By Izzy Boulton Independent Venue Week 2019 kicked off on Monday 28th January and runs until Sunday 3rd February. Supported by BBC Music, BRIT Awards and Arts Council England alongside others, itÔÇÖs going to be a jam-packed week up and down the country as independent venues showcase a range of gigs and comedy nights. It aims to be a ÔÇ£celebration of small music venues around … Continue reading Independent Venue Week 2019
by Alex Payne Metalcore has found itself in weird spot in the last few years. As a genre itÔÇÖs garnered an undeserved reputation for being a little too cringe inducing and formulaic, shunned for existing in the awkward space between more accessible rock and heavier formats of metal. Clearly, it would be easier to embrace the stereotype, as many have done, to tap into the … Continue reading Live Review | Architects @ Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
by Emma Murphy A cold November night, the lights of neighboring moored vessels cast light on the Mud Dock and the growing queue. ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs like Venice,ÔÇØ murmured Mike OÔÇÖBrien, ÔÇ£But not.ÔÇØ We made our way slowly onto the Thekla, the energy different to any other crowd IÔÇÖve ever encountered at a live show. The venue itself was warm, and seemed to emit a hazy blue … Continue reading Live Review – The Japanese House
By Indigo Jones The music of The 1975 creates a sense of nostalgia for fans, as it brings back memories of 2013 listening to ÔÇÿChocolateÔÇÖ during break time before having to prepare for double science lessons. This nostalgia is what makes the band so popular. Although IÔÇÖve been a fan for years I havenÔÇÖt listened to their newer music as much. I didnÔÇÖt originally book … Continue reading Live Review: The 1975 at Motorpoint Arena – 14/01/19
By Max Modell You recorded ÔÇ£A Bird in the HandÔÇØ at the legendary Church Studio, where Bob Dylan, Adele, Radiohead, Beyonc├®, and many others have recorded in the past. What was that like as a recording environment? It was next level. We recorded the album during the Mumford and Sons album recording sessions, when no one was looking. So it was a kind of a … Continue reading “Nothing is mundane in the eyes of a song. `That’s the beauty of it.” – An Interview with Beans on Toast
By Max Modell I got the chance to chat with teenage sensation Ruel, as he supported Mabel at CardiffÔÇÖs The Great Hall. With Elton John describing Ruel as having the “most amazing voice that I’ve ever heard from a male singer at 14 years of ageÔÇØ, he is a┬átalent we should all be taking seriously and a name we should be expecting to hear for … Continue reading Interview: Ruel
by Dylan Graham Monday 3rd of December saw the launch of Milgi Sessions, a brand new live music experience alike no other in Cardiff. Based in a cosy yurt in the back-yard of Milgi Restaurant on City Road, the event will take place on the first Monday of every month, with each edition consisting of a studio session and a live performance from 3 different … Continue reading Introducing Milgi Sessions: a live music experience alike no other in Cardiff
By Max Modell and Victoria Maria Can you tell me a bit about your new single ÔÇ£Midnight BlueÔÇØ? ÔÇ£Midnight BlueÔÇØ is the odd one out in the recent songs IÔÇÖve written. Usually when I write a song, I write it from start to finish in one sitting – but with this one it took about eight months from when I started the song to when … Continue reading Interview: Ben Holland
By Alys Hewitt Twentytwo in Blue, the second record by New York natives Sunflower Bean, cherry-picks its influences with effortless ease, pairing breezy yet immersive psych-pop ballads with spikier tracks encapsulating the spirit of glam rock and punk. Their November show at CardiffÔÇÖs Globe, which marked the beginning of a tour of the UK, maintained a similar energy, moving seamlessly between the shimmering power pop … Continue reading Live Review – Sunflower Bean at The Globe, 19/11/18
by Alex Payne Ragga-Punk legends Skindred descended on CardiffÔÇÖs Tramshed this Saturday, almost slap bang in the centre of their ThatÔÇÖs My Jam tour. With almost two months of back to back intimate gigs to promote their seventh album ÔÇÿBig TingsÔÇÖ, seemingly using a pitstop in Wales to recharge. Between the confetti-cannon wielding support, whose frontman claimed to be the ÔÇÿgayest man in the roomÔÇÖ … Continue reading Live Review | Skindred @ Tramshed
By Laura Dazon ItÔÇÖs an agitated melting pot of people queuing around the Mortorpoint Arena of Cardiff that.┬á People of all ages, and, without bad wordplay, from all horizons, brought together to have a good time. While the concert room fills up, in this vibrant pre-night atmosphere: some people are in a hurry to get to the first row, where they wonÔÇÖt miss a thing, … Continue reading Live Review ÔÇô Bring Me the Horizon at Motorpoint Areana ÔÇô 27/11/2018
By Alex Payne ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà Nathan Warnes is back with a brief four track foray into the world of Christmas music, reimagining some of the nationÔÇÖs most treasured hymns in an alternative rock context. Titled ÔÇ£With UsÔÇØ, this latest EP is very clearly influenced by other Christian pop-rock acts, such as davidcrowderband and Aaron Shust, although it isnÔÇÖt immediately apparent what differentiates Nathan from them. Sonically, … Continue reading Review: Nathan Warnes – With Us
By Ellis Garamszegi I hadnÔÇÖt heard much of Katie Melua for many years but vaguely remembered two of her big hits ÔÇô “The Closest Thing to Crazy” and “Nine Million Bicycles”. When I heard she was touring I was quite intrigued as to what a mellow Melua performance would be like live, and in short, it was nothing short of beautiful. Call Off The Search … Continue reading Live Review: Katie Melua at St David’s Hall
Jordan Allen by Kate Waldock Shimmer Sounds welcomed Jordan Allen on stage at 8:00. The crowdÔÇÖs anticipation was palpable as we waited for the Manchester indie band to begin. When the group finally walked onto the small set up of Room 2, a few boys at the front went wild immediately. The lead guitarist Danny QuinÔÇÖs mastery of the guitar is clear from the first … Continue reading Shimmer Sounds Review – a top notch night lineup full of gems
By Josh Ong Now I should probably preface this article by stating that IÔÇÖve been a fan of the Courteeners for quite some time now. IÔÇÖve been fortunate to have seen them play around the country and have lost track of the amount of times IÔÇÖve seen them live. I could happily sit here and praise the bandÔÇÖs whole discography and easily write a whole … Continue reading Courteeners – Live Review at Bristol’s O2 Academy – 27/11/18
by Kiana Stevens As someone that has previously seen Slaves live this year, I was thrilled to see them again at CardiffÔÇÖs own Tramshed. I had never visited Tramshed before and despite the bitter cold Welsh weather, the venue seemed friendly, had a great atmosphere and was a great size for a weekday concert. As I peeled off layer after layer of woolen jumpers, the … Continue reading Live Review | Slaves at Cardiff’s Tramshed
By Alex Payne If youÔÇÖd like to introduce yourself IÔÇÖm Conrad, IÔÇÖm one of the singers in the band, and I play trumpet and acoustic guitar, and I was in the band from the beginning, with Ruth and Rosie, about seven years ago. HowÔÇÖs the tour going? Really well, weÔÇÖre three shows in and the tickets have sold way more than I thought they were … Continue reading Interview: Holy Moly and the Crackers
By Alex Payne While Folk in the mainstream has seemed to have found itself in an awkward spot in the last couple of years, it seems to have missed Newcastle rockers Holy Moly and The Crackers completely. Their return to Cardiff was greeted by a crowd as eclectic as the band themselves, an odd assortment of die-hard fans and old friends, of all ages and … Continue reading Live Review: Holy Moly and The Crackers at The Moon – 08/11/18
By Jeni Gough The first thing that I noticed about the event was the variety of age groups attending, considering that it took place Cardiff UniversityÔÇÖs Student Union. This was an audience that I felt shouted diversity and yet was united in music taste. The evening passed quickly but was definitely worth the price of a ticket, with a large enough venue that provided all … Continue reading Live Review: Courtney Barnett at The Great Hall – 18/11/18
Soul is long overdue a revival. Its sister genre funk has come back into fashion with Bruno Mars, Pharrell Williams and Draft Punk all of whom have incorporated funk into their sound. And the global mourning of soul legend Aretha Franklin proves soul is still a genre close to the hearts of many. Yet until recently, there was no face for any prospective revival. That … Continue reading Live Review: Leon Bridges at O2 Academy Brixton ÔÇô 17/11/2018
