DMU celebrates classical Indian music with one-of-a-kind concert

November 15, 2017 by Leave a Comment

By Kerri Stevenson

Students and staff at De Montfort University gathered in Trinity House Chapel on Tuesday to celebrate the classical Indian music genre.

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The event, which took place from 1pm to 2pm, was part of the inaugural DMU Classical Indian Music series, which is a programme of lunchtime concerts curated by DMU Music in partnership with the celebrated Darbar Festival, the largest of its kind outside India.

There were two core themes running throughout this year’s concert series, focussing on women in music and traditional Indian instruments including the sitar and sarod were used.

indian classical musicChris Heighton, Head of DMU Music, said: “With these concerts, we have been able to bring the finest Indian musicians in the world to perform at DMU for both campus and city audiences.

“The fantastic acoustic of Trinity House Chapel adds a wonderful dimension to the live performance and creates an incredible experience for our audiences.”

This year is the first time this type of event has taken place at DMU, and the concert included performances from a wide range of talented Indian musicians including Roopa Panesar, Shahbaz Hussian, Gurdain Ryatt and Surdarshan Chana.

Following the success and popularity of this year’s event, DMU Music announced it has been commissioned to take place again in 2018.

Mr Heighton added: “The series has been a huge success because we have begun to build an increasing audience of students, staff and members of the public.

“All of our concerts are also live streamed via the DMU Facebook page, which has welcomed audience numbers of between 700 and 1,000 people watching live from across the UK and internationally, which is fantastic.

“Interestingly, a large number of people who are unable to attend the live performance watch the concert from the DMU Facebook page afterwards.”

If you wish to know more about the event, contact Chris Heighton at chris.heighton@dmu.ac.uk or call DMU Music on 0116 207 8521.

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City Broadcaster talks everything Puel

November 1, 2017 by Leave a Comment

By Kiran Bedder

A City broadcaster has urged Foxes fans to cut newly appointed football team boss Claude Puel some slack after initial groans of disappointment greeted the Frenchman’s arrival.

Puel took charge exactly a week ago and guided the Blues to a well-earned 2-0 victory against struggling Everton on Sunday.

Mike McCarthy, match day broadcaster for BBC Leicester, says he understands why the former Lille and Southampton boss has garnered mixed views from City fans.

Speaking to Leicestershire Press he said: “Football is all about what you’ve done lately, and looking at the way things ended at Southampton you could think well, maybe that wasn’t the best, but maybe that’s not the reason why Leicester should go for him.”

Puel did manage to get the Saints to Wembley last season in the EFL Cup and also boasts a great record within Europe.

“His record in Europe is pretty good as well,” added Mike. “He’s only ever been knocked out of the Champions League by the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona and the top teams he’s come up against.”

Puel stepped into the shoes of former manager Craig Shakespeare who was sacked on October 17th.

McCarthy said Shakespeare’s dismissal came as a little bit of a surprise.

“I spoke to him after the West Bromwich Albion game and he didn’t seem like there was pressure coming from above in terms of his position. He didn’t seem like a man who was worried.”

Only time will tell whether Puel can win over the hearts of Leicester’s expectant fans.

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Dry Dock pub in demolition danger

November 1, 2017 by Leave a Comment

By Jack Gabriel

Student regulars have spoken of their dismay after learning that one of Leicester’s most iconic pubs is in danger of being demolished.

Last week it was revealed the Dry Dock could be knocked down to make way for a large student accommodation block.

The boat-cum-pub is popular with young adults and students and the news has not been well received by a number of its young regulars.

 

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HAPPY HOUR: The pub at a typically busy time

 

Chris Clarke, 20, said: “I’d be absolutely gutted if they knocked it down.

“Me and my mates always go in after our football games and training.

“It has everything we like. It’s spacious, good music, pool tables, and generally a good atmosphere when it’s busy.”

Another student, Harry Dovey, 19, said: “I’m hopeful the University will see sense and keep the pub as it is.

“I know other students feel the same way, because it’s very popular given its closeness to the universities in the city.”

The landlocked pub is also popular with both Leicester City and Leicester Tigers fans on match-days, as it is located closely to both team grounds.

John Godrich, 58, said: “I usually go in on a Saturday when there’s a home game for City.”

He added: “I hadn’t heard about the plans, but it would be a real shame to see it go because it’s been there for as long as I can remember.”

Blueprints to build modern accommodation for students in the Freemen’s Common area were originally proposed in the summer, as part of a £500 million expansion project after the University of Leicester.

In a July press release, the University of Leicester said: “The next project to move forward will be the redevelopment of the Freemen’s Common site, adjacent to the central campus.

“The existing student residences at Freemen’s Common are coming to the end of their lives.

“This presents an exciting opportunity for us to look at this area as a whole and how it could be redeveloped to provide a better range of accommodation.”

The development proposals are part of a ten-year vision for the university, and despite their eagerness to accelerate the project, there won’t be calls for last orders just yet.

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Vintage kilo sale takes Leicester by storm

October 18, 2017 by Leave a Comment

By Aidan Thompson

Nine tonnes of vintage clothing were up for grabs in Leicester at the recent Preloved Vintage Kilo Sale.

The event unfolded at the Empire Hall in Foundry Lane and saw avid shoppers stuff their bags from 10am until 5pm.

The clothing was priced at a bargain of just £15 per kilogram.

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Popular with market traders and vintage clothing outlets, kilo sales work by selecting the garments you want and paying for the haul by weight rather than individual items.

A range of vintage branded sportswear, jackets, coats, jumpers, dresses, shoes, scarves and hats were all on sale at the fair.

Shopper Kieran Liddar said: “This is the first time I’ve had the chance to be at a proper kilo sale.

“The vintage stuff was of such good quality, I was so impressed.”

Items were displayed on rails and tubs allowing customers to rummage through.

Another bargain hunter, Francesca Gray said: “I bought two kilos worth of clothes and I feel like I managed to get half a wardrobe.

“The hall was absolutely packed, people were definitely hunting for the best, and it was like a little competition to find the best clothes.

“There were piles and piles of clothes.”

Prior to the event, organiser Preloved Kilo said: “We’ll be bringing along six tonnes plus three more tonnes of back up stock. We like to make sure there’s great stock all day.

“You’ll find big retro sportswear brands all the way to vintage denim and dresses. Shoes, accessories and a jewellery section.

“Whatever your style or favourite era the rails will be full this Saturday.

“On entry you’ll be given a big bag and it’s then all down to you.”

Customer scales were also placed around the hall to allow people to measure their spend throughout the day.

To promote the event 500 free tickets were handed out online.

Entry on the door was priced at £1.50.

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Hospitality LCFC tickets given to DMU students as a thank you

December 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment

lcfc

By Grace Morgan 

Select students from the men’s and women’s football team at De Montfort University (DMU) were given hospitality tickets to Leicester City’s clash with Middlesbrough.

The tickets included a three course meal before the game in the Legends Lounge.

Beaumont Town, the home venue for the DMU football players’ matches, is currently still closed and as a thank you for their patience and co-operation captains and chairmen were offered the tickets.

Hannah Curwen the women’s team chairwoman said: “It was a fantastic opportunity for us and it meant a lot to be shown that sort of appreciation from the university.”

The university offers out tickets to games via a ballot which is offered to staff and students for every home game and a limited amount of tickets are given away at random.

Beaumont Town is currently shut after complications between Beaumont Town Football Club (BTFC) and DMU over facility use and security issues.

The temporary closure of the facility has meant disruption for the football teams, including training cancellations and fixture re-arrangement.

Hannah said: “We have had to re-arrange a lot because of the closure, but we fully support why DMU have closed the facility and they have worked so hard to ensure we aren’t put under too much strain or caused too much disruption.”

The tickets were given to ten students who are involved in the football teams and they each received a free program for the game, an advent calendar and other free merchandise from the club.

Ellie Prendergast, the women’s football 2nd team captain said: “I’m not a Leicester fan but I thought it was such a nice thing for the university to do for us, and made us realise that they really care about us and how things affect us which is nice.”

The men’s and women’s football teams both tweeted out a thank you directly to the vice chancellor Dominic Shellard.

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