There were many a pair of shimmering rhinestone-adorned cowboy boots at Clwb Ifor Bach on Saturday the 14th of October. Between Eleri, launching her newly released album The Carnival, and support acts Katie Lou and Megan Lee, jewel-covered footwear was in abundance. The sublime, carefree self-expression the cowboy boot has come to be associated with was evident in all acts’ performances, but is best typified … Continue reading Eleri @ Clwb Ifor Bach
Words by Francesca Ionescu How many Pitch Perfect jokes can I fit in an A Cappella show review? Not many, havenÔÇÖt seen the film in years. Since watching it however, the CUAC Winter Showcase was my first interaction with acapella groups, and I went in unsure of what to expect. For the next one, IÔÇÖd know to expect a lot of young talented students, an … Continue reading Review: The A Cappella Society’s Winter Showcase in Y Plas
British rock giants Kasabian made an explosive return to Cardiff International Arena (formerly Motorpoint Arena), touring their new album The Alchemist’s Euphoria. Despite the awful weather that greeted us, we left the venue absolutely elated. Supporting Kasabian on this tour is The Lathums, a relatively young indie band hailing from Wigan; they were one of the best support acts I’ve ever seen. Their set was … Continue reading Review: Kasabian @ CIA 02/11/2022
I had the pleasure to see Mahalia live on May 24th in Tramshed, Cardiff. As I always do, I tried to pay close attention to my surroundings, anticipating the vibes of the performance and preparing mentally for what was about to come. Tramshed, a west Cardiff renovated tram depot, is a small venue with a maximum capacity of 1000 people. In all honesty, I do … Continue reading Mahalia @ Tramshed Cardiff- Live Review (24/05/22)
Written by Lizzi Richards Kae Tempest is an artist, a poet, a playwright, a rapper, a storyteller. They wear many hats, and they wear them well. This was my third time seeing Kae Tempest, this time in CardiffÔÇÖs grand St DavidÔÇÖs Hall, and every time has been a unique and thrilling experience. This time was no exception. The decision to host this at a seated … Continue reading Kae Tempest @ St David’s Hall, Cardiff – Live Review (14/05/22)
Words by Maddie Balcombe. ÔÇ£WhatÔÇÖs good on a Tuesday, Cardiff?ÔÇØ was the question that Yard ActÔÇÖs frontman James Smith posed to an energetic audience as he first took to the stage in CardiffÔÇÖs iconic Clwb Ifor Bach. The answer seemed obviousÔǪ ÔÇ£Yard Act!ÔÇØ shouted the audience, almost in unison. This answer was not only obvious, but it was also extremely true. Both Yard Act, and … Continue reading Yard Act @ Clwb Ifor Bach
Words by Sophie Revell and Jasmine Jones (@jasminee_mae and @sophiethejourno) For Echo & The Bunnymen, their comeback tour has been a long time coming- even more so for their strong cult fanbase who have followed them for decades. Since their last Cardiff gig at the old student union in 2014, Echo & The Bunnymen have released 2 studio albums and performed countless highly anticipated festivals, … Continue reading Echo & The Bunnymen @ St Davids Hall – Live Review (05/02/22)
Words and Images by Billy Edwards Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark showed little nerves in their first show in Cardiff in twelve years, commanding an eager audience of devoted fans through a breathless flurry of pioneering eighties synth-pop. The showÔÇÖs dramatic opening event matched the weather outside with a chillingly-steely video of clanging shipyards and metalworks to the tune of Architecture and Morality, the title … Continue reading OMD @ Motorpoint Arena- Live Review (10/11/21)
Words and Images by Francesca Ionescu Stepping through the door of Clwb Ifor Bach, the light suddenly disappears and is replaced by a dark pink hue and pink neon accents reminding you of who youÔÇÖre about to see. The crowd is young and chatty, itÔÇÖs full of pink hair, pink shirts, fishnets, and an amazing t-shirt that asks the age-old question: ÔÇÿWhy canÔÇÖt I be … Continue reading Girli @ Clwb Ifor Bach- Live Review (8/11/21)
Words and Image by Craig Strachan A frosty evening on Womanby street brings in a subdued crowd made quiet by the cold. Holly Humberstone soon expelled such frigidity, the natural warmth of her vocals seemingly bringing this room back to life. The 21-year-old is embarking on her first headline tour, originally scheduled for pre-Covid but (as with everything) was postponed. If anything that has played … Continue reading Holly Humberstone @ Clwb Ifor Bach- Live Review (4/11/21)
By James McClements South London degenerates champions Fat White Family are an oh-so-overlooked, and so dismissed collection of misfits and underground artistes. Famous for their beef with artists like Sleaford Mods and Mac Demarco, their surreal and more often than not offensive behaviour is not the sole driver for their clout. Having released 3 strong studio albums to surprisingly-positive receptions, surviving the regular loss of … Continue reading “It sends you mental. It sends you mad” – Talking touring and survival with Fat White Family
The 2019/2020 academic year is about to begin. With that comes streams of artists and bands into Cardiff, and the announcements are all over the place. This gig list will help every fresher and returning student figure out which gigs they want to go too. Who knows, maybe you’ll even see a band you fancy checking out. There are some absolutely wicked artists visiting … Continue reading We’ve Got You Covered: The Gig Calendar (First Semester)
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 Dylan Graham ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà On Tuesday 16th October, John Butler Trio (perhaps a more accurate name would be John Butler Quintet nowadays) played at BristolÔÇÖs O2 Academy – their first show in the city since 2014. The evening started with Australian solo artist Bobby Alu, performing his laid-back ukulele driven songs and sharing his stories from his life. Alu set the tone nicely for the … Continue reading Live Review | John Butler Trio perform an incredible set at Bristol’s O2 Academy
by Dylan Graham Gaz Coombes Gaz Coombes, ex-frontman of 90s Britpop band Supergrass, performed at CardiffÔÇÖs Tramshed along with his backing band in support of his latest solo album ÔÇÿWorldÔÇÖs Strongest ManÔÇÖ. Coombes is a sophisticated songwriter and performer, effortlessly filling the venue with feel good music. The crowd was very receptive to the high energy of Coombes and his band, it seemed that not … Continue reading S┼Án Festival 2018 Day 3 Part 2: Old acts and new deliver more great performances
Interview by Courtney Moody So, if I can start by getting you guys to introduce yourselves and your position in the band? Mitch: Sure thing ÔÇô IÔÇÖm Mitch, I play guitar and I sing. Jack: IÔÇÖm Jack ÔÇô I play bass. Niall: IÔÇÖm Niall ÔÇô I play the synthesiser. Iain: IÔÇÖm Ian and I play the sax. Justin: IÔÇÖm Justin and I play the drums. … Continue reading “Our music develops from a positive attitude” – an interview with LYLO
by Courtney Moody ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà Gwdih┼Á,┬áor more commonly referred to as the ÔÇÿcolourful pubÔÇÖ,┬áwith its rainbow┬áexterior and vibrant swirls – is a true reflection of the creative minds that perform there; whether that be in the form of poetry recitals or live music. The intimate bar is a home-from-home for many students; with plenty of beer bottles, comfy cushions and quirky d├®cor in sight. The vibe … Continue reading Review | LYLO, Gwdih┼Á
Words by:┬áLuisa De la Concha Montes Last Friday, Kele Okereke played at Clwb Ifor Bach with an acoustic set in an intimate environment, which is quite contrasting to what he is normally associated with, as the front man of Bloc Party. Many fans still remain unaware that for the last eight years, he has been quite invested in developing his solo career.During an interview back … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Kele Okereke @ Clwb Ifor Bach 26/04/18
If you arenÔÇÖt already hooked on Zak AbelÔÇÖs soulful tones, you are about to be. The young musician released his debut album in October 2017, and that was after having already lent his distinct vocals to one of Tom MischÔÇÖs most popular trip-hop and jazz inspired tracks ÔÇÿBeautiful EscapeÔÇÖ. Now fast-forwarding to March 2018 Abel is about to begin touring with his impressive debut album. … Continue reading PREVIEW: Zak Abel @Thekla 21st March
By Max Modell A chorus of pop-punk rising from the audience greeted me as I entered Y Plas in preparation for seeing Waterparks. This set the tone for the evening as the first of the two support acts had yet to come on and the crowd were already amped.┬á It was a mix of teens and those who wish they could be teens again, such … Continue reading Live Review: Waterparks @ Y Plas, 08/03/2018
