Tag: Cardiff

Music

Review: Peace – Sin City, Swansea 12/06/14

What initially seems like an odd choice of venue becomes painfully clear upon entering SwanseaÔÇÖs Sin City. ItÔÇÖs packed. Perhaps something to do with the Birmingham quartetÔÇÖs recent appearance on E4ÔÇÖs hit ÔÇÿrealityÔÇÖ show Made in Chelsea? Certainly not. This crowd know exactly what theyÔÇÖre waiting for and it is by no means influenced by a controversial TV cameo. An echoing intro sets the mood … Continue reading Review: Peace – Sin City, Swansea 12/06/14

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Music

Live Review: Chet Faker – Colston Hall, Bristol

Chet FakerÔÇÖs career has been one of constant battle with definitions; does he make jazz, soul, house, hip-hopÔǪ Is he where he wants to be? Minutes into his live show, as Faker dances around the array of equipment surrounding him, a wry smile on his face, it becomes abundantly clear that he has no interest in being categorised. HeÔÇÖs perfectly happy to just make music … Continue reading Live Review: Chet Faker – Colston Hall, Bristol

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Music

Review: ZABA – Glass Animals

As one of the first acts signed to Paul EpworthÔÇÖs Wolf Tone label, the excitement around Oxford quartet Glass Animals has been gradually building over the past two years. Following a trio of well-received EPÔÇÖs that have displayed a willingness to experiment and rework their own material, the release of debut LP, ÔÇÿZABAÔÇÖ, proves reason for the aforementioned excitement. Opener ÔÇÿFlipÔÇÖ begins stripped back, with … Continue reading Review: ZABA – Glass Animals

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Music

Review: Thumpers – Galore

Introducing Thumpers and their debut album ‘Galore’. Released via their own label, the band have┬áshot themselves into the ether of hype surrounding the records release. With the title track and first single from the album gaining recognition from the likes of XFM, Radio 1 and Radio 6 Music, the duo certainly have a lot to live up to. The record starts with the welcoming tones … Continue reading Review: Thumpers – Galore

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Music

Interview: CHVRCHES

Tucked into the UnionÔÇÖs cluttered backstage area with an unassuming air, you would never guess that the synthpop trio were in the middle of their international tour following seemingly instant success with 2013 debut album The Bones of What You Believe. Lead singer Lauren Mayberry is quick to defend the hard work itÔÇÖs taken to get this far: ÔÇÿFor us, it doesnÔÇÖt feel that instant … Continue reading Interview: CHVRCHES

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Culture

Interview ÔÇô James Cuddy, You Are Cardiff

This year, a group of Cardiff students┬á set out to photograph hundreds of ordinary people in Cardiff to emphasize the importance of the locals in creating a city-wide identity. Quench Culture editor Amy Pay interviewed James Cuddy, one of the project’s members, to find out about whether they achieved their goal of creating art from everyday faces. James Cuddy, You Are Cardiff – – – … Continue reading Interview ÔÇô James Cuddy, You Are Cardiff

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Features

My Frozen Face

Amelia Jones┬árelives her frightening experience of facial┬áparalysis, and reminds us that a smile goes a long way in ‘My Frozen Face’ I welcomed in the New Year excited to graduate and enthusiastic to enter the real world, but I faced an overwhelming sense of anxiety as looming deadlines and the mammoth task of my third year dissertation weighed heavy on my mind. The events that … Continue reading My Frozen Face

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Food

Review: Hang Fire Smokehouse

ItÔÇÖs hard to express the delicious experience we had at CardiffÔÇÖs best pop-up restaurant, but smokinÔÇÖ is a word that springs to mind. Every Thursday and Friday between 5 and 9pm, the Lansdowne Pub is taken over by Samantha Evans and Shauna GuinnÔÇÖs Hang Fire Smokehouse, awakening the soul of southern- style BBQ through the ÔÇ£holy trinity of good timesÔÇØ: good food, good music and … Continue reading Review: Hang Fire Smokehouse

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Features

The North-South Divide

    Gravy guzzling Northerner? Or stick-your-pinky-out Southerner?┬áAlex Chapman┬ádiscusses the ongoing feud┬ábetween students either side of Watford Gap in ‘The North-South Divide’ University life is never guaranteed to come without its fair amount of trials and tribulations, from the often crippling amount of coursework and revision to the realisation that, after living like kings for the best part of a fortnight after your loan going … Continue reading The North-South Divide

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Features

Picture This!

  Kieran Davey┬áinvestigates┬áthe popularity of the photo craze┬áthat is dominating social media in ‘Picture This!’ It was the photo that ÔÇÿbroke TwitterÔÇÖ. The Oscars, the most star-studded of events, had provided the most star-studded of photos which within minutes became a viral internet sensation. Inspired by show host Ellen DeGeneres, TwitterÔÇÖs most retweeted image- or ÔÇÿselfieÔÇÖ- was born as Hollywood greats such as Brad Pitt, … Continue reading Picture This!

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Food

Hashtag Foodporn

The ‘food’ hashtag on Instagram has over 90 million entries: thereÔÇÖs no doubt that documenting your meals is here to stay. However, is it a trend worth embracing, or should we shun those who dare whip out their phones at the dinner table? Emma Forbes and Britta Zeltmann investigate both sides of the issue. FOR┬áby Emma Forbes┬á LetÔÇÖs discuss the widespread phenomenon of instagramming food. … Continue reading Hashtag Foodporn

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Food

Steaming and Starving

Go large or go home as self-proclaimed drunkfoodaholic Josie Copson brings you her favourite spots to stumble into after a night out in Cardiff in ‘Steaming and Starving’ There are three times in life when calories do not count. these are: number one, your birthday; number two, the entire Christmas season; and finally number three (the one that occurs the most regular for many of … Continue reading Steaming and Starving

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Features

Survival of the #Fittest

  As fitness booms throughout social media, Emma Giles questions the development of a new competitive lifestyle, its benefits and possible repercussions in ‘Survival of the #Fittest’ The season of New YearÔÇÖs resolutions and the surge of self-motivational Facebook statuses has (thankfully) well and truly gone. Whilst this is a welcome change to those who realise that they have already broken their resolutions, one thing … Continue reading Survival of the #Fittest

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Music

Preview: Jealous Lovers Club & Juxtaposed Microfest, Gwdihw Caf├® Bar, 04.05.14

May 4th 2014 brings with it the inaugural Jealous Lovers Club Microfest. Taking place across two stages at CardiffÔÇÖs Gwdihw Caf├® Bar, the festival will be a showcase of Jealous Lovers ClubÔÇÖs musical mantra, with Playlounge, Nai Harvest, Radstewart, Woahnows, Olympians and a whole load more filling out the diverse bill, topped by the return of indie-popÔÇÖs best kept secret Tellison, in their first Cardiff … Continue reading Preview: Jealous Lovers Club & Juxtaposed Microfest, Gwdihw Caf├® Bar, 04.05.14

Tom Connick1,762 Comments
Music

Live Review: Deaf Havana, The Great Hall

ÔÇ£MikeÔÇÖs on daytime radio, and John played Reading + Leeds, and IÔÇÖm still playing the Purple Turtle on New YearÔÇÖs EveÔÇØ. So goes the lyric on Deaf HavanaÔÇÖs folk-tinged lament ÔÇÿThe Past Six YearsÔÇÖ, referencing friends in Lower Than Atlantis and Young Guns. Penned at a time when the band was struggling for direction and for their future, tonight sees them return to Cardiff having … Continue reading Live Review: Deaf Havana, The Great Hall

Hannah Embleton-Smith729 Comments
Music

Live Review: Chvrches, Cardiff Solus

ItÔÇÖs hard to know what to expect from a band like CHVRCHES. When the band consists of essentially two guys behind keyboards and a singer, one might not expect much of a performance from the live show. In some ways this is true, but at the same time they are somehow completely mesmerising. This probably has a lot to do with the combination of the … Continue reading Live Review: Chvrches, Cardiff Solus

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Music

Interview: Of Mice and Men

Alec Evans chatted to bassist/vocalist Aaron Pauley from Californian metallers Of Mice & Men, ahead of their sold out GB Live show at Cardiff’s Great Hall. You are currently touring the USA with the UKÔÇÖs Bring Me the Horizon. Are they a good band to have as touring partners? Aaron Pauley (Bass, clean vocals): Oh, absolutely! ItÔÇÖs funny too, because weÔÇÖre from California so our … Continue reading Interview: Of Mice and Men

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Music

Live Review: Bombay Bicycle Club, The Great Hall – Cardiff

Spring is finally descending, the sun is beginning to shine; that means one thing, itÔÇÖs time for everyone to realise how much they love Bombay Bicycle Club again. Fitting then that they should pop down to the Great Hall to showcase their impressive new album, ÔÇÿSo Long, See You TomorrowÔÇÖ. The theme of the show is made immediately clear; ÔÇÿwe are not the same Bombay … Continue reading Live Review: Bombay Bicycle Club, The Great Hall – Cardiff

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Music

Live Review: Howl and Birth of Joy, The Moon Club, 27.03.14

Eerie blue stage lights illuminate the Moon Club.┬áThe floor is sticky with its carpet of spilled lager. An audience clad in black overcoats and leather boots lie in wait, eagerly anticipating the werewolves of CardiffÔÇÖs rock scene. Howl breathe new life into a genre that has become somewhat stagnant in South Wales.┬áThe problem is not a lack of heavy rock bands; the problem is the … Continue reading Live Review: Howl and Birth of Joy, The Moon Club, 27.03.14

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Music

Live Review: Straight Lines, Solus, 09.03.14

Solus is busy before Falling With Style even start.┬á Their sound is powerful, vocal driven, heavy rock ÔÇô not unlike Linkin Park ÔÇô and it definietly precedes their youth.┬á Singer Lucas Woodland performs confidently; itÔÇÖs refreshing to see a young band move on stage with such passion and energy (you can blame raging teenage hormones for that).┬á┬á Unfortunately, the band seem to have little understanding … Continue reading Live Review: Straight Lines, Solus, 09.03.14

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