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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Like many final year students too scared to face up to real-world demands and find a job just yet, IÔÇÖve recently been planning a post-University gap year to Australia and parts of Asia. Whereas, in years gone by, I remember my parents pouring over endless brochures, atlases and travel guides before deciding on that years summer holiday, my first thought when planning my travels was … Continue reading Top Travel Blogs
This month Quench Travel finds out which destinations are tempting our fellow students to explore different cultures in 2014!┬á Interrailing Following a pretty dismal summer of 2013, the winter-exam-January blues spurred on the adventurist within me and I have now planned to go interrailing around Europe this summer. Such a brilliant form of procrastination, I might add. With my best friend now residing up north, … Continue reading Travel Aspirations 2014
Paul Michael Glaser, star of ÔÇÿ70s cop thriller ÔÇÿStarsky and HutchÔÇÖ, leads the talented cast of Fiddler on the Roof as Tevye which is on at the New Theatre until Saturday 8th February. Set in Tsarist Russia in 1905, Fiddler tells the story of Tevye, the father of five daughters who attempts to preserve his family and Jewish traditions in the face of the Tsar … Continue reading Review: Fiddler on the Roof – The New Theatre
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
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
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
Your music has been described as ÔÇÿThe Stone Roses flapping at Echo and the BunnymenÔÇÖs long coats and mussing Robert SmithÔÇÖs hairÔÇÖ. How close in general would you say critical perception of your musical style has been in relation to the bands you are influenced by? Ben Romans-Hopcraft (vocals/guitar): ItÔÇÖs all over the placeÔǪ I think some elements are correct, bands like The Stone Roses … Continue reading Interview: Childhood
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
