Ireland has a vibrant music scene, from satirical hip-hop to classic rock, you want it, we got it. This sneak peek into what Ireland has to offer is an offbeat cultural collaboration, perfect for your first injection into Irish sound. The One for Everyone: Hozier Andrew-Hozier Byrne, better known simply as Hozier, crashed onto…
In search of “diverse” literature
While “diversity” is in many ways a subjective concept, it is difficult to argue that there are an infinitely wide variety of unique human experiences. As our collective interconnected worldview expands, so does our awareness of the existence of people other than ourselves. With a focus on race, origin, sexuality, 2017 has so far shown…
UCR Musicians #4 – Thomas Hitchcock
My name is Thomas Hitchcock. I mainly play piano, the accordion, and I compose. What is your earliest music-related memory? When I was five, this kid, he was eight, showed me how to play Smoke on the Water. I thought he was really cool, being eight, and I was practicing those three or four notes…
UCR Musicians #2: Sam Max
My name is Sam Max. I play drums and percussion. What is your earliest music-related memory? I’ve played music for almost longer than I can remember, so it’s difficult to think back to when I started. I do remember playing drums in the attic when I was three, playing along to the Beatles. I was…
RAW Talent
UCR’s Review of Arts and Writing (RAW) magazine has long prided itself on its ability to provide a well-curated, high quality product showcasing our community’s creative abilities. The current board does not disappoint – the Fall 2016 RAW edition was ripe with experimental art and visually pleasing photo pieces. Amidst the busy preparations already underway…
My Shameless Obsession with Lana Del Rey
The notion of “guilty pleasures” bugs me, especially when talking about music. People often associate certain musicians with this categorisation – ABBA, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, etc. – but really, there is no guilt in listening to music that makes you go wild and scream out the lyrics. So when I say I like Lana…
Updike’s In the Beauty of the Lilies – A Reader’s Review
John Updike’s In the Beauty of the Lilies (1996) may not be new, but this has in no way infringed on its ability to ring true. Through the format of a multi-generational saga, Updike tells the story of a changing America. While an accurate historical timeline of events is interspersed throughout the text, the dramas…
“Abstract”: A Realist Insight Into Design
By Yonna Kuipers There are two things that unite a nation more than anything: sports, and a new (Netflix) hit series. So if your country is not playing in the Six Nations, you might as well get behind this new documentary: Abstract (2017). It is an eight-part documentary focusing on different aspects of design. From…
Stukafest Middelburg 2017 – A Festival Review
On a grim Tuesday night every year in February, artists from all over the world find their way towards the student dorms of Middelburg. For one night only, the entire town transforms into the vibrant festival heart of Stukafest, a national initiative organizing performances in student dorm rooms. The performances are spread throughout the town…
A Penny-Pinching Student’s Guide to Buying Art
In the process of glitzing up your space, two main factors come into play – taste, and budget. You: a sense of style classier than Buckingham palace, your budget: little to nonexistent. Nonetheless, with a few creative solutions, you can get your abode up and running. Now if only you could figure out where that…
La La Leaks: An Honest Review
Admittedly, the husky voice of the minor key song that is so prominent in the trailer had me whistling to the movies; but much to my regret, the melody flattened out along with its melancholia throughout the screen performance. By the time the film had ended, I knew that all these mourning tones and gaudy…
Get your Stuka-feest on!
By now you have probably heard of Stukafest, or at least seen that logo with the two stinky socks on it. Here’s the spiel one last time: on the evening of February 21st, you’ll be able to listen to bands, enjoy theater, and view performance art in cosy living rooms across Middelburg. Too cultured in…
Back to black: 2017 Oscar themes, first-evers, surprises, and snubs
On Tuesday 24 January, the full list of the 2017 Oscar Nominees was published. In past years, the list of Oscar Nominees has spawned a lot of buzz, and this year is no different. This year’s list of nominees includes some notable themes, some first-evers, surprises, and snubs. Grab the popcorn, sit down, and strap…
Adiga’s Selection Day – A Reader’s Review
Aravind Adiga’s Selection Day (2016) takes on the challenge of expressing an entire culture through literature, and it does so admirably. The novel, which is set primarily in Mumbai, explores social identity, family relations, and individuality through the medium of cricket. Adiga, who has previously been awarded the Man Booker prize for his lauded 2008…
From Horror To History: 5 Tips For IFFR 2017
Are you in need of some relaxation and distraction after your first week back at UCR? Are you craving art, culture, and the slightly artificial taste of cinema popcorn? Then jump on that train to Rotterdam this weekend, as it is your last chance to visit the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2017! This Saturday is…
“Doctor Strange”: Putting the Psychedelics on the Screen
The fourteenth instalment of the Marvel cinematic universe is here! As always Dr. Strange (2016) is a fresh and colourful piece of cinematic enjoyment. This time Marvel introduces us to neurosurgeon Stephen Strange and the world of magic. After the name drop he got in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), doctor Stephen Strange comes…
Black Mirror: A Slightly Creepy Feeling
Hello dear readers and co-watchers, I have a brand new show for you to watch this week and seeing as I myself only watched it this break, my enthusiasm is Fresh and New. The show is called Black Mirror and it is a little bit different than the stuff I normally watch because it’s an…
Hannibal: I’m having Will for dinner
Did I mention before that any other TV show is my favorite show? I was lying. My favourite show EVER is Hannibal. Ever. No doubt. Even if I tell you differently next week. Hannibal is a criminal drama show about the well-known psychiatrist slash cannibal Hannibal Lecter. This character already goes back to the 1980s…
Nostalgia, dreams and a whole lot of memes – A small history of vaporwave
Unless you live on the Internet or in Bagijnhof 3, you probably have never heard about vaporwave. And yet, I am here to argue that it is an essential part of every millennial’s life. Its irony, criticisms, but also its complete apathy may define our generation like no other piece of art does. Vaporwave is…
Mr. Robot: Don’t ever make decisions when you’re on morphine.
Maaike likes to think she is the go-to person here at UCR when it comes to TV shows, but she might just be gravely mistaken. As someone who previously had way too much free time on his hands, I ended up using a decent part of it in watching TV shows. Everything from the light…