Behind the scenes at Burbidge Studios fashion shoot for Quench Magazine, shot at Keep the Faith Social Club Keep The Faith Social Club is neatly situated in Royal Arcade, just off the hustle of the Hayes. The bespoke barber-come-tattoo parlour provides a safe haven of vintage charm met with a modern twist.┬á Whether you are looking for a new haircut, a wet shave, tattoo or … Continue reading Keep The Faith ÔÇô Behind the Scenes
The Leeds-based five-piece will drop their self-titled LP on March 3rd, but is it more eagle or seagull? Perhaps someone has already come up with that, but this album feels like both across its 10 tracks, swaying between a sense of wonderful intrigue and ear-piercing doubt. There is a bunch of mysterious openings and dark riffs to get interested in, with opener ÔÇÿNerve EndingsÔÇÖ suggesting … Continue reading Review: Eagulls – Eagulls
Dillion Eastoe speaks to Frank Turner ahead of the first night of his arena tour at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena. Tonight is the first show of the tour, how are you going to translate the live show from the smaller venues youÔÇÖre used to, to playing in an arena setting? Frank: ItÔÇÖs a question I spend a lot of time thinking about actually. The reason weÔÇÖre … Continue reading Interview: Frank Turner
ItÔÇÖs safe to say that merely 12 months ago, most people would not have heard of Daniel Avery. A resident of the infamous Fabric club in London, he has been quietly grinding away, producing a handful of EP releases and remixes for larger artists. However, at the end of 2013, following the release of ÔÇÿDrone LogicÔÇÖ, his debut album, he has truly become the man … Continue reading Live Review: Daniel Avery, 10 Feet Tall, 23.01.14
London┬áGrammarÔÇÖs UK tour has been eagerly anticipated.┬á Solus is illuminated by a thousand smartphones; Cardiff waits to watch it through a thousand cameras.┬á ThereÔÇÖs a buzz of conversation, which unfortunately fails to subside even after Hannah ReidÔÇÖs opening note. Although a complete sellout,┬áLondon┬áGrammarÔÇÖs live performance is not as gripping as expected. Reid is exceptional, and she sings beautifully, despite her obvious problems with the sound … Continue reading Live Review: London Grammar, Solus, 28.01.13
It doesnÔÇÖt seem like the most natural fit at first sight. The idea of Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong releasing an album with Norah Jones may make listeners imagine a strange jazz/soul/pop-punk fusion album, but on ÔÇÿForeverlyÔÇÖ, the woman behind ÔÇ£my heart is drenched in wineÔÇØ and the man behind ÔÇ£do you have the time to listen to me whine?ÔÇØ are paying tribute to … Continue reading Review: Billie Joe and Norah – ‘Foreverly’
Ed Watson sits down with James Page, the man behind hotly-tipped singer-songwriter Sivu. Your pseudonym ÔÇÿSivuÔÇÖ is a Finnish translation of your actual surname, Page. How did this come about? IÔÇÖve been┬áplaying┬áacoustic stuff under James Page since I was about 15. Then I moved to London and started writing the newer songs that you hear on my EPs. I think the first problem was that … Continue reading Interview: Sivu
Buffalo Bar is renowned for being one of CardiffÔÇÖs leading bars ÔÇô its cocktails and nights cannot be upstaged by another ÔÇô but when we Food and Drink editors were invited to try out their Sunday roast, we really didnÔÇÖt know what to expect. We were surprised to see the place so empty. IÔÇÖve never actually been there on a Sunday before, and it was … Continue reading Review: Buffalo Bar Roast Dinner
The term ÔÇÿbanterÔÇÖ is pretty friendly. ┬áOr at least, it used to be. Once upon a time, it meant an amicable ÔÇÿrib-diggingÔÇÖ between two leisurely gentlemen about who had caught the biggest fish; it was the only way Jane AustenÔÇÖs girls could ever get kicks in their patriarchy-enforced plight to get hitched; it was a dance between words, not an offensive battle.┬á Banter was the … Continue reading The Battle of Banter
Hannah Reid, Dan Rothman, and Dot Major bring their trio London Grammar to Solus on Tuesday 28 January. Their critically acclaimed debut album ÔÇÿIf You WaitÔÇÖ was undoubtedly a musical highlight of 2013, reaching number 2 on the UK Album Charts. ItÔÇÖs a work of art. ReidÔÇÖs vocals are lyrically beautiful, accompanied by a warm tone and eloquent phrasings. It would be more than worth … Continue reading Preview: London Grammar – Solus – January 28th
Blurred Lines: ┬áthe best-selling single of 2013, number one in fourteen countries and the fastest selling song in digital history. Why then has a record with such huge popularity been banned from playing in over 20 University Student Unions, including UCL, Edinburgh and Leeds, and should Cardiff University be the next to follow in their footsteps? The reasons behind this censorship have received endless … Continue reading Blurred Lines
It is 7pm and everyone in line is in high spirits but anxious to enter the warmth of the venue. Finally, doors open and everyone filters into the venue. Only a few people gather by the stage. Most are at the merch table; meeting band members who are hanging around, multi-tasking between meeting fans and selling merchandise. Devin Oliver from I See Stars informs me … Continue reading Live Review: The Word Alive, CF10, 4.12.13
Is there any better way to raise awareness of mental health than to put on a multi-venue inner-city festival? No, is the answer. So, thatÔÇÖs exactly what Cardiff-based charity MIND did. For over 65 years MIND have been committed to ensuring that those experiencing mental health problems receive the help and support they deserve. Local promoters God Is In The TV Zine, Rockpie and Red … Continue reading Review: MIND Fest, 23.11.13 – Undertone & Four Bars
The Christmas holidays. Most students start counting down the days to this frenzy of seasonal television, Baileys and pyjamas as legitimate daywear in mid-October. However, not everyone at university is fortunate enough to be able to go home and re-bond with their family and pets for four weeks over winter. Whether itÔÇÖs because they have to stay to maintain a job, or because they are … Continue reading Cardiff at Christmas
Bullet For My Valentine have been marking WalesÔÇÖ place on the heavy metal map of the UK for some years now, a show at CardiffÔÇÖs Motorpoint Arena seeming an appropriate finish to the Bridgend bandÔÇÖs ÔÇÿRule BritanniaÔÇÖ arena tour. But after FebruaryÔÇÖs disappointingly received ÔÇÿTemper TemperÔÇÖ, would Bullet be firing blanks in the live environment? First on are Buckinghamshire-based melodic rockers Young Guns, who from … Continue reading Live Review: Bullet For My Valentine, Asking Alexandria, Young Guns – Motorpoint Arena – 06.12.13
Walking into a venue to see the mass of curly blondness that is Big Jeff in the front row is practically synonymous with great expectations of a night. With a reputation of attending only the best show of the day, Jeff and his unruly hairdo set the mark pretty high Bristol’s ‘most confrontational punksters’ The St Pierre Snake Invasion start the evening off on the … Continue reading Live Review: Future of the Left – Thekla, 15.11.13
The Moon Club feels like the queue for a Ryanair flight. ItÔÇÖs rammed, bursting at the seams with a mass of sweaty, excitable people. ThereÔÇÖs a lovely buzz; Rapper Skunkadelic and his DJ are warming up the Moon nicely as it waits for the self-proclaimed Black Shakespeare, Akala. This is, perhaps, the perfect setting. Psychedelic graffiti covers the walls, the stage is close enough to … Continue reading Live Review: Akala – The Moon Club – 5.12.13
SheffieldÔÇÖs emo-rock two-piece Nai Harvest popped in for a chat with Charlie Mock about their new record, Gnarwolves and Twin Peaks. Let’s start by getting down to the meaning behind your name. It’s a reference to the American band Saetia- have they been a big influence on your music?┬á Ben: Not really! When I first started writing stuff for this we didnÔÇÖt really have a … Continue reading Interview: Nai Harvest
Kirsty Fardell┬átakes a look at the best blushers for your money; whether it’s a long-lasting tint or classic powder, we’ve got something for you. Rimmel London Stay Blushed! – ┬ú4.49 at Boots This liquid cheek tint is great for long lasting colour ┬á- you wont need to use a brush or even top it up. The lightweight formula works by staining cheeks, but … Continue reading Student-Friendly Beauty – Blusher
If youÔÇÖre new to music in the mother tongue of Welsh then Gwenno is a great artist to begin and arguably end with, but letÔÇÖs not get ahead of ourselves. ÔÇÿChwyldroÔÇÖ, the first of three singles from the upcoming LP (Welsh for Revolution) is a beautifully relaxing infusion of synth and bass, topped by the angelic vocal acrobatics of CardiffÔÇÖs very own music producer, DJ, … Continue reading Single Review: Gwenno – ‘Chwyldro’
