Review

Members only
Sound Bar, Birmingham
6/1/2011

At the Sound Bar tonight, it seems to be more of a gathering than an actual gig. It’s a shame really, because Members Only, a Brummie four-piece indie band were determined to put on a good show.

It was strange to observe the audience number decline as we came closer to the headline act. I heard excuses ranging from ‘I need to catch the last bus home’ to ‘I need to be up in the morning’. A bit unusual after these people have bought tickets for this gig and don’t even stop to see the main act.

The set starts energetically, with the four lads not looking like they will get any calmer. They perform their new single ‘Play’, which goes down well. The drums definitely commanded this one, and Alex Aitken, the lead singer even attempted a small amount of shouting. He was obviously new to this but nevertheless, pulled it off. Mid-way, Alex stops to announce that the next song is “deep and meaningful” and will be a bit calmer. Their idea of a calm song is quite unusual, but nevertheless the audience didn’t see the slower song as a chance to run off for a few minutes, and listened intently.

The band begin to get tired towards the final few songs of their set. The vocals for their current song, Seventies Flare were weak at times. The few audience members that were enthusiastic enough to stand went and grabbed a bar stool for this one.

The cover songs were easily the best part of the set. Slipped in the middle was their take on Kill the Director by The Wombats, which didn’t turn out to be that much different. The vocals sounded like the result of having the original on repeat a large number of times. They ended with a cover too, and a very unusual one. They managed to get away with re creating the hip-hop and rap fusion that is Hotel Room by Pitbull. Obviously they masked that genre with a guitar and bass, but they were determined to keep the rapping in there, which was a wise choice. Now let’s see what 2011 brings for Members Only. If a larger audience is on the cards, Birmingham may be seeing much more of them.

Spending cuts set to take Police authorities by surprise

Report has found that the police may not be prepared for drastic cuts. 

The coalition government is set to cut the police budget nationally by 20% over the next four years. The announcement was part of the spending review, which was published on the 20th October 2010. What do the Bournemouth public think about these plans? Are they justified cuts? Or will crime increase?

Michael Seymour, 47, a Bournemouth bus driver from Ashley Road, Parkstone said, “I don’t think the cuts should be done to the police at all”. He is constantly faced with the problem of anti-social behaviour “You get bus-fulls of drunken louts… We’ve had bus drivers who have been punched and kicked.”

Barry Unitt, 50, is a traveller and said how, as a homeless person, he “needs the police” and that if officers “patrolled the streets more, there would be less violence.”

Bournemouth University student, Justin Evans, 18, Holdenhurst Road agreed that cuts are “unnecessary” when “crime is already rising.” Another student Mark Ferrier, 19, from Chapel Knapp, Minehead said, he would be more worried about going out at night “you have kids on the street… smashing windows, stealing from people and they’re not being affected by the police on the street already.”

16- year- old Martha Scott, a hotel worker, Roberts Road, said: “crime will rise big time.” With Alina Schmitt, 19 an Au pair, from Hengistbury Road sharing the opinion, “I think it’s bad, when they cut it there will be a lot more crime.”

Retired Magistrate, David James Tattersall, 76, Moorfield Road, Middlesex, said “I don’t see it as much of a problem…if they did away with a lot of the paper work that the police are involved with I’m sure they could still find enough officers to go out on the streets.”

Whilst Company Director for Impect Marketing, Neal Harris, 53, had a very personal response- “ I am concerned, my son is planning on going into the police when he finishes college. I am concerned that there won’t be the opportunities for him.”

Married couple Judith Johnson, 45, a playgroup supervisor and David Johnson, 48, engineer for the National Grid, from Pound Road, Ilminster, said, “It’s something they ought to do in stages… I can understand why they have done it cause of the financial reasons.” David who’s brother in law works for the police said: “Although I don’t think there’s any harm with a reorganisation you want to end up with the same amount of police on the beat not less… they can barely manage with the resources they have got.”

Major Christmas Celebrations in Bournemouth

A seasonal Christmas Market in Bournemouth is hoping to attract a record number of visitors this year. 

250,000 people walked through the market last year, with the figure expected to rise again as the council once again hire out the use of the Town Centre to an entertainment company, S & D Leisure.

There is set to be the annual German market, as well as an extension, which will house the new ‘Santa Land’ attraction, with rides and shows which appeal to younger visitors.

Anne Simpson, the PA to the managing director of the company hopes the new attraction will bring even more tourists to Bournemouth this Christmas. However, she is unsure how successful the market will be this year “We will have to wait and see, it’s up to the crowds now.”

Wrapped up warm- Sarah Chettle braves the November chill

Traders have also shown an increased interest to the market. “It’s a lot easier to do these events” said Sarah Chettle from Dorchester, who is one of the clothes traders in the market “it is slow to start off with, but gradually picks up as you get closer to Christmas.”

People visiting the market are impressed that the annual market is still going ahead.

“I enjoy the Buzz” Scott Purces, a Café worker from Ferndown said. Justin Kent, from Shaftsbury agrees, “It makes the town look more festive.”

It is still difficult for independent traders like Sarah, who are set to have to compete with the opening of the Primark store this month. “We’re in hard times, and everybody wants a bargain.”

Caroline Beavon: How I got my foot in the door

Caroline Beavon- who started out making tea after a philosophy degree- says good reporters need: "Balls of Steel".

Nine years after finishing her degree, she was presenting a regular programme, with former rock star Stuart Cable, on a national radio station.

This all began after “being a bit cheeky”, when she phoned up her local radio station, The Wolf, to request some work. Only the occupation of tea-maker was available and for 6 months, she worked for nothing.

This was destined to change when she was given her break as a reporter in 2000, on £10k a year, after the editor decided to leave. “You must be stupid if you become a journalist for the money” she joked, showing the sheer passion powering the radio industry.

Her career in news journalism lasted for 10 years, until moving to Kerrang! Radio, where she worked with Stuart Cable, the former drummer of the Stereophonics.

Caroline summed up a good reporter as someone “who has to have balls of steel” to the point of being almost like a salesperson. From her experience, if someone has suffered a tragedy, the reporter is the one with the job of convincing the interviewee to provide very personal and intimate details.

At Kerrang, trainees were regularly sent out to do vox-pops, just because it would take them out of their comfort zone, and get them talking to the public.

Now 35 years old, Caroline is doing an MA in Online Journalism and has her own blog, displaying her love for music.