Buzz Magazine December-January 2019/20

WHAT’S ON DEC-JAN 2019/20

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ONES TO WATCH 2020 The year ahead in Welsh culture

GOK WAN | THE NATIONAL | ARDAL O’HANLON | SHANE WILLIAMS | VOLUNTEERING AT XMAS ART | CULTURE | MUSIC | FILM | FOOD+DRINK |

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dec-jan 2019/20

buzz... publisher EMMA CLARK editor SAM PRYCE listings/music editor NOEL GARDNER advertising EMMA CLARK accounts TERESA CLARK design LEMONDOGCREATIVE.UK contributors KEIRON SELF (films), CHRIS ANDREWS, LOIS ARCARI, COBY BARKER, SOPHIE BATES, TERRI BONE, JOSEPH DRAPER, SAM EASTERBROOK, EMILY EDWARDS, ELIN EVANS, JUSTIN EVANS, RHYS FISHER, DAISY GAUNT, FRANCESCA GARDNER, NEIL GOODMAN, BETH GOODWIN, EMILY GREEN, CHRIS HAMILTONPEACH, MAX HARVEY, ELOUISE HOBBS, RHIANON HOLLEY, RACHAEL HUTCHINGS, MATT LEE, TONICHA LUFFMAN, CARL MARSH, SEREN MCKEEVER, GARETH MOULE, LYNDA NASH, DAVID NOBAKHT, RYAN O’NEILL, ALEX PAYNE, HELEN PAYNE, CHARLIE PIERCEY, ALISON POWELL, CAMPBELL PROSSER, HANNAH RAYBOULD, RHONDA LEE REALI, HUGH RUSSELL, CHRIS SEAL, WILL STEEN, JON SUTTON, MEGAN THOMAS, MARK TIMLIN, JAMIE WALKER, BEN WOOLHEAD phone number 029 2022 6767 general enquiries info@buzzmag.co.uk editorial editorial@buzzmag.co.uk listings listings@buzzmag.co.uk accounts accounts@buzzmag.co.uk BUZZ MAGAZINE 220C Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1GY published EAC PUBLISHING cover VARIOUS contents SWAN LAKE

buzzmagwales

40reviews 04roundup “Yes! Huge shoes”

14upfront

Interviews with Ardal O’Hanlon, Gok Wan, The National and Shane Williams, plus another round of Ones To Watch, where we speculate who/what might do noteworthy things in the year ahead.

A sort of ‘2020 vision’ you might say. A ha ha ho!

Seriously though folks, it’s great that our long international nightmare of living through two consecutive decades with no consensus on what they’re called is nearly over

28film

Two months of cinematic releases across two pages, plus a bonus bounty of Keiron Self where our guy looks ahead to the rest of 2020 – and back into 2019.

“Rant over,” he says at the close of his eminently reasonable case for unpopulist movies, while acknowledging the right of comic book multiplexfillers to exist too. If he thinks that’s a rant, he should have heard me when I knocked a jar of pens off a table earlier

32previews

Two months of art, stage, clubs and live music condensed into four pages – a real tricky task I can tell you. OK, it wasn’t especially, but we did also have a preview of Ashanti written that we couldn’t use because all of the four or five people we tried to get a photo from totally ignored us.

No doubt if we just nicked one from the internet they’d get in touch to try and sue us. Anyway, Ashanti is in Cardiff Uni on Thurs 30 Jan, check it out or something

@Buzz_Magazine

Lazy hacks with a Spotify subscription love to phone in articles about how the album format is dead, but the page and a half given over to them in here each month belies that, I feel. Or are we the critical equivalent of the apocryphal Japanese soldiers still fighting World War II in the 1970s? Listen, I want my free albums and you want your free magazine so let’s just leave it

45lifestyle

Sustainability and food miles in the… food, an ecological thrust to the Christmas decorations, an article by Jon Sutton in praise of charity volunteering and the sentiment “what is winter about, if not gorging on the calorific content of a small chocolate factory?”

We never promised you a singular voice

59listings

Worst art exhibition name in this issue: This Isn’t Just Art... This Is Barnabas Art. Worst named club event: Kevin & Perry Club Night Experience. Worst named miscellaneous event: The Origins Of Our English Christmas. Worst named musical act: Beabadoobee.

Worst named ‘adult panto’: Aladdin & His Magic Ring. May God curse you all

78competitions

Win tickets to see lots of boisterous call-and-response pantomimes, plus American rap duo Insane Clown Posse, which is different to the thing I just wrote.

Thinking about the time I saw a pregnant juggalette (female fan of Insane Clown Posse) walking past the Buzz office. If you think this may have been you, please enter our competition, and if you win, don’t leave your child home alone

@buzzmagwales

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What’s on our radar this month

JIMMY CARR: TERRIBLY FUNNY

Proving political correctness has no place in his standup routines, Terribly Funny will see Carr, in his signature tongue-incheek style, covering topics that may be considered offensive in polite conversation.

Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot, Wed 18 + Thurs 19 Dec. Tickets: £32-£40.

Info: 01639 763214 / www.npttheatres.co.uk

Pic: Colin Gaudet

SIX: THE MUSICAL

Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Todd, this musical – which garnered rave reviews for its London West End run – revolves around the six wives of Henry VIII, who each take to the mic and finally have their say. They may have been divorced, and even beheaded, but they are still very much alive.

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Tue 21-Sat 25 Jan. Tickets: £15.50-£38.50.

Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk

JAH WOBBLE

Ex-Public Image Ltd bassist and punk icon Jah Wobble (aka John Wardle) has collaborated with everyone from Björk and Brian Eno to Sinead O’Connor and Primal Scream. Now, he’s back on the road with his Invaders Of The Heart, bringing his brand of dub-inflected post-punk to Cardiff.

BROOKE LYNN HYTES: QUEEN OF THE NORTH POLE

The lip-sync assassin and runner-up of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11 returns to the Glee Club with a special festive show. Famed for her iconic dance routines and her alluring take on traditional pageant-drag looks, we’re all dreaming of a Hytes Christmas.

Glee Club, Cardiff Bay, Tue 17 Dec. Tickets: £20/£35 VIP. Info: 0871 4720400 / www.glee.co.uk

BUZZ 4

Pic: Bertus Gersson

The Globe, Cardiff, Thurs 30 Jan. Tickets: £17.50.

Info: 07590 471888 / www.globecardiffmusic.com

GAVIN & STACEY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Since Gavin & Stacey stopped filming in 2010, a hole has been left in our hearts, and so many unanswered questions. Did Stacey have her baby? Do Smithy and Nessa get together? What really happened on that fishing trip? After nine years, we will finally be able to rest easy and find out what’s occurring when it airs on Christmas Day. Catch Ruth Jones and Rob Brydon at National Museum Cardiff on Mon 9 Dec as part of BBC Writersroom Wales Festival. You can always pop down to Barry Island and enjoy a coffee in the legendary Marco’s Cafe which is open throughout December!

BBC One, Wed 25 Dec

SANDI TOKSVIG: NATIONAL TREVOR

Have you always wondered what it takes to become a national treasure? Neither have we. But if anyone has earned the right to tell us, it’s Sandi Toksvig, star of QI, Fifteen To One and The Great British Bake Off. Her one-woman show makes a welcome return.

St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Thurs 9 Jan. Tickets: £21.50-£26.50.

Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

JOHN ABELL

On the 180th anniversary of the Rebecca Riots (1839-44), when cross-dressing farmers protested unfair taxation across mid and west Wales, John Abell premieres his works with a three-week residency in Newton House. Abell presents seven new pieces, in the first artist residency ever to be undertaken by the National Trust at Dinefwr.

Newton House, Dinefwr Park, Llandeilo, from Fri 17 Jan. Admission: £8.50.

Info: 01558 824512 / www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dinefwr

BUZZ 5

CONNIE ORFF: A CHRISTMAS CON

SHEELANAGIG

Offering traditional folk music with a contemporary twist, the Sheelanagig quintet dance and jive their way to Cardiff. Promising to be a gig of epic proportions, this is sure to transport you back to those summer festivals vibes, even if it might be snowing outside.

The bilingual Welsh drag queen returns to the WMC with her special festive show. It’s a mix of seasonal songs and madcap comedy that promises to provide a respite from the rampant commercialism that has come to characterise the festive season.

Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Fri 6 Dec. Tickets: £12.

Info: 029 2023 2199 / www.clwb.net

Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Fri 6 Dec. Tickets: £15.

Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk

CATRIN FINCH & CIMARRÓN

Welsh harpist Finch and Colombian joropo band Cimarrón’s UK tour, booked by Cardigan’s Theatr Mwldan, also begins there on Mon 20 Jan. They continue to Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon (Tue 28), Aberystwyth Arts Centre (Wed 29) and Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea (Fri 31).

Tickets: £17-£22. Info: 01239 621200 / mwldan.co.uk

MEDIAEVAL BAEBES

The unique, ethereal choral group stop off in Cardiff for a special December concert on their Winter Tour. With three chart-topping classical albums, an Ivor Novello award, and numerous sellout tours, they have established their place as one of the most exciting female-led ensembles for early music and folk in Europe.

Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff, Thurs 12 Dec. Tickets: £20.

Info: 029 2089 0862 / www.acapela.co.uk

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB

Since January 2019, these indie favourites from London’s Crouch End have gone back to playing music together after a three-year hiatus. Their sound blends folk, electronica and world music influences, setting them apart from all those copycat guitar bands.

Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Fri 24 Jan. Tickets: £29.50. Info: 029 2078 1458 / www.cardiffstudents.com

THE CLOSER WE ARE

STEWART FRANCIS: INTO THE PUNSET

With political divides between people strongly and painfully felt at present, this exhibition at Swansea’s Elysium Gallery brings together five European and five Welsh artists, in what has been described as a ‘positivist’ attempt to bring a sliver of calm out of the chaos.

Promising to be his last tour ever, Stewart Francis – a regular on Mock The Week and Live At The Apollo – makes his way to Aberystwyth to deliver a collection of puns and witticisms. Christened “one of the funniest comedians in the world” by Craig Ferguson, this may be your last chance to see the Canadian gagmaster in action.

Elysium Gallery, Swansea, until Sat 28 Dec. Admission: free. Info: 07980 925449 / www.elysiumgallery.com

Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Thurs 6 Dec. Tickets: £21.50. Info: 01970 623232 / www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk

BUZZ 6

Buzz - December 2019_Layout 1 26/11/2019 11:47 Page 1

JOHANN STRAUSS GALA 05.01.20

ANTON & ERIN Dance Those Magical Movies 26.01.20

THE CLASSIC ROCK SHOW 22.01.20

SANDI TOKSVIG National Trevor 09.01.20

DAVID BADDIEL Trolls: Not the Dolls 25.01.20

MARTYN JOSEPH Gwrando'r Gwreiddiau / Roots Unearthed 28.01.20

THE OVERTONES Parti Nadolig / Christmas Party 16.12.19

CARDIFF PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA 25 Years of...A Night at the Movies 06.12.19

ONLY MEN ALOUD + John Owen-Jones & Sophie Evans 09.12.19

NEW PURPLE CELEBRATION The Music of Prince 11.01.20

RUSH & HARTSON Welsh Football Legends in Conversation 13.01.20

JOHNNY CASH ROADSHOW The Man in Black Tour 16.01.20

CHRISTMAS AT MARGAM PARK

THE WORLD’S BIG SLEEP OUT

Every weekend, visitors can watch Santa feed his deer, while the Elf Me! workshops transform Christmas helpers aged 3-12 into fully qualified elves and the grownups enjoy a hot drink and a mince pie.

Plus Luminate Wales, an illuminated walking trail running every evening.

Rodney Parade, Newport / Cardiff Castle, Sat 7 Dec. Info: www.bigsleepout.com

Margam Country Park, nr Port Talbot, Sat 7-Mon 23 Dec. Tickets for deer feeding: £16 per car; tickets for Elf Me!: £4-£15; tickets for Luminate Wales: £8-£12.

Info: www.margamcountrypark.co.uk

Local editions of this global sleepout will take place in Newport’s Rodney Parade and Cardiff Castle one night in December, as members of the public gather to brace the winter chill in a global display of solidarity with those who are experiencing homelessness. With Will Smith and Dame Helen Mirren among those sleeping rough on the night, participants are asked to pay an initial donation of £15 to secure their place.

CARDIFF’S WINTER WONDERLAND

BALLET SEASON AT THE HALL

The Russian State Ballet Of Siberia return to St David’s Hall this December with three ballets. Coppelia is a playful and familyfriendly tale of mistaken identity set in a dollmaker’s workshop.

Similarly, The Nutcracker will take audiences on a journey to a land of snow and sorcery. And, in Swan Lake, meanwhile, a tragedy unfolds in one of ballet’s most iconic romances.

St. David’s Hall, Cardiff, Thurs 19-Tue 31 Dec. Tickets: £9.25-£50.

Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

ST FAGANS CHRISTMAS WEEKENDS

Wales’ premier historical museum plays host to a bunch of wellknown festive characters as well as showcasing some special Welsh traditions. The Pen-rhiw Chapel will be welcoming carollers and you can expect market stalls full of local goodies, a traditional fairground and performances from the Taff Vale Brass Band to make even the grouchiest Scrooge grin.

National Museum Of History, St Fagans, every Saturday and Sunday until Sun 22 Dec. Tickets for Father Christmas & Friends: £5-£7; tickets for Carols In The Chapel: £5.

Info: 029 2057 3500 / museum.wales/stfagans

BUZZ 8

With its undercover ice rink, funfair and wide range of food and drink stalls, the holiday season wouldn’t be quite the same in the capital without Winter Wonderland.

An ice trail, brand new for the 2019 version, gives a 250m long open-air tour of the site, giving the bravest skaters an immersive Christmas experience.

Civic Centre, Cardiff, until Thurs 5 Jan. Info: www.visitcardiff. com/winter-wonderland

Happy

Blwyddyn

New Year

Newydd Dda

16 - 19 January • Ionawr

Mike Doyle ROCKING WITH LAUGHTER 25 January • Ionawr SMASH HIT TOUR NOW IN ITS 5TH YEAR

11 - 15 Feb • Chwe

newtheatrecardiff.co.uk 029 2087 8889 Mae’r New Theatre yn eiddo i ac, yn cael ei rheoli a’i harinannu Gyngor Caerdydd · The New Theatre is owned, managed and funded by Cardiff Council

18 - 19 Feb • Chwe

q+a

JOE MURPHY As Rachel O’Riordan steps down as Artistic Director of Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre, there’s no denying she’s a hard act to follow. Enter Joe Murphy, whose first season champions emerging playwrights, celebrates Welsh storytelling and nurtures homegrown talent. He chats to Sam Pryce.

Congratulations on your new job! How have you found your first few months as the new Artistic Director of the Sherman?

I’ve loved it – what an amazing city. I directed at Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama a few times before, so I knew the city a bit, but it’s great to properly be here. It’s a real privilege to be working here, as a sort of custodian. The community, both of audience and artists, around here is mind-blowing.

You’ve quite big shoes to fill, obviously, with your predecessor [Rachel O’Riordan]!

Yes! Huge shoes. I prefer to think of it as standing on the shoulders of giants! She’s still there with me somehow.

Is there a specific moment you can pin down as being the point where you realised you wanted to be a theatre director?

When I was about 10 or 11, I had a very active imagination. I was also a bit lonely, I think. My parents sent me to local am-dram and youth clubs.

And I found it so thrilling – the idea of belonging somewhere, and sitting with other people, watching other people pretend to be other people. That’s what made me think, “This is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life.” When I went to university at Exeter, I tried directing there and fell in love with it.

BUZZ 10

Was it difficult progressing to a professional level? Do you think it’s hard now for young people to break into the arts industry?

It’s an incredibly oversaturated marketplace.

There’s a lot of pressure now on young artists and directors to be really different in order to get their voices heard; some of the best directing is quiet, beautiful, subtle and nuanced, and it can be hard to get that noticed.

I was lucky, really. I did a postgrad directing course, and then the year I graduated I needed to earn some money. A friend of mine was hunking furniture around and asked if I could help out, and it just so happened that we were moving furniture for Josie Rourke [current Artistic Director of Donmar Warehouse], who’d just taken over the Bush Theatre.

I said, “Oh! How serendipitous, I’ve just finished training as a director. Here’s my portfolio!” It feels slightly like a raffle ticket if you get that opportunity – you’re trying to be in the right place at the right time as many times as possible.

Is new writing set to be a significant part of your first season at the Sherman?

Definitely. I’m like a new writing animal – that’s what I’ve been my whole career. I really want to put writers at the heart of the Sherman. Hopefully we can be a home for writers, both metaphorically and geographically. The season we’re about to launch has six writers, all Welsh, and their stories are set in or around Cardiff. It feels like a locally rooted season but reaches for a global resonance.

Some of the major productions you’ve done before have been reinterpretations of classic plays of the repertoire – Woyzeck reset in 1980s Berlin, an all-female Taming Of The Shrew.

Do you have any plans for productions like this?

Absolutely. The first show I’m going to direct is a version of An Enemy Of The People by Henrik Ibsen, that Brad Birch has rewritten. Birch is a fantastic Welsh writer and An Enemy... really feels like a play of the moment – a way of turning climate change into a small-town metaphor. It’s set in 21st-century Wales. It’s really about the locality we’re in, but also that more universal theme, the erosion of truth within society.

How does your first season ensure that the Sherman maintains a crucial presence in shaping Welsh culture?

There’s a statement of intent in the people that we’re working with. We’re co-producing, with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Tylwyth [Family] – a new Welsh-language play by Daf James. We want our communities to feel represented here on our stages.

Whether you’re coming in for a coffee, or to see a show, or for a workshop, you see yourself in this building. And I think that starts with writers.

Info: 029 2064 6900 / www.shermantheatre.co.uk

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cardiffswinterwonderland.com

Discover:

Admiral Ice Rink NEW Alpine Trail Sur La Piste Bar Family Fun Fair & much more

Pic: Jonny Baker

BOOK NOW LEVELLERS

SECRET SPACES: ANNA RYDER-RICHARDSON Anna Ryder-Richardson has had a varied career to say the least, from interior designer to zookeeper. Having just started her Sunday morning show for BBC Radio Wales, she chats to Daisy Gaunt about her love of animals, music and the Pembrokeshire coast.

What do you think you can bring to Radio Wales’ Sunday listeners that’s different to those before you?

To just be me and loosely base the shows around being a woman of a certain age (50+), who has been living in a zoo for the past decade with teenage children. I hope that I can bring a chatty, friendly feel to the show, where we can discuss anything from animals to DIY and beyond!

Your career has ranged from interior design to animal conservation.

Are these subjects set to be part of your new show? Or are you looking to explore any new avenues for discussion?

I am definitely keen to chat about conservation and everything to do with animals and already have the lovely Gordon Whistance coming on [fellow designer on Changing Rooms]. With Christmas in the middle of my run, it means we can have panto, singing and dancing as well!

You’re a passionate animal welfare campaigner. What changes have you made to your life to conserve the wellbeing of animals? How can we do the same?

My zoo, Manor Wildlife Park in Tenby, is conservation-led – and I honestly believe, once you truly know the critical situation most of our planet’s species are in, you really can’t walk away. I can cry when I see a fox or badger killed at the side of the road. The cruelty that goes on with animals in this country alone is tragic.

BUZZ 12

What is your go-to record that always makes you smile?

There are many. Music really motivates me and keeps me ‘in the moment’ which is harder to do than you think!

But David Gray and his White Ladder album will always hold a special place in my heart, as will Coldplay’s Yellow which was playing when I got married.

Though you’ve had stints away, what is it is about Wales that draws you back?

I have been in Wales now for nearly 12 years. My girls have grown up here, and I’m not sure there is anywhere else quite like Pembrokeshire in the UK – beaches, countryside and hidden gems of quaint villages with delicious local food. Why would you ever leave?

If you could recommend one place in Wales to a first-time visitor that’s off the beaten track, where would it be and why?

One of the first places I went to when we were buying the zoo was Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire, which definitely clinched the deal for me! However, since I have lived here, I have also discovered Swanlake Bay, near Manorbier. You have to park up, walk and make your way down the cliff, but if the sun is shining, you’re on the most beautiful, sandy beach. If we had the weather, I’d never holiday anywhere else again!

Sunday Morning with Anna RyderRichardson airs every Sunday, 9.30-11am, on BBC Radio Wales.

Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot Thurs 27 Feb Tickets: £27.50 Info: 01639 763214 www.npttheatres.co.uk

SAM FENDER

Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Tue 31 Mar Tickets: from £30.50 Info: 029 2022 4488 www.motorpointarenacardiff.co.uk

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE: WERQ THE WORLD Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay Sun 10 May Tickets: from £38.50 Info: 029 2063 6464 www.wmc.org.uk

JACK DEE

Grand Theatre, Swansea Sat 6 June Tickets: £25 Info: 01792 475715 www.swanseagrand.co.uk

RAMMSTEIN

Principality Stadium, Cardiff Sun 14 June Tickets: from £69.25 Info: 0844 8471881 www.principalitystadium.wales

LIONEL RICHIE Cardiff Castle Sun 2 Aug Tickets: £67.50 Info: 029 2087 8100 www.cardiffcastle.com

Les vêpres siciliennes Verdi The Marriage of Figaro Mozart Carmen Bizet Chwefror 8 – 29 February 2020 Archebwch nawr ar yganolfan.org.uk Book now at wmc.org.uk 16 – 29 oed? Tocynnau ar gael am £10* Aged 16 – 29? Tickets available for £10* *mae telerau ac amodau yn berthnasol | terms and conditions apply

wno.org.uk/spring20 Rhif Elusen Gofrestredig | Registered Charity No 221538

ones to watch From art, food and theatre, to music, film and TV, Buzz has selected some cultural highlights you should watch out for in 2020.

MUSIC Compiled by NOEL GARDNER AND CHRIS ANDREWS

LUCAS J ROWE

HANA2K

By the time this issue is in your hands, the winner of the 2019 Welsh Music Prize will have been announced, with Cardiff’s Lucas J Rowe one of the dozen contenders. Instinct tells me that he’s an outsider in this environment – his eight-song EP Touchy Love is a digital-only self-release, and he’d be the first quote-unquote urban winner – but it’d be great to be wrong here. Rowe’s blend of clipped, trappy beats, Autotuned dancehall/bashment vocals, Drake-ish croon-rap and an unmistakable south Walian twang has several ingredients of a recipe for success; his biggest showcase to date was a Sean Paul support slot at the Motorpoint Arena.

As per Hana Evans’ musical pseudonym, the Penarth solo artist deals in pointedly millennial concept pop, honed since embarking on a bedroom-bound self-penning/producing jag aged 14. Five years on, the Hana2k project is coming on very nicely, with two singles (Daydreaming and Call My Name) finding favour in useful places during 2019. Electronic, minimal and melancholy, Evans lists Britney and Max Martin as influences, and that once globe-conquering pair can certainly be detected in Hana2k’s broad aesthetic.

Info: twitter.com/lucasjrowe91

Info: www.hana2k.com

Black3lvis

Those Damn Crows

ALFFA Two youngish Caernarfon-area fellows who were chosen as one of 12 acts to be promoted by the BBC’s Horizons scheme in 2018, and have built a decent rep on the Welsh-language indie circuit to boot. However, Alffa are still best known for benefiting from some algorithmic happenstance, Spotify adding their song Gwenwyn to a playlist and boosting its streams into the millions. All of which puts the onus on the duo to release an album that renders them more than a quirky stat, and in debut Rhyddid O’r Cysgodion Gwenwynig they might have done so. Its wailing bluesy rattle has a surprisingly heavy Sabbath-like undercarriage that would surely play well with heavy rock fans everywhere.

Info: facebook.com/alffaband

Obey Cobra

OBEY COBRA

“Wavy”, this Cardiff band call themselves, and like the streetwear also prefixed thus, they usher in the return of styles some might have struggled to imagine ever again being fashionable. Sometimes styled as Black3lvis, the four-piece’s debut release See Love, a seven-song EP released by local label Newsoundwales, offers a soulful spin on the sort of slick funk-rock whose boom period was long before half the band were born. They’re dab hands at it, though, frontman Levi Johnson boasting strong singer’s pipes and MC’s flow alike, and have proved a popular draw locally.

Heavy feedbacker psychedelia with punk and electronic touches – all of Obey Cobra’s five members play in other projects, some of which answer to those genre descriptors – and an improvisatory angle that’s been sharpened into excellence over the last two years or so. The band, based in various parts of south Wales, have taken a perfectionist approach to actually releasing music, but an album is finally ready and will drop in late January. Some record labels dug by the sort of people who like this sort of music are warm for ‘em, and there’s a strong chance Obey Cobra product might appear on one later, but for now it’s a self-release to get it out in the wild.

Info: facebook.com/blackelvisband

Info: facebook.com/obeycobramusic

BLACKELVIS

BUZZ 14

Hana2k

In My Skin

FILM & TV Compiled by KEIRON SELF, HANNAH RAYBOULD AND SAM PRYCE

THE TOLL Produced through Ffilm Cymru’s Cinematic scheme and filmed on location in Pembrokeshire, this darkly comic thriller has been dubbed a ‘west Walian Western’, concerning a man working solo shifts in the nation’s quietest toll booth. He’s hiding from a criminal past, in a place where nobody can find him – that is, until he’s rumbled.

Directed by Ryan Andrew Hooper and written by Matt Redd, The Toll also boasts an impressive cast including Michael Smiley, Annes Elwy, Iwan Rheon, Paul Kaye, and Steve Oram. It’s currently in post-production, and we expect it to be released at some point next year.

sort of Wenglish, the mixed-up side.” Hopefully, this new award will help not just Boyle to break into the industry, but also other Welsh writers to come forward.

LOWRI ROBERTS After winning BAFTA Cymru’s short film award in 2019 for Girl, young Welsh director Lowri Roberts is emerging as an exciting new director on the scene. Despite only being her graduate film effort from UWE Bristol, Girl – about a young migrant who gets her period while on the move – has garnered attention from BFI London Film Festival 2018 and the London Short Film Festival 2019.

She is currently in pre-production of another short film being made through the BBC New Creatives scheme. However, we’re expecting that it won’t be too long before we see a feature-length effort from Roberts.

DREAM HORSE The Toll

KAYLEIGH LLEWELLYN

THOSE DAMN CROWS It seems that 2020 may see the next big thing in Welsh rock stand up, and Bridgend’s Those Damn Crows are that band. In new album Point Of No Return, out in early February, the band have a bagful of classic-sounding metal anthems, recorded with legendary producers Colin Richardson and Andy Sneap, that should see them reach the next level on their journey.

With appearances at festivals including Steelhouse and Download behind them, the five-piece will shortly be embarking on a full UK tour. As new track Sin On Skin says, “the moment has arrived.”

Info: thosedamncrows.com

Kayleigh Llewellyn has marked herself out as a Welsh screenwriter to look out for in 2020. Her coming-of-age drama In My Skin – about her personal experiences as a schoolgirl in Cardiff coping with her parent’s mental illness – was awarded Best Drama by BAFTA Cymru in 2019. A full series is in production and set to arrive on our screens in Spring 2020. As for her other projects, she is writing a film for the BBC entitled Love & Glory, based on the real-life story of hockey players Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh – the first same-sex couple to win a medal together at the Olympics. She’s also working on a project with renowned screenwriter Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady, Suffragette) called 355 Days.

Based on the award-winning documentary Dark Horse by Louise Osmond, this tale of a Welsh community coming together to own a racehorse now gets a glamorous revamp. Toni Collette stars as Jan Vokes, the barmaid who was the driving force in turning her working-class neighbours into derby-goers, battling prejudice along the way. Damian Lewis co-stars as her wheeler-dealer helper Howard Davies with a strong Welsh cast rounding out the syndicate including Steffan Rhodri, Karl Johnson, Joanna Page, Sian Phillips and Owen Teale. Directed by Cardiff-based Euros Lyn, who has provided us with classic Black Mirror and Dr Who episodes (along with the excellent Sarah Lancashire drama Kiri), this should be a crowd pleaser with heart. Funded in part by Ffilm Cymru, it’s set to arrive in April 2020.

Dream Horse

RHIANNON BOYLE Boyle was named the inaugural Wales Writer In Residence in 2019, a new prize supported by the BBC and National Theatre Wales. Keeping Faith writer Matthew Hall was among the judges who selected the winner, giving Boyle a £12,000 bursary and six-month residencies at BBC Cymru Wales, BBC Writersroom Wales and NTW. The bilingual Welsh writer, from Cardiff, told BBC Wales that she was “interested in portraying that side of Wales,

BUZZ 15

Pic: Bill Cooper WNO Carmen

THEATRE Compiled by SAM PRYCE

NATIONAL THEATRE WALES’S NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

WELSH NATIONAL OPERA

Since 200 actors, writers and theatre-makers signed a petition last year criticising the NTW’s poor output and bias towards non-Welsh artists since the departure of John McGrath, the future of our national theatre has been somewhat uncertain. Scottish director Lorne Campbell, artistic director of Northern Stage in Newcastle since 2013, takes over from Kully Thiarai in the spring and promises to bring “a new energy and vitality to theatre in Wales”, according to the company’s chair, Clive Jones. Little is known about his planned first season, but if NTW is to survive, it ought to put Welsh talent first.

Two cornerstones of the repertoire bookend WNO’s Spring Season, which includes operas linked by a preoccupation with fiery passion: Bizet’s sensual masterpiece Carmen and Mozart’s wedding-night comedy The Marriage Of Figaro. David Pountney, who ended his tenure as artistic director mid2019, returns to complete his Verdi trilogy with his production of its final part Les Vêpres Siciliennes, reuniting with the same creative team. Things are changing up at WNO for 2020, with Yvette Vaughan Jones stepping into the role of chair (the first woman to do so), Aidan Lang as general director, and a new artistic director on the horizon.

Info: www.nationaltheatrewales.org

Info: www.wno.org.uk

SHERMAN THEATRE’S 2020 SEASON

BUZZ 16

Cutting his teeth as Associate Director of The Old Vic and Soho Theatre, as well as new writing company Nabokov, Joe Murphy has announced his first season as the new artistic director at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre, made up of “high-impact, emotional stories rooted in Wales but relevant to the world.” From Lisa Parry’s howl of rage The Merthyr Stigmatist to Brad Birch’s Valleys-set reinterpretation of Ibsen’s An Enemy Of The People, Murphy has said the Sherman aims to “show a lot of different versions of what it is to be Welsh”; the first play in the season is a new Welsh-language work, while programmes are in place to give a leg-up to emerging Welsh writers.

KAITE O’REILLY’S THE BEAUTY PARADE

Info: www.shermantheatre.co.uk

Info: www.wmc.org.uk

Wales-based playwright and pioneering theatremaker Kaite O’Reilly challenges our perceptions on what it is to be disabled in her varied work for the stage. With 1940s drama, The Beauty Parade, she has created a unique collaboration between deaf and hearing artists centred around the real-life, ordinary, invisible women who secretly operated as spies and saboteurs during World War II. With composer Rebecca Applin and performer/visual language expert Sophie Stone on board, this production at Wales Millennium Centre looks set to be one of the theatrical highlights of the coming year.

Nick Elphic

Cultvr Lab

ART Compiled by DAISY GAUNT AND SAM PRYCE

KETNIPZ

The Artes Mundi prize is now one of Wales’ most established art awards. Aiming to support and recognise contemporary art, Artes Mundi provides the opportunity for us to get a glimpse of the global scene while also introducing us to a broad range of artistic styles. The shortlist, announced in September, includes artists from the Dominican Republic, South Africa, Japan, Puerto Rico and the USA, their work encompassing the mediums of painting, object-making and film. The exhibition will be held at National Museum Cardiff in late 2020, with the chosen winner receiving a £40,000 cash prize and international acclaim.

The young Instagram artist, illustrator is known for his cute and humorous cartoons featuring a ‘bean’ character, has taken the world by storm over the past few years, with his catchy cute slogans, roadshows and partnerships with fellow artists. With audiences growing in Asia and the States, plus over a million followers on social media, Harry Hambley, from Cardiff, has turned his modest, positive cartoons into big business, with a range of merchandise now available from his website.

Oct 2020-Feb 2021.

Info: www.artesmundi.org

CULTVR LAB 2019 saw the opening of a new arts hub in the capital, aiming to provide a venue for new ventures in technology, music and visual art. If their opening event is anything to go by (which included immersive dance films, a visual arts exhibition, live VR experiences and DJs at Diffusion Festival early this year - to a thrilled audience), the venue looks like it might become one of our most exciting champions and curators of unique cultural events just on the outskirts of the city centre. Watch out for live music 327 Penarth Road, Cardiff.

Info: www.cultvr.cymru

Info: www.ketnipz.com

NICK ELPHICK Taking cues from Rodin, Francis Bacon and Edvard Munch for his explorations of anatomy and form, the Welsh sculptor has become a fascinating figure in contemporary art in recent years. He’s worked with the likes of Damien Hirst, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Ryan Gander. In his interview with Buzz earlier this year, Elphick spoke of his plans to explore different materials and new techniques, as well as his love of animals and his memorial statue of Tom Pryce, the only Welshman to win a Formula 1 race. In 2020 Nick aims to build and open an Art Rehabilitation centre within the grounds of CAIS (recovery, drug rehab & alcohol centre) who work with people suffering from addictions to recover through art and creative activities. Due to open Summer 2020.

Ketnipz

Jack Shainman Gallery, NY

ARTES MUNDI 9

Info: www.nickelphicksculpture.co.uk Artes Mundi: Carrie Mae Weems - Colored People Grid

BUZZ 17

Jay Rayner: My Last Supper

The Gin To My Tonic Show

FOOD & DRINK Compiled by DAISY GAUNT AND SAM PRYCE

BREW MONSTER

GAZ OAKLEY

THE GIN TO MY TONIC SHOW

This south Wales-based microbrewery is set to open a new bar in Cardiff soon, specialising in high quality craft beer and real ales. Describing themselves as “the home of monstrously tasty IPAs”, Brew Monster launched in September 2017 and have already established a successful micropub in nearby Barry.

Having smashed their crowdfunding target earlier this year to broaden the brand and establish more venues, they have their eyes set on the capital to get their beers to the biggest audience in their region.

The 26-year-old Welsh chef, author and internet personality has amassed hundreds of thousands of fans for his YouTube and Instagram content, celebrating new and inventive ways to eat vegan. And we expect his fanbase to only get bigger in the new year, as more and more people swap their steaks and bacon sarnies for a plant-based diet. Currently Head Chef at the Vurger Co. in London, Oakley’s also credited with creating Wagamama’s vegan egg, which he’s called “one of the best things to ever happen to me”.

With unlimited tasters of over 50 premium gins and mixers from Wales and beyond, tutorials on how to mix the perfect drink, and bartender performances, you will be equipped with all the tools to be your own at home mixologist. The ‘Gin Enthusiasts’ package starts at just £15 – and if gin isn’t your thing, there’s an abundance of rum, vodka and whiskey to get your hands on.

High Street, Cardiff, opening date TBA. Info: www.brewmonster.co.uk

Info: instagram.com/avantgardevegan

Final Cut: Interactive Dining Experience

Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Fri 4 + Sat 5 Sept. Info: www.gintomytonic.com

FINAL CUT: INTERACTIVE DINING EXPERIENCE In March and October, the Ffresh Cabaret Bar at Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre plays host to a unique dinner party experience that sounds like an interesting night out. Blending the murder mystery evening with the supper club, diners play extras in a blockbuster movie scene set in a dining room, with tensions mounting high between the cast and crew.

Included in the price of the ticket is a three-course meal, with veggie and vegan options available, plus an evening of distinctive entertainment.

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Thurs 5-Sat 7 Mar + Wed 14-Sat 17 Oct. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk

JAY RAYNER: MY LAST SUPPER Dismissive of Cardiff’s restaurant scene in a 2016 Observer review, MasterChef regular and food critic Jay Rayner returns for his touring show about his dream death row meal. After chowing down on a Burger King as there was “literally nothing else” in the city centre to eat (as fate, or otherwise, would have it, he’s cradling one in the tour’s promotional photos), four years on will he eat his words? To find out, catch him at the Sherman Theatre in March where he will be discussing last suppers and our greedy fascination with what we would eat if we could never eat again.

Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, Thurs 26 Mar. Info: 029 2064 6900 / www.shermantheatre.co.uk BUZZ 18

comedy at christmas christmas comedy specials book at glee.co.uk/christmas superb stand-up comedians, delicious festive food & an after party to keep your celebrations going

new year’s eve

See in 2020 with the best comedians, excellent food & drinks and an after party to remember!

tickets: glee.co.uk/nye

the glee club • mermaid quay • cardiff bay • 0871 472 0400

Pic: Mark Nixon

ARDAL O’HANLON He’s kept us laughing since the 90s, as a stand-up and on our screens in Father Ted, My Hero and, most recently, Death In Paradise. Now touring the UK on his own, Ardal O’Hanlon just can’t stop showing off. He speaks to Carl Marsh.

The Showing Off Must Go On – what made you decide on this title?

I’m conscious that stand-up is a type of showing off. Back home, there’s nothing worse. When I was eight, my mother made us a spaghetti bolognese for dinner, she told me not to tell anyone because she didn’t want the neighbours to think she was showing off – it was the worst thing you could do. Yet, once you start, it’s very hard to stop. I always think I should quit while the going’s good, but I’m always pulled back. There’s an urgency about it, so much to talk about.

You do have so much material – you could make people laugh without saying a word, but do you ever get nervous?

It is the obligation of a comedian to be as funny as possible. You do put your own half-baked philosophy into it, but everything is research: socialising, crap TV, all of it. I feel like I have to work very hard, trialling things in clubs, keeping it ticking over. I used to almost talk myself out of going on stage, but part of the excitement of this job is the uncertainty – that’s part of the thrill of it.

What prepared you best for being a comedian?

Where I come from, people are deadpan, so you must have your wits about you.

I always thought that life was ridiculous, and I still do. Life is there to be ridiculed, which makes, I think, comedy the most sensible way to make a living.

Can you recall your first routine? Do you find what you did funny now?

I remember it really distinctly. I could actually hear my bones rattling, I was so nervous! It was very juvenile. I did have one joke about eating breakfast cereal that I continued to use for about five years back in the Comedy Cellar in Dublin. When I started, there was no comedy scene, so me and four fellas just asked if we could use a room in the pub we drank in and it grew slowly. It wasn’t an ambitious move, I didn’t even know it was possible to have a career in comedy, just trial and error, but then I was off to London...

After such a comedic role in Father Ted, you went to a more serious role in Death in Paradise. How did you manage not to get typecast into certain roles? Did you need acting classes?

It was a big adjustment period. I did think, “will I ever escape this?”

I was very lucky to get Death in Paradise, but I didn’t want to get carried away. Just because someone offers you one job doesn’t mean they will offer you another. It was doing theatre that changed me. Before, I was always seen as a comedian – then I was thrown into the deep end and had to learn very quickly. It really helped me escape my character in Father Ted. It is though, still, a mystery to me how I was cast in Death in Paradise!

I suppose it’s quite easy to have a misconception of you as a man, what’s the biggest one people have of you?

Someone actually stopped my wife in the street and asked if I was as stupid [as Dougal in Father Ted] in real life! I’m also not the loudest in the room, people expect comedians to be cracking jokes all the time. I don’t feel the need to do that. I spend enough time during the day trying to come up with them.

So, people who don’t know me very well assume I am quiet and serious.

When you are on stage, it’s just one version, not the only version of you.

Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, Thurs 5 Dec. Tickets: £24.

Info: 029 2064 6900 / www.shermantheatre.co.uk

BUZZ 20

JORDAN BROOKES The outsider comedy of Jordan Brookes explores the darker areas of his own life and breaks with convention wherever possible. But has his recent fame changed how he sees himself? “Any sensible person would view success and a higher profile as the poisoned chalice that it is,” Brookes says. “More people having heard of me doesn’t stop me feeling like a piece of shit, and nor should it – fame is not a medicine and we would all be best advised to stop treating it as such.”

Performing such personal material, there are pros and cons to putting himself on the line. “Perhaps marginally I prefer to watch someone else [perform] because as a viewer you get the safety of second-hand feelings. You get to walk away at the end,” he says. “When you’re performing, you’re having to really inhabit that personal place and it can be a bit more stressful. But I love that people can connect with it and it makes me feel less alone and I hope it does the same for audiences. Any response is valid though. People can hate it, as long as they’ve been present for it, engaged with it, given consideration to how they feel about it.”

His latest show, I’ve Got Nothing, stays true to its title as Brookes will partially improvise his way through. It’s a show that refuses to play by the rules of standup comedy – a mode of performance that is in danger of becoming slightly stale in the age of arena comedians. “I think I’m definitely, ultimately, at my happiest when I’m not trapped on the rails of a show. I like the spontaneity and the thrill of thinking, ‘How the hell am going to make this funny?’ I think audiences prefer and respond to that stuff better too.”

So, what second-hand feelings will Brookes be hoping to spark in his audiences?

“Every show I’ve done is a reflection of where I’m at in my life, but I’ve Got Nothing was particularly that. I was at a pretty low ebb and wasn’t sure where to turn or how to untangle myself from the chaos and I think a lot of people connected with that.” ELIN EVANS

ED BYRNE With a decades-long career, Irish comedian Ed Byrne has firmly established himself as one of the most well-known, and successful, names in the international stand-up comedy scene. This year, his newest show If I’m Honest sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe festival. Now, a couple of months into a UK and Ireland tour, it’s hard to imagine there’s any new milestones for Byrne to hit. So, when I ask him what material he’s particularly proud of in this show, he laughs.

“You sound like my mother,” he says. “But the British Comedy Guide website do this thing every year at the Edinburgh Fringe, where they write out the top 20 most well-written shows, with the most four- and five-star reviews, and in something like 15 years since they’ve been counting, I’ve never been up there – until now.”

If I’m Honest is Byrne’s look into his own family life, what it’s like for him being a husband, as well as a father to two young boys. It is, like most good comedy, an intensely personal look at himself. In his own words, he’s trying to figure out what traits he has that are “worth passing onto the next generation.” With the content of If I’m Honest being so focused on Byrne himself, I wonder if the current political climate has had any impact on his own brand of comedy. Or if he, like the rest of us, is tired of hearing about it?

“Party politics doesn’t play a role in this show at all,” He tells me. “But I have two boys and we’re trying not to do that typical thing of: if you’re a boy, if you’re a man, you have to do this. So, there’s a routine about that, sending boys to ballet classes, which I’m quite enjoying doing. It’s the personal political, rather than anything else.”

So if you – like, we’d wager, most of the country by this point – are suffering from pre-polling day ennui, and just want a good old laugh, this might be your perfect show. SEREN MCKEEVER

Pic: Idil Sukan

Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, Fri 6 Dec. Tickets: £12/£10. Info: 029 2030 4400 / www.chapter.org

Grand Theatre, Swansea, Thurs 5 Dec. Tickets: £27.

Info: 01792 475715 / swanseagrand.co.uk

BUZZ 21

T H E N AT I O N A L This Ohio band’s 20-year career has seen them rise from a cult indie concern into an arena-filling one, and that’s where you’ll find them in Cardiff this December.

Helen Payne gets an audience ahead of time. sound of the band,” Scott says. “It was liberating, in some ways, for Matt not to present all the lyrics,” he explains. “It gave it a new dynamic.” The all-female team of new lead vocalists includes long-term Bowie bandmate Gail Ann Dorsey, This Is The Kit’s Kate Stables, Mina Tindle, Sharon Van Etten, Lisa Hannigan and the Brooklyn Youth Choir. By introducing this array of female voices, The National have taken their already luxurious brand of indie rock and pushed it to an even more heavenly dimension.

Logistically, however, it’s not easy to take everyone on tour, Scott laughs: “It’s more fun for us, but probably more difficult for the crew!” Continuing, he notes everyone who has sang on the record has joined in for live shows at one point or another. “It’s been a great dynamic to have that change. It’s a great family affair.”

Usually, Devendorf reveals, the writing process for The National involves Aaron or Bryce Dessner sending Berninger ideas. “He’ll sit with them for a while, write to them or cut them apart, then send them back. At some point we’ll get together and bash it out, throw some ideas around.” The band usually produce the bulk of their work themselves, but Mills played an active role in production for this project. “He picked out the weirder elements that we might normally discard or forget about.”

Scott suggests I Am Easy To Find is more of a continuum than a landmark in their career like 2007 album Boxer. “I don’t find it that different in a lot of ways. I’m inside it, so it’s hard to say.” Even without a fan’s perspective, the bassist tells me this is one of his favourite records because the process has involved more band interaction than its predecessors. It’s been fun, but the main thing for The National is that each record needs to be distinct in itself. He states firmly, and rightly so: “Mission accomplished.”

Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Mon 9 Dec. Tickets: £39. Info: 029 2022 4488 / www.motorpointarenacardiff.co.uk

Pic: Graham MacIndoe

“Shoomae? Nos ta?” Welsh is, visually, a very confusing language for Scott Devendorf, bassist of Ohio-originating rock band The National. “The only Welsh I know is from Super Furry Animals records,” he says over the phone from his home in New York, adding that his singular experience of Wales was a spooky night drive through thick fog somewhere up North, listening to Echoes by Pink Floyd and getting creeped out by the amount of consonants on the signage. [They also played the Green Man festival in Brecon in 2008 – pedantry ed] The National will tour the UK at the beginning of December, including a hopefully less eerie stop in Cardiff, to support their conceptually divergent new album. I Am Easy To Find saw The National step away from their anxiety-fuelled vignettes of middle-aged ennui and into a more visceral realm, accompanied by a silent film.

Director Mike Mills initially reached out to the band to create a music video, but ended up utilising their vague sketches of songs to bring frontman Matt Berninger’s vision of a much more complex project to fruition. The film depicts a woman’s entire life story, each step played brilliantly by Alicia Vikander without any prosthetics or camera trickery, to the sound of The National’s most ambitious songs yet.

“It didn’t make sense for Matt to be singing,” Devendorf admits. A large percentage of The National’s back catalogue has been performed and written by men. “It seemed weird and out of place, so we experimented.” Building on the hordes of collaborative projects each member has been a part of in recent years — various orchestral and classical projects, a festival in Berlin and even a folktronica-tinged full-length with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver — their latest work sees a departure from the usual lead vocals of well-loved baritone Matt Berninger, and more into the community feel by introducing a weaving network of new singers.

“It sounded really good. We knew we liked it, and we knew we liked what it did to the

BUZZ 22

L3

l o l f a

l o u n g e

WHAT’S ON/AR FYND

Bringing the best in music to Swansea

Catrin and Cimarron Great Hall Friday 31st January

January/Ionawr 2020 – April/Ebrill 2020

MAINLY TWO, GEORGE FU & THOMAS ANG 14.01.20 – 8pm

Kameo Quartet Great Hall Saturday 8th February CAPITAL CITY JAZZ ORCHESTRA & NIKKI ILES 21.01.20 – 8pm

BREABACH

25.02.20 – 8pm

Breabach Great Hall Thursday 27th February

CHRIS WOOD 17.03.20 – 8pm

TABEA DEBUS & LAEFER QUARTET 14.04.20 – 8pm

www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk

Pic: Helen Maybanks

LES MISÉRABLES Smothered in critical acclaim and firmly cemented into this generation’s love of musicals, Cameron Mackintosh’s Broadway production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Les Misérables hardly needs an introduction.

Originally conceived for the 25th anniversary of the show almost a decade ago, it’s back, touring across the UK and Ireland.

Eagle-eyed fans of the show will appreciate the subtle directorial decisions made in this run, with scenery inspired by Victor Hugo’s paintings, and moments following on from the film adaptation. Nic Greenshields, who plays the stern but conflicted antagonist Javert, stressed how difficult it is to change anything: “The musical is so renowned and well known. It’s been going for 35 years, and we’re on our third generation of fans.”

The stage and film adaptations of the show are clearly very faithful to one another; in fact, this touring production became the inspiration for the film.

But it’s now come full circle, and this tour borrows elements from Tom Hooper’s 2012 film, starring Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, particularly in terms of its development of certain characters. Nic stresses how important it was that the nuanced relationships between characters was not lost in the adaptations, such as Javert “coming to terms with the similarity between him and Gavroche. He might have alerted everyone that [Javert] was there on the wall, but they were both born in prison – it’s to do with the paths people’s lives take.”

Perhaps it’s that introspective quality that keeps the musical so relevant today – that and the songs. “Everyone wants to hear I Dreamed A Dream, Bring Him Home and Stars just how they remember it,” Nic says. He’s not wrong – the songs in Les Mis are some of the best-loved in the history of musical theatre, and certain actors’ renditions have become iconic. This is the longest-running musical in the West End, after all. I asked Nic to choose one song from the show he would love to perform that’s not in Javert’s repertoire: “It would have to be Jean Valjean’s soliloquy. I love it but it’s a little too high for me to perform eight times a week!”

ALEX PAYNE Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Tues 26 Nov-Sat 4 Jan. Tickets: from £23. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk

GOK WAN It’s not every day that you get to spend roughly five hours in the company of someone who is reported to be “the nicest person in showbiz” – but that I did.

Renowned for being the maestro of makeovers, Gok Wan is soon to play the Fairy Gokmother (yes, you did read that correctly – Gokmother) in Cinderella at Cardiff’s New Theatre. Perhaps this is a daring thing to do, tinkering with the name.

Even Gok agrees. “If you think about it, it is a little bit controversial because it’s such a well-known part. It’s a huge thing to change one of the main characters’ names; it’s like going from Cinderella to Cinderbella! But if you think about it, the job that I do every day, which is delivering the makeover, and you know, making people’s dreams come true.”

Being somewhat of a veteran now at performing in panto, I asked how straightforward it was for a non-actor like Gok to get into the swing of things initially. “A lot of people think is just a load of adults dressed as very flamboyant characters, but the skill set of being able to do panto is unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced,” he says.

Pantomime is a very British tradition, only something that you will find on our shores. Yet, behind all the flamboyance, it means so much to the smaller theatres around the UK, as Gok explains.

“It’s essential for smaller theatres around the country, because often you’ll be bringing in a large percentage of your annual sales from pantomime. If pantomime didn’t exist, it would have a knock-on effect to the rest of the diary for the year.

There’ll be other smaller, one-off or contemporary shows that wouldn’t ever get to make it onto the stage because there would be no funding behind it. And so, pantomime – not only is it brilliant, not only is it beautiful, not only is it fun, but it’s very, very important for the economic world of theatre.”

And do I think he is the nicest person in showbiz? Hell yeah! CARL MARSH Cinderella, New Theatre, Cardiff, Sat 7 Dec-Sun 12 Jan. Tickets: £16-£40. Info: 029 2087 8889 / www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk BUZZ 24

SHANE WILLIAMS A household name of Welsh rugby, Shane Williams is letting fans get up close and personal in An Evening With..., his new talking tour. Rhys Fisher chats to the sporting legend.

Can you tell us a bit about your current tour and what fans can expect in An Evening with Shane Williams?

Alongside Ieuan [Rhys] and Phyl [Harries] we will be travelling around Wales discussing my rugby career and anything else the audience would like to know.

It’s always a very open and honest discussion, and I will always try and answer as honestly as I can.

During the World Cup, we saw you doing a lot of commentary as well as your usual punditry. Is this something that you enjoyed and would look to be doing more if in the future?

I really enjoy being part of the commentary team as I feel I can offer more insight into the game as it’s happening. There is also a little bit more pressure on you as your live, and I get a buzz out of that. I like punditry but feel anyone can give their opinion on the game, but not everyone can commentate as the game is in full flow.

A highlight for a lot of people in the recent World Cup was Japan’s heroics against Scotland and Ireland. As someone who has lived and played rugby in Japan, can you tell us a little bit about the rugby culture there?

The progression of Japanese rugby has come a long way over the last eight years. With the influence of foreign coaches and players, and financial help from corporate businesses, the game has seen the club and international rugby grow massively over this period. And, as a result, the school and university program has also benefited. With the Japanese national side’s World Cup successes in 2015 and 2019, it is only going to grow.

As a followup, do you think the success of their campaign can help them become a real power in international rugby? There has been talk about introducing them into the Rugby Championship or even the Six Nations.

What do you think would be the best way to help them continue to grow?

They will only grow as a result if their recent success. I only hope they are rewarded for their progress and efforts with a place in a worldwide competition.

BUZZ 26

As a former international winger who relied more on footwork and speed than size and power, you must have particularly enjoyed watching the likes of Japan’s Kotaro Matsushima and South Africa’s Cheslin Kolbe perform in the World Cup. Do you think there could be a return to the smaller, more elusive wingers following on from their success?

The introduction of the new tackle law will help and allow the likes of Kolbe and Matsushima to excel in the game. These players may be small of stature, but they make up for it in guts and endeavour. It opens the game up massively to fast, elusive runners to create havoc. The 2019 World Cup also proved that you don’t have to be 100kg and benching 200kg to be able to compete at that level. I only wish that I was playing rugby at this time!

Obviously, the World Cup saw the end of Warren Gatland’s reign as Welsh coach. Can you tell us a little bit about your own personal relationship with Gatland?

He was a great coach who not only made Wales a successful nation again but allowed us to play some fantastic rugby. More importantly he instilled pride and confidence into the nation again. He will be a tough act to follow.

And finally, if they were making a film about the life of Shane Williams, who would you choose to play you, and why?

It would have to be someone who’s under five foot six! Maybe Tom Cruise?

However, he may be too good-looking! Danny DeVito?

An Evening With Shane Williams, Grand Theatre, Swansea (Wed 22 Jan), Memo Arts Centre, Barry (Thurs 23), Aberystwyth Arts Centre (Fri 24), Theatr Hafren, Newtown (Sat 25); Miners’ Institute, Blackwood (Wed 29), Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli (Thurs 30 Jan) and Gwyn Hall, Neath (Fri 31).

Tickets: £18-£22. Info: see Buzz listings.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales Cerddorfa Genedlaethol Gymreig y BBC

Christmas Celebrations Friday Nos Wener 13/12/19, 7.30pm St David’s Hall, Cardiff Neuadd Dewi Sant, Caerdydd Monday Nos Lun 16/12/19, 7.30pm Brangwyn Hall, Swansea Neuadd Brangwyn, Abertawe

Jazzical Tales Hanesion Jazz Thursday Nos Iau 23/1/20, 7.30pm BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff Neuadd Hoddinott y BBC, Caerdydd Friday Nos Wener 24/1/20, 7.30pm Brangwyn Hall, Swansea Neuadd Brangwyn, Abertawe

For information and tickets Am wybodaeth a thocynnau

bbc.co.uk/now 0800 052 1812

Written and Directed by Ysgrifennu a gyfarwyddo gan

Richard Gauntlett

28 NOVEMBER - 4 JANUARY

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CINDERELLA 2019 A5 Landscape.indd 1

21/11/2019 16:06

film TOP TEN FILMS OF 2019 & 2020…

IN KEIRON SELF’S OPINION

2019 – A YEAR IN FILM

So, what has 2019 brought us cinematically? The end of a superhero and Star Wars era. A sparsity of mid-level dramas and comedies (unless you subscribe to Netflix or Amazon). The date when Blade Runner was set has come and gone and the brave new world of multi-platform releasing has even ensnared Martin Scorsese. There’s still lots to go and see at the cinema though! Keep doing it, get out of the house, see stuff on big screens and talk about it. Take a risk on stuff that isn’t rammed with special effects and comic book tie-ins – enjoy them too – but spread the wealth and enhance the mind. Rant over.

And so, the futuristic sounding year of 2020 is upon us, but what will be its celluloid treasures? Who knows, but maybe you should avoid Peter Rabbit 2.

The following films I am quite excited about seeing, though. Join me! Oh, and may you all have a popcorn-fuelled Happy New Year!

WILD ROSE – Jessie Buckley’s phenomenal central turn in this Glaswegian country and western drama transcends what could be formulaic material into a moving, fiery heartwarmer.

THE KING’S MAN – Matthew Vaughn goes back to basics in this old-fashioned escapade about the birth of The Kingsman service. So, less of the anal sex gags, more traditional action set during World War I with Ralph Fiennes and Gemma Arterton doing stiff upper lips.

EIGHTH GRADE – A brilliant, truthful encapsulation of modern teen life from Bo Burnham. Painfully observant with a brilliant soundtrack as a young YouTuber played by a luminous Elsie Fisher perfectly captures early teen problems. Another film with oodles of heart.

BLACK WIDOW – A deceased Avenger lives again in this prequel for the ever-capable Scarlett Johansson and her early Russian super-assassin days. Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz and David Harbour are also involved.

BOOKSMART – Much more than just Superbad with girls, this raucous comedy starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever, sensitively directed by Olivia Wilde, was a perfectly pitched coming of age tale and examination of friendship.

BIRDS OF PREY – Margot Robbie escapes the steaming mess of the original Suicide Squad movie to be Harley Quinn once more with her own DC girl gang and no rubbish Jared Leto Joker. Expect neon-drenched bubblegum comedy violence.

AVENGERS: ENDGAME – You’ve seen it. Fair play. The Russo brothers paid everything off in a very satisfying way. The hype was worth it.

NO TIME TO DIE – Bond is back for a (supposedly) final Daniel Craig outing after he drove off into the sunset at the end of Spectre. With Cary Joji Fukunaga at the helm, Phoebe Waller-Bridge on script doctoring duties, and Craig looking to go out with a bang, hopefully this will eclipse the lacklustre Spectre.

WONDER WOMAN 1984 – Gal Gadot returns as the Amazonian warrior now in the 80s. Cue lots of retro styling, Kristen Wiig as a baddie and Chris Pine inexplicably turning up. Patty Jenkins returns as director to hopefully further the entertaining adventures in the way they began.

MIDSOMMAR – Not as good as Hereditary but still swirling around in my head, this pitch-black break-up horror movie was superbly uncomfortable and Florence Pugh is about to become a megastar.

JOKER – Joaquin Phoenix’s performance is outstanding in this supremely tense character study of an unhinged mind let down by society, seen through a Scorsese-like lens. Forget Batman, this was not a comic book movie. But please don’t make it a franchise.

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO – Edgar Wright returns after Baby Driver for a new horror set in the Swinging Sixties and the present day as two women discover a bizarre time travel connection… or do they? Colour me intrigued.

ARCTIC – How much icy pain can Mads Mikkelsen take in this fantastic survival tale in the snowy wastes of the Arctic? Gripping, spare and beautifully shot.

WEST SIDE STORY – Steven Spielberg does his first honest-to-goodness musical after moments of 1941 and Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom. Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s reworking of Romeo and Juliet is bursting with fantastic tunes and this upgrade should scale the heights. Could be, who knows?

TENET – Christopher Nolan’s latest is an espionage thriller with a globetrotting plot, cloaked in secrecy but starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, could be the Dark Knight director’s closest film to Bond.

ROCKETMAN – Elton John’s life, with all its barbs and delights, was a hugely enjoyable biopic that dealt with darkness and light, Taron Egerton’s performance truly revelatory.

BUZZ 28

2020 – COMING TO A CINEMA NEAR YOU

FOR SAMA – An incredible documentary from Waad Al-Kateab as she endures five years of Syrian civil war in Aleppo, falls in love and has a child. Unforgettable.

DUNE – Frank Herbert’s sci-fi epic could take the place of Star Wars as next winter’s outer space treat. David Lynch failed to make it work back in 1984 but Denis Villeneuve, fresh from Blade Runner 2049, seems like a good man for the job. The spice must flow.

THE IRISHMAN – Martin Scorsese’s latest has an epic running length and went straight to Netflix, the only people who would fund it, but it is a masterful, elegiac work of greatness, bringing together Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci in a fact-based mobster drama that has plenty to say about ageing and regret. Superb.

BILL AND TED FACE THE MUSIC – Keanu Reeves isn’t hitting seven shades of shinola out of people in this longawaited sequel for the adorable Bill and Ted. Alex Winter also returns for a comedy that should be, well, excellent.

C AN O L FAN MI L E N I WM C YMRU A L IKELY STO RY YN C YF LW Y N O WAL E S MI L L E N N I U M C E N TR E A ND L IKELY STO RY P R E S E N T

ANTUR WYLLT I’R TEULU A WILD ADVENTURE FOR THE FAMILY R H AG 1 4 – 2 9 DEC

wmc.org.uk/red

RAYMOND GUBBAY presents

Stunning scenery brought to life by magical special effects.

Coppélia The Nutcracker Swan Lake Performed by The Russian State Ballet of Siberia Accompanied by The Orchestra of the Russian State Ballet

19 - 31 December

by Keiron Self

1917 ****

Dir: Sam Mendes (15, 110 mins) A World War I tale told in an apparent single take, Sam Mendes’ daring drama places you in the heart of warfare with visceral intensity. Inspired by his grandfather, this follows two young servicemen (an excellent George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman), tasked with delivering a message to British troops warning them against an imminent German ambush that will wipe them all out.

What follows is a ticking time bomb of a thriller as the pair struggle across enemy territory via tunnels, open ground, and dangers from the sky to get to the troops in time. Chapman’s brother is one of those in danger, adding even more tension.

Peopling their quest are the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch’s damaged, stoic officer, and other British infantry played with conviction by Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Mark Strong and Daniel Mays. Colin Firth is the officer who sends them on their way into danger. Propulsive and gripping, Mendes has fashioned an action film along with co-writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns full of explosive heart stopping set pieces, amidst the tragedy of conflict. MacKay is particularly good as the private sent into the heart of darkness, horror etched on his face throughout. Tense and evocative; a terrible glimpse into the war to end all wars. Opens Jan 10

BOMBSHELL ****

Dir: Jay Roach (15, 108 mins) The Fox News scandal that unseated its CEO Roger Ailes is given the cinematic treatment with a powerhouse cast and a passionate, justified anger.

Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie play the three women who ultimately brought about his downfall: real-life figures Megyn Kelly, Gretchen Carlson and a composite fictional character Kayla Pospisil. John Lithgow, under heavy prosthetics, plays Ailes; Theron and Robbie excel as the wronged women, Robbie’s naïve Kayla thinking she has landed the best job ever before finding herself at the receiving end of abuse while Theron’s Megyn Kelly is bullied by Ailes’ friend Donald Trump. Director Roach and writer Charles Randolph go for the jugular whilst acting support comes in the shape of Kate McKinnon, Allison Janney, Connie Britton, Rob Delaney and Malcolm McDowell. Absorbing and engaging, this is a further indictment on why the #MeToo movement is crucial now. Opens Jan 17

CATS **

JOJO RABBIT **** Dir: Taika Waititi (12A, 108 mins) Taika Waititi’s broad satire may not win marks for subtlety and nuance, but it’s an entertaining gallop through prejudice. It’s Germany near the end of World War II and 10-year-old Jojo (played by an excellent Roman Griffin Davies) is a dedicated Hitler Youth member who loves swastikas. He wants to be the best Jew hater he can be, part of a horror he does not comprehend. And he even has an imaginary friend – Hitler himself, played with gleeful abandon by Waititi. All his hopes and dreams are turned on their head, however, when his mother, a wonderful Scarlett Johansson, takes in and hides Elsa, a Jewish refugee, sensitively portrayed by Thomasin McKenzie. Jojo’s frivolity is tempered as he realises the cost of war, and that his imaginary friend Hitler is not all he’s cracked up to be. There are swathes of belly laughs, plenty of cartoonish Nazis, Sam Rockwell’s SS officer, Stephen Merchant’s Gestapo man but amidst the broad comedy is a story of grief, indoctrination and hate. Loosely based on Christine Leunens’s far murkier novel, Caging Skies, Waititi encourages us to laugh at the absurdity of race hate and the extremists rearing their heads in today’s world. It’s an escapist comedy with a simple premise directed with verve and customary Waititi absurdity. Opens Jan 1

Dir: Tom Hooper (PG, 104 mins) After tackling Les Misérables, director Tom Hooper braves another musical adaptation with a disturbing trailer that broke the internet. Cats looks set to be an incredibly divisive Christmas experience. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s adaptation of TS Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book Of Practical Cats wasn’t crying out for the big screen, but it’s happened, with freaky CGI. Ballet dancer Francesca Hayward takes the ostensible lead as a very lithe feline appealing to a group of cats, the Jellicles, who have to decide which of their number should go to Heaviside and be reincarnated into a new Jellicle life... utter nonsense. Essentially a series of songs mewed by several cats, this has still attracted a massive cast: Idris Elba, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Jennifer Hudson, Rebel Wilson, Taylor Swift, Jason Derulo, Ray Winstone and James Corden. Why? It’s anyone’s guess. A love of musical theatre? Brave it if you dare. Bring a saucer of milk. Opens Dec 20

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL ***

Dir: Jake Kasdan (12A, 120 mins) Another body-swapping video game escapade after the surprise success of Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, a so-so comedy actioner based on the 1995 Robin Williams film. Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Jack Black and Kevin Hart are back as avatars but this time not for high school students. Alex Wolff’s character Spencer has disappeared into the game and his teenage friends have to save him. Along for the ride are Danny DeVito as Spencer’s grandfather and Danny Glover as his ageing friend. So instead of all the teen characters going back in, two of them are replaced: Johnson now channels DeVito, Hart is Glover and Black is now a sports jock. Only Gillan’s Lara Croft-esque ass-kicker has the same controller, Megan.

This enables different comedy schtick to unfold in more extreme jungle scenarios with added deserts, ice caps, monkey and ostrich attacks, creating affable (if forgettable) family fun. Opens Dec 11

ALSO RELEASED DECEMBER 2019: THE PARTY’S JUST BEGINNING (15) Former Dr Who sidekick Karen Gillan makes her directorial debut in this excellent relationship drama. HONEY BOY (15) Shia LaBeouf investigates his own troubled youth in this well acted and resonant drama. BLACK CHRISTMAS (15) Remake of the 70s slasher with far more capable women battling off a stalker. PLAYING WITH FIRE (PG) Broad family-friendly comedy with John Cena as three alpha male firefighters meet their match in some precocious kids. Like Kindergarten Cop. You know, for kids. SPIES IN DISGUISE (PG) Will Smith voices a secret agent turned into… a pigeon in this bizarre family film.

BUZZ 30

LUCY IN THE SKY ***

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER ****

Dir: Noah Hawley (15, 124 mins) An offbeat take on the plight of an astronaut, this feature debut for TV showrunner Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion) is an intriguing if ultimately flawed drama. Natalie Portman plays Lucy, a character inspired by real-life astronaut Lisa Nowak, who was arrested in 2007 for trying to kidnap the lover of her ex-astronaut partner with whom she had developed a massive obsession. Hawley takes the bare bones of the story to fashion something altogether more eerie as Portman returns to Earth unable to accept the normality of life after her adventures in space. She has a lover, handsome astronaut Jon Hamm, a rival female astronaut Zazie Beetz and a dull husband played by Dan Stevens. Passed over for the next space mission due to her erratic behavior, Portman takes ever more unhinged steps to make herself feel like she exists. Behaving both as a study in existential angst as well as a thriller, the film does not completely succeed in either but remains interesting throughout, anchored by Portman’s edgy central performance. The rest of the cast also equip themselves well, particularly Ellen Burstyn as Portman’s blunt, alcoholic grandmother. A hallucinatory tale of loss, loneliness and space travel that grapples with identity and existence itself. Opens Dec 6

Dir: JJ Abrams (12A, 155 mins) The Skywalker saga that started way back in 1977 with the original Star Wars is now coming to an end 42 years later. Originally conceived by George Lucas as a nine-part serial, he decided to start in the middle, hence Episode IV being released first; once technology had caught up with his imagination in 1999, he could revisit the galaxy far, far away with technically dazzling but emotionally empty prequels. Critically mauled but still successful, it took 10 years before fanboy JJ Abrams crafted The Force Awakens with nostalgic aplomb. Rian Johnson brought us The Last Jedi, with mixed results, and now safe-pair-of-hands Abrams is back to tractor-beam the Skywalker saga home. Daisy Ridley’s Rey may discover her true destiny and Adam Driver’s dastardly Kylo Ren will hopefully receive a comeuppance. The late Carrie Fisher will also be returning, edited footage of her from previous films apparently seamlessly woven into the narrative.

Also making a welcome return is Lando Calrissian himself, Billy Dee Williams, and Ian McDiarmid’s devious Emperor, believed dead after being thrown down a shaft in a half-built Death Star. The spectacle will be present, the mythology expanded and hopefully the end result will be worthy of all its predecessors. Opens Dec 19

LITTLE WOMEN ****

Dir: Greta Gerwig (PG, 135 mins) Greta Gerwig cements her skills as a filmmaker after the excellent Ladybird with this take on Louisa May Alcott’s classic tale of sisterhood. Little Women has been adapted several times before, and this welltrodden tale needs a clear vision. Luckily Gerwig is such a talent, playing with themes and timelines with a powerhouse cast. Saoirse Ronan stars as Jo March, a young woman out to write a novel based on her life in the aftermath of the American Civil War. She believes women are more than just chattel to be married off but finds herself romantically entwined with Timothée Chalamet’s Laurie. The other March sisters are played with aplomb by Emma Watson (the more traditional Meg), Florence Pugh (social climber Amy) and Eliza Scanlen (sensitive pianist Beth). All are excellent, as are Meryl Streep and Laura Dern as adults trying to shape the young girls’ lives. Highly relevant in its gender politics, vibrant and moving. Opens Dec 26

THE LIGHTHOUSE ****

Dir: Robert Eggers (15, 95 mins) The director of The Witch returns with a tale set in a 19th-century lighthouse and filmed in black and white. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson star as Thomas Wake and Ephraim Winslow – taciturn men who spend four weeks in a remote lighthouse on the coast of Maine. Dafoe is an ageing experienced seaman tasked with looking after the light itself, while Pattinson’s the dogsbody. Dafoe’s previous partner went mad, Pattinson is plagued by troubling erotic visions of a mermaid, and both are possibly at the mercy of supernatural forces. Expertly written, starkly photographed and mesmerisingly acted, The Lighthouse is a psychological horror that rattles you with its ambiguities. Dafoe and Pattinson relish their roles, spitting out mariner dialogue with melodramatic venom, running the full gamut of emotion from boredom and loneliness to hysterical rage and terror.

Proof that Eggers is a talent to watch. Opens Jan 31

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD ****

Dir: Armando Iannucci (PG, 119 mins) An engaging Dickensian romp from satirist Iannucci, this version of the hefty Victorian tome is great fun and zips along without sacrificing character. Dev Patel is an engaging Copperfield, regaling the tale of his life to a theatre audience, adding a dose of meta-shenanigans as we flip back and forth to his past and present.

Never entirely sure of his place in society, Patel retells incidents from his picaresque childhood and adolescence, peopled with some wonderful comedic turns from the likes of Tilda Swinton as eccentric aunt Betsy Trotwood and cousin Hugh Laurie. Ben Whishaw makes for a hilarious Uriah Heep and former Dr Who and The Thick Of It star Peter Capaldi plays Mr Micawber, one of many parental substitutes Patel is ricocheted between. This feels lavish and arch with the whole cast obviously having a great time, but crucially so will the audience. Opens Jan 24

ALSO RELEASED JANUARY 2020: THE GENTLEMEN (15) Guy Ritchie returns to mockney swagger in this sweary mobster crime story with Hugh Grant doing his best Dick Van Dyke. SEBERG (15) Kristen Stewart becomes Jean Seberg in this solid biopic about the actress. UNDERWATER (15) Kristen Stewart again, in a monster movie set in the darkest depths of the sea – looks like a nailbiter. A HIDDEN LIFE (15) Terrence Malick’s latest film is a return to form, a WWII drama about an Austrian conscientious objector. . JUST MERCY (15) Worthy drama with Michael B. Jordan a lawyer trying to save Jamie Foxx from the death penalty. DARK WATERS (15) Mark Ruffalo stars as a lawyer talking on a corporation with an environmental pollution history with gripping results.

BUZZ 31

art

150 YEARS OF THE NORWEGIAN CHURCH

Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay Wed 4-Sun 22 Dec Standing on the shoreline of Cardiff Bay, the Norwegian Church is a point of interest to all who pass it. A wooden building with a white façade and an unobtrusive steeple to its westerly side, the church is both in opposition to its neighbouring attractions and very much at home amid the varied architecture of Cardiff’s former port.

Of late, the Norwegian Church has been used for a variety of purposes, serving yoga students and art exhibitions. However, the upcoming exhibition hosted by the Welsh-Norwegian Society is set to illuminate the church’s rich history, one that dates back 150 years to an industrial, coal-exporting Wales. This is the second oldest Norwegian church outside of Norway itself: originally consecrated to serve the Norwegian merchant fleet, once a significant presence across the world’s oceans, and the community who later settled in Cardiff.

Across a vast selection of images, some grainy in monochrome, others bright and colourful, the exhibition tells the story of a building that has served a community for a century and a half. A familiar face among the photographs is that of story-teller Roald Dahl: born in Wales to Norwegian parents and baptized at the Norwegian Church, becoming its first appointed president in 1987. Images of Roald Dahl sit alongside depictions of local weddings, ladies enjoying tea and cake, and historic aerial photographs of Cardiff Bay. One constant, however, is the Pierhead Building (built in 1897), that is found standing proud in one black-andwhite image of the old ship port.

With rumours having circulated in May that the church was at risk of being taken over, and Cardiff Council officials citing the “undoubted commercial potential” of the building, the timing of the exhibition is opportune. What a failure it would be to our Welsh-Norwegian community and a terrible blemish on our local history if the council allowed such a usurpation to take place. JAMIE WALKER Admission: free. Info: 029 2087 7959 / www.norwegianchurchcardiff.com Neil Wilkin

AELWYD

Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay Sat 18 Jan-Sun 1 Mar Makers Guild In Wales’ winter exhibition will showcase work created by potters, glassmakers, designers and even a spoon maker. The 15 crafters, all from Wales, have created pieces that are focused around their own interpretation of what a home is, particularly within homewares. One of the makers is Cardiff’s Claire Cawte, who set up her sustainable textile business because she believed that nature could be the heart of her designs, and whose most famous piece of work is her scarf, made from leaves, berries, bark and lichen stain. She has also designed bags, bowls and felted cutlery all using natural components.

James and Tilla Waters set up their pottery business in 2002 and since have gone on to create many different items of homeware – jugs and pourers, mugs, teapots and vases – to be featured here. The couple’s focal point for their business is that home interiors should either be useful or beautiful, which is evidently seen through their highly ornate designs.

Aelwyd will also display work by Helen Flynn, wedding papercut artist from Swansea. Her work encapsulates the true meaning of belonging by designing personalised papercuts for weddings.

Admission: free. Info: 029 2048 4611 / www.makersguildinwales.org.uk (EG) BUZZ 32

GARETH GRIFFITH: TRAILER

Oriel Myrddin, Carmarthen Sat 11 Jan-Sat 21 Mar One of north Wales’s most influential artists, Gareth Griffith has perfected the art of transforming discarded, or gifted, everyday materials into striking sculptures. It’s no surprise then, that this process played a vital role in the preparation for his latest exhibition Trailer. Teaming up with a local factory in the Ogwen Valley that produces industrial pipes, exhibits showcased in Trailer contain objects from over the past 50 years – many of which have been specially reconfigured.

But the components of Griffith’s curious and captivating works aren’t the only thing that’s been reconstructed. The exhibits recall moments from the artist’s own memories, collectively representing the connections between places and time. Meticulously reassembled beach debris and industrial materials signify key aspects of Griffith’s life, with friends and family members portrayed in painted profiles of faces atop skateboard fragments.

The exhibition at the Oriel Myrddin will also serve as a recollection of his early career as an artist, featuring works from the 1960s-80s– from studying painting in Liverpool to living in Jamaica with his family.

Admission: free. Info: 01267 222775 / www.orielmyrddingallery.co.uk (TB)

MEASURED MAKING

Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran Until Sat 18 Jan Set up in order to connect an international community of blacksmiths and revel in the talent and diversity amongst this trade, the Measured Making #150mm Challenge stems from a warmup set by Hereford College Of Arts lecturer Ambrose Burne for his students. The brief is simple: artists are instructed to produce something interesting out of a 150mm x 20mm. piece of steel. It’s an exercise in simplicity and the miniature.

Only three weeks were given to design and create something spectacular out of the specified material. After the art students shared their work on social media, the challenge caught the attention of blacksmiths worldwide – and this exhibition features a display of 240 individual pieces of artwork from 19 different countries.

Process, material, resourcefulness and imagination are celebrated through this task and the finished pieces range from amusing models and abstract sculptures to functioning utensils and tools. This exhibition is set to explore and push the limits of what is possible through the medium of metal, as well as conjure the deserved admiration for the blacksmithing trade here today in 2019.

Admission: free. Info: 01633 483321 / www.lgac.org.uk (RH)

WINTER GARDEN

Mission Gallery, Swansea Until Sat 4 Jan Mission Gallery’s seasonally themed craft exhibition promises to explore and celebrate everything about winter, from the bitter, dark cold you’ll most likely experience outside the gallery doors, to the warm shelter of the hearth.

Sculptural woodwork, basketry and enamel work are represented in a quiet, contemplative space. It looks like a perfect way to eke out a moment of peace among the madcap shopping rush, or a soothing balm for the darker nights.

There is an impressive array of artists showcased in this modest exhibition.

The space will showcase works by printmakers, engravers, weavers and ceramicists. Artworks on display are made using a wide range of materials, from wood and metal to leather. Some of those on show include Mandy Coates, Eluned Glyn, Buddug Humphreys, Rhiannon Gwyn, Llio James, Caroline Rees, Diane Horne, Fflur Owen, and Lillemor Latham. Instead of browsing the Quadrant, dodging prams and dizzy shoppers grabbing at novelty gifts, make the most of an extra half-hour and appreciate some fine craftsmanship, or simply visit to stay out of the cold. It’s the kind of space that’s becoming rarer and rarer in this day and age – a space in which to pause, look and think.

Admission: free. Info: 01792 652016 / www.missiongallery.co.uk (LA)

Grey Dog Galler y Ceri Williams Exhibition 6th December – 6th January

National Museum Cardiff Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd

Tymor Ffotograffiaeth 2019-20 Dathlu gwaith pedwar o’r artisitiaid fwyaf dylanwadol yn hanes ffotographiaeth

Photography Season 2019-20 Celebrating the work of four of the most influential artists in the history of photography Martin Parr yng Nghymru Martin Parr in Wales 26.10.2019–04.05.2020 Top: Eryri, 1989 Snowdonia, Wales, 1989 © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos / Rocket Gallery

YSTAFELLOEDD ARTIST: August Sander ARTIST ROOMS: August Sander 26.10.2019–01.03.2020 Gwaelod, chwith: August Sander, Ysgrifennydd gyda Radio Gorllewin yr Almaen, Cwlen, Bottom, left: Secretary at West German Radio in Cologne ARTIST ROOMS Orielau Cenedlaethol yr Alban a'r Tate. Benthycwyd gan Anthony d'Offay 2010 ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Lent by Anthony d'Offay 2010 © Die Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur - August Sander Archiv, Cologne / DACS 2019 Ffoto © Orielau Cenedlaethol yr Alban / Photo © National Galleries of Scotland

Bernd a Hilla Becher Delweddau Diwydiant Bernd and Hilla Becher Industrial Visions 26.10.2019–01.03.2020 Gwaelod, dde: Bernd a Hilla Becher: Glofa Blaenserchan, Pont-y-pŵl, De Cymru, 1966 Bottom, right: Bernd and Hilla Becher: Blaenserchan Colliery, Pontypool, South Wales, GB, 1966 © Ystâd Bernd a Hilla Becher, cynrychiolir gan Max Becher, trwy garedigrwydd Die Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur – Bernd und Hilla Becher Archive, Köln, 2019 © Estate Bernd & Hilla Becher, represented by Max Becher, courtesy Die Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur – Bernd und Hilla Becher Archive, Cologne, 2019

Cefnogir yr arddangosfa gan y sefydliadau canlynol: The exhibitions have been generously supported by the following organisations:

Mist over battered Sea 100cmx100cm

Free entry 4, Dunns Lane, Mumbles, Swansea, SA3 4AA Info 0755 159 7327 emailCeriwilliams007@gmail.com

Cyfarfod Siôn Corn a’i Ffrin Father Christmas and diau t e e M Frie nds Siôn Corn Father Christ mas

Nadolig Cymreig traddodiadol i’w gofio.

Penwythnosau ym mis Rhagfyr Tocynnau ymlaen llaw yn unig amgueddfa.cymru/sainffagan

A traditional Welsh Christmas to remember.

Weekends in December Advance tickets only museum.wales/stfagans

DEC/JAN 2019/20 just fill out this form and post it, along with a cheque to:

Buzz Publishers Ltd, 220c Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1GY

Sain Ffagan Amgueddfa Werin Cymru Caerdydd, CF5 6XB St Fagans National Museum of History Cardiff, CF5 6XB

GHOST THE MUSICAL

Royal Welsh College Of Music And Drama, Cardiff Tues 17-Fri 20 Dec Those talented kids at Kinetic School Of Performing Arts have chosen the musical version of the movie Ghost as this year’s seasonal production. In contrast to their summer production of Chicago, diversity is what drew school director, producer and choreographer Kris Crowley to choose it: “It has raw emotion, heart, soul and a huge dollop of sass!”

The 1990 tearjerker – featuring the late Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg – is a testament to the power of love. Walking back to their apartment, pottery enthusiasts Sam and Molly are mugged, leaving Sam murdered in the street. His spirit trapped between this world and the next, Sam learns the reason behind his demise and the danger that Molly is still in. With the help of phony storefront psychic Oda Mae Brown, Sam will do anything to communicate with Molly and save her life.

Backed by a powerful soundtrack, I can already envisage the Kinetic kids doing this justice, just like they consistently have in previous productions. As Crowley says, “It’s perfect for our adolescent cast – a production that stretches them as performers.”

Tickets: £12.50-£15. Info: 029 2039 1391 / www.rwcmd.ac.uk (CA) BUZZ 34

Pic: Johan Persson

stage

NIGHT TERRORS

Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon Sat 14 Dec Although best known today for his humorous Mapp And Lucia comedies, novelist E.F. Benson penned a series of Spook Stories – tales of terrifying monsters and vengeful ghosts, Benson’s vivid descriptions of gruesome events conjuring up many evocative images. This is something writer Gareth Armstrong took into consideration when adapting Benson’s stories for the stage.

Having worked in the West End and at Shakespeare’s Globe, Armstrong honed his skills as an actor, director and writer to produce a production of Night Terrors as spooky as the source material. Since his first oneman show Shylock, Armstrong has become a specialist in solo theatre pieces. Making use of his seasoned theatrical experience, combined with the tips from his own book So You Want To Do A Solo Show, Armstrong should successfully create a tone and atmosphere reminiscent of Benson’s original stories.

This theatrical adaptation of Night Terrors sees solo performer Gerard Logan sitting sinisterly on a chair, using his master storytelling nous to transport the audience to an intriguing, disturbing world.

Tickets: £10-£12. Info: 01874 611622 / www.brycheiniog.co.uk (TB)

THE KING AND I

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay Wed 8-Sat 18 Jan I would have said that this musical needed no introduction, but a quick (and wholly unscientific) poll of my colleagues and friends suggested the show isn’t quite as well-known as I thought. The pedigree is first-class, however – Rodgers & Hammerstein brought us classics like South Pacific, Oklahoma! and The Sound Of Music in an award-addled string of hits during the 1950s and 60s. And anyone who has not seen Yul Brynner’s breakthrough (and Oscar-winning) turn as the titular King in the 1956 film version, is missing out on a performance that is at once subtle and spectacular.

The story is one of hidden desire in a mysterious land. It’s based on Margaret Landon’s 1944 novel Anna And The King of Siam, which in turn is based on the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, the real-life governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam (modern-day Thailand) in the early 1860s. She teaches the King’s 15 children, including the heir to the throne, causing upset by teaching them more progressive topics than the old-fashioned King approves of. In a plot reminiscent of The Sound Of Music, the King’s strict regime is softened by Anna’s presence and a kind of romance bubbles under the surface, in a show full of colourful and extravagant Far Eastern-inspired dances and Broadway musical hooks.

The King And I has arguably one of the most memorable scores in the history of musical theatre, including Whistle A Happy Tune, Getting To Know You and Shall We Dance?. And in this critically-acclaimed Lincoln Center Theater production, the show is brought to life by a company of over 50 onstage performers and a fullscale orchestra.

Stars of the West End and Broadway respectively, Annalene Beechey and Jose Llana take on the main roles. And, with direction coming courtesy of Tony Awardwinner Bart Sher (South Pacific & My Fair Lady on Broadway), this romantic musical classic is certainly in safe hands. MAX HARVEY Tickets: £18-£79.50. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk

RED

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay Sat 14-Fri 29 Dec The Performances For The Curious theatre season at the Wales Millennium Centre includes Red, a family-friendly play which asks its audience to take a second look at the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Featuring original songs in a rock style, it reflects upon contemporary themes such as rewilding, in a way that aims to encourage and encourages children to be courageous.

The play is directed by Hannah McPake, a Welsh actress and theatre maker who co-created the Cardiffbased theatre company GaggleBabble.

Inspired by local myth, historical characters and the work of Roald Dahl, McPake – who has appeared in productions of King Lear, Macbeth and others for National Theatre Wales and Shakespeare’s Globe, as well as on TV in Trollied and youth drama Skins – is, according to her website, “drawn to stories from the wrong side of the tracks” and given to reinterpreting well-known material with a dark twist; “immersive, dark and always served up with a dose of black humour.”

Building on our current appetite for dark fairytales, her latest work is the perfect addition to this year’s season of unique, offbeam productions.

Tickets: £10. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk (JP)

THE UGLY DUCKLING

Sherman Theatre, Cardiff Mon 2-Tue 31 Dec When Rachel O’Riordan took over as the Sherman Theatre’s Artistic Director in 2014, she introduced what would soon become one of the theatre’s most anticipated events – an annual Christmas bilingual production.

Previous years have seen timeless tales such as Arabian Nights and Alice In Wonderland. Keeping up the tradition, in the wake of O’Riordan’s departure, The Ugly Duckling will bring the annual Sherman seasonal cheer back to Cardiff.

Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale, The Ugly Duckling follows a maligned mallard as he swims his way through the seasons, making lovable farmyard friends along the way. A touching tale of self-acceptance and belonging, this heart-warming adaptation stars a trio of Welsh actors including Tom Blumberg, Jed O’Reilly and Mari Beard.

The latter’s previous work includes Rhybydd Iaith Anweddus, a play performed in the National Eisteddfod, as well as television credits including hit comedy Tourist Trap. Aimed at younger audiences and their families, The Ugly Duckling has been adapted for the stage by writer Katherine Chandler and director Sara Lloyd.

Tickets: £9.50. Info: 029 2064 6900 / www.shermantheatre.co.uk (TB)

CHRISTMAS AT THE SHERMAN NADOLIG YN Y SHERMAN

2 MINUTES from Cathays train station 2 FUNUD o orsaf drenau Cathays SHERMANTHEATRE.CO.UK 029 2064 6900

3-6

THE UGLY DUCKLING YR HWYADEN FACH HYLL 2 – 31 Dec / Rhag

By / Gan Hans Christian Andersen Adaptation by / Addasiad gan Katherine Chandler Welsh translation by / Cyfieithiad Cymraeg gan Mererid Hopwood

7+

THE SNOW QUEEN 29 Nov / Tach – 31 Dec / Rhag

By / Gan Hans Christian Andersen Writer, Lyricist, Composer & Musical Director / Awdur, Telynegwr, Cyfansoddwr a Chyfarwyddwr Cerdd Conor Mitchell Director / Cyfarwyddwr Tessa Walker

Director / Cyfarwyddwr Sara Lloyd

Sherman Cymru Productions Ltd Registered Charity Number / Rhif Elusen Cofrestredig 1118364

TICKETS / TOCYNNAU £9.50

CHILDREN & UNDER 25s HALF PRICE PLANT A DAN 25 HANNER PRIS

clubs

TEAK X BLUE HONEY: NYE ASCENSION

Inkspot, Cardiff Tue 31 Dec The Teak mob are often found in the basement of an antiques emporium taking their DIY approach to dance music; the Blue Honey crowd making bao buns in their cafe by day and spinning disco records by night. The two are usually mutually exclusive Cardiffian nightlife ambassadors, but in the spirit of festivity (and apparently transcendance) have become one.

Under the semi-ironic theme of ascension, the so-called “ceremonies” (assumed to be representing sets) led

by Andy Warphole, James Teak, Esther [pictured], David J Bull and many more.

All set to provide enlightenment through the medium of disco, funk, house, techhouse and everything in between.

Expect plenty of retro-sampling, hi-hat-heavy beats and funk-infused basslines, all under the roof of a Cardiffian church, which is proposed to be filled with an audience adorned in all white. New Years Eve is usually a night spent waiting on an ultimately underwhelming confetti blast on the stroke of midnight. However, nights such as this have the potential to provide avoidance of the routine disappointment, and allow for an alternative ending to the year.

Tickets: £23. Info: 029 2049 0254 / www.inkspotartsandcrafts.com (CP) BUZZ 36

CHRISTIAN AB / QUEST

Delete @ Jacob’s Market, Cardiff Fri 20 Dec Christian AB and Quest might not be household names just yet but are top of any bets as the next big breakthrough artists of the house and techno scene. Individually signed to Roof Booking, they’ve performed back-to-back at a number of recent gigs, including Oscuro’s Canal and Warehouse Party in London back in June and this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event, and will be doing so in Cardiff for promoters Delete.

It’s a lifestyle worth envying – touring the world, playing sought after records to huge crowds, partying with other DJs and producers. But both take careful pride in their track selection and are becoming increasingly known for rewriting the rulebook on what can and should be played in clubs. Both Christian and Quest are currently based in Berlin, but their musical roots start elsewhere. Quest grew up in Italy, before moving to London where he worked at record shop Vinyl Pimp. His love for cratedigging is reflected in his vast collection of records and eclectic selection, spanning everything from underground hip-hop to outré techno and UKG. London native Christian AB was introduced to music from a very young age, influenced by memories of hearing his father play records ranging from disco to acid house. His early curiosity for music and vinyl was the catalyst for his journey to becoming a DJ and producer.

Listen to any of Quest or Christian AB’s mixes and you can sense the hours that have gone into finding and curating records. However, their track selection still feels unguarded and energetic, moving seamlessly between hip-hop, techno, minimal house and garage. Whilst each have their own distinctive sound, both artists are unified in their eagerness to break open the boundaries of club music and enjoy themselves whilst doing so. They’ve headlined parties across the globe, and join forces for a four-hour B2B set at Delete’s Black Friday Christmas event.

Support comes from residents Marc Parsons, Lee Graves and Matt Owen, as Delete approaches its 10th birthday celebrations in 2020. FRANCESCA GARDNER Tickets: £15. Info: facebook.com/deletecardiff

ROGER SANCHEZ

The Attic, Swansea Fri 13 Dec House music sovereign Roger Sanchez is headlining what is sure to be a packed-out night in Swansea’s Attic.

Set over two floors and four rooms, Sanchez will be keeping punters going until the early hours, in his first Welsh date for a great many years. The New York DJ has been beyond active and a worldwide draw since the 90s, peaking in the UK consciousness with 2001 chart smash Another Chance, and even winning a Grammy in 2003 for his collaborations with No Doubt, but existing in a more credible sphere with house heads.

Given it’s evident that house music is reaching a new zenith at present, the 90s revival pouring into clubs with a fervour, Sanchez’s enduring popularity is no surprise. When you see the euphoria his sets create, though, you realise what all the fuss is about.

This one’s hosted by a cabal of three Swansea club promoters – My House, Con7rol and 100% Old Skool – whose recent repertoire includes a soldout night of live sax-and-DJ bangers from Ben Santiago and Lovely Laura.

Sanchez’s set will most definitely leave you buzzing – and not needing to go to the gym this week.

Tickets £15-£23. Info: 01792 450850 / facebook.com/theatticswansea (DG)

TRANCE WITH TREMOR

Tramshed, Cardiff Fri 20 Dec Promising a rave “like never before”, the Tramshed plays host to trance pioneers Mauro Picotto, Sean Tyas and more on Black Friday. Thirty years ago, British youth culture was undergoing a cultural revolution in the shape of acid house, going from seen-and-not-heard to an anarchic force. Down in Italy, meanwhile, Mauro Picotto was dipping a toe into that country’s dance culture, partially inspired by Black Box’s infamous Ride On Time. Riding and weathering trends alike, the Turin DJ remains a big name in anthemic trance.

Promoters Tremor have secured Picotto to headline a solid lineup; top of the undercard is Sean Tyas, an American DJ whose career kicked off when he moved to Europe in the early 00s. The latter part of the decade saw Tyas establish himself in the post-boom trance scene, with a proggy approach that’s secured him repeated high placings in various dance mag readers’ polls.

Hardstyle bossman Cally, formerly a DJ duo with Juice and promoter of south Wales’ Bionic nights, is here too, accompanied by MC, DJ and south Wales legend Dale ‘Shocker’ Lee. Expect sweaty, chaotic energy that will turn your legs to jelly.

Tickets: £21. Info: 029 2023 5555 / tramshedcardiff.com (DG)

FAT SOUL: REGGAE BASS SPECIAL

Laser Station, Carmarthen Fri 20 Dec In a night promising to “bring the heat” – difficult to achieve in mid-winter – Fat Soul serve up reggae, dub, house, and jungle for Carmarthen. Headliner Parly B [pictured], aka The Yorkshire Raggamuffin, has featured on what seems like millions of reggae, dancehall and jungle tracks. His repertoire includes a collab with Little Kirk, a spot on The Skints’ album Part And Parcel – he also toured with them in 2012 – and a mini-album on Scotch Bonnet, This Is Digital, plus performances in locations as far out as Australia.

Joining him is the daddy of Fat Soul, Doctor P, real name Shaun Brockhurst; Bristol’s FatStash duo, who’ve taken a break from recording their podcast to present myriad jungle, dub and dancehall rhythms for the discerning dancefloor; and the anticipated return of NLBeCool, after her hiatus in Glastonbury, where she became a member of the South West Bass Crew. All adding up to an array of raw dubstep mixed with liquid bass rollers and a few ska, rock and reggae hits.

There’s many more offerings to be announced for what’s already a solid Black Friday lineup.

Tickets: £9/£7 early bird.

Info: 01267 235648 / www.laserstationwales.com (DG)

live

INSANE CLOWN POSSE

Pic: Landon Nordeman

Tramshed, Cardiff Sat 18 Jan Juggalos assemble. Now if that means nothing to you, then move along, but to a certain group of fans, that can only mean one thing. That’s right, Insane Clown Posse are coming. Making their debut in the Welsh capital, ICP will be hitting up the Tramshed, in what promises to be a very interesting evening.

Their live shows are almost legendary for being totally chaotic. Past tours have seen naked roadies, caged attractions, showgirls, clowns and of course, lots and lots of low-grade American fizzy drink Faygo, so Cardiff will be in for quite a night.

Formed as far back as 1989, the duo of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope first came to prominence in the mid-to-late 90s with their violent take on rap.

Their breakthrough album The Great Milenko perfectly blended that lurid imagery with hip-hop and the burgeoning nu-metal scene, quickly catapulting them to MTV audiences across the world and culminating in an appearance at the infamous 1999 edition of Woodstock.

Since then they’ve formed wrestling promotions, got into public spats with Eminem and been involved in several costly lawsuits. Yet their fanbase has never wanedm with the band still drawing thousands of people to their annual Gathering Of The Juggalos festival in the States, which has moved from podunk Midwest town to podunk Midwest town over two decades. Such is the reputation of the Juggalos that the FBI even have a dossier on them, listing them as a “loosely organised hybrid gang.”

Amidst all of this, J and Shaggy have apparently found God, but rest assured, the shows remain just as crazy as ever – as does the music. Fearless Fred Fury, released earlier this year, is the boys’ 15th studio album and finds ICP in fine form.

So if you want to see what all the fuss is about, then dig out those huge 90s baggy jeans, slap on some greasepaint and get down to the Tramshed in Cardiff for what could potentially be the wildest night of your life. CHRIS ANDREWS Tickets: £23.50. Info: 029 2023 5555 / www.tramshedcardiff.com

CATS IN SPACE

Patti Pavilion, Swansea Sat 14 Dec Cats In Space appeared on the music scene in 2015 and have since toured with bands including Thunder, Status Quo, Fairport Convention and Deep Purple. Now they’re touring the UK in their own right to promote fourth album Daytrip To Narnia. Heavy rock is well known for trying to pass corny lyrics off as profound but Cats actively embrace the corn while using it to convey a modern message.

They take you back to the 1970s, a time when rock was unpretentious and a band was a bunch of mates in the back room of a pub. They sing about “how I long for the days of Top Of The Pops” – with songs of the same ilk as Mott the Hoople’s Saturday Gigs.

The Cats cover several bases with their original classic-style rock, pop-rock and power ballads. Founder Greg Hart has written songs for Cher, Asia and Donna Summer and bandmate Steevi Bacon has played with Robin Trower and Ben Poole: in fact, all the Cats are seasoned musicians who have been in the industry for many for years prior to coming together and they can adopt a lot of different musical styles. Dust off your bandana – or buy a new one – and join them for what promises to be a rockin’ good night.

Tickets: £20. Info: 01792 475444 / www.pattipavilion.co.uk (LN) BUZZ 38

KANO

Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union Sat 1 Feb London-born rapper Kano burst into the grime scene in 2004 with P’s And Q’s, a striking debut single which laid the foundation for much of the genre’s present-day mainstream. Becoming an instant underground hit, Kano – aka Kane Brett Robinson – is widely considered one of the pioneers of grime and music culture – and it’s easy to see why. The eclectic ensemble of personal yet poignant topics featured throughout his music is arguably what made his fifth album Made In The Manor such a success, charting at number eight in the UK. Years later, and Robinson has remained the poster boy for embodying British culture. Alongside having a leading role in popular Netflix show Top Boy, which offers a satirical look at society through a crime-infested fictional London estate, Kano’s also making thought-provoking comments on modern civilisation through his music.

His latest album Hoodies All Summer, songs from which will be heavily featured in his tour, not only show how he has matured as an artist, but also highlights why grime has remained socially relevant – for enabling artists to address hardhitting topics, such as knife crime, with catchy and memorable music.

Tickets: £30. Info: 029 2078 1458 / www.cardiffstudents.com (TB)

MAN FOREVER

The Moon, Cardiff Thu 12 Dec Man Forever is John Colpitts, better known as Kid Millions: drummer extraordinaire with Oneida and Ex Models, and collaborator with everyone from Boredoms to Black Mountain and Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce. A bookish figure offstage, he transforms into an octopoid superhuman behind his kit.

A good job, too, given that Oneida’s legendary Ocropolis performances lasted for 10 hours.

Man Forever’s last LP, 2017’s Play What They Want, was ironically titled – the music it contained wasn’t in thrall to anyone’s preconceptions or constrained by any kind of convention.

Neither was it consciously designed, Colpitt instead allowing himself to be led wherever the compositions took him. “I didn’t want it to be dismissed offhand with something like, ‘Oh yeah, this is Kid Millions messing around with drums’,” he told one interviewer.

“I really wanted it to be surprising.”

Play What They Want is a heady cocktail whose ingredients included freeform piano, choral passages, playful patterns and hypnotic nonWestern rhythms and chimes, drawing on contemporary classical and avant-garde influences that took it way beyond standard rock tropes.

Tickets: £6. Info: 029 2037 3022 / info@themooncardiff.com (BW)

PETROL GIRLS

Le Public Space, Newport Tue 14 Jan Armed with vocalist Ren Aldridge’s sharp tongue, coarsened with abrasion and anger, and an array of gorgeously erratic instrumentation, post-hardcore quartet Petrol Girls are the walking, screaming embodiment of counterculture. The four rekindle the anti-nationalist sentiment that’s been nurtured by the punk scene since its inception and fuse it with fiercely feminist ideology to add up to a leftwing whirlwind.

Don’t mistake the band simply for rhetoric-spitting parrots, though: these issues are clearly the foundation that a band formed on International Women’s Day by members from Lithuania, Austria and the United Kingdom would choose to build itself upon. Indeed, by trading empty slogans for extrospective lyrics, the group has established themselves as pre-eminent feminist punks. Fresh from supporting two A-list names of the genre, Thrice and Refused, across Europe, the band are set to embark on a whistlestop tour of the UK. It’s clear that Petrol Girls aren’t willing to settle for simply challenging our current political climate – they’re stomping it into the ground, and broadcasting it to the world through the medium of vivid, cerebral punk.

Tickets: £8. Info: 01633 221477 / www.lepublicspace.co.uk (AP)

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reviews WE'VE BEEN WATCHING...

MOTHERLAND S2 (BBC)

I was overjoyed when this savagely brilliant schoolgates sitcom returned, with more manic middle-class matriarchs than you can shake a stick blender at.

Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe, Pulling) proves herself once again as a masterful sitcom writer (alongside a team of Holly Walsh, Barunka O’Shaughnessy and Helen Linehan), but it’s the flawless cast that make this show what it is. Anna Maxwell Martin as restless everywoman Julia, Diane Morgan as acid-tongued Liz, Lucy Punch as insufferable snob Amanda (not Mandy), and Paul Ready as the downtrodden dad, the sole betamale among the ‘alpha mums’. Magnificent. *****SP

THE WALL (BBC)

Danny Dyer shouting “Drop ‘em!” repeatedly doesn’t sound like a great Saturday night (unless you’re his wife) – and guess what? It isn’t. Like a giant version of The Price Is Right minigame Plinko, this gameshow gets teams of two to drop coloured balls down a bean machine, with 15 slots equating to varying amounts of cash. One of them sits in isolation answering questions of a similar difficulty to those written for daytime TV competitions (e.g. “What colour is the sky? a) Blue b) Green c) Danny Dyer”). The other one shouts at the balls to fall into the £50K slot. Drop ‘em?

Drop it, more like. **SP

HIS DARK MATERIALS (BBC)

After the release of the 2007 film The Golden Compass, widely regarded as a commercial flop, fans of Philip Pullman’s fantasy book series were left to lament the absence of a worthy on-screen ending.

However, BBC One’s His Dark Materials, which aired in November, promises to capture the pleated nuance of its source material. The current adaptation, filmed in Wales, renders Pullman’s fantasy universe with genuine visual flair and a fresh, modern aesthetic.

It is impossible to say if it’ll give Pullman’s story the conclusion it deserves, but these early episodes are filled with potential. ****JD

RIVERDALE S4 (Netflix)

It’s been two years since Riverdale first aired and swiftly became the most talked-about teen drama. Its fourth series, which is currently being released weekly on Netflix in the UK, is certainly worth discussing.

Adapted from the popular Archie comics, series four still follows Riverdale’s favourite redhead Archie Andrews and his friends as they navigate high school life. In typical Riverdale fashion though, nothing’s ever that simple. Following on from previous season’s peculiar plotlines, things seem to be as bizarre as ever.

So far this series, we’ve seen spooky dolls, serial killers and spies – and we’re only five episodes in. ***TB

THE CROWN S3 (Netflix)

Being a docuseries about a monarch still reigning, one would expect The Crown to be accurate. The third episode depicts the Aberfan Disaster, which took the lives of 116 children. Oddly, Oona O’Beirn (producer) admitted she had never heard of the tragedy – surely impetus for factual precision. But how long can this series go on for? Will Meghan Markle play herself when the series reaches the present? With all the Prince Andrew shenanigans coming to light, there’s certainly enough material to keep going. ***DG & SP BUZZ 40

albums

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ALFFA *** Rhyddid O’r Cysgodion Gwenwynig (Côsh) Singing in their native language, and with The White Stripes’ dirtiest blues on their stereo, Royal Blood coursing through their veins and Ozzy Osbourne’s lyric sheets in their mitts, the Caernarfon teenagers have racked up over three million Spotify streams. Their debut LP packages monstrously meaty riffs into bitesize chunks suitable for mass consumption. BW

ALGIERS ***** There Is No Year (Matador) There’s usually one band/artist who stake out a serious claim for album of the year in January, and in 2020 it’s Algiers. A spiritual successor to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, There Is No Year is a complex, righteous, soulful LP both infuriated and fatally fatigued by the failed state that is the US. The booming depth-charge pulse of Nothing Bloomed ends the album on a devastatingly bleak note. BW

…AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD **** X: The Godless Void And Other Stories (InsideOutMusic) ...Trail Of Dead’s 10th LP – their first for six years, prompted by Conrad Keely moving back to the US from Cambodia – is another never-knowinglyunderstated hot mess of portent, pretension and cod-mysticism that boasts several gems and the odd clunker too. The chaos of their earliest releases still seeps into some of the songs, but overall it’s a proggier take on Source Tags & Codes’ (relatively) calm melodicism. BW

BEN FROST *** Catastrophic Deliquescence (Music From Fortitude 2015-2018) (Mute) Dark: Cycle 1 & Cycle 2 (Music From The Netflix Original Series) (Invada) The biggest export from Australia since Uggs and boomerangs is Iceland-based composer Ben Frost. His work spans video games, film and television, and straddles genres from ambient to noise. The work on these two soundtrack albums is varied in tone, comprising of droning synths, dark ambience, loops and sounds of unknown origin.

There is often a dreamlike and ominous nature to his music but the impact can get lessened with a whole album’s worth of material.

Listening while watching the shows that Frost soundtracks is recommended. GM

BEN WATT **** Storm Damage (Unmade Road) As well as drawing inspiration from harrowing events in his personal life and the divisive political mess we currently endure, for his fourth album, Ben Watt has made use of audio sounds from Freesound and kept things unique by using a single polyphonic analogue synth.

Storm Damage as a whole sounds like John Lennon’s Imagine album, if Lennon had sought production assistance from Brian Eno instead of Phil Spector. Storm Damage is moving, galvanising and Watt’s finest album yet. DN

BLOOD INCANTATION **** Hidden History Of The Human Race (Century Media) Death metal being stuffed floor to ceiling with massive nerds, the genre has often embraced sci-fi and prog rock tropes, but Denver deviants Blood Incantation are about as good as it gets nowadays should you wish those things to intersect. Hidden History Of The Human Race, their second album, comprises three mid-length frazzlers with almost dreamily clean passages amidst the brutality, and an 18-minute suite with an amusingly long title that travels through time in a very musclebound way. NG

CATTLE & CANE **** Navigator (Believe) Earning plaudits from a host of artists and outlets, the Teesidebased duo seem to have hit their stride since a well-received 2015 debut.

Navigator finds siblings Helen and Joe Hammill commanding the kind of radio-friendly fare that has proved ubiquitous over the last decade, with sax-spliced Lonely Room and Leave The Light On’s sugar-coated finesse radiating amidst a series of breezy folk-pop numbers. Neatly orientating through quasi-yacht-rock gleam, this third album stands as the outfit’s most robust to date. CHP

THE FLAMING LIPS **** The Soft Bulletin: Live at Red Rocks (Bella Union) To commemorate the 20th anniversary of their classic The Soft Bulletin, The Flaming Lips have released this live recording from 2016, where the album was performed in full with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra gives the album a more epic, cinematic scope than it had originally, making for a worthwhile listen for fans of the original. Although nothing beats seeing them in person, this album does its best to capture the experience. ML

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GALCHER LUSTWERK ***

POP.1280 *****

VARIOUS ***

ZINC BUKOWSKI *****

Information (Ghostly International)

Way Station (Weyrd Son)

Galcher Lustwerk is the latest electronic maverick to find a home on the fine Ghostly International label. And on his third album (and first for Ghostly), the New York via Cleveland producer is in full late-night hip-house mode.

In less skilled hands, Information’s stream of conscious half-rap vocals and ever-so-tasteful beats to study/relax to could drift into plodding lo-fi house. Yet there are enough ideas, oddball lyrics, and technique on show here to lift this to somewhere pretty good. SE

Further Perspectives & Distortion (Cherry Red)

Care For This...? (Red Sun Sounds)

Pop.1280’s approach to blending industrial dance and punk is heavy-handed as usual on Way Station, but less prevalent than on earlier albums; most of the contrast on this project comes from lush instrumentation clashing against Chris Bug’s impassioned vocals. While tracks like Empathetics still heavily rely on noise, they’re few and far between, with the band seemingly taking a different approach than on their skeletal last album. Their fifth project trades raw intensity for listenability, but still retains the same unsettling qualities. AP

HEAD NOISE *** Über-Fantastique (self-released)

SILENT FORUM *****

So after 14 tracks of primitive keyboards and shouting we get a gorgeous woozy synth outro that sounds like Emeralds or something?

‘Slightly maddening’ could be the M.O. of Head Noise, the Aberdare band that rattle like a Hypervalue Devo and bark vocals along the Eddie Argos shade of ‘divisive’. They’re also oddly lovable fuckers on this debut full-length, crushing on junk sci-fi culture, maladroit but quotable lyrics (“your face resembles Guernica / covered in blueberry jam”) and a moxie worth a tonne of local guitar plodders. WS

Everything Solved At Once (Libertino)

INANNA MEETS THE DAWN **** The Goddess And The Alphabet (Later) This Cardiff collective are led by Reb May and Kate Wood, who share vocal and songwriting duties.

Using modern and classical instruments, the hypnotic group take you into the elements of air, earth, fire and water, emphasising nature, the loss of female contributions, experiences and perspectives throughout history, along with themes of rebirth and renewal. The single The Rise opens the debut EP and introduces us to Inanna, the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and abundance. RLR

KEYS **** Bring Me The Head Of Jerry Garcia (Libertino) Keys consistently prove themselves capable of writing enduring music.

This latest offering delivers mellow psych and gutsy hard rock in equal measure, recorded live in a disused cinema in Neath with the aim of harnessing the energy of the band and venturing into uncharted territory musically. Highlights include You Wear The Loveliest Gowns which will push and pull you about (in the loveliest way), the effortless cool of Black And White and the stirring harmonies on Broken Bones. CPI

Music to get excited by! Silent Forum come charging out of Cardiff (via London) with a glint in their eye and a sound that conjures so many classic and fresh styles.

Produced by the much-lauded Charlie Francis, previously released singles Robot, How I Faked The Moon Landing and Safety In Numbers start the album off with a punchy post-punky jolt and it never lets up. You need to see SF live not just for Richard Wiggins’ Ian Curtis-esque dancing, too. JE

THROBBING GRISTLE ***** Part Two: The Endless Not / TG Now / A Souvenir Of Camber Sands (Mute)

In 2004, 23 years after Throbbing Gristle had first decided to disband, Genesis P Orridge, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Chris Carter and Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson decided to make some more music. The most recent phase of TG’s reissue series covers this reformation period between 2004 and 2007, including the initial four-song EP TG Now, 2007’s Part Two: The Endless Not and a special live recording of their performance at ATP’s 2004 Nightmare Before Christmas. TG’s transgressive approach to writing is brilliantly displayed across Part Two, offering an accomplished reprisal of their discordant, confrontational sound that made them one of Britain’s most powerfully influential and important bands. Genesis’ voice, often muffled beyond recognition in the early days of TG, is spotlighted on a number of tracks with horrific clarity. A Souvenir Of Camber Sands recalls the raw energy of a live TG performance with a set that is both taut and industrious. Aesthetically focused, all three releases are available on clear vinyl. JW

The 58 songs on Cherry Red’s latest multi-disc miracle of licensing are in perfect alphabetical order: you’ve heard of “everything from Abba to ZZ Top”, this gamut runs from Alterations to Zos Kia (respectively, out-jazz blare and an early version of Coil - some sleevenotes detailing this sorta thing would’ve been useful).

Uh huh, so what’s the hook? It’s kinda hard to explain with clarity, but weird/noisy stuff that was happening in the UK contemporaneously with punk, 1976-84 being the chosen parameters, sometimes claiming connections to it but not sounding like it, at least as it’s commonly understood. The alphabetising gambit nods, I daresay, to there being no real sonic thread across these three discs, which harbour industrial, postpunk, prog, bedroom electronica, UKDIY, free jazz, free improv, poetry, noise, modern classical and complete silence. The latter taken from a record titled The Compassion And Humanity Of Margaret Thatcher. Arf ARF! NG

VARIOUS ***** Mogadisco – Dancing Mogadishu 1972-1991 (Analog Africa) Worth the entry fee for the liner notes alone, and their tales of old colonels protecting dusted-over tape piles from intruders with grenades, Analog Africa continue their sterling work with this motherlode of funk and disco chops from Somalia’s capital. It’s brill, obviously, moving from sinuous, squelchy keyboard-aided torch songs (Dur Dur Band) to tempo-shrugging big band spy flick wigouts (Bakaka Band), detouring into some charming lo-fi wonkiness, and at least two occasions where things get exceedingly frisky. Give these cats a medal. WS

YANN TIERSEN **** Portrait (Mute) Tiersen, soundtracker to whimsical romance Amelie, has re-recorded 22 tunes from his near-25-year career and created three newies.

The piano repetitions of The Long Road, Porz Goret and La Dispute are beautiful in their simplicity and familiarity, while the shift in momentum that ushers in strings, accordion and vocals on Rue Des Cascades delights. Monochrome, with Gruff Rhys, could have been an outpost of Babel; Blonde Redhead adorn Closer and Diouz An Noz, Pell and Erc H are lavish, with wife Claire and Olavur Jakupsson singing. CS

Pontypridd three-piece Zinc Bukowski play noise-rock, synth-rock, space-rock with an element of goth. Drums, particularly on Zero Sum Game, are reminiscent of Bauhaus and vocals have a touch of The Oppressed about them. This LP (available on limited edition red and black vinyl) reminds the listener that indie music doesn’t have to be sanitized and marginal. There’s a purity and a depth to their sound that gives them an edge. Care For This...? Yes I do. LN

demos TARION jayryan000@gmail.com “Original songs with Latin rhythms,” says Tarion’s Facebook description thingy, which I guess might check out if you listen hard (the Latin bit, I mean) but comes off more like a disco/postpunk spin on the poppiest end of new wave. Or a DIY Bananarama, or something.

They’re four women from Abergavenny and when they title a song Doo-Doo Ganga it’s because it has backing vocals that go “doodoo”, which is quite wholesome really, as is this seven-song CD they posted me. NG

SLANTING CURRENTS infinityformsofyellowremember. bandcamp.com No, that URL hasn’t been pasted in by mistake for what would be Buzz’s first ever production error – the debut recordings by Slanting Currents, aka Owen Griffleson, are hosted on the Bandcamp page of Cardiff psych band Infinity Forms Of Yellow Remember because he’s their guitar player. These recordings, a sixsong EP titled Aberogwr, are lo-fi instrumental zongouts assembled from treated guitar and minimal, blurry electronics, recorded at home.

Get a Silver Apples vibe for lengthy drifts, and the last track is all bird calls and dictaphone burble. NG

HAELON facebook.com/haelon17 Reviewing this precisely four months late, another CD that fell down the back of the sofa (figurative – literal sofas are also available) but, on dipping into its four songs, not bad.

Haelon are from the Rhondda and play ethereal indie-folk, loosely akin to The Sundays or early Cranberries, with nods to psychedelia (swirly organ on Who We Are; spacey FX introducing Pais Dinogad and vocalist Zoe very upfront in the mix. The backing vocals on Hymn 9 also reminded me of Earth Song by Michael Jackson, though I doubt intentionally. NG

BUZZ 41

music news EXTRA

Swansea music venue, recording studio and homeless sanctuary Creature Sound is set to close in December, the latest victim of landlords wishing to sell to developers.

Having opened in 2017 – benefitting, ironically, from the closure of another small venue, Swansea’s Monkey Bar, who sold them equipment – business owners Kaz and Allen Chambers have made it a popular draw for rock gigs and club nights alike. An attempt in autumn to save the venue by turning it into a community-run operation via a share scheme didn’t get sufficient interest; at press time, various fundraiser events and collection buckets are making a final push, but it’s unclear if the venue will still exist by the time Buzz next publishes an issue Immersed In The City was a unexpected highlight of the gig landscape last December, in that it was headlined at late notice by Libertines frontman and recent person of interest to Paris’ gendarmerie, Pete Doherty. The alldayer, in Cardiff’s Tramshed, raised money for Teenage Cancer Trust, which is obviously what it’s all about, and the organisers – USW Popular & Commercial Music students at the University Of South Wales – are back in the same venue on Thurs 30 Jan with a second edition. “An array of potential major artists [is] already being whispered,” whispers their press release; so far, locally drawn names confirmed include Nightlives, Al Moses and Clwb Fuzz Having been listed as ‘one to watch’ for 2019 in Buzz’s last Christmas issue, Cardiff band Private World were indeed watched by dauntingly fashionable American label Dais Records, who recently released an introductory digital single, On The Run, ahead of a debut album to be released some time in 2020. A core duo of Harry Jowett and Tom

Sanders, expanded to a larger band for live performances, Private World’s synth-heavy spin on 1980s art-pop is more ear-friendly than much of Dais’ noisy industrial output, but it’s also some of the more promising sound to have gestated in south Wales of late, so hopefully this linkup should be the impetus for a fruitful year ahead There are now as many subjects covered in podcast form as there are stars in the sky, but few if any about Welsh music specifically, which makes the title of The Welsh Music Podcast eminently reasonable. This new contender, devised and presented by Neil Collins and James Cuff, is a weekly affair, two episodes old at the time of writing, and its premise is to feature guests, notable in relation to the titular subject, who’ll talk a bit about themselves and a bit about their favourite album from Wales. So far, they’ve had the South Wales Echo’s David Owens, whose album of choice is The Big 3 by 60ft Dolls, and poet/occasional musician Patrick Jones, who plumps for The Alarm’s Declaration Welsh electronic music’s diverse leftfield has yielded a small crop of new, worthwhile releases, so here’s a roundup of them. Kyam, aka drum’n’bass producer Matthew Strangis, in fact has two: a 12” on the Subtle Audio label plus an EP, Residual, exploring his more soundscapey side. Cardiff duo Larch [pictured] release their second cassette of abstract electronics, The World Is Dangerous; Go Outside, while the debut tape by Beauty Parlour, on Bristol imprint Ceramics, combines hazy ambient, spoken word and themes specific to the south Wales valleys. Finally, west Wales’ Petwo Evans, a duo of Jake Williams and Red Snapper’s Rich Thair, return with three tracks of rickety, quasi-industrial techno, Petrax 03

ONES TO WATCH...

HUMAN HEAD

The man behind the Human Head moniker, one Joshua Jones, is a Llanelli native who currently lives in Bristol. There are rules, you understand, about whether artists resident outside the region Buzz covers qualify for this section, but they are basically made up on the hoof. Jones, and his new five-song EP Sorry, I Wasn’t Listening, passes muster because it’s steeped, vocally and thematically, in his Carmarthenshire upbringing.

Previously, Jones performed and recorded under his own name, styling himself as a poet and spoken word artist. Listing his influences as Joyce, Beckett, Jarvis Cocker, Dylan Thomas and south Wales, pursuit of further education took him from the latter to Southampton University, where he released two EPs during 2017. Then, as the story goes, he graduated without any plans for the future, moved back to Llanelli and wallowed in a funk that fuelled his latest release.

Setting his words to music for the first time, Sorry, I Wasn’t Listening was recorded with Thom Weeks, previously a member of popular Brighton band Gnarwolves. Weeks’ supply of crashing post-hardcoreish guitars on Real Time and Look Shocked are fairly on-brand; his deployment of hip-hop and electro textures on No-One Lives Here Yet and Intruders is more surprising, but works well with Jones’ words, softly spoken but lacerating. Released by the Beth Shalom label, this EP marks Human Head out as a project with a compelling outlook wherever it sets its base. facebook.com/humanheadhumanhead BUZZ 42

one louder

THERE’S a general election this month, and for more info on it, read another publication. But first, here is my commemorative rundown of POLLING DAY GIG MEMORIES! Queens Of The Stone Age, Newport Centre, Thurs 7 June 2001: this was when QOTSA were still good, and very on-trend to boot, so naturally south Wales rewarded them with a turnout that made the 59.4% who apparently voted that day look impressive in comparison. Nevertheless, they were tight, had the mighty Goatsnake as their opening band and the pisspoor King Adora as main support, during whom everyone went to the bar. In the election, meanwhile, absolutely nothing of interest happened.

Virus Syndicate, Toucan Club, Thurs 5 June 2005: I was involved in putting this on with a bunch of pals, and just as well because it absolutely tanked. Our keenness to do what I think was the first dubstep night in Cardiff, with sets from Virus Syndicate’s DJ Mark One and the later-to-be-big Pinch, was all well and good, but we weren’t club promoters and most of the potential audience for this didn’t know we existed. VS, who drove down from Manchester to play and straight back again, were great nevertheless. In the election, meanwhile, absolutely nothing of interest happened.

Damon & Naomi, Cardiff Arts Institute, Thurs 6 May 2010: Damon & Naomi are minor royalty for fans of old-skool American shoegazey indie, so this being a free entry gig was quite the coup. Or so one might have thought before rocking up here in the company of a couple of dozen other punters. What ingrates live among us! Don’t remember much about their set, to be fair: a low-key one with people slouching on cushions, I think. In the election, meanwhile, parliament was hung like a quirky decoration on the wall of this long-gone venue, yet it would be wrong to say that the Lib Dems atomised their integrity by climbing into the Tories’ van of puppies for a crumb of governmental power. Wrong, because that happened a few days later, not on the night.

Moss, Moon Club, Thurs 7 May 2015: first ever south Wales date (I think) for respected UK doom metal band garnered – wait for it – a handful of punters.

Seem to recall Moss missing a bassist, for some reason, but they were decent enough and said “fuck the Tories” to conclude their set. In the election, meanwhile, the UK did not concur with Moss.

Gnod, The Moon, Thurs 8 June 2017: the venue’s operations having moved downstairs two years hence, these Salfordian noiserock polemicists squeezed onto its pokey stage and made a great racket. What’s more, the attendance was not shite, perhaps even ‘quite good’. In the election, meanwhile, a combination of events occurred which caused me to wake up on my friend’s sofa an hour after I was supposed to be in work.

Daresay I’ll be at Man Forever, previewed on the Music page, come Dec 12. Before that, there’s BODYVICE (Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, Sat 7), and SPECTRAL VOICE (Fuel, Tue 10). After, a Popty-Ping Records Christmas party (Le Public Space, Newport, Sat 14), MACHIAVELLIAN ART and HAQ123 (Moon, Fri 10 Jan), THE BELLRAYS (Le Public Space, Fri 17 Jan) and the second Volume Forever Alldayer with ITALIA 90 and many more (Moon, Sat 25 Jan). Or possibly total nuclear annihilation. NOEL GARDNER

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books

BOOK OF THE MONTH

A DISH BEST SERVED COLD Chris Kinsey (Candy Jar)

Though judging a book by its cover (or title) is famously frowned upon, one expects a plot riddled with cliché after reading the title of Chris Kinsey’s debut. Perhaps this is a disservice when considering how unique the story is, drawn in part from horrifying reallife experience. But this writer is inclined to say it’s simply what makes this even more of a whirlwind.

The story kicks off most violently as young Sonny Wilton watches his father brutally stab his mother to death – an autobiographical detail. But unlike Kinsey’s tragic story of being passed around the social care system and his father’s early release for a ‘crime of passion’, Sonny’s father dies and he goes to live with his doting grandparents enjoying what seems like a happy life, albeit dysfunctional on account of the drugs, crime and his grandfather Alf being the head of a small-scale Welsh mafia.

But nothing stays sunny for Sonny, and a drug-dealing thug decides Alf’s reign is over.

Sonny flees, but things go wrong from the moment he falls asleep on the train from Cardiff to Birmingham. Enter Patch: an ex-military man with a big heart and the belief that revenge is a dish best served piping hot. What follows is fast-paced and gruesome, but heart-rending: a story of loss and hatred, but also love, trust and kindness. Published

by Cardiff’s Candy Jar, the story is distinctly Welsh and set largely in Mynydd Du to the backdrop of the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons.

MEGAN THOMAS Price: £8.99. Info: www.candy-jar.co.uk

THE IRON CHARIOT Stein Riverton (Lightning Books) Originally published in 1909, this crime classic receives an English reprint after being voted the greatest Norwegian crime novel of all time in its home country in 2017. Lauded as the “founder of the modern Norwegian crime novel” by Jo Nesbo, author Stein Riverton’s short book retains a nightmarish quality as the idiosyncratic detective Asbjorn Krag investigates a series of deaths on a tranquil bathing resort against a menacing backdrop of local myths, fading summer and ghostly terror. Although a little dated – the book’s narrative style comes across rather twee, especially when compared to today’s crime novels and modern Nordic noir – The Iron Chariot is nonetheless taut with tension and paranoia, a paradise disturbed by the most brutal of acts. RON Price: £8.99. Info: www.lightning-books.com

THE ANOINTED Michael Arditti (Arcadia) Based on the biblical narrative of King David, this novel gives a unique take on the story by giving a voice to the King’s wives, Michal, Abigail and Bathsheba. Their perspectives highlight conflicts of gender and faith in a fascinating way, showing the complexity of these characters when even they believe their only purpose is to serve the King. It is clear that Arditti has researched extensively into this story, depicting shocking moments of rape and death in a way that shows truth to religious and historical power. Something about the way the wives look after one another is comforting, as their relationships seem to be the only things they have control over. You will need to be concentrating to follow all the names of the various characters, but this is certainly an interesting and compelling read. SB Price: £16.99. Info: www.arcadiabooks.co.uk BUZZ 44

JANIS: HER LIFE AND MUSIC Holly George-Warren (Simon & Schuster) Holly George-Warren paints a finely crafted portrait of a life remembered in psychedelic technicolour for this outstanding biography of Janis Joplin.

Eschewing myth and fiction, the reader is gifted a well-researched insight into Joplin’s journey from conservative Texan oil-town to beatnik superstar of the Summer Of Love.

Incorporating extracts of correspondence between the singer and her family, the revelatory anecdotes of confidantes and assorted love-letters, {Janis: Her Life And Music} challenges the image of Janis Joplin as simple freewheeler, a hippie indifferent to her conservative roots. On the contrary, the singer is found to be a vulnerable character who, despite attaining her much-desired stardom, suffered from her unconquerable kozmic blues. JW Price: £20. Info: www.janisjoplin.com/book THE GERMAN HOUSE Annette Hess, trans.

Elisabeth Lauffer (HarperCollins) A tale of lies, love and deception, Annette Hess’s internationally bestselling novel is set over the course of the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials of 1963. The story follows Eva, who is looking to settle down with a suitor, until she is called to work as a translator during a trial. The Frankfurt Trials reveal many wartime secrets, including some relating to Eva’s own family, which were perhaps better left undiscovered. The narrative switches between the past to the present, and at times felt slightly disjointed, and might’ve been avoided had the book been structured differently. But overall, this is a comprehensive translation full of character, and a novel with a politically charged backdrop and illustrating the impact this time in history continues to have over people’s lives decades later. RH Price: £12.99. Info: www.harpercollins.co.uk

SARAH JANE James Sallis (No Exit Press) Dubbed “an unsung hero of crime writing”, James Sallis never fails to satisfy. Sarah Jane Pullman floats around rural America after a court-ordered stint in the army. Her sojourn began when she ran away from the chicken farm where she was raised. When Sarah Jane leaves the military after a final tour of duty in a far-off unnamed desert, where her truck was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade killing two of her buddies, she moves from town to town, man to unsuitable man, until she ends up a sheriff looking into the mysterious life and death of her predecessor. This short but far from sweet novel announces Sallis as one of America’s top crime writers, adding another feather to a cap already weighed down with enough to start a chicken farm of his own. MTi Price: £8.99. Info: www.noexit.co.uk

TRAILING CLOUDS OF GLORY Nick Burnell (Y Lolfa) As Welsh football fans, we’ve had our fair share of suffering over the years – boy, have we. Indeed, a lot of the loyal Welsh following would still hang Joe Jordan given the chance, but then there were the glorious heroics of Euro 2016 that galvanized a nation.

Before all that are the forgotten heroes of Euro 1976, where we not only qualified for the tournament, but reached the quarter-finals – granted, the tournament was a lot smaller then. Author Nick Burnell has lovingly gathered together an overlooked part of Welsh football history in this fact-filled and very wellresearched book. Using archive footage and interviews with the people who were there, discover how Mike Smith brought Welsh football into the 20th century and laid the foundations that would stand for years to come. CA Price: £9.99. Info: www.ylolfa.com

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION 2020 will be upon us soon and lots of New Year’s Resolutions will be made and broken. How about making some that matter – and can be kept? Buzz has some ideas for you.

Monitor your carbon footprint

Shop Local

Start the year by taking this five-minute surgery that will give you some insights into how your current lifestyle affects the planet. footprint.wwf.org.uk

Pic: Nadya Spetnitskaya

Cook from scratch

Ditch your usual processed dinners, which will be full of additives and overpackaged, and start cooking from scratch. This will save you money in the long term, keep you healthier and be kinder to the planet. Cooking classes can be fun and will teach some cooking hacks too. abergavennybaker.co.uk

Buy handmade bespoke jewellery all made in their own workshop in Monmouth by Gill and Alan Saunders.

Beautiful designs, Welsh sourced and produced unique individual pieces and stunning collections. www.ateliergilmar.com

Less is more

Mass produced cheap meat is not only unhealthy but is incredibly bad for producing greenhouse gasses and deforestation. Buy better quality, local meat less often, from independent butchers or farmers’ markets. www.riversidemarket.org.uk

Hang your laundry to dry

Bring your own water bottle

Avoid spin dryers, which use lots of energy; hanging your washing on the line is the perfect way to dry it. If you’re not lucky enough to have an outside space, a heated clothes airer will make fast work of your laundry.

Status Portable Clothes Airer – £44.99 www.amazon.co.uk

A stitch in time…

Let’s face it, we need clothes, especially in Wales! Fast fashion is a major contributor of pollution. Buy better quality clothing/footwear and, when they wear out in places, either repair them DIY or hit up a repair company.

Jalo & Stitch, Cardiff 029 2023 3520

Pic: Juan Jose Porta

It’s common knowledge that single-use drinking vessels are a major contributor to the sea’s plastic pollution – but they’re so convenient, aren’t they? Make 2020 the year you get yourself a keep cup/bottle.

Rhis Camelbak insulated bottle is designed to keep hot drinks that way for six hours and cold for 24.

Camelbak Chute Water Bottle – £52.11 www.amazon.co.uk

Keep your tech

While we’ve become accustomed to having the latest tech in our pockets, not only are they incredibly expensive but they create a lot of environmental damage.

Fairphone 3 (handset only) – £420 www.fairphone.com/en/

BUZZ 45

WALES ALES

News, views and reviews on Welsh brews from Neil Goodman

W A S T E N O T, W A N T N O T AT CHRISTMAS TIME The holiday season is perhaps the hardest time of year to maintain a zero-waste kitchen. But don’t worry, as Tonicha Luffman has compiled some easy, adaptable recipes for using up those Christmas dinner leftovers.

SIMPLE TURKEY CURRY Heat some vegetable oil in a saucepan on a medium heat and cook some onions and garlic for a few minutes. Add a can of chopped tomatoes, curry powder and cook for 5 minutes. Add the leftover turkey and mix. Then pour in 250ml of water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a low heat. Serve with boiled basmati rice.

BASIC PLOUGHMAN’S LUNCH A ploughman’s lunch is an idea that not many people would have thought of, but it’s delicious. Leftover turkey is perfect for a ploughman’s lunch because the beauty of it is you can have whatever you like on it. Place your leftover cold turkey or any other meat you had on your Christmas lunch on a plate.

Add some bread, cheese, pickled onions, boiled eggs, salad, literally whatever you want, and enjoy. It’s as simple as that. It’s your traditional ploughman’s lunch, with a Christmas twist!

SPROUT AND TURKEY SKEWERS This is something that the kids will love and it’s fun to make. Find the largest wooden skewer you can find, and simply place pieces of your leftover turkey onto the skewer along with your leftover vegetables.

Add sprouts and a couple of peppers, if you want, and repeat until the skewer is full.

BUZZ 46

BOXING DAY PIE Heat a little vegetable oil in a large saucepan and add in your leftover vegetables. Sprinkle in some flour, add in vegetable stock and stir. Bring to a simmer then add in some leftover turkey and cranberries. Pour your mixture into a baking dish.

If you want to speed things up, you can add readymade puff pastry and place that on top of the pie.

Brush the puff pastry with some egg wash and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes (gas mark 4/180˚C) until golden brown.

ROASTED VEG FRITTATA Versatile and satisfying, a frittata is a great way to use up your leftover roast potatoes, squash, sprouts, carrots, or really any roasted vegetables left untouched. Not bad as a hangover cure either! Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry a finely sliced onion until soft and slightly brown. Then add 500g of leftover mixed roasted vegetables, chopped into small chunks, and distribute evenly around the pan.

Season well with salt and black pepper. Next, add 3 lightly beaten eggs, turn the heat down low and cook until the egg is just set. Serve immediately with a little chopped parsley.

It’s the most wonderful time for a beer! From Santa Paws to X-Moose, it’s not Christmas without a Winter Warmer. Wales is producing some quality beers right now – and that includes the festive brews too.

This month I decided to look at one of the finest festive tipples: Santa’s Little Belter, from Glamorgan Brewery in Llantrisant. For the first time, Santa’s Little Belter is available in bottles due to overwhelming public demand – the cask ale is the number one selling Welsh Christmas Ale. Starting with the label, it’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into the design and it looks stunning. I particularly liked the styling of the label paying homage to Glamorgan’s beginnings. Before the move to Llantrisant, this brewery started life as Kite Brewery in Gorlas, and the kite can still be seen on all their beer clips and bottles; this one shows it pulling Santa’s sleigh, no less.

Coming in at a seasonable 4.4% abv, the beer is dark ruby red in colour and looks the very essence of what you’d expect from a winter beer, with a wonderful festive aroma. Rich and full-bodied, this is a very well-balanced beer. In an industry obsessed with hops, this focuses on the malts, which gives a nice malty biscuit flavour combined with fruity berry notes and dark chocolate in the aftertaste. If you’ve been bombarded with Christmas songs and the usual retail overkill, this yuletide treat may just put you in the festive mood – after all, ‘tis the season to be merry!

Santa’s Little Belter is available in 500ml bottles – separately or as part of the Wales Ales 12 Beers Of Christmas Pack, available at www.walesales.com or direct from the Glamorgan Brewery Shop – and in cask at numerous pubs throughout south Wales.

OF THE BEST CHRISTMAS MENUS If the idea of cooking Christmas dinner sounds like your worst nightmare, Elin Evans has compiled a list of restaurants across south Wales (with varying price points) serving the most interesting menus over the festive season.

CHICKEN, PANCETTA AND SAGE PASTA

THE POD

Chicken and sage are perfect partners, while the pancetta gives a juicy, salty kick. You could also use leftover turkey in place of the chicken, as it’s always useful to have leftover turkey recipes to hand at this time of year!

The vibrant riverside setting and finger-food The Pod is known for might not make it the obvious choice for a Christmas dinner, but they’ll be serving up all the traditional favourites with a bit of a twist. Plus, with live music and a huge range of gin, cocktails or mocktails there’s something to help everyone get a little bit merry.

Rodney Road, Newport. 01633 535440 / www.thepodnewport.com

TRUFFLE

Truffle’s three-course Christmas menu also includes turkey with all the trimmings, as well as some other less traditional (but equally decadent) dishes using local ingredients to suit veggies, vegans and carnivores alike. When it comes to drinks, Truffle has a ‘bring your own’ policy that means you bring your favourite wines or beers along with you. The restaurant itself is a beautiful space which manages to feel cosy without being cramped.

1A King Edward’s Rd, Swansea. 01792 547246 / www.truffleswansea.com

THE IVY

If anywhere knows how to do glitz and glamour properly, it’s The Ivy. The new branch will be opening during the festive season to give the people of Cardiff a feast for the stomach and the eyes. Their menu promises all the classics, and while options are limited (and not particularly vegan-friendly), at £58 per person it will be a case of quality over quantity.

43 The Hayes, Cardiff. 029 2233 8940 / www.theivycardiff.com

COBBLES

The idyllic setting and cosy atmosphere of Cobbles is perhaps the ultimate combination for feeling like a character in a Richard Curtis movie. The Christmas menu is small but mighty, packed with local sourced ingredients and attention to detail which ensures that every dish feels a little bit special. While you’re there, the little gift shop is full of locally made products which would make the perfect Secret Santa.

Ty Maen Farm Buildings, Ogmore-By-Sea. 01656 646361 / www.cobbleskitchen.co.uk

THE OLD HOUSE 1147

This charming inn – a Grade II listed building in the village of Llangynwyd, just south of Maesteg – used to serve standard pub grub before it was newly renovated. Now, it offers a more refined selection and some superb specials. Plus, stunning countryside views from its main dining room make it feel special. For its Christmas party menu (£40pp), there’s a focus on local Welsh produce in the starters of Penclawdd cockles with crispy Carmarthen ham or Welsh goats cheese tart, as well as their Welsh cake cheesecake for dessert.

Llangynwyd, Maesteg. 01656 336033 / www.theoldhouse1147.co.uk

Words Alison Powell

INGREDIENTS Serves 2 • 150-200g dried pasta shells/conchiglie (a thick creamy sauce works well with this shape of pasta) • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed • 300ml crème fraîche • 2 heaped tsps of dried sage • Around 200g leftover roast chicken, chopped into chunks • Around 80g pancetta • A good grind of black pepper and a pinch of salt

HOW TO 1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.

2. Heat the olive oil gently in a frying pan and soften the crushed garlic and chopped onion over a low heat. This’ll take 5-6 minutes, by which time the water should be near to boiling.

3. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. In the frying pan, add the pancetta, turning the heat up to medium.

4. Once the pancetta starts to brown at the edges, add the chopped chicken and the sage.

5. Stir the chicken and sage gently. You need to ensure that the meat is fully reheated. (Note: roast chicken should only ever be reheated once!)

6. Add the crème fraîche, a good grind of black pepper and a pinch of salt – go steady though, as the pancetta is quite salty. Mix and allow it to simmer until the pasta has finished cooking, which should take about 10-12 minutes altogether.

7. Drain the pasta (reserving some of the water) and then tumble into the sauce, stirring it gently to ensure it’s all covered. If the sauce is too thick, loosen with a little pasta water.

8. Serve on its own, or with a chunk of garlic bread, or a lovely green salad.

@ASPwriter BUZZ 47

Pic: Christiann Koepke

DECEMBER/JANUARY FOODIE FOCUS ’Tis the season to be hungry!

Elouise Hobbs has a list (and she’s checking it twice) of the foodie festivities happening across south Wales this Christmas.

Fermented Food Workshop, The Swansea Wellbeing Centre, Sun 1 Dec The Christmas period is usually one of excess and overindulgence, so this course on the basics of fermenting food is the perfect opportunity to counteract some of that festive food-related guilt. Run by Aoife and Jon, the cofounders of Gut Instinct, the course will guide participants through all techniques needed to start fermenting for yourself. There will be opportunities to get hands-on and everything from airtight containers to vegetables and spices will be provided to ensure that you are able to make a delicious treat to take home. For lunch, there will be a fermented feast, including sauerkraut, fermented vegetables, hot sauce and nut cheese, alongside sourdough bread. Hot and fermented drinks like kefir and kombucha will also be available to try.

Tickets: £55. Info: www.eventbrite.co.uk Wild Nights Charity Palestinian Supper, Wild Thing, Cardiff, Fri 6 Dec If you’re tired of roast dinners and looking for something to excite your tastebuds, this evening event might be for you. Comprising a three-course vegan feast celebrating the food of Palestine, guests can expect to enjoy traditional foods such as tabbouleh (a herby bulgur salad), pumpkin kibbeh (traditional croquettes) and, for dessert, mhalabiyeh (milk pudding – coconut milk in this case – with cranberries).

The event is also supporting charity SkatePal, which supports young people in Palestine through skateboarding.

Tickets: £30. Info: www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Christmas At The Castle – Witches And Wizards Afternoon Tea, St Donat’s Castle, nr Llantwit Major, Sun 15 Dec Do you believe in magic? Well, this mystical event might convince even the toughest of sceptics. Beginning with afternoon tea, guests can expect to enjoy spellbinding sandwiches, bewitching treats and devilish cakes, all served in the wondrous setting of the 12th-century Great Dining Hall in St Donat’s Castle. This is followed by a screening of a magical film in the Tythe Barn cinema, included in the ticket price.

Tickets: £22.95/£15.95 kids.

Info: www.eventbrite.co.uk Hive Dine | Noël, Y Stordy, Roath, Cardiff, Sat 21 Dec Hive, a pop-up restaurant which has gained acclaim for their unique take on slow, seasonal dining, are returning to Y Stordy for their special Christmas event. Focusing on artisanal food from specialist and local producers, diners can expect to enjoy pairings such as Medjool dates with Welsh bacon and Welsh winter truffle with Grana Padano. While most of the menu is being kept secret until the night, Hive will be working with local brands like The Bottle Shop, Pettigrew Bakery and Blaencamel Farm, plus there’s seasonal pintxos, mulled gins and live music around a candlelit tree.

Tickets: £20. Info: www.eventbrite.co.uk

CHRIS HARROD TO TAKE OVER THE WHITEBROOK

After purchasing Monmouthshire restaurantwith-rooms The Whitebrook in October 2013 and earning his first Michelin star less than a year later, finally, Harrod has managed to secure its freehold. An exciting time for all, he has huge plans, including adding bedrooms, a dog-friendly room, and expansion on the restaurant and improved accommodation opportunities for staff. Harrod has become a renowned figure in Welsh cuisine since his appearance on Great British Menu, getting The Whitebrook to number 38 in the Good Food Guide top 50 UK restaurants. Even more incentive for a special weekend getaway.

Info: 01600 860254 / www.thewhitebrook.co.uk

THE IVY CARDIFF

After the demise of Jamie’s Italian, in its place is now a pristine art-deco restaurant. The Ivy – made famous by its lavish reputation as the place-to-be in London since 1917 before becoming a chain – now has Cardiff in its thorny clutches. It serves classic British food, some international “Ivy-inspired classics”, and an extensive list of cocktails made with local spirits. For larger groups, there is even the opportunity to hire the spectacular Shearwater Room, equipped with its own waiters and bartenders. It takes its place opposite the Central Library – yet another chain in an area of Cardiff already flooded with them.

Info: 029 2233 8940 / theivycardiff.com

Byddwch yn chwilfrydig Get Curious

Profwch Hive City Legacy, 4.48 Psychosis a mwy dros yr hydref

Experience Hive City Legacy, 4.48 Psychosis and more this autumn

wmc.org.uk/curious

NOOK

587 Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff. twitter.com/nookcdf Food ***** Atmosphere **** If the landlord of the Victoria Park has any decency, they’ll be paying Nook commission. Even on a Monday night, the restaurant’s front-of-house staff are sending a steady stream of people to the pub to wait until a table becomes available.

Nook’s no-booking policy might be the source of frustration for some, but it’s a perfectly reasonable pre-emptive strike against the contemporary scourge of the small restaurant: no-shows. Considering ourselves extremely fortunate to have bagged the last available table (whose wonkiness is immediately corrected by our attentive waiter in time-honoured tradition, with a well-positioned piece of folded cardboard), we marvel at the wall of wine and the fact that there are a further five different natural wines on tap. One melt-in-the-mouth bread roll and one plate of blistered-to-perfection, salted padron peppers later, and we’re ready for the main event.

As always with a small-plate restaurant, the dilemma is not only which dishes to choose but how many. In three of the five we plump for, the leading lights aren’t quite upstaged, but the quality of the supporting cast certainly makes the overall show sing. Spicy harissa mayonnaise gives a trio of arancini some zing; a gooey ball of burrata is brought to life with vibrant chimichurri; Middle White sausages from celebrated rare breed butcher Huntsham Court Farm sit on a rich bean cassoulet. Best of the bunch are the pressed potato – a herby, garlicky but surprisingly non-creamy cousin of dauphinoise – and Nook’s signature staple, tempura battered enoki. I’ve never quite understood people who talk of mushrooms as a meat substitute, but this magnificent specimen is juicy and flavoursome, with the genuine texture of pulled pork.

As befits a menu that simply lists the components of each dish, avoiding pretence and superfluous adjectives, our dessert is not referred to as a deconstructed lemon and ginger cheesecake – though that would be one way to describe it. ‘Lip-smackingly delicious’ would be another.

At around £65 for a meal for two excluding service, Nook isn’t cheap and as such is one for special occasions. But there’s no doubt you get what you pay for. And, after your first visit, you may find your definition of ‘special occasions’ becomes rather more relaxed. BEN WOOLHEAD

WILDFLOWER KITCHEN

72-74 Whitchurch Road, Cardiff. 07713 499131 / facebook.com/wildflowercardiff Food **** Atmosphere **** Discussion, shortly after two very agreeable hot meals at this new latebreakfast-into-early-tea type establishment, turns to the evolution of Whitchurch Road – or, more specifically, how it was virtually uncharted territory for me when I lived just off the adjoining Crwys Road, a very long time ago.

There just didn’t seem to be any reason to venture up there.

Nowadays, it’s arguably the best thoroughfare on which to eat hot food outside the city centre. For a place like Wildflower Kitchen – menu wholesome without being health-fash, nowt bought in apart from bottled drinks, a stated effort at sustainability – this means local competition. The operation is much in its favour, though.

Quiet at midday on a hideous Saturday, but fairly bustling an hour later, Wildflower is a pleasant jumble of randomly sourced chairs, posh floral wallpaper and, in the case of a sideboard in the corner, furniture left behind by the Greek restaurant who departed in the summer (props to my companion for spotting that one). There’s a salad bar at the counter with some nice-looking quiches, equally nice looking cakes just to their right, and a hot menu rendered more appealing today due to aforementioned hideousness.

A vegan, indeed “plant-based”, breakfast consists of avocado, beans, mushrooms, roast tomatoes, potato rosti and toast: the beans and rosti are of paramount interest, on account of having been ‘made’ here so to speak, and are singled out for praise, although £9.25 is maybe a little excessive for what you get. My Welsh rarebit (£7.20) comes with garlic mushrooms (or roast ham if preferred) and coleslaw, and crowns an inch of toast with cheese/mustard/flour alchemy that’s golden in every sense. Sated me for hours, too. A meatier fry-up, halloumi burgers and various sandwiches are also available.

We also enjoy a cappuccino, some sort of cherry cola thing made in Bristol and a chat with Celys, who opened Wildflower Kitchen in late October after three years running The Potting Shed, a cafe within Insole Court in Llandaff. There are plans for the future, as I suppose there are for most new food establishments, but these sound like a tidy combo of ethically decent and competitively appealing. NOEL GARDNER

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Pic: Jez Timms

eco

E C O - F R I E N D LY C H R I S T M A S D E C O R AT I O N S You think you’re dutybound to buy cheap plastic festive garbage?

Well, Emily Edwards is here to tell you you’re not. Get the first rickshaw out of Tinseltown and into Sustainability City with this as a guide.

The festive season has been a time associated with decadence and extravagance, but this isn’t always a good thing. Our environment cannot sustain the pressure of all our waste, especially during the festive period, during which people tend to throw away about 30% more waste than they usually do.

There are many ways we can cut down on the amount of waste we accumulate over the festive season. One way is to reduce plastic waste with our Christmas decorations. We often absent-mindedly discard these items without a thought for what they are doing to our environment. Christmas crackers, for example, often contain a plastic toy gift and are also boxed partly in plastic. These are generally all thrown away after we’ve scoffed our turkey dinner. As an alternative to the traditional cracker, many shops are now offering a recyclable cracker. These are made from eco-friendly materials and generally contain the hat, the snap and a joke or even an eco-message inside! The gifts are made from wood or other recyclable materials, and if you’re envisaging these being expensive, Dunelm are doing 12 recyclable crackers for as little as £3.50.

Alternatively, you could consider making your own: a toilet roll tube wrapped in brown paper or pretty fabric, tied with ribbon and with your own ecofriendly gifts and party hats placed inside. Simple to make, and far more creative.

We can also reduce waste by using eco-friendly decorations: cutting back on plastic in favour of ones made from paper, wood or even edible options can really help. Some clever ideas include dried orange slices, paired with cinnamon and hung with twine, BUZZ 52

sure to bring a real festive aroma to the home. The pinecone reindeer, too, is a novel idea and very simple to make, using things found in the garden.

Edible ideas include sugar charms made from melted sweets, gingerbread bunting (must be eaten within two weeks!) or even a cupcake Christmas tree. Many decorations are now made from recycled or reclaimed materials, or you could buy ‘pre-loved’ (as the modern parlance has it) items. There are always plenty of Christmas Fayres going on around the city during December, with people often selling their decorations, so if you are getting bored with your baubles, don’t rush to buy new ones or throw away what you have – you could always add to your existing collection with some of your own homemade decorations. You could even buy or make a paper Christmas tree – be even more eco-friendly by making one out of an old book!

But if you couldn’t think of Christmas without a real tree, there are ways you can help the environment. You can rent a tree or even buy one which is maintained in the garden. If you dispose of your tree after Christmas, make sure this is done in an environmentally friendly way. Christmas Trees Wales, for example, are based in the Cardiff branch of Ikea, and grow their trees at Wentwood Forest, a nursery in Monmouthshire.

According to their website, “Any trees left over are chipped and converted into compost.”

Christmas trees are good for the environment because they absorb carbon dioxide. Make sure you put them out for collection on your garden waste day at the end of the season – or you can put them in one of the green waste skips found at your local Household Waste Recycling Centres. If you have a

plastic tree, try and reuse it or give it to a friend, family member or a good cause, all options which are much better than throwing it away, where it will merely go into landfill. The best option is a potted tree that can be reused year after year.

DO a bit of research to find a Christmas tree grown in the UK to reduce carbon emissions.

Artificial trees are okay too, as long as you keep them in good nick and reuse them for at least 10 years.

DON’T use cling film to store all your leftovers.

I know that you have 30 roast potatoes you need to cram into the fridge, but you can buy (or make) reusable beeswax wraps to keep them fresh.

DO use twine or string instead of sticky tape when doing your Christmas wrapping. You can take it off and reuse it over and over again!

Plus, it will make whoever is opening the present feel like they’re in A Christmas Carol.

There’s no downside to this!

DON’T use plastic Christmas crackers.

Were you really planning on using that tiny screwdriver set? Christmas dinner will still be amazing without them, I promise.

health

VOLUNTEERING The best gift you can give at Christmas is your time.

For this month’s lesson on mental wellness, Jon Sutton extolls the virtues of volunteering during the season of goodwill.

In the past, I have seen some of my friends fall victim to homelessness on the streets of Cardiff and have subsequently helped to organise a small charity that delivers clothes to the homeless. So, when work opportunities took me to Cape Town last year, I was greeted by an entirely new experience. Our Capetonian cousins have found the antidote to the great lost weekend: volunteering.

For a city steeped in such historic conflict and hatred, today’s Cape Town is leading the way in love and acceptance, by actively helping the homeless. Every Monday evening, tribes of locals gather to help in the city’s many soup kitchens. One bar on the city’s bustling Bree Street – aptly named Love Thy Neighbour – has a ticketing system which guarantees almost 200 homeless people fair entry, while the massive beer garden ensures that everyone gets a seat. And it seems that Cape Town carnival fever is catching.

A 2017 study by John Hopkins University estimated there were around 970 million people currently volunteering around the world, and a study by UK Civil Society Almanac 2019 put the British number at almost 20 million, 12 million of whom do so on a regular basis. And with such high numbers of volunteers comes a staggering financial increase for the UK. The Office Of National Statistics puts the annual value of UK volunteering at a massive £23.8 billion. Many charities simply couldn’t survive without this boost, courtesy of a willing public.

With Christmas around the corner, many will be feeling the anxiety of spending the festive season alone. And whilst there are many ways to boost your own mental wellness outside of volunteering – whether it’s through exercise, diet or social activity – remember that if you choose to volunteer, you’ll be helping someone else out too. For millions of elderly people around the country, a volunteer may be the only person they speak to this Christmas.

And perhaps more concerning, an even greater number of young people are now claiming to feel the dread of loneliness, as December 25th creeps closer. A recent survey by Mind, featured in the Independent, found that one in 10 people aged between 25 and 34 said that they have no-one to spend Christmas with, compared with one in 20 older people.

So, if you’re looking to boost your own mental strength this winter, perhaps it’s worth considering the multitude of volunteering options in your community. You just might end up saving the life of someone you’ve never even met.

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CHARITIES TO HELP OUT THIS CHRISTMAS THE ATTIC PROJECT The Attic Project is a reminiscence project run by VCS Cymru, which supports vulnerable older people by helping them sort through their possessions, clear space and make their home safer to move around in. Sorting through old possessions can also bring back a lot of memories, so volunteers also listen to and record the client’s stories for them. The project wants to make this process as empowering and joyful as possible and, by volunteering, you’ll be helping people feel less lonely at a difficult time of the year and hear some pretty amazing stories while you’re at it.

Info: www.careandrepair.org.uk/en/attic-project CAIS CAIS is a charity which supports people having problems with addictions and mental health by providing services which aim to rehabilitate, get people back into work or education, and to help rebuild a normal and healthy lifestyle. There are loads of different areas where you can help out, which means you could volunteer while also enjoying a hobby you’ve been wanting to make time for – like gardening, or singing in the CAIS One Love Choir.

Info: www.cais.co.uk PASS THE PARCEL The Wallich, Cardiff and Newport Around Christmas, homeless charity The Wallich gets lots of donations, which unfortunately they can’t store. But now, with their Pass The Parcel scheme, you can buy packs online at different price-points, so they can purchase brand new items like toiletries and thermals to give to rough sleepers throughout the year.

If you want to do even more, volunteers can help out at DIY SOS-style days to spruce up their different projects across Wales, become a Breakfast Run volunteer delivering hot food and drinks to rough sleepers, and much more.

Info: www.thewallich.com

Hope Rescue

SALVATION ARMY CHRISTMAS APPEAL Donate new, unwrapped toys and gifts for children who might not otherwise receive a Christmas present. They also offer a suggested gift list for children of all ages, from dolls and teddy bears for those aged three and under to books, makeup and clothes for 13-16-year-olds.

Info: www.salvationarmy.org.uk LATCH’S ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS CARDS Recent studies suggest Christmas cards have had dwindling popularity recently.

The Welsh children’s cancer charity Latch invites people to donate the cost of a pack of Christmas cards, rather than buying them. Their crowdfunding campaign on Facebook has yet to reach its goal, so instead of wasting already disposable paper and cardboard, support a local charity instead.

Info: www.latchwales.org HOPE RESCUE – COSY KENNELS SHOEBOX APPEAL Christmas is the busiest time of year for this animal charity, which saves stray and abandoned dogs in south Wales. Their Cosy Kennels Shoebox Appeal invites people to fill a shoebox full of goodies to give to dogs, including fleecy blankets and towels, tinned dog food, tinned hot dog sausages, meaty or long-lasting treats and tough dog toys and balls. Just drop off your shoebox of goodies to a local branch.

Info: www.hoperescue.org.uk RSPCA – STOCK THE SLEIGH You can help to stock said sleigh so that the RSPCA can continue their work in delivering vital supplies to the thousands of abused, neglected and abandoned animals left out in the cold at Christmas time. Whether it’s blankets, treats, toys, a safe bed or veterinary care, you can donate a sum as you add your chosen gifts to the sleigh online.

Info: www.rspca.org.uk/winterappeal

HOW TO SPOT THE SIGNS

People in active addiction often do all they can to hide it from others.

And, just as we are all different, misuse of substances or other damaging behaviours can affect each individual in different ways.

Common signs may include: changes in physical appearance, which may include weight loss, neglected personal hygiene or skin problems other health issues – addiction can be closely related to other conditions loss of interest in hobbies or pastimes, including spending time with close friends and family a change in sleep habits and patterns becoming secretive, often to hide the problem and its scale or extent dramatic or out of character moodswings financial pressures related to the cost of maintaining an addiction If you are experiencing a problem, or you believe someone close to you may be, then the first step is to talk about the issue and to seek specialist help and support.

Confidential advice is available from your GP, or by contacting the DAN 24/7 helpline on 0808 8082234.

Support with residential rehabilitation may be available from the NHS, depending on your circumstances – or you can contact Parkland Place direct by visiting www.parklandplace.co.uk or calling 01492 203421.

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travel The Bear Hotel

Brynarth Country Guest House

N o Sign Bar

Living-Room Treehouse Experience

Stables Restaurant

COSY PLACES TO VISIT IN WINTERY WALES Whether you’re after a festive day out or a warm winter getaway, Beth Goodwin has the lowdown on where to go.

STABLES RESTAURANT, TENBY

Perhaps no inter-Wales travel piece would be complete without a mention of iconic little Tenby, the town whose reputation precedes it, but so often lives up to expectation. Avoid the summer tourist crowds by heading to the harbour town in deep mid-winter and see a different side to this quaint little place. Stables, rated as one of the best restaurants in town, offers atmospheric candlelit dinners in a stone-clad venue.

On the menu, classic warming winter favourites are available, from baked camembert to Welsh lamb.

Expect a fine dining experience with prices to match, as main course dishes start around the £18 mark.

Info: 01834 843318 / www.stablestenby.co.uk

THE PEN & WIG, CARDIFF

Located down a quiet road on the edge of Cathays, the Pen & Wig attracts a variety of clientele, from office workers to students and locals alike. What draws this diverse crowd is undoubtedly its large outdoor garden area, complete with twinkling fairy lights, heaters and blankets. With decently priced beer, a central location and a great atmosphere, this pub is easily in the running as one of the best in Cardiff. Whilst visiting, why not check out the other yuletide activities Cardiff has to offer? The everexpanding Winter Wonderland gives London’s Hyde Park a modest run for its money, with ice skating, rides and obligatory mulled wine bar.

Info: 029 2037 1217 / www.classicinns.co.uk/penandwigcardiff BUZZ 56

NO SIGN WINE BAR, SWANSEA

In terms of nightlife, Swansea often lives in the shadow of that bigger, flashier capital city located 40 miles east – but it can more than keep up with Cardiff when it comes to cosy little drinking holes, like this unique bar on Wind Street. Snug yet classy, it’s not just wine on the menu. With a variety of cocktails, food, live music and a decked-out terrace area, this quirky venue has plenty of little nooks and crannies to sip a beverage and get to know someone a little better, or gather with old friends and cwtch over a glass of Pinot – black or white, that’s your choice. It’s all on offer here.

Info: 01792 465300 / www.nosignwinebar.com

LIVING-ROOM TREEHOUSE EXPERIENCE, NEAR MACHYNLLETH

These rustic wooden treehouses have various claims to fame, featuring on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and Lonely Planet. See what all the fuss is all about for yourself and book a few nights stay in these cosy little pods of tranquillity in the trees. Seamlessly blending into the woody surroundings with rushing streams underneath, you’ll truly feel as if you are a part of nature. Each treehouse comes complete with wood-burning stove, blankets and a selection of books to curl up with. So, if you’re looking for something a little different this winter, this promises to be a truly special experience. Prices start at £379 per couple for a two-night stay, or £399 for a family.

Info: 01650 511900 / www.living-room.co

BRYNARTH COUNTRY GUEST HOUSE, ABERYSTWYTH Situated under the Cambrian Mountains and a short 25-minute drive from charming Aberystwyth, this cosy little B&B cottage comes complete with a roaring inglenook fireplace and fully licensed bar, perfect for canoodling with a loved one on a chilly winter’s eve. With excellent walking opportunities in the surrounding area and breakfast included, this B&B has scored the coveted five-star “excellent” rating on notorious nitpicker network TripAdvisor, so it must be something special. Additionally, when in Aberystwyth, be sure to visit local cafe Sophie’s for indulgent “freakshakes” and hot chocolates. Because what is winter about, if not gorging on the calorific content of a small chocolate factory?

Info: 01974 261367 / www.brynarth.co.uk

THE BEAR HOTEL, CRICKHOWELL

Whether staying the night or just looking for a quiet pint, this old coaching inn is brimming with character and atmosphere. With vintage wood furnishings, a warm and intimate barroom, and an open log fire in winter, The Bear is a fine establishment to rest after a brisk winter walk in the Beacons.

Info: 01873 810408 / www.bearhotel.co.uk

Bringing the best in music to Swansea Bringing the best in music to Swansea

THURSDAY 18 MAY 7.30PM THURSDAY 18 MAY 7.30PM Calan Calan 2017 ‘SOLOMON’ ALBUM TOUR

With special guest Gwilym Bowen Rhys 2017 ‘SOLOMON’ ALBUM TOUR With special guest Gwilym Bowen Rhys

THURSDAY 1 JUNE 7.30PM THURSDAY 1 JUNE 7.30PM Evie Ladin & Keith Terry (USA) Evie Keith (USA) DYNAMICLadin AMERICAN& ROOTS MUSICTerry AND DANCE DYNAMIC AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC AND DANCE

FRIDAY 16 JUNE 7.30PM FRIDAY 16 JUNE 7.30PM Alison Rayner Quintet Alison Rayner Quintet ‘A MAGIC LIFE’ ALBUM TOUR A 4 & 5* reviews performance ‘A MAGIC LIFE’ ALBUM TOUR in jazz and national press A 4 & 5* reviews performance in jazz and national press

SATURDAY 24 JUNE 7.30PM SATURDAY 24 JUNE 7.30PM Shake That Thing!

Shake ThatSWING-DANCE Thing! SHOW THE GREAT BRITISH THE GREAT BRITISH SWING-DANCE SHOW

www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk box office 01792 60 20 60 box office 01792 60 20 60

Pic: Swen Mieke - Unsplash

sport

W E L S H S P O R T: A Y E A R I N R E V I E W A year on the pitch, on the track and on the briny waves, on a page and distilled by Max Harvey.

When reviewing the year’s sporting travails, it’s critical to address the rugby first, particularly when it has been such a good 12 months for Gatland’s swansong squad. A nearly perfect run in fact, just ankle-tapped in the final 22, metres short of the metaphorical winning try line. A flawless year was agonisingly close.

On New Year’s Day 2019, if you’d offered fans a Six Nations Grand Slam, a stint as number one in the world rankings and a World Cup semi-final, I think it’s fair to say you’d have had your hand bitten off quicker than a hungry lion’s dentist. Looking at what’s been achieved in black and white, you have to be impressed, but that’s the thing with success, it always leaves you wanting more.

SIX NATIONS

The year started about as well as it could for Wales.

After a decade or more of hurt, this century has brought four clean sweeps and in March the latest Grand Slam was sealed, including a seemingly impossible comeback against the French (16-0 down at halftime, going on to win 24-19) and wins over Ireland and England, who themselves both scored some impressive results in recent tests.

Then, in August, Wales became (for a short time) the number one ranked team in the world. A 14game unbeaten run had put the foundations in place and expectations for the World Cup were high.

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RUGBY WORLD CUP

Close, hard fought victories over Australia and France brought Wales to within one win of the Final.

The eventual winners, South Africa, beat Wales by just three points to deny them a showdown with England (who themselves fared less well against the Springboks in the final itself).

So the trophy eluded Wales, but there were many excellent performances, including Tipuric for his tackling, Adams for his competition-topping tryscoring and Alun Wyn Jones for just, well, being a legend really. Wales’ most capped player and a truly inspirational captain, Jones will take some replacing when decides to hang up his big boots.

INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL

After the heroics of Euro ‘16, then the disappointment of missing out on the 2018 World Cup, Wales’ football team, steered by Ryan Giggs, ultimately put what was in the main a fairly flat year behind them by qualifying automatically to the 2020 European Championships. Two wins from their final two games, against Azerbaijan and Hungary, avoided the prospect of play-offs and set up a chance of repeating their French fiesta. Will the review for 2020 have another fairytale to report?

DOMESTIC FOOTBALL

Domestically, there’s not been much to cheer about.

Both Cardiff and Swansea are locking horns in the second tier again, after recent forays into the Moneybags League™. It’s likely many fans will

actually have a less stressful time as supporters however, as wins will be less rare, and both will genuinely feel they can challenge to rise up again.

Not long before I put fingertip to keyboard, Cardiff said goodbye to Neil Warnock. With 40 years as a manager, endless ranting soundbites, a record eight promotions and the best name anagram ever, it will be a fond farewell, and a genuine challenge to follow after him.

WHAT ELSE?

Outside of the big two sports, there’s plenty to celebrate this year. We’ve seen Hannah Mills become a world champion sailor for the second time, Olympic taekwondo champion Jade Jones took the world title and Elinor Barker added a global cycling gold to her Commonwealth top spot.

A further brace of elite athletes and serial worldbeaters remain unlikely to grace back pages that often – but when you consider that Hollie Arnold (javelin) and Aled Davies (shotput) both recently bagged their fourth consecutive World Para Athletics titles in Dubai, you wonder what more they can do to get their names known. It’s true that disability sport has seen an increased profile since 2012, when over 4,000 athletes graced the world stage, but there’s a way to go still. What is in no doubt, though, is that Wales has some of the brightest talent, and two who have underlined their total dominance in their field in 2019.

listings

Inclusion in Buzz listings is free. Send via email (listings@buzzmag.co.uk) or post (220c Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1GY) by the 17th of the previous month. Buzz takes no responsibility for material sent or any errors made after this date.

recommended *–u – repeated

PETE TONG PRESENTS: IBIZA CLASSICS Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Tue 10 Dec. Tickets: £41-£80.

Info: 029 2022 4488 / www.motorpointarenacardiff.co.uk

By now, the weather is freezing, and the blaze of the sun is an all but distant memory. Though teleporting to the sun-soaked shores of Ibiza is physically impossible, the next best alternative is Pete Tong’s evening of orchestral house classics at the Motorpoint Arena. Aiming to challenge the idea that dance music is not “taken seriously by the mainstream establishment”, Tong teamed up with the Heritage Orchestra (Her-O) and composer Jules Buckley to join him on the road, which provides a gig like no other.

Speaking to Buzz’s Carl Marsh, the DJ said that “the euphoria of everybody singing together” was what drove him to continue performing the show.

The classical reinterpretations of Buckley provide a more chilled-out vibe.

The show will predominantly focus on tunes from his album Chilled

Classics in collaboration with Her-O. “My head’s been into this for four and a half years. A lot of the choices [I make] are with the show in mind,” says Tong, suggesting audience-experience to be at the forefront of this innovative collaboration. “[DJ-led music] is slightly faceless, as it can’t manifest itself on stage. That was a huge inspiration for me to do this,” he says. “It reinforced to everyone how great the music was, because if it could get played by an orchestra, then it can’t have been all bad, can it?”

Tong wants to bring lyricless music back into the mainstream: “it reinforces to everyone how great the music is.” The show at the Motorpoint will be “different” to the performance at Cardiff Castle in July 2018, with a new, evolved setlist.

CONTENTS pg 60 pg 62 pg 64 pg 67 pg 74

art clubs events live stage BUZZ 59

* – recommended

art ABERYSTWYTH ARTS CENTRE University Of Wales, Aberystwyth. Free. Mon-Sat 10am-8pm. 01970 621903 / www.aber.ac.uk/artscentre Glue Bats And Tissue Paper Printed ceramics from the University’s collection, including works by Paul Scott, Bouke de Vries, Lowri Davies, Vicky Shaw, Eric Ravilious, Sun Ae Kim and Stephen Dixon. (Until Sun 8 Dec) Many Voices, One Nation Touring exhibition devised

by Ffotogallery and Wales’ National Assembly to mark 20 years since Welsh devolution. In Merthyr’s Redhouse gallery later in January. (Until Mon 6 Jan) The Printed Line Arts Council touring exhibition featuring works by Lucian Freud, David Hockney, Pablo Picasso, Bridget Riley and Rachel Whiteread among others. (Until Sun 5 Jan) Donald Pleasance At 100 Original lobby cards, cinema posters and press kits, made to promote this esteemed British actor of old a century after his birth. (Until Mon 13 Jan) ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ART GALLERY Buarth Mawr, Aberystwyth.

Free. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm.

01970 622467 / www.aber. ac.uk Simon Pierse ‘Shy Green – Ice Blue’ Paintings of Greenland and the Northern Lights. (From Mon 9 Dec until Fri 7 Feb) John Duffin Painter and printmaker who makes images of the urban environment that show the energy and drama of contemporary life. (From Mon 9 Dec until Fri 7 Feb) ALBANY GALLERY 74b Albany Road, Cardiff.

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm. Free. 029 2048 7158 / www.albanygallery. com Winter Exhibition A changing show of paintings, sculpture, ceramics and jewel-

lery from over 50 emerging and established artists. (Until Sat 11 Jan) THE ANDREW BUCHAN 29 Albany Road, Cardiff. 029 2021 2509 / facebook.com/ andrewbuchanbar Glenn Edwards Former UK Press Photographer of the Year Edwards explores Wales’ backbone road the A470. Precise closing date to be confirmed but likely early March, I’m told. .(Until early 2020 TBC) ANDREW LAMONT GALLERY (THEATR BRYCHIENIOG) Canal Wharf, Brecon. Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. Free.

01874 611622 / enquiries@ brycheiniog.co.uk / www. brycheiniog.co.uk The Hay Makers Christmas Collection Group show for local designer makers, marking their running a cooperative gallery in Hay on Wye for 30 years with this exhibitionof wood, pottery, felt, embroidered sachets, carved and lettered stone, prints, silk ties and jewellery-based art.

(From Mon 2 until Tue 24 Dec) ARCADECAMPFA Queens Arcade, off Queen Street, Cardiff. Usually open Wed-Sat 12.30-5.30pm. arcadecampfa.org Alice Banfield Paintings which, says Banfield, aim to confront the anxiety built from society’s misconceptions of autism, via use of vibrant colour and repetitive use of dots. (Until Sat 18 Jan) Ashleigh Trim New work by recent graduate from Fine Art BA at Falmouth University. (From Wed 4 until Sat 7 Dec) Associates Show Group show of work from ArcadeCampfa’s Associates programme. (From Wed 11 until Sat 21 Dec) ART CENTRAL Barry Town Hall, King Square, Barry. Tue-Sat 11am4pm. Free. 01446 709805.

Craft Central Showcase of makers and designers from the Vale, with work including ceramics, glass, wood, textiles, mixed media and prints. (Until Sat 21 Dec)

ATTIC GALLERY 37 Pocketts Wharf, Maritime Quarter, Swansea. Tue-Sat 10am-4pm. Free. 01792 653387 / www.atticgallery. co.uk Mixed Group Winter Show Annual selling exhibition.

(Until Fri 7 Feb) BARNABAS ARTS HOUSE New Ruperra Street, Pillgwenlly, Newport. Free.

01633 673739 / barnabasartshouse@ outlook.com / barnabasartshouse.co.uk This Isn’t Just Art... This Is Barnabas Art Mixed exhibition with a cringeworthy title and all of its works available to purchase. Exhibiting artists include Philip Muirden, Ajay Kothawale, Carrie Dare, Alex Arnell, Sebastian Aplin and Stephen Dale. (Until Fri 31 Jan) CHAPTER GALLERY Chapter Arts Centre, Market Road, Canton, Cardiff. Tue, Wed, Sat + Sun 12-6pm; Thurs + Fri 12-8pm. Free.

029 2030 4400 / www.chapter. org Garth Evans ‘But, Hands Have Eyes: Six Decades Of Sculpture’ Retrospective show for a significant British sculptor whose career began in the 1960s, and whose chief link with Cardiff is a largescale public work displayed in the city centre in 1972. (Until Sun 26 Jan) Jon Pountney ‘Waiting For The Light’ Photographic works by local photographer whose previous shows and collections have been more in the documentary vein; this however utilises a type of bright, low sunlight to add a specific colour and mood to images of everyday objects and settings. Art In The Bar exhibition. (Until Fri 14 Feb) CRAFT IN THE BAY The Flourish, Lloyd George Avenue, Cardiff. Mon-Sun 10.30am-5.30pm. Free. 029 2048 4611 / www. makersguildinwales.org.uk Nadolig Contemporary craft by members of the Makers Guild, with jewellery, textiles, ceramics, glass, metalwork

JOHN RICHARDSON AND JOHN WELSON: SURREALISM: WELLSPRING OF THE IMAGINATION The Wyeside, Builth Wells, Wed 8 Jan-Wed 1 Apr Admission: free. Info: 01982 552555 / wyeside.co.uk When it comes to the intersection of Welsh art and surrealist painting, you’ll not find a node more crucial than John Welson, a Pembrokeshire resident who’s been dedicated to the form since the 1960s and has exhibited alongside a phalanx of A-listers – try Dali and Magritte for starters – in that time. John Richardson, from Powys, is only slightly less venerable, and specialises in archly observant collage work. Having teamed up to curate an exhibition, The Surrealist Murmuration, in 2017, here Richardson and Welson showcase their own work, in an attempt to uphold the principles of surrealist art and thought, and highlight its continued relevance a full century after it appeared in the ether. Welson also has a joint exhibition with George Ostafi in Cardiff Bay’s Pierhead building, on until Sun 15 Dec. BUZZ 60

and woodwork on show with a view to being purchased for Christmas gifts (Until Sun 5 Jan) Aelwyd – Towards A Contemporary Welsh Interior See Art for more on this exhibition, on the subject of ‘the home’ or with it in mind and featuring Claire Cawte, Sarah Christensen, Mandy Coates, Ann Catrin Evans, Rosie Farey, Helen Flynn, Astrid de Groot, Simon Hulbert, Llio James, Sophie Schärer, Mick Sheridan, James and Tilla Waters, Neil Wilkin, Deiniol Williams and Yusuke Yamamoto. (From Sat 18 Jan until Sun 1 Mar) CWTSH COMMUNITY AND ARTS CENTRE 226 Stow Hill, Newport.

Thurs + Sat 12-3pm, Sun 1-4pm. Free. 01633 664498 / www.cwtsh.org Mandala The Mandala mosaic created during the 2019 children’s art project at Cwtsh, plus photographs and text documenting its development. (Until Mon 6 Jan) Tom Dart ‘Newport 1980’ Thirty black and white photographs

by Dart, a late Newport historian and photographer, curated here by John Briggs. (From Mon 13 Jan until Mon 10 Feb) CYFARTHFA CASTLE MUSEUM Cyfarthfa Park, Brecon Rd, Merthyr Tydfil. £2.20/£1.10 NUS or OAP/free under-16s.

01685 727371 / museum@ merthyr.gov.uk Sydney Curnow Vosper ‘Snowmen’ Vosper is the artist behind iconic Welsh painting Salem and here he shows a selection of drawings of... snowmen. (Until Tue 24 Dec) Capturing The Crawshays Victorian-era photography featuring the Crawshay family and dating from 1855-79. (Until Sun 1 Mar) Gwyther Barnes Drawings of notable buildings in Merthyr, some no longer standing. (From Sat 18 Jan until Sun 1 Mar) ELYSIUM GALLERY 210 High Street, Swansea.

Tue-Sat 12-5pm. Free. www.elysiumgallery.com The Closer We Are Mixed show billed by Elysium as a welcome break from Brexit, which feels counterproductive in that it’s led me to try and figure out why they invoked Brexit in the first place. Some of the artists are from mainland Europe?

Work from Kathryn Ashill, Stefan Bottenberg, Geraint Ross Evans, Peter Finnemore, Christine Laquet, Anne-Mie Melis, Pascal Michel-Dubois, Janine Najera, Sarah Poland and Sean Vicary features anyway. (Until Sat 28 Dec) Jeremy Gluck ‘One Pointed’ A takeover-type exhibition of the bar area here, described by Gluck (who released an album in 1987 with an absolutely mad backing band) as “a collection of new conceptual minimalist memes focused on intuitive output from a non-dualist perspective,” or in short “nonceptualism”. That’s what I would have called it as well.

Nonceptualism. (Until Sun 29 Dec)

FFOTOGALLERY Fanny Street, Cardiff. Wed-Sat 11am-5pm (Tue-Sat from late October). Free. 029 2034 1667 / www.ffotogallery.org The Place I Call Home British Council-funded exhibition, touring the UK and the Gulf until next February and exploring the idea of home related to the experiences of people living in those places at a time of rapid change and social mobility. (Until Sat 21 Dec) FOUNTAIN FINE ART Rhosmaen Street, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire. Mon-Sat 10.30am-5pm. Free. www. fountainfineart.com Winter Group Exhibition Changing exhibition of new work from Fountain gallery artists; introducing Harriett Lloyd and Lucy Marks as new exhibitors, and welcoming back Sheridan Ward with new work.

(Until Fri 31 Jan) FUTURES GALLERY / ORIEL GALLERY Pierhead Building / Senedd, Cardiff Bay. Daily 10.30am4pm. Free. 0845 0105500 / www.pierhead.org John Welson & George Ostafi Jointly made paintings (as in, they both work on the same canvas) from Welsh artist Welson and Romanian Ostafi.

(Until Sun 15 Dec) Y GALERI, CAERFFILI Lower Ground Floor, The Visit Caerphilly Centre, The Twyn, Caerphilly. Tue-Sat 10am5pm. Free. 029 2132 2570 / www.ygalericaerffili.co.uk Festive Showcase Changing display of Welsh art plus jewellery, glass, ceramics, wood and textiles available for purchase.

(Until Tue 24 Dec) Open Art Exhibition Some 120 wallhung and sculptural pieces from emerging and professional artists, offered for sale at affordable prices. (From Sat 4 Jan until Sat 1 Feb) THE GATE Keppoch Street, Roath, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 10am-9pm.

Free. 029 2048 3344 / www.thegate.org.uk Daniel James Parker Solo exhibition brings together mixed media paintings and drawings, made over a six-year period and exploring synaesthesia. (Until Sat 7 Dec) GLYNN VIVIAN ART GALLERY Alexandra Rd, Swansea. TueSun 10am-5pm. Free. 01792 516900 / www. swansea.gov.uk/glynnvivian Sophy Rickett ‘Cupid And The Curious Moaning Of Kenfig Burrows’ Solo exhibition combining photography and text and inspired by the life and work of Thereza Dillwyn Llewelyn, a Swansea artist and astronomer active at the end of the 19th century.

Has this listed as finishing in November so it’s been extended I guess! (Until Sun 26 Jan) The Mary Rose: People And Purpose A selection of unique objects from one of the world’s most famous sailing vessels, brought to Wales for

u – repeated

the very first time and previewed this month in Art. (Until Sun 1 Mar) Swansea Stories Works from this gallery’s permanent collection – the largest amount ever shown at once, supposedly – to mark Swansea’s 50th anniversary as a city. (Until Sun 15 Mar) Swansea Open 2019 Annual exhibition seeks to display a diverse selection of work across mediums including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, printmaking and film. (From Sat 7 Dec until Mon 17 Feb) GREY DOG GALLERY 4 Dunns Lane, Mumbles, Swansea. Mon-Sat 10am5.30pm, Sun 12.30-4.30pm.

Free. 07551 597327 / ceriwilliams007@gmail.com Ceri Williams ‘Haze’ Largescale bold and semi-abstract paintings which depict the blurring of the lines between sky, horizon and land, especially around the Gower and othger coastal areas. (From Fri 6 Dec until Mon 6 Jan) KING STREET GALLERY 33 King Street, Carmarthen.

Free. 01267 220121 / gallery@kingstreetgallery. co.uk Graham Newing & Family ‘Kith And Kiln’ group show featuring ceramics, textiles, drawings, prints, jewellery and photography. (Until Wed 11 Dec) Winter Members Exhibition A new selection of works by gallery members, able to purchase. (Until Thurs 2 Jan) LLANOVER HALL ARTS CENTRE Romilly Road, Cardiff. MonFri 10am-8.30pm, Sat 10am12pm. Free. 029 2087 2030 / www.llanoverhall.com Gwyn Williams ‘Serendipity’ A collection of 46 photographs depicting the Welsh countryside and coast, and shot on Ilford, Kodak and Fuji film. Williams has also been a photography teacher at this venue since the 1980s.

(Until Fri 6 Dec) LLANTARNAM GRANGE ARTS CENTRE St. David’s Rd, Cwmbran, Torfaen. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm.

Free. 01633 483321 / www. lgac.org.uk The #150mm Challenge The premise of this is that a number of blacksmiths – yes, there are still blacksmiths! –. get given a small rectangul;ar piece of steel and have to make a piece of art from it (Until Sat 18 Jan) The Doll’s House Dolls, figures, puppets and playthings from artists/ makers Alix Swan, Cat In The Shoe, Laura Mabbutt, Masami Akatsuka, Melanie Miller, Rachel Larkin, Samantha Bryan, Sarah Young and Treefall Design. (Until Sat 18 Jan) Lynda Shell Textile showcase featuring handmade bags using leather, linen and wool, inspired by historical artefacts. (Until Sat 18 Jan) Ann Bruford Jewellery showcase from an east Devon-based maker. (Until Sat 18 Jan) Sian Phillips Botanical illustrations made with watercolour, coloured pencil and graphite,

and mainly of specimens that Phillips either grows or sources locally. (Until Sat 18 Jan) M.A.D.E. GALLERY 41 Lochaber St, Cardiff. WedSat 10am-6pm. Free. 029 2047 3373 / facebook.com/ cardiffmade Gaeaf: Winter Exhibition And Craft Fair Annual show with work accepted by submission (deadline was the end of October), to feature 2D art, jewellery, ceramics and leather/ textile work. (Until Sun 22 Dec) Ethan Dodd ‘Cwn Annwn’ Residency for Cardiff-based Dodd, who will be creating new works referring to the Welsh dogs of myth and legend who carried people over to the other world. Not fully sure who open to the public it’ll be on these dates, but there’s a preview evening on Sat 18 Jan, so presumably then at least. (From Tue 7 until Wed 22 Jan) MARTIN TINNEY GALLERY 18 St Andrew’s Crescent, Cardiff. Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 029

pattern. (Until Sat 11 Jan) Gweni Llwyd Work in the [...] space exploring how physical and digital materials may be embedded with social, sensory and cultural meanings. (From Tue 14 Jan until Sat 21 Mar) Verity Poulford Maker In Focus show Experimental glasswork created in the research and development phase of a project. (From Wed 15 Jan until Sat 21 Mar) Aimee Lax ‘Radioactive Boglach’ Sculpture themed around alien forms, radiation and changes to DNA. (From Sat 25 Jan until Sat 21 Mar) MONMOUTH MUSEUM Priory Street, Monmouth.

Mon, Tue + Thurs-Sun 11am4pm. Free. 01600 710630 / monmouthshire.gov.uk/ monmouth-museum/ The Arborealists ‘A Wye Valley Woodland Through Artists’ Eyes’ The Arborealists are an art group who were resident in Monmouthshire’s Lady Park Wood in 2016, making art inspired by their surroundings;

Newport 1980 is an exhibition of black and white photographs, displayed in the Cwtsh Gallery – also in Newport – from Mon 13 Jan to Mon 10 Feb. They were taken by the late Tom Dart, a historian of the city, and curated by Cwtsh’s John Briggs.

2064 1411 / mtg@artwales. com Kevin Sinnott New work from internationally renowned Welsh painter, his 12th show here in 24 years; running alongside the Christmas show listed below, and as with those all the pieces are for sale. (Until Thurs 19 Dec) Christmas Exhibition Work by leading Welsh artists such as Augustus John, Ceri Richards, Peter Prendergast, Sir Kyffin Williams, Clive Hicks Jenkins and Rosemary Burton. (Until Thurs 19 Dec) Gallery Artists Mixed show from various esteemed names related to this establishment.

(Throughout January) MISSION GALLERY Gloucester Place, Swansea.

Tue-Sun 11am-5pm. Free.

01792 652016 / www. missiongallery.co.uk Winter Garden A winterthemed exhibition, in short, featuring work from Llio James, Eluned Glyn, Sally Hands, Mandy Coates, Diane Horne, Buddug Humphreys, Fflur Owen, Caroline Rees, Rhiannon Gwyn and Lillemor Latham. (Until Sat 4 Jan) Anthony Arrowsmith Work in the [...] space which “offers the possibility of drawing meaning about what connects each space and what might be contained within it”. (Until Sat 11 Jan) Pop Up Shop Maker In Focus showcase for design graduates linked together by their passion for surface

this is the first full showing of the results, here on a long-term basis. (Until July) MONMOUTH PRIORY Priory Street, Monmouth.

10am-4.30pm. Free. 01600 712034 / monmouthpriory.net Neil & Yvonne Carroll Paintings from Neil which are personal responses to the Monmouthshire landscape; prints from Yvonne, drawn upon her observations whilst out in the same landscape.

On display for two Saturday before Christmas. (Sat 7 + Sat 14 Dec) MUSEUM OF CARDIFF The Old Library, The Hayes, Cardiff. Daily 10am-4pm.

Free. 029 2034 6214 / cardiffstory@cardiff.gov.uk The De Caversham Household Showcase for this independent living history group who have shared their love of medieval history with the people of Cardiff for over 15 years. (Until Sun 5 Jan) Cardiff’s Sound City Lab exhibition highlighting the different sounds and styles of music that are important to Cardiff’s communities. (Until Sun 2 Feb) NATIONAL MUSEUM CARDIFF Cathays Park, Cardiff. TueSun 10am-5pm. Free except where noted. 029 2057 3500 / museum.wales/cardiff Photography Season Three

conjoined exhibitions featuring work by photographers August Sander, whose work here is taken from his seminal People Of The Twentieth Century project; Bernd & Hilla Becher’s Industrial Visions, documenting industrial structures in Europe and the USA; and Martin Parr’s Wales-based documentary work, stretching back to the 1980s. (Until Sun 1 Mar; Martin Parr section until Mon 4 May) NATIONAL WATERFRONT MUSEUM Oystermouth Road, Maritime Quarter, Swansea. Daily 10am-5pm. Free. 029 2057 3600/ museum.wales/swansea James Owen Thomas ‘Much More Than Meets The Eye’ Pieces inspired by places that Thomas has visited and family connections from the past and present. (Until Sun 5 Jan) Cartwn Cymru Artwork, and a look at the process behind it, by this Welsh animation company. (Until Sun 29 Mar) NEWTON HOUSE Dinefwr Park, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire. £8.50 (entry to house). 01558 824512 / dinefwr@ nationaltrust.org.uk *John Abell ‘Becca And Her Children’ Cardiff-based artist who specialises in wood- and linocuts presents a new body of work marking the anniversary of the Rebecca Riots in Wales (although they happened between 1839 and 1843 so it’s not entirely clear which anniversary). (From Fri 17 Jan until Sun 26 Apr) OFF THE WALL The Old Probate Registry, Cardiff Road, Llandaff, Cardiff. Tue-Fri 9.30am5.30pm, Sat 10am-4pm. Free.

029 2055 4469 / art@ galleryoffthewall.com Mixed Gallery Artist Show Annual general exhibition running until Christmas for prospective purchasers of works, I would imagine. (Throughout December) OLIVE’S ATTIC 3 Fothergill Street, Treforest.

Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. 01443 400725 / facebook.com/ olivesattictreforest Gerhard Kress German photographic artist with the third of his planned exhibitions at this cafe; this one features 45 signed prints and will open with a live gig on Tue 3 Dec (see Music listings). (Until early January) ORIEL CANFAS Glamorgan Street, Canton, Cardiff. Tue-Fri 1-4.30pm, Sat 10.30am-4.30pm. 029 2066 6455 / www. orielcanfas.co.uk Pete Williams Drawings and prints from the creative director of Cardiff’s Print Market Project. (Until Sun 8 Dec) ORIEL CRIC Beaufort Street, Crickhowell.

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-1pm. Free. 01873 813669.

Christmas At Cric Annual festive show featuring paint-

ings, prints, glass, ceramics, jewellery, gifts and decorations with a view to selling. (Until Sun 5 Jan) ORIEL DAVIES The Park, Newtown, Powys.

Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm. Free.

01686 625041 / enquiries@ orieldavies.org Eleri Mills ‘Egni: A Decade Of Creativity’ Powys-born painter, and a leading figure in Welsh art’s global profile in the last few decades, Mills’ last 10 years of work is curated here by Ruthin Craft Centre’s Phillip Hughes, with a strong emphasis on the mid-Wales landscape in the pieces. (Until Wed 18 Dec) Gareth Griffith ‘Trailer’ North Wales sculptor with a retrospective exhibition of his work from the 1960s-80s, also including paintings and depicting Liverpool, Jamaica and the Ogwen Valley, his three areas of residence during that time. See Art. (From Sat 18 Jan until TBC) ORIEL JOANNA FIELD Torch Theatre, St. Peter’s Road, Milford Haven. Free.

01646 695267 / www. torchtheatre.co.uk Jennie Shales & Friends Pembrokeshire painter, plus pals. (From Mon 2 Dec until Thurs 2 Jan) ORIEL MYRDDIN Church Lane, Carmarthen.

01267 222775 / www. orielmyrddingallery.co.uk The Table See Art for more on this gallery’s winter exhibition, with lots of things for sale should you have Christmas shopping in mind. (Until Sat 28 Dec) Gareth Griffith ‘Trailer’ North Wales sculptor with a retrospective exhibition of his work from the 1960s-80s, also including paintings and depicting Liverpool, Jamaica and the Ogwen Valley, his three areas of residence during that time. See Art. (From Sat 11 Jan until Sat 21 Mar) ORIEL Q The Queens Hall, High Street, Narberth. Wed-Sat 10am5pm. Free. 01834 869454 / www.orielqnarberth.com The Christmas Exhibition Main gallery: Objects Of Desire; Oriel Fach: Hillary Bryanston, The Shape Of Sound; Makers Room & Stairs: The Oriel Q Fundraiser (8” x 6” canvasses, up for auction). (From Wed 4 until Sat 21 Dec) ORIEL Y BONT University Of South Wales, Ty Crawshay Building, Llantwit Rd, Treforest. Mon-Fri 9am4.30pm. Free. 01443 480480 / gallery.southwales.ac.uk Art Of Regeneration Exhibition by Nichola Goff, Shaz Magill and Natalia Dias, who have worked with local community organisations to look at the changing environmental and economic fortunes of Treforest and other parts of the valleys. (From Mon 2 Dec until Sat 28 Mar) ORIEL YR ARDD National Botanic Garden Of Wales, Middleton Hall, Llanarthne,

DAVID HURN From covering the 1956 Hungarian Revolution to shooting portraits of Sean Connery in an iconic James Bond pose, as well as other filmstars like Sophia Loren and Jane Fonda, David Hurn has snapped it all. Now, in his decades-long career as a globally renowned photographer, Hurn’s turned his expert eye to the local: the Workers Gallery, where his exhibition Ynyshir, 25 Mile Radius opened in November.

These days, the esteemed photographer (who is now 85 years old) has let it be known that gallery showings aren’t exactly a top priority.

“It sounds pompous, but it seems to me you get to a stage in your life where, as a photographer, you want to give a little bit more back into the community,” he tells me. “Obviously, one way of doing that is to work with small local galleries, but if I’m going to do that, I want to do it for a reason other than ‘David Hurn is having a show’ kind of thing.”

“One of the reasons I devised the play of saying ‘25-mile radius’ is, since 1970, I’ve shot so many pictures in Wales that I can more or less pick anywhere in Wales and do a 25-mile radius. That makes the show very much a local community one, because it’s all to do with pictures that people can associate with.”

People will be able to purchase extra portrait prints and all the money goes to the Workers.

“Anything that I’m doing directly with the gallery, the money is going to the gallery.”

Hurn’s also trying to work with local kids to get them interested in photography as perhaps a viable career. “Photography is open to anybody to do, so I’m trying to persuade young people in the community – this is possible for you.”

RHONDA LEE REALI David Hurn: Ynyshir, 25 Mile Radius, Workers Gallery, Ynyshir, nr Porth, until Sat 4 Jan. Info: 01443 682024 / www.workersgallery.co.uk

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* – recommended Carmarthenshire. Daily 10am-6pm. £10.50/£8.75 concessions/£4.95 under-17s/ free under-5s. 01558 667149 / botanicgarden.wales Fluid Connections – Paxton And Tenby I think this is an historical exhibition about the impetus for 18th/ early 19th century Carmarthen MP William Paxton’s decision to turn Tenby into a seaside destination, but I’m just going on the title. (Until Sun 26 Jan) PENARTH PIER PAVILION The Esplanade, Penarth. Daily 10am-5pm. Free. 029 2071 2100 / www. penarthpavilion.co.uk Penarth Open Art Exhibition 2020 Artwork selected from submissions by predominantly, but not exclusively, local artists. Deadline for submission was the end of November so if you’re reading this it’s too late as a sage once said. (From Fri 10 Jan until Mon 23 Feb) QUEEN STREET GALLERY Queen Street, Neath. MonSat 10am-4pm. Free. 01639 631081 / www. queenstreetgalleryneath.co.uk Christmas Exhibition A constantly changing display of paintings, sculpture, ceramics, mixed media artwork, prints, photography and handmade jewellery. (Until Tue 24 Dec) REDHOUSE Old Town Hall, High Street, Merthyr Tydfil. Free. 01685 384111 / info@ redhousecymru.com Walter Waygood ‘The Family Of Santa Claus’ Work from a project that’s been documenting the celebration of Christmas in shops, community venues and department stores for over 30 years. I like the idea of this! (Until Tue 24 Dec) Many Voices, One Nation Touring exhibition devised by Ffotogallery and Wales’ National Assembly to mark 20 years since Welsh devolution. (From Mon 27 Jan until Tue 24 Feb) RUG ART GALLERY Unit 16, Ground Floor, Capital Centre, Queen Street, Cardiff. Daily 12-6pm during exhibitions. Free. www.ruggallery.net Elen Mai Wyn-Jones ‘A Fragmented Retrospective’ Exhibition focusing on mental health, in memory of Cardiff artist WynJones who died in 2015. (Until Sat 7 Dec) SWANSEA MUSEUM Victoria Road, Swansea.

Tue-Sun 10am-4.30pm. Free.

01792 653763 / www. swanseamuseum.co.uk 50 Years Of Music Part of the celebrations making half a century since Swansea became a city, a journey through its musical heritage since 1969: venues, influential people, and standout gigs as well as local and visiting musicians. (Until Sun 5 Jan) TENBY MUSEUM & ART GALLERY Castle Hill, Tenby. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, £4/£3/£2 kids.

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01834 842809 / www. tenbymuseum.org.uk U-Boats Around Wales Exhibition in conjunction with the Royal Commission, Bangor University and the Nautical Archaeology Society. (Until Fri 20 Dec) The VC Gallery Work from this Haverfordwest gallery and voluntary charity, whose remit is to serve veterans and the community through arts and creative engagement. (From Sat 11 Jan until Sat 1 Feb) TOWER GALLERY 49 High Street, Crickhowell.

Wed-Sat 10am-5pm. Free.

01873 812495 / www. towergallery.co.uk Art For Christmas Shared exhibition showing work by all members of the Usk Valley Artists’ Co-operative and pottery by guest artist Pat Birks.

(Until Sat 25 Jan) Recycling & Sustainability Mixed exhibition following workshops with children from local primary schools. (From Wed 29 Jan until Sat 25 Mar) VICTORIA FEARN GALLERY 6B Heol y Deri, Rhiwbina, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 9.30am5.30pm, Sun 10am-3pm.

Free. 029 2052 0884.

Christmas Mixed exhibition featuring handmade gifts from top designers, for sale natch.

(Until Tue 24 Dec) VOLCANO THEATRE 27-29 High Street, Swansea.

Mon-Fri 10am-4pm. Free.

01792 464790 / www. volcanotheatre.co.uk Ann Jordan ‘Life And Loss’ Three-dimensional sculptural artworks, created mainly in textiles and simultaeously celebrating the lushness of nature and the fragility of planet earth. (Until Tue 3 Dec) WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE Bute Place, Cardiff Bay. Free.

029 2063 6464 / www.wmc. org.uk Carl Chapple ‘Painting Dance’ As in, paintings of dance, specifically the dancers from company Ballet Cymru, for whom Chapple is a resident artist. (Until Sun 5 Jan) WATERLOO TEA ROOMS Washington Buildings, 1-3 Stanwell Rd, Penarth. MonFri 8.30am-5pm, Sat 8.30am6pm, Sun 10am-5.30pm.

Free. www.waterlootea.com Lisa Malyon Oil paintings

by Bristol artist depicting architectural structures, buildings and landmarks in Cardiff and beyond. All works are for sale. (From Tue 3 Dec until Fri 3 Jan) WEST WHARF GALLERY Jacobs Market, Cardiff.ThursSat 10am-5pm. Free. westwharfgallery@gmail. com Christmas Group Exhibition Showcase for gallery artists here, including Paul Beauchamp, Richard Cox, David Gould, Fred Eve, Sue Hunt, Tom Martin, Nick Samsworth, Cecile Soliz Johnson, Melanie Wooton and Lucy Thomas. (Until Sat

21 Dec) WORKERS GALLERY 99 Ynyshir Road, Ynyshir, nr Porth. 11am-4.30pm ThursSat and by appointment.

Free. 01443 682024 / www. workersgallery.co.uk *David Hurn ‘Ynyshir, 25 Mile Radius’ Photographs taken by Hurn, from 1967 till up to date, within a 25 mile radius of this very gallery.

(Until Sat 4 Jan) WYESIDE ARTS CENTRE Castle Street, Builth Wells.

Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm. Free.

01982 552555 / wyeside.co.uk John Richardson & John Welson ‘Surrealism: Wellspring Of The Imagination’ Paintings looking to maintain the tradition or surrealist art and its relevance to the modern world. (From Wed 8 Jan until Wed 1 Apr)

clubs 10 FEET TALL 11a + 12 Church Street, Cardiff. 029 2022 8883 / thisis10feettall@yahoo.co.uk Wednesdays House Party 10pm-3am, free before 11.

Drum’n’bass, disco, house, techno, UK garage and bass, aimed at students and over this venue’s three floors every week. Thursdays Rock hits from DJ Andy Rhys Lewis.

Fridays + Saturdays Resident DJs playing soul and funk. Saturdays Under A Groove 9pm-3am, £3 after 10.

Funk and neo-soul.

THE ATTIC 5-6 Castle Bailey St, Swansea.

01792 450850 / facebook.com/ theatticswansea Sat 7 Dec The Deep 10pm-3am, from £6. Soft lad drum’n’bass from Etherwood with MC Tempza. Fri 13 Dec My House x Con7rol x 100% Old Skool 10pm5am, £15-£23. Headlined by one-hit wonder (in the pop charts) and provider of multiple house bangers (in the clubs) Roger Sanchez.

Sat 14 Dec Kevin & Perry Club Night Experience 11pm-3am, £4-£6. House and trance anthems using two briefly popular sketch comedy characters from the 90s as branding. Still baffled at how this is appealing or who to.

Wednesdays Loose 9pm3am, £4/£2. New night here every Wednesday across four rooms (drum’n’bass/techno, house and disco, plus chart toppers/r’n’b and urban in Walkabout next door).

AUBERGE 25 Frogmore Street, Abergavenny. 01873 850727 / aubergeabergavenny.com Sat 28 Dec Judge Jules 7pm-2am, £14 adv/£12 early bird. Second of three dates for the Judge in this issue’s time period: he’s also in Breeze in Newport on Boxing Day, and Tenby on Fri 24 Jan. BAMBU BEACH BAR 51 Wind Street, Swansea.

01792 651651 / www.bambubar.co.uk

Fri 1 MasTechno: Terrace Inferno IV 10pm-3am, £3.

Techno and tech-house from Jonathan Smiley Davies, Johnny AM, Crux and State Of Mind.

BLIND TIGER 49 Cambrian Road, Newport.

01633 243500.

Tue 31 Dec NYE 2020 10pm-8am. Multi-venue wristband deal giving you entry into Blind Tiger, Cotton Club, the Courtyard, La Bamba, The Lounge and Mojos. Fridays Beekay & Friends 11pm, £3-£5. House, techno and bass music with guest DJs, breaking producers and residents from Wales’ freshest nights.

Saturdays Re:work 11pm, £5. Underground and cutting edge club music promised.

BLUE HONEY LOCAL 213 City Road, Cardiff. 029 2019 5463 / bluehoney.co Sat 7 Dance For A Difference 8pm-1am, pay by donation. Featuring DJ sets from Don Leisure, Alfie Swan, Noralane and Handy + Co, plus a take over of the kitchen from King Kofte. Proceeds go to the Huggard homeless centre.

THE BRASS BAT St Mary Street, Cardiff. 029 2022 6802 / www. thebrassbat.com Fridays + Tue 31 Dec Team Up 10pm-4am, £5/£3 adv. Emo, pop-punk, alternative, metal, hardcore etc every Friday, with lots of drinks deals. They’ve got this spot for NYE too, sounds like basically the same format though.

BREEZE 7 Cambrian Road, Newport.

01633 548642 / www.breezenewport.co.uk Thurs 26 Dec Judge Jules 7pm-4am, £15. First of three dates for the Judge in this issue’s time period: he’s also in Abergavenny’s Auberge on Sat 28 Dec, and Tenby on Fri 24 Jan. THE BUNKHOUSE 24 Park Street, Swansea. info@bunkhousebar.co.uk / www.bunkhousebar.co.uk Sat 7 Dec Skapula 10pm-2am, £5. Neurofunk/ drum’n’bass with a lineup TBC, launching the Skapula label. Tue 31 Dec Heft x Tundra NYE Free Rave 9pm-5am, free. Now that is a generous offer for a day like this. Octo Pi b2b Rogue One b2b Stitch are the confirmed DJs. CARDIFF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS UNION Park Place, Cardiff. All listings apply to term time only.

029 2078 1458 / www.cardiffstudents.com Thurs 5 Dec Cirque Du Soul 10pm-3am, £8-£12.

House, disco, funk etc with decor and such. DJs: The Shapeshifters, Weaver Bros, Clique and Luke Wolfman.

Wednesdays YOLO 9pm2am, £4/£3 adv/free before 11.

Midweek club night promising both your favourite tunes and great offers. Good name, really on trend. Saturdays Juice

10pm-3am, £5/£4 NUS. Chart, dance and pop.

CLUB ICE Broadway, Pontypridd. 07771 920726 / www.clubiceponty. com Tuesdays Boujee 10pm3am. R’n’b, dancehall, rap and hip-hop hits. New night launching at the start of December and aimed at students. Fridays Flashback 10pm-3am. Retro hits from the 80s, 90s and 00s. Saturdays Gravity 10.30pm-3am, £7/£5 before 11. House, techno and dance every week on the club’s Void soundsystem.

CLUB LOGIC 12 High Street, Gorseinon, Swansea. 07763 000382 / www.clublogicswansea.co.uk/ Thurs 26 Dec Dirtbox & Logic Xtra Hard 6pm6am, £15 adv/£10 early bird.

Hardstyle from Joey Riot, Dark By Design, MKN, Faze2, Shocker, Ed E.T, D-Grove & Ben Astill, Jason P & Rob Rees, Vishaun & Trampy, Defiant, Onyx, MWB, Odd-S-E and Ryan Rees & Martin Rogers plus hosts Shocker, Venom and K-Ner. Tue 31 Dec 9pm-6am, £10/£5 before 12.

With Rob Rees, Jay P, Jason P,

u – repeated

2023 2199 / www.clwb.net Tue 3 Dec Souljam 11pm4am, from £5. Funk, soul and disco party. Tue 31 Dec New Year’s Eve Party 10.30pm-4am, £10-£15. As with previous NYEs here, the format is much the same as on Saturday (see below) but the first 100 people in get champagne, you can’t pay on the door, and the theme is... the decade we’ve just (about) lived through. Cheers for that.

Fri 6 Dec Dazed 11pm-4am, from £8. Drum’n’bass from Darkzy, Ray Von, Clique and more TBC. Fri 13 Dec Get Funky 11pm-4am, £10. An all-night-long set by Brame & Hamo. Was briefly advertised as Bradley Zero but he had to cancel. Fri 10 Jan Helium 10pm-4am, from £8. House and techno, headlined by OC & Verde. Fri 10 Jan Black Parade 10pm-3am, £5 adv.

Emo anthems from the 00s.

Tuesdays Nuke 10.30pm, £3/£2 NUS. Pop, r’n’b, hip-hop, indie etc. Fridays (bottom) Yum! 11pm-3am, £3-£5. Indie and pop. Saturdays Dirty Pop 10pm-4am, £5. Three floors of fun: Grltlk and Andrew Rhys Lewis’ top floor resident indie shindig; Dirty Pop; and Mr Potter’s proper disco.

Start the decade as you mean to go on by climbing out of the bin, getting to Club Logic in Gorseinon for precisely 4pm on Wed 1 Jan 2020 and dancing to hardstyle for 14 solid hours. The event is named Dance For Clive and has some two dozen DJs and MCs. John Hughes, Dip-E, DJ Domz, Trixta and Rob EJ, plus guests each week. Wed 1 Jan We Are One: Dance For Clive 4pm-6am, £10 adv. FOURTEEN hours of bosh from Ed ET, D Grove, Rob Rees & Jason P, Arnie & Fakulty v Rush GBH, MWB, Substompers, Ryan Rees & Martin Rogers, Dan McShane, Jamo & Angel Eyes, Rhod Morgan, Odd-S-E, StyleMasterz v Chris Distortion, Little Jack & Rusty Nuttz Delgado, Monster, Sam Coady and hosts Venom and K-Ner. Fridays Open Mic Night 9pm-4am. With resident DJ Trixta plus guests each week.

Saturdays 9pm-4am. With residents Rob Rees, Jay P, John Hughes and Dip-E, plus guests each week.

CLUB OXYGEN 1 Northampton Lane, Swansea. 0844 8849171 / www.globaloxygen.co.uk Fridays Dance Anthems 11pm-4am, free. House, house & bass and tech-house all night. Saturdays 11.30pm5am, £5/free before 1. Upstairs: deep house, commercial house and tech-house. Downstairs: urban, chart, classics, r’n’b, hip-hop and UK garage.

CLWB IFOR BACH Womanby St, Cardiff. 029

COTTON CLUB 54 Cambrian Road, Newport.

01633 213161.

Tue 31 Dec NYE 2020 10pm-8am. Multi-venue wristband deal giving you entry into Blind Tiger, Cotton Club, the Courtyard, La Bamba, The Lounge and Mojos. Fridays Rock & Rum 9pm, £2-£4.

Rock, indie, alt and pop from Aaron Lillie and Jaivinder.

Selected drinks from £1.50.

Saturdays Whatever® 10pm. Indie, rock, alt and pop.

I am doubtful that this venue actually holds the registered trademark for the word ‘whatever’.

COURTYARD 48 Cambrian Road, Newport.

01633 213161.

Tue 31 Dec NYE 2020 10pm-8am. Multi-venue wristband deal giving you entry into Blind Tiger, Cotton Club, the Courtyard, La Bamba, The Lounge and Mojos. Fridays Let’s Go Deep 10pm-6am.

Three rooms ofd urban with Flipz and Matt Kirke; dance anthems with Matt Smooth; techno and house with Beekay.

Part of the NPCLUBHOP price deal. Saturdays Mista Ifsta’s Block Party Dance/ commercial music as part of a multi-venue deal.

CREATURE SOUND Ken Bu Kan, 1 Bethesda Street, Swansea. 01792 301178 / www.creaturesound. com Sat 21 Cloud 8pm-4am, free.

Psytrance v techno featuring DJ Iah, Stevie C, Cloud and Sizey from the former camp; Lief b2b Johnny T, Kieran Roberts James, Inhuman Nature and Michael Connolly from the latter.

DE VALENCE PAVILION Upper Frog Street, Tenby.

01834 218228 / www. devalencepavilion.com Fri 24 Jan Judge Jules 8pm-1am, £13-£15 adv. Last of three dates for the Judge in this issue’s time period: he’s also in Newwport Breeze on Boxing Day, and Abergavenny’s Auberge on Sat 28 Dec. Tommie Quick and a guest TBC also feature on this one.

THE DUKE Old Market Street, Neath.

01639 643892.

Sat 21 Dec Hedone 7pm2am, £5. House and techno from Casey Spillman of the Infuse and Leftroom stables, plus Luke Haworth, Josh Divito, Rich Howard, Connor Wills, Sam Jones, Dean Morgan and Dale Williams. Tue 31 Dec Hedone 8pm-2am.

Details TBC. EDDIES 4 Quay Street, Haverfordwest.

01437 779595 / www.eddies. co Fri 6 Dec Drum Therapy 9.30pm-4am, £13/£8 adv.

Drum’n’bass with headliner Akov. Sat 14 Dec Clubland Classix Xmas Party 9pm5.30am, £17.75 adv. Pop rave with Lasgo (live), Dee Dee (live), Ultrabeat, Micky Modelle and MC Keyes.

FICTION & VINYL The City Gates, Little Wind Street, Swansea. 01792 828777 / www.fictionclub. co.uk/swansea Tue 31 Dec 10pm-4am, from £6. With headliner Joel Corry.

Wednesdays Underground 11pm-3.30am, £3.50/£2 before 1. House, chart, r’n’b and cheese across two rooms.

Fridays 11pm-3am, £5/£3 adv. Drinks offers and, uh, music I guess. Fri 6 Dec is a Flashback special which offers to “take you back in time to your youth” via “classic arcade machines, giant space hoppers [and] a retro sweets tuck shop”. Given this is a student nightclub, half your clientele’s parents won’t be old enough to remember most of that stuff. Mondays Quids In 10.45pm-2.30am, £3.50/£2 before 11. Chart, cheese, r’n’b, dance and house. Mon 9 Dec is a Christmas Jumper Party. Saturdays Agenda 10.30pm-3am, £3.50/£2 before 1. Fiction: house, r’n’b, EDM. Vinyl: pop and party.

FRONTAL LOBE WAREHOUSE Unit G, St Catherines Park, Cardiff. otis@flevents.co.uk / www.flwarehouse.co.uk Fri 24 Jan Canopy 10pm4am, from £10. Drum’n’bass

from S.P.Y., Bladerunner, Randall and MCs Texas and XL.

region of breaks, disco, italo, house, techno, jungle, garage and more”.

FUEL 5 Womanby Street, Cardiff.

07970 063107 / facebook.com/ fuelcardiff Thursdays FUBAR 10pm2am. Rock, metal and alternative clubnight. Fridays + Saturdays Rock and metal anthems each weekend, plus special guests when such types are in town.

INKSPOT The Old Church, Newport Road, Cardiff. 029 2049 0254 / www.inkspotartsandcrafts. com Sun 22 Dec DJ Boo’s Family Christmas Disco 3-5pm, £3/£2 adults. Tue 31 Dec Teak x Blue Honey: NYE Ascension 10pm-4am, £23 adv. See Clubs for a preview of this, which takes places across three rooms and has Andy Warphole, Ben Field, David J Bull, Esther, James Teak and Rikki Humphrey as confirmed DJs.

GASSY’S 39-41 Salisbury Road, Cardiff.

029 2023 2608.

Tue 31 Dec Big Love In The Pub New Year’s Eve Party! 8pm-3am, £15 adv/£12 early bird. Student pub in studentsville gets taken over for an evening with these DJs playing: A.Skillz, Ecklectic Mick, Paul Cahill, Ladies Of Rage and Richie Cordle, plus host Dregz.

THE GLOBE 125 Albany Road, Cardiff.

07590 471888 / www. globecardiffmusic.com Sat 7 Dec Pat Sharp’s Festive Funhouse 9pm2am, £8-£14. Pat Sharp plays records and/or acts as hypeman while someone else does it. I don’t know or really care.

HANGAR 18 50 Plymouth Street, Swansea.

07984 664008 / facebook.com/ hangar18mv Sat 7 Dec + Sat 4 Jan Dead Of Night 9pm-3am, £3.

Goth/alternative club night, on the first Saturday of every month. Sat 21 Dec Anarchy 10pm-3am, £3 adv. Emo, rock, metal etc.

HARLEYS 8 Bell Lane, Brecon. 07929 414483 / facebook.com/ harleysbrecon Sat 14 Powercore – Christmas Carnage 8pm4am, from £5. Hard dance, hardstyle and hardcore from Wigga & Webbe, Blocaldini, Stylezzy, Pete Rampage, Kyote, CJM, Beat Conductors and MCs Turbo and Venom.

HAVERHUB 12 Quay Street, Haverfordwest. haverhub. org.uk Fri 6 Dec + Fri 11 Jan Vintage Reggae 8pm-1am, £5. Expect tunes from the likes of Bob Marley, Steel Pulse, Gregory Isaacs, UB40 and Eddie Grant, aimed at “dancing and fun” and with Jamaican food on offer. Fri 20 Dec Dub Soundsystem Sessions 9pm-5am, £10 adv.

A Bristol v Pembrokeshire soundclash, as took place this time last year in fact, with some 30 artists mooted. From Bristol, the Firmly Rooted soundsystem featuring Ickle, El Bizzy, Indra MC, Supplya and Selkie. From the locale, Rendition Soundsystem featuring Pembrokeshire Dub Club, Papa Jam, Uncle Funk, Massika, Vibrant Dub and Chocz. Sat 28 Dec Westival Warehouse Part 3 10pm5am, £4-£10. DJs Kake, Sylric Audio and Hot Taties, “encompassing styles in the

JACOB’S MARKET West Canal Wharf, Cardiff.

029 2039 0939.

Fri 20 Dec Delete 10pm5am, £15 adv/£12.50 early bird.

House goodness from Christian AB b2b Quest for four hours, plus residents Marc Parsons, Matt Owen and Lee Graves.

Tue 31 Dec Lamerica 8pm-5am, £25 adv/£40 VIP. Featuring Michael Gray (Full Intention) with a classic disco set spanning midnight, plus Darren Stewart, Craig Bartlett & Gareth Hopkins and Simon Quinn. VIP ticket allows you on the roof terrace with a free drink.

KONGS 114-116 St Mary Street, Cardiff. info@kongsbars.com / www.kongsbars.com Fri 6 Dec NRG 10pm-3am, from £5. Drum’n’bass from Annix, Imanu, Klinical, an Incurzion takeover and Skelley.

Sat 7 Dec Drwn Collective 10pm-3am, £6. Drum’n’bass from DJ Limited with MC XL, plus more TBC. Tue 31 Dec NYE 2019 9pm-4am. In association with Rotary Club.

Fri 24 Jan Rhythm Project 10pm-3am. Headline show for Loods, a house producer form Newcastle (the Australian one) now based in London (the English one).

LABYRINTH 13 Quay Street, Haverfordwest. 01437 760680 / www.labyrinthbar.com Sat 7 Dec Lyon’s Den 9pm-2am, free. Drum’n’bass and jungle from Lyoness, One_Z, Harlem, Sinnergy and Tone. Sat 14 Dec Squash Records 90s Free Rave 10pm-2am, free. Drum’n’bass, grime etc from Pie-Fi, Reptilian Space Cowboys, Vex-T, JoelØP and hosts Lispy J, OJ Skeng and Azzo. Fri 20 Dec Mad Ting 9pm-2am, free.

UK garage and bassline from Martyn Kinnear, Arkala Dre, One-Z and Sinnergy.

LASER STATION Bridge Wharf, Carmarthen.

01267 235648 / www. laserstationwales.com Fri 20 Dec Fat Soul Reggae Bass Special 8pm-3am, £9 adv/£7 early bird. Reggae, dancehall, dub, ragga, hiphop, bass, jungle and more is promised from Parly B, Timbali, Fat Stash, Docta P, Sub:Conscious & Selectrix, Jake Radar and NLBeCool.

NEW YEAR’S EVE ROUNDUP Various venues, Tue 31 Dec Everyone loves New Year’s Eve, don’t they?

Really? Not even a bit? OK, well maybe this quickfire roundup will change your mind, and if not at least we tried. Neath house heads Hedone have booked The Duke, “details to follow”. Big Love take over Cardiff pub Gassy’s with a lineup including A.Skillz and Ladies Of Rage. Michael Gray of Full Intention spins classic disco in Jacob’s Market, Cardiff, courtesy of promoters Lamerica, while up the road Rotary Club are arranging a night in Kongs. The Moon is open for 12 hours, six ‘til six, and has live bands as well as DJs. In Penarth, the Ex-Servicemen’s Club is soundtracked by venue regulars Penarth Soul Club, while Shangri-La have a clutch of DJs booked for Pitcher & Piano in Swansea.

Joel Corrie and Foor are in the Cardiff branch of Pryzm, DJ Jaffa and some burlesque sorts are in the Tramshed for Disco Motel and a large techno bill in Cardiff Bay’s Vaults includes Boxia and Natasha Denby [pictured].

LE PUBLIC SPACE High Street, Newport. 01633 221477 / www.lepublicspace. co.uk Sat 7 Dec Thnks Fr Th Mmrs 11pm-3am, free. Emo, pop-punk and nu-metal from the previous decade, here on the first Saturday of each month.

Club / Intuition 7-9pm: Iqos Social Club; 9pm-late: Intuition with DJs Monique B and Dan Willow. Fridays Feeling Soul, funk, disco, rare groove and r’n’b with resident DJs and happy hour from 5-8pm.

Saturdays House Of Play House and r’n’b from resident DJs. Sundays Secret Resident DJs play 90s music.

MARY’S 89 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Mon-Thurs 4pm-2am, Fri 4pm-3am, Sat 12pm-3am, Sun 12pm-1am. 029 2066 8647 / www.maryscardiff. co.uk Wednesdays Wednesday Club 8pm-2am. Dance and chart toppers with DJ Chris. Thursdays Mixxet 8pm-2am. Fun, games, and cabaret with Amber Dextrous and Alphaa Heart. Fridays Non Stop Party 8pm-2am.

DJ Lee plays tunes from the 90s onwards. Joe. Sundays Service 5pm-2am, free. Bingo with Aunty Ade and Aunty Betty from 5pm, with cash prizes; DJ Mary Golds until 9pm; guest cabaret at 9pm and DJ Billy Joe on the tapes (this is an odd turn of phrase but I like it) until 1am.

THE MOON Womanby Street, Cardiff. 029 2037 3022 / info@ themooncardiff.com Wed 18 Dec Womanby’s Clubbing 5-8pm. Monthly clubbing events for adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health conditions. Run in partnership with Student Volunteering; email k.sillah@svcymru.org for more info. Tue 31 New Year’s Eve Party 6pm-6am, £5. Twelve hours of live bands (inc. Hunter From Fremonte and The Bloodshots) plus DJs etc. Fri 17 Jan Electronic Producers Network 7-10pm, free. Monthly live tunes/showcase type night. Wednesdays Rum & Reggae 10.30pm2.30am, free. Reggae, dub, ska, hip-hop and jungle.

Thursdays One More Time 10.30pm-2.30am, free.

Music from the 90s and 00s.

Fridays Gigantic Until 4am, free. Funk, punk, rock’n’roll, hip-hop, indie, reggae and soul after bands finish playing.

Saturdays Five Dollar Shake Until 4am, free. Bebop, funk, soul, Motown, hip-hop, reggae, ska and everything in between, after bands finish playing.

METRO’S Baker’s Row, Cardiff. 029 2039 9942 / www. metroscardiff.com Wednesdays Cheapskates 10pm-4am, £2 before 11. Pop and alternative old and new.

Fridays Meltdown 10.30pm4am, free before 11. Punk and rock anthems. Saturdays Lose Yourself 10.30pm-4am, free before 11. Stereo Brain playing indie, beats, treats and pop-punk.

MINSKYS SHOW BAR Cathedral Walk, St David’s Centre, Cardiff. 029 2023 3128 / www.minskysshowbar.com Fridays & Saturdays 8pm1am. Dancing and cabaret with regular drag acts including Tina Sparkle, Miss Babs and Jolene Dover.

MOCKA LOUNGE Mill Lane, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 11am-late. 029 2022 1295 / www.mockalounge.com Thursdays Iqos Social

OCEAN ARTS CARDIFF Unit 2, East Moors Business Park, East Moors Rd, Cardiff Bay. 029 2132 0030 / www. oceanartscardiff.co.uk Fri 6 + Fri 3 Jan All Accessible Club Nights 7.30-11.30pm, £3/free for carers. In the venue’s words, a gentle club night with music, a bar and chillout area, accessible toilet and friendly staff.

Also open to under-18s until 9pm. First Friday of every month.

PATTI PAVILION Mumbles Road, Swansea.

01792 475444.

Fri 31 Jan Martin Kemp 7.30pm, £18.50 adv. Spandau Ballet man with another of his rather successful ‘Back To the 80s’ DJ sets, indeed this one was sold out by the end of October.

PENARTH EX-SERVICEMEN’S CLUB 69 Windsor Road, Penarth.

029 2070 7530 / www. penarthexservicemensclub. co.uk Sat 21 Dec Something In The Air 7.30pm-12am, £4 adv. New night from Penarth Soul Club people (see below), promising “a mix of 60s hits and rarities of various genres, all from vinyl”. Tue 31 Dec Penarth Soul Club 7.30pm1am, £6 adv. Final bash of these longrunning soul lovers’ 2019 schedule. Sat 18 Jan Penarth Soul Club 7.30pm-12am, £4 adv. A night of classic soul, northern soul etc. Further 2020 dates are Sat 14 Mar, Sat 16 May, Sat 18 July, Sat 12 Sept and Sat 14 Nov. THE PERCH 66 Wind Street, Swansea.

01792 465860 / www. theperchswansea.co.uk Thurs 26 Groove 9pm-4am, £5 adv. House and techno headlined by Cardiff DJ/producer Incüs.

PITCHER & PIANO Wind Street, Swansea. 01792 461312 / www. pitcherandpiano.com Tue 31 Dec Shangri-La 9pm-3am, £10 adv/£4 early bird. House from Jamie Roy, Lucas Alexander, Neil Navarra, Joey Rich b2b Dean Hawker, Lloyd Haines and Scott Phillips.

PLATFORM 11 High Street, Pontypridd.

Fri-Sun 7.30pm-2am. www. platform11.co.uk Sat 7 Dec 034 6pm-4am, £8-£12. Featuring headliner Jacky. Fri 13 Dec Nuff Vibes Xmas Party 8pm-4am, £8-£12. Classic and modern house from Andy Manston, Dave & Ade, Matt Kerley, Dave Jones, Gary Pugh, Gareth Hopkins, Darren Jones, Mathew Burns and Jonathan Palmer.

BUZZ 63

POPWORLD 96 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Mon, Tue + Thurs 9pm-3am; Wed 8pm-3am; Fri 5pm-3am; Sat 1pm-3am. 029 2023 5825.

Mondays Pop Rocks 9pm.

A night of what they call alternative pop. Wednesdays Top Banana 10pm-3am.

Retro gaming, giveaways and DJ Giggsy playing the songs.

Thursdays Top Of The Pops 10pm-3am. Discounted drinks, free entry and a chance to party the night away.

Fridays Reflex 7pm-3am.

Drinks deals until 11pm.

Saturdays Popworld Party 1pm-3am. Drinks deals from 3-6pm.

POPWORLD 2-5 Wind Street, Swansea.

Mon-Fri + Sun 8pm-3am; Sat 3pm-3am. 01792 470676.

Mondays Cheapskates 9pm-3am. With DJ Rubell “spinning the mixes on the decks” in the slightly confusedsounding words of Popworld itself. Wednesdays Quids In 8pm-3am. Student night where drinks are £1. Thursdays Neon Disco 9pm-3am. Dance r’n’b, pop, chart and punk.

Fridays #WTF 9pm-3am, £2-£4. Tunes, games etc.

Saturdays Pop Party 8pm3am, £2-£4. Sundays SIP 9pm-3am, That’s short for Service Industry Party.

PRYZM Greyfriars Road, Cardiff. 029 2023 3854 / www.pryzm. co.uk/cardiff Fri 20 Dec The Studio 10.30pm-3am, £4 adv. This is a small room wherein “some of the hottest up-and-coming DJs and brands” get a chance to do their thing, on this occasion Cardiff drum’n’bass promoters NRG. Sun 29 Dec Lipstick Lounge New Year Party 8pm-3am, £11. Lesbian/ bisexual women-only event hosted by Lipstick Events. Tue 31 Dec 9pm-4am, £12.50-£20.

Featuring sets by Joel Corrie, FooR and a Freddie Mercury Tribute Experience, plus various residents. Saturdays Agenda 10pm-3am, £5. Three music arenas, VIP booths, other stuff.

PULSE 3 Churchill Way, Cardiff. 029 2064 1010 / www. pulsecardiff.com. Gay venue.

Wednesdays Kapow!

10pm-4am. Student night with Jolene Dover and DJ Warren.

Fridays Full On 10pm-5am, £4/£3. DJ Craig downstairs, Opal upstairs. Saturdays The Sound Of Saturday 10pm-5am, £5/£4 b4 11. The very best chart remixes and classic hits all night long.

SIN CITY Dilwyn Street, Swansea.

01792 468892 / www. sincityclub.co.uk Tuesdays Hustle 10pm3am, £3/£2 before 12.

Motown, r’n’b and hip-hop.

Thursdays Sin Savers 10pm-3am, £3. Student night.

Fri 6 Dec Bassline 10pm4am. Headlined by Hybrid Minds and MC Tempza this month; sold out. Fri 20 Dec Delusion 10pm-4am, from £15. Every Black Friday BUZZ 64

Swansea trance promoters Delusion get scene fave Ben Nicky down to headline. It always sells out, this year being no exception. Kutski and residents are also playing. Fri 24 Jan Thnks For Th Mmrs 11pm-3am, £5/£4.

Emo, punk etc. Saturdays Sink 10pm-3am. Hip-hop, drum’n’bass, dubstep etc, with special guests plus resident DJs Dubman, Swiss Elf and South. Sat 14 Dec Dazed 10pm-4am, from £6.

Drum’n’bass from Sub Zero & Mr Traumatik, Clique, Friends On Benefits and more TBC SMALL WORLD THEATRE Bath House Road, Cardigan.

01239 615952 / www. smallworld.org.uk Sat 25 Jan Move On Up 8pm, £7. Mr A plays an allvinyl set of Detroit soul, New Orleans funk, West Coast wahwah, Harlem Shuffle and New York disco, with projections

by Mr. W. SODA St Mary Street, Cardiff. 029 2037 3363 / www. sodacardiff.com Thurs 26 Dec Boxing Day Blowout 10pm-3am, £7-£15.

“Mixcloud’s record breaking” (not going to look up what this means, sorry) DJ Arvee makes his Cardiff debut. Tue 31 Dec NYE 2019 9pm-3am, £5-£10.

Three rooms of r’n’b, house, chart etc, with Kem Cetinay and DJ Wuchi the special guests. “No effort no entry” the venue add. Wednesdays Replay 9pm-4am, £4. Chart, cheese and r’n’b for students.

Fridays Guilty Sounds 10pm-4am, £4/£6 VIP. R’n’b and house from the 90s and 00s. Saturdays Soiree 9pm4am. Three rooms including the Attic which is “the social playground for the high flyers and social elite, the only place to be seen.” Imagine catching your reflection in the mirror just after writing that.

Sundays Soda Sundays 9pm-3am, £4/£8 VIP. Three floors of music for students and industry workers.

STORY Greyfriars Road, Cardiff. info@storynightclub.co.uk Mondays Quidz 10pm-3am, from £1. Student night. Mon 9 Dec is [voice takes on graver tone] a Cardiff Santa Rave featuring Dick & Dom. Fridays Smack. 10pm-3am. Student night across four rooms, poached back from Pryzm who I guess poached it from some other crap student club.

Fridays Antisocial 11pm4am, £4 adv/£6 VIP. Weekly student night with special guests. Saturdays Iconic 11pm-4am, £4 adv/£6 VIP. R’n’b, hip-hop, house etc.

TIGER TIGER Friary House, Greyfriars Rd, Cardiff. Open Mon-Fri 12pm-2am, Sat 12pm-3am, Sun 12pm-12.30am. 029 2039 1944 / www.tigertiger-cardiff. co.uk Every Day Lucky Voice Karaoke From £2.50 per session. The UK’s leading private karaoke experience each day of the week. Mondays Dolla Dolla 10pm-3am,

£5/£2. Student night with special guests. Tuesdays Sync 10pm-3am, £3. R’n’b and hip-hop from DJ Sole and Alex Davies; disco, house and bass from Lewis Disson, Kyle Thom and Jordan Witts.

Wednesdays Shotgun Rules 10pm-3am, £5/£3.50.

Exclusive midweek student party. You don’t need NUS to get in though. Fridays Tic Toc 10pm-3am, £4. “Forget the DJs who play the stuff you’ve never heard of, ours will be playing your favourite tracks all night long.” Saturdays Kanaloa Polynesian style area with cocktails, VIP booths, dancers etc.

TINY REBEL CARDIFF 25 Westgate Street, Cardiff.

029 2039 9557 / www. tinyrebel.co.uk/bars/cardiff Tue 31 New Years Eve Salsa Latin Party 10pm2.30am, £10 adv. Havana People Salsa Wales serve up salsa, bachata, reggaeton and salsaton hits, courtesy of DJ Hombre. This’d be in the upstairs room I assume.

TRAMSHED Clare Road, Grangetown, Cardiff. 029 2023 5555 / www.tramshedcardiff.com Fri 6 Dec Triple Cooked 10.30pm-3am, £15 adv.

Disco, house and decor with a Christmas theme. Fri 13 Dec Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club 8pm, £10-£18.

Fri 20 Dec Trance With Tremor 8pm-3am, £25.

Featuring Mauro Picotto, Sean Tyas, Cally & Shocker, Bradz, Steve Hampton, Ph. & Lam, Stu Grady and more TBC. Sat 21 Dec Human Traffic 2 Christmas Party 8pm, £20-£35. As in the sequel to 1999’s ‘cult’ clubbing movie.

This night is organised by its director Justin Kerrigan, who phoned me up trying to get some editorial about it but as of this moment hasn’t sent the promised info which would facilitate that editorial.

Tue 31 Dec Glitter Tots ‘Noon’ Years Eve Family Disco 10.30am, £9-£11.

Kid-friendly prequel to the event listed below. Features Grl Tlk DJs and a midday countdown, which is quite a funny gag arguably wasted on small children. Tue 31 Dec Disco Motel 8pm, £14-£33.

Featuring DJ Jaffa; Motel Concierge; Jolene Dover; Peaches & Cream Burlesque; Pzazz Performance; Dizzy Pineapple Glitter Girls and Disco Motel Capes. I know what some of those things are. Fri 31 Jan Shangri-La 10pm-3am, from £16. Big hitter techno from Alan Fitzpatrick, Dense & Pika and KUSP. Fri 7 Feb Time Flies Big Birthday Party 8pm-3am, £25 adv/£35 VIP. Lineup so far features Todd Terry (who I think might be playing Cardiff for the first time in the 20+ years I’ve lived here, so fair dos), X-Press 2, Seb Fontaine and John Kelly.

UNDERTONE (BASEMENT OF 10 FEET TALL) 11a + 12 Church Street, Cardiff. 029 2022 8883 / www.undertonecardiff.com Tue 3 Dec Binary #002

10pm-3am, £3 adv. Techno, electro and house from Jeeves, P-Rail, Rybo and more TBC. Thurs 5 Dec Tempz’s Xmas Tempter 10pm-3am, £5.50-£7.50. Drum’n’bass from Nicky Blackmarket, Bason, Lowgli, Ejay b2b Raudi TT, TBone b2b Joe Blow and MCs Vizable, Tempz, Hayez and Redtop. Fri 6 Dec Haws 10pm-4am, £4 adv. House from residents TBC. Sat 7 Dec Labyrinth 10pm-4am, £3-£5 adv. Drum’n’bass from JE3, Aktik, Stuss, Stygian, Double A Side, Grown and hosts P.A.B, Hazey and XL. Tue 10 Dec Dubstep Throwback 10pm3am, £4 adv/£3 adv before 11pm. Teagle, Benny Bootleg, Blokeye and Ransom supply the late-00s nostalgia, or in their words “for the fans of the 140 stinkers from their teenage years”. They didn’t have this music when I was a teenager though... it’s almost as if they don’t want me to attend!

Wed 11 Dec Live & Direct 9pm-3am, £3-£7. Grime night headlined by Neffa-T from Bournemouth, plus ManGo, Wdubs, Elianne, Klauss x Stitch, HMPTN b2b Jimmy and MCs Drafts and Blund. Fri 13 Dec Darth DNB 10pm-4am, £5-£8. Drum’n’bass from TJ, Aktik b2b Stuss, Rauti TT b2b Ejay and Diskrete. Thurs 26 Dec Stickylemons 10pm-3am. Drum’n’bass from Dr Meaker, Zippy b2b Benny Bootleg, DJ Low, Raudi TT b2b Mumble Band MCs Melo and Conrad Stone. Thurs 9 Jan RAM Records x Stickylemons 10pm-4am.

More drum’n’basswith a “secret headliner” from Andy C’s big shot label, plus local support etc. Wednesdays House Party 10pm-3am, free before 11. Drum’n’bass, disco, house, techno, UK garage and bass, aimed at students and over this venue’s three floors every week.

VALE WAREHOUSE Cambria House, Penarth Road, Cardiff. 07955 270870 / info@valewarehouse.com Tue 31 Inside Out 8pm2am, £5-£25. The people behind the summer festival in Bute Park tackle NYE too, with a headline set from Sigma plus a full bill TBC. THE VAULTS / PORTLAND HOUSE The Old Natwest Bank, 113116 Bute Street, Cardiff Bay. www.vaultspresents.com Thurs 26 Tibu 10pm-5am.

House and garage, lineup TBC but “even more decor” and “improved lighting and production” is promised..

Tue 31 High Fi 8pm-5am, £12.50-£25. Techno over two rooms, precise schedule TBC but expect Boxia, Natasha, Argy, Tekno Tom b2b Prydie, Alter:Ego (change your name), Jamie Morgan, Dan Newman b2b Jack Coles, Orangepeel, Jack Edinborough, PH & Lam, Bäzaar, Mason James b2b Lewis Fraser, Spctrm b2b 5AM, Jake Verlander, Sas, Tom Staley b2b Callum Bristow and Connor Smillie.

WALKABOUT SWANSEA Castle Bailey Street, Swansea.

01792 450850 / www.

walkaboutbars.co.uk/venues/ swansea Wednesdays Loose 9pm3am, £4/£2. New night here across four rooms (chart toppers / r’n’b and urban, plus drum’n’bass / techno, house and disco in the Attic).

Saturdays Sydney 9pm3am. Dance, chart, house and anthems across two rooms.

WOW BAR 11 Windsor Place, Cardiff.

Gay venue. www. wowbarcardiff.com Mondays Mysterious Mondays Free. Music from DJ Chris, hosted by Dixie Normous. Wednesdays Gypsy’s Jaunty Wednesdays Free. Music from DJ Craig, hosted by Gypsy Divine with a guest artist every week. Thursdays Krazy Karaoke Free. Music from DJ Chris, hosted by Dominique Trix and with a free shot for everyone who does a song.

Fridays Campilicious Cabaret Free before 11.

Hosted by various members of the WOW Showgirls, plus special guests every week.

Saturdays Double Trouble Free before 10. Pop and party with DJs Gypsy, Krys and Craig. Sundays Fundays 12pm-1.30am, free. DJ Krys and Chris play the tunes until late, plus there are guest artists every week.

events EVERY MONDAY uEscape Reality Cardiff Escape Reality, John Street, Cardiff. Mon-Fri + Sun 1.309pm; Sat 12-9pm, £16-£20 per player. Info 029 2132 3120 / cardiff@escapereality.com.

Escape room setup where players have an hour to solve puzzles and exit the room in question. Offers each day for hen/stage parties, corporate events etc. uNoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. £1-£15 per class. Info 029 2022 1330 / www. nofitstate.org. Classes for various age groups on every day; check the website for full details.

Qi Gong Tai Chi Carnegie House, Bridgend. 1.30-2.30pm, £3. Info 01656 815757. With tutor Geoff Cheetham. uUp Side Down Circus Classes Cave Venture Workshops, Tremorfa Industrial Estate, Cardiff. Info 029 2048 8854 / info@ upsidedowncircus.co.uk.

Classes for various skill levels on every day; check the website for full details.

EVERY TUESDAY uAdult Give It A Go Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine’s Park, Cardiff.

6.30-7.50pm, £15. Info 029 2048 4880. Every Tuesday to Thursday.

Beginners Ballet Dance House, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 6.157.30pm, £6. Info 029 2063 5614.

Covering key ballet principles including developing core strength, improving posture, basic steps, flexibility and coor-

dination. Hosted by National Dance Company Wales.

Beginners Contemporary Dance Dance House, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30-8.45pm, £6. Info 029 2063 5614. Exploring the basic principles of contemporary dance through a set of exercises.

Hosted by National Dance Company Wales.

Caban Sgriblio Brecon Library. 4-6pm, free. Info 01873 811579. Drop-in creative writing sessions led by Uschi Turoczy. Running throughout summer but with no set finish date at present.

English Conversation Group For Beginners M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 11am, free. Info 029 2047 3373. Led by a qualified English language teacher.

Mid Wales Dance Academy Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. Info 01874 623219.

With Lesley Walker. Also on Thursdays, Fridays aand Saturdays.

Open Mic Night Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com. uOrganised Kaos Circus Classes Cwmaman Church Hall, Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen. Info 07799 266505 / info@ organisedkaos.org.uk. Inclusive community circus offering an environment for young people and adults alike to develop circus skills, promoting self confidence and community.

Various classes from Tuesday to Friday; find the timetable at www.organisedkaos.org.uk.

Uplift Singing Sessions Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

12.30-1.30pm, £5/£4. Info 01874 611622.

EVERY WEDNESDAY Circus Academy Carnegie House, Bridgend. 6.30-8pm, pay by donation. Info 01656 815757. Open to all ages.

EVERY THURSDAY Carnegie House Samba Band Carnegie House, Bridgend. 6.30-8pm, pay by donation. Info 01656 815757.

Open to all abilities.

FAN Group Meeting Cardiff Central Library. 5.30pm, free. Info www.thefancharity. org. Meet new people, make friends and get to know your neighbours.

Learn To Roller Skate Cardiff Central Youth Club, Cardiff. 6-7.30pm, £4/£40 for eight weeks at two sessions per week. Info www.brawlers. co.uk. With Cardiff roller derby team Tiger Bay Brawlers; fully coached and with veteran skater lead. Also on every Sunday.

Mid Wales Dance Academy Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. Info 01874 623219.

Singing For Lung Health Bridges Centre, Drybridge House, Monmouth. 11am12pm, £3. Info 03000 555555.

New singing group set up by the British Lung Foundation and open to anyone living with a lung condition.

Yoga First Floor, 3 Assembly Square, Britannia Quay, Cardiff Bay. 12.30-1.15pm, £5. Info elliecoptor@hotmail.com. With Mat Roblin.

EVERY FRIDAY English Conversation Group For Advanced Adult

Learners M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 11am, free. Info 029 2047 3373. Led by a qualified English language teacher.

Mid Wales Dance Academy Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. Info 01874 623219.

Rhiwbina Farmers Market The Butchers Arms, Rhiwbina.

10am-1pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982.

EVERY SATURDAY Mid Wales Dance Academy Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. Info 01874 623219.

Roath Real Food Market Mackintosh Sports Club Car Park, Roath, Cardiff. 9.30am1pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982.

EVERY SUNDAY Come Down Sundays Quiz Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm, £1 to play. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Draw Somebody’s Sunday Body Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 1.30-3.30pm, £7.50.

Info 07830 381930. Hosted by Cardiff Life Model.

Learn To Roller Skate Cardiff Central Youth Club, Cardiff. 12-1pm, £3/£40 for eight weeks at two sessions per week. Info www.brawlers.co.uk.

Uncoached session hosted by Tiger Bay Brawlers.

Riverside Farmers’ Market Fitzhammon Embankment, Cardiff. 10am2pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982.

Always worth a trip.

Sunday Board Games Cardiff Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 3pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. Weekly session featuring a mixture of competitive and co-operative games.

SUNDAY 1 DECEMBER uA Child’s Christmas In Wales Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 10am-4pm, free (£3 suggested donation). Info 01792 463980. Self-led activities for kids. Every Saturday and Sunday in December, plus New Year’s Eve. uAfter Dark Light Trail Margam Park, nr Port Talbot.

4.45-8.30pm, £12/£8 kids. Info luminatewales.com. A mile-long light trail around the gardens of this park, with various other interactive elements for families, on every day in eight slots for a month. (Until Mon 23) Canton Book Festival Chapter Arts Centre / St Canna’s Ale House, Cardiff.

10am-7pm. Info 029 2030 4400. The final day of an event which began on Fri 29 Nov, but no-one told me was happening last month. 10-11:30am, Chapter: Make Your Own Zine with Printhaus and Wales Arts Review Book Club; 12-1pm, St Canna’s: Story Sharing: Nanowrimo Writer’s Surgery with Parthian Books; 3-5pm, Chapter: poetry showcase feat.

Mab Jones, Hanan Issa, Robert Walton and Amelia Unity; 5:307pm, St Canna’s: book launch for Daryl Leeworthy’s A Little Gay History Of Wales.

Cardiff Storytelling Circle Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

7pm, £5. Info 029 2030 4400. uCheeky Elf Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Kids’ activities running all December and then a bit more. (Until Sun 5 Jan) Christmas Craft Fayre St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of

Glamorgan. 10.30am-4.30pm, free. Info 01446 799100.

Christmas Market The Queens Hall, Narberth.

4-8pm, free. Info 01834 861212.

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 4pm, free. Info 029 2087 7959.

Depot Christmas Market The Depot, Cardiff. 11am-5pm, £1. Info www.depotcardiff. co.uk. Local traders, food live music and arts and crafts for kids. uDinky Donkey Walking Venue TBC, Brecon Beacons. £35/£25 under-16s. Info 01874 749092. Spend a couple of hours with a pair of Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys. Also on Sun 8, Sat 14, Sat 21 and Sat 28 Dec, then, Sat 4, Mon 6 and Sat 25 Jan. Etsy Made Local Swansea Winter Fair Patti Pavilion, Swansea. 10am. Info cavetsy@gmail.com.

Showcase/market for Swanseaarea Etsy sellers.

Glazing Techniquyes In Pottery Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 2-4.30pm, £45.

Info 029 2048 4611. With Billy Adams.

Hay Festival Winter Weekend Various locations, Hay-On-Wye. Info hayfestival. org. Annual miniature, chillier version of infamous early-summer arts’n’slebs fest in bookish town. Go to the website for the full listings; today is the final day and features the play Unicorns Almost and SarahLouise Young. uInterwoven: Annie Fenton / Heledd C. Evans Shift, Cardiff. 3-5pm, free. Info shiftcardiff@gmail.com. Two Cardiff-based artists working with movement and sound respectively. Today they’re discussing their work in the afternoon with Claire Vaughan from Shift; tomorrow, from 6-10pm, people can come and engage with the work and there’ll be some live activity generally.

Oh So Festive Market Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

11am-6pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. On tomorrow also. uSt Fagans Christmas Weekends National History Museum, St Fagans. 10am5pm. Info 029 2057 3500. Every Saturday and Sunday until Christmas, a chance to meet Santa, shops at the Makers Market and go on a traditional fairground. uStifyn Parri Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £15.

Info 029 2089 0862. Comedic spoken word show by Welsh celeb gadfly. This one’s performed in Welsh I think. In Aberystwyth on Fri 13 Dec; Ammanford on Fri 17 Jan; Llanelli on Sat 18 and at this venue again on Sun 19. uTrack The Reindeer Trail National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3070. Kids’ activities across Christmas.

(Until Sat 4 Jan) Xmas Fair Llanover Hall Arts Centre, Canton, Cardiff. 11am3pm, free. Info llanoverxmasfair@gmail.com.

TUESDAY 3 DECEMBER uArt Club Carnegie House, Bridgend. 6.30-8.30pm, £8 per class/£10 annual membership.

Info 01656 815757. Open to all abilities and ages; every

Tuesday until 17 Dec. Art History Lectures: Painting Winter Penarth Pier Pavilion. 6.30-9pm, £15.

Info 029 2071 2100. Presented

by Stella Grace Lyons. Price includes a glass of wine. uContemporary Conversations Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 1-3pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

Meeting up twice a month (also on Tue 17 Dec, Tue 7 Jan and Tue 21 Jan), this group discuss ideas and themes from current and recent art exhibitions.

Kumihimo Jewellery Making Workshop M.A.D.E. Gallery, Cardiff. 10.30am12.30pm + 6.30-8.30pm, £25 per session. Info larkdesignmake@gmail.com.

Hosted by Lark Design Make.

Mick Foley Walkabout, Cardiff. 5pm, £25/£60 VIP. Info 029 2072 7930. Retired wrestler turned raconteur (of sorts). Presented by Inside The Ropes.

Music Networking: Introductions, Collaborations, Advice The Moon, Cardiff. 7-9pm, free.

Reminiscence Monthly Museum Of Cardiff, The Hayes, Cardiff. 11am-1pm, free. Info 029 2034 6214.

Come to the museum and share your memories of Cardiff, on the first Wednesday of every month.

THURSDAY 5 DECEMBER uArt Class Carnegie House, Bridgend. 10am-12pm, £8. Info 01656 815757. Open to all abilities and ages; every Thursday until 19 Dec. Bridgend Writers’ Circle Carnegie House, Bridgend.

7pm, £8 for a year’s membership. Info 01656 815757.

Meeting here on the first Thursday of every month.

First Thursday Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £3. Info 029 2030 4400. New poetry and fiction, this month from Eoghan Walls and Tammar Yoselof.

Kemi’s Storytelling Suppers Kemi’s, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 6-9pm, £20. Info 029 2037 2055. Featuring guest storytellers Robin and Bina Williamson; price includes a two-course meal.

Exposure Wrestling top off a successful year of indy grappling around south Wales with a festive show, subtitled Lollipops, Ladders & Mistletoe, at Pill Millennium Centre in Newport on Fri 13 Dec. Info info@themooncardiff. com. Register via Eventbrite. uPiggy Walking With A ‘Pig-Nic’ Senni Valley, Brecon Beacons. £30/£20 under-16s.

Info 01874 749092. Take a pair of friendly Kune Kune pigs (from New Zealand, look a bit like Ewoks) for a walk, then return to the smallholding for refreshments. Also on Sun 8, Sun 15, Mon 16, Sun 22, Mon 23 and Sun 29 Dec, then, Sun 5, Sun 12, Sun 19 and Sun 26 Jan. WEDNESDAY 4 DECEMBER uAdult Workshops Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea.

1-3pm, free. Info 01792 516900. A class for people of all abilities to create art in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Every Wednesday in December and January, apart from Christmas and New Year’s Days.

Bedwellty Christmas Market Bedwellty House & Park, Tredegar. 6-9pm, free.

Info 01495 355945.

Bingo Lingo The Depot, Cardiff. 6pm, £5. Info www. depotcardiff.co.uk. Features street food, a wheel of fortune and “rubbish prizes”. uCreative Textiles Club Carnegie House, Bridgend.

10am-12pm, £8. Info 01656 815757. Every Wednesday until 18 Dec; open to all abilities.

Leather Journal Making Workshop M.A.D.E. Gallery, Cardiff. 10.30am-12.30pm + 6.30-8.30pm, £25 per session.

Info larkdesignmake@gmail. com. Hosted by Lark Design Make.

Open Mic Poetry Night Imperial Hotel, Merthyr Tydfil. 7.30pm, £5. Info 01685 722555. Featuring guest poets Alun Rees, Sally Roberts Jones and Herbert Williams. uSt Fagans Museum Ghost Tours National History Museum, St Fagans.

8-10pm, £16. Info 029 2057 3500. Hosted by Dark Wales Tours. Also on Fri 6, Wed 11 and Wed 18 in December; Thurs 9, Fri 10, Thurs 16, Fri 17, Fri 24 and Fri 31 Jan. Words Art Music Workers Gallery, Ynyshir, nr Porth.

7-9pm, free. Info 01443 682024. Words from James Piper, art from Gayle Rogers and music from Jeff Japers. uYin Yang Yoga: Lunchtime Yoga Class Cathays Community Centre, Cardiff. 1-1.50pm, £5. Info facebook.com/ victoriauceleyoga. Also on Thurs 12 and Thurs 19 Dec, then every Thursday in January. uYin Yoga Urban Zen Yoga & Movement Studio, Swansea.

7.45-9pm, £7. Info facebook. com/ victoriauceleyoga. Also on Thurs 12 and Thurs 19 Dec, then every Thursday in January.

FRIDAY 6 DECEMBER Bauble Wreath Workshop M.A.D.E. Gallery, Cardiff.

10.30am-1pm + 6.30-8.30pm, £28 per session. Info larkdesignmake@gmail.com.

Hosted by Lark Design Make.

Cardiff Inter Varsity Club Meeting Park Plaza Hotel, Cardiff. 8.30pm, £5 (three-

month trial membership). Info 07526 141392 / www.cardiffivc. org.uk. Meeting here on the first Friday of each month.

Festival Of Light Pendre, Cardigan (starting point).

7-8pm, free. Info 01239 615952.

Annual Giant Lantern Parade, said lanterns having been made in workshops during November, hosted by Small World Theatre. The parade finishes at Cardigan Castle.

HOW TO: Correctly Connect A Three Way Gang Switch Gentileza, Cardiff. 6-10pm, free. Info gentilezacdf@gmail.com.

Experimental art show with an amusingly lolrandom title.

Exhibiting artists: Maria Paraschidou, Jamie Lee Walton, Thomas Lloyd, Megan Woodward-Hay and Aron Nelson; guest artists: Heledd Evans, Miss.HD and Quintrelle.

Hugh St Clair Art Shop & Chapel, Abergavenny. 8pm, £10 adv. Info 01873 852690. Talk on his art biography, A Lesson In Art And Life – The Colourful World Of Cedric Morris And Arthur Lett-Haines.

Little Mice Club: Santa Special National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am12pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Monthly event for preschool children and their parents/ carers.

Wine Tasting Talk Evening: Antipodean Wines For Christmas National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 7pm, £15/£12.50.

Info 029 2057 3600. uYin Yoga & Mindfulness Urban Zen Yoga & Movement Studio, Swansea. 7.30-9pm, £10/£6 unwaged/£5 trial class.

Info facebook.com/ victoriauceleyoga.

SATURDAY 7 DECEMBER A Big Waterfront Christmas National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Various kid-friendly festive attractions.

Big Bones, Big Politics, And High Culture: How Dippy Became The Poster Child Of Peace (And War) National Museum Cardiff. 7pm, £6. Info 029 2039 7951. Talk by Ilja Nieuwland. uBrecon Craft Fair Market Hall, Brecon. 9am-4.30pm.

Info 01495 753782. Also on Sat 21 in December; it’s normally every third Saturday of the month.

Christmas At The Wool Museum National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre.

10am-4pm, free (charages apply for some craft activities). Info 029 2057 3070. Kids’ activities. uChristmas Fair Penarth Pier Pavilion. 10am-5pm, free.

Info 029 2071 2100. On tomorrow also.

Christmas Market Le Public Space, Newport. 12pm, free. Info sam@lepub.co.uk.

Local traders and craftspeople showcased.

Christmas Ornament Embroidery M.A.D.E. Gallery, Cardiff. 10am-1pm, £25. Info larkdesignmake@gmail.com.

Hosted by Lark Design Make.

Christmas Vintage Fayre The Gate, Cardiff. 10am-5pm, free. Info 029 2048 3344.

Featuring live music from Reverend James And The

Swingtown Cowboys, lindy hop sessions. vintage stalls, hula hooping and more.

Community Art Exhibition Celebration Volcano / GS Artists, Swansea. Info 01792 464790.

Craft Fair St David’s Church, Neath. 10am-3.30pm. Info ariancrafts@hotmail.co.uk.

Drawing Dinosaurs From The Inside-Out National Museum Cardiff. 1-3pm, £8.

Info 029 2039 7951. Hosted by illustrator/modeller Bob Nicholls, who is also giving a similrly-titled talk after this event (see below).

Enfys Craft Fair St. Francis Millennium Centre, Barry.

10am-4pm. Info 01446 792149.

Every first Saturday of the month.

Festival Farmers’ Market Caerleon Town Hall. 10am4pm, free. Info editor@ caerleon-arts.org. uM.A.D.E Festive Weekend M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 12-4pm, free. Info 029 2047 3373. Live music and general seasonappropriate niceness, in addition to the Lark Design Make workshops already listed. On tomorrow also.

Memo’s Speakeasy Christmas Bash Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 7pm, £40.

Info 01446 738622. Blah blah Gatsby blah Peaky Blinders zzz gin joint snore live swing music.

No, I Don’t Make It Up! How To Build Dinosaurs From The Inside-Out National Museum Cardiff. 5pm, £5/£4. Info 029 2039 7951.

Outdoor Christmas Market The Otter, Newbridge.

10am-8pm, £10 to set up a table. Info 01495 240936. uPig Street Craft Fair The Queens Hall, Narberth. 10am4pm, free. Info enquiries@ pigstreetcrafts.co.uk. Selling original arts and crafts here until Christmas; also on Sat 14 this month.

Revue Lindyhoppers Dance Class Carnegie House, Bridgend. 4-6pm, £5.

Info 01656 815757. Open to all abilities; every first Saturday of the month.

Saturnalia National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon.

11am-4pm. Info 0300 1112333.

Celebrate the Roman festival of Saturnalia via various activities, games, demonstrations, talks etc. The Caerleon Farmers’ Market is also on here today.

Sing-A-Long-A The Greatest Showman Grand Theatre, Swansea. 6pm, £15.

Info 01792 475715. Screening of the movie plus carte blanche for you to hoot away. uSwansea Winter Vintage & Makers Market National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. On tomorrow also, from 10am-4pm.

The Goods Xmas Market St Catherine’s Church Hall, Cardiff. 10am-5pm, free.

Info www.hard-lines.co.uk.

Independent/local makers and food types, hosted by Hard Lines.

The Little Vegan Christmas Market 2019 Swansea Market. 10am-3pm, free. Info 07707 320442.

Hosted by Brontosaurus Vegan Lifestyle Store and with BUZZ 65

ROOTS UNEARTHED DEC-JAN When any musician first gets noticed, it’s a common occurrence for them to be compared to one of their predecessors. Cellists are invariably compared to Jacqueline Du Pré, electric guitarists are “the new Jimi Hendrix” and for drummers it’s Keith Moon and Ginger Baker that provide the touchstones.

For singer-songwriters the comparisons are rife, but chief among them are usually Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen and unsurprisingly, Bob Dylan.

Flattering as it must be to for someone to be mentioned in the same breath as the great and good, it can prove to be a double-edged sword.

I wonder how many new Bob Dylans, unable to live up to the billings, are now otherwise employed. Quite a few, I’ll wager. Those that do survive the comparison do so because in addition to being the “new Dylan”, they’re also themselves, with their own distinctive writing style and way with a guitar.

Someone who probably knows as much about that state of affairs is Martyn Joseph, aka “the Welsh Springsteen”. Since 1983, when he released his debut album I’m Only Beginning, Martyn’s folk influenced, politically charged and socially aware writing has drawn obvious comparisons to The Boss, but he’s very much his own man with his own distinctive voice. With a staggering 23 studio albums and at least 13 live recordings, Martyn is one of the hardest working musicians on the scene, constantly gigging and maintaining close contact with his ever-growing fanbase.

That hard work has also been recognised by his peers. Among the many honours he’s had bestowed on him, the more recent ones include The Wales Folk Award for Best Original English Language Song for the title track to his latest album Here Come The Young; Folk Alliance International’s Spirit Of Folk Award, which honours those actively involved in the promotion and preservation of folk music; as well as Fatea Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Not bad for a Welsh bloke with a guitar.

Martyn’s live shows are the stuff of legend, as you can discover on Tue 28 Jan when he’ll be at Cardiff’s St David’s Hall. Miss him at your peril.

BUZZ ALSO RECOMMENDS: Steve Tilston. Great songwriting. Great guitar playing. Lyceum Folk Club, Newport, Gwent (Thurs 5 Dec) Steeleye Span. Legendary folk rockers’ 50th anniversary tour. Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan.

(Sat 7 Dec) Reg Meuross. Folk troubadour on the road again. Valley Folk Club, Pontardawe. (Fri 17 Jan) Please send your folk and roots listings to listings@buzzmag.co.uk or phone them in to 029 2022 6767

BUZZ 66

produce by 17 companies at last count.

Urban Sketching Workshops Barnabas Arts House, Newport / Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran.

10am-12pm (Newport) / 2-4pm (Cwmbran), £15 per session.

Info 07876 014902. Two sessions in different towns, both hosted by Julian Merriman.

New workshop showing how to apply a few simple techniques.

Wood Engraved Christmas Cards Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-1pm, £45.

Info 029 2048 4611. With Kath Littler.

World’s Big Sleep Out – Cardiff Cardiff Castle. £15 to register. Info 029 2087 8100.

Welsh capital’s contribution to global solidarity/fundraising drive for those experiencing homelessness and displacement. uYin Yoga Class Natural Health Service, Swansea.

9.15-11am, £8/£4 for your first class. Info facebook.com/victoriauceleyoga. Quiet, mindful yoga open to all. Also on Sat 14 and Sat 28 Dec, then every Saturday in January.

SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER Carols Around The Fire National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 2pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Christmas At Insole Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff. 10am4pm, free. Info 029 2116 7920.

Featuring craft stalls, food and drink, live music, activities and workshops.

Dinosaurs And Deserts In Wales National Museum Cardiff. 12, 1.30 + 3pm, £2 per session. Info 029 2039 7951.

Family-friendly talks by Cindy Howells.

Festive 5K Fun Run Ebbw Vale Sports Centre. 9am, £8 entry/£4 under-12s. Info 01495 357777.

Fooling Masterclass NoFit State, Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. 10am.

Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org. Hosted by Bianca Bertalot.

Marina Market Dylan Thomas Square, Swansea.

10am-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Monthly event selling handcrafted goods and fresh food.

Quiet Times With Dippy National Museum Cardiff.

9-10am, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Sessions aimed at visitors with autism, learning disabilities or sensory disorders.

The Supermarket Creatives Fair The Moon, Cardiff. 10am-4.30pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com.

Wales’ Biggest Christmas Fair LC2, Swansea. 10am3pm. Info 07772 111797.

Featuring over 100 stalls and various kids/family activities.

Welsh Vegan Winterfest City Hall, Cardiff. 10.30am4pm, £3/free under-16s. Info welshveganwinterfest.org.

Featuring over 60 vendors, an outdoor bar, talks, festive cookery demos, a kids’ craft room and free face painting.

MONDAY 9 DECEMBER BBC Writersroom Wales Festival National Museum Cardiff. 9.30am-7pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7951. According to this very issue’s Roundup

section, Ruth Jones and Rob Brydon are at this, but no other details seem to have been announced as I write.

Anyway you have to register in advance.

TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER Angels – Messenger Or Missile The Queens Hall, Narberth. 10.30am. Info 01834 861212. West Wales Decorative And Fine Arts Society lecture.

Cardiff Left Bookclub Beelzebub’s, Cardiff. 7-8pm, free. Info facebook.com/ cardiffleftbookclub. This takes place on the second Tuesday of each month and talks about a book which is left-wing in its outlook or has relevance to that ideology. This month it’s The Vegetarian by Han King.

Magical Night-Time Christmas Gift Fayre Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 6-9.30pm, free. Info 029 2087 7959. With music, singing, mulled wine and mince pies as well as all the stalls.

The Origins Of Our English Christmas Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 2pm, £8.

Info 01874 611622. Brecknock Art Society lecture by Roger Askew.

WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER Macramé Wreath Workshop M.A.D.E. Gallery, Cardiff. 12.30-3pm + 6.309pm, £25 per session. Info larkdesignmake@gmail.com.

Hosted by Lark Design Make.

Pallet. 004 Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30-11.30pm, free. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Independent art and music in an informal setting. These guys are always very vague about the content beyond that.

Richard Eyre Art Shop & Chapel, Abergavenny. 8pm, £11 adv. Info 01873 852690. Chat with respected UK theatre/TV/ film/opera director. uScriveners Writers’ Group The Badminton Club, Ebbw Vale. 8pm. Info 01495 309863 / burningcanary@aol. com. Also on Wed 8 Jan and Wed 22 Jan. THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER Abergavenny Flower Arrangers Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7pm, £12. Info 01873 850805.

An Evening With Iolo Williams Canolfan Beulah, Rhiwbina, Cardiff. 7.30pm.

Info 029 2052 0884. Hosted by Victoria Fearn Gallery but sold out in advance.

Christmas Disco Party Exchange Hotel, Cardiff Bay. 7pm-1am, £45. Info 029 2010 7050. Including live discothemed entertainment and DJs plus a three-course meal.

Crafternoon M.A.D.E. Gallery, Cardiff. 6.30-8.30pm, £2-£10 donation. Info larkdesignmake@gmail.com.

Hosted by Lark Design Make.

The Greeat Museum Christmas Quiz National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

7pm, £3.50 adv. Info 029 2057 3600. uTuneless Choir Cardiff Pontcanna Scout Hall, Cardiff.

7.30-9.30pm, £10 first session/£7 drop-in/£40 for eight weeks. Info 07745 683723.

Choir, led by Laura Woodford, for people who want to sing but can’t carry a tune. Also on

Thurs 19 in December; Thurs 16 and Thurs 30 in January.

FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER Christmas Fair Trebanog Community Centre, Tonyrefail.

4.30-6.30pm, £10 to set up a table. Info ruth_cq4@hotmail. com Exposure Wrestling: Lollipops, Ladders And Mistletoe Pill Millennium Centre, Newport. 6-9pm, £8-£15. Info www. exposurewrestling.com.

Christmas special for this local wrestling franchise, who are in Swansea on Sun 15. uSewing: Make Festive Gift Bags! M.A.D.E. Gallery, Cardiff. 12.30-3pm + 6.309pm, £25 per session. Info larkdesignmake@gmail.com.

Hosted by Lark Design Make.

Also on Sun 16, from 10.30am1pm. Very limited slots for both dates FYI Stifyn Parri Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.45pm, £12/£10.

Info 01970 623232.

SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER AbFab Vegan Fayre Paget Rooms, Penarth. 1-5pm, free.

Info 029 2070 0721. uA Traditional Welsh Christmas Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon, Torfaen. 10am-4pm, free. Info 0300 1112333. Various family activities including music/ singing from Blaenavon Ladies Choir and Beaufort Male Choir (Blaenavon Town Band Sun 15). On tomorrow also. uCarols In The Chapel National History Museum, St Fagans. 10.30am-4pm, £5. Info 029 2057 3500. Four sessions per days, three in English (10.30-11am, 12-12.30pm and 2-2.30pm) and one in Welsh (3.30-4pm). On tomorrow also, plus Sat 21 and Sun 22 Dec. Christmas Family Fun Day Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 10am-4pm, £3-£5 per activity. Info 01792 516900.

Christmas Market The Bone Yard, Canton, Cardiff.

12-9pm, free. Info www.shippingcontainerstudios.co.uk.

Guest traders, a bar, Dusty Knuckle pizza, vintage clothes, mulled beverages, cocktails, lantern making workshops and face painting.

Christmas Party Feast Night Ocean Arts Cardiff, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm. Info oceanartscardiff@gmx.co.uk.

Potluck type thing (ie bring a dish) with live music TBC. Churchill & Roosevelt National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11am, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Historical Association talk by Mike Simpson.

Craft Fair Community Hall, Neath. 10am-3.30pm. Info ariancrafts@hotmail.co.uk. uDippy About Christmas National Museum Cardiff.

11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Family craft activities. On tomorrow also.

Funky Craft Fayre Ostreme Centre, Mumbles, Swansea.

10am-4pm. Info nigel.mason@ ntlworld.com. Second Saturday of every month.

Gwyl Eira Cathays Community Centre, Cardiff.

6.30-10.45pm, £6/£5. Info 029 2037 3144. LGBTQ+ youth provision org Impact present a show featuring live music, drag, spoken word, poetry, art

and a raffle..

Hay’s Winter Wonderland The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 11am, free. Info 01497 821762.

Local/independent market. uMeet Dippy National Museum Cardiff. 12pm, £2.

Info 029 2039 7951. Family talk

by Dr Caroline Buttler. Also on Sat 18 Jan. Nimble Fingers Craft Fayre Victoria Hall, Mumbles, Swansea. 10am-4pm, free. Info 07790 298913. On the second Saturday of every month.

Spoken Word Saturday Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 3pm, £3. Info 0845 2263510.

Vale Makers Christmas Market Old Hall, Cowbridge.

10am-4pm, free. Info hello@ valemakers.org.

SUNDAY 15 DECEMBER Art History Lectures: The Christmas Story In Art Penarth Pier Pavilion. 6.309pm, £15. Info 029 2071 2100.

Presented by Stella Grace Lyons. Price includes a glass of wine.

Car Less Car Boot NosDa, Cardiff. 12-4pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. New event on the third Sunday of every month (albeit January date not confirmed yet), hosted by Twin Made.

Exposure Wrestling New Lodge Independent Social Club, Gorseinon, Swansea.

6pm, from £5. Info www. exposurewrestling.com.

MONDAY 16 DECEMBER The Gay Men’s Book Club Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. This month it’s a discussion of The Box Of Delights by John Masefield.

TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER uLife Drawing Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 1-3pm, £5. Info 01792 516900. Also on Tue 21 Jan and Sat 25 Jan. uRNIB Art Group Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea.

1-3pm, free (£3 suggested donation). Info 01792 516900.

Tutor-led class for people with visual impairments. Also on Tue 21 Jan. WEDNESDAY 18 DECEMBER Company Of Words: The Other Side Of Christmas CafeGo, Cardiff. 2-4.30pm.

Info 07830 381930. Poetry night Janine Booth and Alix Edwards plus open mic spots.

This is a newish cafe on Tudor Street FYI. Festive Printing Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 12-1.30pm, free.

Info 01685 384111. A Crafty Café session hosted by Gus Payne. uSample Sessions The Printhaus, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 5-8pm, £45.

Info 029 2022 0349. Also on Wed 29 Jan. THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER u80s Christmas Join A Party The Orangery, Margam Park, nr Port Talbot. 6.30pm, £34.95 Info 01639 883553.

Featuring live music by The Reflex (tonight) and Fat Barry’s Soul Band (tomorrow) plus a two-course Christmas meal.

NES, Nibbles & Boardgames Night Ocean Arts Cardiff, Cardiff Bay. 8-11.30pm, free. Info

oceanartscardiff@gmx.co.uk.

Retro social event – other consoles are available (Xbox and Gamecube, specifically).

12pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Monthly event for preschool children and their parents/ carers.

FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER Llandovery Folk Dancing Rhys Pritchard Hall, Llandovery. 7.30pm, £5. Info 01550 720232. Monthly night, this one having the dancers themselves acting as callers.

SATURDAY 4 JANUARY Dewch i Ganu National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

11am, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Join musician Delyth Jenkins and learn Welsh through song.

Welsh Wrestling The Met, Abertillery. 7pm, £12/£9 kids. Info 01495 355945.

In Abergavenny on Sat 11; Newport on Fri 17; Blackwood on Fri 31.

SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER uBack To Basics Course The Printhaus, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 10am-4pm, £60. Info 029 2022 0349.

Monthly one-day course, also on Sat 25 Jan. Bingo Lingo The Neon, Newport. 6pm, £7 adv. Info 01633 533666.

Bonkers Bingo / Ultrabeat Mecca Bingo, Cwmbran.

9.30pm-12.30am. Info 01633 483434. Another novelty bingo night, this time preceded with a set by happy hardcore/pop act Ultrabeat. And why not. uChristmas Food Fair National Botanic Garden Of Wales, Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire. 10am-4pm.

Info 01558 667149. Showcase for local food/drink producers, plsu live music all day in the Glasshouse. On tomorrow also.

Winter Solstice Family Festival Day Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 11am3pm, free (£3 suggested donation). Info 01792 516900.

SUNDAY 22 DECEMBER uCandlelit Singing Sessions Cardiff Tibetan Buddhist Centre, Canton Cardiff. 5-6.30pm, £10 (suggested donation). Info paulinedown7@gmail.com. meditative harmony songs using texts from different spiritual traditions around the world, with Pauline Down. Also on Sun 19 Jan. THURSDAY 26 DECEMBER Welsh National Opera: Insight Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am, free. Info 029 2063 6464. Talk about the company’s upcoming productions etc.

FRIDAY 27 DECEMBER uChristmas Family Craft Museum Of Cardiff, The Hayes, Cardiff. 10am-3pm, £1. Info 029 2034 6214. Family craft activities, also on Thurs 2 Jan. uMake And Take: PopUp Calendars National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12.30-3.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Drop-in activities, on every day apart from New Year’s Day. (Until Thurs 2 Jan) SUNDAY 29 DECEMBER Sceneography 5.0: The John Peel Years ‘79’88 The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 6-11pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509. Hosted by Dave Grooveslave.

TUESDAY 31 DECEMBER New Year’s Walk In The Square, Llanwrtyd Wells (starting point). 10.30pm, free. Info 01591 610270. Annual Mari Llwyd procession ending at the Abernant Lake Hotel.

FRIDAY 3 JANUARY Little Mice Club: Snow & Ice National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am-

presents or appears on various antique-related TV shows.

Dominion + Vegan Fayre Cinema & Co, Swansea. 6-9pm, £10/£8.50 adv. Info 07305 908260. Dominion being a film about the meat industry etc, screened here after a vegan pop-up kitchen and stalls, and before a Q&A. Lates: Dino National Museum Cardiff. 6.30-11pm, £17 adv. Info 029 2039 7951.

Second of the multimedia events featuring a film screening, popcorn, bar, DJ, “stones and bones from Museum col-

tours for ages 7+.

Stifyn Parri Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £12.50. Info 0845 2263510.

The History Of Swansea’s Jewish Community National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

11am, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Historical Association lecture

by Leonard Mars. uYoung Writers Squad Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 10am-12pm, free (£3 suggested donation). Info 01792 463980. With Jonathan Edwards; for ages 8-11. Also on Sat 25, for ages 11-16.

art market, class structures, consumerism and commodity culture.

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY An Evening With Shane Williams Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.30pm, £22. Info 01686 614555.

Museum Sleepover: Dippy Dino Night National Museum Cardiff. 5.30pm-9am, £54-£75. Info 029 2039 7951.

Family (especially ages 6-12) event where you can explore the museum after dark, then sleep in it. Fully booked

SUNDAY 5 JANUARY New Year Musical Tea Party Brecon & District Mind, Ty Croeso, Brecon. 3-6pm.

Info 01874 611529. Hosted by Friends Of Brecon and District Mind.

TUESDAY 7 JANUARY uPaper-Based Screenprinting The Printhaus, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 6-8pm, £120 (four-week course). Info 029 2022 0349. With Nigel Bowles, every Tuesday in January and again in March.

THURSDAY 9 JANUARY Open Mic Poetry Night Imperial Hotel, Merthyr Tydfil. 7.30pm, £5. Info 01685 722555. Featuring guest poets Jackie Biggs and David Urwin.

SATURDAY 11 JANUARY Family Fun Day Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea.

10am-4pm, £3-£5 per activity.

Info 01792 516900.

Welsh Wrestling Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7pm, £12/£9 kids. Info 01873 850805.

SUNDAY 12 JANUARY Ab Fab Vegan Fayre Paget Rooms, Penarth. 1-5pm, free/£30 to set up a stall. Info 029 2070 0721.

MONDAY 13 JANUARY Bunraku Puppetry Crash Course NoFit State, Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. 11am. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org. With Hijinx Theatre.

Rush & Hartson St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £27.95£57.95. Info 01792 475715. As in Ian and John, Wales target men of yore, onstage chatting about football with host Perry Groves. Seems we truly do all live in a Perry Groves world!

TUESDAY 14 JANUARY uExplore Books National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. This month’s theme is ‘books set in warm climates’.

Also on Tue 21 and Tue 28.

WEDNESDAY 15 JANUARY Conservation Surgery Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 1-2pm, free (£3 suggested donation). Info 01792 516900.

THURSDAY 16 JANUARY Company Of Words Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 6.309pm, £4. Info 07830 381930.

Poetry night hosted by Alix Edwards, with guests TBC plus open mic spots.

David Harper Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £14. Info 01600 772467. Bloke who

2057 3600.

Wedding Showcase National History Museum, St Fagans. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

WEDNESDAY 29 JANUARY An Evening With Shane Williams Miners Institute, Blackwood. 7.30pm, £20.75.

Info 01495 227206.

Booklaunch: Matt Pritchard Exist Skatepark, Swansea. 6.30-9pm, £6 adv/£10 with a burger. Info 01792 474095. Fresh from doing a Dirty Sanchez reunion show just before Christmas, Matt gets back to his current vocation of vegan food making, plugging his sophomore tome Dirty Vegan: Another Bite.

Oriel Science Cafe National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

7.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

THURSDAY 30 JANUARY An Evening With Shane Williams Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli.

7pm, £20. Info 0845 2263510.

CHRISTMAS EVENTS The Exchange Hotel, Cardiff Bay, Sun 1-Tue 31 Dec Tickets: prices vary. Info: 029 2010 7050 / www.exchangehotelcardiff.co.uk This sprawling hotel, developed from what was the venerable Coal Exchange building and (re)opened in 2017, has a fistful of events throughout December.

Bookending the month, on both Sun 1 and Tue 31 Dec, is a Witches & Wizards Afternoon Tea (£30/£15 kids), which takes place in the main hall here and decks it out in {Harry Potter}-referencing manner. In between, three Sundays – 8, 15 and 22 Dec – offer Lunch With Santa (£25/£15 kids), who will rock up to Culley’s, the Exchange’s restaurant, bearing a gift for any child present. And on Thurs 12 Dec, it’s a Christmas Disco Party (£45), wherein a live band trot out 1970s disco classics and you dine on three courses of something festive. lections” and a “Dippy torch-lit tour”.

Mapping The Literary Geographies Of Swansea Through A Literary Atlas Of Wales Swansea Museum.

7.30pm, free. Info 01792 653763. Royal Institution Of South Wales lecture by Jon Anderson.

Open Space: Arthur Cole & Nigel Williams Central Library Hub, Cardiff. 5.45pm, free. Info 029 2038 2116.

“Retired police officers turned crime writers with jointlywritten thriller Unethical Conduct.” Book in advance please.

FRIDAY 17 JANUARY Stifyn Parri Miners Theatre, Ammanford. 7pm, £12.50. Info 0845 2263510.

Welsh Wrestling The Riverfront, Newport. 7pm, £14/£11. Info 01633 656757.

SATURDAY 18 JANUARY Amazing Astronomy Afternoon National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Family activities.

Mini Donkey Behaviour And Play Session Venue TBC, Brecon Beacons. £30/£20 under-16s. Info 01874 749092.

Learn how to interact with donkeys. A Good Day Out event.

Star Dome National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12-4pm, £3.50. Info 029 2057 3600. Hour-long planetarium

SUNDAY 19 JANUARY Flow + Feast 2020 The Depot, Cardiff. 10am-12.30pm, £30. Info www.depotcardiff. co.uk. A yoga session followed by brunch.

WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY An Evening With Shane Williams Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £22. Info 01792 475715. Q&A plus general other chat with Welsh rugby icon. In Barry tomorrow; Aberystwyth on Fri 24; Newtown on Sat 25; Blackwood on Wed 29; Llanelli on Thurs 30 and Neath on Fri 31.

The Art Of Conservation: Guided Tour Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 11am12pm, £5. Info 01792 516900.

THURSDAY 23 JANUARY An Evening With Shane Williams Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 7.30pm, £20/£18. Info 01446 738622.

FRIDAY 24 JANUARY An Evening With Shane Williams Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £16-£20. Info 01970 623232.

Photography Conference: Capital/Consumerism/ Culture National Museum Cardiff. 10am-5pm, £30/£20.

Info 029 2039 7951. To include presentations from artists, theorists, historians and curators who will look at art and photography in terms of its economics, the

though.

St Dwynwen’s Day Half Day Courses National History Museum, St Fagans.

11am-1pm + 2-4pm, £35/£30.

Info 029 2057 3500. The courses being: Make A Felt Lovespoon with Lisa Porch; Stitch A Valentine with Charlotte (Twin Made) and Make An Enamel Love Token with Sophie Buckingham.

Book in advance please.

Weekend Adult Workshop: Meditation And Painting Special Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 10am-1pm, £5. Info 01792 516900. A class for people of all abilities to create art in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

We Are Cult Goes Behind The Sofa Tiny Rebel, Cardiff.

1-6pm, £20. Info 029 2039 9557. Doctor Who fans’ special with guests Billy GarattJohn and Matthew Toffolo aka The Review Of Death, Chris Chapman, Rob Ritchie and compere Sam Michael SUNDAY 26 JANUARY Lap Harps Workshop National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 12.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. With harpist Shelley Fairplay.

Make And Take: Cwtch Crafts National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 12.303.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Drop-in activities.

Santes Dwynwen Stories National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 1-4pm, free. Info 029

FRIDAY 31 JANUARY Glynn Vivian At Night Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 5-8pm, free (£3 suggested donation). Info 01792 516900. Workshops, films, poetry, live music and performance.

Shane Williams Gwyn Hall, Neath. 7.30pm, £20 adv. Info 0300 3656677.

Welsh Wrestling Miners Institute, Blackwood. 7pm, £12.75/£9.75 kids. Info 01495 227206.

live SUNDAY 1 DECEMBER uAdam Reeves The Pod, Newport. 12pm. Info 01633 535440. Also here on Sun 8 and Sun 15.

Air Drawn Dagger + The Tribeless + Livin’ Cheap The Moon, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6/£4 adv. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

Christmas Afternoon Tea Dolman Theatre, Newport.

2.30pm, £10. Info 01633 263670. Music from Newport Operatic Societies.

Elder Druid + Barbarian Hermit + Satlan + Kong Lives Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 07970 063107. Stoner and doom stuff. uFrankie Wesson Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny. 8pm, free. Info 01873 853613. Every Sunday this month.

New Oxford Consort Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 3pm, £18. Info 01873 850805. Christmas classical concert.

Nick Harper Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 8pm, £15 adv. Info 07818 056599. UK folk-rocker with a show whose concept relates to the mid-60s, when his dad Roy was part of the London folk scene and invited celebs and future celebs to his flat to hang out. Nick would have been a baby then so not sure how much of it he would remember properly.

Nigel Davies + Izzy Grace The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Now! That’s What I Call BUZZ 67

* – recommended The 80s Live St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £27.50£44.50. Info 01792 475715.

A band with backing singers plays hits of the decade; Gary Davies hosts.

Red Light Rebels + Bottlekids Le Public Space, Newport. 7pm, £5 adv. Info sam@lepub.co.uk. Two punk bands who have a new split single.

Robin Green Piano Quartet Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 3pm, £3-£12. Info 01970 623232. Performing works by Brahms and Fauré. uSteve Tarner Jazz Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny.

2pm, free. Info 01873 853613.

Every Sunday this month.

The Great Unknown The Windsor, Penarth. 9pm, free.

Info 029 2070 8675.

The James Oliver Band Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info 01994 427688.

The Kords The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 7pm. Info 01685 387925.

The Marc Davies Band Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015. uWe’re Going On A Bear Hunt – The Film: Live In Concert Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

2pm, £10/£5 schools. Info 029 2039 1391. Screening of kids’ film (based on the book) soundtracked by the Royal Welsh College Chamber Orchestra. On tomorrow also, at 10am and 12pm.

MONDAY 2 DECEMBER Black Tongue Sin City, Swansea. 7pm, £8 adv. Info 01792 468892. Some sort of metal band.

Bridgend Music Service Christmas Gala Concert St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7pm, £9.50-£13.50. Info 01792 475715.

Excellent Skeleton + The Bloodshots + Dusty Cut + Taff Trail Rambler + Suganami Jones + Gemini Anderson The Moon, Cardiff. 6pm, £8. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

Fundraising event in aid of striking Cardiff University & College Union workers.

Gethin Liddington Quartet Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm.

Info 01792 447360. Live jazz, part of a lineup of acts here every Monday.

TUESDAY 3 DECEMBER Acoustic Tuesday The Apothecary, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6. Info 029 2030 4400.

Regular event led by pioneering local musicians and singers.

Recently moved from its longterm one in Riverside to this wee cafe in Canton.

Alex Merrit Group Flute & Tankard, Cardiff. 9-11.30pm, £7/£5 NUS. Info www. thefluteandtankard.com. Jazz.

Björn Again Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £27.50-£30.

Info 01970 623232. Abba tribute band, perhaps the original one indeed. In Cardiff on Tue 17. *Blanck Mass + Violet Grace & Frans Gender Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £10. Info 029 2023 2199. Solo

project of Ben from Fuck Buttons, previewed in the Nov issue. Support act are a drag duo rather than musicians, which is neat.

Bootsnake + Paul Rosser & Tricycle + Shippy & Gerhard Olive’s Attic, Treforest. 7-9pm, free. Info 01443 400725. Playing the opening of an art exhibition for Gerhard Kress (see the Art listings).

Contemporary Music From South Africa Cardiff University Concert Hall. 6.459pm, £5/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816.

Craig Ogden + Manchester Camerata St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10-£43. Info 01792 475715.

Classical recitals as part of the International Concert Series.

Lady Bird + Para Fiction + Bloom! Le Public Space, Newport. 7.30pm, £8 adv. Info sam@lepub.co.uk.

Mikey Kenney Band Art Shop & Chapel, Abergavenny.

8pm, £13 adv. Info 01873 852690. Folky fiddle player. uOpen Jam Session NosDa, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. Presented by Pi & Hash, normally every Tuesday but only today, Tue 10 and Tue 17 this month. uOpen Mic Night Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com. Every Tuesday.

Ron King’s Rhythm Aces Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4 members/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

The West End At Christmas Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7.15pm, £16/£14. Info 01874 611622.

Songs from the musicals. In Abertillery on Thurs 12; Neath Fri 13; Ystradgynlais Sun 15 and Carmarthen Tue 17.

WEDNESDAY 4 DECEMBER Beak> + The Hysterical Injury Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £16.50 adv.

Info 029 2023 2199. Bristol proggy psych band featuring Geoff out of The Portisheads.

Sold out.

Bella Collins Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Donnie Joe’s American Swing Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Penarth. 7.30pm, £5/£4.40 adv.

Info feelgoodmusicorg@gmail. com. Also featuring swing DJ The Medicine Man. Hopkins/Hammond Trio The Garage, Swansea. 8.30pm, £12.50. Info 01792 475147. A Swansea Jazzland night with a Bristol group who feature two members called Hammond, one of whom plays the Hammond organ. Her favourite sandwich filling is ham and cheese as well.

Jazz Christmas Party Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7.30pm, £3.

Info 01443 491424. Featuring a workshop at 7.20pm, then an open mic from 8.30.

Lovelight Christmas Concert All Saints Church, Barry. 7-10pm, £6 adv. Info www.tenovuscancercare.org. uk. Featuring Barry Sing With Us Choir, vocalist Patsy Hunt and Treading the Boards theatre school.Hosted by Jane

Hutt AM. Mark Porter & All Star Band Rogerstone & Bassaleg Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport.

8pm, £10. Info malc@dancebands.plus.com. A South Wales Big Band Society gig, on every Wednesday.

Martin Carthy The Muse, Brecon. 7.30pm, 38 adv. Info 07806 775973. Brecon Folk gig.

Mike Sanchez & The Portions + John Lewis Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14. Info 029 2062 6015. R&B piano thumper headlines.

Open Mic Night NosDa, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. Tonight’s host is Ben Dain-Smith.

Richard Digance Llanhennock Village Hall.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info editor@ caerleon-arts.org. Comedy folk-rock veteran. Do you pronounce his surname like ‘dig ants’ or ‘die gants’? Presented here by Caerleon Arts Festival. uRoyal Welsh College Of Music & Drama Showcase Flute & Tankard, Cardiff.

9-11.30pm, £7/£5 NUS. Info www.thefluteandtankard.com.

Jazz. Two sets by Olive Grinter & Friends and The Metro Gnomes. Also here on Wed 22 Jan, with acts TBC currently Sinfonia Cymru String Quartet The Riverfront, Newport. 1pm, £5. Info 01633 656757. Lunchtime concert.

Sirkis / Bialas IQ The Queens Head, Monmouth.

8pm, free. Info 01600 712767.

Jazz.

Skid Row + The Quireboys + Crashdïet + Hollowstar Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £25. Info 029 2023 5555. Moderately poodly hard rock foursome. Weirdly I only became aware of the existence of Crashdïet a few hours before typing this listing, because the main guy from Ghost used to be in them.

St Agnes Fountain Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £22.

Info 029 2089 0862. Folk group with various notables from the UK scene.

Tantric + Attic Theory + Valhalla Awaits + Bloodhounds + Cease To See The Sun The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 6.30pm, £10 adv. Info info@ bunkhousebar.co.uk. Louisville hard rock band headline.

The Stray Pursuit + The Luka State + The Now + White Riot Sin City, Swansea.

7pm, £5 adv. Info 01792 468892.

Town And Gown Carol Concert Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7pm, free. Info 01970 623232. Hosted by the Churches and University Christian Union. Book in advance please.

What’s Love Got To Do With It? Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £22-£26.

Info 01792 475715. Tina Turner tribute show.

THURSDAY 5 DECEMBER 50 Shêd O Santa Clôs Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £12.

Info 029 2063 6464. Welsh Christmas songs played by a nine-piece band. In

Aberystwyth on Sun 15.

Beabadoobee + No Rome + Oscar Lang The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13 adv. Info 07590 471888. Theee acts signed to the Dirty Hit label tour together. Strong suggestion that Beabadoobee is going to be really big by this time next year, or more to the point someone who’s chosen to use that stage name will be.

Calan Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £16/£15.

Info 01239 621200. Welsh folk with a Christmas slant today.

In Builth Wells tomorrow; Aberystwyth on Thurs 12.

Cardiff University Symphonic Winds Cardiff University Concert Hall. 7-8pm, £5/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816.

Chloe Harding Café Jazz, Cardiff. 9pm, £6/£5 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026. uChristmas On Broadway Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.45pm, £18/£16. Info 029 2039 1391.

With the Royal Welsh College Musical Theatre Soloists and Royal Welsh College Concert Orchestra. On tomorrow also, at 2.30pm and 7.45pm.

Devin Townsend Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 6pm, £25 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. Metal polymath, previewed in last issue’s Music section.

Dominic Nation & The Dirty Dead + Vanity Kills The Bunkhouse, Swansea.

7pm, £5 adv. Info info@ bunkhousebar.co.uk.

G4 Brangwyn Hall, Swansea.

7.30pm, £28. Info 01792 475715. Christmas songs from vocal quartet.. uJane’s Calamity Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com. Monthly singalong around the piano.

Also on Fri 20 this month, with a more Christmassy theme.

Jo Fooks + Saxes 4 You Plas Hyfryd Hotel, Narberth.

8pm, £5-£11. Info 01834 869323. Well that’s very kind of her! Actually this is a Spanjazz night featuring trad jazz saxophonist Jo supported by a jazz trio from Llanelli.

Mangata The Pear Tree, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 2042. uOcean Mic Ocean Arts Cardiff, Cardiff Bay. 8-11.30pm, £5/£3. Info oceanartscardiff@ gmx.co.uk. Monthly open mic night with a different guest each month; December’s is Dan’s People. Also on Thurs 16 Jan, special guest TBC. uOpen Mic Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 8pm, free. Info 07818 056599. Every Thursday this month.

Sarah Brown The Pod, Newport. 9.45pm. Info 01633 535440.

Steve Tilston & Friends Crindau Constitutional Club, Newport. 8pm, £8/£5. Info 01633 858636. A Lyceum Folk Club night.

Superchoir Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 6pm, free.

Info 029 2089 0862. Playing as part of Pizza Night here.

The Bootleg Beatles St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £37.50/£35. Info 01792 475715.

The Rotanas + Super

u – repeated

Marine + Paisley Park + The Stray Pursuit The Moon, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7/£6 adv. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. Presented

by This Feeling.

West Park’s Christmas Concert 2019 Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 1.30 + 6pm, £3-£6.

Info 01656 815995.

WSTR + Led By Lanterns + UMA Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

FRIDAY 6 DECEMBER 3 Hwr Doeth + Kim Hon + Dienw Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Abba Forever Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £22.50. Info 01792 475715. Tribute show.

AmserJazzTime Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 5.30pm, free.

Info 029 2039 1391. Last one of the weekly jazz sessions in the foyer for 2019.

Aubrey Parsons Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Blood Church + Incursion + Sepulchre Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5. Info 07970 063107.

Burning Ferns + La Forme Le Public Space, Newport. 7.30pm, free. Info sam@lepub.co.uk.

Calan Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 7.30pm, £16/£15.

Info 01982 552555.

Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8-£25. Info 01792 475715. Celebrating 25 years of their A Night At The Movies concerts, where they do famous film themes etc.

Cath Jones City Arms, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2064 1913.

Christmas At Broadway Fontygary Leisure Park, Rhoose, Vale Of Glamorgan.

7pm, £15 adv. Info 01446 710386. Featuring Hollie Clark, Leighton Rafferty and Pixie Perez.

Christmas At Llandaff Cathedral Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff. 7.309.30pm, £10. Info cityhospice. org.uk. A City Hospice fundraising event featuring Affinity Choir, Gabalfa Community Choir, CytSain Choir and Ben Creighton Griffiths.

Claire Taylor The Plough, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2062 3017.

DC Spectres + Deathtraps + The Groundnuts & Independents The Dolls House, Abertillery. 8pm. Info 01495 213300. Headliners are a Birmingham garage rock band.

Elephant Sessions Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £19.

Info 029 2089 0862. Indie-folk from the Scottish Highlands.

Green Haze Jac’s, Aberdare.

7pm, £6 . Info 01685 879491.

Green Day tribute band.

Gruff Rhys Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £20.

Info 01970 623232. One of four Welsh dates, the others being in Llangollen tomorrow, Bangor on Thurs 19 and Crickhowell on Fri 20 (that one’s sold out though).

Harmonies Revised The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm.

Info gigs@thedragonffli.com.

I’m Still Standing The Queens Hall, Narberth. 7pm, £18. Info 01834 861212. Elton John tribute. “Note: This is a standing event” says the venue’s website.

Justin Crowe The Pod, Newport. 9.45pm. Info 01633 535440. *Last Orders + No Pulse + Positive Reaction The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

Hardcore bands.

Live/Wire Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £16 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. AC/DC tribute band.

Mangata The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592.

Mr Hate The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 9pm, £3. Info 01685 387925.

Off The Record Vivian Arms, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 516194.

Redhouse Cymru Christmas Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 7-11.30pm, £5.

Info 01685 384111. Seasonal songs from Tenovus Sing With Us choir, The Bandits Jazz Band and Osian Llewelyn Edwards.

Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama Festive Brass St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

1pm, £5-£7. Info 01792 475715.

Sheelanagig Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £12. Info 029 2023 2199. UK folk group hosted by Wave Promotions.

Simon Trigg Ty Newydd, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 407767.

Steeleye Span Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £25. Info 01873 850805. UK folk-rockers touring to celebrate 50 years in the game. In Cardigan tomorrow.

The D Teez The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info 029 2021 2509.

The Fugitives Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

The Gentle Good Assembly Rooms, Presteigne. 8pm, £10.

Info 01544 267163.

The Riff The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £10 adv. Info info@bunkhousebar.co.uk.

Last ever gig from local indie band. uThe Verge Riverside Sports Bar & Kitchen, Newport. 9pm.

Info 01633 439166. Also here on Fri 13, Fri 20 and Sat 28.

Think 182 Hangar 18, Swansea. 7pm, £5 adv. Info enquiries@ hangar18musicvenue.co.uk.

Blink 182 tribute band. *Tinc Y Tannau + Jo Thomas + Larch + Truly Kaput The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 7.30pm, £5. Info 01497 821762. Eclectic weirdness presented by Nawr. Class looking bill!

Turin Brakes + Kevin Pearce The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £20 adv. Info 07590 471888. Acoustic show for the headliners, sold out already.

Unplugged Club Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 8pm, £3. Info 07818 056599.

SATURDAY 7 DECEMBER Acoustic Sinners Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free.

JUST ANNOUNCED FOR FEBRUARY: ANTI-FLAG (The Globe, Cardiff, Sun 9) BLACK FUTURES (Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Sun 16) GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB (Cardiff University Students Union, Sun 16) NAPALM DEATH + EYEHATEGOD (Tramshed, Cardiff, Wed 19) SAM LEE (The Gate Arts BUZZ 68

Info 029 2031 1319. *All Day Christmas Carnage 2 The Moon, Cardiff. 3-12pm, £10/£8 adv.

Info info@themooncardiff. com. Alldayer presented by Cosmic Carnage, following up one last December as the name suggests and with an even better lineup (imo)! Luminous Bodies, Michael, Bodies On Everest, Human Leather, The Death Of Money, Sans, Punch On, Obey Cobra and The Bloodshots is what’s in store.

Arrival Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2089 0862. Abba tribute band. Sold out. In Newtown on Fri 20.

Aubrey Parsons The Mariners, Laugharne. 8.30pm, free. Info 01994 427688. In sister venue Browns tomorrow.

Beans On Toast + Tensheds The Garage, Swansea. 7.30pm, £13 adv. Info 01792 475147. Folk-rock fella who usually plays Swansea and/or Cardiff about this time of the year.

Between The Breaks Elysium Gallery, Swansea.

8pm, free. Info www. elysiumgallery.com. Bristol folk-rock band.

Bob Dylan Reimagined The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £8/£5 adv. Info gigs@thedragonffli.com. Tribute show. *BodyVice Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £8.

Info 029 2030 4400. The final event in Tactilebosch’s UnderTheCounterCulture programme, which was otherwise in November, this is a project helmed by Natalie Sharp that combines live electronic music and sensory full-body suits.

Candy Mountain + The Algal Bloom Creature Sound, Swansea. 7pm. Info 01792 301178. Blues and folk.

Chris Kelly The Pheasant, Bridgend. 9pm, free. Info 01656 653614.

Christmas With Elvis Borough Theatre, Abergavenny.

7.30pm, £12.50/£10.50. Info 01873 850805. Keith Davies from Abergavenny ‘is’ Elvis here.

Côr Meibion Llanelli Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £15.

Info 0845 2263510. Festive choral renditions.

Dafydd Iwan + Dafydd Pantrod Cellar Bar, Cardigan.

8pm, £10 adv. Info 07818 056599. It’s a while since I’ve listed Dafydd Iwan in here!

He seems to have been playing gigs this autumn though.

Presented by Cymdeithias.

Deuces Are Wild Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

E11even + Kill By Mouth The Masons Arms, Llanelli.

7.30pm. Info facebook.com/ masonsllanelli. Headeliners are in Swansea on Thurs 12; support are in Swansea on Fri 27.

Faux Fighters The Dolls House, Abertillery. 8pm, £8. Info 01495 213300. Foo Fighters tribute.

Headshot + Bedface + Angri Kidd The Aman Tavern, Aberdare. 6pm. Info 01685 874938.

Hip Route NosDa, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866.

Hypophora +Nightlives +

Profiler + Mother Vulture Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £6/£4 adv. Info 07970 063107.

Idlechord + Kasia The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Jack Mac’s Funk Pack The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £7. Info 01497 821762. uJon Crespo Quartet Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026. Funk and Latin tunes, also on Sat 14 and Sat 21 this month.

Kows + The Beast With A Million Eyes + The Image Of All + Glyn Preston The Lost Arc, Rhayader. 7pm, £3 adv. Info 01743 860246.

Mid-Wales bands presented by Sesiwn:Session.

Maddie & The Pandas Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Muna + Fake Laugh Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £13.50 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Headliners are from LA and have hurdled the barrier of me not having heard them to sell this gig out.

Penny Arcade Cockett Inn, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 588748.

Philomusica Of Aberystwyth Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £2-£12. Info 01970 623232. Performing Stravinsky’s Firebird.

Pipe Dream The Patriot, Crumlin. 8pm, free. Info 01495 247178.

Punchline Black Boy, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 299469.

Rhondda Symphony Orchestra Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £6-£14. Info 029 2063 6464.

With a centrepiece rendition of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade.

Rusty Nutz + Kikker + These Thrilling Lies Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea.

7pm, free. Info crowleysrockbar@hotmail. com.

Scouting For Girls Tramshed, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £25. Info 029 2023 5555. Jusat looking at some press pics of this band and it’s astonishing how unphotogenic they are.

Not minging really, just cannot put on a face for the camera if their life depended on it.

Simon Trigg The Red Dragon, Bridgend. 8.30pm, free. Info 01656 654753.

Skip Curtis Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £5 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Local singersongwriter, also a member of dance-pop band XY&O. Smiling Tigers + Red Rooster Le Public Space, Newport. 7pm, free. Info sam@lepub.co.uk.

Steeleye Span Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £25. Info 01239 621200.

The 4th Kind Riverside Sports Bar & Kitchen, Newport. 9pm. Info 01633 439166.

The Big Fat Blues Band The Hanbury, Swansea. 5-7pm, free. Info 01792 641804.

The Promise Of Christmas St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £5-£14. Info 01792 475715.

Carols and songs backed by an orchestra.

The Schmoozenbergs The Queens Hall, Narberth.

7.30pm, £11. Info 01834 861212. Swing/gypsy jazz.

The Somethings Jac’s, Aberdare. 7pm, £4. Info 01685 879491. Britpop covers.

The Striplights The Pod, Newport. 9.45pm. Info 01633 535440. uTobias Robertson The Stable, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2022 1721. Also on Fri 13, at 7pm.

Tommy Allen Band Cwmbran RFC, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £14. Info 01633 483238. Borough Blues Club gig.

Ultimate Leppard Hangar 18, Swansea. 8pm. Info enquiries@ hangar18musicvenue.co.uk.

Def Leppard tribute band.

Welsh Camerata Church Of St Mary Of The Angels, Talbot Street, Cardiff. 8pm, £12/£10.

Info www.welshcamerata.org.

Performing more upbeat music from Spanish and Aztec street processions in the concert’s first half, then liturgical Spanish music in its second.

Wizards Of Oz Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £5 adv. Info 01443 682388. Ozzy Osbourne tribute.

Zion Road Mischief’s, Cardiff Bay. 8-11pm, free. Info 029 2045 6111. Reggae and ska covers.

SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER Andy Fairweather-Low & The Lowriders Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £24. Info 01873 850805.

Aubrey Parsons Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info 01994 427688.

Brutality Will Prevail + Guilt Trip + Mass Worship + Asidhara Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Metalcore and the like.

Carols At Taliesin Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 5 + 7.30pm, free. Info 01792 602060. Presented by Parklands Church. Book in advance please.

Christmas Show Paul Kirner’s Music Palace, Porth.

2.30pm. Info 07974 813445.

Seasonal songs, presumably performed on one or more organs, as the Music Palace is full to bursting with various types of said instrument.

Looks great in there going on the photos!

City Voices Cardiff Christmas St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £5-£14. Info 01792 475715. Festive concert in aid of Headway Cardiff.

Deadthrone + Grievance + Wovenlung The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm.

Info info@bunkhousebar. co.uk. uFolk Music & Song Session Arvon Ale House, Llandrindod Wells. 4pm. Info 07477 627267. Every second and fourth Sunday of the month (also on Sun 22 in December, then Sun 12 Jan and Sun 26 Jan), with an extra acoustic session on the third Sunday (Sun 15 Dec; Sun 19 Jan) too.

Frosty Jacs Festival 2019 Jac’s, Aberdare. 1-8pm, £3 adv/

KHAMIRA Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff, Fri 10 Jan Tickets: £15/£13. Info: 029 2039 1391 / www.rwcmd.ac.uk This septet were last spotted in 2017, when a self-titled debut album and subsequent tour showcased the rich beauty of their singular musical fusion: four players from Wales’ jazz scene, including Tomos Williams and Mark O’Connor, meeting with a trio of Indian musicians (one of whom, Suhail Yusuf Khan, also has a new album imminent as part of Yorkston/Thorne/Khan). Since then, Khamira’s members have been busy with their many other projects, but will record their second LP in early 2020 – right after this one-off gig in Cardiff, where their set will be drawn from Miles Davis’ 1970s output. Commonly referred to as ‘electric’ in jazz parlance, this period saw Davis take on a rock influence that was (and remains) divisive, but has been hugely influential on the evolution of the form. free kids. Info 01685 879491.

Family-friendly day with various childrne’s activities plus live music from Tun, Bedface, Mustard Allegro (not heard that name for a while!), Casual Overload, ShovelFace, Kasia, Calamity, Hannah Hannah, Metal Maidens and Lewis Chubbs Owens.

Hot Club Trio Café Jazz, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £3-£5. Info 029 2038 7026. Playing the Hot Club Swing monthly gypsy jazz jam night.

Prognosis Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015. Prog covers band.

Swansea Philharmonic Choir Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20. Info 01792 475715. A 60th anniversary concert no less.

The Australian Pink Floyd Motorpoint Arena Cardiff.

6.30pm, £42.25. Info 029 2022 4488. Rescheduled from last month, when the band had to cancel on the day because the singer was ill.

The Big Gospel Choir Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff.

8pm, £20. Info 029 2089 0862.

Christmas concert.

The School + Rosehip Teahouse + Piney Gir + Penny Lope The Moon, Cardiff. 6-10pm, £7/£5.50 adv.

Info info@themooncardiff. com. All ages indiepop gig.

MONDAY 9 DECEMBER Carmarthenshire Music Service Christmas Concert Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £9/£7.

Info 0845 2263510.

Conor O’Rourke The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £4 adv. Info info@bunkhousebar. co.uk.

Hafren Community Choir Theatr Hafren, Newtown.

7.30pm, free (charity donations requested). Info 01686 614555.

Jango Haze Noah’s Yard,

Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

Metro Gnomes Tramshed, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2023 5555. New jazz session held in the Waiting Room bar here.

Only Men Aloud St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £30-£38.

Info 01792 475715. Joined here by John Owen-Jones and Sophie Evans. In Swansea on Wed 11; Newbridge on Fri 13. uTalon Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £25. Info 01873 850805. Eagles tribute band. On tomorrow also.

The National + Jenny Lewis Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 6.30pm, £39. Info 029 2022 4488. First standalone Welsh date for the headliners – they did Green Man in 2008 and it was so memorable that their bass player doesn’t remember it (see interview Upfront). Definitely their first in an arena anyhoo.

Treorchy Comprehensive School Annual Christmas Concert Park & Dare, Treorchy. 7pm, £4-£6. Info 0300 0040444.

TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER Against The Current Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £15 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. uBanshee Flute & Tankard, Cardiff. 9-11.30pm. Info www. thefluteandtankard.com.

Monthly jazz improv session.

Also here on Tue 28 Jan. BBC NOW: Winter Afternoon Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2pm.

Info 029 2063 6464. Gergely Madaras conducts a programme of Glazunov and Tchaikovsky. Sold out though.

Hot Club Gallois The Muse, Brecon. 8pm. Info info@ breconjazz.org. Brecon Jazz Club gig..

Nurdle Flute & Tankard,

Cardiff. 9-11.30pm, £7/£5 NUS. Info www.thefluteandtankard. com. Jazz organ trio.

Pete’s Old Pals Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4 members/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

Pete Tong Presents Ibiza Classics Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 6.30pm, £45-£70. Info 029 2022 4488. Featuring Jules Buckley and The Heritage Orchestra, Andy Baxter, Beverley Knight, Becky Hill and Robert Owens. *Spectral Voice + Tides Of Sulfur + Cryptworm Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff. 8pm, £11. Info 07970 063107. Doomy death metal band from the States headline. Good booking

by Eradication.

Synlakross The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info info@bunkhousebar.co.uk.

Spanish metal band.

The Sunsets Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

7.30pm. Info 029 2062 6015.

Presented by Rockers Reunion.

The Ten Tenors St Andrew’s Church, Roath, Cardiff.

7-10pm, £20. Info 07713 120077. Charity concert aiming to raise money for a defibrillator machine in this area of Roath.

Welsh Language Carol Concert Beulah URC Church, Cardiff. 6-8pm, £5/£2.50 kids.

Info cityhospice.org.uk. A City Hospice fundraising event.

WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER Alex Lockheart Quintet Flute & Tankard, Cardiff.

9-11.30pm, £7/£5 NUS. Info www.thefluteandtankard.com.

Jazz.

Alffa + Lewys + Tiger Bay Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7pm, £6 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

BBC Chorus Of Wales & WNO Orchestra St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15-£43.

Centre, Cardiff, Fri 21) SIGALA (Cardiff University, Fri 21) THE 1975 + BEABADOOBEE (Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Sat 22) EXAMPLE (Tramshed, Wed 26) HOT 8 BRASS BAND (Cardiff University, Sat 29) JUST ANNOUNCED FOR MARCH: GEORGIA (Clwb Ifor Bach, Tue 3) MICHAEL BALL + BUZZ 69

* – recommended Info 01792 475715. Performing Handel’s Messiah.

Clark Tracey Quintet The Garage, Swansea. 8.30pm, £15.

Info 01792 475147. A Swansea Jazzland night.

Dr Feelgood + The James Oliver Band Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £18 adv. Info 029 2062 6015.

Lee Gilbert Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £18.

Info 029 2089 0862. Swing artist does festive set.

Llantrisant Folk Club Christmas Party No.1 Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm, £3. Info 01443 226892.

Only Men Aloud Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 7.30pm, £31£39. Info 01792 475715.

Open Mic Night NosDa, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. Tonight’s host is Jim Swidenbank.

Skyliners Big Band Rogerstone & Bassaleg Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £10. Info malc@dancebands. plus.com. A South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Tennis System + Big Thing The Moon, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £7/£5.50 adv. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

The Bay Rum Hounds Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

The Faim The Globe, Cardiff.

7pm, £14 adv. Info 07590 471888. Some kinda new poprock group.

Tom Auton & The Bottlebreakers Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £6 adv. Info

029 2023 2199.

THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER A Christmas Concert Of Seasonal Music & Carols St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £11-£14. Info 01792 475715. Joined here by John Owen-Jones and Sophie Evans. In Swansea on Wed 11; Newbridge on Fri 13.

Calan Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £16. Info 01970 623232.

Christmas At The Mansion House Mansion House, Cardiff. 7.30-9.30pm, £10. Info cityhospice.org.uk. Festive songs performed by Welsh Opera stars and led by Gareth Rhys-Davies. A City Hospice fundraising event.

Christmas Carol Concert National Museum Cardiff. 3pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. With the Museum choir.

E11even + These Thrilling Lies The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £5 adv. Info info@bunkhousebar. co.uk.

Jack Yardley Quintet Tiny Rebel, Cardiff. 8pm, free (donations welcome). Info 029 2039 9557. Jazz group, followed by a jam session.

Jon Crespo & Friends The Small Space, Barry. 8pm, £10.

Info info@thesmallspace. co.uk. Jazz.

Josdh Beddis Café Jazz, Cardiff. 9pm, £6/£5 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026. *Majid Derakhshani & Mah Ensemble National Museum Cardiff. 7pm, £25£40. Info 029 2039 7951.

Derakhshani is an Iranian classical composer and tar player, here with his ensemble of santour, oud players etc.

What a great booking (by Fizzi of all people)! *Man Forever + Jaxson Payne The Moon, Cardiff.

7-9pm, £7/£6 adv. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. See Music. Finishing before the Skapa Collective gig.

Mediaeval Baebes Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £20. Info 029 2089 0862.

Longrunning a capella/madrigal/trad music type band.

Neon Waltz Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £7.50 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Only Men Aloud + Sophie Evans Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £27. Info 01600 772467.

Skapa Collective + 6foot7 + Kings Alias The Moon, Cardiff. 9-11.30pm, pay by donation. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. This is a foodbank fundraiser gig, also featuring Roddy Moreno DJing.

Put some suitable food in a box when you come in, I think is the plan. Starting after the Man Forever gig.

Skinny Lister The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Songwriters Network Ocean Arts Cardiff, Cardiff Bay. 8-11.30pm, £5/£3. Info oceanartscardiff@gmx.co.uk.

Meetup and jam type night, every second Thursday of the month.

Stanley Strong The Pear Tree, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info

029 2025 2042.

The Chats + Bad//Dreemz + Crocodylus Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £15 adv.

Info 029 2023 2199. Headliners are an Australian garage punk band who harness the meme potential of being stereotypically Australian and have sold this gig out by doing so.

The Mavron Quartet Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff. 7-8pm.

Info 029 2116 7920.

The Rob Lear Band + The Eclectic Shed Experience + Roy Zeal + Andrew Clode + Mac Perritt Newport Fugitives Athletic Club, Rogerstone, Newport.

8pm, £8/£4 members. Info 07837 288096. Newport Folk Club night, also a fundraiser for the 2020 Tredegar House Folk Festival.

Traditional Xmas Brass Band Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@porterscardiff. com.

FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER Abba Mania Gwyn Hall, Neath. 7.30pm, £22 adv. Info 0300 3656677. Thrillingly described as “a special concert presentation, which celebrates the music of Abba in a respectful and enjoyable way”.

Acoustic Sinners The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge.

9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592. uAl Lewis St John The Evangelist Church, Canton, Cardiff. 7pm, £20/£17 adv.

Info 029 2056 2022. Annual Christmas concert by Welsh folkie (presented by

u – repeated

Newsoundwales), and as in previous years it’s on tomorrow also. Tonight is sold out and Sat 14 might be by the time you read this.

Ant Trouble Ebbw Vale Institute. 7.30pm, £8 adv.

Info 01495 708022. Adam Ant tribute.

BBC NOW: Christmas Celebrations St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15-£43. Info 01792 475715. Pete Harrison conducts a programme of Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky and more.

Bjorn Belief The Queens Hall, Narberth. 7.30pm, £16.

Info 01834 861212. Abba tribute.

Bruce Anderson The Plough, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2062 3017.

Carols Around The Piano Virgin Money Lounge, Cardiff.

7-9pm, £5. Info 029 2052 4150.

City Hospice charity night hosted by Wyburn & Wayne with performances from Foxey La Fey and Claire Brown.

Chloe & Friends The Pod, Newport. 9.30pm. Info 01633 535440.

Claire Taylor Ty Newydd, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 407767.

Guns 2 Roses Jac’s, Aberdare. 7pm. Info 01685 879491. Tribute band. In Cembran on Sat 11 Jan. Helldown + King Kraken + State Of Deceit The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £4 adv. Info info@bunkhousebar. co.uk.

Jimmy Mac’s Blues Band Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3.

Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

Kid Klumsy The Dolls House, Abertillery. 7pm. Info 01495 213300.

King Goon + Kikker + DTT + Spaghetti Time Creature Sound, Swansea.

7.30pm, £3/£2 adv. Info 01792 301178. Presented

by R*E*P*E*A*T in aid of the Save Creature Sound campaign. uLos Pacaminos Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2089 0862. On tomorrow also, both sold out.

Mistletoe Mania Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 01873 850805. With Abergavenny Borough Senior and Youth Bands plus guests Croesyceilog Male Choir.

N.A.S.H. + Red Rooster + The Sweet Exchange The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm.

Info gigs@thedragonffli.com.

Only Men Aloud Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 7pm, £28. Info 01495 243252.

Palmist + Sentry + I Digress + Scavengers + Ignitemares Golden Lion Hotel, Carmarthen. 7.30pm, £5.

Info 01267 243909.

Perfect Body + Red Telephone + Clwb Fuzz Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £5. Info 029 2023 2199.

Local shoegazey band with their first gig in a while I think.

Sam Fender + Brooke Bentham Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £18.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. Brace of Geordie singersongwriters. Sold out.

Scarsun + Crisis Talks +

live review

GHOST / ALL THEM WITCHES / TRIBULATION Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Sun 17 Nov

Motorpoint Arena could have been forgiven for thinking that their hosts, Swedish horror-rockers Ghost, were a couple of weeks late to their own Halloween party. With seven members shrouded in anonymous steely-gazed masks, and commanded by the magnificent Cardinal Copia – the fourth alias of frontman Tobias Forge – the performance was almost as visually stunning as it was auditory.

Opening band Tribulation seemed to possess an ungodly amount of energy, commanding the small but receptive audience with a great deal of stage presence. Maybe they’ve successfully channelled the evil deity that features so heavily in their lyrics, or are just chuffed about the release of their first live album two days before; either way, it was impressive to watch. In comparison, the second band, All Them Witches, were thoroughly underdressed thanks to their distinct absence of makeup. With their 6 Musicflavoured brand of bluesy rock, they provided a beam of light that cut through the unholy and filthy antics of the bands that both preceded and followed. While the change in pace provided the audience with a chance to catch their breath, the repetitive riffs and lyrics failed to truly hit home.

Riding the surprisingly thin line between doom-flavoured hard-rock and pop with ease, Ghost spat a symphony of blasphemous hymns at the eager audience, starting with Ashes. For those struggling, picture the theatrics of Kiss and Alice Cooper, fronting a setlist of arena rock songs themed around doing Satan’s bidding. Gnarly. What really stood out, though, was the theatrics of the show. From the tremendously convincing cathedral stage dressing, to the choreography and chemistry between all eight members, to the wide array of pyrotechnics at their disposal, Ghost weren’t simply performing their music, but embodying it.

It would have been easy for Forge, while playing the part of the conductor of the band superbly, to have stolen the show as the only character not clad in a metal mask, but each of his acolytes had their time in the limelight thanks to the numerous solos and guitar battles that peppered the performance. With such a captivating live show, Ghost have proven that for all the makeup, theatrics and satire, that they’re deadly serious about performing incredible music. words ALEX PAYNE photos HUGH RUSSELL ALFIE BOE (Motorpoint Arena, Tue 3) JONAS BLUE (Tramshed, Fri 6) PAUL CARRACK (St David’s Hall, Sat 7) THE SHERLOCKS (Tramshed, Sat 7) SUSAN BOYLE (St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Tue 10) STIFF LITTLE FINGERS (Cardiff University, Fri 13) TWIN ATLANTIC (Tramshed, Fri 13) JAKE BUZZ 70

Cosmic Bambina McCanns Rock N Ale Bar, Newport.

7pm, free. Info 01633 253648.

Presented by Neon Goat.

Stanley Strong City Arms, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2064 1913.

Stile Moderno Cardiff University Concert Hall.

7-8.45pm, £5/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816. Performing works by Montiverdi, Cavalli and Strozzi.

Suspiciously Elvis The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. Tribute show.

Tales In The Shade + Lucy Atkins + Sexy Pretty Things The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Tayne + Eva Bartok + Ghosts As Alibis + Who Are The Monsters? The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

The Glory Of Christmas Park & Dare, Treorchy. 7pm, £4-£8. Info 0300 0040444.

The Kilpecks + Emi McDade The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5 adv. Info 01497 821762.

The Orange Circus Band + Little Folk The Garage, Swansea. 8pm, £5 adv. Info 01792 475147.

The Shallowsouls + Black Emerald + Dominic Nation & The Dirty Dead + Beyond Oblivion Hangar 18, Swansea. 7pm, £4 adv. Info enquiries@ hangar18musicvenue.co.uk.

Presented by The Dead Souls, who are unrelated to erstwhile promoters of punk gigs in Newport, The Dead Souls Collective. Whippersnappers of today I ask ya.

The Skiptones Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

The West End At Christmas The Met, Abertillery. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £16/£14 adv. Info 01495 355945.

Those Damn Crows Patti Pavilion, Swansea. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 01792 475444. This is a rearranged date but I’m not sure when from.

Valley Folk Club Xmas Party Glais Rugby Football Club, nr Clydach, Swansea.

7.30pm, £8. Info 01792 425231.

Specifically billed as “carolling and crumpets with John Kirkpatrick”, indeed John is reprising this at Llantrisant Folk Club on Wed 18.

Yr Ods + Llwyd Owen Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £8 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER 3 Daft Monkeys Small World Theatre, Cardigan. 8pm, £12 adv. Info 01239 615952. ‘World’/ folk band playing a night that also has a cabaret element and is hosted by Beyond Compere.

Backstreet Symphony Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £4 adv. Info 01443 682388. Classic rock covers.

Baggy Trsouers The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £5 adv. Info info@bunkhousebar. co.uk. Madness tribute.

BBC Wales: Carols For Christmas St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £10. Info 01792

475715. Conducted by Adrian Partington and featuring the BBC National Chorus Of Wales plus solo performers.

Big Mac’s Wholly Soul Band Tramshed, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £16. Info 029 2023 5555.

Bubblewrap’s 10th Birthday Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 2.30pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Alldayer for local indie label, with sets from Right Hand Left Hand, Quodega, HMS Morris, Cotton Wolf, My Name Is Ian, Sock, Quiet Marauder, Georgia Ruth, The Gentle Good and Ivan Moult.

Cath Jones Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319.

Cats In Space + Hand Of Dimes Patti Pavilion, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20 adv. Info 01792 475444. See Music.

Christmas Concert Rhos Y Gilwen, Pembrokeshire.

7.30pm, £27.50. Info 01239 841387. Featuring Ceri Davies, from Wales’ International Academy Of Voice, plus Cor Crymych.

Choral Society Christmas Concert Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £2-£12. Info 01970 623232. With a programme including Fauré’s Requiem.

Claire Taylor Three Horse Shoes, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2069 4630.

Dead Wood + King Kraken The Patriot, Crumlin.

8pm, free. Info 01495 247178.

Dermot Kennedy Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £18.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. Irish singersongwriter. Sold out.

Edison Junction Band The Pendragon, Thornhill, Cardiff.

8.45pm. Info 029 2061 0550.

Album launch gig.

Juice & Dave Parsons St Mary’s Hall, Canton, Cardiff.

7pm, £8/£5 kids. Info ruffceilidhs.org. A RUFF Ceilidhs night.

Ka Ska Souls Band West End Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 735739. Ska and soul covers.

Made In Tennessee Borough Theatre, Abergavenny.

7.30pm, £20. Info 01873 850805. Nashville country tribute show.

Motörized UKThe Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm. Info gigs@ thedragonffli.com. Motörhead tribute Nadolig Big Band Christmas Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12.50. Info 029 2063 6464.

With Canolfan Berfformio Cymru and the Rhys Taylor Band.

Pi & Hash Christmas Gig NosDa, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free.

Info 029 2037 8866.

Popty-Ping Christmas Party Le Public Space, Newport. 6.30pm, £10/£8 adv.

Info sam@lepub.co.uk. Local indie label with some bands they’ve released records by (I think): Big Thing, Campfire Social, Chroma, Red Telephone and Trecco Beis. Running order TBC, probably not alphabetical like that list.

Red Dragon The Red Dragon, Bridgend. 8.30pm,

free. Info 01656 654753. Not fully sure if this is a band with the same name as the venue they’re playing or someone filling the wrong field in on the booking schedule.

Sepulchre + Greywall + Captain Meatshield Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea.

9pm, free. Info crowleysrockbar@hotmail. com. Metal. *Shellac + Beige Palace Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £20 adv.

Info 029 2078 1458. Chicagoian rockist clangers return to Cardiff after fine Tramshed show in 2016.

Take That Tribute Night The Savoy, Barry. 7pm, £15 adv.

Info 07746 514901.

Talking Bird Collective The Pod, Newport. 9.45pm. Info 01633 535440.

Taynee Lord & The Crookes The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £6. Info 01497 821762.

Tenacious G Jac’s, Aberdare.

7pm, £7/£5 adv. Info 01685 879491. Tenacious D tribute band.

The Bella Collins Band Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 8.30pm. Info 029 2062 6015.

The Big What?! Band Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

The Bon Jovi Experience The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Tribute band.

The Dai Robs Christmas Show Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 8pm, £9. Info 01686 614555.

The Fugitives The Albion, Penarth. 9pm, free. Info 029 2033 0743.

The Great Christmas Proms – Symphony And Sound At Christmas Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 6.30pm, £20.

Info 0845 2263510. Featuring the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, Angelicus Celtis, the British Sinfonietta, organist Huw Tregelles Williams and conductor John Hywel Williams.

The Kamuzinda Players Art Shop & Chapel, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £10 adv.

Info 01873 852690.

The Tomos Williams Quintet Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth. 6.30pm, £12.50/£10. Info 01970 633088.

Jazz from the 1960s/Blue Note era.

The Undecided Riverside Sports Bar & Kitchen, Newport. 9pm. Info 01633 439166.

The West End At Christmas Gwyn Hall, Neath.

2.30 + 7.30pm, £16 adv. Info 0300 3656677.

True Strays Snails Deli, Cardiff. 7pm, £22.50 adv. Info 029 2062 0415. Blues-rock duo.

Price includes a buffet.

Ultimate Floyd Ebbw Vale Institute. 7.30pm, £12 adv.

Info 01495 708022. Pink Floyd tribute. *Woahnows + Super Lemon Days + Human Heat + Clwb Fuzz + Live, Do Nothing The Moon, Cardiff. 5pm, pay by donation.

Info info@themooncardiff. com. Fifth birthday gig for pro-

moters DIY Cardiff. Proceeds to Solidarity Not Silence.

Wolcum Yole! – A Festival Of Christmas Music Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/free kids. Info llandaffcathedralchoralsociety. org.uk. With a programme featuring Brittens A Ceremony Of Carols, Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia On Christmas Carols and Domine Jesu by Mark David Bowen.

SUNDAY 15 DECEMBER 50 Shêd O Santa Clôs Theatr Arad Goch, Aberystwyth. 7pm, £15. Info 01970 617998.

Acoustic Session Arvon Ale House, Llandrindod Wells.

4pm. Info 07477 627267.

Adam And The Hellcats + Altered Myths + Dan Lambert The Moon, Cardiff. 6.30-10.30pm, £5 adv.

Info info@themooncardiff. com. Fundraiser gig for The Huggard.

Bury Tomorrow + Employed To Serve + Blood Youth Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £20 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. UK metal headliners performing an album in full for whatever reason.

Georgia Fearn Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info 01994 427688.

Gower Chorale: Handel’s Messiah Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 7pm, £20. Info 01792 475715.

In The Cards + Glass Heart Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff.

7pm, £3. Info 07970 063107.

Jack Mac Quintet Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £5. Info 029 2038 7026.

Nine Lessons & Carols St Hilda’s Church, Griffithstown.

6pm, £8. Info 01633 868239.

Presented by Lleisiau Torfaen Voices.

Pretty Vicious + CVC + Sweet Ignitions The Globe, Cardiff. 7pm, £9 adv. Info 07590 471888. Merthyr indie band headline.

Royal Scam Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015. Steely Dan tribute.

Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £17. Info 029 2089 0862. Folk-rock.

Sarah Meek/Dave Cottle Trio Langland Brasserie, Swansea. 7pm, £30. Info swanseajazzland@gmail. com. Presented by Swansea Jazzland. Price includes a twocourse meal.

The Brwmys The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info 029 2021 2509.

The Neathmare Before Christmas 2 The Duke, Neath. 5pm, £3. Info 01639 643892. Food bank fundraiser gig presented by Nuclear Family, with various hardcore and metal bands: Mantlet, Grief Ritual, Hold Tight, WelterWeight, Shallow Graves, Instruments Of Torture, Only Fools And Corpses and Kold War. The Overtones St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7pm, £25.50-£102.

Info 01792 475715. Vocal harmony nan faves. Top price is for VIP guff.

The Sixteen St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £5-£25. Info 01792 475715. Performing traditional carols as part of this venue’s International Concert Series.

The West End At Christmas The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 7.30pm, £15/£13.

Info 01639 843163.

Zervas & Pepper Hang Fire Southern Kitchen, Barry.

6.30pm, £12 adv. Info 07561 143114. Roots N All gig. Sold out.

MONDAY 16 DECEMBER BBC NOW: Christmas Celebrations Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 7.30pm, £23/£15. Info 01792 475715.

Deadwood + Doghouse Gassy’s, Cardiff. 7pm, free (donations welcome). Info 029 2023 2608. French electroblues duo headline.

Dick Hamer Quartet Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

Penglais Musicians: A Christmas Celebration Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth. 7pm, free (donations welcome). Info 01970 633088.

Shed Seven + The Twang Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £28.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458.

“Thank you for booking us. It is a tribute to this great city that a man who once urinated all over a jukebox in this building’s upstairs bar could win back your trust” – Rick Witter of Shed Seven TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER uA Christmas Cracker Concert The Met, Abertillery.

2pm, £5. Info 01495 355945.

Christmas songs from the movies performed by the pupils of St Mary’s RC School in Brynmawr. On tomorrow also.

Björn Again St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7pm, £28-£68. Info 01792 475715. Top price = VIP. Ceredigion Schools Orchestra Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 1.45 + 7.30pm. Info 01970 623232.

The Wessex New Orleans Band Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4 members/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

The West End At Christmas Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 2pm, £16/£14.

Info 0845 2263510.

WEDNESDAY 18 DECEMBER All That Cabaret: Christmas At The Musicals Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £18. Info 029 2089 0862. Broadway, West End etc songs.

Andy Collins Open Mic Night Cockett Inn, Swansea.

8pm, free. Info 01792 588748.

Bandaoke Xmas Special Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

“Sing with a fully rehearsed band and become the Popstar you always dreamed of being.”

Chicago Blues Brothers Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £20-£24. Info 01970 623232.

Christmas Carols with Tredegar Orpheus Bedwellty House & Park, Tredegar. 7pm, £5. Info 01495 355945.

Concerts & Cakes Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 1pm, £4.50.

Info 0300 0040444. Relaxed lunchtime concert aimed at people living with dementia.

Geraint Watkins & Friends + The Red Hot Pokers + Sister Bodhi Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 029 2062 6015.

Jeff Hooper Entertains Rogerstone & Bassaleg Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £10. Info malc@dancebands. plus.com. South Wales Big Band Society Christmas party; price includes a buffet.

Katielou + Boxcat + Holiday In The Mind The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil.

9pm, £3. Info 01685 387925. A U&I Radio promotion.

Llantrisant Folk Club Christmas Party No.2 Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm, £8/£5 members.

Info 01443 226892.

String Sisters Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 1pm, £5. Info 0845 2263510. Violin/viola duo play Live Music Now lunchtime concert.

The Cottle Brothers Langland Brasserie, Swansea.

8.15pm, £15. Info swanseajazzland@gmail. com. Presented by Swansea Jazzland.

The People The Poet + Fireroad + Lego Man Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £6 adv.

Info 029 2023 2199.

THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER An Operatic Christmas The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil.

8pm, £10. Info 01685 387925.

With Sam Oran, William Branson, Lorena Paz Nieto, Lewis Geston and Laurie O’Brien.

Bad Manners Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £17. Info 029 2023 5555. They’re another band who always play here round this time.

Christmas By Candlelight Miners Theatre, Ammanford.

7pm, £14/£12. Info 0845 2263510. Performed by Chamber Orchestra Of Wales.

Enrico Tomasso Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 8pm, £9.50.

Info 01656 815995. Jazz.

Georgia Paterson The Pear Tree, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 2042.

Indigo May & Côrdydd Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff.

8pm, £12. Info 029 2089 0862.

Keys + HMS Morris + Kidsmoke + DD Darilo The Gate, Cardiff. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2048 3344.

Lyrical Miracles Christmas Special NosDa, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. Live hip-hop open mic thing. Also on Thurs 30 Jan (not a Christmas special). uMcLusky* Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £15 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. One of two quasireunion (hence the asterisk) gigs here for noisy Cardif rockers of a bygone decade. On tomorrow also; that one was announced first and sold out, this one still has tickets available as of mid-November.

Patrick Sheen Singers The Met, Abertillery. 2pm, £5.

Info 01495 355945. Christmas songs.

BUGG (Cardiff University, Sat 14) STEREOPHONICS (Motorpoint Arena, Sat 14 + Sun 15) FISH (Cardiff University, Thurs 19) PALACE (Tramshed, Fri 20) PLAIN WHITE T’S (Clwb Ifor Bach, Tue 24) CIRCA WAVES (Tramshed, Mon 30) JUST ANNOUNCED FOR APRIL: RODDY WOOMBLE (Clwb BUZZ 71

* – recommended Saving Grace Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.30pm, £27. Info 01686 614555. Folk-rock group fronted by one Robert Plant.

String Theory + Vain + The Dirty Flamingos The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £5 adv. Info info@bunkhousebar. co.uk.

The Caspiens + Cosmic Bambina The Moon, Cardiff.

7pm, £4. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

The Magic Of Motown Motorpoint Arena Cardiff.

7.30pm, from £36.30. Info 029 2022 4488. Tribute concert that tours doughtily all year round but is in a Welsh venue this size for this first time, I think.

The Pitchforks Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £5 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Billed as their farewell show. Farewell, The Pitchforks.

Well Seasoned The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 7pm, £10. Info 01639 843163. Air Ambulance fundraiser gig played by local swing trio.

FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER Alter Bridge + Shinedown + Sevendust Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 6.30pm, £45.

Info 029 2022 4488. Trio of enduring American rock types.

Arrival Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.30pm, £22.50. Info 01686 614555.

Claire Taylor City Arms, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2064 1913.

Dansette Café Jazz, Cardiff.

8pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2038 7026. Classic soul.

Democratus + Blind Divide + Fallen Temples + King Kraken + King Ibex Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff.

6pm, £5. Info 07970 063107. EP launch gig for headliners.

Finding Aurora + Wynt + Kid Reddy Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Flash + Wrong Jovi The Neon, Newport. 7pm, £15 adv.

Info 01633 533666. Tributes to Queen and Bon Jovi. The latter are in Ebbw Vale tomorrow.

Goose The Pod, Newport.

10pm. Info 01633 535440.

Gruff Rhys Clarence Hall, Crickhowell. 7-10pm, £20 adv.

Info contact@ woodfiredsummit.com.

Woodfired Summit and Clwb Ifor Bach present sold out gig..

Holy Moly & The Crackers Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff.

8pm, £17. Info 029 2089 0862.

Or the Xmas Crackers as they have opportunistically rebranded themselves here Hornettes Christmas Cracker Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth. 7.30pm, £12.. Info 01970 633088.

Mantaraybryn Tiny Rebel, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7/£5 adv. Info 029 2039 9557.

Meln Melyn + Risorius The Moon, Cardiff. 6pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com.

My Name Is Ian + Tales In The Shade + Sophie Crabtree NosDa, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866.

Pizzatramp Le Public Space, Newport. 6pm. Info sam@ lepub.co.uk. Playing this venue’s Christmas party, so more bands and other jollity

TBC I daresay.

Reverend James And The Swingtown Cowboys Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Penarth.

7.30pm, £5/£4.40 adv. Info feelgoodmusicorg@gmail.com.

Also featuring swing DJ The Medicine Man. Rumney Folk Club St Augustine’s Church, Rumney, Cardiff. 7.45pm. Info derek@ rumneyfolkclub.co.uk. Monthly session with regular and guest performers.

SicKnot Ebbw Vale Institute.

7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 01495 708022. Slipknot tribute. In Swansea tomorrow.

The Balkaneers + Coppercailie Elysium Gallery, Swansea. 8pm, free.

Info www.elysiumgallery.com.

Fundraising gig for Extinction Rebellion, so they can send more Christmas cards to the police.

The Electric Swing Circus The Queens Hall, Narberth.

8pm, £12-£16. Info 01834 861212. Electroswing.

The Soulman The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592.

The Spectrums + Farenheit 451 Jac’s, Aberdare. 7pm, £5 adv. Info 01685 879491. Synthpop and postpunk covers respectively.

The Stoned Roses The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £6 adv. Info info@bunkhousebar. co.uk. Tribute band. uThe Valli Boys Barry Island Sports & Social Club.

7.30pm, £30. Info 07595 497225. Frankie Valli tribute, presented by Mack Events. On tomorrow also.

The Wurzels + The Skimmity Hitchers The Globe, Cardiff. 7pm, £15.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888.

SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER Anonymous Iconoclasts The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Bass12 Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm.

Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Black3lvis NosDa, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866.

Black Angus The Dolls House, Abertillery. 6pm. Info 01495 213300. AC/DC tribute.

In Cardiff on Fri 27.

Cardiff & Vale Music Service The Gate, Cardiff.

7pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2048 3344.

Cwmbach Male Choir Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare.

7pm, £12/£10. Info 0300 0040444.

Dirt The Patriot, Crumlin.

8pm. Info 01495 247178. Alice In Chains tribute.

Electric Swing Circus Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £13.50 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Fleetwood Bac The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. Tribute band.

Sold out.

Goldie Lookin Chain Newport Centre. 7.30pm, £15 adv/£10 jobseeker special. Info 01633 656757. Hometown date following a long November tour.

The jobseeker thing is a nice gesture even if partially done as “a bit”.

Jools Holland And His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra Motorpoint Arena Cardiff.

6.30pm, £42. Info 029 2022 4488. You can set your watch to this gig. Well, your calendar at least. Last Saturday before Christmas in this venue every year.

Juicy Lu & The Sherbert Pips The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 9pm. Info 01685 387925.

Melvana + Fistful Of Rage Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7.30pm, £8/£6 adv.

Info 01443 491424. Tributes to Nirvana and Rage Against The Machine.

Milk + Panic Shack + Dactyl Terra + Yammerer Jacob’s Market, Cardiff. 9pm4am, £5 adv. Info 029 2039 0939. Also featuring Blue Honey DJs, which I imagine would account for the late finish.

Paul Dark The Mariners, Laugharne. 8.30pm, free. Info 01994 427688. In sister venue Browns tomorrow.

Personality Crisis + The Crudes + Not Since The Accident The Moon, Cardiff.

7pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. Christmas foodbank fundraiser gig, so bring some appropriate scran as well as beer money.

Sgarmes & Friends Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £5/free under-12s. Info 01970

Institute. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 01495 708022.

SUNDAY 22 DECEMBER Cantemus Chamber Choir St Augustine’s Church, Penarth. 7.30-10pm, £7-£14.

Info info@cantemus.co.uk.

Chapter Four Jazz Quartet Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. Jazz in the bar.

Christmas By Candlelight 2019 Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £16.50. Info 029 2089 0862. Annual concert featuring the Chamber Orchestra of Wales and conductor Alwyn Humphreys.

Paul Dark Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info 01994 427688.

Soul Train The Neon, Newport. 6pm, £15 adv. Info 01633 533666. Soul tribute show.

The Fugitives Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

MONDAY 23 DECEMBER A Candlelit Christmas Brangwyn Hall, Swansea.

7.30pm, £16.50/free under-14s.

Info 01792 475715. Featuring Alwyn Humphreys with Ros Evans, the Chamber Orchestra Of Wales Chorale and accompanying musicians.

The Moon in Cardiff has an especially raucous session set for Sat 7 Dec, titled All Day Christmas Carnage 2 – in reference to promoter Cosmic Carnage, and it being the second such event. Luminous Bodies, Obey Cobra, Human Leather and The Death Of Money are among the lineup.

623232. A Christmas singalong concert whose proceeds go to Bronglais Hospital.

SicKnot The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £5-£10. Info info@bunkhousebar.co.uk.

Simon Trigg The Twelve Knights, Port Talbot. 9pm, free.

Info 01639 882381.

Stanley Strong Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319.

Stars In Their Eyes Christmas Edition Le Public Space, Newport. 7pm.

Info 01633 221477. Twiceyearly (generally) evening of one-off cover bands for charity.

Supersonic 70s Christmas Special Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £22. Info 029 2089 0862.

The Raiders Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

8.30pm. Info 029 2062 6015.

Winter Eradication 2019 Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff.

2-11pm, £8 adv. Info 07970 063107. An all-black metal alldayer with the following: Arvas, Agrona, Deadwood Lake, Black Pyre, Levitas, Dark Doom, Cistvaen and Fatalist.

Wrong Jovi Ebbw Vale

Afternoon In Paris Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

TUESDAY 24 DECEMBER 360 Degrees Cockett Inn, Swansea. 7.30pm, free. Info 01792 588748.

The Fugitives The Butchers Arms, Rhiwbina, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2069 3526.

The James Oliver Band Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 5-7.30pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

THURSDAY 26 DECEMBER Sid And The Skatterbrains The Master Mariner, Barry.

8pm. Info 01446 700122. Ska covers Slade UK The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 9pm, £10.

Info 01685 387925. Tribute band.

FRIDAY 27 DECEMBER Acoustic Sinners City Arms, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2064 1913.

Black Angus Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 07970 063107.

Calypso The Twelve Knights,

u – repeated

Port Talbot. 9pm, free. Info 01639 882381.

Celtic Pride Hangar 18, Swansea. 8pm. Info enquiries@ hangar18musicvenue.co.uk.

Fnools + Sloonf Le Public Space, Newport. 8pm. Info sam@lepub.co.uk. Fnools are a sort of experimental indie band from the locale; methinks the support act may be related to themn in some way.

Metallica Reloaded The Patriot, Crumlin. 8pm, £5. Info 01495 247178. Tribute band.

Not Since The Accident The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com. EP launch gig.

Sepulchre + Kill By Mouth The Hanbury, Swansea. 7.30pm, free. Info 01792 641804.

Soul In Motion Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £8. Info 029 2062 6015.

The Poorboys Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015. Playing in the bar area I think.

SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER Acoustic Sinners Three Horse Shoes, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2069 4630.

Breathe Fire The Patriot, Crumlin. 8pm, free. Info 01495 247178.

Claire Taylor Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319.

Dactyl Terra The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

Hotdog Band Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015. Playing in the bar area.

John Lewis + The Escobars Pyle Royal British Legion Club, Bridgend. 7.30pm.

Info 01656 740210. Playing the monthly Pyle Rock N Roll Club night.

Lighthammer + Eaten

By Owls + WolfPunch The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

7.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509. Presented by Smash Mouse.

Scopyons The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 9pm, £9/£7 adv. Info 01685 387925.

Scorpions tribute band.

Surreal Panther Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £7 adv. Info 01443 682388. Steel Panther tribute.

The Bryan Adams Effect The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Tribute show.

The Soul Miners Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £8. Info 029 2062 6015.

SUNDAY 29 DECEMBER Parish + White Riot + Bedface + Riding Giants The Moon, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6/£5 adv. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. Presented by intriguingly named new promoters Your Daughter.

Steve Page Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info 01994 427688.

Tumbling Dice Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

MONDAY 30 DECEMBER The Steve Williams Band

Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm.

Info 01792 447360.

TUESDAY 31 DECEMBER Ba And The Resolutions Le Public Space, Newport. 7pm, free. Info 01633 221477.

Bayside Boogiemen Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff.

8pm, £20/£30 with a pizza. Info 029 2089 0862.

Cadence The Maltsters, Llandaff, Cardiff. 9pm, free.

Info 029 2033 3096.

Dr Bland’s Bad Batch NosDa, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2037 8866.

Hunter From Fremonte + The Bloodshots The Moon, Cardiff. 6pm-6am, £5. Info info@themooncardiff.com. As you can infer from the stated opening times, the Moon’s NYE party has a bunch more TBC beyond those two bands.

Jed Jameson & The Jedis Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 7pm-1am, £8 adv. Info 029 2062 6015. Also featuring Central Line Disco DJing.

Salut The Depot, Cardiff.

7pm-2am, from £15. Info www. depotcardiff.co.uk. A multiaward-winning showband apparently. This evening also boasts funk cocktails and soul vibes.

Ska Monkeys The Savoy, Barry. 8pm, £8 adv. Info 07746 514901. Ska covers.

The Patsy Mac Electric Band The Pendragon, Thornhill, Cardiff. 10pm-12am.

Info 029 2061 0550.

The Point West End Club, Barry. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 01446 735739. Rock’n’roll covers.

The Trends Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm, £17.50 adv. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Soundtracking this venue’s NYE party.

Young Garbo The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £10-£15. Info 01497 821762.

Also featuring a DJ set by Max Galactic.

WEDNESDAY 1 JANUARY Dizzy Lizzy + Flew Fighters The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 7pm, £12 adv.

Info 01685 387925. Thin Lizzy and Foo Fighters tributes.

Helen Ensor Morgan Mariners, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info 01994 427688.

Llantrisant Folk Club Surivvors’ Night Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm.

Info 01443 226892.

Whitchurch Jam Session #121 Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 5.30-8.30pm, free.

Info 029 2062 6015.

FRIDAY 3 JANUARY Deadwood The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 9pm. Info 01685 387925. Rock and metal covers.

Open Night Glais Rugby Football Club, nr Clydach, Swansea. 8pm, £3. Info 01792 425231. A Valley Folk Club night.

SATURDAY 4 JANUARY 6foot7 + Not Since The Accident + Nigel Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 07970 063107.

Ion Maiden The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 9pm,

Ifor Bach, Wed 1) KING KING (Cardiff University, Fri 3) LLOYD COLE (Tramshed, Sat 4) CRAIG DAVID (Motorpoint Arena, Mon 13) THE NIGHT CAFÉ (The Globe, Mon 13) SIMPLE MINDS (Motorpoint Arena, Tue 14) THE SKIDS (Portland House, Wed 15) DREADZONE (Sin City, Swansea, BUZZ 72

£10/£7 adv. Info 01685 387925.

Iron Maiden tribute.

Kamikazee Millionaires Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £4 adv. Info 01443 682388.

Mo Zowayed Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Retrospect Riverside Sports Bar & Kitchen, Newport. 9pm.

Info 01633 439166.

Trevor Babajack Steiger Cwmbran RFC, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £7. Info 01633 483238. Borough Blues Club gig.

Who Knows Didley? + Smiling Tigers + Beyond Oblivion The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 6pm. Info gigs@ thedragonffli.com. Birthday gig for this venue, not sure which birthday though.

WNO Orchestra: A Journey To Vienna Great Hall, Bay Campus, Swansea University.

7pm, free. Info 01792 602060.

David Adams conducts a programme of Offenbach, Mozart, Brahms, Dvorak and Strauss.

In Cardiff on Thurs 9.

SUNDAY 5 JANUARY Johann Strauss Gala St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £18-£39.50. Info 01792 475715.

Conducted by John Rigby and featuring soprano Lizzie Holmes.

MONDAY 6 JANUARY Groucho Club Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

TUESDAY 7 JANUARY Pillow Talk Band Flute & Tankard, Cardiff. 9-11.30pm, £7/£5 NUS. Info www. thefluteandtankard.com. Jazz.

WEDNESDAY 8 JANUARY Magpie Trio Flute & Tankard, Cardiff. 9-11.30pm, £7/£5 NUS. Info www. thefluteandtankard.com. Jazz.

Newport City Swing & Jazz Band Rogerstone & Bassaleg Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £10.

Info malc@dancebands.plus. com. A South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Pillow Talk The Queens Head, Monmouth. 8pm, free.

Info 01600 712767. Jazz.

THURSDAY 9 JANUARY Risca Male Choir Miners Institute, Blackwood. 7pm, £10.75. Info 01495 227206.

Performing Disney songs. In Cwmbran on Sat 11.

WNO Orchestra: A Journey To Vienna Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £21/£16. Info 029 2039 1391.

FRIDAY 10 JANUARY *Khamira Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 029 2039 1391 Luke Jackson Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £14.

Info 029 2089 0862. *Machiavellian Art + Squalor Fan + Horrible Men + Haq123 The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. Cosmic Carnage & Lesson No.1 present three Birmingham area bands plus Newport’s

Horrible Men. Haq123 include two tweenage boys in their lineup and are strongly recommended. *Subhumans + The Blunders + Disjoy Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Anarcho-punk veterans headline. First gig in Cardiff for yonks, I think, though they play elsewhere in south Wales quite often.

The Dream Kollective The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5. Info 01497 821762.

SATURDAY 11 JANUARY Alcie Bela + Brad Dickenson NosDa, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866.

Come and Sing – Haydn The Creation Eglwys Dewi Sant, Cardiff. 10am, £12/£6.

Info info@cantemus.co.uk.

Graveyard Johnnys + Doc & The Headshrinkers + Henry & The Bleeders Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

7pm. Info 029 2062 6015. This is a 50th birthday party for someone called Donna but it seems to be open to anyone who likes psychobilly type fare.

Guns 2 Roses The Waterloo, Cwmbran. 9pm, £5 adv. Info 01633 485206.

Risca Male Choir Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7pm, £10/£8. Info 01633 868239.

The Adam Hussain Show The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 9pm, £5 adv. Info 01685 387925. Goldie Lookin Chain member, performing here with quasi-member Graham The Bear.

The British Carpenters Memorial Hall, Newbridge.

7pm, £16. Info 01495 243252.

Tribute show.

The Music Of Prince St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £27/£25. Info 01792 475715.

Tribute show.

The Satellites Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £4 adv. Info 01443 682388. Punk covers.

Welsh National Opera: A Journey To Vienna Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 4pm, £16.50/£15. Info 01686 614555.

With guest soprano Mary Williams.

Who’s Next + The Small Fakers The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. Who and Small Faces tributes.

SUNDAY 12 JANUARY One Day Scratch Orchestral And Choral Event St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

4.30pm, free. Info 01792 475715. The premise of this is that you turn up (having booked in advance) and form part of an orchestra or choir, then perform later that day. Or you can just watch.

Rookery Kane Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info 01994 427688.

Simply Dylan Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £24.50. Info 0871 4720400. “A tribute to Bob Dylan, not a Bob Dylan tribute.” I too enjoy inventing semantic distinctions.

The Bottom Line + Bronnie + Seven Stories High + The Camel Show The Bunkhouse, Swansea.

7pm, £8 adv. Info info@

bunkhousebar.co.uk.

The Meadows + Force Of The Tide Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 07818 056599. Celtic folk.

MONDAY 13 JANUARY Nekrogoblikon + Harbinger + For I Am King Sin City, Swansea. 7pm, £15 adv. Info 01792 468892.

Metal bands. Headliners play “goblin music”.

TUESDAY 14 JANUARY Kristian Borring Acrobat Trio Flute & Tankard, Cardiff.

9-11.30pm, £7/£5 NUS. Info www.thefluteandtankard.com.

Jazz.

Lauren Zhang St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 1pm, £5-£7. Info 01792 475715. Piano recital.

Mainly Two + George Fu + Thomas Ang St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £3-£10. Info 01792 475715. A violin duo and two solo pianists.

Petrol Girls Le Public Space, Newport. 7.30pm, £8 adv. Info sam@lepub.co.uk. See Music.

Ruth Bowen & Friends The Muse, Brecon. 8pm. Info info@breconjazz.org. Brecon Jazz Club gig..

WEDNESDAY 15 JANUARY Cup O’Joe The Butterfly Collector, Barry. 8pm, £7 adv.

Info 07561 143114. Roots N All gig featuring trio of bluegrassplaying siblings.

Damian Wilson & Adam Wakeman Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £16. Info 029 2089 0862.

Morriston Big Band with Jenny Jones Rogerstone & Bassaleg Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £10.

Info malc@dancebands.plus. com. A South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Open Mic Night NosDa, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. Tonight’s host is Alcie Bella.

Savoy Brown Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £16 adv. Info 029 2062 6015. UK blues-rock veterans.

The Mowgli’s + Liimo Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

THURSDAY 16 JANUARY Genesis Visible Touch The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. Tribute show.

The Johnny Cash Roadshow St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £26.50/£24.50.

Info 01792 475715. Tribute show.

FRIDAY 17 JANUARY Back To Bacharach St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £27/£25.50. Info 01792 475715.

Tribute show.

Cat’s Claw Llanwrda Hall, nr Llandovery. 7.30pm, £5.

Info 01550 720483. Playing the Llandovery Folk Dancing night.

Ed Dowie Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7.50 adv.

Info 029 2023 2199. Singersongwriter. Used to be a member of Brothers In Sound, some proper early-00s landfill there.

No relation to Iain.

ELO Encounter Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £19.

Info 029 2089 0862. Tribute band.

Kathryn Williams & Michele Stodart + Peiriant + Kirsty Bohata The Globe At Hay, Hay-OnWye. 7.30pm, £20. Info 01497 821762. Second edition of the Bright Field events here.

Monmouth Big Band Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 01600 772467.

Reg Meuross Glais Rugby Football Club, nr Clydach, Swansea. 7.30pm, £7. Info 01792 425231. Valley Folk Club night. *The Bellrays + Los Pepes Le Public Space, Newport. 7.30pm, £12.50 adv.

Info sam@lepub.co.uk. The Bellrays are/were an amazing souled-out garage rock band who still tour a bunch. Missed their last few SW gigs, should put that right really!

SATURDAY 18 JANUARY Bowiexp Jac’s, Aberdare.

7pm, £10. Info 01685 879491.

David Bowie tribute show.

Dai C Thomas Mariners, Laugharne. 8pm, free. Info 01994 427688. In sister venue Browns tomorrow.

Insane Clown Posse + Dope D.O.D Tramshed, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £23.50. Info 029 2023 5555. See Music.

Woop woop!

Islands In The Stream Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £27. Info 01792 475715. Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers tribute show. In Newport on Sat 25. *Koma + Saliva + Shishu + Ordeal By Roses Cathays Community Centre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £5. Info 029 2037 3144.

Hardcore, punk and noise from south Wales, London and Leeds. Find me here tickling the funnybone of all in attendance by requesting that Saliva perform their 2002 hit single and Nickelback collaboration Hero.

Mike Dennis Showcase NosDa, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. ‘Showcase’ means, I think, that he’ll be performing himself and inviting other to also.

Sydney Fate + Portraits + Scarsun + I Digress Workmens Hall, Caerphilly.

7pm, £3. Info 029 2088 2268.

The East Pointers Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £15.

Info 029 2089 0862. Canadian folk-rockers.

The Marley Experience The Bunkhouse, Swansea.

7pm, £12 adv. Info info@ bunkhousebar.co.uk. Bob Marley tribute.

The Smyths The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. Q: What album’s anniversary are this tribute band running into the ground this time? A: Meat Is Murder.

SUNDAY 19 JANUARY Beethoven: The 1808 Concert St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £27/£25.

Info 01792 475715. Twoparter starting with the WNO Orchestra and continuing with the BBC National Orchestra & Chorus Of Wales.

Dai C Thomas Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info

01994 427688.

MONDAY 20 JANUARY Catrin Finch And Cimarrón Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £18/£17.

Info 01239 621200. Welsh harpist Catrin Finch met with Colombian joropo band. In Brecon on Tue 28; Aberystwyth on Wed 29; Swansea on Fri 31; Cardiff on Tue 3 Feb. TUESDAY 21 JANUARY Afuriko Flute & Tankard, Cardiff. 9-11.30pm, £7/£5 NUS. Info www.thefluteandtankard. com. Fusiony Afro-jazz duo. I think we wrote about them in 2017 but I don’t feel like checking right now.

Capital City Jazz Orchestra St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £10-£17. Info 01792 475715. With guest soloist Nikki Iles. CCJO are in Newport tomorrow.

InMe The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £15 adv. Info info@bunkhousebar.co.uk.

The Society Of Women Organists St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 1pm, £5-£7. Info 01792 475715. Specifically Anne Marsden Thomas and Ghislaine Reece-Trapp.

WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY Capital City Jazz Orchestra Rogerstone & Bassaleg Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £10. Info malc@dancebands.plus. com. A South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Dragon’s Breath Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm, £3. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club night.

Open Mic Night NosDa, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. Tonight’s host is Sophie Crabtree.

Slipknot Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 7pm, £52.50. Info 029 2022 4488. Masked metal men.

Sold out very quick this one.

The 50th Flying Burrito Bros Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £20 adv.

Info 029 2062 6015. Tribute set to American country-rock pioneers, who formed, er, 51 years ago.

The Classic Rock Show St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £29/£39 Gold Circle. Info 01792 475715. Tribute night. “A real gem of a rock show – sore throat guaranteed!” Hope they play stuff off Disgrace To The Corpse Of Sid. THURSDAY 23 JANUARY BBC NOW: Jazzical Tales Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £5-£20. Info 029 2063 6464.

David Danzmayr conducts a programme including Duke Ellington’s take on Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite. In Swansea tomorrow.

Billy Bremner’s Rockfiles Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £18 adv. Info 029 2062 6015. A tribute to Rockpile by a former guitarist in the band. Not to be confused with the one-time Leeds United hatchet man, who helpfully died in 1997 to make the two easier to distinguish.

Paisley Park + White Riot + The Rivers + Memory

Camp + Natasha Roberts The Bunkhouse, Swansea.

7pm, £5 adv. Info info@ bunkhousebar.co.uk.

Roberto Ruisi & Sten Heinoja Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £18.

Info 01873 850805. Violin/ piano duo.

Some Guys Have All The Luck: The Rod Stewart Story The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £25.50. Info 01633 656757. Tribute concert.

The Elvis Years Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £26. Info 01792 475715. With Mario Kombou as Elvis.

FRIDAY 24 JANUARY A Vision Of Elvis St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £29/£27.

Info 01792 475715. With Rob Kingsley as Elv. Band Of Friends Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £16 adv. Info 029 2062 6015. Tribute to the late Rory Gallagher, now featuring Brendan O’Neill on drums. No relation to the contrarian op-ed writer, so expect normal sized foreheads and few attentionseeking statements.

BBC NOW: Jazzical Tales Brangwyn Hall, Swansea.

7.30pm, £23/£15. Info 01792 475715.

Bombay Bicycle Club + The Big Moon + Liz Lawrence Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £29.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. Bombay Bicycle Club are another of those landfill indie bands who have in fact became and remained genuinely popular without you or anyone you know liking them.

Burns Night Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £27. Info 029 2039 1391. Annual event featuring a concert with musicians David Grubb, Colin Bryce and Corben Lee, plus a Burns supper, a ceilidh and a whisky. uElvis: The Legend Lives On Miners Institute, Blackwood. 7.30pm, £17.75.

Info 01495 227206. With Gordon Davis. On tomorrow also.

Elvis v Jerry Lee Lewis: The Showdown! Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £17.50.

Info 029 2089 0862. Fans of both Elvis and events with a colon in the title are spoilt for choice tonight.

Endorphinmachine The Queens Hall, Narberth.

7.30pm, £20/£16 adv. Info 01834 861212. Prince tribute.

Fleetwood Bac The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £19.50. Info 01633 656757.

Tribute band.

Mud On The Tyres The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5. Info 01497 821762.

Paul Jones & Dave Kelly Savoy Theatre, Monmouth.

7.30pm, £20. Info 01600 772467.

Sodomized Cadaver + Agrona + Democratus Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Local metal showcase, on an evening out all the way from Fuel on the other side of the street.

The D Teez + Addiction + Flavourmaid The Moon,

Fri 17) RICK ASTLEY + KT TUNSTALL (Motorpoint Arena, Fri 17) ELBOW (Motorpoint Arena, Sat 18) LOWKEY (The Globe, Sun 19) BAXTER DURY (Tramshed, Mon 21) THE SOUTH (Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot, Thurs 24) FAT FREDDY’S DROP (Motorpoint Arena, Tue 29) BUZZ 73

* – recommended Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

The Specials Ltd + 2rude The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Specials tribute band plus a general ska/2-tone support.

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY ACAB Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6 adv. Info 029 2062 6015. This Cardiff cover band have been going for nearly 30 years and I have long taken pleasure at how there’s a MOR pub act with this name. According to their Facebook cover image it stands for ‘All Colours Are Brothers’. Lovely stuff.

Blind Divide + State Of Deceit + King Kraken, Neckbrace + Beyond Oblivion Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info 07970 063107.

Bon Jovi Forever The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil.

9pm, 312/£10. Info 01685 387925. Tribute band.

Cat’s Claw with Mic Spencley St Mary’s Hall, Canton, Cardiff. 7pm, £8/£5 kids. Info ruffceilidhs.org. A RUFF Ceilidhs night.

Endorphinmachine Jac’s, Aberdare. 7pm, £10. Info 01685 879491. Prince tribute show.

Fleetwood Bac Patti Pavilion, Swansea. 7.30pm, £16.50 adv. Info 01792 475444.

Fleetwood Mac tribute band.

Islands In The Stream The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £25.50. Info 01633 656757.

Killer Queen Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 6.30pm, from £30.50. Info 029 2022 4488.

Tribute band.

Merry Hell Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £18.

Info 029 2089 0862. Folk-rock band from north-west England.

People from The Tansads. I sort of remember that name.

Motörheadache Sin City, Swansea. 7.40pm, £8 adv. Info 01792 468892. Motörhead tribute band.

Oye Santana The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13 adv. Info 07590 471888. Santana tribute.

Something About Simon Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

7.30pm, £19.50. Info 01646 695267. Paul Simon tribute show.

The Barebacks The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5. Info 01497 821762.

Ultimate Coldplay The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £15/£10 adv. Info gigs@ thedragonffli.com. Tribute band. *Volume Forever Alldayer Part Deux The Moon, Cardiff.

3-11.30pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. Presented

by Kicked In The Face and featuring Live, Do Nothing, Conformist, Sous Les Paves, Italia 90, Jaxson Payne, Lung and more TBC. SUNDAY 26 JANUARY Amigo The Devil 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7pm, £12 adv. Info 029 2022 8883. “Challenging the expectations of traditional #folk, #country music purists, and #rock #extreme #metal fans alike with his morbid, yet oddly romantic, take on folk that has amassed a dedicated and cult like fanbase.” Mate.

Bronwen Lewis + Shelley Fairplay National Waterfront BUZZ 74

Museum, Swansea. 1.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Two Welsh harpists performing on St Dwynwen’s Day. Fairplay is on at 1.30pm; Lewis at 2.30pm.

Eclectic Shed Experience Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free.

Info 01994 427688.

Joseph Moog Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 11am, £16-£20. Info 029 2039 1391. Piano recital just before lunch.

Martyn Joseph Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 7.30pm, £17/£16. Info 01982 552555. In Cardigan on Thurs 30.

Peter Gill Presents: The Wit And Songs Of Noel Coward Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £12. Info 029 2089 0862.

Roam Le Public Space, Newport. 7pm, £10 adv. Info sam@lepub.co.uk.

MONDAY 27 JANUARY The Interrupters + Buster Shuffle Tramshed, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £20. Info 029 2023 5555. Ska/2-tone stuff.

TUESDAY 28 JANUARY Banshee Flute & Tankard, Cardiff. 9-11.30pm. Info www. thefluteandtankard.com.

Monthly jazz improv session.

Catrin Finch And Cimarrón Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7.30pm, £19/£17. Info 01874 611622.

Martyn Joseph St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5-£19.50. Info 01792 475715.

Raging Speedhorn + Desert Storm + Sigiriya + Suns Of Thunder The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £10 adv. Info info@ bunkhousebar.co.uk. UK sludgy metal bonanza.

Vant Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7pm, £11 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

WEDNESDAY 29 JANUARY Bruno Heinan & James Kitchman Flute & Tankard, Cardiff. 9-11.30pm. Info www. thefluteandtankard.com.

Piano/guitar jazz duo.

Catrin Finch And Cimarrón Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £18-£22. Info 01970 623232.

Constellation Big Band Rogerstone & Bassaleg Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £10. Info malc@dancebands. plus.com. A South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Open Mic Night NosDa, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. Tonight’s host is Dr Bland’s Bad Batch.

Tim Baker Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £12.50.

Info 029 2089 0862. Former frontman of Hey Rosetta!, who it says here sold 10,000 tickets to their last five gigs. Never heard of them.

THURSDAY 30 JANUARY *Ashanti + Ginuwine + Mario Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £29.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. American r’n’b bumper crop. These artists may not be in their golden era, but are any of us really? Mr Bibs and B.Written DJ. Colossal Squid Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £7.50 adv.

Info 029 2023 2199. Solo project of the drummer from UK math-rock band Three Trapped Tigers.

Cutting Teeth + Raiders Le Public Space, Newport.

7pm, £6 adv. Info 01633 221477. Presented by Imperial Music.

European Union Chamber Orchestra St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10-£43. Info 01792 475715. These cats love to rock up in this area just as we’re ‘supposed’ to be exiting the thing in their name.

Classic banter, European Union Chamber Orchestra!

Fairport Convention Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7.30pm, £23. Info 01874 611622.

Five Finger Death Punch + Megadeth + Bad Wolves Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 6.30pm, £40. Info 029 2022 4488. The favourite metal band of American divorced dad burnouts headlines over Megadeth, who are far more ‘legendary’ but probably need the money. This one’s already sold out!

Immersed! Festival 2020 Tramshed, Cardiff. 12pm, £10 adv/£7 NUS (£8 adv/£5 NUS early bird). Info 029 2023 5555. Hosted by the University Of South Wales and in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, this will feature music industry talks from 12-4pm, and the following acts all day thereafter: Year Of The Dog, Nightlives, Al Moses, Bloom!, Clwb Fuzz, Suleiman, Elina, Versify, Otto, Dan Ham, Shlug, Yasmine And The Euphoria, Sonny Winnebago, Carlen, Church Place and French Alps Tiger.

Jah Wobble And The Invaders Of The Heart The Globe, Cardiff. 7pm, £17.50 adv. Info 07590 471888. See Upfront, I believe.

Llyr Williams Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £20-£24. Info 029 2039 1391.

Lyrical Miracles NosDa, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866.

Martyn Joseph Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £17/£16. Info 01239 621200.

Tom McConville + Michael Biggins Crindau Constitutional Club, Newport.

8pm, £8/£5. Info 01633 858636.

A Lyceum Folk Club night.

FRIDAY 31 JANUARY Blackheart Orchestra + Siobhan McCrudden Ocean Arts Cardiff, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12. Info oceanartscardiff@gmx.co.uk. Triphoppy type band headline.

Catrin Finch And Cimarrón Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20/£18. Info 01792 602060.

Egyptian Blue + Sinead O’Brien Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £9 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Co-headline tour, so it’s literally impossible to predict which act might headline on the night.

Flash Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £19. Info 029 2089 0862. Queen tribute.

Kaiser Chiefs + Razorlight + Life Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 7pm, £22.50-£45. Info 029 2022 4488.

Landfill indie that rose up from below. Sold out!

Man Of Moon Undertone, Cardiff. 7-10pm, £11 adv. Info 029 2022 8883. Indie-psych two-piece, playing here as part of Independent Venue Week – the week whose aim is to swim

against the tide of small venues closing their doors.

Michael® Starring Ben St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £26-£30. Info 01792 475715.

The registered trademark in the name of this tribute to disgraced entertainer Michael Jackson is to distinguish it from Michael, a London rock band who play The Moon in Cardiff on Sat 7 Dec. MR Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7pm, £12 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. AKA Mark Roberts, ex of Catatonia. Gig is already sold out.

Nuadha Quartet The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5.

Info 01497 821762. Monmouth jazz group.

Resurrection + Oas-is The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. Stone Roses and Oasis tributes.

The Musical Box Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 8pm, £27-£50.

Info 01792 475715. Gabriel-era Genesis tribute band.

Tom McConville & Michael Biggins Glais Rugby Football Club, nr Clydach, Swansea. 7.30pm, £7.

Info 01792 425231. Valley Folk Club night.

Wonderland Returns M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 7pm, £5. Info 029 2047 3373. Three live bands as part of Independent Venue Week.

stage SUNDAY 1 DECEMBER uAladdin Little Theatre, Blackwood. 2.30pm, £12. Info 01495 366196. Panto directed

by Vic Mills. On at 7pm on Fri 6; 2.30pm on Sat 7 and Sun 8.

Aladdin The Met, Abertillery.

2pm, £15/£12. Info 01495 355945. A panto, with Owen Money in the lead role. Opened in late November and finishes today. In Blackwood from Fri 6-Mon 30 Dec. uArcadia Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7-£14. Info 029 2039 1391. Tom Stoppard’s mid-19th century-set play, presented here by the Richard Burton Company. On at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Tue 3. (Until Sat 7) Ceri Dupree Pulse, Cardiff.

7pm, £10/£5 standing. Info 029 2064 1010. Cabaret show, also a fundraiser for World AIDS Day. uCinderella Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 1pm, £16.50/£14.50. Info 01639 763214. Panto by Jermin Productions. On at 6.30pm on Wed 4 and Thurs 5, 2pm on Fri 7 and 1pm on Sun 8. In Carmarthen from Wed 11-Sun 15; Llanelli from Wed 18-Tue 24. (Until Sun 8) uDance Nation Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 8pm, £7-£14. Info 029 2039 1391. Clare Barron’s play about competitive dancers, presented here by the Richard Burton Company. On at 2.30pm and 8pm on Thurs 5. (Until Sat 7) uDealer’s Choice Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.15pm, £7-£14. Info 029 2039 1391.

Patrick Marber’s play, presented here by the Richard Burton Company. On at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Wed 4. (Until Sat 7)

u – repeated

uFamily Christmas Show The Small Space, Barry. 6pm, £12.50. Info info@thesmallspace.co.uk. Magic for ages 8+. Also on Sun 8, Sun 15 and Sun 22.

Jason Byrne Tramshed, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £19.50. Info 029 2023 5555. Comedian with a show titled Wrecked But Ready. uLes Miserables Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £23-£75. Info 029 2063 6464. A-grade musical, by produced by Cameron Mackintosh in this instance, settles into the WMC for just shy of six weeks.

On at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Thurs 5, Sat 7, Tue 10, Thurs 12, Sat 14, Thurs 19, Sat 21, Mon 23, Fri 27, Sat 28 and Mon 30 Dec, plus Thurs 2 and Sat 4 Jan. 2.30pm only on Tue 24 and Tue 21 Dec. No performances on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. (Until Sat 4 Jan) uLive Cabaret Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863. Every Sunday.

Seen: Aftermath The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

5.30pm, £5. Info info@otherroomtheatre.com. Scratch theatre night featuring three 10-minute script-in-hand performances of work by female writers, followed by a Q&A/ discussion.

The Gilded Merkin Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 6pm, £15.

Info 0871 4720400. Burlesque show with performances from Abigail Collins, Havana Hurricane, Deux Ailes, Demi Noire, Elliot Mason and Scarlett Daggers.

The Wizard Of Oz Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 3pm, £10-£18.

Info 01495 243252. Ballet, presented by Ballet Theatre UK. MONDAY 2 DECEMBER uArwyr Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli.

10am + 12.30pm. Info 0845 2263510. Play set in a Welsh village school. On tomorrow also; in Neath on Tue 17 and Carmarthen on Thurs 19 and Fri 20. uCinderella The Riverfront, Newport. 10am + 2pm, £8-£22.

Info 01633 656757. Panto time. On at 10am and 2pm on Wed 4-Fri 6, Mon 9-Thurs 12, Mon 16, Wed 18 and Thurs 19 Dec (schools performances); 1.30pm and 5.30pm on Sat 7, Sat 14, Sat 21-Tue 24 and Thurs 26-Tue 31 Dec; Fri 3 and Sat 4 Jan. 7pm only on Tue 3, Fri 13 and Tue 17 Dec. 5.30pm only on Thurs 2 Jan. No performances on Sun 8, Sun 15 or Wed 25 Dec, or Wed 1 Jan. (Until Sat 4 Jan) uThe Scarecrow’s Wedding Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 5.30pm, £14/£10 kids. Info 01446 738622. Kids’ play based on a book by J. Donaldson and A. Scheffler; presented by Scamp Theatre. On tomorrow also, at 10am and 1.30pm and for schools. In Brecon from Thurs 5-Sat 7. uThe Snow Queen Sherman Theatre, Cardiff.

10.30am, £8-£26. Info 029 2064 6900. The Sherman’s family Christmas play for 2019, based on the Hans Christian Andersen story. On at 10.30am only Wed 4-Fri 6, Mon 9-Thurs 12 and Mon 16-Wed 18; 10.30am and 7pm on Tue 3 and Fri 13; 2pm only on Sat 7; 2pm and 7pm on Sat 14, Mon

23, Fri 27, Sat 28 and Mon 30; 10.30am and 2pm on Thurs 19 Dec; 11.30am and 4pm on Tue 24 and Tue 31. No performances on Sun 8, 15, 22 or 29, plus Christmas/Boxing Day. (Until Tue 31) uThe Ugly Duckling Sherman Theatre, Cardiff.

11am + 1.30pm, £9.50/£6.50 schools. Info 029 2064 6900.

The Sherman’s kids’ Christmas play for 2019, also based on a Hans Christian Andersen story. On at 1.30pm only on Sat 7, Sat 21, Fri 27 and Mon 30; 11am only on Mon 16; 11am and 4.30pm on Fri 20. No performances on Sun 8, 15, 22 or 29, plus Christmas/Boxing Day. (Until Tue 31) TUESDAY 3 DECEMBER Crafty Laughs The Cambrian Tap, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2064 4952.

Standup comedy here on the first Tuesday of each month; lineup currently TBC. Frank Skinner Grand Theatre, Swansea. 8pm, £27.

Info 01792 475715.

It’s A Wonderful Life Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 7pm, £14/£12. Info 0845 2263510.

So-called live radio play based on the classic movie.

In Abergavenny tomorrow; Barry on Thurs 5; Llanelli on Fri 6; Ystradgynlais on Sat 7; Pontardawe on Sun 8; Brecon on Mon 9; Newport on Wed 11 and Thurs 12; Aberystwyth on Fri 13 and Sat 14. uLlygoden Yr Eira Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea.

10am, 1pm + 4.30pm, £8.50/£5 schools. Info 01792 475715. Welsh-language kids’ theatre presented by Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and Theatr Iolo. On tomorrow also, at 10am and 1pm; in Aberystwyth on Sun 8, Llanelli on Tue 10 and Barry on Thurs 12 and Fri 13.

T42 Dolman Theatre, Newport.

2pm, £7. Info 01633 263670.

Festive variety fare. uThe Last Tango In Abertillery The Met, Abertillery. 7pm, £8. Info 01495 355945. Comedy by David Grimley, on tomorrow also.

WEDNESDAY 4 DECEMBER uFather Frost Dylan Thomas Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01792 473238. Christmas story translated from German and based on Russian folklore. On at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Sat 7. (Until Sat 7) It’s A Wonderful Life Borough Theatre, Abergavenny.

7.30pm, £7-£14. Info 01873 850805.

Messiah Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £8-£12. Info 029 2030 4400. Bear Trap Theatre presernt a play about the life and legacy of 1960s AfricanAmerican revolutionary Fred Hampton.

Romeo A Juliet Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £13-£16.

Info 01970 623232. Ballet, presented by Ballet Cymru.

The Rat Pack At Christmas St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £32.50/£31.

Info 01792 475715. uTom Gates Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 10am + 1pm, £10.

Info 01686 614555. Kids’ play based on some books and produced by the Horrible Histories people. Today, tomor-

row and the morning of Fri 6 are schools performances. On at 10am and 6.30pm on Fri 6; 2pm and 6.30pm on Sat 7. £13/£11 on Fri 6 (evening) and Sat 7. (Until Sat 7) THURSDAY 5 DECEMBER Amber Dextrous Minsky’s, Cardiff. 7pm, £4. Info 029 2023 3128. Helming the Minsky’s Christmas Cracker cabaret show, which also features Opal Fruits DJing.

Ardal O’Hanlon Sherman Theatre, Cardiff. 8pm, £24. Info 029 2064 6900. Comedian with a set titled The Showing Off Must Go On, apparently on the topic of “the culture wars”. I hope it’s just an hour of him saying how much Graham Linehan sucks. See Upfront for an interview. uBeauty And The Beast Memorial Hall, Newbridge.

7pm, £8/£6. Info 01495 243252.

Panto, presented by Rubber Chickens. On at 1pm and 7pm

with food. (Until Sat 7) Rapunzel – A Tangled Panto The Queens Hall, Narberth. 1.30 + 5.30pm, £7/£5. Info 01834 861212.

Presented by Hawthorn Pantos.

Stewart Francis Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £21.50. Info 01970 623232.

Farewell tour by a comedian who does puns a lot. uThe Curious Muchness Of Stuff And Nonsense Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £9. Info 029 2063 6464. Hijinx theatre group Odyssey present their take on Alice In Wonderland. On at 3pm and 7pm on Sat 7. (Until Sat 7) uThe Scarecrow’s Wedding Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 2 + 4pm, £15/£13.

Info 01874 611622. On at 2pm only tomorrow; 11am and 2pm on Sat 7. (Until Sat 7) uThe Snow Queen Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633

In Cardiff on Fri 20 Dec? How about some Cardiff cabaret, from regular server-uppers of it Cardiff Cabaret Club? They’re in Whitchurch Rugby Club for some bawdy burlesque banter, with Dis Charge and Stage Door Johnny just two of the billed acts. on Sat 7. (Until Sat 7) Beefy’s Comedy Club Wolf’s Castle, Llanishen, Cardiff. 8pm.

Info 029 2075 4349. With seven acts TBC. Christmas In Wales Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea.

7pm, £9.50. Info 01792 475715.

Long-running Christmas show

by Fluellen.

Ed Byrne Grand Theatre, Swansea. 8pm, £27. Info 01792 475715. With a new show titled If I’m Honest....

It’s A Wonderful Life Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry.

7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01446 738622. uJonnie Price + Silky + Cerys Nelmes Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £12.50/£22.50 with food and drink. Info 0845 2263510. Comedy Club night, three of them in fact. (Until Sat 7) uMirrorball Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 01633 868239.

Performed by Annette School Of Dance. (Until Sat 7) Mrs Peachum’s Guide To Love And Marriage Theatr Gwaun, Fishguard. 7.30pm, £10/£5 under-22s. Info 01348 873421. Mid Wales Opera presents a remake of The Beggar’s Opera, from 18th century. In Presteigne on Sat 7. uPaul McCaffrey + Andy Robinson + Daliso Chaponda + Bethany Black Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £12.50/£24.50-£32.25 with food. Info 0871 4720400.

The start of the Glee’s Christmas party season, so lots of price points depending on if you order food and how many courses etc. Fri 6: £24.50/£36.50-£44.25 with food; Sat 7: £28.50/£40.50-£48.25

263670. Presented by Dolman Theatre Works; unrelated to the production running in the Sherman Theatre all month.

On at 2pm and 7.30pm on Sat 7 (£11 at 2pm). (Until Sat 7) Troy Boyz: New Legends Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, free.

Info 0845 2263510. Street dance theatre show.

FRIDAY 6 DECEMBER uAladdin Miners Institute, Blackwood. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 01495 227206. On at 2pm and 5.30pm on Sat 7, Sun 8, Sat 14, Sun 15, Sat 21-Mon 23 and Fri 27-Mon 30; 7pm only on Fri 13, Wed 18 and Thurs 19; 6pm on Wed 11; 12pm and 3pm on Tue 24 and 2pm on Thurs 26. (Until Mon 30) uA Wall Street Bash Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £12. Info 01792 602060. Annual show for Stagecoach Performing Arts Swansea, on this occasion a play set in 1920s/30s Chicago.

On tomorrow also, at 12.30pm and 6pm. uCabaret Fridays Pulse, Cardiff. 9pm, free before 12.

Info 029 2064 1010. Also on Fri 13 and Fri 20 Dec. Connie Orff Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £15. Info 029 2063 6464.

Festive-themed cabaret. uConstellations The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8. Info info@ otherroomtheatre.com. First in a (pre-Christmas) month of plays, readings and other events here titled Selection Box. This is a drama by Nick Payne, presented by Alice Eklund. (Until Sun 8) uDrones Comedy Club Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8.30pm, £3.50. Info 029 2030 4400. Also on Fri 20 Dec. It’s A Wonderful Life Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £14/£12. Info 0845 2263510. uJack And The Beanstalk Miners Theatre, Ammanford.

6.30pm, £9/£7. Info 0845 2263510. Panto, presented

by Ammanford Community Theatre. On tomorrow at 1.30pm and 5.30pm; Sun 8 at 1.30pm.

Janine Harouni The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £13.25. Info 01633 656757. US standup comic with a show about her dad being a Donald Trump voter of Middle Eastern extraction. *Jordan Brookes Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2030 4400.

See Upfront for an interview with this formerly-localbut-now-not experimental comedian.

Sinderella Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 1pm, £16.50. Info 01639 763214.

Bawdy version of the panto currently running here. In Carmarthen on Fri 13; Llanelli on Fri 20. uThe Vortex Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.45pm, £12/£10.

Info 01970 623232. Noel Coward play, presented here

by Blood Sweat And Tea. On tomorrow also.

SATURDAY 7 DECEMBER uCinderella New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7pm, £19-£37.

Info 029 2087 8889. Panto, starring Gok Wan, Mike Doyle and Ceri Dupree. On at 2.30pm and 7pm on Sat 14, Sat 21 and Thurs 26-Sat 28 Dec, plus Thurs 2-Sat 4 and Sat 11 Jan; 1pm and 5pm on Sun 8, Sun 15, Sun 22, Mon 23 and Sun 29-Tue 31 Dec, plus Sun 5 and Sun 12 Jan; 1.30pm and 7pm on Tue 10-Fri 13 and Tue 17-Thurs 19 Dec, plus Tue 7-Fri 10 Jan; 10.30am and 2pm on Tue 24 Dec. No performances on Mon 9, Mon 16, Fri 20 or Wed 25 Dec, plus Wed 1 or Mon 6 Jan. Off-peak performances (as priced above): everything until 1.30pm on Fri 13 and Tue 17-Thurs 19 Dec, then Tue 7-Thurs 9 Jan plus 1.30pm Fri 10 Jan. Peak performances: all other times. (Until Sun 12 Jan) Ffresh Burlesque: Horror At Christmas Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £15. Info 029 2063 6464.

It’s A Wonderful Life The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01639 843163.

Jack Dee Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 8pm, £21. Info 01600 772467. Sold out.

Mrs Peachum’s Guide To Love And Marriage Assembly Rooms, Presteigne.

7pm, £12. Info 01544 267163.

SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER It’s A Wonderful Life Pontardawe Arts Centre. 2pm, £12. Info 01792 863722.

Llygoden Yr Eira Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

11am, 1pm + 3pm, £8. Info 01970 623232.

Santa’s Christmas Countdown Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 11am, £9.50/£8.50.

Info 01600 772467. Theatre aimed at ages 2-7. In Barry on Wed 11; Neath Thurs 12; Newbridge Sat 14; Newtown Sat 21.

MONDAY 9 DECEMBER It’s A Wonderful Life Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01874 611622.

The Midnight Beast Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £30 VIP. Info 029 2023 2199.

Musical comedy troupe. The regular tickets are sold out but you can still get VIP (whatever that means) as I write.

TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER Holy Heels: Dragged 2 Church St Andrew’s Church, Roath, Cardiff. 7pm, £5. Info 07713 120077. Drag night to raise money for the upkeep of this very church, with performances from Mary Golds, Joanna Bumme, Dixie Normous, Gypsy Divine, Roby Slippers, Connie Orff and host Dr Bev. Llygoden Yr Eira Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 10am + 4.30pm, £8/£7. Info 0845 2263510.

Sensitive Comedy Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7pm, £5. Info info@ otherroomtheatre.com.

Comedy night featuring local LGBT+ comedians Leith Ramage, I, E & Y, Vix Layton, Jake Sawyers and Cal Stewart, hosted by Trevor Williams.

WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER uCinderella Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 10am, £9.50. Info 0845 2263510. On at 10am until Fri 13 (schools performances); 2pm and 6pm Sat 14 and 2pm Sun 15. £15/£13 Sat 14 and Sun 15. (Until Sun 15) uDear Santa Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 1.30 + 6pm, £10.50/£7 schools. Info 01874 611622. Another kids’ show based on a Christmas-set book. On tomorrow also, at 10am (relaxed performance) and 1.30pm.

Ginger Minj Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £25. Info 029 2023 5555. Someone who came second on Drag Race season 7. uIt’s A Wonderful Life The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £14.25. Info 01633 656757. On tomorrow also. uPeter Pan: A Musical Adventure Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12. Info 01633 263670. Presented by New Venture Players. On at 1.30pm and 6pm on Sat 14.

(Until Sat 14) Santa’s Christmas Countdown Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 10.30am + 1pm, £8.50. Info 01446 738622. uThe Nutcracker On Ice ICC Wales, Celtic Manor, nr Newport. 7pm, £12-£67.

Info 01633 413737. With the Imperial Ice Stars. Top price allows you to meet them I believe. On at 2.30pm and 7pm on Thurs 12, Sat 14, Wed 18 and Thurs 19 Dec; Wed 1 and Sat 4 Jan. 1pm and 5pm on Sun 15, Sun 22 and Sun 29 Dec. 3pm and 7pm on Sat 21 and Sat 28 Dec. 2.30pm on Tue 24 Dec and Sun 5 Jan. 6pm on Tue 31 Dec. No performances on Mon 16, Wed 25 or Mon 30 Dec. (Until Sun 5 Jan) THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER uAlistair Barrie + Susie McCabe + Andy Askins + John Fothergill Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15.50/£27.50-£35.25 with food. Info 0871 4720400. Fri 13: £27.50/£39.50-£47.25 with

CRAITH / HIDDEN The hotly anticipated second series of S4C bilingual thriller Craith/Hidden returned in November, set against the bleak backdrop of Blaenau Ffestinog in north Wales. DCI Cadi John (Sian Reese-Williams) and DS Owen Vaughan (Siôn Alun Davies) solve the murder of a former history teacher. The prime suspects turn out to be teenagers with dark pasts, and the history of the lascivious teacher is unearthed, forcing us to examine character’s capacity for good and evil.

Nine months after series one ends, Cadi’s father has died, and the initial episodes document her return to work. Shrouded in grief, she attempts to deal with the case.

This, combined with struggling Vaughan “torn between duty to his job and his new family”, does not exactly give them adequate resources.

Craith’s backbone is the deep bond between cast and community. “Coming to set was a pleasure,” says Davies. Their chemistry enables the audience to truly get stuck into the “magic and mystery” of the drama. “Before this,” says Annes Elwy (Mia, sullen teenager and prime suspect), “I couldn’t do a north Wales accent. I went to the pub and people would teach me.”

The actors’ abilities were truly tested as Craith is shot twice, first in Welsh then in English.

Giving the show an international platform, it has been bought in America, Finland and France. Davies is excited by this prospect: “Wales has a wealth of storytelling tradition, there’s a universal need for it; such an exciting time to live in Wales!” DAISY GAUNT

BUZZ 75

BAFTA CYMRU DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020, BAFTA CYMRU What a year at BAFTA Cymru! Over 6,500 people have joined us for our events, which we host with winners and nominees to inspire the next generation and support those working in the industry in Wales. You can watch and listen to many of these events on our BAFTA YouTube and Soundcloud channels via the website – perfect for these darker colder evenings!

We’re not quite done yet though.

December will offer a few events before we head off for the Christmas break.

On Thurs 5 Dec we’re co-hosting a masterclass for everyone who loves games with the Norwegian developer of the BAFTA-winning mobile game My Child Lebensborn. Tickets are free and can be booked via our What’s On page.

Also on Thurs 5 Dec, we are co-hosting a special 20-year anniversary screening of the Oscar-nominated Solomon A Gaenor as part of the UK Jewish Film Festival, followed by a Q&A with the film’s producer Paul Morrison and lead actress Nia Roberts.

In January we return to kick off the new year with a preview of the second series of locally-shot Netflix hit Sex Education, with some of the creative team – and we will also be hosting a special event with our four nominated short filmmaking teams in Swansea on Fri 31 Jan. If you are working in the industry or a career starter eager to make connections, memberships for students and industry professionals are available all year round – further information about benefits and rates is available on our website.

Info: www.bafta.org/wales

BUZZ 76

food; Sat 14: £30.50/£42.50£50.25 with food; Sun 15: £14.50/£26.50-£34.25 with food (Until Sun 15) Cabarela Nadolig Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £15. Info 029 2063 6464. Welsh-language musical.

Dirty Sanchez – The Reunion Tramshed, Cardiff.

7pm, £20. Info 029 2023 5555.

Welsh silly buggers roll back the years in a sold-out show.

Dolly Chicken Comedy: Fun At The Flute Flute & Tankard, Cardiff. 7.30-10.30pm, £7.50/£6 adv. Info dollychickencomedy@gmail. com. Featuring Anna Keirle, Alex Perkes, Jethro Bradley, Simon Emanuel, David Hoare and MC Anita Shaw.

King Cetshwayo The Musical The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 7pm, £14/£12. Info 01639 843163.

Rescheduled from earlier in the year. Followed tomorrow by a South African Music & Dance Extravaganza in this venue. uLlygoden Yr Eira Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry.

1.30 + 4.30pm, £8/£7 kids.

Info 01446 738622. On tomorrow also, at 10am and 1pm (schools show; kids £5, free for teachers).

Santa’s Christmas Countdown Gwyn Hall, Neath. 1 + 4pm, £8 adv. Info 0300 3656677. First show is sold out.

FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER uComedy Shed The Riverfront, Newport. 7.45pm, £13.25. Info 01633 656757.

With standups TBC. Also on Fri 31 Jan. Happy Birthday Jesus Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 12.30pm, £6.

Info 0845 2263510. Nativity with Ysgol Heol Goffa. uIt’s A Wonderful Life Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £13-£16. Info 01970 623232. On tomorrow also. uMillie-Lui The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8.

Info info@ otherroomtheatre.com. Play

by Francois Pandolfo. (Until Sun 15) uPeter Pan Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7pm, £13-£29. Info 01792 475715. Panto, starring Tristan Gemmill from Coronation Street as Hook.

On at 2pm and 7pm on Sat 14, Tue 17-Thurs 19, Sat 21, Fri 27 and Sat 28 Dec, plus Thurs 2-Sat 4 and Wed 8-Sat 11 Jan; 1pm and 5pm on Sun 15, Sun 22-Tue 24, Thurs 26 and Sun 29-Tue 31 Dec, plus Sun 12 Jan. No performances on Mon 16, Fri 20 or Wed 25 Dec; Wed 1 or Mon 6 Jan. (Until Sun 12 Jan) uSherlock Holmes And A Festive Case Of Mistaken Identity The Gate, Cardiff.

6pm, £7/£5 kids/free under4s. Info 029 2048 3344.

Christmassy play. On tomorrow also, at 11am and 2pm.

Sinderella Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 6.30pm, £18. Info 0845 2263510. uSleeping Beauty Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7pm, £14. Info 01792 863722. ‘Rude’ version of the panto that starts here in clean form tomorrow, presented by It’s An Act. Also on Thurs 19 and Fri 20. uSnow White & The Seven

Dwarfs Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7pm, £16/£12. Info 01633 868239. Owen Money panto, notable this year for featuring Shane Williams off of the rugby playing the genie. Via a video link but still. On at 7pm on Fri 20; 2pm on Sat 14 and Sun 15; 2pm and 5.30pm on Sat 21-Mon 23 and Fri 27-Mon 30; 11am and 3pm on Tue 24. No performances on Mon 16-Thurs 19, Wed 25 or Thurs 26. (Until Mon 30) South African Music & Dance Extravaganza The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 7pm, £14/£12. Info 01639 843163.

Including Zulu dance and drumming, a gumboot dance extravaganza, isicathamiya catwalk music, and a concert of South African music. uThe Man Whose Hair Grew Black Dylan Thomas Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01792 473238.

Anthony Bunko and Gurnwah Productions’ comedy. On tomorrow also; in Merthyr on Thurs 19 and Fri 20. uThe Rat Pack Christmas Show Barry Island Sports & Social Club. 7.30pm, £30. Info 07595 497225. Presented by Mack Events uWind In The Willows Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 7pm, £10/£5 kids. Info 01982 552555. Presented by Builth Wells Community Arts.

On tomorrow also, at 2pm and 7pm.

SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER uBert & Cherry’s Christmas Plum Pudding St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

10.30am + 12.30pm, £8. Info 01792 475715. Festive revival of this annual fixture of the Proms season here each July, this one aimed at kids and being a theatre/music combo.

Also on Mon 16.

Night Terrors Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01874 611622.

Ghost stories written by EF Benson and read here by Gerard Logan. uPuss In Boots Little Theatre, Neath. 1 + 5pm, £10/£5 kids. Info 01639 643462.

Panto, presented by this very theatre. On tomorrow at 3pm, plus Sat 21 (1pm and 5pm) and Sun 22 (3pm). uRed Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am + 4.30pm, £10. Info 029 2063 6464. Kids’ Christmas show based on Little Red Riding Hood, with “original punk- and rock-inspired songs”. No performances on Mon 16, Mon 23 or Christmas/Boxing Day. (Until Sun 29) Santa’s Christmas Countdown Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 1.30pm, £10/£8 adults. Info 01495 243252. uSleeping Beauty Pontardawe Arts Centre. 1 + 5pm, £13. Info 01792 863722.

Panto, presented by It’s An Act. On tomorrow also, then from Sat 21-Mon 23.

The Greatest Of Shows Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £15.

Info 029 2063 6464. Songs from the musicals in singalong style, hosted by Donna Marie. uSnow White Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 1 + 5pm, £15. Info 01656 815995. Panto.

On at 1pm and 5pm on Sun 15, Sat 21, Sun 22 and Fri 27-Mon

30 Dec, plus Sat 4 Jan; 11am and 3pm on Tue 24 and Tue 31 Dec; 2pm on Thurs 26 Dec; 2pm and 6pm on Thurs 2 Jan and 1pm on Sun 5 Jan. No performances on Mon 16-Fri 20 Dec, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Ticket prices are £17.50-£20 from Sat 21 Dec onwards. (Until Sun 5 Jan) SUNDAY 15 DECEMBER Fawlty Towers: Basil’s Christmas Carol Grand Hotel, Swansea. 7pm, £35.

Info 01792 645898. Immersive theatre with a two-course meal included in the price. As the name may suggest, it’s a version of A Christmas Carol with Basil Fawlty as Scrooge.

Mayor’s Christmas Charity Show 2019 Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 4pm, £4.50. Info 01639 763214. Variety show.

The Greatest Christmas Dolman Theatre, Newport.

7.15pm, £10. Info 01633 263670. Annual show presented by CentreStage Cymru and Sharon Higgins Academy’s Musical Theatre Group.

MONDAY 16 DECEMBER uCinderella Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 10am + 12.45pm, £5/free teachers. Info 01600 772467. Panto, presented by Spontaneous Productions. The times above are schools performances and run until Fri 20 (10am only on Fri 20); there’s also a relaxed performance at 6pm on Wed 18. ‘Adult’ performances: Thurs 19 and Sat 28, 7.30pm. Family performances: 2om Sat 28 Dec and Wed 1 Jan; 2pm and 6pm Sun 29 Dec, Mon 30 Dec and Thurs 2 Jan; 12pm and 4pm on Tue 31 Dec. Ticket prices for non-schools performances: £13/£9 under16s. (Until Thurs 2 Jan) Soapbox Comedy Night Christmas Special NosDa, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866.

TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER Aftermirth The Riverfront, Newport. 11.30am-1pm, £10/£8 adv. Info 01633 656757. An adult comedy club you can bring your baby to, compered

by Angie Belcher.

Arwyr Gwyn Hall, Neath.

10am + 12.30pm, £11 adv. Info 0300 3656677.

Brooke Lynn Hytes Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £20/£35 VIP. Info 0871 4720400. Recent Drag Race fave debuts in Cardiff. uGhost Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15/£12.50. Info 029 2039 1391. Musical presented here by Kinetic Theatre Arts.

(Until Fri 20) Laura Lexx + Sheep & Mash + Neil McFarlane + Paul Dennis The Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7pm, £15/£12 adv adv. Info info@ bunkhousebar.co.uk. Comedy hosted by Duck Phaser. uYsgol Gynradd Aberteifi: Sioe Nadolig 2019 Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 10am, £5.

Info 01239 621200. Music and song from local infant schoolkids. On tomorrow also.

WEDNESDAY 18 DECEMBER uCinderella Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 10pm, £9.50. Info 0845 2263510. Panto, presented

by Jermin. On at 10am and

12.30pm tomorrow; 10am only on Fri 20; 11am (relaxed performance), 2pm and 6pm on Sat 21; 2pm and 6pm on Sun 22 and Mon 23; 11am and 2pm on Tue 24. (Until Tue 24) uJimmy Carr Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot.

8pm, £32.45. Info 01639 763214. On tomorrow also, pretty sure they’ll both be sold out when you read this mind.

NosDa’s Got Talent Show NosDa, Cardiff. 8-11.30pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. uThe Night Before Christmas Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 11am + 1.30pm, £8/£6 schools. Info 01873 850805. Festive show presented by Simply Theatre.

(Until Sat 21) uThe Rapidee Rap Show The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8. Info info@otherroomtheatre. com. Rehearsed reading of a work-in-progress play by Kevin Jones.

THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER uAladdin Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 6pm, £18.50/£16.50. Info 01646 695267. Panto, this one by the Torch Theatre Company and directed by Peter Doran. On at 6pm only tomorrow; 2pm and 6pm on Sat 21-Mon 23 and Fri 27-Mon 30; 12pm and 4pm on Tue 24; 2pm on Tue 31. (Until Tue 31) uArwyr Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 10am + 12.30pm.

Info 0845 2263510. On tomorrow also, at 10am only. uCarl Donnelly + Sean Collins + Eleanor Tiernan + Robin Morgan Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15.50/£27.50-£35.25 with food.

Info 0871 4720400. Fri 20: £22.50/£34.50-£42.25 with food; Sat 21: £18.50/£30.50-£38.25 with food. (Until Sat 21) uCinderella Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 7.30pm, £15/£12. Info 01446 738622.

Panto, presented by BillBoard Ensemble. On at 11am and 2.30pm on Sat 21; 2.30pm only on Sun 22. uCoppélia St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7pm, £10-£50. Info 01792 475715. Performed by The Russian State Ballet Of Siberia and accompanied

by The Russian State Ballet Orchestra; the first of their three productions here over Christmas (as in previous years). On tomorrow also, at 2pm and 7pm (2pm: £9.25£48).

Santa In Love Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 4.30pm, £10/£9 schools. Info 01792 602060. Family musical presented by The People’s Theatre Company.

Seen: PursuitThe Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

5.30pm, £5. Info info@ otherroomtheatre.com. Scratch theatre night featuring three 10-minute script-in-hand performances of work by female writers, followed by a Q&A/ discussion. uSprinkles Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £5. Info 029 2030 4400. Dirty Protest present a script-in-hand performance of a play in development, but with a Christmas theme, so you’ll probably see it in its finished form next year.

(Until Sat 21) uThe Man Whose Hair

Grew Black Pennydarren Club, Merthyr Tydfil. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01443 425894. On tomorrow also.

FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER Cardiff Cabaret Club: Christmas Curiosities Whitchurch Rugby Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv.

Info www.cardiffcabaretclub. com. Burlesque featuring Dis Charge, Stage Door Johnny, Scarlet Blush, Goldie Luxe, FooFoo Labelle and more TBC. Christmas Village Quire The Globe At Hay, Hay-OnWye. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01497 821762. Theatrical festive carol performance that takes place here annually. uCinderella Park & Dare, Treorchy. 7pm, £16/£13. Info 0300 0040444. Panto. On at 2pm and 6pm from Sat 21-Mon 23; 10.30am and 2pm on Tue 24. (Until Tue 24) Sinderella Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 6.30pm, £18. Info 0845 2263510. uThe Christmas Clock Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11.30am + 1.30pm, £7. Info 029 2063 6464. Show for kids aged 7 and under, by Collar And Cuffs.

(Until Sun 22) uThe Nutcracker Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7pm, £17.50-£21.50. Info 01874 611622. Brecon Festival Ballet with what they’re saying is the first full version of The Nutcracker created in Wales; includes a live score by the Welsh Chamber Orchestra.

On at 2.30pm and 7.30pm tomorrow and Sun 22 (relaxed performance Sun 22 2.30pm).

(Until Sun 22) SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER uJack & The Beanstalk Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan.

1.45pm, £7. Info 01239 621200.

Panto presented by Cardigan Theatre. On at 1.45pm and 7.30pm on Sat 28; no performances on Christmas or Boxing Day. (Until Mon 30) Santa’s Christmas Countdown Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 1.30 + 4pm, £10.50/£9.50 kids. Info 01686 614555. uThe Nutcracker St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 2 + 5.30pm, £9.25-£50. Info 01792 475715. Performed by The Russian State Ballet Of Siberia and accompanied by The Russian State Ballet Orchestra.

On tomorrow at 2pm and 5.30pm; Mon 23 2pm and 7pm; Tue 24 2pm. (Until Tue 24) SUNDAY 22 DECEMBER Cabarela Nadolig Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth. 7pm, £24/£20 adv. Info 01970 633088.

“Christmassy Welsh language filth and wit,” it says here (in English and Welsh).

Ceri Dupree The Look Out, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £10. Info 07395 109055.

Welcome To Christmas Borough Theatre, Abergavenny.

7.30pm, £8.50/£7.50. Info 01873 850805. Amateur theatre festive revue of some kind.

FRIDAY 27 DECEMBER uAladdin Miners Theatre, Ammanford. 1.30 + 6pm, £6.50-£9. Info 0845 2263510.

Presented by The Panto Company. On tomorrow also, at

DAVID BADDIEL Grand Theatre, Swansea, Fri 24 Jan. Tickets: £29.

Info: 01792 475715 / www.swanseagrand.co.uk; St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Sat 25 Jan. Tickets: £29.50.

Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk Delving into everything from cancel culture to politics while giving particular attention to the issue of online trolls, Trolls: Not The Dolls is David Baddiel’s latest show. As the title illustrates, it’s very much in the vein of his previous solo shows, 2013’s Fame: Not The Musicial and 2016’s My Family: Not The Sitcom. Working against the internet’s beloved phrase “don’t feed the trolls”, Baddiel treats his trolls as hecklers and incorporates his own Twitter feed into his tour. Despite the darker tone of this show, it attempts to engage with the accustomed human response, asking why trolls attack, and intends to be a positive, humorous and engaging critique of social media.

12pm and 3pm. uMark Olver + Jarred Christmas Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.50/£8.50 NUS/£24.95 with food. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also (£19/£10 NUS/£27.95 with food); one more comic TBC on both nights. uSwan Lake St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 2 + 7pm, £9.25-£50.

Info 01792 475715. Performed

by The Russian State Ballet Of Siberia and accompanied

by The Russian State Ballet Orchestra. On tomorrow and Sun 29 at 2pm and 5.30pm; Mon 30 2pm and 7pm; Tue 31 2pm. (Until Tue 31) SUNDAY 29 DECEMBER Glee Family Comedy Show Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 1pm, £10/£7 kids/£16.50 with food.

Info 0871 4720400. With Paul F Taylor, Foxdog Studios and one more act TBC. TUESDAY 31 DECEMBER Mark Olver + Andy Askins + Andrew Bird + Bethany Black Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £33.50. Info 0871 4720400.

FRIDAY 3 JANUARY uAladdin Gwyn Hall, Neath.

7pm, £13.90 adv. Info 0300 3656677. Panto. On at 1pm and 5.30pm on Sat 4, Sun 5 and Sun 12; 7pm on Thurs 9; 12pm and 4pm on Sat 11. No performances on Mon 6-Wed 8.

(Until Sun 12) uJack Whitehall Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 9pm, from £23. Info 029 2022 4488.

Following two dates here in late November. On tomorrow also, at 1.30pm and 8pm. uScott Gibson + Radu Isac + Jarred Christmas + Kelly Convey Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.75/£8.50 NUS/£24.95 with food. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also (£19.75/£10.75 NUS).

SATURDAY 4 JANUARY uResident Magicians The Small Space, Barry. 7.30pm, £20. Info info@thesmallspace. co.uk. Notably small (only 20 seats!) magic-centred Vale venue. Also on Fri 10, Sat 11, Fri 17, Sat 18, Fri 24, Sat 25 and Fri 31 this month.

MONDAY 6 JANUARY I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £30. Info 01792 475715. Tim Brooke-Taylor, Tony Hawks, Miles Jupp, Rory

Bremner and host Jack Dee do the radio show onstage.

WEDNESDAY 8 JANUARY uThe King And I Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £18.50-£79.50. Info 029 2063 6464. Large production of Rodgers & Hammerstein musical arrives here as part of a world tour. On at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Thurs 9-Sat 11, Wed 15, Thurs 16 and Sat 18. (Until Sat 18) THURSDAY 9 JANUARY uAladdin Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £14/£12. Info 0845 2263510. Panto, by the Friendship Theatre Group. On at 7pm on Fri 10, Tue 14-Fri 17 and Wed 22-Fri 24; 2pm and 7pm on Sat 11 and Sat 18; 11am and 3pm on Sun 12 and Sun 19; 2pm on Sat 25; 1pm on Sun 26. No performances on Mon 13 or Mon 20. (Until Sun 26) uBeauty & The Beast The Met, Abertillery. 6.30pm, £8.

Info 01495 355945. Panto, by Encore Theatre Academy. On at 12pm and 4pm on Sat 11; 12pm only on Sun 12. (Until Sun 12) Sandi Toksvig St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £26.50/£21.50. Info 01792 475715. Show titled National Trevor, for reasons unclear but perhaps clear to you if you saw this show when it was here in spring. uSnow White And The Seven And A Half Dwarves Theatr Soar, Merthyr Tydfil.

7pm, £10/£8 kids. Info 01685 722176. Panto. On at 2pm on Sat 11 and Sun 12. (Until Sun 12) Tom Wrigglesworth + Adam Hess + Lloyd Langford Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £10/£6 NUS/£17 with a pie. Info 0871 4720400. Pie Face Comedy night. All three comics are here tomorrow and Sat 11 also.

FRIDAY 10 JANUARY Paul Smith St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £20.50. Info 01792 475715. Comedian.

But not just any comedian, one who was finalist at the Leicester Comedian Of The Year competition. uPeter Pan Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £10-£16.

Info 01970 623232. Panto directed by Richard Cheshire and presented by The Wardens.

On at 7.30pm only on Wed 15-Fri 17 and Tue 21-Fri 24;

11am, 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Sat 11, Sat 18 and Sat 25; 11am and 2.30pm on Sun 12 and Sun 19. No performances on any other days. (Until Sat 25) uTom Wrigglesworth + Adam Hess + Lloyd Langford Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.75/£8.50 NUS/£24.95 with food. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also (£19.75/£10.75 NUS); one more comic TBC on both nights.

SATURDAY 11 JANUARY Aladdin & His Magic Ring Gwyn Hall, Neath. 8pm, £15 adv. Info 0300 3656677. ‘Rude’ panto ‘for adults’.

THURSDAY 16 JANUARY Anne Edmonds + Gary Little + Danny McLoughlin Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £10/£6 NUS/£17 with a pie. Info 0871 4720400. Pie Face Comedy night. All three comics are here tomorrow and Sat 18 also. uRoom On The Broom New Theatre, Cardiff. 4.30pm, £12-£17. Info 029 2087 8889.

Kids’ theatre, based on a Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler book as kids’ theatre tends to be. On at 10.30am and 1.30pm from Fri 17-Sun 19. (Until Sun 19) FRIDAY 17 JANUARY uPhil Jerrod + Anne Edmonds + Gary Little + Danny McLoughlin Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.75/£8.50 NUS/£24.95 with food. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also (£19.75/£10.75 NUS).

SATURDAY 18 JANUARY Cinderella Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £13/£11. Info 01686 614555.

Panto, directed by Freya Rowlands uJack & The Beanstalk Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

12 + 5pm, £13.50. Info 01874 611622. Panto presented by Westenders. On at 11am and 4pm on Sun 19; 7pm on Tue 21-Fri 24; 2pm and 7pm on Sat 25. No performance on Mon 20.

(Until Sat 25) The Magic Of Music Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 3 + 6pm, £12.50/£8 kids. Info 01646 695267. Varied dance showcase with the FF Dancers.

SUNDAY 19 JANUARY Pericles Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 3pm, £12/£6 under-16s. Info 01982 552555.

Piratey musical presented by the Willow Globe Company.

MONDAY 20 JANUARY Dirty Dusting Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 7.30pm, £25. Info 01639 763214. Sex line-related comedy starring someone called Crissy Rock who is not Chris Rock.

TUESDAY 21 JANUARY uSix Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £15.50-£38.50. Info 029 2063 6464. A play about the six wives of Henry VIII, whose historical accuracy may be surmised by the press pics where said wives are dressed like Little Mix given a pseudoBDSM makeover. On at 2.30pm and 8pm on Wed 22 and Sat 25; 6pm and 8.30pm on Fri 24. £20.50-£42.50 on Fri 24 (8.30pm) and Sat 25. (Until Sat 25) Spirit Of The Dance Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £29. Info 01792 475715.

Internationally popular Irish dance shenanigans.

Up Pompeii Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01633 868239. Stage version of the Frankie Howerd comedy of old, presented by Theatr Ad Hoc. In Abertillery tomorrow; Blackwood on Thurs 23; Abergavenny on Fri 24.

WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY Up Pompeii The Met, Abertillery. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01495 355945.

THURSDAY 23 JANUARY uAmerican Nightmare Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £12/£10 NUS. Info 0845 2263510.

Matthew Bulgo’s new drama, one of three commissioned

by The Other Room in Cardiff (billed as The Violence Series) along with Tess Berry-Hart’s The Story and Mari Izzard’s Hela. Also here on Fri 25. In Aberystwyth on Wed 29 and Fri 31, then touring to Mold and Bangor in February. uCinderella Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.30pm, £14/£12. Info 01646 695267.

Musical drama arranged by Ifor Phillips and on tomorrow also.

Robin Morgan + Chris Washington + Eleanor Tiernan Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £10/£6 NUS/£17 with a pie. Info 0871 4720400.

Pie Face Comedy night.

Washington is here tomorrow and Sat 25 also.

Up Pompeii Miners Institute, Blackwood. 7pm, £10.75. Info 01495 227206.

FRIDAY 24 JANUARY David Baddiel Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £29. Info 01792 475715. With a new show titled Trolls: Not The Dolls. Meaning internet trolls of course! The sort of lowlives who post screengrabs of David doing his Jason Lee impression in blackface, that sort of thing. In Cardiff tomorrow. uMarcus Brigstocke + Elliot Steel + Chris Washington + Eleanor Conway Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.75/£8.50 NUS/£24.95 with food. Info

0871 4720400. On tomorrow also (£19.75/£10.75 NUS). uThe Story + Hela Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £15/£10 NUS. Info 0845 2263510. Two new dramas by The Other Room in Cardiff (see yesterday’s listing); on tomorrow also at 3pm, with American Nightmare showing at 7.30pm (£20/£15 NUS for all three plays).

Up Pompeii Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01873 850805.

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY David Baddiel St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £29.50.

Info 029 2087 8444.

Frankie Allen Vale Sports Arena, Cardiff. 7pm, £10-£15.

Info 029 2240 4901. Insult comic for football lads. That could have almost described David Baddiel once. Around the time he blacked up.

Mike Doyle New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.50-£22.

Info 029 2087 8889. Welsh light entertainer accompanied by a live band.

Morgan & West Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 2pm, £9. Info 029 2039 1391. Zany magician duo.

Variety Night Live Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £19.50-£28. Info 01792 475715.

Featuring John Owen-Jones, Sophie Evans, Shellyann, Noel James, Gracie-Jayne and The Fly Boys, plus host Kevin Johns.

SUNDAY 26 JANUARY Anton & Erin St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £30-£51.50. Info 029 2087 8444. Telly dancers perform a show titled Dance Those Magical Movies Lou Sanders Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £13. Info 0871 4720400.

MONDAY 27 JANUARY Soapbox Comedy Night NosDa, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866.

WEDNESDAY 29 JANUARY Circus Of Horrors The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £16-£25. Info 01633 656757.

Celebrating 25 years in business and promising something “immersive”, a term that can mean whatever you want it to. uAmerican Nightmare Theatr Arad Goch, Aberystwyth. 7pm, £10/£8 NUS. Info 01970 617998. Also here on Fri 31.

THURSDAY 30 JANUARY Robin Morgan + Ninia Benjamin + Spencer Jones Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £10/£6 NUS/£17 with a pie. Info 0871 4720400. Pie Face Comedy night. Benjamin and Jones are here tomorrow and Sat 1 Feb also. uThe Story + Hela Theatr Arad Goch, Aberystwyth.

7pm, £18/£15 NUS. Info 01970 617998. On tomorrow also at 3pm, with American Nightmare showing at 7.30pm (£25/£20 NUS for all three plays). uTrivial Pursuits Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7pm, £10/£9. Info 01873 850805.

Even the late Frank Vickery was not immune to the appeal of a #playaboutaplay, and that’s what this is. (Until Sat 1 Feb) BUZZ 77

COMPETITIONS HOW TO WIN: Unless otherwise stated, our competitions are generally shared on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

To enter a competition, keep an eye on our social media channels and click ‘like’ and ‘share’ when published. Alternatively, email competitions@buzzmag.co.uk with the name of the competition in the subject line and up to two sentences on why you think you should win the competition. The more original you are, the better your chances.

TWO TICKETS TO THE NATIONAL AT MOTORPOINT ARENA CARDIFF The Ohio indie rock giants have carved a reputation for themselves as being a superb live band, selling out arenas and headlining festivals across the world. Having just released their eighth studio album, they’re playing Cardiff on Mon 9 Dec. Enter by Wed 4 Dec. FOUR TICKETS TO CINDERELLA AT CARDIFF’S NEW THEATRE On from Sat 7 Dec-Sun 12 Jan, this year’s New Theatre panto, Cinderella, promises to be quite spectacular, with TV fashionista Gok Wan as Fairy Gok-mother, Mike Doyle and Ceri Dupree as the Ugly Sisters, and Phil Butler as Buttons.

All your family shall go to the ball, as we have four tickets!

Enter by Sat 7 Dec. FOUR TICKETS TO RED AT WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE, CARDIFF BAY The age-old fairytale of Little Red Riding Hood gets a modern reboot in this festive family show, for children aged seven and up. An hour of magic, laughter and rocking out! We have four tickets available for Sat 14 Dec at 10.30am. Enter by Fri 8 Dec. TWO TICKETS TO BALLET SEASON AT CARDIFF’S ST. DAVID’S HALL Celebrate the festive season in style with tickets to three sensational ballets – Coppelia, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake – at St David’s Hall in Cardiff, performed by the Russian State Ballet of Siberia. We have three pairs of tickets available for each of the individual ballets. Enter by Thurs 12 Dec. FOUR TICKETS TO THE SNOW QUEEN AT CARDIFF’S SHERMAN THEATRE The Sherman’s Christmas show is a dazzling new festive adventure for everyone aged seven or above. With original music

by Conor Mitchell, puppetry and magical scenery, The Snow Queen is an enchanting show about friendship against all the odds. We have four tickets up for grabs. Enter by Tue 17 Dec.

The Yule Log was originally an actual tree, carefully selected and brought into the house to be burned over the 12 days of Christmas. Nowadays, a chocolate Yule Log is a popular dessert, made of a chocolate sponge roll covered in chocolate icing and decorated to look like bark.

Instead of “bah humbug!”, Charles Dickens’s original choice for Ebenezer Scrooge’s iconic catchphrase was “bah Christmas!”.

The first surviving words in Welsh were inscribed around 700AD and can be found on a stone in a church in Tywyn.

Scorpions are incredibly resilient and can even survive being frozen solid.

The world’s biggest ever snowman was built in 1999 by residents of the state of Maine, USA. He stood 113ft tall.

The largest ever Secret Santa was organised by Reddit users in 2012 and had around 30,000 participants.

The image of Santa Clause flying in his sleigh was created in 1819 by Washington Irving, the same author who invented the ‘Headless Horseman’.

It is estimated that 3% of the ice in the Antarctic glaciers is penguin urine.

The original Rudolph – invented by the Ward Montgomery Ward department store as a marketing gimmick – was almost named Reginald or Rollo. He also didn’t have a red nose (which was considered an indicator of chronic alcoholism), as Ward didn’t want him to look like a drunkard.

Tinsel was invented in Germany in 1610 and was once made from real silver.

On Christmas Day in 1886, the Statue Of Liberty was gifted to the US by the French. It weighs 225 tons and, as a result, could be considered the biggest Christmas gift in the world.

TWO TICKETS TO INSANE CLOWN POSSE AT CARDIFF’S TRAMSHED

On Christmas Eve in 2001, the Bethlehem Hotel had 208 of its 210 rooms free.

Are you or have you ever been a Juggalo? Well, we’ve managed to secure a pair of tickets to see the hardcore hiphop, clown-faced duo in action at Tramshed. There’s support from Netherlands rappers Dope D.O.D. Enter by Fri 10 Jan.

The music video of Last Christmas was the last time George Michael was filmed without a beard.

(Disclaimer: some of these may not in fact be true)

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BUZZ 78

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