Facebook Music Chart Wars Part Two: The Smiths v. Girls Aloud

Following the success of the Facebook campaign to get Rage Against The Machine to Christmas number one The Smiths tribute band, The Smiths Indeed, have set up a Facebook group of their own. Read more

Music Fans ‘Rage against the Machine’

X-factor haters battle for Christmas number 1 spot

A Facebook group has sparked a massive two horse race for the prestigious number 1 spot in the charts this Christmas. Read more

The Last Ten Years In Music

The last ten years in music have been an exciting first ten years of the new century. Read more

X-Factor: Facebook fervour over The Grime Twins

John and Edward, ‘the evil twins’, are set to annoy the nation for the next 12 weeks on the live shows of the X Factor if the last couple of days of online polls are anything to go by. Read more

More time on facebook for a successful career in Media

Students spending more time on facebook could find it beneficial to their future careers in media it emerged. This comes as good news for students right across the media department within the university, as their large amounts of time spent on the social networking site could actually be doing them the world of good.

The Journalism and PR students of the university received a talk recently from the Sunderland Echo’s digital editor Lee Hall. Lee talked to the students about how newspapers are becoming big online and that social networking is key. On the internet newspapers are certainly making their presence known and are receiving many more viewings than the newspapers themselves. This shows how big the internet has become, however Lee says how students shouldn’t become hung up on the technology side of it all. Read more

Sunderland students go climbing

Sunderland students are grouping together in the hopes of forming a climbing society within the university. Not only are the students keen to start this group, but also the staff at the Sunderland wall in Pallion.

Interest has been gathering on the internet social networking site Facebook for at least a year, and there are hopes of attracting the much needed attention of avid climbers to go to the Students’ Union with the proposed society.

if the society were to happen then students would be entitled to discounts, outdoor expeditions and teaching from the wall’s highly trained staff. Students could benefit from the society as it has huge health benefits, in that it keeps you fit and is good for all round strength.

You can do as little or much as you want and it is a fun activity to get into. As well as having these health benefits, it’s also really cheap to do. You don’t to buy all the equipment as you can hire it out for a small fee.

One student urges people to get involved: “If you join the society not only will you get fit and become stronger, but you’ll meet other students that you might never have met before, it’s a really fun activity to do!”

The Sunderland Wall has been successful for the last five years, and is getting better and better with plans for improvements, and is the tallest wall in Europe. The staff have seen the wall getting busier and busier, particularly amongst students.

The climbing walls are changed all the time, the bouldering wall once a month and the rope lead wall every three or four months. The walls range from easy to hard and aren’t difficult to get into, so anyone can go.

Another student who is really keen to put together the society said: “You don’t need to be good at climbing to join. We’re looking for people of all levels, as training is provided. The staff at the wall are highly trained and willing to get involved.”

The society really needs the support of the students to get it off the ground, if people were to join then the society would be able to take part in competitions, and get special discounts. If you want to get involved then join the Facebook group and help them become a society and you might just enjoy it.

‘Flash’ rave in Sunderland gains Facebook momentum.

The number of members of a group broadcasting a ‘flash rave’ in Sunderland has reached over 1,600 on a global website.

The group, called ‘FLASH RAVE SUNDERLAND’, has been started on Facebook following a series of the events in other parts of the country, including one attended by over 300 people at an Ikea store in Milton Keynes.

The intention is to get as many people as possible to attend the Bridges shopping centre on Sunday December 7 at 2pm and do a ‘silent dance’ with music from their MP3 players. At 2:01pm they are all then to walk away as though nothing has happened.

The creator of the group, ‘Dave Flash’ has instructed members of the group to try to: “Create the biggest flash rave the UK has ever seen.” He continues that they should try and leave a ‘scene of confused people’.

While the rave in Milton Keynes took place to commemorate a nightclub that formerly existed on the Ikea site, this one seems to have been set up to gain publicity for the phenomenon.

One wall post by a member of the group reads: “ This is the best thing ever.” While another adds: “Even if just a quarter of this group turn up it will still be…quality.” They continue: “I’ll be there, mask and giant ear phones!”

Inspector Neal Craig of the Sunderland Central Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We welcome visitors to Sunderland and are quite happy for the event to take place, as long as those involved are considerate to other city centre users on what is one of the busiest days before Christmas.”

It is set to take place the centre of the busy shopping centre underneath the bus timetables, just outside record store HMV. It is felt that this would be the ideal location for gaining maximum attention, if as many ‘ravers’ turn up as is hoped.