Q - Cardiff Student Media

Quench
ISSUE 140 - HOLIDAYS 2014
Features 5
LGBT+ 11
Fashion & Beauty 15
Food & Drink 26
Travel 30
Culture 34
Video Games 42
Technology 46
Film & TV 48
Music 56
URBAN OUTFITTERS
EXCLUSIVE
20
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10 MAY 2014
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CARDIFF
STUDENT
MEDIA
AN OPEN LETTER
Q
To the VC, the Union trustees,
and anybody else who’ll listen
My name is Michael O’Connell-Davidson.
I’m a journalist, a JOMEC student, and I’m
lucky enough to be Quench’s chief editor.
I won a national award last year for writing about
the time I spent homeless, and brought Quench to
national attention last month at the Mind Media
Awards where I was nominated for the mental health
writing I’d done in the magazine. Before coming to
University, I worked in newspaper production. I’d
like to get into app development or academia after
graduating, depending on who’s hiring.
But who I am is deeper than that, and it’s important
to what I’m about to say. My mother works at
McDonalds (she just won employee of the month,
actually, so please send her your regards), and my
father is a lonely eurosceptic who drives a van. I’m
the first in my family to go to university, and one of
the only people I know from back home who made it
into a Russell Group institution. But while I might be
remarkable in my own way, I’m part of one of about
two hundred people who’re equally remarkable.
We’re Cardiff Student Media, and we’re pleased to
meet you if we haven’t already.
I’m writing to you - no matter who you are - following
the events of November’s AGM / AMM. If you were
there, you might have seen me: I was the loud one
who got way too into it (although, truth be told, that
probably doesn’t narrow things down much; in fact,
it probably describes half of the crowd). I spent most
of the evening tweeting with fellow Quench staff
member Tom Connick, and we noticed some things
that really worried us.
I think that student media has a problem, and if we
don’t fix it, we won’t be around much longer.
I didn’t come to this conclusion as a result of motion
six (which largely revolved around the semantics of
Tom Eden’s sabbatical role), but as a result of the
dialogue that surrounded it. As often happens,
people were wondering why the Union (and the
university by proxy, I suppose; I understand that they
also contribute to CSM) spends as much money as
it does on financing our operations; as opposed
to debating the motion itself, there were questions
and tweets that appeared to imply student media is
somehow unnecessary, or not worth the money.
Let’s put a few things on the table: our budget is
about £42,000 a year. That’s a lot of money, but
it’s decreased year-on-year for over a decade; it
stands to reason that there might not be a Quench
in another ten years. Still, it’s £42,000, and split
among 28,000 students, that’s £1.50 each. For that,
you get a year of Quench (which I’m operating under
the assumption you enjoy, given that you’re reading
this), about thirty issues of gair rhydd, as well as a
television and radio station. While we’re far from the
BBC, we’re the closest thing the university has to it,
and we’re being bled to death.
If you’re wondering why the union spends so much
money on Cardiff Student Media, then I’ll offer up
a couple of reasons. I feel like we owe you that
much, considering we’ve done a reasonably poor
job of communicating our importance in the past.
For starters, we hold the union, the university and its
students to account; while it might seem obvious, were
it not for gair rhydd, the football club’s misguided
‘joke’ would’ve probably gone unnoticed. It’s easy to
forget that the paper is nearly half a century old, but
during that time, we’ve shaped key areas of union
policy that have vastly improved the lives of students.
Five years ago, I was
homeless. Now I write for
The Independent. Why?
Cardiff Student Media
More than that, we represent the university on a
national level. Nobody questions the university’s PR
or marketing budgets; they’re taken as given. Yet for
free we produce remarkable content and win national
awards. Quench has either won or been nominated
for Guardian Student Media awards in six of the last
ten years, and we’re getting better by the day. Xpress
was credited as the third best student radio station in
the country weeks ago, and they’ve been producing
that level of content on a shoestring. (I remember the
lights in the studio occasionally turning out due to
some electrical fault towards the end of last year.)
I don’t know why you’d see that as unimportant: I’ve
met people who have said gair rhydd or one of the
other wings of student media was one of the reasons
they come to this university, and they’ve gone on to
do great things. (Five years ago I was homeless; I
now write for The Independent on a regular basis.)
And that brings me on to my next point: CSM is,
in essence, a subsidised work experience scheme.
During all of this kerfuffle about unpaid internships
(which are total shit, by the way), CSM has been there
as a non-profit and non-exploitative option for those
students who can’t afford two weeks of making tea in
London. You might frown at that notion, especially if
you’re not a humanities student, or if you’re in another
society - but given that people are now expected to
pay £9000 a year for what amounts to an extremely
expensive book club in some cases, I don’t think I’m
being untoward when I say that I expect what we’ve
been given. I’m thankful for it, of course, but without
Cardiff Student Media, the net value of a humanities
degree would plummet for some students.
Let me be clear: I understand that it’s not a rose
garden for anybody right now. There are few societies
or sports teams that don’t complain about the budget
they have (my heart goes out to the sports teams who
can’t a), and being told to work with local companies
is no solace. Kieran Gandhi (a former Sabbatical
Officer) told me to go out and get advertising, but at
that point, if I was going to prostitute the magazine, I
might as well start my own business instead of doing
the union’s job for them. I’m sure many of you feel
the same way, and I don’t want to make it sound
like we’ve got it worse than anybody else, but I’ll be
frank: by turning on each other, we’re only making
things worse for everybody, whether they care about
CSM or not.
The view from the third floor (where our office,
which is open access to all staff and students, is
located) looks pretty bleak, though, and I don’t know
how much time we have left. It might be years after
I graduate, or it might be longer. Hell, it could be
months; when I was sworn in as Quench editor, I was
told the magazine might not exist this year because
“it was the bit nobody understood”. I have every
reason to be scared, because I spend about 40 hours
a week on this magazine (on top of my studies and
my job), and I don’t want somebody who doesn’t
understand the value of our institution to flush it down
the drain.
The AMM was interesting because it showed just
how estranged from the student body we are. So
what are we supposed to do? Despite increasing
the value of a degree tenfold for those who properly
get involved, we’re given only token recognition.
Somebody suggested we smeared the football team
by publishing the front page of the gair rhydd that
detailed their now infamous social, which is the most
cynical thing I’ve heard in a long time. The idea
that a student newspaper could smear anybody by
reporting the truth is brazenly offensive, yet there was
no widespread drawing of breath: objectionable as
it was (at least if you care about women), people
just seemed to accept the notion that a free press
was only free when it said nice things. I assure you,
I’d love to report on unicorn sightings, but I’m not
going to write about those until every student feels
like they’re a part of this university, and that they
are - universally - being treated like a human being.
So let me make an appeal to you, whoever you may
be. The next time you read Quench or gair rhydd,
3
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listen to Xpress, or watch something on CUTV, please
remember that we’re not just doing this for ourselves.
(Of course there’s a selfish element; but considering
how cut-throat British society has become, I imagine
everybody’s selfish to one degree or another.) Without
us, you would have nobody seriously questioning the
university. You wouldn’t have the best student media
in Wales (while it’s easy to forget if you’re English,
Wales is a country, and it’s huge), an award that was
bestowed to us last year by the NUS. You wouldn’t
have a platform for minority communities that lack the
clout to win in majoritarian politics, but who deserve
as much of a voice as anybody else.
Student media is crucial to any institution of merit.
If you’re in a position of merit - the Vice Chancellor,
a sabbatical officer, or student politician - before you
consider throwing our work under the bus, remember
that student media is a living, breathing thing,
and that it does a great deal to hold the university
accountable. We are the closest thing to a fourth
estate that Park Place and the Heath have, and we
provide a voice to those who might not otherwise
have one. (Last year, I pitched Falling Through the
Net, the piece on homelessness, to Vice, Gawker
and others; it was rejected. Quench printed it last
year, and I won a national award for it.) If you’re not
in a position of power, or if you couldn’t give a fuck
about any of this (and I can’t blame you, because
you’ve got your own life to lead), then keep doing
what you’re doing: reading this magazine, reading
gair rhydd, listening to Xpress and watching CUTV.
I took a voluntary budget cut for Quench at the
Quench
IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY...
Andy Love
Features editor
@andyluvv
Chloe May
Features editor
@chloejayne_
Hattie Miskin
Features editor
Jordan Brewer
Fashion Editor
@JordanAffairs
Sophie Falcon
Fashion editor
@sophiefalcon1
Emilia Ignaciuk
Food editor
Suryatapa Mukherjee
LGBT+ editor
@sugaryDEMON
Emrhys Pickup
LGBT+ editor
Dylan Elidyr Jenkins
Food editor
Helen Griffiths
Columnist, dep-controller CUTV
@_HelenGriffiths
Jess Rayner
Fashion editor
@jessie_rayyy
Jacqueline Kilikita
Fashion editor
@J_Kilikita
Emma Giles
Travel editor
@EmmaGiles94
Kathryn Lewis
Travel editor
@KathrynLewis92
Amy Pay
Culture editor
@YayAmyPay
Sum Sze Tam
Culture editor
@sumtzenbumtzen
start of this year, because our future was already
uncertain. I think I’ve done a good job of making the
magazine a force to be reckoned with, but if we’re
forced to take another involuntary cut, this magazine
- and all the creative energy it holds - will die. That’s
not an exaggeration, either; I’ve done the economics,
and our position is so weak that we literally cannot
cut back any further - yet look what we’re achieving!
The time has come for the institution and the wider
student body to start valuing us and our work beyond
a “thing that’s nice to have.” And, really, I think you’ll
agree: you need us just as much as we need you.
Yours faithfully,
Michael O’Connell-Davidson and the Quench team.
Michael O’Connell-Davidson
Editor
@mikeocd
Sophie Lodge
Deputy Editor
@sophiel2013
Rhian Carruthers
Video games editor
@RoutineEnvelope
Matt Grimster
Video games editor
@MattGrimster
Charlie Andrews
Online, Interim Film and TV
@CharlieRAndrews
Tom Connick
Music editor
@ginandconnick
Jimmy Dunne
Music editor
@GrimmyBumm
Hannah Embleton-Smith
Music editor
@HEmbleton
Charlie Mock
Online editor
@charlie_mock
SPECIAL THANKS
Oh, and...
Imran Bukhari, Hannah Clarke, Holly Marsh, and Eleanor Webb-Dickin for their help
proofreading on deadline night, as well as Emrhys Pickup, Jordan Brewer, the Notorious
B.I.Gnaciuk, Sum Sze Tam, Rhian Carruthers, Charlie Andrews, Charlie Mock,
Jacob Dirnhuber, Tom Eden and the whole music team for helping Soph and I sub the
pages. We’d also like to give thanks to Eden and the other student media section heads
for lending their support to the above open letter, Martyn Fowler for being an excellent director
of rugby (and the right man for the job), Craig Longdon, Matt Hardnut, gair rhydd sports,
Elouise Hobbs for the assistance she’s given the Culture team, Meek Mill, Jess McFarlane,
James Martin, the Vitamin String Quartet. Oh, and happy birthday, Helen Zhang!
No, I’m [MOCD] not running for head of media and
marketing (ever). Let me put that in writing, so somebody
can bring it up and torpedo me if I ever do fancy it.
I love the union, I love student media, and I love this
magazine - but I’m not a politician. I’ve fought enough
battles for one lifetime. I just want somewhere to sleep,
enough food for me, my partner and my future kids,
and Cardiff Student Media has helped me approach
that goal, hence the above letter. No politics here, folks.
Q
4
LIFESTYLE
FEATURES
THE BATTLE OF BANTER
Has real humour been discarded in favour of “banter”? Charlotte Wace discusses lad
culture, sexual harassment, and the scandal that just keeps on going.
The term ‘banter’ is pretty friendly. Or at least, it used to be. Once
upon a time, it meant an amicable ‘rib-digging’ between two
leisurely gentlemen about who had caught the biggest fish; it
was a dance between words, not an offensive battle. Banter was
the icebreaker in the office, a temporary mood-lightener or a
break in an intense conversation. Those days are gone: banter
now IS the conversation. ‘Banter’ has morphed from a light-hearted,
conversational device to an excuse for being rude and offensive. At university
today, it is becoming synonymous with bullying. Banter has even created new
words for bullies. Bullies are now ‘Bantersaurus Rexes’,
‘Archbishops of Banterbury’, or ‘Kings of Banterville’. ‘It’s just
banter mate’ is becoming the go-to line after you’ve asked
your mate for the second time if their slightly overweight
girlfriend is pregnant or ‘just fat’. ‘Banter’ it seems, is rapidly
becoming the armour to prevent a punch in the face. If
someone dares to get offended by comments made, it’s their
own fault that they can’t handle ‘the bantz’. This is a similar
concept to the film ‘Hall Pass’, where two half-witted wives
insipidly allow their husbands to sleep with whoever they
want for a week to ‘improve their marriage’ (because
apparently infidelity is the key to the nuptial success). It is this
‘free pass’ attitude that is being embraced by the banter wagon: except we’re
addressing reality now, not a film. The rise of banter comes somewhat ironically
at the height of political correctness, where it is harder than ever to speak
openly without being defamatory. This has impacted society to the point that
people have complained about a ‘Big Brother’ state, where the right to free
speech is being impacted. Anything can be taken out of context. Technically if
my boyfriend told me the dinner I made was amazing (unlikely, as my cooking
is self-admittedly poor), I could accuse him of abusing my gender and insinuating
that my true place is in the kitchen. I could ring up the nearest women’s rights
allegiance and get him woman-handled out of my house faster than he could
swallow his dinner, let alone his words. Technically, if I casually suggested that
my grandfather (with a bad leg, a bad back and a heart problem) was too old
to go parachuting, he could accuse me of being ageist and patronising. All
over the world, people are obligated to guard the words that come out of their
mouths like political grenades. Some organisations in America have changed
the term ‘brown bag lunch’ (a well known phrase dating back to the preTupperware era) because it could offend African Americans. The term
‘brainstorming’ is now considered taboo in some schools because it may offend
epileptics, and one school in Seattle has renamed Easter Eggs, ‘spring spheres’.
However, although political correctness is regimentally enforced in the
workplace, schools and the press, keeping overt banter under control within the
private realm has become increasingly problematic. Adjacently to the rise of
PC policing has been the rise in ‘lad culture.’ To be a ‘lad’,
you are often required to go as far against cultural and
political expectations as possible, show very little regard or
respect to your own body and the bodies of others and go
out of your way to shock, regardless of the injury that may
cause. It’s worth noting that Urban Dictionary also includes in
its definition of ‘lad’; ‘a lad is a male who specialises in
creating and distributing exquisite banter’. The main problem
with lad culture and banter is that they are accepted,
expected, and over time, normalised. Despite many
regulations (our own university has its own ‘Sexism Spotted
on Campus’ group, societies have faced repercussions for
offensive behaviour, and it’s possible to report comments made on most forms
of social media), most people become pressurised or victimised by banter and
lad culture in social settings, which is a lot harder to regulate. Having been at
university for over two years now, I’ve seen and heard a lot. I interviewed a
random cross-section of students at a club night for CUTV (Cardiff’s student TV
channel) during Freshers’ Fortnight, including several mumbling, drunken idiots
of questionable ages, stating ‘I’m just here for the drunk fresher girls’ – but with
a lot more C words. If you thought the hideous term, ‘Fuck A Fresher Week’ was
a myth, I can confirm through those unpleasant individuals that it exists. More
specifically to ‘lad culture’, I’ve been to an all-male house party where a tally
chart was pinned to the fridge revealing the number of girls housemates had
slept with. This encouraged bullying (sorry, ‘banterous comments’) against the
one with no notches. This guy in last place was constantly under attack: ‘maybe
I’ve heard about
hockey initiations
where girls were
forced to strip to
their underwear in
the street
5
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it’s your shit clothes mate’, ‘maybe it’s your shit chat’ and other playground-level
remarks. This individual was left far more likely to take desperate measures to
boost his numbers (needless to say, we didn’t go back to that house again). Few
people would admit to being peer-pressured sheep, but the sad truth is that
many are: who knows what efforts that aforementioned guy would go to in an
effort to keep up with his friends. Peer pressure is the main reason people
sacrifice their self-respect just to gain an ounce of temporary respect from a
peer who seriously doesn’t matter in the long run anyway. What is being
achieved by the temporary laughs and backslaps ‘lads’ are constantly striving
for? Where is the ultimate ‘top lad’ and ‘banter king’
going to be in a few years time anyway? They’ll be
those older men in clubs, who assume that by offering
to buy a drink for a girl half their age, she’ll be
obligated to accompany them back to their seedy flat
(she won’t). However, focusing on scenarios that
happen in ten or twenty years’ time is beyond the
point. Despite many lad-culture supporters being fully
aware that their current lifestyle isn’t going to get
them far in later life, it continues to impact many
university students’ lives presently. It is in an inverted
way, rather than a subverted way, that minorities are
being excluded. When sports teams base their
initiations and socials almost exclusively on drinking,
they’ve wiped out inclusion for anyone who chooses
not to drink. Despite team members not engaging in
overtly prejudiced behaviour that would break
political correctness laws, you are considered as ‘not one of the lads’ if you
don’t join in their regular alcohol-based antics. The infamous initiation process
overrides other more positive or important aspects of being part of a sports
team or society. Initiations are intrinsically linked to lad culture and banter; it’s
not just about how good at sport you are, but how much of a ‘lad’ you are; how
stupid you are willing to be and how much you can drink. I don’t disapprove of
initiations necessarily; I just disagree with how far they can go. If no one is hurt
or puts their health at risk, then who knows, maybe they can even be character
building? When my first-year flatmate had to put an alive and writhing fish in
his boxers for the entire night during an initiation, even he laughed about it
afterwards. Speaking to Elliot Howells, Cardiff University’s current VP of
Societies and Campaigns, he said, “the biggest issue with initiations is that
people don’t know where to draw the line. I completely see the point of a few
games and challenges to bring teams together and get to know each other! It’s
people being forced to play rugby naked on a field rolling in their teammates’
faeces that I have an issue with. I like a drink as much as any other 20 year old,
but the horror story initiations would definitely put me off playing a sport!”
However, I’ve heard about hockey initiations where girls were forced to strip to
their underwear in the street, whilst forcing down concoctions of cat food,
washing up liquid and alcohol. It seems that most initiations involve vomit,
which in itself is degrading and unnecessary, but some initiations can actually
pose serious risks to the members involved. My brother’s rugby initiation in
Manchester, for example, involved (amongst other things) the Freshers putting
the end of a match-lit loo roll up their backsides, only
to be extinguished when they had finished their pints.
It was only when this particular ‘task’ had started that
the third years realised they hadn’t thought about
how they would put the fires out. Somehow no one
suffered serious injuries, but there were apparently a
couple of very close misses. At one point, a group of
policemen approached the boys when they were
hanging upside and inebriated from the play park
monkey bars, clad in thongs. When they were
informed it was initiation, they simply moved on. It
seems even the police don’t want to be accused of
‘not handling the bantz’ in some cases too.
It’s difficult to write an article on this subject without
coming across as a killjoy. But I’m not saying stop
initiations, stop drinking alcohol or stop making
any type of joke in case it’s deemed offensive. Nonoffensive banter in moderation is great. I’m merely suggesting that banter and
lad culture has simply gone too far. Banter needs to be brought back down to
reality in the same way that lad culture and its endorsers need to find something
worthwhile to achieve beyond just sex- and alcohol-related goals. The real
world can’t function as one massive joke or one big piss-up. Imagine telling your
boss all his opinions are shit? Banter isn’t going to protect you from dismissal.
Outside of the university bubble this style of interaction isn’t acceptable, so why
do we accept it? When so many conversations are being reduced to a strained
conflict of offences, I just believe that we’re all more intelligent and articulate
than that. Even if you’re not using banter offensively, you can still be using it
extensively. Banter is not a substitute for wit and it’s time to bring back some
old school humour that goes beyond a stream of half-hearted insults. If people
react unfavourably to your stance, or worse still, give you banter for it, you can’t
complain: it’s only banter, isn’t it?
What is being achieved
by the temporary laughs
and backslaps ‘lads’ are
constantly striving for?
Where is the ultimate
‘tap lad’ and ‘banter
king’ going to be in a
few years time anyway?
Q
6
LIFESTYLE
FEATURES
S
Should Cardiff University and the Students’ Union ban Robin
Thicke’s controversial hit? Yes, says Chloe Chilvers-Livadeas
Blurred Lines: the best-selling single of 2013, number one in fourteen
countries and the fastest selling song in digital history. Why has a
record with such huge popularity been banned from playing in over 20 University
Student Unions, including UCL, Edinburgh and Leeds? Should Cardiff University be
the next to follow in their footsteps?
The reasons behind this censorship have received endless media coverage,
especially when combined with the video (where a bunch of girls dance practically
naked around a creepily fully clothed Thicke). The song’s lyrics have been deemed
sexist, misogynistic and demoralising to women. After its release in March, it’s been
labelled online as ‘the rape song’, with the title ‘Blurred Lines’
conveying some controversial notions about sexual consent.
But despite all this, do the Unions’ actual members agree with
a ban?
When speaking to students about this issue, the general
consensus is yes, the lyrics are offensive, sexist, even disgusting
(something which it seems few can deny). But at the same time
they do not believe them to be dangerous, and therefore do
not think a ban is necessary - ‘If they played Eminem’s Stan in
Solus, does it mean I’m going to attack a girl and put her in
the boot of my car after the club shuts? I’m not going to sexually assault someone
just because Blurred Lines is playing’ - is the usual line of argument. They feel many
popular songs contain lyrics that some would find offensive – why should Blurred
Lines be treated differently?
Yet the truth of it is that sexual assault on women is such a prominent issue, and
especially amongst students, that it cannot be brushed over or simplified in such a
way. A survey conducted by the National Union of Students in 2010 revealed that
one in four female students had been a victim of unwanted sexual behaviour. So
why, when such a shockingly high percentage of the nation’s female students (and
remember, this is only the number of women who spoke up) have been through
that experience, should we not be making every possible move available to us to
reduce these kind of statistics? In most cases, the victim knew the attacker, which
suggests they were also a student, members of these unions. What’s more, a third of
the surveys participants said they felt unsafe when visiting their university buildings
at night, because they were worried about being approached and intimidated.
The track’s popularity, regardless of the meaning of the lyrics, is proof that the kind
of attitude about the relationship and dynamic between men and women that the
song suggests (i.e. women are voiceless objects who, without a doubt, ‘want it’) is
accepted as the norm. Surely action must be taken against anything that contributes
to the normalisation of such sexism and misogyny in today’s culture. Especially when
this is a culture where there are students who feel threatened on a night out at their
own Union.
All universities have a ‘duty of care’ towards their students and staff, meaning it
owes to each of its members a duty to take reasonable care for the health and safety
of those students and staff. This includes both psychological and physical safety, and
the Student Union should therefore be a place for its members to feel safe, happy,
and relaxed. What’s more, shouldn’t the University be a place where young people
are educated, cultured, and developed as people? And how is listening to T.I. rap
‘I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two’ every Friday over a pint
going to do this?
When speaking with my Grandmother on the subject, she was surprised to hear
that Universities were taking such strong action against a sexist
song, and told me that when she was at St Andrews University
from 1957 to 1960, women were not even allowed to enter
the Student’s Union without an invitation from a man. I suppose
this is an indication of how far the UK has come in a short
space of time, but this progress has to be continual so that in
another fifty years’ time, equality between men and women
is a fact, rather than remaining a concept. This feels unlikely
when songs like this are met with such popularity.
A first year student at UCL, which banned the song from
playing anywhere in union spaces and events last month, said she believes the
release of the song (and the video) has actually done the UK a lot of good: ‘I
think that it has resulted in the surfacing of problems people haven’t discussed, and
showed that normal everyday people, although mostly female, are no longer putting
up with this kind of crap.’ This is true - it has highlighted many issues surrounding the
topic of sexism and sexual consent that normally do not receive enough attention.
But in some ways it is hard to share her view when you hear the chants of ‘I know
you want it’ from hundreds of students when it plays on a night out.
For me personally, it’s not so much about the actual song being on the DJs playlist.
Banning one song from playing will not bring about significant change on its own.
It’s more about if Cardiff’s Union followed suit in the ban, the University would send
a powerful message to its students – the derogation of women in any form is a
serious, current and relevant issue. And as the number of Universities who make a
stand against it gets bigger, this message gets louder across the UK.
The National Student Union has made their opinion on this subject very clear:
‘We consider “Blurred Lines” to be deeply offensive and dangerous. It reinforces the
shameful way sexual assault is often represented in the media and wider popular
culture.’ They even ‘applaud all the other Students’ Unions that have taken this brave
step and encourage others to do the same.’ Cardiff, what exactly are you waiting
for? It’s not going to ruin a person’s night because the track has not been played it is much more likely to ruin a person’s night if it is. Why then should this ban be
anything other than celebrated and encouraged?
All universities
have a ‘duty of
care’ towards their
students and staff
7
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DIAGNOSIS:
ONE STUDENT’S
EXPERIENCE WITH HIV
In the wake of World AIDS Day, one student recounts their experience with HIV
and the support they were offered to help them cope with this ordeal
The last thing you expect to hear from someone when you have an almighty
hangover are the words “I have HIV”. That was the reality for me when I called in
to pick some stuff up from my ex-partner, who I had recently split with on a rainy
Sunday afternoon. My world stopped, my instant reaction was to be sick, my first
thought was, “do I have HIV?” This is something that happens to over 6000 people
a year in the UK, yet the subject is still viewed by many as taboo. Looking back at
that moment I think to myself that maybe I was slightly irrational, but when you’re
scared, your first instinct is to protect yourself.
I wasn’t crying because I thought I had
HIV, I was crying because I thought it
was going to turn my life upside down
The stigma which is attached to people living with HIV is extremely disproportionate
for what can be viewed as a chronic health issue. The issue of HIV emerged in
the 1980s when very little was known about the virus or how it was transmitted,
and this led to fear in the wider population where much of the discrimination that
is seen today stems.
However, even with the information campaigns and advances in HIV treatment
over the past 30 years, social attitudes towards people living with HIV are still
relatively hostile. As I sat there on the cold tiled floor of the bathroom with tears
streaming down my face, I felt completely alone. Never in my life have I felt so
empty, so helpless and so vulnerable. I couldn’t stand or speak, all I could do
was sob. After about thirty minutes of nothingness sitting on the bathroom floor
I managed to pull myself together enough to make it back downstairs and sit on
the sofa. Whilst I sat there he tried to explain about what having HIV would mean
for him, and I couldn’t listen. I was still too selfish to care; all I could think of was
myself and whether I had the virus. I had already had two routine checks at my
local GUM clinic a couple of weeks previously which had included the HIV test,
both of which came back negative, so why was I worrying so much? The next few
hours were a blur, it just involved me sobbing and the most incredible pain in my
body. When I did eventually come around from the emotional black hole which I
felt I was in, I hugged him and left to go home like some sort of cold hearted ****
(I’ll let you decide).
The following day I woke up early. Unable to sleep from the news the previous
day, I set off for the GUM clinic. I don’t know what I was expecting them to do,
I just wanted to know whether I had HIV and I wanted to know now. I got there,
filled in my forms and went to see the nurse. I broke down. I explained my story
and she listened carefully. Her reply to my fears: “It’s no longer a death sentence”.
I looked at her bewildered, as if she was talking a different language; in my mind
HIV meant you would die, wasting away. She assured me that was no longer
Q
8
the case; modern antiviral treatments are now so good that people with HIV can
expect to live as long as people without it. I was also informed that the antiviral
drugs are so effective that with correct usage, the viral load (that is the amount
of HIV present in someone’s bloodstream) can become undetectable. The more I
have read about HIV the more I question why I was so frightened. Obviously, it’s
something which forces you to make some lifestyle changes, but more often than
not these are lifestyle changes that are beneficial - getting more exercise, eating
the right foods, and generally looking after yourself. With regards to the antiviral
treatment received, if followed correctly HIV positive people can expect minimal
side effects. The information I was given at the clinic reassured me, but I was also
told that I would have to wait until December to have a conclusive result from a HIV
test. This is due to the fact that sometimes the antibodies, whose presence is tested
for, may take up to three months from infection to show up in substantial enough
numbers to be detected. I have to emphasise the importance of seeking help
straight away if you do believe that you have had sexual contact with someone
who is infected with HIV, as there is a treatment called ‘Post Exposure Prophylaxis’
which is a course of antivirals you can be put on to try and prevent HIV infection if
you are thought to be at a high risk. This is available from sexual health clinics and
also A&E departments, be it a weekend or a public holiday.
According to the Terrence Higgins Trust,
one in 650 people in the UK have HIV
Visiting the clinic really put things into perspective. When I left I went to see my
ex-partner - not to shout, abuse or explain how scared I was, but to show him my
support and that I was there for him. I did cry when I saw him, but it wasn’t for
myself, it was for him. I couldn’t believe how strong he was being in the face of
what many people would say is a life changing situation. We talked about how he
was feeling, and it dawned on me: it’s not actually HIV which is the problem, it’s the
stigma which surrounds it. People are uninformed about what it means to have HIV
in 2013, and that rainy Sunday afternoon showed how uninformed I was. I wasn’t
crying because I thought I had HIV, I was crying because of the way I thought it
was going to turn my life upside down. I was scared of how I thought things would
change for me, how I’d have to change my behaviour, and how people would
take an instant dislike to me if they knew. According to the Terrance Higgins Trust,
one in 650 people in the UK have HIV. Chances are you’ve probably got more
friends than that on your Facebook, and I wonder if any of them have HIV and
you don’t know. Being HIV positive isn’t the same as it was twenty years ago. It’s
no longer a death sentence, its stigma that’s the issue. The one thing I have taken
away from this experience is how people take much of what they have in their lives
for granted and sometimes a significant event can put everything into perspective.
It’s important to stay safe, get tested regularly, and never judge.
LIFESTYLE
FEATURES
CARDIFF AT
CHRISTMAS
HERE OVER THE
HOLIDAYS?
Although the campus may seem
uncharacteristically quiet towards the end of
December, Cardiff city centre will still be a hive
of activity. Here is a list of the best things to
do and the top attractions that will be gracing
Cardiff over the festive period.
1. Winter Wonderland. This annual favourite has
once again popped up on the City Hall Lawn on
Park Place. The attraction remains in Cardiff until
the 5th of January and includes an open air ice
rink and stalls selling festive food and drink.
Frances Stewart discusses the provisions made by Cardiff University
for students that choose to remain on campus over the Christmas break
and what a Christmas spent at Cardiff is like
The Christmas holidays. Most students start
counting down the days to the frenzy of seasonal
television, Bailey’s 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 it’s because
they have to stay to maintain a job, or because
they are international students who cannot
afford the transport costs for their journey home,
a minority of the student population is left behind
in Cardiff.
In the process of researching this article, I
was surprised to discover that although halls of
residence are kept open for students over the
Christmas period, the university provides little
to no support otherwise. I think that as Cardiff
keenly welcomes students from overseas to come
and study here, more consideration should be
put into their year-round pastoral care. It is not
sufficient to suggest that students should leave
their homes and their families in order to study
and then not maintain the level of support that is
offered during term time. However, it is not just
international students who stay in Cardiff. As all
students are given the option of being able to
stay in their houses or halls of residence over
the Christmas break, it seems then contradictory
not to give any real advice or guidance to those
who do choose to stay.
So, what can students who stay in Cardiff
expect to experience? Outside of the university
bubble, the city of Cardiff boasts a pretty
impressive array of Christmassy events such as
markets, festive theatre and open-air ice skating.
Although university halls of residence remain
open over Christmas, it is not just undergraduates
who have the opportunity to stay. I spoke to
postgraduate law student Fiona who is planning
to stay in Cathays over Christmas. Fiona moved
to Cardiff from her home in Ohio in order to
study here. When I asked Fiona why she chose
to come to Cardiff to study, she said that she was
lured here by the low cost of living. I proudly
agreed, as I couldn’t name another university
whose student union offers double vodka mixers
of a dubious quality for just £2.50, or a greasy
fry up for a fiver. However, despite money saved
through cheap booze and reasonable rent, return
flights back to America still prove to be totally
unattainable on a student budget. Fiona said,
‘My parents are flying to Cardiff to visit me over
the Easter holidays. Buying two lots of flights
between the UK and America in a year is just
inconceivable due to the massive cost.’ When
I asked Fiona if the university had provided her
with any advice or information about staying
in Cardiff over the Christmas period, she said
they had not. However, she did feel that ‘there is
probably support for international students who
choose to stay in Cardiff for the whole year, but
these services could be more widely advertised.
People tend to be shy about asking for that kind
of information if it’s not given to them, especially
if the person isn’t entirely familiar with the
university yet.’
When doing the research for this article, one
of the only pieces of information I found through
the university website about provisions made for
students over Christmas was a link to the Host
UK scheme website. Although this scheme is run
via an external organisation, it is advertised on
the Cardiff University website underneath the
International Students section. Host UK states that
2. The Cardiff Christmas Market. This German-style
market pops up on the 14th November and stays
until 23rd of December. The market has a huge
range of stalls, including Celtic Woodcrafts Ltd,
Sarah Bunton Luxury Chocolates, Land of Make
Believe and Hurley’s Knit Wear. It’s the perfect
place to find one of a kind presents for loved ones.
3. Panto! If you feel that Christmas just
wouldn’t be Christmas without minor celebrities
donning bejewelled tights and leotards for your
entertainment, then look no further than The New
Theatre. This year, there will be a pantomime
production of Jack and the Beanstalk starring none
other than Julian Clary. The production runs from
the 14th of November until the 19th of January
and tickets start at a reasonable £10.50. No
doubt it will prove as comforting as a large glass
of mulled wine.
Although halls of
residence are kept
open for students over
the Christmas period,
the university provides
little to no support
otherwise
4. Seasonal Ballet. If you’re still craving bejewelled
tights and leotards but in a slightly more refined
scenario, the Russian State Ballet and Orchestra
of Siberia are bringing yuletide favourites The
Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake to St
David’s Hall over the festive period. The Nutcracker
will be performed from the 19th to the 24th of
December, Sleeping Beauty on the 27th to the 31st
and Swan Lake on the 3rd to the 5th of January.
Student tickets are around £29.50, depending on
where your seats are.
5. The Royal Arcade. Tucked away in the heart
of the city centre, this arcade is transformed at
9
Q
Christmas time; fairy lights are draped as far as
the eye can see and all of the shops put up spiritlifting window displays. However, this is not your
average shopping arcade. You won’t find the usual
high street chains that litter the rest of Cardiff here.
I mean we all have that one relative who really,
really loves vinegars, oils and spirits, right? Well my
friend, you have come to the right arcade! A trip to
the questionably named Vom Fass, which only sells
vinegars, oils and spirits, should fulfil all of your giftgiving requirements. Got a friend with tricky dietary
requirements? Well, Health With Herbs is sure to
have a suitable gift. They stock products such as
‘festive digestive’, an enzyme-based digestive aid
to tackle that post-turkey bloat. Alternatively, there
are less offbeat shops such as Wally’s Delicatessen,
which stocks literally every edible Christmas delight
you can think of. And yes, in this case, I do mean
literally rather than figuratively. It’s that good.
Cardiff has plenty to
offer; you just have to
search for it
6. Go Ice Skating. Channel your inner Blades of
Glory and head down to Planet Ice at Cardiff Bay. It
costs £7.90 for a session on the ice including boot
hire, or £5.90 if you’re already pro and you’ve got
your own blades. Or, if you’re more into watching
rather than participating, the ice rink will be
reformatting Alice in Wonderland as a ‘pantomime
on ice.’ It’s only being shown at 7pm on the 5th and
7th of December and tickets cost £7.
So, if you choose to spend Christmas in Cardiff,
there is plenty on offer but you just have to search
for it. It seems surprising that an institution as big
as Cardiff would keep accommodation open over
Christmas for students, but not really offer further
support. However, as the university is only really
required to provide education for students, is it up to
them to make arrangements for people who might
not be able to go home? As Cardiff is a capital city,
it can provide plenty of entertainment for anyone
who resides here over the holidays, but it still seems
somewhat unsatisfactory that students seem left
to their own devices when the university is aware
that not everyone will be leaving the campus at
Christmas.
Q 10
it aims to ‘promote international friendship and
understanding by arranging for international
students studying in the UK to spend a day,
weekend or Christmas in a British home.’ There
is a £60 administration cost that students have
to pay, although some institutions will cover this
fee on their students’ behalf. But, after the cost
of administration the actual visit is free. Visiting
students have the option to stay with their host
for a weekend in the holidays, or over Christmas
eve, Christmas day and boxing day. Students
can request to stay with a host who lives within
the vicinity of their university if this is possible,
or else the student must state a travel budget that
they can afford, and the organisation will find
a host whose journey cost is within that budget.
Although it is good that the university is
advertising these kinds of schemes, considering
the size of the institution, it should really be
capable of running schemes like this within the
university. Furthermore, if the university runs
and regulates arrangements similar to Host UK,
students then might feel more confident about
applying to them. Additionally, I agree with
Fiona in that these resources should be more
widely available for students. For instance, the
Host UK web link is on the Cardiff University
website, but it is not signposted or immediately
obvious.
One area of the university that is open all
through the Christmas holidays is the multifaith Chaplaincy located on Park Place, which
describes itself as ‘a place of friendship,
hospitality, reflection, support and dialogue.’ It
provides a place for students to socialise when
halls might seem like a lonely place to be and
is open to all, regardless of whether you are
religious or not. There is food available and
students are also encouraged to come and use
the communal kitchen if they are in groups too
large to accommodate in their own residences.
Father Gareth Jones, who runs the Chaplaincy,
says ‘Most years there has been a traditional
Christmas day lunch at the Chaplaincy. I would
hate to think of any student being alone over
Christmas. They will certainly be welcome
at the Chaplaincy.’ Although a Chaplaincy is
traditionally a place where people of religious
beliefs congregate, Father Jones was keen to
stress the fact that everyone is welcome at the
university Chaplaincy, regardless of whether
they are religious or not. When asked whether
students needed to hold religious beliefs in order
to visit, Father Jones said “Do students have to
be Christian, or believers of some kind to be
invited or welcomed? The answer is no. All I’d
ask is that they believe in ‘the division of labour’
and don’t leave behind a mountain of washing
up! Christmas is a celebration of a birth. I think
we can all relate to that”.
LIFESTYLE
LGBT+
ALWAYS GAY,
NEVER A PERSON
Liam Havard shares his thoughts on the negative connotation of the
word ‘gay‘ and the increasing popularity of the ‘gay best friend‘
DISCRIMINATION
This month, to conclude the semester, a
few members of the LGBT+ community
get together to talk about discrimination
in their public and private lives,
constructed legally and socially by the
world around them.
2013 and still feeling like a category? and segregating them, but there are other
Although prejudice against the LGBT+ factors contributing to this. For the average
community is dissolving, homophobia still gay person, they just want to be seen as Joe,
exists today - even in the subtlest of forms. but nowadays it is easier said than done.
There are several factors out there today that Consider the typical gay man – you imagine
do this, such as how the word “gay” now him as having good fashion sense, being
has negative connotations associated with wildly camp and being a little bit catty,
it and how there is increasing pressure to yet this is hardly the case. The media has
be that ‘gay best friend’. Are these forms constructed this image and it seems every girl
of homophobia or are they just a bit petty?
out there is falling for it, hence their ‘destiny’
“This is so gay!”, “I know this is gay, to find their ‘gay best friend’. This ‘gay best
but...” “You absolute
friend’ all these girls
When girls find out I’m
gay boy!” – sound
want generalises every
gay and they’re like ‘oh my gay man out there by
familiar?
Does “gay” today
saying that they are all
god, I love you already,’ it
mean
homosexual?
the same. It says that
does
offend
me,
because
Does
it
refer
to
gay men are defined by
they haven’t even met me
something
that
is
their sexuality, which is
rubbish, useless or even
completely ridiculous!
soppy? Is there another level of meaning Why is there this need for a gay best friend,
to this word? More and more people today because more often than not, they are like
are using the term “gay” to describe things every other Tom, Dick & Harry – pretty darn
negatively.
average.
The issue here is that it may be interpreted
Every day, floods of gay men are being
as a form of homophobia. One must ask if introduced by others as the ‘gay best friend’.
this new meaning is trying to degrade the This raises the question of why can they not
LGBT+ community by saying that they are be introduced as just the ‘best friend’. The
rubbish or useless. Many argue that there fact that they cannot be introduced like
is a connection, and it’s clearly visible why. everyone else is a bit sad. It creates a sense
By referring to something that is undesirable that gay people are on a different level to
to you as “gay”, you are arguably enforcing the straight community and that they are a
an association that homosexuality is category and not a person.
Some anonymous sources have spoken
undesirable. Whether one wishes to create
this blatant connection or not, it is there. out recently about the pre-assumptions of
However, with words constantly evolving, being gay:
“I am not defined by my homosexuality.
maybe there is no real reason to get your
knickers in a twist. It is used by so many When girls find out I’m gay and they’re
people today that surely not everyone using like ‘oh my god, I love you already,’ it does
this word is trying to offend every gay man offend me, because they haven’t even met
and woman out there. Maybe this word me!”
“I don’t introduce my friends as being
did evolve from a form of homophobia,
but today, it seems like a light-hearted term my straight or bisexual friend, so why am I
to describe people’s dislikes. Having said introduced as the gay friend?”
Obviously, there is some frustration over
that, it is reasonable to ask: Of all words,
all of this in the LGBT+ community and it is
why “gay”?
Maybe the way “gay” is being used is causing some upset, but maybe there is a
offending some of the LGBT+ community silver lining to all of this…we’re in demand.
11
Q
WELL I WOULD GIVE BLOOD, IF I COULD
Currently UK guidelines prohibit the donation of blood
from men who have sex with men within a 12 month
period, regardless of whether condoms are used
or not, or whether two men are in a monogamous
relationship. The argument provided by the ‘Give
Blood’ website elucidates the fact that ‘The criteria
[to exclude donations from men who have sex with
men] are based on complex assessments of risk
and must by their nature be based on evidence and
statistics that are recorded at a population level. Such
So what happens to men who
have sex with men then? Are
they just unable to give blood?
an approach results in assessments of certain groups
as being at a higher risk than others of carrying
blood-borne infections, and can make individuals
that are deferred from donation feel they are being
placed into a “category” even if they believe their
own sexual behaviour and risk-taking would not be
a risk to the blood supply.’
The reasoning behind this comes from research
by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood,
Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) who explain that a blood
donation system based on individuals’ behaviour
and level of risk rather than applying deferrals to
groups is not viable stating that ‘there is insufficient
evidence available to be able to determine the
impact on blood safety of such a system. It is also
not certain that all people could objectively assess
their own level of risk.’ So what happens to men
who have sex with men then? Are they just unable
to give blood? It seems completely ridiculous that
two men in a committed, monogamous relationship
with each other are unable to give blood when they
know that they are not HIV positive (whether through
health checks or other reasons), and is particularly
insulting when they have been committed to each
other for a number of years. Is their only option
sexual abstinence if they wish to donate blood? How
is it fair that a heterosexual male who has regular
one-night stands is able to give blood not knowing
himself whether he has contracted HIV or not and
a man who is in a monogamous relationship with
another man for over a year cannot when he is sure
of his HIV status?
The fact that all men who have sex with men
are tarnished with the same brush as engaging in
higher risk sexual activity due to the assumption that
they are unable to have committed relationships is
grotesquely unfair. It reflects a disgraceful societal,
stereotypical view that men who have sex with men
are either individuals who partake in regular onenight stands or who do not engage in any sort of
sexual activity. As LGBT+ Officer, I myself fall into
this category unable to donate blood when I’ve been
in a monogamous relationship for over a year. I will
be making sure that the LGBT+ Association focuses
on awareness of this issue and lobbies the NUS
and Welsh Assembly over this. It is now even more
insulting since the passing of the Equal Marriage Bill
in July of this year that married male couples are
unable to give blood despite having equal status to
married heterosexual couples.
Adam Duce
SOME ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS
There is a tendency among activists and allies of
the mainstream gay rights movement to treat marriage
equality as the be-all and end-all of LGBT+ liberation. This
is despite the fact that there are neighbourhoods across the
UK where same gender couples risk violent assault if they
dare to hold hands; some trans* people are still dependent
on ignorant or unpleasant doctors for lifesaving medical
treatment. But marriage equality, with immediate results, is
easier to talk about! It comes with adorable photos of gay
newlyweds, and by next summer it’s going to be happening
every day throughout England and Wales. And all it took was
a simple Act of Parliament, not a long-term educational drive to
eradicate violence and shift cultural perceptions of vulnerable
minorities. No wonder celebrities are so ready to tweet their
support.
Don’t get me wrong. Equal marriage is a wonderful step
forward and something to be celebrated; both in immediate
terms for the people who will now be able to demonstrate their
commitment on equal footing with straight couples, and for the
progress it seems to promise in related areas. But I remember the
day it passed as one of mixed feelings, especially in the trans*
community, where jubilation took a back seat to bitterness over
the shortcomings of the Act in its final form. Few of its high
profile supporters seemed interested, but many trans* people
still feel that that the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013
gave us the short end of the stick.
What exactly does equal marriage have to do with trans*
people? Good question. After all, we may share a movement
with gay, bisexual, queer etc. people - but our issues are
very different, hinging on gender roles and bodily integrity
Q 12
rather than sexual and romantic relationships. But when your
gender in the eyes of the law doesn’t necessarily align with
your gender in reality, complications arise. What about two
straight, transsexual people in a relationship, only one of
whom has obtained legal recognition of his transition - should
they be denied marriage because the law regards them as
a gay couple? Or a newly out woman who wants to remain
married to her supportive wife? In the past she would be forced
to go through divorce before receiving a Gender Recognition
Certificate (GRC), the document formally confirming her female
identity.
Fortunately, this year’s Marriage Act abolished that particular
inconvenience, but it failed to fix other problems and even
introduced some brand new ones. Refusal to disclose prior
possession of a GRC is still considered grounds to annul a
marriage - disturbing, given the supposed purpose of a GRC
as the ultimate privacy seal on a trans* person’s history. One
controversial part of the Act states that in order to convert a
provisional GRC to a full and permanent document, a married
applicant must now obtain written permission from their spouse.
Given the unsupportive and obstructive attitudes of many
partners who do not cope well when their spouses come out,
this could cause untold misery for unhappily married trans*
people in the future.
Same gender marriage is an achievement, but its
implementation is tied to outdated, authoritarian notions of
how gender works and who has the right to label it. Real
equality will only come about when the law recognises gender
as flexible, variable and above all irrelevant.
Kevin McGowan
LIFESTYLE
COLUMNIST
C O L U M N
R O A D
with Helen Griffiths
It’s Hard Out Here
PVC underwear during what is supposed to be a family-friendly,
internationally-broadcast awards ceremony is, admittedly, bad taste
which-ever way you look at it (sorry Miley). But wearing tight revealing
clothing shouldn’t result in you being automatically branded a “slut”.
Nor should it be taken as a sign that you’re looking for a “hook-up”.
Worryingly, a victim’s appearance or choice of clothes seems to be
cited all too often as an excuse or reason for rape. My housemates
and I recently stumbled upon an article about a study, conducted by
Middlesex University, which compared quotes from British “lads mags”
to ones from interviews with convicted rapists. There were scarily few
differences between the two, though the idea that a woman dressing a
certain way is an indication that she wants sex was found only amongst
the rapists’ quotes. What was even more chilling was that some of the
user comments beneath the article were actually defending the quotes.
One user, for instance, questioned what men are supposed to do if
women are wearing short skirts and “turning them on” – ignore their
natural instincts? I read this particular comment to my housemates, and
they responded with as much outrage and disgust as I felt. Our answer
to you, commenter, is YES. Yes, you should ignore your natural instincts,
if those instincts are to force women into doing something they don’t
want to do!
Excuse me while I deviate from the usual light-hearted nature of my
column slightly this month. Writing about serious topics doesn’t exactly
come naturally to me, and gender equality is by no means an easy thing
to discuss, but I’m going to do my best.
It’s easy to fall into trap of thinking that sexism is dead, in the UK at
least. These days, nobody would dare openly suggest that women are
in any way inferior to men… so why do we still see people acting like
that’s the case? There’s been a renewed interest in this debate recently
- it’s certainly a hot topic on campus, what with an incident involving
the Cardiff University Football Team and an offensive presentation about
“picking up women” getting picked by national press. It’s a debate that
can never have too many voices, so I’m adding mine into the mix. And I’m
saying this kind of behaviour is categorically wrong.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of
thinking that sexism is dead
Last month, the ever controversial and utterly fantastic Lily Allen burst
back into the public consciousness with her new single “Hard Out Here”.
Apart from striking an almost comically stark contrast to her cover of
Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” (as featured on the John Lewis
advert - you’ve all seen it), “Hard Out Here” articulates in no uncertain
terms some of the pressures on women in the music industry. The video is a
commentary on the all-too-common theme of the objectification of women
in the industry; we see Lily and a group of scantily clad women dancing in
an overtly sexualised manner, being instructed and egged on by the same
middle aged, white, male executive who was leering over her at the start.
The scene is certainly reminiscent of far too many music videos, the only
difference being that the executive male figure is on the opposite side of
the camera for a change. Make no mistake, though, he’s almost always
there – in a recent interview with The Observer, Lily claimed that women in
the music industry have always been controlled by “male execs”, pushing
them towards making certain decisions (i.e. the ones that will make them
the most money).
It’s easy to see how young, impressionable women (ahem, Miley) can
end up going overboard with provocative dancing and clothes. However,
while we’re on the topic, there is a point to be made about the fact that
we should all be able to wear what we want without being judged by
others. I mean, clothes are clothes, right? They shouldn’t necessarily be
taken as a reflection of you as a person. Okay, dressing in flesh-coloured
Needless to say, we were all fuming after having read this article and
some of the comments beneath it. However, we then settled down to
watch Made in Chelsea, and within minutes we found ourselves calling
some of the female characters sluts. It just goes to show that none of us
are innocent; even women who feel passionately about feminism can
find themselves judging other women unfairly. It’s become such a norm
in society that we rarely even think about it.
I’m not saying that men never get a raw deal, either. These days, they’re
under just as much pressure as women to make themselves attractive.
And, when women try to seek empowerment in all the wrong ways,
men can be the victims. For instance, I don’t know if you’ve heard of a
new app called Lulu? No? It basically allows women to rate men whom
they’ve had some kind of relationship or “encounter” with, based on a
number of different factors. The women remain anonymous, but the men
involved have their photos uploaded directly from Facebook without
any permission or notification. They are then given a score, and even
reviews – all of which can be seen by this anonymous, lurking network
of women. It’s a horrible idea. Allen herself said she designed the app
as means of empowering women… But, actually, it just highlights the
fact that women can also be terribly derogatory towards men. And it
opens the question of “if women can do this to men, why shouldn’t men
be allowed to do the same to women?” Of course, if they did, there
would be a huge outcry.
I’m not sure what my closing thoughts are on this whole mess, really.
I guess, to sum up: sexism isn’t dead. But women can be just as bad as
men. It’s not just hard out here for a bitch - it’s hard out here. Full stop.
13
Q
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5AM
LIFESTYLE
FASHION
Fast Fashion
Fashion on the go:
@QuenchFashion
Who knew that ‘Fresh Prince’ style
vintage shirts would make a come
back for our winter wardrobes?
Floral, whacky and colorful, the
more ‘out there’ the shirt is, the
more fashion points you will get.
With celebrities such as Alexa
Chung and Fearne Cotton going all
out with this trend, it’s one you are
definitely forbidden to miss out on.
Admittedly, this is the type of trend
where most of us will fear because
of the styling. However, it isn’t as
difficult as you might origionally think.
There are a veriety of different and
really easy ways to style this trend.
For casual daywear, team your shirt
with a pair of baggy Levis, a fur coat
to keep you warm in these winter
months, and a pair of ankle boots to
toughen up your outfit. Or, layer it up
with a simple cardigan and a pair of
slim cut jeans, to soften up your daily
look. If you’re styling your shirt to
wear on a night out, layer it over a
little black dress, team it with a pair of
chunky cut out boots and don’t forget
the bright lipstick - you’ll definitely
stand out. Boys, team your shirt with
the skinniest pair of jeans you can find.
Take a trip down Albany Road; you
will be spoilt with the range of charity
shops teasing you with these baggy
vintage shirts. Have a peek and bag
yourself a bargain. With your student
budget, you can’t go wrong with
spending only a couple of quid on a
statement shirt, especially when your
money is going to a good cause.
Alternatively try out the Cardiff
Fashion Quarter; you’re bound to
come across a variety of flamboyant,
printed, over-sized vintage shirts. If
you’re lazy like me and love a steal
from the tip of your fingers, ASOS
Marketplace is an absolute treat.
SURVIVING THE SALES
Christmas means different
things to different people.
It’s a day of festivity, food
and family, for others it’s
all about gifts, party’s and
haveing a good old drink;
but for some it’s merely
the calm before the storm
as we creep towards the
Christmas Sales. Every
year, thousands of people
get up at the crack of dawn
in order to wrestle their
way into Next to get a
pair of sandals or bootcut
jeans at 60% off. We’ve
all seen images of riots in
the U.S. on ‘Black Friday’
along with horror stories of
fistfights breaking out over
the last reduced toaster.
Shops become warzones
PRIMARK A/W
TREND WATCH: VINTAGE SHIRTS
as people tear through rails
like piranhas, so we can
buy last seasons gear at a
marked down price – only
for it to be reduced further in
two weeks time. It’s a fairly
miserable experience. The
problem is, it never seems
to be the things you want
that get reduced. The
garish t-shirt that seemed
so on-trend three months
ago is down from £25
to £5, yet now it doesn’t
seem quite as appealing.
The jacket that you wanted
now at half price, doesn’t
have the same charm
knowing that SS14 will be
released in 3 weeks. This
is my problem with sales
– even though it’s cheaper,
Reena Dosanjh
you’re
still
spending
money on last year’s
trends. There’s a reason
they’re flogging it cheap.
That said, sales provide
a good opportunity for
restocking your wardrobe
with decent essentials.
Deciding
what
you
want before you go in is
key, otherwise there’s a
chance you’ll suffocate
in discounted floral and
leopard prints. Stick to
easy colours, not patterns,
but don’t be afraid to be
interesting. Knitwear is
always heavily discounted
in Christmas sales, so try
picking up a classic cable
knit jumper or sweatshirt
that you can wear all year
round. Similarly footwear
is great during sales – a
decent pair of brogues will
never be out of fashion
and can be picked up
cheaply in lots of places.
Once you’ve exhausted
the high street, look around
smaller independent shops
in the Arcades – there
will always be something.
The key is to keep looking
forward; forget old trends
and start trying to figure
out the new. But let’s face
it, the best way to do that is
to skip the sales and save
your cash for the beginning
of the new season.
Conor Brown
15
Q
THE FASHION
AND BEAUTY
BEST OF
2013
Best Accessory
Statement Necklace
This year’s must have accessory
has been the statement necklace.
Rather than buy into a trend
that may not be wearable next
season, it is a lot cheaper and
quicker to buy a new necklace
that stands out to update an old
look. Aztec prints have been
everywhere, but by buying
an Aztec design statement
necklace your favourite LBD
This year we’ve seen designer-highstreet
collaborations from Isabel Marant for
H&M, the increasing popularity of DIY
nail art and just about tartan everything.
With 2014 set to be one to watch in terms
of fashion and beauty, Quench narrows
down the best trends, products and shops
that have made the current year such a
stylish one.
Best Trend
Tartan
My favourite trend this year has
to be tartan, the trend which
keeps coming back! Tartan is
great as it can and has been
incorporated into a variety of
items; from dresses, trousers and
much more. It can be dressed up
or down and worn in so many
different ways. Tartan can be the
focus of an outfit; tartan dresses
are everywhere at the minute. It
can also complete any ensemble
by adding a tartan scarf. Tartan
has appeared on the catwalks of
Stella McCartney, Marc by Marc
Jacobs and Louis Vuitton this year.
Rita Ora, Cara Delevingne and
even Theresa May have been
sporting tartan and it is definitely
a trend to watch!
Erinn Bradley
Q 16
Scarf £28, ASOS
Kirsty Fardell
Best Dressed Male
Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake is a man with
so many talents, including his
impeccable style. He can sing, he
can dance and he can definitely
dress well. Since the release of
‘Suit and Tie’ he’s rarely been seen
without one on and there is nothing
classier than a man in a sharp
suit. He’s brought back the classic
timeless look with the Bow tie, which
this year has appeared on everyone
from Nick Grimshaw and Pharrell to
Prince William. His hair also looks
great longer and slicked on top, with
the occasional appearance of subtle
stubble. He never fails to bring sexy
back.
Kirsty Fardell
Satchel £130, Cambridge Satchel
turns into an on-trend look for
the night, or when layered on
to a shirt it makes you fashion
forward for the day time. There
have been plenty collar designs
on the high street too and
hanging designs to give a plain
garment a trendy twist.
LIFESTYLE
FASHION & BEAUTY
Best Hairstyle
Dip-Dye
With L’Oreal’s release of the do-it-at-home
dip dye kits, this trend has become more
popular, affordable and easy to achieve.
Having used a blonde ‘Ombre kit’ on my
best friend and getting a great result, I
tried the latest Red Ombre kit on myself
and love the look. You can choose the
intensity of the final colour by the amount
of time you leave it on for. So if you’re a
first-time dyer (like me) you don’t have to
go dramatically different. The look gives
waves or curls a shimmery twist and
makes natural un-styled hair look more
interesting and fun. You also don’t need
to worry about touching up your roots!
Kirsty Fardell
Best
Dressed Female
Sky Ferreira
In a year that has been sartorially
obsessed with all things ‘Grunge’,
it’s only fair that Sky Ferreira wins
the accolade of Best Dressed
Female. The bleach blonde singer
may be more famous for her
modelling than her music, but her
ability to rock a band tee and
biker-boot combo is not all that
has caught Quench’s attention.
Whether opting for oversized denim
jackets and sleek skater dresses at
her gigs, or working monochrome
on the FROW, Sky Ferreira seems
to vacillate between low-key and
high-glam with relative ease. Her
covetable smudgy eye make-up and
Topshop-style ankle boots mean that
even in tartan dresses, she never
loses her signature edgy style.
Encompassing that ‘it-girl’ aesthetic
that stores like Urban Outfitters and
American Apparel are desperate
to emulate, Sky is one fashion icon
whose look is, for once, not too far
out of reach.
India Thomas
L’Oreal dye £7, Superdrug
Best Store
Topshop
Being an avid fashion fan and self
confessed shopaholic, the task of picking
one shop as the best of 2013 was not
a decision I took lightly. However, after
much thought and deliberation, there
was one obvious champion for me and
that is high street staple Topshop.
I feel this year they have had a much
higher turnover of stock, meaning every
time I visited Queen Street I was greeted
with an array of fresh, new clothes.
excellent for the wardrobe, not so good
for the bank balance. My favourite
purchase of this season is a pair of
acid wash skinny jeans at the bargain
price of £32.40 (after student discount).
They seem to match every jumper I own
perfectly; brilliant for this winter season.
Topshop seems to cover every trend in
their store, for reasonable prices (most of
the time) and do so using quality materials
that don’t give up after months of use.
This is why for me, Topshop represents
the best of 2013.
Josie Copson
17
Q
BeautySpot
With Christmas just around the corner Quench Fashion have picked their
favourite stocking fillers to help you through the stresses of Christmas shopping!
CHRISTMAS
STOCKING
FILLERS
FATHER CHRISTMAS BATH BOMB - £3.25 EACH FROM LUSH
14 PC NAIL CUBE - £15.00 FROM ELF
Q 18
SOAP AND GLORY LIMITED EDITION A GREAT
KISSER PEPPERMINT - £5.00 FROM BOOTS
HAIR OF THE DOG BOOK, £10 FROM TOPMAN
LIFESTYLE
FASHION & BEAUTY
FOR HER
‘PUDDING KNOT WRAP’,
£2.50, LUSH COSMESTICS
E.L.F, BEAUTY BOOK, £6
WWW.EYESLIPSFACE.CO.UK
MAC ‘LADY DANGER’
LIPSTICK, £15
‘BORN LIPPY’ LIP BALM SET, THE
BODY SHOP, £8
BOUTIQUE MANICURE SET, BOOTS,
£7
FOR HIM
TOPMAN BODYWASH DUO, BOOTS,
L’OCCITANE SHOWER GEL,
L’OCCITANE, £13
PACO RABANNE EAU DE TOILETTE, SUPERDRUG,
£40
Merry Christmas from the
Quench Fashion Team!
TREVOR SORBIE MG STYLING WAX, BOOTS,
£6.10
19
Q
Shunita: Hat £16, Blouse £45,
Sweater: £88, Skirt £38
Jamie: Jeans £65,
Scarf £18, Quilted bomber £70,
T-Shirt £25
Nia: Beanie £20,
Cardigan £45, Dress £68
(All shoes models’ own throughout )
URBAN OUTFITTERS
QUENCH FASHION
Q 20
Shunita: Cropped Jumber, £42
Necklace £16
Jamie: Shirt £79, Converse £35, Jeans
£50 (Watch, Model’s own)
Nia: Lace Slip Dress £35, Velvet
Leggings £32, Pocket Bumbag £28
Hannah: Boyfriend Jeans £55, Velvet
Crop Bustier £28
John: Farage Vintage Polo £40,
Cheap Monday Black Jeans £49, Hat
£18
Quench Fashion has teamed up with Urban
Outfitters to inspire you this Christmas season.
Key daytime looks come in soft tailoring and
pussy bow collars; monochrome knits and
(urban) shades of grey. Tartan, as a trend
shows no signs of disappearing with the
original red tartan scarf being a firm favourite
this Winter. Hang up those Christmas party
dresses, ladies, because evening looks infuse
delicately embellished crops, textured two
pieces and trouser suits. Sometimes less
is more, so leave the overdose of glitter to
Liberace, and opt for subtle sparkle with a
glitter eyeliner or statement necklace.
We want to thank our amazing team that
made this shoot a success; styling by the
amazing Georgie Giggs at Urban Outfitters
Cardiff, our beautiful (and tolerant) models,
and the talented photographer, Abi Burbidge
of Burbidge Studios. We would also like
to thank Jacob’s Vintage Market for their
hospitality, providing us with the best view
of Cardiff.
Turban
£12,£12,
Cross Crop
back Crop
Shunita:
Turban:
Top
£28,
Necklace£16
£16
?, Trousers Top
£45,
Necklace
Urban Renewal Bomber £48
Velvet Crop Top (Black) £28,
Velvet Miniskirt £30,
Tassel Bag £42,
Double Necklace £18
21
Q
Hannah: Velvet Scalloped
Dungarees £95, Pussy Bow
Blouse £42, Sweatshirt £38
Aden: Vintage Renew Harrington
Jacket £55, Shirt £55, Scarf
£18, Chinos £45
Nia: Sweater £42, Little White
Lies £65, Earmuffs £16
Jamie: Sweater £65, Trousers
£50
Shunita: Beanie £16, Scarf £16,
Cardigan £48, Little White Lies
Lace Dress £125
Aden:Shirt £55, Hat £25
Nia: Beanie £20, Cardigan
£45, Dress £68
Jamie: Jeans £65, Scarf £18,
Anerkjendt Kurt Quilted Jacket
£70, T-Shirt £25
Q 22
Shunita: Hat £16, Blouse £45,
Sweater: £88, Skirt £38
23
Q
Acknowledgements:
Models:
Aden Howard
Jamie Lock
John Burbidge
Hannah Davies
Nia Grocott
Shunita Barry
Stylist:
Georgie Giggs
M.U.A:
Jacqueline Kilikita
Jess Rayner
Jordan Brewer
Photography:
Abi Burbidge (Burbidge Studios)
Editing:
John Burbidge
Artistic Director and Organisation:
Sophie Falcon
A huge thank you to Urban Outfitters, Jacob’s Market and Buffalo Bar
!"#!#$%%&
Christmas is tradition. There’s no other way
of putting it, at least in its modern secular
meaning. To me, it’s an integral part of the
celebration - every year I listen to the same
songs, watch the same films and eat the same
turkey toasties, and every year I look forward
to doing it! I like to think that every individual
and family have personalised rituals, their
own set-plays for their perfect Christmas. For
example, in the Jenkins household we have a
routine like anybody else’s, usually consisting
of getting up early and opening presents,
putting on new pjs, and of course feasting on
some exceptionally prepared turkey (usually
resulting in some hard-earned napping on the
sofa afterwards). We’ve even taken to having
fishcakes with pasta and cheese sauce on
Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember.
Every family put their own twist on Christmas,
after all it’s the one day you get to practice
together every year to ensure you get it right!
But there is one custom that around 80% of us
share, one that has bewildered me for years in
fact, and one that people put so much of their
effort into getting just about plucking right.
The turkey first appeared on our Yuletide
tables in the sixteenth century, having been
introduced by trader William Strickland in
1526. Popular history tells of King Henry VIII to
be the first English monarch to enjoy the beast,
and so for the past 500 years it has been
Q 26
our bird of choice (although duck and goose
have proved very popular as well, the turkey’s
meatier body can go farther). Before the
turkey, history tells us that our ancestors used
to tuck into a roast boar or even peacocks on
Christmas day. Evidently, nothing says Happy
Noel better than a gigantic, colourful, flightless
bird.
Now we’ve always had turkey for Christmas,
but for the past couple of years preparing it has
been my duty. It’s a big responsibility, knowing
that this bird will be the staple food of my entire
family’s diet for the foreseeable future. There is
a certain obsession surrounding it, an urgency
to obtain the largest, juiciest bird possible, and
many a time have I heard tales of supermarket
brawls and desperate housewives fighting
over the last turkey. I didn’t even realise people
enjoyed it that much.
The main problem with the bird for me is its
tendency to dry out and become a bit tough
to chew. I attempted to research a little before
going at it myself, reading various cookbooks
and articles on the Internet. This way I was
able to learn techniques I couldn’t have thought
of myself, with a guideline of ingredients to use
and how long to cook the bird (with time and
preparation dependent on its size). I prepare
it on Christmas Eve, before heading off to
midnight mass – I’m not religious, but my Welsh
blood does mean that I truly can’t get enough
of carolling at Christmas time, and free mulled
wine and mince pies don’t go amiss either.
The secret ingredient to my stuffing is sausage
meat and apricots. Standing alone, they both
LIFESTYLE
FOOD & DRINK
add something rather amazing to the stuffing,
but together they can prove it to be the highlight
of the meal (apart from the fact that nothing
beats a pig in a blanket of course). My secret
technique is to then stuff the stuffing in between
the turkey’s meaty body and its skin, meaning
that when the golden-brown bird is ready to
carve, every slice will be succulent, juicy
and have a delicious layer of my homemade
stuffing on the outside. The gap between the
extra layer of stuffing and meat also means
that the bird will not dry out so quickly. Making
the gravy from the juices is also as crucial as
preparing stuffing from scratch. I find putting
an orange inside the turkey adds another fruity
tone to the meal, and compliments the bird’s
flavour immensely.
Admittedly, the Christmas dinner is pretty
much just a glorified sunday roast. The roast
of all roasts, even! For this reason I find it’s
important to stray from big brand names, and
source your food locally. It’s better ethically and
more often than not, will significantly improve
the taste. I love the way a family butcher never
forgets a face, and Morgan’s Butchers in
Aberystwyth have recognized mine since I was
little boy and used to go in with my mam-gu to
get some meat on a Saturday. Christmas is all
about familiar faces, after all.
Eating is pretty much non-stop throughout
the festival when I think about it, and I could
go on for hours about all the treats I get to
eat. I love plum puddings with white sauce for
dessert - its fruity spiciness is so heart-warming,
along with the fact that I only get to eat it a few
times a year. Maybe that makes it taste that bit
better. I love, and I mean LOVE turkey toasties.
There’s always loads of meat left over from our
turkey, as it’s only shared between three of us.
So there’s always plenty of meat left over, and
my favourite way to use it is to combine turkey,
brie and cranberry in some good bread and
toasting it. Simple, yet truly amazing. My mum
uses up all of the turkey’s bones to make stock,
which she usually turns into cawl afterwards
(cawl is a Welsh delicacy, a kind of broth, living
in Wales you should know). I love Terry’s boxes
of chocolates and borrowing from my mum’s
hampers. I love eating meats and cheeses and
pickles with bread on Christmas night because
we’re all too full from the lunch. I love the
constant tipple of Shloer, wine and sherry that
our house always has, and the ease with which
it flows down after a hard days eating!
The Christmas holidays are definitely the
best. For me it’s the eating and drinking
highlight of the year, with endless treats to
indulge in as well as the best nights out of the
year (remember, Mad Friday, boxing night
and New Year’s Eve are yet to come). Being
home is the best – it’s warm and it’s simple,
especially during the coldest time of the year.
Christmas time is just a reminder that it’s ok
to be a cliché once a year and that familiar
sights, sounds and tastes are sometimes the
best. Nadolig Llawen! Enjoy the feast.
'(()*'+!,&
-
.
.
Terry’s HOT Chocolate Orange
Now here’s a fruity alternative to your
everyday hot chocolate. Why not try melting
a packet of Terry’s Chocolate Orange cut into
chunks over a saucepan this year as you would
normal chocolate, to make a silky-smooth hot
chocolate surprise. After melting the chocolate,
add milk or cream for a smoother finish, and if
you’re feeling adventurous you can even add
some liqueurs or spices to really add some
flavour too! You can use combinations with
chocolate that has more cocoa as well if you
feel Terry’s will be too sweet, but remember, it’s
not Terry’s…it’s MINE!
Winter Iced Tea
Now this one’s one for the partying. If your
house is anything like my family’s house at
Christmas, it’s going to be overrun by the
delicious Shloer, a sparkling non-alcoholic
grape juice, or gwin plant (kids wine) as we
used to call it. Using the red or white variety,
add to a mixture of vodka, gin, rum, Cointreau
and a drop of apple and lemon juice, with
plenty of ice, for a cool awakening when
you’re ready to party.
Hot Toddy
Mulled Cider
There’s nothing better than walking around
a Christmas market, bratwurst in one hand,
and mulled wine in the other. But this winter,
why not try and mull your cider? Combining
good apple juice or dry cider, with a couple of
clove-studded apples, cinnamon sticks, allspice
berries, orange zest and some optional rum
in a saucepan, and simmering them together
for around half an hour produces a warming
batch of your new favourite mulled drink! You
don’t even need to add any alcohol – spiced
apple punch will make you forget any cold,
and goes great with a slice of Christmas cake
or plum pudding.
Hot Toddy generally implies a hot, sweet and
spicy alcoholic punch, traditionally drunk before bed in times of cold and flu. But it can be
enjoyed by anyone with a certain appetite for
warming, spicy booze. Now the alcohol and
spices you use are generally up to you, but
Hot Toddy commonly suggests a whisky based
drink. Put around 60ml of water in a saucepan, with some cloves, a cinnamon stick, some
pieces of peeled and sliced ginger and the
peel of a lemon. Heat gently, bringing to a simmer. Pour some whiskey into a heatproof glass,
and pour the mixture over, adding honey and
lemon juice to taste. Topping this off with some
nutmeg really adds to the feel of the drink, and
will really fill your lungs when inhaled. A great
alternative to lemsip, or just a warm drink to be
enjoyed at a cold time.
27
Q
$ 0 3 .
. 0 4 -5
Food & Drink editor Emilia Ignaciuk
7.
7,
HOFFI COFFI
W IN T E R
RETREATS
COFFEE BARKER
Castle Arcade
2 Colum Road
A SHOT IN THE DARK
12 City Road
If you’re stranded on campus and yearn for a
caffeine break, but don’t really fancy braving
the frankly impressive lunchtime queue in
Costa, Hoffi Coffi might just be what you’re
looking for. This new coffee shop is located
at the hectic crossroads of Colum Road and
Park Place, on premises formerly occupied by
a letting agency.
The busy location might not make it seem
like an obvious choice for somewhere to wind
down after a day of lectures, but just a peek
upstairs will change your mind. The décor feels
like stepping into someone’s living room – it’s
slightly haphazard but feels unpretentious and
inviting, and it really is a pleasure to cosy up in
the bay window overlooking the street outside.
If you’re feeling a bit peckish, all the usual
suspects are available – there’s a good
selection of brownies, cupcakes and flapjacks
(bonus points for welshcakes), however the
flavoured coffee is where Hoffi Coffi really
shines. If you’re in the mood for something
a bit more festive, they have just introduced a
new eggnog latte on the menu – it’s certainly
worth a try.
Q 28
A Shot In The Dark is the kind of place
Cardiff doesn’t have nearly enough of – it’s a
cross between a café and a bar, open from
8 AM until late. Its distinctive black shop front
makes quite a statement amongst the endless
stretch of takeaways, marking it as one of the
few places on City Road that does not sell
fried chicken in any form. It’s got everything
under one roof, making it a brilliant choice for
those of you who like your nights out slow and
sedentary. Its upstairs area is all dim lights and
deceptively comfortable sofas, making it the
kind of place where it’s all too easy to have
a quick coffee break transitioning into dinner,
just to culminate in impromptu pre-drinks, or
just drinks proper (the kind of evening I would
highly recommend).
Both the food and the drinks are of a good
standard, so whatever your plans for the
morning/afternoon/evening are, they’ve got
you covered – both the coffees and cakes are
nothing to scoff at, and for a comfort drink look
no further than the Cointreau hot chocolate –
striking just the right balance between boozy
For a spontaneous coffee date in the centre of
Cardiff, Coffee Barker is a pretty safe bet if
you’d rather avoid the ubiquitous chain coffee
shops. An unlikely but welcome offshoot of
the recently closed Barker boutique, it scores
some serious points with the care taken in
its ambience. while strolling through Castle
Arcade, it’s hard not to find yourself drawn
inside by the floor to ceiling windows and the
lively tables scattered around the entrance. As
soon as you step in you find you’re faced with
a tempting display of cakes and sandwiches enough to make you want to stay.
The interior feels cosy but not cluttered,
despite the multitude of vintage furnishings and
knick-knacks scattered around – maybe a bit
too earnestly quaint, but quite endearing once
you settle in one of the sumptuous sofas with a
cup of hot chocolate.
The selection of hot drinks on offer is sure to
titillate your tastebuds – and crucially Coffee
Barker also caters to the not-coffee-inclined.
Right now they’ve got quite a few seasonal
specials on offer, so if a gingerbread milkshake
or peppermint hot chocolate sound tempting
enough to you, look no further. It’s worth noting
that Coffee Barker are branching out, with an
afternoon teahouse set to open in the next few
weeks in High Street Arcade – worth keeping
your eyes peeled for.
LIFESTYLE
FOOD & DRINK
FOODIE GIFT GUIDE
Aimee-Lee Abraham
Z
to suit both gluttons and gourmands
FOR THE MIDDLE EASTERN FEASTER
The Jerusalem Hamper, £55, Ottolenghi
Middle Eastern cuisine is divine and Yotam Ottolenghi is the demi-god of
Observer Food fame.
This beautifully wrapped box features ingredients difficult to source,
including baharat, ground cardamom, whole Iranian limes, sumac, zaatar,
date syrup, pomegranate molasses, tahini and malva alongside essential
grains and pine nuts.
FOR THE DRUNKEN ELF
Star Creamy Liqueur Set, £22, Vom Fass
Nestled in Cardiff’s Royal Arcade, Vom Fass is a hidden gem offering a
wide selection of personalized spirits and oils.
What could be more festive than their selection of three Christmas liqueurs,
complete with personalized greeting and big red bow? There are many
customizable combinations in store, so it’s well worth a browse.
Personally I have my eye on their ‘Eve’ pink gin, a cerise-hued bottle of
mother’s ruin in an impossibly chic bottle reminiscent of Jean Paul Gaultier’s
Classique perfume.
FOR THE CIDER CONNOISSEUR
:
;<=0>?@@@0+
Pick and mix for guzzling grown ups. Rekorderlig produce the best Swedish
cider, and for just under £20 your friend can indulge in their selection.
Choose any combo of six from: Mango-Raspberry, Orange-Ginger,
Apple-Blackcurrant, Apple, Pear, Wild Berries, Strawberry-Lime, PeachApricot, Passionfruit and Winter Cider (a festive blend of apple, vanilla and
cinnamon).
FOR THE TEA-FIEND
$
.-0>QX0,
This voucher will allow a friend to reserve a table for two at Cardiff’s premium
teahouse where they can sit comfortably and indulge in a quintessentially
British treat.
Provided: a three tier stand comprised of finger sandwiches, freshly baked
scones with clotted cream/jam, cakes and a pot of tea each. On arrival the
recipient can handpick the cakes and choose the tea of their choice from
an extensive selection of over fifty brews. Marie Antoinette would approve.
FOR THE ETHICAL EATER
0>?=0(
Y.
A mere tenner can provide a family in the third world with chickens and the
appropriate training to look after them, hatching a livelihood.
Oxfam will do the work and your foodie friend will receive confirmation of
your donation in their name via an adorable thank you card. Accompanying
‘little extras’ such as a cute chick keyring or fair-trade chocolate hen can
be added at the checkout for a few extra pounds, serving as a physical
reminder of their good deed.
29
Q
CHRISTMAS
AROUND
THE WORLD
LAPLAND
It’s that time of the
year again. Christmas is
fast approaching as we all
get our winter woollies out and
prepare for the festivities, but things
are very different Down Under. There’s
never a white Christmas in Australia-with the
holiday falling during their summer months, average
temperatures are between 17°C-26°C. This difference in
climate has a big impact on the nature of celebrations.
Whilst we’re all looking forward to getting cosy at home over our
short Christmas break, watching Christmas films and drinking hot
chocolate, Aussie students are preparing to break up for summer
where many of their celebrations will occur outdoors. Bondi Beach
in Sydney, as well as many other local beaches, attracts thousands
of people each Christmas day, where typically families as well as
travellers play cricket and drink cold beer.
But who wants to eat a hot turkey dinner in the sweltering sun?
Although many Aussies are fond of an ‘English Roast’, Christmas
dinner to them is more like steak and prawns on a barbeque in the
backyard, or a picnic at the beach, where seafood and cold meat
are preferred to turkey and vegetables.
‘Carols by Candlelight’, which originated in Melbourne, 1937,
also occurs thanks to the warm summer evenings around Australian
Christmas. In most towns and cities individuals join together, along
with famous Australian singers, to create outdoor concerts and
sing Christmas Carols. The two major concerts from Sydney and
Melbourne are televised across Australia, creating Christmas spirit
across the whole nation. It’s all so lively and festival-like on the other
side of the world!
Josie May Copson
AUSTRALIA
VAST LANDSCAPES OF
TROPICAL FORESTS AND
WINDING RIVERS IN THE
AMAZON TO EXTRAVAGANT
STREET CARNIVALS IN RIO
Q 30
As Christmas draws closer, everyone’s a-buzz with the excitement
from all the decorations and Christmas trees that are already up
in the city centre and of course by the thought of Santa Claus and
the presents he’s going to bring. Every child knows that Santa is
from Finland or at least every Finnish child does. He lives in the
Mountain of Korvatunturi in the town of Savukoski. This town is
in the northern section of Finland and is more famously known as
Lapland.
Lapland is not actually a country in itself but is in fact made
up of regions in Northern Finland, Sweden and Norway. It is
traditionally the home of nomadic reindeer herders, which is
probably why Santa lives here. Christmas traditions in Lapland are
centred on home and family. Christmas Eve is spent with family
decorating the tree, drinking “glogi” (mulled wine), bathing in a
Christmas sauna and a Christmas Mass at midnight. Resorts like
Levi Fell and Olos provide a wide range of activities for families
visiting Lapland during winter. In addition to visiting Santa Claus
at Roveniemi, you can also go reindeer sleigh-riding.
Downhill and cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are
available in most of the resorts in Lapland. Not only are they a
great way to spend free time but also an opportunity to discover
the local environment.
If you’re lucky enough you might be able to see the Northern
Lights which are unique to the Arctic Circle. With all
the beautiful traditions and activities around
Lapland, it definitely proves to be a
winter wonderland that brings all
Christmas dreams to life.
Krishna Hemaraj
LIFESTYLE
TRAVEL
For many, Christmas means time spent in
the comfort of home; this month, Quench
takes things a little further afield amongst
the predictable British weather and countless
Christmas movies on BBC, and explores how
Christmas is celebrated around the world.
GERMANY
Christmas is naturally a magical time, the whole world seems to
be sprinkled with a large helping of happy dust. Never is this
more evident than at the iconic German markets that take place
in over 70 locations scattered all over Germany, including Berlin,
Frankfurt and Hamburg.
Traditional wooden cabins, luminous sparkling Christmas
lights, the aroma of fresh German food and the sight of many
excited revelers is enough to get anyone in the mood for the
festive season. These traditional markets are much more laid back
than the hustle and bustle of the high streets near Christmas.You
can purchase hand crafted German products, including knitted
winter wear, scented candles, wooden carvings and home-made
confectionery amongst other things. Then to finish your night, why
not treat yourself to a mulled wine to warm you up topped with a
Frankfurt sausage to re-fuel after a long stroll around the huts. Or
maybe a piece of garlic bread flavoured with cheese and herbs
is more your thing. Those with a sweet tooth may prefer a hot
chocolate with a splash of brandy, and a crepe coated with sugar
and lemon.
The choice is vast and varied, and the Christmas fuelled
ambiance is unmissable. Alternatively if your student loan doesn’t
quite cover the cost of flights to Germany, these German markets
travel to Birmingham and Bristol in the UK and both begin in midNovember. Both feature the same aspects of the markets that
are loved and cherished in Germany, however
a train ticket is a lot more affordable. It
could be the perfect day out to get
you all excited for Santa to
slide down your chimney.
Anica
Whitmore
The
colourful
and
vibrant
countries of South
America have alternative
Christmas traditions, making
it a perfect holiday destination for
a different cultural experience during
the festive season. With vast landscapes of
tropical forests and winding rivers in the Amazon to
extravagant street carnivals in Rio, South America is an enticing
Christmas travel destination for people of all ages and tastes.
Unlike the UK, South Americans don’t usually have Christmas
trees – instead they display the presepio (‘nativity’) to represent
the holy birth of Jesus and elaborately decorate their homes with
candles and ornaments. The main festivities usually take place on
Christmas Eve, when families congregate and head to Missa Do
Galo (the ‘Rooster Mass’) in churches and cathedrals. Afterwards,
or sometimes before the mass, a delicious feast of turkey, ham,
olives, salad and festive fruits are enjoyed accompanied by
wine, beer and champagne. Santa Claus, known as Papa
Noel or Old Man Christmas, brings gifts for the children and in
Ecuador it’s traditional to write him letters and place shoes in the
window where he may leave their gifts. The streets are lit up
with fireworks, firecrackers, live music and dancing and the whole
family celebrate by partying through the night.
Christmas treks through the Amazon and hikes up the beautiful
and ancient Machu Picchu are also available for adventureseekers. But whether it’s living like a local and joining in with the
vibrant festivities, observing the spectacular firework displays or
sipping mojitos in the warm waters of Venezuela, South America
is a hub for a culturally rich and lively experience during the
festive season.
Cliona Eliott
SOUTH
AMERICA
31
Q
I
PARIS
This week Mary Bulgin takes our travel journal on a wild weekend in one of
Europe’s little-known party cities, Paris
Paris has a reputation for being one of the most
beautiful and historic cities in Europe. So when I
won a September trip for myself and nine friends
I was ecstatic to spend a weekend exploring the
historic streets of the capital. You don’t need a
lucky win for Paris to be an affordable getaway;
return coach travel starts from just £40 return from
London Victoria. However, in reality we spent the
daytime dragging ourselves around landmarks
with exhausted hangovers and the night time
extinguishing said hangovers amidst the vibrant
nightlife Paris has to offer.
After a seven hour coach journey, spent disrupting
fellow travellers with loud gossip and fuelled by a
few cans of Thatchers’, we arrived.
Hurriedly we jumped on the Metro
(just €3 a day for 16 - 25s on
weekends) ready to find our hostel
and set up our base for the weekend.
Our hostel, St Christopher’s, was
located opposite a picturesque
canal, the perfect place for our
group to have morning debriefs of the preceding
night’s antics. Mainly filled with young backpackers,
it had a relaxed atmosphere perfect for socialising
and meeting like-minded travellers.
Our first night out began with some warm up
drinks at the hostel’s in-house bar ‘Belushi’s’, which
had reasonably priced drinks. The hostel also sports
a basement club, but during our visit we wanted
to explore further afield. ‘Belushi’s’ bustling bar
provided the perfect recruiting ground to invite
other backpackers to join our entourage for the
night. Eventually, with a few Australians in tow,
we found ourselves being directed by a gigolo to
an underground nightclub. This grungy basement
club was filled with the sounds of swinging trumpets
and the DJ booth was housed inside a retro Mini
Cooper. This club was far from the commercial
R’n’B driven night we were all eager to escape.
The following morning we heaved ourselves from
our drunken slumber into the sunny streets of Paris
for some sightseeing. I recommend walking from the
Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower. The scenic route
alongside the river Seine is scattered with quirky
stalls, buskers and street food to munch on along
the way. Upon reaching the infamous Eiffel Tower
I was struck by the sheer size of the structure, but
also the length of the queues. Therefore, rather than
waiting in line we decided to bask below it in the
sun and snap some stereotypical tourists photos.
to normal life. Fortunately, it turned out that our
return coach tickets were for the wrong date so
after much dismay we managed to gain a free final
night’s stay at a Moulin Rouge hostel. That night we
took to the streets, alcohol in hand, to finally see
the Moulin Rouge. This was sadly underwhelming
as it was tiny compared to common cinematic
depictions. The streets are lined with sex shops, strip
clubs and dealers trying to sell you washing powder
as cocaine. Just a short walk from the Moulin Rouge
is a completely different scene, one of cultural
grandeur rather than seedy sex shops; the Sacré
Cœur. A giant white church on a hill may not be
on the top of your party weekend in Paris but it’s
views are incredible on a clear
day, it’s free, and winding your
way through artists and street
performers gives you a small dip
into the cultural hubbub of Paris.
Just be careful not to get put off
by the pushy street merchants
who will not give in easily. A firm
“non merci” should get them off your back.
If you’re not looking for a long wekend of drinking
and can stomach getting up earlier, both the Louvre
and the Museum D’Orsay are worth visiting. If you
can stand the queues (around an hour at 9am on a
weekend) it’s worth the wait.
In just one weekend I gained a taste of lively Paris
nightlife and I’m impatient to go back for more. I
even managed to squeeze in some vital sightseeing
and get an impression of its beautiful history which
I plan to explore more on my next visit. Paris is the
perfect student get away; budget price travel, a
choice of cheap hostels and an unforgettable trip
to cosmopolitan city with equal measures of historic
culture and European club culture.
This grungy basement club was filled with the
sounds of swinging trumpets and the DJ booth
was housed inside a retro Mini Cooper
Q 32
As soon as we sat down we witnessed a mugging,
so take note and make sure you keep your bags
close; pickpockets are rife in Paris, especially
around the tourist attractions. We then began our
chase of the ‘Techno Parade’. The Techno Parade is
a bright carnival pounding the streets with electro
every September, followed by a huge crowd of fist
pumping tourists and locals. This was a great way
to meet more party goers and bond with complete
strangers through a shared enthusiasm for dancing
on bus stops. With the Techno Parade also comes a
mass choice of electronic DJ shows, so it’s a great
time to come to Paris if you’re looking to explore
some alternative nightlife.
The coach station was where we journeyed back
LIFESTYLE
TRAVEL
TRAVELLING TASTES
Travelling in a foreign country
provides a great opportunity
to explore new dishes and
tastes, whilst immersing
yourself in a different culture.
This month our fellow students
share their weird and
wonderful food experiences
from around the world.
BACON VODKA
It’s no secrt that students love bacon,
and that they love vodka. I am
guessing that it is under this premise
in which Seattle based Black Rock
Spirits invented ‘bacon vodka’. The
meat-infused treat has been adopted
by bars around America, with certain
bars serving up ‘bacon martinis’. In
spite of myself, I can’t help but want
to try it.
Emma Giles
EMU BURGER
When travelling in Australia, my
preconception and
the general
stereotype
that
Australians
will
barbeque anything was confirmed
when I visited a night market. Vendors
offered passers by the choice of a
variety of their childhood favourite
animals from kangaroo to crocodile in
burger form. I opted for the emu burger
which was surprisingly tasty, if not
extremely chewy.
Jack Talbot
DEEP-FRIED TARANTULA
SCORPION SKEWER
In Cambodia, it is not unusual to see the
streets lined with local people presenting
platters of tarantulas. That’s right,
tarantulas. In Britain we see them as an
appropriate bush tucker trial snack for
the Z-listers on I’m a Celebrity Get Me
Out of Here, but in Cambodia they are
sold in the masses to the passers by. Their
taste can be compared to that of crispy
shredded beef. Sorry if that puts you off
your Saturday night Chinese take away.
Along the bustling streets of Bangkok
you bear witness to an endless range
of weird and wonderful street food.
After an alcohol fuelled evening out
in Thailand I was tricked into eating a
deep-fried scorpion and to my surprise it
actually didn’t taste too bad, something
akin to a very crunchy prawn. The only
thing I couldn’t bear to try was the sting,
I think in my drunken state I was scared
of poisoning myself.
Josie May Copson
Kathryn Lewis
33
Q
SINGING IN THE RAIN
Singin’ In The Rain is kicking off at Cardiff this month, and Culture Editor Amy Pay gets together with leading lady Faye Tozer, of
dance-pop group Steps fame. They talk musicals, performance and production - including 12,000 litres of water
Most Quench readers
will recognise you as
one of the hit pop
group
Steps.
Tell
us a bit about your
transition from charttopping popstar to
lead actress (e.g.
how and why you
made the move).
It started back in 2004,
two years after Steps
disbanded. Bill Kenwright
invited me to audition for
“Tell Me On A Sunday”,
a one-woman show. I fell
immediately in love with musical theatre
and have pursued it ever since.
Singin’ In The Rain: The Musical is
based on MGM’s iconic film. Had
you seen the film or the West End
production before you considered
taking on a starring role? If so,
what did you think?
Who hasn’t seen the film? I have always
been a huge Gene Kelly fan ever since
I was a child, so I knew the movie well.
Q 34
When I heard about the show, I was
invited to see the London production before
I auditioned. It was so close to the screen
story with all its style and glamour it had me
really excited. I took my son with me and
he squealed with delight when it rained.
Your character, Lina Lamont, has
quite a specific style of voice. Have
you had to adapt your pop voice
and vocal technique to fit the role?
I’m not sure I would say Lina ‘sings’, but I
do use a singing voice to create her distinct
vocal tone and high pitched squeaking! I
had a vocal coach and a diction coach
to help me develop her sound. I place it
in my head voice and use a nasal twang
then tip over my breaking point to flick
between that and my chest voice. It creates
an almost yodelling effect to make it just
that bit more ridiculous and comical.
Your
character’s
outfits
take
influence from 1920s Hollywood
glamour. What do you think of the
costumes? How does it feel to be
dressed so glamorously for work?
Lina’s costumes are divine. I enter dripping
with beads and sequins, then my next scene
is the movie set where I don a powdered
wig and a stunning 18th century style
dress. Even the shoes are to die for! Lina
is definitely the most exotically dressed
in the show. The flamboyant colours
and trimmings really help me to get into
character. Every girl likes to dress up and
so for me, I’m in heaven!
The show is touring the UK
throughout this year and next, but
your stint as Lina Lamont finishes
in April. What would you like to
do afterwards? More musicals?
Another type of acting? A return to
pop, even?
I leave the show in April and look forward
to spending some quality time at home
with my husband and four year old son.
I have a few projects in the pipeline but
I’ll be pursuing more acting roles and
musicals as that is where my heart lies. I’m
also thinking of returning to the recording
studio this summer to get my creative juices
flowing. Who knows what will be round
the corner? That’s why I love my job so
much.
ENTERTAINMENT
CULTURE
BATTLE TIME
BREAKDANCING
A jam is a highlight in any b-boy or b-girl’s diary. It’s an event for breakdancers to showcase their skills often with a live DJ and a big
audience. Sophie Lodge tells us about Battle Time 3, a jam that recently took place in Newport.
My expectations of a jam were what I had seen
on terrible street dance films from the 2000s; bad
90s fashion, cornrows, and a lot of angry guys with
dark pasts who were there to ‘win it’. Whilst I’ve
been breakdancing for just over a year, I headed to
my first jam in Newport last weekend with Cardiff
Breakdance Society for Battle Time 3. Thankfully
the vibe coming from the Riverfront Theatre was
anything but angry; instead, a sense of anticipation
filled the air.
We turned up just as the crew battles were kicking
off, and everyone was raring to go. The main theatre
in the Riverside is your average auditorium
with plush red seats and a large, raised
stage. For Battle Time 3, the stage was
brimming with DJ decks, a leather sofa
for the judges and the crowd, who were
sitting around the edges of a vast linoleum
floor. The rest of the theatre stood empty.
The first thing that struck me was the
sheer variety of people who had turned up.
There were toddlers who made everyone
laugh when they tried to copy their dads
and brothers, but there were teenagers
who looked about fourteen entering battles and
winning against adult b-boys and b-girls. That’s not
to say the younger dancers stole the show. There
were entrants over forty showing they could still
groove. Apparently this broad age range is normal
for breakdancers, many of whom get involved
because of other family members in the scene, and its
popularity with the younger generation is growing.
No longer is this a sport obsessed with crazy power
moves (the flips and head spins) but instead the focus
is on style, allowing younger and older entrants to
do as well as prime-aged, more experienced b-boys
and b-girls. Musicality, originality and style are core
elements in judging breakdancing. Moreover, this
isn’t just a sport dominated by men: b-girls made
a fair shout in both the crew and solo competitions,
with the all-girl crew Trouble Funkers storming their
way to the semi-finals.
The crew battles were definitely where things
kicked off. You could feel the energy pulsing from
each team as they battled it out for a place in Floor
Wars, a well-known international competition held
in Denmark for which Battle Time 3 was the UK
qualifier. As the knock-out rounds wrapped up, only
the best crews went on to the semi-finals (with nail
biting tie-breakers), and then onto the brilliant final.
For me, the best parts of the battles were where
crew members used pre-planned routines as smooth
transitions and round highlights. The competitive
element in battles can often lead to things getting
a little too heated, but at Battle Time 3 it seemed to
only bring out the best in everyone, and each team
gracefully took their leave as Soul Mavericks took
the top spot.
The solo battles were less intense, with only a cash
prize, but it was a pleasure to watch such a vast
variety of different breakdancers. The dance style
has evolved rapidly since its birth on the streets of
New York and each dancer is unique in their musical
interpretation and rhythm. Some focused on top rock
(any dancing without your hands touching the floor),
some on comedy, and some on straight-up, mad
power moves.
While I was expecting rivalry and
competition, the event was really much
more social in nature. Even during the
frequent breaks the DJ would keep the
music running and circles (creating a
circle and taking turns breaking in the
centre) would pop up as people danced
purely because they enjoyed it. It was
all about seeing old friends, dancing
because you love it and celebrating other
people’s performances.
Battle Time 3 opened my eyes to the huge diversity
and multiplicity of people in breakdancing, and
that breakdancing itself is not the narrow stereotype
many people perceive. Just like any other artistic
outlet, it means different things to different people,
whether that is a sport, a social activity or an art.
Watch the whole competition online at: http://
www.funkstylers.tv/fstv-battle-time-3-nov-2013/
35
Q
LLAREGGUB
PETER BLAKE TAKES ON UNDER MILK WOOD
Cardiff is celebrating the centenary of Dylan Thomas, one of Wales’ most prominent
poets. The year-long Dylan Thomas 100 festival features celebratory events ranging
from comedy, visual arts and performances, bringing Thomas’ beautifully lyrical
works to a new generation. Daniel Krajnik explores one of the launch events.
In Llareggub, Peter Blake, the acclaimed figure of twentieth century British
pop art, shows over 170 pieces inspired by Dylan Thomas’ ‘Under Milk
Wood’. ‘Under Milk Wood’ presents the characters living in a fictional
Welsh village, Llareggub. A narrator takes listeners inside townspeople’s
dreams and stories that took place there. It made Thomas a well-known
author. Before that, his journalism and poetry brought him praise.
Friends used to call him a “drunken and doomed poet” which, while
Thomas used to wet his whistle often, partially associates him with the
generation of cursed nineteenth century poets, such as Baudelair. Blake’s
Llareggub is merely the start of an exciting year dedicated to celebrating
and remembering the life and works of Wales’ turbulent bard.
Blake first came across the famous play for voices while studying
graphic design at London’s Royal College of Art. Some decades on,
Blake’s vision of Thomas’ play is open to the public in this collection
of pencil portraits, watercolours, graphics and collages. Nobody has
put as much effort into depicting the atmosphere of ‘Under Milk Wood’
as Blake, something examined in BBC Cymru Wales’ documentary that
accompanies the exhibition. As ‘Under Milk Wood’ was one of Thomas’
last works, Blake listened to recordings of it read by actor Richard Burton
instead of the poet himself.
Despite how the creative process took over 28 years, Blake’s outcome
is coherent. Sixty pencil drawings depict close-ups of ‘Under Milk Wood’
characters, where muted shades and flat grey tones are shattered by
the characters’ sharp facial expressions. Blake’s watercolours in the
exhibition differ in mood; the delirious scenes of the townspeople’s
dreams are similar to works of surrealists such as Dali and Ernst.
Alongside these artworks is an array of collages; Blake’s most preferred
and powerful technique. A member of the Brotherhood of Ruralists
movement (1970s) and later the Young British Artists (1990s), Blake
was an influential figure during the second half of the twentieth century.
Collaging filtered into his paintings, giving the impression of flatness and
congestion regardless of medium. The magnum opus of his career is the
album cover for The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band”, for
which he was paid only £200.
Find Peter Blake’s Llareggub at the National Museum of Wales for free
from 23rd November to 16th March 2014.
Q 36
ENTERTAINMENT
CULTURE
THE FELT MISTRESS
If you visit Wales Millennium Centre
this winter, you may think you’ve
stumbled through the wardrobe
into Narnia. A new exhibition has
taken over the building, transporting
both young and old deep into the
imaginative world of the ‘HiberNation’, where colourful creatures
made by the Felt Mistress hide from
the formidable Welsh winter.
Louise Evans (the Felt Mistress)
created the exhibition, inspired by
The Guardian illustrator Jonathan
Edwards. Evans trained in fashion
design and millenary, and has
collaborated with Edwards many
times; in 2010, the Welsh duo
created a Christmas window
display at Selfridges, Oxford Street.
Edwards’ work has appeared
internationally, including its’ use
as album art for a Black Eyed Peas
record.
The exhibition includes original
works of watercolour, acrylics and
ink drawings depicting fairytale
lands
inhabited
by
mystical
creatures. The centrepieces of the
collection are three imposing 8-10ft
felt creatures: a fierce snow queen;
a huggable yeti and a mischievous
woodland guru.
The pieces are made from
recycled and vintage fabrics
including flannel from Welsh mills,
tweed and wool. The vintage
fabrics add to the quirky nature
and personalities of the cartoon
creatures and the textured fabrics
allow these 3D creatures to become
engaging, playful beings. Video
content introducing the creatures’
personalities will be projected on
walls around the centre, creating a
narrative for the art and making the
via Elouise Hobbs
exhibition interactive.
The pieces encapsulate the Welsh
winter aptly; pale blues and greys
dominate, yet they are contrasted
with bright oranges of eyes and
unknown creatures. They’re brought
to life through their emotive faces,
from euphoria to fear. This exhibition
is a lovely addition to wintery Cardiff
and is definitely worth a visit, even if
it is just to hug the giant yeti!
The ‘Hiber-Nation’ is being
displayed at Wales Millienium
Stadium from 6th December to 5th
of January 2014, free entry.
37
Q
BOOKS OF 2013:
Hosseini made a name for himself with his
beautiful novels ‘The Kite Runner’ and ‘A
Thousand Splendid Suns’. However, do not
begin this novel with any preconceived notions
of his style. Hosseini switches it up this time,
no longer solely concentrating on one main
character. Instead, the book resembles a
collection of short stories, each of the nine
chapters told from a different character’s
perspective. Hosseini does not stray too far
from his classically heart-breaking subjects.
Focusing on family connections, the story
centres on a brother and sister who become
separated when the sister, Pari, is given to a
wealthy couple. It is not an easy read and is
at times emotionally exhausting, but, ultimately,
as with Hosseini’s other novels, it is emotionally
rewarding. Not only does it explore the
universal theme of families and the way they
wound, betray, nurture, honour and even
sacrifice for one another, it provides another
compelling, conflicted and complex portrait of
his home country of Afghanistan to give the
novel enormous gravity in the world today.
Jasmine Freeman
Q 38
It is impossible not to lose yourself in the
story of Ursula Todd. She initially dies at
birth, but events are altered so that the doctor
cuts her cord in time, allowing her to lead a
fulfilling life. She lives, that is, until she has
a fatal accident, from which she dies. Then,
again, she is reborn. The story continues in
this manner. Her life repeats itself with small
changes that make big differences. It is set in
wartime Britain, a poignant backdrop to this
tale of fate, as it is not only Ursula whose life
is changed by little decisions; those fighting
face fatal consequences with one false move
too. The novel ultimately captures the fragile
realities of life and death and the consequences
of being able to correct mistakes. It feels
surreally realistic as it seems plausible to think
of the endless possibilities and consequences
of the many choices we make everyday.
It is interesting to see how even seemingly
insignificant decisions can change your life in
untold ways and it makes you think a little more
about choices you would never have given a
second thought to.
Elouise Hobbs
‘The Luminaries’ broke records this year. It is
the longest book (832 pages) to win the Man
Booker Prize, and its author, Eleanor Catton, is
the youngest Booker winner at just 28. Set in
1866, it follows Walter Moody, a prospector
who travels to New Zealand goldfields to
try to make a fortune. He encounters a tense
gathering of local men who meet in secret
to discuss unexplained, unsolved crimes.
Walter is drawn into a complex mystery of
linked fates and fortunes. Catton’s structural
choices make the book incredible and groundbreaking. Each of the twelve parts decreases
in length, mimicking the lunar cycle and it is
organised according to astrological principles.
While each character is associated with a
sign of the zodiac, or the sun and moon (the
‘luminaries’), they also interact according to
the predetermined movement of the heavens.
This novel is an award winner because of the
questions it asks and its creativity. Through its
complex intricate narrative, Catton questions
what a novel is and what it can be, while
providing readers with an incredible story.
Jasmine Freeman
ENTERTAINMENT
CULTURE
CHOSEN BY YOU
If Steven King had written ‘The Time Traveller’s
Wife’, it would have looked something like
this. Certainly, ‘The Shining Girls’ is nothing if
not original. In 1931, the morally inept Harper
stumbles across a key to a house containing a
dead man, girls’ names and possessions. On
discovering the house’s ability to facilitate time
travel, he sets out to visit the girls at various
points in their lives and brutally murder them.
His crimes seem unsolvable. Only one person is
willing to try: the sole survivor. Beukes’ concept
is refreshing, and while contrived at times
her narrative style is easy to read; blunt and
humorous in the right places. Like Beukes’ ‘Zoo
City’, it has beauty and simplicity. Its intriguing
jigsaw puzzle style is well rendered, allowing
a gripping insight into Harper’s psychosis
whilst driving readers towards a satisfying
denouement. Worth picking up merely because
Beukes stretches the boundaries of convention
to produce something fresh, ‘The Shining Girls’
is more than just a curiosity. If you are looking
for something new, something different, ‘The
Shining Girls’ is it.
Holly Marsh
Long-listed for the Man Booker Prize,
‘Unexploded’ transports readers to Britain’s state
of paranoia in 1940. Exquisitely written, it tunes
into the history of Mackleod’s native Brighton,
a town that suffered under the agonising fear
of invasion by Hitler. Macleod effortlessly
weaves this fear into the fabric of characters’
lives, causing tensions between protagonists to
simmer on the dark surface of the novel. At the
heart of the novel is Evelyn’s relationship with
her husband and son, Geoffrey and Philip,
and her encounter with Otto, a degenerate
German-Jewish painter. Otto is a prisoner in
Geoffrey’s internment camp, but despite initial
distrust, sparks soon fly and culminate in a
thrilling climax. Fans of Woolf will appreciate
this novel’s sheer depth. Flicking perspectives,
it captures a range of human emotions: fear,
love, and at times, total despair. This novel is
not just a love story or a war story. It is a story
of collisions. Fear collides with love, art with
war and characters are forced to make heartbreaking decisions that affect the way they see
each other forever.
Kirtey Verma
This is the heart-warming story of August,
a 10-year-old boy born with a severe facial
disfigurement. Having been home schooled all
his life, the novel follows him and his family’s
reluctant decision to send him to school and
the hurdles he has to overcome in his first year.
Although his facial disfigurement is never fully
described, the severity is explained through the
reactions people have to him at first glance,
echoed by August’s thoughts and feelings,
tainted with sadness or humour. The way he
deals with the complicated children he meets
will have you both in tears and pining for
triumph and the good fortune he sometimes
receives mirrors the compassion you feel for
such an innocent, humble and funny character.
The narration takes you inside the mind of
August as well as the classmates he meets, so
you see how the other children perceive his
disfigurement and feel the acts of kindness from
every angle. Palacio brings out the importance
of equality and acceptance of differences, as
the disfigurement August has can be translated
into something within all of us.
Kirsty Fardell
39
Q
ARTING
AROUND
CHRISTMAS EVENTS
With the threat of exams coming up but the enticing
smell of Christmas just around the corner, you know
you’d much rather be out in the crisp winter air than
coop yourself up indoors revising. Here are some ideas
for what to do from Culture editor Sum Sze Tam
when you have to take a break, for the sake of your
continued sanity:
SLEEPING BEAUTIES
SHERMAN CYMRU
DEC 6 - JAN 4
This Christmas, Sherman Theatre put a twist
on the classic Sleeping Beauty fairytale, where
there is not one, but two, heroines. See how this
mysteriously magical production unfolds, and the
deep new meanings it brings to the traditional
story.
Q 40
TWELFTH NIGHT
RWCMD
DEC 3 - 14
Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy is retold to you by the
students of the RWCMD. Though some might find the dialogue
of the era a bit bumpy to understand, the narrative more than
makes up for it: topsy-turvy awkwardness, gender-bending
and unrequited love abound.
ENTERTAINMENT
CULTURE
CHRISTMAS EVENT
THE NUTCRACKER, SLEEPING
BEAUTY AND SWAN LAKE
ST DAVID’S HALL
DEC 19 - JAN 5
The Russian State and the Orchestra
of Siberia bring three magical
Christmas Ballets to Cardiff this
winter; guaranteed to be of amazing
quality, the dazzling costumes and
spectacular production sets that
accompany are the perfect way to
endow some Christmas spirit into
you and your friends!
THE FULL MONTY
NEW THEATRE
JAN 23 - FEB 1
Adapted from the original 1997 film, this
critically acclaimed production is brought
to you by the original screenwriter Simon
Beaufoy. The story follows six unemployed
men, four of whom were steelworkers,
who band together and create a striptease
act. A wonderful combination of hilarious
entertainment and socially relevant issues,
this show will make for a rip-roaring night
out.
TRINE SONDERGAARD: STASIS
FFOTOGALLERY
NOV 9 - JAN 25
RENT
RWCMD
DEC 6 - 14
Sondergaard is a Danish artist whose exhibition of beautiful
photography revolves around stillness and introspection. ‘Stasis’
consists of three recent collections of work: ‘Interior’ is a series
of abandoned Danish manors, ‘Strude’ features the eponymous
mask-like hoods, and ‘Guldnakke’ is a study of the bonnets that
women used to wear in the 1800s. Head on down to ffotogallery
before exam hysteria for a quick fix and see these beautifully
simple and elegant pieces.
Perhaps one of the best and most famous
musicals in modern culture, ‘RENT’ is the story
of a group of friends living with AIDS, drugs,
music and death in 90s-era New York. Based on
Puccini’s opera ‘La Boheme’, composer Jonathan
Larson’s songs will have you jumping, dancing,
laughing and crying along with the cast.
41
Q
What’s the deal with
?
The success of the Humble Indie Bundle in 2010 has led to many repeats, a
weekly sale and now the Humble Store. Rhian Carruthers explores what this
means for our wallets and our consciences
It’s December. Fairy lights are up in town, tinsel is draped over every shop
display (and has been since October), shower gel and shampoo suddenly
come in little gift packs donned with ribbons and sock sales are about to go up
immeasurably. Some of us will be asking for consoles. The PS4 and Xbox One are
on the shelves and with them a nice little line up of launch titles to pad out our lists.
Around this season we’re encouraged to give, to remember those in need and
share what we have. Most of us will be more inclined to drop a pound or two in
a charity bucket and maybe buy the Christmas Big Issue if the seller is sporting
a suitably seasonal hat. Something about the holiday season
makes us want to give and makes us more approachable,
and this year with Typhoon Haiyan still fresh in our memories
Charity seems to be a word more prolific than in recent years.
You may have heard of The Humble Bundle before.
It’s an idea of simplistic brilliance. Pay what you like for
a few games, decide where the money is allocated and
enjoy a boost to your game library. Pay more than the
average (usually around $5) and you’ll also receive some
extra titles or other bonuses such as soundtracks. That’s
six or so games for just over £3. Whatever way you
look at it, that’s a good deal. Not to mention it’s all DRM
free, and the games go straight to your steam library.
As I said, you can allocate where the funds end up. You can split the money
between the game developers, Humble Bundle Inc or charities. If you are
particularly fussy about where your money goes you can even choose which
developers your money is given to, or split your charity donation between Child’s
Play or Electronic Frontier Foundation. The original Humble Indie Bundle raised
a grand total of $1, 273, 588 and thankfully the success led to repeat ventures.
We can’t deny that gamers have a bit of a reputation these days. We’re seen
as lazy and selfish, angry little children who shout into headsets or lethargic
and jaded husks who hate the outdoors. Even ‘Grand Theft Auto 5’ played
up the trope with the character of Jimmy, Michael’s millennial son come drain
on his resources who’s sole purpose in life seems to be abusing his father’s
generosity and playing video games. Google ‘Grand Theft Auto 5’ and you’ll
no doubt return a thousand results all centred around the violence debate. It feels
as if half of the world feel we’re sitting on our thumbs and the other half think
we’re all one bad day away from a blood-fuelled rampage.
The Humble Bundle is the perfect opportunity for
us to prove we’re something more. Child’s Play
(childsplaycharity.org) donates game systems, toys, books
and other such niceties to hospitals and therapy facilities.
This might not seem important, in the grand scheme of
things, but it allows children to interact with friends and
family while, distracting them from what otherwise would
be a generally unpleasant environment. It helps bring a little
joy to those who need it, and at this time of year it seems all
the more important. EFF fights to defend free speech, privacy
and consumer rights in a world of growing technological
reliance, the importance of which cannot be overlooked.
Now there’s even the Humble Weekly Sale, which works in the
same way as the bundles. You pay what you like, you decide where
the money goes and you get five or six great indie titles to add to your
steam library. You can even buy them as gifts and send them to friends
as little online stocking fillers. I implore you to check it out. Who knows,
you might come away with a soothed conscience and a few great games.
Charity
seems to be
more prolific
in recent
years
Q 42
ENTERTAINMENT
VIDEOGAMES
Some Facts and Figures
31% of sales for the Humble Indie Bundle
went to Charity
Windows users on average paid the least ($8)
for the bundles while Linux users paid the most
($15)
The Humble Origin Bundle is the best selling
bundle to date, making over $7million in the
first 5 days
Minecraft Indie Heavyweight Notch was
overtaken as top contributor in the last thirty
minutes of the Humble Indie Bundle
The two charities recieved 31% of the Humble
The Charities
Child’s Play is a game industry charity that
has been working since 2003 to provide toys
and games to children in over 70 hospitals
worldwide. It was founded by Mike Krahulik
and Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade fame, the
popular web comic centred on all things game
culture. According to their press release, the
idea was a response to the negative media
portrayal of gamers, and the pair ‘called for
the gaming community to donate to Seattle
Children’s Hospital during the holiday season.’
The
response
was
overwhelmingly
positive, raising over $250,000 and
that number was up to $10 million by 2010. It’s a great testament to
what the gaming community can accomplish when they pull together.
It might seem irrelevant, giving games to ill children when the money
could be allocated to treatment and research, but the feedback Child’s
play receives from the friends, family and even doctors of those it
benefits has been nothing but positive. There are also studies which
show the playing of games while undergoing treatment can lead to
patients needing less pain medication. They also retain some normalcy
in conditions which are anything but. Child’s play works to ease the
emotional and physical stresses through play, and it does make a difference.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is a non profit organisation that
works to defend our digital rights. Since 1990 it has battled for the public
interest in the minefield that is digital rights. As technologies continue to
change and advance they make a point of defending our free speech,
privacy, innovation and consumer rights. On their website you can find a
list of cases they’ve been involved in, and other information on their cause.
In a Nutshell
So if you’re feeling charitable this Christmas you might want to
visit humblebundle.com. Whether it’s the current bundle itself, the
weekly bundle or even an item from the store you can rest assured
that your money is heading to a good cause. It’s important to
support not only the charities themselves but also the developers
who put their games forward. With all this going on it’s easy to
forget that the Humble Bundle Inc. also rely on donations and a
slice of the profit so that they can continue to run the site and the
events.
If you’re a fan of indie games you owe it to yourself to have a
look at what’s on offer. Even if it’s for someone you know you can
pick up a few games for (more than) a reasonable price, and you
won’t have to queue in Game or HMV. It’s all DRM free, it’s all
accessible from your steam library, and if you already have one
game in the bundle it’s simple enough to gift to someone else.
The Humble Bundle is a refreshing piece of positivity when this
form of media has been garnering so much negative attention.
It goes some way towards proving that video gamers aren’t
separate from the bulk of society. We do contribute and we do
care. Actually we care enough to do something about it. It just
so happens we’re doing that by purchasing more games. There’s
nothing wrong with that.
Go on, visit humblebundle.com. Have a look, browse the store,
and spend a few pounds. You won’t regret it.
Before I forget you can donate directly to the both Child’s Play
and EFF on their websites. If you want to keep an eye on what’s on
offer you can follow the humble bundle on twitter and facebook.
@humble
facebook.com/humblebundle
You can also read more about the Humble Bundle at:
blog.humblebundle.com
43
Q
LEGO
MARVEL
SUPERHEROES
AVAILABLE ON
ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS
DEVELOPER: TT GAMES
OUT NOW
3/5
Charlie Andrews looks at the latest instalment in the ever-popular series of LEGO
video games - but does it make you want to save the world, or let it be destroyed?
Traveller’s Tales have already tackled big film franchises such as
Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter, but
the LEGO series has struggled to replicate the same ingenuity
since the realise of 2005’s LEGO Star Wars. Marvel offers a
huge universe of characters and decades worth of intricately
woven story lines in which Lego Marvel Super Heroes can
draw from in order to create an original story, but sadly
leaves players feeling unsatisfying.
The plot is typical of the genre; Loki wants revenge on Earth
and Asgard and so manipulates the world of super villains to aid
him in his evil plight. The levels have been well constructed and
fully utilises the immense roster of characters on offer. You might
start a level as Cyclops and Jean only to end using Storm and
Beast. The level structure is also similar; you can spend the entire
level chasing down Magneto only for Rhino to jump in as a miniboss and demand your full attention, which helps drive the plot
whilst keeping the player both entertained and challenged. The
boss battles have even been adapted; where once you would
simply button mash until you had defeated Darth Vader, now you
have to solve a puzzle in order to defeat the boss. Take Rhino for
example, he will just keep charging at you until you have built an
object (a pumpkin for some reason), to stand in his path which
then gives you the opportunity to damage him.
The character roster in this game is immense, boasting over
100 heroes and villains to play as. Playing the story unlocks
these characters at a decent rate; you start with Iron Man and
Hulk before quickly unlocking the rest of the Avengers, most of the
X-Men, the Fantastic Four and everyone’s favourite wall-crawler:
Spider-Man. When unlocked, these characters can be used in
the game’s hub world, or in the traditional free play mode in
which players go back and replay story missions, in order to find
Q 44
the hidden minikits. Between missions players find themselves in
the open world island of Manhattan, where you will find landmarks
such as the Baxter Building, Stark Tower, Oscorp, and the Statue of
Liberty. This open world hub is one of the game’s greatest features:
players need to navigate this hub in order to find the remaining gold
bricks, unlock even more characters and assist troubled citizens.
Any player can find a character or corner which they recognise and
love, whether it is Daredevil, Elektra; Ant-Man or Thor - there is an
iconic representation for everyone (yes, even Moon Knight).
In terms of gameplay the LEGO series is pretty much refined by now,
but this time with the addition of powers and abilities augmenting
pre-existing gameplay mechanics. Whilst most are implemented
well in the game some are not, such as Wolverine using his claws
simply to dig up LEGO bricks. Certain powers are annoying to use,
such as Hulk transformation, and whilst these powers are a good
concept it does make some characters feel obsolete. Travelling
through the hub is made much easier by characters who can fly,
therefore characters without this power are never used. It is the same
in the levels, when in free play mode you might chose to play as
Drax - but seeing as he doesn’t have any abilities, will soon found
yourself changing to Iron Man to use his rockets, then to the Hulk to
smash or lift something big, and so on. However, Deadpool does
offer some quirky bonus levels in order to unlock the 11 Deadpool
bricks.
Any
player
can find a
character
which they
recognise
and love
LEGO Marvel Superheroes is a welcome addition to the LEGO
series and it is the best Marvel instalment since 2006’s Ultimate
Alliance. The open hub is a tonne of fun, the powers are a nice
touch but there is definitely an issue of refinement. Again, the story
needs more depth, the plot is lacklustre - only weighing in at under
eight hours. This game is a must if you want some fun, light-hearted
humour and superhero action.
ENTERTAINMENT
VIDEO GAMES
BATMAN:
ARKHAM
ORIGINS
AVAILABLE ON: PS3, 360,
PC, WII U
DEVELOPER: WB MONTREAL
OUT NOW
2/5
The third entry in the Batman: Arkham franchise serves as a prequel to the
series. Adam Bown sees if it lives up to the reputation of its predecessors
When an IP earns a sequel, and in some cases its own franchise, it
usually takes one of two paths. Either it beats the same dead horse
over and over until it becomes atomised, like your Assassin’s Greeds
and Cash Grab of Duties, or it attempts to creatively build upon
its predecessor, like Bioshock: Infinite or Far Cry 3, showing that
perhaps resuscitating the horse and treating it with love and care is
a better option.
When it comes to the Batman: Arkham franchise, it certainly
seemed to have gone with the latter. Arkham City expanded upon
Arkham Asylum, introducing an open-world aspect, a chance to play
as multiple characters and a plethora of side-quests incorporating
various characters from the comic book world. But has Arkham
Origins continued this trend of innovation?
This entry in the franchise follows the eponymous caped-crusader
several years before the events of Arkham Asylum, as he is being
hunted down by eight assassins all after a fifty million dollar bounty
placed on his head by Black Mask.
A suitably over the top premise for a story based on a man who
fight crime while dressed as a bat, yet it never truly uses the potential
of such a premise to good effect, not at the beginning of the game at
least. In fact, the first few missions of the game were as entertaining
as watching grass grow flanked by drying paint, and contain some
of the worst utilisations of antagonists ever witnessed. Killer Croc,
a boss you have no choice but to run from in Arkham Asylum as
he would end you Ozzy Osbourne style otherwise, is beaten in a
more straightforward bout of fisticuffs with ease. While Deathstroke,
despite all the focus on him during the promotional material, is bested
by the Bat in one of the opening missions in a boss fight with more
grind than a MMORPG.
At this point the game was on the verge of overstaying its welcome,
the antagonists were push-overs, the narrative was flat and while
the ‘free-flow’ combat championed in the previous games continued
to be satisfying and fluid, it was not enough to make up for what,
at that point, the game was lacking. Even the addition of a new
game mechanic which added to the ‘evidence scanner’ of prior
entries allowing Batman to deconstruct and reconstruct a crime scene
seemed superfluous, as it ostensibly had no endgame. Yet, a crime
scene investigated at Black Mask’s safe-house provides a plot twist that
finally allows for the clown prince of crime the Joker to enter the fray,
and suddenly the game sprang to life. It is as if the writers recognised
what they were creating was painfully boring and decided to be
proactive about it. Then, finally, the stakes are raised, and with a
clearly defined central antagonist the game becomes enjoyable.
Arkham is
on the
verge of
overstaying
its welcome
Although, if relying on the Joker to be the main antagonist is a retread
of the other Arkham games, albeit here it was more relieving than
annoying, then the other features in Origins are looking to form a
conga line. The combat is essentially the same, the majority of
gadgets still remain from Arkham City with a couple of additions here
and there and even the boss fights evoke an eerie sense of déjà-vu.
For instance, if the boss fights with Copperhead and Mad Hatter
were combined the end result would be the Scarecrow levels from
Arkham Asylum.
On a more positive note, voice actor Roger Craig Smith, does a
decent job of taking up the mantle of Batman from veteran Kevin
Conroy, seemingly mediating the voice work of Conroy and Christian
Bale from the Nolan-verse, while Troy Baker, who voices Booker
DeWitt in Bioshock: Infinite and Joel in The Last Of Us, does likewise
with the Joker a role left vacant by Mark Hamill at the end of Arkham
Asylum.
Overall Batman: Arkham Origins is a disappointing entry into the
series that feels tired and played out, if you are a fan of the protagonist
it will satisfy you; otherwise, it should be avoided.
45
Q
A Grand Experiment:
LG GOOGLE NEXUS 5
Price:
£299 (16GB), £329 (32GB)
Operating system:
Android
Manufacturer:
LG
“...the Nexus 5 represents just how far Google have come since entering the
smartphone market, posing genuine threat to Apple in its simple approach to
hardware and software....”
Arguably, the two heaviest hitters in the smartphone market
are Samsung and Apple. Both occupy headlines in their seeminglyeternal patent battle, and both produce devices with similar hardware.
But times are changing. Take the HTC One, for example; it’s sleek, it runs
Android, and it’s just as heavy a hitter as the S4.
The Nexus One, a precursor to the Nexus 5, was widely regarded
as a failure; it was under-marketed and released before Android had a
real foothold in the market. But times are changing, and so is Google’s
approach to their flagship smartphones: enter the Nexus 5, arguably the
most impressive Android handset on the market. It’s clear that the Nexus
5 wouldn’t draw a second glance if it didn’t have the branding it did - its
design is a little mediocre, and is manufactured by LG, who are better
known for their television than their mobile prowess - but don’t let that put
you off. The Nexus 5 is absolutely worth your time.
Out of the box, the Nexus 5 is exceptionally simple to set up, requiring
little from the end-user; indeed, if you have a Gmail or a Google+
account, then the hardest part is out of the way before you turn the phone
on. Once you find yourself on the home screen, you’ll find yourself struck
In terms of hardware, the Nexus comes with basically everything one
might expect from a premium smartphone. The handset is LTE enabled,
so if you have a contract that either offers 4G, or will do so in the new
year, the Nexus 5 is prepared for the switch. The back camera - which
we’ll come to later - is excellent, and the front camera and microphone
array are both exceptionally clear. (The microphone array is especially
noteworthy, as everybody I’ve spoken to using the phone has noted how
clear my voice is compared to my previous handset, the iPhone 4).
Worth noting, however, is that the Nexus doesn’t have a card slot - it
comes in 16GB and 32GB flavours, but you won’t be able to expand
that, so bear that in mind before purchase.
In terms of processing power, the Nexus boasts a Qualcomm
Snapdragon 800; with four cores clocked to 2.4 ghz, it can handle
basically any task you throw at it. This is supported by 2GB of RAM,
basically putting its specs on a similar level to a consumer laptop. As
such, I’ve noticed basically no slowdown using the device, and there’s
probably very little available on Google Play that could genuinely stress
it out, so if you’re looking for a phone that’s quick (Blackberry users, I’m
looking at you), the Nexus will tick that box.
That’s partly because of how well put together the
Nexus is in terms of software. Android KitKat, the
newest version of the operating system, comes preloaded onto the phone without any bloatware or ‘helpful’
manufacturer apps. For power users, this is a dream
come true, as it allows you to basically fully customise
the phone out of the box, without having to uninstall /
hide apps inferior to equivalents you can find on Google
Play for free (I have never met anybody who uses S Note
over, say, Evernote). It’s been described by Google as the
leanest version of Android ever, and that’s true in terms of
software optimisation as well as interface design.
Indeed, I’m not a massive fan of iOS 7 (although, saying that, I used
it on the iPhone 4, which isn’t really designed to handle it) and the
hyper minimalistic design philosophy that Apple have come to espouse.
It seems at odds with the App Store, which, at this point, feels bloated
and lost, especially if you have the misfortune of accessing it via iTunes
(which limps closer to obsoletion by the day). KitKat is a really, really nice
vacation from that. It’s simple, but nuanced; the typography is fantastic,
and icon distribution is smart and user friendly.
It’s hard to review the Nexus 5 without reviewing KitKat at the same
time, which is something you might have noticed if you’ve read other
reviews of the handset; that’s because the Nexus 5 is the first handset to
come with it pre-installed, and the hardware feels married to it - creating
For £299
Sim-free, it’s an
absolute steal:
the Nexus
5 cannot be
beaten on cost
by how far Google have come in terms of user interface design.
It’s quite a large phone, but no bigger than an S4 or iPhone 5. The
Nexus 5 has a 1080p AMOLED screen, so if you’re desperate to watch
blu-ray quality video on the go, the phone does a great impression of a
modern television. You won’t find anything in the box aside from a USB
cable, a plug and the phone itself - so no headphones - but chances
are, you won’t require anything anyway. There isn’t much in the way of
customizability when compared to, say, a Nokia Lumia; the back cover is
replaceable, but is only available in black and white at present.
Q 46
ENTERTAINMENT
TECHNOLOGY
Camera test (unedited, default settings):
an experience that previously only Apple offered.
Google and LG are particularly enthusiastic to market the Nexus 5 by the strength
of its camera, and that’s not much of a surprise; it produces some really beautiful
photos. Particular regard should be paid to its HDR feature, which produces
exceptional photos in situations where lighting could be better. It comfortably records
1080p video at 30fps, easily competing with consumer video cameras.
As such, if you love Instagram, Vine, and other photo and video sharing
applications, the Nexus is a fantastic partner in crime. The handset
feels as though it’s built around the camera (to be honest, the way
it juts out of the back is a little ugly), and the result is extraordinarily
high quality photo and video. Indeed, for hobby photographers, the
Nexus 5 might represent a step up from your compact camera.
In terms of flaws, the Nexus is ahead of the curve in such a way that
you might feel part of some ‘grand experiment.’ Some apps are a
little unstable because developers haven’t optimised their software for
4.4, such as Vine, which occasionally refuses to post videos without
a fight. Indeed, NatWest’s Android app flat out refuses to install,
despite the fact that there’s no reason it should be incompatible.
Sure, there’s no bloatware, but that doesn’t mean Google hasn’t
included their own weird additions. The face recognition software offered by the
Nexus 4 returns, and still doesn’t really work if you’ve got a particularly round /
shiny face, even if you try and train the device. The Nexus 5 feels like it’s come
straight out of the lab, and that might put some people off who’d rather adopt
something a little more user friendly. For those people, the iPhone 5S might be a
more appropriate choice. It’s also a little plasticky - both the front and back are made
of the stuff, but it doesn’t feel cheap.
However, the Nexus 5 simply cannot be beaten on cost. For £299 sim free,
it’s an absolute steal. It fights the iPhone 5S in all categories despite its modest
price point, and despite punching above its weight, often wins over its brushed
aluminium cousin.
The Nexus 5
feels like it’s
come straight
out of the lab,
which isn’t
always great
OUR VERDICT: 5/5
/
In summary, the Nexus 5 is an extremely well-priced smartphone that doesn’t
cut corners, with particular regard to its camera. A fantastic offering for £299,
the Nexus 5 represents just how far Google have come since entering the
smartphone market, posing genuine threat to both Samsung and Apple in
its simple approach to hardware and software. If you want to upgrade your
phone, or in the market for new hardware, then look no further than the Nexus
5. Via Michael O’Connell-Davidson
MOBILE GAMES
YOU MUST TRY
SWORD AND
SWORCERY: EP
The playfully-titled Sword and Sworcery was previously
only available on iPad, but earlier this year it was ported
to Android. It’s really excellent; beyond its fantastic art style
and involved storyline, Sword and Sworcery has one of the
best soundtracks I’ve heard in any game, let alone a mobile
title. S&S comes highly recommended.
ADVENTURE TOWN
This free game can’t quite decide what it is. It’s ‘Final
Fantasy’ meets ‘Farmville’, as you send your heroes on quests
to rebuild your little town. Everything works on a timed basis,
with tasks and quests expiring if you don’t complete them
quick enough. It’s colourful and fun, if a bit of a time trap, but
be careful – it will try and make you pay for more in-game
money and weapons. Ignore that, though, and it’s great fun.
ZOMBIES ATE MY
FRIENDS
With a whole section in the PlayStore dedicated to them,
you’ll probably end up with at least one zombie game.
‘Zombies Ate My Friends’ is a funny little gem with turnbased combat and quicktime events. It’s difficult in terms
of resource management, rather than skill. The animation
is charming and the writing good for a chuckle, and yes –
there is a dog that will scavenge for health and supplies. As
zombie games go, this is a scream.
NAKAMA
t’s really hard! ‘Nakama’ is a cute little side-scroller which
fully embraces the retro aesthetics. The controls are minimal
- left or right and A or B. The ten-second tutorial tells you all
you need to know. You can jump; hold down A and dash;
you can jump and dash at the same time. In true retro fashion,
it can also be frustratingly difficult – but oh, so rewarding.
Via Rhian Carruthers
47
Q
ATTACK ON TITAN
Is Attack On Titan the best new anime? Sophie Lodge thinks so
This summer the anime world has been
obsessed with two stunning new debut
shows from Japan; Free and Attack on
Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin). If you are ‘down’
with the anime scene and you haven’t heard of
Attack on Titan you must have been living under
a rock. This series sky-rocketed to fame back in
April due to its extremely disturbing content and
hardcore fans, who literally bungee jumped off
buildings in the name of cosplay. When I say
extremely disturbing content don’t get the wrong
idea (you pervert); in my eyes it could qualify as
a horror anime. Attack on Titan follows the story
of young Eren Jaeger, a boy who lives within the
walls of humanity’s last settlement. The rest of the
world was massacred over 100 years ago by the
titans; giant humans with a taste for human flesh
See what I mean about the horror element. The
first season tracks the fall of the outer wall of the
settlement, the massacre that follows, and Eren’s
resolution to join the Survey Corps, a branch of
elite military which works outside the walls to
kill and research titans after his mother is (quite
graphically) eaten.
There’s a beautiful contrast
between germanic towns
and countryside panoramas
While its graphic content might be alarming to
someone like myself (I’m more of an Ouran High
School Host Club girl), its initial interest lies in its
shock power. Many animes aren’t willing to push
this far and Shingeki no Kyojin has been criticised
for being unnecessarily gruesome, particularly in its
first few episodes. I don’t think this was necessarily
a bad thing. Yes, I had to look away at some parts
but it’s a realist portrayal of the horrors of war.
To me it broke a boundary in popular anime and
captured the resonance of the carnage of war.
Q 48
Whilst the art style of the manga has been
criticised for being messy, the animation used
in Attack on Titan is on par with other animes
released in 2013. There’s a beautiful contrast of
settings between the busy, medieval Germanic
town scenes and the stunning panoramas of
countryside outside the walls and both benefit
from its modern animation style. It isn’t the most
extraordinary animation I’ve seen this year, with
anime taking leaps and bounds in its ability to
capture rain and water in particular, but it’s of
average quality. Instead Attack on Titan has
focused its energies on successfully animating 3D
manoeuvre gear; the military equipment used to
attack titans which allows characters to fly from
building to building like Spider-man (hence the
bungee jumping cosplayers). While at first, to
me, the Titans looked clunky and unrealistic,
their disproportionate features actually succeed
in making them more haunting and sinister. In
general, you aren’t concentrating so much on the
animation when your favourite character may or
may not be about to die. (As I mentioned, it’s a bit
gory, though if you can handle shows like Fullmetal
Alchemist then this will be fine).
What made this anime such a success is its 5 star
storyline. I haven’t read the manga yet (it hasn’t
been released in English past volume 9 and I hate
online scans) but I know from friends that it’s a
killer (no pun intended). Attack on Titan isn’t afraid
to kill off a main character, and its cliff-hangers
keep you clicking ‘watch next episode’ until the
early hours of the morning. I know one guy who
blitzed the entire series in less than a day. It might
be a little too serious for you shoujo fans but it’s
refreshing to see such an original storyline with
this much depth. You could call it stereotypical in
that it follows the story of a young boy out for
revenge against a dead parent when he finds out
he has a special power (whoops spoilers), but
there is something different in Attack on Titan that’s
hard to describe. There’s no pansy love interest
or ‘resolve’ to protect the protagonist’s family.
Eren literally just hates Titans and wants to kill
them all (it’s a bit obsessive really). Its setting, its
characters are more three dimensional and there
are some brilliant plot twists in there I’d really like
to talk about. It has also been praised for its strict
following of the manga (even down to camera
angles) instead of flying off on a tangent in the
last few episodes like so many other good animes.
It’s refreshing to see such
an original storyline with
this much depth
I was talking to another editor this week about
how I hardly read film and book reviews because
I find them so subjective. There’s no way of
knowing whether or not you’ll agree with me, but
the statistics speak for themselves. Six of the seven
English volumes released as of October 2013
made it into the New York Times Manga Best
Seller list, 20 million copies of the manga have
been sold in Japan, and it is definitely one of the
biggest animes to come out of Japan this year. It’s
definitely worth watching the pilot at least, even
just so you understand those cosplayers at Expo
dressed up as inside-out people.
ENTERTAINMENT
FILM & TV
THE LEGEND OF
Avatar: The Legend of Korra is taking the animated world by storm.
Sum Sze Tam explores the elements behind its success
Sequels have a reputation for being awful.
It’s hard to build a new storyline that holds itself
together for the same characters when you’ve already
established an ending. So when Michael DiMartino
and Bryan Konietzko, the genius duo behind
Nickelodeon’s popular cartoon series ‘Avatar: The
Last Airbender’, announced that they were developing
a sequel in 2010, two years after the old series had
ended, you can imagine the fan hype, excitement,
and speculation that exploded over the internet.
The world of ‘Avatar’ is one where some humans
have the ability to ‘bend’ – manipulate based on
martial art and spiritual power – one of the four
elements: Water, Earth, Fire and Air. Together,
these make up a spiritually-ordered cycle. The
Avatar, a reincarnated human, is the only one
who can bend all four elements, as well as act
as a bridge between the human and spirit worlds.
As for life in this universe, the animals are often chimeras
or smushes of two animals in our world (e.g. polar bear
dog, otter penguins), society is set in past epochs, and all
the cultural tics, clothing, food, and lifestyles are taken from
Asian or Inuit culture. As comic book artist Derek Kirk Kim
eloquently described, ‘it’s all an evocative, but thinly veiled,
re-imagining of ancient Asia.’ Despite these influences, it’s
important to note that Avatar isn’t technically anime – or
Japanese animation – which has a distinct style of their
own and possess a sizeable cult following in the West.
Set seventy years after ‘The Last Airbender’ ends,
‘Avatar: The Legend of Korra’ follows the adventures
of an older, feistier, and female protagonist – Korra, a
girl from the Southern Water Tribes. The finale to the
second season was aired only last month. Konietzko
and DiMartino, or ‘Bryke’, as the fandom affectionately
call them, have departed from ‘The Last Airbender’
and made a show that is more mature and threedimensional than the last, but without losing its goofy
humour (Meelo!). The world has progressed since the
days of Avatar Aang, the eponymous ‘Last Airbender’:
where the old series had animal-drawn carts, the new
one features fast cars, motorbikes, ‘movers’ (movies) and
geometrically snazzy buildings. There’s undoubtedly a
much more badass steam-punk vibe about the new show,
which is all embodied in Korra’s appearance: tougher
voice, ponytail, toned biceps, boots and baggy pants.
As a story, ‘The Legend of Korra’ has really matured in its
themes, and is definitely big sister to ‘The Last Airbender’,
to mirror its now older audience; the writers address a
previously unnoticed issue that would actually be a really
big deal in human society: the inequality between benders
and non-benders. In retrospect, it’s a little sad that viewers
were never alarmed by this massive power inequality in
the old series – we only laughed when the cabbage man
had his stall upturned by bending, or if Sokka was dumped
on his rear by a bender, because it was set up as a comic
situation. However, there’s no denying that a bender could
set that stall up again in a matter of seconds, whereas the
average non-bender would have to spend hours picking
the cabbages up by hand. But I get that it’s meant to be
humour, and that if we nitpicked at every slightly politically
incorrect situation, the point of the show would pass us by.
It’s refreshing to see such
an original storyline with
such depth
‘The Legend of Korra’ has also left ‘The Last Airbender’
in the dust in another aspect – the visual crafting of the
scenes have gone far beyond what the old series used
to look like. The fight scenes are mind-blowingly epic,
but more than that, they manage to retain the emotional
side – the sense of danger and risk – throughout
the action, so that audiences really feel it in their gut
when heroes suffer a loss, or positively euphoric when
victories are won. There are also subtler scenes that use
symbolism (one of which features cake), which are great
at creating tension and adding detail to characters.
Characters in ‘The Legend of Korra’ often break free
of stereotypes, something a lot of ‘family shows’ are
guilty of, with perhaps the best example being Tenzin,
Korra’s spiritual and airbending mentor. Tenzin is not
the flawlessly all-knowing wise man just because he
is the son of the previous Avatar, and neither is he an
exact copy of his bubbly, non-confrontational father –
in fact, he’s quite the opposite. It’s revealed that family
life wasn’t picture perfect during his childhood, and
that despite being a man of great political and bending
power, Tenzin has many of his own fears that prove to
be a serious barrier – and it’s his ability to overcome
them eventually that shows us his inner strength.
Though the show has grown a lot, some of the progression
from being a show for pre-teens to teenagers hasn’t been
good; perhaps the biggest issue is the excessive amount
of teen angst – where ‘The Last Airbender’ gave us just
enough of an insight into the characters’ love lives, without
having it intrude on the main plot, the endless rally of the
Korra-Mako-Asami love triangle is fatiguing from the
start, and really detracts from the character development
(i.e. it makes Mako look like a tool, which would
break my heart if it were true, so I refuse to believe it).
Viewers may have noticed the obvious rush to the finish
with the season 1 finale, although this was more because
Bryke hadn’t known whether ‘The Legend of Korra’ was
going to be allowed to continue after season 1. It’s a
good example of where the backstage, political economy
side of things had a seriously detrimental effect to what
could have been an amazing ending. The season 2 finale
didn’t feel like three episodes crammed into one, but
where it did let up was the high number of unexplained
conclusions, a deus ex machina, and plot loopholes.
Sure, it was epic and flashy and some of the action
scenes positively lifted me off of the floor, but narratively,
they weren’t as well-constructed as what we know Bryke
are capable of from ‘The Last Airbender’. It’s a shame that
a show that carried a momentum of such great of themes
had to leave a final impression as unfulfilling as that.
However, ‘The Legend of Korra’ still remains the
undisputed top dog of all animated artwork; check out the
elegantly two-dimensional style of the mid-season 2 special,
‘Beginnings’, and some of the gorgeous landscapes,
throughout the series, that pour themselves over and out
of the screen. Despite all the shortcomings mentioned
above, ‘The Legend of Korra’ is still an exception to the
rule that sequels are always worse. There’s still a certain
quality about Bryke’s work that makes people come back
for more, whether that’s hidden in the magic of the Avatar
universe, the compelling characters we’d shed tears for
– or maybe it’s in the optimistic vision for mankind that
can sometimes feel a little absent in the real world, today.
49
Q
HUGE,
INTERCONNECTED
MARVEL TV SHOWS
ANNOUNCED FOR
NETFLIX
Marvel is about to go big on the TV front. Really big. Avengers Phase One
is complete and with, the release of Thor: The Dark World, Phase Two
is well on its way to completion and with it Marvel’s success on the big
screen is unprecedented. However, Marvel currently has one series airing
on the small screen, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, but this is about to
change. The company has just signed a deal with Netflix to produce four
separate new live-action series – Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Jessica
Jones. These four shows will lead into a team-up miniseries, The Defenders.
Daredevil will be the first show to air in 2015 followed by Jessica Jones, Iron
Fist and Luke Cage. Netflix notes “the epic will unfold over multiple years of
original programming,” and that it will “take Netflix members into the gritty
world of heroes and villains of Hell’s Kitchen, New York,” emphasizing the
fact these shows are going to be heavily interconnected (Hell’s Kitchen is
the traditional home of Daredevil in the comics). Each series has been given
a minimum commitment of 13 episodes each, as with Marvel’s Agents of
S.H.I.E.L.D which has now been picked up for a full season of 22 episodes. The
Defenders is described as “a dream team of self-sacrificing, heroic characters”
Alan Fine, President of Marvel Entertainment said: “this deal is unparalleled
in its scope and size, and reinforces our commitment to deliver Marvel’s brand,
content and characters across all platforms of storytelling. Netflix offers an
incredible platform for the kind of rich storytelling that is Marvel’s specialty”.
He continued to state, “this serialised epic expands the narrative possibilities of
on-demand television and gives fans the flexibility to immerse themselves how
and when they want in what’s sure to be a thrilling and engaging adventure”.
“Marvel’s movies, such as Iron Man and Marvel’s The Avengers, are
huge favourites on our service around the world. Like Disney, Marvel is a
known and loved brand that travels,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer
Ted Sarandos. “With House of Cards and our other original series, we
have pioneered new approaches to storytelling and to global distribution
and we’re thrilled to be working with Disney and Marvel to take our
brand of television to new levels with a creative project of this magnitude”.
Talk about Marvel seeking such a deal is not new; in fact, the first
details surfaced a couple of months back. Among the characters
being used, Daredevil is notable as having two previous live-action
interpretations of the character, with the 2003 movie starring Ben
Affleck being the most recent. Marvel re-acquired the film and TV rights
to the character in 2012, after 20th Century Fox was unable to begin
production on a new movie in time to stop the rights from lapsing. Marvel
had also previously developed a never-filmed Jessica Jones project
for ABC, written by Melissa Rosenberg (Dexter, Twilight). No writers or
producers have been announced as yet for the new Marvel TV shows.
Via Charlie Andrews
Q 50
ANNOUNCED HEROES INCLUDE: DAREDEVIL
Living in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood
of New York City, Matt Murdock is
blinded by a radioactive substance that
falls from an oncoming vehicle. Whilst
he can no longer see, the radioactive
exposure heightens his remaining senses
beyond normal human ability. His father,
a boxer named Jack Murdock, supports
him as he grows up. However, Jack
is later tragically killed by a group of
gangsters after he refuses to throw a
fight. Matt then dons dark red costume
and seeks out revenge against his father’s
killers as the superhero Daredevil. During
his crime-fighting career he is assigned
the nickname “the Man Without Fear.”
When Daniel Rand was nine his father
decided to bring him and his mother to the
mystic city of K’un-Lun; accompanied by
Rand’s business partner Harold Meachum.
During the journey Daniel’s Father Wendell
fell from a ledge and called to Meachum for
help, but Meachum, hoping to control Rand’s
business shares, caused Wendell to plunge
to his death. Shortly afterward, Daniel’s
mother sacrificed her life to protect him from
a wolf pack. The denizens of K’un-Lun found
Daniel and took him in. Daniel studied
martial arts while growing up in K’un-Lun.
At nineteen, Rand earned an opportunity to
win the power of the Iron Fist by confronting
Shou-Lao, whose power resided within a
flaming brazier. Rand slew Shou-Lao, a feat
no other warrior had accomplished, and
plunged his hands into the brazier, imbuing
himself with the mystic energy of the Iron Fist.
Lucas finally realised how his criminal
actions were hurting his family and so
sought to better himself as an adult.
However, Lucas is later framed and
incarcerated. In prison, Dr. Noah Burstein
recruited Carl Lucas as a volunteer for
experimental cell regeneration based
on a variant of the Super-Soldier Serum.
During the experimentation, one of the
prison guards misuses the experiment’s
controls hoping to maim or kill Lucas. As
a result Lucas’ treatment was accelerated
beyond its intent, inducing body-wide
enhancement that gave him superhuman
strength and durability. He used his new
power to escape prison and return to
New York, where a chance encounter
with criminals inspired him to use his new
powers for profit thus launching a career as
a Hero for Hire under the alias Luke Cage.
Jessica Jones was riding in a car with
her family when they collided with a
military convoy carrying radioactive
chemicals. Her family was killed and,
after spending several months in a
coma, she was placed in foster care and
adopted by the Jones family. Months
later she awoke and later discovered
that her radiation exposure granted her
super strength, limited invulnerability,
and flight. The Joneses re-enrolled Jessica
at Midtown High where she witnessed a
fight between Spider-Man and the villain
Sandman in her own class. This inspired
her, in a way she cannot put into words,
to use her abilities in a positive light.
IRON FIST
LUKE CAGE
JESSICA JONES
ENTERTAINMENT
FILM & TV
WILL THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR BE
RECORDED IN HISTORY?
Or should it be crossed off the ledger? James Ayles investigates
And so, it came to pass. After, well, 50 years
all told, of waiting, Saturday 23rd November
finally saw Doctor Who return to our screen
in a truly unprecedented whirl of hype and
anticipation. Following in the wake of weeks of
documentaries, trailers, teasers and the superlative ‘An
Adventure in Space and Time’ drama recounting the
early days of Doctor Who, 77 million viewers worldwide
tuned in. Ostensibly focusing upon an impossible day,
the Day of the Doctor, this jaunt promised to be an epic,
enthralling tale of the Doctor in his darkest moment, and
in truth, seemed in danger of being unable to live up to
the unbelievable levels of expectation.
Yet, looking back, could it have ever been anything
but a spectacular success? With many loyal Whovians
expressing the first signs of disgruntlement following
a relatively disappointing series in early 2013, this
anniversary special was perhaps the perfect riposte.
Featuring three wildly different and fantastically diverse
representations of the titular character, Doctor Who
tore across time and space like never before, crossing
between the dystopian, epic vistas of the Time War
and the rustic surrounding of 16th century England with
abandon. Based largely around the long-teased premise
of the identity of John Hurt’s Doctor and his actions during
the Time War, this offered the perfect setting for some
early titanic battle scenes, ensuring this episode arrived
with a bang.
Showrunner Steven Moffat steered this episode,
perhaps the single biggest moment of his career to date,
with trademark and characteristic flair, imbuing the script
with remarks and quips so typical of Matt Smith’s soon-todepart Doctor, and reigniting the mercurial presence of
David Tennant’s Doctor with effortless ease. Yet he also
added new, unexpected elements that kept his audience
guessing and counter-guessing right up until the final
few moments; the unforgettable cameo of Tom Baker
in the closing moments was a touching moment that
bridged perfectly the past with a seemingly bright future
for televisions longest running Sci-Fi show. The muchanticipated return, of Tennant alongside the irrepressible
Matt Smith and John Hurt’s War Doctor completed what
many considered to be the perfect line-up, and allowed
for seemingly endless in-jokes and Who-Universe
references to flow throughout. Whilst the abundance of
throwback moments and self-deprecating jokes seemed
to take precedence over any semblance of a true plot,
this was a night where celebration and remembrance of
what many believe to be “the greatest show on earth”
took centre stage.
This was a
celebration of 50
years that has
redefined family
drama and created
an institution
Perhaps one of the more surprising elements of the
evening was the primary villains of the piece. Having
not featured since their only previous appearance in a
1975 serial, the rubbery, shape shifting Zygons proved
an interesting choice of villain for this particular caper.
They offered a sinister and mysterious presence for the
opening hour, although they were admittedly discarded
the moment the story moved on to the larger themes
at work, themes that seem certain to dictate the future
direction of Doctor Who when it returns. This is not to
say the 50th Anniversary special was without flaws; it
seemed to fall foul of its own grandness at times, the plot
twisting and shifting more than necessary, at times too
confused for its own good. The idea of Gallifrey being
swiftly destroyed and undestroyed very almost got the
better of me. The casting of Joanne Page as Queen
Elizabeth I seemed a little overwrought. And, though I
don’t expect this to be a universal view, it often seemed
that the inclusion of Billie Piper as what was effectively
a totally new character, that of that the conscience of
super-weapon The Moment, was done simply for the
sake of it. Whilst she was undoubtedly magnificent, most
particularly her scenes with John Hurt’s morally-anguished
Doctor, her inclusion was perhaps needlessly obscure, if
wonderfully compelling.
Whilst this 50th Anniversary special will by no means
win awards for its subtlety of script, or quality as a single
piece of drama, to judge it on these facets alone is to
miss the whole purpose of this episode and the joy of
Doctor Who as a whole. This was a celebration of 50
years that has redefined family drama, that has created
an institution and legacy that surpasses, yet it is forever
indebted to all the individuals that have contributed to it
over the decades. If ever the old cliché of the whole being
greater than the sum of its parts rings true, then it is in this
instance; not just the three marvellous Doctors on show
here, but each and every actor that has and will inhabit
the role over the years. Indeed, Peter Capaldi’s Thirteenth
Doctor was given the briefest of debuts here and judging
from the menacing glint in his eyes, the story of the
Doctor promises to continue far beyond this Anniversary
and long into the future. Long may it continue.
51
Q
‘TIS THE SEASON FOR ENDLESS REPEATS:
FILMS FOR THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
M
O
TH
ER
FU
CK
ER
CL
A
SS
IC
CO
N
TR
O
V
ER
SI
A
L
What makes Christmas Christmas? For a lot of people it’s the turkey, the trimmings, and the cranberry sauce. It’s the uncle you hate and
the relative whose defining characteristic is the amount of money you find in whatever tacky card they decide to send out this year.
Yet even though we seem to be decided on what constitutes a Christmas song (Fairytale of New York, anybody?), Christmas films are
far more controversial. Home Alone, sure. And nobody’s going to dispute Love Actually, but Die Hard?
So we’ve all pitched in and curated a list of our favourite Christmas films - even if they’re not really Christmas films - because I’d argue
shit TV and re-runs of Elf make Christmas Christmas just as much as cranberry sauce.
TOY STORY
When I told my girlfriend about this article she
was excited to hear about my choice … until
I answered with Toy Story. She immediately
denounced my suggestion, branding it “not a
Christmas film”. I disagree. Ok, it is not explicitly
a Christmas film; it is not about Christmas,
it is not set at Christmas but it does make me
laugh, cheery and feel good, and that is what a
Christmas film should be about.
When we were younger we would get toys for
Christmas and we all wondered what happened
when our backs were turned. Toy Story follows
the exploits and antics of a loveable group of toys
who do in fact come to life when unobserved.
Oh, and just to finish: all three Toy Story films
premiered on TV on Christmas Day (Toy Story
3 will air this year). That must surely make it a
Christmas film?
Not only does Home Alone epitomize
Christmas, it epitomizes the childhood
dream. Don’t try and tell me you didn’t imagine yourself building traps from the top
to the bottom of your house in the hope
that you’d catch some bad guys, or that being left on your own for more than 3 hours
didn’t seem like the most exciting thing
ever.
No, this movie is what every child wanted
and more, because it just so happens that
little Kevin McAllister found himself Home
Alone over the holidays. Sure, his parents
were maxin’ and relaxin’ in Paris, but did
Kevin care? Never. He had the house to
himself and no one could tell him what to
do.
Charlie Andrews
HOME ALONE
Charlie Mock
DIE HARD
I hate films with a message; they reek of Oscar-bait, a
self-congratulatory smirk on behalf of the director. It’s
why I love the action genre, chief of which is Die Hard,
one of the only Christmas films to use international
terrorism as a major plot point (but think of how fantastic
Home Alone V could be). The antagonist is a German
Alan Rickman, the protagonist a New York cop (Bruce
Willis) who, for budgetary reasons, must resolve a
hostage crisis in LA, wearing two vests and no shoes.
People are thrown from rooftops, bodies are rigged with
explosives, and Deeno sings Let it Snow over the credits.
If, in this hour and a half of BRILLIANCE, there is a
message, it seems to be Merry Christmas, motherfucker.
Jimmy Dunne
Q 52
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FILM & TV
A CHRISTMAS CAROL:
THE MUSICAL
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This amazing musical is composed by Alan Menken,
the genius behind Disney films like Hercules, the Little
Mermaid, and Beauty and The Beast.
Though the three ghosts are really tacky, the
child actors were all clearly casted for their singing
rather than their acting, and the spectacle of the
chorus dance numbers are diminished by having
it captured in film, it’s the classic story and the
trademark Menken-melodic, catchy songs that make
this such a satisfying film to watch.
If you’re a lover of deeply cerebral films, then
perhaps this movie will only be a weird fringe cultural
phenomenon; but otherwise, this is an innocently
feel-good film for anyone to enjoy.
Sum Sze Tam
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET
A clichéd choice perhaps, sometimes derided for
its saccharine and sentiment, whilst in other areas
criticised for not living up to the 1947 original. But,
between the ebullient, eternal optimism of young
Marie Wilson and the twinkling, effervescence of
Richard Attenborough’s Santa Clause, this film to
me does epitomise the true spirit of Christmas. The
triumph of an admittedly photogenic and loveable
popular figure over cynicism and greed with the
aid of a little girl is a transcendental tale that will
always ring true to the young child in all of us. In
contrast to the all-out action of the Great Escape
or Arnold Schwarzenegger’s version of Christmas
cheer, Miracle on 34th Street, to me, is a wonderful, easy modern retelling that encapsulates Christmas and reminds us, in between colossal dinners
and the inevitable bickering amongst siblings, what
the true values of Christmas really are.
I think I like The Grinch because he is the
personification of myself in winter. I don’t
want to go outside, I don’t want to be battered
by Christmas shoppers and I don’t enjoy
watching all the mushy couples buying each
other gifts. It’s too cold for any of that.
But even if you do enjoy the Christmas spirit
Dr Seuss’ tale is a brilliant way to spend an
evening with the family and have a laugh. Like
all good Dr Seuss stories it’s got some meaty
messages about acceptance and consumerism
but don’t worry, you can enjoy it without
having to concentrate on the symbolism.
All in all, Jim Carrey does a fantastic job
in his golden era of comedy and it’s a film
everyone can enjoy.
James Ayles
THE GRINCH
Sophie Lodge
It’s Christmas and the Sami inhabitants of a tiny village bordering the Korvatunturi
mountain in Lapland are facing a grim reality.
While American geologists dig in the distance, searching for a lost treasure worth
millions o’bucks, the people below face a fruitless festive season in this dark antiChristmas film that laughs in the face of the saccharine smothered stereotypes
inhabiting our screens.
Pietari, the primary-school-aged protagonist, looks mournfully at his Father over
the pitiful portion of gingerbread cookies laid before him in the guise of an evening
meal. ‘Is this all we’re having?’ he asks.
Meanwhile, the reindeer are dying en masse in mysterious ways. Radiators are
being ripped from the walls and potatoes separated from sacks stolen by an invisible
thief with a strange motive.
Then, the children start to vanish.
Rare Exports delves into the mythology of the Finnish Santa, who, far from his jolly
bulbous-bellied twin, takes form in a satanic creature who captures and punishes the
naughty. The Americans have stumbled upon his burial ground beneath the depths,
unleashing terror as he, alongside his devilish elves, awake from their icy slumber.
Pietari staples his advent calendar shut, terrified of what awaits as the build up to
Christmas descends into hell.
This premise of this film is deeply unnerving but director Jalamari Helander’s
execution is breathtaking and highly original, laced with the kind of surrealist
dark humor only the Scandinavians can pull off. The blatant mockery made of the
consumerist nature of the season acts as a sideline to dilute the pure horror, making
it an achingly apt choice for the Scrooge we all know. Aimee-Lee Abraham
53
Q
CINEMA REVIEWS
MORE ONLINE:
DIRECTOR:
Francis Lawrence
SCREENPLAY:
Simon Beaufoy
Michael Arndt
STARRING:
Jennifer Lawrence
Josh Hutcherson
Liam Hemsworth
STUDIO:
Color Force
BUDGET:
$130m
REVIEWER:
Mark Williams
CATCHING FIRE
The sequel to the surprise 2012 hit begins with the return of Katniss
Everdeen, who is now suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder,
and the same dystopian world now on the edge of rebellion.
The malicious President Snow seeks to put an end to growing
tensions, and more importantly put an end to Katniss, who has become
a symbol of hope for the rebellious. Enter new head gamesmaker
Heavensbee, who devises the 75th annual Hunger Games, whereby
the contestants are chosen from the victors of the previous games.
There, Snow and Heavensbee hope, Katniss will meet her maker.
There is a central flaw in the film: it is incredibly similar to the first. However,
THE FAMILY
4/5
seeing as though the film is based on the books, it is hardly the filmmakers’
fault. The film is still engaging, thrilling and shocking. Let us not forget, this is a
film about kids killing kids to the bitter end (all within the 12A remit of course).
Where the film truly excels is the performances. Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz
and Elizabeth Banks add sterling support, and Donald Sutherland is suitably
menacing as the President. Phillip Seymor Hoffman bizarrely looks like he
has just walked in to say a few lines, yet still brings a chill to the proceedings.
But it is Jennifer Lawrence that is the true standout. Fresh from winning
an Oscar, she delivers a performance that makes the audience care what
happens to its lead character, something of a rarity for similar film franchises.
3/5
Based on the novel by Tonino Benaquista and directed by Luc Besson, The Family
centers around a mafia family sent to Normandy by the witness protection program.
Filmed in picturesque Gacé and Le Sap, with a star-studded cast featuring Robert De
Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones, it’s hard to see where the movie could go
wrong. And for the first forty minutes, you could be convinced that De Niro had returned
to his mob-movie roots. Action fans are treated to a series of bloody and humerous
incidents (often a mixture of both) as the unconventional family attempt to integrate into
the stereotypical rural French neighbourhood. Yet the mid-section of the movie falls a little
flat, as it shifts to focus more on their personal lives. This felt like a half-hearted attempt
to make the family of socio-paths more relatable, which merely succeeded in disrupting
the pace of the film as a whole, particularly since there was then another jarring change
of tone as the film ramped back up again for the explosive, trigger-happy denouement.
While I’m not rushing out to see this one again, if you’re a Scorsese fan, a certain ten
minute segment makes The Family definitely worth a watch.
Holly Marsh
Q 54
ENTERTAINMENT
FILM & TV
“...his chameleonic ability to transform and immerse himself
has cemented his place as one of the shining talents in Hollywood...”
DIRECTOR:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
SCREENPLAY:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
STARRING:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Scarlett Johansson
Julianne Moore
STUDIO:
Hit Record Films
BUDGET:
$6m
REVIEWER:
Imran Bukhari
DON JON
The opening scenes of Don Jon lets the audience know exactly what to expect,
with a flashy bombardment of sexual imagery, followed by a salvo of explicit
scenes. This film definitely isn’t for the faint hearted. The movie follows the title
character Jon as he goes about his life in a repetitive and robotic manner. He
spends time with his family and friends. He takes good care of his flat and
car. He goes to the gym and to church. He also spends his nights at clubs
taking a different girl home like a contemporary Don Juan. The only problem
is that it isn’t enough for him… He is addicted to online pornography. It takes
the arrival of Barbara played by Scarlett Johansson to provide him with the
possibility of breaking this habitual cycle. However she herself carries a lofty
level of expectation from her new boyfriend, having been brain washed by
romantic comedies. The film soon develops into much more than just a humorous
version of Shame and becomes an entirely new beast; delving into the psyche of
modern relationships and examining how the media affects our concept of love.
Credit lies in the tight and concise script for not ramming this message down
PAIN AND GAIN
Sitting down to watch Pain & Gain I must admit it wasn’t my first choice of film to watch on
a Saturday evening but unfortunately I owed the boyfriend a favour. I wasn’t expecting
anything more than a few cheap “lad” jokes and some seriously ‘roided up and slightly
past their time actors in Michael Bay’s first big film since the Transformers trilogy.
However I did honestly enjoy the action/ comedy hybrid which is based loosely upon
the real kidnapping, torture and murder of numerous targets by a group of body builders.
Mark Wahlberg stars as a working class personal trainer in a rundown gym in
Miami who grows envious of his wealthy clients. Recruiting the help of fellow gym goers
(Dwayne Johnson & Anthony Mackie) Wahlberg devises a plot to kidnap a client, steal
all their assets and get rich quick, but like everything in Hollywood, this doesn’t quite
go to plan. Along the way the cast deliver some genuinely funny lines and scenarios,
but to my disbelief it’s Johnson’s character who steals the show: the naïve Christian
4/5
your throat. Instead this is a confident, zingy and funny directorial debut that has
just enough substance to make you think once you’ve left the cinema. The only
negative is that the ending is slightly forced and a much braver route could have
been explored. Nevertheless Joseph Gordon-Levitt proves that he is capable
of pulling off the triple threat of starring, directing and writing his own movie
with consummate ease. His performance as the Jersey Shore lothario makes an
extremely unlikable character on paper somehow relatable on screen; allowing
the viewer to fully support him on his road to redemption. Gordon-Levitt does
have rom-com form with 10 Things I Hate About You and 500 Days Of Summer.
However his career has evolved dramatically over the last few years and he
has now truly emerged; demonstrating his acting chops playing a young Bruce
Willis in Looper, a cancer sufferer in 50/50 and invading people’s dreams in
Inception. His chameleonic ability to transform and immerse himself into a wide
range of roles is once again evident in Don Jon and he has cemented his place
as one of the shining talents in Hollywood.
3/5
produces the most laughs, and is a surprising example of the film’s impressive acting.
The film contrasts the traditional action/comedy film by using interesting and creative
camera angles and digital techniques which heighten the visual experience of the film,
giving it a slightly ‘indie’ feel. Sadly the excessive use of violence which is demonstrated
in the action scenes counteracts the variation from the norm in the filmography and
affiliates the film with any other muscle centred blood fest. Furthermore the humour in
the film becomes more stereotypical and relies on ‘black guy jokes’ towards the end of
the film, in what seems like a desperate bid to frame the film as a mainstream comedy.
In conclusion, Pain & Gain is a good “one time film”; enjoyable to watch the first
time but a second viewing would leave me reaching for bejewelled on my iPhone.
Kathryn Lewis
55
Q
BACK TO THE FUTURE
JACK GLASSCOCK takes a look at the reunion culture of the modern music industry:
is it shameless money-grabbing or a second chance for fans?
It seems to have become a
trend in recent years for bands
to reunite and embark on
comeback tours for an array
of reasons and with varying
degrees of success. You don’t have
to look far to see these reunions taking
place; the recent announcement of selfproclaimed supergroup McBusted for
instance. Or just look down the list
of the recent and upcoming shows at
the Students’ Union in Cardiff which
includes The Darkness, The Stranglers
and Blue.
To begin with, one has to consider
what really constitutes a reunion. Does
a band have to have disbanded in
the first place for their reassembly to
be deemed a ‘reunion’? Or, could a
band just remain inactive for a slightly
prolonged period of time and ‘reunite’
in a dramatic fashion? To use an
example of a band that recently graced
the stage of The Great Hall at Cardiff
University, The Darkness are band that
never actually broke up. Frontman
Justin Hawkins left the band in 2006
after falling into a vicious circle of drugs
and alcohol, forming another project
in the form of Hot Leg after a stint in
rehab. However, five years later The
Darkness returned to the scene with their
original line up, billed as a ‘reunion’.
Is this really a reunion considering they
never officially disbanded? Or would
it be more appropriate to call it a
‘comeback’? Especially given that they
went on to produce a third album. They
came back, rather than merely reunite
for a one-off show.
The word ‘reunion’ is also one that
holds with it several connotations.
Initially a reunion would simply imply a
group getting back together, having split
up. However, it could also be cynically
suggested that the word ‘reunion’ also
implies a group cashing in on a single
tour in which they perform their greatest
hits in a lacklustre fashion, before
promptly disbanding again. Desperate
acts like 5ive and S Club 7 spring
to mind, reforming and disbanding
on more than one occasion, both
struggling to achieve anywhere near
the same success as they once had;
even struggling to bring the number of
Q 56
members that their respective names
promise - 5ive become Four, S Club 7
become 3.
This would make term ‘comeback’ a
far more optimistic and commendable
one. A term which implies a group
reuniting for more than just one show, or
one tour, but to actually produce more
music and attempt to be just as good
group. Whatever your opinion on Take
That is, they have contributed a great
deal to music in general since their
comeback; a more worthwhile venture
that just a ‘reunion’.
Therefore, the next question that begs
to be discussed is: are the majority of
artists getting back together for the
right reasons?
Are acts reforming
Bands are now breaking
up in the knowledge that
they will get back together
as they ever were, or even surpass their
previous success. A good example of
a group with this mindset can be seen
in 90s boy band Take That. Having
disbanded in 1996, the boys reunited
in 2005 along with a new album, and
went on to become undeniably more
successful - with over eight million
album sales and eight sold out dates
at Wembley Stadium, are considerably
more credible than they ever were.
They are now heralded as the world’s
greatest ‘Man Band’ that produce
some of the most faultless pop music
in contemporary music, rather than the
homoerotic boyband they once were
in the 1990s. They are almost a new
because they’re a bit low on cash and
fancy a holiday? There are several
acts that appear to be guilty of the
aforementioned ‘cash-in’ tour. Prime
examples would be the pop groups
that reformed to take part in the ‘The
Big Reunion’ documentary on ITV2,
which was followed by a comeback
show. Acts that took part included the
likes of 5ive, Atomic Kitten and Liberty
X; all acts that hoping to relive their
1990s heyday and most likely looking
for the hefty payslip waiting for them at
the end of the ‘comeback’ show above
everything else. It is striking that it was
billed as a ‘comeback’ show which
suggests more activity from the groups
involved, even though it was also,
somewhat paradoxically, explicitly said
to be a ‘one-off’ show. This would further
illustrate that these pop acts that are still
stuck in the past, a few decades behind
the rest of the planet, were in fact only
on the hunt for a cheque rather than to
actually ‘comeback’ and reunite as the
title of their tour and the documentary
would suggest.
Although this is what people would
expect from these manufactured pop
groups, they are not the only ones that
are guilty of searching for the financial
benefits. The band who spring to mind
would never have been expected to
reform, and especially not just for the
money – Sex Pistols. The instigators of
the British punk movement in 1977,
the epitome of the metaphorical ‘two
fingers’ to society. They reformed for the
appropriately titled ‘Filthy Lucre’ tour.
How could they of all people reform for
such a lowly reason? Especially after
adamant claims that they could never
get back together due to the death of
bassist, Sid Vicious. However, this
‘cash in’ was arguably almost justified,
made acceptable because of The Sex
Pistols refreshing attitude towards it.
They made no effort whatsoever to hide
ENTERTAINMENT
MUSIC
THREE OF THE BEST
the true reason for the reformation. In
addition to the extraordinarily arrogant
tour title, Johnny Rotten stated that the
band had finally “found a common
cause, and that’s your money”. In a
sense they were still standing by what
they always had done; doing what you
wanted when you wanted, for your own
reasons and not caring to what anyone
else thought of that. Very punk, but does
it make it right?
Whether or not Sex Pistols’s ‘Filthy
Lucre’ tour was morally acceptable,
if they could do it, then why couldn’t
anyone else - surely no act is too credible
to reform if Sex Pistols did? Does any
band ever really mean that they’re
breaking up when they call it a day?
Even if they explicitly say that they will
never reform under any circumstance, in
reality, every man has their price. For
instance, Refused - arguably the Sex
Pistols of their generation. Refused are a
band that defined a new genre of punk
with their seminal and self-aware 1998
album ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come’.
After their break-up in the same year they
released to the a statement in the form
of the open letter entitled ‘Refused Are
Fucking Dead’, which seemed to strongly
suggest that they never intended to get
back together. But, lo and behold, given
the chance to make some money over a
decade later, they reunite. But again, is
this so wrong? Although Refused also
have no intention of producing any
more material, a whole new generation
of people have the opportunity to see a
hugely influential band.
There is even room to argue that
bands are now breaking up with
the knowledge that they will get
back together. For instance, recently
disbanded My Chemical Romance gave
dubiously vague reasons for their break
up. This could suggest that they didn’t
really have a reason other than to hope
that they’ll be more popular when they
announce their inevitable comeback
tour, given their downward trajectory
in the few years prior. However, this
logic has served certain other acts well
recently. For example, another act guilty
of breaking up with the knowledge of a
reformation in the not so distant future
would be Fall Out Boy; a band that
announced their dissolution in 2009,
only to reunite in 2013. However,
given time apart they clearly gathered
some wider influence and returned with
a brilliant album unlike anything they
had produced before. Would they have
ever released an album this eclectic
and brilliant if they didn’t disband? Or
is it still unfair to toy with fans like this?
Would it be more appropriate to just
state that you’re taking ‘a considerable
amount of time’ out, like Mumford And
Sons did recently? Although the length
of time is vague, the meaning is clear for
all of their expectant fans, the band will
be back to make mus
The expectation of new material
upon reformation is also a discussion
point.
New material could be what
proves a reunion to be genuine, rather
than a quest for cash. It also separates
nostalgia acts from bands that still have
things to offer. For instance, Black
Sabbath recently staged a comeback
with their original line up and embarked
on a worldwide tour after the release
of their well-received comeback album
with Ozzy, ‘13’. This made clear that
Sabbath meant business and were
serious about a ‘comeback’ rather than
a meagre ‘reunion’. Having said this,
there are bands such as Rage Against
The Machine and Fleetwood Mac that
reunite with no intention of recording
new material, content with just reuniting
and it works brilliantly. They granted
fans the chance to see them which would
have otherwise been impossible. They
came back, played just as hard as they
ever did and reaffirmed their musical
reverence.
There are a whole host of reasons why
any group may stage a reunion ranging
from the moral and credible to the
arguably immoral and purely nostalgic.
However, this is not to say that any
reunion is necessarily more worthwhile
that any other. As long as they come
back with good intentions and give the
fans what they want, whether that be
one unbelievable show for those that
have never seen them, a new album
for those who think they have more to
give, or a full on comeback for those that
are eager for more. A reunion needs to
have a point to be anything worthwhile.
MCBUSTED
Short of Harry Styles offering himself up for a worldwide succession of
kissing booths, a McFly and Busted collaboration is probably at the top
of the majority of teenage girls’ wish lists. Not only have McBusted managed to sell out a nine-date tour in a matter of minutes, increase it to 32
dates and get on Backstreet Boys’ radar (‘It sounds like a McDonalds
sandwich’), the now-sextet provided one of Children In Need’s most anticipated performances to date. The impending success is inevitable because, let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to hear ‘What I Go To School
For’ and ‘Five Colours In Her Hair’ back to back?
TAKE THAT
Not many bands have done ‘the reunion’ to be met by the success that
Take That have. Scratch that, none have. Sure, Robbie isn’t the most
reliable of the 90’s boyband that stole the hearts of millions across the
globe, but what does that matter when the four remaining members have
secured over 20 awards since their 2006 rebirth? Hits like ‘Patience’
and ‘Rule The World’ stormed the charts and continue to receive airtime
at Christmas parties across the country. You can say what you like about
Gary and his backing band but when all is said and done, they really
are back for good.
BLINK 182
Blink-182 have governed the adolescence of millions. Whether it was
‘Enema of the State’ or ‘Take Off Your Pants and Jacket’ that provided the
backing track to your summer, the presence of Travis, Mark and Tom was
undoubtedly felt at some point. The hype that surrounded their 2010 UK
reunion tour was unrivalled, nor was the disappointment that followed
when the run of shows was rescheduled to allow for the completion of
comeback album ‘Neighborhoods’. Despite this, support for the trio was
unwavering and continues to be so; clearly, Blink’s pop-punk influence
is no small thing.
Via Charlie Mock
57
Q
BRIGHT LIGHTS.
BIG CITY.
HAS CARDIFF GOT WHAT IT TAKES?
There’s a lot more to the Welsh music scene than
Tom Jones. Cardiff is a hotbed for both up-andcoming and long-standing talent, but does anyone
know it? Should more be done to showcase
everything Wales has to offer? We looked into
the matter and spoke to future stars to find out if
we’re getting enough of what’s new…pussycat.
When talking about the Welsh music scene there are two
events that immediately spring to mind: the Welsh Music
Prize and Swn Festival. If you caught last month’s issue of
Quench then you’ll already know that Swn festival is at the
forefront of showcasing the wealth of talent in Wales. While
not entirely featuring Welsh acts, it prides itself on a vast
majority. This is far from limiting for Swn festival and the
quality of the whole weekend is the best example of what
Wales has to offer.
The Welsh Music Prize, now in its third year, is quickly
becoming a huge part of promoting Welsh music and
making the shortlist can do wonders for an artist’s future.
This year’s winner Georgia Ruth was virtually unheard of
until winning but is now embarking on a UK tour next year.
Previous winners include Future of the Left, who recently
released a well-received third album on their own label, and
Welsh legend Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals fame.
We got a first-hand account from two of this year’s nominees
of the Welsh Music Prize effect. Seasonal orchestral fivepiece Winter Villains and Welsh hip-hop producer Metabeats
talked about their two very different experiences of being
nominated within genres that are worlds apart:
WV: “It meant a lot. Being nominated for awards is not
something we’ve ever thought about, but being recognised
as part of a very strong shortlist was an honour. To be
included alongside the likes of Neon Neon, Trwbador and
Euros Childs was a bit overwhelming. I think it’s an excellent
way to draw attention to music in Wales.”
M: “I’m very grateful to have been considered for the prize,
however I will still keep the same mentality and approach to
what I do, and I can assure you I would have the same
thoughts if I had won the prize.”
Winter Villians spoke about how Cardiff’s culture
encourages the formation of new bands: “Wales has always
had a strong cultural heritage and modern-day Cardiff
is a very diversely creative city. It’s a very self-sufficient
community, with loads of creative people running labels, as
well as others putting on gigs, hosting festivals and generally
getting involved. It’s a vibrant and creatively healthy place
to be.
That said, while Winter Villains saw a relatively quick and
easy rise to the level they are at today, this was not Josef
and Faye’s first musical venture. It took years of making
connections in the Welsh music industry before Winter
Villains were able to get sufficiently represented to achieve
what is still regrettably a relatively low level of fame. Josef
described their struggle: “We’ve both played in bands for
years and at times in the past it certainly felt like trying to
find your way in the dark. But we just kept making and
playing music and following our ideas. Along the way we
came across great producers, great musicians, and talented
friends from other art forms who all helped out massively.
By the time we started Winter Villains, I think we had learnt
Q 58
from those years.”
Metabeats was able to give an insight into the little-reported
world of Welsh hip-hop. Artists within this genre admittedly
are few and far between and Metabeats was faced with
a struggle unparalleled by most other emerging genres in
Wales: “There was no industry down here. But what it did
do was keep us focused on what we enjoyed as there was
fuck all else to do around our way. You could go walk the
streets, get into some trouble, or stay indoors and write raps
or make beats.
“Starting off was kind of weird as up until, say, ’99-2000
a lot of the people I was rapping with had never heard
much UK hip hop, so we still sounded like little snot-nosed
Americans. Then we watched a documentary that featured
the likes of Skeme, Rodney P, Ty and Task Force. That showed
us another side to the music and was definitely a pivotal
moment for us all. Our approach changed towards writing
and recording tracks. It also made us feel more comfortable
rapping in our own accents.”
Metabeats is doing
more to support new
hip-hop artists than
anyone before him
Metabeats is unique in that, while finding his feet in an
almost untouched genre in Wales, he is also doing more to
support new hip-hop artists than anyone before him. Through
the features on his tracks he is giving some much-needed
support to Welsh MCs and giving them a break difficult to
come by in such a rare genre for Wales: he’s certainly one
to watch for the future.
It is clear that Wales has no shortage of musical talent and
its culture is ideally suited to promoting that, but what else is
being done other than the two annual events to ensure that
this talent isn’t left unheard? The Horizons Scheme is at the
forefront of ensuring that this doesn’t happen. Set up recently
ahead of WOMEX 13 (The World Music Expo), Horizons
is a UK-wide collection of organisations. The Welsh section
incorporates The Arts Council of Wales, Cerdd Cymru:
Music Wales, Wales Arts International and Welsh Music
Foundation, working together to help showcase and support
up-and-coming Welsh artists. Welsh Music Prize winner
Georgia Ruth is just one example of what is set to be many
success stories helped by the project, promising a bright
future for the Welsh music scene.
The Cardiff music scene is one that has seen an incredible
rate of growth over the last few years and one that is set to
continue growing with the help of schemes such as Horizons,
events such as Swn and The Welsh Music Prize and labels
such as Barely Regal and Associated Minds. If there’s one
thing to be seen by the juxtaposition of Metabeats and
Winter Villains, it’s that Cardiff is embedded in a culture
which favours certain genres over others. Metabeats is a
perfect example of how this can and is being changed. So,
if you weren’t already aware, keep a look out: there’s a lot
more to Wales than meets the eye. Henry Boon
ENTERTAINMENT
MUSIC
BEST OF CARDIFF
IN
FORMATION
Tom Connick spoke to ambient producer Ed Watson about
taking his first steps into Cardiff's renowned music scene
How did In Formation come about?
I think the idea behind ‘in formation’ came about halfway through
my first year of Uni. I had played in a number of bands before
and was hoping I could start another one up on my arrival, but
alas I had no mates or people willing to write with me. So as
such, I purchased a Mac and some audio equipment and began
writing in Talybont South. It was this point, by falling in love with
electronic music (especially that of the ambient variety), when I
decided to do something I hadn’t previously attempted. As for
the name, that’s kind of a long story. But the short story is that I
was in a lecture and I accidentally left a gap between ‘in’ and
‘formation’ when trying to write the word ‘information’.
Do you have plans to go live, or is this strictly a
bedroom thing?
In the next few months I plan to get some sample pads, maybe
a nice analogue synth and Ableton Live to perform a few of
my songs live. But my problem is that, as a lot of my songs are
comprised of many layers, I’m hesitant about merely whacking
on a backing track and then proceeding to sing a few lines. I
personally think that the aesthetics of this just aren’t interesting
enough for a live setup - I might as well just put on the recorded
track and leave. But for now I think it’ll have to do until I meet
some other people that would be interested in joining the
‘ambient chillax’ clan.
Are there many opportunities for smaller producers
such as yourself in or around Cardiff?
So far there hasn’t been anything that has struck me, but that’s
probably because I only uploaded my first E.P a month ago
and haven’t played a gig yet. But recently, I’ve started sending
some of my songs to a few radio stations and music blogs. In
fact, I was very lucky to get a response from BBC Radio Wales’
Adam Walton who opened his new music show with my song
‘Welcome Home’ recently. As someone that’s only ever played
at a village hall in a band, this was a pretty cool moment for
me.
You recently released debut EP ‘Summerlancholia’.
What lies ahead?
I have a load of songs stored on my laptop that I’m waiting to
finish. My problem is that I’m never really happy with my music,
and I think that’s probably down to the fact that my knowledge
of audio production spans back just over a couple of years,
which in the grand scheme of things is not much time at all.
Hopefully I’ll have another EP uploaded around January, but for
now I’m going to continue considering the multiple ways I could
perform ‘Summerlancholia’ live. I’d also love to see if anyone
wants to remix anything I’ve uploaded too. Remixes are wicked,
and given that I have no monetary incentives at the moment, it
might be a nice way for people to come find the original tracks.
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT
JEALOUS LOVERS CLUB
Jealous Lovers Club are promoters of live
music in Cardiff, Newport and London. They
aim to bring audiences a broad spectrum of
music with math rock at one end and indie
at the other. When it comes to the local scene
in the Welsh capital, Jealous Lovers Club
frequently hosts nights at the iconic Clwb Ifor
Bach, as well as getting involved with events
and shows throughout the calendar year.
Early next year, the Cardiff-based company are
hosting Neck Deep at Clwb Ifor Bach, and in the past
the promoters have put on shows featuring everyone from
Playlounge and Tall Ships to Dinosaur Pile Up. The Jealous
Lovers Club was created with the intention of bringing
high-quality live music events to the city and since their
inception they have strived to book quality international
acts.
The hard part for any promoter is deciding how to
go about informing potential audiences that a show is
happening. Jealous Lovers Club try to tell as many people
as possible through as many media as possible, be it
by handing out flyers, using social media platforms or
word-of-mouth. One look at their Twitter page is enough
to prove how popular their nights are (with a thousand
followers and counting).
This year the Jealous Lovers Club raised their
profile even higher by getting fully involved with
Swn Fest for the first time. Every October the
festival takes over Cardiff’s city centre, and
for Friday’s proceedings the Club hosted
their very own stage at Four Bars. They
also saw three of the acts they manage
make the line-up this year in the form of
Radstewart, Samoans and Kutosis. This is
a massive achievement for the promoters,
who are still a relatively young company.
Despite being established less than two
years ago, Jealous Lovers Club are now
an integral part of the Cardiff music scene.
Bringing us everything from the latest poppunkers to intricate indie acts, Jealous Lovers
Club host something for every audience. It is this
inclusive outlook that sets their live nights apart.
India Thomas
59
Q
LIVE REVIEWS
MORE ONLINE:
THE DARKNESS • SOLUS • NOV 17
Time hasn’t been kind to The Darkness. The anthemic yet
tongue-in-cheek hard rock of debut album ‘Permission to Land’
saw them become superstars instantly. Since their reunion in
2011, they haven’t seemed to maintain the success they once
had, this current UK tour being in a lot smaller venues than the
arenas they were once used to. It seems appropriate after how
successful ‘Permission to Land’ was that tonight they are playing
the 10-year-old album in full.
Supporting are The River 68s, whose acoustic-led sound is
a contrast to The Darkness’ AC/DC-inspired riffing, but some
impressive falsetto vocals must have made The Darkness proud
listening backstage. Up next are Derbyshire emo-rockers
LostAlone, who get the crowd singing and clapping along. Lead
vocalist/guitarist Steven Battelle’s Monsters Inc. jacket is a hint
at some of the amusing attire to be worn later in the evening.
Opening with an assortment of B-sides, tracks from two most
recent studio albums and brand new song ‘The Horn’, The
Darkness manage to triumph over technical difficulties to give
tonight’s crowd a very entertaining rock show. Lead singer Justin
Hawkins manages to keep everyone entertained through lesserknown tracks, staying true to his promise to give an audience
member £100 from his wallet when he sees them singing
along to B-side ‘Curse of the Tolland Man’. ‘Permission to Land’
comes towards the end of the set, with hits like ‘I Believe in a
Thing Called Love’ alongside some well-received album tracks
showing that for all their ridiculousness, The Darkness certainly
have some great songs to back it up. Through Hawkins’ pink
catsuit, crowdsurfing on a roadie’s shoulders and a cowbell
descending from the ceiling for ‘One Way Ticket’, this is a show
that displays every rock cliché there is, but that’s exactly what
you’d want from The Darkness. Closing on an encore of the
seasonal favourite ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)’,
this is a band that isn’t conquering the world any more, but they
seem to be having too much fun to worry. Alec Evans
MIND FEST • VARIOUS • NOV 23
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 Medicine grouped together to organise MIND
Fest - a two-day, four-stage showcase of local talent that put the
charity under the spotlight.
Backed by quotations from well-known personalities who deal
with mental health issues (think Stephen Fry), Third Party took
to the surreptitious Four Bars stage. Despite facing a slightly
thin-on-the-ground crowd, the quartet filled the room with their
post-punk bass lines and ska overtones to the enjoyment of the
few who had turned out.
My Name Is Ian, whose noise sounds a little like the result
of Frank Turner disregarding his folk-punk progressions for
something more like Morrissey on a good day, stole the show
with their sharp lyrics and excessive reverb, managing to get
the room moving enough to fight off the numbness that had
overcome punters due to the Arctic weather of the weekend’s
proceedings.
R.Seiliog, moniker of Robin Edwards, gave a consistent set
of hypnotic krautrock full of trance-like repetition and keys that
reverberated in the upper octaves. Lyricless, Edwards and his
band moved seamlessly between songs bringing an air of
minimalism to the tiny underground setting that couldn’t have
been more overflowing.
Welsh-singing soloist Gwenno took it down a notch with her
melodic, synth-led pop providing just the level of calm that was
required before Heavy Petting Zoo’ arrived with their headline
set. The Swansea foursome brought the night to a close in the
dingy-yet-homely basement that is Undertone. Gyrating, white
tux-wearing dancer in tow, the ‘post-punk-garage-rock wet
dream’ that is HPZ did not disappoint. Charlie Mock
STEREOPHONICS • MOTORPOINT • NOV 24
Rocking up in Cardiff for a three night stay at the Motorpoint,
Stereophonics began their residency with a smashing twohour set.
Leading off the gig were openers Kitty, Daisy and Lewis, who
hit on a nostalgic vibe with their swinging rock’n’roll, receiving
a warm welcome. Set-up complete, the lights dropped again
to prompt the main act; Stereophonics strutted onto the stage
to kick off with the shouty ‘Catacomb’ from their latest album
‘Graffiti on the Train’. It was perhaps a surprising choice, but
as a tone-setter it hit the spot and showed the band knows
exactly what they’re doing on the live scene. Other new songs
were less exceptional, the title track of that album is hardly
their best work, and it seemed as if the crowd agreed.
Undoubtedly, everyone enjoyed the hits; ‘Maybe Tomorrow’
and set-closer ‘Dakota’ were terrific, with no expense spared
as lasers, balloons, flames and the lot were pumped out to
Q 60
give a real sense of spectacle. A particular highlight was a
delicious breakdown at the end of ‘The Bartender and the
Thief’ accompanied by smoke streaming out from the stage
and confetti covering a delighted audience.
Perhaps the best moments were Jones’ story-telling
amongst the songs, the biggest cheer of the night followed
a reminiscence of the band coming to Cardiff in their youth.
With mentions of landmarks such as Clwb Ifor Bach and
Cardiff Arms Park, the lead-singer introduced a collection of
songs from 1997, the year of their debut album. The roar
back from the crowd as ‘A Thousand Trees’ sparked up was
immense, and the feel of this being a true homecoming gig
for the Glamorgan band was palpable- it was vividly clear
that many of the fans there in 2013 had been there since the
‘90s- and the band did every one of them justice, a great
performance. Marc Mayo
RECORD REVIEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
MUSIC
4/5
LADY GAGA • ARTPOP
Lady Gaga’s career has always been one of the more
intriguing in popular music. Calling her latest release
‘Artpop’ and describing it as “a celebration and a
poetic musical journey” shows that Stefani Germanotta
shows no signs of slowing ambitions. Lead single
'Applause' was a competent but not earth-shattering
release, but the electropop of the chorus hinted at
positive things from the album.
Despite always being seen in Madonna’s shadow
to many, on her third release Lady Gaga manages to
take on a number of new influences. From the Ennio
Morricone-styled intro of opener 'Aura', to the Daft
Punk influences in the chorus to 'Fashion!', it manages
to have enough musical twists and turns to keep
sounding interesting, whilst having enough memorable
hooks and not experimenting too far to alienate fans
of previous releases. Honourable mentions go to the R.
Kelly-assisted 'Do What You Want', perhaps Gaga’s
catchiest since 'Just Dance' and the huge-sounding
'Mary Jane Holland'. On a less positive note, the
amount of sexual themes border on overkill, neither
'Sexxx Dreams' nor MANiCURE leaving much to the
imagination.
‘Artpop’ and “a poetic musical journey” are slightly
pretentious ways of describing what is on display
here and the album is not without weaker moments,
but this is a very strong addition to the catalogue of
one of the most interesting forces in mainstream pop.
Having hinted at the possibility of a sequel featuring
more experimental material in future, the potential of
this album suggests a very interesting future for Lady
Gaga. Alec Evans
2/5
BLOOD ORANGE • CUPID DELUXE
Devonté “Dev” Hynes came to the attention of the music
press for being one third of the neon splattered dance-punk
group Test Icicles. After Test Icicles split in 2006, Hynes went
on to release two albums of orchestral and confessional
folk-pop under the moniker of Lightspeed Champion, until
2011 when Hynes became Blood Orange and starting
pushing a dark and moody conglomeration of 1980’s
synth-funk and new wave.
'Cupid Deluxe' takes the formula that Blood Orange first
synthesised in 2011’s 'Coastal Grooves' and exceeds it
with a greatly expanded sonic palette and a host of varied
guests. Opener 'Chamakay' is strong, with some tasteful
percussion and thumb piano. Caribbean instrumentation is
beautifully juxtaposed with the song’s minor vibe evoking a
rainy day on a paradise beach. 'You’re Not Good Enough
snubs a former lover over the top of a melancholic new
wave track that pays homage to 'Tango in The Night' era
HAIL! THE PLANES
• SEND A SIGNAL...
As the biting cold Cardiff winter
descends 'Send a Signal to Me,
Love' is the perfect soundtrack to a
bleak frosty morning. The delicately
beautiful sound of Hail! The Planes
has further matured, cumulating in
what feels like one single flowing
piece full of swelling and falling
emotion guided by the fragile and
touching vocals of singer Holly
Müller. The drawn out and carefully
put together sound may not be for
everyone, residing within the genre
of what is essentially modern folk but
the musical talent demonstrated by
the Cardiff six-piece is undeniable
and if this isn’t usually your thing this
could well be the band that changes
Fleetwood Mac. Hynes is happy to hand over the spotlight
to some of his guests, stopping his affectedly mawkish
voice from wearing you down too much. On 'No Right
Thing', Dirty Projectors’ David Longstreth gives a great
performance with his exceptionally agile vocals.
Hynes’ talent lies in his ability to recreate the sonic
signature of 1980’s pop music, though he seems unable to
recreate the infectiously hooky song writing. Cupid Deluxe is
dominated by some prosaic and uninspired compositional
decisions: 'You’re Not Good Enough’s amateurish synth
solo, 'Chosen’s corny saxophone solo and gospel choir
section plus a slew of dated drum breaks; these features
add nothing more than a kitschy “yuck factor”.
If you worship the likes of Prince (be that genuinely or
ironically), pick up this album. However, those who aren’t
enamoured with the plasticity of 80’s pop 'Cupid...’s
campiness could induce cringing. Jac Jones
ENTER SHIKARI • RAT RACE
your mind.
Reminiscent of early Portishead in
their raw emotion and cinematic
sound H!TP are creating a lot of buzz
and off the back of mesmerising
festival performances and radio
appearances This buzz is far from
misplaced as H!TP represent a
kind of musical story telling rarely
showcased.
As Christmas deadlines loom ever
nearer and stress levels are at an
all-time high if nothing else Send a
Signal... is the perfect EP to throw
on, relax and float through that
troublesome essay. Henry Boon
4/5
St Albans’ Enter Shikari have
become one of the most acclaimed
forces in modern rock with their
electronic take on post-hardcore.
The final one of the band’s three
singles released this year, Rat
Race, is a song that gets straight
to the action, with its hard-hitting
intro riff recalling The Shape of
Punk to Come-era Refused. The
slightly progressive nature of
this riff soon gives way to the
more typical post-hardcore of the
verses, with anthemic repeated
chants of ‘They know what’s best
for us’, the contrasting riff and
shout-along verses managing to fit
together well. Slight flourishes of
dubstep in the chorus and towards
the end don’t work quite as well
as electronic sounds incorporated
into their music in the past, but
overall, this track is one that is
destined to go down a storm
in the live environment. Having
recently
headlined
London’s
10,000-capacity
Alexandra
Palace as part of Warped Tour
UK, Rat Race’s lyrics ‘out to defeat
everyone’
seem
increasingly
appropriate for this band and
their continuing rise.
Alec Evans
3/5
61
Q
MOUNT KIMBIE
Liam McNeilly caught up with Dominic Maker of the Brighton
post-dubstep duo ahead of their Bristol Fleece show
Following the release of their second album ‘Cold Spring
Fault Less Youth’, Mount Kimbie have found themselves
on the road with a hectic touring schedule. Prior to their
sold out show at The Fleece, Bristol, the band had flown in that
afternoon having had their UK tour interrupted by a one off show in
Dresden, Germany. The touring of their latest album has seen them
play throughout Europe and in the United States, and will finish in
the new year when they descend on Australia and New Zealand.
“Major cities are always great in America; we’ve been fortunate
enough to build up a modest and solid fan base. The big change
for us was in the smaller towns where a lot of the venues were kind
of beaten up and the sound systems are crap. Although that could
be frustrating it benefits us as a band in overcoming those sorts of
challenges.”
“In Europe they have a lot more funding
from governments and they tend to pump it in
to music and culture and live venues benefit.
It’s always great playing on a massive sound
system with amazing monitors but part of us
will always love the small, sweaty clubs and
rock venues that you get in the UK. There’s
a sort of romance to it.”
The live shows that Dom reflects on would
not have been possible without the release
of their second album ‘Cold Spring Fault Less
Youth’, an album that received consistently
high praise from critics. Six months after its
release, it’s a record that Dom continues to see in a different light.
“For us it was definitely more of a grower. I listen to it now and see
it in different ways when I revisit it and I hope that’s the same for
other people”.
The album saw the pair explore new sounds, experimenting with
new instruments and equipment, something that they have worked
hard to recreate live. “With Kai and myself it just got to a point
that we just weren’t able to replicate our songs as we wanted to
on stage.” This has seen them introduce a live drummer to their set
up, something that Maker admits has taken some time to get right.
“It took a little while to adapt to. It’s been quite a fast transition.
We didn’t really have much rehearsal time and most of it has been
done on stage and there have been a few hairy moments. Having
Tony [Dom’s school friend] in on drums is a real bonus though. I’m
really happy that we’ve got him in and he’s applying his own ideas
as well which is awesome.”
Dom goes on to explain how the hurdle of developing their live
arrangement was not the greatest challenge in writing the new
album. Following their largely instrumental debut ‘Crooks & Lovers’
in 2010, the introduction of more prominent vocals provided a
fresh but challenging element to their sound. “We aren’t very
comfortable in expressing to one another what we want to say in
our music so sitting down to write lyrics together would just be out
of the question. It was probably the biggest challenge of the album,
because it wasn’t something that we’d done before to that extent.
We were worried that having lyrics would answer too many of the
questions that were in the music before. For us it was important to
keep a level of anonymity and leave questions unanswered as we
have done before”
Whilst Maker and bandmate Kai Campos prefer their music
to be underpinned by a sense of mystery, the piercingly direct
approach of collaborator King Krule - aka
Archy Marshall - put the tracks on which
he featured at the opposite end of the
spectrum. “He got involved with us in terms
of the direction of those tracks and it was
very odd being around someone who has
moments, which to us strike as moments
of genius, all of the time. We turned the
microphone on and he laid down the verse
and it was done. It was strange being
around someone like that because we’re
constantly having lots of self-doubt and not
sure where we are going with it. Archy
knows what he wants. It’s quite rare these
days, especially in electronic music, to be able to put a real human
side to it, and I’m really glad with the way that Archy came across
in those songs because you can feel what he’s saying and to me it
just feels really honest what he laid down on those songs.”
As the conversation moves on to 2014, it’s clear that Maker is
driven by the prospect of penning the third Mount Kimbie album.
Given the development and innovation that the band continue to
demonstrate, it’s a prospect which should excite music fans. “It’s
too early to think about what we want to do with a third album,
but we want to do it and we want to do it soon. There was too
much time between ‘Crooks & Lovers’ and the latest one. When we
sat down to write the second album we were at a loose end to be
honest. We had a moment thinking, ‘do we really want to do this
anymore?’ It was so far in the back of our mind that when it comes
down to it you kind of forget your trade and you don’t know what
the hell you’re doing. We soon got over that though and found
the passion that we had for it, and that is something that has run
through us ever since.”
It’s quite rare in
electronic music
to be able to put a real
human side to it
Q 62
Another Irish folk import in
the vein of Damien Rice and
Lisa Hannigan, McMorrow
is enjoying a seemingly
endless public enthusiasm
for acoustic melancholy.
He tours in anticipation of
new album ‘Post Tropical’,
released 14th January, and
in classic follow-up fashion,
he’s got synths now. Adding
an
electronic
element
has
only
strengthened
McMorrrow’s
repertoire,
latest
single
‘Cavalry’
bringing a very traditional
genre bang up to date.
Jimmy Dunne
MOTORPOINT
08.02.14
& THE STORY SO FAR
“Trouble’s what you want?
Then you’re gonna get
it!” Quite possibly the
most fun live band going,
Newport’s Skindred are
making their descent upon
Bristol. Combining bouncy
metal riffs with reggae
and dancehall influences,
the band, touring their fifth
album ‘Kill the Power’, have
been described by Metal
Hammer as one that ‘don’t
do bad shows’.
The show, led by the
hilariously
charismatic
Welsh-Jamaican
Benji
Webbe,
should
make
sure you leave with a
smile on your face after
witnessing
the
closest
thing to a middle ground
between Bullet For My
Valentine and Shaggy fans.
Alec Evans
SUPPORT: EVERY TIME I DIE
BRISTOL O2
30.01.14
SUPPORT: SOIL
SKINDRED
Welsh National Opera’s
next season revolving
around the theme of
‘Fallen Women’ is a
true highlight not to
be missed. The season
is made up of three
masterpieces - Puccini’s
Manon Lescaut, Verdi’s
La Traviata and Henze’s
Boulevard
Solitude.
Manon and Boulevard
are also new productions
being mounted by WNO
and will be exciting to
see their approach to
these works. If you are
a newcomer to opera
or looking to see your
first, La Traviata could
possibly be one of
the best to see as this
production
received
amazing reviews when
it premiered and is still
regarded today as one
of the finest works in
the operatic repertory.
Jordan Nicholls
A DAY TO REMEMBER
The
hip
hop
Essex
dream team have been
collaborating since 2008
and with new album ‘Repent
Replenish Repeat’ comes
a new tour. dan le sac
provides the electro beats
for Scroobius Pip’s flawless
spoken lyrics. The result
is rough and deliciously
dark, with sociopathic lyrics
crashing into a juddering
accompaniment.
Joining
them on the stage is vocalist
and
producer
Sarah
Williams White, the female
mirror of le sac and Pip’s
artistic purpose. Her voice
blends in as another layer
to discordant jazz-edged
dub beats, touting ‘fearless’
artists from M.I.A. to Prince
as her inspiration. Probably
not one for the faint-hearted.
Hannah Embleton-Smith
LOOKING FOR AN EVENING OFF THE BEATEN TRACK?
QUENCH CONTRIBUTORS PICK THEIR HIGHLIGHTS
FROM CARDIFF’S UPCOMING MUSICAL CALENDAR
JAMES
VINCENT-MCMORROW
ST GEORGES, BRISTOL
25.01.14
DAN LE SAC VS.
SCROOBIUS PIP
SOLUS
27.01.14
THINGS
NOT TO
MISS
WNO FALLEN
WOMEN
VARIOUS
01.14 - 03.14
5
ENTERTAINMENT
MUSIC
Fresh from the release of
latest album ‘Common
Courtesy,’ Florida’s kings
of mosh-punk hit the road
for their hotly anticipated
European tour. Known for
their personalised brand of
metalcore and gargantuan
shows that throw everything
from beach balls to toilet
paper at the sweaty hoard
of fans, the five-piece are
not to be missed.
With a host of supports
rivaled by few, ADTR offer
The Story So Far, Every
Time I Die and a further act
yet to be announced to get
you in the mood for what is
guaranteed to be a night to
remember.
Charlie Mock
63
Q
CARDIFF
STUDENT
MEDIA
AWARDS
2014
SATURDAY
10 MAY 2014
4 COURSE
MEAL
TICKETS £29
AVAILABLE@
GREAT HALL
STUDENTS’ UNION
7PM–11.30PM
WITH CHAMPAGNE
RECEPTION, WINE
& AFTER PARTY
CARDIFFSTUDENTS.
COM/BOXOFFICE
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