Want to join the Fusion committee and organise the first ever inter-university fashion, music and dance show?

Fusion@London is to be launched in London as the first ever inter-University event involving students (both organising committee and cast) from Imperial College, Queen Mary University, Kings College and UCL. Fusion is an exhibition of artistic talents which originates from York University, a consolidation of various types of dance, modelling and music with the primary aim of raising money for charitable courses. It is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable and entertaining ways to contribute to those in need. The organisation welcomes a wide range of artistic skills from dancing, modelling, choreography, music compilation, designing and sewing costumes and props, web and graphic design etc. The result is an amalgamation of talents that guarantees outstanding entertainment. The show typically takes a year to organise and is renowned for being an exceptional show of a professional standard entirely run and performed by students. Previous events have attracted an audience of around 4000 people every year (including students and the local population) and raised tens of thousands for charity. Its considerable prestige and audience figures has guaranteed sponsorship from well known companies including KPMG, Ernst & Young, Unilever, Hugo Boss, easy jet, Mango, Top Shop, River Island, Zara and much more.

In addition to creative members Fusion needs business-minded individuals to obtain sponsorship and advertising deals, take charge of spending decisions and publicity to maximise the fundraising potential for the event. Have you not got a creative bone in your body? No flair for creating business connections? No worries, not all our positions require specialist talents; an enthusiastic attitude and interest in making Fusion the biggest and most spectacular event possible is sufficient.

Think this is something you can do? For the passionate and driven individuals who want to make a difference and contribute to this unique event, this is your chance to join the committee. Being a committee member of such an event in its first year would be hard work but Fusion is also a way of meeting great friends, having fun, trying something new and gaining confidence.

Read about Fusion in Felix http://felixonline.co.uk/arts/1194/fusion-comes-to-london/

The following Fusion Committee positions are available.

• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Creative Directors (x2)
• Music director/coordinator
• Head Choreographers (x2)
• Fashion and Beauty (Clothes, Hair & Makeup)
• Charities, Events & Fundraising Coordinators (x2)
• Sponsorship & Advertising (x2)
• Press & Publicity (x2)
• Technical Directors (x2)
• Stage Manager

Contact Angela Udemba on a.udemba09@imperial.ac.uk for more information on duties involved and a simple application form. The application deadline is the 30^th of May 2011.

By EMMA BLACK

If you live in London, chances are that you’ve already seen an IC1s logo sticker on a train window, in a club bathroom or on your girlfriend’s breast. Less than a year out of the box in their current incarnation, IC1s are five guys from North-West London who are rapidly becoming a word-of-mouth sensation on the indie rock live circuit.

Hand-picked by self-proclaimed fan, Oasis discoverer and all-round musical myth-maker Alan McGee to headline a showcase of up-and-coming bands at his Greasy Lips clubnight, IC1s have also played shows with Tim Burgess (The Charlatans), Mik Whitnall (Babyshambles) and Proud Mary (signed to Noel Gallagher’s Sour Mash Label), outselling the latter at their own album launch. Recently chosen by Burgess to play his Friends Of Mine Festival alongside The Cribs, Buzzcocks and Badly Drawn Boy this summer, the band are rising fast and gathering a die-hard fan-base along the way.

Loud, raw and confrontational, IC1s put on the kind of live show that stops crowded bars talking and sees drinkers throw themselves to the front. Frontman Daniel Coburn’s distinctive vocals characterise the infectious, hook-heavy songs, commanding the attention of even the most jaded live music fan. Driven by the twin powerhouse of drummer Andy Faulkner and bassist Jacob Osman, and the hard-hitting duel guitar talents of John Campbell and Jesse James (yes, it is his real name), an IC1s show is memorable for all the right reasons.

Last year’s Lowering the Tone EP captured three of the songs that have been snaring audiences and generating major label interest, including the anthemic earworm ‘Whack Jack’ - prone to incite the kind of fan stage invasions that many more established bands could only dream of. The band’s next EP, due for release in May, is definitely not to be missed.

IC1s have the songs, the swagger, and more importantly, the sheer, blistering talent to be the best new band of 2011 and beyond. Don’t miss out.

 

Catch IC1s live at the Relentless Garage on 13th May, and at Friends of Mine festival on 22nd May.
Log on to www.ic1sband.com or search ‘ic1’ on Facebook for more information.

 

Milos Bezanov

As the debate rages on in the run up to the vote itself on the 5^th of May, there have been interesting developments within the coalition. Clegg's attack on the PM and Cabinet minister has triggered proliferating literature, in the last few hours alone, focussed not on the debate itself, but rather on inter-party conflict. There is no question that these developments, despite attempts by influential MP's such as William Hague and the like to shrug off the significance, represent a division within the coalition. Numerous questions instantly spring to mind; How stable is the current coalition? What are the potential consequences of this referendum for the government? and just how divisive is the current political climate within the coalition camp?

It is interesting to note, when looking deeper into the Guardian article alluded to above, the sporadic nature of Clegg's anti-Tory rhetoric; using remarks such as “right-wing clique” and “nice little racket” to help us along with a vivid portrayal, whilst simultaneously accusing the No to AV campaign of providing “a headwind of lies, misinformation and deceit”. These is an underlying element of bitterness in these strong claims, and surely their implication is that behind the veneer of the AV debate, there are deep seated political disagreements and even conflict.

Whilst Clegg's opinions could be questioned as representative of the party's view, as “there are whispers in Whitehall” that his status as leader is weakening, with one Liberal MP Adrian Sanders accusing him of being a shameless opportunist. However, Chris Huhne's accusation of “untruths” on behalf of the conservatives with regards to the costs of implementing AV shows indicates that the viewpoint is echoed throughout the ranks, making the issue more pressing. The tension is also mutual, especially in light of Liberal policy; particularly of their more willing approach towards Britain's relationship with the EU, frustrating the traditionally Eurosceptic Tories.

The up coming referendum has exposed numerous political tensions that within the cabinet, particularly within a domestic level. With regards to foreign policy, citing Libya as an example, the members of either party have not displayed any obvious signs of discontent with the policy adopted, with Clegg maintains support for the initiative. The other disagreements that characterise this coalition thus far; those pertaining to education, health etc..would be the same even within a single party cabinet, and whilst potentially divisive, should not be argued as a weakness intrinsic to this coalition. However, the Liberal frustration with Tory antics with regards to their AV campaign is more worrisome, for it has brought to light genuine resentment. It would be premature to proclaim the imminent demise of the coalition at this point, but the potential is certainly present, and must be reigned in to ensure continual survival.

 

The following positions for next year’s Roar team are now open for applications.

Student Editor
Design Editor
Editors for all the sections (news, comment, student groups, features, fashion and lifestyle, arts, film, music, sports)
Proofing Editor

Applicants for Student Editor will need to send in three published articles they've written, ideas for improving Roar! (not more than 400 words), and a CV which should include experience on Roar! and/or other publications. We will interview 3-4 candidates, and will let everyone applying for this know whether they have an interview or not by early June.

Design Editor should send examples of work with Indesign and/or Photoshop, ideas about how the design of Roar! could be improved (not more than 400 words), and a CV which should include details of work with design.

Section Editors should send a sample article (does not have to have been published), ideas of how that section could be improved (not more than 200 words), and a CV.

Proofing Editor should send two sample articles (do not have to have been published), and a CV.

Applications for ALL positions have to be in to Roarkings@gmail.com by JUNE 3.

 

 

Rumours that Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen, had designed the royal wedding dress were confirmed this morning as Kate Middleton stepped out of her car in a Grace Kelly-esque creation of ivory satin and lace. The dress (which had a 2 metre long train) was accessorized with a simple veil, Alexander McQueen shoes and a bouquet of lily-of-the-valley. Kate wore a tiara on loan to her from the Queen.

The bride was accompanied by Maid of Honour Pippa Middleton, also in McQueen, and flower girls dressed in Nicki Macfarlane.

Amongst the fashionable guests were David and Victoria Beckham, with Posh almost stealing the show in a Phillip Treacy hat, slick ponytail and sky-high Louboutins.

Not everyone looked flawlessly fabulous, however: we don't know what Princess Beatrice has managed to get stuck to her head, but we do know it's not a look we'll be copying in a hurry.

By Angharad Mead

It was all go this evening in the Quayside Wetherspoons as hundreds of delegates met seemingly spontaneously for a pre-conference beverage. Dannie “Gruffallo” Grufferty, currently a strong favourite for the Vice President Society and Citizenship role, has taken campaigning to a different level after brokering a deal with Labour Students to stand as one of their Block of 15 candidates. She has also managed to score a Wales vote in the shape of NUS Women’s Officer (elect) Estelle Hart. Estelle, the daughter of Welsh Assembly Member Edwina Hart, has pledged to get a tattoo of the Gruffallo on her bottom if 100 people pledge to vote Dannie as their first preference.

A staunch Labour supporter, Dannie is standing on a platform of keeping Citizenship education in schools and more support for local anti-cuts campaigns. She has some big shoes to fill as Susan Nash takes a step down after two strong years as VP Soc and Cit to join the reams of unemployed sabbatical officers. A characteristically calm and collected Dannie seemed unphased this evening in Spoons.

Dannie likes to consider herself in the left ranks of Labour with credentials to match, after being an active supporter of Ed Miliband in the Labour leadership race. She says she is looking for NUS to take back what the government has hijacked and return higher education to the societal good that it once was. 
Her main opponent, Akash Naik, seemed cool and calm in Spoons saying that his confidence has grown over the week. The Portsmouth sabbatical officer is running on an environmental platform, and as far as I can tell he has no factional ties.

Will this be the conference that smashes the factional dictatorship? The slates on the conference floor tell a different tale as Aaron Keily, another frontrunner,r takes to the stand with the far left slate. Will the rise of activism across the nation be enough to persuade the conference to elect Aaron as VP Soc and Cit? We’ll find out soon.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE COMPETITION'S HISTORY, KCL WRESTLE THE MACADAM CUP FROM KCLMS

By Matt Abbott, Sports Editor

Photography by Alizera Nejad

At 5:30pm yesterday, as competitors and supporters gathered, there were rumours buzzing around the pavilion hall of the King’s College Sports Ground, Berrylands. Rumours that King’s had won the Macadam Cup for the first time in the competition’s eight year history. At  approximately 5:45pm, the KCLSU Vice-President of Student activities, Kia Alam, confirmed those rumours to be true as he announced that KCL had indeed won the 2011 Macadam Cup.

‘Are the rumours I’m hearing true?’ Simon Thexton, the prolific KCLFC striker asked me as we awaited the results, ‘that we’ve won it?’

Frantic counting and tallying up of the results we knew of, had led to us realising it was extremely close. Probably the closest Macadam Cup ever.

We knew KCL were in the lead and that the final outcome depended on the results of Badminton and Ten-Pin Bowling which we assumed had taken place earlier in the week. The atmosphere was tense.

It was with great surprise, as Alam read out the results from every sporting fixture, that we learnt the Bowling and the Badminton had been cancelled. KCL had as we thought, won 7 of the 13 matches, enough to win the Cup.

Great celebrations were soon set in motion as the KCL Netball club, involved in perhaps the most thrilling and certainly the closest match of the competition, were the first to lift the St Thomas Rowing Club Champagne bowl on behalf of King’s.

KCLMS, victors of the last 7 Macadam Cup contests, half-heartedly sung in defiance before sloping away to Guy’s bar. They had played their part in making this the most exhilarating Macadam since it’s initialisation in 2004. But in truth, yesterday belonged to KCL.

Going into the main day of competition yesterday, the scores were already 1-1. The two water-based fixtures had been played: KCL had won the Water Polo and KCLMS had triumphed in the Swimming. This had set Macadam Cup day up nicely. It was all to play for.

It didn’t seem that way early on though. As the respective institution’s sports men and women began converging on Berrylands, the mood was strange, almost sombre. KCL Rugby, off the back of Friday night’s Varsity and one of the clubs finest moments in the modern era, arrived with a depleted team, forcing the Rugby match into a bizarre round robin sevens tournament. KCLMS, with their two sevens sides – that at one point played each other - unsurprisingly won the men’s rugby fixture then.

Ultimate Frisbee, ‘pulling off’ at the same time as the Rugby provided some excitement on the adjacent pitch. Anyone who has played Frisbee, and subsequently failed to control the flight of the disc (perhaps hitting a disgruntled sunbather on the beach with it, when aiming for your friend standing in the opposite direction), will appreciate that this game takes a fair degree of skill: vision, movement, balance and remarkable hand-eye co-ordination, particularly in windy conditions are essential. These guys have the said skills, in abundance. This, like the Rugby, seemed a fairly amicable match, though. We were yet to see the rivalry between KCL and KCLMS that is so often displayed on Macadam Cup day. KCL came out on top in the Frisbee, defeating KCLMS 13-8, with KCL’s Ian Dékkarr being awarded player of the match.

Back in the pavilion, Joe Banner and the KCL fencing side put in a solid display (given their Great Britain credentials), to defeat KCLMS.

At Honor Oak Park, where the Hockey fixtures were taking place, the KCLMS women’s side had, as predicted, thrashed the KCL women’s side, 14-0.

KCL women fared better in the netball however and it was during this game that Macadam sparked into life. In a compelling match that was drawing the attention of many spectators, KCL won by the narrowest of margins. A late KCLMS comeback in the final quarter wasn’t enough, as they fell to a 24-23 defeat. Becky French was awarded player of the match and Lisa Moynihan's team fought their way to a well earned win. KCLMS felt hard done by, complaining about the umpiring.

In the meantime, the men’s and women’s football had got underway. The women’s rugby, unlike the men's, was a 15-a-side match had also kicked off. The absence of captain, Linda Sjoblom, through injury and further injuries to two KCL girls, one leaving the ground in an ambulance, meant the odds were stacked against KCL. But determined to make amends for their Varsity defeat to UCL last Friday, they battled hard and, as the men did last week, won the game 12:10 with a converted try in the dying moments. Anna MacDonald was awarded player of the match.

KCLMS women’s football side, however, produced a fantastic performance to beat their KCL opponents 4-1, with Sarah Milner taking player of the match.

Word from the pavilion was that James Wong had starred for KCLMS in the mixed squash, sealing a 3-2 win for the Medics in that discipline. The overall score at this point then was 5-5. With three

Having lost twice to KCLMS FC 1^st XI this season, Will Reed-Wright had his side well-drilled and focussed in the warm up to the men’s football. You could tell they meant business and see that revenge was on their agenda.

An extremely well organised defence and hard-working midfield was rewarded just before half time, when tricky midfielder, Joao Miguel, the eventual man of the match, fired KCL into the lead with a superb goal. Although against the run of play, KCL’s endeavour and desire meant they were fully deserving of the lead they held.

Their second half performance was even more disciplined. As KCLMS piled men forward, KCL stayed organised, shutting KCLMS out every time they looked threatening. KCLMS made the difficult task of breaking KCL down even harder for themselves when they were reduced to 10 men. Right back, Missagh, was booked twice for dissent and given his marching orders.

With 8 minutes to go, the tall Dan Hall should have doubled KCL’s lead, as he fired over from 10 yards following a slick counter attack. As the other matches ended, a good crowd developed to watch the last 10 minutes.

Ben Payne, playing in midfield for KCL, was throwing himself in front of everything and Dave Ranford played through what looked like an injured hamstring, making important tackles and interceptions. Desmond Owusu, the KCLMS captain, for all his shouting and good footwork, couldn’t conjure a late equaliser. Against the odds, KCL won the football fixture.

There was a sense that this victory could be quite significant to the overall outcome of Macadam. The cheering KCLMS contingent gathered on the touchline fell quiet as the final whistle went.

Their disappointment was added to when news came through from Honor Oak Park that in the men’s hockey, KCL had won 3-0.

This made the score 7-5 to KCL overall. But due to patchy knowledge, incorrect rumours and an uncertainty on what had happened in the Bowling, Badminton and Tennis (which were all actually cancelled) no one was quite sure who had won overall. Those two final results in the hockey and football had proved decisive.

The congregation in the pavilion cheered on those taking part in the final event, Darts, in which Sean Francourt threw well, earning him player of the match as KCLMS won, what, in the end was a ‘consolation’ event.

It has taken KCL 8 years to beat KCLMS in enough sports and claim the Macadam Cup. But as the rain ceased and rays of light broke through the overcast grey cloud, KCL bounced back to the Strand, carrying with them the St Thomas Rowing Club Champagne Bowl that in 2004, Michael Champion had presented to the first, and until now, only winner.

The aphorism of the Macadam Cup is ‘Vicant Optimi’, meaning ‘The Best Shall Win’. After eight years of trying, this year, KCL – very narrowly – were the best and they did win!

 

The winners of each sport and the stand out players from each game:

Sport               Winner            Score                Player of the Match

Fencing           KCL                  n/a                     Joe Banner

Squash           KCLMS            3-2                     James Wong

Frisbee           KCL                  13-8                   Ian Dekkarr

Rugby (m)      KCLMS             n/a                     Alex Witek

Netball            KCL                  24-23                 Becky French

Football (m)   KCL                  1-0                     Joao Miguel

Football (w)    KCLMS            4-1                     Sarah Milner

Rugby (w)       KCL                 12-10                 Anna MacDonald

Darts               KCLMS            7-1                     Sean Francourt

Hockey (w)     KCLMS            14-0                   Sarah Bolton

Swimming     KCLMS             n/a                      n/a

Water Polo     KCL                  n/a                        n/a

Hockey (m)    KCL                   3-0                     Alex Watson

(Badminton, Ten-Pin Bowling and Tennis cancelled)

KCL Think Tank Society is a student-initiated society here at King’s that is part of the Institute of Public Policy Research programme, based on the Warwick Student Think Tank. What is a think tank, you may ask. The dictionary definition is: an organization, non-profit or funded by governments, businesses and advocacy groups, which conducts research in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economy, science, technology, business and military issues. More informally, it is an arena for debate and discussion and aims to find a solution, an observation or a policy proposal for the researched topic.

How does this society work as a student think tank? It provides an opportunity for students to engage with various issues, especially relevant considering the growing political awareness following the tuition fees row. The theme of the society this term is Governmental Accountability, a way to assess governments’ policies and reforms across the globe. Two policy centres, a domestic and an international, will conduct seminars on appropriate topics. The domestic policy centre is focusing on the accountability of UK government and is discussing issues such as the effect of budget cuts on defence and electoral reform. The international centre will tackle the accountability of the regimes in the current revolutionary Middle East and the involvement of world powers, targeting countries such as Egypt, Libya, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The seminars will have a guest speaker presenting the issue, followed by an open-floor discussion. Those interested in the topic will then be invited to write an article about it, to be published in the think tank society’s journal, The Spectrum. This journal, to be published in May, will offer student and speakers the opportunity to research the issues in more depth.

The society’s launch event took place on March 1, on the Waterloo Campus, and had guests from the Warwick Student Think Tank and IPPR. Members of the committee and the guests presented the society. Ben Counsell, the president of the committee, and outlined the think tank’s structure and purpose. The policy centre leaders introduced the audience to the theme of their seminars, which will be held twice a week, Tuesdays for the international side and Thursdays for the domestic side. Come along for a good discussion, an expert view and some drinks and you will be published and not disappointed!

by SVETOSLAVA LAPCHEVA
Natural light during the warm seasons is easy to use to your advantage, especially if you know how to avoid distracting shadows. When taking a photo outside, you should bear in mind the direction and strength of the day light as well as thinking about the effect you want to achieve. Whether you are taking a holiday photo in front of the Coliseum or capturing your birthday party on film (or pixels), light will play a major role in the final outcome.

What gives a flat photo texture are the shadows. In order to achieve maximum results with minimum equipment and effort, one should be able to compose a photo in an environment where light cannot be controlled.

Case A: Holiday pictures whose aim is generally to serves as a reminder of our visit sometimes prove tricky. To avoid having the faces in the shadow, people should be facing the sun so the light falls on them. If that is not possible (i.e. the sun is behind the monument you’re desperately trying to photograph), you might use your flash in order to eliminate the shadows. This, however, might lead to an oversaturated photo so make sure you check it out afterwards.

Case B: If you want to capture a silhouette, the light should be coming from directly in front of your camera or behind your subject. These photos are really easy to take at sundown and can create interesting effects.

Case C: Attached and cast shadows are key to good compositions. An attached shadow in a shadow on the surface of the object, whereas a cast shadow is one that falls on another subject.

Since attached shadows define the texture and shape, they should be taken care of. Be careful for the shadow that the nose throws on the check when the light comes from the side. In order to avoid it you can either change the model’s place, use another light source or a reflective surface to eliminate it.

Cast shadows are “fun to play with” because they’re everywhere and tend to create interesting and unexpected effects. Moreover, a combination of cast and attached shadows might lead to a complex layering of lights and darks that creates aesthetically valuable results.
For inspiration of alternatives to popular fashion and magazine photography, take a look at German Expressionist Cinema and Film Noir, etc. where the varied use of light is key to the definition of the styles.

still from Alphaville, G-L. Godard

By JOANNA JOHNSON

What a homecoming from the States! All the King’s Men returned with an incredible buzz from their USA tour. Accompanied by the Cornell Hangovers and the unfailingly entertaining KCLSU President Ryan Wain as Master of Ceremonies, our Sunday night was met with old favourites, new hits fresh from America, and strikingly flawless entertainment. An amazing show from the kings of King's!

Thrown straight into the perfectly timed first hit by All the King’s Men, I was struck by an energy that I’m sure not a single person in the audience could have sat through without a huge grin on their face. The Cornell Hangovers’ set opened with a sterling introduction by our host band. With lively songs to get the crowd going, we were met with not just faultless harmonies but great choreography and a beaming grin on every face. Both bands mixed the humorous with the inspiring to downright hilarious results, but what I loved most was how they made each song their own. Their Fresh Prince of Bel Air/Pokémon/Inspector Gadget medley will forever stick in my mind! The concert demonstrated the teamwork and closeness of these groups – there was certainly no favouritism as practically every band member took a solo, and what voices they all have!

To indicate their sheer vocal skills the more sobering Yellow by Coldplay and Light up by Snow Patrol opened the second half, demonstrating even more the feeling and passion behind their performances. Introduced by Ryan Wain as wanting to “both entertain and inspire”, the Cornell Hangovers similarly sang gospel-like beautiful harmonies. Having already noticed how comfortable the group seemed since I last saw them perform back in the pre-fresher days at King’s Live, it was telling that Folarin Akinmade said: “It was absolutely fantastic to be performing back at home”. Nothing like home-turf to put on a good show!

After what must have been an incredible and successful USA tour, he summed up: “As far as the Hangovers are concerned, we're so impressed by them, they're an absolutely fantastic group and a great bunch of guys. We've made some really great friends and they put on such a fantastic show!” Two favourites that struck me the most out of all of the performances as truly exhibiting their skills in not only harmony but also choreography and theatre would have to have been their rendition of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. To grasp the eeriness amongst the group’s laughter and banter with fantastic management and coordination made it one of the best performances of the night.

As should be the case, the last two songs guaranteed a spectacular ending. Let’s Get It On certainly brought out their charm! The outstanding collaborative performance of In the Jungle meant everyone left the hall grinning, laughing and ready for what was sure to be a great afterparty down in Borough! Thankyou to the amazing King’s Men and their American buds the Cornell Hangovers for a night that left me relaxed, happy and connected with the beauty of their music.

The end of March and the end of the second semester at King's College London and the Guy's, King's and St Thomas Hospital Medical schools means only one thing: the Macadam Cup.

This multi-sport Varsity tournament between KCL and KCLMS (GKT), was the brain child of former KCLSU President, Michael Champion and is named in honour of Sir Ivison Macadam, King's graduate and founding President of the National Union of Students (NUS).

The rivalry between the two institutions has never been stronger and the KCL determination to win the competition for the first time has seldom been greater.

Since the inaugural Macadam Cup in 2004, KCL have never won the tournament. KCLMS has triumphed every year, consistently conquering their Strand based counterparts in more sports. The 2010 Macadam Cup saw KCLMS win by three events, coming out victorious in ten sports, compared to KCL's seven.

But, as some team members graduate and freshers are brought in to replace them, the dynamic of the fixtures can change and every year KCL go in with a renewed optimism that this year they will win enough sports to come out on top and prevent the KCLMS post-tournament  chant of 'You'll never win Macadam'. 

In the football, Will Reed-Wright will be hoping that in his final game as captain, KCLFC can nab a win over Desmond Owusu's KCLMSFC 1st XI side. The omens aren't great for KCL though: KCLMSFC beat KCL 11-0 in the pre-season Challenge Cup in October and are two BUCS (British University and College Sports) divsions above KCL. KCLFC did manage to find some late season form though and finished their season very well. They'll be hungry for victory!

In the women's football, Samantha Peacock, the KCLWFC captain, will be hoping that her and her side can add a Macadam win to their very successful year in ULU (University of London Union) Division 1, where the team finished second. They'll have to overcome what is on paper, a slightly stronger KCLMS women's side however. Amanda Hamilton, captain of the KCLMSWFC 1st XI, will be feeling confident of victory after a solid, mid-table finish in their ULU Premier Division, one up from that in which KCLWFC compete.

Fresh from that sensational, last-gasp London Varsity win over UCL on Friday night, it's back to business for James Duffus and his Rugby first XV. His side come face to face with Charlie West's KCLMS (GKT) 1st XV. The BUCS fixtures between KCL and GKT (the oldest Rugby club in the world) this year have been thrilling. Back in November, KCL came from 17-0 down at half time to beat GKT 18-17. February saw GKT run out victorious, 18-14 at Berrylands, in what was also a close game. This Macadam fixture then, is excitingly poised.

The KCL women's Rugby 1st XV, led by Linda Sjoblom will be desperate to bury the disappointment of their Varsity defeat against UCL on Friday night and the Macadam Cup provides them with the perfect opportunity to do that. In what has been an otherwise successful year for this KCL side, as they finished second in the ULU Premier Division, they'll be hopeful of going some way to repeating the 34-5 defeat they inflicted upon KCLMS women's Rugby first XV back in November. Contrastingly, Tara Ajith, the KCLMSWRFC captain, will be reminding her side of that defeat and urging them to go for revenge! This is set to be a great match too. Whilst KCL finished second in the ULU Premier Divison, KCLMS finished 3rd. This could be one to watch, I suspect.

Another 'to close to call' match will be the Netball fixture. In the ULU Premier Division, the KCL and KCLMS 1st teams have already locked horns this year. KCL won that 29:26 in what was a close game. But it was the second fixture of the season and took place all the way back in October. Many games have been played since then but KCL, under Lisa Nahorniak looked to have finished above the Cat Naish led KCLMS side, finishing fourth and sixth respectively.

The hockey fixtures are taking place at Honor Oak Park this year, and the men's game could be nail bitingly close as well. KCLMS look to have escaped relegation from the ULU Hockey Premier Division... at the expense of KCL! Despite a solid season in their BUCS league, KCL will be playing in ULU Division one next year and will, no doubt, be eager to avenge KCLMS!

The KCLMS Women's hockey team are one of the finest in the South East and have enjoyed an extremely successful year in the top tier of BUCS South East Conference divisions. Victory in this fixture then, is set to be a tough feat for KCL women's Hockey, who have had a difficult season, competing several BUCS SE Conference divisions below the KCLMS side.

All this is, however, is background. With supporters from both sides converging on both Berrylands and Honor Oak Park tomorrow, anything could happen. The beauty of sport, and in particular University sport, is that it can be so unpredictable.

History tells us that KCLMS are likely to retain the Macadam Cup on Wednesday 30th March. But it's certainly not a full gone conclusion and arguably, the two institutions have never gone into the Macadam Cup on such a level-footing.

We certainly shouldn't forget of course that there are other sports that make up the Macadam Cup. Also taking place tomorrow are matches in Fencing, Mixed Tennis, Mixed squash, Darts and the intriguing yet very exciting Ultimate Frisbee. Results from other matches that count towards the final overall result but that have already been contested, will be announced tomorrow. They include: Ten Pin Bowling, Swimming, Mixed Badminton and Bowling.

The winners will be presented with the St Thomas Rowing Club Champagne bowl, which was - at a considerbale cost - restored to glory in 2004 and ensigned with the proverb 'Vicant Optimi' - meaning 'Shall The Best Win' - when Michael Champion had his vision of a KCL/KCLMS Varsity competiton. After seven years, the competition is as strong as ever and the excitement that the Macadam Cup day generates stretches across the College's city campuses, from Strand and Waterloo, to Guy's and Denmark Hill.

It is worth noting however, that not only is this a day of great rivalry and competition, it is also a celebration of sport at King's College, London. This will of course be little consolation to the losing side as the result is announced tomorrow evening, but amongst the euphoria and disparity this is perhaps the most significant point.

The Mixed Fencing kicks proceedings off tomorrow, in the Berryland's Pavillion hall, at 13:30. For the full itinerary of the days action, go to: http://www.kclsu.org/page.asp?section=161&sectionTitle=The+Macadam+Cup

Roar! Sport will be providing coverage of tomorrows events throughout the day. Follow @roar_newspaper on Twitter for live updates (or check out the Twitter feed on this site) and visit roar.onsugar.com tomorrow evening for pictures and reports from the day!

KCLSU have set up an e-petition based around supporting the lecturers' stikes last week. The e-petition was raised by Vice President Academic Affairs Emilie Tapping and can be found at http://petition.kclsu.org/view_petition.asp?PetitionID=224.

By ESTHER BEADLE, Deputy Editor/Features

London life came to a stand-still today as over 250,000 protestors took to the streets in an anti-cuts march, organised by trade union, the TUC.

The day started colourfully as hoardes of people made their way from Victoria Embankment to the final rally point in Hyde Park. Families, students, pensioners and workers joined together in a jovial atmosphere. Whistles were blown, songs sung and the carnival atmosphere was enhanced by the warm, if muggy, weather.

Trafalgar Square acted as a resting point for those marchers already weary from several hours on their feet. As those less tired walked on buy the now-traditional chants and songs rose into the air, mixing with the sounds of dubstep and 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.'

The main body of the march was very family-oriented. Mark, a local government worker from Newham, brought along his young daughter: "We've seen cuts across my council, other councils across the UK. I wanted to give my daughter the experience of a peaceful protest. I'm not worried by violence at previous protest. The TUC have organised this well. "

As spatter of rain began to drizzle down, a bhangra band kept spirits high as people danced their way along the demo's route. A large straw horse, the TUC's focal point, swooped over to Nelson's Column where it was greeted by cheers and fireworks. Adam, a worker for the London Fire Brigade looked on. When asked if mixing fireworks with a straw horse was a good idea, he commented wryly: "I'm off-duty." His reasons for marching were personal: "The Fire Brigade has outsourced appliances to a private company who are about to go bankrupt. It's going to cost hundred of millions for us to buy these appliances back. It's ridiculous."

Come half past two, Trafalgar Square seemed somewhat quieter, despite an immeasurable amount of people still making their way down Whitehall. Moving up to Piccadilly Circus, Linda and Ann were marching with the campaign group, Women Against Rape. "They're taking money away from public services and Rape Crisis especially is losing out. We're with Crossroads Women's Centre, Kentish Town."

Moving along Pall Mall at around quarter to three, the crowd had spaced out following the narrow streets around Trafalgar Square. Police vans were stationed just off Pall Mall, ready to move should they be needed. Yet police officers seemed jovial and chatted with passing union groups. The many small children there with their families displayed admirable energy as they danced their way through the streets. However, non-participants seemed overwhelmed by the scale of the demonstration and were unwilling to pass comment on the march's progress, preferring to speedily make their way through side streets.

Three o'clock saw a calm and cheerful Piccadilly. Fortnum & Mason was – at this point – open as usual, standing out from other companies whose stores had been targeted. De Beers' windows had been splattered with a paint bomb, as had Royal Bank of Scotland and IranAir. Boots and HSBC also provided targets for the unknown  street artists. The Ritz was similarly adorned with large rainbow splashes of paint. Despite the light-hearted nature of the marchers, some were on edge as roads became narrower and people more cramped. Occasional loud bangs rang out, startling a few.

A Turkish law student, Mehmet, in London for a three month English course, was watching people march by. "It's very interesting and colourful," he said. "I saw a man wearing a costume of a tank, like he was driving it. That is very clever." When asked what he thought of the aims of the march, Mehmet agreed that the cost of living was too high: "The Oyster is very expensive. In Turkey is costs not a lot. I want to do a PhD in London after my exams but I may change my decision. London is very expensive. In Turkey I pay almost nothing. Here, my parents have sent me £2500 for three months at my language school in Holborn."

Every so often the atmosphere began to get more tense. As some riot police formed a barricade blocking Bolton Street, 16 year olds flippantly posed for photos as older marchers saw the move as a provocation. Tim Elfred, Branch Secretary for the 144 Branch of Unite commented: "You see what's going on – that's indicative of a police state. They're spoiling for a fight given how close they are. There's no one on that street; they should've moved further down it."

Approaching Green Park, the pace quickened slightly and noise levels lowered as the crowds grew weary before the final push to the rallying point of Hyde Park. The infamous Ant-Cuts Pirate was spotted walking in the opposite direction and looking tired as 3:30pm approached.

The Dorchester Hotel on Park Lane had its entrance guarded by lines of police officers as some hotel staff set up metal barriers. Others watched on from windows and the hotel's main entrance looking perplexed and taking photos.

Riot police suddenly began moving through side streets towards Oxford Street and were followed by some goading marchers and it was at this point it became clear that some splinter groups had deviated from the designated route and unofficial protests began springing up throughout the West End. As small splinter groups rambled through the streets, one coach driver, ferrying police along South Audley Street, tooted his horn in support.

Making our way through the streets, it became apparent that some groups had been rampaging through London, intent on destruction and leaving smashed windows and ringing alarms in their wake. The alarms at Mansour's gallery on Davies Street were still sounding, its window smashed, as patrons of the Running Horse pub opposite looked on with bemusement. The Running Horse pub was not the only bar to be taking advantage of the increased footfall. Many marchers were taking advantage of the warm weather, choosing to stop off for refreshments as the day went on.

By this point Oxford Street had been shut as splinter groups descended onto the well-known shopping district. UK Uncut were at work in the usual way. Vodaphone and Topshop were shut and it appeared that other stores were casualties of the march's meander into other parts of the city centre. Boots was shut and surrounded by police. Similarly guarded was John Lewis. In a bizarre set of circumstances the well-respected partnership had also been targeted by militant paint-wielding activists.

Many shoppers seemed undeterred by events, choosing to make the most of a traffic-free Oxford Street rather than heading home. Some chose even chose to wait for buses despite services being cancelled in the area. They did however have plenty to entertain them as two women performed in a street theatre take on the economic climate. One, dressed as a ten pound note, ran down the street in tears, attempting to escape from the 'banker' running after her. "You're not worthless!" cried the banker. In a spate of unexpected improvisation, one bystander took it upon himself to join in, attempting to wrestle the ten pound note from the 'banker's' grip. This was much to the pleasure of shoppers looking on and gained the gentleman a ripple of applause.

Moving into Oxford Circus, the mood became that of street party. Dubstep, the adopted soundtrack to the wave of protests we've seen over the past six months, whirred through speakers. Older adults looked on in admiration as teenagers danced, many parents expressing their pride in a younger generation taking action.

However, as the mugginess of earlier in the day let up and a slight breeze rippled through the crowds, the mood changed. Riot police moved in from Great Castle Street in a response to a group of approximately fifty anarchist teens provoking and goading officers and from thereon in a turf-war between the Met and the Black Bloc began to develop and the West End became a battleground.

All photography by Alizera Nejad

A scintillating second half comeback saw King’s College Rugby club win the London Varsity, 17-15 last night.

On a memorable night under the Richmond Sports Ground floodlights, three second half tries, the last coming in the final play of the game, saw the Jeremy-George cup returned to the Strand for only the second time in 8 years.

A weary and battered Tom Wall, the club president, told Roar! Sport ‘To win it in the last minute, I think it’s probably the best game I’ve ever played in’.

And for many of the spectators who had turned out in their hundreds to support KCL, it was probably the best game they’ve ever watched.

UCL started the game very well and fully warranted the 12-0 lead that they held at half time. Their style in the first half was reminiscent of the style with which Ireland defeated England in the final game of the Six Nations last week. From the off, UCL played with a fantastic intensity, making strong tackles, committing men at the breakdowns and moving the ball efficiently along the defence and driving at KCL with oodles of determination . The agility and speed of winger, Dos, was causing KCL difficulties when the ball reached him.

Signs that this wasn’t going to be the straightforward win that it looked on paper, were evident as Jake Janes, the KCL fly-half, scuffed his first penalty kick from on the UCL ten metre line. It was short and wide and flew very awkwardly through the air. He looked on bemused. He’ll have rarely had such mixed fortunes in one game with his penalty kicking.

KCL were defending well though and looked relatively comfortable, until mid-way through the half when a UCL back intercepted a casual KCL pass, surged into a completely open KCL half and scored the first try of the match, under the posts. The UCL fly-half, Green, whose kicking was exemplary throughout, coolly converted to make the score 7-0. That was no less than UCL deserved.

From then until the half time whistle, UCL dominated. The momentum was well and truly with them . KCL went down to 14, when Simon Edwards, the KCL hooker, was sin-binned with 8 minutes of the first half remaining. KCL were forced into damage limitation mode. UCL were already dominating possession and territory. It is perhaps to their discredit that they didn’t score more points from the threatening situations they cleverly constructed. Much of the last 5 minutes of the half was played in KCL’s twenty two. They managed to score one try, bundling the ball over line under a heap of players. Green’s conversion was just wide.

From the restart, UCL came at King’s again. But in the final moments of the half, they couldn’t capitalise on their personnel, territorial or possession advantage and score further points, a fact that will, in hindsight, infuriate UCL captain, Edward Barnes.

‘What did you say to the boys at half time?’ I asked KCL skipper, James Duffus, post-match.

‘We [he and coach, John Graves] didn’t need to say much’, he replied ‘we just sat the boys down and talked about the things we’ve been doing well all season and about how we needed to do them in the second half’. There was a feeling amongst those who have followed this KCL side throughout the season, that despite being 12-0 down, this game was far from over. Stunning comebacks, cited at the end of the game by Walls, against KCLMS and Canterbury Christ Church must have instilled some belief into the players as they prepared for the second half. They aren’t top of (and promoted from) the BUCS South Eastern 2B division for nothing.

They started the second half well. UCL seemed cagey and looked to be suffering from that sporting cliché of not knowing whether to ‘stick or twist’: go for more or protect what you’ve got. The game opened up. The first 10 minutes was defined by errors, interceptions and breakaways. It looked as though speedy winger, Dos, was going to have a big say in the half as King’s pressed on, but when he was hauled down on the KCL twenty-two by the brilliant Sammy Bartlett, the KCL full back, after a rapid, darting breakaway, you knew KCL were up for this second half.

The erratic nature of the half brought about KCL’s first try and the beginning of a superb comeback. Jacob Janes broke away from the UCL defence on the half way line and made an incisive, progressive run. A clinical ball across to De Chezelles, the KCL right winger, which he gathered well enabled him to bound across the try-line. Janes missed the conversion, but KCL were coming back. 5 points made up on UCL’s 12 and now, even more belief.

Belief became dominance. There was a lull period immediately after the try, but soon KCL began to batter a tiring UCL side, putting them under intense pressure. The game was soon played entirely in the UCL 22 and KCL seemed to have set up camp on the UCL five metre line. Good discipline at the breakdown enabled them to continue recycling the ball and continue applying pressure that paid off. The ball wound up on the KCL left and Sam Bartlett smashed his way through the UCL defence to score in the corner. The conversion was an extremely tricky one for Janes. He seemed to have little chance given his poor attempts earlier in the game, but this one was a fantastic effort, right on the touchline, that flew high and straight, but clattered the left hand post. He was ‘tying the laces’ of his kicking boots now, though (so-to-speak).

There was a prolonged pause before the restart as the exciting UCL winger, Dos, was treated for an injury he had incurred in the build up to the try. The break didn’t do King’s many favours. They lost some momentum and almost immediately after the restart, conceded a penalty mid-way in their own half. Green stepped up, confident from some impressive efforts earlier in the game, and made no mistake. It was now 15-10 to UCL with a little under 10 minutes remaining.

In a whirlwind of team spirit, talent and desire, KCL kick-started their comeback. They blew havoc into a UCL team now struggling to stand: several players were being treated for cramp following King's second try and the changes that Ed Barnes made had little effect. For the final 8 minutes, it was all KCL and the whole game was played in the UCL twenty-two. Following an illegality at the breakdown, Duffy, the UCL full back was sin-binned and from then on, KCL didn’t look back.

In the final play of the game, after countless phases of play and tremendous tension, Phil Jones, the KCL second row broke through. He picked the ball up following a breakdown and crashed over the try-line, just to the right of the posts. The lone stand at Richmond Sports Ground must have been close to collapse as the KCL contingent, in unison, leapt to their feet, cheering and shouting. It was a spectacular moment.

At 15 all, the burden fell on Jacob Janes, former captain, to seal the win. With his last kick, he scored his first points. Two of them, that saw KCL win the London Varsity. That was the final action of the game.

A KCL pitch invasion ensued as the vociferous supporters ran on to congratulate their new heroes. The UCL fans, who has been chanting (to the tune of ‘Monster’, by The Automatic) ‘What’s that coming over the hill, it’s unemployment, unemployment’ and a quite tasteless chant about ‘rather going to Libya than KCL’ were stunned to silence.

For his terrific tackling, hard work at the breakdowns and match winning try, Phil Jones, was named man of the match! James Duffus, sporting a black eye after the cup presentations was an embodiment of pride. 'To win in the final play of the game is an incredible feeling' he said 'it was 8 consecutive minutes of us putting pressure on UCL in their twenty two and we finally got the break through.

'And we just kept going. We wanted to win it for eachother and for you lot [the supporters] who were amazing!' And on the black eye: 'You take them' he said, laughing, 'the girls love it!'

The importance of team spirit and desire shone through for KCL in the end. The club are a presence in the Waterfront every Wednesday night and have developed a superb bond, that tonight saw them triumph in the most adverse of sporting circumstances. Their fitness and stamina carried them the full 80 minutes, as fatigue set in on the UCL squad after a high-octane first half.

And of course, their were sub-plots, as in any game of this magnitude. The mascots - Reggie the Lion of King's and a Basset Hound representing UCL kept the crowd entertained during the breaks of play, rugby tackling eachother on the touchline. Former KCLSU Vice-President of Student Activities and Facilities, Tony Sebastian, was ejected from the arena and forced to watch the remainder of the game from in a bush, outside the ground.

But this was sport at its finest. A rollercoaster of a game and a tale of two halves. KCL won their division and beat UCL for the second time in just over a week, to win only their second Varsity in the modern era. KCL Radio also broadcast live for the first time, James Owers getting the rewards for all his effort and hard work over the past two and a half years.

The win capped off a remarkable night of entertainment and another historic day for King’s College London Rugby Football Club and for KCLSU.

Roar! Sport has teamed up with the RFU to offer one lucky reader a pair of tickets to the Emirates Airline London Sevens extravaganza at Twickenham Stadium on the weekend of 21^nd and 22^rd May.

Last year’s event saw almost 80,000 fans flood through the gates over a sun-drenched two days, and organisers are aiming to break the 100,000 barrier for the beach-themed 2011 event. Sun, sand and Sevens will be the name of the game and fans are urged to dig out the flip-flops and sombreros and enjoy the weekend in style.

On the pitch, 16 international teams including England, South Africa, New Zealand, Fiji, Argentina, Australia, France, Canada, USA and Wales will be part of a feast of high-octane rugby as they fight it out for points in the HSBC Sevens World Series, a competition that pits the finest national sevens sides on the planet against each other across eight different tournaments.

Come along to experience the flowing rugby and party atmosphere as the world’s top nations contest the most action-packed rugby event on the calendar.

To enter simply answer the following question:

Which team won the 2010  Emirtate Airlines London Sevens?

a) Australia      b) South Africa        c) England

Email your answer to roarpapersports@gmail.com with your name and contact detail to be entered into the draw by 5pm on 1st April 2011.

The winner will be announced on 3rd April 2011.

Don't worry if you're not successful, tickets are available from just £15 for adults and £10 for juniors from www.rfu.com/londonsevens or by calling 08448472492. To find out more about the tournament and to get behind the England team, check out www.facebook.com/LondonSevens!

The competition closes at 5pm on 1^st April and is open to over 18s only. Terms and conditions apply, full details of the RFU's ticket and competitions terms and conditions are available from rfu.com/tickets.

By TAMSYN BLACK

As part of the digital generation, I tend to access music through several different platforms - predominantly iTunes, Spotify, Grooveshark and Hypemachine. However, TheSixtyOne is a new and unique competitor. Its edge is that its creators (James Miao and Samuel Hsiung) have realised, in a culture of constant technological evolution, that just listening to music may not always be enough. So, they’ve made it into a game. Upon joining the site, you’re presented with quests, a reputation bar and hearts - the currency of the site (you “heart” a song to help it stay hot). By completing quests, you get hearts and reputation points, which enable you to level up.

The quests might seem a little silly but most are aimed at encouraging listeners to try out new or underappreciated genres or songs. While a track is playing, relevant pictures and nuggets of data about the band will pop up. You can listen to songs according to mood or rating, and make your own playlists. By following friends (users of the site with similar musical taste to yours, or those from real life via Facebook), the site automatically generates a ‘for you’ stream of songs you might enjoy; this is probably my favourite feature.

Depending on how competitive/keen to procrastinate you are, the quests can get a little addictive. The site often encourages you to listen to ‘open mic’ - songs that haven’t received a lot of attention in the form of listens or hearts. By setting your adventure bar high, you increase both your rewards and the weirdness of the songs, so proceed with caution!

I am constantly on the search for new music, and in the couple of weeks I’ve been on the site, TheSixtyOne has thrown a lot of great discoveries my way. I would encourage you to at least give it a try – just because a plethora of extra features exist, doesn’t mean you have to indulge in all of them.

 

Check out http://www.thesixtyone.com/ for yourself and let us know what you think.

 

By AMANDA LUCAS

Fortune smiled twice upon me this week. First, I obtained Kassidy’s debut album, Hope St. Second, the enjoyment of my tube commute increased tenfold while listening to said album. ‘I Don’t Know’ and ‘Oh My God’ had me grinning to myself on the train, knowing the music of other passengers paled in comparison to what thumped through my ear-buds. Catchy but heartfelt, Hope St. is a solid, straightforward example of quality new music that restores my faith in upbeat rock. Kassidy sound like they actually enjoy making music, in contrast with similar bands toting “Southern rock” – take Kings of Leon, who five albums in, continue to moan and brood. These four bearded Scotsmen have come to not only appropriate, but upstage crafted Americana.

Yet, Kassidy do not fit neatly into any rock or folk classification. With harmonious vocals, strong beats, smart guitar and occasional jaunty piano, folk and country elements are certainly evident. Though hailed the “Wild West of Scotland”, to liken Kassidy to a barn-raising revival is to ignore the prominent alternative and blues influences at work. After the urgency of album-opener ‘Stray Cat’ and ‘The Traveller’, there’s a soulful ‘Waking up Sideways’ and stirring ‘Take Another Ride’ to contrast and complement. Oddly, one of the more average, unremarkable tunes is the titular ‘Hope St.’ However, a small dose of the mundane couldn’t diffuse my giddiness ignited by the album as a whole.

I look forward to seeing Kassidy gain more positive, well-deserved attention with the official release of Hope St, and wouldn’t miss their gig at XOYO (26^th April) for the world.

Out: 21st March
*****

By STEPHANIE MAIDA

The screamo scene was in full swing on Wednesday at the Relentless Garage, where guttural shrieks, screeching guitars, and stampeding drums coalesced to form a solid wall of pop-core sound. Fans packed in for a chance to mosh and mingle to the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, whose newest material was self-released last summer on the Hell or High Water EP. Since their acclaimed 2006 album Don’t You Fake It, the band have seen continuous success with the release of 2009’s Lonely Road and are expecting their third studio record to drop this autumn.

Ripping open their set with early hit ‘In Fate’s Hands’, RJA managed to ignite the crowd that had received the two opening bands (LYU and Yashin) in a state of listless acknowledgment. A cup of beer flew towards the stage during the opening chords of ‘Damn Regret’, as the audience rushed forward in a literal surge of excitement - easily overtaking frontman Ronnie Winter’s voice with their own screamed recital of the familiar lyrics.

Steering away from their better-known material, the band introduced ‘Choke’, a track from their newest EP. “Even if you don’t know it yet, you will know it soon,” said Winter, before breaking into the ironically melodic “I hope you choke!” chorus hook. Throughout the song, his sweet-sounding vocals cracked into throaty, angsty roars of emotion. Backed by thrashing riffs and blasting beats, ‘Choke’ seemed to gain instant favour with RJA’s jumping, headbanging fans. Indeed, while most members of the band also indulged in some intense hair-whipping, Winter was noticeably lacking in locks. Later, he revealed to the crowd that he had donated his signature mane to the Locks of Love organization; he met the subsequent wave of “aww”s and applause with a modest smile, and a brief note of praise for the charity.

In keeping with the sentimental air, Jon Wilkes (the band’s shirtless, inked drummer) announced that they would play “one for the girls.” A lovely piano intro opened that first slow song of the night, ‘Cat and Mouse’, which cooed the vivacious crowd into a Kumbaya-esque sway; lighters and cell phones glittered above our heads during a bout of peaceful arm-waving. Winter was met by a similar reaction when he brought his acoustic guitar on-stage for the sweetly sensitive ‘Your Guardian Angel’, strumming gently after asking the audience, “So, how many of you guys have ever been in love?”

While fans seemed to welcome these gentle intervals of calm, there was certainly no question as to what they preferred, voting for the explosive ‘False Pretence’ when given the chance to choose the next song. Erupting into mosh-chaos, the dense crowd tore itself in half and proceeded to charge at each other, driven by a searing guitar-riff. An air of anticipation fell upon the audience as a wily Winter slowly played the intro of ‘Face Down,’ only to launch into the opening lines of Eminem and Rihanna’s ‘Love The Way You Lie’. Bemused fans playfully sung along until ‘Face Down’ actually fired up and sent a spark of vivacity throughout the room. This wild energy continued into their closing song, ‘Grim Goodbye’, which ended the show on a high and left the crowd smiling, sweaty and slightly bruised.

*****

By Music Editor, IRINA BUZNEA

 

A self-confessed Dresden Dolls die-hard, I was elated to hear that drummer Brian Viglione would be making his return to the UK this March - with Sxip Shirey (Luminscent Orchestrii) and Elyas Khan (Nervous Cabaret) in tow. Collectively named Gentlemen & Assassins, the group were joined by none other than Bitter Ruin. While gig-goers will usually drip-feed into a venue, indifferent to opening acts, this Brighton-based duo were greeted less as a support band than a co-headliner – unquestionably a main attraction of the evening. Peppered with Bitter Ruin t-shirts, the mixed crowd poured into The Brunswick in eager anticipation.

Now central to the close-knit dark cabaret scene, Bitter Ruin have played with three of my favourite artists and beckoned me to each of their headlining gigs. Since I discovered the band supporting Evelyn Evelyn last August, my year has been punctuated with at least eight or nine of their shows; I realised after a futile finger-count with a fellow fan that I’ve lost count of the precise number. A slightly bemused friend asks me, “Are you not tired of watching the same thing over and over?” I can see his point, and feeling cornered as an overzealous oddball, I feel I have to answer to it. Admittedly, besides a little banter and the occasional bickering between Ben and Georgia, there hasn’t been much variation from one gig to the next. Indeed, it’s partly because there’s so little to distinguish between shows that I find it so difficult to tally them up. So, what is it that calls me back? Why am I - and so many of the regular faces - always hungry for more?

Today, we punters are programmed to expect little more from a band than a nonchalant forty-minute set, with only the briefest interludes of “so, how’s everybody doing tonight?” Sure, we’ll go home happy to have seen the artists’ faces and watched them reproduce an album before our eyes, but rarely is there a true emotional exchange. Conversely, the most striking element of a Bitter Ruin concert is the duo’s unrivalled performance – for each show is exactly that, exuding theatricality and delicious melodrama.

This evening, Ben and Georgia took to the stage in their trademark attire – a smart black suit and flowing, grey lace dress. It’s worth noting that when Bitter Ruin recently announced that they’d be unveiling new outfits at their next headline show (Proud, 15^th March), there were anxious whispers between fans. This in itself stands as testament to the band’s longevity; ultimately, a fan’s bond with Bitter Ruin is founded upon that tireless familiarity.

It’s impossible to like Bitter Ruin by halves, and inevitably, their audiences will fall into two camps. I believe that these are designated during regular set-opener, ‘Chewing Gum’ – the first track from Hung, Drawn & Quartered, which harnesses all the angst and acrimony which permeate the record. Framed within intricately woven harmonies, the couple narrate a gut-stabbing tale of love, betrayal and vengeance: “Mother, you’re wrong - that fucker’s not gone, he’s here in my bed dying.” Georgia unnervingly rolls her eyes to reveal their whites, juxtaposing her clean soprano tones with growls and grimaces. These are perfectly underlined by Ben’s warm vocals and fiery, flamenco-infused guitar. Certainly, the emotional intensity of this morbid elegy will push some out of their comfort zone. Meanwhile, the rest of us are spellbound, enthralled by our first addictive taste of Bitter Ruin.

Having invited the audience to sit cross-legged so that everyone could see, Georgia ventures into the crowd for poignant pep-talk ‘A Brand New Me’. Bottoms shuffle and she settles on the floor just a metre or so away from me. As Ben looks out from centre-stage, Georgia showcases an almost supernatural vocal range, which edges close to ultra-sound territory. Somehow never piercing, the soaring yet lulling melody sees even older fans stunned, as they robotically mouth along to the tender, stirring lyrics.

Taking the evening back up a gear, Georgia introduces their infamous Wild West showdown ‘Relief’, as Ben jokingly whistles the theme from The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. Usually, Georgia would fiercely bash a cymbal during the chorus, but tonight the duo are joined by Brian Viglione on drums – an awe-inspiring collaboration for fans in the audience. Almost apologetically, Georgia pre-warns that the arrangement has just been rustled up – as, indeed, early drinkers overheard in the pub next-door! While a little more cautious and restrained than the riotous delivery we’re used to, this rare treat was lapped up by the wild, whooping audience – whose appetites, needless to say, were whetted for Gentlemen & Assassins’ headlining set.

Playing upon the couple’s captivating chemistry, several Bitter Ruin songs feature carefully considered choreography. I’m now a connoisseur of their routines and can almost pre-empt each sour scowl. Like any good Bitter Ruin fan, I expect the pair to face each other for the furious stand-off that is ‘Trust’, and sit back-to-back for ‘Soldier’ – a heart-rending confession, which recounts obedient surrender to a destructive relationship. Moreover, I can no longer listen to ‘The Vice’ on record without picturing Georgia’s glazed stare and stilted, puppet-like movements. These attentive touches don’t just compliment the songs, they make them - and this isn’t to say they need a helping hand; the mastery of these classically trained musicians is unquestionable. Rather, listening to Bitter Ruin is like listening to the score of a musical; you haven’t truly experienced the songs until you’ve seen them live. Though choreographed, their performances are never contrived; each is as natural and compelling as the one before. It doesn’t compare to re-watching any other band - take Metallica, for instance, whose yearly, formulaic festival appearances are now more a nuisance than anything. Returning to see Bitter Ruin is like putting on your favourite movie or re-reading a great poem; you know what to expect, but that’s no disappointment – it’s precisely why you’ve returned. You relish the familiar phrasing that firmly made its mark upon you, during that first encounter etched in your memory.

*****

 

Exclusive Q&A with Bitter Ruin:

What was the inspiration behind your band name?
Georgia: Well, it’s a term we stumbled across from Greek mythology, which essentially means “the be-all and end-all”.
Ben: Yeah, it’s the Greek term for when everything’s just shit!
Georgia: Pretty much! We thought it was quite cool. Maybe it makes us seem a little cleverer than we are…
Ben: Yeah, we studied Ancient Latin(!)
Georgia: Ancient Greek, Ben!
Ben: Whoops…
Georgia: It’s actually quite funny that we would have chosen a name like Bitter Ruin back then. When we first started out, our songs were actually quite mellow and “poppy”.
Ben: They were mostly love ballads, believe it or not! The name fits really well with what we do now though. It was meant to be!

How did you come to develop your current sound?
Georgia: We got a lot of our ideas from observing other performers. I believe that when musicians end up quite bland or “samey”, it’s because they’re influenced by the things that they like in other artists. We look at the things we don’t like and say, “ok, we definitely don’t want to do that!”
Ben: Georgia hates pretty much all music!
What sort of things were you keen to steer clear of?
Georgia: Mostly clichéd lyrics and chord progressions - they send shivers through our souls! We both went to music schools, which tend to churn out the same sorts of session musicians. We’d just sit there in class sometimes looking at what everyone was doing and going, “oh my God, I’ve heard that a million times…” We were also keen to stay away from clichéd styles of performance. Because I’m from a performing arts background, I’d suggest trying out different things live, like sitting back-to-back for ‘Soldier’. We’d experiment, and then people would come up to us and tell us what they’d enjoyed. That’s how ultimately, you figure out what to keep and what needs to go.

Are there any artists you do like, Georgia? Who are your inspirations?
Georgia: “Like” is a very strong word! I appreciate a lot of bands… I can appreciate Muse for their epicness, I can appreciate Regina Spektor – I used to really like Regina Spektor’s old stuff when it was still a novelty, now I think it’s all a bit old…
Ben: I listen to loads of music, but I don’t think any of it has influenced the songs we write. I like a bit of Stevie Wonder, he’s always in the car, but we sound nothing like him!
Georgia: Often for us, listening to music is like the equivalent of trash tv – sometimes we want to listen to music that’s nothing like ours, because we spend a lot of time in the depths of really intense music and it’s quite nice to escape from that… We both like Jeff Buckley and Kate Bush. I actually only started listening to Kate Bush because people were saying I reminded them of her, which was a bit strange! I think when we first got together, people were just keen to liken us to somebody and put a name to what we were doing.

How would you describe your sound to someone who hasn’t heard you before?
Georgia: That’s one of the hardest questions we get asked. Still, after nearly four years, we don’t really have an answer. If you’re just looking at the music, I suppose you could categorise it as kind of acoustic, melodramatic, something like that… A Brighton journalist called us "noir indie folk" a while back, but I don’t think he’d seen us live. Bitter Ruin isn’t just a band, it’s a performance - I think that’s what keeps people coming back and wanting to see what we’re going to do next.

Do you share songwriting duties?
Ben: For a minute there I thought you said, “do you shower?”
Well I assume you do! I’d hope so!? Do you?
Ben: [Laughs] We have showered today… We do share, yes . We’ve tried writing together before, but I think we’re too opinionated in our own particular styles to create the beginning of a song together. We work really well once we’ve got our own ideas down together separately. Then we can then work them into arrangements and rein each other in.
Georgia: I think it’s really hard writing with someone because there’s always going to be an element of trying to impress or please the other person, so it’s never going to come from anywhere too deep really.
Ben: Yeah. I’ve always thought that the more people you involve in writing a song, the more watered down the final product is, because you’re always having to adapt and compromise. We’ve found that this is the best method for us. It takes us a long time; we spend weeks playing new songs and tweaking them until we both think they’re as perfect as they can be.

What was it like playing with The Dresden Dolls at the end of last year?
Georgia: Amazing! It was a dream come true for us, really. To begin with, we were worried that perhaps their fans wouldn’t get us; our shows are a little bit more serious and even a little bit more “musical” – Amanda’s very willing to chat away on-stage and experiment and mess around, and we’re so not like that!
Ben: We’d probably cry if we stopped in the middle of a song because we got something wrong, but she does that pretty much all the time!
Georgia: I think sometimes it’s kind of refreshing to put complete opposites next to each other like that – something clean and really polished, alongside something really messy and fun.
Ben: We already knew Amanda, but it was so nice to meet Brian finally and see them play live together for the first time. We felt so lucky to share the stage with them. Georgia’s sung ‘Delilah’ with Amanda before, but this time she got to perform with both the Dolls!
Georgia: Yes, finally! It was amazing…
Ben: I think I would have put on a dress to sing that with them!
Georgia: I really hope they’ll tour Europe together sometime in the near future - we spent the whole time hassling them to! We’re so excited about Brian coming over with Gentlemen & Assassins though; it’ll be great to see him and share the stage again.

What are Amanda and Brian like behind the scenes? How did they seem together, after the hiatus?
Ben: We sensed a little bit of tension between them when they were performing, but maybe that’s just because we were looking out for certain things and reading into them.
Georgia: Yeah, I mean if you were to look at me and Ben on-stage and judge our relationship based on the tension you see, you probably wouldn’t think that we were the best of friends!
Ben: We didn’t get to spend much time with them together, apart from on-stage. Individually we got to know them quite well though, and they’re both so nice.
Georgia: Amanda seemed a little cold to begin with - I imagine that every single band she meets is probably trying to worm their way into scoring support slots with her, so I can see why really. She warmed up to us so much though. She’s lovely and she really is as crazy as she sounds, she doesn’t just do that for show!

We chatted to Birdeatsbaby recently. You’re good friends with them, aren’t you?
Ben: Yeah! They asked us to play their album launch and we were amazed that we hadn’t encountered them before, after years of playing the same circuit in Brighton. It was quite bizarre that we’d never crossed paths.
Georgia: I think we both played really good sets that night; I was looking at Mish like, “why don’t I know about this woman?!” and she’s said that she thought the same about me! I think we were probably really jealous of each other at the same time as feeling really desperate to get to know each other. It was initially a friendship through music, but then it turned out that we got along really well as people.
Ben: Although we’re very different bands, I think our styles complement each other really well - in the same way that with The Dresden Dolls, it just seems to work. We’ve played loads of shows together since that first launch party and become really good friends.

What advice would you give to any budding musicians at King’s?
Georgia: I think the best advice we can give is to listen and react to your audience - get as much feedback as you can and always bear their comments in mind. Also, don’t be afraid to nag your favourite artists!
Ben: No, and don’t give up. It’s easy to get bogged down - we often have - but things will come together eventually if you want them to enough. Don’t let other people put you down.

Unbelievably, it’s already that time of year again. No, not to deck the halls with boughs of holly, but to jam-pack your brains with lots of useful info! In other words, it’s the infamous exam revision period…

While some might enjoy the soothing whir of their own brains as a soundtrack to revision, others prefer a musical compilation. Some tracks are definite no-nos - anything R&B for instance, that might find you rapping along your lessons. Nothing requiring bodily movements, either: steer clear of the ‘YMCA’ if you want to avoid sprinkling ink all over your walls.

If you’re having trouble, check out ANISSA PUTOIS’s ultimate revision playlist, which will relax your knotted nerves while keeping you awake and alert through to the wee small hours...

 

Bob Marley, ‘So Much Trouble in the World’       
Although ‘So Much Trouble in the World’ is my personal favourite, all of old Bobby’s hits make excellent additions to a chilled reggae revision soundtrack. Don’t forget the classic ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’, and lesser-known numbers such as ‘Kaya’ and ‘Bad Card’.

Bon Jovi, ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’         
For those of you who need some noisy old rock to fuel your study sessions, Bon Jovi (especially this lively track) will keep you from sleep and give you a high that no amount of coffee or Red Bull ever could.

Cee Lo Green, ‘Forget You’            
This cheesy ditty about a cruel gold-digger is, in my opinion, the best track out this year. Cee Lo’s adorable round face and monkey-like ‘ooh ooh ooh’s make this a perfect feel-good song, which has helped me through many essays to date!

Enya, ‘Only Time’    
You might remember this song from an episode of FRIENDS, where it was used as a relaxing soundtrack for Chandler’s bubble bath scene. While we don’t suggest revising in the bathtub, this tranquil tune is sure to soothe your raw nerves as the fateful exam date approaches…

Just Jack, 'Writer's Block'
Camden-born James Allsopp's neutral voice and head-bobbing cadence create a perfectly "London" track". It is aptly suited to your surroundings here at King's, but hopefully not to your subject - the last thing you need in an exam is 'Writer's Block'... 

Lou Bega, ‘Mambo No. 5’   
While this particular track is not for more easily distracted studiers, it can be very successful as an energising drive - not only because of the uncontrollable rocking of your shoulders to the tempo, but as an incentive to get through exams to the other side. Its mambo rhythm and fun lyrics call to mind white-sand beaches, blue skies and all the joys of summer.

 

Daft Punk, ‘Around the World’       
If repetitive electronic music gets you in the zone, this French duo is a perfect fit. You certainly won’t be distracted by the depth of the lyrics, and the rhythmic beat will send waves of motivation to your neurones – with any luck, it might just make them function ‘Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger’…

Queen, ‘I’m Going Slightly Mad’    
In your most feverish, frenzied studying state, you might find yourself able to relate to this song’s absurd lyrics. Let’s just hope the examiners don’t find you to be “one card short of the full deck”...Unbelievably, it’s already that time of year again. No, not to deck the halls with boughs of holly, but to jam-pack your brains with lots of useful info! In other words, it’s the infamous exam revision period…

Sade, ‘Smooth Operator’    
A pleasant alternative to those noisier numbers, Sade’s gentle tones create a bluesy, contemplative ambience. Despite the media criticism of her live performances, Sade makes up for the scandal with her jazzy feel-good records. Along the same lines, Tracy Chapman’s ‘Fast Car’ is a fitting accompaniment to the scratching of your pen on paper.

Schubert, ‘Ave Maria’          
For classical music fans, this composition is the ultimate cure for an over-heating brain. If words distract you though, and you’ve found yourself writing lyrics instead of lessons (we’ve all done it), a musical score could be a better alternative. Tchaikovsky’s beautiful ‘Swan Lake’ and Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’ might just do the trick.

An all-female Sabbaticals Officer team was announced tonight, as Hannah Barlow took the Presidency; Holly Walsh, VP:SAF; Simi Smith, VP:AA; and Fran Allfrey VP:SME. The Barlow/Walsh campaign team erupted in screams as the votes were announced, with Barlow winning by a thousand-vote landslide, and Walsh by 600. Speaking afterwards, an emotional Barlow seemed close to tears as she spoke of her pride in her campaign team, and gave her thanks to all those who had supported her. Walsh too spoke of her gratitude to all those who voted, and both made clear they intended to prove over the course of the coming year that those voters had made the right decision. The uniformed Barlow/Walsh team spoke of their joy for their candidates, and backed the pair to prove themselves the women for the job.

Simi Smith also seemed emotional as she became the first international student ever to be elected to a KCL Sabbatical position, declaring herself overwhelmed by the number of people who believed in her. Allfrey fought back tears as she reaffirmed her commitment to delivering everything she had promised, thanking everyone who read her manifesto and voted for her.

Alireza Shirazi Nejad and Fazley Wali Ahmed celebrated being named Student Trustees for the coming year, with Nejad thanking candidates for the Sabbaticals postions who believed in him, and Ahmed praising his team and declaring 'I want to hug them all', a promise likely to be delivered before he even takes office.

Roar! would like to thank all of the winning candidates, and indeed all of the losers for running fantastic campaigns, making this election the most memorable, as well as the most popular, in Roar!'s memory. While only six may assume office in September, all of the candidates have done themselves proud, and the commitment and passion seen over the last three days speak of a group of young men and women with no limit to what they may achieve. Congratulations to the candidates, to their supporters, and to all those who voted.

Roar! will be out in paper format next week with a full write-up of all the results, as well as our usual mix of music, film, fashion, and everything else KCL students like. Thanks for following us over the election period, and we hope you continue reading our publication. It's been a pleasure to cover such an interesting and well-fought election.

Thanks to all candidates, voters, and readers.

Matt Quinton

Editor

With the online voting now shut, candidates have begun to congregate in the Waterfront in order to fit in the maximum amount of drinking before the announcements of results at 7 O'Clock. Most candidates seem emotionally and physically exhausted by the final push, with a last 24 hours of being rebuffed by voters proving a draining experience. All candidates seem to have focused on the Strand for their final push, with many working right up to the close of the voting website.

While Holly Walsh and Suki Hitchens seem to be the front-runners for the VP:SAF and VP:AA positions, VP:SME and the Presidential role are too close to call. For the VP:SME position it remains to be seen whether Fran Allfrey's arrangement with Presidential Candidate James Owers will have delivered enough support to outweigh Holly Grant's tireless campaigning throughout the voting period, but at this stage it appears that Allfrey may have won by a nose (sorry for the horse metaphor, it was unintentional).

For the Presidential position, while Hannah Barlow has maintained her position at the front of the pack it seems unlikely that she has broken the 50% mark necessary to declare victory under the Single Transferable Vote system. With this in mind, second-, third-, and even fourth- and fifth-preference votes will be vital to the eventual victor. As the candidates with the least votes are eliminated from the competion and their votes redistributed, it seems likely that the totals of Barlow's competitors will rise while hers remain static. As Beadle, Clayton, Owers, and Nada all seem to have roughly equal levels of support, this could mean that a very small difference between any of these could result in the elimination of one, and their votes being reallocated to others. Research seems to indicate that voters who choose any of these are likely to back the others as second- or third- preferences. Exactly how these preferences were distributed may well be key in which of these poses the most serious challenge to Barlow.

Only Holly Walsh remains at Guy's campus, in what seems likely to be a gesture that the other medical candidates have slackened in the final straight. At Strand, Esther Beadle and Erik Bergren push hard for the final votes. Ryan Wain and Kia Al
Alam deny any wrong-doing, with Wain saying: 'If people press on, and focus on their own campaigns, that's the important thing'.

Uzair Patel has been unable to campaign today as he was involved in stopping a scooter gang from carrying out a heist.

Further updates to come after the 5 O'Clock deadline.

With 11 hours to go, we take a look at where the candidates currently stand from where Roar!'s been standing.

President

Hannah Barlow - The one to beat. Huge campaign team working tirelessly on all three campuses, as well as in halls. Successful partnership with Holly Walsh has paid dividends. It will be interesting to see how she copes with the pressure over the final straight as tactical alliances begin to be formed, which never favour the front-runner.

Esther Beadle - Strong contender. Heavy emphasis on the Strand Campus may pay dividends as large number of candidates from Guy's Campus split the medic vote, but lacks Barlow's team.

Atish Chaudhri - Campaigning hard, but lacks team support or strategic alliances.

Thomas Clayton - Another candidate almost unknown on Guy's and Waterloo Campus, Clayton will be hoping that his support networks in halls will deliver.

Ela Drazba - Roar! has failed to locate Ela Drazba, or anyone supporting her. Sorry Ela.

Andrew Feneley - Sighted on Guy's Campus, Feneley will have to be hoping to come out on top of the many candidates from a medical background in order to stand a chance.

Dash Nada - Another Guy's-based student, Nada is reportedly campaigning very hard indeed on Guy's Campus and not at all elsewhere. This is a very high-risk strategy.

James Owers - Incredibly laconic style has left many observers baffled. Can Owers really be relying on his poster campaign, and not actually approaching students? A surprise up his sleeve would be entirely possible.

Uzair Patel - Another cool customer, Patel has strong links to GKT societies which he will be hoping will deliver.

VP: Academic Affairs

Suki Hitchens - Looking strong in this category, and will be hoping that her links to Wolfson House will provide an extra boost.

Eddy Mills - Benefiting heavily from links with Presidential candidates.

Marcos Schneider - Saw him briefly in a corridor. He looked well.

Simi Smith - Relatively quiet on the campaign trail, but as a Biomed student many Guy's students have backed her regardless.

Vice President: Student Affairs and Facilities

Lucy Baish - Shockingly poor poster campaign is being made up for by putting in massive hours with running-mate Holly Grant. Solid contender.

Ali Goodbrand - Very strong links to clubs and societies, but lack of campaigning for floating voters may let him down.

James Hayes - Great deal of publicity material, but lacks team support.

Holly Walsh - Massive beneficiary of partnership with Barlow, though in fairness is also well-supported in her own regard. Will be surprised if she doesn't push right to the very end.

VP: Student Media and Engagement

Fran Allfrey - Sensible allegiances, but lazy campaigning may prove her undoing.

Holly Grant - Driven. Could prove a surprise victor.

11 hours to go.