive to
position their lines as unique compared
to competitors, whilst also attempting to
remain in line with the criteria of what’s
acceptable to be worn.
When Lady GaGa performed at the O2
in Dublin, thousands of fans dressed in
imitation outfits of her signature looks. Her
day to day attires are identical resemblances
of her onstage costumes. It seems like since
her small appearance in The Hills, she has
rocketed to a style icon. Switch to Ke$ha,
whom the jury is still out on regarding
sanity. Glitter, questionable wardrobe
decisions and stupid hair? The GaGa recipe?
Not quite. There is one large difference
between these people. Lady GaGa has the
respect of the fashion community. She has
made tributes to famous fashion icons, such
as Michael Jackson, in her outfits, as well
as referencing haute couture as inspiration
for her costumes. By generating a unique
personality, whilst keeping within trends
and styles of the past, she has now become
an inspiration or muse for many young
designers. Ke$ha is just different.
Fashion has always been about pushing
boundaries. Considering women who
wore trousers one hundred years ago were
considered ‘deviant’, this demonstrates
that something perceived as odd, insane,
different or obscene today may be our
grandchildren’s attire. As with this fashion
statement, the first woman to wear trousers
had done so in an attempt to encourage
and publicise equality between men and
women. More recently we have seen the
use of condoms to create full dresses for a
campaign promoting awareness of AIDS.
The artist Adriana Bertini, who worked
as a volunteer with HIV-positive children
in her native Brazil, designed these to
communicate that condoms should be a
basic necessity, equivalent to the clothes you
wear.
Among many other things, Charlie Sheen
has become somewhat famous for wearing
his pyjamas in public. In the 1990’s, he
would arrive at the most prestigious clubs
and restaurants of LA wearing what he
liked to call “leisure suits.” The star now
earns $2 million a week from his CBS TV
show, Two and a Half Men, but still insists
on this behaviour. On the surface it appears
exiting rehab so soon wasn’t the best idea,
but he logically explains it as finding it
pointless to get dressed to just change again
when he arrives at work for shooting the
TV show. This doesn’t explain why he turns
up at restaurants in his leisure suits - but
fast forward to modern Ireland, and it isn’t
uncommon to see women in their pyjamas
doing shopping in 24 hour supermarkets, or
dropping kids off at school.
Lady GaGa is always the one to watch for
pushing boundaries and unique appearance.
Many say she is ahead of her time, and her
unwillingness to compromise is admirable.
She dressed like this before she was famous,
and her credibility has been generated from
By Laura McNally
If there’s one New Year’s resolution you’ll
definitely benefit from making this year, it’s
following a beauty regime that will keep
your skin looking flawless and glowing.
Taking care of your skin by cleansing,
toning, moisturising and exfoliating
regularly are essential if you want to achieve
a fresh-faced look.
Start off your day by cleansing the skin
using a wash and warm water. If you have
sensitive skin, be careful when choosing
beauty products, and avoid products which
contain perfume. ‘Simple’ do a great range
of affordable products for skincare and have
no added perfumes or harsh ingredients.
Splash some warm water on your face to
begin, this will open the pores in your skin
for a deep cleanse. Rub some wash on in
circular motions, paying particular attention
to problem areas, such as round the nose and
chin. Next, take a small facecloth and soak
it in warm water. Rinse it and wipe away all
face wash on the face. After you have done
this, splash your face with cold water to
close the pores.
The next step is toning. Using a cotton pad,
wipe some toner onto your face. Next, it’s
time to moisturise. Rub the moisturiser in
circular motions on the face. Make sure to
spend time rubbing it into the skin, so it
absorbs as much of it as possible. Wiping
moisturiser on the face and leaving it to dry
will not have the same affect if you don’t
make sure to massage it into the skin! Now,
you’re ready to apply your make-up for the
day.
For night-time, it’s important to spend
some time removing all traces of make-up
from the face. After cleansing, the toner will
help remove any traces of make-up which
were left behind from cleansing. If you
have acne-prone skin, skip the moisturiser
at night-time and instead apply some
acne cream. If you suffer from mild skin
problems, try some tea tree or witch hazel.
For more intense acne, try some stronger
topical ointments or creams which can be
prescribed by your doctor. If you have dry
skin, use moisturiser. E45 do a great range
of moisturisers designed specifically for very
dry skin.
Exfoliating is also a very important part
of skincare, as it removes all traces of dead
skin cells which build up on the face. It is
recommended that you should exfoliate
the skin 1-2 times a week. St Ives and
Simple have great exfoliating products. For
a homemade exfoliating mix, pour some
honey into a bowl and add a small amount
of sugar. Rub this gently on the skin.
Remove using a warm damp facecloth and
apply moisturiser.
Visit your local beautician which stocks
Dermalogica products, for a personalised
intensive skin regime. The products aren’t
cheap, but they last for at least four months.
Not only that, but they will leave your skin
feeling brand new. Dermalogica cater for all
skin types and their face masks make your
skin feel like silk.
New Year, New Skin Regime
Who’s Gaga and who’s not?With fashion extremes seeming to have no boundaries, Alex Fingleton investigates where the normality begins & ends.
Fruit/Tropical printsUnleash your inner Katy Perrywith this new, fun trend the minute that spring arrives.
Anna Dello Russo perfumeFashion hot shot Anna Dello Russo released her very own fragrance which comes in a quaint golden shoe.Check out the ad online for a glance at her stunning apartment which iscrammed with drool-worthy pieces.
Russian HatsFrom Russia with love; these furry acces-sories are so stylish, and yet, very practical.The bigger, the better.
The Return of the FlareHow many times is there going to bea flares revival be-fore the messagegets through?!
Sale LeftoversThey’re there for a reason. Unlessyou’re handy with a sewingmachine, I think you can managewithout the size 18 denim cat suit.
The Royal WeddingThe English press aren’t going to stop talking about it until it happens, and they might not stop even after the big day on April 29th . Snoozefest.
her integrity and genuine fashion choices.
However, my mind is put at ease in the
knowledge that I’ll be dead by the time my
grandchildren are wearing condom dresses.
The Siren 25.01.1110
Charity shops used to have a
reputation for being stuffy, old-
fashioned and unlikely to hold
anything of value. However,
opinions have been transformed
in recent years, with the rise of
vintage fashion and bohemian
chic. Especially now, as the global
recession kicks in, more people are
seeking to find bargains and stay
out of debt – and a browse in a
charity shop is one piece of debt
advice that should not be ignored.
The obvious appeal of charity shops
is that they are gloriously cheap –
however, this does not mean that
their goods are any less worthy than
regular high street brands. In fact,
most of the clothes given to charity
shops were previously available on
the high street, and most of them
are only a couple of years old. It
is not unusual to find an item of
clothing with a familiar label on a
charity rack, for only a few euro.
And this, in a time of monetary
hardship, is not something to be
passed by. Charity shops often have
bargains, and it would be foolish
not to snap them up.
Another ‘win’ for charity shopping
is that such shops are not only
finding bargains, but are helping
worthy causes at the same time.
The ethical benefits are abundant:
what could be bad about spending
money in a charity shop, and
knowing that the benefits will
be seen by those less fortunate?
Spending money on the high street
serves only to line the pockets of
CEO’s and businessmen, not to
mention the stories of sweatshop
workers who are paid a pittance to
make the mass-produced clothes
that are sold in their droves.
It must also be noted that charity
shops don’t only sell used clothes
and books. They also often stock
large ranges of accessories that are
brand new and not sold anywhere
else. The most common of these
are scarves and bags, and an
increasing amount of charity shops
are now stocking jewellery, which
– because of its place in the charity
shop – is usually very cheap. The
pieces are often handmade and
unique, so they are unlikely to be
seen in any high street chain shops.
Dublin City is awash with charity
stores, here are a few if you can’t
seem to locate them!
Otherwise, ratemyarea.com is a
very useful website for locating
charity shops in your local area
– you may be surprised with the
outcome. So before you decide to
fork out €60 for that dress, have
a gander in Oxfam or the likes.
What’s the worst that
could happen?
Oxfam Books · Parliament St
Oxfam Charity Shops · Citywide, including Georges St, St. Anne St, Dundrum
Enable Ireland Charity Shops · Citywide, including Georges St, Camden St
Irish Cancer Society Charity Shops · Citywide, including Camden St, Capel St
CASA Shop Charity Shops · City Centre, including Capel St, Mary St
Goodwill Thrift Shops · City Centre, Capel St
Gorta Charity Shops · City Centre, Capel St, Liffey St
All in the Name of CharityKelly Nwaokorie explores the beauty of the Charity Shop.
As I write this article, Louboutin’s
online shop is kindly informing me
that there is exactly 151 days, 8 hours,
38 minutes and 39 seconds left in the
countdown to his Spring/Summer
2011 collection. As shoppers browse
the website, they are welcomed by
the image of Louboutin himself, a
seemingly sinister character who
magically levitates the words ‘SHOP
ONLINE’ in mesmerising neon green.
Frankly, it’s entrancing, if not a little
creepy. Clicking on it, millions are
forced to sigh at the precious gems he
has cultivated through leather; wistfully
dreaming about how good they would
look in such beautiful footwear. He
knows how to captivate women and
men alike into the luxury of his red
soled beauties, he knows how to make
you buy them, and by God, he knows
how to make shoes.
Surprisingly, the Christian Louboutin
brand was only launched in 1992,
following Louboutin’s previous roles
within various fashion houses, but this
famed brand is now hugely recognised,
featuring heavily on every red carpet
event, in the media, in Hollywood
films, and bad Jennifer Lopez songs.
The most striking feature about the
Louboutin is the signature red sole
which is greatly recognised culturally
as a symbol of ultimate luxury in
footwear; a touch stemming from
Christian’s experimentations with
a bottle of Chanel rouge nail polish
backstage at a show. These red soles
come with a status that is lusted after, as
their creator, who aimed ‘to make shoes
like jewels’, has established the ultimate
fashionista’s symbol. So let’s take a trip
down Louboutin memory lane… The
history of the Louboutin is just as racy
as the sky-scraping heels, the collections
being the brainchild of a man who, at
the age of twelve, snuck out late at
night to take a glimpse at the Parisian
showgirls on display in burlesque clubs.
These seductive influences are present
in all of Louboutin’s collections, which
entice window shoppers with their
needle-pointed stilettos, patent leather,
occasional fringing, studs or glitzy
embellishments.
But as the young Christian Louboutin
spent his days dreaming of the
exuberant, seductive nuances of the
cabaret he visited late at night, he fell
upon his main inspiration, an image of
a lone stiletto slashed with a red line to
warn ladies of the impact of their heel
marks upon the African and Oceanic
Art Museum’s floor. This silhouette of
both the showgirl’s female form, and
the sharp stiletto, form the backbone of
his collections, even in the men’s range,
which feature both velvet and studding,
much like the interior of his teenage
haunts. By just looking at the curves of
his stiletto you can see a channelling of
the curvaceous feminine body.
Ode to LouboutinEvery girl turns her head when they catch a glimpse of those
famous red soles. Marguerite Murphy tells us why.
From here it appears Louboutin’s
interests in fashion develop into
freelance work for noted fashion
houses such as Chanel and Yves Saint
Laurent, earning him status in its own
right. After the first Parisian Louboutin
boutique opening in 1992, the brand
is quickly snapped up in established
department stores, opening standalone
flagships across the globe, making
Louboutin the word on every fashion
follower’s mouth. Not just a passing
trend, the high prices on Louboutin
shoes derive not from their A-list status,
but from their quality, ensuring they are
both long-lasting and provide comfort
in even the most vertical of heels.
Their artistry has not gone unnoticed
and Christian Louboutin has received
two acclaimed FFANY awards, a nod
to his fantastic craftsmanship. Perhaps
most notably, in 2002 Louboutin was
the first, and only, external brand to
work with Yves Saint Laurent and
feature as a design collaboration, a once
in a lifetime opportunity.
What’s better, the Louboutin brand
doesn’t gender discriminate, featuring
footwear for both men and women, all
of which are luxurious, colourful and
adorned with various decor to ensure
they do not blend into a crowd. Sadly,
with a starting price at around €375,
I might have to slip back into the
Converse…Maybe when the first
post-grad pay cheque comes in. Sigh.
150 days, 2 hours, 19 minutes and 54
seconds to go.
The Siren 25.01.11
Arts
11
Louise Johnston is like many UCD-educated
South Dublin girls. She studies Economics,
she has been on a J1, she wants to visit
Thailand, and she has worked with various
promotion companies for a number of years.
However, unlike a typical UCD student,
Louise – along with her co-stars Danielle
Robinson and Vogue Wilson – are the focus
of a national television programme.
Fade Street has been relatively successful
in the ratings since it first aired before
Christmas, and has become the guilty
pleasure of many young men and women
across the country. Some viewers may have
flinched at the thought of watching what
was perceived to be an Irish version of
MTV’s The Hills. Although the show does
resemble its MTV counterpart in many
respects, it is far more humble – the two
stars of the show, Louise and Danni, are
often seen arguing about dirty dishes in
their city centre flat – and it is perhaps more
realistic, as the show’s stars all work jobs
that are not necessarily ‘glamorous’.
But how did an economics student
become Ireland’s answer to
Audrina Patridge? Louise, who
is in her final year in UCD,
was spotted by a producer
whilst working as
hostess at the front
door of Krystle
nightclub, the
popular semi-
celeb haunt on
Harcourt Street.
When the
concept of
the show was
first pitched to
her, Louise was
reluctant to get
involved. “I think
anyone would be
a small bit reluctant,
you’re really putting
yourself out there, and
if you don’t have the
proper relationship with the
production company, you’re not
going to be happy with the way
you are going to come across in the
show.” However, after a bit of persuasion,
she was convinced that it would be a bit
of fun.
Although she may not have an interest in
pursuing a career in economics when she
completes her degree this year – laughingly
remarking, “I wouldn’t want to be
responsible for the future of our economy”
– Louise realised from an early stage that
“You run on money”, and has held down
several part-time jobs for most of her time
in UCD.
She worked at Krystle nightclub for some
time, commenting on the famous people
she met: “To be honest, the more famous
people get, the more sound they are and
down to earth and less trouble they tend
to be.”
As well as being an active member of C&E
in her early years at college, Louise also did
promotion work for various companies, and
was one of Red Bull’s “Wings Girls”, often
seen driving the distinctive looking Red
Bull car through campus.
Reflecting on her time at university, she
remarked, “The best days were the ones
where you would spend the whole day in
UCD, from seven in the morning putting
up posters to staying in the student bar until
one o’clock in the morning.”
Fade Street’s critics say it’s all scripted, but
Louise is quick to dispute this. “There is
absolutely no script, it’s so annoying, ‘cause
you have to keep saying it, but there is no
script. I honestly wouldn’t have the time to
be learning scripts, I’m very bad at learning
things off – hence why I have had to repeat
a few exams here and there.”
Although there may not be a script,
participants in the show are given some
direction. “It’s called constructed reality
drama, so situations are going to be
constructed. because they have to. For
example, in episode one…I had never met
Vogue in my life but we had to go to the
Stellar interview together,” said Louise.
The show does blur the lines between
reality and “constructed reality” somewhat,
and is unique in the sense that it not
only features those who were cast by the
production company and put together –
such as Louise, Danielle and Vogue – but
it also features some of the cast members’
real-life friends.
The infamous Paul was Danielle’s boyfriend
before the show, and Harrison, who we
saw Louise dating in previous episodes, is a
friend of hers from UCD.
However, although the main stars had not
known each other before filming, they did
become good friends. Louise’s first meeting
with Vogue was striking. “I was never told
there was going to be another girl doing
the interview, so I was in shock when she
walked in the door at Stellar. I was like ‘Jeez,
I’m up against a model who has had a lot
more experience in the fashion industry
than I have.’ But when we finished filming
those scenes, and I was having a chat outside
[with] her… she was so nice and down to
earth that I knew straight away that we were
going to get along, but there was still going
to be that sense of competition, because we
ultimately didn’t know who was going to
get the job at the end.”
Speaking about Danni, Louise was a bit
more hesitant, saying that they did “clash…
Even physically, we are on different ends of
the scale, she is more gothic and tattooed
and I am not at all – [but] she is lovely, she
wears her heart on her sleeve.”
As for Danni’s ex-boyfriend Paul, who
developed a cult following online after his
appearance on the show, Louise remarked,
“On and off camera he was quite hard to
talk to.”
Watching herself on television is at times a
cringeworthy experience for Louise. “We
filmed that months ago. Just imagine, on a
night out like the other night, being filmed
drunk and your friends show it back to you
a week later – you’re like, ‘Oh God’.”
In the first episode, a nervous Louise
congratulated the editor of Stellar Magazine
after she was given a position at the
publication at the end of the interview. She
still gets a bit of slack from her friends for
the gaffe. “All the time, people come up to
me and say ‘Congratulations,’ and it is funny,
I would love to see how other people say
stupid things in interviews... You just have
to be able to laugh at yourself.”
Although the programme hasn’t been
received well by some, Louise says, “Overall
it’s really positive feedback, rarely would
you get someone coming up and being
rude to your face.”
“We know what Irish people are like, they
are more likely to come up to you when
they have had a few drinks on them in a
social situation. then when you are walking
down Grafton Street.”
“Sometimes. when you film out in a
public place, especially when we did the
Oktoberfest one, that was really annoying,
because people were really drunk and they
were jumping out in front of the camera.
So it wasn’t that we had to keep repeating
what we were saying, we just had to stop
because people are waving and saying ‘Hey
Mom!’
“The younger crowd come up to you
during the day, and they are always really
sweet.”
With filming completed for series one,
Louise seems hopeful that a second series
of Fade Street could be on the horizon.
“Fingers crossed, there is a lot of positive
feedback from RTÉ at the moment, so
we probably won’t know for another few
weeks or months.”
Until then Louise is trying to keep her
head down to complete her final semester
in UCD, but she still has a busy schedule
currently helping to manage the Grafton
Lounge at the weekends, working for
a friend’s beauty distribution company,
“Distinct Distributions”, and she has also
recently signed up with Assets Modeling
Agency.
Having missed the UCD Ball last year, she
is determined to make the event on the last
day of term this April, and although she
claims “there is nothing I would change
about my time in UCD because I have had
a really good experience… I am definitely
going to hang up the academic boots, even
though I don’t think I ever wore them that
much.”
Fade Street is produced by Straywave Media
and airs Mondays at 10.50pm on RTÉ Two.
Here Come the GirlsTalking to final year economics student Louise Johnston about her new found fame, her final year in UCD, Donie O’Sullivan asks the 22 year old Clonskeagh girl, ‘how fake is Fade Street?’
The Siren 25.01.1112
The UCD campus was swept up in the
magic of Harry Potter in the form of
a 24-hour-musical. Dramsoc’s latest
event, in aid of the charity Community
Outreach, was an event not to be
missed. Moving out of their usual
venue of the black box theatre in the
Arts Block, Harry Potter The Musical
managed to fill most of the Astra Hall.
From start to finish, the cast did not
fail to impress. Despite only having 24
hours to rehearse dance numbers, learn
lines and practice songs, the entire
ensemble gave a surprisingly seamless
show. The opening number was most
Musical Captures Potter Magicby Aisling Flynn Review - Harry Potter the Musical - Friday 21st January 2011
definitely the highlight of the show,
introducing each of the characters.
Harry (Molly O’ Mahony) first
appeared in a spotlight singing a soulful
lament about how he must get back to
Hogwarts. Within ten minutes he has
arrived at Hogwarts and is surrounded
by his friends, including Ron (Zoe
Reynolds) and Hermione (Nicole
Doyle). One can most definitely
overlook the fact that the two male
leads were played by women; it was all
part of the fun!
Standout performances came in
the form of Draco Malfoy (Sarah
Hamilton), who spent most of the
show rolling around on the floor,
Professor Snape (Ben Waddell), who
had the audience cracking up, and last
but not least the conjoined character of
Professor Quirrell (David Mulrooney)
and Voldemort (John Kelly). The two
spent the entire show tied together in
an oversized cape, and managed to sing
a duet on top on such restrictions.
All in all, for a group of people who
were admittedly sleep deprived, there
were almost no slip ups. At one point
the three main characters all referred to
each other as Hermione, but this just
added to the fun! The show’s director
Katie-Ann McDonough and producer
Mike Gallagher should be commended
on being able to rope together a show
of such a high standard in just 24 hours.
If this is what Dramsoc can muster up
in a single day, I look forward to seeing
what they can do in the future.
Danny Boyle’s newest feature explores
the real-life story of Adrenaline fuelled,
thrill junkie Aron Ralston who
during a hiking and climbing session
in the breathtakingly beautiful Blue
John Canyon in Utah, got his arm
immovably trapped under a boulder,
leaving him literally stuck between a
rock and a hard place. The legendary
filmmaker effortlessly covers the
horror and the unbelievable triumph
of the situation. Armed with one of
the finest upcoming stars in the Film
industry James Franco, Boyle makes
you understand the emotions leading
up to it and during many intense and
gruesome scenes. This film is not only
a contender for film of the year, but
leaves you with a much deeper respect
for Danny Boyle, James Franco and
Aron Ralston himself.
With most of the film being about
the isolation of being stuck in a
canyon, a lot rested on the shoulders
of James Franco. However former
Spiderman and James Dean star Franco
owns his performance, portraying
Ralston’s journey convincingly from
an uninhibited adventurer
to a physically and mentally
strained man, capable of
carving his own headstone
into a canyon wall. It’s
understandable that some
audiences may find 127 Hours
to be too graphic or even too
preachy at times, but the film
shall keep you on the edge
of your seat. Many critics
are praising of the accuracy
of the climbing techniques
and Ralston himself has
mentioned the movie being
"so factually accurate it is as
close to a documentary as you
can get, and still be a drama."
It’s a masterful performance
by Franco, sharply directed
with all the visual flair he can
bring to filming in a single
location by an experienced
Danny Boyle. 127 Hours is
must see and will prove stiff
competition with the likes of
The Kings Speech and Black
Swan, for film of 2011.
127 Hoursby Ryan Cullen
‘The King’s Speech’ follows the
travails of Prince Albert (Colin Firth)
as he struggles to fulfil his royal duties
hindered by a debilitating stutter. His
embarrassing failure to deliver official
speeches has driven him to seek speech
therapy. None of it works though
until he locates an unconventional
Australian (Geoffrey Rush) who insists
on informality and personal disclosure.
The Duke’s father, George V, soon dies,
leaving Albert’s roguish and fast-living
brother as an ill-suited king. It becomes
clear that the Prince will have to take
his brother’s place and he is faced with
the challenge of overcoming his stutter
for the role. Albert’s relationship with
his therapist is the focus of the film and
through it he successfully negotiates
the various ceremonies involved in
kinghood. His final challenge is to
address the nation when World War II
begins. Though focused on rather grand
characters, this is a simple human story
about overcoming personal limitations.
The film handles it in quite an earnest
way, taking Albert’s problem seriously
and never hinting that his role may
have been anything but crucial. The
unfolding of the relationships though is
subtle and entertaining. The therapist is
the much more engaging presence and
brings some life to the film in contrast
to Firth’s sombre (and overrated)
performance. His irreverence towards
aristocratic traditions and decorum
adds some humour, along with his
instructing of the king to sing and
swear his stutter away.
The general appearance of the film
is also a plus, with the textures of the
aging buildings caught well. The all’s-
well feel-good ending will have some
British breasts swelling with patriotic
pride but for others it will slightly spoil
an otherwise enjoyable film.
The King’s Speechby Cailean Mallon