Cardiff Volunteering - Quench.indd

Quench
Issue 153
SEPTEMBER 2015
IN THIS ISSUE
THE
STUDENT
ABROAD
TOP OF THE
SHOPS
HUNGOVER
HANGOUTS
DESTINATION
CARDIFF
YOUR DEFINITIVE
STUDENT GUIDE
TO LIFE IN THE CIT Y
Image: Olivia Thomas
Get involved in your local community,
Gain & develop new skills and experiences,
and make friends along the way!
Cardiff Volunteering
Gwirfoddoli Caerdydd
C O N T E N T S
14
28
28
43
FEATURES
6
8
Back To School
Let us jog your memory as to
why Cardiff could well be the best
place in the world
Refugee: Cardiff’s
Untold Stories
How we can lend a hand to those
in crisis on our doorstep
CULTURE
12
14
What is Culture?
New culture editor Beau
Beakhouse asks the big questions
Culture Calculated
We give you the low-down on the
best cultural activities on offer in
the city this Autumn
FASHION & BEAUTY
16
Top of the Shops
Let us point you in the direction
of our favourite independent
stores
TRAVEL
18
22
FILM & TV
The Student Abroad
Cardiff students who have spent
semesters abroad give us a
student guide to European Cities
World’s
Hostels
Wackiest
Travelling on a budget? Check
into one of these!
MUSIC
26
Gigs in the ‘Diff
28
Festival Replay
Our guide to the best venues no
matter what your taste is
We relive and review our
favourite festivals from this
summer
VIDEO GAMES
30
Editors Pick
32
E3
36
38
Location, Location,
Location
Did you know Cardiff is a really
popular filming location? Neither
did we until we wrote this
The Best of Wes
A look at the work of the
maverick director
FOOD & DRINK
43
46
Milgi
We interview the minds behind
the best veggie restaurant in
Cathays (we’re biased)
Hungover Hangouts
The best places to eat your
feelings when the going gets
tough after a heavy night at
GLAM
Our new editors review the
games that have been keeping
them busy over summer
The highlights of the gaming
conference
3
Welcome Students!
F
F
O
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A little introduction...
E M I LY - E D
E
R IN C HIEF
let us know your thoughts and suggestions
by tweeting us - @QuenchMag
CY
- T R AV E L
AM
- T R AV E L
LU
A
GEOR
If anyone can watch a ten
season TV show in a week
it’s probably me. In my first
ever week of uni I wore a
different Marvel themed
t-shirt every day, and I
think that says a lot about
the kind of person I am!
Y-
FAS HIO N & BE
If you want to find me
on campus, look for
the girl wearing double
denim and radiating some
seriously good vibes. My
hobbies include trying to
understand David Lynch
films and forcing friends to
watch Friday Night Lights.
F O O D & D RI N K
Y-
Second year studying
English literature! I love
nothing more than good
food along with the
experience of eating out
and hope to express this
passion in my writing
TO M
- M U S IC
- VI
D EO G A M ES
Journalism and sociology
student here to teach you
about the ethics of video
games journalism. I’m
looking forward to working
with contributors this year- if
you want to write just send us
an email!
N
JA M
Journalism student, with an
unhealthy shopping habit.
Round like the letter C,
squats have made my bum
rounder not bigger. You’re
most likely to find me in the
gym or on the dance floor
with a G&T in hand.
- FO
O D A N D D RIN
ZEN
LM & TV
ES
Philosophy student with a
love for a bit of everything,
whether it’s punk or country,
a good song is a good song.
I’m really excited to hear
what you music lovers have
to say about the music
Cardiff has to offer!
S
-
SIC
E RI N
- FI
Hi I’m Lucy, one of the
Travel Editors this year. I
study French and Italian,
when I’m not at uni I tend
to be skiing or travelling
and exploring new places!
D AI
- FIL M & T V
MU
A scouser going into my
second year of Diagnostic
Radiography (i <3 bones).
Dead excited to tell you all
about Cardiff ’s boss music
scene I especially love
funk/soul/garage/disco &
Everton.
A
JAC
N
E
LIC
I’m starting my first year
of English Literature so
like some of you I’m a
fresher who’s excited about
the next 3 years at Cardiff
University. I love to travel
and have spent my summer
in Croatia, Portugal and
Belarus!
SI C
3rd year English Lit student
and rock music nut. Really
looking forward to getting
connected with all our
fellow music nerds and
getting some good, honest
words printed over the
year!
OR
As an obsessive coffee
drinker, gym addict and
travel junkie, I love making
my life as stressful as
possible - I don’t do being
‘bored’!
IT O
K
Psychology student born
on the release date of the
PlayStation 1 (9th September
if you’re feeling generous).
Undefeated Crash Team
Racing champion with an
embarrassingly large number
of trophies.
MU
K-
ELEA
J A MIL
- VI D E O G A ME
S
SAM
Odd things that bring me
joy include: spontaneity,
complimentary bread and
functional Apple chargers.
This year, Fashion & Beauty
aims to challenge stereotypes
and get you more involved.
AN
ULTURE
I’m a second year
Journalism and English
Lit student. I’m extremely
interested in Culture
especially theatre. I write
reviews of shows for my
website as well as Quench
and other independent
branches.
S H IO N & B E A
UTY
A
I like to question things
and that sometimes results
in the world becoming a
gurgling existential mess,
so I have to remind myself
to enjoy it by watching film
and reading novels, and
trying to get to know the
people around me.
- FA
H OL
OLIV
-C
GE
Y - F E AT U R E S
Y
BEA
LTU RE
2nd year Sociology. I
love nothing more than
spending time with my
friends having a couple of
drinks. I cant wait for the
challenge of editing Quench
M IL
AU T
CU
U-
- D E P U T Y E DI
TO R
I’m a 3rd year Journalism
student, wine connoisseur,
cat- lover, sushi-eater. I’m
responsible for everything
about how the magazine
looks.
L IE
S A DI
HEAD OF DESIG
N
IA -
Hi! Welcome to the 153rd issue of Quench
Magazine - and Welcome to Cardiff! Whether
you’re glad to be back in the city again
or it’s your first time here, we have
packed this issue with insider tips and
tricks on how to make the most
out of the capital. With
a brand new team in
place,already doing a
fantastic job to create
the magazine each month,
I thought it only right
to kick off the new term
by letting them introduce
themselves to you. We hope
you enjoy reading this issue!
I’m originally from Singapore
(Google it, the food’s
amazing). I’m always excited
to try out all sorts of food sometimes foolishly so - but
I’d have to say my favourites
are sashimi, steak, dim sum
and Singaporean food, of
course.
5
FEATURES
BACK TO
School
Coffee
shops and charm
For those who love a bit of charm, quaint spaces and
individuality, you can almost certainly find a soft spot within
you for Cardiff ’s Arcades. Juxtaposed with the city centre’s
modern architecture are the quintessential Victorian –era
shopping arcades. Opposite the comparatively new St David’s
Centre, the oldest of these is the Royal Arcade which dates
back to 1858. Hosting a variety of independent stores,
boutiques and delicatessens to satisfy anyone’s needs, my
favourite is Wally’s Deli; perhaps a little indulgent for us
broke students, but nevertheless the perfect wonderland for
roaming around salivating at the range of produce. From the
oldest record shop in the world, Spillers Records, to Hobos;
a gorgeous vintage clothing store boasting handmade dresses
in vintage prints and ripped levis, there is literally a maze of
quirky independent delights right on your doorstep!
The arcades also accommodate an abundance of charming
café’s such as Coffee Barker, which will absolutely become a
place you spend more time in than any lecture theatre. With
their wicker-backed bistro style chairs and round tables
situated outside, you can’t help but feel like you’re sipping
espressos on a Parisian street corner. The Arcades offer more
than somewhere to simply go shopping; they are a reflection
of Cardiff ’s Victorian heritage and are beautiful places to
wonder around at your leisure. They are also a refreshing
retreat from your typical high street which. The arcades give
Cardiff a certain charm that is the envy of so many generic
town centres and I promise you are doing yourself a huge
disfavour if you don’t make use of these wonderful arcades!
-ALANNAH WILLIAMS
6
So you’ve slogged your guts out through A-Levels,
managed to miraculously survive results day and
found yourself as a budding Cardiff University
student. The world is your oyster; you’ve flown
away from the nest and are ready for the time of
your life. And while you are more than likely to
be ecstatically excited, you may also be, quite
frankly, shitting yourself. With those endless
questions clouding your impending uni experience;
‘What if everyone is weird?’, ‘What if everyone
speaks Welsh?’, ‘What if I don’t like anyone?
What if nobody likes ME?’ you may be questioning
whether Cardiff was the best choice. After all,
prior to turning up with 3 suitcases full and a
ton of kitchen crockery, you may have never set
foot in the place.
Rest assured, the majority of us have been there
or are right there with you. Moving away to an
unknown city is a big thing, luckily though,
you’ve come to the right place, you’ve made the
right decision, and for many, many reasons, you
are going to love it. Here are just a few to
reassure you!
Nightlife
One of Cardiff ’s ultimate drawing points and ultimately the
most important factor for most of us has to be its nightlife.
For those of you coming from small towns and villages in the
middle of absolute nowhere, rest assured, the evening scene
here will not disappoint.
Cardiff boasts a multitude of different nightclubs
and venues for whatever tickles your fancy. You’ve got the
whoppers, such as Pryzm, if flashing strobe lights, Loud
EDM and endless wave of bandage dresses is your scene. If
you’re not feeling it, check out Buffalo for Bump n Grind on
a Monday night. With its old school R&B, casual dress code
and laid back vibe, Buffalo is just the place for getting merry
with your flat mates without losing each other and wandering
aimlessly every five minutes. And most importantly, the gin
and juice is a must try. If you’re into an even cheaper, casual
kind of night, Live Lounge will become your best friend and
your worst enemy as a student. £1 drinks before 11pm will
make you both ecstatic and violently ill over a period of a few
hours. Glam’s monthly Shangri-La event is a massive hit with
the student population and boasts an all night long house
music event which features a wide variety of different DJ’s.
But girls, don’t wear heels at Shang, just don’t. House music
and stilettoes is never a good idea. And if none of that is
classy enough for you, stilettoes are a rite of passage in Revs
and Mill Lane and cocktails are a given. Say yes to a porn star
Martini and birthday cake vodka shot though, and all that
classiness might just go out the window!
-CIARA GILLESPIE
FEATURES
Calling
all international
students
Location Location Location!
It is never easy stepping onto the flight that will take you
away from home for almost a year. And it’s even harder
to take that step when you’re doing it all alone. Starting
university in a new country and for some, even a new
continent, can be unbelievably terrifying. Arriving at the
airport alone with only a suitcase to your name can often
invoke a sense of panic resulting in thoughts pretty much
along the lines of ‘What have I done!’ or ‘Noooo take me
back!’
However, it’s pretty much a given that the majority of you
international students will be wailing ‘Don’t make me leave!!’,
as your year here draws to a close. Cardiff has a substantial
international student population; something that enhances
its welcoming and laid back atmosphere. As an international
student myself, I felt immediately relaxed within the diverse
environment that the university prides itself for. Student
accommodation mirrors the city itself as a cultural hub,
teeming with different nationalities and personalities,
ensuring that no international student ever really feels out
of place. Whilst home may still feel far away, there are also
a number of societies to help you connect with others from
your own country if you ever feel lonely and homesick.
Although, given how lively, diverse and friendly it is you,
probably never will!
-SANYA BUDHIRAJA
Deciding what university you want to go to for the next three
or more years of your life can be a very tough decision, yet
Cardiff will almost certainly to begin to feel like a home away
from home pretty immediately.
One of the best things about Cardiff is its perfect size.
Although dwarfed in comparison to the vastness of London,
it boasts a beautiful and convenient centre in which nearly
everything is in reasonable walking distance. Whilst buses
and trains are frequent, the location of Cardiff University
halls ensures that a walk to the centre, to the nightlife, the
restaurants and the city’s most famed tourist attractions
means that living in Cardiff is decidedly much less effort
than many other city and campus universities alike. If you’re
strapped for cash, a late night walk back from the vast
array of clubs is nothing more than a stroll away, and the
location of the Student’s Union allows you to pretty much
roll out of bed and into a nightclub. The compactness of the
city centre ensures you can easily loop around the city and
change atmospheres in a matter of 10 minutes (depending
on how drunk you are), whilst passing at least 15 late night
chip shops on the infamous chippy lane to refuel and
contemplate life while you’re at it. Cardiff has everything you
want from a city, yet you’ll never feel overwhelmed, and it is
almost impossible to get lost (again, depending on level of
drunkenness).
-ALEXANDER JONES
Not just a one trick
pony!
You’ve probably heard it a hundred times already, but
starting uni definitely is a big step. For me, it was only a
year ago when I arrived in halls not knowing much about
Cardiff, except for knowing I’d be Instagramming Main
Building quite frequently. Yet it doesn’t take long to realise
that Cardiff really is a great place not just to study, but also
to live in general. Cardiff has it all; boasting beautiful views
and green spaces, the centre is peppered with rolling fields,
rivers and gorgeous architecture, which melts effortlessly
into wild nightlife, modern shopping centres and intricate
arcades filled with eateries catering for all different tastes
and cultures. Countless numbers of volunteering and sports
opportunities across the city and the university itself all unite
to form a thriving place to live. Cardiff University will not
disappoint in either location or academic circumstances;
lecturers go the extra mile to engage you and the resources
available to all students are endless. It’s impossible to come
to Cardiff and not love it; this place will always be the right
decision!
-ELLIE PHILLPOTTS
7
FEATURES
I
n an age where information is everywhere, it is
unlikely that the discussion of refugees in the
media has passed you unnoticed.. Men, women
and children have been fleeing their homelands for
decades, but in the past few years, statistics have risen at
alarming rates. With this comes an increase in reporting;
and the public are no longer able to ignore the issue as
may once have been the case. Sadly, press coverage is
often negative, associating those who seek refuge with
anti-social behaviour and criminality. We are removed
from the harrowing stories of survival, and while many
of us may feel sympathy for the thousands of migrants
risking their lives, there exists an overwhelming sense of
public anger at the influx of foreign nationals moving to
the UK, for taking jobs that many people believe should
go to British workers and supposedly abusing the welfare
system.
In Cardiff, the North constituency collectively cast
3953 votes for UKIP, who made no secret of their harsh
immigration policies, eclipsing the 2301 votes given to
Plaid Cymru, whose manifesto vowed to make a Wales a
‘country of sanctuary’ to ensure refugees, such as those
from Syria and Iraq, are offered safety and security.
Similarly the Green Party’s 1253 votes within the
constituency fell short of Bennet’s aspirations to inspire
the public to vote for ‘a fairer society’; in which migrants
are welcomed and given more rights rather than less.
Meanwhile the Conservative party’s pledges to
lower annual net migration, cut benefits for migrants and
increase deportation powers resonated within the minds
of the British public at large and no doubt contributed to
the the party’s overwhelming victory. The Conservative
victory in the North of Cardiff of 21,700 votes was
closely followed by Labour, whose immigration policies
followed the Tories lead by promising to cap migrants
from outside of the EU and clamp down on out-of-work
benefits. These results highlight a certain unease at the
rate of refugees fleeing to the UK for a better life and the
overwhelming support for those parties that pledged for
harsher immigration laws, suggests the promotion of a
negative and unpromising message to those hoping to
make Cardiff their own safe haven; increasing feelings
of suspicion and hostility that can be partly attributed
to the tendency of the press to demonise the migrants
at the centre of this crisis. However, as is often the case,
electoral statistics only show us part of the story. The
8
In Cardiff, the North
constituency collectively
cast 3953 votes for UKIP,
who made no secret of their
harsh immigration policies,
eclipsing the 2301 votes
given to Plaid Cymru,
whose manifesto vowed to
make a Wales a ‘country
of sanctuary’ to ensure
refugees, such as those from
Syria and Iraq, are offered
safety and security
society, Student Action for Refugees are a group of
Cardiff students leading the way to tolerance and
safety for refugees in South Wales.
Student Action for Refugees (STAR) has risen
to become a national network, boasting an impressive
13,000 members between 30 British universities. STAR
has clear goals; firmly opposing the undesirable image
of refugees and asylum seekers that the media often
projects. As well as this, STAR members teach English,
maths and other skills like conversation, grammar,basic
knowledge about the UK and employability to refugees
. They fundraise, and provide fun opportunities such as
beach trips and music workshops; whilst also educating
others about why so many thousands have little choice
in escaping to Britain.
I joined STAR at last year’s Fresher’s Fayre, eager
to make a difference within the community I’d just
moved into. The refugees, each with such interesting
stories to tell, communicated their histories so
powerfully.
Of course, world suffering isn’t a topic the West
knows nothing about. While we do not experience
the same hardships, the fast pace of the news industry
enables us to be constantly updated with stories of war
and poverty. Until you directly speak to people who
have lived these very lifestyles, however, it is hard to
envision the true extent of the suffering that exists in
this world. Many of us may spend our lives wrapped
Cardiff North
constituency
votes
UKIP
Plaid
Cymru
Green
Party
3953
votes
2301
votes
1253
votes
FEATURES
CARDIFF’S UNTOLD STORIES
up in cotton wool and comfort; agonising over endless first
world problems to the point where we may not recognise
how lucky we have it . Yet whatever emotion such news
stories of overcrowded boats embarking the coast of Italy
may spark in us, we will never understand the desperation
that leads these people to sacrifice their roots, and even
possibly their lives, for even the smallest chance of safety.
STAR has opened my eyes to these realities, so I don’t just
teach, I learn so much. I am not alone in this mind-set;
Luke Burch, a third-year Physiotherapy student and VicePresident of the society describes it as ‘a great community of
people from all walks of life and all over the world…we’re all
just people trying to make our way in the world, so let’s do it
together rather than separately.’
Luke accurately summarises all the members’ passion
for the society. But do those who STAR was created for, feel
the same way? Asylum seekers and refugees are sometimes
too sceptical to publicly speak up, still governed by fear
instilled by their tyrannical native countries, and it is thus
very rare to hear of anything other than hostility towards
refugees due to lack of knowledge and understanding.
40-year-old Hemeda moved to Cardiff just six months ago
after uprooting from Eritrea, an African country where
thousands of the 6 million population are desperate to flee.
Whilst Cardiff has been his only British residency thus
far, many refugees continue to live in an uncertain world
of upheaval. Moved across the UK by the Home Office
like pawns on a chessboard, they often hover around the
periphery as nomadic ‘almost citizens’ that may never quite
belong.
However while Hemeda talks of Eritrea with sadness,
his new home, Cardiff, fills him with the hope he has
rarely encountered before now. The Human Rights Watch
considers Eritrea one of the world’s least promising nations.
In June this year, a 500-page United Nations Human
Rights Council report accused its government of torture,
including prolonged forced labour and national service;
sexual harassment as extreme as rape and extrajudicial
executions. A world away from the oppression that plagued
his past life, he praises the ‘nice, friendly, kind relationships’
he has found through STAR, which make Cardiff ‘a good
place to live’ in his eyes; a testament that showcases how the
residents of Cardiff are able to craft a culture of tolerance
and welcome to those in need.
The Sudanese community in Cardiff is small when
compared to the Syrian population of Britain, yet 26 year
old Sudanese national, Salahaldin, doesn’t feel isolated.
Having moved here in September to escape genocide and
poverty, he spoke highly of the opportunities STAR has
provided. Despite the broken English he is working hard
to improve, Salahaldin communicated to me that he is
extremely grateful for how STAR’s volunteers treated him
with humanity and kindness; as an individual with positive
traits to offer, as opposed to yet another statistic or burden.
He believes he can build a life of happiness in which he
will contribute to British society as a successful and valued
citizen.
STAR users, including graduates, journalists and GPs,
whose admirable careers and qualifications meant nothing
to the governments who still completely undermine their
human rights, talk about how leaving their homelands was
not a decision taken lightly and without consequence.
They made the unimaginable choice of leaving behind
family members; elderly parents, siblings, even wives
and children (in most cases, it’s just men who make the
hazardous journeys overseas), in the name of having some
control over their previously dismal destinies.
During conversations with the refugees it is both
humbling and excruciating to hear of how the danger to
their lives ceases to end on leaving their home country.
The media splashes images of overcrowded boats on the
Mediterranean Sea, ominously reaching for our Western
shores, yet divulges little about what these people actually
endure. Sometimes lasting weeks, the journeys are cramped,
with minimal food and rife with disease. Such conditions
between oceans and continents are almost unbearable.
Yet the fact that so many are willing to sacrifice so much
illustrates the dire crisis of the situations their native
countries are trapped in.
The majority of those who benefit from STAR’s
facilities, hail from Somalia, Eritrea, Iraq, Sudan and Syria,
yet wherever they are from in the world; they now all call
the Welsh capital their home and feel safe in doing so.. This
welcoming spirit is essential to creating somewhere to be
proud to live; a shelter for those who unwillingly found
themselves thrust into unbearable hardship . Last June,
Cardiff became the seventh British city to received the
honour of being officially recognised as a ‘City of Sanctuary’,
having demonstrated itself as a city that welcomes
immigrants seeking safety
after fleeing war or persecution.
This June the free musical event ‘Songs for Sanctuary’
saw musicians and refugees in Cardiff unite to celebrate the
cultural diversity here. Cardiff continues to flourish as a
city that welcomes new arrivals, from students to refugees.
Whilst in Cardiff the scenes may not look so dismal,
thousands of migrants continue to be treated like animals,
thousands die in disease ridden boats across oceans, and
affluent western governments turn the desperate away.
We are in the midst of the greatest refugee crisis of our
time and as the immigrant situation in Calais has worsened
in recent weeks, over 3,000 people remain in makeshift
hanti towns as they wait in fear and poverty for chances
to illegally cross the channel. Many argue Calais is on the
brink of a humanitarian crisis in a country boasting the
fifth richest economy in the world. Amongst this panic and
poverty, we can continue to react with hatred and suspicion
and turn a blind eye to such suffering, or we can expand the
warmth in our hearts to those less fortunate and embrace
the diversity that STAR wishes to celebrate.
Cardiff Student Action for Refugees Will be recruiting
more volunteers, at Freshers’ Fayre 2015 and welcomes
newcomers throughout the entire academic year. To give
back to your society in a refreshing new way, check out
http://www.cardiffstudents.com/activities/society/star/ and
http://www.star-network.org.uk/ We’d love to have you on
board!
-ELLIE PHILPOTTS
9
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Treatment Presents:
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Treatment Presents:
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Public Service
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26/11/15, £20 ADV
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27/11/15, £13 ADV
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25/10/15, £22.50 ADV
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29/10/15 - SOLD OUT
@CARDIFFUNION
03/12/15, £18.50 ADV
Marina And
The Diamonds
Bowling For Soup
14/02/16, £20 ADV
Fun Lovin' Criminals
18/02/16, £23.50 ADV
City and Colour
19/02/16 - SOLD OUT
March/Mawrth
The Stranglers
17/03/16, £26 ADV
28/11/15, £22 ADV
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H
COLUMNIST
O
D
OW
A
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MA
?
L
O
V
S
E A PR
U
O
Y
OBLEM LIKE
The time has come to introduce our brand spanking new columnist
Maria Mellor. We hope you love her as much as she does. This
month - How not to cause your housemates offence in every sense.
It’s a Monday morning in your
student house. You’re sharing with
a bunch of good people in a great
city and the next year of university
is going well, isn’t it? Breakfast time,
you open the fridge and grab your
milk, only to find that what was a
half-full 2 pint carton the previous
morning is now mere dregs. Not
enough for cereal, hardly enough for
tea. The milk thief strikes again.
Tensions can run high in student
housing as food thievery mixed
with the multitude of problems
stemming from the initial spurt of
unadulterated freedom. The people
you live with you’ve probably only
known for a relatively short time and
when personalities clash you end
up holding resentments from all the
times you’ve been wronged. The key
to making it through the year with
the people you’re living with relates
to matters of the five senses:
Sight
This may come
as a shock, but
you need to
actually see and
interact with
the people you are living with. I’m
sure that there’s someone in every
hall of residence who may as well
be some kind of mythical creature
as you begin to wonder whether
they actually eat as they never
seem to come into the kitchen. It
gets annoying when you’re living
with someone who refuses to
participate in society. While your
Netflix addiction may only send
you to a minor degree of mythical
status, it helps if you maintain your
relationship with your housemates.
Try to accept invitations that come
your way and actually hang out with
the people you share a roof with
every once in a while.
Smell
Basically avoid
leaving anything
that will make
a stink in your house. A lack of
cleanliness leads to grouchiness
among the marginally cleaner
members of the household and it’s
easy for the balance to be tipped
from pleasantry to resentment. Once
you don’t have a parent telling you
what to do, the first thing that seems
to slip are the health and safety
aspects of domestic life. There’ll be a
layer of grime on your pots and pans
by the end of the year that probably
contains undiscovered strains of
bacteria, and I’m pretty sure that
the sketchy pattern of the carpet
is only there to hide the multitude
of ungodly stains left by previous
residents.
Take the bins out when they’re full,
making sure that everyone takes
their turn. There is of course the
dreaded bin juice to avoid. There will
be at least one point in your student
life when you’ll be taking a mop to
the hallway floor to rid your house
of a disgusting train of stinky liquid
that has been tracked through the
house as a result of buying bin bags
from the 99p store. I’ve learned not
to throw jelly straight in the bin, as it
won’t stay jellified for long and you’ll
be left with a large pool of viscous
red goop that then decides to solidify
again on the floor. A life free from
bin juice is a happy one, so get it
cleaned up before the ants invade.
Sound
I think that the
guy living in the
room above mine
in first year was
either really into
doing starjumps
at all hours of the
day, or had a girlfriend who he really
liked having plenty of alone-time
with. Either way I got tired of the
constant thumping coming from the
ceiling, especially combined
with the thumping sounds
vibrating through my
floor from the Skrillex fan
downstairs. My experiences,
I regret to say, were
only resolved after some
fairly passive aggressive
messages on the group for
my block, and things were
considerably less amicable
afterwards.
Then there comes the issue of noise
complaints. Many students choose
the traditional calling of the student
wardens in university halls to come
and shut people up if pre-drink
parties get too loud, but that only
ends up getting people upset. I’ve
seen people be ostracised with just
the rumour that they called the
student warden. There have been
some rather more creative methods
of noise control in my time, as parties
were had in the ground floor flats
that would spill into the adjoining
courtyard. The people in the floors
above considered throwing food out
of the window at the party-goers an
effective method of quieting people
down, and strawberries, potatoes and
even pickled onions were chucked
into the ruckus below.
Touch
A basic rule
for sharing
accommodation
with friends
is not to sleep
with any of
them. Any
sexual contact
is going to be a bad idea as it can
result in awkwardness if it doesn’t
work out, and awkwardness if it does
for anyone who is now shoved into a
‘third wheel’ status as a result. Life is
not like ‘Friends’ or ‘How I Met Your
Mother’ where a group of friends
can incestuously sleep around with
each other and still remain civil, as
if worst comes to worst one of you
could end up losing your home. Of
course a lot of people will be in the
‘one thing lead to another’ kind of
situation, but if you don’t want to end
up holding a burning hatred for a
person you share a bathroom with, I
wouldn’t do it if I were you.
Taste
We all know that
it is absolutely
not cool to go
around helping
yourself to
everyone else’s
food without their permission, but
if things do get bad, then food may
be the answer to seal any rifts in
friendship. Domino’s pizza is open
until the wee hours of the morning,
so if in doubt splash out and share
a slice with your buddies. If you’re
unsure about where you stand with
someone, then get them a Lidl cookie
and everything will be much better.
The one thing to remember when
living with other people, is birthdays.
Bake them a cake, order chinese and
open a bottle of wine to celebrate and
show your appreciation.
I find it hard to follow my own
rules sometimes, being a very lazy
person who cocoons herself in her
room whenever any kind of vague
deadline looms, however I’m sure
things won’t get too bad for you this
next year. The one main thing I like
to remember is that you’ll be sharing
a very personal space for a long time
with these people, so most of the
time confrontation just isn’t worth
it. Stay civil, stay friendly and avoid
getting bin juice on the carpets.
11
CULTURE
WHAT
IS
CULTURE?
So it turns out there’s a lot
more to culture than berets and
ballet shoes. Culture editor BEAU
BEAKHOUSE takes us back to basics.
Want to write for us? Drop us a line [email protected] or tweet @quenchmag
12
C
ulture is a versatile word. It can be stretched to
cover the expression of whole civilisations; the
culture of a people. Equally broadly, it can refer
to the arts: Literature, Painting, Theatre, Film, Music,
Dance, Sculpture, Architecture, Photography. From the
classics to the modern day, the arts continue to hold
pride of place within society. In a magazine covering
the subsections of culture, it can be as diverse as cuisine,
fashion, media, and travel, alongside the arts in their
various forms. The blurring and interplay within these
areas proves that culture is a fluid concept; in a way it
encompasses everything in our lives. But ‘Culture’, as a
section, focuses primarily on the arts, leading inevitably
to the related question: What is art?
The word Art, like all words, causes an instant
impression in people’s minds, one that often comes
before and in place of its true meaning. For some people,
art seems to have become synonymous with a lack of
meaning, pretence, something removed from everyday
life. But this is the opposite of what art really is. To
capture its true meaning in a succinct description is
impossible and for the most part a real work of art will
‘speak’ for itself, but one explanation may be that art is
self-expression. Individuals through time expressing
what existence is like. The imagination expressed in
a form that can be seen and felt by others. Seen as an
insight into the mind of an individual, art once again
becomes grounded in an understandable reality, and a
novel, or painting can become a portal into some of the
greatest minds that have ever existed.
But even this as a single point is too reductive.
Art is not always attempting to directly replicate
experience. Modernist experimentation, picking
experience into parts, or realist literature, film making
or painting, attempt to explore a realistic depiction of
first hand experience and reality. They try and almost
always fail. But there are moments in all art that seem
to transcend this divide between the separate act of
experiencing art, and the reality of experience. In
abstract surrealism; art and entertainment that would be
considered non-linear and unrealistic in some way, the
reality of experience is brought out. ‘Art is the lie that
enables us to realize the truth.’; a quote from the painter
Pablo Picasso.
So in some way, as many have said, art is truth.
Not surface level truths, which when read or seen can
be passed over in moments and forgotten. Truth told
in a way that changes you when you experience it, that
manages to capture something at the hidden heart of
our own experiences, and which results in that profound
almost self-conscious moment of realisation, in which
something about your person changes, almost as if new
space is forged inside your mind.
At the same time it is also about this connection.
The connection between, for example, writer and reader,
painter and viewer, actor and audience. That another
person can paint a picture, which when you look at it,
even after the painters death, removed in time perhaps
by hundreds of years, you are moved in some way, you
feel something of the emotion, the atmosphere, the life
that created it. From reading ancient Greek writing to
watching a Christopher Nolan film, in markedly different
ways it is the same strange and unexplained process that
occurs.
There is a form of art for every human emotion,
because it is human emotion expressed in its entirety; an
eclectic rainbow of colour. All stand equally alongside
each other, comedy and drama, pain and pleasure,
the complicated and the simple, all equally relevant to
human experience and appreciation.
CULTURE
Similarly when art is being defined it has
an unlimited number of meanings. A word capable
of holding many definitions that are potentially
contradictory, but that all in their own way seem to
exactly encapsulate its meaning. Many of the great
artists of the past and present have described how they
see art, and what they think it is. But the most fitting
descriptions, are works of art in themselves, they show
you what art is and what it can do. In this way, it is
the direct experience, the reading of Hemingway, the
viewing of Van Gogh, the watching of Shakespeare,
in which art needs no explanation. In the direct
experience any explanation of art becomes pointless in
the face of its powerful effects.
There is a form of art
for every human emotion;
comedy and drama,
pain and pleasure,
the complicated
and the simple, all
equally relevant to
human experience and
appreciation.
From all these conflicting, complimentary voices,
rising in a cacophony of sound, and colour and speech,
arises culture. The life that art has before, during and
after it is made. The lifestyles of young writers in new
cities, the acts of seclusion and creativity, the effect,
the afterlife, the conversation, the change that comes
from putting something new into the world. Art is not
a dead past, it is alive and present now. It is nightlife,
pain, love, sex, friendship, conversation, thought,
nightmare and dream. It is the interplay between
fiction and reality in every day of life.
13
C U LT UR E CA L CUL AT ED
CULTURE
14
We’ve taken the hard work out for you,
so why not take some time out to enjoy
the cultural delights of the capital
this Autumn. Words by Mared Parry and
George Caulton.
comedy
Michael McIntyre
Happy & Glorious
For Cardiff comedy-goers, Mr
McIntyre is back in the ‘diff on
his new comedy tour “Happy &
Glorious”. Get your tickets soon,
as they’re selling out quick!
2nd - 6th
September
art
Thirteen
Blackbirds Look
At A Man @
Chapter
An art exhibition from four
artists who believe that our
modern urban existence has
separated us from the natural
world. A different spin on art
with characters from real life,
biblical stories, Greek myths and
German fairy tales.
Kevin Bridges
A Whole Different
Story
Award winning comedian, Kevin
Bridges continues his tour ‘A
Whole Different Stwory’. In past
performances Bridge’s has been
described as “Truthful, natural
and hilarious”. More reason to
go? Right?!
8th - 10th
September
11th July - 6th
September
CULTURE
theatre
Blood Brothers @
New Theatre
If musicals aren’t your thing,
then take some time to go
and watch the amazing ‘Blood
Brothers’ by Willy Russell. A tale
of twin boys who are separated
at birth leaving fate to bring
them back together
28th September10th October
Good Earth @
Chapter
film
NT Live:
Coriolanus @
Chapter
Fan of Shakespeare and not
able to get the Globe? Then
make sure you attend the
National Theatre’s viewing of
Shakespeare’s classic Coriolanus
at Chapter Arts Centre.
A welsh story about fighting
for community. Welsh theatre
critics claim that the production
is “Tireless, rousing and
completely moving”
9th - 12th
September
Puttin’ on the
Ritz @ New
Theatre
Hear a recreation of traditional
songs from the Golden Age of
Hollywood with special guests
Robin Windsor and Anya
Garnis. Get your feet tapping
to a musical celebration of the
songs and music of the legendary
George Gershwin, Irving Berlin
and Cole Porter.
22nd - 26th
September
24th September
Open Air Cinema
@ Cardiff Castle
If watching your favourite old
films under the stars sounds
like your idea of heaven, then
venture down to Cardiff Castle and remember to bring a picnic!
18th - 20th
September
opera
I Puritani
Join the sensational Royal Welsh
Opera and appreciate Bellini’s ‘I
Puritani’ – a universal story of
love and social division. Tickets
for this production are only £5
each for under 30’s- a cheap
night out and a chance to do
something different!
11th September 4th October
15
FASHION & BE AU T Y
TOP OF THE SHOPS
Whether you’re new to Cardiff or just looking for something to jazz up your autumn
look, Amy McQueen and Kelsey Rees point you in the direction of their favourite
independent stores.
Eagle Eye Vintage
Rock ola Reborn
Blue Honey
Background:
Owner Linzie decided to open
Eagle Eye Vintage as a result of
needing to sell on some of her own
accumulation of vintage finds. She
decided they would be easier to part
with if they were going to a good
home.
Backgroud:
Originally known as Rock-Ola, the
shop of the eighties, was ‘reborn’
having been one of the cornerstones
of Cardiff ’s alternative scene,
providing customers with unique
style. at affordable prices. It was at
the centre of fashion and music at
a time, reflecting the varied youth
culture of the day: Rockabilly,
Psychobilly and post Punk clothing,
before adapting to the Soul music
culture; followed by the Groove; then
Rave culture. This independent shop
has adhered to the societal tastes
of the times and has remained a
popular outlet for those with style.
What to Expect:
A small vintage boutique store,
selling classic vintage accessories
and clothing of popular brands such
as Nike, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren,
Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin
Klein and many more. The staff are
exceptionally friendly, and even have
their own Super Nintendo Chalmers
upstairs, free for customer use! If
you are dying to know how much
an item is, or desperately want it
for yourself, you can comment on
a photo through their social media,
asking for the price and the everobliging staff are even willing to hold
an item for you before it quickly sells
out.
What to Expect:
Eagle Eye Vintage sells vintage
and reworked threads handpicked
through vintage suppliers by Linzie
herself. You can find a huge amount
of colourful, heavily printed and
patterned 80’s and 90’s garments,
as well as reworked items such as
fringed t-shirts, studded denim and
generally funky items depending on
the season.
Budget: ££ + 10% student discount
find the store on Instagram
@eagleeyevintage
for plenty of pre-loved picks to lust
over. Our favourite is this beautiful
bomber jacket.
What to Expect:
An independent vintage and preowned fashion store for both
males and females, that advocates
individuality and expressive style
by aiming to bring iconic styles
from the past, into the present.
Every item in store is personally
selected by owners Daisy and James
to ensure the highest quality, whilst
the store prides itself with its low
and affordable prices. You can find
the best garments, from handpicked
day-to-day jeans, sweaters and
shirts, to your key fashion statement
pieces such as dresses, jumpsuits and
bags, or even venture into their own
reworked range: ‘Rock-Ola Remade’
where you can find gorgeous vintage
pieces, remade into a more modern
look or fit.
Budget: £ + 10% student discount
stalk these guys on Twitter
@RockOlaReborn
16
Much more than your average
vintage store, this shop holds a
weekly event called ‘Blue Honey
Presents’. A disco, funk and soul
night, held every Friday at Cardiff ’s
Gwdihw Club!
Budget: ££ + 15% student discount
find info on their latest garms and
gigs by following @BlueHoney_ on
Twitter
FASHION & BE AU T Y
Hobos
Jones the Barber
What to Expect:
A vibrant and independent vintage
boutique specialising in 60’s, 70’s
and 80’s clothing and accessories
for both ladies and gents, Hobo’s is
like a psychedelic dream, bursting
with brightly coloured retro clothing
and quirky accessories including;
snapbacks; bandanas; satchels and
berets. The store is better known for
stocking trendy cut-off denims and
dungarees, as well as timeless retro
pairs of converse. Whatever you pick
up in Hobo’s, you just cant go wrong!
What to Expect:
Ross Jones operates as a traditional
barber within a classically
recognisable vintage style shop;
styled with the conventional red,
white and blue stripes of a barbers
pole, vintage desk and industrial
lighting. Offering everything he
would desire from a barber himself,
whether it be a short-back-and-sides,
a Mohawk, a cut throat shave, a
beard trim or a number one all over,
you can expect to leave with a goodlooking style, immaculate facial hair
and possibly a new best mate.
Budget: ££ + 10% student discount
follow @hoboscardiff on Instagram
to fulfill all of your denim dreams
Guys who appreciate old school
rules, a trustworthy barber who
takes pride in his work and gets the
job done exactly how you wish with
a strictly no fuss or thrills ethos will
fit right in at Jones the Barber
Princes + Paupers
What to Expect:
Formerly known as Al’s Musique
Boutique, Princes and Paupers holds
a superb collection of tweed suits,
waistcoats, denim work-wear and
an intriguing cabinet of dressing
accessories including button braces,
cufflinks, detachable collars, flatcaps, trilby hats and much more, a
visit to this veritable time machine is
an experience in itself.
Budget: ££
Excellent quality garments at
reasonable prices are sure to make a
gentleman out of even the scruffiest
jack-the-lad!
search Facebook for:
‘Princes and Paupers’
Budget: £
Quality classic cuts at reasonable
prices by the self-proclaimed
#bestbarberinthediff
find live updates on Jones’ latest work
by following him on Twitter
@jonestbarber
17
18
G
ranada has the highest of number of
Erasmus students in Europe, and it is easy
to see why. This beautiful city is filled
with numerous squares such as the Plaza
Bib Rambla and Plaza Nuevo, the Arabic
quarter filled with jewellery, bags and lanterns, multiple
‘miradors’ (viewpoints) up the hill in Albaicín and of
course, the stunning Alhambra Palace. Granada is the
home of ‘tapas’, meaning that wherever you are, every
time you order a drink (which costs an average of 2 €),
you will receive free tapas alongside it. Accommodation
is also very cheap and readily available in Granada,
with a spacious flat with a terrace or balcony costing
on average 200-250 € a month. Rent is paid in cash to
the landlord, but there can be tricky situations with
your deposit being returned when you come to leave.
One thing to remember when living in Spain is the
daily siesta, and how everything consequently happens
about 3 hours later than in Britain. Most shops will shut
from 2pm until 5pm and then stay open until 9pm.
Restaurants will be bustling at 10pm, and clubs won’t
open until 3am. To indulge in the Spanish culture here,
visiting a Flamenco show such as the one at Le Chien
Andalou is imperative, or you could walk up to San
Nicolas mirador and have a drink opposite the palace.
As for the academic side, the Granada University is
hard. Lectures are 2 hours long and twice a week, but
note that being a non-native Spanish speaker at this
university makes no difference to the lecturers. There are
no modules designed for Erasmus students, nor is the
marking or sharing of module information more lenient
or available. Upon arrival you are encouraged to trial as
many modules as possible over 2 weeks, but this means
that by the time you go to your appointment to enrol,
these modules will be full. Sticking to 1st Year modules
and checking the ‘Tablon Docencia’ online for the
module outline will help in avoiding problems nearer
revision times. I would highly recommend Granada for
student living, however be aware of the potential level of
difficulty and harsh marking scheme! On the other hand,
if teaching or on a work placement for your time abroad,
you will have the best few months you could ask for.
ABROAD
Taking the leap to move abroad by yourself
can be an overwhelming prospect. How
will I find my way around? How will I
communicate? How will I make friends?
Thankfully, these students have given
their own take on what life’s like being
a foreign student abroad. Conclusion?
Go for it!
Stockholm has a wealth of activities to partake in, with
ski slopes located in the city at Hammarbybacken in
the South or Väsjöbacken in the North. Along with
skiing, ice skating is enjoyed across the city on frozen
lakes during the cold winter months, or in the city
centre at Kungsträdgården. If the cold gets too much,
visiting many of the trendy bars and restaurants located
around Södermalm is a must. During the week, coffee
and fika is the main past time in one of the many cafés,
however the weekend is when the city comes alive. If
you’ve got a larger budget, visit the big clubs such as
Burns and The White Room, however if you’re looking
for more of an underground vibe, clubs such as Under
Bron, Slakthuset and Marie Laveau are the places to go.
During the summer the city is transformed, and these
enclosed clubs are replaced by terraced venues located
around the city, hosting some of the biggest DJ’s in the
world. If clubbing isn’t your thing, then the archipelago
is the place to go. With over 24,000 islands and inlets,
jumping in a boat and visiting a few is an unforgettable
adventure in both Summer and Winter, with many tour
operators offering an island hopping experience that can
also include camping or staying in small huts or hotels.
The Northern Lights are also a treasured experience,
with tours to Kiruna or Luleå in Swedish Lapland. If
the long journey puts you off, the Northern Lights can
be experienced in Stockholm during abnormally high
geomagnetic storms, however these events are extremely
rare! Living, working and studying in Sweden is easy for
native English speakers as Swedes learn English from
their parents at a young age, and are taught in school
from around 10 years old. They do this as they believe
they will be very limited with only the Swedish language
and will have a wider influence and more opportunities
if they are to learn English. Lectures and seminars at
Stockholm University are mainly taught in English, with
only a minority of courses either being taught entirely in
Swedish or only the 1st year. Overall, for fantastic views,
adventures and the best night life you could ask for,
Stockholm is a must for any student abroad.
Stockholm
Granada
STUDENT
T R AV E L
Moving abroad for a year can feel very daunting. I
moved to the small town of Chambery in SouthEast France, studying at the University of Savoy,
primarily due to its close proximity to most of my
favourite ski resorts. If staying in a small town isn’t
your thing, there are so many other options including
Paris, Montpellier, Bordeaux and Lyon. I stayed in a
flat share with French students (look at appartager.
fr) which I would highly recommend, as it helps
improve your language skills when you reside with
native speakers. The people I lived with were also
really helpful when I tried to apply for CAF (rental
assistance), which can take a very long time! They
also advised me to take a look at a car share company
known as Bla Bla car which is very popular in France,
in which you can travel across the country with people
who have spare seats. This costs less than half the price
of a regular train ticket, and is a handy tip for any
student on a budget who plans to do some travelling.
However, if you're planning on staying in France for
the whole year, you should definitely look into a Carte
Jeune - young person’s railcard – where you can get
60% off train tickets if you’re 25 or under. I structured
my timetable so that I had 3 days of university a week
and had plenty of time to travel around with the help
from my Erasmus grant. I visited Paris, Montpellier,
Lyon, Geneva, Val Thorens, Val D'Isere and Tignes.
All in all, I have had some amazing experiences and
met some great people, my highlight...skiing off a
mountain and paragliding around Tignes! If you have
the option to take a year out, you 100% should!
Regensburg
Chambery
T R AV E L
Regensburg is a small city, roughly the size of
Cardiff. It is about an hour away from Munich,
on the banks of the Danube. It’s one of Germany’s
oldest cities, but is home to around 31,000 students
in three Universities. It is incredibly picturesque
(‘one of the most beautiful cities in the world’, said
architect Norman Foster).With a healthy amount
of bars, clubs and most famously, Biergartens
(beer gardens) regensburg has a selection of
local beers, and other German casks. Unlike the
UK, in Germany students seem to drink socially
more often and in public, as opposed to drinking
excessively and then going out - there is even a
beer vending machine in the University! One of the
most obvious differences I had to overcome is the
language barrier. Before going, I was told ‘everyone
speaks English’, which I unequivocally knew to be
untrue. The work that I do is in English, and a lot of
people do speak basic English, but it’s not the same
as speaking it natively. This is to be expected - I am
in Germany after all.However it is quite hard being
in a new country with the basic language skills
of a six year old child. The social life is also quite
different to Cardiff. People really don’t go out to
clubs - they’re really expensive and for most parts
it’s just too hot! However, people do go to bars with
friends to just chill out and relax for a couple of
drinks, which is very chilled and a nice way to get
to know people. The University of Regensburg is a
little way out of the city – about a 50 minute walk
or a 10 minute taxi ride. My accommodation was
also a taxi ride away, but spacious and homely. I
shared a flat with six German students, they all
were really friendly and made me feel very much
at home, not least because they spoke English!
I quickly discovered, however, that the German
semester is a little different to the UK; exams there
finish in late July. This meant that my flatmates
spent most of their time studying, leaving me
time to explore Regensburg and beyond. Overall,
Regensburg is a great city with character and
culture, and fantastic transport links to travel easily
around Europe. The University of Regensburg is
brilliant, although a little way out of the city.
19
T R AV E L
EXPLORING
CARDIFF
Whether you’re a budding first year
eager to explore your new home, or a
long term resident of our glorious
city. Here is a run-down of the best
day trips in and around Cardiff.
S
t Fagans is a pretty village in the west
of Cardiff, a humble 5 miles from
student domain Cathays. If you’re
living in Cardiff (and you probably
are if you’re reading this), where better to get
to grips with real Welsh culture? The castle
and open-air museum are charming and truly
embody the lifestyle, heritage and architecture
of Welsh people throughout the generations.
Basically, it’s an Instagram-hotspot and history
lesson rolled into one – and learning about
the past in the authentic outdoors, away
from the confines of the lecture-theatre, is
definitely a winner. Backing up my belief that
St Fagans is unmissable for a day out, in 2011
Which? Magazine rated the museum the UK’s
favourite visitor attraction. To test this theory
for yourself, pop on the train – the nearest
station is Waun-gron Park, which is just 7
minutes from Cardiff Central. Easy peasy!
Otherwise, the bus is 20 mins from the city
centre to the Museum. You could also visit
whilst an event is being hosted – for example,
September brings St Fagans Food Festival
– because exploring the area shouldn’t be
reserved for just tourists, and you’re bound to
work up an appetite.
Barry Island
20
St Fagans
Millennium
STADIUM
This list would not be complete without Barry
Island, the gem of our south coast! If deep
down your true motivations behind applying
to Cardiff were to immerse yourself with
ice-cream, fish and chips, windswept walks
and, er, the ear-breaking screams of ‘What’s
occurin’?’, you’ll feel right at home here at
the island (that’s not really an island). Gavin
and Stacey fans have amusement arcades
and reminders of the show dotted around to
enjoy, however if that’s not to your taste you
could take a walk along the extensive beach.
Come rain or shine, Barry, just a few stops
from Cathays Station, is a real delight – and
evidently not nicknamed Barry Bados for
nothing!
Slightly closer to home now – because Cardiff
has its fair share of delights as well! Not just
because it’s pretty much slap bang in the
heart of the city, you can’t have not noticed
the Millennium Stadium – its massive white
architecture also plays a vital role within this!
If you’re into – ahem – edgier music, we’ll gloss
over the fact that here recently played host to
multiple nights of One Direction to kick-start
their UK tour. But overall Millennium Stadium
is a pretty cool place. Even if you’re not into
sport, it’s worth taking an organised tour of
their famed rugby match grounds, which run
daily. Then when Wales’ amazing team do take
to the field, you’ll already know the place when
you’re amid the 74,500 supporting the boys.
T R AV E L
Caerphilly
CASTLE
As Cardiff students, you’re probably already
acquainted to the music scene; clubbing culture
and whole host of city amenities South Wales
has to offer. But if you head a bit further afield,
the area expands to a whole rural world as well.
Get yourself on a regular 19 minute train ride
to Caerphilly, a town at the tip of the infamous
Valleys, and unleash your inner castle nerd.
Because although we walk past a castle every
day in the city centre, Welsh castles are too
beautiful to just take for granted and accept
as part of the cityscape furniture – because
newsflash, they’re actually pretty rare within the
whole UK. Caerphilly’s Medieval fortification
was formed in the 13th century and to this day
remains a beautiful location for special events;
to explore on a day out; or even gaze from
afar. There’s no denying Cardiff ’s beauty, but
don’t ignore the other towns in South Wales, as
they’re all rich in history, culture, and general
adorableness.
Penarth
Travel 5 miles west of the city and you’ll
reach this quaint little seaside town. To make
more of a day of it, walk the barrage between
Penarth and the Bay, of which it’s slotted at the
southern end. Here you’ll find olde English
(yes, I thought they should be Welsh too)
sweet shops, fish and chips, cafes, a beautiful
marina, a picturesque seafront complete
with cliff walks and a pebbled beach, and,
perhaps most noticeably, Penarth Pier. There
are also Italian Gardens which pay homage
to the town’s Victorian roots, different style
music performances and just a mile away
are Cosmeston Medieval Village and Lakes
Country Park, ‘living history’ areas which often
stage re-enactments from various eras.
Sully Island
The perfect reason to head 7 miles south of
Cardiff is to experience Swanbridge, a small
settlement where, if tidal conditions comply,
you can make the brief but pretty walk to Sully
Island, an old smuggler’s haunt. Favoured
by Vikings, it’s a magical little place with a
shipwreck still in viewing distance, and a
mass of overgrown, authentic island treasures.
Despite dating back to the Bronze Age, Sully
Island remains quite unheard of around the
area, so it’s the perfect place to hide away
and enjoy a contrast to the hustle and bustle
of city life. It’s beautifully unspoilt and really
transports you back to the age it was in its
prime. Take a picnic and a camera to soak up
the scenery before dragging yourself back to
reality.
Castell
COCH
You may now be noticing a theme emerging
around Cardiff and its neighbouring areas –
one that centres on dazzling castles. Whether
you’re studying Architecture or History or
something the polar opposite, by living here
you have no choice but to appreciate them.
Which is hardly a hardship, because they
are pretty majestic. Castell Coch – which
defiantly, and, rightly so, won’t be completely
Anglicised – nestles in the traditional village
of Tongwynlais, a few miles within the North
of Cardiff. Although only 1946 lucky people
call this area home, the area attracts a deserved
amount of visitors, because Castell Coch’s views
are not to be missed. If you want to feel like a
fairy-tale extra; actual healthy hiking person
who don’t just solely exist within Instagram
(the castle is set between rolling hills); or just
enjoy an unusual day out courtesy of eccentric
genius William Burges, who readapted it in the
1870s, then look no further for the perfect place
to bring to life the Gothicism that’s currently
seeing a surge in modern culture.
CARDIFF
BAY
It may be a well-known fact that many a Cardiff
student flocks to the Bay come the slightest
glimmer of afternoon sunshine, but that doesn’t
mean you should write it off for a potential
whole day out. It’s obviously not far from
any Cardiff district, and is probably the city’s
biggest hub for activity away from the actual
city centre. Stroll around the boat-lined marina
and fool yourself you’re in the Mediterranean
while realising Cardiff isn’t a bad substitute;
indulge without the guilt at one of the local
health food cafes with their sea views part and
parcel and then indulge with a bit of guilt this
time at Valentino’s or Cadwallader’s Ice Cream.
You can even elongate your day into a night, as
the Bay often hosts comedy evenings or gigs,
such as at Portland House. Not far from the old
dock suburb of Butetown either, the Bay floods
with culture and history, reinforced again via
The Norwegian Church, cafe and Arts Centre,
although through very contrasting ways. I think
the Bay accurately concludes how lucky we are
to be Cardiff students – we have the bustle of
the city, as well as gentler water views – not too
many others can say the same!
21
T R AV E L
WORLD’S
22
Positioned high up in the mountains on
Lanquin, Zephyr Lodge is bliss. Most
people are brought there for the nearby
natural wonder Semuc Champey – a truly
stunning paradise of waterfalls, pools, cliffs
and rainforest. The tour which Zephyr
provides of Semuc Champey does not
only cover the natural wonder itself, but
also a tour of the ‘Lanquin Bat Cave’ – a
cave spanning 12 km into and under a
mountain, with a river running through
it. As well as this, you’ll jump off bridges
and swing off a rope swing into the river,
and hike up to one of the most spectacular
views you’ll ever see. On top of this, the
hostel itself is insane. 24/7 parties, an array
of fabulous cocktails and delicious food it
truly has it all. The rooms themselves are
thatched wooden huts, and the showers
have half-open sides facing the beautiful
mountainscape surrounding the hostel
(don’t worry, nobody can see you when
you’re in there!) Situated 2 hours bus ride
from the nearest large population centre,
Cobán, the remoteness is part of the
beauty– juxtaposing absolute tranquillity
and non-stop partying, there’s no place like
it!
Just a 30 minute train journey away from
the hustle and bustle of central Rome
in the medieval town of Zagarolo, Wiki
Hostel is the place you want to be. The
staff pride themselves on giving you the
best experience possible; every Monday
you get the chance to learn how to make
traditional pasta sauces and on Fridays the
hostel hosts a ‘Pizza Party’ where you can
create authentic Italian pizzas, all whilst
meeting other guests and tasting local
wines. And the night never ends there; the
locals in Zagarolo organise many festivals
in the town square which gives you the
chance to integrate with the community
who, although unable to speak much
English, are happy to dance the night away
with you – even the carabinieri will join in
the group photo! However, if partying isn’t
your scene you can sit back and relax by
the pool, read a book in a hammock within
the bamboo forest or, most obviously,
explore the incredible wonders of Rome.
Located just off the runway at Arlanda
airport in Sweden, a novelty hostel
in a plane! This Boeing 747 boasts 33
comfortable rooms, cleverly mastered by
millionaire entrepreneur Oscar Dios at
the cost of 1.5 million pound. If luxury is
what you desire, you can book the private
cockpit suite, which includes an en suite
bathroom and stunning panoramic views.
Make friends in the communal lounge
area, featuring renovated armchairs
from the original plane which flew over
the world in the 1970s, or you could sip
cocktails in the swanky bar. This unusual
hostel is perfect for those catching an
early flight or arriving late, offering a
complimentary shuttle service that only
takes 5 minutes, so no need to leave hours
in advance.
JUMBO STAY, SWEDEN
WIKI HOSTEL + GREEN VILLAGE ZEPHYR LODGE, LANQUIN, GUATEMALA
WACKIEST
HOSTELS
Fancy boarding
down a volcano?
How about sleeping
in a cockpit? Here
is an insight
into some of the
weirdest, wackiest
and most wonderful
hostels in the
world.
If you fantasised about having a tree
house whilst growing up, then it is
imperative you stay at Kadir’s tree
houses in Olympos, Turkey to make
your childhood dreams a reality. Not
only is this a sociable hostel with three
different bars and an on-site club, they
also have plenty of fun activities you
can participate in throughout your
stay such as kayaking, horse riding,
paragliding, mountain biking and scuba
diving! The hostel, which is set in the
green oasis of Southern Turkey caters
for everybody, with bungalows to stay in
if heights are not your thing. With the
hostel providing breakfast and dinner,
and being situated a short walk from
the beach on the Mediterranean coast, if
you’re looking for an unforgettable stay
whilst on a budget look no further than
this hostel.`
HOSTEL CELICA, SLOVENIA
KADIR’S TREEHOUSES, TURKEY
Situated in Nicaragua’s second biggest
city, it offers more than just a roof to
sleep under. They offer good food, a
shuttle service to their beach house on
the pacific coast where travellers swim,
surf, and drink fantastic cocktails. But
the best attraction? Volcano boarding.
Yes you read that correctly. The nearby
volcano Cerro Negro is the only known
place in the world where this activity
is available. Participants hike up the
side of the volcano with a bag full of
protective overalls in one hand and a
sledge-like wood and metal board in the
other. After an hours hike to the top, you
can see the fumes leaving the crater of
the active volcano, before riding down
the slope on the millions of tiny, sharp
fragments of volcanic rock. One of the
staff stands at the bottom with a speed
gun to record how fast you go! The
record speed last time I checked was
96 km/h… I only achieved a modest 60
km/h in comparison!
On top of this, the hostel has the
infamous Lava Shot Challenge – three
shots of blisteringly hot homemade chilli
rum. Be prepared for extreme pain for at
least 20 minutes after… but don’t worry,
you get a t-shirt if you complete it!
Bigfoot is simply unmissable for anyone
visiting Nicaragua.
A former prison, now a stylish and
artistic hostel with 20 dorms in old jail
cells that feature the work of over 80
artists from all over the world! Voted
by Lonely Planet as the ‘hippest hostel’,
they feature regular photography
exhibitions, musical events and an all
you can eat buffet - spoilt for choice!
The experience in this hostel is like
none other, so be sure to take lots
of photos as you’re unlikely to stay
anywhere like this again! A short walk
from the centre of town and located
in the artistic neighbourhood of
Metelkova in Ljubljana, you’ll be in
the cultural hotspot of Slovenia, and a
worthwhile place to stop off at if you’re
on your way to visit Lake Bled.
If the story of Eric Supertramp in ‘Into
the Wild’ makes you want to run away
and live in a bus then this eco-hostel is
perfect for you; a hippy paradise situated
in a tropical rainforest on Hawaii. It gets
better… there is a huge volcanic crater
that you can hike to and explore. To pay
off your booking fee, you can harvest any
of the freshly grown produce and even
enjoy the fresh fruit- what a sustainable
community! During the evenings, you
can relax in one of the many hammocks
and listen to the sounds of frogs and
geckos, and then wake up to the view of
the ocean. The whole camp has a great
relaxed vibe and the people are what
make it along with the huge amounts of
character; the boasting colourful murals,
most of which is built from recycled
materials, such as locally harvested guava
and bamboo.
HEDONESIA, HAWAII
BIGFOOT HOSTEL, LEÓN, NICARAGUA
T R AV E L
23
Our music
editors give you
the run-down of
the best sounds
hitting our ears
this month.
Slowly
Rolling
Camera
RWCMD Alumni (oh yeah and he
does loads of films and stuff), Dave
Stapleton, set up Slowly Rolling
Camera in late 2013. The project
teams together people from all of the
lovely, friendly corners of Cardiff ’s
funk & soul scene, including Dionne
Bennett off ’ve The Earth (a very
good yet very un-google-able band
headed up by Super Furry Animal’s
Dafydd Leuan). They released their
self-titled debut album last year
on Edition Records, receiving rave
reviews likening their sound to
Portishead/Cinematic orchestra and
yet with the vocals of any classic soul
record.
Basically, this is the band to listen to
for Sigur Ros-esque deep moments,
or when 4am comes around and
you’re still at that horribly edgy sesh
on Cathays terrace where a word
hasn’t been uttered for 2 hours. (Not
talking from experience. At. All.).
Look out for a second album in 2016
(you’ll see it in Quench first) or in
the meanwhile pop to Germany with
all that excess student loan and see
them live (22nd Oct Munich/24th
Oct Stuttgart).
For fans of: The
Earth, Sigur Ros.
Download: ‘RIGA”
24
MUSIC
N E WN E W Y D D
The Cadbury
Sisters
Active since 2009, Bristolian trio, The
Cadbury Sisters are one of the most
captivating rising talents to emerge
from the West of England. Not only
are they relations of the famous
chocolatiers (a very cool fact in
itself) but their family ties make the
harmonies of these sisters even more
delectable than a cool bar of Dairy
Milk (if you’ll pardon the pun).
After initially starting their musical
voyage with nothing but an acoustic
guitar and the surprising force of a
three-part harmony, many would
associate The Cadbury Sisters with
the rising genre of ‘new wave folk’.
However, the electric layers of oozing
synthesised goodness prominent
on their latest summer release,
‘Sarah’, prove a sound perhaps more
adequately classified as alternative
pop. Put simply, the heartfelt lyrics
and sonic experience of this band
resonates within an amalgamation
of different influences and genres,
which accumulate to create the truly
beautiful and unique sound of The
Cadbury Sisters.
For Fans of: The
Staves, First Aid
Kit.
Download:
‘You Choose’
The Echo And
The Always
The Echo and the Always’ are a
five-piece, post-punk/indie band
based in Cardiff. The band contains
a wide range of musical talents and
instruments including the trumpet
and the keyboard, which offset lead
vocalists, Laura Hancook’s voice in
a beautifully hypnotic way. This is
particularly evident on their lead
single ‘Capable Of ’ which infuses
the hauntingly beautiful tones
of both these instruments with
Hancook’s influential lyrics to create
a powerful and catchy anthem.
‘Go Easy’ shares similarities with
Paramore’s ‘Brand New Eyes’ era,
as once again the melodic, soft bass
and keyboard in the opening provide
the perfect ground for Hancook
to belt out emotional and heartfelt
lyrics. With their breath-taking
lyrics, melodic acoustics and the
feisty girl power attitude infused in
Hancook’s presence and vocals, ‘The
Echo and the Always’ are definitely
worth a listen and could have a very
promising musical career ahead of
them.
For fans of: The
Joy Formidable, The
Cure.
Download: ‘Capable
Vanity Draws
Blood
It’s a sad fact that even the mention
of ‘metalcore’ makes most people
cringe. Unfortunately, much of the
genre has been diluted by reams of
generic crap. But that pejorative
criticism doesn’t allow room for the
handful of bands doing it oh so right;
and one of those bands is Vanity
Draws Blood. The boys breathe a
much-needed dose of new range
into what is fast becoming a stagnant
genre. But don’t worry, there are still
breakdowns there and they’ll make
you want to stick your fist through
the wall. After a hefty summer
tour schedule in Europe, following
their call to the ranks of the Alexia
Agency, their future should be as big
as those breakdowns.
For fans of: Parkway
Drive, Northlane.
Download:
‘Fractured’.
Refused – ‘Freedom’
Refused are their own island in 2015. They are an enigma that sit alone, utterly
incomparable both sonically and in terms of their careers narrative arc to any other band. It
was shocking enough that they returned to play again in the first place after so emphatically
stating that “Refused Are Fucking Dead” in 1998, but to then return 17 years later to release
a new album that sounds like those years never happened and that those words were never
said makes the information yet harder to process and fully understand.
Can you compare ‘Freedom’ with the now infamous, genre-breaking album ‘The
Sound Of Punk To Come’? Yes. But, should you compare two albums that are separated by a
time period that extensive? Under these circumstances there’s no way you can’t compare the
two. Refused have opened themselves up to an extraordinary amount of scrutiny in going
back on their word and providing a follow up to one of the most indelible punk albums ever
recorded.
Fortunately, Refused display no sense of buckling under pressure of expectation
on ‘Freedom’. It doesn’t even sound like a warm-up record before they really get going.
It sounds like they never went anywhere, which is asserted and communicated on the
blistering opener ‘Elektra’. As the lyrics “Nothing has changed” might suggest, there’s
not a huge amount of progression from 1998, but there are certainly no lapses either and
luckily they were miles ahead back then anyway. It’s fast, marginally discordant, unsettling,
politically charged and heavy. It’s a triumphant comeback and silences the cynics.
The whole album sounds vast. It’s a soundscape. From the bizarre vocal arrangement
at the start of ‘Dawkins Christ’ and disquieting chant that opens ‘Francafrique’ through the
odd synth foundation of ‘Thought Is Blood’, Refused demonstrate that they don’t write by
numbers. Although it’s quintessentially Refused, it’s not ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come: Part
2’.
Freedom’ is absolutely an album that was worth recording and worth a comeback.
Because that’s what this is, Refused haven’t simply staged a reunion; they’ve reformed. Their
defiant passion still rages and it’s an exciting prospect to have them back on the scene with
no questions asked.
-JACK GLASSCOCK
MUSIC
“All the things I want, I shouldn’t get” sings Olly Alexander on ‘Foundation’, the opening track of Years
& Years’ debut album, ‘Communion’. One instantly wonders if this will hold true during the course of
their second album. After winning the BBC Sound Of 2015 poll last year, a title held by Adele, Sam
Smith and Ellie Goulding and Haim among others, they have (very) big boots to fill.
Years & Years have had a stratospheric rise to fame in the last year. When they supported
Clean Bandit in Cardiff, as a relatively unknown band, their set was promising if a little monotonous.
Their then latest release, ‘King’ stood out from the crowd. Is punchy chorus grabs the ear of the
listener and refuses to let go; it’s easy to see why it went platinum.
Their debut album, ‘Communion’, follows the same formula as their earlier releases; an
overdose of nostalgia filled synths, an orgasm of electronic euphoria. ‘Desire’, ‘Worship’ and ‘Ties’
will be at home on the radio or on the dance floor, and will be well established on both by the end of
Freshers.
However, some album tracks fall short of expectations, leaving an air of lacklustre. Tracks like
‘Border’, ‘Without’ and ‘Memo’ feel very much like filler, lacking the punch of their other hits and
becoming instantly forgettable.
That being said, ‘Communion’ has more hits than not, and marks a pivotal release from
Years & Years that will certainly please fans on their October tour. It’s a strong debut album from the
London trio, and this release heralds a new chapter in their music.
Years & Years - ‘Communion’
A L B REVIEWS
UM
Tame Impala -‘Currents’
“By the waters of the Thames, I resolve to start again”, Frank Turner murmurs as the
intro track of his new album fades out, and ‘Get Better’ crashes into view. The shout-along
four-chord anthem sees Turner plug in an electric guitar, which remains slung over his
shoulder for the majority of the record, a move that prompted tongue-in-cheek shouts of
“Judas!” at a recent show.
‘The Next Storm’ follows, setting out the thematic essence of the album; when things
go wrong pick yourself up, dust yourself down and enjoy life while you can. ‘Positive Songs...’
is a departure from the darker and more confessional verses of 2013’s ‘Tape Deck Heart’, and
what it sacrifices in subtlety it makes up for in joyous sing-alongs. After a test run at a club
show in Hereford the songs were tracked live in nine days in Nashville with Butch Walker,
who allows Turner and the Sleeping Souls to turn it up to 11, yielding his rawest release as a
solo artist.
Some of Turner’s more spacious lyrics allow for greater emphasis on melody,
spawning earworms such as the melancholy of ‘Mittens’ and never-say-die ‘Demons’, where
Turner cleverly guards the main hook until the final third, the Souls joining in gorgeous
harmony.
Sandwiched between these songs is ‘Out of Breath’, a rollicking gypsy-punk tune
about confronting the reaper. It provides the album’s mosh-pit moment and wins ‘most apt
song title’, the vocals holding on for dear life for two minutes as the five-piece threaten to
careen off the rails.
As the curious tennis-themed rock of ‘Love Forty Down’ shudders to a halt the
record lurches from euphoria to heartbreak; ‘Silent Key’ is a gripping account of the last
moments of Christa McAuliffe, a schoolteacher aboard the ill-fated Challenger Space Shuttle
mission in 1986. Backed by a suitably stratospheric riff, Turner’s matter of-fact description is
brutally moving; his cries of “We’re still alive!” send shivers down the spine.
A solo tribute to Turner’s late friend Josh Burdette closes out the collection, recorded
at the 9:30 Club in New York where Burdette was manager and well-loved head of security
before he took his own life last year. The despair, which seeps over the end of the record is
a strange and abrupt change of tack but shrewdly serves to reinforce the key message of the
previous half-hour, to savour life before the spark is extinguished.
-DILLON EASTOE
Frank Turner - ‘Positive Songs
For Negative People’
Change is the theme Kevin Parker has devoted his band’s third album, ‘Currents’, to. Sonically,
this effort has more synth orientated feel than their previous two full lengths. This is apparent
from the opener ‘Let It Happen’, which is a wandering banger of a song. It starts slowly but
builds, with glistening synth swells, to a catchy keyboard riff which plays over and over but
gradually glitches are added that begin to repeat which completely shifts the songs trajectory to
that of a dance track with the song coming a neat close on a beefed up guitar riff which fades
out.
Thematically things stay pretty much constant across the album with Parker reiterating
that he’s a new man to an almost narcissistic level, although this is slightly aggravating the
instrumentation keeps things well on course. The sounds of the synths that Parker scatters
across the whole of ‘Currents’ are so smooth and sweet it practically feels like he’s personally
pouring royal jelly into your ears.
Overall the production of the whole LP is incredible, the many instrumental parts that
make up the songs are layered over each other well creating a great sense of space and colour
which is the bread and butter of the psychedelic genre. The ideas used in post-production are
very clever like in the song ‘Disciples’ where the song starts with a filter which eliminates the
bass entirely, the track then stops; a click from a switch being turned on can be heard and then
the song kicks back in. This time with the filter removed providing a great intro with the same
idea used for the outro, this time removing the bass.
Another standout song on the album is ‘The Less I Know The Better’ It’s posturing
bass line drives the song along into a sort of dream pop bliss, much like the main riff of ‘Keep
on Lying’ on the band’s previous album ‘Lonerism’. The only small critiques of ‘Currents’ are
that some of the tracks feel incomplete; three out of the thirteen songs are under two minutes
and these are some of the best on the LP. Also, there is the occasional song on the album that
rubs off the wrong way such as its second single ’Cause I’m A Man’, which, although catchy, is
comparable to the excuses of a conceited teenage boy trying justify being a twat to females by
clarifying “Cause I’m a man, woman; That’s the only answer I’ve got for you”.
However apart from these mere foibles the album as a whole is a cohesive piece and
while not reinventing the genre its sheer quality makes it one of the stand out records of the
year.
-MATT CORY
25
MUSIC
CARDIFF
GIG VENUES
Clwb Ifor Bach
C
lwb Ifor Bach (colloquially known as
Welsh Club) is arguably a candidate
for the pinnacle of Cardiff ’s recent
music scene. It’s broken ground for
many a band, including Cardiff University’s own
Los Campesinos, as well as Joanna Gruesome and
newcomers Pretty Vicious.
As well as being an excellent setting for gigs,
it’s also home to some of Cardiff ’s best sweaty
nights out. One of which is ‘Itchy Feet’, which
exclusively plays swing, ska and early rock and
roll music that you can bop your night away too.
Alongside is ‘Brooklyn Zoo’, a hip hop night which
plays music right across the genre, from early
Sugarhill Gang right the way through to Kendrick
and Kanye.
Clwb Ifor Bach is the place to go to know
what’s going to be on the cover of NME twelve
months down the line and is known for its hot
and sweaty performance space but don’t let that
put you off, Cwlb Ifor Bach is well worth the
perspiration.
-MATT CORY
26
the GLOBE
The Globe could easily be missed when walking
down Albany Road. As those in Uni Halls will be
familiar with, Albany is Roath’s main shopping
street. Above these shops is The Globe, one of the
quirkiest venues in Cardiff. Originally built as a
cinema, but converted to a music venue in 2008, it
has a capacity of only three hundred. This makes
gigs here even more special, more exclusive, and
more intimate.
On entering The Globe, you could be
forgiven for thinking that you’d entered Diagon
Alley. Behind the wooden door and fairground
style ticket desk, the stonewalls and rickety stairs
lead up to the first floor. The old screen, now a
stage, demands your attention. Wide and long,
it allows you to get within meters of the most
talented, energetic and passionate performers
from Cardiff and the rest of the UK. Whilst the
bar offers a fairly wide selection of drinks that are
reasonably priced, not dissimilar to prices at the
Taf.
The Globe is normally one of Cardiff ’s first
stops for up and coming artists, having played host
to the likes of Dan Croll, Glass Animals, Jungle,
La Roux and Jamie T. The calendar is fresh and
normally full; there are plenty of local groups,
tribute artists and bands embarking on their first
tours. Check out our live calendar to see who’s
on, and in most cases catch them before they’re
playing the Great Hall!
- MARK SWEENEY
Motorpoint Arena
The Motorpoint is up there as the biggest music
venue that Cardiff has to offer, aside from the
Millenium Stadium of course. It’s size often means
it’s not considered one of the cooler, current, or
progressive venues in the City - for want of much
better words, but you’ll probably understand the
point that’s being clumsily driven at. However,
some bands just can’t play the smaller venues with
the intimate crowds, the historic musical lineage
or the reasonable bar prices. Bob Dylan, Fall Out
Boy, The Vaccines, McBusted; they all need the
capacity of the Motorpoint to let as many fans in as
they can and put on a show as big as they want to.
But that’s not to say that going to the
Motorpoint is chore that gig-goers are forced into
because of a bands size. Once you understand
the respective scale of the Motorpoint compared
to other arenas on the same tour schedule, you
realise what a good deal Cardiff ’s got. For a sold
out standing event you’re looking at roughly
7,500 people, which is a lot. But compared to
London’s 02 Arena, which at capacity holds 20,000
fans, Cardiff ’s Motorpoint seems strangely quite
intimate. Not only is it relatively well-sized arena,
but it’s also a wide one, which allows the density
of the audience to be shallow and often offers
the illusion of yet more intimacy at an initially
daunting building.
Don’t knock it until you try it.
-JACK GLASSCOCK
MUSIC
GwdihW
Tucked away in little Guildford Crescent, Gwdihŵ
is the perfect place to whittle away a summer’s
evening. By day, the colourful bar has the relaxed
feel of a living room. Occasionally warmed by
songs and acoustic guitars, visitors can enjoy beers
from the local Pipes brewery on tap, and flop out
in a shaggy armchair. By night, Gwdihŵ attracts
the most eclectic mix of Cardiff ’s musicians, with
their regular ‘Folk In The Owl’s Nest’ a particular
night to look out for. It’s a venue full of surprises.
Only days after their fantastic Glastonbury
set, the New York Brass Band brought their
stomping sound to Gwdihŵ. Situated opposite the
Motorpoint Arena, Gwdihŵ has even played host
to impromptu after parties for acts such as Frank
Turner. With funk and soul DJs bringing most
evenings to their drunken, happy conclusions,
Gwdihŵ is definitely worth a special visit. And if it
all gets a bit much, their secret beer garden makes
for a wonderful retreat to hide yourself away in.
-TOM REEDER
UNDERTONE
There’s a mysterious staircase on Church Street. It
leads to the depths of Cardiff, and into the city’s
darkest underground venue: Undertone, Gwdihŵ’s
alter ego. Frequented by the heaviest rockers of the
southwest, Undertone is the sort of sticky venue
you need wellies to dance in. In the basement
of the chic cocktail bar 10 Feet Tall, expect cans
of Redstripe lager and rejected furniture from
upstairs. Undertone’s rustic decor and black
walls creates a slightly eerie atmosphere for the
eccentric bands and DJs that regularly play there.
It’s tight enough that even with a small crowd, the
venue feels packed and the sound system is always
cranked to chest rumbling levels. Also known
for its club nights, Undertone is a great venue for
the electronic scene in Cardiff. Like Gwdihŵ,
it’s the diverse array of acts at Undertone that
makes it such a special place. It’s one of the few
venues in the city that you can visit spontaneously,
most nights of the week, and catch something
distinctive.
-TOM REEDER
Moon Club
Situated opposite Cardiff ’s famous Clwb Ifor Bach
and with a capacity of only 260 people, Moon Club
is often slightly underestimated as a live venue.
From the narrow Womnaby Street, all that can
be seen is the ground floor ‘Full Moon Bar’ and
a rather intriguing black door, which leads to a
staircase. To be honest, the inside of Moon Club
is not much more aesthetically pleasing than the
street view, yet it has the instantly recognisable
mark of a brilliant venue: the lasting odour of
sweat and beer; a sign that every band that takes to
the unbelievably small stage will make you dance
and sing. Unlike other venues in Cardiff, Moon
Club, in all its dark and dingy glory has the gift of
intimacy. Whether it is up and coming acoustic
music or hard rock you want to listen to, Moon
Club caters for it all in a way that allows you to
truly engage with the bands you love or certainly
will love by the time the night is through.
-JAMES IVORY
27
With blazing Sun, pouring rain and tents as far as the eye could
see, Worthy Farm was all set for the biggest musical weekend
of the year. Day one set the Glastonbury standard early as
Mark Ronson gave a performance to remember on the Other
Stage. Florence + The Machine gave a powerful performance in
their best effort to replace the much anticipated Foo Fighters.
Pharrell wowed the crowd on Saturday evening with lively party
atmosphere, throwing in hits from The Neptunes, N.E.R.D and
solo work, ending with new song Freedom. The ‘King Of Ego’,
Kanye West, gave an incredible hit laden performance featuring
Justin Vernon and a Cherry Picker. His minimalist set design
looked great but wore a little thin towards the end. Whilst, Punk
poet, Patti Smith, turned back the years with what could be the
set of the weekend, featuring ‘His Holiness’ the Dalai Lama.
Lionel Richie promised to play as many as he could remember,
and that he did with party tunes, Mum ballads and Commodore
classics pulsating through his slot. The Who and Glastonbury
ended in an incredible fashion with a cavalcade of hits showing
the aging rockers still had it even as they entered retirement.
-JAMIE WILLIAMSON & MATT CORY
Glastonbury - 24-28 June 2015
28
T
here’s a reason why the phrase ‘Festival Season’ was
coined and it becomes exponentially more appropriate
year on year, as the festival calendar becomes more
comparable to that of a sports team’s schedule. There’s
at least one festival of some kind, if not multiple ones, every
single weekend of the summer months. Although the big-hitters
still have a significant monopoly, they certainly no longer reign
supreme.
Slam Dunk Festival celebrated its 10-year anniversary
this summer and yet it’s only just shrugging off its infant status.
As an independent festival, Slam Dunk can’t offer three days
of music in the traditional sense. But, what it does offer, that
the bastions of music festivals don’t, is a roaming site. There
are three dates across England with the same line-up each day,
which makes it the most accessible festival going.
The now genre defining band, You Me At Six, that share
Slam Dunk’s 10 year anniversary intimately, top the bill and dip
into their back catalogue in such a way that it doesn’t become a
mere nostalgia trip. This progressive attitude is echoed in the
platform provided earlier in the day for breakout acts such as
Pvris, As It Is and Neck Deep. It’s clear that the people behind
this festival care about what they’re putting on, and they care
about the people going. It’s also obvious that this passion is
mirrored in the attendance; at a sold out Slam Dunk South,
there are 15,000 fans all prepared to support the music that they
care so dearly about, providing a stunningly vibrant atmosphere
as a result. Even the brief spell of rain doesn’t dampen the
spirits of those watching Beartooth; although the University of
Hertfordshire’s concrete campus floors definitely helps there.
Slam Dunk’s size by no means whatsoever causes it to
compromise on quality. If anything its independent status allows
the festival to hone in on a niche genre, carefully construct a line
up that is perfectly cohesive and credible, allowing fans to enjoy
the music without any modern festival pretence.
- JACK GLASSCOCK
If you have spent any time on the Isle of Wight you will have no
doubt embraced it’s pleasant, idyllic scenery and yet at the same
time sympathised immensely with anyone who has to spend
more time than a summer holiday by the sea there. The issue
is that, whilst it is a lovely place to grow up, for 90% of the year
there is absolutely fuck all to do. The Isle of Wight festival marks
the start of the festival season and consequently a great deal of
excitement and anticipation for mainland and Island folk alike,
yet actually how good is this summer starter?
One clear tick for the Isle of Wight Festival, which took
place in June this year, was the amount of local musicians that
performed. A sizeable stage was dedicated to Platform One, the
college of music on the Island, as well as several more quaint
boutique tents housing a diverse array of talent. Yet the incessant
drones of countless fairground rides seemed to diminish some of
the enjoyment of the smaller stages. Organisers attempt to cater
for all people in a site, which frankly isn’t big enough.
However even after taking out a small mortgage in order
to pay for, what quite possibly could have been urine cunningly
disguised as Fosters, the 2015 Isle of Wight Festival redeemed
itself with a stellar performance from rock legends Fleetwood
Mac. Yes even in their 60s they were incredible!
Put simply this festival can be described as Reading’s more
tame sibling, rowdy but not life threatening. You can enjoy your
weekend knowing your tent, although a little rough and ragged,
will not be set on fire. In all fairness in the situation of great
headliners such as The Prodigy, Blur and Fleetwood Mac, it was
a good weekend. Yet if you want to see what the Isle of Wight
really has to offer, Bestival seems to reign supreme.
-JAMES IVORY
Isle Of Wight - 11-14 June 2015
Slam Dunk Festival - 24 May 2015
MUSIC
Hidden away in the idyllic Oxfordshire countryside, Cornbury
came with the strapline, ‘England’s most civilised gathering.’
Overall, this was difficult to dispute. Family tents peppered
hillside campsites, warmed by the morning sunshine; it was
perfect weather for indie pop and festival fun.
Most campers arrived on Friday, around lunchtime, and
the food stalls that awaited them were of great variety. Higgidy
Pies brought their wholesome, homemade steak and ale fillings
to the party, and La Grande Bouffe (‘The Big Nosh’) proved
particularly popular, with illustrious French cuisine cooked
gently in huge frying pans.
The music was as diverse as the food, with Friday night
starring Razorlight and The Fratellis on the Pleasant Valley
stage. Both acts brought a mixture of old hits and covers, but
by no means outshone The James Hunter Six, who played the
set before. The six-piece soul outfit arrived with their powerful
rhythm and blues, flecked with heartfelt ballads.
Saturday was rife with Welsh talent; Pembrokeshire born
Paper Aeroplanes played a stripped down, acoustic set, followed
by a full band performance on the Songbird Stage. The field was
packed, and remained so for an amazing collection of Motown’s
finest, from Martha Reeves and The Vandellas. Tom Jones
headlined, suited and booted, and sang all of his classics.
As STAXS took to the stage on Saturday afternoon,
they were met with eager anticipation, as Joss Stone had been
confirmed as their special guest. She fulfilled all expectations,
bringing their set to a climactic ending with her rendition of ‘I
put a spell on you’. Soul legend Billy Ocean closed the festival on
Sunday evening, a day that included guest appearances from Seal
and Stewart Copeland.
Cornbury was a weekend of musical treats, made all the
merrier by the family friendly vibes, lovely food, and the sun
that kept on shining.
- TOM REEDER
RE-CAP
Set in amongst the patchwork pleasantries of the Cotswold
countryside Two Thousand Trees prides itself on offering the
best new and underground British music. Created by a group
of six friends around a campfire; who, like so many of us were
severely underwhelmed by the corporate path in which many
of the UK’s major festivals have gone down, decided that a
reasonably priced, independent 3 day party, could be the only
remedy for summer spirits. For the annual ‘Trees’ goer it is this
punk ethos, the ‘do it yourself ’ mind-set which is as enticing as
the line up.
On arrival at this year’s festival the most refreshing thing,
other than the extremely reasonably priced local beer, was the
musical diversity. You can walk into ‘The Cave’ and be thrashed
by hard-core punk or take a short walk into the ambient-lit
‘Forest’ and be instantly soothed by an acoustic guitar. This year’s
main stage housed everything from The Skints dub-reggae to a
tremendous performance from Chicago punk legends Alkaline
trio, in which not even a short power cut could restrain the
momentum of their set, playing one song completely acoustic.
There was also opportunity to take refuge in ‘The Croft’, a
slightly smaller stage, away from the twang and buzz of heavy
guitars. There, waiting to be discovered was the haunting beauty
of Alice Phoebe Lou and the tremendously entertaining Jurassic
pop, which yes only write songs about Jurassic park.
If it’s unsigned independent music you are looking for,
you simply cannot find a better alternative to Trees. Campsites
‘Marwood, Reuben and Turner’ had their own stages, small
acoustic ‘busk stops’ in which late night line up’s were arranged
entirely by the campers themselves. There you could while away
the evening in the company of strangers, which by morning
would turn into friends.
For me, Two Thousand Trees offers more than simply the
discovery of great new music, it has the feel of a community,
which is distinct and incomparable to any other festival you’ll
ever experience.
-JAMES IVORY
2000 Trees - 9-11 July 2015
The Original Cornbury Music Festival
10-12 July 2015
MUSIC
29
VIDEO GAMES
EDITOR’S PICK
in a new monthly feature, this year’s gaming editors
Tom and Saman pick two games that you really ought to
try at some point
TWEET US WHAT YOU’VE BEEN PLAYING @QuenchGames
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Initially I was very anxious about
purchasing The Witcher 3 as I
hadn’t played the previous two
games. Fortunately, CD Projekt
Red have made it relatively easy
for newcomers to join this epic
franchise; a compendium is
included with the copy of the
game, giving you an insight
into the history of The Witcher
universe. In-game dialogue
options also allow you to learn
more about events, places,
characters etc. and there’s even
a glossary that is updated as you
play which is crucial in defeating
the various beasties you will
encounter.
I’m certain that if you own this
game already then you know how
wonderful it is and you can stop
reading here (be sure to claim
your free hi-5 off me in person as
a reward for making such great
life choices). If you don’t own
The Witcher 3 then you should
really consider preparing your
wallets and purses. You truly get
your money’s worth from this
game in terms of length. You
can easily squeeze 100+ hours of
playtime from this title. The last
time I got so involved in a game
was when The Elder Scrolls V:
Skyrim was released and I can
safely say that if you loved Skyrim,
then you will love The Witcher.
There similarities will make you
nostalgic, but of course it’s the
differences that really matter.
Skyrim gives you more freedom:
you can create your own character
and go around killing pretty
much everyone. The Witcher on
30
the other hand makes you play as
Geralt of Rivia, the definition of
bad-ass. Despite this, you still feel
as unique as you did in Skyrim
because you’re not just another
one of them boring humans…
you’re a witcher, a mutated
human specifically created for
the purpose of killing monsters!
Having an already established
character does enhance the story
a lot, and dare I say it, makes
The Witcher’s story better than
Skyrim’s.
The game isn’t without its flaws
though. This might not be an
issue on a top class gaming PC,
but sometimes the game was a
bit too much for my Ps4. The
main city, Novigrad, is huge
and filled with intricate details.
The texture pop-in is ridiculous
when you’re running about the
city. Nevertheless, I’ll let CD
Projekt Red off as this is their first
attempt at an open-world game
and it truly is very, very good.
Besides, they’re making it up to
us by releasing free DLC every
week! Quite simply one of the best
games I’ve ever played.
- Saman Izadyar
Sim City 4
This summer, alongside the
usual copious amounts of Mario
Kart 8 (how cool is 200cc?) and
Counter Strike Global Offensive,
I’ve gone back to an old favouriteSimCity 4. Whilst Cities Skylines
(reviewed with flying colours by
Alex last year and in many other
publications besides) may be the
new darling of the genre, why
fix what’s not broken especially
if you have to pay for it. So with
the magic of Steam allowing me
to play a game from 2003, I’ve
been transported back in time.
The graphics are no doubt simpler
than Cities, but the systems
behind it are about as complex as
I need.
Apparently, the paper version of
SimCity 4’s manual is bigger than
a dictionary- the systems behind
your cities are as complex as they
are plentiful. The whole game is
a logic puzzle, as well as a race
against time. If you’ve played any
city sim, you know how they go.
But SimCity 4 is the best- my
main complaint with it would
probably have to be the isometric
view, which means that sometimes
I place roads, rails and the like
in the wrong place. The original
SimCity’s top down view or Cities
Skylines’ 3D world are probably
preferred in that respect.
Still though, the game is worth
playing even 12 years after its
release because of its unrivalled
complexity, delivering equal parts
entertainment and education.
Seeing a city from above, sprawled
out, developing in ways you may
not have expected- your main
control over the populace being
where you can afford to install
utilities and services. There is also
an option to put in five Sims of
your own- these little characters
then run around the city, just as
the other citizens do. It is useful
to have a wide range of ages,
genders, and so on in your Sims in
order to keep tabs on the areas in
which they live. An old man in a
poor neighbourhood, for example,
is likely to perform better in life if
he has access to a library and a GP
clinic. A young lady in a middle
class neighbourhood might be
more interested in a college or
university being installed nearby.
SimCity forces you to think
about things that affect us all in
everyday life- the neighbourhood
we live in, our access to education,
our wages and cultural capital. It
is a learning experience as much
as a game.
- Tom Morris
VIDEO GAMES
the gamer guide to cardiff
A WHISTLESTOP TOUR OF THE CITY’S BEST GAMING HAUNTS. YOU CAN THANK US LATER.
SUPER TOMATO
CARDIFF GEEK PARTY
CARDIFF UNI
GAMING SOCIETY
Nestled more or less opposite Tesco
on Salisbury Road, Super Tomato
houses an Aladdin’s cave of retro
games, manga, toys and awesome
imported action figures from Japan.
To further satisfy your inner geek
and keep you entertained during
term time are a wide range of sparkly
electronics and cool gadgets.
As Super Tomato mainly concentrates
on retro games and consoles, not
surprisingly much of the focus is on
Nintendo and their console cold war
rival Sega, with everything from the
Power Glove to the Sega Mega CD
being stocked. There is also room for
more obscure and niche machines
such as the PC-Engine and Neo Geo,
as well as oddities such as Nintendo’s
Virtual boy (essentially a 90s version
of the 3DS but seemingly designed for
the sole purpose of blinding children).
For more mainstream tastes they
also stock a variety of PlayStation
and Xbox games so you can relive
how disappointing your childhood
was if you didn’t have a Dreamcast or
GameCube.
Manga wise they do a big selection
ranging from ones about penguin
crime fighters from Mars through to
the usual 99 million animes about
teenage witches and sentient ninja
potatoes. Look I don’t know - I don’t
read Manga alright?! But there’s a
lot of it, so they’re bound to have
something you like. They also do
western comics and graphic novels for
those of you who enjoy pre-emptively
ruining every superhero film ever for
your housemates.
With a huge selection of imports and
UK titles it’s not hard to swoop in
and pick up a bargain, especially with
games starting as low as 99p. Probably
your best bet for a pre-drinks console
is an N64 with Goldeneye and Mario
Kart while in terms of portables you
can’t go wrong with a Game Boy
Advance SP and literally any Mario
game. Or if you just prefer some nononsense arcade style shooting things
get a Sega Megadrive and something
like Gunstar Heroes or Streets of Rage
2.
Super Tomato Owner Tom Amato
(yes really), explained the appeal of
his retro game store, saying - “You
can walk into HMV or Waterstones
and buy a film or book published
prior to the last six months. With
videogames, there’s no facility to
explore the heritage of the medium.
Super Tomato offers that resource, in a
friendly tactile, tangible environment
where browsing and exploration are
encouraged.”
- ROLAN O’LORCAIN
Partying and gaming has never really
worked in the past (no matter how
many times I’ve tried to convince my
friends to let me get my Rock Band
out at house parties). Fortunately,
Cardiff Geek Party have worked out
the magical formula to combining
both partying and gaming into one
simple, yet glorious package. They
provide you a unique retro party
experience with your personal choice
of consoles, handhelds and games.
Also included are TV sets, party bags,
decorations and cardboard cut-outs of
your favourite video game characters.
They even deliver to your address and
set up the consoles for you.
memory lane, including Atari, Sega
and PlayStation.
If your craving for nostalgia still isn’t
satiated then you can pop down to
their shop in the Castle Emporium
on Womanby Street (open Thursday
– Sunday) and buy as many 80s, 90s
and 00s games that you can get your
hands on.
- SAMAN IZADYAR
Missing a few soldiers from your
squad? In need of fellow adventurers
to aid you in your explorations? Or
maybe you need a worthy adversary
to match your world-class gaming
skills? If any of the above applies
to you then you should consider
joining the gaming society. Every
Feeling the retro vibes but not down
to party? That’s fine too! You can rent
individual consoles, two controllers,
a TV and a few games for £25 per
night. You can get a nice selection of
consoles that will open up the path to
week they hold a casual gaming event
where you can take your laptop and
game to your heart’s content. The
deal is sweetened even more with
the addition of pizza and usually a
rendezvous at the pub afterwards.
If you’re good enough then you can
compete in the eSports varsity and go
head to head with our bitter rivals:
Swansea University.
- SAMAN IZADYAR
31
VIDEO GAMES
The world’s biggest gaming event had a ton
of exciting news for gamers as always. So
we decided to ask you, Cardiff’s finest,
what your favourite games were from the
convention.
- Hope Price
32
Nintendo’s conference was a
little lacklustre, despite the fun
of the World Championships
before it. Whilst there were
surprises, none of them were
particularly good. The one game
that looked like a worthwhile
purchase was Super Mario
Maker, an incredible piece of
kit. Although I wasn’t impressed
by Nintendo’s spiel that this
“will make you want to go
into game design” (they said
the exact same thing about
Warioware DIY and I don’t
think that changed anything)
the game looks like a whole lot
of fun with plenty of features.
The only thing I’m a little
worried about is the lack of suits
from previous games both 2D
and 3D- in the videos shown
there was little more than
mushrooms and fire flowers.
Where’s the cape, the spring
mushroom, FLUDD? And that’s
before I even mention yet more
shoehorned in Amiibo stuff,
again- why is no-one criticizing
Nintendo for creating some
of the most overpriced DLC
yet? Nevertheless, the amount
of creativity possible should
more than make up for thatand focus players’ attention on
creating their custom showcases
of pure platforming skill.
(Expect a review of Super Mario
Maker up on the Quench site
soon)
S U P ER M AR I O MAK ER
If, like me you were reduced to
tears by the first two instalments
of the Telltale franchise then
you’ll be thrilled to find out that
you can have your heart broken
yet again with The Walking
Dead: Michonne. This game
will focus on Michonne rather
than the story of Clementine as
the previous two games have.
Although we’ll all miss Clem it
is important to note that season
one saves will be needed, so
some of our previous choices
will come back to bite us!
The game however appears
to be angled more towards
the comic book readers as
Michonne’s journey is explored
in the time between issues 126
and 139 (where Michonne
is absent from the comics).
However it is unlikely that the
show watchers will be required
to read the comics in order to
understand the game as the
creator of The Walking Dead,
Robert Kirkman and Telltale’s
Kevin Bruner aim to ‘bridge the
gap’ between the show and the
comics, so hopefully the new
game will successfully explain
the events that have occurred in
the comics whilst also throwing
in some nice shout outs to
the comic book readers and
show watchers as they have in
previous games.
We can likely expect some more
heart wrenching decisions, tense
moments …all with the added
excitement of learning more
about a well-loved character in
the show and comics!
No release date yet, so at the
moment we’ll have to satiate our
thirst for The Walking Dead by
watching the spinoff series due
in August: Fear the Walking
Dead.
TH E W AL K IN G D E AD : MI C H ON N E
E3
2015
- Tom Morris
VIDEO GAMES
- Alexander Jones
- Rolan O’Lorcain
- Ben Jamieson
MASS EFFECT ANDROME DA
S TA R W A RS : BAT T LEF RON T
S H E N MUE I I I
F AL L O UT 4
I remember a time before
Fallout 4. It was dark and
scary: people would argue
over rumours that had no
real ground to support them,
fanboys and fangirls would
battle it out over the tiniest of
details whilst others waited
quietly in the background,
waiting for the war to subside, it
was almost like an apocalypse.
The beginning of E3 set the
standard extremely high with
Bethesda’s to-the-point and
in-depth conference. We were
shown an incredible line-up of
triple-A games such as DOOM,
Dishonored 2 and obviously,
the official unveiling of Fallout
4, the game everyone had been
waiting for years to see.
They really have gone
“overboard” with Fallout 4,
introducing a new game engine
(and all its perks graphic-wise)
and a very impressive crafting
overhaul – allowing players to
build their own settlements,
defences, weapons and even
power armour. We saw over 15
minutes of glorious gameplay
demonstrating all the new
features and also the return
of our beloved V.A.T.S. It
contained everything we hold
dearly about Fallout in it, yet so
much more.
If you still feel like you haven’t
experienced ‘next-gen’ yet, wait
until you play Fallout 4.
Trying to explain why Shenmue
is great to people is difficult as
99% of people won’t have a Sega
Dreamcast Console to play it
on. It’s like if Star Wars was only
available on Betamax, it would
still be great but who the hell
has the right machine to play it
on?
The second game made it
over to the original Xbox, but
playing the second one without
the first one would be a crime
against art, akin to using half
of the Mona Lisa as your own
personal urinal.
Originally released in 1999,
Shenmue was the first open
world game and while in theory
you were supposed to be out
avenging your father’s death,
you could just as happily spend
weeks playing with kittens and
badgering the elderly if you so
choose.
Ultimately the 14 year wait
for a confirmation of a sequel,
signifies not only personal
redemption for its creator Yu
Suzuki (who essentially ended
his own legendary career due to
his refusal to let the project die)
, but also serves as an emotional
reminder of what could have
been for the lost generation
of Sega fans. Shenmue 3
wasn’t just the most important
announcement of E3, it was the
most important announcement
of many people’s lives. The
Dreamcast is dead, long live the
Dreamcast.
If you’re reading this then
you’ve probably seen everything
E3 had to offer on Battlefront
and more at least three times
over, so I’m not planning on
going over that awesomeness.
Instead I’ll summarise what
people who’ve played the game
at E3 have said about it.
So it turns out that the AT-AT
is on rails and that if you don’t
kill enough people you get
booted out of it which seems
fair enough. From this I’ll
assume that all AT-AT’s will be
on rails, bit of a disappointment
but probably easier to develop.
They also have huge potential
to be broken when driven by
someone who doesn’t know
what they’re doing.
A lot of people were
complaining about the aircraft
handling however the devs will
have it fixed by release. You also
can’t control the snow speeder
when you’re tow cable is locked
on to an AT-AT, this is to make
the game more “accessible”.
Darn casuals.
As for the ground combat it
was solid in its own way and
for some felt like Battlefield 4,
and for others more distinct. It
seems to have a “card system” in
which you choose three cards
to go into battle with such as
having two or one grenades.
There won’t be a standard
class system allowing for more
diversity.
Will Dice be able to live up to
the hype? We’ll find out in two
long months...
The Mass Effect trilogy changed
the way I view video games.
Borrowing the original off
a friend who thought it was
boring; I discovered a world
infinitely more enticing than
our own. How could he think
this was boring? I decided to
keep the game, and ditch the
friend – and over the next 5
years I followed Shepard and
the Normandy crew to the edge
of the galaxy and back.
The official reveal of Mass
Effect: Andromeda at E3 2015,
then, fills me with anticipation
and dread in equal parts. How
can a new game, with a new
cast of characters, and brand
new worlds, ever hope to take
the place of the Citadel, the
Asari, and the fight against the
Reapers? It can’t, in truth. But
if anyone can make me accept
leaving familiar faces in the
dust, the developer of Dragon
Age and Knights of the Old
Republic can do it.
The initial trailer featured
little concrete details about
the plot, but hinted at a focus
on exploration of new worlds,
in a way more reminiscent of
the original title – and in line
with comments made by the
developers at E3 2014. Bioware
may have to compete with its
own well-respected pedigree,
but a new explorative focus
seems like a smart way of
introducing new ideas while
not abandoning the foundation
of the Mass Effect world. And I
managed to get through a whole
article without talking about
Mass Effect 3’s ending... oh,
damn it.
- Sam Walker
33
VIDEO GAMES
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ou Sho al
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v o
is De el
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Mo me d
m Ga n g
To s omi
e
or al c
it W nd
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Vi o c how wal
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a ver
o
It’s a sunny summers’ day and as
usual, as soon as I step out of the
station into Queen Street and am hit
by the sweltering heat, I’m scuttling
indoors to play some video games.
This time however, I’m not heading
back to play Counter Strike with the
silverfish of Talybont but to Cardiff
City Hall where game developers
from all over Wales have gathered
for an annual showcase of their
efforts.
Despite British games being known
worldwide for iconic characters like
Lara Croft (Bristol) and blockbuster
franchises like Grand Theft Auto
(Edinburgh) you’d be forgiven
for thinking things are quieter to
the west of Offa’s Dyke. However,
as Chris of Oyster World Games
explains, the Welsh development
scene is growing rapidly: “Two
years ago, when we first came to
this show,” he tells me, “it was just
me, a laptop, and a table. Now there
are seventy employees.” Students
might not have heard of much
of Oyster’s output though- it’s
mainly hidden object games aimed
towards your mum, and they have
been working for two years on a
monster-customizing game for
young children, with which, Chris
says, they are aiming for “world
domination.” Games for a younger
audience are the order of the day
here, which makes sense from
a business perspective, which is
good if you hope to break into the
industry. Ben of Wales Interactive,
who make games for PC and all
three current gen consoles, says
that “events like these help people
realize that games are being made in
34
Wales.” There is one small drawback having now obtained a degree and
for Cardiff students though- WI
no longer being just hobbyists.
seems to employ graduates from
It’s like Draw Something but with
almost every Welsh university but
photos, and, they promise me, less
our own! To hammer that point
intrusive ads, with the option to
home, lots of students and recent
receive puzzles based on brands as a
graduates from, among others, the
form of advertising instead.
University of
There are plenty
South Wales
of games on
and Trinity
I’m scuttling indoors show that look
Saint David
promising.
in Swansea
to play some video One such game
are eager to
is Friendship
show me their
games. This time
Club, a Steam
projects. Some
game currently
highlights
however, I’m not
in Early Access,
include Pigeon
but looks like it
Simulator
heading back to
would easily fit
(including a
in as a console
“poop button”)
play Counter Strike indie game as
and Comet’s
well. Ash from
Tale, both made
with the silverfish the development
by graduating
company
USW students.
of Talybont but to Force of Habit
For those of
describes it as a
us who have
Cardiff City Hall
“bullet hell party
already started
game” which
a degree in
where game developers turns out to be
something other
surprisingly fun,
than games, the
from all over Wales with a charming
National Film
art style. Ellis
and Television
have gathered for an of Fingerpunch
School is on
Games is also
offering a
annual showcase of happy to show me
Masters in
their game Tanks
Game Design
their efforts
and Turrets, a
to almost any
top down tank
undergraduate.
arena game where
Not everyone needs a degree to get
the aim is to destroy other people’s
into game design- but it helps. iSee is tanks. Ellis says the game is designed
a social media based game made by
to be quite simple, and should be
two friends from Swansea who are
cheap enough so that a group of
in the business of developing their
friends can all pick it up and play it
company’s App Store reputation,
together.
WALES
GAMES
DEVELOPMENT
SHOW
Although it is a games developers
show, there are other delicacies on
offer. Atticus Digital is a company
that make short VR experiences,
360 degree films to be viewed from
within an Oculus Rift, GearVR
and so on. At a recent London
boat show, pro windsurfer Johnny
Hutchcroft described their makeshift
VR simulator as the “closest you
can get” to real windsurfing. They
tell me that VR is a great learning
tool- with retention rates inside the
headset at about 80-90% compared
to our standard 10-20% in lectures
and Powerpoints. Martin says this
is down to having no distractions,
especially if you have a pair of
headphones on too.
I also attend a beginners’ Unity
game making lecture run by
industry veteran Byron Atkinson
Jones, who shows us all how to make
a ball run around a small 3D maze
and make it to a goal. I also get a
chance to talk to Karl from Unity
who explains that because Unity
is free up until you make a large
amount of money, it has quickly
overtaken expensive starter engines
such as the Unreal Development Kit
or CryEngine as the indie standard.
I ask him if he thinks that Unity’s
uniformness might mean that a lot
of indie games being released are
very similar, due to shared lighting
and assets, to which he replies that
it’s not engines that kill creativity,
but bandwagons.
- Tom Morris
VIDEO GAMES
REVIEW: KILLING FLOOR 2
PROS
Liked Call of Duty Zombies? You’ll like this. By Alexander Jones
Gore, heavy metal, guns and more
gore! That pretty much sums up
Killing Floor 2; the highly anticipated
sequel to the original gore-fest.
The game is currently in ‘Early
Access’ on Steam, with the full
release coming later in the year for
Windows, Linux and PlayStation
4. Consequently not all features are
showcased in its current form, not
that it makes playing it now any less
fun.
Killing Floor 2 is a co-op focused
first-person shooter, created by
American game developer Tripwire
Interactive (the guys behind the Red
Orchestra series), that highlights
solid shooting mechanics and
mostimportantly excessive amounts
of gore. Killing Floor (KF) grew
massively popular for its addictive
wave on wave gameplay, and became
renowned for allowing players
to graphically dismember and
explode enemies into a pulp. This
is supported by the hundreds and
thousands of hours that players have
invested into levelling their skills.
Killing Floor’s charm is delivered
partly by its similar gameplay to Call
of Duty’s Zombie mode, but also by
its extremely exaggerated British
accents. Seriously you should go
on YouTube right now and listen to
them, that’s a selling point just on its
own.
Like its predecessor, KF2s gameplay
consists of the same wave after
wave format; however, ladies and
gentleman, Killing Floor 2 now
runs on a new and improved Unreal
4 engine (instead of the Unreal 2
engine used for KF). This means that
the game has updated graphics and
textures which look significantly
better than they did before;
Fleshpounds never looked so good!
The 4 new maps currently available
for Early Access are simply visual
eye-candy for returning players. The
apocalyptic burning Eiffel Tower, the
creepy Volter Manor and the torch-lit
French Metro are all presented with
amazing detail. They won’t stay pretty
forever though, thanks to the new
complex gore system which allows
entire areas of the map to be soaked
in blood.
With the much more powerful
Unreal 4 engine comes the M.E.A.T
(massive evisceration and trauma)
system. This system allows for a
more dynamic and detailed depiction
of gore, mirroring scenes from a
Quentin Tarantino film. By the end
of your tenth wave fighting Zeds
(very similar to zombies, but not
zombies) the map you’re surviving
appears splattered in blood from
each shot you make. It’s a very
impressive feature and definitely
adds atmosphere to the chaos. And
it is chaos – with up to 6 players
online (or single player if you’re
brave) you’ll witness dozens of
Zeds swarming desperate or skilled
players, using a variety of means to
dispose them.
The first Killing Floor provided a
selection of 7 perks and Killing Floor
2’s Early Access contains only four
from the previous game: Berserker,
Commando, Support and Field
Medic. However once the game
reaches its full release it is rumoured
that it will include a whopping 10
perks in total. That’s impressive,
seeing as each perk comes with its
very own skill tree, allowing for
further customisation that benefits
your character and fellow teammates.
For example, whilst playing using
the Commando perk, which focuses
on assault rifles and enhanced
vision, reaching level 5 gives you
the ability to replace your tunnel
vision flashlight for night vision – a
substantial improvement. The perks
have been more fine-tuned this
time around to differentiate player
abilities, in a way that encourages
cooperative play to tackle the
onslaught of Zeds. If everyone wants
to go Berserker, the team probably
won’t survive as efficiently as one that
has a Field Medic who has the ability
to heal teammates from a distance.
No matter what perk you pick
though, it’s going to pack a punch.
Killing Floor 2 offers a much needed
update to an already addictive and
great game. With its enhanced
graphics and powerful new engine,
KF2 is a solid shooter with all the
joys of levelling up and progressing
to become a better survivor. After
playing this game for only a couple of
hours, if you didn’t like heavy metal
before playing this game, you will
after. It undoubtedly fits perfectly
with the over-the-top blood and
gore. If the first game is anything to
go by, I’m sure Tripwire Interactive
will support the game by updating
it often with free new maps and
achievements, which extends the
replay value considerably. For around
half the price of an AAA game, and
presenting continuous hours of
gameplay, Killing Floor 2 is a great
deal for any fan of bloody first person
shooters.
Great co-op
experience
Superb shooting
mechanics and
attention to detail
Loads of gore (if
you’re into that)
CONS
Loads of gore (if
you’re not into that)
Repetetive - early
access only has one
game mode
8/10
35
FILM & TV
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
THOUGH IT MAY SEEM UNASSUMING at FIRST GLANCE, CARDIFF IS HOME TO MORE FILMING LOCATIONS THAN YOU CAN
SHAKE A SONIC SCREWDRIVER AT. FILM & TV EDITOR ELEANOR PARKYN GIVES US THE LOWDOWN ON HOW TO TRAVEL
THROUGH TIME AND SPACE WITHOUT LEAVING THE CITY.
Many will associate Cardiff with being the filming location for many BBC shows, such as Sherlock, Doctor Who, aWnd its spin-off show, Torchwood.
For some, this fact may have even been a contributing factor in the decision to spend 3 or more years in the city. If you’re a casual viewer or a full-blown
fanatic, the chances are that at some point during you’re time here you will stumble across one of these filming locations. The Bay is essentially the home of
Torchwood, and fans will be quick to spot the ‘Torchwood Tower’, as well as finding the shrine to character Ianto Jones. Here you will also find the Doctor
Who Experience, a somewhat pricey interactive exhibit, but is well worth the money for fans of the show. But for those of you not planning to walk more than
ten minutes past the main building, or those who’s only form of money is the handful of change from last night’s escapades, here is your guide to the filming
locations of Cardiff:
36
FILM & TV
MILLENIUM STADIUM
It seems that pretty much every
scene involving the Doctor running
(or segway-ing) down the corridor
of an aliens secret base is filmed
here. The stadium is also the home
of River Song’s prison cell in seasons
5 and 6, as well as the ‘Van Statten
Base’ from the season 1 episode
‘Dalek’.
SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY,
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY MAIN BUILDING
Used in the Sherlock episode ‘A
Study in Pink’, the main building
was used as the fictional location
of ‘Roland Kerr College’, where
Sherlock is taken by the cabbie to
choose between the two pills. In the
episode, the building doesn’t look
as it does in reality, as it has been
mirrored and made to look like two
separate buildings.
TIGER TIGER,
GREYFRIARS ROAD
The likelihood of you ending up
here at some point during fresher’s
week is quite high, so it may be
exciting to know that this was the
filming location for the fun bar fight
between Captain Jack and Captain
John in the Torchwood episode
‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’. If going out
isn’t quite your thing then this may
be your chance, as you can maybe
be persuaded to go to the place
where James Marsters and John
Barrowman stood (and kissed.)
CARDIFF TEMPLE OF PEACE
Ironically, the Temple of Peace
has been used as the location of
many hostile encounters on Doctor
Who. The Temple has been seen in
episodes including ‘The End of the
World’, where it was transformed
into ‘Platform One’, as well as being
used for Hitler’s headquarters (‘Let’s
Kill Hitler’) and the temple from the
episode ‘Fires of Pompeii’.
KAPU & SODA BAR,
MILL LANE
For those disappointed with the fact
they were not able to join Sherlock
and John on the stag night pub
crawl in ‘The Sign of Three’, here is
your chance! The venues they visit
as they stumble through ‘London’
are unsurprisingly all in Cardiff. On
your next night out a trip to Kapu or
Soda Bar on Mill Lane will take you
to these locations and at some point
during the night you’ll probably end
up in the same state as John and
Sherlock (although hopefully not in
a prison cell).
GLAMORGAN BUILDING
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
The building has been used in many
episodes of Doctor Who, often as an
official building, and has even been
used to replicate the corridors of
the White House (‘The Impossible
Astronaut’). It can be seen most
recognisably in the episode ‘Boom
Town’ which is set and filmed almost
entirely in Cardiff.
CARDIFF CASTLE
Although Moriarty is seen to break into
the Tower of London in the episode
‘The Reichenbach Fall’, this scene was
actually filmed inside Cardiff Castle,
due to the high number of tourists
within the real Tower. The castle is also
used in Doctor Who and Torchwood,
and you can take a guided tour of all of
the locations used within the castle.
37
FILM & TV
THE
BEST OF WES
To kickstart the new term, Quench Film & TV
bring you a brand new running feature - each
issue we will look at the work of one of our
favourite directors. This month: Wes Anderson.
The films of Wes Anderson are instantly recognisable. From his meticulous attention to detail in overhead shots to symmetrical framing, his
directing has now been established as stylistically individual though influenced by French New Wave directors such as Truffaut and Godard.
Along with writing partners Owen Wilson, Noah Baumbach and Roman Coppola, Anderson creates melancholic comedy tales simply
about people. Although the characters may embark on adventures in whimsical pastel-coloured settings, his films are often concerned with
relationships and human nature which ultimately lead to some sort of understated introspection. His narratives simply tend to focus on the
problems of beautiful middle class people and the hyper-stylised and deadpan directing is very self-aware, encouraging audiences relate to the
feelings as opposed to the characters themselves. Be it because of the profound slow motion shot or the well placed Nico song playing over it,
the films of Wes Anderson will warp you into their worlds of nostalgia and whimsy, and will make you feel something; and Quench are here
to introduce some of our favourites.
Rushmore (1998)
Rushmore tells of 15 year old Max Fischer
(Jason Schwartzman) who, despite being an
academically poor student, is very involved in
his extracurricular activities from writing hit
plays to being president of the Bee Keeping
Society. Rushmore Academy is his love and
his life. When he falls for teacher Miss. Cross
(Olivia Williams) however, she becomes his
new 'Rushmore,' and Max must compete
against friend and billionaire Mr. Blume
(Bill Murray) for her affection. The film is
a coming-of-age tale about both teenager
and man who are as wise and childish as
the other, and will stop at nothing short of
building a $35,000 aquarium to win their love
interest over.
It is hard to believe that Rushmore is
Schwartzman's debut. Reminiscent of a young
Dustin Hoffman, his delivery makes for
insanely quotable dialogue ("I don't give a shit
about the barracudas! Fuck it, I'm building
it anyway."). Bill Murray's Golden Globe
nominated performance is also noteworthy;
Rushmore is one of the first films, along with
Lost in Translation and Broken Flowers,
to have transitioned Bill Murray from an
off-beat comedic actor to the cult indie dadfigure we wish was ours.
Rushmore is Anderson's second film and,
unlike debut Bottle Rocket, more clearly
trademarks many of his directorial quirks
such as symmetrical framing, flat space
camera movements and a thematic choice of
music. The soundtrack, in particular, is one
to put onto your iPod, with British Invasion
music representing Max's rebellious nature
contrasted against the whimsical harpsichord
themes of Rushmore Academy composed by
Mark Mothersbaugh.
The film is unlike some of his later works
which arguably sacrifice substance for
38
aesthetics. Although it lacks a quirky
colour palette in set design and is missing
a few on-screen regulars, Rushmore is still
quintessentially Wes Anderson.
- Sadia Pineda Hameed
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
The Royal Tenenbaums, directed and cowritten by Wes Anderson, follows the
Tenenbaum family’s coming together when
patriarch Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman)
announces he is terminally ill and wants to
make amends with his estranged family.
Despite being manipulative, tactless, and
selfish, Royal is equally incredibly easy to
love, and the audience soon falls for him
and the rest of the flawed family. Hackman
unsurprisingly won a Golden Globe for his
captivating performance, and numerous
nominations were garnered for Anderson and
co-writer Owen Wilson’s screenwriting. The
three former child prodigies, played by Ben
Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow and Luke Wilson,
reunite one-by-one when they move back into
the iconic New York townhouse that is the
Tenenbaum home, and old tensions between
father and children play out comically and
emotionally.
Tenenbaums is inventive and original, despite
utilising the common trope of the trials and
tribulations of a dysfunctional family. In
typical Anderson style, the film is consistent
in both its humour and darker, more moving
elements, where the comedy crackles
in keeping with its unabashed tone. For
example, when Royal is reminded of his son
Chas’s wife’s death, he tactlessly and matterof-factly remarks that it was a shame as she
was a very attractive woman.
Anderson’s familiar directorial technique
produces a film that is a masterpiece of
quirky, artistic imagery, critically planned
sets, and meticulously structured shots. One
of the most visually appealing elements in
the film is the rolling sequence in which the
characters are introduced to the audience in
individual, precisely designed settings.
Wes Anderson’s films are constantly
compared to each other, but The Royal
Tenenbaums is a film fully able to stand
alone. Its dark comedy and drama are finely
balanced, creating a film both poignant and
gleefully indiscreet – far more than simply a
sequence of artistic frames.
- Mary Hayman
FILM & TV
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox differs slightly from Wes
Anderson’s usual filmmaking style, replacing
his original plot, live-action films with this
stop-motion retelling of Roald Dahl’s classic
book of the same name. Despite the main
story not being an original creation, Anderson
certainly makes it his own, adapting the plot
to suit his usual style by focusing more on the
somewhat dysfunctional family life of Mr and
Mrs Fox and their son Ash. Wes Anderson’s
films typically feature an all star cast, and
Fantastic Mr. Fox is no exception to this, with
Mr and Mrs Fox voiced by the multi-award
winning George Clooney and Meryl Streep.
While Roald Dahl’s original story is aimed at
children, Anderson’s adaptation seems more
like a film written for an adult audience; but
its use of animals to deliver the witty, dry
humorous lines establishes it as a film suitable
for all family members. This is perhaps best
exemplified by the amusing replacement
of swearing with the word 'cuss', which is
liberally used throughout the film, like when
Mr. Fox exclaims "are you cussing with me?"
Although a film adaptation of a book you
probably haven’t read since you were 6 may
not sound like quite your thing, the animation
is beautiful and the humour should appeal to
all; particularly those of you who are fond of
Anderson’s work. The quirkiness of Fantastic
Mr. Fox will keep you entertained till the
very end and you should be left pleasantly
surprised by how Fantastic this film really is.
- Eleanor Parkyn
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Moonrise Kingdom focuses on the story of
a young love between twelve year olds, Sam
(Jaren Gilman), a boyscout in the Khaki Scout
troop and Suzy (Kara Hayward), the eldest
child of Mr and Mrs Bishop. The film is set in
1965 on an island called New Penzance, off the
coast of New England. On this peaceful island
of a small community, Sam and Suzy make a
pact to run away together, leaving the small
community faced with a disaster that seems
out of their control. The ensemble cast include
Bruce Willis as Captain Sharp, Edward Norton
is Scout Master Ward, and Bill Murray and
Frances McDormand as Suzy’s parents.
The setting of the film is very typical of Wes
Anderson. It presents a nostalgic feel to
the audience to be involved in the fictional
world of the island. Each scene is packed
full of every detail imaginable, with most
of the scenes shot from a panning angle or
through symmetrical shots; this enhances
the simplistic yet nostalgic theme of the film.
Throughout the film contains many comical
references to big titles, such as The Shawshank
Redemption - where Sam decides to cut a hole
in the side of his tent to escape, rather than to
use the tent door. This is just one example of
how unique Anderson’s
film-making is.
Moonrise Kingdom has proven to be another
success ofWes Anderson’s eccentric style of
film making. One where you enter a fantasy
world of dream-like settings, leaving you
feeling nostalgic yet thrilled after seeing
yet another stunning masterpiece from his
collection.
- Billie Murphy
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
The films of
Wes Anderson
are instantly
recognisable.
Once in a while we all stumble upon a certain
movie that might tug at our heart strings and
pull us further into scrutinising the director
and more of his or her work. In some cases,
before we know it, we catch ourselves as
addicts, obsessors who would devotedly
watch, re-watch and wait to watch more
movies if it has anything to do with the said
director. Well, for me, one particular movie
that fitted that grandiose description is The
Grand Budapest Hotel.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a famous
European ski resort in the 1930s that is
managed by the legendary concierge, Gustave
H. (Ralph Fiennes) and his junior lobby
boy Zero (Tony Revolori), who eventually
becomes his loyal and most trusted friend.
The main plot of the story revolves around a
theft and the eventual recovery of a priceless
Renaissance painting as well as the fight for
an immense family fortune all in parallel to a
war-torn and fast-changing continent.
If the plot alone isn’t enough to win your
heart, it might help to know that the movie
has received widespread acclaim from film
critics, with many including it in their yearend top 10 lists, as well as being nominated
for 11 nominations, including Best Film and
Best Director for Anderson and most of all,
winning the Golden Globe Award for Best
Motion Picture.
So, hopefully, maybe on weekends when you
feel like staying in and snuggling up for a feelgood movie, The Grand Budapest Hotel might
just be the thing to watch.
- Kat Pooprasert
have a favourite director
you’d like to read about? Tell
us on Twitter @QuenchFilmTV
If you’d like to write for us
drop a line to
[email protected]
39
FILM & TV
GAME OVER?
Jasper Wilkins discusses whether Game of Thrones has taken tits and
gore too far this time
(Warning: spoilers for the fifth season inbound)
As ever, the past season has been
a colourful one in Westeros.
Danaerys finally scored a ticket
on Dragon Airlines, Jorah
cemented his position as Captain
of the HMS Friendzone, while
Stannis threw away any chance
he had of getting one of those
gigantic Number One Dad mugs
for father’s day. On
top of that, we’ve had
the usual heat over
sex, nudity, torture,
incest and gore. It just
wouldn’t be a Game
of Thrones season
without a healthy
dollop of controversy,
would it? However,
after fifty episodes, the
debate surrounding
the show’s content has
evolved into something
a little more complex.
Season 5 in particular
has drawn criticism for
how it treats its female
characters.
Cersai’s walk of shame
through the streets of King’s
Landing is an obvious example.
If you thought you looked rough
crawling back home through
Cathays the morning after pulling
that 4/10 at Flux, at least you
weren’t naked and covered in pig
shit. If your walk of shame did,
in fact, involve being naked and
covered in pig shit, well, perhaps
slow down on the Dornish wine
next time. The sequence managed
to stir up controversy before even
being broadcast, with the Catholic
Church of St Nicholas heavily
protesting the use of their building
40
for filming on moral grounds.
Across social media, too,
the sequence sparked much
debate, mostly for its alleged
reinforcement of male misogyny
and slut-shaming values. It’s not
hard to see why - Cersai’s march
is literally met with chants of
“shame!” and “whore!’ - but we
must also remember that Game
of Thrones is a show that had
no problem chopping off Theon
Greyjoy’s dick, amongst other
bits of his body. The social justice
warriors can overlook that though,
since nobody called him a slut. If
anything, this storm in a teacup
highlights the true gender equality
at the heart of Game of Thrones;
it doesn’t matter what sex you are,
because you’re probably going to
have a terrible time regardless.
Perhaps less excusable, and
certainly a more delicate topic,
was Sansa Stark’s wedding night
rape at the hands of Ramsay
Bolton in Episode 6. A sexual
assault scene on any primetime
television show was always
going to detonate fiercely on
the feminist minefields of
the internet, and when that
television show is as big as Game
of Thrones the result is
a forest fire of Tumblr
debate that might just
burn until the end of
time. There’s no denying
that the whole scene
makes for uncomfortable
viewing.
However, the online
outrage this time focuses
on something deeper
than mere shock value
- Sansa’s rape doesn’t do
anything. Unlike previous
‘edgy’ scenes, such as the
infamous Red Wedding,
Sansa’s degradation
fails to progress the
plot in any meaningful
way. Afterwards, Sansa
is still a victim, Ramsay is still
Joffrey 2.0, and Theon is still a
psychological basket case. We
knew all of this already. The rape
isn’t mentioned again for the rest
of the season. To put it simply,
what is the point? What’s the
goal beyond stirring up media
buzz? Of all the plot elements
for the show’s writers to throw
around without a real purpose,
sexual assault might have been
the worst possible choice.
Game of Thrones shouldn’t,
and so far hasn’t, leaned away
from controversial subjects
out of fear of backlash - which
is respectable. However, their
use ought to have some intent
behind it, rather than being
treated as a triviality. Let’s hope
Season 6 gets itself back on
track, and doesn’t need to resort
to such attention-seeking.
cult
secrets
FILM & TV
From Mean Girls to Monty Python’s Life of
Brian - cult classics are films that we
love to love -quite often despite their
lack of technical merit. Quench Film & TV
investigates...
“Cult classics are off-limits to
mainstream cinema. That’s just,
like, the rules of film making.”
But much like Cady, who couldn’t
stay away from Aaron Samuels, it
seems like cinema audiences have
a problem staying away from the
classics.
A cult film, as you might have
already guessed by its name,
is a movie that acquires a cult
following. A dedicated fan-base,
quotable dialogues, audience
participation and repeated
viewings. However, what causes
a movie to become a ‘cult classic’
remains a mystery.
Previously, the term cult
film might have referred to
transgressive themes such
as major violence or explicit
sexuality. Many of these films
would have unreliable narration
and time jumps between
storylines. Movies like this
often bombed at the box-office
due to their unconventional
characteristics. Viewers who saw
themselves as ‘outcast’ or just kids
who were too cool for anything
mainstream would adopt these
films and adore them no end. One
popular example of such a movie
is sci-fi cult classic Donnie Darko.
Now famous for its humour and
mind-bendingly cool plot line, the
film was actually a flop at the box
office during its original release.
The film’s initial failure may be
attributed to its unapologetic
addressing of taboo themes such
as child pornography and its
utterly confusing plot line; though
these are also the two main
reasons as to why it is adored so
passionately by its dedicated fan-
base now.
Nowadays though, a movie
doesn’t necessarily need people
shooting other people in the
head by accident to gain a cult
following. Some cult classics do
very well at the box-office and are
in fact, produced or distributed
by major studios. An example
of this is the old school classic
Mean Girls that was distributed by
Paramount pictures and is still as
fetch as ever. Though the movie
didn’t involve any major themes
of sex or gore, well except the
scene where - spoiler - Regina gets
run-over by a bus, it still acquired
a massive cult following. It was
also a huge success at the box
office earning about $129 million
during its initial release.
Overall, it is hard to identify
one feature that leads to a film
becoming a cult classic. Some
films are so bad that they end up
becoming parodies of themselves
like Evil Dead II whilst others can
bring a sense of nostalgia and a
longing for a simpler time like
Grease or Back To The Future.
Then there are those movies
that are a blueprint for what a
cult classic should be, like Pulp
Fiction. Cult classics seem to
cross the boundaries of different
genres, themes, time of release
and target audiences. The only
thing all these movies have in
common is their dedicated fanbase. It seems fitting that there is
no conventional answer for what
makes a film a cult classic since
that’s what cult movies try to
represent: a lack of convention.
- Sanya Budhiraja
What to watch
when...
You’re drinking:
Heathers
Drink every time someone says
‘Heather’ - good luck
You’re drunk:
Jack and Jill
You’d have to be pretty drunk
to find an Adam Sandler movie
funny
You’re hungover:
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Because, much like Ferris, you
won’t be going to classes today
You’re back from
a ‘gap yah’ in
Cambodia:
The Dhamma Brothers
Continue the spiritual journey
from the comfort of your halls
You’re preparing
to live in Wales:
Gavin and Stacey
This way you can get used to
the accent, the slang and seeing
gravy on chips
41
FOOD + DRINK
THE RISE OF
VEGETARIAN
IN GENERAL, THE TERM
“VEGETARIAN” IS USED
TO DESCRIBE ANY DIET
THAT EMPHASIZES THE
CONSUMPTION OF PLANT
FOODS, AVOIDS THE
CONSUMPTION OF ANIMAL
FLESH, AND DISCOURAGES
THE CONSUMPTION OF
OTHER ANIMAL PRODUCTS.
B
ecoming a vegetarian was a choice I
made at the age of 13. Neither of my
parents were vegetarian nor my older
brother, friends or family members and
yet I chose, after careful consideration, to stop
eating meat. This decision was based entirely
on ethics as it is for many people. The idea of
the countless animals that are alive for the sole
purpose to be killed and then eaten is shaking
me even to this very day. Not only it is sad that
animals are being denied basic animal rights
and are being threatened with various types of
hormones and antibiotics, but these factors affect
as much the people eating them as the animals
themselves.
Regarding health, people’s opinion on vegetarian
diets are usually incredibly uninformed. In my
42
personal experience, I have noticed, that some
people believe vegetarians eat only salads and
don’t have many other choices of food, which
can lead to malnutrition. However this of course
cannot be further from the truth. Vegetarianism
is not a new thing; it goes back to 6th century BC
when it was popular mainly in Greece, India and
Italy. Throughout history there have been many
influential examples of famous people who are
vegetarians such as Mahatma Ghandi, Carl Lewis
(Olympic athlete), Vanessa Williams (actress and
singer); Paul McCartney (rock musician); Dustin
Hoffman (actor); Tony LaRussa (pro-baseball
manager);Pythagoras, Buda, and Leonardo da
Vinci.
The diet of a vegetarian is not only good for the
animals, and the people themselves but for the
planet as well. Research at Stanford University
in the United States found that a produce-driven
diet directly helps the health of the planet in more
ways than one. Growing produce generates fewer
carbon emissions and uses less water than raising
livestock resulting in less of an environmental
toll.
When I became a vegetarian I was not sure how
that was going to affect my body. I was prepared
in all cases to give up my diet if I started to
become ill frequently or feel constantly tired.
However I discovered that not only was I feeling
perfectly fine, I was getting less sick every year
and I started looking healthier. In fact my skin
was looking better than ever before! And it’s not
just me; a paper published in 1999 summarized
the results of a study associating diet with chronic
disease in a group of nearly 35,000 Seventh day
Adventists living in California. The members of
the group who followed a vegetarian diet (defined
as eating no red meat, poultry, or fish) had lower
incidences of many diseases, including; obesity,
hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, colon cancer,
prostate cancer, and ischemic heart disease than
the non-vegetarians.
So all in all, being healthy, saving innocent lives
and helping out the planet are a few of the main
reasons behind the 12 million people in the US
who reported themselves as being vegetarian, and
the many more around the world who continue
to follow this type of diet.
- DIMANA MARKOVA
FOOD + DRINK
NISM
INTERVIEW
WITH
MILGI
How did you go about opening
your restaurant; has food
always been a passion of
yours?
Myself and my sister came up with the idea of
opening a creative hub that served food after
an inspirational trip to NYC. Food has always
been a part of our lives - our dad is a great cook
so we have always been around good food and
ingredients. He is a wonderful forager too so, he
has passed on his knowledge.
Have you always been a
vegetarian; if yes why did you
make this choice? If no why
does vegetarian cuisine appeal
so much to you?
Myself and Milgi have been vegetarian for five
years now and my own personal choice to eat
a plant based diet comes mainly from a health
point of view. It’s an exciting way to live - it
makes you more in tune with your body and
it’s needs and not eating meat, i feel, gives you a
sense of clarity. Milgi decided to go Vegetarian
because it was the right thing to do. Our ethos
is to eat local and organic when we can and that
was becoming increasingly harder when it came
to meat. This was five years ago so, a lot has
changed now but, back then it was more difficult
to source organic meat, for example.
What is your most popular/
signature dish?
Our Mexican Stack - fresh, tasty inspiring and a
bit naughty!
In your opinion is vegetarian
cuisine up and coming?
Yes! and we are proud to be leading the way.
What is your favourite dish on
your menu?
I love the wholefood bowl - nourish and flourish!
Any other details you can give
us on your restaurant!
We serve amazing cocktails!
43
ALL
FOOD + DRINK
WORTH THE
MONEY?
W
ith the rise in popularity of
vegetarianism, as well as a
general increase in healthconsciousness (see: trendyyet-dubious juice cleanses and paleo diets,
organic-all-natural-low-fat-no-artificialadditives-no-everything groceries, the
inescapable cult of ‘courgetti’ – faux spaghetti
made from spiral-cut courgette) it’s a small
wonder that all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants
still seem to be doing reasonably well, or even
thriving in some cases.
These buffets lure customers with
unlimited servings of a mind-boggling variety
of cuisines, from Chinese to Indian to Tex-Mex,
all at what they claim to be a fairly reasonable
price point for the amount of food promised.
The main options in Cardiff city centre charge
around £8 to £15, depending which day you
go and whether you have lunch or dinner.
However, more decadent options are known to
exist in places such as Las Vegas, USA, where
the Bacchanal restaurant buffet costs US$50.99
(around £33, or the cost of a student’s food for
a week, according to the university’s living costs
calculator) for a weekend dinner that includes
options such as premium Kobe beef and madeto-order soufflés.
The argument that holds the this all
together is that for the price you are paying, you
have the option to eat however much you want,
up to or beyond the value of what you paid. This
shifts the onus of obtaining value-for-moneyness almost completely to the diner – that’s
you – as opposed to the restaurant owners.
Paid £15 but only had a tiny plate of mediocre
sweet and sour chicken? That’s no one’s fault but
yours; you could have gotten more. This causes
diners to feel an increased need to make sure
that they eating their money’s worth. In fact, a
cursory Google search for “how to get money’s
worth” yields three buffet-related suggestions
out of four. And if it’s one thing we all know, it’s
that Google’s suggestions reflect the innermost
desires of the human spirit.
This preoccupation of diners to get their
44
E AT
YOU CAN
money’s worth at all-you-can-eat buffets has led
to these restaurants having a poor reputation in
terms of health and nutritional value.
The first obvious reason for this is that
diners are easily tempted to overeat. When faced
with such an overwhelming amount of food on
display in the restaurant, this is easy to see. The
dizzying array of food adds fuel to the flames,
as diners often feel compelled to try a bit of
everything on offer. In fact, a study conducted
by the John Hopkins Medical Hospital and
University in the USA found that subjects ate
considerably more yoghurt when offered a
selection of flavours, as opposed to only being
given one flavour, and a similar result was
observed when different subjects were given
either a selection of sandwiches with a selection
of fillings, or just sandwiches in one standard
filling. This lethal combination of quantity
and variety makes all-you-can-eat buffets
exceptionally unhelpful for the self-control of
diners.
The second reason is that as buffet foods
tend to be cooked in large quantities yet still face
the requirement of being low cost, many of these
dishes end up containing artificial additives, or
heavily processed ingredients. For instance, as
the food is often left out in the restaurant for
extended periods of time, it is likely that the
dishes contain large amounts of preservatives
to help them hold up. In addition, in order to
ensure profitability, ingredients used to prepare
the food must also be low-cost and thus tend to
be of lower quality. Many of these dishes are thus
‘enhanced’ with additives such as high fructose
corn syrup (nasty stuff that has strong links to
obesity, according to the wisdom of Science)
and monosodium glutamate (aka MSG – so
good, but so bad). All this conjures the image of
your food being cooked in a huge cauldron with
ladlefuls of trans fats and dodgy artificial stuff –
not exactly the epitome of health.
The third reason is that with large
amounts being cooked at one go, safe storage
of food becomes an issue. Over in the US, in
2013, an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant in
Florida was caught with its perishable food
items, including meat, ‘stored’ beside a skip
at the back of the restaurant in order to avoid
being penalised by health inspectors who were
examining the kitchen interiors. In a case a little
closer to home, in early 2015, a buffet restaurant
in Liverpool screeched to a sudden and
unannounced closure following a routine health
inspection which reported hygiene concerns in
all of the restaurant’s multiple kitchens. All this
is worsened by the fact that there is often no
way to tell how many other people, especially
fellow diners, may have touched your food
before it got to your plate, increasing the risk of
contamination and in turn food poisoning.
The final health concern is that all-youcan-eat buffets may encourage an unhealthy diet
of binge eating and starving. Before eating at a
buffet restaurant, diners are more likely to eat
significantly less than a healthy amount, either
to cut daily caloric intake, or to ‘save space’
for the large meal later on in order to get their
money’s worth. This in turn makes it even more
likely that the person will overeat at the buffet,
an issue already highlighted a few paragraphs
above. This may then be followed by postovereating emotions of regret and guilt, leading
to the diner feeling compelled to eat less for the
next meal or skip it entirely. This increases the
likelihood of a person getting caught in a binge/
starve cycle in which blood sugar levels fluctuate
rapidly, as opposed to a healthier and more
moderate diet.
When all’s said and done, it’s not all doom
and gloom for you if you’ve been planning a
trip to an all-you-can-eat buffet. Just be sure to
maintain a moderate diet before and after the
buffet, exercise some self-control, and above all,
don’t get too caught up in getting your money’s
worth. Even if you do eat your £15 worth in lowcost, additive-laden food, the experience after
may not be worth it in the end.
-ZENN WONG
FOOD + DRINK
FRESHER
friendly
recipes
Chilli
Con
Carne
A staple food for students, it is always good to
know how to cook a good chilli! This recipe
is for a chilli of moderate heat. If you want a
hotter chilli, you can use stronger chilli powder
or more of the mild stuff. For a milder one, just
use less!
Burritos
A Mexican classic, Burritos are quick,
easy, and delicious. This recipe makes
a lot of filling, ideal for leftovers
or freezing, and is great value for
300g beef mince
· 1 large onion, chopped
· 1 can kidney beans
· 1 can chopped tomatoes
· 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
· 1 red pepper, chopped (optional)
· Tomato` purée
· 25g Paprika
· 25g Mild chili powder
· Salt and pepper to taste
Serve with rice
money!
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
Tortillas
2 peppers, chopped
1 Large onion, chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
300g mince
2 cans refried beans
Grated cheese – as much as you like!
Salt
Pepper
1 Chilli, finely chopped (optional)
1.
Great when served with either
guacamole, sour cream, or salsa.
Salad is also a great addition.
1.
2.
3.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a
medium heat, and add the garlic and
chilli. After about 10 seconds, add the
onion, and fry until they soften and
become translucent. Then add the meat,
and cook until browned all over, before
adding the peppers. Cook for another
couple of minutes, adding salt and
pepper to your taste.
Now add the refried beans, and if you
like a few tablespoons of water to get the
consistency you prefer. Keep the heat
on until the mixture is bubbling gently
(probably 3-5 minutes). Be sure to keep
mixing so that nothing burns to the
bottom of the pan.
Now it’s time to build the burritos. Put the
tortillas on a plate and microwave them
for about 15-20 seconds. This softens them
and makes them easier to wrap. The key
is not to overfill the burrito, tempting as
it is to stick loads in at once! If using sour
cream, guacamole or salsa, add this to
the tortilla first, followed by the filling.
Sprinkle cheese on the top, and add salad
if you like, then wrap. The best way of
wrapping is folding the sides over, then
bringing the bottom up over this, and then
rolling until it is done!
And there you have it! If you have
leftover mixture, you can eat this as
leftovers or stick it in the freezer and
have it another time.
2.
Heat some olive oil in a deep frying pan
with a lid on medium heat (if you don’t
have a frying pan with a lid, a sheet of
tin foil works just as well). Once hot, fry
the garlic and onion until the onion is
soft.
Add the red pepper, kidney beans and
chopped tomatoes, and a good squeeze
of tomato purée. Don’t drain the kidney
beans before adding them, as you need
the liquid to simmer in the pan! Mix in
the chilli powder and paprika, and let
the mixture bubble gent`ly for 15-20
minutes with the lid on. (Keeping the
lid on ensures you don’t lose too much
liquid and keep in lots of flavour).
3.
4.
Now it’s time to add the meat to the
mixture. Stir it round a bit, then put
the lid back on the pan and leave for at
least 5 minutes – this is enough time to
cook the meat, but the longer you leave
it simmering, the more flavoursome it
becomes! This is a golden rule for all
one-pot cooking.
After you have added the meat, boil the
rice.
This is a really easy meal, and if you
don’t want to freeze the leftovers, it’s
great to add some with cheese in a
toastie!
-MAX HAYWARD
45
WELL PRICED LUNCHES
FOOD + DRINK
PIPIS
WATERLOO GARDENS
TEA ROOM
First up is Pipi’s. Having recently
Bringing a different feel is Waterloo
upsized and moved to Caroline Street Gardens Tea Rooms. Nestled into
(yes, which is transformed to the
an unassuming corner of the sweet
infamous Chippy Alley of an evening), Wyndham Arcade, its success in the
it’s not exactly far to walk, being slap- nearby seaside town of Penarth made
bang in the centre of Cardiff. Adorable expanding necessary, and the tea rooms
coffee shop by day and more exotic
offer a sophisticated lunchtime palate
restaurant when night falls, it exudes for surprisingly good value. For a light
a charming Greek vibe through the
yet filling choice, opt for the halloumi,
medium of fresh pastries; zesty olive sundried tomato and paprika yoghurt
and feta salads; traditional drinks
and jalapeno slaw in a ciabatta roll
such as ‘Freddo cappuccinos’; stuffed for £7, or indulge in Oriental delights
peppers and calamari. Greek food is with Vietnamese mushrooms teamed
rising in popularity in recent years – with pickled veg, chilli and cashew nut
and Pipi’s authentic dishes mean we aioli for the same price. Or for a bigger
can understand why. Meat fans can
meal for little more in cost, the sticky
choose between Souvlaki (skewers
Asian chicken with roasted peanut
with tzatziki) or grilled bifteki (meat salad and even rare roast beef with
parcels stuffed with cheese) among
capers and shaved parmesan are never
other delights. But don’t fear if you’re bad ideas. The tea rooms also cater for
vegetarian – you can leave it up to the vegans with speciality raw tacos and
chefs to craft you the perfect mezze
spicy walnut crumble, and tabboulehplatter – with plenty of houmous, of stuffed tomatoes – I said Greek food
course! And most of all, don’t fear if is on the rise! If you prefer traditions,
you’re watching the purse – you can get the Afternoon Tea is still a delight –
enormous salads for under a fiver
scones and an impressive array of teas,
from Iron Goodness to Jasmine Pearl
Organic. And you can even bulk-buy
the teas to take home!
COSY CLUB
If you live in Cardiff, you’d be hardpressed to have avoided Cosy Club. The
chain is dotted around the UK, from
Birmingham to Bath – but here we’re
focusing on the ‘Diff, and rightly so,
as it has to be a highlight of St Davids,
which everyone knows is a foodie
haven. As well as boasting adorable
decoration, hard to resist sneakily
photographing for Instagram addicts
like me, it’s worth mentioning that their
food is pretty sweet as well. Be it triplestacked buttermilk pancakes choosing
between banana, blueberries or peach
sauce to make you feel slightly healthy
or a more savoury tapas, neither your
taste-buds nor purse will be hating on
you after popping to Cosy Club. Plus,
everyone knows Cardiff produces some
pretty sublime burgers – but where
else does the unique Chicken Caesar
Burger? Nowhere, that’s where. Well,
nowhere we’ve currently found, and in
this case, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
HUNGOVER BRUNCH
APPLE JACKS
ED’S EASY DINER
Apple Jacks is the sort of hungover
brunch place you could take your mum
to if she’s been hitting the merlot a bit
too hard. Basically, it’s hungover brunch
but sophisticated. You might think that
a banging headache doesn’t go well with
class but you’re wrong. Indulging yourself
and feeling a little bit fancy, whilst still
getting that all- important carb fix is
exactly what you need. The menu has
a range of delicious American inspired
dishes, all at a reasonable price. There’s
pancakes, waffles, breakfast platters and
hands down the best eggs Benedict,
Royale or Florentine in Cardiff. The extra
adventurous could go for such daring
dishes as a breakfast taco, hash and mash
or a feather steak. Yeah, you can have
steak for breakfast. If you make it out of
bed before noon every breakfast item is
£5.95 with a coffee or juice; it’s definitely
worth it.
Ed’s Diner is good with an addendum, you
have to join the club. For what appears to
be no apparent reason they semi regularly
give out 50% off vouchers to club members,
when this happens you can get a full cooked
breakfast for £3.30. It is a truly beautiful
world that we live in. This restaurant has a
cool 50’s American diner aesthetic and the
food to match. If you want to fully commit
to the theme I would suggest sitting at the
counter and ordering the All-American;
a genius combination of pancakes, bacon,
sausage, egg, hash brown and maple syrup.
If that doesn’t cure your hangover, then you
probably need to cut down to one bottle
of vodka a night. This place provides the
massive amounts of food necessary to settle
your stomach, but only before 11am…the
walk will be awful, but that just makes the
food taste better.
46
CAFÉ 37
Waking up with an outrageous hangover
is inevitable, if not an expectation, if you
are a Cardiff Uni student- and what does
everyone want when they are hungover
(other than to not be hungover)..? FOOD!
One of the best places for a hangover
brunch has to be Cafe 37 on Salisbury
Road. This café is very reasonably priced
and has an extensive range of food on its
menu, from homemade 8oz burgers to eggs
Benedict with smoked salmon. To cure your
nausea and persistent headache you might
choose the traditional option of an all-daybreakfast- to satisfy your grease deprived
stomach with this massive breakfast portion
(*there is also a Quorn version available for
vegetarians). Alternatively, if you’re feeling a
little more of a sweet craving you could try
out the delicious American-style pancakes
followed by one of their creamy milkshakes.
Whatever your brunch inclination, Cafe
37 is a sure winner all round and a definite
must for any Cardiff student!
THE NEW YORK DELI
If you’re a meat lover and looking for
a lunch with more meat than bread,
then The New York Deli is the place for
you! Located in the High Street Arcade
serving up mile-high sandwiches,
bulky bagels, hearty hoagies and
greasy grinders, The New York Deli
knows how to make a damn good
sandwich! It’s the perfect place for a
sit-in lunch, and with more meat and
flavour combos than you can pull off
in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5, there’s
a sandwich for just about everyone.
With sandwiches ranging from £3-5
it’s incredible value for money, as you
certainly get both quantity and quality.
They also haven’t forgotten about the
vegetarians out there, as they serve
scrumptious veggie vegan burgers
and grinders. With New York being
the sandwich capital of the world, this
little deli really lives up to its name as
Cardiff ’s own little slice of New York. I
challenge you to find a better sandwich
in the whole of Cardiff! WARNING:
lunch experience may get messy!
FOOD + DRINK
Leading the way is Pitch. It may be
very Welsh, but dispels the mindset
that Welsh food has to be solely oldfashioned Bara Brith and tea in a quaint
cafe setting – although nothing against
that! Instead, you can find Pitch, which
only opened this year, in trendy Mill
Lane, serving up a storm whether
breakfast or cocktails. ‘Welsh pancake
stacks’ to ‘chicken lollipops with garlic
aioli’ (nope, we’d never heard of them
either); super cool 12-hour smoked
pulled pork burgers (warning – may
actually take close to 12 hours to eat,
as well, as they’re so big but so worth
it), to indulgent desserts including
white chocolate and Merlyn liqueur
cheesecake and Espresso Martinis. So
Pitch really is the perfect place to either
line your stomach before the evening’s
activities, or recover from a hangover
the following day. We have a feeling
we’ll be getting quite accustomed to
their friendly ‘Croeso’ sign over the
course of our degrees.
CAFÉ CITTA
I may not be the coolest of people, but
I know a cool eaterie when I see one,
and Cafe Citta fits the bill. A charming
family-run Italian cafe/restaurant, it’s
hardly one of Cardiff ’s most instantly
recognisable food places, but I think it
should be up there! Its genuine nature
is a welcome break from the anonymity
of the city centre’s hustle and bustle,
while its small size but classy decor
are further plus points. The civilised
Gamberoni Saltati, still modest at £7.50,
is basically the fancy native term for
tail-on king prawns swimming (ok,
not literally) in chilli, garlic and wine,
while goats’ cheese, smoked salmon
tagliatelle and mascarpone cheesecakes
also contribute to the range of aromas
floating about. Cafe Citta is a lovely
location for a classy yet comfortable
dining experience, away from the
somewhat faceless chains that, like
every city, Cardiff is also littered with.
WAHACA
However, I still have nothing against
chains, as this choice reaffirms. Wahaca
is a bubbling, lively restaurant in the
Hayes area of the capital. Although I
tend to favour Cardiff ’s independent
eateries, you can’t go wrong with
some jazzy Mexican. As soon as you
walk in, you’re confronted with lively
colour and flavours so alive they
practically dance off the tables. Despite
the lure of traditional burritos, tacos,
enchiladas and pibil with a twist,
don’t forget to save some room for the
churros; salted caramel and Buñuelo
coconut fried pastries, or the extensive
range of cocktails and tequilas. This
is where that wonderful inventions
called ‘dessert stomach’ and ‘drinks
stomach’ come in very, very handy. The
considerate staff over at Wahaca even
run a takeaway service, perfect for if
you want to regain the threads of their
very fashionable vibe from the haven of
your own lair. Aren’t they nice.
TUCKER
Tucker is undeniably a Cardiff gem.
Despite being slotted on a corner of
Salisbury Road, near to many a student
house (poor them), they’re still not
massively well-known. But they should
be! Being in humble old Cathays, you
have no excuse to not become very
acquainted with their Eggs Benedict
and homemade hollandaise sauce or
chicken in peanut satay and chunky
chips throughout the day, or cocktails,
tapas, and, if we actually deviate
slightly from food, even karaoke of an
evening, when their shabby chic vibe
is transformed into something more
energetic. I love it whatever time of day,
and it seems others do too – all of their
online reviews are positive. Plus, their
decor is super-cosy and inviting. I love
the individual feel and the owners are
more than happy to cater for specific
needs, even popping across the road
to Tesco Express to speedily rustle up
something not on the menu. Give it a
go! (Not reverting back to Tesco midmeal, I should add. I meant exploring
Tucker’s delights.)
CHILL OUT SPOTS
PITCH
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