Fashion

A night at Cardiff Fashion Week

Firmly placing itself within CardiffÔÇÖs Fashion Calendar, Cardiff Fashion WeekÔÇÖs showcase revealed upcoming A/W 13 trends from high street retailers and independent brands. One key trend was modernism, reflected within the monochrome colour palette, but also more predominantly within the structured, clear-cut silhouettes. Leathers and Tartan were key textures, nodding to the current inherent A/W punk trend, but also adding a touch of luxury through … Continue reading A night at Cardiff Fashion Week

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Music

Album Review: Luke Sital-Singh – ‘Tornadoes’

In an age where music is plagued by over-production, 808s and dwindling sincerity, Luke Sital-Singh provides an oasis of calm for the British music scene. His third release, ÔÇÿTornados EPÔÇÖ, is chilling and inspiring; a mellifluous soundtrack to a crisp November stroll, perhaps. With previous recognition from The Guardian heralding the 25-year-old as a potential ÔÇ£British Bon IverÔÇØ, his latest four-track offering could indeed propel … Continue reading Album Review: Luke Sital-Singh – ‘Tornadoes’

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Culture

Review: Boing!, Sherman Cymru

Reviewed by Amy Endacott Boing!, devised by companies Travelling Light and Champloo Dance, is a piece of theatre which invited you to relive the excitement and anxieties of one of the most treasured childhood memories: Christmas Eve. The forty-minute piece spanned the tense twelve hours before Christmas morning and showed us all the ways two brothers try to pass the time. Performed on a simple … Continue reading Review: Boing!, Sherman Cymru

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Music

Preview: The Feeling & Yellowire, Solus, 3.11.12

Have a guess at who was the most played band on the radio in 2006? Got a Feeling you know this oneÔǪ? It was of course The Feeling, who – after forming in the mid-90s – exploded into the British music mainstream in the mid-2000s with the smash hits, ÔÇ£Fill My Little WorldÔÇØ, ÔÇ£Never Be LonelyÔÇØ, and ÔÇ£I Love It When You CallÔÇØ. But their … Continue reading Preview: The Feeling & Yellowire, Solus, 3.11.12

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Music

Feature: And The Winner Is

With the Mercury and Welsh Music prizes both taking place this October, Joseph Ainscough takes a look at the relevance and intentions of music awards ceremonies, and who really benefits from them. The Mercury Prize – or The Barclaycard Mercury Prize to give it its full title – prides itself on recognising and rewarding the best of British music each year. Focussing on artists that … Continue reading Feature: And The Winner Is

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Culture

Review: Chelsea Hotel, WMC

Reviewed by Matthew Lee Schneider ÔÇ£This hotel does not belong to America. ┬áThere are no vacuum cleaners, no rules and shame. ┬áThe high spot of the surrealÔǪÔÇØ┬á – Arthur Miller. ┬á A stubborn weed in the garden of the American dream, the Chelsea Hotel was, is, and forever more will be a raw and true counter-cultural heartbeat behind the romantic fa├ºade that is Manhattan. ┬áIn … Continue reading Review: Chelsea Hotel, WMC

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Music

Live Review: The Blackout, Solus, 24.10.13

Sean Smith, the slightly more outspoken half of The BlackoutÔÇÖs vocal partnership, often jokes they are ÔÇ£the best live band in the world.ÔÇØ Taken seriously or not, the statement resonated during their 90-minute set on 24 October, as the post-hardcore sestet left CardiffÔÇÖs Solus throbbing, sweaty and in need of a lie down. The eager teens who had hours before scattered the steps of Cardiff … Continue reading Live Review: The Blackout, Solus, 24.10.13

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Music

Live Review: letlive., Clwb Ifor Bach, 15.10.13

Since letlive. broke into the UK hardcore scene following the release of their critically acclaimed album Fake History in 2010, they have never failed to impress, especially in the live arena.┬á The bands chaotic, visceral live reputation often precedes them; first arriving in the UK in the summer of 2011 for a few small support slot runs and a couple of festival slots, causing mayhem … Continue reading Live Review: letlive., Clwb Ifor Bach, 15.10.13

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Music

Album Review: Diana Vickers – ‘Music To Make Boys Cry’

Remember Diana Vickers? Semi-finalist on The X Factor 2008? If not, perhaps you should, because take one glance at her impressive r├®sum├® and you’ll see a UK album chart-topper, original fashion line and acting roles in film, television and the West End marking her successes over the past five years. Back now with her second album Music To Make Boys Cry, Vickers claims it’s “the … Continue reading Album Review: Diana Vickers – ‘Music To Make Boys Cry’

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Music

Interview: The Blackout

Ahead of their return to Solus, Jack Glasscock and Louis Browne sat down with The Blackout‘s two vocalists to talk Merthyr and models. YouÔÇÖre almost halfway through your tour and yesterday you were back at home in Merthyr Tydfil, how was that? Sean Smith (Vocals): It was lovely ÔÇô 2008ÔÇÖs third roughest town in Britain. Gavin Butler (Vocals): Although, some of our crew spent the … Continue reading Interview: The Blackout

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Culture

Opinion: Why Burst Bridget Jones’ Bubble?

Words by Laura Carter IÔÇÖm sure I wasnÔÇÖt the only one to be absolutely horrified at the news that Helen Fielding had killed off Mark Darcy in her new book Mad About The Boy. The last time we read about dear Bridget, she was about to embark on married life with Mr Darcy himself. I know what youÔÇÖre going to say: ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs only a bookÔǪ … Continue reading Opinion: Why Burst Bridget Jones’ Bubble?

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Fashion

ItÔÇÖs fasercise, baby

Adidas Originals x Stella McCartney SS14 After cladding out the GB Team for the London 2012 Olympics, Stella McCartney and Adidas have returned for another, perhaps unconventional collaboration. This time it is not McCartneyÔÇÖs lack of ÔÇÿBritishnessÔÇÖ that has caused up a stir, but her choice of runway. McCartney opted for a less conventional means of showcasing her Adidas collection, using aerial yoga, synchronised swimming, … Continue reading ItÔÇÖs fasercise, baby

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Music

Live Review: Tom Odell, Great Hall, 12.10.13

October 12th saw Tom Odell give an outstanding performance to a thrilled audience. The show was by anyoneÔÇÖs standards a musical feast of talent from beginning to end, playing a number of his singles and album tracks as well as a Beatles cover and some new material ÔÇô bliss! Despite waiting for two and a half hours from opening for Odell to actually appear. when … Continue reading Live Review: Tom Odell, Great Hall, 12.10.13

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Music

Album Review: Max Raptor – ‘Mother’s Ruin’

Back in the 1970s, the UK played a major role in the huge new genre punk-rock. Since then, punk has changed a lot, as the StatesÔÇÖ took hold of it with Green Day and Rise Against. But with the Burton-based Max Raptor, the UK showcases how it can still create some solid punk-rock, with their latest album ‘MotherÔÇÖs Ruin’. It must be said this is … Continue reading Album Review: Max Raptor – ‘Mother’s Ruin’

Tom Connick3 Comments
Music

Single Review: The Ramona Flowers – ‘Brighter’

Following on from the release of their last EP┬á’Lust & Lies’┬áa few months back, The Ramona Flowers’ new single ÔÇÿBrighterÔÇÖ is something which echoes this up-and-coming bandÔÇÖs potential for success. There are few bands around today that can mix a hint of rock, indie and electronica successfully, with a sense of raw passion, talent and hauntingly infectious lyrics; The Ramona Flowers can pull that off … Continue reading Single Review: The Ramona Flowers – ‘Brighter’

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Music

Album Review: The Getaway Plan – ‘Lovesick’

If youÔÇÖre looking for a cross between everything you once found on MySpace and the Camp Rock soundtrack, then Australian ÔÇÿalt-rockersÔÇÖ The Getaway Plan are your guys. Self-produced EP ‘Lovesick’ goes from almost catchy to downright depressing as it burns through its four painfully samey tracks. Whilst the riffs in title track ÔÇÿLovesickÔÇÖ could be the making of something more, TGPÔÇÖs whiney teen-angst lyrics (ÔÇÿI … Continue reading Album Review: The Getaway Plan – ‘Lovesick’

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Music

Album Review: Hanson – ‘Anthem’

Wave goodbye to ‘MMMBop’, kids, Hanson are back with a cleaner, more mature release┬á(you would hope so after nearly twenty years in the game) that could just send them into the charts once more. ThatÔÇÖs if the charts want something that sounds like Maroon 5 circa 2002 – ÔÇÿJulietÔÇÖ (complete with lyrical references to the play) and ÔÇÿTragic SymphonyÔÇÖ scream Songs about Jane. But then, … Continue reading Album Review: Hanson – ‘Anthem’

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Music, uncategorized

Interview: To Kill A King

Just before they took to the Great Hall to support Bastille, Amy Endacott took a quick five to catch up with To Kill A King frontman Ralph Pelleymounter.┬á Hello Ralph, and welcome to very wet and miserable Wales! Have you been to the country before?┬á WeÔÇÖve been here a few times and we really like it. Everyone is very welcoming and weÔÇÖve just been round … Continue reading Interview: To Kill A King

Tom Connick18 Comments