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Articles by Ricky Stack
Rule of the exception
“The stage is the truest place I’ve ever been,” says Henry Rollins. “Lots of people, logistics, effort and planning go into a single two- hour show. To be in that, it’s such a rarefied moment, I feel so fortunate to be there.” Despite the credit Rollins gives to everyone involved, the only person on the stage during his massive current European tour will be him. Born in Washington DC in 1961, Rollins was an angry young man mad at the world.
Live Review: Nine Inch Nails
The last time Trent Reznor brought his angsty industrial music to Manchester’s O2 Apollo was a whole 15 years ago. Ticket prices may have skyrocketed since then, but Nine Inch Nails make sure they are worth every penny. A picture of physical health, at 57 years old frontman Reznor looks better than a lot of people half his age. But this isn’t a one-man show. Only using half of the stage, each member is brought to the front showing how integral they are to the performance.
Live review: Beans on Toast
Jay McAllister, aka Beans on Toast, is playing Blackpool for the first time. Bootleg Social has firmly established itself on the small gig circuit and artists like Beans are now realising there’s good reason to head across the M55. He does so without fanfare, gracing the stage with just a guitar and bare feet, but the crowd are less laid-back about it. They chant his every word back to him. They don his merch.
Fast fists and smart lips
On his most recent visit to see family and friends in Clitheroe, Michael Bisping drove past his old watering hole the King’s Arms and cried out: “Yes!” The Ultimate Fighting Championship had given him everything he never knew he wanted – and more – and he realised he’d left his life in the Lancashire town behind. Now a retired fighter at 42, Bisping lives in California with his wife and three children. He doesn’t dislike his hometown but moving made his life vastly better.
Competition: win Cinema Paradiso 4k Blu-ray
Cinema lovers have had little to rejoice about this year, but here’s a little something to add some end of year sparkle to our lives. The multi-award winning Cinema Paradiso has been recently remastered and released on 4k HD Blu-Ray. Giuseppe Tornatore’s homage to cinema tells the story of Salvatore, a successful film director returning home for the funeral of his old friend who was the projectionist at the local cinema throughout his childhood.
Get on board: 7 Wonders
Board game 7 Wonders is as intriguing as it sounds. With each player taking on one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, they must build up their monument over three different ages to eventually be declared the greatest ancient civilisation in history. Each player has a wonder board, with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon containing different incentives to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, for example, giving individuals an idea of how they want to approach the game.
Get on Board: Small World of Warcraft
Small World was created back in 2009 and, thanks to its lush artwork and straightforward gameplay, became a staple addition to any gamer’s collection. After a decade, though, it was due a refresh, and developers have cleverly teamed up with the World of Warcraft franchise to do so. World of Warcraft is a hugely popular online game that has had a big resurgence over the past year as the classic version got re-released and people’s avatars queued up in their droves just to start quests.
Get on Board: Patchwork
Some games, although perfectly playable with just two players, just don’t have the same impact as when played in a group. Patchwork, by Lookout Games, is a simple but inventive use of card and truly designed for two. The objective of the game is to fill a personal 9×9 square grid with pieces of card “fabric” to complete a patchwork blanket of your dreams. There are 33 Tetris-like pieces that come in various shapes and sizes that are spread in a circle around the main playing board.
Get on board: Charlotte Holmes Adventure Box
Not every game has to be restricted to a board, a deck of cards or a computer screen – some use all available options. Northern theatre production company the Big Tiny, has used all its know-how and imagination to produce an interactive, multimedia story that has a plethora of puzzles and objectives to keep you and your kids entertained right through to the very end of this mystery adventure.
Coming up for air
In the first half of this year, the impossible happened. The sources of air pollution – widely seen as an inevitable side-effect of modern life – were switched off. Social media flooded with images of previously polluted cities, from LA to Milan, suddenly enjoying blue skies and clean air. The Indian capital Delhi – frequently top of the world’s most polluted city chart – saw a 60 per cent reduction in particulate pollution (PM2.5) from March to April, compared to the same period in 2019.
Long and short of it
The spectre of Covid-19 will not just be the horrendous death tolls recorded around the world, but the tens of thousands of hidden patients, those not deemed ill enough to need an acute bed, who were left to deal with the illness in isolation. Months later, many are still suffering symptoms and calling for research. “We had genuine worries that one of us might not wake up when we went to bed.” At the start of the lockdown, the government message was clear: Stay Home – Protect the NHS – Save Lives.
Crystal clear - Big Issue North
We’ve all spent the past few months hunkered down. But in addition to that, David Crystal has been collecting words. And why not? As Britain’s foremost linguist – and the author of over 120 popular and academic books on English as it is actually spoken – it’s a big part of what he does. The age of social distancing has provided him with a bumper crop. “I’ve already heard ‘lockdown’ being used in other contexts,” he tells Big Issue North.
Get on Board: The Chameleon
The Chameleon is a game of espionage for which you’ll need to perfect your poker face. Between three and eight players are given a secret word to depict, except for the chameleon, who is unaware of the word but must attempt to blend in.
Get on Board: Blockbuster
Unless you are from Bend, Oregon, where the last one clings on for dear life, Blockbuster stores will be all but a distant memory. But games company Big Potato is hoping nostalgia will drive you to buy its ode to video store rentals – Blockbuster. This is a straight-up movie trivia game, but fear not – even the most passive film viewer can win big points. Players divide into two teams. Each team member will have their own time to shine and be part of group decision-making.
Get on Board: Telestrations
Telestrations is a hybrid of classic parlour games Chinese Whispers (apparently know as Telephone in America) and Pictionary. The amalgamation of the two already exists, apparently employed in some corporate corners as an icebreaker, but don’t let that put you off. Telestrations injects a bit more life and turns it into a humorous party game. Each player takes a wipeable sketchbook, marker pen and a random card with a series of secret words.
Get on Board: Weird Things Humans Search For
Why does my hair hurt? It’s a bizarre question, but if you have ever googled it then you’re not alone and you’re in for top marks in Big Potato’s party game Weird Things Humans Search For. Taking 160 of the internet’s most wacky searches, players are charged with anticipating the top inquiries. Each round a player will become the search master and read one aloud – “Did the Titanic…?” for example – and every other player must now write down what they think the most searched for question is.
Supermarkets sweep
For many people across the country, the beginning of the lockdown in March signalled a temporary pause in their working lives. Bars and restaurants were closed indefinitely. Live events were cancelled, classrooms closed and flights grounded. Whole industries temporarily shut down overnight. Thousands were furloughed, others were let go. As a result, the coronavirus pandemic has led to an unemployment crisis.
Get on board: Confident?
Confident? acts like a game show, with each contestant – I mean player – brandishing an answer board that acts just like one of those those dodgy screens given to television hopefuls in the nineties to display their dodgy handwriting and illegible workings-out. The aim of this game is to guess a numerical range of a variety of general knowledge questions – for example: how many Portugals would fit inside Spain?
Get on Board: Bananagrams Duel!
Bananagrams Duel! is best-selling game Bananagrams’ little brother – taking the classic game and condensing it into a perfect two player option. Just in case you have never heard of Bananagrams, here’s a recap: it plays like a quick-fire Scrabble, with players racing to use up all their lettered tiles, connecting all the letters up however they see fit. Duel! is the same concept but tiles are replaced by 24 cubes, each one containing a variety of vowels and consonants.
Get on Board: Picture Show
Backyard camping is having its moment with families in lockdown and Asmodee’s Picture Show could be the perfect combination of an under-canvas favourite pastime, shadow puppets, and the family classic charades. A deck of cards provides words, actions or sayings for you to act out using 45 magnetic shapes behind a backlit screen. This game works straight out of the box – a five-minute set-up (don’t forget batteries) and you’re ready to go. The contents are attractive.
Get on Board: Don't Get Got!
Fancy playing a game that lasts all day long but doesn’t hinder you going about your day? Big Potato Games has got you covered – as long as you can deal with creeping paranoia and suspicion of everyone you’re playing against. There’s just one aim of this game of trickery and deception: Don’t Get Got! Don’t Get Got! is a game in which players must keep quiet and make tactical manoeuvres to win. Up to eight players can take part in this contest of espionage.
Get on Board: The Shame of Life
With group video chats the new normal for our social lives we’ve quickly figured out a way to make sure we can still get that Friday feeling and drown our collective sorrows. Add The Shame of Life into the mix and it’s soul cleansing– or destroying, depending on the direction this game takes. Like many games you play as a drunken group – Truth or Dare, Never Have I Ever – things can get embarrassing and quite silly.
Get on Board: Mr Lister's Quiz Shootout
One of the hardest aspects of these trying times is the lack of socialising. You may have seen Facebook acquaintances hosting their own video chat quiz nights. If you want the same for yourself but with minimal preparation, look no further than Quiz Shootout. It’s amazing how many games can be played via video chat with a bit of imagination. In this case one player takes on the role of quizmaster Mr Lister while the rest split into two teams.
Get on Board: OK Play
There is a lot of slick and impressive design around in tabletop games at the moment. Developers are paying special attention to their tactile qualities and many feel like real collectors items. Not so much with OK Play. It’s nothing but multiple stacks of different coloured tiles. It doesn’t look or sound particularly interesting. But first impressions count for little here. Games company Big Potato continues its mission to put out fresh, engaging games that get everyone involved.
Get on board: Disney Colourbrain
How to engage bored kids in a lockdown? Give them something they know inside out – Disney. Big Potato – expert in lively, fun and quirky tabletop games – adds a splash of colour and competition to the familiar theme for the deceptively simple Colourbrain. It’s sort of quiz game, except the answers have already been given to you in the form of 11 coloured cards. Up to 20 people can play this game, but more usefully during a lockdown, as few as two can too.
Get on board: Triominos and Rummikub
Two classic but under-rated tile games provide a perfect excuse to sit round a table with all the family post-Christmas. You’ve no doubt heard of dominoes, Triominos’ more famous cousin, but where the former uses rectangular tiles, this one has – you guessed it – triangular ones. Rummikub meanwhile is a number strategy game that, with flavours of classic card games, is as familiar as it is obscure.
Get on Board: Lex Go! Harry Potter
Some board games seem to have been around since the dawn of time – even your grandparents remember playing Monopoly, Cluedo and Risk as children. All these games have had heavy rebranding to keep them up to date. But here is a game that has gone under the radar up until its first themed version – Lex Go! Harry Potter. First branded as Lexicon in 1936 (old, right?) by its creator, British novelist David Whitelaw, the aim of the game is to get rid of your 10 lettered tiles by creating words.
Get on Board: Agatha Christie - Death on the Cards
Tech-jaded millennials are prime candidates for conversion to table-top gaming but Modiphius Entertainment is clearly targeting older fans of traditional card games with Agatha Christie – Death on the Cards. But although the theme might be lost on younger people the game itself may still appeal to them.
Review: Refused and Thrice
The crowd is sparse tonight at Manchester’s Academy 1. A shame, considering there’s a line-up of performances from not only one of the hardest working bands but also from some post-hardcore pioneers. Thrice and Refused have doubled up for a co-headline tour for their largely shared cult fan base who, now in their late thirties and early thirties, are happy to sup beer and respectfully applaud both bands. The blood, sweat, and tears of the moshpit are just fond memories. Refused are on first.
Music Q&A: Roisin Murphy
How did your Irish upbringing hone your love of music? I think it’s crucial. I was brought up around lots of musical people and relatives who were musicians. My first cousin was really into music, he played all sorts of instruments and was obsessed with records. He used to have a tiny little record player when he was about two or three, and that was the only toy he wanted to play with. He had loads of records by the time he was three and I think his first word was “wecords”.
Get on Board: Time's Up! Party
Times Up! Party is the latest release from Repos Production – the family fun-orientated tabletop games developer which has Just One and the multi-award winning Concept under its belt. But there are no new concepts here. Times Up! derives from the classic parlour game Celebrity. What exactly is a parlour game, I hear those of you unfamiliar with Jane Austen novels ask.
Look back in anger
On the evening of 9 October 1970 a co-ordinated bombing campaign unfolded across England that targeted Italian consulate buildings in three major cities: Manchester, Birmingham and London. The suspect devices in Manchester and Birmingham failed to detonate, while the one planted in the Italian Trade Centre in Cork Street, Mayfair went off. The building was damaged, but fortunately no one was killed.
Where Art thou?
It’s not every day you discover that your dad is a wanted man on the internet, but that’s what happened to the actor Lucy Lowe when her brother Adam came across an online gaming forum about “Uncle Art” – a composer who had put sounds to some of the hottest video games released in the UK in the mid-eighties and early nineties. “Whatever happened to him?” the online posters wondered.
Get on Board: Ticket to Ride, London
When it comes to new editions of an established game, designers tend to change nothing other than the theme. There’s a whole library of Monopoly themes – from Game of Thrones to Pokémon – but it’s still the same old patience-testing game of greed. Ticket to Ride: London is different. Not only does it relocate the action from America, it’s completely scaled down from the original, and games last around just 15 minutes.
Get on Board: Shadows Amsterdam
With board game makers having seemingly limitless creativity, most strive to have their own unique gameplay and style. However, when you do find a game you thoroughly enjoy, you also want more like it. And it just so happens, if you like bestseller Codenames, then happily, Shadows: Amsterdam will provide a variation on the theme. Shadows: Amsterdam comes from the publishers of Dixit, boasting the same colourful and wild visuals that help it stand out on the shelf.
Get on Board: Unlock!
If you’ve not heard of escape rooms, you must have been living under a rock the past five years. The live-action team games where players solve clues and puzzles to get out of a set situation are everywhere now, even in the smallest of towns. But if you do like under a rock, or you just prefer the hermit way of life, then Space Cowboys can bring the excitement and frustration of the entertainment experience to you. Unlock! has three separate virtual rooms for you to escape from in one box.
Blog: Daniel Straine Francis
Daniel Straine Francis is a volunteer at Headstart, programme aiming to increase resilience in young people and improve mental wellbeing. With colleagues, he has been instrumental in creating the Resilience Pathway, a physical manifestation of the resilience framework they use to build confidence and inspire people. He hopes the pathway, comprising 42 paving slabs running along Talbot Road in the heart of Blackpool, will bring hope and inspiration to passers-by.
Get on Board: Just One
Just sometimes, it’s nice to play a game where everyone involved is trying to help each other win. Just One gives you the opportunity, but with some very sneaky twists. Made by Belgian company Repos Production (known mainly for 7 Wonders), Just One is a word association game at its core. Players will aid each other to guess a mystery word, armed only with a small, white easel and an erasable marker.
Get on Board: Maki Stack
Oddly enough there’s a surprising number of board games on the theme of sushi. One of the most fun and certainly the most frantic of the bunch is Maki Stack. Made by the family fun games designers at Blue Orange Games, Maki Stack is a game of teamwork and speed. Where other sushi-based games have used pieces of the Japanese food to gain points, Maki Stack takes the actual shape and physicality of sushi and creates a frenzied, tower-building game.
Get on Board: Timeline
Combining fun and learning isn’t the easiest of tasks, but it’s one that Timeline – a series of games that spans human history – tackles with admirable simplicity, making players’ brains tick over millennia as they try to work out when in history was the toothbrush invented. Timeline requires very little explanation. On both sides of a single card there is a picture of an invention or event in recorded history. One side faces up and has a brief description of what the players are looking at.
Get on Board: Splendor
The success of a board game often comes down to striking a balance between required skill and luck, and many fall just short of the mark. A game dependent on luck isn’t necessarily a bad one but it can be infuriating to players who roll bad dice combinations constantly or turn over the wrong card. Those dependent on skill can be deeply satisfying to the most dedicated of players, but not much fun on a games night where the beers flow freely. Enter Splendor.
Live Review: Panic! at the Disco
It’s Saturday night and Panic! at the Disco have just the song for the occasion. Manchester Arena is sold out and waiting for Brendon Urie and Co to perform it, and as many of their back catalogue hits as they can pack into one set. There are some decent support acts to help build up the atmosphere. Arizona (from New Jersey – go figure) fill our ears with their polished synth-pop anthems.
Get on Board: Who Did It?
It must have been a slow day at the office when Blue Orange created Who Did It? to add to its stellar collection of board games. Taking inspiration from what kids like – animals – and what kids like to talk about – poo – this game is a quick card game for, you guessed it, kids. In Who Did It? three to six players each have a set of their own pet cards. With six animals to defend, each player is trying to point the blame at someone else’s pet over who pooped in the living room.
Get on Board: Codenames
Vlaada Chvatil is a very busy man. Being heavily involved in video and board game development, he has won multiple Spiel des Jahres awards and released at least one new game every year since 2005. Taking a break from his normal strategic pursuits, Codenames is a party game made for all. Codenames is simple. It can be played with as few as four players (although the more the merrier), with the group splitting into red and blue teams.
Get on Board: Dixit
Winner of the 2010 Spiel des Jahres – the Oscars for board and card gamers – Dixit is a family game where imagination is the main tool and descriptions of a single illustrated card are limitless. Dixit contains a deck of 84 cards, beautifully drawn with surreal and abstract art, which are dealt out in sixes to each player. On their turn a player will act as the storyteller, choosing a card from their hand from which they must provide a verbal prompt.
Get on Board: Catan
A favourite of board game collectors, Catan, or Settlers of Catan as it was originally named, has been available since 1995, and by 2015 had sold more than 22 million copies worldwide. Designed by Klaus Teuber and first published in Germany, the game is designed for up to four players who take their turn to slowly take control of the land on the fictional, titular island. The steps are simple. Roll. Trade.
Got on Board: Rory's Story Cubes
Rory’s Story Cubes is a creative game that allows even the most uninspired players to come up with exciting tales. It began life when Rory O’Connor, an Irish trainer in creative problem solving, had placed images on a Rubik’s cube. Getting other trainers, coaches and therapists to scramble the Rubik’s cube up, he would then ask them to tell a story using only the images provided on one side of the cube.
Get on Board: Ticket to Ride, Europe
Set at the turn of the 20th century, Ticket to Ride: Europe begins, perhaps unsurprisingly, with of a map of the continent illustrated with train lines connecting up the most prominent capital cities. Each player is dealt three destination ticket cards, which set journey goals from one city to another. The player discards one and sets out on accomplishing their targets. Using the different coloured carriage pieces, the player marks out their route across Europe.
Get on Board: Bananagrams
Only good things come out of a banana peel, especially after all the festive stodge, and that includes the frantic anagram game Bananagrams. American graphic designer Abraham Nathanson was, incredibly, 76 years of age when he created Bananagrams in 2006.
Get on Board: Carcassonne
With millions of copies sold worldwide, Carcassonne is one of the leading alternative board games on the market. Suitable for ages six and up and for two to five players, it’s a great introduction to the world of indie gaming, but has maintained a solid fan base with its catalogue of expansions. Carcassonne was named after the medieval fortified town in southern France and conceived while German games designer Klaus-Jurgen Wrede was on holiday.
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