by Rowan Lees ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿå Kendal Calling returned to Lowther Deer Park for another year of drinking, dancing, music, and general festivities. The line up saw acts as varied as The Libertines, Bugzy Malone, and Super Hans of Peep Show fame (ÔÇ£IÔÇÖve accidentally run to the Lake DistrictÔÇØ). Sadly a few of the promised and anticipated acts, including Hans and pioneering rap group Run DMC, were … Continue reading Review | Kendal Calling, Lake District
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
by Luisa De la Concha Montes ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿå Set up with the intention of offering a smaller festival with a similar layout to Glastonbury and Reading, Truck Festival has been running since 1998 at Hill Farm, Oxfordshire. Each passing year the festival has been building up its name by offering a wide variety of activities and music acts throughout the weekend. This year, the lineup included … Continue reading Review | Truck Festival, Oxfordshire
By Mike O’Brien |┬áÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔ£░Ô£░ Disclaimer: Fire Hose Games provided a free copy of┬á20XX┬áto Quench for review purposes. We all have vices. I, for instance, canÔÇÖt say no to sambuca. In the AAA games industry, no one can seem to put down the bottle labelled ÔÇÿBattle RoyaleÔÇÖ. And, just like the rest of us, indie games have picked their poison: roguelikes. With games like Enter the … Continue reading REVIEW: 20XX
by Maisie Marston ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿåÔÿå This year Citadel Festival took place in LondonÔÇÖs Gunnersbury Park, already christened by the attendees of Lovebox from the previous two days. In the 12 hour turn around all that changed were the signs, acts, and consequently, the demographic. IÔÇÖd like to think that despite the fact it was essentially Lovebox (but with more hipster Dads), it had some personality. Unlike … Continue reading Review | Citadel Festival, London
By Abbie Rands ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà Arriving at the Millenium Centre, there could be no doubt of the buzz surrounding this play. The excitement was tangible and the moment the first note sounded, I was swept away. The use of song to open the show was genius, as was the use of music and sound throughout. Far from an all-singing, all-dancing Broadway-esque performance, the music was subtle, … Continue reading Review: War Horse, Millennium Centre
ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿåÔÿå by Sarah Thompson As somebody who recently saw the Millennium centre performance of this show, the New Theatre had a lot to live up to in my eyes. First of all, I want to announce that this performance has 2 dogs in it, and that immediately makes it worth watching. ThereÔÇÖs no denying that this show was often lacking in set design and props, … Continue reading Chitty Chitty Bang Bang review at the New Theatre
A play that goes beyond white men arguing over a white painting. ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿå by Jess Warren Among a crowd of grey hairs and balding heads, one would assume that ÔÇÿArtÔÇÖ was going to be an un-relatable production. Sat in the audience as the lights dimmed and the play began, it would have been easy to predict the performance as being a sitcom of the bygone … Continue reading ÔÇÿArtÔÇÖ, the comical canvas of emotion
Mere minutes into Lynne RamseyÔÇÖs You Were Never Really Here, you are completely aware that this is a violent, difficult film. This is a film very much concerned with death, trauma and an uneasy mental state. Joe, (Joaquin Phoenix) a troubled gun for hire, traverses the grimy underbelly of New York (├á la Taxi Driver) to rescue a missing teenage girl from a ring of … Continue reading Review: You Were Never Really Here
The Greatest Showman follows the crazy imagination of American businessman, politician and importantly, a showman. The box office success celebrates PT Barnum and his show business through a whirlwind of music, dancing and sensation. Quench contributors wrote their thoughts… Right from its foot-stomping opening number, The Greatest Showman is a riot of colour, charm and razzmatazz, that cements Hugh JackmanÔÇÖs status as one of the … Continue reading Review: The Greatest Showman
Black Panther has set world records, smashed the box office and started a cultural phenomenon. We asked Quench contributors to tell us their thoughts too… Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film follows TÔÇÖChalla (Chadwick Boseman) as he takes his place as king of Wakanda following the death of his father. T’ChallaÔÇÖs rule is not an easy one, however, as he faces discontentment in the form … Continue reading Review: Black Panther
It took the Arctic Monkeys 5 years to make a come-back. Tranquillity, Base, Hotel & Casino is unexpected, different and an excitingly mysterious album. ItÔÇÖs an evident new step in their career. TheyÔÇÖve grown up and their songs have grown with them. Their new piano-driven, retro vibe, witty lyrics mark the start of a new era for the Sheffield group. The 70ÔÇÖs-like opening track, … Continue reading Tranquillity, Base, Hotel + Casino Album Review
Here at Quench Food & Drink we love being loyal to local and independent businesses, and Wriggle helps us discover the best of the crop. A gem in the city centre is the long standing and authentic Thai House, home to the first ever Thai food brought to Cardiff. Not yet on the student grub map, but definitely a contender for the foodies of us, … Continue reading REVIEW: The Thai House via Wriggle
The Wales One World festival celebrates eclectic worldwide cinema and has been since 2001. This rich selection of film, adventures across Welsh cinemas every March and aims to bring people together in the reflection of the wonders of moving pictures from around the world. WoW films prioritise the echoing of the ways of our world and the ways in which we ultimately live in – … Continue reading WoW Festival Review: Mary and the Witch’s Flower
A light-hearted romantic comedy is as essential to adolescent life as heartbreak and rebellion. Yet, for years, the only romcoms found in the mainstream were dominated by straight characters and their stories. From the classics, such as ÔÇÿWhen Harry Met SallyÔÇÖ to the modern features, like ÔÇÿLove and Other DrugsÔÇÖ, the number of romcoms out there with a heterosexual romance at their center are too … Continue reading BFI Flare 2018: Love, Simon
A story as foreign in location as it is in concept, Pop Aye relates the journey of a disillusioned Thai architect who one day while strolling the streets of Bangkok, purchases an elephant he┬árecognised from his childhood. Distressed by the demolition of his lifeÔÇÖs architectural work in a shopping mall redevelopment and by the distance shown by his wife, Thana (Thaneth Warakulnukro) sets off on … Continue reading NIFF 2018: Pop Aye
Things got up and running on the second day of Newcastle International Film Festival with a matinee screening of the Oscar-winning short film The Silent Child, and an enlightening Q&A with associate producer Julie Foy. IÔÇÖm certain the extended queue outside the Cineworld screen was buzzing with excitement, although you couldnÔÇÖt hear it as most of the audience were communicating their excitement (I hope) through … Continue reading NIFF 2018: The Silent Child screening and Q&A with Julie Foy
Newcastle at the moment isnÔÇÖt quite a city known for its film moments. Sure there have been occasions; Transformers filmed some blockbuster-style action on Grey Street last year, I, Daniel Blake gave a harrowing account of the UKÔÇÖs benefits system, but otherwise, a Northern representation is lacking. The kicking off of Newcastle International Film Festival last night (29th March) seemed to suggest this was changing. … Continue reading NIFF 2018: Get Carter screening and Q&A with Mike Hodges
Brooklyn trio Sunflower Bean first burst onto the scene in 2016 with their debut full-length record, Human Ceremony, which gave us an abundance of starry-eyed and jangly psych-pop gems, boasting a myriad of retro influences. Now they return with sophomore album Twentytwo in Blue, released March 23rd on Mom + Pop Records. Whilst each band member is still only twenty-two (hence the album title), their … Continue reading Sunflower Bean Twentytwo In Blue Album Review
Alexander Payne embarks on his latest cinematic journey in a transformative tackling of ever-present social, moral and political issues through an accessible, entertaining, bitesize medium. At a first glance, the film would appear as a standard Hollywood comedic throwaway with an interesting twist; Norwegian scientists have created a manner through which the human body can be shrunk down to a mere 5ÔÇØ, the process of … Continue reading Review: Downsizing
