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The Good, The Bad & The Queen @ 02 Academy 18/3/19

For a group made up of members from the likes of The Clash, Blur, Gorillaz, and The Verve, the term ‘supergroup’ perfectly fits The Good, The Bad & The Queen, both in function and sound.

Having little more than respective reputations to go by, it would be difficult to know what to expect for such artistic breadth transcending some of the most beloved British acts over the last 40+ years. The result, both captivating and poignant, illustrated how performance can enhance the fundamental charm of a band.

Decorated with sullen fabric lamps and fairy lights draped along an ornate backdrop, the stage conveyed an almost melancholic quality when presented with the groups heavily layered sound. Along with full ensemble cast of extra percussion, keys, and even a string quartet, it was clear the transition from the studio to a live setting had been straightforward, much to the crowd’s enjoyment.

This was a performance made for the stage, complete with intermission between full run-throughs of both studio albums. Frontman Damon Albarn was also keen to demonstrate the virtues of theatrics in Liverpool. Playing front and center, naturally, he would clutch the gazes of the audience members, swaying across the stage in true vaudeville motion through aerial cuts ‘Merrie Land’ and ‘History Song’. Essentially playing the role of puppet master, he would time and cast the spirit of a multi-instrumentalist to perfection. The performance often accumulated in cacophony as he would slam his piano across the rhythmic powerhouse of Simonon, Tong, and Allen, none more so than on whirlwind closer ‘The Good, The Bad, And The Queen’.

It’s often strange watching artists perform music you could never normally associate them with, yet this felt entirely familiar as myself and the audience were undoubtedly under their spell throughout the 90-minute set.

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Maverick Sabre @ Arts Club, Liverpool 06/04/19

Following on from the release of his latest album When I Wake Up, Maverick Sabre performed at Liverpool’s intimate Arts Club for a night which would give the audience a live experience of some of his most memorable and most personal songs from the album. Having followed Maverick Sabre for several years, I was eager to see how his emotion, which is clearly evident in his studio recordings, would come across on stage.

The night began in perfect fashion with the soulful singing of Jordan Max, an undoubtedly talented Manchester artist who is certainly tipped for success in the future. His confidence and charisma on stage engaged the whole audience, with some of the viewers shouting, ‘What’s your name?!’ following on from worthy applause.

Maverick Sabre’s band were the first to position themselves on stage, with the instrumentalists kicking off the set before Maverick revealed himself through the darkness and began by singing ‘Preach’, the first song on his latest album. He then proceeded to perform a couple of songs from When I Wake Up, picking the more upbeat and faster tempo songs such as the powerful Chronixx collaboration titled ‘Her Grace, one of the singles from the album. Another popular song of the night is one of the highlights from the album ‘Slow Down’ ft. Jorja Smith, which he also perfumed (without Smith).

A surprising feature of the set was a medley, of which Maverick Sabre stated: “These songs have influenced my career massively and I have a real connection with them”. This medley would include classic R&B songs such as Craig David – 7 Days, Usher, and Follow the Leader. This was beautifully done, and one of the most impressive parts was the transition into his own song which followed directly after.

The Urban artist was very aware of his dedicated fanbase and the final third of his set was a mixture of songs form his previous projects, dating back to 2010 with ‘Sometimes’ and ‘Come Fly Away’.

The highlight of the night was undoubtedly his performance of ‘I Need’. Before the gig, I was unsure how successfully Maverick Sabre would be able to bring his emotion and vulnerability to the stage, but this performance removed all doubt from my mind. The song, which is beautifully crafted in itself, invited the audience to join into the experience. It was evident how much the song meant to the artist and those in the crowd.

The night was closed with the song ‘Glory’, a fitting ending to an incredible experience at a perfect venue. Maverick Sabre’s stage presence and professionalism, whilst also being himself, is something which should be praised. This experience was everything I thought it would be.F

Photograph Credit: Telegraph, Bernadette McNulty

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Ady Suleiman Interview

Straight off the tour bus from Newcastle, where Ady and his band had performed the night before, Ady and I had a chat backstage before the show about his upcoming music releases, touring, and what his dream festival line-up is.

Listen here.

Listen to Ady’s latest single ‘Been Thru’ on Spotify here:

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Ady Suleiman - Arts Club

16/03/19

After a year of new music, touring and critically commended success, Ady Suleiman, winner of ‘Breakthrough Act of the Year’ at Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards, is currently embarking on his UK and European tour, and returned to Liverpool’s Arts Club this weekend to treat us to his soulful and vibrant music.

Emerging talent and previous LIPA student, Ady and his band brought Liverpool positive vibes and musical brilliance, ahead of new music release, which he calls a ‘Mixtape’, somewhere between an album and EP – out on the 5thof April.

Ady’s support was the extremely talented newcomer, Mathilda Homer, who got things going with her incredible voice and mellow vibes, especially with the funky, jazz-inspired track ‘Ready When You Are’, which fans of Tom Misch will enjoy.

Compared to the last time I saw Ady live at KOKO Camden, nearly the same time last year, Ady’s gig was packed out with more people who sing every lyric to his songs. It is clear from his presence on stage that touring has made him grow in confidence and refined his performance. Ady seems more at home on stage than ever, and his expanding group of followers seem to agree, as most of his songs were sung back to him by the audience.

The crowd favourites were, the cheeky number ‘I Remember’, and one of his earliest tracks, ‘Need Somebody to Love’. Ady’s soulful vocals, which, accompanied by the at times witty and at others, sentimental lyrics of his music created a really special gig at the Arts Club, which included some of his new music, ‘Been Thru’, from his upcoming Mixtape. As well as music from Memories, with the lyrically candid ‘So Lost’, and the upbeat, reggae track ‘Running Away’ from his 2016 EP Ady Suleiman.

For the whole set, Ady and his band brought positive energy and solid musical performances, notably, an amazing Purple Rain level guitar solo in the last song ‘Memories’, which Ady said is his favourite to perform live. The set was a well-balanced mixture of his fun and vibrant tracks, and his more moving and melancholic songs, and the audience wanted more, calling Ady and his band back for an encore of two more songs.

Ady’s tour continues until the 8thof April and many dates have sold out already so make sure you get tickets soon, you don’t want to miss it!

More on tour dates and tickets here: https://www.adysuleimanofficial.com/live/categories/all/page/1

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PREVIEW: Ady Suleiman @ Arts Club 16/03

This Saturday 16th March in Liverpool, LIPA’s own Ady Suleiman will be taking the stage at the Arts Club. Only last year Ady released his greatly anticipated debut album Memories, and this year we can expect some more music following on from his recent singles ‘Been Thru’ and ‘Strange Roses’ . In the meantime, Ady is currently embarking on his UK tour, stopping in Liverpool this coming weekend to treat us to his soulful and vibrant music.

Mathilda Homer will be the opening act for the tour, which has already seen dates in Nottingham, Bristol and Brighton sell out, so move quickly to make sure that you don’t miss out this Saturday!

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Will disadvantaged regions in the UK benefit from the £1.6 Billion 'Stronger Towns Fund' negotiation between May and Labour MPs?

Is Theresa May’s Brexit deal bargaining chip just putting a plaster on an axe-wound?

Just before the second vote of her Brexit deal, Prime Minister Theresa May continues to push for a deal before the UK is leave the EU on the 29thof March. May has faced strong opposition and difficulties in the commons in her attempts to secure a deal and earlier last week it was reported that May put forward negotiations of a £1.6 billion ‘Stronger Towns Fund’ deal between Labour MPs in order to gain their vote for her second Brexit deal in the commons.

Towns and areas in the UK that have been suffering from the impacts of 10 years of austerity are reported to be getting funding of £1.6billion, as part of a negotiation between Prime Minister May and Labour MPs to get parliamentary support for a Brexit deal. The new initiative to tackle the regional deprivation divide in the UK by the Conservative government, headed by PM May has been criticised as barrel-rolling and political bribery.

The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, said the fund “smacks of desperation from a government reduced to bribing MPs to vote for their damaging flagship Brexit legislation”.

However, the attempts to support regions which have on average less funding and opportunities than the capital, are comparatively a drop in the ocean to the regional funding the UK was set to receive in the next 10-15 years, and fails to acknowledge the history of regional investment the EU has spent in the UK. This large investment comes from an effort to reduce the impact of austerity further in disproportionately underprivileged areas in the UK, which are likely to continue to face cuts in the now possible event of a no-deal Brexit, which will be made worse by the removal of funding from the EU regional funding policy.

An example of where the longstanding and vast differences in regional wealth have not been solved by UK government policy is where, despite suggestions by the EU is from the “2014 -2020 round of funding, the UK government chose to allocate Merseyside €202m(£167.835m) of funding, when the European Commission suggested the area should receive around €350m (£290.147m).”

In an interview with Olivier Sykes from the University of Liverpool, who only in December 2018 wrote on a paper titled The Great British Recession, in which he states ‘EU regional investment saved UK neglected regions’, Sykes revealed that regional funding promised by May is a fraction of the funding the UK’s unequal regions receive from the EU, and her £1.6 billion deal is like “putting a plaster on an axe-wound” for some of these deprived areas in the UK.

The regions which are set to receive this funding would however be in line to receive far more in EU regional funding from 2021 – 2027 than from this ‘Stronger Towns Initiative’, because some regions have been struggling so much over the last 10 years, that the UK would actually see an increase in its allocation of funding of around 22% for the 2021-2027 period getting around €13bn.

Liverpool happens to one of the areas most affected by austerity, in 2015 Liverpool City Region was ranked the most deprived out of nearly 40 Local Enterprise Partnerships, of the Indices of Deprivation, which could be one of the many reason why in a graph published by the PM’s press office, Liverpool (as part of the North West region) is set to receive £281 million from the Stronger Towns Fund, individually the most out of all the UK regions.

The hypocrisy of the negotiation between May and Labour MPs undermines the history of inequality of spending between regions in the UK. The amount May plans to spend in these areas is short-sighted in regards to the larger EU funding these areas could receive in the case of no Brexit.

Olivier Sykes emphasises that why “The symbolic and political value of EU structural funds to some places, and the opportunities they opened-up for empowerment of local decision-makers and communities, should also not be underestimated.” In the interview with Olivier, factors such as higher budgets can mean long-term infrastructure and bigger goals for areas that need radical economic changes in order to provide regional equal opportunities.

With the second vote on a Brexit deal happening later today (12th March), we can only wait and anticipate whether or not the promise of funding has swayed certain Labour MPs.

Tune into the UK Politics Hour tomorrow from live 10am on LSradio to get the latest on the Brexit vote.

Listen to the full interview, with more on the implications of a no-deal Brexit for regional funding on The Politics Hour’s Soundcloud, link below!

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PREVIEW: Trixie Mattel @ Mountford Hall 7/03/19

Following her success on RuPaul’s Drag Race (All Stars, she didn’t win season 7), Drag Race Hall of Famer, country singer and all-round skinny legend Trixie Mattel is coming to Liverpool on her aptly-named Skinny Legend tour.

In an interview, Trixie recently told us that we can expect “virtuosic guitar-playing and hair that touches the sky” from these gigs, although she promises that there won’t be any “very high heels and universally funny material.” Anyone who is going to the show is surely a huge fan of Trixie and knows exactly what to expect – an over the top, excitable, hilarious night full of music, far-out comedy and most likely a lot of pink.

Trixie says that anyone can be a skinny legend as “it’s about dressing for your shape, it’s about confidence and honestly, it’s about being verified on Twitter!” If you want to be a skinny legend, or at least be in the presence of one, then head down to Mountford Hall at Liverpool Guild of Students on Thursday 7th March to witness Trixie Mattel and her Barbie doll beauty for yourself. Tickets are available now.

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SHOW SPOTLIGHT: Decibel rock hour - Friday 3pm

In 2019, rock music may not be the cultural force it once was, with fewer bands seemingly now able to really break through into the mainstream. Yet the reality is that the rock scene is producing some absolutely brilliant bands right now, both here in the UK and abroad. Whether it be pop rock, punk, indie, or metal, there’s so much good stuff out there that it can be hard to make sure you’re not missing out on the potential next big thing. That’s where myself and LSRadio come in!

‘Decibel’ is the resident rock block on LSRadio, airing every Friday afternoon at 3pm and featuring all the hottest new rock that you need to hear. If you want tracks from the likes of Marmozets, Bring Me the Horizon, PVRIS, Estrons, Milk Teeth and more, be sure not to miss it!

Its not all new stuff though, as each episode also features a healthy dose of classic tracks ranging from the 70s to the 00s. In an average episode you could hear a Queen classic, followed by some 90s grunge, and then the brand-new single from Yonaka, one of rock’s hottest prospects. There really are no rules – if it rocks, you’ll hear it here.

In each episode I also spotlight a hot prospect from Liverpool’s music scene, including artists such as Primyl Vinyl, Zuzu, Skinner’s Lane and The Hydra, so you may just discover your new favorite local band by tuning in to Decibel.

I also update a Spotify playlist every week with the tracks heard on the show. Just search for ‘LSRadio Presents Decibel’, and you can rock out to your heart’s content!

So don’t forget – Fridays at 3pm right here on LSRadio!

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PREVIEW: SPINN @ Arts Club

This must-see Liverpudlian indie four-piece causing a stir in the North-West alternative scene perform in their biggest hometown gig to date, taking to the Arts Club stage on 22nd Feb.

Fans of the likes of Jaws and fellow Merseyside-rockers The Night Café will no doubt appreciate SPINN’s jangly-pop guitar riffs and infectious on-stage personalities (The Smiths, anyone?), in what is sure to be an eclectic celebration of everything the next generation of Liverpool’s music stars have to offer.

Having not even released a full album, yet still amassing thousands of fans up and down the country, it’s clear that the future is going to be very bright for SPINN. So, I’d recommend getting down to see them play in a venue as close and personal as the Arts Club whilst you still can.

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The Luka State interview

Late last year I had the great opportunity to chat with Conrad from rising British indie/punk band The Luka State. We talked about the band’s highlights of 2018, what influenced their upcoming new record, the legacy of the late Pete Shelley of Buzzcocks fame, and when they will next be paying a visit to Liverpool.

Daniel: So you guys have had a pretty busy 2018 – you’ve toured the UK and released some of your best singles to date. What has been your personal highlight of the year?

Conrad: That’s a hard one since there’s been so many, I suppose. The gigs with Feeder were good early in the year, but its mainly tying-up the album and getting everything done and dusted. Now the album is ready go at some point, so being in the studio and getting these singles out so everybody can hear what we’ve been up to is probably the main highlight.

D: It has of course been about three years since you guys released The Price of Education, so how would you say the band has grown since then and how do you think your sound has evolved?

C: I suppose we’ve evolved as musicians, as songwriters, and as people in that time. That’s why the stuff we’re releasing now is completely different to what we were doing when The Price of Education came out. That was just, I suppose, a test to see where we were at, but the band is always growing. You’re never really in the right place – you should always be trying to step up and better yourself. I feel like our best songs are always to come.

D: That’s a good attitude. Tracks like [recent singles] ‘Kick in the Teeth’ and ‘Bury Me’ do feel a bit more aggressive to me than some of your earlier material. Is that a fair assessment, and was it a conscious change on the band’s part?

C: Yeah, definitely. We are different, but that just comes back to the band evolving and discovering that you’re capable of making different music, or you could say ‘better’ music, than what you were making before. It is heavier and harder, with a lot of angst and grit behind it. We just wanted to make something that represents who we are now.

D: Are there any particular bands that have influenced the writing process, or has it just come naturally?

C: It mainly came from ourselves on this one. That’s why the lyrics are so honest and so central to where we are from. Its about being in a working-class town with nothing else to do and a lot of it is about sex, relationships, drugs, whatever – that was the inspiration, along with just wanting to get into the studio and make our songs better. All four of us are music-obsessed, so there’s not a day that goes by where we’re not listening to something. You’re always being influenced, its always there.

D: Well one band that I know has been an influence on you is Buzzcocks, and of course the great Pete Shelley just passed recently. Could you tell me what Shelley and his band meant to the Luka State and how he influenced you guys?

C: Yeah, very sad news. I grew up listening to a lot of early punk. The first Buzzcocks song I heard was ‘Orgasm Addict’ and I just found it so witty and clever, and it opened up a whole new world to me. Hearing that sense of melody over punk was something that wasn’t really being done back then, so it was not being afraid to put those melodies over hard, fast rock n’ roll that was a massive influence on the band. Its such a great loss to music.

D: It definitely is. So when can our listeners in Liverpool get a chance to see you guys over here again?

C: Hopefully very soon. We’re thinking about getting around Liverpool and Manchester a lot more in 2019, so watch this space. Its definitely in the pipeline.

D: Finally, what else can we expect from The Luka State in 2019?

C: Even more hard work, more focus, more music, more gigs. We’re just going to ramp it up again and keep on keeping on, so you’ll see a lot of us!

The Luka State are playing various dates accross the UK from March to June, including a date in Manchester on 20th April. Their latest singles are available now on all streaming platforms.

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Conference: Exploring Youth Activism and Education

Liverpool Guild of Students is hosting a conference this weekend, along with academics, to as the question: ‘What is the Future of Education? Young People, Activism and Alternatives’. The 2 day conference runs on the 9th and 10th of February and speakers from around the world will be present, looking specifically at:

• The Black Attainment Gap • Decolonising the curriculum and education environments • Widening Access to Education • How to be Young and an Activist • Re-imagining Education • Marketisation of education and the role the NUS is playing to challenge this

Places on the conference are free (including food) but are limited, with places being taken at a quick rate. They can be acquired here.

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The Orielles @ Invisible Wind Factory 07/12/18

The Orielles brought their dreamy surf-pop sounds in a performance that helped transform a wet and windy Friday night in northern Liverpool into a brilliant celebration of funky psychedelia.

Support for the band came from local artists Brad Stank and SPILT, with Brad giving the people at IWF a rather relaxing rendition of his low-key, bedroom-pop back catalogue. This was followed by SPILT, a band that defines themselves as ‘an infusion of grunge and psychedelia’, who demonstrated to the crowd just how loud their instruments can go, no doubt impressing everyone with their heavy guitar tones and the ever-so-slightly crazed performance of their lead singer, who seemed to be channelling his inner Ian Curtis with his actions on stage. I have to give props to whoever booked the support for the gig as these two acts are, in terms of both musical style and all-round aesthetic, about as far from one another on the alternative/indie spectrum as you can possibly get, yet, for some strange reason, back-to-back they worked extremely well together, and perfectly prepared the crowd for the range of musical genres The Orielles would go on to explore with their performance.

The main band came on stage to fan favourite Old Stuff, New Glass which kicked things off with its infectious bassline and second half instrumental breakdown which saw the band make use of the more obscure instruments available, such as a whistle, bongos and with even a cowbell thrown into the mix (because you can never have enough cowbell, right?). The four-piece then continued through the majority of the songs off their new album, the particular high point for me being their performance of their woozy, sunny-Sunday-afternoon-sounding song Sunflower Seeds, before ending things with Sugar Tastes Like Salt. This adventurous, 8+ minute long song turned the initially fairly subdued crowd at the IWF into a writhing mass of long hair, second-hand clothes and old Reeboks (of which I gladly got involved with), showing to me at least that regardless of how much new music The Orielles go on to release in the future, this 2017 single will always be a firm staple on their set list.

Apart from the quality of the music, the main thing that struck me was the strong sense of community at the gig, both on stage and off. From the smiles of the faces of the band on stage I got the sense that these are just four great friends (Esme, the lead singer and bassist, and Sid, the drummer, are sisters which is sure to help) who genuinely enjoy making and playing music together, and just so happen to be extremely good at it. This strong bond was evident in the crowd too, with one girl I talked to recently getting an Orielles tattoo, showing that this DIY band from Halifax have just as much of a devoted fanbase as any global superstar.

The night tipped off a stellar year for The Orielles, with 2018 seeing them release their debut album, Silver Dollar Moment, a third EP, Bobbi’s Second World, the addition of a new member, Alex Stephens on keys (aka the man who never stops jumping, just get yourself to an Orielles gig to see what I mean), as well tour dates all around Europe. Their album has been met with rave reviews across the board, and has been given prestigious titles such as a place in BBC radio 6 music’s albums of the year, as well as it physically being touched by the man, myth, legend that is Louis Theroux (you can decide for yourself which one is more important, I know which one I’d prefer).

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deafpony - Glowing | Track review

It’s time to check up on this writer’s favourite emo-revival/Indie-pop band from South London that isn’t itoldyouiwouldeatyou (hello to Joey and the Gang!). Recently releasing new single Glowing, the boys in deafpony have set about honing themselves into a band producing some of the catchiest and most satisfying Indie music on the scene today!

Initially appearing to be a slower and much softer jam than their previous single, ‘Better Way’, the song waits before bringing in some slamming and luscious walls of guitar in a triumphant climax headed by Mikey Tree, before trailing into the distance, leaving this listener wanting more. Entwined with some lovely synthesiser melodies, the vocal performance by Scott Clarke is a standout; he continues to overcome release after release. Given early access to the track, I can assure you that it has made its way into my own personal heavy rotation.

If you are a fan of Indie Rock/Pop, Electronica, or Emo-revival and haven’t checked out deafpony’s most recent releases yet, you really must. Look for ‘Glowing’ available everywhere now!

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Jordan Allen @ Arts Club 30/11/18

Opening their headlining set on the Friday night reciting some clear love for John Cooper Clarke, enigmatic frontman (and band’s namesake) Jordan Allen immediately won this writer over. Allen demonstrated a well-crafted talent for working everyone that was packed into Arts Club that night; closing the set with what I’m sure was an extremely self-satisfying bout of crowd surfing.

I am ashamed to say I was not wholly familiar with the band’s music before the gig, skimming top plays online, and reading the brief descriptions of Allen’s style posted alongside. However, the young Bolton native won’t go unnoticed again. Supported by Zulu (much respect to their bassist for killing it, while wearing a swimming hat and goggles), Lola, and Brothers Of Mine, Allen took to stage on schedule at 9:45pm after doors opened at 7:30. The three excellent and stylistically in-keeping bands each brought their own unique spin to the North’s, now signature, brand of Indie Rock and set a precedent for Allen’s own cheeky, relatable wave of lyricism.

Musically, the rest of the band with Jordan Allen were extremely tight and gave an excellently lively performance, working every corner of the room for all it was worth. Their brand of Indie Rock/Pop should be acceptable to any music lover; never unnecessarily complex or busy, Jordan Allen perform songs to dance to, which I’m sure every person at the show could testify to doing!

Jordan Allen preached his love for the Liverpool crowd throughout the set, and heartwarmingly expressed his thanks for how much the crowd had grown since their last time in the city. It is refreshing to see an artist, though fully deserving of all their success so far, being genuine and humbled by it.

Final Thoughts: Would I recommend seeing them live? Absolutely! Should you check out their latest single? Most definitely, it’s titled ‘Naked’ and is available online. Are they playing locally soon? Unfortunately not. Jordan Allen have just finished a mammoth tour, but keep an eye out for more information soon.

Photo credit: Will Baines

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THE GLOBAL REFUGEE CRISIS: Refugees on the Balkans Route

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Coffee House Session- Joel Rothwell 23/11/18

Q: Now that your Coffee House Sessions have finished, how do you think they went?

Joel said the tour has been a really good experience, as he has seen how people react to his new music – I could see many positive reactions in the Guild from people hearing his songs live for the first time.

Q: What is the story behind your first released song, Beautiful Monsters?

Joel said that the song has been in the woodworks for a few years, the initial idea was from the line; ‘She’s got a temper’. This story was built around this idea, about a girl having issues, but you choose to stick by her no matter what other people say because you’re in love with her. This simple idea has finally seen the light, after other songs being in the way in the past. But after some editing over the summer, the song was finally released this month.

Q: Tell us about your newly released song Satellite, coming out on the 7thof December.

This song has a similar story, looking out for that person; which is something everyone can relate to. Also, Just Don’t Knowis a new song that was released on the day of Joel’s performance, available on Spotify now – I highly recommend.

Q: Going back to the roots, how did your passion with music begin?

From day 1, back to his earliest memories when he was 4 years old. Joel remembers being in the back of his sister’s car, crying if his favouriteband, Busted, wasn’t played on the way to school. Then, as he got older he would watch different acts play at the Manchester Arena. His passion all grew from then, he knew straight away he wanted to get into music – always singing and pretending to be on stage.

Him and his eldest sister have written songs together since he was 15, and continue to do so to this day. Now, all the songs they have worked together on are finally coming to light.

Q: Who are your musical inspirations?

Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake, Busted – Joel tries to take inspiration from a range of artists from all different genres.

He then went on to name his top 5 albums – Busted, Justin Bieber’s – Purpose, Post Malone’s – Beerbongs & Bentleys, 50 cent – The Massacre and Eminem.

Q: Finally, what are your aspirations for the future?

Big things coming – with more songs and a support tour coming next year. But, his big dream is to one day sell out his own world tour; which if he continues the way he is, I could definitely see happening.

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This Week on the International Politics Hour: THE TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL

Technological Advancements: Alternative Present or Genuine Actuality?

This week (Wednesday 28th November), the International Politics Hour is bringing you an hour-long special between 12-1pm that highlights one of the most exciting yet simultaneously terrifying advancements of our lifetime – the rapid incline of technological furtherance in China.

Bradley will be exploring the dubious claims that a Chinese scientist has managed to create the world’s first genetically edited babies. Born only a few weeks ago, the twin girls are said to have had their DNA changed as embryos to stop them contracting HIV. We will be discussing the benefits and fears that this issue raises, and what it could bring for future generations.

Along the show’s theme of technology, the obvious topic of driverless cars has to be included. Faye will be discussing Automated Vehicles (AVs), and the future predictions of how they will be used in our societies within a few decades. The exploration of the impact on societal structures also will be included as mobility is considered to influence privacy, social control and city layouts. The probability of a transition to shared transport over privately owned will be calculated in contrasting terms of economics vs culture.

China has begun their extreme and globally controversial social ranking system, which uses surveillance to monitor the behaviour of citizens and rank them accordingly. In this Black Mirror reality, Molly will be covering the controversy that means Chinese citizens could find themselves being banned from flights and high-speed railways if they have a low social credit.

As ever, don’t forget to tweet us over at @LSRPolitics to join in the conversation – it’s going to be a very interesting week. Catch us on LSRadio at the usual time, Wednesday 12-1pm!

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