Live Review: Gabrielle Aplin @ The Great Hall

Wiltshire-born songstress Gabrielle Aplin lit up our very own Great Hall this Monday, rounding up the last performance of her 2013 English Rain Tour with a firework display of fun, talent, and vivacious personality.

The concert was kick-started by the boisterous ‘Keep On Walking’, working the audience up into a danceable mood that set the tone for the rest of the night. Gabrielle and her live band performed popular songs such as ‘November’ and ‘Panic Cord’  with as fresh, energetic vitality as if this were the first show, not the last, and the inclusion of the slower, softer ballads of ‘Start Again’ and ‘The Power of Love’ lent an interesting variety to the night.

Her songs are cheerful yet tough, displaying a resilient personality underneath the floaty clothes and hairdo. I had some doubts as to whether her notably soft vocals could rise above the other instruments, but they took on a surprisingly powerful quality when needed, becoming quietly angelic during the gentler moments.

She brought great energy to the stage, skipping this way and that, joking with her band, laughing at an audience member’s yell during the most poignant part of piano driven ‘Salvation’. Quirky, cute, jumpy and funny – it was clear she loved being there.

photocredit:leedsstudent.co.uk

Widely known for her haunting cover of ‘The Power of Love’, featured by John Lewis on last year’s Christmas advert, Gabrielle’s career has taken a flying leap this year. Hit singles ‘Please Don’t Say You Love Me’ and ‘Home’ barrelled her first studio album, English Rain, to the lofty heights of #2 in the charts.

At just twenty-one years old, you can be sure Gabrielle is giddy with her sudden success. But it’s clear she wants to keep her feet on the ground, chatting easily with the audience at the concert, frequently interacting with her fans via social media and continuing to write songs from the openness of her soul.

I admired the comfort she had at being onstage, and the ease she performed to the audience as if they were watching from her living room. At one point, sipping from a cup, she told us in a conspiratorial way: “It looks like one of those cups with Disney princesses on it, but it isn’t! It has rude words on it.”

And what now for Gabrielle? “I need to write more songs!” she laughed, following the audience’s protestations of her leaving the stage so soon. I hope she does just that, and returns to Exeter with an album (and personality) bigger and bolder than ever.

Gabrielle’s album, English Rain, is out now. Her next single, ‘Salvation’, will be released later this year.

Sarah Merritt

Freshers' Week ends with society sign-ups

Image credit: Niklas Rahmel

Fresher’s Week 2013 culminated today on Sunday in the Activities and Volunteering Fair, from 10:00-16:00. As a long-standing occasion for University societies to promote themselves to prospective members and enroll students, the fair has always attracted a large amount of interest from students in all years. Apart from the online system, it is the main portal for students to join societies, allowing them to talk to the society committees and learn more before signing up.

In recent years the University has suffered from several sign up issues. Until three years ago, sign-ups were processed through cash and cheque. In 2011, the bar code system replaced this, which enabled students to collect bar codes which could then be scanned and paid for at a central point. There have been issues over the past two years with this infrastructure due to the often startlingly busy turnout of the Activities Fair. Since the renovation of the guild website, it is possible to buy membership for any society through the website. However, this infrastructure experienced some issues last year; students were unable to purchase society membership if, in their registration on My Exeter, they declined to share information (such as disabilities) with Exeter Guild.

With students required to buy compulsory gym membership alongside their sports society membership, it is unclear how this will affect AU membership this year.

“I anticipate a lot of hard work from the Guild staff, a lot of queues especially at the midday times, a lot of anger from students and societies alike because of the inevitable technical system problems; hopefully, if students persevere and are patient through all of this, the sign up process will go smoothly,” advises Olwen Hills, a third year student.

Students found society stands across Streatham campus, but despite the simpler cash sign-up system there were still issues caused by sheer weight of numbers, with Santander’s ATM running out of cash.

Dannee McGuire, News Team and Liam Trim, Online Editor

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UKIP conference to be held on-campus

Image credit: GUZELIAN

The Spring Conference of a rejuvenated UK Independence Party will take place in the Great Hall this Saturday.

The event, which is likely to attract interest from the national media, will be followed by a reception and Gala dinner in the evening, before a training day takes place on Sunday.

After their surprise second place finish in the Eastleigh by-election, UKIP are now seen by some as a rising force in British politics and a threat to the Conservative party. The announcement of a possible referendum on EU membership and pressure on David Cameron to move his party to the right have indicated to many UKIP’s increasing influence.

With the party now sitting in third place in many polls, Saturday’s conference will likely focus on the party’s successes this year.

Criticism of Wednesday’s budget can also be expected, with party leader Nigel Farage suggesting earlier this week that “we need to cut spending far more radically than we have done.”

UKIP, who have increasingly gained membership from disillusioned Conservatives over the EU and gay marriage, propose dramatic spending cuts on foreign aid, quangos and the EU.

Farage, the father of a former Exeter student, will be returning to the city for the second time in recent years, having attended a question and answer talk organised by the politics society in 2011.

His leader’s address will take place at midday on Saturday, whilst party members host a number of training events around campus throughout the day, including public speaking training in the Peter Chalk Centre.

Concerns have been raised by some about the University being seen to host, and even endorse, any political party. First year politics student and UKIP sympathiser Alicia Mosley was more perturbed by the party’s choice of location for electoral gain and also hoped “that the University could reallocate funds for students’ benefit.”

Tickets for the conference, dinner and training day are available here until Friday, costing £20, £35 and £10 respectively.

Harrison Jones, Online News Editor

A new world symphony for classical music?

Orchestra: snobby, elitist, generally something which makes you feel distinctly uncomfortable?  If you would rather go to the library and do some extra reading than go to an orchestral concert of an evening then you would definitely not be alone. The stigma surrounding orchestras and classical music in general has become so powerful that most young people encountering the idea of an orchestra would lock it away in some stuffy church hall in their mind and throw away the key.

 

Photo by Daehyun Park on Flickr

However, as a self-confessed “Orchestra Nerd” I can confirm that it is far from snobby, far from stuffy, and distinctly removed from the grey realms of boring. So what went so wrong? People who reject classical music don’t realise that it is an extremely colourful, creative and subjective form of art. Orchestral music accompanies our lives more than we realise. Without music how would great films such as Pirates of the Caribbean or Lord of the Rings fare? Not to mention the TV themes we all know and love like Downton Abbey.  And it’s not only the modern stuff which has made the cut. Tchaikovsky’s famous ‘Swan Lake’ has graced our ears recently in Black Swan, and is one of the elements which makes the film so effective. Tchaikovsky’s ballet music was also used recently in David Attenborough’s Africa as deer were shown leaping gracefully across the plain. In fact, Africa was full to the brim with moody and beautiful classical music which made the already breath-taking filming even more spectacular.

 

According to a recent article in The Independent, orchestras “must ‘ride the wave of change’ or die” (Nick Clark, 24th Jan).  The new head of Universal Music believes that the key to making this change is to make classical concerts more accessible by removing the conventions around clapping, (ie: allowing applause between movements of a piece) and the performers engaging with the audience more.  He believes that to do this, the musicians need to “appear more excited.”

 

Although I agree something needs to be changed to make orchestras more accessible for a wider range of people, the issue is not, in my opinion, that the players look uninterested or that the audience have a burning desire to clap between movements. The key to engaging an audience is to connect with them through the music itself.  Every piece has a story to tell; the players need to believe it themselves to convey it. Like all forms of art, the connection to the audience or reader is about the feelings it evokes. You wouldn’t necessarily encourage someone to connect with a piece of artwork by putting it in an exciting frame. Verbal communication is also key to making the audience feel more relaxed, a lot of orchestras just play through their repertoire without a word in-between. This doesn’t help with the “snobby” reputation.

 

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, based in London, is over-throwing the stuffy image by playing with original Baroque instruments, getting rid of conventions such as having a single conductor in charge, but most of all their difference is in the unique way they interpret their repertoire. Their by-line is “not all orchestras are the same” and that is exactly what people need to realise. Like most forms of art, it won’t be for everyone, but you never know until you give it a try! There are some great concerts happening this term right on your doorstep, including Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s “Hollywood Concert” on 14 Feb, and Exeter University Symphony Orchestra’s concert on 19 March, both in the Great Hall.

 

By Emma Pidsley

So you think you can salsa?

Photo by Rob Treen

If you have always fancied yourself as the next winner of Strictly Come Dancing, but are lacking the talent and dexterity that Craig Revel Horwood demands, then don’t fear – your quest for ballroom fame and glory is only beginning!

You may not be crowned king or queen of the Strictly dance floor this year, but DanceSport brings you the opportunity to triumph in our very own University ballroom: the Great Hall. Yes, I know what you are thinking; it’s not quite as glamorous as what the nimble-footed Anton de Beke may be used to but, come Sunday 3^rd February, the Great Hall will be a hive of activity- offering you the chance to prove you are the queen-or king- bee when it comes to salsa.

Georgie Treen, this year’s Salsa Rep for DanceSport Society has described this “extravaganza” as “more than just a salsa competition”, with competitions and workshops running on throughout the day for all levels of ability, followed by a salsa party in the evening.

This is the first dance competition organised by the society, and it is already proving to be a refreshing event, as it is open to other universities, staff and local residents all with a flair for dance. “We are setting this up to be an annual event, and the hope is that in a few years’ time it will be a big event on the salsa calendar for other universities”, and no doubt for the University arts scene too.

So, if your resolutions for the New Year are along the lines of trying something new, fitness, to have more fun or even just getting out of the library, this may just be what you are looking for. So, whether you are a beginner or expert, there is something for everyone. And, with prices starting at just £2.00 per person, you have no excuse not to give it a go.

DanceSport are also offering competitors who are looking for a partner the chance to be teamed up, so you will not be on your own.

Entry forms and information packs are available from exeterunisalsa@hotmail.com, and the deadline for entry is Midnight 29^th January- so you’d better shake your tail feathers and get in there quick!

For more information, visit the event page here.

By Anna Riddiford, Arts Editor

Keeping students safely housed

The Students’ Guild has been working alongside the University, Exeter City Council and local landlords to establish an accreditation scheme for private sector housing in the City. We want to ensure all properties available to students meet a certain criteria; ensuring that our members’ rights and safety are protected, within a scheme that is both realistic and affordable for landlords. Accreditation is the best way to ensure that accommodation meets a certain standard and can act as a reassurance for students when they are house hunting for next year.

The scheme that the University and Guild endorse at present is the Unipol AFS Code of Standards and we want the help of all students to help it become the standard that all landlords in Exeter adhere to. Students living in privately owned accommodation can help us by pushing for your landlords to become accredited and students who are looking for accommodation for next year can ensure that you ask landlords or agents whether the property is accredited when you are viewing houses or flats.

There will be a housing fair in the Great Hall on January 15th from 11-3pm. Here you will be able to meet Exeter’s estate agents, private landlords and see what houses are on the market. Key info concerning utilities will also be available, along with plenty of freebies. You never know what might happen: you may find your dream house!

 Grace Hopper

VP Welfare and Community

Professor Green’s Great Hall show cancelled

Photo credits to University of Exeter

Due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’, Professor Green has had to cancel his show due to take place in the Great Hall on Friday evening.

The University’s Great Hall was going to be the venue for the rapper’s concert but due to a mix up between the hip-hop rapper and the booking agent, the event was cancelled on Monday, 26 November.

Professor Green tweeted: “It’s quite frustrating when I get blamed for the promoter’s actions, I don’t control the people who run these clubs. X”

For more information, please visit the Exeter Box Office.

By Guy Janaway

Fundraising events for Children in Need announced

A PROGRAM of fundraising events for staff and students have been organised for the week preceding BBC Children in Need, as the University of Exeter prepares to host the South West Party on 16 November.

The week leading up to the night will see numerous fundraising events occurring both on and off campus. There will be a Children’s Tea Party in the Great Hall, equipped with a bouncy castle, a series of classic party games, food and drink, and a variety of children’s films.

Following on from last year’s success, a version of the television show Take Me Out will once again take place in the Lemon Grove, and University staff will be sponsored for wearing pyjamas to work.

The Children in Need South West Party will be broadcast nationwide from the Forum. The University will welcome students, staff and the local community, who can expect to see a range of entertainment, from music, visual art shows, circus acts, interactive gaming, and a professional BMX freestyle event.

Exeter is the only university in the country to be hosting Children in Need on the night.

Photo credits to Joshua Irwandi

Jon Bagnall, VP Participation and Campuses, expressed his excitement for the event, commenting: “This is a great opportunity to showcase the lengths that students, not just of this University but of those across the country, go to raise awareness and money for such noble causes.”

Sarah Rainford and Sarah Tattersall, who are members of the RAG committee, said: “We’re really excited to be the only university to host the event.” They added: “We can’t wait to raise loads of money and hang out with Pudsey.”

 

By Declan Henesy