I was kindly given the opportunity to attend The Overtones Good Times Christmas Tour in October. As someone who has briefly heard of the group, but isn’t incredibly aware of them, I went into this show quite blind and was pleasantly surprised with my evening. The opening act, Tom Ball, was incredibly notable for me, as his stage presence, crowd control, and voice were all … Continue reading Guaranteed Good Times with The Overtones!
Cardiff’s University’s winter showcase was an electric evening of singing, dancing, drama, and excitement. The show ran for just under three hours, broken into three parts with ten minute intervals. I found every single performance captivating, and at times I even had goosebumps. The evening demonstrated the immense amount of artistic talent amongst Cardiff’s students. Shriya Aaytee, the president and performance coordinator of Bollywood Dance … Continue reading Cardiff University’s Winter Showcase: A Night of Unforgettable Talent and Community Spirit.
Kicking off the festivities and celebration, Cardiff University recently hosted their first Winter Showcase of 2024. A three-act performance made up of a variety of society’s prepared five-minute pieces, I was lucky enough to watch alongside two members of the Quench Team. The showcase was organised meticulously by Cardiff student union staff who made the audience feel welcome and prepped for a night of fun. … Continue reading Winter Showcase Review: A Medley of Musical Masterpieces
Charles Dickens is renowned for shaping our Christmas experience, so when I went to watch A Christmas Carol, I had high expectations. The show appealing to everyone, brings the festive magic to life with it’s charming humour. Debuting back in 2021, it has now returned and become a performance worth watching repeatedly. Staged at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff and adapted by Gary Owen, this … Continue reading Review: A Christmas Carol At The Sherman Theatre
Breakthrough ‘brat punk’ sensation Delilah Bon is someone you should keep your eye on – especially if you’re a metal head! Infusing bratty riot grrrl punk with lyrical hip-hop and hard-hitting nu-metal, Delilah Bon’s distinct musical style generates fierce anthems that will give you the freedom to be angry and loud. Her music explores important political and societal issues, honing in particularly on women’s rights … Continue reading Delilah Bon: The Freedom to be Angry and Loud
Eradication Festival is a 3-day extreme metal event which takes place in Cardiff every year. This year I was lucky enough to attend SaturdayÔÇÖs show to celebrate its 10-year anniversary, and I have to say; it must have been one of the best shows IÔÇÖve ever been to. IÔÇÖve been into the extreme subgenres of metal since my early teenage years but never attended many … Continue reading Eradication Festival ’23 @ Fuel
Baby QueenÔÇÖs current tour revolves around her new album ÔÇ£Quarter Life CrisisÔÇØ, encapsulating what it feels like to reach your 20s and get hit by societal pressures to grow up and figure out who you are, while all the while battling fake internet perceptions, sexuality and dealing with (or succumbing to) the substance abuse which surrounds us. She also talks about moving away from home for … Continue reading Baby Queen @ Trinity Bristol
On both occasions where I have been lucky enough to attend their shows, I have left in complete and utter awe of the raw, unrefined talent displayed by Fall Out Boy, regardless of it being some 20 years since they started out. The band honoured their pop-rock roots upon the release of their eighth, and most recent, studio album in March of this year ÔÇô … Continue reading Fall Out Boy @ Utilita Arena
Watching Art School Girlfriend was multisensory experience. The Wrexham-born Polly Mackey delighted the mostly dungaree-clad, girlfriend-accessorised audience. Her set had a soft and gentle sort of melodic feel, vocally, which was flanked by a strong bass line and synth undertones, giving it the atmosphere of a DnB rave; this unlikely combination provided something truly unique and fresh. In fact, it felt like there were influences … Continue reading Art School Girlfriend @ Clwb Ifor Bach
After a band or artist takes time off, it can be difficult for them to maintain loyal and passionate fans. However, that was not the case for JLS. On the 30th of October, JLS made their anticipated return to Wales, with their first night of two in the Utilita Arena Cardiff. After the phenomenal success of their comeback tour in 2021, I had very high … Continue reading JLS @ Utilita Arena
Words by Abbie Harper S┼Án Festival is an annual music festival in Cardiff city centre. I was fortunate enough to attend the Saturday and Sunday of this yearÔÇÖs festival, and found the atmosphere to be extremely friendly, chilled out and respectful – it was an event for both hardcore ÔÇÿmusic-headsÔÇÖ and casual fans alike, representing a range in ages, backgrounds and tastes. The artists were … Continue reading S┼Án Festival 2023
As a well-publicised feature of this yearÔÇÖs Llais festival, an evening ÔÇ£celebrating Joni MitchellÔÇØ was in high attendance at Wales Millennium Centre. The evening boasted the first complete performance of 2001 album Both Sides Now in this country. It was undertaken by the talents of The BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, plus singers Charlotte Church, Laura Mvula, ESKA, Georgia Ruth and Olivia Chaney. With new … Continue reading Both Sides Now: Celebrating Joni Mitchell @ Llais Festival
Punk Rock Factory started their ÔÇÿItÔÇÖs just a stage weÔÇÖre going throughÔÇÖ EU & UK tour with a bang last night in Bristol. Combining nostalgic throwbacks and childrenÔÇÖs music with a contemporary pop-punk sound, their innovative twist has opened new possibilities for alternative music. Whilst fairly new to the scene after gaining popularity through TikTok, IÔÇÖd argue their stage presence was nothing short of energetic, engaging, and … Continue reading Punk Rock Factory @ SWX Bristol
There were many a pair of shimmering rhinestone-adorned cowboy boots at Clwb Ifor Bach on Saturday the 14th of October. Between Eleri, launching her newly released album The Carnival, and support acts Katie Lou and Megan Lee, jewel-covered footwear was in abundance. The sublime, carefree self-expression the cowboy boot has come to be associated with was evident in all acts’ performances, but is best typified … Continue reading Eleri @ Clwb Ifor Bach
A fun filled event promoting and celebrating the musical talents in Wales has yet again proved that the Welsh indie scene is one to watch. As part of Llais Festival, the awards ceremony for the ÔÇÿWelsh Music PrizeÔÇÖ was presented for the second time in front of a live audience presented by BBC Radio 1ÔÇÖs Sian Eleri on October 10th, at the Millennium Centre in … Continue reading Llais Festival: Welsh Music Prize 2023
Quench were lucky enough to be invited along to Girls Pushing Buttons, a celebration of South Wales-based electronic pop artists – Honey B McKenna, Millie Blooms and Femmebug. As well as a night of fantastic music, we also got the chance to sit down and chat with Honey and Millie about community, their musical journeys, and what they liked about South Wales’ rich and diverse … Continue reading Girls Pushing Buttons: A Celebration of Music, Community and Womanhood
┬áI didnÔÇÖt actually know very much about God Is In The TV until they sent Quench a message inviting us along to the 20th Anniversary celebration. In hindsight this seems like a bit of a misstep, because God Is In The TV is like a showcase of everything I love about the South Wales music scene, and represents everything I think the music industry should: … Continue reading God Is In The TV: 20th Anniversary Celebration
The Tramshed was packed to the rafters for two prime punky cuts of Saturday evening entertainment. DerryÔÇÖs very own Undertones are touring to celebrate the forty-fifth anniversary of the Teenage Kicks EP, which kicked off Terri HooleyÔÇÖs Good Vibrations record label, graced John PeelÔÇÖs show twice in a row, and gave the London boys a run for their money. In fact, it was a neat … Continue reading The Undertones @ Tramshed 30/09/23
Princess Goes once said in an interview the perfect place to listen to music is ÔÇÿanywhere itÔÇÖs safe to close your eyesÔÇÖ – their music echoes this very premise, with every song encouraging an entire audience to pulse as one. Anyone who wishes they could have experienced the 80s and 70s club scene, where Blue Monday and Depeche Mode come to mind, fused with a … Continue reading Review: Princess Goes
Maisie Peters is a name we should all be familiar with. She is taking the world by storm, with half a billion streams worldwide, a sold out UK tour and earning the approval of big names such as Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith – and sheÔÇÖs only twenty two! Her tour, the final chapter of touring You Signed Up for This … Continue reading Maisie Peters @ Tramshed 23/04/2023
