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

Hannah Embleton-SmithApril 4, 2014April 4, 2014Leave a comment

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

Tom ConnickMarch 31, 2014March 31, 2014Leave a comment

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

Tom ConnickMarch 29, 20141 Comment

Preview: Devildriver / Sylosis / Bleed From Within, Cardiff Solus, 03.04.14

The California-based groove metal band return to the UK in support of their new album, Winter Kills, released last summer. Without a doubt, Devildriver have now hit their stride, with six studio albums under their belt, and a dedicated following of fans, they are without doubt one of the biggest metal bands to come out of America in the past decade. With an unrelenting, brutal … Continue reading Preview: Devildriver / Sylosis / Bleed From Within, Cardiff Solus, 03.04.14

Tom ConnickMarch 26, 2014Leave a comment

Preview: Jungle at The Globe, Cardiff

The word ÔÇÿelusiveÔÇÖ is often thrown about when discussing new, emerging bands, but in the case of Jungle, it couldnÔÇÖt be more appropriate. Despite revealing very little about themselves, the group have built up a large fanbase, including Radio 1ÔÇÖs Huw Stephens who called them, “One of the most intriguing and fresh sounding bands out there”. Further recognition for Jungle came when they found themselves … Continue reading Preview: Jungle at The Globe, Cardiff

Tom ConnickMarch 24, 2014March 24, 20145 Comments

Feature: And The Beat Goes On – Cardiff and Underground Dance

It is truly remarkable that in a matter of years, CardiffÔÇÖs electronic music community has grown from one or two niche club nights, to a plethora of burgeoning events, each with their own sounds and styles, comfortably putting it as one of the most interesting in the country. The scope of size and breadth of the venues facilitating this kind of music is, also, remarkable. … Continue reading Feature: And The Beat Goes On – Cardiff and Underground Dance

charliemockMarch 22, 2014723 Comments

Student-Friendly Beauty – Powders

Kirsty Fardell talks us through the best powders on the market for a student budget.┬á Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder – ┬ú3.99 at Boots This is a great product to keep a shiny face at bay. There is little worse than seeing club photos with a bright flash highlighting your oily face from the night before, so this saviour is a must-carry product. It doesnÔÇÖt … Continue reading Student-Friendly Beauty – Powders

charliemockMarch 22, 2014Leave a comment

LFW 2014: Best Collection

Julien MacdonaldÔÇÖs Autumn/ Winter and Spring/Summer 2014 collections both featured many standout pieces. Unlike many other collections, which stuck to simple black and white, Julien injected nudes, gold, silver, green, blue and red tones to make distinctive pieces. He also incorporated longer hem lines with most dresses knee length or full length, with the sleeve length also following suit. The clothes are clearly not designed … Continue reading LFW 2014: Best Collection

Tom ConnickMarch 21, 2014Leave a comment

Live Review: Royal Blood, The Globe, 14.02.14

The misery of a wet and windy Friday night in Cardiff is lost as you walk into The Globe, a small venue that you hope no one else has turned up to when you arrive – so you can grab a seat on the balcony and lord over those standing below. This night is a showcase of some very solid new bands out of Brighton, … Continue reading Live Review: Royal Blood, The Globe, 14.02.14

Tom ConnickMarch 21, 2014March 26, 20141 Comment

Interview: George Ezra

Eleanor Wilson chats to upcoming singer-songwriter George Ezra about what 2014 holds for him. YouÔÇÖre currently in the middle of your first UK headline tour. How has it been going so far and how have your audiences been? ItÔÇÖs been brilliant! ItÔÇÖs really interesting because a lot of the people coming to the gigs have just heard the first EP, so theyÔÇÖve heard a handful … Continue reading Interview: George Ezra

Tom ConnickMarch 18, 2014March 22, 20141 Comment

Interview: The 1975

Louis Browne & Jack Glasscock spoke to Matt Healy of rising indie-pop sensations The 1975 before their sellout Cardiff show. (Photos: Louis Browne) Hey! Has the tour been cool so far? DidnÔÇÖt you smash up a guitar last night? [Laughs] No, that was an accident! It was AdamÔÇÖs guitar and he put it down with slightly too much vigour and itÔÇÖs a hollow-body so it … Continue reading Interview: The 1975

charliemockMarch 7, 20141 Comment

Feature: Going It Alone

In the light of Independent Venue Week, Hannah Embleton-Smith finds out from industry insiders how Cardiff fares with small-time success in ‘Going It Alone’. The past few years have seen drastic changes for the dynamic of CardiffÔÇÖs independent music scene. With small venues becoming increasingly concentrated around ClwbÔÇÖs stomping ground, is the city seeing the revival of its independent culture or increasing marginalisation? As the … Continue reading Feature: Going It Alone

charliemockMarch 4, 2014March 4, 201442 Comments

Communication Problems

With the image of heads buried in their hand-held screens surrounding us, Andy Love examines the way smart phones have changed our social interactions in ‘Communication Problems’.┬á ÔÇ£This one has a better battery life, better definition screen, better camera…it’s also flatter,ÔÇØ says a girl wearing glasses to two of her peers who listen closely as if sheÔÇÖs a wizard telling a story. Smart-phones progress so … Continue reading Communication Problems

charliemockMarch 4, 2014March 4, 2014612 Comments

Fear and Self Loathing

If the grass is perpetually greener on the other side, maybe itÔÇÖs time to build a fence and shield gloating neighbours from view, argues Aimee-Lee Abraham┬áin ‘Fear and Self Loathing’.┬á We used to lurk nervously in the self-help section, wary of the stigma housed in its pages, fearful of contagion. We would lie through our teeth to cashiers, improvising tales of the poor uncle who … Continue reading Fear and Self Loathing

charliemockMarch 4, 2014March 7, 20149 Comments

The Internet Confessional

Can blogging improve your mental health? Sophie Lodge┬áinvestigates in ‘The Internet Confessional’.┬á In October 2012 15 year old Tallulah Wilson was hit by a train after years of suffering from clinical depression. In January this year her mother condemned the poor censorship of harmful blogging websites like Tumblr that she believed had fuelled her daughterÔÇÖs death. However, the inquest revealed TallulahÔÇÖs Tumblr account was deleted … Continue reading The Internet Confessional

charliemockMarch 4, 2014March 4, 201423 Comments

#OCDPROBLEMS

Toby Mott┬ádiscusses Channel 4’s ‘Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners’ and the perception of OCD as a cute quirk.┬á ÔÇ£Obsessive Compulsive DisorderÔÇØ isnÔÇÖt any easier to write than it is to say. As so often seems to be the case with the clinical titles assigned to mental illness, just the terms themselves are enough to evoke an uncomfortable and involuntary wince. Despite the tireless efforts of charities such … Continue reading #OCDPROBLEMS

Culture

Morgan Arcade Studios

As one of CardiffÔÇÖs biggest hubs for freelance artists closes, Culture editor Amy Pay documents┬áMorgan Arcade StudiosÔÇÖ short history and questions the future for creatives in Cardiff Next time you walk through town, let your eyes drift. Take in the structure of the buildings, look up to see what occupies the floors above the shops and observe our city properly. Until the beginning of this … Continue reading Morgan Arcade Studios

CharlieMarch 2, 201439 Comments

charliemockFebruary 27, 2014February 27, 20142 Comments

Spring Trend: Pastels

ItÔÇÖs a new year and that means some great new fashion trends!┬áAdmittedly, itÔÇÖs been a cold and wet start to the year, but contrary to the weather outside, the fashion forecast for 2014 looks brighter than ever.┬áFrom classic checked patterns to loud and proud slogan-bearing t-shirts, this yearÔÇÖs styles are diverse and there is something for everyone. Nothing says spring like soft pastel colours. True, … Continue reading Spring Trend: Pastels

charliemockFebruary 27, 2014994 Comments

Spring Trend (Editors Pick) – Tea Skirts with Cropped Tops

The length of a tea skirt falls between a maxi and a midi. Whilst the growing spectrum of hemlines may seem pedantic, the images conjured up of Alice in Wonderland style tea parties makes it all seem not so ÔÇÿmad hatterÔÇÖ. Although being pioneered as a spring trend by brand Alice + Olvia┬áthe tea skirt can be seen in many other S/S14 runways and is … Continue reading Spring Trend (Editors Pick) – Tea Skirts with Cropped Tops