As reviews on editorial content go, you can’t really top Eric Smyth’s appraisal of the recent 16th issue from Belfast paper, The Vacuum.
Since its inception in early 2003, the sardonic free sheet has, according to co-editor Stephen Hackett [pictured right by Amberlea Trainor], attempted to take a skewed but engaged look at Northern Irish culture; poking at previously unexamined subjects (recent themed issues include ‘Down Mexico Way’ and ‘Spide’), while also providing an outlet for the kind of writers (eg Bill Drummond, John Morrow, Leontia Flynn) unlikely to feature in more mainstream publications.
“There hasn’t really been anything like it before,” says Stephen. “We didn’t really base it on anything. We came at it with a really fresh attitude and I think that’s one of the reasons why a lot of writers want to contribute. We offer an outlet that isn’t really available in Northern Ireland. It’s called Vacuum for an obvious reason.”
Soon established as a regular presence in the coffee shops and bars around Greater Belfast, Vacuum’s development and improvement has been both noticeable and organic. Its informed and irreverent attitude represents a welcome alternative to the ad-sheet banalities normally on offer by the ashtray stands.
So, when picking up an issue based around the notion of ‘Satan’, much in the way of fun was expected. And so it proved – articles ping-ponged with ideas and interesting conceits: an exorcist was interviewed (“I’m officially retired now but it keeps me rather busy.”); entirely spurious links were forged between Satanism and Irish dancing; and the horrors of Christian rock music were given vivid description.
All in all – a diverting, off-message read.
Not, though, as far as Mr Smyth was concerned. According to the city’s former DUP Lord Mayor, “This publication encourages devil-worshipping, attacks Christ and is blasphemous about the very Saviour I love.”
Wading in to support his party-colleague with a low verbal blow, Sammy Wilson (and what a joy it is typing that name in this column) proved predictably vocal, claiming (quite accurately, as it turns out) that the paper showed “absolutely no respect for the views of mainstream society”. When The Newsletter decided – for reasons best known to themselves – that the story warranted a hysterical front-page spread, a depressing (and highly embarrassing) example of good aul Northern chauvinism looked unavoidable. And so it proved.
For a slow, pre-Twelfth, news week, a bemused Hackett (along with co-editor Richard West) found himself following in the footsteps of Martin Scorsese, August Strindberg, Ken Loach, Gilbert and George and, um, ELO, in becoming a convenient pariah for the more medievalist strain of Ulster politician.
Silly season, you say?
Chatting to him at Vacuum’s new offices – the previous one was destroyed, along with their archive of back issues, during the recent suspected arson attack on North Street Arcade – we find the alleged spawn of Beelzebub taking an ambivalent view of the ensuing palaver. On one hand, as a satirical magazine, provoking the ire of Smyth and Wilson can only be taken as evidence of a job well done (and the framed blow-up of the Newsletter front page in their hallway shows that the editorial team are enjoying their hard-won notoriety). However, given that both men are elected members of the city council, and that the paper is co-funded by the same organisation, The Vacuum now finds itself in the middle of a skirmish that could have grave implications for a whole host of creative endeavours throughout the city.
During a series of meetings in the coming months, various sub-committees of Belfast City Council will give serious consideration to changing the nature of the contract that currently exists between the council and any organisation that it funds – meaning that, potentially, funding could be made conditional on the nature of the content that the organisation produces. It would be nice to think that BCC would take a step back from pursuing such a blatantly draconian line. However, any faith we may have that a basic liberal impulse propels this august body should be tempered by the realisation that it recently refused to sanction any official Halloween celebrations in the city because this year the date fell on a Sunday.
“I’m not actually that optimistic about the whole process,” Stephen reveals. “We’ve had an awful lot of support, even in music and political chat rooms. People have been organising themselves and writing in to the council to protest. But when you see the kind of attitudes displayed by the councillors who oppose us, it’s hard to see what use lobbying will do. What I will say is that The Arts Council, who also fund us, don’t see what the fuss is about. And that no matter what, we’ll try to make sure that the magazine keeps going.”
We’ll keep you posted.b

[email protected]