Buzz December 2017 / January 2018

WHAT’S ON DEC/JAN 2018

NoTimeLike the Present!

ONES TO WATCH 2018 | JOOLS HOLLAND | KATE RUSBY | MILTON JONES ART | CULTURE | MUSIC | FILM | TRAVEL | SPORT | LIFESTYLE | BOOKS | LISTINGS

★★★★★

‘TAKE THAT’S SENSATIONAL MUSICAL’ THE SUN

David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers + Take That Present

‘AN UTTER JOY...I LOVED IT’ DAILY MAIL

ION 9 - 20 JAN 2018

dec/jan 2018 46reviews

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“All the atmosphere and majesty of an Alpine Ski Lodge”

publisher EMMA CLARK editor FEDOR TOT listings/music editor NOEL GARDNER advertising EMMA CLARK Buzz TV JAYDON MARTIN accounts TERESA CLARK social media CONNIE MATTHEWS design LEMONDOGCREATIVE.UK

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contributors KRISTIAN DANDO (CLUBS), KEIRON SELF (FILM), LAURA BLACKWELL, LUKE OWAIN BOULT, SARAH BOWDIDGE, BETH CRUSE, JOHNPAUL DAVIES, SIOBHAN DENTON, BEN GALLIVAN, CHRIS HAMILTON-PEACH, MAX HARVEY, AMANDA HUNT, RHIANON HOLLEY, ADAM JONES, MARTHA LOTT, JASON MACHLAB, MONICA MARTIN, LUCY MENON, FFIONA MILLS, GARETH MOULE, LYNDA NASH, BEN NEWMAN, DAVID NOBAKHT, ALICE PATTILLO, LAUREN PHILLMORE, GARETH PIERCE, CHARLIE PIERCEY, JOE PRESCOTT, CAMPBELL PROSSER, FFION RIORDAN-JONES, RHONDA LEE REALI, NATHAN ROACH, HUGH RUSSELL, LORRIA SAHMET, CHRIS SEAL, WILL STEEN, JON SUTTON, ALEX SWIFT, BEN WOOLHEAD, GUNDIJA ZANDERZONA 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

buzzmagwales

Among a rash of interviews with Jools Holland, Kate Rusby, Milton Jones, Elfyn Evans and The Darkness, we’ve plucked our Ones To Watch 2018 from the flyblown carcass of 2017. Special mention to those earmarked for coverage who didn’t make it, specifically a band who broke up in late November and a painter who died shortly before that aged 79

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Keiron Self tackles 10 films out in December and January – then, with barely a breather, breathlessly anticipates 10 more scheduled for 2018. Despite my wording there, he has no major respiratory issues that I’m aware of

34food&drink

I can’t think of anything ‘interesting’ or ‘witty’ to say about any of the content in this section, but there is a brief writeup on a new Cardiff bike café, so I’m going to give a shoutout to Roll For The Soul, which would be its Bristol equivalent if it wasn’t closing this month

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BUZZ MAGAZINE 220C Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1GY published EAC PUBLISHING contents KATE RUSBY. PIC: DAVID ANGEL cover HAPPY CHRISTMAS - VARIOUS

This month’s albums are an absolute rogue’s gallery of overrated racists, Etonian libertarians, transatlantic hat-flyers and arsecrack sweat-doused harmonica players. Let’s outlaw them all in 2018

Only one panto (and an ‘adult’ one at that)! Only one seasonal art exhibition! Only one Boxing Day rave (which will provide an outlet to #workoffthatturkey)!

Only one interview with a pioneering NYC crust punk drummer who now plays in the guy from Slipknot’s mook-rock band! Do we know it’s Christmas time at all?

@Buzz_Magazine

BuzzMagUK

52travel

The Brecon Beacons isn’t just a place to wear camouflage and ‘yomp’ around carrying a rucksack full of bricks, it’s also got some cutie-patootie cottages and lodges and other dwellings for hire. Here’s a quick ‘yomp’ through the best of them

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Not to steal the limelight from Conor Knight, who as ever has gone out there and given 110% in his roundup of 2017 in Welsh sport, but I added a bit in about Chris Coleman to reflect the fact that he’s no longer Wales manager. And also described his new job as “dreaded”

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Well done to all 2017’s entrants into the monthly ‘worst band names in this issue’ list. Twee, zany, sexist, faux-edgy, unpronounceable, uninspiring, tortuously punning – God bless you one and all

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Regarding a previous contents entry, which may or may not have alluded to the pop singer Morrissey. In respect of his new album being among the competition prizes this month, it turns out that he is definitely not an overrated racist, and if anything it’s actually you who’s racist for thinking he is

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Buzz Magazine

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ST FAGANS CHRISTMAS NIGHTS For four nights you can kick off the festive season by experiencing a traditional Welsh Christmas in the historical surroundings of St Fagans National Museum of History, Wales’ famed open-air museum. The museum’s authentic old buildings are used to great effect – with a traditional Welsh Plygain Christmas service in the church, carols in the chapel, and a Brass Band on the green. Children can write their Christmas lists to Santa Claus in the schoolhouse before posting it at Wales’s smallest post office, though the old man himself will make an appearance to entertain the little ones, with Mother Christmas also around to regale people with a story or two. There will also be the opportunity to buy unique gifts at the Maker’s Market, or create your own at one of St. Fagans’ craft workshops. Make sure to wrap up warm though!

National History Museum, St Fagans Wed 6-Sat 9 Dec. Tickets: £15/£8 under-16s/free under-2s.

Info: 029 2023 0130 / www.museum.wales/stfagans

CARDIFF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL LAUNCH 2018 Fuel your budding bookworm’s imagination this Christmas. Cardiff’s sixth Children’s Literature Festival is off to a racing start this December with British Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy set to kickstart the event with the introduction of his new children’s book, Flying Fergus 7: The Wreck It Race. Along with his co-author Joanna Nadin and Illustrator Clare Elsom, the team will take you on a fantastical journey into the world of Flying Fergus, packed with creativity, teamwork and fun. The family-friendly event marks the start of the literature festival programme, which is focused around two weeks from Sat 21 until Sun 29 Apr next year, celebrating the very best in contemporary children's books with a varied and exciting programme in both English and Welsh. The events are sure to inspire and entertain children of all ages, promoting a love of reading and great storytelling.

NOS GALAN ROAD RACE Want to get ahead of your New Year's resolutions? On New Year's Eve, over 1000 runners will compete in the annual Nos Galan road race and fun runs, which stretch five kilometres across Mountain Ash. If you don't feel like getting out your trainers and gym gear until 2018, there are plenty of activities for the family, such as live entertainment and fireworks, or join the thousands of spectators that line the streets. Registration is open now.

Mountain Ash, Sun 31 Dec Info: 01443 424123 / www.rctcbc.gov.uk

TINY REBEL CHRISTMAS PARTY Tiny Rebel, Newport’s award-winning brewery, is getting ready for an early Christmas party. Radio DJ Huw Stephens will be joining the beermakers for a DJ set... and he’s ready to party! You’ll receive a free bottle of Tiny Rebel beer on arrival (and considering Tiny Rebel are the only Welsh brewery to have won Champion Beer Of Britain, it’s sure to be a treat), and there’s a selection of mulled cider and other Christmas treats available to get you in the mood for the festive season.

Tiny Rebel Brewing Co., Newport Thurs 7 Dec. Tickets: £5-£10 Info: 01633 547378 www.tinyrebel.co.uk

City Hall, Cardiff, Tue 12 Dec Tickets: £5 Info: 029 2023 0130 / www.visitcardiff. com

Pic: Ben Duffy

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BRIEFLY

WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE CHRISTMAS PROGRAMME It’s become a tradition for the Wales Millennium Centre to host a big production in December. Miss Saigon was the first large-scale musical to be staged at the then-newly-opened WMC back in 2005; now the new touring production premieres in Cardiff for the duration of December, and it’s sure to be a heart-rending showstopper, with its current run proving every bit as successful as previous ones. Closer to the festive side of things is The Bear, in WMC’s Weston Studio. Based on a storybook by Raymond Briggs, creator of The Snowman, this is a family-friendly piece featuring dazzling puppetry which asks that all-important question: what might it be like to look after a polar bear? It’s sure to be heartwarming enough to provide a buffer against the outdoors, and an exciting way for the kids to pass the time during the Christmas holidays.

Tilly and bear

Miss Saigon, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, until Sat 6 Jan. Tickets: £25-£64; The Bear, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Tue 12-Sun 31 Dec. Tickets: £10.

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

SASHA VELOUR Following her victory on season nine of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, the reigning queen will grace Cardiff next year with her drag genius, shimmering splendour and iconic aesthetic. Throughout the season, Velour won the hearts of fans across both sides of the Atlantic, and now she is bringing her brand new live show to the UK for the first time. Fans of the live show will relish in the glitter and the glamour as they can catch a glimpse of Velour’s statement unibrow – should it choose to appear. As she takes centre stage, expect jokes, songs and a whole lot of lip-synching, as Mary’s will become the catwalk for her to slay and sashay away throughout the night. Drag devotees have the chance to get up close and personal, with Meet & Greet and VIP packages on offer.

Mary’s, Cardiff, Thurs 25 Jan. Tickets: £25-£50 Info: 029 2066 8647 / www.maryscardiff.co.uk/cardiff

TENBY BOXING DAY SWIMMING Swap leftovers for lengths this Boxing Day, joining hundreds who will brave the ice-cold conditions to swim across the shores of North Beach in Tenby for the 47th time, all in the name of charity. The legendary Tenby Boxing Day Swim is a key date on the festive calendar for locals and a source of pride, with an opportunity to work off that turkey, though the more sensible (or less stout, depending on how you see it) can stay warm while watching from the sidelines. This year’s theme – Cool Cymru – means you can expect to see daffodils and dragons galore, as people celebrate the swim and Welsh culture. As ever it’s set to be one of the most eccentric days of the year. So choose your charity, resist the last bits of turkey and stuffing, and dive right in, if you can deal with the ice-cold current!

Pic: Lukehp

North Beach, Tenby, Tue 26 Dec Info: www.tenbyboxingdayswim.co.uk BUZZ 5

POP-UP APRÉS SKI BAR

Located in the courtyard of the exemplary Angel Hotel, this festive pop-up bar brings all the atmosphere and majesty of an Alpine Ski Lodge to the heart of Abergavenny. Serving up seasonal snacks, wheat beer and mulled wine, this is surely set to bring a hearty atmosphere and seasonal charm to the season. There will be numerous themed nights to follow, from Fondue Thursdays for those jonesing for cheese to Wurst Wednesdays for the carnivores. Most exciting will be the New Year’s Eve party, with free entry and midnight shots. With the bar to remain open throughout the Christmas holidays, this is the place to be for the delightfully cosy and jolly ambience you’ve been craving.

Angel Hotel, Abergavenny, Sat 25 Nov. Admission: £35 Info: 01873 857121 / www.angelabergavenny.com

FOR CARDIFF VR EXPERIENCE FOR Cardiff have announced a huge campaign that will massively benefit the capital this festive season, drawing visitors to the city in the leadup to Christmas and promote Cardiff as a top destination for shopping, nightlife, eating, drinking and general festivities. FOR Cardiff will introduce brand-new Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality experiences into the centre, giving visitors the opportunity to partake in a snowball fight or visit Snowdon themselves, all without leaving the capital. FOR Cardiff has also created a gift card to help you with your Christmas shopping. Available in values from £5 to £500, it’s specifically for independent businesses in Cardiff, and can be spent anywhere from record shops to old Victorian cafes.

St David’s Centre, Cardiff, until Sun 24 Dec. Tickets: £3 Info: www.cardiffbid.com

Pic: Roanokecollege

CAROLLING Who doesn’t love Christmas carols during the festive season? This year there are opportunities galore for you to get out and carol to your heart’s content. The best of the lot is BBC Wales’ Carols For Christmas (St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Sat 16 Dec. Tickets: £5. Info: www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk), where over 200 primary school children from across south Wales will join BBC presenters in putting a spotlight. If you fancy a bit more of an amalgamation of classic and fresh, Spectrum Singers are showing off their extensive range while not straying too much from the ones we know and love (Dyffryn Gardens, Fri 8 Dec. Tickets: £2-£15. Info: www. nationaltrust.org.uk), whilst a more traditional and low-key affair can be found at St John’s The Baptist’s Church in Cardiff (Fri 15 Dec. Tickets: £5.

Info: www.visitcardiff.com).

SNOWDOGS TAILS IN WALES 2017 You’ve seen them everywhere, indoors and out in numerous place and always with different designs, Organised by children’s charity Ty Hafan, the classic children’s book The Snowman, about a boy mourning the loss of his dog before a snowman brings him back to life as a snowdog. These lovable statues have graced Cardiff since midSeptember, forming a doggie trail around the city, but alas it is time to say goodbye. Ty Hafan will bring all the snowdogs together for a themed weekend, the last opportunity to see all 43 snowdogs and 57 snowpups together and grab those all-important selfies.

1st Floor, Capital Shopping Centre, Queen Street, Cardiff Fri 8-Sun 10 Dec. Tickets: £5 adults/£3 children Info: 029 2053 2252 / www.snowdogstailsin.wales/farewell BUZZ 6

Pic: Andrew Rees

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Nathan Carter Livin’ the Dream

The Overtones & Jay James

Kate Rusby at Christmas

Classic Elvis with Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra 13.01.18

John Owen-Jones & Beau Dermott 14.12.17

Verdi La Traviata

Vampires Rock Ghost Train

Welsh National Opera Orchestra

The Classic Rock Show Guitar Greats 26.01.18

03.02.18

27.01.18

09.02.18

14.01.18

12.12.17

22.01.18

C H I M E S

Elizabeth Szymczak speaks to The Chimes director Judith Roberts about the adaption of the Dickens classic, as well as the experience of inviting members of the homeless community to join the production.

How did this production of The Chimes come about?

I’ve known the writer [David Willis] for many years, and this is a piece he’d been working on for a while.

I offered to work on the script with him, as I liked the idea of the adaption. We got to the point where we felt this was a script that should be produced. I applied for funding from the Arts Council of England and of Wales, and this made it possible to invite those rebuilding their lives to integrate with a professional cast, crafting a production that brings together the experience and understanding of two very different groups of people to create something inspirational and exciting.

How did you begin the process of inviting those from the homeless community to form the ensemble cast?

We contacted the key charities in Cardiff and London, and told them about the production. They reacted very positively, as they recognized it would offer such people an opportunity that would take them out of their world and recognize them as individuals. We wanted to welcome them with open arms and without prejudice, to be supportive and prepared to take people as they are. We wanted to restore their self worth and self-belief; to provide a sense of being part of wider community.

What were some of the main challenges that you faced with the production?

We had to be realistic in terms of what we expected from the ensemble members and the rehearsal time, as it takes much longer to rehearse with this cast as opposed to those who have been trained for number of years. We went into the process with open eyes, knowing it would take time for some ensembles to become rooted. We now have some really dedicated people from Cardiff and London who have grown tremendously. We’ve also held workshops that have allowed us to build relationships and offer training, to the point where members can come into the rehearsal room with an understanding of what to expect.

What changes have you seen in the members of the homeless community as a result of this roduction?

We are working with people whose lives have been knocked off-kilter, and there are further consequences to not having a stable home over your head, such as a BUZZ 8

lack of self-esteem, not to mention practical things such as gadgets... things we take for granted and rely upon everyday. However throughout the course of this production I have seen a marked change, and a huge growth in self-belief as they have realised what they are capable of.

What are you taking away from this experience?

Realising that I could have been in this situation so easily. So many of these ensemble members seemed to have ordinary lives; it just takes a simple spanner in the works, one bad decision, for life to slip away from you. Once that’s happened it becomes so difficult to rebuild. The futures of ensemble members are uncertain – I know that one member is likely to find himself back on the streets within a couple of weeks.

What captured your attention about this story?

Dickens wrote with the intention of bringing about change, directly addressing the issues of homelessness and injustice in society. When we read the story now, we realise so little has changed.

We wanted to create an adaptation that explores what those characters might experience if they were alive today. Overall this production offers a simple magical experience in a beautiful setting that is about human endeavour, and the joy in humanity and of our relationship with one another.

St. John’s Church, Canton, Cardiff Thurs 6-Sat 16 Dec Tickets: £16/£12 Info: 029 2030 4400 www.chapter.org

Pic: Huw Talfryn Walters

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BOOK NOW ISLANDS IN THE STREAM – THE MUSIC OF DOLLY PARTON & KENNY ROGERS

St David’s Hall, Cardiff Fri 5 Jan Tickets: £27 Info: 029 2087 8444 www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

Pic: Nick Treharne

SECRET SPACES: TIGER BAY

On the 20th Anniversary of his book The Tiger Bay Story, historian Neil Sinclair talks to Buzz about Cardiff's history.

What prompted you to want to write your story in the first place?

What characters from the community do you remember?

I always thought that people outside of the community had a very negative, stigmatized view of us, but I knew the truth. After a period of travelling, I returned home in the early 90s and I noticed that whenever the press were reporting about a contemporary issue in that area, they’d always use phrases such as “terrible Tiger Bay”. At the time there was also a local magazine in which I started writing positive stories about how it used to be. It took like wildfire. Shortly after, I started working for Butetown History & Arts and I produced a magazine for them where I continued to tell the stories. So that’s when I started to compose what eventually became The Tiger Bay Story.

My mother had wonderful stories, because Tiger Bay was even more wonderful when she was young. I grew up in the pre-demolition community, also knowing stories from the turn of the 20th century. People tended to have larger-than-life personalities and she’d be fascinated by some of the people with nicknames like The Bengal Tiger and One Eyed Joe. There was Aloisie, an old Arab man who used to have a donkey and cart, who would let us all climb on to his cart.

What do you think made Tiger Bay such a tight-knit community?

There were no TVs back then – everybody would gather on the corners and just chat. The focal point of every household was the fireplace. My mother would light the fire and that being the only source of heat meant everybody would migrate to it. It was in that setting that stories were shared and bonds created.

Photo taken when The Queen first opened the new Welsh Assembly in May 1999.

Photo currently exhibited as part of David Hurn’s Swaps exhibition in National Museum Wales.

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From what I’ve heard, music always had a big part to play in the community too.

Every street had its own pub, and every street also had somebody who could produce music without knowing a note.

Quite often, you’d be playing in the street and somebody would say “You’d better get down the pub, your mum’s singing!” We’d all climb on the window ledge to see what was going on.

If you could recommend one place in Wales to someone who has never visited before, what would you pick and why?

That place is found within the memories of the last generations of the old Tiger Bay community, who paint pictures of the ancient trees that graced the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture of old Loudoun Square – the real heart of Tiger Bay.

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HEAVEN ON EARTH (LIVE ARENA SPECTACULAR)

Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Mon 15-Thurs 18 Jan Tickets: £19-£65 Info: 029 2022 4488 www.motorpointarenacardiff.co.uk –

HELLS BELLS

The Globe, Cardiff Sat 27 Jan Tickets: £12.50 Info: 07590 471888 www.globecardiffmusic.com –

STEVE AOKI

Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union Sun 28 Jan Tickets: £20 Info: 029 2078 1400 www.cardiffstudents.com –

AMY WADGE & LUKE JACKSON

St David’s Hall, Cardiff Tue 30 Jan Tickets: £14 Info: 029 2087 8444 www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk –

DON BROCO

Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union Sat 10 Feb Tickets: £20 Info: 029 2078 1400 www.cardiffstudents.com

La forza del destino Verdi Tosca Puccini Don Giovanni Mozart Chwefror 2 – 24 February 2018 Archebwch nawr ar yganolfan.org.uk Book now at wmc.org.uk

029 2063 6464 Mae croeso cynnes i chi gysylltu â mi yn Gymraeg

wno.org.uk/spring18 Rhif Elusen Gofrestredig | Registered Charity No 221538

ONESTOWATCH

2018

Buzz selects the people, places and happenings worthy of further investigation in the coming year...

Martin Llewellyn

RAGNAR KJARTANSSON Icelandic performance artist Ragnar Kjartansson, already a well-known figure in the art world, comes to Cardiff with his new piece, The Sky In A Room.

Kjartansson was previously shortlisted for the Artes Mundi prize back in 2014 and was later awarded the £30,000 Derek Williams Trust purchase award, which allows the National Museum of Wales to purchase art produced by Artes Mundi shortlisted artists. The Sky In A Room centres around a series of organists using the 1774 Sir Watkins Williams Wynn organ in the museum, playing the Italian pop song Il Cielo In Una Stanza (the translation of the exhibition title), whilst the gallery gradually empties of paintings.

Showing from Sat 3 Feb-Sun 11 Mar, this is set to be a fantastic, unusual and playful artistic performance piece not to be missed.

Info: www.museum.wales/cardiff

CARL CHAPPLE

ART Compiled by MEGAN POTTERTON

ARTES MUNDI 8 Artes Mundi is an internationally-focused arts organisation which has held Wales’ biggest contemporary art exhibition in Cardiff every two years since 2002, and is set to make a return to the capital city in 2018 with its eighth instalment. Shortlisted artists whose work will appear in the exhibition have recently been announced. A small group of judges will choose a winner from the shortlist, awarding them an

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enviable purse of £40,000, the largest international contemporary art prize in the UK. The artists in the running are: Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Trevor Paglen, Otobong Nkanga, Bouchra Khalili and Anna Boghiguian. All the shortlisted artists directly explore social issues across the globe in their work, and indeed have been chosen for precisely this reason.

Artes Mundi 8 kicks off at the National Museum Cardiff in October next year.

Info: www.artesmundi.org

Carl Chapple moved to South Wales in 2003 and currently works from his studio in Barry. He has always been interested in painting people, but since 2010 Chapple’s work has become primarily focused on portraiture. He has worked with comedians, musicians and dancers in his recent work. A year ago Chapple’s project Painting Dance was funded, and since then he has collaborated with Ballet Cymru to produce a collection of fantastic pieces. Chapple already has further exhibitions planned, and he has also recently become a member of the Royal Cambrian Academy, so he is certainly one who’s on the up and worth keeping an eye on.

Info: www.carlchapple.com

Moon Dogs

Cemetery of Splendour. Pic: Kick the Machine Films and Illuminations Films

FILM Compiled by FEDOR TOT

MARTIN LLEWELLYN Considering Martin Llewellyn only began painting full time in 2012, his work so far certainly shows no shortage of natural talent and ability. Llewellyn has already had two sell out exhibitions at the Ffin Y Parc Art Gallery in 2015 and 2016, and the gallery will once again welcome his work for a major solo exhibition in February. Llewellyn originally began as a watercolour painter, but he has more recently focused on using oils and a pallet knife to create stunning landscape pieces. Originally from Neath, Llewellyn uses the beautiful Welsh coastline and landscape as inspiration for his paintings. His exhibition at Ffin Y Parc Art Gallery in Conwy opens on Sun 4 Feb. Info: www.welshart.net

I Am Not A Witch

SNOWCAT CINEMA

MY GRANDFATHER THE SPY

Having recently programmed a number of films at Penarth Pier Pavilion, Snowcat Cinema are a pop-up cinema aiming to proselytise for cult classics and the undiscovered gems out there. Their Tue 5 Dec screening of Oxide Ghosts: The Brass Eye Tapes, a documentary on Chris Morris’ legendary satire including outtakes from the series, is a taste of things to come: a one-off event in an unusual place that aims to imbue moviegoing with the excitement and reverence that often comes from gigs or theatre.

One of the more striking documentary offerings to come out of Wales over the past few years looks set to be My Grandfather The Spy, directed by Martin Scanlan and BAFTA Cymru-winner Dave Evans.

Worldwide rights have already been secured for the as-yet unfinished film, which, considering the strangerthan-fiction backstory, is not too surprising. The film will centre around Evans’ grandfather, and his frequent trips to Bulgaria during the height of the Cold War, which Evans now believes were for something more than merely “business”. Though one might have a fair idea from the title what these trips were about, we’ll have to wait until the finished film to find out precisely what happened.

Info: www.snowcatcinema.co.uk

WOW WOMEN’S FILM CLUB Community cinemas are on the rise, offering a peoplerun alternative to the more passive interaction between audience and cinema so often found in the multiplexes.

Of these, the WOW Women’s Film Club, a long-term project set up by Rabab Ghazoul, is perhaps the most interesting and most radical. With the aim of making a community-centred cinema that’s open and accessible to marginalised people in the cities (especially given the often-prohibitive prices one finds at mainstream cinemas), their programming choices – Oscarnominated Lion sits alongside I Am Not Your Negro, the acclaimed documentary about American writer James Baldwin - speak to a desire to utilise cinema’s capacity to provoke discussion and debate.

Info: www.wowfilmfestival.com

JACK PARRY-JONES Jack Parry-Jones won the BAFTA Cymru award for Best Actor in 2017, thanks to his role in the sleeper hit Moon Dogs, about two friends falling in love with the same girl on a trip across Scotland and now looks set for plenty more exciting things in 2018. Alongside his recent starring turn on S4C’s Bang, here is an immensely promising actor, with a cutting presence and versatility. Given the right projects, Parry-Jones may easily flourish towards grander things.

Info: twitter.com/jackparryj

RUNGANO NYONI Zambian-born, Welsh-raised director Rungano Nyoni has had a truly breakthrough 2017. Her debut feature, I Am Not A Witch, opened to rapturous critical acclaim in the UK after premiering in Cannes, the world’s biggest film festival (not something that happens often to Welsh directors, nor for that matter, Zambian ones either). That the film found an audience at all considering the bleak subject matter of the film – a young girl in Zambia is accused of witchcraft and forced into a labour camp full of fellow accused witches – speaks to Nyoni’s talent in guiding her camera.

Whatever she finds herself doing next, the film world will await with baited breath.

Info: www.rungano.com BUZZ 13

MUSIC Compiled by VARIOUS

ADWAITH One of several, mostly pretty young, Carmarthenshire bands who’ve released singles on the Libertino label, for this observer’s money Adwaith – ‘reaction’ in Welsh – are the most interesting of them. A trio of Gwenllian Anthony, Heledd Owen and Hollie Singer, the two Adwaith songs released back in August were winsome-butcaustic post-C86 indiepop (the anti-objectification Femme) and shuffling, lightly dubbed-out quasipostpunk (Lipstick Coch). NG Info: facebook.com/adwaithband Adwaith

STAGE Compiled by CLAUDIA RUTHERFORD AND CHRIS WILLIAMS

COMMON WEALTH Rising in popularity, the Common Wealth theatre company pursue an ambition in voicing the struggles of working-class people. The company’s core project is to produce art that communicates the real concerns of everyday people, and in a post-Grenfell Britain, their work could not feel more relevant. This year’s successes included a poignant performance of Class: The Elephant In The Room and the vibrant and affirmative production of We’re Still Here, where the cast was comprised mainly of real steelworkers lent an opportunity to express themselves regarding the potential closure of Tata Steel in Port Talbot. The driving forces of the Common Wealth collective are artistic directors Rhiannon White and Evie Manning.

Whilst Manning lives in Bradford, White is a bornand-bred Cardiffian, committed to engaging Welsh communities through the stage. Their art is strictly political, aiming to articulate social struggles through theatre and art.

Info: www.commonwealththeatre.co.uk

SARAH MCCREADIE Poetry has often been labelled a defining aspect of Welsh culture, and next year, it looks like Welsh youth will be leading the way. Active in the Welsh poetry scene is Cardiff-born performance poet, Sarah McCreadie. She is a BBC 1Xtra ‘Words First’ artist, and a member of the Roundhouse Poetry Collective.

McCreadie combines a passion for topics on love and growing up LGBT with a subtle wit. In her poem I’ve Been Waiting My Whole Life For You, she discusses the hardships of dealing with archaic reactions to ‘two women holding hands’, announcing that a “man can’t understand how something so earth-turning and heavenly can take place without him”. McCreadie handles societal issues and deeply personal themes with great capability; most recently, the young Welsh poet supported Holly McNish at the Wales Millennium Centre, whilst also headlining the Juke Open Mic Bespoken stage at Folli Festival in Castell Coch.

Info: twitter.com/girl_like_sarah

WELSH NATIONAL OPERA’S SPRING SEASON The Welsh National Opera’s spring season, entitled Rabble Rousers, is set to form the start of a three-year collaboration with Theater Bonn. Its main draw is a new production of La Forza Del Destino, which will mark the start of a Verdi trilogy, directed by David Pountney. Revivals of Tosca’s Puccini and Mozart’s Don Giovanni also make up the 2018 Spring season.

Info: www.wmc.org.uk

RIA JONES It’s unusual to call someone who’s already had a three-decade success in the theatre as ‘one to watch’, but before 2016 most people wouldn’t have heard of Ria Jones. As understudy in Sunset Boulevard last year, Jones had to take to the stage when illness forced Glenn Close to temporarily pull out of the role of Norma Desmond. The resulting reaction, including a six-minute standing ovation, meant the Swanseaborn actress has become a household name. Now Jones is heading a UK tour of Sunset Boulevard, playing the WMC in February, whilst getting to play her hometown when it played the Swansea’s Grand Theatre in October.

Info: www.riajones.co.uk/about

VIKKI BEBB A graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Bebb was cast in WMC’s biggest original musical Tiger Bay. From Abercynon, she made her professional debut in the musical, which had previews in South Africa and premiered in Cardiff in November.

She received a scholarship from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation and was spotted by producers whilst performing at a gala concert for the RWCMD. In Tiger Bay, she played the leading role of Valleys girl Rowena Pryddy, starring alongside West End stars John Owen-Jones and Noel Sullivan.

Info: twitter.com/vikkibebb

BOY AZOOGA Not that signing to Heavenly Records (or anyone else) is an ironclad guarantor of Boy Azooga’s success, but it means that someone’s trying to make it happen. This Boy, real name Davey Newington, also plays drums in Charlotte Church’s Pop Dungeon. Face Behind Her Cigarette, dreamy psych-pop with self-confessed William Onyeaborhomaging keyboards, was released digitally in autumn, as well as by the Bubblewrap label on a split 12” with fellow new Cardiffians Buzzard; Heavenly have scheduled a single and album for January and March respectively. NG Info: facebook.com/boyazooga

BUFFALO SUMMER Formed from four members based in Neath and Swansea, Buffalo Summer have toured all over Europe and the UK with appearances at Download, Wacken and many more. Their combination of classic songwriting and anthemic grooves captured the eye of Barrett Martin, drummer for Screaming Trees. This led to him producing their second album and he also manned the controls for their forthcoming third album. It’s due out in spring 2018 and features a guest appearance from Peter Buck of REM. GM Info: facebook.com/buffalosummer

BUZZ 14

IVAN MOULT The 28-year-old Cornishman has it in spades: distinctive singer, excellent musician, thoughtful, skilful songwriter and a thirst for musical knowledge. A guitarist (also bass/piano) who counts John Martyn as an influence, he’s reminiscent of Nick Drake, Damien Rice and Paul Simon. The single Easily Gone, out now, looks back at a past relationship, as does his second album Longest Shadow (due Fri 2 Mar) with unflinching honesty, revealing, the doubts and fears of commitment and all that goes with it. RLR Info: facebook.com/ivanmoultmusic

MADE OF TEETH Featuring members of Spider Kitten and Taint, Made Of Teeth burst onto the scene this year, with their debut album and a handful of raucous gigs, showcasing the band’s powerful take on hardcore/ noise rock. 2018 will see the next chapter in MOT’s audio/visual output when they enter Mountain Music Studios to record 10 brand new tracks for a new album, promising further extremes of speed and heaviness. The first batch of shows for 2018 will be announced shortly. Make sure you don’t miss them. CA

FOOD AND DRINK Compiled by HANNAH SILVEY

ANDREW SHERIDAN

JAMES SOMMERIN

Andrew Sheridan is a BBC Young Chef Of The Year semi-finalist and has his sights set on creating an award-winning waterside restaurant. After recently landing the role as Executive Chef of Sosban Restaurant, he announced he would make the restaurant the “best in Wales”. He also has plans to introduce more unusual flavours to the palates of the Sosban customers. Keep an eye on Sheridan: he has big things planned.

James Sommerin holds the title of Chef Of The Year from the Food Awards Wales 2017. He also has a Penarth-based Michelin Star restaurant, Restaurant James Sommerin. Using locally sourced products, there is an à la carte menu, which includes an array of fish options and also pigeon, guinea fowl and sirloin.

The desserts are carefully thought-out, each with a fruit focus. They also offer bespoke tasting menus, created for each individual tables and a chef’s table.

With plans to grow the restaurant in 2018, this is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Info: www.sosban.wales Steakhouse Bar & Grill

Info: www.jamessommerinrestaurant.co.uk

JUNIPER PLACE AND OLD HAVANA, SWANSEA Having only opened one month ago, Juniper Place is already the talk of Swansea. The star of the show is their micro gin distillery upstairs in the Old Havana bar, called Cygnet Distillery. It is on view to customers, and of course they can also purchase the gin being made. Recently they dedicated their entire opening weekend to raising money for Cuban relief charities set up in the wake of the recent storms and hurricanes in the country. It is fast becoming the go-to bar of Swansea, perfect for a few drinks out in 2018.

Info: facebook.com/madeofteeth Made of Teeth

Info: www.old-havana.co.uk www.juniper-place.co.uk

BARKER’S GIN BAR

Celebrity chef, Marco Pierre White, is opening the long-awaited Steakhouse Bar & Grill before the end of the year, which means you’ll have all of 2018 to enjoy the delicious, premium steaks. Situated atop the Hotel Indigo on Queen Street, the restaurant is rumoured to house steakhouse burgers, triple-cooked chips and steak and ale pie. It is also set to have 360-degree views over the city. Steak and sights – what more could a carnivore want?

Gin enthusiasts and obsessives, it’s time to have something to look forward to, besides Christmas or a birthday that is. The couple behind Cardiff arcade’s Coffee Barker, Charlotte and Steve Barker are poised to open up a new Gin Lounge named Gin And Juice.

Expanding their Barker chain from coffee and gelato into the juice and alcohol world, Barker seeks to build up the “up and coming” arcade in an effort to “recreate the Victorian feel”. The venue will offer up fresh pressed juices and protein rich salads before turning into a fully proficient bar in the evening. Mark the calendars for the opening, coming soon!

Info: www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk

Info: www.castlequarterarcades.co.uk

STEAKHOUSE BAR & GRILL

James Sommerin

SARAH BROWN Cardiff-born Sarah Brown’s 2017 debut single Nobody’s Home has earned her regular radio and TV coverage; prior to that, her ukulele cover of Blackstreet’s No Diggity scooped over 200,000 hits on Facebook. “It all snowballed and within a year I’d quit my job and was gigging full time,” she recalls. So what does 2018 look like in Sarah Brown’s world then? “More music. I have the second single in February and then more music and videos along the way.” CA Info: facebook.com/sarahbrownworld

BUZZ 16

The first Filco store opened in 1946 by Philip and Eleanor Jones in Wine Street in Llantwit Major. Rationing and coupon books were still an everyday fact of life. Entertainment consisted of the radio and people actually reading and talking to each other. A different world indeed from today’s convenience of freezer to microwave to the table in minutes.

The grocer was a grocer in the true sense and the housewife was the cook. The grocer was also an important part of the community. The same is true of the local butcher who would be the hub of any town and village. At Filco we understand the values that are close to our customers and strive to provide a better service and now have an instore butchery department where you can ask for your favourite cuts, or if you are not sure be advised by our very own instore butcher.

high quality frozen food from the Cook range. Plus many more products all sourced by us for you.

We have recently launched our Delicatessen in our Cowbridge store, offering you a selection of the finest produce all locally sourced. Our meat comes from generations of local farmers and we pride ourselves on nurturing relationships with our suppliers to bring you the best.

Come instore and take a look for yourself.

We also pride ourselves on providing Market leading promotions on Alcohol and Grocery products.

Filco Supermarkets is a Member of NISA which enables us to offer you the lowest possible prices and the best possible quality.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER & FACEBOOK You will then get notifications on Events, Promotions and New products that will be coming to your nearest store

We stock the famous oak smoked garlic from The garlic farm on the Isle of Wight, Torgelly Farm mutton, artisan cheeses, salt march lamb from Weobley castle, Llanrhidian Gower, Usk Vale turkeys, Herefordshire beef, good food herb range, Evans pies est 1926, fresh fruit and vegtables and recently added

www.filco.co.uk 01446 792286

Our Stores Taibach Llantwit major Caerau Talbot Green

NorthCornelly Bryntirion

/Filcosupermarkets www.cookfood.net Now Available in-store

Sarn Cowbridge Maesteg

Pic: Mary McCartney

JOOLS HOLLAND & JOSÉ FELICIANO Ben Newman chats with Jools Holland and Puerto Rican guitarist José Feliciano about collaboration and the power of music to cross bridges…

“There’s no stress,” says Jools, reflecting on his collaboration with musical hero José Feliciano. “Truth is, when we start playing together, it works. For some reason, things that wouldn’t make sense on paper sound lovely.”

“Lovely” is a word that comes up again and again when Jools describes the music of Feliciano and the experience he’s had with him; there’s a palpable excitement in his voice, half-between respect and unfiltered adoration. What Jools and Feliciano’s new album, As You See Me Now, and their subsequent UK tour shows is that their musical compatibility is fertile and rich.

There’s something to be said about how often the “don’t meet your heroes” motto fails, and the relationship between Jools Holland and Felicano exemplifies the fallacies in this belief. The respect Jools has for Feliciano clearly runs deep; in many ways, the Puerto Rican musical aficionado is his idol: “We’ve been trying to get [Jose’s] music on Later… With Jools Holland. For forever – I mean forever – he’s meant a lot to me, it was wonderful to have him on.”

The compatibility between Jools and Felicano has translated into their live performances, too. “When we played our first shows together people loved what we were doing, it’s so exciting having José there with his guitar, thrilled to bits to have him here and the people love him.”

The chemistry, technical quality and improvisational tone of the collaborative tour has given the shows a loose, fun feel. Overall, in Jools’ opinion, the tour’s success is all down to Feliciano’s quality: “It’s because he’s a great musician, he goes above categories, really. Any music that’s great he makes his own and it’s a wonderful thing to hear.”

Feliciano, too, said that the recording process for As You See Me Now and the current tour is teaching him a lot. In Jools, he sees a “friend for life” and there’s even been some room for expanding on his sound in the studio. Furthermore, he BUZZ 18

mentioned several times that the tour has been a “great learning experience” for himself. With great musical pedigree sometimes comes stasis when a musician reaches their pinnacle, but t the age of 72 he still approaches touring with the enthusiasm of a novice.

Feliciano’s guitar playing is his standout – to hear it live is really an experience.

The way he can reinterpret and add depth to other people’s songs, too, is another part of the Latin American icon’s musical mysticism. Feliciano’s cover of Jools’ own song, Just To Be Home With You, illustrates Feliciano’s knack for digging magic out of other people’s songs. As the highlight from the album it’s the symbiosis of both artist’s strengths: you have Felicano’s reinterpretive skills combined with Jools’ excellent songwriting. In a way, the song sums up the philosophy of the tour: collaborative, complimentary and classic.

Reflecting on the recording process, Jools says, “When making a record you’re not sure if it’s going to work on paper, y’know – you might think this is two different zones.” There were certainly some reservations before the recording process, but As You See Me Now is an album birthed from a relaxed working relationship.

“Truth is, when we start playing together, it works. For some reason the things that wouldn’t make sense on paper, when you start playing, they sound lovely.”

The reason it works comes down to the relationship Jools has with his musical mentor – it’s a reminder that music can be relationship-building, it can go beyond borders, genres and can even bridge the gap between hero and fan.

Jools Holland and Jose Feliciano, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Fri 15 Dec. Tickets: £47 Info: 029 2022 4488 / www.motorpointarenacardiff.co.uk

RAYMOND GUBBAY presents

New for 2017 - Sprinkled with magical special effects

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

THREE MAGICAL BALLETS ONE EXCITING SEASON

19 - 31 DECEMBER Tickets

DUBLIN CAROL 1 – 17 Feb 2018

By Conor McPherson Director Matthew Xia From the writer of The Weir

SHERMANTHEATRE.CO.UK #DublinCarol 029 2064 6900 Sherman Theatre, Senghennydd Road, Cardiff, CF24 3YE

Sherman Cymru Productions Ltd | Registered Charity Number 1118364 Image & Design burningred

raymondgubbay.co.uk

(bkg fees apply)

Pic: David Angel

K AT E R U S B Y With her Christmas tours now a part of her fans’ winter calendars, Sophie Williams caught up with Kate Rusby to talk folk, festivities, and the future.

"I just adore Christmas...I’m not somebody that wants to start it in October but when it comes around I’m like yeah, it's time!" exclaims Kate Rusby, the fairy godmother of Christmas carols, who has just released her fourth Christmas album, Angels & Men. The musician claims that she is “officially an old lady now,” as this year marks 25 years of touring. However, she comes across as the opposite – Rusby radiates youthfulness as she shares her excitement about embarking on her annual Christmas tour with her beloved band and brass quintet, aptly called The Brass Boys.

The tour has become as synonymous with the festive season as Santa Claus for many of her fans. “It just fills me with so much joy and pleasure to take these carols out of Yorkshire and show them off to people up and down the country!” she says, ebulliently. "I love to see people join in – as you can tell.”

Brought up on diet of tradition and routine, Rusby recalls every Christmas being spent at South Yorkshire pubs, where she first realised that she was absorbing the carols that would shape her craft in the future. “I’d be sat with the other kids, drinking pop in another room, unaware that I was soaking them up. I never really sat down and learned them – I learned them because I heard them so much.”

As the vivid memory-cataloguing of Angels & Men makes clear, Rusby explains how she wants her children to grow up in a similar environment, encompassed by family festivities. As she works tirelessly with said carols, does she still want to hear them day in day out and pass them onto her own?

Her enthusiasm shines through: she’s almost bewildered by the fact I even asked. “We have started taking our girls to the pubs – already they are learning these songs. We are a musical family, at Christmas specifically, whether somebody is cooking, setting the table or opening presents, there's always music on in the background. We can’t help joining in and singing along. Music has always been such a massive part of Christmas and that's what makes it so special.”

Christmas is clearly a family affair for the Rusbys; she says it is a time when they “can be daft and be a family,” a chance to take a break from collectively organising their annual festival, Underneath The Stars, which will celebrate its fifth year of showcasing the finest for folk fanatics and foodies alike next year.

In an ever-changing world, it has become more commonplace for artists to incorporate traditional aspects into their work. Rusby stresses the importance of hearing the roots of folk in the mainstream. “I’ll have a Coldplay album on and hear a really folky, simple melody – it’s evident that they have little influences in there. It’s great to share it!”

It’s part of that everlasting debate between modernists and traditionalists in folk, ever since Bob Dylan first picked up an electric guitar. “I'm on the side of let the music move on, let it change, let it evolve. Especially in this day and age, where people listen to such diverse choices of music, we need to allow influences to come in from other places – why do people want to hold onto tradition and stop it growing?”

After being at the forefront of the folk scene for over two decades, she is insistent that to keep the genre alive, we must be open to innovation. “The genre will bore the next generation unless it's allowed to change – we don’t know where it will end up next.” If the future is folk, then it’s time to join the revolution.

Kate Rusby, St.David’s Hall, Cardiff, Tue 12 Dec. Tickets: £25/£18. Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk BUZZ 20

The one-liner standup speaks to Alec Evans about the nonsense and escapism of his Milton Jones Is Out There tour.

His CV features everything from Mock The Week to Live At The Apollo, and it’s fair to say even casual followers of comedy will have seen some of Milton Jones’ material. With his nonsensical one-liner style, reminiscent of a more family-friendly and less tidyhaired Jimmy Carr, he is taking his show to Swansea this December. What can people who have seen him on their TV screens learn about Milton as a person from this tour?

“They learn absolutely nothing!” he chuckles. “It’s pure escapism. It’s all fairly inoffensive, there’s no being nasty for the sake of it, just pure daftness. I get a massive audience age range, from 10-year-olds to 90-year-olds. If you like laughing about nonsense, then it’s for you.”

The current tour he finds himself on is called Milton Jones Is Out There, a show that sees him “holding up the mirror of truth to society”. There is an interesting creative process behind coming up with a new show, he says. It starts with individual jokes, which he then gives a bit of trial-and-error at new material nights. From there, he comes up with 100-150 jokes which he scans for themes to base his show around. Unsurprisingly given popular comic themes at the moment, this show has spawned many jokes about politics.

“It’s based on the premise of what I would do if I got into power,” he says. “The bar is quite low on both sides of the Atlantic, so I think... let’s see what I can do!”

Milton has always been famed for his love of colourful shirts, and tells us he gets rows of audience members dressing up in his “uniform” for stag nights. But that’s not the extent of his bizarre outfits this tour: “For the first half, I come on dressed as a giant Great Britain!

I have a detachable Scottish head and my face comes out in a little hole in the Peak District.”

Scottish independence as well as Brexit, he tells us, will be themes he touches on in the show. For a comedian whose standup has never been overtly satirical, is this tour a change in approach for Milton? “No, not at all,” he assures us. “No one’s going to go to the show and say they’ve changed their political opinion. If the show makes a point at all, it’s that nonsense is a perfect thing to do in itself, rather than trying to make a point about something. Even though topical things are mentioned, I never preach or take them too seriously.”

He talks about his scattergun approach to comedy, telling 200-300 jokes; he’s from the same one-liner school as Gary Delaney or Tim Vine, which he admits BUZZ 22

isn’t always an easy medium to work in. “At the beginning of the tour, I can hardly remember it all. I put it in subject chunks, say, eight jokes about education.

As long as you don’t get the junctions of thought confused and end up with a very short show, you should be alright.”

As someone who started off his performing career as an actor, he wanted to create a sillier version of himself for his onstage persona. “There are two types of comedian.

There’s the one who’s the same onstage and offstage, then there’s the person like me, who sees their own character, turns up at work, puts on their uniform and does their work.”

Where does he want to see comedy go in future? He says he wants some students to cause a 70s Python-style shake-up of the comic world. “Comedy is no longer alternative.

With the censorship on television and politics being a cartoon of itself, it’s genuinely difficult to shock people. We need something different and something that is away from the mainstream. I don’t know what the shock would be. If I did know I’d be doing it myself!”

Until this new generation rises up though, can you really go wrong with a comedian who dresses up as Great Britain itself?

Grand Theatre, Swansea, Wed 6 Dec. Tickets: £26.50.

Info: 01792 475715 / swansea.gov.uk

Pic: Steve Ullathorne

M I LT O N J O N E S

COMEDY TOUR SHOWS

livE MUSiC

thu 15th feb

Wed 21st mar

thu 12th apr

Wed 21st feb

sun 25th mar

thu 19th apr

SOlD OUT

thu 29th mar

iain STiRling jOE lYCETT thu 22nd feb

jOE lYCETT SOlD OUT

fri 23rd feb

jOE lYCETT SOlD OUT

sun 18th mar

jOHn RObinS

TOM STaDE

SiMOn EvanS

Wed 28th feb

MikE DaWES

SpECial EvEnTS sun 4th mar

TOnY laW

alYSSa jOHn WHEElER EDWaRDS: THE (HaYSEED DixiE) SECRET iS OUT thu 26th apr mon 11th jun TOUR sun 20th maY MO gilligan bEllY sun 29th apr THE gilDED MERkin CRaig CaMpbEll

thu 5th apr

sun 21st oct

jESS RObinSOn SHappi kHORSanDi sun 1st apr

jOHn RObinS ExTRa DaTE

DaliSO CHapOnDa

sun 6th maY

gaRY DElanEY

mermaid quay • Cardiff bay • Cf10 5bz

bURlESQUE & CabaRET sun 17th jun

bEnjaMin zEpHaniaH

Pic: Simon Emmett

THE DARKNESS The Darkness are currently full steam ahead. In the midst of a European tour, lead guitarist Dan Hawkins gave us the lowdown on what to expect from their new album, Pinewoord Smile. “The main difference is that we now have a lead drummer, Rufus [Taylor – son of Queen drummer Roger Taylor]. He is amazing.

Having a lead drummer adds a lot more punch to the sound; it’s more exciting, more riff-based.”

How has that changed the songwriting process for the band? “Normally Rufus and I will go into a rehearsal room, I’ll bring in some music or some riffs and we’ll build up a backing track. We’ll put together something that sounds like a verse, a bridge and a chorus, and then we’ll try and add lyrics. It’s very collaborative at the back-end; we kind of just knock it into shape.“ Whilst they are still going strong as a band, it’s no doubt The Darkness are still best remembered for the string of great singles they put out around the time of debut album Permission To Land. Black Shuck, Love Is Only A Feeling and I Believe In A Thing Called Love are air guitar classics, but how do the band keep the songs alive when playing them nightly?

“When a crowd reacts to something it gives you a real buzz. It’s exciting to play when people are singing along. With the new album, over the tour we’ll whittle it down to the ones we love to play live. And that decides whether they’re singles or not. There’s never a moment where you go ‘Oh no, it’s this one.’”

Considering how rock has gradually waned in influence on the airwaves, we asked what The Darkness’ audiences are like. “Last night I’d say a good 70% of the audience were under 25. It’s interesting, we supported Guns N’ Roses in the summer with a couple of big venues. And it’s all just kids. They weren’t there when Guns N’ Roses were first around, they’ve gotten into them in the last five years. It shows that rock is very much still alive, but alive in bands from previous generations... and I guess that includes us these days!” MEGAN POTTERTON St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Wed 13 Dec. Tickets: £29 Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

Since forming in 2011, the rise of countrified Pontypridd rock band Climbing Trees has been steady rather than meteoric, but it’s opened an impressive number of doors for them both locally and afar. As recently as October, for example, the fourpiece travelled to New York to play their first three American gigs.

“We played our first show outside the UK in the Netherlands in spring, so to find ourselves in the Big Apple this autumn was another highlight of a pretty decent 2017!” says vocalist/guitarist Matthew Frederick. “These are the kinds of shows we could only have dreamed about playing two or three years ago.”

Climbing Trees have dubbed their sound Cymrucana – the aesthetics of Americana coloured by their Welsh upbringings and surroundings, more or less – so the question of how actual Americans might react was a crucial one for the band. “Any time you play some place new, it’s almost like starting all over again,” says Frederick. “The crowd at each gig responded really well – I think our sound lends itself nicely to an American audience.”

The parallels between Pontypridd and the parts of the USA immortalised in country music are not lost on the band, either: class ructions, the legacy of mining and the smalltown mentality in general. “Graves, the lead track from our second album Borders, addresses that mentality,” notes Frederick. “A lot of people seem to have identified with it – everybody’s trying to find a way out, but home has a way of reeling you back in sometimes.”

Borders, which was released in summer 2016, has proved fertile for Climbing Trees: as well as propelling them across oceans and onto numerous festival bills, no less than five singles have been released from it. As such, the group are now looking to move onto what Frederick calls their “next phase” as a band, beginning to write a third album during 2018 after a period working on various solo projects.

Before that, there’ll be a hometown Christmas gig, with The Moon Birds and Ofelia supporting. “Pardon the pun, but it should be a cracker!” says Frederick, Frank Carsonishly. FEDOR TOT The Muni, Pontypridd, Sun 23 Dec. Tickets: £8 Info: 01443 490390 / www.muniartscentre.com BUZZ 24

Pic: Mark Bennett

CLIMBING TREES

Offsite St John’s Church, Cardiff/ Man Arrall Eglwys Saint Ioan, Caerdydd 07.12—16.12 7.30pm Matt: 16.12 3pm

Inspired by the insight and satire of the second Christmas story by Charles Dickens and prompted by 21st century Britain, THE CHIMES is a dynamic new piece of music theatre, packed full of colourful characters and haunting melodies, which will touch your heart and fire your soul.

Inspired by the insight and satire of the second Christmas story by Charles Dickens and prompted by 21st century Britain, THE CHIMES is a dynamic new piece of music theatre, packed full of colourful characters and haunting melodies, which will touch your heart and fire your soul.

Presented by Judith Roberts, In partnership with Chapter/ Cyflwyniad gan Judith Roberts as y cyd a Chapter.

£16/12

Star Wars: The Last Jedi 14.12.17—04.01.18

USA/UDA/2017/150mins/ctba/TiCh. Dir/Cyf: Rian Johnson. With/Gyda: Daisy Ridley John Boyega, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill

Rey joins Luke Skywalker in an adventure with Leia, Finn, and Poe that unlocks mysteries of the force and the secrets of the past in the latest epic instalment of the world’s greatest sci-fi saga.

Mae Rey yn ymuno â Luke Skywalker ar antur gyda Leia, Finn a Poe sy’n datgelu dirgelion y Force a chyfrinachau o’r gorffennol yn y rhan ddiweddaraf hon o saga gwyddonias mwyaf epig y byd.

DIRTY PROTEST

Cut & Run by / gan Branwen Davies 20.12—23.12 7.30pm

As the invitation to come home for Christmas hangs awkwardly unanswered in the air, Caitlin does what she does best — travels a million miles in the opposite direction. Tinsel, Texan tourists and the turned up ticking of a biological clock make this a Christmas to remember! £8/£6 Age 14+

A’r gwahoddiad i fynd adre’ ar gyfer y Nadolig heb ei ateb, mae Caitlin yn gwneud yr hyn y mae hi’n ei wneud orau, sef ffoi filiwn o filltiroedd i’r cyfeiriad arall. Mae tinsel, twristiaid o Decsas a thicio’r cloc biolegol yn sicrhau y bydd hwn yn Nadolig i’w gofio! £8/£6 14+ oed

Oh So Crafty Christmas Fair / FfairNadolig Oh So Crafty 02 + 03.12 11am—6pm

Chapter’s craft fair is back and crammed with fabulous ceramics, textiles. jewellery and homeware. Find something a little different and a little local for your family and friends this Christmas!

Free Entry

Mae ffair grefftau boblogaidd Chapter yn ei hôl ac mae hi’n llawn nwyddau serameg, tecstilau, gemwaith a phethau gwych i’r cartref. Dewlch i ddod o hyd i rywbeth bach gwahanol a lleol i’ch teulu a’ch ffrindiau y Nadolig hwn!

Mynediad am ddim

Chapter xmas Ad Buzz.indd 1

Clockwise from top right: The Chimes, Star Wars: THe Last Jedi, Dirty Protest.

The Chimes

17/11/2017 14:34

‘THE BAND’ – TAKE THAT Using the music of Take That as its foundations, Tim Firth’s new musical The Band is currently touring around the UK, already having broken records in terms of pre-sales. Telling the story of a group of five friends as both teenagers and 25 years later as women, all obsessed with “the band”, it aims to be a paean to feminine friendship.

Speaking to the show’s two Welsh cast members, Alison Fitzjohn (who plays Claire) and Rachel Lumberg (Rachel), we wonder how it feels to be part of a show that’s couched in resonance for Take That’s fans, depicting as it does the fervour of teenage fandom and its ability to bring back strong memories years down the line. “It’s so special as the fans are so enthusiastic. I’ve always thought that speaking to our fans is so important,” says Fitzjohn.

It certainly has proven itself such: the show has been praised for telling realistic and positive stories of women from multiple walks of life. Fitzjohn and Lumberg both praise “incredible” writer Tim Firth on this point.

“To want to write a story which deals with many deep, realistic issues is highly commendable. He has a fantastic way of wrapping serious issues with comedy, warmth and friendship,” says Fitzjohn.

How important is it to tell these stories? Lumberg: “I think I can speak on behalf of all us when I say that, when accepting these roles, none of us truly realised the impact it would have on both ourselves or the women who have come to see the show so far. We are there for them and to tell their story and we hope we've done it, and them, justice.”

“It makes people contemplate where they are in their own lives,” says Fitzjohn, and indeed some fans have even opened up to Alison about their issues. “I’m honoured that I can be here for people who feel they need me, and privileged that I am part of a show that is helping,” she adds. JAKE YOUNG Pic: Matt Crockett

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Tue 9-Sat 20 Jan Tickets: £19.50-£49.50. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk

PHILL JUPITUS Never one to take the easy option, Phill Jupitus has spent over 30 years entertaining the nation whilst rarely doing the same thing twice. Most will know him from his team captaincy on Never Mind The Buzzcocks or regular appearances on QI. It’s quite possible that standup is NOT something you know him for. This isn’t too surprising, given his bouts of solo stage comedy are infrequent (the last being some four years ago), nor are they straightforward ‘one man and his mic’ affair. His previous show involved him playing dead characters and invited the audience to ask questions about their imaginary lives.

Jupitus’ new show is also similarly leftfield, incorporating music, comic poetry courtesy of Porky The Poet (Phill’s alter ego) and some traditional standup stylings.

But what got him back out on tour? “Standup is always something I’ve had on the bench, wearing the number 12 shirt, waiting for the call. My last show wasn’t straightforward and neither is Juplicity. I've never really enjoyed the ‘banter’ with the crowd, I prefer interacting with the audience. In the interval I’ll wander around talking to people, like the dad at a wedding, checking everyone’s alright.”

The name comes from the show’s dual nature, with its poetic first half and storydriven second. But who is Porky? “Porky’s not a character. It was a nickname at college, and Ian Dury wrote a song called Percy The Poet, so it made sense to use it as a stage name.”

Regarding the more story-driven segment, he says: “Telling stories comes naturally to me. Not that I tell stories with friends – you can sense them thinking ‘he’s doing his thing now’, so I don't tend to hold court.”

Phill has a pleasingly unstarry quality in conversation, despite being an instantly recognisable TV figure. “I’ve skirted round the edges of being a real household name, with people coming up to me in the street, which was weird. I never sought attention or went to celebrity parties. I don’t consider this a career so much as a disorder, a function of my inability to hold down a normal job.” Maybe for audiences, that’s not a bad inability to have. MAX HARVEY Torch Theatre, Milford Haven, Sat 9 Dec. Tickets: £15.

Info: 01646 695267 / www.torchtheatre.co.uk BUZZ 26

RHAGFYR YN FFRESH...

DECEMBER IN FFRESH...

WHAT’S ON/AR FYND January / Ionawr 2018 – February / Chwefror 2018

A MERRY TOOTSIE CHRISTMAS Rhagfyr 2 December

MARTYN JOSEPH 16.01.18 – 8pm CLAIRE MARTIN Rhagfyr 8 December

CAPITAL CITY JAZZ ORCHESTRA 23.01.18 – 8pm JACQUI DANKWORTH & CHARLIE WOOD

Featuring / Gyda Tim Garland

Rhagfyr 9 December

ERNIE SPARKLES’ OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY Rhagfyr 15 December

AMY WADGE & LUKE JACKSON 30.01.18 – 8pm

AN EVENING WITH MAT RICARDO WITH SPECIAL GUEST PETE WARDELL

Rhagfyr 16 December

YFED, BWYTA A HWYL YR wˆ YL!

eat, drink, and be merry!

Os ydych chi’n chwilio am noson arbennig y Nadolig hwn, cymerwch gipolwg ar ein pecyn adloniant - archebwch docyn i unrhyw sioe yn ffresh yn ystod mis Rhagfyr a mwynhewch fyrgyr, sglodion a diod* cyn y sioe am £10 yn ychwanegol.

If you’re looking for a great night out this Christmas, check out our entertainment package - book for any show in ffresh during December and enjoy a burger, fries and a drink* before the show for an additional £10.

*Gweinir bwyd tan 8:30pm. Dewis o fyrgyr cig eidion Celtic Pride neu fyrgyr pum ffeuen sbeislyd. Un diod cyn y sioe fesul cwsmer, dewis o ddiod meddal, gwin neu gwrw casgen.

*Food served until 8.30pm. Choose from Celtic Pride beef burger or spiced five bean burger. One pre-show drink per customer, select from a soft drink, wine or draft beer.

CHRIS WOOD 06.02.18 – 8pm

RICHARD HERRING 24.02.18 – 8pm Oh Frig, I’m 50!

ELFYN EVANS Rally driver Elfyn Evans recently became the first Welshman to win a World Rally Championship stage on home soil. Fedor Tot caught up with the up-and-coming racer.

How does it feel to have won your first WRC Rally on home soil?

It feels incredible to be honest. It’s been a lot to get to this point, so it’s not always been so easy.

A lot of sacrifice has gone in from a lot of people, from the team at M-Sport over the years, from my family, Dan [Barritt] my co-driver and myself, so it’s a bit early but it feels pretty good.

What are your plans for the 2018 World Rally Championship?

Nothing’s fully prepared yet, but there will be some news on that soon. I think we’re certainly aiming to be regularly fighting for the higher positions next year. This year we’ve shown some glimpses of good speed and good rallies, but it would be nice to do it more on a consistent basis and be more of Championship threat. I think realistically we’re still another season away from a real Championship challenge, but you never know.

We’ll go in there with the attitude that we’re going to do the best job we can, but the priority is to be more consistent.

What inspired you to go into rally driving?

I was lucky enough that my father was a professional rally driver so a lot of my childhood involved sport in some way; there’s always been rally. My dad was very much into motorbikes and

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mountain bikes, but it wasn’t until I turned 16 going on 17, when you’re old enough to drive, that I started to show a bit of hunger to go that way [towards rally driving]. Then from there my dad allowed me to do it and supported me.

Rally used to be a regular feature on terrestrial TV and was quite visible in the UK, but recently it seems to have dropped off a bit in popularity. Do you think that is the case and do you think that’s hopefully going to change?

Yeah, it would be nice if it was going to change, but the way that people access sport has changed a lot over the last 20 years. There’s very little live sport on terrestrial TV on a regular basis outside of football and F1, and a lot of motorsport has gone onto more specialist channels or online entirely.

But I think the online side of things is developing and I think the profile of the sport is growing again all the time, especially with the cars we have now. At the end of the 2000s we had only two manufacturers and the cars were quite quiet and heavy and then with [Sebastien] Loeb winning it again and again [Loeb won nine consecutive WRCs from 2004 to 2012]. Now we have four manufacturers, each with a competitive car that’s won rallies. There’s been seven different winners this year, which has livened things up.

Of all the places you go throughout the year, which rallies are your favourites to drive on?

Naturally, GB has a special atmosphere because it’s at home. There’s always something special about it because it’s where you’ve grown up driving and you naturally feel relaxed and it’s always enjoyable. Otherwise, one of the highlights of the season for me now especially with these new cars is Rally Finland. The speed and the feeling of driving these cars is incredible; in terms of maximum driving skills, you can’t beat Finland.

Least favourite? [laughs] I seem to have a couple of events on the calendar which seem to be...

Spain is one. I went there the first time in 2012 as junior championship contender and I lost my lead after four competitive wins though I did still end up on the podium. Then moving on from there I seem to have had disasters there every year. In ‘13 I had an accident followed by a mechanical breakdown the following day, then ‘14 I had another accident, ‘15 another accident. This year I went through no problem but maybe not as competitive as I would have liked.

Info: www.elfynevans.com

Perfect Christmas gift ideas... because it’s about sharing moments

THE X FACTOR LIVE TOUR

PAUL WELLER

PALOMA FAITH

THE ELVIS WORLD TOUR

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS

THE AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD SHOW

JASON MANFORD

19 FEBRUARY

17 & 18 MARCH

BILL BAILEY 1 JUNE

21 FEBRUARY

18 MAY

24 NOVEMBER

JOE BONAMASSA 9 MARCH

20 MAY

1 DECEMBER 2018

motorpointarenacardiff.co.uk 029 2022 4488

TOP TEN FILMS OF 2017 & 2018…

IN KEIRON SELF’S OPINION

In a year of bloated blockbusters, superheroes and sequels, there has been a great decline in smaller budgeted dramas and comedies. Those films, with a few rare exceptions, seem to have either been at a cinema for a low key week or migrated to Netflix and Amazon. A real shame as cinema shouldn’t all be about spectacle and explosions, however enjoyable they may be.

2017

Happy BUZZ 30

Anyway, here’s my eclectic top 10 of the year, in no particular order and all very much catered to my taste. Read it and disagree.

2018

More superheroes, more Star Wars and more diversity, let’s hope that 2018 proves to have a bumper crop of celluloid… these should be movies to watch out for…

GET OUT – a small budgeted horror with a big idea, that manages to satirise, entertain and chill all at the same time, whilst keeping its finger firmly on the pulse of today.

THE SHAPE OF WATER – Guillermo del Toro’s latest monster movie romance has been wowing festival crowds with Sally Hawkins superb as a loner stumbling upon a government experiment at the height of the Cold War.

THE BIG SICK – Funny, heartfelt and a twist on the usual rom-com as one half of the pairing is mostly in a coma throughout... and based on fact.

LADY BIRD – Indie muse and all-round great actress Greta Gerwig has her first crack at writing and directing with this coming-of-age tale starring Saoirse Ronan.

Funny and incredibly well observed.

BLADE RUNNER 2049 – A follow up that just about managed to be reverent to the original whilst offering something new; a few plot holes aside this is leisurely.

BLACK PANTHER – The superheroes keep coming. This, however, is the first black superhero to have a solo Marvel Studios movie and directed by Ryan Coogler (Creed).

LADY MACBETH – A grim drama based on a Russian short story about a woman trying to break free of her claustrophobic marriage with tragic results. Florence Pugh is superb in the title role.

READY PLAYER ONE – Big budget, genre mashing sci-fi extravaganza based on Ernest Cline’s spectacular book under Steven Spielberg’s direction. A virtual reality quest that references popular culture with aplomb.

DUNKIRK – Christopher Nolan’s war epic played around with fractured timelines but still managed to be tense and authentic, perfectly at home on the big screen

TOMB RAIDER – Lara Croft is back in the form of Alicia Vikander with a grittier take on the adventurer following Angelina Jolie’s so-so stab at the character.

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES – The ape trilogy came to an end in an epic Western style, still with plenty to say about humanity and the lack of it.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY – A troubled shoot does not bode well for this solo outing, with Alden Ehrenreich stepping into the big boots of Harrison Ford.

WONDER WOMAN – The first truly upbeat DC superhero film since Superman, director Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot’s earnest but winning take on the Amazonian warrior led to a wave of global female empowerment.

A WRINKLE IN TIME – Adaptation of the novel by Madeleine L’Engle as three kids are propelled into space to find their father with spooky results. Selma director Ava DuVernay should ensure some grit.

THOR: RAGNOROK – Spiderman: Homecoming and Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 were both solidly entertaining but pipping them at the post is the Thunder god’s third outing, given anarchic silly life by director Taika Watiti.

OCEAN’S 8 – Like Ocean’s 11 but with a gangbusters group of women, Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway amongst them. Expect whip smart dialogue and ice-cool hipness.

COLOSSAL – Anne Hathaway can control a giant monster on the other side of the world, but has relationship issues to deal with. Offbeat, intelligent and a breath of fresh air.

JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM – More dinosaurs!

More Chris Pratt! More dinosaurs!

THE DEATH OF STALIN – Armando Iannucci’s pitch-black satire never forgets to be funny alongside its chills. The Thick Of It in 1953 Russia, and what a cast.

THE LITTLE STRANGER – An adaptation of Sarah Waters’ unsettling period novel with haunted houses and dead children, starring Ruth Wilson and Domnhall Gleeson and directed by Room’s Lenny Abrahamson.

viewing everyone! But if you are sitting anywhere near me in the cinema and talking, I will shush you, with extreme prejudice.

THE CINEMA AT TRAMSHED - CLARE ROAD, CARDIFF, CF11 6QP ENQUIRIES: CHARLEY@TRAMSHEDCARDIFF.COM - WWW.TRAMSHEDCARDIFF.COM

by Keiron Self

DOWNSIZING ****

Dir: Alexander Payne (15, 135 mins) Writer/director Alexander Payne goes very high-concept after a series of excellent dramas – Election, About Schmidt, Sideways, The Descendants and Nebraska – with this fable about America and masculinity in microcosm. We follow put-upon occupational therapist Paul (Matt Damon), trapped in a job he is failing at with no money and living in the house in which he was born; he craves adventure, a change.

Revolutionary Norwegian technology offers him a chance to be shrunk down to five inches. Being smaller he eats and consumes less, becoming a millionaire in the tiny world of Leisure Land. Unfortunately, his partner Audrey (Kristen Wiig) does not want to join him in his miniature world and big world problems soon encroach on the Lilliputian community. Turns out even being small will not allow you to escape the world’s big problems. Part comedy, part dystopian sci-fi and part moving human drama, Downsizing is a fantastic examination of America. Christoph Waltz charms as Damon’s playboy neighbour, Hong Chau becomes Damon’s smaller partner and Damon is as good as ever, ably handling a man whose problems grow bigger despite his small stature. An environmental treatise as well as a satire and pure entertainment, Downsizing is a multilayered triumph. Opens Jan 19

BETTER WATCH OUT ****

Dir: Chris Peckover (15, 99 mins) Home Alone with queasy violence, this horror-comedy provides an antidote to anyone wanting to escape a saccharine Christmas with its macabre twists and turns. Luke (Levi Miller) is a 12-year-old left with regular babysitter Ashley (Olivia DeJonge), when parents Deandra (Virginia Madsen) and Robert (the ever-droll Patrick Warburton) go out for a Christmas party. Luke has decided he will declare his love for his babysitter that night, but then someone appears to break in. To say more would be to spoil some nasty surprises; suffice to say nothing is as it seems as the death toll rises and cartoonish-but-gory violence escalates. Veering from slapstick comedy to chilling malevolence, Better Watch Out succeeds thanks to Miller’s enjoyable central turn and DeJonge’s attempts to be a grown-up in control. More naughty than nice.

Opens Dec 8

STAR WARS - THE LAST JEDI ****

Dir: Rian Johnson (12A, 130 mins) The Force Awakens shook up the Star Wars universe under JJ Abrams’ reverential direction. After the disappointments of the sci-fi prequels, Episode VII truly delivered for Star Wars and non-Star Wars fans. Now Rian Johnson, the director of classy nourish films like Brick and Looper has been handed the keys to the Millennium Falcon, will this next instalment be the new trilogy’s Empire Strikes Back – darker in tone – or something else entirely? Luke Skywalker (in the shape of a now-grizzled Mark Hamill) will be taking a more pivotal role as Rey (Daisy Ridley) goes on a journey to discover her own abilities about her own. Is she the Last Jedi of the title? All the other cast members are returning, with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) possibly seeking redemption, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) flying more X-Wings and Finn (John Boyega) wielding his own lightsabre. Hopefully this will have the same crowd pleasing mix of new and old, with droids BB-8, C-3PO and R2-D2 siting confidently alongside each other as Chewbacca gains a cuddly small sidekick aimed at the Christmas market in the shape of a creature called a Porg. It will of course be Carrie Fisher’s last outing as Princess Leia and for that reason alone is unmissable.

The Force will be strong in this one. Opens Dec 13

JUMANJI – WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE ***

Dir: Jake Kasdan (12A, 105 mins) A puzzlingly unnecessary retread of the 1995 family film starring Robin Williams about an enchanted boardgame, but this time with more Rock. Thanks to society moving forward, it’s not an enchanted boardgame, but an old videogame that embroils four teenagers in a jungle world. They are turned from their stereotypes – jock, nerd, prom queen, geek girl – into their avatars on the game, becoming Chris Hart, Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Karen Gillan respectively. Their personalities do not suit their characters, so we have a body-swap comedy on top of the usual CGI FX shenanigans. They each have three lives, various strengths and weaknesses and a deep need to escape their predicament. There should be plenty of fun to be had, making this a diverting if bizarre raiding of a so-so film from a mere 22 years ago... actually, that’s quite a long time now, isn’t it?

Gulp. Opens Dec 20

LAST FLAG FLYING ***

Dir: Richard Linklater (15, 124 mins) A curiously inert drama from the director of Boyhood, Richard Linklater’s latest is a cousin of sorts to Hal Ashby’s 1973 film The Last Detail, as three former US servicemen reunite and mull over their pasts. Steve Carrell plays Mac, whose son has been killed overseas whilst serving for the US Marines. Tracking down old friends Laurence Fishburne and Bryan Cranston, the three go on a road trip, reminiscing, arguing and musing on the state of the world. It should crackle but, despite the best efforts of all involved, it feels a little forced, half-wisecracking comedy, half-mawkish melodrama. There appears to be a better film in here about masculinity and service to one’s country despite disagreeing with the politics that have brought you there, but it’s a little muddied and inconsequential.

As a snapshot of humanity, like Linklater’s excellent Before... trilogy, it occasionally succeeds, but mostly remains sluggish. Opens Jan 26

ALSO RELEASED DECEMBER 2017: HAPPY END (15) The always jolly Michael Haneke delivers another gruelling drama set against the backdrop of the refugee crisis in Calais. Isabelle Huppert is on top brittle form. THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS (PG) Dickensian biopic, as Dan Stevens becomes the man who wrote A Christmas Carol and redefined that holiday forever. No Muppets unfortunately. WONDER (PG) A boy with facial differences enters high school for the first time, Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson add heft to this inspiring tearjerker. BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL (18) Bonkers samurai madness and gore from Takeshi Miike. Lots of limb lopping and kinetic fights and with a surprisingly engaging story, just don’t eat beforehand. BRIGSBY BEAR (12A) Mark Hamill’s other film coming out in December, this is a curious offbeat comedy drama, about a man who BUZZ 32

THE DISASTER ARTIST ****

Dir: James Franco (15, 103 mins) A joyous examination of the wonders of creativity, no matter how awful the outcome, The Disaster Artist is an excellent film about the making of a terrible one. Back in 2003 cult film The Room was released by actor/director Tommy Wiseau – an eccentric, quirky figure, played here with chameleon skill by James Franco. He befriended another struggling actor, Greg Sestero, played by Dave Franco. Having had no success at auditions or acting classes they decided to make their own film, each beguiled by the other’s apparent strengths but neither seeing the fuller picture.

What follows is an often-hilarious chronicle of a misbegotten enterprise, with the brothers Franco playing well off each other; one may have baby-faced good looks and the other an apparent stroke of genius, but when it comes down to it, neither has the skills to succeed. And where is Tommy getting the money from to make his bonkers film?! Director Franco, whilst also pulling off his best performance in years, allows us to laugh at Wiseau but also feel for him as he falls deeper into egocentric mayhem. The Room is now an underground hit, with its so-bad-it’s-good vibe, but it came at a price. The Disaster Artist is a true-life tale worth catching; even if you’ve never heard of The Room you’ll want to see it after this. Opens Dec 1

MOLLY’S GAME ****

Dir: Aaron Sorkin (15, 140 mins) A dazzlingly verbose script propels writer Aaron Sorkin’s directorial debut. No stranger to dialogue after penning The West Wing, The Social Network and Steve Jobs, Sorkin finds a perfect actor to channel his complex, meaty scripts in Jessica Chastain. She plays Molly Bloom, an Olympic skier who, following an accident, sets her sights on the world of high-stakes poker and ends up miring herself in Russian crime syndicates, drugs, and the FBI. Based on fact, her quite staggering story leaves her very much in the moral greys, but Sorkin and Chastain make sure we root for her. When finally sued by the US government for her financially suspect dealings, she is represented by scenery chewing lawyer Idris Elba, whilst also facing criticism from her aloof psychotherapist dad played by an excellent Kevin Costner. It’s a dense film with lots to say but well-wrangled by Chastain and Sorkin, a game worth being dealt in for. Opens Dec 26

STRONGER ****

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI ****

Dir: Martin McDonagh (15, 115 mins) Frances McDormand is on superb form as a woman avenging her daughter’s death in this barnstorming neo-western from the skilled wordsmith and director Martin McDonagh. The Irish playwright and director previously brought us the excellent In Bruges and the quizzical Seven Psychopaths, but this is his most assured work to date, laced with humour, violence and ornate, muscular dialogue. Mildred’s (McDormand) daughter was murdered over a year ago, the trail has gone cold, and local copper Willoughby (Woody Harrelson), beloved by the community, seems to be doing nothing about it, until Mildred puts up three large billboards on the way into town to deride the local police force. Willoughby is battling cancer but seems a good man, his deputy Dixon (played with relish by Sam Rockwell) is a hotheaded idiot.

The plot twists and turns, veering in tone from taut drama to small-town comedy and back again with the steely but warm McDormand at its centre, spitting out McDonagh’s picaresque dialogue with aplomb. While the freewheeling structure may confound some, it proves one of its strengths; you care for the characters, get to know them and as the stakes rise higher you hope they survive. Strong Oscar-worthy storytelling, well executed by all involved. Opens Jan 12

Dir: David Gordon Green (15, 119 mins) A true-life, inspirational tale of triumph over adversity with a grueling performance from Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger deals with life for a victim of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. Jeff Bauman (Gyllenhaal), whose on/off girlfriend Erin (Tatiana Maslany) is running in the marathon. Their relationship is in crisis, with Jeff never showing up when she needs him most. He shows up to cheer her over the finish line and loses both his legs in the terrorist explosion.

It is his rehabilitation and their ongoing relationship that forms the backbone of the film, as he struggles through the horror of the attack, becomes a poster boy of defiance for Boston and tries to walk again. What could have been schmaltzy and very cliched is given richness by the script, direction from David Gordon Green and the performances. There is a grittiness to it all, making Stronger a realistic, moving story of hope.

Opens Dec 8

THE POST ****

Dir: Steven Spielberg (12A, tbc mins) An awards-baiting lineup if ever there was one, this Steven Spielberg drama takes a look at the uncovering of the Pentagon Papers, and teams two Oscar winners for the first time. In 1971, the female editor of The Washington Post Katharine Graham, together with executive editor Ben Bradlee, decided to publish leaked documents that exposed the escalating deaths of US servicemen during the Vietnam War. These Pentagon Papers proved to be instrumental in changing the course of history and cast a spotlight on a cover up in which four Presidents had been complicit. Timely subject matter in this Trumpian era, with a stellar cast to tell the story. Meryl Streep plays the pioneering Graham, whilst Tom Hanks is Bradlee with a superb supporting cast featuring the likes of Sarah Paulson, Alison Brie, Carrie Coon and Matthew Rhys. A gripping history lesson championing investigative journalism that needs to be heeded. Opens Jan 19

has little outside world experience and has had a TV show made for just him alone, and he wants to make more of them. Oddly touching. THE DINNER (15) Richard Gere and Laura Linney face off against Steve Coogan and Rebecca Hall in this four-hander about two sets of parents meeting to discuss what to do about a crime committed by their sons. A Partridge In A Pear Tree this is not. THE UNSEEN (15) British psychological thriller as two grieving parents retreat to the Lake District to get over the death of their son. PITCH PERFECT 3 (12A) Acapella apocalypse! More singing with the likeable band of sassy close harmony sirens. HOSTILES (15) Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike star in this Western as a US Army captain transports a Cheyenne chief and his family through enemy territory. FERDINAND (PG) CGI-animated family comedy about a friendly bull called, er, Ferdinand.

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Pic: Huw John

IL GUSTO POP UP STORE

ABERGAVENNY CHRISTMAS FAIR

Il Gusto have opened up a fantastic pop-up store in St David’s Shopping Centre, and will be there for a limited time only over the festive period. If you’re looking for some unique or personalised Christmas gifts for family and friends this year, go and have a look at what they have to offer.

Choose from festive liqueurs and spirits to gourmet oils and vinegars, which can then be put into a glass bottle of your choice (choose anything from gingerbread men to Christmas cracker-shaped bottles). You can also decorate your gift with a personalised message for your loved one.

St David’s Shopping Centre, Cardiff Info: 01494 448242 www.ilgusto.uk.com

The largest and longest-running Welsh food festival is hosting another Christmas-themed fair, as Jake Young looks ahead to what’s on offer.

Still stocking up for Christmas and preparing festivities? If you’re not sure where to even begin, look no further, as the annual Abergavenny Christmas Fair has you covered. The acclaimed festival was started by two local farmers in 1999 to put confidence back into British produce; it now attracts approximately 30,000 visitors a year, alongside top food celebrities such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Jamie Oliver and Monica Galetti, to name a few. This year they have Masterchef quarter-finalist Inman Nathoo to tell you about how to make the most of your Christmas leftovers, and Chef Tommy Heaney cooking up a showcase festive feast that has our mouths watering just thinking about it.

Still not convinced this is the Christmas market to visit this year? Perhaps the 85 stall pavilions set up by numerous business and locals alike to share and experience south Wales’s food culture can persuade you, which this year includes such favourites as Bee Welsh Honey, Gower Cottage Brownies, Welsh Coffee Roasters and Eccentric Gin. Relax: it’s not all look but don’t touch. Jump into the festivities with the numerous tasting workshops based around Christmas chocolate, food pairings, and matching BUZZ 34

wine or cocktails to your Christmas meal – how’s that for Christmas spirit?

There’s also something for the kids so they aren’t left out. Not only do they go free but there’s also a festive trail of clues to find robins around the town, with plenty of surprises to be had. If the kids fancy a bit of a sing then there is an opportunity to join in with the carols as you accompany the Borough Brass Band through the town, with mince pies as a reward. Now it wouldn’t be much of a Christmas market without Santa and some reindeer, so there’s a chance to help the jolly fellow make some trinkets and decoratives to hang up on your tree.

Whether it be stocking up for a great-tasting Christmas, finding those perfect gifts, or simply having a great day this December, Abergavenny Christmas Fair is the place to be. With offerings for all the family, this is a recipe for a merry Christmas.

The Market Hall, Upper Brewery Yard + The Priory, Abergavenny, Sun 10 Dec Admission: £5 adults/free children Info: 01873 851643 www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com

FILCO MARKET

Filco stores the local supermarket chain across South Wales has upgraded their Cowbridge store to include a delicatessen and a butchery. The renowned family business has revamped the store to reflect the changes in customer expectations.

All meat is locally sourced from farms across Wales, customers can speak to the onsite butcher to request certain cuts of meat and ask where the meat is sourced. The response to the new addition has been very positive and looks likely that other stores may soon follow suit. It’s heartening to know that local businesses such as FIlco are taking seriously the source of their products and their customers’ needs.

FIlco Market, 2, High Street, Cowbridge 01446 773162

Milgi

OF THE BEST CHRISTMAS MARKETS With mulled wine flowing aplenty and the hunt for unique gifts starting anew, Rhonda Lee Reali checks out some of the best Christmas Markets in Wales.

NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN OF WALES’S WINTER WONDERLAND

If you’re looking for something quirkier from your Christmas fair this festive season, look no further. Combining startling light shows, a wonderful owl display, free mulled wine and mince pies, a bar, a barbeque and other Yuletide treats, this nine-day long affair offers you everything you could desire for utter festive delight. The craft fair will also offer a chance for last-minute gifts such as exclusive festive trinkets like jewellery and fine silk scarves.

National Botanic Garden Of Wales, Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire.

Fri 8-Sun 17 Dec. Info: 01558 667149 / www.botanicgarden.wales

CAERPHILLY CHRISTMAS MARKET

Adults and kids alike will have a ball at this two-day event, with yummy chocolate, mulled wine and fresh produce at over 100 food, craft and gift stalls. Included are a farmer’s market, craft fayre, music, entertainment and street theatre to indulge in.

Santa’s grotto and traditional funfair rides will keep little ones happy, too.

Caerphilly town centre, Sat 9 + Sun 10 Dec Info: www.caerphilly.gov.uk/caerphillychristmasmarket

CARDIFF CHRISTMAS MARKET

SMOKED MACKEREL PÂTÉ Words Ffiona Mills

I tend to think of smoked mackerel pâté as the grown up of tuna mayonnaise… a slightly more sophisticated flavour but, essentially, it works in the same way. Smoked mackerel pâté is delicious eaten on buttered English muffins, stirred through pasta or simply as an alternative to your usual sandwich filling. As it is the festive season now, this recipe is also an easy topping for teeny toast-squares as a more cost-effective canape than traditional smoked salmon.

INGREDIENTS • 200g of ready to eat smoked mackerel fillet • 3 tbsp crème fraiche • 1 tbsp mayonnaise

Cardiff’s Christmas market is celebrating over 20 years as a staple of the city centre, with around 80 stalls and a rolling programme of 200 exhibitors. The core vendors include talented artists and craftspeople, including producers of Welsh slate work and recycled glass to purchase. For those who like a tipple, the various drinks on hand include craft beer and aged Celtic whiskey. Among the foodstuffs, there are also gingerbread cookies, German stollen and a wide range of Welsh cheese.

The Hayes, Cardiff, until Sat 23 Dec Info: 07974 561514 / www.cardiffchristmasmarket.com

• 1 tsp horseradish sauce

CARMARTHEN CHRISTMAS MARKET

METHOD

Now in its fifth year, the market in St. Catherine’s Walk has been extended into December. There’s various types of food and drink, including award-winning produce, honey products and edible printed chocolates. You’ll also be able to purchase everything from crystals to handmade soaps to iron and glasswork to put under your Christmas tree.

St. Catherine’s Walk, Carmarthen, Sat 2 + Sun 24 Dec Info: 07740 573636 / www.gingerlili-fairs.co.uk

SWANSEA CHRISTMAS MARKET

Back again are the traditional red and green chalets manned by over 40 traders and filled with arts, crafts, fine foods, lovely decorations and unique gifts such as Himalayan salt lamps and fair-trade products such as woollen hats, gloves, socks and scarves. There will be new vendors each week with Belgian waffles, chocolatecovered fruit, handmade chocolate and fudge and doughnuts among the treats on offer to satisfy your sweet tooth and more.

Oxford St, Swansea, until Thurs 21 Dec Info: 01792 636226 / www.enjoyswanseabay.com

• Juice of 1 small lemon • 2 small gherkins, finely chopped • 2 tsp capers, finely chopped • Ground black pepper, to season

1. Remove the mackerel from its packaging, and take off any skin and evident bones that might still be remaining.

Shred the flesh with a knife and fork.

2. Place in a bowl with the crème fraiche, mayonnaise, horseradish sauce and lemon juice. Mash the ingredients until they make as fine a paste as possible.

3. Add the chopped gherkins and capers and stir through.

Season to taste et voila!

www.thethinkingwomanscrumpet.com @ffionamills BUZZ 35

Pic: Alex Holyoake

Pic: Jonas Forth

GREAZY VEGAN

DEC/JAN FOODIE FOCUS

N longer!

BUZZ 36

Words: Elouise Hobbs

e w year, n ew s kills an d lots of great fo o d – as w e en t er 20 1 8, these food ie c o urs es acro s s Wales are great chance to i mprove yo u r coo kery skills – whether y o u’re already a maes tro who wants to fin d n ew t as t es o r that fr iend who w a nt s t o be t h e dreaded d inner host no

Culinary Courses at Humble by Nature, Penallt From Sausages to bread and chocolate, Humble farm (run by the one and only Kate Humble and her husband) offers a range of amazing food courses to perfect your skills – and the opportunity to host and attend supper clubs that are run throughout the year. Start the year with a trip to the farm to have a new experience, finesse your abilities to impress your friends and enjoy organic, homegrown food.

Price: from £45. Info: 01600 714595 www. humblebynature.com

Bakery Courses at The One Mile Bakery, Cardiff There’s few things quite as refreshing as waking up in the morning and smelling freshly-made bread. Such dreams could be a reality with the short one-day courses at One Mile Bakery, held most Saturdays.

Not only will you learn the basics of preparing a granary, white or sourdough loaf, everyone is encouraged to experiment with flours and flavours to create your own unique invention.

Price: £125. Info: 07939 211809 www.onemilebakery.com

Sunday Mint And Mustard Cookery Experience, Penarth, Sun 14 Jan + Sun 21 Jan Expect to leave this high-end five-hour session with a mastery of curry, basmati rice and chapattis which, once perfected, you can enjoy at home – as well as receiving an apron and a recipe card to recreate the dishes. After the lesson, participants are treated to a two-course meal (which you won’t have to cook!) and a Q&A session with the chef.

Price: £120 Info: www.mintandmustard.com

How to homebrew coffee, 200 Degrees Coffee, Cardiff, Sat 16 Dec + Sat 13 Jan Hot coffee makes everything better. From the morning kick-starter to the afternoon uplift, finishing with that espresso after an evening meal – there’s a type for every time and a style for every occasion. Now, this Cardiff coffee house is offering the chance not only to learn about the blackened beans enjoyed by their millions every day, but also how to get the best out of cafetieres, AeroPresses and drippers as well as different brew methods and recipes, plus a bag of coffee to take home.

Price: £45. Info: www.200degs.com

Veganism and junk food are still seen as opposites, with images of veganism still entrenched in stereotypes of soy, hummus and celery. What if we told you that you could enjoy a vegan Big Mac? Or vegan chicken wings and gravy? Thankfully, Greazy Vegan have provided a menu of “vegan junk food” to keep the gluttonous side of us cruelty-free. After several successful sold-out pop-ups at The Robin Hood towards the end of 2017, Greazy Vegan are returning with more events in 2018, and possibly even a brick-and-mortar takeaway. The project is not simply to provide delicious food, but to also to breakdown the lofty notion that veganism and junk food are incompatible.

Info: www.greazyvegan.com

RIDE MY BIKE CAFE

With constant congestion on the roads, cycling is becoming a popular mode of transport; not only does cycling offer a free, healthier experience, but businesses are now starting to cater to the lycra-clad cyclist on-the-go. The recently-opened Ride My Bike Cafe is situated near the National Museum, offering cyclists an alternative to the standard Starbucks. Aside from plenty of safe storage room for your bike and a pleasant space in which to grab a drink, they also offer a functioning bicycle workshop at the back – with the opportunity to buy spare parts or give finetune your pedalling machine. Be sure to watch their social media for ride-alongs also.

26 Park Place, Cardiff.

Info: 029 2116 7920 / Info: www.twitter.com/ridemybikecafe www.facebook.com/ridemybikecafe

CEGIN BURLINGTON: FINE CULINARY SERVICES

Pop-up restaurant. twitter.com/burlingtonkitch Food **** Atmosphere **** Not necessarily a new concept, this, but an interesting one for these parts. Wil Atkinson and the Michelin-trained Gareth Dobbs, both renowned chefs and restauranteurs from Cardiff, have both spent time at celebrated eateries such as Gordon Ramsay and Michel Roux Jr – and have now combined their expertise to create Cegin Burlington.

These industrious gastro guys have ventured into “fine culinary services” and a pop-up dining experience which held its first event at Milk & Sugar in late October.

The result: a five-course extravaganza, beginning with sweetbreads, mushroom and parsley; followed by lobster, tomato, butternut and pistachio; then venison, broccoli, pancetta and mushroom; and the sweet finale of chocolate, walnut and blackberry, then cardamom, lemon, yoghurt and sour cream.

The actual outcome of what these components result in is a mystery, as the taster menu does not tell you – instead merely giving the overview of the ingredients, so you only know what it is once the dish arrives. One was a cheesecake, and not the type you might expect, but sweet and nutty. Quirky and original, their idea brings a culinary meeting of two very inventive minds to deliver a different experience to diners who put their faith in the concoctions cooked up by the duo.

The straightforward five-course taster menu without accompanying wines is £55; with a wine flight, £75. A delightful evening and one which Cegin Burlington have repeated since, with a varying menu. All produce is from locally sourced suppliers, which as the standard is set so high is a given. This looks as if it’s panning out to be a monthly affair, so keep an eye on their Twitter for further information and booking details.

ANTONIA LEVAY

STONE ROCK PIZZA

9-10 Upper Church St., Chepstow. 01291 621616 / www.stonerockpizza.co.uk Food ***** Atmosphere ***** Stone Rock Pizza, a Chepstow-based pizzeria and takeaway which opened earlier this year, is nothing short of a revelation. Small and unassuming, it offers a family-run warmth and honestly, the best pizza this writer has ever eaten.

Claiming to produce real Neapolitan pizza using traditional methods and a clay oven, the result is a magnificent sourdough base and delicious toppings and ingredients. Also worthy of mention is the commitment to all things local. All their cured meats and salamis are produced in Monmouthshire as well as most of their vegetables, beer and even some of their wine.

The service is friendly, the restaurant itself has a cosy, relaxed atmosphere and the wine list is also well rounded with a good price range (and sold by the glass).

On our last visit, we opted for rosemary and garlic focaccia (£4) as a sharing starter, fresh and soft with high-quality olive oil. Pizza-wise, The Wye Valley (£12.50) has a topping of tomato, free-range Somerset mozzarella, Parma ham, rocket and Grana Padano shavings; La Diavola: The Hot One! (£12.50) boasts tomato, mozzarella, Neapolitan pepperoni, ‘nduja and gorgonzola. Again, both pizzas were wonderfully fresh and full of flavour, but La Diavola an outright winner with a great level of heat and terrific pepperoni.

With the new offer of prosecco and wine nights and pizza happy hour, I have no doubt that this restaurant will be holding back the crowds. Book in now and get a pizza in front of you pronto. LAUREN PHILLMORE

PORRO

Wellfield Road, Cardiff. 029 2240 2200 / www.porrocardiff.com Food *** Atmosphere **** Porro is part of the Chameleon Group, which under its banner has The Potted Pig, Soda Bar, and The Meating Place. This branch, in Roath, is one of two Porros, the other being in Llandaff. A Mediterranean-style bistro, a recent change of head chef has brought a new menu change and his own recipes and take on the restaurant’s favourites.

With a vegan and veggie in tow, we went to sample the new menu. Vegetarians are adequately catered for – vegans, too! – so, following a collective sigh of relief, we shared an antipasto platter which was sufficient to keep both carnivores and planteaters happy. Mains were a selection of butternut squash with salsa verde and toasted almonds; pan-fried salmon with potato rosti and broccoli that retains the crunch it needs; chargrilled chicken breast with spinach and a mushroom ravioli, all topped off with a festive bottle of prosecco. After which we indulged with the desserts and went for poached pear, vanilla panna cotta, and a chocolate torte and managed to squeeze in a toffee pudding.

Porro’s setting is perfect and the designers have got all the elements spot on to make a pleasant dining experience; there is a genuine warmth and relaxed atmosphere and the staff are chirpy and chatty in a good way. Christmas bookings are ramping up but there are a few places available, and their Christmas menu is rather interesting and worth the price. Ideally paced for ladies who lunch and afternoon shoppers, Porro has all bases covered at a reasonable price and offers a painless experience.

ANTONIA LEVAY

BUZZ 37

art

JULIE ANN SHERIDAN: SYMBIOSIS: LICHEN, SMALL BUT CRITICAL

Oriel Yr Ardd, National Botanic Gardens, Carmarthenshire Sat 20 Jan-Tue 20 Mar This two-month long exhibition by Julie Ann Sheridan, a painter from Llangadog in Carmarthenshire, comprises large acrylic abstracts inspired by the lichens within the National Botanic Gardens (where this exhibition is on display). As with Sheridan’s previous work, which has largely focused on ‘the minute and the massive’, Symbiosis examines lichen, aiming to demonstrate their environmental importance and physical beauty via the medium of acrylic paints.

The programme of lichen transplantation and the protection of critically endangered lichen at the National Botanic Gardens was Sheridan’s inspiration for this exhibition. Her paintings emphasise and enlarge the anatomy and colours of these natural forms to really demonstrate their significance within our natural world. West Wales has one of the best climates for supporting the growth of lichen, including many rare species, so the National Botanic Gardens are the perfect place to display and appreciate Sheridan’s site-specific work.

Sheridan also aimed to link the lichen in her art work to ideas from Japanese artistic philosophies. The word ‘ma’ in Japanese can mean gap, pause, or thee space between two parts. These empty spaces are equally as important as the objects they surround. In Sheridan’s paintings the gaps between the lichen add a sense of movement and energy to her work. Her use of black and gold is also closely related to the same concept.

Lichen may appear to be an unusual focus for an exhibition, but Sheridan’s work certainly demonstrates that these tiny organisms are an essential and intricate part of our natural environment. They are essential carbon dioxide converters, pollution absorbents which provide food and habitat for a variety of creatures, whilst also being important within medicine: Sheridan’s exhibition portrays lichens as extremely beautiful organisms.

Admission: free. Info: 01558 667149 / www.julieannsheridan.co.uk MEGAN POTTERTON

Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay Until Sun 7 Jan The Makers Guild In Wales is renowned for supporting and championing contemporary Welsh craft. As the title of their latest exhibition suggests, this is not the usual Christmas extravaganza, celebrating the quirky and different in colour and style but also showcases age-old techniques being utilised for the modern world.

The collection includes Margo Schmidt, whose experimentation with ceramics creates raw yet functional pieces; Lynda Shell, whose contrasting use of textiles and textures brings beauty and practicality together; and Verity Pulford, who combines elements of nature in her careful and precise glasswork designs. Located only a short walk away from Cardiff Bay, this is the perfect place to escape the hubbub of traditional Christmas markets and stalls whilst exploring the best talent and craftsmanship that Wales has to offer. The usually spare space is transformed into something magical.

The crafts often include elements of the natural world and represent a strippedback and in many ways more traditional way to celebrate the festive season – with pieces that have been made with attention, love and care, a simpler way to give and receive.

Admission: free. Info: 029 2048 4611 www.makersguildinwales.org.uk (EH) BUZZ 38

Pic: Andrew Fox

Gwen Vaughan -Bear

CHRISTMAS WITH A TWIST

RHIANNON WILLIAMS: HIRAETH

Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran Sat 2 Dec-Sat 20 Jan This exhibition by Rhiannon Williams, a textiles artist born in Cardiff, will be on display in the main gallery at Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre until early 2018.

Williams uses embroidery techniques to tell human stories. Her artwork explores memories of past times, life in today’s world, relationships between people and the sense of belonging. Her current exhibition is entitled Hiraeth, a Welsh word notoriously difficult to translate into English. It is a combination of longing, nostalgia and yearning; a particular type of homesickness, perhaps for a home that you cannot return to. Williams’ decision to use this word for the title of her exhibition encompasses her aim to tell the stories and explore the feelings of people.

Williams, who studied Textiles at University College Falmouth and then went on to complete her Masters at the Royal College Of Art, uses bright and abstract colours in this collection. She includes humans in nearly all of her pieces in order to explore the stories of individuals, as well as the relationships between different people. Her work is unusual, but incredibly powerful, and her ability to tell stories through her embroidery is something that can be enjoyed by all.

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

HOLLY DAVEY: THE CONVERSATION

g39, Cardiff Until Sat 3 Feb Individual aspects of life are considered differently when presented as a whole.

While we are living in the present, subconsciously we are always hunting for memories amongst the shifts of reality; the silences can often be just as familiar as the noise.

The Conversation is a multimedia, solo show by Cardiff-based contemporary artist and photographer Holly Davey.

Her work accesses both public and private collections of ‘life fragments’, with photographs, postcards and other mementos are used to create a catalyst for research into the concepts of memories and place. Davey’s exhibition demonstrates that by collecting and inheriting certain objects, we are in fact hoping to form a sense of identity, a means with which to understand ourselves.

Starting with a buff foolscap folder, Davey began to piece together an archive of life, making the forgotten visible once again through a journey within oneself in which the destination is absent, in art forms ranging from photography, film, video, and installation. This thought-provoking, stimulating exhibition is supported by the Swansea College and is only a five-minute walk from Queen Street Railway Station.

Admission: free. Info: 029 2047 3633 www.g39.org (RH)

WE’RE HERE BECAUSE WE’RE HERE

Aberystwyth Arts Centre Sat 20 Jan-Sun 15 Apr Fri 1 July 2016 marked 100 years since the Battle Of The Somme, where 20,000 British soldiers died in a single day. To commemorate this, 1400 volunteers across the UK spent a day as soldiers in historically-accurate uniforms.

They appeared at train stations and in shopping centres; sat on benches or stood around. There was no advance publicity. The public had no idea what was happening. The soldiers were silent, occasionally bursting into the song they sang when they marched to the trenches – We’re Here Because We’re Here.

They handed out small cards with the name, rank, regiment and, if known, age of the soldier they were representing.

Some onlookers, overcome by emotion, hugged the volunteers or shook their hands.

This living memorial, commissioned by the WWI Centenary Arts Commissions 14-18 NOW and created by Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller and National Theatre director Rufus Norris, reached over 30 million across the UK. This exhibition in Aberystwyth will tell the story of the project, a moving commemoration honouring those who lost their lives on the battlefields.

Admission: free. Info: 01970 623232 www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk (RLR)

buzz ad hurn.qxp_Layout 1 13/09/2017 14:30 Page 1

Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd National Museum Cardiff Ard

Llun am Lun

dang am dd osfa im Free exhib ition

Ffotograffau o Gasgliad David Hurn

Swaps

30. 09. 2017 – 11. 03. 2018

UDA/USA. Florida Keys, 1968 © Elliott Erwitt/Magnum Photos

Photographs from the David Hurn Collection

Parc Cathays, Caerdydd CF10 3NP www.amgueddfa.cymru/caerdydd

Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP www.museum.wales/cardiff

MAKING ENGAGING AND FRESH VIDEO CONTENT

-Neil Collins - St David's Hall ‘Buzz Media always provide classy and compelling clips for promotional purposes – highly recommended.’

Emma Clark or Jaydon Martin 02920226767 / info@buzzmag.co.uk www.buzzmag.co.uk

stage

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Sherman Theatre, Cardiff Tues 5-Sat 30 Dec The much-loved and esteemed Wind in the Willows will be gracing the Sherman Theatre’s Main House this Christmas, combining beautiful sets and scenery, a vibrant atmosphere and a charming spirit with live music and oodles of laughter to share Kenneth Graeme’s renowned and timeless story of Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad in a truly special way. As per the ageless novel, once again Mole finds himself exploring the world beyond his home for the very first time, whilst Rat just wants to enjoy himself in his boat. Poor Toad constantly lands himself in bother and wise old Badger does his best to keep his friends safe and under control in this definitive fable. Over a hundred years after their first appearance in 1908, these characters remain as emblematic of folly, friendship and misadventure as they ever were. At its core it is a tale of nostalgia, awe and wanderlust, as it combines the animal cunning and anthropomorphic comradery of its protagonists in this classic fable of the bond between chums and the allure of being at home. It’s a story that continues to capture the hearts and imaginations of people, just as much as it did when they grew up reading of the escapades of these colourful characters. This rendition, adapted by Mike Kenny and directed by Lee Lyford, stars The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama alumni Dominic Rye and Jessica Murrain, as well as Casualty and My Family favourite (and Buzz film writer!) Kieron Self. One of classic literature’s most celebrated pieces is becoming one of Cardiff’s essential seasonal treats for all the family to delight in. This everlasting tale promises to be an uplifting, sentimental showcase to bring in or see out the festivities. Regular specialist performances are being held throughout the show’s run for schoolchildren, dementia patients, captioned performances for the hard-of-hearing and audio description for the partially-sighted, to ensure that this story remains as timeless and family-friendly in 2017 as it did when it was first published over a hundred years ago.

Admission: £16-£26. Info: 029 2064 6900 / www.shermantheatre.co.uk RACHAEL HUTCHINGS

BUZZ 40

THE RUSSIAN STATE BALLET OF SIBERIA

St David’s Hall, Cardiff Tues 19-Sun 31 Dec The Russian State Ballet Of Siberia returns to St David’s Hall this December, performing three classics across two weeks accompanied by The Orchestra Of Russian State Ballet.

With a wave of her wand and a sprinkle of fairy dust, the Fairy Godmother will send families to the ballet, instead of the ball, as the fairytale of Cinderella has been transformed into a ballet perfect for young and old alike. As the beloved princess transcends from rags to riches, Prokofiev’s lively score and dynamic choreography will keep everybody on their toes, quite literally.

The world’s most well-known ballet, The Nutcracker, is celebrated each year at Christmas; elegant and eminent in all its glory, the narrative follows the Nutcracker's journey to the Land Of Sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Swan Lake, a spellbinding story of love and lust that has continuously enthralled audiences for years, will round off ballet season. Tchaikovsky’s score and the technical details are extraordinary, reiterating the fact that this is truly a spectacle that cannot be missed.

Tickets £16.50-£45. Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk (SW)

PUNK ROCK

Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff Fri 1-Sat 9 Dec We’ve all been through it, right? From deadlines to dating, the fluorescence of adolescence is unsettling – for some more than others. In this instance, we have a group of seven high-achieving students, who are utterly riddled with A-Level angst, trying to battle with the omnipresent weight of living. Inspired by his experiences as a teacher, the old and young alike will be able to connect with Simon Stephens’ Punk Rock as it makes its Welsh debut this month.

Punk Rock essentially embodies the trials and tribulations of students as they struggle with the stress of Sixth Form. The play is set in a Stockport grammar school where anything less than articulate is regarded as inferior.

Ongoing tension sees all standards thrown out of the window as fist fights and petty arguments continue to rip away at any relative sense of decorum that the students may have once shared.

Punk Rock may have previously been hailed as a pastiche, perhaps, of previous plays such as The History Boys – but don’t let this deceive you, the play strives to fight clichés of modern life as a teenager by hurling the audience into the today's reality.

Tickets: £6-£13. Info: 029 2034 2854 www.rwcmd.ac.uk (SW)

Pic: Rebecca Pitt

Pontardawe Arts Centre Fri 15 + Sat 16 Dec Just like pigs in blankets, Bucks Fizz for breakfast and the Dr Who special, a trip to the pantomime is a staple part of the festive period for children and adults alike, and this year the Pontardawe Arts Centre is taking a Christmas classic to a whole new place. This 18+ interpretation of Aladdin takes place in a laundrette after-hours, where Tony Wright MBE will be wowing the crowd with risqué jokes, sexual innuendos and witty one-liners as the infamous Widow Twankey, and Harry Lynn takes the role of sexually frustrated and suggestive Aladdin himself. The story follows ambitious Aladdin falling in love with sex siren Princess Jasmine but in order to ‘make her his tramp’ he must find a lamp! Along with help from the saucy sorcerer Abanazar, Aladdin must conquer his dark desires and get the girl of his dreams. This filthy adaptation is not for the sensitive or faint-hearted, but promises to be the ‘carpet-ride’ of your life and tickets should truly be at the top of your fantasy Christmas list! With 8pm showings on both nights of its run, this is a fantastic, flirty bargain to get the festive juices flowing.

Tickets: £12. Info: 01792 863722 www.npttheatres.co.uk (RH)

Pic: Simon Gough

Pic: Greg Gamble

ADULT ALADDIN AFTER DARK

BUBBLE SCHMEISIS

Aberystwyth Arts Centre Weds 6 Dec Clouded in the steam and sweat of East London’s last authentic bath house, Nick Cassenbaum invites you to join him on a journey to find himself and the place he belongs. A touching story of schlepping through summer camps, barber shops and Spurs games, will our protagonist find what he was looking for?

Written and performed by Cassenbaum himself, the show is equally comedic and accessible as it is poignant. Bubble Schmeisis is a gentle yet probing look into the observably niche subject of being a British Jew and what that means today, set amongst the communal Jewish bath houses and their rituals which are slowly being usurped in the modern world. This stunningly inviting performance will keep you smiling. Yet it is no ordinary comedy affair, Bubble Schmeisis delves into a discussion of identity, home and being schmeised (washed) by old men.

Cassenbaum describes the show as “an ‘A to Z’ of shvits etiquette and Jewish self-discovery,” so whether you are Jewish or simply just interested in one of the world’s oldest cultures, this friendly, inviting and engrossing performance is sure to entertain and enlighten.

Tickets: pay by donation.

Info: 01970 623232 / www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk (JY)

Raymond Briggs ©1994

PINS AND NEEDLES YN CYFLWYNO \ PRESENTS

RHAGFYR 12 31 DECEMBER 2017 Aladdin A5.qxp_Layout 1 26/10/2017 10:20 Page 1

Hysgrifennu a’i chyfarwyddo gan | Written and directed by Richard Tunley

Rhagfyr 1 - 10 December Y Colisëwm, The Coliseum, Aberdâr Aberdare

Rhagfyr 16 - 24 December Y Parc a’r Dâr, The Park & Dare, Treorci Treorchy

Oedolion £15.50 Adults • Plant a Gostyngiadau £12.50 Children and Concessions Tocyn Teulu £48.00 Family Ticket • Grwpiau o 20+ £9.00 Groups of 20+

03000 040 444 rct-theatres.co.uk

A’R

clubs

BEDLAM MEGA RAVE

Cardiff University Students Union Fri 26 Jan Bedlam might just be the hottest ticket in Cardiff at the moment. Fresh from putting on a sold-out event with Kurupt FM in October, the team is fast assembling another huge event for January. If you’re going to sell your event as a ‘Mega Rave’ you’d better best deliver, and Bedlam has certainly gone some way to do that.

Chart-bothering bass heavyweights Chase & Status take top billing. Hot off the back of new album Tribe they’re swooping into the Great Hall for a DJ set. But that’s not all! Perhaps the biggest draw of the night is Friction, the Brighton-born drum’n’bass overlord who entered the actual d’n’b Hall Of Fame in 2011. Friction’s not just capable of technical marvels at the controls (double-drops ahoy!), he also runs the Shogun Audio label, which has been one of d’n’b’s most boundarypushing labels since its launch in 2004.

Add to the mix some huge names like Zinc, Hazard and Randall and Holy Goof [pictured], and you’ve got a recipe for an evening of some magnitude.

It’s little surprise that this is already sold out. However, keep an eye out for resales leading up to the event – experience tells us that plenty usually appear. Just watch out for scammers, yeah?

Tickets: £24.50-£32.50 (sold out – check event page for resales). Info: 029 2078 1458 (KD) BUZZ 42

NASTIA

Delete @ The Vaults, Cardiff Bay Tue 26 Dec Boxing Day is, arguably, better than Christmas Day itself. Pubs and bars are open and public transport is running, for a start. You’re also not necessarily confined to the house, trumping your way through Only Fools And Horses and eating turkey sandwiches and falling out with relatives over Brexit. Not, it must be said, a bad way of spending an evening. But if cabin fever has started to set in, then the traditional Boxing Day night out is a perfect way of addressing some of that monstrous festive bulk you’ve started to accumulate – and we can’t think of many better places to do it than the Vaults, unquestionably Cardiff’s sweatiest venue.

The Delete crew are having a busy festive season this year. On Cardiff’s Black Friday (the boozy last Friday before Christmas – the 22nd this year – where everyone and their dog goes out for a big one, as opposed to the American retail extravaganza) they’re having a vinyl-only session in Blue Honey’s night cafe. Then, whilst their Christmas lunches are probably still working their way through their system, they’re opening the doors of the Vaults for a post-Yule tear-up.

Heading up proceedings is Ukranian fave Nastia, who’s probably grateful for a bit of relative warmth here than the icy environs in December of her homeland. A rarity in this day and age, she’s a DJ first and foremost, and has made a name herself through on-point selections and dextrous mixing rather than hours holed up in a studio. Joining her at the controls are the trio of Delete residents, Matt Owen, Marc Parsons and Lee Graves. Elsewhere, in the venue’s second room, the Rotary Club crew will be on hand doing their thing.

All in all, it sounds a little bit more appealing than subjecting yourself to turkey, bubble and squeak. And you’ll be able to boast about how you’ve got a head start on your January health kick by sweating our roughly half your body weight too.

A win-win.

Tickets: £18. Info: www.vaultspresents.com KRISTIAN DANDO

CHRIS LORENZO

Sink @ Sin City, Swansea Sat 9 Dec If you haven’t heard a Chris Lorenzoproduced jam in 2017, where have you been? The prolific Brummie producer’s sound – a hybrid of 4/4 jack, rude garage basslines and midrange screech that scientists have reportedly found to creates the perfect sonic frequency for a club to ‘go off’ – has been an inescapable fixture of UK nights for some years. It’s also found a lot of favour in Wales, including Swansea, with a similar-ish promotion running in Sin City the night before.

Lorenzo’s path to fame has been a curious one. For many years, he went uncredited, a prolific ghostwriter for hire, most notably for Radio 1’s Hannah Wants. He also forms one half of the duo Cause & Effect. But since 2014 he’s stepped out of his own shadows and been making a name for himself through his own enviable production and DJ chops.

Sink has been responsible for bringing some huge names from across the gamut of bass music to Swansea over the years – everyone from Congo Natty to Mike Skinner have passed through, so Lorenzo is in good company. Support comes from the able hands of the Sink residents. This one’s going to get bassy.

Tickets: £8-£14 (sold out – check event page for resales). Info: 01792 468892 (KD)

OMAR S

Doppler & Blue Honey @ The Carpet Club, Cardiff Fri 1 Dec Well, here’s one which has come from leftfield. Just as Buzz’s listings were getting polished off for the month came the announcement that Doppler and Blue Honey were teaming up to bring Detroit don Omar S to town. Naturally then, we had to slam on the handbrake, pull a dramatic U-turn and stop the press.

This is the first time the FXHE Records man has come to Cardiff. But this is an extra-large announcement not just because of the sheer heft of the name, it’s because this is the first outing for The Carpet Club, a brand new city centre venue which is still shrouded in secrecy. Here’s what we know: it’s in a building which used to be a ‘leisure space’ on St Mary Street. And from the exclusive snaps we’ve been privy to, it still looks like it’s got a lot of original fixtures and fittings, so it’s a unique place to go and dance. Plus it’s got a designated chillout area, something you don’t see too often these days. We’ll let you do your own detective work and see if you can deduce where it is.

Support comes from Doppler’s own Jessie Belters, who’s spent 2017 carving out a reputation as one of south Wales’ most impressive selectors. What a way to kick off your advent calendar.

Tickets: £20. Info: bluehoneypromotions@gmail.com (KD)

DOCK OF THE BAY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Penarth Soul Club @ Portland House, Cardiff Bay Fri 15 Dec Soul music has always had a presence in Tiger Bay, the historic forebearer to what’s now the regenerated Cardiff Bay area. More recently (since 2014, actually) it’s found a home over the water in Penarth at venues like the historic Paget Rooms and the Penarth Ex Serviceman’s Club, where welldressed rare groove nuts go long and hard into the night. For its Christmas special, the event is packing up its enviable suitcase of 7”s and catching the Aquabus over the Bay to Portland House, a suitably grand and spectacular venue right in the heart of what remains of the old part of the docks area, for the occasion. DJs and founders Shelley Barrett and Liam Curtin [pictured] will be providing lashings of Stax, Tamla Motown and northern soul.

In other soul-y news, you won’t have long to wait for another helping. Strictly Soul Wales will be pitching up at the Exchange Hotel (the new name for the Coal Exchange), in its grand main hall, for a big helping of brassy goodness on Sat 13 Jan. Soulful selections for this event come the Strictly Soul residents, along with guests Hitsville Chalky, Dave Rimmer and Dean Carr. Slip on your Fred Perry and let the good times roll.

Tickets: £5. Info: 029 2048 7602 (KD)

COMEDY NIGHT

Eleanor Tiernan

All The Laughter

Bilal Zafar

None of the hangover!

Athena Kugblenu

Matt Rees

ted Hos ob

by R as m Tho

ing

rr Sta

Louers d n a S

Friday 26th January 2018 The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff Doors Open 18.30. Line up subject to change. Dry Bar. 16+

£12 (£9 concessions)

For tickets visit www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/dry-humour or phone (029) 2048 3344

Hybu iechyd; gwella bywydau

Pic: Travis Shinn

live

STONE SOUR

Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Tue 5 Dec Following the release of their sixth studio album, Hydrograd, Stone Sour have been touring ferociously since May. With such a hot and heavy schedule, you’d expect there to be a couple of riffs not stemming from their guitars, but Corey Taylor and co are metal’s nice guys.

“The band that we have now – it just sounds and works really well together and the tours have been great,” explains drummer Ray Mayorga. “I’ve gotta be honest, there’s not one fuckin’ argument between any of us in this lineup… in this lineup!

It’s great man, all we do is laugh and bust each other’s balls all day! A lot of people say, ‘oh you gotta hate each other to make good music’ and I feel that’s bullshit.”

Mayorga has been with the band since 2006’s Come What(ever) May, but this is his favourite tour cycle, with bigger venues and greater turnouts. “Response has been killer, we’re really taken aback by it – we didn’t expect [the record] to be doing how it’s been doing. We never have any expectations like that. You make a record, put it out and people like it? Great. They don’t? Great, but we love it. We love making it and playing it.”

This month sees the band’s long overdue return to the Welsh capital; they haven’t even reached European shores yet, but Mayorga is already looking forward to returning to Wales. “Last time I was in Cardiff was last year, playing drums for Ministry. I actually had a day off there so I was able to really look around and check out the city. I had a lot of fun there, it was great.” Fans in the UK, he says, are “just more on fire” and we’d have to biasedly agree. “It’s more lifestyle – like how we live and breathe making music, performing it, you know? It’s the same projection on both sides.”

The UK has some competition, though. “We’ve been to Australia, New Zealand and Japan and crowds are just really off the hook.” He assures Buzz that the UK never disappoints, but perhaps that’s just the “proper Indian food”?

Tickets: £28.50. Info: 029 2022 4488 ALICE PATTILLO

Tramshed, Cardiff Tue 16 Jan The Cribs have a blue plaque dedicated to them on the Wakefield Walk Of Fame.

Why bother touring when you share such an accolade with Barbara Hepworth and perennial cruise-line worrier Jane McDonald? Surely, they might as well just quit whilst they’re ahead?

Despite calling their most recent album 24-7 Rock Star Shit and promoting it with funny little gimmicks including an album launch at a skatepark, The Cribs are still very much enjoying life and The Cribs’ fanbase are still very much enjoying The Cribs. It’s been nigh on 15 years since the brothers Jarman first caught the attention of A&Rs and the music press (the NME was still quite relevant in 2003, kids) and they’re about to kick off a pretty sizeable UK tour to give 24-7… a bit of a sales push and to blow off some cobwebs.

Sonically, they’re revisiting the melodic racket of their debut and follow-up The New Fellas so if you enjoyed them when you were young, maybe ask for a ticket for your Xmas stocking.

This has been booked by the good people at Clwb Ifor Bach, and despite Wakefield only being a couple of hundred miles away it’s not very often The Cribs check into Cardiff, so take this chance while you can.

Tickets: £20. Info: 029 2023 5555 (BG) BUZZ 44

MARILYN MANSON

Newport Centre Fri 8 Dec After a recent spell on the sidelines with an injury, caused by a falling stage prop, goth overlord Marilyn Manson will be back on top form when his Heaven Upside Down tour hits Newport Centre in December. After catching the eye of Trent Reznor in the early 90s, with their industrial metal horror show, Manson quickly became a role model for America’s disillusioned teens, with his nightmarish take on Eurythmics classic Sweet Dreams and albums such as Antichrist Superstar and Mechanical Animals, both of which went platinum.

He ventured into the mainstream psyche in 2002 with a cover of Soft Cell’s Tainted Love, but more recently Manson could be seen on T.V with acclaimed performances in Salem and Sons Of Anarchy. But never one to stray far from controversy, the self-styled God Of Fuck has just released a very NSFW video for the track Kill4Me featuring his good pal Johnny Depp, giving us a glimpse of what to expect from the live show.

His 10th album Heaven Upside Down is, after a few lacklustre albums, considered to be a return to form. It’s been a while since Manson graced a Welsh stage with his presence, so I daresay you can expect a raucous, sellout crowd to be chomping at the bit for their dark leader.

Tickets: £35 (sold out – check box office for returns). Info: 01633 656757 (CA)

PULLED APART BY HORSES

Sin City, Swansea Tue 5 Dec Pulled apart by horses: a gruesome means of torture and dismemberment that can’t have been a barrel of laughs.

Pulled Apart By Horses: a riotous quartet who bring a great deal more pleasure than pain, but do still leave you feeling bruised and brutalised (albeit just about in one piece).

Formed back in 2008, and hence arguably godfathers of the incredibly fertile Leeds scene, Pulled Apart

By Horses quickly made a name for themselves with crazed live shows, performing as though on day release from an underground bunker where they were kept alive on a steady diet of Skittles and speed. Vocalist/guitarist Tom Hudson would rampage around the crowd, hospitalising himself with a bloody head injury at one infamous early gig, while mushroom-haired guitarist James Brown (not that one) spent much of his time perched atop speaker stacks.

In those terms, it’s a wonder that they’ve made it to 2017, and a fourth LP. The Haze takes their punk metal and turns up the melody and grungy tunefulness while turning down the Jesus Lizardy eccentricities. The album came out in March, well before the current tour, which goes to show that playing live is an itch they just have to scratch.

Tickets: £11. Info: 01792 468892 (BW)

Pic: Joey Fourr

Pic: Steve Gullick

THE CRIBS

THE SPOOK SCHOOL

Le Public Space, Newport Fri 15 Dec The Spook School are at the forefront of the UK’s present-day queer punk scene.

By breaking the boundaries of the gender binary, they are providing a call to arms to those who feel confined by societal constructs to do the same.

It could be said that some pseudoDIY bands, supposed saviours of the misfits and the misinterpreted, are too commonplace, too close to indie’s voidlike wasteland. This Glasgow quartet, however, have something significant to say beyond the archetypal lovelorn angst that typifies the lyrics of this era’s British guitar giants. The Spook School truly feel like the right band at the right time, using their music as their megaphone – and as a profound protest against the patriarchy, bigots and whatnot.

Their third album, Could It Be Different?, is set for release in January on the Alcopop! label. To celebrate this, Alcopop! is hosting an evening at Le Public Space in Newport, with The Darling Buds, Nervus and Clarity also featuring on the bill. This gig, perhaps, is a rousing call to the masses to celebrate their identities and sexualities and put two fingers in the faces of those disagree with them; an invitation that we should all gladly accept.

Tickets: £10. Info: www.lepublicspace. co.uk (SW)

Perfect Gift Ideas for Christmas

John Owen Jones + Beau Dermott

14/12/2017

The Quireboys +Hand of Dimes

20/01/2018

Bars and Melody

15/02/2018

Fickle Friends

26/02/2018

Belle & Sebastian + Julian Baker

08/03/2018

Into The Ark

10/03/2018

Skid Row +Toseland

15/03/2018

The Stranglers +Therapy?

16/03/2018

Astroid Boys

30/03/2018

Don Mclean

06/05/2018

Machine Head

14/05/2018

Marti Pellow The Voice of Wet Wet Wet

17/05/2018

Nick Heyward Of Haircut 100

21/06/2018

St David’s Hall, Cardiff

Aberdare Coliseum

Y Plas, Cardiff University SU

The Globe, Cardiff

Wales Millenium Centre, Cardiff

Blackwood Miners’ Institute

Y Plas, Cardiff University SU

Tramshed Cardiff

Y Plas, Cardiff University SU

Wales Millenium Centre, Cardiff

Y Plas, Cardiff University SU

Brangwyn Hall, Swansea

The Globe, Cardiff

Tickets available from:

ticketmaster.co.uk orchardentertainment.co.uk

reviews albums BEANS ON TOAST ***** Cushty (Xtra Mile) Beans On Toast – aka Essex folk singer Jay McAllister – covers, in poetic fashion, a wide range of subjects from mobile phone usage and fake news, to fracking, artificial intelligence and oak trees in Sherwood Forest. Open Door Policy begins with the announcement “The world is dying” but the album isn’t all doom and gloom: Beans is an optimist who just tells it like it is.

Tunes are jolly, lyrics are clever and there is plenty of wit. Interesting and catchy. LN

BRUCE FOXTON & RUSSELL HASTINGS **** From The Jam Live! (Basstone) Bruce Foxton and Russell Hastings actually do a good job of performing this live collection of hits, which includes Going Underground, That’s Entertainment, and The Butterfly Collector. The duo recapture the distinctive Jam vibe and these 12 iconic songs sound as fresh today as they did when they were first released. After the initial scrutiny of opening track In The City, Paul Weller’s absence isn’t as noticeable as you’d think. The public wants what the public gets... LN

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY **** No Cross No Crown (Nuclear Blast) Marking the first release since Pepper Keenan rejoined the band, Corrosion Of Conformity’s new offering oozes the legendary vocalist/ guitarist’s energy. After globetrotting with Down for over a decade, the sound of CoC has no doubt suffered in his absence and this album is a testament to this. While it may not be Deliverance, No Cross No Crown flaunts some killer tracks, leaving you feeling as if no time has passed since the four core band members last released an album together. AP

THE ESKIES **** And Don’t Spare The Horses (Parochial Dancehall) The Eskies pull off the ‘difficult second album’ with a confident swagger that rides the many roads of their varied influences. And Don’t Spare The Horses builds on the energetic live sound of their gypsy folk debut, taking their audience to new places without any fear of losing them on the way. The Eskies comfortably blend vaudeville, sea shanties, blues and rock without ever compromising the overall feel and sound of a folk album. Sit deep in the saddle and enjoy the journey. JPD

FELA KUTI *****

MIKE DUNN ***

NO THEE NO ESS ****

Box Set #4 Curated By Erykah Badu (Knitting Factory)

My House From All Angles (MoreaboutMusic)

California (Folkwit)

Finding most of its success in ph-unky hip-house vibes, Acid Rush – the first track on the first Mike Dunn album in 27 years – sets the tone with open highhats and traditional Chi-house synths, which continues throughout. Sultry vocals create a strange atmosphere and elements of garage seep through on DJ Beat That Shhh and The Frontier, which brings a subtle sense of variety. Although Mike Dunn may not tackle all the Angles, as suggested, there is comfort in getting what is expected. CP

Album five from Cardiff songwriting duo Andy Fung and Paul Batenbough recalls the familiar blend of dishevelled psychedelia and breezy harmonies found in their previous work and aligns them even closer with Americana and the free-spirited folk of the 60s. Songs range from the bizarre retro-futuristic fuzz of 1960 Alpha to the messy beauty of Plainsong; sometimes it feels like production was an afterthought, but it may very well be intentionally carefree and you certainly get the same wistful feeling from listening to it. CPI

It’s that time again when I get to talk about a huge and beautiful vinyl box set of some old legend or other but start off by admitting that I’ve not actually been sent the box, just some pictures of it and a stack-o MP3s, because clearly no-one’s gonna sling me a £100 coffee table artefact in exchange for this kind of review space in this publication. Just in case there are some Fela Kuti audiophiles reading desperate to know how the remasters compare to the originals through top-end equipment.

Sadly, you’re looking at a dude impossibly grateful to dive into three or so hours of this brilliant, firey, drilled, loose, rocking, raging, continent-changing music, even if you can probably hear it all online or whatever. You don’t need a Fela Kuti biog, at least not from me, but here’s the basics about Box Set #4: it has seven LPs originally released between 1976 (Yellow Fever) and 1992 (Underground System, Fela’s last album proper before his death in 1997). Truthtelling soul mama Erykah Badu compiled this one – Brian Eno, Fela’s old drummer Ginger Baker and ?uestlove from The Roots did the three before – and wrote some very amusing sleevenotes. Her favourite release, 1980’s Coffin For Head Of State (oh yeah, should list the remainder: 1977’s No Agreement and J.J.D., 1979’s V.I.P. and 1984’s Army Arrangement, which has had all the purportedly horrible studio touches of original engineer Bill Laswell erased), is one of the most extraordinary and fearless political statements ever set to music. NG

FRANK TURNER **** Songbook (Xtra Mile) Songbook opens in a quiet folksy fashion but this sense of security is shattered a minute later when the punk rock kicks in. This best-of album has 28 of the biggest tracks from Turner’s career plus a brand new song, There She Is. Despite the presence of 10 reworked versions, which are not that dissimilar to the originals and leave you wondering why he bothered, Frank is at his best when he’s running at full pelt, and it’s great fun trying to keep up. LN

MORRISSEY **** Low In High School (Etienne) The 11th solo Morrissey record will not disappoint die-hard Moz fans. Although in recent years it’s been easy to write off Morrissey with the several questionable remarks he has made, listening to this record washes away any political stances he may hold.

Tracks like Spent The Day In Bed, All The Young People Must Fall In Love and When You Open Your Legs really elevates the album. This record is exactly what any Morrissey fan could hope for. JM

NILS ØKLAND BAND **** Lysning (Hubro) This Økland character plays the Hardanger fiddle, which relates to the trad music of a specific region of Norway, and has done so on dozens of releases before I caught wind of him. And, on the evidence of Lysning, he wields a matchless lyrical beauty. Skirting around the improv and jazz tags – his last few releases were on the ECM label – Økland plus band retain the drones and discordance that teems in all nations’ folk music, the fiddle parts carrying a rollicking, reeling feel even when arrangements are sparse and eerie. NG

NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS *** Who Built The Moon? (Sour Mash)

JESS AND THE ANCIENT ONES ** The Horse And Other Weird Tales (Svart) Doors-y organs, hyperactive basslines and whinnying, ululating vocals combine to create… a bit of a racket, to be honest. Without wishing to disparage Jess And The Ancient Ones’ obvious ambition for their sixtiesinfluenced sound, the priniciple reason their third album falters is that it never really nails down what it wants to be: Soul? Goth rock?

Blues? It ends up a bit of a fudge of all of the above and more. The artwork’s cool, for what that’s worth. HR

Great timing for this album release, what with all this back and forth with Noel Gallagher’s darling brother Liam and both albums released within a few months. Nonetheless, for me Noel comes in second best in the sibling battle. Who Built The Moon? goes for an experimental sound overall, She Taught Me How To Fly sounding surprisingly psychedelic and only Black And White Sunshine and The Man Who Built The Moon the only songs with that trademark Noel sound. OS

PALOMA FAITH *** The Architect (RCA) With a team of collaborators and songwriters on board for album number four, Paloma Faith maintains her position of ‘more interesting than Duffy but less polished than Winehouse’. I’ll Be Gentle, a soaring duet with John Legend, is followed by a needless aside featuring left-wing poster boy Owen Jones before breaking into a trio of her best work to date (including the Siapenned Warrior). A bumpy ride in places, but one that ultimately gets you to your destination in one piece. BG

RUFUS MUFASA **** Fur Coats From The Lion’s Den (Dope Biscuits) This debut from Pontypridd-via-Ammanford rapper Rufus Mufasa started life as a project of hip-hop group Dope Biscuits but has morphed into a solo outing. The songs are inspired by her growing family but also act as a poignant tribute to her late friend and former Dope Biscuits comrade DJ Brave Toaster, who passed away in 2015. Shadow Boxing and Gwastraff Amser are highlights of a record which manages to encompass reggae, blues and jazz as well as Mufasa’s trademark hip-hop. BG

SECRET SHINE *** There Is Only Now (Saint Marie) These Bristolians were once signed to top indiepoppers Sarah Records but made textured, swelling shoegaze in My Bloody Valentine’s early 90s slipstream. Secret Shine split in 1996 and reformed in 2004, so their second phase has lasted much longer than the first; There Is Only Now is an impressively textbook example of their genre. Songs are tangibly structured but with every sound fed through a large effects unit, Kathryn Smith singing about nothing too vital to decipher if the titles are any indicator. NG

SHOPPING **** The Official Body (FatCat) The title of Shopping’s third LP refers to the way that body image is socially and culturally conditioned, and songs like Control Yourself

GAMES REVIEWS CALL OF DUTY: WWII ***

Activision, PS4, Xbox One, PC Call Of Duty: WWII eschews the futuristic trajectory of Advanced Warfare and takes us back to World War II via Normandy on D-Day and other iconic battles across Europe. A solid and enjoyable single player campaign is let down by a disappointing multiplayer experience (usually the other way around in past instalments). A paucity of maps and a lack of balance between unit types make for a below-par online affair, which is frustrating and a real pity. MH

BUZZ 46

SUPER MARIO ODYSSEY *****

Nintendo, Nintendo Switch For a game that encourages exploration, Super Mario Odyssey sure is infuriating. Some parts will drive you mad whilst others will make you punch the air with some of the finest platforming ever seen in 30 years of Mario. But this weakness may just be its greatest strength, for as you hunt around several stunning kingdoms replete with their own unique populace and music you'll use your companion Cappy to bounce, fly, stretch, and explode your way to victory over Bowser. Colourful and charming, deceptively difficult but ultimately rewarding, this is a triumph for Nintendo. JP

underline a preoccupation with identity politics, self-definition and self-determination.

But The Official Body wears the weightiness of its subject matter lightly: its 10 so-lean-they’repositively-skinny post-punk-funk tracks are over in a shade over half an hour and The Hype lives up to its pre-release billing as “a party song”, urging you to move your feet as well as stop believing everything you read. BW

HOT 8 BRASS BAND ***

TARJA **

JAH SCOUSE ***

From Spirits And Ghosts (Score For A Dark Christmas) (earMUSIC) That’s Tarja Turunen, who used to be in Nightwish before leaving under some sort of cloud, and continues to be very popular in Finland (generally) and in Europe (among fortysomething symphonic metal fans with ponytails). Accordingly, she has recorded an album of traditional Christmas songs. Gotta be honest, I was really holding out for the big beefy metal riffs rather than just a slightly ersatz orchestral backing, although the final minute of Amazing Grace is so bombastic I thought I was having a heart attack. NG

U2 **** Songs Of Experience (Island) From the first song Love Is All We Have Left, themes of love, mortality and defiance are explored over 13 songs that are generally catchier than what was on Songs Of Innocence.

There are many moments here that match that Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby goosebump brilliance. ...Experience is an empowering album, the aural equivalent of both a tranquiliser and a sledgehammer to help us deal with these extremely troubled times. DN

VAN MORRISON **** Versatile (Caroline) It’s a curious title. Morrison’s last album covered rhythm and blues, now it’s jazz standards and pop classics. But simply singing in different styles doesn’t make you versatile. Van The Man delivers everything like Van The Man always has and he’s pretty uncompromising in his thick-voiced renditions of I Get A Kick Out Of You and Unchained Melody. He sounds far, far better when revealing his excellent new material and letting his brilliant band play with plenty of space and the subtlety he sometimes lacks. JPD

singles ALIEN STADIUM **** Livin’ In Elizabethan Times (Double Six) Steve Mason, who used to be in the Beta Band, and Primal Scream’s Martin Duffy have collaborated on this pretty damn fine EP, which sounds like the BBC Radiophonic Workshop colliding with Scott Walker. The concept here seems to be something to do with inviting aliens to visit Earth. DN

ARGRPH **** Llosgi Me / Llawn (Libertino) The only thing challenging about this double A-side from the Emyr Sion Taylor-fronted outfit is their unpronounceable moniker. Both sides are downbeat and melancholy (despite the appearance of the kitsch synth stabs on Llawn) and there’s plenty of promise here for the debut album, slated for 2018. BG

On The Spot EP (Tru Thoughts) This little EP is a follow-up to this year’s On The Spot long player – a brilliant album of bristling small band jazz. On The Spot and Can’t Nobody Get Down have been reworked in radio edit and remixed forms. A nice little sampler to end their extensive tour but not worth a separate purchase – buy the album instead. JPD

My Old Man’s A Dustman (051) That’s Jah Scouse the Liverpudlian toaster, onetime Young Marble Giants affiliate and general ducker and diver. That’s also the popular novelty song by Lonnie Donegan, reborn as a dub reggae anthem. You have to hear it to believe it. I’ll level with you, Jah Scouse gave a CDr of this to me in an antiques shop the other week so I dunno if you can actually buy it or what. NG

NITEROOMS ***

WE'VE BEEN WATCHING...

ELECTRIC DREAMS Channel 4/4OD

Everyone knows Philip K. Dick. Even if you think you don’t, you do. His haunting dystopian tales have been translated into films and television shows, including Blade Runner, Total Recall and The Man In The High Castle. Quite some pedigree. So it’s perhaps surprising that it’s taken till now for more of his short stories to get made into hour-long one-off shows. Brian Cranston, Steve Buscemi and Richard Madden are just some of the huge names taking roles in what is one of the most interesting and arresting series this year. ****MH

Niterooms EP (self-released) Niterooms are aptly named: their hazy songs swim in and out of focus, the beats often muffled and only distantly audible, as though heard from the darkened recesses of a comedown cave in the bowels of a club. Abstract, textually adventurous android r’n’b that holds considerable promise. BW

demos SAFARI GOLD facebook.com/safarigoldmusic Not really a demo in the traditional sense – in fact, a keenly polished 15-song album – but Safari Gold have self-released and self-produced this, going so far as to build their own studio in Cardiff for the latter, so land here for their first appearance in Buzz. They make impeccably groomed synth-heavy pop-rock with hints of 00s electroindie and retooled 80s production touches: wouldn’t argue against the multiple 1975 comparisons they’ve garnered, maybe someone like Glass Animals too, although this isn’t truthfully a sound that occupies too much of my life. NG

ILL FATE www.illfate.co.uk The type of punk Ill Fate play – fastish, clean, compressed – used to be semi-snarkily known as ‘the EpiFat sound’, referencing the two main record labels to popularise it, and while now distinctly uncool, it’s never looked like dying out. The Cardiff quartet’s bio takes care to emphasise their Britishness, which may not come through in their evident NOFX and Bad Religion fandom but does manifest itself in a song titled Strong And Stable and lyrical references to the European Union. Again, I have limited interactions with this kinda stuff but Ill Fate are very good at it. NG

JAMES & JUPP

BBC Wales (available on BBC iPlayer)

Inspired, no doubt, by the improbable success of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon’s The Trip, James & Jupp sees comedians Elis James and Miles Jupp teaming up to travel the length and breadth of Wales. The premise is flimsy (Jupp, almost quintessentially English, lives in Monmouth and James is his tour guide), the laughs are sporadic, the bonhomie is a little forced at times and it’s cheap TV unlikely to win any BAFTAs – but the pair’s jaunts are mildly amusing and a great tourist advert. ***BW

MOTHERLAND

BBC (available on BBC iPlayer)

From a dream-team of writers including Graham Linehan (Father Ted, The IT Crowd), Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe) and Holly Walsh comes a sitcom for which the ‘sit’ is horribly familiar to many: the traumas of parenthood – kids’ party politics, parents/in-laws who themselves need babysitting, mum cliques, the continual stress of childcare arrangements. Anna Maxwell Martin’s Julia – who both appals and attracts sympathy – is the main protagonist, but many of the best lines go to Diane Morgan’s Liz. Not as funny as last year’s pilot, but often painfully true to life. ***BW

MINDHUNTER Netflix

A candid and chilling insight into the first study of the mind of a serial killer (before the term ‘serial killer’ was even introduced). Set in the 70s, two FBI agents take on the task of interviewing the likes of Ed Kemper and Jerry Brudos. David Fincher's involvement guarantees psychological torment, here subdued by the comforting (yet complex) buddy-cop relationship at the core.

Ultimately thrilling throughout and a particular scene with tuna card is truly disturbing. *****CP

PUBLIC ORDER facebook.com/publicorderuk Three and a half minutes of chart-ready pophouse by a trio of Merthyr boys, one of the last acts to have their music released with the help of the Forté Project development scheme. The song showcased here, Violet Skies, has a guest singer called Rebecca Hurn and shifts gear from soft-focus twinkliness to a crashing EDM chorus in a manner that makes me think of weekday student nightclubs and the hold music on phone company helplines. They’ve done a 20-minute mix of clubbier, shoutier stuff that’s on Forté’s Soundcloud page, for the record. NG

STRANGER THINGS 2 Netflix

The hugely successful nostalgia-fuelled sci-fi series makes a highly anticipated return to Netflix. Following the further exploits of 11, and the neighbourhood boys as they contend with the supernatural inhabitants of ‘The Upside Down’, the series is engaging and thoughtfully written. While it has its flaws, the Duffer Brothers demonstrate that the first series wasn't simply a one-hit wonder, and the second series is a worthy addition to the narrative. ***SD

BUZZ 47

music news EXTRA Pic: Alex Lake

Two funding and development schemes for upcoming Welsh musical acts are to unveil their latest crop of lucky applicants this month. First up is Launchpad 2017, which is part of the BBC’s Horizons project and is open to musicians across Wales; it offers up to 20 acts a purse of up to £2,000 each, to be spent on a wide (albeit not unlimited) range of things that might help said acts “increase their reach”. This year’s list will be announced on Wed 6 Dec. On Mon 18 Dec, meanwhile, the Forté Project will reveal the 10 acts they’ll be working with during 2018. Forté, who are part of the Young Promoters Network, focus on the Welsh valleys specifically and offer things like workshops and rehearsal/recording sessions rather than financial incentives

Similarly, that moment in the 90s where Stereophonics emerged from smalltown south Wales in a blaze of iconoclastic self-contradiction and a desire to blow away the staid old whiteboy guard seems very distant now. Possibly I may also be misremembering slightly, but either way Kelly Jones and co have just dropped their 10th studio full-length, Scream Above The Sounds, and saw fit to take over Cardiff City Stadium in November to announce two massive Welsh gigs for summer 2018.

One is at Wrexham FC’s ground the Racecourse on Sat 2 June; the second, on Sat 9 June, is at Cardiff City Stadium itself. This follows up two previously announced dates in the capital, at the Motorpoint Arena on Tue 6 and Wed 7 Mar

Fri 6 Apr sees the release of Resistance Is Futile, the 13th Manic Street Preachers [pictured] studio album.

As people will inevitably point out, this equals 12 more albums than they originally pledged to record, but not only do the enduring Blackwood trio doubtless not give a toss, they reckon that this LP harks back to Generation Terrorists, the 1992 debut the Manics conceived as a singular statement. Equally, they’ve compared it to their biggest seller, ‘96’s Everything Must Go, so have created some big expectations – however, the sophisticated big room postpunk of their last record, 2014’s Futurology, was their most interesting move in yonks, so you never know. A tour shortly after Resistance...’s release takes them to Motorpoint Arena Cardiff on Sat 5 May

Cardiff-based recording engineer Charlie Francis’ career as a studio bod and session musician stretches back to the late 70s, with REM his highest-profile client. Lately, he’s embarked on a few projects showcasing his own compositional skills – the Bubblewrap label recently released an album by Finery, his synthpop teamup with Jemma Roper, and next up is Songs For Singers, where Francis writes music for a different vocalist on each song. It’s set to be released at the rate of one track per month, the first being Hunger, on which Gareth Bonello sings over wistful dance-pop very unlike his own acoustic folkisms. Sweet Baboo and Maddie Jones are among the upcoming collaborators

ONES TO WATCH...

HARRISON BDP

If Harry Webber couldn’t quite be described as blowing up yet, he’s certainly bubbling under. A Cardiff boy in his mid-20s, Webber has just released his third 12” of hazy, sideways-leaning house as Harrison BDP in barely as many months, with more on the way. He’s also been getting DJ bookings across Europe, so much so that local gigs are but an occasional treat.

Webber’s DJed since his teens and started producing around 2014 – prior to that, he was a resident at the Delirium nights in shortlived Cardiff club Aura. His debut release Transcend came in late 2015, on Belgian digital label Gents & Dandy’s: functional if effective garagey house with an obligatory ‘African-American woman reciting deep poetry’ sample. Since then, the Harrison BDP remit has expanded, and become more intriguing, with the swinging dub techno pulse and swirling atmospheres of Last Flight To Wherever, 28 Days and the currently unreleased (but online) Eternal Space.

These productions have enough analogue imperfection and wonky rhythmic detours to shove Harrison BDP under the umbrella of ‘lo-fi house’ – a dance trend which itself has been bubbling under for a year or two. For better or worse, it’s not exactly lo-fi in a ‘Sebadoh cassette from 1988’ sense, but it’s at least more interesting than yer muscled, tweaked-to-beige perfection Hot Creations stuff, and Webber’s latest EP Time Is Of The Essence is his quintessential studio statement to date, I’d say. He’s also headlining the Haws night at Undertone on Thurs 14 Dec. facebook.com/harrisonbdp

BUZZ 48

one louder

IF you’re reading this on paper, Buzz loves you, but you’re a weird, anachronistic freak. Print media’s pulse is flatlining and its family have phoned a priest; no-one wants to read it, so no-one wants to advertise in it, so no-one has any money. It’s scarcely any better online, thanks to everyone with a budget sinking it into Google and Facebook ads.

One result of this has been a mass toeing of the line: positive words for everybody, and very few chances taken in terms of either who gets covered or the tone of that coverage. In the case of music writing, where once it was felt that larger publications held the cards – the power to make or break an act’s career – the tables have turned, to some extent.

Buzz is by no means wholly distinct from this world, but neither are the trials of a free regional listings and entertainment monthly exactly the same thing.

Our writers are generally pretty favourable about their subjects: it’s a mag trying to show you a good time, not Private Eye. There are, though, no objectively wrong or forbidden opinions, especially in the music reviews section, where writers receive advance copies of things and so invariably hear a release for the first time after agreeing to review it.

Sometimes, they end up unimpressed.

For instance, a long-time contributor gave Fear Of A Welsh Planet, the latest album by Goldie Lookin Chain, a mere 2/5 in the last issue, deeming the lyrics to be “puerile” and “cringeworthy” and the general sound “tired and dated”. As takes go, this doesn’t strike me as especially jawdropping; had I been the reviewer, I might have credited the Your Mother’s Got A Penis hitmakers for making me properly laugh at least once (via a lyric taking a pro-flytipping stance), but I wasn’t. It was a surprise, however, when Buzz’s request to feature, and therefore promote, the GLC in print and online was refused, due to the group taking exception to their two-star review.

When I think of musicians who might be especially sensitive to criticism, the Your Missus Is A Nutter hitmakers wouldn’t have been first on the list – but it’s instructive to know there are feelings behind their ribald front. Not being able to film the band is a body blow for us, too: our children need shoes, and if the Buzz TV clip had done well on YouTube, the revenue might have equalled the cost of the materials used to make a pair in Bangladesh.

The thought process behind ‘you printed something unfavourable about us, now we will make you persona non grata’ – and it happens a lot, with acts/ publications far bigger than the ones here – has always puzzled me. Are all reviews assumed to be an official, predetermined stance, so what a freelance contributor thinks is what the editorial team all think?

(Answer: this level of micromanagement would be impossible for us, even if it were desirable.) Should I, the album reviews editor, have rebuked the writer for his bad opinion and made him change it? (Answer: no, he’s entitled to write what he thinks.) Or could it even be that the band weren’t really that offended by the review, but just couldn’t be arsed recording the film segment and felt they needed a more concrete reason? I hope it isn’t this one, because then I would have called the Song For Kelly hitmakers petty and smalltime for nothing.

FUTURO DI HIERRO, STOMACK and HARRGA (Undertone, Cardiff, Wed 6), ACID REIGN (Hobos, Bridgend, Sun 10), HELEN LOVE, PEANESS and more (The Moon, Sun 10), PORRIDGE RADIO, GARDEN CENTRE and more (Cardiff Bus Transport Club, Thurs 21), HAAST’S EAGLED and lots more heavy bands (Le Public Space, Newport, Fri 29), CHOKEHOLD (Fuel, Mon 15 Jan) and MARTIN CARR (Le Public Space, Mon 29 Jan): they’d love us if they met us. NOEL GARDNER

The new Christmas album

Angels & Men out November 24th 2017

St David’s Hall Cardiff

Tuesday12 December, 7.30pm 029 2087 8444 @ K AT E R U S B Y

stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

O F F I C I A L K AT E R U S B Y

K AT E R U S B Y

iau 25 ionaWR ThuRs 25 JanuaRy 8pm

DeaR esTheR Live

Live Score by JessiCa CuRRy Live Game Play by ThoMas MCMullan A deserted Hebridean landscape, memories of a fatal crash, a book written by a dying man – explore a haunting, deserted, island shrouded in mystery in a live performance of the video game Dear Esther. With the play-through of the game on-screen accompanied by live narration and a live performance of BAFTA winning composer Jessica Curry’s powerful score, the story of the acclaimed videogame is brought to life as a new performative work.

Tocynnau | Tickets £18 | £16 consesiynau | concessions (Dan 25 oed | under 25’s £12) neuadd Dora stoutzker hall #RWCMD Post Show Q&A with the composer.

Pre-show foyer events, visit the website for more details.

/RWCMD

@RWCMD

Tocynnau | Tickets 029 2039 1391 www.rwcmd.ac.uk

books THE LIME TREE César Aira, trans: Chris Andrews (And Other Stories)

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Although the narrator is not explicitly declared to be César Aira, The Lime Tree certainly seems to be a fictionalised autobiography of the Argentinian author. Set in Aira’s hometown of Coronel Pringles, the book narrates many childhood incidents. The nature of memory, how thoughts link and how they make connections to other instances are depicted wonderfully.

Set in the wake of a tense political climate, where our narrator’s father finds himself on the losing side of the Revolución Libertadora, the fallout establishes an explanation of his home life, where the narrator’s father becomes very introverted and easily agitated. In contrast to his laconic father, his mother has frequent outbursts which she deems necessary to keep her husband calm and from speaking.

This is also where the eponymous lime tree comes in: the flowers from the tree are used to make a relaxing tea for the father. The novel opens with a depiction of a lime tree and at the end, when the narrator thinks he is in a part of the village he is not familiar with, it is a memory of the lime tree that brings him to a nostalgic realisation. Jumping from anecdote to anecdote means the reader is carried along in confusion at times, at least until the next link is established, but this reflects the often-jumbled way in which we remember.

Through these anecdotes, sometimes involving local characters, cultural customs and the (mis)understandings of youth, Aira creates a captivating exploration of childhood impressions and how these go on to inform our adulthood. LUCY MENON Price: £8.99. Info: www.andotherstories.org INSANE

Rainald Goetz, trans: Adrian Nathan West (Fitzcarraldo) Never has a book title been so apt.

Insane is an enjoyable and extremely disturbing examination of everyday life in an asylum. Originally published in 1983, Goetz’s debut novel is only now getting its first translation into English.

We follow Dr Raspe, a wide-eyed young psychiatrist with aspirations of revolutionising the profession when he enters the asylum.

Slowly, he breaks down as he witnesses the brutal methods used by his peers, begging the question: who is truly mad?

Raspe’s anger at the institution’s failures comes from Goetz’s own experiences as a psychiatrist. The disturbing imagery is used throughout to hammer home that we are in the nightmare world we imagine asylums to be. Now, more than ever, we are taking mental health seriously, but within these pages lies a reminder of what it once was to suffer these problems. CA Price: £12.99 Info: www.fitzcarraldoeditions.com

THE BYRNE IDENTITY Lee Byrne (Y Llolfa)

If your preconceptions of sporting autobiographies involves repetitive stories of getting drunk with the lads and various other tiresome escapades then sadly The Byrne Identity, the autobiography of former Wales fullback Lee Byrne, will not change your mind.

With 46 caps for Wales, and a rugby career ranging from Bridgend Athletic to Clermont, Lee has certainly seen his fair share of highs and lows, suffering from several significant injuries, which eventually ended his career prematurely. The endless tales of rugger buggers out on the drink causing mayhem starts to drag pretty early on, but it's worth persevering to understand a little of the working-class lad from Bridgend suffering from dyslexia, lacking in confidence and nearly being overwhelmed by depression. A more interesting story trying to break out but ultimately failing. JB Price: £9.99. Info: www.ylolfa.com

THE CARDIFF CHRISTMAS CLUB Nick Frampton (Self-published)

I am certainly not the target audience for this feel-good romance, where protagonist Katy returns from a year abroad and, whilst trying to put her life back together, is forced to choose between her ex David and Rhodri – both of whom are depicted as six-foot-plus muscly dreamboats with oceans of sensitivity. The clichés of the genre abound; a good editor would have cut down much of the fat here immediately, such are the perils of self-publishing. But somehow I was won over in the end with the warmth and sweetness of the prose, the openness of the characters and the good natured-ness of the plot. It’s also nice to see an attempt to imbue Cardiff with the same romanticism that London and Paris so often get undeservedly imbued with. FT Price: £5.99. Info: www.framptonbooks.com BUZZ 50

L

I

T

LIT

@mabjones

The winter months are a time to mull, drink mulled wine, muse, and engage with the muse, too, via the various literary shindigs on offer all across South Wales during this time.

At Cuffern Manor in Haverfordwest, you can enjoy a hive, if not hotbed, of poetry, from a plethora of talented persons – Jackie Biggs, Dave Urwin, Karen Gemma Brewer, and more. This event is free of charge but asks, graciously, for donations. Entitled Poetry & Song, you can also expect vocal gymnastics at this event, as well as verbal vivacity. Get yourself there for a 7.30pm start on Tue 5 Dec. On Thurs 14 Dec in Cardiff, an outing of eight poets published by Indigo Dreams will be giving readings at Central Library from 3.30-4.30pm; then later at The Diana Rooms, a new arts venue based at 25 Diana Street in Roath. The former is free, the latter asks for a small donation, but also includes live art and refreshments. It’s a rare chance to hear many, multi-award-winning voices in one go, so do go along to this – both! – if you can.

If you are more of a novels fan, there will be a series of readings to mark the launch of writer Rhiannon Lewis’s new book My Beautiful Imperial.

Published by Victorina Press, you can hear the author read first at the Chapel in Abergavenny on Fri 15 Dec at 7pm, then at Cardigan Castle on Sat 16 Dec at 7pm. Both events are free.

There is, of course, a little break over the festive season until January, when various regular openmic nights begin their evenings once more. The more long-standing of these include Seren’s First Thursday in Chapter (the first Thursday of the month, obviously!), Cellar Bards in Cardigan who meet on the final Friday of each month, Poems & Pints at the Queen’s in Carmarthen which meets on Mondays towards the end of the month, Howl Poetry Sessions at Mozart’s in Swansea on the second and third Thursdays of every month, and Juke in Cardiff, which meets at MADE Gallery on Weds towards the end of the month. Juke also celebrates its two-year anniversary at Small Bar in Cardiff on Wed 6 Dec, from 7.30pm. Enjoy!

Eco Deluxe Bath Body Gift Basket Lotion Cream Brush Set by Furniture Creations £71.95 www.amazon.co.uk

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS It’s that time of year again! Yes, you know the one. It’s got elves and baby Jesus and turkey in it. Also presents. Here are some suggestions for those presents.

The Mistletoe Murder and Other Stories

Fforest Note Book

£6.99 www.amazon.co.uk

£4.50 www.fforest.bigcartel.com

Enamel triple heart pendant £57.00 www.adrahome.com

Navy Welsh Dragon Top £16.00 www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

Godiva Christmas Gold Rigid Chocolate Box

£4.00 www.mattandbensfudge.co.uk

£31.47 www.amazon.co.uk

Love Spoon £64.95 www.angelwoodcraft.co.uk

Matt and Ben's Proper Fudge – Vanilla Fudge Carton (150g)

Hugo Boss Cologne £45.00 www.boots.com

BUZZ 51

Rising Sun

travel

BRECON BEACONS WATERSIDE COTTAGES

Lilly Pond Cottage

Huts in the Hills

Swanbank Cottage

Buckland Mill

Nestling in the heart of the Brecon Beacons lies Wales’ very own Waterfall Country, a perfect setting for a cosy holiday and a dog-friendly adventure.

RISING SUN COTTAGE, TRECASTLE, BRECON

LILY POND LODGE, NR LLANGAMMARCH

In a tiddly little village, near Sennybridge and a few miles from Brecon, this is a perfect spot if you are escaping the noise of city life. Rising Sun also welcomes your four-legged friends, which is a real plus as it’s only a couple of miles from the Usk reservoir and the Kite centre. The cottage has an abundance of teas, coffees, honey, local produce and all the toiletries you could dream of; the owner has recently refurbished throughout and has thought of everything. You will be delighted at the cottage amenities and the chance to relax with all the home comforts after a long day walking, enjoying the many local pubs, sightseeing and browsing antique shops.

A romantic pond-side lodge perfect for couples, north Brecon’s Lily Pond Lodge invites you to step outside and watch the water. This cosy cottage overlooks its pond below for a water-inspired romantic retreat. Featuring a brand new hot tub and relaxed balcony area, you never need to step inside.

Sleeps four. One week from £437

BUCKLAND MILL RIVERSIDE RETREAT, NR CRICKHOWELL A remote retreat that has been the inspiration for many artists, Buckland Mill is bursting with waterside features. The River Usk flows right past your window, with otters and kingfishers flocking to the location. The 200 yards of bank next to the Mill is also perfect for fishing.

Sleeps 10. One week from £1299

DAN Y BRYN, YSTRADFELLTE Some of Britain’s most picturesque plunge pools can be found in the heart of the Brecon Beacons and in Ystradfellte in Mellte. Dan Y Bryn cottage will take you straight to them. With 20 plunge pools along five miles of the nearby Mellte River, there are plenty of spots nearby to enjoy a refreshing dip. After a day exploring Mellte’s famous waterfalls, head back to soak up the rest of the sun in the cottage garden.

Sleeps eight. One week from £508

Sleeps two. One week from £315

SWAN BANK COTTAGE, BRECON Located along the picturesque Brecon & Monmouthshire Canal, Swanbank Cottage is a peaceful waterside retreat. Lean over your garden wall to feed the ducks outside or take a stroll along the canal bank. Relax in the sunroom with a good book or simply sit as the boats chug peacefully past your window.

Sleeps four. One week from £344

ABERCYNRIG HOUSE, BRECON Set in 120 acres of a private riverside estate, this country manor house has its very own lake for guests to enjoy. Take a dip in the water or simply lie by its banks to unwind. With half a mile of double bank fishing a few minutes’ walk away, guests can enjoy brown trout fishing on the River Usk on their doorstep.

Sleeps 12. One week from £2285

HUTS IN THE HILLS, HAY BLUFF, NR HAY-ON-WYE Nestled in the heart of the Black Mountain, these luxurious eco-huts make the most of their fresh water supply. Featuring their own wood-fired hot tubs, fresh spring water and a nearby brook, these huts will make it difficult to stay dry.

Sleeps six. One week from £1075 Brecon Cottages currently have a 20% discount on dog froendly accomodation.

All cottages available at www.breconcottages.com

BUZZ 52

k

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sport

WELSH SPORT IN REVIEW It only seems like yesterday that we were barely waiting for the Six Nations to start, and yet now it’s December, bringing with it a time of merriment, frost and reflection – cue Conor Knight’s look-back.

FOOTBALL

RUGBY

ELSEWHERE IN SPORT

Fresh off an impressive run at Euro 2016, expectations were understandably high for Wales team to reach their first World Cup in 60 years.

Despite some impressive victories in the group stages, a heartbreaking defeat to Ireland in October meant that Wales failed, despite their spirited ambition. There were positives to take from the campaign though, with youngster Ben Woodburn impressing with his cameo roles off the bench. A commitment from Chris Coleman to promoting youth players bodes well for the future, but has been thrown into doubt after his resignation in November and subsequent move to the dreaded managerial post at Sunderland.

It seems there is finally some change in the air with the Welsh rugby team. Having relied on the hackneyed Warrenball for too long, remaining in a limbo between physicality and creativity, there has been a tide of fresh thinking in the autumn. The fact that 25-year-old George North looks set to sign a dual national contract after ending his time with the Northampton Saints has delighted national team coach Warren Gatland.

Representing the capital and Wales on ice, the Cardiff Devils ice hockey team capped an emphatic season as league champions in 2017, while also winning the Challenge Cup and coming runners-up in the playoffs. After coming runners-up in the cup and league last season, head coach Andrew Lord will be vindicated by his team’s performance. Elsewhere, Glamorgan County Cricket Club completed a rather indifferent season in the County Championship Division Two, finishing seventh with 133 points, with their South African star Colin Ingram picking up the player of the year award.

At club level, Swansea have endured a rather dismal start to their Premier League campaign. Despite the sturdy revival instigated by Paul Clement at the end of last season, Swansea have failed to live up to the pedigree of the top flight, currently looming in the bottom half of the table. All eyes will be on Clement to guide Swansea out of their rut, though he may be looking to the transfer window to replace the significant void left following the departure of Gylfi Sigurðsson in the summer. Meanwhile, Neil Warnock’s renaissance at Cardiff continues to blossom as they sit in a playoff position in the Championship. Despite trailing off from a prolific start to the season, the Bluebirds will be pushing for Premier League status in the coming year. Providing they retain the services of their key players, City fans should be hopeful.

BUZZ 54

The world class winger will return to playing domestic rugby, with an aim to ultimately extending his career in a sport known for being harsh on its player’s bodies, which hopefully bodes well for the future of Wales’ national sport. Following the calamitous Six Nations campaign that saw Wales finish second from bottom with only two victories, this Autumn has heralded fresh faces and an attempt at a new style of rugby. Though there is still some way to go with the international team, there is optimism for 2018.

Meanwhile, in Conference A of the Welsh Guinness Pro14 Conference, Cardiff Blues and Ospreys have had a downcast start to the season and will be hoping to improve on their form in order to push for playoffs. Down in Conference B, Scarlets are dominating the league and looking to top their group while the Dragons are struggling in the bottom half of the table.

LOOKING FORWARD As we look ahead to the New Year, there is not long to wait for an emphatic fixture as the Welsh League Cup final kicks off in January. With Cardiff Metropolitan University already confirming their spot in the final, it will be either Connah’s Quay Nomads or The New Saints joining them. The latter have enjoyed a purple patch in the cup’s recent history, having won it for the past three years. Elsewhere, the Motorpoint will host their annual Welsh Snooker Open from February through to March, as the best in the snooker world compete for the coveted title.

Finally, hosting three of their five matches at the Principality Stadium, the home of Welsh rugby will be teeming with avid fans as the Six Nations returns throughout February and March.

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

Maria per Roma

NEW YEAR’S EVE All over the place, Sun 31 Dec

Round these parts at least, it seems like people aren’t desperate to welcome in the new year with the kind of almighty extravagance they used to. Oh, I’m sure you animals will get up to all sorts of unprintable hell behind closed doors, but the mass communal gathering seems to be relatively unfashionable these days.

Time was, for example, there’d be plenty of large club nights to choose from, with promoters blowing much of their annual budget on some big shot DJ or other. This now appears to have been recognised as a good way to lose lots of money, with a bottleneck of competing attractions leading everyone to suffer. Most south Wales nightspots are just doing slightly tarted-up versions of their normal weekend fare, and it’s hard to blame them.

New Year’s Eve live music, too, is where the tried and true rule the roost even more than normal. People don’t want to watch a band testing the audience’s mettle with their new material, they want to shout “HI-HO SILVER LINING” and throw up behind a speaker, and fortunately there are lots of cover bands playing across the region purposebuilt for that.

If Buzz was to recommend one way of seeing in 2018, it would be the New Year Walk In in the oft-eccentric town of Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys. It starts at 10.30pm and is based on the ancient and murky Welsh folk tradition, the Mari Llwyd [pictured] – where torch-bearing revellers parade a horse’s skull on a pole through the town, as a preamble to a celebratory drinking session. So you can prevent long-lost regional customs from becoming eroded, and also get tanked up.

CONTENTS pg 56 pg 58 pg 60 pg 67 pg 74

art clubs events live stage BUZZ 55

* – recommended

art

art ABERYSTWYTH ARTS CENTRE University Of Wales, Aberystwyth. Free. Mon-Sat 10am-8pm. 01970 621903 / www.aber.ac.uk/artscentre Rhi Moxon ‘Food & Folklore’ Illustration and printmaking work exploring the wealth of flavours and food traditions that surround us.

(Until Sat 23 Dec) Hanes: Tales/Stories/Legends/ Myths Exhibition which runs across two of the gallery spaces here, exploring the themes of Wales & Legends, Folk & Fairy Tales and Mythology. Includes works by David Hockney and Bedwyr Williams. (Until Tue 16 Jan) Terry Bell-Hughes North Wales potter/teacher with new work produced in the last nine months following a successful grant application to develop new clay bodies and slips and to work on a larger scale. (Until Sun 21 Jan) We’re Heer Because We’re Here Show detailing Jeremy Deller’s one-off memorial of this name, which took place on 1 July 2016 and featured 1,400 volunteers in WWI uniform; it commemorated the Battle Of The Somme, which took place 100 years prior.

(From Sat 20 Jan until Sun 15 Apr) RPS International Photography Exhibition 160 Work demonstrating photographic skill and technique, alongside images exploring ideas and narratives rich in meaning and message. (From Sat 27 Jan until Sat 10 Mar) ALBANY GALLERY 74b Albany Road, Cardiff.

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm. Free. 029 2048 7158 / www.albanygallery.

com Winter Exhibition A changing exhibition of paintings, sculpture, ceramics and jewellery from established and emerging artists. (Until Mon 8 Jan) Vintage Artists’ Posters Original exhibition posters produced by some of the 20th century’s greatest artists designed in collaboration with renowned Parisian ateliers such as the Mourlet Frères Studio. (From Thurs 18 Jan until Sat 10 Feb) ANDREW LAMONT GALLERY (THEATR BRYCHEINIOG) Canal Wharf, Brecon. Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. Free.

01874 611622 / enquiries@ brycheiniog.co.uk / www. brycheiniog.co.uk Haymakers’ Christmas Collection Local designer makers the Haymakers, celebrate the 30th anniversary of their gallery in Hay-on-Wye with an exhibition of varied work. (Until Mon 15 Jan) ARDENT GALLERY 46 High Street, Brecon.

01874 610710 / www. ardentgallery.co.uk David Pritchard ‘Blossoms & Valleys’ Exhibition of around 40 pieces from this Cardiff-based artist, occupying a whole floor of the gallery.

(Until Fri 15 Dec) ART CENTRAL Barry Town Hall, King Square, Barry. Tue-Sat 9.15am-5pm. Free. 01873 852690 / www. artshopandgallery.co.uk Winter Show Featuring jewellery, textiles, ceramics, painting, printmaking, paper art, book art, photography and edible creations, all available to purchase. (Until Sat 20 Jan) THE ART SHOP & CHAPEL 8 Cross Street, Abergavenny.

Tue-Sat 11am-4pm. Free.

01446 709805.

Picture The Vale: Past Times Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Barry Library and Art Central Gallery, a collection of digitised images created from library archives and pictures contributed by people from the five Vale towns. (Until Sat 6 Jan) ATTIC GALLERY 37 Pocketts Wharf, Maritime Quarter, Swansea. Tue-Fri 10am-5.30pm, Sat 10am4.30pm. Free. 01792 653387 / www.atticgallery.co.uk Winter Group Exhibition Changing exhibition featuring new and varied work from all thge artists currently represented by the gallery. (Until Sat 23 Dec) BARKER GALLERY / TORFAEN GALLERY Pontypool Museum, Park Buildings, Pontypool. MonSat 11am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm.

Free Wed/Sun 2-5pm. 01495 752036.

Winter 50/50 Fundraising Art Sale Show Sale of donated art works, exhibited in Cafe Celf, to raise funds for the museum. (Throughout December) BAY ART 54 B/C Bute Street, Cardiff Bay. Free. 029 2065 0016 / www.bayart.org.uk Jacqueline Alkema, Mabli Jen Eustace & Llinos Thomas Three artists who share an interest in exploring intimacy, both through the choice of image and through the constructed surface. (Until Fri 8 Dec) John Selway Oil paintings, watercolours and digital drawings, inspired by (among other things) the story of Peter Pan, the Holocaust, Dylan Thomas’s poetry and Jean Genet. (From Sat 20 Jan

MOTOMU OYAMA: ATOMIC 36 Boundary Art, Cardiff Bay, Sun 3 Dec-Fri 2 Feb Admission: Free. Info: 029 2048 9869 / www.boundaryart.com After working as a freelance artist up till 2007 and then setting up a studio, Japanese-born Motomu Oyama has continually worked with iron, sculpting abstract objects, utensils, vessels and handbuilt stands and desk lamps. He has continued to express his mesmerisation with iron through his 10 years building a portfolio around it; now living on the south-westerly side of Honshu Island, the surrounding scenery inspires and shapes his artistic vision. Given people’s perceptions of his chosen material as cold, heavy and industrial, you might wonder as to the aesthetic appeal of iron sculptures, but Oyama’s skill has formed these soft, elegant and light creations. His work ever-evolving, this exhibition is a cultural exchange of ideas, experiments and beautiful imperfection.

BUZZ 56

until Fri 16 Feb) BIG PIT NATIONAL COAL MUSEUM Blaenafon, Torfaen. Daily 9.30am-5pm. Free. 0300 1112333 / bigpit@ museumwales.ac.uk Walter Waygood ‘Family Of Blaenafon’ A series of photographs by Waygood documenting the landscape, home life, society, work, religion and youth in Blaenafon from the 1970s onwards. (Until Thurs 1 Feb) BOUNDARY ART 3 Sovereign Quay, Havannah Street, Cardiff.

Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. 029 2048 9869 / www. boundaryart.com Motumu Oyama ‘Atomic 26’ Tokyo-born artist and graphic designer who creates sculptural objects and utensils in iron (atomic number 26 in the periodic table). (From Sun 3 Dec until Fri 2 Feb) CARDIFF STORY The Old Library, The Hayes, Cardiff. Daily 10am-4pm.

Free. 029 2034 6214 / cardiff story@cardiff.gov.uk Charles Byrd Selected works by this local artist. (Until Sun 18 Mar) Bute Park Explore the history of Bute Park and find out stories of the past.

(From Sat 2 Dec until Sun 25 Feb) 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 Larissa Sansour ‘In The Future They Ate From The Finest Porcelain’ Sansour, from Palestine, presents an exhibition centred round a film in which porcelain artefacts are buried underground with the intention of being discovered in the future and influencing historical narratives.

(Until Sun 14 Jan) Minyoung Choi Art In The Bar exhibition of paintings that depict dreamlike sequences and pleasurable objects in landscapes that take on fresh symbolism. (Until Sun 4 Mar) CINEMA & CO. West Glamorgan House, 17 Castle St, Swansea. Free.

07982 624959 / www. cinemaco.co.uk Fran Williams ‘It’s About Time’ Brand new collection of unseen work, primarily featuring images of Swansea, Cardiff city and landscapes. (Until Sat 2 Dec) CRAFT IN THE BAY The Flourish, Lloyd George Avenue, Cardiff. Mon-Sun 10.30am-5.30pm. Free. 029 2048 4611 / www. makersguildinwales.org.uk Christmas With A Twist...

Colourful contemporary crafts from more makers than I have room to list, I count 23 of them in fact. (Until Sun 7 Jan) Christian Ryan New work from Bridgend-based glass artist. Maker In Focus show.

(Until Sun 7 Jan) Alys Wall New work from Penarth-based leather artist. Maker In Focus

show. That was a bit lazy of me just using the same text as the previous exhibition so I’ll add that her biog reads like an overreaching dating profile.

(Until Sun 7 Jan) CWTSH COMMUNITY & ARTS CENTRE 226 Stow Hill, Newport.

Thurs + Sat 12-3pm, Sun 1-4pm. Free. 01633 664498 / www.cwtsh.org Winter Exhibition A total of 44 works in various media, fine art and photography, by 15 artists from Wales and beyond.

(Until Sun 7 Jan) CYFARTHFA CASTLE MUSEUM Cyfarthfa Park, Brecon Rd, Merthyr Tydfil. 01685 727371 / museum@merthyr.gov.uk Alison Richards & Rob Taylor ‘Wilderness’ Two Merthyr Tydfil based artists, collectively known as ARRT, work in wood, glass, ceramics and poetry to explore the ways people experience wilderness and how that impacts on the human condition. (From Thurs 12 Dec until Sun 28 Jan) DYLAN THOMAS CENTRE Somerset Place, Swansea.

Daily 10am-4pm. Free.

01792 463980 / dylanthomas.lit@swansea.gov.uk / www.dylanthomas.com I Might Want To Smile Dylan Thomas’ work is full of humour, from his early Swansea Grammar School poems to later prose writing, such as A Story. This exhibition of such work brings together loan material from the National Library Of Wales alongside items from our own collection. (Until Fri 22 Dec) ELYSIUM GALLERY 16 College Street, Swansea.

Wed-Sat 12-5pm. Free. www. elysiumgallery.com Jessica Hoad ‘Rendered’ New work from Swansea-based artist Hoad, her debut solo show; Rendered focuses on our intuitive response to situations, objects, sounds and spaces. (Until Sat 16 Dec) FFOTOGALLERY Turner House, Plymouth Road, Penarth. Tue-Sat 11am-5pm. Free. 029 2070 8870 / turnerhouse@ ffotogallery.org Mike Perry ‘Land/Sea (Tir/Môr)’ Welsh artist with new solo show: minimalisminfluenced photography looking at environmental issues, in particular the tension between human activity and interventions in the natural environment, and the fragility of the planet’s ecosystems. (Until Sat 9 Dec) FOUNTAIN FINE ART Rhosmaen Street, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire. Mon-Sat 10.30am-5pm. Free. www. fountainfineart.com Winter Group Exhibition Mixed and changing exhibition of new work from the gallery artists that continues through the winter months. (Until Wed 31 Jan) G39 Oxford Street, Roath, Cardiff. Saturdays 11am5.30pm. Free. 029 2047

u – repeated

3633 / post@g39.org Holly Davey ‘The Conversation’ Exhibition whose focal point is an A4 folder, displayed under glass at the gallery’s entrance. The loose collection of objects explores our relationship with archive and how our lives can be interpreted through these markers. (Until Sat 3 Feb) Lydia Meehan ‘A Template For Application’ This exhibition’s central object is a utilarian structure designed to meet, talk and drink tea at (Meeham also made the teacups here for this purpose). It muddles the boundaries between artwork, work, leisure and labour to question how we value ourselves and other people. (Until Sat 3 Feb) Y GALERI, CAERFFILI Lower Ground Floor, The Visit Caerphilly Centre, The Twyn, Caerphilly. Tue-Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 029 2132 2570 / www.ygalericaerffili. co.uk Christmas Showcase A mixed exhibition of competitively priced artworks plus an extensive range of jewellery, glass and ceramics from Welsh makers. (Until Sun 24 Dec) Open Art Exhibition Featuring over 100 affordable wall-hung and freestanding artworks from amateur and professional artists. (From Sat 6 Jan until Sat 10 Feb) THE GATE Keppoch Street, Roath, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 10am-9pm.

Free. 029 2048 3344 / info@ thegate.org.uk Claire Sadlier & Jude Harrington Smith ‘The Leap’ Portraits and landscapes in oils from Cardiffbased fine artists. (Throughout December) GLYNN VIVIAN ART GALLERY Alexandra Rd, Swansea.

Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, Free.

01792 516900 / www. swansea.gov.uk/glynnvivian Journeys & Visions: Twentieth Century Artists Series 2 – Surrealism and Swansea Work by Giorgio De Chirico, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Paul Nash, Alfred Janes, Ben Nicholson, Tristram Hiller, Ceri Richards and Felicity Charlton. (Until Sun 21 Jan) Swansea Open 2017 Annual celebration of art and craft by artists and makers who live and work in the City & County Of Swansea.

(From Sat 2 Dec until Sat 6 Jan) These Waters Have Stories To Tell Work by Julia Davis, Alexander Duncan, Shiraz Bayjoo, Jaanika Peerna, Sylvia Safdie, Christian Sardet and the Macronauts, each piece a reflection of their respective experience and relationship with oceanic waters.

(From Sat 20 Jan until Thurs 8 Mar) GRAND PAVILION The Esplanade, Porthcawl.

Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 01656 815995 / www. grandpavilion.co.uk Richard Bowdridge ‘Animalistic’ An award winning artist who works in

art oil paints and pastels and is inspired by the beauty of nature. (Until Sun 14 Jan) Seaside Sketchers Work by three art groups from Porthcawl and Kenfig Hill.

(From Tue 16 Jan until Sun 4 Mar) IAP FINE ART 15 Church Street, Monmouth. Thurs + Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-4pm or by appointment. Free.

01600 772005 / www. iapfineart.com Small Works Selected smaller paintings, drawings and prints by Chris Gollon, Maggi Hambling, Peter Howson; prints by Hockney, Matisse, Picasso and Sutherland; stone sculptures by Mel Fraser; fine jewellery by Paul Hatton. (Until Thurs 21 Dec) 20th/21st Century Printmaking Monotypes, lithographs and etchings by Chris Gollon, Maggi Hambling and Peter Howson, plus stone sculptures

by Mel Fraser and fine jewellery by Paul Hatton. (From Sat 6 until Sat 27 Jan) KING STREET GALLERY 33 King Street, Carmarthen.

Free. 01267 220121 / gallery@kingstreetgallery. co.uk Donna Gray New portraits and figurative paintings, (Until December) Winter Show New and diverse work by the Gallery’s members. (Until early January) New Year Show New artworks including paintings, ceramics, sculptures, photographs, textiles and jewellery pieces. (From early January until early March) LLANTARNAM GRANGE ARTS CENTRE St. David’s Rd, Cwmbran, Torfaen. Mon-Sat 10am5pm. Free. 01633 483321 / www.lgac.org.uk Rhiannon Williams ‘Hiraeth’ Using embroidery techniques, Williams stitches together stories of people conveying scenes from modern life, nostalgic memories and human relationships. (From Sat 2 Dec until Sat 20 Jan) Into The Woods Ceramics, textiles, print, mixed media sculpture and ‘curiosities’ on the subject of the woods, and their mysteriousness. (From Sat 2 Dec until Sat 20 Jan) Naomi Greaves Showcase of images from the artist’s book collection with carefully sourced and purchased antique papers, as well as her own prints. (From Sat 2 Dec until Sat 20 Jan) Claire Gent Jewellery showcase described as “fashion meets nature” by the artist. (From Sat 2 Dec until Sat 20 Jan) Gwent Wildlife Trust Results of said organisation’s wildlife photography competition.

(From Sat 2 Dec until Sat 20 Jan) LOST VEGAS HOTEL 8-10 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Free. lostvegashotel@gmail. com *Lost Vegas Hotel Work chosen from an artist callout, and hosted, by Cardiff art collective Tactilebosch. The work will be mixed media and reference the “unique dereliction of the building” as well as

echoing things like Elvis, David Lynch, American motels etc.

(Throughout December) M.A.D.E. GALLERY 41 Lochaber St, Cardiff.

Wed-Sat 10am-6pm. Free.

029 2047 3373.

Winter Affordable Art Wall Exhibition & Craft Market Showcasing over 40 local artists and handmade goods, from jewellery to textiles and unusual gifts. (Until Sat 27 Jan) MARTIN TINNEY GALLERY 18 St Andrew’s Crescent, Cardiff. Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 029 2064 1411 / mtg@artwales. com Winter Show New work from all the gallery artists, available to purchase at an exteinsive range of prices. This will also run alongside a new solo exhibition by artist Kevin Sinnott. (Until Fri 22 Dec) Clive Hicks-Jenkins ‘Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Part II’ Clive’s series of 14 screenprints, based on the medieval poem of the title and using Simon Armitage’s 2007 translation, is shown again here – this time featuring prints 7-14. (From Wed 10 until Sat 27 Jan) MISSION GALLERY Gloucester Place, Swansea.

Tue-Sun 11am-5pm. Free.

01792 652016 / www. missiongallery.co.uk Living//Byw An exhibition of “textiles that tell a story” featuring Sian O’Doherty, Katie Victoria Davies, Llio James, Swag & Tassel and more. (Throughout December) Surface Pattern Design Maker In Focus show featuring functional and non-functional design objects, stationery, printmaking, fashion and interior related products to display and sell at this gallery. (Until Sun 7 Jan) The Drawing Center Work in the [...] space functioning as a cross-continental collaboration and showcase of work from both Mission artists and those from The Drawing Center in New York. (Until Sun 7 Jan) Jin Eui Kim Maker In Focus show, rather drily described as “exploration with tonal effects and spatial illusions by using gradient in tone, width of bands and interval between bands”. (From Sat 13 Jan until Sun 11 Feb) Matt Collier Work in the [...] space from a recent Swansea UWTSD graduate who working predominately with audio field recordings and found sound objects. (From Sat 13 Jan until Sun 11 Feb) NATIONAL MUSEUM CARDIFF Cathays Park, Cardiff. TueSun 10am-5pm. Free except where noted. 029 2057 3500 / www.museumwales.ac.uk/ cardiff Bacon To Doig: Modern Masterpieces From A Private Collection The collection in question belonging to Ian and Mercedes Stoutzker. and featuring two Francis Bacon paintings as well as works by Lucian Freud, Frank Auerbach, Barbara Hepworth,

Henry Moore and Grayson Perry among others. It’s on loan here for nearly a year, as well. (Until Wed 31 Jan) Swaps: Photographs From The David Hurn Collection The first exhibition in a new photography-focused gallery here in the Museum features some highlights from the career of esteemed Welsh documentary snapper Hurn.

See Upfront for more. (Until Sun 11 Mar) Who Decides?

Long-term exhibition from the collections of the Museum and the Derek Williams Trust, curated by service users from The Wallich homelessness charity. This detail seeks to highlight issues around curation and the narrow demographic of those usually involved in it. (Until Sun 2 Sept) NATIONAL WATERFRONT MUSEUM Oystermouth Road, Maritime Quarter, Swansea.

Daily 10am-5pm. Free.

01792 638950 / museum.wales/swansea Our Abertawe Exhibition exploring 250 years of diverse communities that have settled in Swansea. (Throughout December) Generation Games Generation Games Play your way through the history of home computer games consoles, following developments in the technology, the programming industry and entertainment in the home.

(Until Sun 18 Mar) NEWPORT MUSEUM & ART GALLERY John Frost Square, Newport.Tue-Fri 9.30am5.30pm, Sat 9.30am-4pm.

Free. 01633 656656 / museum@newport.gov.uk The Newport College Of Art Paintings and sculptures from the collections of this allery which were created by artists associated with the Art College. (Until Sat 23 Dec) NORWEGIAN CHURCH ARTS CENTRE Harbour Drive, Cardiff Bay. Daily 11am-4pm. Free. 029 2087 7959 / www. norwegianchurchcardiff.com Rachel Rasmussen Variosu works by a local artist who is also going to be hosting art classes here. (Until Sun 14 Jan) 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 Sarah Jane Brown ‘The Momentum Of Colour’ Contemporary landscape artist who lives in the heart of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and specialised in Fine Art Painting at the West Wales School Of The Arts. (Until Tue 5 Dec) Christmas Mixed Show Changing exhibition set to include works of new and existing artists. (Until January) ORIEL CANFAS Glamorgan Street, Canton, Cardiff. Tue-Fri 1-4.30pm, Sat 10.30am-4.30pm. 029 2066 6455 / www.orielcan-

fas.co.uk Christmas Show Mixed work from a coterie of Oriel Canfas’ regular artists is what I’m guessing this’ll be. (Until Fri 22 Dec) ORIEL CRIC Beaufort Street, Crickhowell. Mon-Sat 10am5pm, Sun 10am-1pm. Free.

01873 813669.

Royal Watercolour Society Of Wales Featuring painting, ceramics, glass, sculpture and gifts. (Until Sat 6 Jan) ORIEL DAVIES The Park, Newtown, Powys.

Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm.

Free. 01686 625041 / enquiries@orieldavies.org The Kitchen A creative pop-up space where art, performance, craft and film will be made, shared and inspired.

(Until Sun 27 Jan) Andreas Rüthi ‘Colourfelt’ Swissborn, Monmouthshire-based painter Rüthi, joint prizewinner at the Oriel Davies Open 2016, presents his first oneperson show in Wales. (From Sat 9 Dec until Sun 27 Jan) *Paul Eastwood Resident here as part of the Litmus development programme, Eastwood will develop his ambitious project Dyfodiaith (‘future language’), which imagines speaking to an unknown future where the Brythonic language has remained alive but evolved almost beyond recognition. (From Sat 9 Dec until Sun 27 Jan) ORIEL JOANNA FIELD Torch Theatre, St. Peter’s Road, Milford Haven. Free.

01646 695267 / www. torchtheatre.co.uk Pembrokeshire’s Coast And Countryside: Two Perspectives Work by two artists, Graham Brace and Clive Gould, who both studied graphic design in Cardiff during the late 1960s, both went on to graphic design careers and both offer limited edition prints depicting the coast and countryside of Pembrokeshire in this exhibition. (Until Sat 6 Jan) ORIEL MWLDAN Bath House Rd, Cardigan.

Mon-Sat 10am-8pm. Free.

01239 621200 / helena@ mwldan.co.uk Simon Fenoulhet ‘Orbit’ Often using readymade objects and materials, Fenoulhet’s work here demonstrates his interest in the ability of light to reveal unusual things about the world. (From Sat 2 Dec until Sun 14 Jan) Ellie Young ‘Changing Faces’ Portraits which aspire to show what people look like in a particular moment, when caught in movement or a fleeting expression of thought or feeling. (From Sat 20 Jan until Sun 4 Mar) ORIEL MYRDDIN Church Lane, Carmarthen.

01267 222775 / www. orielmyrddingallery.co.uk Makers Market 2017 Featuring carefully selected ceramics, textiles, clothing, wood and leather as well as small local food producers.

(Until Sat 30 Dec) Roger Cecil + 4 Contemporary

Painters Collaborative exhibition between Gallery/ Ten, the estate of Roger Cecil and this gallery, celebrating both contemporary painting in Wales and Cecil’s important contribution to the medium.

The four contemporary painters are Helen Booth, Laura Edmunds, Catrin Llwyd Evans and Sarah Poland. (From Sat 13 Jan until Sat 17 Mar) ORIEL Q The Queens Hall, High Street, Narberth. Wed-Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 01834 869454 / www. orielqnarberth.com Winter Open Annual show allowing new and emerging artists a chance to exhibit, plus the opportunity to buy more accessible works. (Until Sat 23 Dec) ORIEL YR ARDD National Botanic Garden Of Wales, Middleton Hall, Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire. Daily 10am-6pm. £10.50/£8.75 concessions/£4.95 under17s/free under-5s. 01558 667149 / botanicgarden. wales Julie Ann Sheridan ‘Symbiosis’ Large, siteresponsive paintings exploring lichen. See Art. (From Sat 20 Jan until Tue 20 Mar) PENARTH PIER PAVILION The Esplanade, Penarth.

Tues-Sat 10am-5pm. Free.

029 2071 2100 / info@ penarthpavilion.co.uk Christmas Exhibition Fine porcelain vessels, art calendars, prints and greeting cards froim Monjulee Webb, Gill Banks and Spencer Penn.

(Until Sun 10 Dec) PONTYPRIDD MUSEUM Bridge Street, Pontypridd.

Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm.

Free. 01443 490748 / www. pontypriddmuseum.cymru Pontypridd Rugby Club Objects and photos from another Pontypridd institution, tracing the highs and lows of the club. (Until Fri 22 Dec) REDHOUSE Old Town Hall, High Street, Merthyr Tydfil. Free. 01685 384111 / info@ redhousecymru.com Jason Williams Exhibition of figurative paintings. (Until Sat 6 Jan) Merthyr Tydfil 1955-1975: Memories Of Popular Music Photographs charting the history of pop in Merthyr over two decades.

(From Thurs 25 Jan until Sat 24 Feb) THE SHO GALLERY Upstairs, The Castle Emporium, Womanby Street, Cardiff. Free. www. thesho.co.uk Rite {A Traditional Custom Or Ritual} Quality seasonal greeting cards, all for sale, by some of the Sho’s favourite illustrators. (Until Sat 23 Dec) SPIT & SAWDUST Unit B, Rhymney River Bridge Road, Cardiff. Free.

029 2049 4741 / www. spitandsawdust.co.uk A Second Tribute To JB JB in this instance is John Berger, towering art critic, and

this multi-artist response to him features Jake Caleb, Josh Crowle, Freya Dooley, Antonio de la Hera, Caitlin Merrett King, Owen Lacey, Kieran Milne, Hannah Reynolds, Nick Thomas, Helen Savage, Theo Vass and Sophie Varin. (From Sat 2 Dec until Sun 14 Jan) STABLE YARD GALLERY (INSOLE COURT) Fairwater Road, Llandaff, Cardiff. Daily 10am-5pm.

Free. 029 2116 7920 / www. insolecourt.org David Hamley ‘The Llandaff Character’ Paintings from an artist who was born in Cardiff, and has lived in Llandaff for 20 years.

(Until Sat 30 Dec) SWANSEA GRAND THEATRE Singleton St, Swansea. MonSat 10am-5pm. Free. 01792 475715 / www. swanseagrand.co.uk Inception Show of work from the Minitopian Art Gallery.

There will probably be some more things on here between now and the end of January but I’ve not been told what they are, so instead I’m going to use this space to pass on a message to What’s On In Swansea magazine, which I saw for the first time while looking for info. That message is: stop stealing our design aesthetic for your articles.

(Until Mon 4 Dec) TENBY MUSEUM & ART GALLERY Castle Hill, Tenby. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, £4/£3/£2 kids.

01834 842809 / www. tenbymuseum.org.uk Alun Crockford ‘The Season’ Photographs by Crockford of Tenby harbour and the people who lived and worked there in the late 1970s. (Until Thurs 21 Dec) Through The Veil Of The Soul Art works by A-Level students from Pembrokeshire secondary schools. (From Sat 6 until Sat 27 Jan) THEATR HAFREN Llanidloes Road, Newtown, Powys. Mon-Sat 10am5.30pm. Free. 01686 625007 / thehafren.co.uk Hywel Phillips Landscape photographs capturing the light and abstract forms of his mid-Wales surroundings, accentuated by the knowledge that one may often be the only person on a mountain at the time of the shot. (From Tue 5 Dec until Thurs 15 Feb) TOWER GALLERY 49 High Street, Crickhowell.

Wed-Sat 10am-5pm. Free.

01873 812495 / www. towergallery.co.uk John Uzzell Edwards Retrospective exhibition. Also showing work by the Usk Valley Artists Co-operative. (Until Sat 6 Jan) Swansea Print Workshop Mixed work from workshop members. (From Sat 13 Jan until TBC) TOWER GALLERY Oriel Y Parc Landscape Gallery & Visitor Centre, The Grove, St Davids, Pembrokeshire. Free. 01437 720392 / info@orielyparc. co.uk BUZZ 57

* – recommended

clubs Sidney Nolan & Graham Sutherland ‘A Sense Of Place’ Joint show from two late artists, both important painters in their respective nations of Australia (Nolan, 1917-92) and England (Sutherland, 1903-80). (Until Sun 28 Jan) VICTORIA FEARN GALLERY 6B Heol y Deri, Rhiwbina, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 9.30am5.30pm (9.30am-8pm during December), Sun 10am3pm. Free. 029 2052 0884.

Christmas Exhibition Selected gifts handmade by some of Britain’s finest designers. (Throughout December) WEST WHARF GALLERY Jacobs Market, Cardiff.

Thurs-Sat 10am-5pm. Free. westwharfgallery@gmail. com Affordable Art Christmas Exhibition Original prints which cover a diverse variety of subjects and print techniques, each specially chosen based on both quality and affordability. (Until Fri 5 Jan) WORKERS GALLERY 99 Ynyshir Road, Ynyshir, Rhondda Cynon Taff.

Thurs-Sat 10am-5pm or by appointment. Free. 01443 682024 / wood4tt@gmail. com Winter Woodland Group exhibition of art and design set within a ‘woodland installation’. (Until Sat 23 Dec)

clubs THE ARCH 11 Commercial Street, Neath. 07791 923214 / jack. thearchneath@gmail.com Sat 9 Dec Solo 9pm-4am, £15 adv. House from Patrick Topping plus Solo residents.

Tue 26 Dec Solo 9pm-4am.

Featuring London tech-houser Pawsa, who played here in June I believe, plus Reelow and Solo residents.

THE ATTIC 5-6 Castle Bailey St, Swansea. facebook.com/ theatticswansea Sat 9 Dec 100% Old Skool 9pm-4am, £10 adv. Room 1: funky house, house and speed garage from Greg P, Nicky G, John Steffanick, Karl Newman b2b Jordan Steins and Justin Thomas. Room 2: old skool UK garage from DJ Kai, Greg P, DJ Evo and Nicky G. Sat 16 Dec Con7rol X Zoo Project Ibiza Xmas Party 9pm4am, £10-£15 adv. Chunky house/techno from Lee Walker (Defected), Lee Pennington, Lloyd Haines, Taz Meah, Jamie Morgan, Alexander Eley, Vedra & Rinaldi, Bode and Dan Black. Tue 16 Dec Delusion Boxing Day Classics 9.30pm-4am.

Trancemastery from Rob Davies, Rhys Thomas, Digital Horizon, Jonny Griffiths, Callan Christie, Rhys Williams, Dan McShane, Andrew Butty Davies, Ben Saunders and John Hughes.

BAR COCOA Broad Street, Barry. facebook.com/cocoabarry Tue 26 Dec Boxing Day BUZZ 58

Garage Special 10pm3.30am, £5 before 10.30.

Featuring Kele Le Rob plus DJs James Bourne, Jigga and host Gummi. Thursdays (from Thurs 14 Dec) Reggae Nights DJs Gadget and The Candyman (Love & Harmony Sounds) play lovers rock, classic and new reggae jams weekly. Fridays Old School Fridays 10pm3.30am, £3. With DJ James Bourne. Sat 9 Dec Regal Nights 10pm-3.30am, £5.

With DJs Colin Francis, Paz, James Bourne, DJ T and Gummi. Sat 16 Dec Christmas Party Ladies Night 10pm-3.30am, £4 before 10.30. Hosted by John and Chris Clark off TOWIE. THE BIG TOP / 10 FEET TALL 11a + 12 Church Street, Cardiff. 029 2022 8883 / thisis10feettall@yahoo. co.uk Thursdays Rock hits from DJ Andy Rhys Lewis. Fridays + Saturdays Resident DJs playing soul and funk. Fri 1 Dec Hey Mary 10.30pm, £5.

Cardiff’s top gay/queer/drag/ etc night. Hosted by Lucy Fur with Sissy Boy Tears DJs dropping the tunes. Normally on the first Friday of every month. Saturdays Under A Groove 9pm-3am, £3 after 10.

Funk and neo-soul.

BLIND TIGER 49 Cambrian Road, Newport. 01633 243500.

Wednesdays Wild Wednesdays Cocktails, drink deals and tunes as part of a cross-city midweek session. Fridays Koncept & 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. Sun 31 Dec The NYE Clubhop 8pm-8am, £6. Twelve hours of merriment in this venue plus The Courtyard, Warehouse54, Meze Lounge, Labamba and Rootys for the price of your wristband.

BLUE HONEY NIGHT CAFE Quay Street, Cardiff. 07512 247712 / facebook.com/ bluehoneynightcafe Fri 22 Delete Get Together 9pm-4am, free.

Vinyl-only sets from Kofi Tarris, Jessie Belters, Marc Parsons, Lee Graves and Matt Owen.

BUFFALO 11 Windsor Place, Cardiff.

Open Mon-Thurs 11am3am, Fri + Sat 11am-4am, Sun until 4am. 029 2031 0312 / www.buffalocardiff. com Mondays Gin & Juice 10pm-4am, from £2. R’n’b/ hip-hop night, replacing the recently departed Bump & Grind in none too subtle fashion. Lots of drinks deals on offer, although not for the drink of the evening’s name.

Thurs 7 Dec Shelter 10pm3am, £7 adv. Drum’n’bass with DJs Upgrade, Beeson, ERB, Marker, Reload and MCs XL and Westman. Thurs 14 Dec Switch Up 10pm-3am, £5 adv. Garage, grime, bassline,

jungle and drum’n’bass from Tsuki, Mod b2b Apollo, Styx b2b Koncept, Mumble B, Rossi B and Shannyshan b2b Hoodfellaz feat Slim Teng.

Mcs: Supa Darkaz, Crash, Razkid and Ez Rah. Thurs 21 Dec Stickylemons 9.30pm-4am, £6-£10. Jungle and drum’n’bass. DJs: Nicky Blackmarket, Jacky Murda, Zippy b2b Cod b2b Ransom, Shannyshan b2b Bomber b2b Frenzee, Dark D b2b Pabz b2b T-Bone, Reload b2b Plethora b2b Hoodfellaz and more TBC. MCS: Mr Traumatik, XL, Jaydee, Hoodfellaz, Slim-Teng and Chew. Thurs 11 Jan Gunfingers x Stickylemons 9.30pm-4am.

A night of grime and bassline v drum’n’bass. Confirmed so far: Burgaboy, Local, Royal, Nedd, Dubzta, Shannyshan, Jaydee, Wonky Tree and Reload. Fri 8 Dec TDV – A Tribal Gathering Pt. III 10pm-4am. Drum’n’bass, halftime and jungle with a lineup (and all other details) currently TBC. Saturdays The Shake Up 10pm-4am, £3. Pop, chart, house, r’n’b funk and soul from residents over two floors. Plus, when you order a drink from the bar you roll a dice and, if you roll a double, it’s half price.

My commiserations to this venue’s bar staff for having to put up with this.

BUFFS 6 Station Road, Brynmawr.

01495 315334.

Fri 22 Infinity: Goes Beyond! 7pm-2am, £3.

House, techno and trance from Tekno Tom, J-Tek, Just Joe, Tom-E Slim, Jiggy, Spctrm and Rossy D & Brad Dunk .

THE CARPET CLUB Lost Vegas Hotel, 8-10 St Mary Street, Cardiff. bluehoneypromotions@ gmail.com *Fri 1 Dec Blue Honey / Doppler 10pm-4am, £20 adv.

Great, years overdue booking in a mysterious venue: Detroit house tripper Omar-S headlines and you can read more about it in Clubs even though we normally don’t feature stuff on this early in the month. Sat 9 Dec Cardiff Skateboard Club Xmas Party 9pm-4am, £5.

Featuring DJs Don Leisure Gareth Evans (90s hip-hop set), Hard Lines Coffee, Ed Carter and Al Power, plus MCs Jim O and Trix. Live: Reid (garage set), Luca and more TBC. Plus skate vids on a big screen and other attractions.

Also “free entry for anyone wearing head to toe 90s DC or Droors gear”.

CARDIFF CITY HALL Gorsedd Gardens Road, Cathays Park, Cardiff. 029 2087 1000 / cityhall@ cardiff.gov.uk Sat 27 Jan Time Flies Big Birthday Party 8.30pm1am, £25 adv. Featuring Jeremy Healy, Allister Whitehead, Craig Bartlett, Dave Jones, Richard Hitchell, Shane Morris, Footlong DJs, Dave Eaves, Tyrone & Rick and Jason King. This was originally booked in for late September but was postponed.

Pop over the road to the 29 Park Place bar to continue

dancing until 3am, if you like.

CARDIFF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS UNION Park Place, Cardiff. All listings apply to term time only. 029 2078 1458 / www. cardiffstudents.com Wednesdays YOLO 9pm2am, £4/£3 adv/free before 11. New midweek club night promising both your favourite tunes and great offers. Good name, really on trend. Fri 26 Jan Bedlam 9pm-4am, £24.50-£32.50. Very large three-room lineup with, confirmed so far: Chase & Status (DJ set), Friction, Holy Goof, Sasasas, Zinc, S.P.Y, Randall, Kasra, Critical, Distinkt, Bushbaby and 24hr Garage Girls. Looks to be sold out.

Saturdays Juice 10pm3am, £5/£4 NUS. Chart, dance and pop. Sat 16 Dec White Label Entertainment 10pm-3am, £22 adv. Grime and rap with Krept & Konan, Young T & Bugsey, Fekky, Semtex and Astroid Boys, plus DJs JIgga, T, Paz, Danzie and Willis. Hosted by Traxx, Benji Wild & Reuel Elijah.

CLUB ICE Broadway, Pontypridd.

07771 920726 / www. clubiceponty.com Tue 26 Dec Cellar Door 8pm-3am, £10 adv. Cardiff house and techno faves trek out to Ponty. Fri 15 Dec Journey 10pm-3am, £3 before 11. Trance, techno, prog house and classics from Cardiff regulars. Fri 22 Dec Core Collision & HDUK Black Friday Snow Party 7pm-3am, £15/£10. Hardcore night featuring Destructive Tendencies, Joey Riot, Sy, Ed ET & DTR, Miss Racy & Blocaldini, Deimos and ADHD plus hosts Shocker and Wotsee. Saturdays Gravity 9pm, £7/£5 before 11. House, techno and dance every week on the club’s new Void soundsystem. Sat 2 Dec is in fact the launch night for this, and features Martin Dibble, Jimpy, K33fey, Liam O’Connol, Sean Andrews, Lewis John and James Wilding. Sat 3 Feb Core Collision UV Paint & Foam Spectacular 8pm3am, £5 adv. With DJ Fallon, Blocaldini, Ray Raw, Andy Demize, Lozzie, Webbe, Gee & Atom, Xsiv DJ and DJ Hyde, plus hosts Energy, Venom and Andy Demize. Sun 31 Dec Core Redemption White Party 2018 NYE Showdown 6pm-3am. With Andy Whitby, Skinny b2b Bundy, Stu Grady, Stylezzy, Gee & Atom, Mr Hyde, Rampage, Con Con, Tone-E, Asbo Aaron v MNL plus MCs MCV, Wingman, Pieman and Swifty.

CLUB OXYGEN 1 Northampton Lane, Swansea. 0844 8849171 / www.globaloxygen.co.uk Fridays Dance Anthems 11pm-6am, free. House and commercial music all night from Big Al, Nicky G, 3 Bird, Jordan Steins, LJ Isaac and Tom Chizzy. Saturdays 11.30pm-5am, £5/free before 1. House, house & bass (what is this?), progressive and big room tunes. Sat 16, Fri 22, Tue 26 + Sun 31 Dec

11pm-5am, £5/free before 1.

These are Christmas Party Night, Black Friday, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. I’ve listed them as one thing because the details look to be identical for each one CLWB IFOR BACH Womanby St, Cardiff. 029 2023 2199 / www.clwb.net Mondays Bump & Grind 10.30pm, £3-£5. Hip-hop and r’n’b night. Tue 12

u – repeated

Wed 3 Dec The Winter Reggae Fever Tour 9pm-4am, £15. Featuring Jamaican reggae hotshot Gyptian! Nice. Plus Aleighcia Scott, Empireflipz, Love N Harmony Sound, Matt Kirke, DJ T, VJ Jordan plus special guests. Fridays Spotlight Sessions / The Kickstart 5pm, £3/free before 9.

Urban and club anthems and drinks deals. Part of the NPCLUBHOP price deal

The last Hedone night of 2017 takes place at The Duke in Neath on Sat 16 Dec and has a headline set from Oli Furness, a housey technoey UK DJ sort.

Dec Carnival 11pm, £3-£5.

Bashment, dancehall and reggae. Wed 6 Dec Got Bass 11pm, £4-£8. Headlined by bassline don Jamie Duggan who, in contrast to his dad Hacksaw Jim, favours the 4x4 over the 2x4. A joke with a niche audience there, but an audience all the same. Tue 13 Dec Dazed 11pm. Third edition of new drum’n’bass club night featuring Spyder and more TBC. Thurs 7 Dec Brooklyn Zoo 10.30pm-4am, £4-£6. Current and classic hip-hop alike. Thurs 14 Dec Propaganda 11pm, £3-£5.

Big national indie disco brand.

Fridays (bottom) Seventy Times 7 11pm-3am, £3-£5.

New weekly clubnight offering alt-rock and pop-punk by the looks of things. It’s named after a Brand New song, or at least is at the time of going to press, if that’s any indicator.

Fri 8 Dec Get Funky 11pm4am, £4-£10. Funk, disco and house from Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, Brynn Salter and Eben Rees. This sold out weeks in advance, like all their nights. Don’t understand what their secret is. Fri 15 Dec Disco Motel 11pm, £3-£5.

Disco and classic pop club night. Fri 12 Jan Helium 10pm-4am, £7-£10. House and techno headlined by Hot Creations’ Russ Yallop.

Saturdays Dirty Pop 10pm-4am, £5. Three floors of fun: The Vinyl Vendettas’ top floor resident indie shindig; Dirty Pop and Mr Potter’s proper disco. Sun 31 Dec New Year’s Eve With all the Saturday DJs, doing their normal thing but a bit more festive I’d imagine.

COAL EXCHANGE Exchange Building, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff. 029 2010 7050 / www. exchangehotelcardiff.co.uk Sat 13 Jan Northern Soul 7pm, £8.50 adv. Featuring Strictly Soul resident DJs and special guests Dave Rimmer, Paul Davies, Hitsville Chalky and Dean Carr.

COURTYARD 48 Cambrian Road, Newport. 01633 213161.

Wednesdays Wild Wednesdays Upfront dance anthems and “Urban Vibes”.

which also includes entry to Blind Tiger, Meze Lounge and Lambaba. Saturdays Mischief Beat-driven anthems is the ambiguous description for tonight’s music policy. Sundays Good Time Social Club 8pm, free. DJs til late and the weekend’s sports highlights. Sun 31 Dec The NYE Clubhop 8pm-8am, £6. Twelve hours of merriment in this venue plus Warehouse54, Meze Lounge, Blind Tiger, Labamba and Rootys for the price of your wristband.

THE DUKE Old Market Street, Neath.

01639 643892.

Sat 16 Dec Hedone 7pm2am, £10. House from Oli Furness, who’s had stuff released on Clone and Unknown To The Unknown, Sean Morris and Steve Edge.

EDDIES 4 Quay Street, Haverfordwest. 01437 779595 / www.eddies.co Sat 16 Dec Hed Kandi 9pm-5am, £9 adv. Night of dimwit house headlined by Lovely Laura, described here as “the most sensational saxophonist on the planet right now!” Ben Santiago and Carl Hanaghan are the DJs, probably the most sensational ones on the planet in fact although this isn’t specified.

FICTION & VINYL The City Gates, Little Wind Street, Swansea. 01792 828777 / www.fictionclub. co.uk/swansea Wednesdays Underground 11pm-3.30am, £3.50/£2 before 1. House, chart, r’n’b and cheese across two rooms.

Thurs 7 Basshunter 11pm-3am, £5 adv early bird.

This is part of something called the Jingle Bass tour, although when I googled I could only find this date and one in Cardiff Walkabout on the same night. It’s hosted by the Basshunter Appreciation Society, who I have to assume enjoy top bantz. Fridays 11pm-3am, £5/£3 adv. Drinks offers and, uh, music I guess. Saturdays Agenda 10.30pm-3am, £3.50/£2 before 1. Fiction: house, r’n’b, EDM.

clubs Vinyl: pop and party. Sun 31 9.30pm-5am, £5 adv super early bird. Headlined by Riton, and I had to look this up because I’m not a 21-year-old pillhead like you, but Riton is the same Riton who had some not very sucessful releases on Grand Central in like 2002.

He makes mersh pop-house now. Fair play to him I guess.

Also he’s playing at Pryzm in Cardiff tonight as well 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.

THE GARAGE Uplands Crescent, Swansea.

01792 475147 / www. whitez.co.uk Sat 13 Jan Lucidox 9pm3am, £5. New night offering techno from Blake Parker, Scott Phillips, Ryan Holmes, Sam Balla and Kyle Waters.

Fri 19 Jan Ruin 10pm-3am, £10. Dubstep and grime night brings Commodo, from the Deep Medi Musik stable, to Swansea for a headline set.

GLAM Greyfriars Road, Cardiff.

029 2022 9311 / info@ glamnightclub.co.uk Mondays The Fest 10pm3am, £2/free before 11. A mashup of chart, r’n’b, cheese and dance across two floors.

Mon 4 Dec has a guest appearance from Gemma Collins, given the enviable title ‘queen of memes’ here. King of memes is of course Richard Dawkins.

Tue 26 Dec Mayfair Sessions 10pm-3am, £8-£20.

With Colin Francis and Max Denham. Wed 6 Dec Groove 10pm-4am, £8 adv. Regular house night brings De La Swing and Franky Rizardo to town tonight. Saturdays Vanity 9pm-3am, £5-£10.

Two rooms of quality music, everyone catered for it is claimed. Sat 23 Dec Groove 10pm-4am, £10 adv. With special guest Pete Tong. Sun 31 Dec Kisstory NYE Special 10pm-3am, £10-£25. Old skool, hip-hop, dance, r’n’b and garage, the place to be if you want to kiss a Tory and then have to leave at 3am.

THE GLOBE 125 Albany Rd, Cardiff.

07590 471888 / www. globecardiffmusic.com Fri 15 Ultimate Power 9pm, £4 adv. Semi-regulart power ballads, air guitar, karaoke night.

GWDIHW Guildford Crescent, Cardiff.

029 2039 7933 / www. gwdihw.co.uk Tue 12 Dec + Tue 9 Jan Cardiff Electronic Producers 7.30pm. With acts TBC in December and Little Eris confirmed for January, plus an open decks session from 7-9pm. Fri 22 Pleasuredome 9pm, £4/£3 before 11. Electro, synthpop, italo disco, new wave, funk and more. Fri 29 That Good Night 9pm, £3 Leftfield dance and acid house and suchlike, normally found in The Big Top. Sat 2 Dec Sure Shot 9pm.

Featuring Late Night Tales DJs plus Groove Theory’s Tom Bateman. Sat 16 Dec Palomino Christmas Party 9pm, £6 adv. Featuring a set

from the band Palomino Party, then Rotary Club DJs until late. Sat 23 Dec Comfort’s Christmas Crackers Part 2 9pm. Sat 30 Dec Signor Funk 9pm. Sun 31 Dec Gwdihw’s NYE Party: A History Of Funk 8pm-4am, £5/£3.

JACOB’S MARKET West Canal Wharf, Cardiff.

029 2039 0939.

Fri 8 Teak 10pm-5am. House and disco from Melbourne house DJ Bell Towers, plus Teak resident Rikki Humphrey.

KARMA 75 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Fri + Sat 8pm-6am. karmaclubcardiff@gmail. com Sat 2 Dec MC Magika’s Earthstrong Celebration 9pm-6am. No real info on this yet but it’s presented in conjunction with Circle 8 and is partly or entirely drum’n’bass.

Fri 8 Dec Hard Alliance 9pm5am, £10. Hard dance and hardcore, with McBunn v Stu Grady, Jonny Griffiths v Callan Christie, Racy v Con Con, Narcotic Smugglers, Ray Raw v Chesh, Rhod Morgan v Butty, Asbo Aaron v MNL, Patchy v Vandellio, Rusty Nuttz v Little Jack, Beat Conductors and Demonix v Swift-EE, plus hosts Wotsee, Jay P, Fugitive, DEE and MCV. LASER STATION Bridge Wharf, Carmarthen.

01267 235648 / www. laserstationwales.com Fri 8 Mass Of New-Sense 7pm-3am, £10/£7 adv. Free party tekno and drum’n’bass from Vandal, Blackley, Justmyday, OliOliOli b2b Jake Radar, DougyRush, Ben Vorteks, Spit, Gem1n1-

COMMODO Ruin @ The Garage, Swansea, Fri 19 Jan Tickets: £10. Info: 01792 475147 / www.whitez.co.uk UK bass badboy Dom Tarasek, aka Sheffield producer Commodo, has been firing out 12”s of sinister, gothic club shutter-downers since 2009 although he’s been unusually quiet during 2017, with only the RZAgone-dubstep S Is For Snakes emerging on the insta-collectible Bandulu label. This reclusiveness, along with the wealth of Commodo productions on imprints like Deep Medi and Black Acre, makes this debut Swansea appearance one to relish. It’s the third party thrown by Ruin, who were founded at the start of this year, and their first to ship in a notable outof-town headliner. Expect some ruinously heavy basslines and, hopefully, an upfront taste of Commodo’s release schedule for 2018.

Tw1nz, Apollo and MCs Ellis McG, Buggz UK, Kross Sektion, Hypnosis MC and Catfish Bobby. Fri 22 Dec Progrezzion 8pm-3am, £10/£8 before 10. Hardcore, hardstyle etc from Marc Smith, Ganah, D-Grove & TranzLinquants with MC K-Ner, Gee & Atom, Turk & Smiler, Shoelace Sion, Kinkybeatz v Arnie & Fakulty, DJ Nova and MCs Smiler, Hypnosis and Venom. Sat 2 Dec Concur 9pm-3am, £5. Techno and drum’n’bass from Jody Barr, Gareth Bruce, Ryan Holmes, Scott Phillips and Crawler LEVEL 2 @ KONGS 114-116 St Mary Street, Cardiff. info@kongsbars. com / www.kongsbars.com Sun 31 Selecta! 10pm-3am.

Classic garage and grime from Leeson, Bandit, El Wot and Onslaught.

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 8pm2am. Fun, games, and cabaret with Amber Dextrous and Alphaa Heart. Fridays Non Stop Party 8pm-2am. DJ Lee plays tunes from the 90s onwards. Saturdays 8pm2am. Dance, pop and chart with DJ Billy 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. Sun 31 8pm-2am. The biggest chart toppers and party anthems.

Plus some kind of transitional calendar content.

METROS Baker’s Row, Cardiff. 029 2039 9942 / www. metroscardiff.com Wednesdays Cheapskates 9pm-4am, £4/free early bird. Hywel plays ‘alternative mayhem’ and old skool cheese. Fridays Havoc 10.30pm-4am, free before 11.

Mismatched alternative tunes from Hywel. Saturdays Lose Yourself 10.30pm-4am, free before 11. Stereo Brain playing indie, beats, treats and poppunk. Sun 31 Dec 10pm-4am, £6/£4. With Stereo Brain and lots of drinks deals.

MEZE LOUNGE 6 Market Street, Newport.

01633 259144 / facebook. com/mezeloungenewport Fridays Panic! Alternative anthems, pop-punk, hardcore and guilty pleasures.

Saturdays Rock You! 10pm, £3-£5. A selection of anthems across the decades plus party/covers bands each week. Sun 31 Dec The NYE Clubhop 8pm-8am, £6. Twelve hours of merriment in this venue plus The Courtyard, Warehouse54, Blind Tiger, Labamba and Rootys for the price of your wristband.

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.

MISSOULA 84-86 St Mary Street, Cardiff. 029 2037 1315 / www.missoulabars.co.uk/ missoulacardiff Mondays Mojito Mondays 5pm-12am. Motown classics and mojitos 2-4-1 all night.

Thursdays Rock The Night 5pm-12am. Indie classics. Fridays #Friday 5pm2am. Funky house and half price drinks from 5-10pm. Sun 31 Dec NYE – Ministry Of Sound 5pm-3am, £2 adv early bird. With DJ Kisch (from the MOS stable), Chris Evans and special guests.

MOCKA LOUNGE Mill Lane, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 11am-late. 029 2022 1295 / www.mockalounge.com Thursdays The Social Affair 9pm-3am. Over-25s night with chart hits through the ages. Fridays Timeless DJ Dan Nicholas plays r’n’b, funk, disco and old skool.

Just old skool. Saturdays Decorum Soulful and upfront house, plus funk, disco etc, from Sinky and Styles. Sundays VIP Chris Evans (My Playhouse) plays club classics, funky house and r’n’b. Sun 17 Mayfair Sessions Christmas Party 9pm-2am, £5 adv. With special guest Robbie Craig, who you might remember as the singer on some Artful Dodger tunes.

THE MOON Womanby Street, Cardiff.

029 2037 3022 / info@ themooncardiff.com Wed 20 Dec Womanby’s Clubbing 5.30-8pm. Monthly clubbing events for adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health conditions. Run in partnership with Student Volunteering.

Fridays Gigantic Free.

Funk, punk, rock’n’roll, hiphop, indie, reggae, soul until 3am. Fri 29 Dec Asking For A Friend 9pm-2am, free.

Indie, punk, postpunk, DIY and weird pop. Saturdays Five Dollar Shake Free. DJ Puddlefunk with bebop, funk, soul, Motown, hip-hop, reggae, ska and everything in between.

Sun 31 Dec The Moon New Year’s Eve Party 6pm6am, free. With live sets from Rainbow Maniac and more bands TBC until 12.30am, then DJing for five and a half more hours or until the first beloved celebrity death of 2018.

THE NEON Clarence Place, Newport.

01633 533666 / www. theneon.co.uk Sat 21 Dec Cliché 9pm-3am, £10 adv. This new night is described as “an exciting new brand coming from the white isle”. Will never cease to baffle me how eager much of modern club culture is to refer to stuff it does as a ‘brand’. Anyway, this has George Kwali, Joshua, Modaa and TomCept playing if those names mean anything to you.

NEON LOUNGE Market Street, Newport.

01633 533666 / theneon. co.uk/neon-bar-lounge Fri 8 Dec + Fri 12 Jan Soul, Funk & Motown Night 8pm, £3. DJs from Penarth Soul Club and A Basement Full Of Soul with an all-vinyl set on the second Friday of each month. Sat 2 Dec Switch Up 9pm-2am, £3. Garage, grime, bassline, drum’n’bas and jungle.

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

029 2070 7530 / www. penarthexservicemensclub. co.uk Sun 31 Dec Penarth Soul Club 8pm, £5 adv. An NYE of classic soul, northern soul etc in addition to PSC’s Dock Of The Bay night in Portland House.

THE PINK GERANIUM 31-33 Herbert Street, Pontardawe. 01792 862255.

Sat 9 A Night Of House & Techno 6.30pm-12.30am, free. Can’t fault a name like that. DJs: Connor Wills, Dean Morgan (Hedone), Spctrm and Matt Davies.

THE PIT The Strand, off Wind Street, Swansea. facebook.com/pg/ thepitswansea Fri 8 Dec Funktion Tek 10pm-4am, £1/£0.01 before 12. The pricing structure is a sort of riff on the phrase ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’ and whichever one you pay you will get techno, tekno, psytrance and d’n’b from Sam Coady, Rumoke, Mikki Wings v Shaun Edwards, Connor Wills, Welshstan and F-Tek. Sat 2 Dec + Sat 6 Jan + Sat 3 Feb Dead Of Night 10pm3am, £3. Goth/alternative club night, on the first Saturday of every month.

PLATFORM 11 High Street, Pontypridd.

Fri-Sun 7.30pm-2am. www. platform11.co.uk Sat 2 Dec 009 7pm-3am, £8 adv. Geordie prog house DJ Christoph, who’s recent forged ties to John Pigweed, Eric Prydz and Hot Since 82, is tonight’s main event.

POPWORLD 96 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Mon, Tue + Thurs 9pm3am; Wed 8pm-3am; Fri 5pm-3am; Sat 1pm-3am.

029 2023 5825.

Mondays Pop Rocks 9pm. A night of what they call alternative pop but their examples (Green Day, Blink, Linkin Park) seem to suggest will be pop-punk and nu-metal.

Ah, it’s all just names at the end of the day. Fridays + Saturdays Popworld Party Until 3am. Drinks deals from 5-11pm (Fri) and 3-8pm (Sat).

Sun 31 Dec The Big Gold NYE Party 9pm-3am, £4/free before 10. “You can be excited about the future, the past won’t mind,” says Popworld’s website. Deep.

POPWORLD Wind Street, Swansea. MonFri + Sun 8pm-3am; Sat 3pm-3am. 01792 470676.

Tuesdays Timewarp Music from the 1980s and dance BUZZ 59

* – recommended

events competitions. Wednesdays Quids In 8pm-3am. Student night where drinks are £1.

Thursdays Destination Popworld Lots of cocktails, 2-4-1 offers and, naturally, pop music. Fridays + Saturdays Ain’t No Party Like A Popworld Party 8pm-3am, £2-£4 (Fri)/£3-£5 (Sat). Sun 31 Dec The Big Gold NYE Party 4pm3am, £10 adv/£5 early bird.

“Celebrate the New Year at the Biggest Party in Town,” says this branch of Popworld, taking a more prosaic stance than its Cardiff sibling.

PORTLAND HOUSE Bute Street, Cardiff Bay. 029 2048 7602 / www. portlandhousecardiff.com Fri 15 Dec The Dock Of The Bay Soul Night Christmas Party 7pm-1am, £5 adv. Hosted by Penarth Soul Club, Steve Kaged, Shelley Barrett and Liam Curtin play 60s and 70s soul and Motown off vinyl. See Clubs.

PRYZM Greyfriars Road, Cardiff.

029 2023 3854 / www. pryzm.co.uk/cardiff Mondays Quids In 10pm4am. Student night. Fridays + Saturdays 10pm-3am, £4. Three music arenas, VIP booths, other stuff. Fridays Smack. 9pm-3am. Weekly student event described by one enthusiast as “lit Friday nights with chilled fam bams and regular bants”. Sun 31 Dec New Year’s Eve Special 9pm-4am, £10-£25. Featuring guest sets from James Hype and Riton.

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. Fri 1 and Fri 8 Dec have X Factor finalists making guest appearances Saturdays Pop Til You Drop 10pm-5am, £5/£4 b4 11.

The very best chart remixes and classic hits all night long.

THE RAINBOW ROOMS 12 High Street, Gorseinon, Swansea. 07563 111225 / www.the-rainbowrooms.com Fri 15 Dec Heft 10pm-4am, £6 adv. New UK garage and bassline event, lineup TBC right now tho. Sat 23 Dec Raver Tots Christmas Bash 2-4pm, £9/£7 adv. Ravestyle event aimed at babies and toddlers (plus their parents obv), headlined by Brandon Block this month. Sat 23 Dec Logic 8pm-3am, £10 adv.

Headlined by Kissy Sell Out, who still has the Radio 1 logo on the poster for this event despite not being a DJ on the station since 2012. Tue 26 Dec Logic Xtrahard 6pm6am, £11.50 adv. Hardstyle, hardcore and schranz with Slipmatt, The Corruptorz and many more. Yes, that is a 12-hour running time. Sat 27 Jan Logic 7pm-6am.

Headlined by Judge Jules, can’t tell you much more than that mind.

REVOLUTION Castle Street, Cardiff. Open BUZZ 60

from 11am. 029 2023 6689 / www.revolution-bars.co.uk Tuesdays Mode 9pm-3am, £4 adv. Popular student night returns. Fridays + Saturdays 9pm-3am. DJs, drinks offers, free area hire.

Sun 31 Dec Bring On the New Year 9pm-3am, £7-£25.

Featuring a prosecco reception, live performers, dancers, close-up magic and more crap like that.

ROOM 112 3-6 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Thurs 9pm-3am, Fri + Sat 10pm-4am. 029 2066 7996 / www.room112.net Fridays Flavour 9pm4am, £10/£5 before 12. R’n’b, hip-hop, trap, bashment and Afrobeat. Saturdays Fusion 9pm-4am, £10/£5.

Afrobeats, r’n’b and dancehall.

Sat 2 Dec Likkle More Dancehall 10pm-4am, £10/£5. Monthly reggae, dancehall and bashment night. Presumably on Sat 6 Jan too but couldn’t make any promises.

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. Fridays Monsters Of Rock 10pm3.30am, £4/£2 before 12.30.

Indie in room 1, metal in room 2. Fri 8 Dec + Fri 20 Jan Bassline 10pm-4am, £11 adv. Bassline, grime and garage from headliner Bassboy plus more TBC (December) and Skepsis plus more TBC (January; price TBC). Fri 22 Dec Delusion Xmas Party 10pm-4am, £17.50 adv.

Trance vibes with headliner Ben Nicky. Already sold out.

Delusion are also in the Attic on Boxing Day. Saturdays Sink 10pm-3am. Hip-hop, drum’n’bass, dubstep etc, with special guests plus resident DJs Dubman, Swiss Elf and South. Sat 9 Dec is headlined by lairy tech-house Brummie Chris Lorenzo, and you can see Clubs for that one but it’s sold out; Sat 27 Jan has DJ Zinc and Shift K3y. *Sat 2 Dec The Lighthouse Project 10pm, £12 adv. First time in Swansea, I think, for classy techno merchant Cassy.

Sat 3 Feb Rise 10pm-4am.

Swansea drum’n’bass promoters are talking up their first 2018 show early, no-one’s announced yet but they want you to get excited and who am I to not help.

SMALL WORLD THEATRE Bath House Road, Cardigan.

01239 615952 / info@ smallworld.org.uk Sun 31 Dec New Year’s Eve Get Down 9pm, £7 adv.

Mr A serves up Detroit soul, New Orleans funk, West Coast wah-wah, Harlem shuffle and New York disco. Advance bookings only please, no rocking up on the night allowed.

SODA St Mary Street, Cardiff. 029 2037 3363 / www.sodacardiff.com Wednesdays Replay 9pm4am, £4. Chart, cheese and r’n’b for students. Fridays

Fade 10pm-3am, £4/£6 VIP. R’n’b, hip-hop, house and UK garage from Vijay, Jigga, Monique B and Dan Willow.

Saturdays Soiree 9pm-4am.

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. Sun 31 Dec 9pm-4am, £5/£10 VIP. Main room: chart, house etc from Giggsy. Lounge: chart and r’n’b from Jay Vivet. Attic: r’n’b classics by Sugar & Spice.

TIGER TIGER Friary House, Greyfriars Rd, Cardiff. Open Mon-Fri 12pm-2am, Sat 12pm-3am, Sun 12pm-12.30am. 029 2039 1944 / www.tigertigercardiff.co.uk Every Day Lucky Voice Karaoke From £2.50 per session. The UK's leading private karaoke experience each day of the week. 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. Saturdays Kanaloa Polynesian style area with cocktails, VIP booths, dancers etc. Sun 31 New Year’s Eve Ciroc & Champange Takeover 6pm-3am, £15/£5 super early bird/£30 inc dinner/£25 inc dinner at 6pm.

TRAMSHED Clare Road, Grangetown, Cardiff. 029 2023 5555 / www.tramshedcardiff.com Fri 15 Dec The Craig Charles Funk And Soul Club 7pm, £18 adv. As with every CCF&SC here, the locals bought tickets faster than Craig buys jazzmags, so this sold out well in advance.

Sat 27 Jan Drumcode 3pm-12am, £25 adv. Leading label in the realms of boshy modern techno throws an alldayer with Alan Fitzpatrick, Enrico Sangiuliano and Harvey McKay, plus locals Nic Saunders and Lee Charnock.

UNDERTONE (BASEMENT OF 10 FEET TALL) 11a + 12 Church Street, Cardiff. 029 2022 8883 / www.undertonecardiff.com Tue 5 Dec Wile Out 11pm.

Bassline. Wed 13 Dec Society Basement Series 10pm-3am, £4. Headlined A night that takes place around the UK, but always in clubs situated below ground level, for some reason. Thurs 14 Dec Haws 10pm-3am, £3-£7.

Featuring a three-hour set by rising Cardiff house head Harrison BDP. Fri 1 Dec + Fri 5 Jan Groove Theory 10pm. House, disco, funk, normally a good headliner or two. Fri 8 Dec + Fri 12 Jan La Fiesta 10pm-4am.

Salsa, reggaeton, some bachata and Spanish rock.

Fri 15 Dec + Fri 19 Jan Selecta 11pm, £8/£6 adv.

Bass house, bassline, garage, grime, dubstep, drum’n’bass and jungle. Fri 29 Dec + Sat 26 Jan Temple 10pm.

Monthly drum’n’bass night, lineup TBC. Sat 2 Dec +

Sat 6 Jan Flatline 10pm.

Drum’n’bass, 140 and bassline from local DJs and MCs. Sat 9 Dec + Sat 13 Jan Paranoize 10pm-4am. Grime, garage, drum’n’bass, bass music, some or all of. Sat 9 Dec is headlined by Deadbeat UK. Sat 16 Dec + Thurs 18 Jan XL Invites 10pm.

Drum’n’bass and hip-hop. Sat 20 Jan Rotary Club 11pm.

House, disco etc, cool parties here most months.

THE VAULTS The Old Natwest Bank, 113116 Bute Street, Cardiff Bay. www.vaultspresents.com Tue 26 Dec Delete 10pm5am, £18 adv. Boxing Day house vibes from Nastia, Matt Owen, Marc Parsons and Lee Graves in the main room, plus Rotary Club residents in room 2. See Clubs. Fri 2 Feb Twisted X 8pm-5am, £15 adv/£25 VIP. New night looking to hark back to the glory days of Club X, and why not.

Main room: house, trance and techno from Matt O’Keefe, Stu Grady, DJ Andre and Madame Twisted. Banking Hall: Funkydory’s Tyrone Rose, Gari Worner, Paul Williams Burnett and Richie Evans.

VICTORIA HALL Brtyn Road, Lampeter.

07891 632614 / www. vichall.org.uk Sat 16 Dec Slamboree Soundsystem 8.30pm12.30am, £14/£11. Slamboree is a live circus-y psytrance dub thing which I assume is beloved by that harem pants/white dreads/ketamine demographic.

This is them doing a DJ/vocals set, with Rezaloot supporting on the night.

WAREHOUSE 54 54 Cambrian Road, Newport. 01633 213161.

Wednesdays Krazy Wednesdays Cocktails, drink deals and tunes as part of a cross-city midweek session.

Fridays The Good Time Social Club 11pm, £3. Laid back beats and live sessions to kick off the weekend. Entry fee also grants you entry to Courtyard, Blind Tiger, Meze Lounge and Labamba.

Saturdays The Throwback 9pm-5.30am, £5. Club classics and r’n’b. Entry fee, again, gets you into all the clubs listed above. Sun 31 Dec The NYE Clubhop 8pm-8am, £6.

Twelve hours of merriment in this venue plus The Courtyard, Meze Lounge, Blind Tiger, Labamba and Rootys for the price of your wristband.

WOW BAR 4 Churchill Way, Cardiff.

Gay venue. Free all day Sun-Thurs; before 11pm Fri + Sat. 029 2066 6247 / www.wowbarcardiff.com Wednesdays Get Pounded Free. Hosted by Gypsy Divine, soundtracked by DJ Basil and named in reference to the £1 drinks offers. And nothing else. Thursdays Let’s Have A Kiki Free. DJs Basil and Chris soundtrack non-stop fun and games. Fridays Kitty’s Kabaret Free before 11. With WOW Showgirls Miss Kitty and Marcia, plus special guests every week. Saturdays Hi Energy Free before 11. Pop

and party upstairs, chart and dance downstairs. Sundays The Cuckoo Club Free. DJ Krys plays the tunes until late.

events EVERY MONDAY Beat It: Drumming For Dementia Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 10.30am12.30pm, free. Info beatitpercussion@gmail.com.

Hosted by Lynn – contact her on the above email.

Bharatanatyam Dance Classes For Adult Beginners Bayview House, Cardiff Bay. 8.15-9.15pm. Info 029 2075 1158.

Brecon Town Band Rehearsals Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

Info 01874 623650. Hosted by Dave Jones – contact him on the above number.

Cardiff Inter Varsity Club Meeting The Plum Tree, Canton, Cardiff. 8.30pm, £5 (three-month trial membership). Info 07526 141392. A friendly social group offering the chance to “liven up your social life and meet new friends” through a varied events programme including theatre, live music, walks, badminton, table tennis and pub nights. More info at www. cardiffivc.org.uk.

Cardio Climb Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

6.30-7.15pm, £5. Info 029 2048 4880. High intensity workout combining cardio and climbing.

Ceroc The Gate, Cardiff.

7.45-10.45pm, £8/£6 NUS. Info 029 2048 3344. A fusion of salsa, ballroom, tango, hip-hop and jive. Classes are easy and relaxed.

Children’s Ballroom Dancing Classes Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 7-9pm. Info 01495 243252.

Community Choir Rehearsals Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7-9pm, free. Info 01443 491424.

Community Choir Sessions Cornwall Street Church Hall, Cardiff. 7.30-9.30pm, free. Info 07952 752823. Led by Pauline Down and taking place every Monday during term time (until Mon 11 Dec, then starting again on Mon 8 Jan).

Drop-in Meditation And Mindfulness Classes The Boneyard, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 7-8.30pm, £5/£3 unwaged. Info 01792 458245.

New weekly class led by Mike Garside, Resident Teacher of Dharmavajra Kadampa Buddhist Centre in Swansea.

FAN Group Meeting Grange Pavilion, Grangetown. 11am, free. Info 07512 638792. FAN (Friends And Neighbours) groups offer the chance to meet people, speak about a chosen topic for one hour, and have a chat and a cuppa. More FAN meetings are elsewhere in Cardiff every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Freestyle Fitness Yoga Pontcanna Dojo, Cardiff.

6-7pm, £7/£6. Info: sarasclasses4@gmail.com. Taking a break over the Christmas period.

Funkypump Fitness Various venues across south Wales.

6am-8pm. Info www.

u – repeated

funkypumpfitness.co.uk.

Boxing-based high-intensity workout with a house soundtrack. Today’s lineup looks like this. Ware-house, Swansea: Bootcamp 6-7 + 10-11am; Funkypump 5-6 + 6-7pm; Warehouse ABC 5-7pm.

Ware-house, Port Talbot: HIIT 5-5.45pm. Rainbow Rooms, Gorseinon: Funkypump 6-7pm. First Choice Fitness, Llantrisant: Funkypump 6-7 + 7-8pm. Funkypump Fitness, Ammanford: Funkypump 6-7pm. Elympia Fitness, Ely, Cardiff: 6.157.15pm. Funkypump Fitness, Carmarthen: Funkypump 6.15-7.15pm.

Little Monkey Club Bijou, Cowbridge. Info 01656 649190.

Also every Wednesday and Friday.

Little Monkey Club Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

9.30am. Info 01656 649190.

9.30am: Heigh-Ho; 10.25am: Rock’n’Roll; 11.05am: JiggetyJig. Taking a Christmas break after Mon 11 Dec. Also on Fridays.

Little Monkey Club Heronston Hotel, Bridgend.

Info 01656 649190.

Little Monkey Club Salvation Army, Penarth. Info 01656 649190. Also on every Wednesday.

Musical Theatre The Riverfront, Newport. 5.45-8pm, £6/£5. Info 01633 656757. 7-11 years old: 5.45-6.45pm; 12 and up: 6.45-8pm.

Newport Badminton Club Bettws Active Centre, Newport.

7-8.30pm. Info 07789 965285.

One of the largest badminton clubs in south-east Wales. Also on Thursdays.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. £4-£12 per class. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org.

Today’s schedule looks like this. 4.30-6pm:Youth: Wookies (7-9 years); Youth: Padawans (9-11 years). 6-8pm: Aerial Hoop Level 4, Static Trapeze Level 3. 7.45-9.45pm: Aerial Hoop Level 2, Aerial Hoop Level 3, Static Trapeze Level 4. Runs until Mon 11 Dec and starts up on Mon 8 Jan. Qigong Class The Sunhouse, Gwaelod-y-Garth, Cardiff.

6-7.15pm, £5. Info 07779 151916. More at www. bringingbalance.co.uk.

Ruff Folk Dance Club St Andrew’s Methodist Church Hall, Birchgrove, Cardiff. 8pm.

Info 029 2051 3440. With Ian Lewis.

Salsa Classes Horse & Groom, Cowbridge. 8-10pm, £5/£4 NUS. Info 07800 565651.

Beginners for the first hour, then improvers/intermediate.

St Donats Atlantic Chorale St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.

7.30pm. Info 01446 799100.

Choir rehearsals.

Tango Dancing Argentine Barocco, Cardiff. 8-10.45pm, £3/£1. Info 029 2023 7332.

Tang Soo Do Chapter Arts Centre, Canton, Cardiff.

7-9pm. Info 07734 557767.

Learn traditional Korean karate; beginners welcome.

Up Side Down Circus Classes Cave Venture Workshops, Tremorfa Industrial Estate, Cardiff. Info 029 2048 8854 / info@

events upsidedowncircus.co.uk.

Today’s schedule: 6-7.30pm Circus Fitness; 6-8pm Aerial Hoop Improvers; 8-10pm Aerial Hoop Beginners and Aerial Silks beginners.

Yoga Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 12.301.15pm. Info 029 2087 7959.

On tomorrow also.

Yoga With Valerie Price St Mary’s Church Hall, Canton, Cardiff. 6.30-9.30pm. Info admin@yoga-works.co.uk.

6.30-8pm: intermediate; 8.109.30pm: beginners.

EVERY TUESDAY A Ballroom Dance Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 7-11pm. Info 01495 243252.

Adult Give It A Go Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

7-8.30pm, £10. Info 029 2048 4880. Every Tuesday to Thursday.

Aikido Village Hall, Heol Syr Lewis, Morganstown. 8-10pm.

Info 07790 167560. Every Tuesday and Friday.

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 coordination. 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.

Bellydance Class Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff. 7.158.45pm, £7. Info 07824 784436.

Funkypump Fitness Various venues across south Wales. 6am-8.15pm. Info www. funkypumpfitness.co.uk.

Ware-house, Swansea: TRX & Kettlebell 6-7am; Buggy Blast 10.30-11.30am; HIIT 1.15-1.45pm; Funkypump 5.15-6 + 6-7pm; Funkypump Kidz 5.15-6pm; White Collar Boxing Training 6-7pm; Funky Pump Lite 7-8pm. Ware-house, Port Talbot: HIIT 6.30-7.15pm.

Rainbow Rooms, Gorseinon: Bootcamp 6-7am. Funkypump Fitness, Ammanford: Bootcamp 6.15-7.15pm; Bags 7.15-8.15pm. Ufit, Cardiff: Funkypump 6-7pm. Daleon Fitness, Merthyr: Funkypump 6-7pm.

Gitananda Yoga St David's Uniting Church, Pontypridd.

7-8.30pm, free. Info 01443 408065.

Glam Dram St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.

7pm. Info 01446 799100.

Amateur theatre company for adults.

India Dance Wales Classes Rubicon Dance, Adamsdown, Cardiff. 6.30-8pm.

Info 029 2075 1158. From beginners to grade 2 and for all ages and abilities.

Jazz Workshops For Beginners Atradius Offices (4th floor), Cardiff Bay. 6.208pm, £10. Info 07806 625717.

All instruments and ages welcome.

Karate Classes Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff

Bay. 7.15-8.15pm. Info 029 2087 7959. With Emma Robins.

Knap Art Group All Saints Church Hall, The Knap, Barry.

2-4pm. Info glyn@glynpooley. com. Hosted by Glyn Pooley.

Get in touch if you are interested in developing your creativity through learning to draw or paint.

Laughter Yoga Llandaff North Community Centre, Cardiff. 7.15-8.15pm, £5 (suggested donation). Info www.sparklylaughter.co.uk.

“No experience required, no stretching and no mats needed,” promise the organisers.

Learn To Rock’n’Roll 50s Style Kenfig Hill Rugby Club, Bridgend. 8-10.30pm, £5. Info 07400 080101. Hosted

by Frank. Lessons are from 8.15-9pm; there’s a disco from 9-10.30. First dance lesson free.

Life Drawing Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 6-8pm, £7.50. Info 07830 381930.

Hosted by Cardiff Life Model.

Lindy Hop Dance Classes & Social Swing Dancing The Garage, Swansea. 6-10pm. Info 01792 475147.

Little Monkey Club Jump Jam, Bridgend. Info 01656 649190. Also on every Thursday.

Little Monkey Club Old Church Rooms, Radyr, Cardiff.

9.45am. Info 01656 649190.

Children’s music classes, which have been going in Bridgend and the Vale for 10 years and are now launching in Cardiff. 9.45 + 11.05am: Rock’n’Roll; 10.25am: JiggetyJig. Taking a Christmas break after Tue 12 Dec. Also on Thursdays.

Morning Yoga Dance House, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8-9am, £6. Info 029 2063 5614. A Vinyasa flow class, aimed to develop functional, athletic abilities and maximise strength. Hosted

by National Dance Company Wales.

Music Tots The Riverfront, Newport. 9.45am-1.45pm, £3 per session. Info 01633 656757. Music and movement class for babies aged eight weeks to five years.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. £4-£12 per class. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate. org. Today’s schedule: 5-6pm: Youth: Ewoks (5-7 years).

6-7pm: Hula Hoop. 6-8pm: Supervised Training, Creative Circus. 7.45-9.45pm: Mixed Aerial. Runs until Tue 12 Dec and starts up on Tue 9 Jan. Open Mic Night Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Pregnancy Yoga Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff.

6-7.15pm, £35/£30 (five-week blocks). Info kalavathi@ omstudio.co.uk.

Qigong & 24 Step Form St Mary’s Church Hall, Canton, Cardiff. 6.30-7.45pm. Info 07772 657692.

Qigong Class Bute Park, Cardiff. 6-7pm, pay by donation. Info 07779 151916. More at www.bringingbalance.co.uk.

Salsa Classes Kapu, Cardiff.

7.30-10.30pm, £5/£4 NUS. Info 07800 565651. Beginners’ class starts 7.30pm; improvers 8.30;

bachata 9.30.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Mines & Mountains National Museum Cardiff (pickup point). 9am-5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com. Every Tuesday and Friday. This one visits Big Pit Mining Museum of Wales and Brecon Beacons National Park (including BBNP visitors centre).

Student Night Cardiff City Table Tennis Club, Maindy Road Cardiff. 7-9pm, £2. Info 01446 412352. Featuring 16 table tennis tables; players of all ages and abilities are welcome. Check in advance on the sessions as the hall is occasionally booked by someone else.

Up Side Down Circus Classes Cave Venture Workshops, Tremorfa Industrial Estate, Cardiff.

Info 029 2048 8854 / info@ upsidedowncircus.co.uk.

Today’s schedule: 6-8pm Static Trapeze Beginners and Dynamic Acrobalance, 8-10pm Static Trapeze Improvers and Beginners Acrobalance.

Yoga Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 5.30-6.30 + 6.45-8pm. Info 029 2087 7959.

Yoga Classes Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff.

7-8.30pm, £9. Info 07727 139379 / www.omstudio.co.uk.

With Kalavathi Devi.

Yoga Share M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 5-7pm, £4 (suggested donation). Info 029 2047 3373. Led by Ashtanga practitioner Sarah Cleary.

Yoga With Tori Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

7-8pm, £5. Info 029 2048 4880.

Every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Yoga With Valerie Price Llandough Institute, Penarth.

8.30-9.30pm. Info admin@ yoga-works.co.uk. Mixed level class.

Zhan Zhuang Qigong Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 12.301.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2087 7959. New weekly class, ZZQ being an ancient Chinese health system based on a series of static postures.

Zumba: Dance Exercise Classes Fairwater Social & Athletic Club, Cardiff. 6-7pm.

Info 07891 712344. Led by Irene Davies, as is...

Zumba: Dance Exercise Classes St Faith Church Hall, Llanishen, Cardiff. 8-9pm. Info 07891 712344.

EVERY WEDNESDAY Adult Give It A Go Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

7-8.30pm, £10. Info 029 2048 4880.

A Tea Dance Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 2-4pm. Info 01495 243252.

Ceramics For Adults The Riverfront, Newport. 6-8pm.

Info 01633 656757.

Ceroc Dance Class Dockers Club, Swansea. 7.45pm-12am, £6/£8 freestyles. Info: cerocsouthwales@gmail.com.

Cheer Tots The Riverfront, Newport. 9.30-10.15am, £3.

Info 01633 656757. Movement session for babies.

City Of Cardiff Rotaract Meeting Refectory Cafe, Windsor Place, Cardiff.

WALES THEATRE AWARDS Riverfront, Newport, Sat 27 Jan Info: www.walestheatreawards.com Join the Welsh Theatre Awards in recognising and celebrating the very best of theatre, opera, dance and performance in Wales and by Welsh people. With categories for both Welsh and English-speaking performances, this is bound to be a fun and celebratory night to ensure recognition for both established and up-andcoming talent. Backed by the Welsh Critics fund, the awards have been chosen by a wide range of critics and writers to ensure the recognition of excellence in theatre, opera and dance, allowing the organisation to bolster and support development of great art and critical writing in Wales, especially from young people, with sponsorship opportunities available for organisations in Wales who want to become involved with the awards.

6.30pm. Info 07768 108394. An 18-30s community group that integrates young professionals, students and refugees through community projects and social events.

Drop-in Exploring Drawing Workshop Workers Gallery, Ynyshir, Rhondda.

7-9pm, £10. Info 01443 682034.

With tutor Chris Williams.

FAN Group Meeting Canton Library, Cardiff. 5.30pm, free.

Info 07512 638792. Make friends and practise English.

More info at www. thefancharity.org.

FAN Group Meeting Grangetown Hub, Havelock Place, Cardiff. 5.30pm, free.

Info 07512 638792.

FAN Group Meeting Temple Of Peace, Cardiff. 3pm, free.

Info 07512 638792.

Funkypump Fitness Various venues across south Wales.

6am-8pm. Info www. funkypumpfitness.co.uk. Warehouse, Swansea: Bootcamp 6-7 + 10-11am; Bag Circuit 5-6 + 6-7pm; Warehouse ABC 5-7pm; Abs 7-8pm.

Ware-house, Port Talbot: HIIT 6.30-7.15pm. Rainbow Rooms, Gorseinon: Bootcamp 6-7pm. First Choice Fitness, Llantrisant: Funkypump 6-7 + 7-8pm. Funkypump Fitness, Ammanford: Funkypump 6-7pm. Funkypump Fitness, Carmarthen: Funkypump 6.157.15pm.

Little Monkey Club Bijou, Cowbridge. Info 01656 649190.

Little Monkey Club Primo School Of Music, Insole Court, Cardiff. Info 01656 649190.

Little Monkey Club Salvation Army, Penarth. Info 01656 649190.

Newport Youth Dance The Riverfront, Newport.

4.15-6.15pm, £3 per session.

Info 01633 656757. 7-10 years old: 4.15-5.15pm; 14-18: 5.156.15pm.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. £4-£12 per class. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org. Today’s schedule: 4.15-6pm: Youth: Jedi Acrobatics (11+); 6-8pm: Adult Acrobatics; 8-9.30pm: Handstands. Runs until Wed 13 Dec and starts up on Wed 10 Jan. Pub Quiz The Pilot, Penarth.

8pm. Info 029 2071 0615. With Hayley.

Qigong Class The Hub

Community Centre, Llandaff North, Cardiff. 2-3pm. Info 07772 657692.

Salsa Classes Rhiwbina Recreational Club, Whitchurch, Cardiff. 8-10pm, £5/£4 NUS. Info 07800 565651.

SeeWales Sightseeing Tour: Romans And Ruins National Museum Cardiff (pickup point). 9am-5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com. Day tours from Cardiff, every Wednesday and Saturday. This one visits Caerleon, Caerwent, Tintern Abbey, the Wye Valley, Abbey Mill Craft Centre and Raglan Castle.

Toddler Time Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 10-11am. Info 01685 384111. Pre-school stories, rhymes and crafts for toddlers.

Up Side Down Circus Classes Cave Venture Workshops, Tremorfa Industrial Estate, Cardiff. Info 029 2048 8854 / info@ upsidedowncircus.co.uk.

Today’s schedule: 6-8pm Introduction To Aerial (Beginners – starts back up in January); 8-10pm Aerial Silks Intermediate.

Yoga Classes Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff. 9.3011am, 1-2.15pm + 7-9pm, £9/£8. Info 07727 139379 / www.omstudio.co.uk.

Yoga Trwy Gyfrwng Y Gymraeg Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff. 7-8.30pm.

Info admin@yoga-works. co.uk.

Yoga With Tori Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

7-8pm, £5. Info 029 2048 4880.

Yu-Gi-Oh Tournaments The Freaks Geeks and Autographs Store, Swansea. 5.30pm, £3.50.

Info 07914 683534.

EVERY THURSDAY Adult Give It A Go Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

7-8.30pm, £10. Info 029 2048 4880.

Alexander Technique & Yoga M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 11.30am-1pm, £16/£80 for six sessions. Info 029 2047 3373.

Art Club Penarth Pier Pavilion. 4.15-5.15pm, £5. Info 0844 8700887. Creative fun for 5-11-year-olds with tutor Becky.

Ballet Academy Wales Classes – Children 6-11

Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

4-5pm, £4.95. Info 07837 937351.

Bingo Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863.

Biodanza Bishop Of Llandaff High School, Cardiff. 7-9pm, £6/£5. Info antoinette@ biodanza4all.com. “A fusion of music, movement and feeling” taught here by Antoinette Lorraine.

Breakdance The Riverfront, Newport. 6.30-7.30pm, £3.50 per session. Info 01633 656757. Learn break dancing styles, uprock, freezes and power moves. For ages 8-18.

Ceroc Dance Class Lysaght Institute, Newport. 7.3010.45pm, £8/£6 NUS. Info cerocsouthwales@gmail.com.

Children’s Latin/Ballroom Classes Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 4.30-8pm. Info 01495 243252.

FAN Group Meeting Cardiff Central Library. 5pm, free. Info 07512 638792. Make friends and practise English. More info at www.thefancharity.org.

Fitsteps FAB The Riverfront, Newport. 10-11am, £4. Info 01633 656757. Low intensity dance fitness workout.

Funkypump Fitness Various venues across south Wales. 6am-8.15pm. Info www. funkypumpfitness.co.uk.

Ware-house, Swansea: TRX & Kettlebells 6-7am; Buggy Blast 10-11.30am; HIIT 1.151.45pm; Funkypump 5-6 + 6-7pm; White Collar Boxing Training 6-7pm; Funkypump Lite 7-8pm. Ware-house, Port Talbot: HIIT 6.30-7.15pm.

Rainbow Rooms, Gorseinon: Bootcamp 6-7am. Ufit, Cardiff: Funkypump 6-7 + 7.15-8.15pm. Elympia Fitness, Ely: Funkypump 7.158.15pm. First Choice Fitness, Llantrisant: Funkypump Lite 6-7pm. Funkypump Fitness, Ammanford: Funkypump 6-7pm. Funkypump Fitness, Carmarthen: Funkypump 6.157.15pm.

Hand Drumming Group Canton Uniting Church, Cardiff. 6-7pm, £25 (five weeks). Info 07980 742328.

Hosted by Ronald Macauley.

Hatch Youth Theatre The Riverfront, Newport. 4.306.30pm. Info 01633 656757.

Hosted by Tin Shed Theatre.

Jazz Workshops For Beginners Zion Chapel, Ponthir, Newport.

6.30-8.30pm, £10. Info 07806 BUZZ 61

* – recommended

events ROOTS ROUND UP DECEMBER 2017/ JANUARY 2018 As the British roots music scene digs in for the winter and as the bigger artists curtail their touring activities there’s a dearth of must-see gigs during the next couple of months. That said, it does seem that there are still a few performers willing to hit the road and bring some cheer to these dreariest of months. A quick scan of the listings for Cardiff’s St. David’s Hall reveals, among the classical concerts, nostalgia fests and Christmas shows there are a couple of nights that it might be worth donning hat and scarf and venturing out into the chill.

Tue 16 Jan sees the welcome return of one of the hardest working men in music when local boy Martyn Joseph hits the stage with his genredefying and heartfelt songs. Many people have tried to pin down Martyn’s music resulting in labels such as rock, folk, soul and even Americana, but the truth is that his songs and stories about the simplicity and complexities of the human condition don’t really need to be categorised.

Combining a jawdropping guitar style with a showstopping voice and biting social commentary, Martyn proves time and again why he’s so highly regarded among audiences and his peers.

Two weeks later, on Tue 30 two generations of singer songwriters bring their considerable talents to the venue in the shape of Grammy winner Amy Wadge and folk award nominee Luke Jackson.

Widely regarded as one of the UK’s most successful female singer-songwriters, Amy has established an outstanding body of work that includes five solo albums, two collaborations, hundreds of live performances and numerous compositions for other artists including co-writing Ed Sheeran’s smash hit Thinking Out Loud.

Luke Jackson is a rising young roots singersongwriter from Canterbury, Kent who’s been making waves on the live acoustic scene with support spots with such luminaries as Show Of Hands, Karine Polwart and Oysterband. With his bold voice and considerable guitar skills, he’s a confident and captivating performer demonstrating an astonishing maturity that’s seen him compared to both Martin Simpson and Richard Thompson.

BUZZ ALSO RECOMMENDS: Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band Big band folk from Eliza and friends. Tramshed, Cardiff (Wed 6 Dec) Ceri Rhys Matthews & Julie Murphy Sublime Welsh folk from founders of Fernhill.

Pwerdy Powerhouse, Chapel St Pont Tyweli, Carmarthenshire (Sat 16 Dec) Charlie Dore Classy folk-pop from highly regarded songwriter.

Acapela Studio, Pentyrch, Cardiff. (Sun 21 Jan) Please send your folk and roots listings to listings@buzzmag.co.uk or phone them in to 029 2022 6767 BUZZ 62

625717. All instruments and ages welcome.

Learn To Roller Skate Cardiff Central Youth Club, Cardiff. 6-7.30pm, £3. Info www.brawlers.co.uk. With Cardiff roller derby team Tiger Bay Brawlers. Also on every Sunday.

Little Monkey Club Jump Jam, Bridgend. Info 01656 649190.

Little Monkey Club Old Church Rooms, Radyr, Cardiff.

9.45am. Info 01656 649190.

Taking a Christmas break after Thurs 14 Dec. Newport Badminton Club Pill Millennium Centre, Newport. 8-10pm. Info 07789 965285. Coached by Rhys Pritchard who represented Wales at the Junior Commonwealth Games.

Newport Junior Badminton Club Pill Millennium Centre, Newport.

7-8.30pm. Info 07789 965285.

Coached by Rhys Pritchard.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. £4-£12 per class. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate. org. Today’s schedule: 6-8pm: Ropes & Silks Level 2, Static Trapeze Level 2. 7.45-9.45pm: Static Trapeze Level 2, Ropes & Silks Level 3, Ropes & Silks Level 4. Runs until Thurs 14 Dec and starts up on Thurs 11 Jan. Pilates Pontcanna Dojo, Cardiff. 6.15-7.15pm, £7/£6.

Info sarasclasses4@gmail. com. Taking a break over the Christmas period.

Pilates Tramshed Studio, Cardiff. 12.30-1.30pm, £10/£8.

Info www.tramshedstudio.com.

Qigong Albert Rd Methodist Church Hall, Penarth. 6.307.30pm. Info 07772 657692.

Quiz Night NosDa, Cardiff.

8pm, £1. Info 029 2037 8866.

With money, beers and pizza to be won.

Salsa & Bachata Classes Kapu, Cardiff. 7pm-2am, £4-£7.

Info 07800 565651. Beginners 7.30pm; improvers/intermediates 8.30. Free bachata dancing from 9.45pm.

Salsa Dancing Classes Revolucion De Cuba, Cardiff.

8-10pm, £6/£5 NUS. Info 029 2023 6689. Salsa, bachata, zouk and kizomba.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Golden Gower National Museum Cardiff (pickup point). 9am-5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine.

Info 029 2022 7227 / www. seewales.com. Thursday and Sunday. This one visits the Gower, Swansea Bay, ParcLe-Breos, the Dylan Thomas Centre and more.

Story And Rhyme Time In Welsh For Babies Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon. 10-11.30am, free.

Info 029 2057 3650. Every Thursday during term time; aimed at 0-4 years.

The Alexander Technique M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 11am-12pm, £16. Info info@yogaskies.co.uk. Small group class hosted by Mike Young.

University Of The 3rd Age Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

Info richard-walker@live. co.uk. Hosted by Richard Walker – contact him on the

above email.

Up Side Down Circus Classes Cave Venture Workshops, Tremorfa Industrial Estate, Cardiff. Info 029 2048 8854 / info@upsidedowncircus.co.uk. Today’s schedule: 6-7.30pm Circus Fitness ; 6-8pm Supervised training .

Yoga Classes Cardiff Steiner School, Llandaff North, Cardiff. 6-7 + 7-8pm, £8/£6.50.

Info info@yogaskies.co.uk.

Hosted by Mike Young.

Yoga Classes Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff.

7-8am + 1-2.30, 6-7.15 + 7.30-8.45pm, £9/£8. Info 07727 139379 / www.omstudio.co.uk.

11am: Mums & Baby yoga; 7.30pm: Pregnancy yoga.

EVERY FRIDAY Aikido Village Hall, Heol Syr Lewis, Morganstown. 8-10pm.

Info 07790 167560.

Bingo Lingo The Depot, Cardiff. 6pm, £5. Info www. depotcardiff.co.uk. This is now on every Friday and features street food, a wheel of fortune and “rubbish prizes”.

Cardiff Aikikai The Dojo, Roath, Cardiff. 6.30-10pm. Info mcaluan@cardiffaikikai.co.uk.

Cardiff Table Tennis Community Club Upper Hall, Sport Wales, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 7-9pm. Info 01446 412352. Featuring 16 table tennis tables; players of all ages and abilities are welcome.

Check in advance on the sessions as the hall is occasionally booked by someone else.

Children’s Tap/Ballet Classes Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 10.30-11.30am.

Info 01495 243252.

Community Choir Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 9.4511.45am, £72/£48 (12 weeks).

Info 01446 401209.

Dance Tots The Riverfront, Newport. 9.30-10.05am + 10.15-10.50am, £3 per session.

Info 01633 656757. Parent/ toddler dance and exercise session.

Funkypump Fitness Various venues across south Wales. 6am-7pm. Info www. funkypumpfitness.co.uk.

Ware-house, Swansea: Bootcamp 6-7 + 10-11am; ABC 5-7pm; Kettlebell 5.156pm; Bag Circuit 6.15-7pm.

Ware-house, Port Talbot: HIIT 6-6.45pm. Funkypump Fitness, Ammanford: Funkypump 6-7pm. Rainbow Rooms, Gorseinon: Bag Circuit 6-7pm.

India Dance Wales – Bharatanatyam Classes Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 5-6pm. Info 07410 977427. Beginners’ class with Megan Lloyd.

Little Monkey Club Bijou, Cowbridge. Info 01656 649190.

Little Monkey Club Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

9.30am. Info 01656 649190.

9.30am: Heigh-Ho; 10.25am: Rock’n’Roll; 11.05am: JiggetyJig. Taking a Christmas break after Fri 15 Dec. Little Monkey Club Trinity Church, Porthcawl. Info 01656 649190.

Movement And Music For A Fuller Life Bishop Of Llandaff High School, Cardiff.

7.45-9.30pm, £5. Info 07726 360584. Biodanza session, on most weeks (ring ahead to check) aiming to help you

“discover the joy of living, feel better and happier, benefit from more energy, and be more flexible”.

Newport Photographic Club Skip Jennings Hall, Maindee, Newport. 7.30pm.

Info 01633 400685.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. £4-£12 per class. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org. Today’s schedule: 4.15-6pm: Youth: Jedi Aerial Skills (11+). Runs until Fri 8 Dec and starts up on Fri 13 Jan. Older Adult Dance/ Exercise The Riverfront, Newport. 11am-12pm, £3. Info 01633 656757. Low impact dance and exercise class aimed at the over 50s.

Rhiwbina Farmers Market The Butchers Arms, Rhiwbina.

10am-1pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Mines & Mountains National Museum Cardiff (pickup point). 9am-5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.

Tango Argentine Chapter Arts Centre, Canton, Cardiff.

7.30-8.45pm, £7/£4. Info 029 2023 7332. No experience or partner required.

Up Side Down Circus Classes Cave Venture Workshops, Tremorfa Industrial Estate, Cardiff. Info 029 2048 8854 / info@ upsidedowncircus.co.uk.

Today’s schedule: 6-8pm Circus Jam floor based (juggling, staff twirling, poi etc).

Zumba: Dance Exercise Classes Sbectrwm Community Centre, Fairwater, Cardiff. 1-2pm. Info 07891 712344. With Irene Davies.

EVERY SATURDAY African Drumming Sessions Glyndwr Community Centre, Penarth. 10-11.30am, £7. Info 07974 635502 / dan@ phelpsmusic.com.

Ballroom Dancing Class Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

10am kids / 11am adults, £4 per class. Info 01685 384111.

10am: kids; 11am: adults; 12pm: private tuition.

Children’s Climbing Classes Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

10-11.30am, £15. Info 029 2048 4880. Every Saturday and Sunday.

Family Give It A Go Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

12, 2 + 4pm, £15. Info 029 2048 4880. Every Saturday and Sunday.

Family Saturdays Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. Free. Info 029 2063 6464. Craft workshops for kids and parents.

FAN Group Meeting United Reformed Church Cafe, Windsor Place, Cardiff. 11am, free. Info 07512 638792. Make friends and practise English.

More info at www. thefancharity.org.

Funkypump Fitness Various venues across south Wales. 6am-7pm. Info www. funkypumpfitness.co.uk.

Ware-house, Swansea: Abs 8-9am; TRX & Kettlebells 9.15-10.15am; Funkypump Kidz 10.30-11.30am; Bag

u – repeated

Circuit 10.30-11.30am.

Ware-house, Port Talbot: Bag Circuit 10.30-11.30am. Ufit, Cardiff: Bag Circuit 9.3010.30am. Funkypump Fitness, Ammanford: Bag Circuit 10.30-11.30am. Funkypump Fitness, Carmarthen: Boot Camp 8-9pm.

Hard Côr Sony Room, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

India Dance Wales Classes Lewis Street Methodist Church, Ystrad Mynach. Info ym.natyam@ gmail.com. New classes from beginner to Grade 3 level, every Saturday morning – email to confirm specific times.

Movement For Children Volcano, Swansea. 10am-12pm, £4. Info www.volcanotheatre. co.uk. Energetic classes with a focus on creativity, supporting physical development and building confidence. Ages 4-7: 10am; 8-12: 11am.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. £4-£12 per class. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate. org. Today’s schedule: 10-11.30am: Youth: Wookies (7-9 years); 11.30am-12.30pm: Youth: Ewoks (5-7 years); Youth: Padawans (9-11 years); 12-1.45pm: Youth: Jedi Balance & Manipulation (11+ years); 2-4pm: Youth: Jedi Performance Skills (11+); 4-6pm: Youth: Jedi General Skills (11+). Runs until Sat 9 Dec and starts up on Sat 14 Jan. Performance Academy Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

10am-1pm, £10. Info 01685 384111. Offering professional theatre and performance coaching in dance, acting, musical theatre and singing.

Roath Real Food Market Mackintosh Sports Club Car Park, Roath, Cardiff. 9.30am1pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982.

SeeWales Sightseeing Tour: Romans And Ruins National Museum Cardiff (pickup point). 9am-5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.

Sewing Workshops Barnabas Arts House, Newport. 10am-1pm. Info 01633 673739. Hosted by Ellery Design – see www. ellerydesign.com for details of how to book and/or contact them.

St Mary Street Cardiff Market St Mary Street, Cardiff. 11am-5pm, free. Info 029 2019 0036. Selling artisan foods, vintage clothing, antique furniture and bric-a-brac.

Up Side Down Circus Classes Cave Venture Workshops, Tremorfa Industrial Estate, Cardiff.

Info 029 2048 8854 / info@ upsidedowncircus.co.uk.

Today’s schedule: 10am12pm Introduction To Aerial (beginners – starts back up in January); 12-2pm and 2-4pm drop-in taster sessions.

Yoga Classes Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff.

8-9.30am, £8. Info 07727 139379 / www.omstudio.co.uk.

With Kalavathi Devi.

EVERY SUNDAY Ballet Academy Wales Classes – Adults Chapter

events Arts Centre, Cardiff. 12-1pm, £6.50. Info 07837 937351.

Bridgend Undercover Car Boot Sale Multistorey Car Park, Bridgend Town Centre.

7am-12pm, free (selling cars £6; selling cars with trailers £10). Info 01656 661338.

Children’s Climbing Classes Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

10-11.30am, £15. Info 029 2048 4880.

Cooper’s Quiz Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm, £1 to play. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Hosted by Ben Cooper.

Draw Somebody’s Sunday Body Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 1.30-3.30pm, £7.50.

Info 07830 381930. Hosted by Cardiff Life Model.

Family Give It A Go Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

12, 2 + 4pm, £15. Info 029 2048 4880.

Learn To Roller Skate Cardiff Central Youth Club, Cardiff. 6-7.30pm, £3. Info www.brawlers.co.uk.

Lindy Hop Dance Classes & Social Swing Dancing Pontardawe Arts Centre.

6-10pm. Info 01792 863722.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. £4-£12 per class. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org.

Today’s schedule: 3-4.30pm: Handstands; 3-5pm: Flying Trapeze Level 1; 5-7pm: Flying Trapeze Level 2 + 3. Runs until Sun 10 Dec and starts up on Mon 15 Jan. *Riverside Farmers’ Market Fitzhammon Embankment, Cardiff. 10am2pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982.

Always worth a trip.

Relaxing Sunday Yoga Class Parkminster United Reform Church, Roath, Cardiff. 6-7.30pm, £8.50. Info facebook.com/cardiffyoga.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Golden Gower National Museum Cardiff (pickup point). 9am-5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.

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.

FRIDAY 1 DECEMBER uCardiff 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. Also on Fri 5 Jan. Carol Ann Duffy & Gillian Clarke Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 5 + 7.30pm, £4-£12.

Info 01792 463980. Esteemed poets read from their latest collections.

Celebrating Auguste Rodin’s Centenary National Museum Cardiff. 1.05pm, £5.

Info 029 2039 7951. Talk by Anne Pritchard.

Christmas Fair Blackwood Comprehensive School.

3-6.30pm. Info sue_jane_2@ hotmail.com.

Christmas Parade And Light Switch On Pontardawe town centre. 5pm, free. Info 01792 863722.

Crafty Christmas Cheer The Boneyard, Pontcanna, Cardiff.

6.30-8.30pm, £15. Info twinmadethings@gmail.com. Create cool things under the tutelage of Twin Made. uFarmers Market High Street, Merthyr Tydfil. Free.

Info 01685 725106. Quality produce from no more than 50 miles away, on the first Friday of each month. Also on Fri 5 Jan. Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v Norwich City Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff. 7.45pm.

Info 0845 3451400.

Let’s Get Quizzical The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £2 to enter. Info 01497 821762. Pub quiz.

Little Mice Club: Festive Special National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am12pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Bilingual playtime for babies/ toddlers. uMake A Christmas Door Wreath Humble By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth. 10am12.30pm, £45. Info 01600 714595. Also on tomorrow (fully booked), Mon 4 (fully booked) and Tue 5-Fri 8 (all currently available).

noon sessions to choose from. uWinter Wonderland Civic Centre, Cardiff. 5pm, £8.50/£7 under-16s. Info 0333 6663366.

Multiple-times-per-day ice skating sessions. After today’s opening sessions, they’re every Monday to Saturday (before and after Christmas) at 9.45am, 11am, 12.15pm, 1.30, 2.45, 4, 5.15, 6.30, 7.45 and 9pm, plus 10.15pm on Fridays.

Sundays: 9.45am-7.45pm.

Sat 23: 9.45am-10.15pm.

Sun 24: 9.45am-9pm. Tue 26-Thurs 28: 11am-9pm.

Fri 29: 11am-10.15pm. Sat 30: 11am-10.15pm: Sun 31: 9.45am-11.30pm. Mon 1-Thurs 4 Jan: 11am-9pm. Fri 5 Jan: 11am-10.15pm. Sat 6 Jan: 9.45am-10.15pm. Sun 7 Jan: 11am-5.15pm. (Until Sun 7 Jan) uWorkshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 1-5pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales.org.uk.

Adult bikes on sale from £60; kids’ bikes from £10. Also on tomorrow, from 10am-12pm, and every Friday in December and January plus Sat 6 Jan. Xmas Fayre Waunarlwydd Community Centre, Swansea.

1-4pm. Info 01792 460836.

The people behind a new book about misogyny in pop, Under My Thumb, discuss it at Newport's Murenger pub on Wed 6 Dec. The night is presented by Wales Arts Review.

Marytacular Fashion Show Mary’s, Cardiff. 7pm1am. Info 029 2066 8647. World Aids Day fundraiser event featuring nine drag queens, nine designers and 18 dresses courtesy of students from Costume Construction. uMuseum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.30pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500. Presented by Cardiff History & Hauntings.

Also on Fri 15, Thurs 28, Fri 29 and Sat 30.

Rufus Mufasa Album Launch Cinema & Co, Swansea. Free. Info 07982 624959. In addition to a live performance by south Wales hip-hop artist Rufus, this evening will feature music, poetry, dance, art etc from Poets On The Hill, Millimagic,Karl Beer, Ffion Wyn Morris, Beatbox Tangent, Eric Ngalle Charles, Jamey P, Ferny Mac, Craze The Jack and Wounded Healers.

Toddler Days Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £5.50/free under-4s. Info 029 2047 5475.

Monthly term-time events for toddlers and their parents, this month’s theme being ‘snowflakes and sparkles’.

Wenvoe Dickensian Fair Wenvoe Village Hall. 4-8pm, £10 to set up a table. Info 07557 395788. uWillow Christmas Decorations Humble By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth.

10am-12.30pm, £45. Info 01600 714595. On tomorrow also, with both morning and after-

Hosted by Julie James AM. SATURDAY 2 DECEMBER Adventure Travel Film Double Bill Small World Theatre, Cardigan. 7pm, £5.

Info 01239 615952. Two films titled Man With A Pram and Man With A Camel, both directed by Mikael Strandberg.

Artist Talk: Heather Phillipson & Holley Davey G39, Cardiff. 6pm. Info 029 2047 3633.

Artist Talk: Simon Fenoulhet Oriel Mwldan, Cardigan. 4pm, free. Info 01239 621200. uBrecon Craft Fair Market Hall, Brecon. 9am-4.30pm.

Info 01495 753782. Also on Sat 16 Dec and Sat 20 Jan; every third Saturday of the month.

Christmas Fayre St.Teilo’s Church, Cathays, Cardiff.

11am-3pm, £5 to set up a table. Info katesmarshall@ yahoo.co.uk.

Christmas Festival Market & Santa’s Grotto Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry.

10am-4pm, £6.50 for grotto.

Info 01446 738622.

Christmas Makers Market & Open Studios The Sustainable Studio, Cardiff.

10am-5pm, free. Info www. thesustainablestudio.com.

Featuring crafts, produce, workshops, performances, mulled wine and cakes uChristmas Medieval Banquet Caldicot Castle & Country Park. 7-11.30pm, £50.

Info 01291 420241. Featuring a menu of meat, cheese, fruit

and mead (doesn’t sound terribly medieval aside from the mead) plus live entertainment.

Also on Sat 16 Dec. Christmas Wine Tasting The Bottle Shop, Penarth.

7-10pm, £15. Info 029 2115 7349. Featuring approx 30 wines in a wide range of styles. uColourful Chemistry Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £1.50 after admission fee. Info 029 2047 5475. Take part in some colourful chemical reactions on stage in Techniquest’s Science Theatre. Suitable for over-7s. On tomorrow also.

Craft At The Court Christmas Market Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff.

11am-4pm, £1 (parking fee).

Info 07549 526527. Gifts, local craft, handmade prints and food.

Craft & Gift Fayre The Library, Carmarthen. 10am4pm, £7 to set up a table/£12 two tables. Info 07989 593795. uCraft Fair Coffee Cove Cafe Bar, Barry Island. 10am3.30pm, free/£10 to set up a stall. Info 07948 399111. Every first Saturday of the month.

Also on Sat 6 Jan. uEclectic Crafters Centenary Hall, Maryport Street, Usk. Info eclectic.crafters@gmail. com. Craft fair held on the first Saturday of each month. Also on Sat 6 Jan. Craft Fair St Mary’s Church, Swansea. 10.30am-4pm, free.

Info ariancrafts@hotmail. co.uk.

Curator’s Cabinet Of Curiosities National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12.30am-2.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Find out about a fascinating collection of Christmas-themed artefacts. uDewch i Ganu National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

11am, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Join musician Delyth Jenkins and learn Welsh through song.

Also on Sat 6 Jan. uEnfys Craft Fair St. Francis Millennium Centre, Barry. 10am-4pm. Info 01446 792149. Every first Saturday of the month; also on Sat 6 Jan. uFather Christmas Arrives In Gower Gower Heritage Centre, Swansea.

Info 01792 371206. Visits with Santa until Christmas. (At weekends until Sun 24) Festive Fun Day National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Various Christmas activities.

Festive Saturday Morning Kitchen Extravaganza Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 10.30am1pm, £25. Info 01443 222716 / www.angelagray.co.uk.

Grangetown Winter World Market Havelock Place, Grangetown, Cardiff. 12-5pm, free. Info 029 2023 1700 Featuring gifts, food and a brass band.

Grassroots Craft And PreLoved Market Grassroots, Charles Street, Cardiff.

11am-3pm, free. Info 07774 065632. fundraising event for youth charity grassroots. Also features live music plus free coffee and cake.

Junior Actors Workshop Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

10am-1pm, £115/£70 full

course. Info 029 2030 4400.

Actors Workshop course, every Saturday until 2 Dec (ie finishing today).

Kidsmarkets Family Sale Albany Baptist Church Hall, Penylan, Cardiff. 11am12.30pm, £1.50/kids free. Info 07760 802088. Featuring 25 stalls of great quality new and pre-loved kids’ toys, ahead of Christmas.

Le Pub Christmas Market Le Public Space, Newport.

12pm, free. Info sam@lepub. co.uk.

Level 3 Bike Maintenance Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 9.30am-4pm, £75. Info www. cycletrainingwales.org.uk. Also on Sat 13 Jan. uLights In The Sky Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £1.50 after admission fee. Info 029 2047 5475. Look up into the night sky to explore the many lights that have fascinated humans for centuries. (At weekends until Sun 17 Dec) uOh So Crafty Christmas Fair Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 11am-6pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. On tomorrow also.

Oh So Crafty Workshops Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

1-3pm, £2. Info 029 2030 4400.

Make an animated Christmas card. For ages 7+. uOpen Haus The Printhaus / The Boneyard, Canton, Cardiff. 10am-2pm, free. Info 029 2022 0349. Monthly open studios here, an opportunity to meet the artists and makers in this creative community.

On the first Saturday of every month (also on Sat 6 Jan). uPawprints In The Winter Sky Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £1.50 after admission fee. Info 029 2047 5475. Learn about the animals that you can find amongst the stars. Suitable for under-7s. (At weekends until Sat 23, then Wed 27-Sun 31 Dec, then Tue 2-Mon 8 Jan) uPig Street Craft Fair The Queens Hall, Narberth. 10am4pm, free. Info enquiries@ pigstreetcrafts.co.uk. Selling original arts and crafts. Also on Sat 16 this month. uPremium Llandaff Ghost Walk City Cross, Cathedral Green, Llandaff (meeting point). 8.30pm, £11. Info 07538 878609.

Presented by Cardiff History & Hauntings. Two-hour tour walking through woodlands, ruins and graveyards. Also on Sat 9 and Sat 30 (both 7.30pm).

Record Fair The Parrot, Carmarthen. 10am, free. Info 01267 231012.

Reindeer Treat Bags Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

3-5pm, £2. Info 029 2030 4400. With Susannah from the Sewcials workshop series. For ages 7+.

Rhiwbina Winter Festival Various locations, Rhiwbina, Cardiff. 4-6.30pm, free. Info www.rhiwbina.co.uk. Lots of stalls and general good cheer in this Cardiff suburb. uRoller Derby: Road To Manchester Tournament Cwmbran Stadium. 9am. Info 01495 762200. Two-day tournament (on tomorrow also) featuring the national teams of Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Scotland and Wales.

Rugby Union: Under Armour Series – Wales v South Africa Principality Stadium, Cardiff. 2.30pm, £15-£70. Info 08442 777888.

The last of four matches in this series. uSaturday Craft Workshop For Adults Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea.

10.30am-1pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Also on Sat 6 Jan Talk: The Brynmawr Experiment And The Brynmawr Furniture Makers G39, Cardiff. 10am.

Info 029 2047 3633. With Dr Eurwyn William.

The Ebbw Vale Xmas Darts Party Ebbw Vale Sports Centre. 7pm, £22.50£50. Info 01495 357777.

Includes Raymond van Barneveld, Bobby George and several others, some of whom I can’t totally make out on the thumbnail-sized online poster.

Victorian Fair Gilwern town centre, Monmouthshire.

12-5pm, free/£15 to set up a table. Info 07419 131282. uVintage Kilo Sale Cathays Community Centre, Cardiff. 10am-6pm, free. Info 029 2037 3144. Designer labels at £15 a kilo they’re saying! On tomorrow also, and on Sat 6 and Sun 7 Jan. SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER Cardiff Storytelling Circle Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8pm, £4. Info 029 2030 4400. uChristmas Celebration Dolman Theatre, Newport.

7.15pm, £8. Info 01633 263670.

Music, poetry and readings.

Tue 5 show starts at 2pm and costs £7. (Until Tue 5) Christmas Decoration Workshop Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 2.30-4.30pm. Info 07933 844234. Hosted by tiger Bay Social.

Classic Victorian Wreaths Cyfarthfa Park, Merthyr Tydfil.

2pm, £10. Info 01685 727371.

Workshop. Book in advance please. uCwmbran Craft Fayre Our Lady’s School Hall, Cwmbran. 1-4pm. Info cwmbran_crafts@hotmail.co.uk.

Every first Sunday of the month. Also on Sun 7 Jan. Etsy Made Local Christmas Market Bierkeller, Cardiff. 10am-5pm, £6.50-£12.50. Info www. cavetsy.co.uk. Featuring various Etsy craft sellers from south Wales.

Festive Bake Ahead And Freeze Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan.

9.30am-3.30pm, £185. Info 01443 222716 / www.angelagray.co.uk.

Greazy Vegan Pop-Up Part 3 The Robin Hood, Cardiff.

5.30-9.30pm, free. Info 029 2037 8829. A chance to sit in a Pontcanna pub and combine your beers (or whatever) with vegan burgers, hotdogs, fried chicken etc.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Dundee Stars Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 6pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

Lost Legacy: Stonehenge & The Preselis Small World Theatre, Cardigan. 3pm, £5.

Info 01239 615952. Illustrated talk by Robin Heath. uMark Montinaro: A Child’s Christmas In BUZZ 63

* – recommended

events BAFTA CYMRU DEC/JAN 2018 Laurels are not being rested upon as we look back at this year’s full programme of awards and events – over 100 opportunities for the public and our members to see new content, meet the creatives and network!

Our events programme offered the chance for 2,500 people to attend our cinema tipi at the National Eisteddfod, as well as a further 76 events covering film, games and television which took place across Wales.

Our commitment to truly be BAFTA Wales has ensured that we offered 42% of our screenings and Q&A sessions outside Cardiff.

In December and January, we’ll be focusing on some of our award winners with masterclasses for career starters in Aberystwyth and Swansea as well as offering events for the public at Chapter Arts Centre and Cineworld in Cardiff. You can find out more via our What’s On pages on our website (see below).

In January we’ll be hosting two special screenings. On January 4 in Bangor we’ll be focusing on Welsh language drama {Craith}. A bilingual version, {Hidden}, will follow on BBC One Wales later in the year.

Filmed back-to-back in Welsh and English, the series tells the story of detective DI Cadi John who returns to north Wales to care for her ailing father. However, when the body of a young woman is found in a local river, Cadi’s world, and the world around her, is changed forever. A Severn Screen production, the project brings together series creators Mark Andrew and Ed Talfan and director, Gareth Bryn, all of whom worked on the award-winning drama series Y Gwyll/Hinterland. The producer on the series is Hannah Thomas.

Our special preview of Requiem will offer a chance to see this new psychological thriller set in Newport starring Tara Fitzgerald and Richard Harrington and others. In 1994 a toddler disappears from a small Welsh town, never to be seen again. Twentythree years later, talented young cellist Matilda, played by Lydia Wilson (Star Trek Beyond, About Time), has her life turned upside down by her mother’s inexplicable suicide. In the wake of the tragedy Matilda begins to question everything she thought she knew about herself, embarking on a quest that leads her to that Welsh village – a place haunted by its own past, where the secrets she uncovers threaten to unravel her very identity.

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 64

Wales Dylan Thomas Boathouse, Laugharne.

10.30am-2.30pm, free. Info 01267 224965. Readings of the Dylan Thomas classic by Montinaro. Also on Sun 10 and Wed 27-Fri 29. uPiggy Walking With A ‘Pig-Nic’ Senni Valley, Brecon Beacons. £25/£10 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 10 Dec, Sun 17 Dec and Sun 7, 14, 21 and 28 Jan. Tea Dance Penarth Pier Pavilion. 2-4pm, £7.50. Info 0844 8700887. With Alan Taylor.

Wales’ Biggest Christmas Craft Fair Liberty Stadium, Swansea. 10am-3pm, free. Info kellyevans@gmx.com. With over 80 craft stalls.

Christmas Wreath Making Cardiff Castle. 12.30pm. Info 029 2087 8100. Family activity.

Sold out.

MONDAY 4 DECEMBER uAdvanced Cabaret Choreography Conway Road Methodist Church Hall, Cardiff. 8-9.15pm, £7/£60 for 10-week course. Info info@ burlesquecardiff.co.uk. With Stephanie. Every Monday until 11 Dec, and then from 15 Jan-12 Mar. Suitable for dancers who have been in three or more of Stephanie’s shows before. uBallet The Gate, Cardiff.

4-6.45pm, £6.50/£5.50/£3 taster. Info 029 2048 3344.

Pre-primary (4-6 year olds) 4pm; primary (6-8 year olds) 4.45pm; grade 1 5.45pm. Tutor: Miriam Riseborough. Every Monday until 18 Dec and then presumably starts again in January (likewise all the other weekly clases at this venue), however The Gate hardly ever respond to my enquiries so I can’t be certain of that. uBeginners Belly Dance Conway Road Methodist Church Hall, Cardiff. 6.307.4pm, £7/£30 for 5-week course. Info info@burlesquecardiff.co.uk. With Stephanie.

Every Monday until 11 Dec, and then from 8 Jan. uGwd Mondays: Musical Bingo Gwdihw, Cardiff.

7.30pm, free. Info 029 2039 7933. Also on Mon 1 Jan. uPilates The Gate, Cardiff.

10.30am-1.30pm, £5.50-£7.50.

Info 029 2048 3344. Gentle fitness for the first hour, general for the second two. Every Monday until 18 Dec. uSanta’s Afternoon Tea Celtic Manor, Newport. 12 + 12.15pm, £26/£8 under-6s. Info 01633 4102352. Featuring a Christmas kingdom with reindeer for the kids, then afternoon tea in the Olive Tree. On at these times every weekday...

(Until Wed 20 Dec) uScience Cafe National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

7.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Also on Wed 31 Jan. uSupper With Santa!

Gower Heritage Centre, Swansea. 2-6.30pm, £7.50.

Info 01792 371206. Features a meeting with Father Christmas plus food and drink. Turkey dinosaurs and chips if you’re a kid. Lucky you. Every Monday to Friday until Thurs 21 Dec.

uWrite On Writers Morganstown Village Hall.

6.30-8.30pm. Info 07512 235758. An open group of writers who encourage others to write and also critique work.

Also on Mon 18 Dec; it takes place here every first and third Monday of the month but I’m guessing won’t be on New Year’s Day. Ring ahead obv.

TUESDAY 5 DECEMBER Chwarae Teg: Festival In A Day Tramshed, Cardiff.

1.30-5.30pm, free. Info 029 2023 5555. A celebration of 25 years of Wales’ leading gender equality charity, with perfornmances, speakers etc *Oxide Ghosts: The Brass Eye Tapes Milk&Sugar, Cardiff. 6 + 8.30pm, £10/£8.

Info 029 2022 5982. Screening (two screenings in fact) of a film by Michael Cumming, who worked on Brass Eye with Chris Morris and this has hundreds of hours of unseen footage. He’ll be doing a Q&A too. I just bought a ticket for this! uPilates The Gate, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £5.50-£7.50. Info 029 2048 3344. Beginners session.

Every Tuesday until 19 Dec. uRoath Writers The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £3. Info 029 2048 3344. A space for writers of all levels to write, develop and share their work in an informal workshop environment..Every first two Tuesdays of the month.

WEDNESDAY 6 DECEMBER Ask The Expert Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 2-3pm, free. Info 01792 516900. Meet our conservation team and receive specific advice on how to care for your own artworks at home. Book in advance please. uBeginners Burlesque Course Talent Shack, Penarth Road, Cardiff. 6.30-7.45pm, £7/£60 for 10-week course.

Info www.cardiffcabaretclub. com. With Stephanie. Every Wednesday until 13 Dec and then from 17 Jan-14 Mar. uChair Dance Talent Shack, Penarth Road, Cardiff.

8-9.15pm, £7/£60 for 10-week course. Info www.cardiffcabaretclub.com. With Stephanie.

Every Wednesday until 13 Dec and then from 17 Jan-14 Mar. uChristmas Nights National History Museum, St Fagans. 6-9pm, £15/£8 under16s/free under-2s. Info 029 2057 3500. Carols, activities, Santa, a brass band etc. (Until Sat 9) uElliecoptor Hoops Hoop Jam / Skill Share Cardiff & Vale College, Cardiff. 7-8pm, £5. Info elliecoptor@hotmail. com. Also on Wed 13. uLearn To Swing Dance Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Penarth. 7.30pm, £4 adv. Info donnie@donniejoemusic.com.

Entry level Lindy Hop class with Ollie Parham, before a live band (see Live Music listings). uLevel 1 Bike Maintenance Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £65. Info www. cycletrainingwales.org.uk. Also on Sat 13 Jan. uPilates The Gate, Cardiff.

7pm, £5.50-£7.50. Info 029 2048 3344. Advanced session.

Every Wednesday until 20 Dec. uReminiscence Monthly

Cardiff Story, 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.

Also on Wed 3 Jan. The Art Of Conservation Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 11am-12pm, free.

Info 01792 516900. Go behind the scenes of the Gallery in this guided tour of our conservation studios. Book in advance please.

Wales Arts Review Social: Under My Thumb The Murenger, Newport. 8pm. Info 01633 263977. Rhian E Jones, Eli Davies and Rachel Tresize talk about a new book which they’ve each contributed to and/or edited, about misogyny in popular music. It’s on my Amazon wishlist if one of you paypigs wants to buy me it for Christmas.

Wizardly Quiz – For The Loyal Buffalo, Cardiff. 7.3010.30pm, £5. Info 029 2031 0312. Harry Potter-themed quiz for teams of up to six.

THURSDAY 7 DECEMBER uAmerican Line Dance The Gate, Cardiff. 1.15-3pm, £3.50. Info 029 2048 3344.

Every Thursday until 19 Dec. Audio Desccription Tour: Evolution Of Wales National Museum Cardiff.

11am-1pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

Beer & Cheese Pairing Small Bar, Cardiff. 7-10pm, £15. Info 029 2023 2199.

Tasting night with four Siren beers and four cheeses from The Cheese Pantry. Both trademarks of quality in this reporter’s view.

Christmas At The Mansion House Mansion House, Cardiff. 7-9pm, £10. Info info@cityhospice.org.uk. A City Hospice (name recently changed from George Thomas Hospice Care) event featuring Welsh opera stars and harpist Ben Creighton Griffiths.

Classic Christmas Table Centre Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff. 6-8.30pm, £60. Info 07549 526527. Wreath-making class, with Forbesfield Flower School.

Crafty Beer Night NosDa, Cardiff. 6.30-8.30pm, free.

Info 029 2037 8866. Crafting and craft beer are both on the menu tonight.

Crafty Devil Tap Takeover Brewdog, Cardiff. 6pm, free.

Info 029 2023 1684. One of Wales’ better breweries sell their wares here for a night.

Endeavours Embassy Cafe, Cathays Community Centre, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info 029 2037 3144. Monthly nights (albeit taking a break in January, but back again on Thurs 1 Feb) combining food, music and poetry.

First Thursday Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £2.50. Info 029 2030 4400. New poetry and fiction, this month with Paul Deaton and Tony Curtis.

Friends Of Mission Christmas Party Mission Gallery, Swansea. 6-8pm. Info 01792 652016.

Kemi’s Storytelling Suppers Kemi’s, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 7pm, £14. Info 029 2037 2055. Monthly gathering,

u – repeated

this edition featuring guest storytellers Robin & Bina Williamson. Price includes food. Another Supper is on Thurs 4 Jan. Late Night Shopping Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea.

5-8pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

Llantrisant Christmas Fair Castle Green, Llantrisant. 3-9pm, £50 to set up a table. Info dean@llantrisant.net.

Open Mic Night Imperial Hotel, Merthyr. 7.30pm. Info mjenkins1927@gmail.com.

With special guest Julie Pritchard. uPavilion Kids Art Club Penarth Pier Pavilion. 4.155.15pm, £5 per session. Info 0844 8700887. Weekly events for ages 5-11, every Thursday until 14 Dec. This month: Papercutting (Thurs 7); Lamp Making (Thurs 14).

Scandi Style Wreath Making Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff. 2-4.30pm, £60. Info 07549 526527. With Forbesfield Flower School.

Tiny Rebel Christmas Tiny Rebel Brewery, Rogerstone, Newport. 7pm, £10/£7.50 adv.

Info 01633 547378. Featuring a DJ set from Huw Stephens along with other festive treats.

Price includes a bottle of beer.

Wright’s Food Emporium Special Wine Tasting Evening Oriel Myrddin, Carmarthen. 6-8pm, free. Info 01267 222775. Also featuring a Makers Market.

Young Actors Workshop Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

7-9pm, £200 full course.

Info 029 2030 4400. Every Thursday until 7 Dec (ie finishing today).

Young Art Force Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea.

11am-2pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

FRIDAY 8 DECEMBER uDinky Dragons Cardiff Story, The Hayes, Cardiff.

10am-3pm, free. Info 029 2034 6214. Family fun day for 0-5-year-olds on the second Friday of every month. Also on Fri 12 Jan. Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Guildford Flames Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

Nathan Palmer: This Is Theatre National Museum Cardiff. 6.30pm, £100. Info 029 2039 7951. Fashion designer presents classy, or at least pricey, catwalk event.

Tea Dance St Donats Art Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.

2pm, £5. Info 01446 799100.

With Alan Taylor.

Winter Giant Lantern Parade Small World Theatre, Cardigan. 7pm, free. Info 01239 615952.

SATURDAY 9 DECEMBER A Child’s Christmas In Wales: Stories For Christmas Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 11am-3pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Dropin activities. uA Techniquest Christmas Carol Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £1.50 after admission fee.

Info 029 2047 5475. Witness some festive illusions, then the science behind the magic. (At weekends until Sat 23, then

events Wed 27-Sun 31 Dec and Tue 2-Mon 8 Jan) Blaenavon’s Christmas Cracker Broad Street / Top Car Park / Bethlehem Court, Blaenavon. 12-5pm, free. Info 07542 187137. Featuring a grotto, donkeys, stalls, food, circus skills, kids’ activities and more. uBoutique Gift Markets Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am5.30pm. Info 029 2087 7959.

On tomorrow also.

Boxing: Keyboard Warriors 3 Vale Sports Arena, Cardiff. 7pm-12am, £15. Info 029 2078 9060. Barry-based charity boxing organisation with an evening of fights (11 in total) in aid of Velindre Cancer Centre. uCaerwent Craft Fayre Caerwent Village Hall, Monmouthshire. 2.30-4.30pm.

Info cwmbran_crafts@ hotmail.co.uk. Every second Saturday of the month. Also on Sat 13 Jan uChepstow Farmers’ Market Cormeilles Square, Chepstow. 8.30am-1pm, free.

Info 01291 626370. Every second and fourth Saturday of the month (also on Sat 23 Dec and Sat 13 and 27 Jan). uFarmers’ Market Twyn Community Centre, Caerphilly. 9.30am, free. Info 01656 658963. Every second Saturday of the month. Also on Sat 13 Jan. uMumbles Produce Market Seafront Car Park, Mumbles. 9am-1pm, free. Info 01792 361012. Every second Saturday of the month. Also on Sat 13 Jan. uNewport Craft Fayre The Gallery, Newport Indoor Market. 9am-4.30pm, free. Info 01633 656656. Every second Saturday of the month. Also on Sat 13 Jan. Christmas Chocolate Making Humble By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth. 10am12.30pm + 2-4.30pm, £45. Info 01600 714595.

Christmas Craft Fair St. John’s Church, Cymmer, Porth.

10am-2pm. Info 07534 527522.

Christmas Gift & Craft Fair Bethal Baptist Church Hall, Whitchurch, Cardiff.

10am-4pm, £15 to set up a table. Info audmorgan19@ aol.com. uChristmas Market The Boneyard, Canton, Cardiff.

11am-5pm, free. Info 029 2022 0349. On tomorrow also.

Craft Fair St David’s Church, Neath. 10.30am-3.30pm, free.

Info ariancrafts@hotmail. co.uk.

Christmas Party Raceday Chepstow Racecourse.

10.30am-6pm, £22-£28. Info 01291 622260.

Dickens & Dylan Porthcawl Library. 7.30pm, £5. Info 01656 815995. Readings of Charles Dickens and Dylan Thomas stories, presented

by Lighthouse Theatre. In Swansea on Mon 11.

Drop-In Knotwork & Beadwork Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-4pm, £5.

Info 029 2048 4611. Monthly class, normally on the second Saturday of the month.

Family Drop In Mission Gallery, Swansea. 11am-4pm, free. Info 01792 652016.

Christmas decorations making session.

Festive Kitchen Lunch Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 10am-3pm, £85. Info 01443 222716 / www. angelagray.co.uk.

Football: Barclays Premier League – Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion Liberty Stadium, Swansea. 3pm. Info 0870 400004. uFunky Craft Fayre Ostreme Centre, Mumbles, Swansea. 10am-4pm. Info nigel.mason@ntlworld.com.

Taking place here on the second Saturday of each month; also on Sat 13 Jan. Hollywood Christmas Party Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 7pm, £40 adv. Info 01446 738622. Featuring a live band, disco, casino tables, food, champagne reception and some other nice things. uNadolig / Snapped Up Christmas Market Printhaus / The Boneyard, Canton, Cardiff. 11am-5pm, free. Info 029 2022 0349. Stalls from designers, artists, makers etc. On tomorrow also.

Needle Felted Christmas Decorations Humble By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth.

10am-1pm + 2-5pm, £35. Info 01600 714595.

Nimble Fingers Craft Fayre Victoria Hall, Mumbles, Swansea. 10am-4pm, free. Info 07790 298913. On the second Saturday of every month until the end of the year.

Positively Ponty Christmas Craft Fayre Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd.

11am-3pm, free. Info 01443 491424.

Saturnalia National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon.

11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3550. Celebrate the Christmasesque Roman winter festival of Saturnalia.

Saturday Family Workshops Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 10am-1pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

Scrappy Sheep Club: Upcycle A Bauble National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, Llandysul. 12-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3070.

Spaceships! Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 1-4pm, £3. Info 029 2030 4400. Kids aged 5+ can build their own spaceships inspired by Larissa Sansour’s exhibition (see the Art listings). uSpoken Word Saturday Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 3pm, £3.

Info 0845 2263510. Also on Sat 13 Jan. Swansea Christmas Record Fair The Office, Swansea. 12.05-4.30pm, free.

Info 07535 256195.

Swansea Vegan Christmas Market National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Young Makers Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 2-4pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

SUNDAY 10 DECEMBER uBarry Island Handmade Market Barry Island train station. 11am-3pm, free. Info facebook.com/ barryislandhandmademarket.

Every second Sunday of the month. Also on Sun 14 Jan. Big Pit Babies Christmas

Event Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon. 11am12.30pm + 1.30-2.30pm, £5.

Info 029 2057 3650.

Cardiff By Candlelight Ty Hosbis, Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff. 4-8pm, free. Info info@cityhospice.org.uk.

Featuring a festive candlelit walk, craft fayre, carols and other stuff. A City Hospice event. Book in advance please.

Christmas Craft Fair And Collage Wreath Making Cyfarthfa Park, Merthyr Tydfil.

10.30am-4.30pm. Info 01685 727371.

Dogs Trust Bridgen Christmas Fair Pencoed College Sports Hall. 11am4pm. Info 01656 728923. uEssential Ghost Tour Cardiff Castle. 7.30pm, £11.50.

Info 07538 878609. Cut-price 85-minute tour, by Cardiff History & Hauntings.

Festive Food Fair Chapter

Andrew Green of the Royal Institution Of South Wales.

Dickens & Dylan Dylan Thomas Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 01792 473238. uJoy Of Living Mindfulness Group Meeting Gaia Yoga Studio, Roath, Cardiff. 7.30-9pm, free (donations welcome). Info 07412 346054. On the second and fourth Monday of every month (probably not on Mon 25 in December, but on Mon 8 and Mon 22 in January). uVelotech Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £495 (four days).

Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk. (Until Thurs 14) TUESDAY 12 DECEMBER Art Babas Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 10.3011.30pm, free. Info 01792 516900. Explore movement, sound, language, textures,

The Small Bar in Cardiff city centre has established itself as one of, if not the best to drink good/independent/weird beer in the city since opening last year.

It's not bad for food either, and does nights like their Beer & Cheese Pairing on Thurs 7 Dec. You get four beers brewed by Siren and four cheeses sold by The Cheese Pantry in nearby Cardiff Market, all for £15.

Arts Centre, Cardiff. 11am6pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400.

Marina Market National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Stroke Association Santa Fun Run Cyfarthfa Park, Merthyr Tydfil. £10/£5 kids.

Info 01685 727371.

Throwing And Hand Building In Clay Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am4pm, £80. Info 029 2048 4611.

With Billy Adams. uTuneless Choir Cardiff Aspire Fitness, Canton, Cardiff. 7.30-9.30pm, £10 first session/£7 drop-in/£40 for eight weeks. Info 07745 683723. Choir, led by Mei Gwynedd, for people who want to sing but can’t carry a tune.

Also on Sun 17 Dec, Sun 14 Jan and Sun 28 Jan. Vintage And Handmade Christmas Fair National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

MONDAY 11 DECEMBER uBeginners Saxophone Class Upstairs at The Park Hotel, Barry. 7-9pm, £15. Info 07806 625717. With Beverley from Sax For Fun. Every other Monday; no class on Chirstmas Day but they’ll continue on Mon 8 Jan and Mon 22 Jan. Celebrating Our Research Collections Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 5pm. Info 01792 602060. Lecture by

shapes and colours with kids aged between six months and three years. Book in advance please.

Cardiff Children’s Literature Festival Launch City Hall, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £15. Info 029 2023 0130. Featuring an appearance from champion cyclist Chris Hoy, who has followed in the footsteps of Frank Lampard and the Duchess Of York and written some kids’ books. The Festival itself is on in April next year.

Music Networking The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

Hosted by Creative Republic Of Cardiff.

Spirituality Cafe The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, pay by donation. Info 029 2048 3344. Second Tuesday of every month.

Tea Dance Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 2.30pm, £5 adv. Info 0845 2263510.

Twilight Festive Food And Craft Market Rodney Parade, Newport. 3-8.30pm, £25-£30 to set up a table. Info 07737 630657.

WEDNESDAY 13 DECEMBER Football: Barclays Premier League – Swansea City v Manchester City Liberty Stadium, Swansea. 7.45pm.

Info 0870 400004.

Glynn Vivian Young People Glynn Vivian Art

Gallery, Swansea. 11am-12pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

Anyone aged 16-24 can participate in discussing plans and organising events for other young people in Swansea. Also on Wed 15 and Wed 29.

Gwasanaeth Carolau Cymraeg St Mary’s Church, Whitchurch, Cardiff. 7-9pm, £5. Info info@cityhospice.org. uk. Welsh language carol service. A City Hospice event. uOpen Art Crit The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 7-9.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509. This event is hosted by Ffangai and you are invited to bring along something creative you’ve been working on to be assessed/ talked about by fellow artists.

Also on Wed 3, Wed 17 and Wed 31 Jan. uScriveners Writers’ Group The Badminton Club, Beaufort, Ebbw Vale. 8pm. Info 01495 753629. Also on Wed 27 this month, and then on Wed 10 and Wed 24 Jan. Skill Builder: Fizz And Canapes Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £90. Info 01443 222716 / www. angelagray.co.uk.

Spice Preview Night Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

Info 07376 604291. Monthly evening offering a chance for you to go along and see what you might get out of this adventure, activity, sports and social group.

THURSDAY 14 DECEMBER After Hours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. 6.30-10.30pm, £10/£8 adv. Info 029 2047 5475. Evening session for adults, Christmas-themed this month.

Christmas Afternoon Tea Swansea Museum. 2pm, free.

Info 01792 653763. Hosted by the Royal Institution Of South Wales.

Christmas Garland Swag Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff.

2-4.30pm, £60. Info 07549 526527. Wreath-making class, with Forbesfield Flower School.

Christmas Quiz Night National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 7pm, £3.50. Info 029 2057 3600.

Classic Luxe Wreath Making Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff. 6-8.30pm, £60. Info 07549 526527. With Forbesfield Flower School. uHowl Mozarts, Swansea.

8pm, free. Info 01792 649984.

Poetry open mic, every second and third Thursday of the month (also on Thurs 21 Dec and Thurs 11 and 18 Jan).

Indigo Dreams Poetry Evening The Diana Rooms, Roath, Cardiff. 7.30pm, f£3.

Info mabananajones@gmail. com. Features eight Indigo Dreams published poets from Wales and south-west England.

A related event, listed below, is at Cardiff Central Library earlier that day.

Open Space: Indigo Dreams Central Library Hub, Cardiff. 3.30-4.30pm, free. Info 029 2038 2116. Free poetry readings from Mab Jones, Bethany W Pope and more.

FRIDAY 15 DECEMBER Booklaunch: My Beautiful Imperial The Art Shop & Chapel, Abergavenny. 7pm.

Info 01873 736430. Launching the debut novel by Rhiannon Lewis.

Festive Christmas Dancing Rhys Pritchard Hall, Llandovery. 7.30pm, £8/£6. Info huwpudner@ ntlworld.com. A Llandovery Folk Dancing night with caller George Whitfield. Price includes food and a drink.

So You Think You’re Smart? Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 7pm, free. Info 01495 243252. Quiz night, every third Friday of the month. This one has a Christmas theme.

The Little Clocktower Man Quiz Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £1. Info 07933 844234.

Whitefern Xmas Sing Song Resolven Miners Welfare Social Club. 7pm. Info 01639 710320.

Folk.

SATURDAY 16 DECEMBER Christmas And The British: A Modern History National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11am, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Lecture by Martin Johnes.

Christmas Ceilidh The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 7pm, £10. Info 01497 821762. uChristmas In The Museum National Museum Cardiff. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Various craft activities. On tomorrow also.

Craft Fair Clarence Hall, Crickhowell. 10am-4pm. Info 07419 131282.

Craft Fair Community Hall, Neath. 10.30am-3.30pm, free.

Info ariancrafts@hotmail. co.uk.

Craft Fair St Issells Church, Saundersfoot. 10am-4pm, £5 to set up a table. Info helenperrett@outlook.com.

Festive Felt Animal Making Cyfarthfa Park, Merthyr Tydfil. 1-4.30pm, £15.

Info 01685 727371. Workshop.

Book in advance please.

Festive Saturday Morning Kitchen Extravaganza Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 10.30am1pm, £25. Info 01443 222716 / www.angelagray.co.uk.

Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v Hull City Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff. 5.30pm. Info 0845 3451400.

Historical Association Open Day National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

1-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Sheffield Steelers Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 7pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

Santa Comes To Redhouse – Breakfast / Lunch Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 9.3011.30am + 12.30-2.30pm, £8.

Info 01685 384111.

Saturday Adult Art Classes Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. 1-4pm, free.

Info 01792 516900.

St Fagans Farmers’ Market National History Museum, St Fagans. 10am3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Supper With Scrooge Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff.

7pm, £25. Info 07549 526527.

Featuring a reading of A Christmas Carol plus supper and a prosecco reception.

BUZZ 65

* – recommended

events The Big Le Pub Christmas Party Le Public Space, Newport. 12pm, free. Info sam@lepub.co.uk. Kids’ activities in the daytime. live bands including Rogora Khart in the evening. uVintage Kilo Sale St Catherine’s Church Hall, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 10am-5pm, free. Info hall.stcatherines@ gmail.com. Also on Sat 27 Jan. SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Braehead Clan Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 6pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

It’s Christmas... Father Christmas Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon.

10.30am-1pm + 1.30-4pm, £5.

Info 029 2057 3650.

Just Sing! Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 6-7.30pm, £4. Info 01443 491424. Monthly singing workshop.

Open Mic Poetry Imperial Hotel, Merthyr. 7.30pm, free.

Info mjenkins1927@gmail. com. With special guest Stephen Payne.

Taith Y Fari – Llantrisant Mari Lwyd Winter Solstice Tour Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club (starting point).

12-4.30pm, £8/£5. Info 01443 226892. The Llantrisant Folk Club present a costumed tour of local jarhouses in aid of the Marie Curie Hospice, Cardiff and The Vale, Penarth.

To Øl Tap Takeover Brewdog, Cardiff. 12pm, free.

Info 029 2023 1684. Danish craft beer faves, whose bottles are generally fairly pricey so god knows what it’ll cost here, get their hands on the pumps.

Weber Winter Warmer Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 10am-2pm, £99. Info 01443 222716.

MONDAY 18 DECEMBER EatSleepFootyRepeat Xmas Party The Yard Bar & Kitchen, Cardiff. 7-10pm, £10 adv. Info eatsleepfooty@gmail. com. EatSleepFootyRepeat is a podcast about Welsh football and for their Christmas do they’ve done the logical thing and got the most online Welsh football icon available – Neville Southall! uGwd Mondays Music Quiz Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2039 7933. Also on Mon 15 Jan. The Gay Men’s Book Club Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. Informal group reading/ discussing mostly gay-themed literature, this month Queers

by Mark Gatiss.

TUESDAY 19 DECEMBER uA Very Gormley Christmas National Museum Cardiff. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Be inspired by the Bacon To Doig exhibition to make Christmas cards and decorations. (Until Fri 22) Christmas Carol Evening National Wool Museum, Drefach Felindre, Llandysul. 6.308pm, free. Info 029 2057 3070. uPhilosophy Cafe The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, pay by donation. Info 029 2048 3344.

Third Tuesday of every month (also on Tue 16 Jan).

FRIDAY 22 DECEMBER Christmas Quiz Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7.30pm, £1. Info BUZZ 66

www.hobosmusicvenue.com.

Memo Big Christmas Bash Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry.

7.30pm, £18/£15 adv. Info 01446 738622. Featuring a live house band, disco, food and photobooth.

SATURDAY 23 DECEMBER Football: Barclays Premier League – Swansea City v Crystal Palace Liberty Stadium, Swansea. 3pm. Info 0870 400004.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Dundee Stars Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 7pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

Rumi Winter Warmer: A Morning Of Restorative Yoga & Persian Poetry Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff.

10.30am-1.30pm, £30. Info 07549 526527. Workshop. limited to eight women so book in advance please. uStar Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £1.50 after admission fee. Info 029 2047 5475.

Find out more about some familiar constellations, the planets, how stars are born and how they die. Suitable for ages 7+. On today, then

Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12.30-3.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Kids’ craft event, every day except Mon 1 Jan. (Until Fri 5 Jan) uPremium Ghost Tour Cardiff Castle. 7.15pm, £15. Info 07538 878609.

Presented by Cardiff History & Hauntings.

FRIDAY 29 DECEMBER Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v Preston North End Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff.

7.45pm. Info 0845 3451400.

SATURDAY 30 DECEMBER Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v MK Lightning Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 7pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

SUNDAY 31 DECEMBER A Night At The Oscars Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £85. Info 029 2070 5391.

Samantha Link sings songs from film and stage, some sort of ersatz award ceremony takes place and seven courses of food and drink are plonked in front of you.

Neon Party Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 6.30pm, £6.50. Info 01495 243252. Entertainment

Merthyr Tydfil's commendable art/culture venue the Redhouse has an exhibition starting in late January, 1955-1975: Memories Of Popular Music, charting the town's music scene during that time through archive photographs. On Sat 27 Jan, there'll be a free tie-in event, organised by organised by the Centre For Media And Culture In Small Nations.

Wed 27-Sun 31 Dec, then Tue 2-Mon 8 Jan. TUESDAY 26 DECEMBER Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v Fulham Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff. 3pm. Info 0845 3451400.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Coventry Blaze Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 6pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER Coral Welsh Grand National Chepstow Racecourse. 10.30am, from £27. Info 01291 622260.

Featuring seven races in total plus loads of extraneous entertainment. uFamily Crafts Cardiff Story, The Hayes, Cardiff.

10am-3pm, £1. Info 029 2034 6214. Drop-in event aimed at 4-7-year-olds. Also on Wed 3 Jan. THURSDAY 28 DECEMBER Gwdihw’s Quiz Of 2017 Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm. Info 029 2039 7933. uNew Year Crafty Calendars National

includes a family disco with games and prizes alongside a family magic show by magician Carl John. And lots of UV lighting.

New Year’s Eve Dinner Dance Rhos Y Gilwen, Pembrokeshire. 7.30pm12.30am, £40. Info 01239 841387. Featuring live music

by The Numbers Racket Swing Band and a nice sounding meal.

New Year’s Eve Party Civic Centre, Cardiff. Free. Info 0333 6663366. Tied into the Winter Wonderland ice-skating sessions, this evening will also feature live music and a midnight firework display.

New Year Walk In Town square, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys. 10.30pm, free. Info 01591 610270. NYE procession in the tradition of the Mari Llwyd, ie led by a horse’s skull on a pole.

THURSDAY 4 JANUARY Kemi’s Storytelling Suppers Kemi’s, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 7pm, £14. Info 029 2037 2055. This edition featuring guest storyteller Carl Gough. Price includes food.

FRIDAY 5 JANUARY Little Mice Club: Snow

National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am-12pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3600.

New Year New You! Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am3.30pm, £175. Info 01443 222716 / www.angelagray. co.uk.

SATURDAY 6 JANUARY Crash Bang Wallop!

Earthquakes, Volcanoes And Meteorites National Museum Cardiff. 1pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7951. Family talk

by Andrew Haycock.

Drop-In Creative Workshop Oriel Mwldan, Cardigan. 12-5pm, free. Info 01239 621200. For ages 4+.

Game On Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am-3.30pm, £185. Info 01443 222716 / www.angelagray.co.uk.

Mid Wales Rally Forum Theatr Hafren, Newtown.

6.30pm, £15. Info 01686 614555. Charity-based evening of chat with various rally drivers.

Welsh Wrestling Abertillery Sports Centre. 7.30pm, £12/£9 kids. Info 01600 772467. In Blackwood on Sat 20.

SUNDAY 7 JANUARY Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Nottingham Panthers Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 6pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

Plygain Christmas Service National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

TUESDAY 9 JANUARY uExplore Books National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10.30am, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Discuss books and authors in a casual setting (no obligation to have read the books in advance). Also on Tue 16, Tue 23 and Tue 30.

Tea Dance Miners Theatre, Ammanford. 2.30pm, £5 adv.

Info 0845 2263510.

WEDNESDAY 10 JANUARY uKaren Dawn Curtis Ceramic Course The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £110 (six weeks). Info 029 2048 3344.

Over the six weeks each participant will produce a range of different ceramic objects and learn new skills. Every Wednesday until 14 Feb. uSkill Builder Masterclasses Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 10am-2pm, £500/£120 per day. Info 01443 222716 / www.angelagray. co.uk. Five days of themed classes, which if you complete all of them will get you an Angela Gray Certificate Of Completion. Woo! Today: Knife Skills; Thurs 11: One Pot Classics; Fri 12: Pasta, Grains And Rice; Sat 13: Spice; Sun 14: Baked To Perfection. (Until Sun 14) THURSDAY 11 JANUARY Lecture: The Earliest Inhabitants Of Gower’s Caves Swansea Museum.

7.30pm, free. Info 01792 653763. Hosted by the Royal Institution of South Wales.

Talk: Matt Price G39, Cardiff. 6pm. Info 029 2047

3633. Price, an independent contemporary art publisher, discusses his work.

FRIDAY 12 JANUARY Behind The Scenes Tour Of The Archaeology Conservation Laboratory National Museum Cardiff.

1.05pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Talk by Louise Mumford.

Toddler Days Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £5.50/free under-4s. Info 029 2047 5475.

Monthly term-time events for toddlers and their parents, this month’s theme being ‘fairytale fancy’.

Welsh Wrestling Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7pm, £12/£9. Info 01873 850805.

SATURDAY 13 JANUARY uFlight Fantastic Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £1.50 after admission fee. Info 029 2047 5475. Discover more about the science behind how humans overcame the forces of gravity, and soared up into the sky. (At weekends until Sun 28) Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v Sunderland Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff. 3pm.

Info 0845 3451400. uGiants Of The Solar System Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £1.50 after admission fee.

Info 029 2047 5475. All about Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune aka the Gas Giants.

(At weekends until Sun 28) In Conversation: Lydia Meehan & Louise Hobson G39, Cardiff. 6.30pm. Info 029 2047 3633. uThe Starman And His Dog Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £1.50 after admission fee. Info 029 2047 5475. Discover who the Starman is as he helps you find pictures in the night sky by joining the stars together using imaginary lines. Suitable for under-7s. (At weekends until Sun 28) Star Attractions At The Museum National Museum Cardiff. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Space-themed family activities.

SUNDAY 14 JANUARY Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Guildford Flames Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 6pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

MONDAY 15 JANUARY uArt Course: Seascapes And Acrylics The Gate, Cardiff.

7pm, £65 (six weeks). Info 029 2048 3344. Intense course exploring areas around the Welsh coastline via mixed media and medium solutions..

Every Monday until 26 Feb. TUESDAY 16 JANUARY uPainting For Pleasure Carmarthen Community Education Centre. 10am-12pm + 1-3pm, £65 (10 weeks). Info 01550 777933 / sheridanjulieann@gmail. co.uk. With Julie Ann Sheridan. Every Tuesday until 21 Mar. Tea Dance Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 2pm, £5. Info 01656 815995. With the Jeff Guppy Trio.

WEDNESDAY 17 JANUARY Artist Talk: John Stezaker G39, Cardiff. 10am. Info 029 2047 3633. With Dr Eurwyn William. uFoundation Course

u – repeated

In Drawing Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff. 10.30am12.30pm + 7.30-9pm, £75 (10 weeks). Info 029 2061 5528.

New weekly course taking place in the Art Studio here and running until 21 Mar. THURSDAY 18 JANUARY uDrawing Carmarthen Community Education Centre.

2.30-4.30pm, £65 (10 weeks).

Info 01550 777933 / sheridanjulieann@gmail. co.uk. With Julie Ann Sheridan. Every Thursday until 23 Mar. Meat And Poultry Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am3.30pm, £185. Info 01443 222716 / www.angelagray. co.uk.

Open Space: Rosie Claverton, Alis Hawkins & Cheryl Rees-Price Central Library Hub, Cardiff. 5.45pm, free. Info 029 2038 2116. Three Wales-based crime fiction writers discuss their work. uPainting For Pleasure Carmarthen Community Education Centre. 10am-12pm + 1-3pm, £65 (10 weeks). Info 01550 777933 / sheridanjulieann@gmail. co.uk. With Julie Ann Sheridan. Every Tuesday until 23 Mar. uWatercolours Carmarthen Community Education Centre.

12-2pm, £65 (10 weeks). Info 01550 777933 / sheridanjulieann@gmail. co.uk. With Julie Ann Sheridan. Every Thursday until 23 Mar. FRIDAY 19 JANUARY 1920s Charleston Dance Workshop Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 6.30pm, £10. Info 01495 243252.

Jake Mitchell + Lee Hinchcliffe Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £20. Info 029 2023 5555. Teenage YouTubers.

Doubtless a pair of tossers BUT a year or two ago, it seemed like one of these types was being outed as a sex offender pretty much every week. In the wake of Weinstein etc, they seem to have avoided that spotlight.

Talk: The River Runs Through It National Museum Cardiff. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. By Dr Ingrid Jüttner.

Thai Supper Party Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am3.30pm, £175. Info 01443 222716 / www.angelagray. co.uk.

SATURDAY 20 JANUARY A Design Influence G39, Cardiff. 10am. Info 029 2047 3633. Artists James Maxwell and Lydia Meehan share some designers who inspired their Warp Library Residency in 2016.

Be A Game Creator National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am, 12pm + 1.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Have a go at building and coding your own computer game. Book in advance please.

Citizen Clem National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

11am, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Anthea Symonds talks about the life and legacy of Clement Attlee.

live music Classic Curries Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am3.30pm, £175. Info 01443 222716 / www.angelagray. co.uk.

Exhibition Launch: Ellie Young Oriel Mwldan, Cardigan. 4pm, free. Info 01239 621200. See the Art listings for more on the exhibition.

Here there’ll be live music and the chance to get your portrait painted by Young.

Lino Printing Landscapes Humble By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth. 10am-4.30pm, £105. Info 01600 714595.

Welsh Wrestling Miners Institute, Blackwood. 7pm, £12/£9 kids. Info 01495 227206.

SUNDAY 21 JANUARY Bread Of Heaven Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am-3.30pm, £175. Info 01443 222716 / www. angelagray.co.uk.

Curator’s Cabinet Of Curiosities – Love National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12.30-2.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Fife Flyers Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 6pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

Love Sunday National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Celebrate Santes Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers.

The Sunday Sessions: Philip Gross & Bob Walton Octavo’s Wine Bar, Cardiff Bay. 2-4.30pm, free. Info 029 2049 1220. Poetry readings.

Wedding Showcase National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-3.30pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3500.

MONDAY 22 JANUARY Football: Barclays Premier League – Swansea City v Liverpool Liberty Stadium, Swansea.

8pm. Info 0870 400004.

WEDNESDAY 24 JANUARY Celf Able: the Bird Company Oriel Davies, Newtown. 2-3.30pm, free. Info 01686 625041. Short performance by inclusive art group Celf Able exploring disability barriers, followed by a workshop where participants will further explore the themes of the performance.

THURSDAY 25 JANUARY Psychic Sally The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £26. Info 01633 656757. The show is investigational and for the purpose of entertainment.

FRIDAY 26 JANUARY Lunch Club Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 10.30am-2.30pm, £39. Info 01443 222716 / www. angelagray.co.uk.

Stargazing Evening National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 7pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Talk: The History Of Psychiatric Treatment Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff.

2-4.45pm, free. Info 07549 526527. Talks by Cerys Knighton plus an exhibition of

her work, Drawing Bipolarity.

Book in advance please.

SATURDAY 27 JANUARY Amazing Astronomy Day National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 12-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Chocoholics Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 12pm, free. Info 01495 243252. Featuring lots of chocolate products for purchase plus a bakeoff.

Ellie Young’s Portrait Exchange Oriel Mwldan, Cardigan. 12-5pm, free. Info 01239 621200.

Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v Bolton Wanderers Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff.

3pm. Info 0845 3451400.

Healthy Start Wellbeing Event Kingsway Shopping Centre, Newport. £30 to set up a table. Info 07830 315367.

Hedge Laying Humble By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth.

10am-4pm, £85. Info 01600 714595.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Coventry Blaze Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 6pm. Info 029 2038 2001.

Lazy Crafternoons – Tassels And Pom-Poms National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 1.30pm, £5. Info 029 2057 3600.

Local Music Making And The Politics Of Popular Music Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 11am-4.30pm, free. Info 01685 384111. Free one-day research and industry event marking the launch of a onemonth exhibition celebrating the hidden history of popular music in Merthyr between 1955-1975.

Saturday Morning Kitchen Angela Gray’s Cookery School At Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 10.30am12.30pm, £17. Info 01443 222716 / www. angelagray.co.uk.

Saturn’s Moons: Guardians Of The Rings National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 2pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Talk by Andrew Lound.

Star Dome National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600. Tours of the stars, lasting an hour apiece, in an inflatable planetarium and aimed at ages 7+.

Thrifty Kids: Pom Pom Pals National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am12.30pm, free. Info 029 2057 3600.

Wales Theatre Awards Show The Riverfront, Newport. 6.30pm. Info 01633 656757.

SUNDAY 28 JANUARY Fireside Stories – National Storytelling Week National History Museum, St Fagans. 11.30am12.30pm + 1.30-3.30pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3500.

Weber Essential Course Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 10am-2pm, £99. Info 01443 222716.

TUESDAY 30 JANUARY Football: Barclays Premier League – Swansea City v Arsenal Liberty Stadium, Swansea.

7.45pm. Info 0870 400004.

Hedgelaying Course

National History Museum, St Fagans. 9am-4pm, £100/£75.

Info 029 2057 3500. Book in advance please. Also on Tue 6 Feb. Script Slam Final Pontardawe Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £5/£3.50. Info 01792 863722.

WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY Elliecoptor Hoops Hoop Class Cardiff & Vale College, Cardiff. 7-8pm, £5. Info elliecoptor@hotmail.com.

Gardens Walk And Talk: Winter National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am12pm, £2. Info 029 2057 3500.

live FRIDAY 1 DECEMBER Abba Arrival Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2089 0862. Tribute band.

Sold out. uAl Lewis + Kizzy Crawford + Zim Voices St John’s Church, Canton, Cardiff. 7pm, £15/£12.50 adv.

Info 029 2056 2022. Annual Christmas gig by Welsh folk-rocker Lewis, plus pals.

Tonight’s show sold out well in advance but there’s also one tomorrow, which may still have tickets. uAmser Jazz Time Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 5.30-7pm, free.

Info 029 2039 1391. Every Friday in the foyer until Fri 8 Dec (ie finishes next week).

Andy Fairweather Low & The Big Band Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £24.

Info 01873 850805. In Cardiff tomorrow. uAubrey Parsons Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com. Also here on Fri 5 Jan. Beatles For Sale Paget Rooms, Penarth. 8.30pm, £12.50. Info 029 2070 0721.

Tribute band.

Beyond The Barricade Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl.

7.30pm, £23.50/£22. Info 01656 815995. Songs from the musicals.

Bjorn Belief Queens Hall, Narberth. 7.30pm, £15. Info 01834 869323. Abba tribute.

Calypso The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Candelas + Alffa + Pyroclastig Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £7. Info 029 2023 2199.

Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra: A Night At The Movies Miners Institute, Blackwood. 7.30pm, £15/£13.

Info 01495 227206.

Cardiff University Chamber Choir St Augustine’s Church, Penarth.

7-8.30pm, £5/free NUS or under-18s. Info 029 2087 4816.

Chris John Lamb & Flag, Abergavenny. 9pm, free. Info 01873 857611. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Deadbeat Deluxe The Moon, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite Royal Welsh College Of Music &

Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2039 1391.

In Swansea tomorrow.

Ellen And Rhiannon Pencoed Library. 1pm, £4.50.

Info 01656 815995.

Future Sons Jac’s, Aberdare.

7.30pm, free. Info 01685 879491.

Gould Piano Trio Cardiff University Concert Hall. 1.102pm, free. Info 029 2087 4816.

Gwenno Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 7.30pm, £11. Info 01685 384111. Clwb Ifor Bach present an out-of-town gig ahead of Gwenno’s new album, whose lyrics are all in Cornish, or ‘the thinking person’s Welsh’ as it’s also known.

Haelon Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 8pm. Info 01443 491424. “A new Valleys based Welsh/English, ambient electro/accoustic ensemble.”

Crikey!

Haffner Wind Ensemble Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

James Kennedy Beaufort Arms, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 01792 234447. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Jeremiah Ferrari Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

Lail Arad & JF Robitaille Snails Deli, Rhiwbina, Cardiff.

7pm, £22 inc buffet. Info 029 2062 0415.

Like A Lion Ty Newydd, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 407767. Presented by Nailed It Events. uLive Acoustic Night The Pilot, Penarth. Free. Info 029 2071 0615. On the first Friday of each month (also on Fri 5 Jan).

LP Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £16.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. New York singer-songwriter, most of her songwriting being for pop superstars.

Moongazer The Office, Swansea. 10pm, free. Info 07535 256195.

Octave Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £10. Info 029 2087 7959.

Family-friendly Christmas concert.

Off The Record The Vivian Arms, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 516194. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Only Men Aloud St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £29. Info 029 2087 8444.

Opusweed Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £5 adv. Info 01443 682388. Gloucestershire spacerock band.

Paul J Edwards The New Forge, Oakdale, nr Caerphilly.

9pm, free. Info 01495 228919.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Pearl Jamm The Pit, Swansea. 7pm, £8. Info facebook.com/thepitswansea.

Tribute band. In Cardiff tomorrow.

PJ Powers Tramshed, Cardiff. 8pm, £15 adv. Info 029 2023 5555. South African musician doing that thing where acts who are only really popular with their countrymen book a gig here to coincide with a rugby match. uPlanet Rockstock Trecco Bay, Porthcawl. 5pm, £150 weekend. Info www.planetrock. com/events/planet-rock-live/

planet-rockstock-2016. Hard rock weekender that’s long sold out, as in previous years, but have a lineup anyway.

Today: Monster Truck, Bernie Marsden, Rock Goddess, Bernie Tormé and Raveneye.

Sat 2: Joanne Shaw Taylor, Dan Reed Network, Brother Firetribe, Electric Boys, Massive Wagons and Broken Witt Rebels. Sun 3: Thunder, Michael Monroe, King King, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, Son Of Man and Bad Touch. Second stage: running order TBC but playing across the three days will be Beth Blade & The Beautiful Disasters, Departed, Devience, Florence Black, Gabriella Jones, Godsticks, Kane’d, Mason Hill, Mollie Marriott, Piston, The Texas Flood, These Wicked Rivers, Trucker Diablo and Xander & the Peace Pirates. (Until Sun 3) Ravi Sawney & Anna Pack St Fagans Village Hall. 7.30pm, £8/£6/£4 kids/free under12s. Info 029 2023 2970. A Pentreffest Noz folk night.

Rock N Roll Paradise Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £20/£18. Info 01792 475715. R’n’r-themed tribute show.

Skandal +Beneath The Divine + Mudlark + Jacdo + King Juss The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 6pm, £2.

Info gigs@thedragonffli.com.

Greek doom/classic metal band headline. Most of this lineup are in Neath tomorrow.

State Of Decay + Cosmo + Balkaneers + Jebbers + Bosco Rox Exist Skatepark, Swansea. 8pm, £5.

Info 01792 474095.

Sweet Baboo + Ed Dowie Cardiff Bus Transport Club.

7pm, £11 adv. Info 029 2023 3658. Presented by Amazing Tapes From Canton, whoever that may be. Will be sold out by the time you read this, I think, but SB has another gig here on Thurs 7.

The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm. Info 01495 247178.

The Birmingham Blues Brothers Hamptons, Penarth.

7.30pm, £40. Info 029 2070 5391. Blues Brothers tribute. A five-course meal is included in the price.

The Boss UK The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.50 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Springsteen tribute.

The Feelgood Band District Club, Pontypridd. 9pm. Info 01443 402550. Dr Feelgood tribute band. A niche that was waiting to be filled! Or it would have been if the band currently trading as Dr Feelgood weren’t effectively a tribute band themselves.

The Fugitives Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

The Hepburns + Oblong + La Forme Le Public Space, Newport. 7pm. Info sam@lepub.co.uk. Late-80s janglepop band from Llanelli who have reformed and have an album which they claim is “a wry look at a post-Brexit, post-Trump world”.

The People The Poet + Fire Fences + The Broadcasts + The Brocklebank The Muni,

Pontypridd. 7pm, £6 adv. Info 01443 490390.

The Tates + Los Blancos + Papur Wal + Names The Parrot, Carmarthen. 8pm, £5. Info 01267 231012.

Thoby Davis The Plum Tree, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2022 5235. Live music here every Friday.

SATURDAY 2 DECEMBER 80s Xmas Party Night Chepstow Racecourse. £42.

Info 01291 622260. Featuring covers band The Lovecats and a three-course meal among other things. uAcoustic Duos The Plum Tree, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2022 5235. Local acts here every Saturday.

AD/HD The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £5. Info gigs@thedragonffli.com. AC/ DC tribute.

Alexander O’Neal Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 7.30pm, £33.50/£31.50. Info 01656 815995. Soul veteran.

Andy Fairweather Low & The Low Riders + Geraint Watkins New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £26.50. Info 029 2087 8889.

Bob Evans The Waterfront, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

1-3pm, free. Info 01874 611622. Live music here every Saturday in December and January (apart from Sat 23 Dec).

Burning Ferns + Eight Rounds Rapid Le Public Space, Newport. 8pm. Info sam@lepub.co.uk.

Cantorion Pontllanfraith Celebratory Evening Memorial Hall, Newbridge.

7pm, £5-£8. Info 01495 243252.

Cardiff University Jazz Ensemble Cardiff University Concert Hall. 7-9pm, £5/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816.

Chris Kelly The Mariners, Laugharne. 8.30pm, free. Info 01994 427688. Playing in sibling venue Browns tomorrow.

Christmas Crooners Miners Institute, Blackwood. 7.30pm, £16.50/£14.50. Info 01495 227206. Sinatra, Crosby and Cole paid seasonal tribute.

Christmas Fantasia Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £20.

Info 0845 2263510. Featuring the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, Angelicus Celtis, the British Sinfonietta Orchestra and conductor John Hywel Williams.

Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01792 602060.

Get Ready Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £22.50. Info 01792 475715. Sixties soul covers.

Good Vibrations Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £40. Info 029 2070 5391. Beach Boys tribute, sold out though.

Green Haze Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7.30pm, £7/£5 adv.

Info www.hobosmusicvenue. com. Green Day tribute.

ICS: Soundbites St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 11am, free. Info 029 2087 8444. Half an hour of chamber music for free.

James Kennedy Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Jon Paul Plas Dderwen, Swansea. 9.15pm, free. Info BUZZ 67

* – recommended

live music 01873 853144. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Kamikazee Millionaires The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm.

Info 01495 247178.

Livewire + Limehouse Lizzy Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £20 adv. Info 029 2023 5555.

AC/DC and Thin Lizzy covers.

Mastodon + Red Fang + Russian Circles Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £27.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. Alt-metal faves with a decent supporting bill.

Very much sold out though.

Off The Record Hen Dderwen, Swansea. 9pm, free.

Info 01792 203631. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Pearl Jamm + Dirt Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm, £8 adv.

Info 07970 063107. Sold out!

Mate went to see a Stone Temple Pilots tribute band here a while back and was the only person in the audience.

There’s a lesson to be had from that I’m sure.

Peter Jagger The New Forge, Oakdale, nr Caerphilly.

9pm, free. Info 01495 228919.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Philomusica Of Aberystwyth Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £3-£9.50.

Info 01970 623232.

Rachel B The Red Dragon, Bridgend. 9pm, free. Info 01656 654753. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra West End Club, Barry. 7pm, £10 adv.

Info 01446 735739. Newcastle swing/rockabilly hybrid band play Roots N All gig.

Rough Stone + Iron

Barstards Creature Sound, Swansea. 6pm. Info 01792 301178.

Royal Ascension Sound The Moon, Cardiff. 9pm, free.

Info info@ themooncardiff. com. Reggae sorts I believe.

Ruzz’s Guitar And Blues Revue Slipping Jimmy’s, Newport. 12pm. Info 07745 059936.

Skacasm The Dolls House, Abertillery. 8pm, £6/£5 adv.

Info 01495 213300. Ska/2-tone tribute band.

Skandal + King Juss + Jacdo The Duke, Neath. 7pm.

Info 01639 643892.

Skinny White Boy Cockett Inn, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 588748. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Slippery Slope The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5.

Info 01497 821762.

Smokestack Lightnin’ Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 8pm, £3.

Info 01443 491424.

Soul Lotta Funk Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

StavZband Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

7.30pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

Stop Stop The Office, Swansea. 10pm, free. Info 07535 256195.

Synergy Meets New Harmony Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £12. Info 01633 868239. Charity concert in aid of Wales Air Ambulance. uThat Regular Night NosDa, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free.

Info 029 2037 8866. New monthly night hosted by Pi & Hash. Also on Sat 6 Jan.

The Bay Rum Hounds The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

The Blues Band The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £22.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888.

The Boom Sons + Digital Criminals + Scarsun + Hang 11 Jac’s, Aberdare.

7pm, £4. Info 01685 879491. A Women In Rock night, because that’s who all these bands feature. In Cardiff on Sat 16 Dec. The Promise Of Christmas St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £5-£14. Info 029 2087 8444. Carols, festive songs and orchestral music.

The Tootsie Rollers Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £15. Info 029 2063 6464. “The Tootsies have taken their unique sound all over the world, and count Colin Firth, Richard Branson and Kevin Spacey amongst their followers.” Not my words but those of the venue’s website.

The Total Stone Roses + Stellify Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 01685 384111. Tributes to the Stone Roses and Ian Brown’s solo material, respectively.

SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER Acoustic Sinners Beaufort Arms, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 01792 234447. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Chris Kelly Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info 01994 427688. uChristmas Cafe Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1pm, free. Info 029 2039 1391. Foyer performances of festive faves. On

at 11am tomorrow and Tue 5.

(Until Tue 5) uCinderella Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 2pm, £5-£10. Info 029 2039 1391. Not a panto, but an orchestral performance based on the famous story. On at 10am and 12pm on Mon 4 and Tue 5. (Until Tue 5) Forever Never Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7.30pm, £6 adv. Info www.hobosmusicvenue.com.

Gary Phillips with The Dave Cottle Trio Mamma Mia’s, Swansea. 6.30-10.30pm, free. Info 07802 912789.

Presented by Jazzland. Price includes a two-course meal.

Glas Jac’s, Aberdare. 7.30pm, free. Info 01685 879491.

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets In Concert Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 4pm, £25-£65. Info 029 2022 4488. A live orchestra perform a soundtrack to said movie, on a big screen above them.

Head Noise + Loralie The Cambrian, Aberdare. 8pm, free.

Info 01685 879120. Presented

by Blowout, more bands TBC. Hoodie Allen Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £16.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. US rapper. Not sure if I know anyone who likes him or what his demographic is. He’s white and looks like a member of, I dunno, The Walkmen, for whatever that’s worth.

Jagged Little Pill The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.50 adv. Info 07590 471888. Tribute to Alanis Morrisette, or possibly just her first album.

Luka Okros Theatr Mwldan,

u – repeated

Cardigan. 3pm, £10/£1 under21s. Info 01239 621200.

Pianist.

Music In The Museum: Christmas Traditions National Museum Cardiff.

1pm, £5. Info 029 2039 7951.

Performance by Cardiff University Palestrina Singers.

Panic Station Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

Papa Gee + Big Bear + Loll The Parrot, Carmarthen.

7pm, £5. Info 01267 231012.

Blues.

Ross Leadbeater Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info 029 2089 0862. Singer/ pianist. Book in advance please (also, the booking page for this event states “Tickets are strictly limited to 100 per customer”).

Spearhead + Vile Inscription + Ablated + Blasfeme + The Devolved Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 6pm, £8 adv.

Info 07970 063107. Death and black metal. Headliners are not to be confused with Michael Franti’s jazz/hip-hop band from the 90s. What? It could happen.

Slonk + Jack Barnett + Violent Hearts + Grace Hartrey + Kate Stapley + The Cvc + Holy Dog + Jack Ellis The Moon, Cardiff. 4pm, £5. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. uSteve Tarner Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny. 9pm, free. Info 01873 853613.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Every Sunday this month, apart from New Year’s Eve, and in January. uThe Great Unknown The

Windsor, Penarth. 9pm, free.

Info 029 2070 8675. Open mic night presented by Nailed It Events. Also on Sun 10 and Sun 17 Dec, and every Sunday in January.

The Philanderers Uplands Tavern, Swansea. Info 01792 458242.

The Sunday Sessions: Sue Scott & Steph McNicholas Octavo’s Wine Bar, Cardiff Bay. 2-4.30pm, free. Info 029 2049 1220. Carols and Christmas songs.

Will Killeen The Queens Head, Monmouth. 8.45pm, free. Info 01600 712767.

MONDAY 4 DECEMBER Acoustic Charity Night Old Market Tavern, Cardiff. 7pm, £3. Info 029 2037 1263. In aid of the London Community Foundation and victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. The sets will be partly Christmasthemed and there’ll be a collection on the night on top of the modest entry fee. uAYDMS Christmas Concert The Met, Abertillery.

7pm, £6. Info 01600 772467.

Popular Christmas songs and other oldies. On tomorrow also.

Carols In The Pavilion Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl.

7pm, £5. Info 01656 815995.

Kasabian Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 6.30pm, from £45. Info 029 2022 4488. uLive Jazz Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360. Here every Monday, holiday dates permitting I daresay.

Moc Isaac + Charlie Says + Tribeless + Elliot

live review

DEEP PURPLE

Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Mon 20 Nov Passing the Motorpoint Arena this morning, I noticed two males in their 50s hanging around near the back, wearing Black Sabbath T-Shirts and with autograph book in hand.

This is the kind of devotion that rock royalty Deep Purple command. These guys are legitimate rock legends: the songs are classics, the riffs practically invented heavy metal.

Main support comes from Swedish rockers Europe, who are very well received by the south Wales rock community, even though for the most part we’re just waiting for The Final Countdown. Flanked by a giant graphics screen, it’s time for Deep Purple to take the stage.

Opening with Time For Bedlam, from latest album Infinite, it’s easy to forget that this is a band that formed nearly half a century ago. Bounding around with an energy that defies their years, they launch into Bloodsucker from the classic In Rock LP. Despite the internet rumours, frontman Ian Gillan’s voice is as powerful as it’s ever been.

Another new track, All I Got Is You, is graciously received. Former Ozzy/Rainbow keyboard player Don Airey is given opportunity to stretch his legs on Lazy from Machine Head, proving once again to be a more than adequate substitute for the great Jon Lord. It’s from here that the set really picks up. You know those classic rock CDs they peddle every Father’s Day? Well that’s how the next part of the set plays out. Wall to wall classics.

Space Truckin’ is closely followed by the riff of all riffs, the mighty Smoke On The Water. A well-earned breather is in order before the band re-emerge to belt out Hush, swiftly followed by a bass solo from the legendary Roger Glover and ending with Black Night just to finish off the evening in style. This is billed as The Long Goodbye tour but after this evening, I really hope this isn’t goodbye. If it is, then it was a hell of a sendoff. words CHRIS ANDREWS photos MARTIN JONES

JUST ANNOUNCED FOR 2017: MARMOZETS (Tramshed, Cardiff, Fri 2 Feb) SPRING KING (Sin City, Swansea, Sun 4 Feb) THE WEDDING PRESENT (The Globe, Cardiff, Sun 4 Feb) RAT BOY (Tramshed, Mon 5 Feb) DON BROCO (Cardiff University Students Union, Sat 10 Feb) BRITISH SEA POWER BUZZ 68

* – recommended Oakley Old Market Tavern, Cardiff. 7pm, £3. Info 029 2037 1263. Acoustic charity gig raising money for the London Community Foundation. uUkulele Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509. Every Monday, with The Plucking Fourstrings.

WI Carol Festival Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 7pm, £13.50 adv. Info 01792 475715.

Featuring Elgan Llyr Thomas, Llwyth y Llan Childrens Choir and Huw Tregelles Williams OBE. TUESDAY 5 DECEMBER uAcoustic Tuesday South Riverside Community Development Centre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £5. Info 029 2030 4400. Regular event led by pioneering local musicians and singers (also on Tue 2 Jan). uAdam Gyorgy Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20/£12. Info 01792 475715.

American concert pianist plays Liszt and Chopin. On tomorrow also.

Caroline Rae & Iwan Llewelyn Jones Cardiff University Concert Hall.

7-9.15pm, £10/£8/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816. Performing works by Debussy. uCommunity Samba Band – Practise Dates Llanfrynach Village Hall, Brecon. 7-9pm, £4/£2 under16s. Info sambabrecon@ yahoo.co.uk. Every Tuesday. uLunchtime Concert Cornerstone, Cardiff. 1.10pm, free. Info 029 2039 1391.

New monthly concerts in this Charles Street venue, presented by the Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama. Also on Tue 7 Dec and Tue 16 Jan. uOpen Mic The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, free.

Info 01497 821762. Every Tuesday. uOpen Mic Night Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com. Every Tuesday.

Pictish Trail + Monoganon + Little Red Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £9 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

Scottish indie-folkie headlines.

Pulled Apart By Horses + Weirds Sin City, Swansea.

7.30pm, £11 adv. Info 01792 468892. See Music.

Stone Sour + The Pretty Reckless Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 6.45pm, £28.50. Info 029 2022 4488. See Music.

The Bootleg Beatles St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £29.50. Info 029 2087 8444.

The John Davies Quintet Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

WEDNESDAY 6 DECEMBER uAubrey Parsons Cedar Tree Farm, Cardiff Bay. 3pm, free. Info 029 2034 1823. With a Christmas set. Presented by Nailed It Events. Also on Wed 13 and Wed 20 Dec. Aubrey Parsons The Seagull Inn, Porthcawl. 8pm, free. Info 01656 785420. Presented by Nailed It Events. uBandaoke Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@

u – repeated

porterscardiff.com. “Sing with a fully rehearsed band and become the Popstar you always dreamed of being.” Also on Wed 13 Dec. Beans On Toast + Skinny Lister The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £14 adv. Info 07590 471888. uBella & Gareth Blues Duo Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm.

Info 029 2038 7026. Also on Wed 20.

Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8.

Info malc@dancebands.plus. com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Normandie + Ryan Key Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8. Info 029 2023 2199. Ryan Key is from the band Yellowcard. uOpen Jam Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509. Every Wednesday. Expect to hear

Cardiff label Bubblewrap Records have had a good year in terms of releases, including a Welsh Music Prize for The Gentle Good. On Sun 17 Dec they'll round it off with a Christmas Party gig at Clwb Ifor Bach. Starting at 4pm, it's set to feature 10 acts, withCotton Wolf, Quodega and The Gentle Good himself confirmed so far.

Blue Rose Code The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, £12.50 adv. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

Bohemian Grove + Conflicts + Incursion Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm, £3. Info 07970 063107.

Cardiff County And Vale Of Glamorgan Music Service Christmas Showcase St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7-£11. Info 029 2087 8444.

Christmas Afternoon Concert The Met, Abertillery.

2pm, £7.50. Info 01600 772467.

Price includes a coffee and mince pie.

Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £20 adv. Info 029 2023 5555. Folk veteran in the family way, as folkies often are.

Euros Childs Cardiff Bus Transport Club. 7.30pm, £12.

Info 029 2023 3658. Euros’ second tour date in this venue, having previously played here in mid-November. In Carmarthen Fri 8; Swansea Sat 9 *Futuro De Hierro +Stomack + Harrga Undertone, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6. Info 029 2022 8883. Lesson No.1 and FYB present a great night of live, industrial/noiseinfluenced electronic music. I have seen each of these acts once before and expect them to bring it again.

Greta Isaac Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7. Info 029 2023 2199.

Liane Carroll Jazzland, Swansea. 8.30pm, £12. Info 07802 912789.

Megs Emrys Band + Jack Cooper & The Offshore + Matt Evans Gwdihw, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. A Folk In The Owl’s Nest night.

Monmouth Big Band with Gareth Roberts Whiteheads Sports & Social Club,

jazz, blues, rock or ska here. uOpen Mic Market Street Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 733863. Every Wednesday. uRock The Jukebox Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £10.

Info 0845 2263510. Songs you hear in 50s/60s retro musicals.

(Until Fri 8) Sinfonia Cymru The Riverfront, Newport. 1pm, £5.

Info 01633 656757. uSwing Time Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Penarth. 8.30pm, £5/£4.40 adv.

Info donnie@donniejoemusic. com. Swing and lindy hop night with live band Donnie Joe’s American Swing plus The Medicine Man DJing. Also on Thurs 28.

The Performance Factory Music School Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 7.15pm, £6.50/£4.50. Info 01792 475715.

The Wytches Sin City, Swansea. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 01792 468892. Brightonian indie psych band. In Cardiff tomorrow.

THURSDAY 7 DECEMBER BBC NOW: Elgar & Rachmaninov St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5-£40.

Info 029 2087 8444. uChristmas On Broadway Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 029 2039 1391.

Featuring the Royal Welsh College Musical Theatre Soloists and Royal Welsh College Concert Orchestra. On tomorrow also. uFrankie Weeson Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny.

8pm, free. Info 01873 853613.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Every Thursday in December.

Hackensack Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £6/£5. Info 029 2038 7026.

Henry Marten’s Ghost The Pear Tree, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info 029 2025 2042. Presented

live music

by Nailed It Events. uJane’s Calamity Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com. An evening of singing along to songs from the musicals round the piano.

Also on Fri 22 Dec and Thurs 4 Jan. John Owen Jones Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm.

Info 0845 2263510. West End fave sings. Sold out though. In Cardiff on Thurs 14.

Misfires + Jack Perrett + Fire Fences The Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£6 adv. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

Naomi Rae + Leighton Jones + Tobias Robertson + Filthy/Gorgeous Funk Band Jacobs Market, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £5. Info 029 2039 0939.

Nuclear Lullaby Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

Philippa Hanna Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £14. Info 029 2087 7959. Christmas acoustic concert in support of the Amber Project.

Rhoda Dakar The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. Former Specials vocalist.

Shed Seven + Cast Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £24 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. The bio on the venue website is just the first two paragraphs of Shed Seven’s Wikipedia entry, which is vaguely disparaging about their level of success. The funny thing is, this gig is sold out and Shed Seven clearly do OK for themselves all things considered.

Sweet Baboo + Kid Carpet Cardiff Bus Transport Club. 7pm, £11 adv. Info 029 2023 3658.

The Rumblestrutters Crindau Constitutional Club, Newport. 8pm, £8/£5. Info 01633 858636. A Lyceum Folk Club night. Headliners are in Port Talbot on Sat 9.

The Wytches Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £10. Info 029 2023 2199.

Women In Rock Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £17.50-£21.50. Info 01792 475715. A night of covers of Stevie Nicks, Joan Jett, Bonnie Tyler etc. This has replaced this evening’s original booking here, a Spice Girls tribute band. Hats off to the venue for sticking to their feminist guns.

FRIDAY 8 DECEMBER 2 Rude + Retro Electro The Neon, Newport. 7pm, £14.50 adv. Info 01633 533666.

Tributes to the 2-tone and synthpop scenes respectively.

A Night At The Movies 2017 St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £6.50-£23.50. Info 029 2087 8444. Michael Bell conducts the Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance of the music of John Williams.

Anthony Moulton Lamb & Flag, Abergavenny. 9pm, free.

Info 01873 857611. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Argrph + Papur Wal + Names Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £6. Info 029 2023

2199. Hosted by Libertino and Twrw.

Baggy-Cringle Glais Rugby Football Club, nr Clydach, Swansea. 8pm, £7. Info 01792 425231. A Valley Folk Club night whose main act has slightly altered their name so it’s a Christmas reference.

Bass 12 Gwdihw, Cardiff.

9pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. Brassy covers of various festive tunes.

Best Of Bublé Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £40. Info 029 2070 5391. Michael Bublé tribute with a five-course meal.

Buffalo Summer + Pearler + Beth Blade And The Beautiful Disasters The Dragonffli, Pontypool.

7pm, £5. Info gigs@ thedragonffli.com.

Calan Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £14 adv. Info 029 2089 0862. Welsh folkies.

Chris John The Fairwater, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2033 3049. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Christmas With The Royal Welsh College Brass Band St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 1pm, £7/£6 adv. Info 029 2087 8444.

Claire Martin Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £15. Info 029 2063 6464. UK jazz vocalist.

Dictaphone Devil Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny.

9pm, free. Info 01873 853613.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Eden Roots Reggae Band Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3.

Info 029 2038 7026.

Eleri Angharad The Plum Tree, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2022 5235.

Euros Childs + Adwaith The Parrot, Carmarthen.

7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 01267 231012.

Goldie Lookin Chain Tramshed, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14 adv. Info 029 2023 5555.

James Kennedy The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge.

9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Jeremiah Pip Smith The New Forge, Oakdale, nr Caerphilly. 9pm, free. Info 01495 228919. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Jim Blair NosDa, Cardiff.

7pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866.

Solo set by a member of the band Hip Route, who play here tomorrow.

Larger Than Life! Ty Newydd, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 407767. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Like A Lion The Vivian Arms, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 516194. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Marilyn Manson Newport Centre. 7pm, £35. Info 01633 656757. Sold out! See Music though.

Only Men Aloud Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.30pm, £27.

Info 01686 614555.

Peter Jagger Beaufort Arms, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 01792 234447. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Replaced By Robots + Discount Columbo + Hush Mozey Jac’s, Aberdare.

7.30pm, £5/£4 adv. Info 01685 879491. Blowout present indie/ rock bands.

Robbie Williams Tribute Xmas Party Night Chepstow Racecourse. £39.

Info 01291 622260. Also featuring a three-course meal among other things.

Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama Festive Brass St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

1pm, £5-£7. Info 029 2087 8444.

Roy Wood Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £22.50£26.50. Info 01792 475715.

IIIIT’S CHRIIIISTMAS!!! That’s what Roy Wood might well reply if someone hard of hearing asked him “in what part of the year do you make most of your money?”

Sepulchre + Black Of Night + Voluntas + Cranial Separation The Patriot, Crumlin. 8pm, free.

Info 01495 247178.

Sian Evans The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 07590 471888. Or ‘Sian Evans – The Voice Of Kosheen’ to give her full title. She wrote Rita Ora’s Hot Right Now it says here, didn’t know that.

Sodomized Cadaver + Damim + Vendetta FM + Anoxide + Disposable + Deathsurrection + Homizide Fuel Bar, Cardiff.

6pm, £5. Info 07970 063107.

Spectrum Singers Dyffryn Gardens, Vale Of Glamorgan. £2-£15. Info 029 2059 3328.

Christmas carol concert.

The Charlatans Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £28.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458.

The Flamenco Thief The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5. Info 01497 821762.

Flamenco guitar and loop pedal courtesy of one Craig Sutton. The name sounds a bit hard on yourself, Craig. uThe Rock N Roll Circus Christmas Bash The Dolls House, Abertillery. £7 adv. Info 01495 213300. Two-day charity event in aid of Velindre. Today features sets from The Black Bullets, White Coast Rebels, Deathtraps, Pizzatramp and The D Teez. Tomorrow: Trucker Diablo, Crashed Out, Black Water Chemistry, Hell’s Addiction, Whiskey Lies, The King Lot, Thirteen Stars and Fahran.

The Skiptones Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

White Witches + Cult Of Hands + Windshake The Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

SATURDAY 9 DECEMBER Abba Tribute Xmas Party Night Chepstow Racecourse. £42. Info 01291 622260. Also featuring a three-course meal among other things.

BackStreet Symphony The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm. Info 01495 247178.

Bute Chorus Concert Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free.

Info 029 2039 1391. Featuring the Royal Welsh College’s mixed community choir.

(The Globe, Sun 11 Feb) BARS AND MELODY (Cardiff University, Thurs 15 Feb) SAXON (Cardiff University, Sat 23 Feb) THE HANDSOME FAMILY (Tramshed, Tue 6 Mar) STEREOPHONICS (Motorpoint Arena, Tue 6 + Wed 7 Mar; Cardiff City Stadium, Sat 9 June) JOE BONAMASSA (Motorpoint BUZZ 69

* – recommended

live music Calypso Plas Dderwen, Swansea. 9.15pm, free. Info 01873 853144. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Cat’s Claw CMC Sports And Leisure Club, UHW campus, Cardiff. 8-11.30pm, £10/£8 adv/£5 kids. Info 029 2039 4207. A RUFF Ceilidh night, also featuring Mic Spencley calling.

Celtic Pride The Office, Swansea. 10pm, free. Info 07535 256195.

Christmas Celtic Evening The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5. Info 01497 821762.

Christmas With CAVMS The Gate, Cardiff. 7pm, £6-£8. Info 029 2048 3344.

Feative music and carols with the Cardiff And Vale Music Service.

Christmas With Elvis Borough Theatre, Abergavenny.

7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01873 850805. Not, as you may have assumed, the Economically Lacking Vale Intonation Service. ‘Elvis’ is in fact some sort of pop singer.

Desperado The Muni, Pontypridd. 7pm, £12 adv. Info 01443 490390. Eagles tribute.

Estrons + Chroma + Paomino Party Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £8. Info 029 2023 2199.

Euros Childs Cinema & Co, Swansea. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 07982 624959.

Explosive Light Orchestra Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

8pm, £15. Info 01685 384111.

ELO tribute.

Faith No More Or Less Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £4 adv. Info 01443 682388. FNM tribute.

Geraint Lovgreen Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 7.30pm. Info 07818 056599. Welsh language singer-songwriter.

Handel’s Messiah St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £9-£30. Info 029 2087 8444.

With the Cardiff Polyphonic Choir.

Hippo + Sous Les Paves + Notsoever Gwdihw, Cardiff. 9pm, £3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. Hosted by Cosmogramma.

Hip Route NosDa, Cardiff.

7pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866.

Jack Mac’s Funk Pack Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Jacqui Dankworth & Charlie Wood Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £15. Info 029 2063 6464. Jazz standards.

Jive Talkin’ Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £21.50.

Info 01970 623232. Bee Gees tribute. uJon Crespo Quartet Café Jazz, Cardiff. 9pm, £2 after 11.

Info 029 2038 7026. Also on Sat 16 and Sat 23.

Junior Music Concert Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 5pm, £7.50/£4. Info 029 2039 1391.

Lewis Morgan The New Forge, Oakdale, nr Caerphilly.

9pm, free. Info 01495 228919.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Midnight Sun + Fall From Ruin + Excursia

The Dragonffli, Pontypool.

7pm, £2. Info gigs@ thedragonffli.com.

Mike Sanchez Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £17.50 adv. Info 029 2089 0862. R&B/ rock’n’roll pianist.

Ofelia + Luna Tides The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 9pm, £4. Info 01685 387925.

Off The Record Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Whitesnake UK Ebbw Vale Institute. 7pm, £12 adv. Info 01495 708022. Tribute band.

Wright Hear Wright Now Three Horse Shoes, Cardiff.

9pm, free. Info 029 2069 4630.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

SUNDAY 10 DECEMBER Acid Reign Hobo’s, Bridgend.

7.30pm, £12.50 adv. Info www. hobosmusicvenue.com. Late 80s/early 90s UK thrash metal band, not afraid to be zany and now reformed.

If you hung out in the south Wales/valleys/Vale rock scene in the late 80s, you might remember a band called The Missing. Well, they're playing two gigs in Barry West End Club on Fri 26 and Sat 27 Jan, so hopefully some people will.

Salvation Army Christmas Concert The Met, Abertillery.

7pm, £5. Info 01600 772467.

Sean McGowan + Selena In The Chapel Le Public Space, Newport. 7pm, £6 adv.

Info sam@lepub.co.uk.

Sophie De Winter The Waterfront, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 1-3pm, free. Info 01874 611622.

Split Whiskers Cwmbran RFC, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran.

7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 01633 483238. Borough Blues Club gig.

Tailor Rai The Red Dragon, Bridgend. 9pm, free. Info 01656 654753. Presented by Nailed It Events.

The Bar Hounds Jac’s, Aberdare. 7.30pm, free. Info 01685 879491.

The Big Fat Blues Band Slipping Jimmy’s, Newport.

9.30pm, free. Info 07745 059936.

The Boom Sons + The Caged Bird Sings + Breakdown Face + Head Noise Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7pm, £2. Info 01443 491424.

The Mudskippers The Last Resort, Swansea. 9pm. Info lastresortswansea@gmail. com.

The Rumblestrutters Taste, Port Talbot. 8.30pm. Info 01639 886750.

The Somethings Hen Dderwen, Swansea. 9pm, free.

Info 01792 203631. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

The UB40 Experience The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.50 adv. Info 07590 471888. Tribute band.

Triaxis + Dakesis + Metaprism Fuel Bar, Cardiff.

7pm, £6/£5. Info 07970 063107.

Tyla’s Dogs D’amour + The Main Grains + The Dukes Of Bordello Sin City, Swansea. 7pm, £14 adv. Info 01792 468892.

City Voices Cardiff St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £5-£13. Info 029 2087 8444.

Carols etc.

Emmanuel Kempton The Drill Hall, Chepstow. 7-10pm, £5. Info 01291 627122.

Classical/fingerstyle acoustic guitarist. uFolk Music & Song Session Arvon Ale House, Llandrindod Wells. 4pm. Info 07477 627267. Every second and fourth Sunday of the month (also on Sun 24 in December), with an extra acoustic session on the third Sunday (Sun 17) too.

Heavy Quartet The Queens Head, Monmouth. 8.45pm, free. Info 01600 712767.

Henry Marten’s Ghost Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free.

Info 01994 427688.

Hot Club Swing Café Jazz, Cardiff. 6.30-9pm, £5. Info 029 2038 7026. Monthly night.

Mayor’s Charity Show 2017 Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 7pm, £3. Info 01639 763214. *Odd Box Fundraiser Alldayer The Moon, Cardiff.

2-10pm, £12/£10 adv. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

Featuring Helen Love, Peaness, The Darling Buds, The Loves, Van-illa, Hodad, Lawndale High and Live, Do Nothing.

Plant Duw + Argrph + Hyll + Y Gwyddel The Big Top, Cardiff. 8pm, £6. Info 029 2022 8883. Album launch gig for the headliners. Also featuring DJing from Hefin Jones.

Rob Uprichard Jac’s, Aberdare. 7.30pm, free. Info 01685 879491. uRoyal Welsh College Of Music & Drama Students National Museum Cardiff.

1pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

Also here on Sun 14 Jan. Silverstein The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14 adv.

Info 07590 471888. US emo-

rock mob, presented here by Imperial Music.

South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus Tramshed, Cardiff.

6pm, £14.50 adv. Info 029 2023 5555.

Steps + Vengaboys Motorpoint Arena Cardiff.

6pm, from £40. Info 029 2022 4488. It’s the headliners’ 20th anniversary, and probably for the Vengaboys as well, I’m not looking it up.

Stratus-Fear Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 6-8pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

The Glendale Family + Nia Ann & Rosey Cale Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. Folk.

MONDAY 11 DECEMBER A Christmas Concert Of Seasonal Music And Carols St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10-£13. Info 029 2087 8444.

BBC NOW Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2pm, £11-£13. Info 029 2063 6464.

Conductor Laureate Tadaaki Otaka celebrates his 30th year with BBC NOW and his 70th birthday with an all-Elgar programme.

Boyzlife Tramshed, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £28.50 adv. Info 029 2023 5555. Brian McFadden of Westlife and Keith Duffy of Boyzone put their heads together for a duo whose name is, whatever anyone says, better than Westzone.

Brecon Town Concert Band Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7.30pm, £12.50/£10.

Info 01874 611622.

Chantal McGregor + The Luke Doherty Band The Neon, Newport. 7pm, £14 adv.

Info 01633 533666.

Charlie Says + The Rotanas + Crystalline + The Tribeless The Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, £4. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

TUESDAY 12 DECEMBER Biloba Cello Quartet Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

1pm, £7.50/£5. Info 01874 611622. Lunchtime Brecon Bites concert. The £7.50 price gets you tea and cake.

Cardiff University Contemporary Music Group Cardiff University Concert Hall. 7-9pm, free. Info 029 2087 4816.

Chris Quinn & Moses Rozenberg The Muse, Brecon. 8pm, £10/£8 members.

Info 07791 654799. Presented

by Brecon Jazz.

Festive Cafe Concert 2017 St Donats Art Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan. 3pm, £6.50. Info 01446 799100.

Fish Tramshed, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £27.50 adv. Info 029 2023 5555. That’s Fish from Marillion to you.

Hashtag Acoustic Duo Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free.

Info 01994 427688.

Kate Rusby St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £25/£18. Info 029 2087 8444. See Upfront.

Roland Gift The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £22.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. Him out of Fine Young Cannibals.

Smithsodeon Café Jazz,

u – repeated

Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

Swinging 60s To The Sizzling 70s Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £40. Info 029 2070 5391. Julia Martin sings hits from those decades, you eat a five-course meal. uTalon Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £22. Info 01873 850805. Eagles tribute, on tomorrow also.

The Amity Affliction + Boston Manor + Vukovi + Casey Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £17.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. This is 2017’s Kerrang! tour, and combines metalcore, pop-punk and post-hardcore in much the same way the magazine does nowadays. I think so anyway, I’ve not read a copy for years.

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £12 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

The Sunsets Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

WEDNESDAY 13 DECEMBER Carol Concert Burnett’s Hill Chapel, Martletwy, Pembrokeshire. 7.30pm. Info 01646 651725.

Celebrating Dame Shirley Bassey & Celine Dion Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £40. Info 029 2070 5391. Julia Martin pays tribute to both acts.

DB Big Band Christmas Show with Lee Gilbert & Amy Coombes Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8.

Info malc@dancebands.plus. com. South Wales Big Band Society gig. Price includes buffet.

Grace Petrie Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10. Info 029 2023 2199. See Upfront.

Liam Gallagher + Rat Boy + Trampolene Motorpoint Arena Cardiff.

8pm, from £36.50. Info 029 2022 4488. This and all the other dates on Liam’s tour appear to be sold out. Was it ever confirmed if he named his album As You Were after the thing he always writes in his tweets, or if he writes ‘as you were’ as long-game promotion for the album?

Mark Armstrong with Dave Cottle Trio Jazzland, Swansea. 8.30pm, £10. Info 07802 912789.

Shaggy Tramshed, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £22.50 adv. Info 029 2023 5555. Steeled myself for the demand that Buzz covered this gig when it was announced, it seeming to have the exact pH balance of nostalgia and irony that thrills so many. However I don’t think it’s even been mentioned. Also it’s now sold out.

The Bay Rum Hounds Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

The Darkness + Blackfoot Gypsies St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £29. Info 029 2087 8444. See Upfront.

Xmas Party No.1 Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm,

£4. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club night.

Price includes a buffet.

THURSDAY 14 DECEMBER Aubrey Parsons & Paul Dark The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592. Presented by Nailed It Events.

BBC NOW: Christmas Celebrations Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 7.30pm, £5-£20. Info 01792 475715. Also featuring the BBC’s jazz radio head Claire Teal. In Cardiff tomorrow.

Cardiff University Symphonic Winds Cardiff University Concert Hall. 7-9pm, free. Info 029 2087 4816.

Carols At The Museum National Museum Cardiff.

3.30pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

David Thomas Broughton + Motes Cardiff Bus Transport Club. 8pm, £7/£6 adv. Info 029 2023 3658.

Yorkshire experimental folk type DTB plays Cardiff for the first time in I think three years. He is playing with a local backing band on each tour date; this one includes Gareth Bonello, Andy Regan and Rosie Smith.

Fat Barry’s Soul Band Margam Park, nr Port Talbot.

6.30pm, £33.50. Info 01639 881635. Price includes a two-course turkey dinner and a drink.

Festive Brass Band Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Ian Poole Quartet The Pear Tree, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 2042. Presented by Nailed It Events.

John Owen-Jones + Beau Dermott St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £27. Info 029 2087 8444.

Keith James Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £14 adv. Info 029 2089 0862.

Playing two sets, one a ‘best of UK folk-rock’ type affair and the other an all-Nick Drake one.

Parish + The Fused + Self Raised The Moon, Cardiff. 7-10pm, £4. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

Roam Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £10. Info 029 2023 2199.

Silent Forum + 5th Spear + Tusk Gwdihw, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £4 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

The West End At Christmas Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 01874 611622.

UB40 The Neon, Newport.

7pm, £37.50 adv. Info 01633 533666.

Upstairs At The Unicorn Christmas Special The Unicorn, Pontypool. 7.30pm, £3. Info 01495 751304. Folk night.

Violet Skies Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8.

Info 029 2023 2199. Synthpop kinda solo artist from Monmouthshire. We were going to write about her a year or two back and she was so

Arena Cardiff, Fri 9 Mar) ALL TIME LOW (Motorpoint Arena, Wed 14 Mar) SKID ROW (Cardiff University, Thurs 15 Mar) THE STRANGLERS + THERAPY? (Tramshed, Fri 16 Mar) THE WOMBATS (Cardiff University, Fri 16 Mar) STEVEN WILSON (St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Wed 21 Mar) JASON BUZZ 70

live music determined not to dispense any promo photos of herself that we sacked it off in the end, and in turn it looks like she’s sacked that policy off too.

FRIDAY 15 DECEMBER 101% Pantera Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 8pm, £9/£7 adv. Info 07970 063107. Tribute band.

Shout out to whoever designed the poster for using the Confederate flag as the background, in case anyone had forgotten that Phil Anselmo from Pantera is an unrepentant racist arsehole.

4 Brothers + The Gandy Dancers + Curly + The Sam Antonio Freeway + The Mahouts Jac’s, Aberdare. 6pm, £5. Info 01685 879491.

Abergavenny Borough Band Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £8/£6.

Info 01873 850805.

BBC NOW: Christmas Celebrations St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15-£40. Info 029 2087 8444.

Chris Kelly Ty Newydd, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 407767. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Dansette Café Jazz, Cardiff.

8pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2038 7026. Sixties style soul.

Elvis Legacy Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £40. Info 029 2070 5391. Elvis tribute act Mark Summers gyrates Satanically to accompany your five-course meal. Fully booked though.

Final Demand The Office, Swansea. 10pm, free. Info 07535 256195.

Harleighblu + Mansfield Green Gwdihw, Cardiff. 9pm.

Info 029 2039 7933. Hosted by Starving Artists.

Jools Holland Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 6.30pm, from £40. Info 029 2022 4488.

Jools plays here just before Christmas every year, and every year we ignore it when selecting our editorial. Until now. So, er, see Upfront for an interview with Jools and José Feliciano who will be performing with him.

Made In Liverpool Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £19.50 adv. Info 029 2089 0862.

Beatles tribute.

Mansel Davies Lamb & Flag, Abergavenny. 9pm, free.

Info 01873 857611. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Michael Leslie The Newbridge, Cardiff. 3-5pm, free. Info 029 2030 8031.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Mike Dennis + Acoumetal The Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com.

No Glory Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7.30pm, £4. Info 01443 682388.

Open Mic Night The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, free. Info gigs@thedragonffli. com.

Paul J Edwards The Aubrey Arms, Bonvilston. 8.30pm, free.

Info 01446 781210. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Punchline The Vivian Arms, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792

516194. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Red Ethel The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5. Info 01497 821762. Jazz-folk trio.

Rumney Folk Club St Augustine’s Church, Rumney, Cardiff. 7pm, £3.50/£1.50 for performers. Info derek@ rumneyfolkclub.co.uk. Monthly night.

Santa Cruz + Skarlett Riot + Pearler Sin City, Swansea. 7.30pm, £12.50 adv.

Info 01792 468892.

Simon Trigg The Woodman, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 402700. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Sounds Familiar Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 6.30-11.30pm, £20. Info 01685 384111.

Christmas party night.

The Algal Bloom + Brett Green The Patriot, Crumlin.

7pm. Info 01495 247178.

Them 2 Fellas Beaufort Arms, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 01792 234447. Presented by

Centre. 8pm, £2-£12. Info 01970 623232. Performing Mozart’s Requiem.

Annual Christmas Concert Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare.

7pm, £10/£8. Info 0300 0040444.

BBC Wales: Carols For Christmas St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £5. Info 029 2087 8444.

Big Mac’s Wholly Soul Band Tramshed, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12.50. Info 029 2023 5555. Sold out.

Bon Giovi Ebbw Vale Institute. 7pm, £12 adv. Info 01495 708022. Tribute band.

Canada Road The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info 029 2021 2509.

Decibelles The Waterfront, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

1-3pm, free. Info 01874 611622.

Cloudbusting Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £16.50 adv. Info 029 2089 0862. Kate Bush tribute.

If you like DIY punk rock, and you like Cardiff (heck, just living here will do), you might want to attend the DIY Cardiff 3rd Birthday gig in Cathays Community Centre on Sat 16 Dec. Six hours of punk, emo and indie are mooted.

Nailed It Events.

The Pollen Count The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil.

9pm, £3. Info 01685 387925.

The Spectrums + Abba Fabba Workmen’s Hall, Caerphilly. 7.30pm, £10/£7 adv.

Info 07512 237983. Tributes to 80s synthpop and Abba respectively.

The Spook School + Nervus + The Darling Buds + Clarity Le Public Space, Newport. 6pm, £10. Info sam@lepub.co.uk. See Music for more on this gig and in particular The Spook School.

The West End At Christmas The Met, Abertillery. 7.30pm, £12. Info 01600 772467. Songs from the musicals.

Tom Martin The Plum Tree, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2022 5235.

Welsh Camerata Choir St Mary Of The Angels Church, Cardiff. 8pm, £12/£10. Info www.welshcamerata.org.

Performing works by Arvo Pärt, Pawel Lukaszewski, Scotland and Wales. In Swansea tomorrow.

Yamäya Small World Theatre, Cardigan. 8pm, £10. Info 01239 615952. Afrobeat type band from Brighton. Miss Mitten will also be DJing dub and reggae.

SATURDAY 16 DECEMBER Aberystwyth Choral Society Aberystwyth Arts

Continents The Dolls House, Abertillery. 6.30pm, £5 adv.

Info 01495 213300.

Côr Meibion Llanelli Christmas Concert Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £15 adv. Info 0845 2263510.

Dai Robs Christmas Party + Frozen Cabin Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 8pm, £7.

Info 01686 614555.

Democratus + Outright Resistance + Blind Divide + Cranial Separation Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm, £5. Info 07970 063107. Metal bands in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Diamond Nights Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £40. Info 029 2070 5391. Neil Diamond tribute, fully booked sorry.

DIY Cardiff 3rd Birthday Cathays Community Centre, Cardiff. 4-10.30pm, £5 adv. Info 029 2037 3144. Several hours of punk, emo and indie from promo stalwarts, featuring Apologies, I Have None (that’s one band), Kamikaze Girls, Bicycle Thieves, Big Whoop and more TBC. Elvis Tribute Xmas Party Night Chepstow Racecourse. £42. Info 01291 622260. Also featuring a three-course meal among other things.

Hayley & The Comets Jac’s, Aberdare. 7.30pm, free.

Info 01685 879491.

Julie Murphy & Ceri Rhys Matthews Pwerdy Powerhouse, Pont Tyweli, /

Carmarthenshire. 7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 01559 364820.

Folk duo.

Lewis Morgan The Red Dragon, Bridgend. 9pm, free.

Info 01656 654753. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Mangata The Heath, Cardiff.

9pm, free. Info 029 2039 4207.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Mansel Davies Plas Dderwen, Swansea. 9.15pm, free. Info 01873 853144.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Mr Hate The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm. Info 01495 247178.

Nik Turner’s Space Ritual Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 7.30pm.

Info 07818 056599. Hawkwind sax player bongs on.

Orange Circus The Last Resort, Swansea. 9pm. Info lastresortswansea@gmail. com.

Palm Tree Antics West End Club, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 735739.

Palomino Party + Chupa Cabra Gwdihw, Cardiff. 9pm, £6 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

Also featuring a post-band DJ set from Rotary Club folks.

Punchline Cockett Inn, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 588748. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Resurrection + Oas-is The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14 adv. Info 07590 471888. It’s nearly 2018 and there are two competing Oasis/Stone Roses tribute shows in Wales’ capital city on one night. Say what you like about North Korea, this sort of thing doesn’t happen there.

Rocket Joe Joe And The Old Time Bangers Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Ryan McMullan Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £10. Info 029 2023 2199.

Surplus Surprise Yule Party Fluidity Freerun Academy, Cardiff. 7pm-3am, £10. Info 07747 888931. Live music from Radical Dance Faction, Lacertilia, Gung Ho, The Blunders and Audio Pirates. DJs: Pierrot The Acid Clown, 4G b2b Twospeed and Iolo.

The Bar Hounds The Office, Swansea. 10pm, free. Info 07535 256195.

The Boom Sons + Digital Criminals + Scarsun + Insuna NosDa, Cardiff. 7pm, pay by donation. Info 029 2037 8866.

The Carney Villains Queens Hall, Narberth.

7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01834 869323.

The Guilty Rascals + Blood Slugs + The Tribeless The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £2. Info gigs@thedragonffli.com.

The Heist Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £4 adv. Info 01443 682388. Rock covers.

The Oasis Experience + These Smiths + The Stoned Roses + Beady Eyes + Lliam Galllagher + Le Tropix Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union.

6pm, £16.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. This evening is titled

Welcome To Manchester Via Cardiff and features three Oasis-related tributes (I truly cannot believe there are people who have learned a whole set of Beady Eye songs), plus Smiths and Roses homages.

Katie O also DJs. The Shakes Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319. Presented by Nailed It Events.

The Treatment Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7.30pm, £10 adv.

Info www.hobosmusicvenue. com.

Troubleshooters The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil.

9pm, £3. Info 01685 387925.

Trystan Llyr Griffiths Rhos Y Gilwen, Pembrokeshire.

7.30pm, £27.50. Info 01239 841387 Welsh tenor. Ticket price includes supper.

Welsh Camerata Choir All Saints Church, Cardiff. 7pm, £12/£10. Info www. welshcamerata.org.

SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER 3 Fat Cyclists Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info 01994 427688.

Acoustic Session Arvon Ale House, Llandrindod Wells.

4pm. Info 07477 627267.

Bridget And The Big Girls Blues The Queens Head, Monmouth. 8.45pm, free. Info 01600 712767.

Bubblewrap Christmas Party Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

4-11pm, £13.50. Info 029 2023 2199. Featuring 10 acts in total, with The Gentle Good, Cotton Wolf and Quodega announced so far.

Chapter Four Jazz Quartet Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. Jazz in the bar.

Handel’s Messiah Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 7pm, £15-£20. Info 01792 475715.

With the Swansea Bach Choir.

Mason Hill + Beth Blade And The Beautiful Disasters + Deever Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm, £8 adv. Info 07970 063107.

Route 66 Jac’s, Aberdare.

7.30pm, free. Info 01685 879491.

Ryder The Eagle + Sock + Holy Dog The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, £6/£5 adv. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

Spectrum Singers Penarth Pier Pavilion. 3pm, £8. Info 0844 8700887. Chamber choir.

Steps Into Christmas Dolman Theatre, Newport.

7.15pm, £10. Info 01633 263670. The poster for this has the logo of Steps, as in the pop group, so I assume this is a tribute to them, but I can’t find any info confirming this.

The Jedis Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

The Sixteen St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £5-£25. Info 029 2087 8444.

MONDAY 18 DECEMBER Donnie Joe’s American Swing Café Jazz, Cardiff.

8pm, £3/£2.50 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

The Wildhearts Acoustic The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm,

£15 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Featuring two members of the Geordie rockers, Ginger (who was here last month with his other band Mutation) and CJ. TUESDAY 19 DECEMBER Question The Mark The Moon, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

The Wessex New Orleans Band Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

The West End At Christmas Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 2pm, £14/£12.

Info 0845 2263510.

What’s New Pussycat?

Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £40. Info 029 2070 5391. Glen Leon plays Tom Jones here, tickets all gone mind you.

WEDNESDAY 20 DECEMBER Abbalicious The Bear Hotel, Cowbridge. 8pm, free. Info 01446 774814. Presented by Nailed It Events. uAndy Collins Open Mic Night Cockett Inn, Swansea.

9pm, free. Info 01792 588748.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Also on Wed 17 Jan. Fight Rosa Fight + Salt Bath + Think Pretty + KVSD Le Public Space, Newport. 7pm, £5. Info sam@ lepub.co.uk.

Geraint Rhys + Jack Barnett & The Rain Dogs + Dusty Cut Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

Jeff Hooper with Martin Shaw Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 8pm, £11.50. Info 01656 815995. Jazz.

Mamma Mia Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £40. Info 029 2070 5391. Abba tribute, sold out already.

Opera Holloway The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil.

7.30pm, £8/£7 adv. Info 01685 387925. Opera, jazz and festive tunes featuring Dowlais Male Choir, Callie Gasto, Sophie Dicks, Will Branston, Ryan Ross and Laurie O’Brien.

Suspiciously Elvis The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. Tribute show.

The Cottle Brothers Jazzland, Swansea. 8.30pm, £13.50. Info 07802 912789.

Christmas party gig.

The Village Quire Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm, £8/£5. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club Christmas party night with this folk harmonymeets-storytelling band.

THURSDAY 21 DECEMBER Abstract Open Mic Night Le Public Space, Newport.

7pm, free. Info sam@lepub. co.uk.

Alexa Dena & Easy Street Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £6/£5.

Info 029 2038 7026.

Bad Manners Tramshed, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £16. Info 029 2023 5555.

Caritas Choir At Christmas Penarth Pier Pavilion. 7.30pm, £10/£5 kids and NUS. Info 0844 8700887.

DERULO (Motorpoint Arena, Sun 25 Mar) FALL OUT BOY (Motorpoint Arena, Wed 28 Mar) EMBRACE (Tramshed, Sun 1 Apr) BRIAN FERRY (St David’s Hall, Mon 9 Apr) PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING (Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wed 11 Apr) TEARS FOR FEARS + ALISON MOYET BUZZ 71

* – recommended

live music

THE WILDHEARTS ACOUSTIC The Globe, Cardiff, Mon 18 Dec Tickets: £15. Info: 07590 471888 / www.globecardiffmusic.com Not quite metal, not quite punk, since emerging in the early-90s British rock wasteland (and even tickling the undercarriage of the top 40) Newcastle’s Wildhearts were fiendishly hard to pin down. Despite the noisy exterior of much of their material, there’s enough of a poppy, melodic heart to make a seven-date, all-acoustic tour viable. Wildhearts vocalist Ginger and guitarist CJ will be the two representatives here, Ginger having played the Globe with his other band Mutation only last month. They’re calling the tour “small” and “intimate”, and it seems safe to expect a giddy alehouse bonhomie rather than moshpits. One Wildhearts song already in folk form, Geordie In Wonderland, is a cult favourite among fans and will almost certainly feature.

Christmas By Candlelight Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff.

8pm, £15. Info 029 2089 0862.

Festive music conducted by Alwyn Humphreys.

Curtis Lee + The Kinky Wizzards + Monday Night Side Project The Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, £5. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

Jazz Jam Porter’s, Cardiff.

8pm. Info info@porterscardiff. com.

Magical Mystery Tour The Neon, Newport. 7pm, £15 adv.

Info 01633 533666. Beatles tribute featuring people who were in West End show Let It Be. My Name Is Ian + Vega Bodegas + Gindrinker Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, £5/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. uNC Sessions Nolton Corner, Bridgend. 7.30pm, free.

Info 01656 655015. Live acoustic acts, every third Thursday of the month (also on Thurs 18 Jan).

Porridge Radio + Garden Centre + Pink Grapefruit + Lawndale High Cardiff Bus Transport Club. 7.30pm, £5. Info 029 2023 3658. Upbeat indie shenanigans.

Shelter Cymru Christmas Concert Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

6pm, £45/£10 under-15s/free under-5s. Info 029 2039 1391.

Featuring soprano Rebecca Evans among other guests.

The Verge Slipping Jimmy’s, Newport. 8pm, free. Info 07745 059936.

Tobias The Pear Tree, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2025 2042.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

FRIDAY 22 DECEMBER 360 Degrees Lamb & Flag, Abergavenny. 9pm, free. Info 01873 857611. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Bad Sam + The Blunders + No Pulse + Social Experiment Le Public Space, Newport. 7.30pm, £5. Info sam@lepub.co.uk.

Calypso The Vivian Arms, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 516194. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Christmas Village Quire The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 7.30pm, £7. Info 01497 821762.

CK Gospel Choir Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £18 adv. Info 029 2089 0862.

Dream State + Wilderness Fuel Bar, Cardiff.

7pm, £3. Info 07970 063107. In swansea tomorrow.

Elliot Oakley The Plum Tree, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2022 5235.

Keep It Cash The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £11 adv. Info 07590 471888. Johnny Cash tribute.

Kelly’s Heroes The Twelve Knights, Port Talbot. 9pm, free.

Info 01639 882381. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Lee Jay The New Forge, Oakdale, nr Caerphilly. 9pm, free. Info 01495 228919.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Lost Highway Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny. 9pm, free. Info 01873 853613.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Rachel B The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Rainbow Maniac + Hoult + Picsel + Big Thing Clwb

Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £5.

Info 029 2023 2199. Hosted by Phwoar & Peace to celebrate a year of being the worst-named promoters in Cardiff.

Red & The Hogweeds + Deadly Light Shade + M-Power Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 8pm, £5. Info 07818 056599.

Rocketgoldstar + Cakehole The Llanarth, Pontllanfraith, nr Blackwood.

7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 01495 223311. Yes! Welsh prog-pop strangeballs Rocketgoldstar who trod the local boards regularly in the early-00s.

Pretty sure this is their first gig for years.

Rumney Folk Club Christmas Carols St Augustine’s Church, Rumney, Cardiff. 7pm, £5. Info derek@ rumneyfolkclub.co.uk. Price includes mulled wine and a mince pie.

Sebastian Ty Newydd, Barry.

9pm, free. Info 01446 407767.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Skakasm Jac’s, Aberdare.

7.30pm, free. Info 01685 879491.

Stevie Wonder Tribute And The Sounds Of Motown Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £40. Info 029 2070 5391.

Sold out.

Sunshine Cab Co. The Office, Swansea. 10pm, free.

Info 07535 256195.

The Bella Collins Band Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3.

Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

The Shakes Ty Risha, Bridgend. 9pm, free. Info 01656 725287. Presented by Nailed It Events.

The Worried Men The Dolls

House, Abertillery. 7.30pm, free. Info 01495 213300.

Thuddy blues-rockers.

Wolfsbane + Isolation + Smithgrind The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 6pm, £12 adv. Info gigs@thedragonffli.com.

SATURDAY 23 DECEMBER Calypso Lamb & Flag, Abergavenny. 9pm, free. Info 01873 857611. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Christmas By Candlelight Brangwyn Hall, Swansea.

7.30pm, £14.50. Info 01792 475715.

Climbing Trees + The Moon Birds + Ofelia The Muni, Pontypridd. 7pm, £8 adv.

Info 01443 490390.

Dream State + Wilderness The Pit, Swansea. 7pm, £5 adv. Info facebook.com/thepitswansea.

John Paul Gard / Alex Hutchins The Queens Head, Monmouth. 8.45pm, free. Info 01600 712767.

Kat Jones The Twelve Knights, Port Talbot. 9pm, free.

Info 01639 882381. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Louise Halliday + Parsons & Dark The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge.

9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Maddie & The Pandas Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Melvana + This Is Wreckage + The Vega Bodegas Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7.30pm, £5. Info 01443 491424. Nirvana tribute band, and the only tribute band in the world to have this listings section’s official seal of approval, headline.

Musicians Against Homelessness Gig The Moon, Cardiff. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. With bands TBC. Oasish Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 8pm, £12. Info 029 2023 2199. Oasis tribute band.

Off The Record Three Horse Shoes, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2069 4630. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Ortario + World Vs World + The Vergers + Tight Muff The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, pay by donation. Info gigs@thedragonffli. com.

Pipe Dream The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm. Info 01495 247178.

Punchline Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Sarah Brown The Red Dragon, Bridgend. 9pm, free.

Info 01656 654753. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Spirit Of Boogie Jac’s, Aberdare. 6pm, £5 adv. Info 01685 879491.

Stars In Their Eyes Le Public Space, Newport. 6pm.

Info sam@lepub.co.uk. Longrunning night of one-off cover bands, generally one of the most popular events in the old Le Pub, makes its debut in the new Le Pub. The Bon Jovi Experience

u – repeated

The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Tribute band.

The Fugitives Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

The Revolvers The Office, Swansea. 10pm, free. Info 07535 256195.

Tough Love Plas Dderwen, Swansea. 9.15pm, free. Info 01873 853144. Presented by Nailed It Events.

SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 360 Degrees Fontygary Leisure Park, Rhoose. 9pm, free. Info 01446 710386.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Glas Cockett Inn, Swansea.

9pm, free. Info 01792 588748.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Glas Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 5-7pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015. I can think of someone else who, just like local blues-rock band Glas, will be racing from city to city on Christmas Eve, delivering the goods! I’m talking about drug dealers.

Hells Bells Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 7pm, £15/£12 adv.

Info 01495 243252. AC/DC tribute.

John Paul Bar 44, Cowbridge. 7pm, free. Info 0333 3444049. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Keith Rock The Newbridge, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2030 8031. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Paul Dark The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

The Villagers + Sarah Brown The Twelve Knights, Port Talbot. 6-11pm, free. Info 01639 882381. Presented by Nailed It Events. Sarah: 6-8pm; Villagers: 9-11pm.

TUESDAY 26 DECEMBER Acoustioc Jam Session Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 5pm, free. Info 029 2062 6015.

Acoustic Sinners Rose & Crown, Porthcawl. 7.30pm, free. Info 01656 784850.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Anthony Moulton The Newbridge, Cardiff. 3-5pm, free. Info 029 2030 8031.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Banjaxed The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Dave Bowen Ty Newydd, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 407767. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Florence Black + Chapel Row + Tracy Island + Valhalla Awaits The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil.

7.30pm, £7/£5 adv. Info 01685 387925.

Ghost Train Blinkin Owl, Cwmbran. 9pm, free. Info 01633 484749. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Marc Davies Band West End Club, Barry. 5-7.30pm, free. Info 01446 735739.

Rachel B The Fairwater, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2033 3049. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Regime + Timbali & Da Fuchaman + Rye Miligan

+ Fat Boy Fin Queens Hall, Narberth. 8pm-1am, £12. Info 01834 869323. Hip-hop/reggae crossover sorts headline.

Talking Bird Collective Fontygary Leisure Park, Rhoose. 9pm, free. Info 01446 710386. Presented by Nailed It Events.

The Flicks Jac’s, Aberdare.

7pm, £3. Info 01685 879491.

The is billed as an “Oscarsthemed fancy dress party with live music.” Not a concept I would have selected to round off 2017 but that’s just me.

WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER Bryony Sier + Rhys Davis & Band + Tom Auton Band The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 8.30-10.30pm.

Info 01685 387925. A U&I Radio gig.

Madassa Soul Band The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 07590 471888. In Whitchurch on Sat 30 Dec; Pentyrch on Sat 27 Jan. Moon Saviours Party The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

This is open to anyone who chucked this venue some money to get it reopened back in April, and will have live bands and DJs TBC. THURSDAY 28 DECEMBER A Tribute To Sir Tom Jones The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. With Andy Wood.

Peter Jagger The Pear Tree, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 2042. Presented by Nailed It Events.

FRIDAY 29 DECEMBER Chris John Beaufort Arms, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 01792 234447. Presented by Nailed It Events. *Haast’s Eagled + Kong Lives + King Juss + Wyllt + Pathogenesis Le Public Space, Newport. 7pm, £3. Info sam@lepub.co.uk.

More than decent lineup of heavy music for the price of a pint. In Spoons mind you!

John Godwin Open Mic The Plum Tree, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2022 5235.

Michael Leslie The New Forge, Oakdale, nr Caerphilly.

9pm, free. Info 01495 228919.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Punchline The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Toriah Fontaine The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm, £5. Info 01495 247178.

Ultimate Bowie The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13 adv. Info 07590 471888.

SATURDAY 30 DECEMBER Breathe Fire Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £4 adv. Info 01443 682388. Rock covers.

Cancel The Transmission The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm.

Info 01495 247178.

Celtic Pride The Dolls House, Abertillery. 7.30pm, £3.

Info 01495 213300.

Eady Crawford The Waterfront, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 1-3pm,

(Motorpoint Arena, Fri 4 May) DON MCLEAN (Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Sun 6 May) NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS (Motorpoint Arena, Sun 6 May) AQUA + BLUE (Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli, Sun 3 June) BELLY (Glee Club, Cardiff Bay, Mon 11 J u n e ) BUZZ 72

live music free. Info 01874 611622.

Gimme Abba The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. Tribute band.

Lyndon Mark The Red Dragon, Bridgend. 9pm, free.

Info 01656 654753. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Madassa Soul Band Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff.

7pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2062 6015.

Marcus T The New Forge, Oakdale, nr Caerphilly. 9pm, free. Info 01495 228919.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Our Hollow Our Home + Pioneers + All Ears Avow + Incursion + Epsilon + Mudlark The Moon, Cardiff.

6pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. Presented

by JadeRachel.

Paul Ashton Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Rachel B The Hanbury, Caerleon. 8pm, free. Info 01633 420361. Presented by Nailed It Events.

The Hold Up: Inner City Cypher Oner Signs, Cardiff.

1-5pm, free. Info 029 2037 1231. Monthly hip-hop session inviting MCs, beatboxers, DJs etc down to jam. Followed by...

The Hold Up Xmas Party Cardiff Speaker Hire, Cardiff.

6pm-12am. Info 029 2009 5590.

SUNDAY 31 DECEMBER 3 Fat Cyclists Browns, Laugharne. 3pm, free. Info 01994 427688.

Alive & Kickin’ The Vivian Arms, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 516194. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Aubrey Parsons The Harbour, Porthcawl. 8pm, free.

Info 01656 786175. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Banjaxed The Woodman, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 402700. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Cakehole Presley The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv/£8 early bird. Info 07590 471888. An NYE party special lasting until 2am.

Cat’s Lost Its Tail + Heavy On The Ride + Wind Shake The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £5. Info gigs@thedragonffli.com. The venue describe this night as “the 21st century’s 18th birthday” which I kinda like.

Celtic Pride The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm. Info 01495 247178.

Dual Control Blinkin Owl, Cwmbran. 9pm, free. Info 01633 484749. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Hashtag Acoustic Plas Dderwen, Swansea. 9.15pm, free. Info 01873 853144.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Hot Squash The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9pm, free. Info 01446 773592.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Miles Ahead Fontygary Leisure Park, Rhoose. 9pm, free. Info 01446 710386.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Moongazer Cockett Inn, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 588748. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Jed Jameson & The Jedis Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 7pm-1am, £8 adv. Info

029 2062 6015.

One For The Road The Heath, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2039 4207. Presented by Nailed It Events. Also playing as part of a masquerade ball apparently. Experts are predicting this to be the most explosive case of a masked drummer since Thunderstick from NWOBHM stalwarts Samson.

Rainbow Maniac The Moon, Cardiff. 6pm-12.30am, £5 adv.

Info info@ themooncardiff.com. With more bands TBC, plus DJs until 6am.

Peter Jagger Asador 44, Cardiff. 4.30pm, free. Info 029 2002 0039. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Rachel B The Red Dragon, Bridgend. 9pm, free. Info 01656 654753. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Red River Blues The Queens Head, Monmouth.

8.45pm, £20. Info 01600 712767. Price includes a threecourse Indian buffet.

Sould The Globe At Hay, HayOn-Wye. 8pm, £10 adv. Info 01497 821762. Soul/R&B band play NYE party. Ticket price includes a glass of something fizzy on arrival.

St Louis Express The Windsor, Penarth. 9pm, free.

Info 029 2070 8675. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Tailor Rai Old Inn, Swansea.

9pm, free. Info 01792 894097.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Tarion Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny. 9pm, free. Info 01873 853613. Presented by Nailed It Events.

The Acoustix Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319. Presented by Nailed It Events.

The Big What!? Band Porter’s, Cardiff. £15 adv. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Playing the venue’s NYE night, for which it’s advised to get tickets in advance.

The Welsh Guitar Duo Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 8pm. Info 07818 056599.

Tony Gold The Twelve Knights, Port Talbot. 7pm, free.

Info 01639 882381. tom Jones tribute. Presented by Nailed It Events.

MONDAY 1 JANUARY Fireroad Jac’s, Aberdare.

6pm, £3 adv. Info 01685 879491.

Hell’s Bells The Dolls House, Abertillery. 7.30pm, £7/£6 adv.

Info 01495 213300. AC/DC tribute.

THURSDAY 4 JANUARY Danielle Nicholls Band The Pear Tree, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 2042.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Thowing Knives + Exit To The Main Menu The Moon, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com. All the gigs in this venue during January are free, indeed they call it the Free For All Festival.

FRIDAY 5 JANUARY Acoustic Sinners Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny. 9pm, free. Info 01873 853613.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Bon Giovi Mecca Bingo, Cwmbran. 8pm, £15. Info 01633 868239. Bon Jovi tribute band play a Cwmbran bingo hall. Some things are just too

perfect for this world.

Chris Kelly Ty Newydd, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 407767. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Islands In The Stream St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £27. Info 029 2087 8444. Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers tribute. In Swansea on Thurs 25.

James Kennedy Beaufort Arms, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 01792 234447. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Larger Than Life! Cockett Inn, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 588748. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Open Night Glais Rugby Football Club, nr Clydach, Swansea. 8pm, £3. Info 01792 425231. A Valley Folk Club night.

Paul Ashton The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Punchline The Vivian Arms, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 516194. Presented by Nailed It Events.

We’re No Heroes + Phalcons + Hoult The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

SATURDAY 6 JANUARY ACAB Earl Haig Memorial Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5 adv.

Info 029 2062 6015.

Aubrey Parsons The Red Dragon, Bridgend. 9pm, free.

Info 01656 654753. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Bear Essentials Blinkin Owl, Cwmbran. 9pm, free. Info 01633 484749. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Grace Hartrey Band + Asha Jane Band + Amey St Cyr The Moon, Cardiff.

7pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

James Kennedy Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Peter Jagger The Waterfront, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 1-3pm, free. Info 01874 611622.

Ragsy The Mariners, Laugharne. 8.30pm, free. Info 01994 427688. In sibling venue Browns tomorrow.

Recrock Alldayer The Moon, Cardiff. 2-7pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com.

Sonic Highway The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm. Info 01495 247178.

The Brandy Thieves + Crazy Cowboy The Dolls House, Abertillery. 7.30pm.

Info 01495 213300.

The Flying Spider Revival + Among The Dead + LineRunners + King Goon The Dragonffli, Pontypool.

7pm, free. Info gigs@ thedragonffli.com. With a buffet. Book in advance please.

Wizards Of Oz Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £5 adv. Info 01443 682388. Ozzy Osbourne tribute.

SUNDAY 7 JANUARY A Night In Vienna Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 4pm, £15/£13.50. Info 01686 614555.

The Welsh National Opera Orchestra perform works by Weber, Mozart, Strauss and more. In Cardiff on Tue 9 Jan; Newport on Sun 21 Jan. Forté Project Alldayer The

Moon, Cardiff. 2-10pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com. Featuring the acts chosen to get a helping hand this year (see Music News Extra for slightly more on that).

Ragsy Browns, Laugharne.

3pm, free. Info 01994 427688.

The Sunday Sessions: Rare Events Octavo’s Wine Bar, Cardiff Bay. 2-4.30pm, free. Info 029 2049 1220.

MONDAY 8 JANUARY Only The Reign + The Honest Poet + Sam Griffiths + Shiny Tiger The Moon, Cardiff. 6.30pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

TUESDAY 9 JANUARY A Night In Vienna Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £16.50/£14.50. Info 029 2039 1391. *Beatbox Hann + Dead Method + Chew + Lemfreck + Minas + Project + Niterooms + Tetrahex + Scythe The Moon, Cardiff. 6-11.30pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com.

WEDNESDAY 10 JANUARY Monday Night Side Project + Eleri Angharad + To Bear Sir + Emmét Mcgonagle + Rebecca Hurn + Emy Lou Robbins The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com.

Vrï Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm, £8/£5. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club night.

THURSDAY 11 JANUARY Chris Kelly The Pear Tree, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 2042. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Create To Inspire + Canvas + Skywalker Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm, £5. Info 07970 063107.

Debs Hancock & Dave Jones Trio The Muse, Brecon. 8pm, £10/£8 members.

Info 07791 654799. Presented

by Brecon Jazz.

Newport Jazz & Swing Band with Ian Phillips Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8. Info malc@dancebands. plus.com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Nuclear Lullaby + The Hangmen + The Marks Cartel + Birdcage + Rhys Davis Band The Moon, Cardiff. 6.30pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com.

Open Mic Night The Unicorn, Pontypool. 7.30pm, £3. Info 01495 751304.

Upstairs At The Unicorn folk night.

Paramore Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 6.30pm, £29.50-£42.50.

Info 029 2022 4488. Sold out.

FRIDAY 12 JANUARY Acoustic Sinners Ty Newydd, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 407767. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Big Sky Slipping Jimmy’s, Newport. 9pm, free. Info 07745 059936.

Chris Kelly The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge. 9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

Chroma Jac’s, Aberdare.

7.30pm, £5/£4 adv. Info 01685 879491. Presented by Blowout, more bands TBC. uHuw Watkins Curates Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £11-£13.

Info 029 2063 6464. Also here on Wed 31 Jan. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Buddy Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £17 adv. Info 029 2089 0862. Buddy Holly tribute.

Martyn Joseph Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £16/£15. Info 01239 621200.

Surfing Magazines + Buzzard + John Mouse The Moon, Cardiff. 6.30pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com. Headliners feature people from Slow Club and The Wave Pictures.

Visible Touch The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. Genesis tribute.

Wonderbrass Gwdihw, Cardiff. 9pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

SATURDAY 13 JANUARY Cherry Rebels The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm. Info 01495 247178.

Children Of The Gravy Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £5 adv. Info 01443 682388. Black Sabbath tribute band. In Ebbw Vale on Sat 27.

Chinese Burn + The Lon Chaney 5 + Ill Fate Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm. Info 07970 063107.

Chris Kelly Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Classic Elvis St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £27/£9 under-19s. Info 029 2087 8444. Featuring two Elvis tribute acts and the Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra.

Godbomber + Vails + Salt Bath The Moon, Cardiff.

5pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

Martyn Joseph Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 7.30pm, £16/£15. Info 01982 552555.

Welsh folk-rocker. In Cardiff on Tue 16.

Paige Kenzie The Red Dragon, Bridgend. 9pm, free.

Info 01656 654753. Presented

by Nailed It Events.

Steve Page The Waterfront, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

1-3pm, free. Info 01874 611622.

The Smyths The Globe, Cardiff. 7pm, £13 adv. Info 07590 471888. Smiths tribute.

SUNDAY 14 JANUARY Team Beard Records Halfdayer The Moon, Cardiff. 5pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. Bands TBC but expect them to be pop-punk/melodic punk kinda stuff.

Verity White Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. UK rock soloist who someone has described as “Stevie Nicks turned up to 11, fronting Foo Fighters meets Royal Blood.” Wonder if anyone has done a “more like Very White har har” type joke yet.

WNO Orchestra St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £5-£49.50.

Info 029 2087 8444. Tomáš Hanus conducts a programme of Beethoven, Mendelssohn

and Dvorák.

MONDAY 15 JANUARY *Chokehold + Rancour + Swan Song Fuel Bar, Cardiff.

7-10pm, £7. Info 07970 063107.

Unlikely but intriguing booking

by Down For Life, in the form of the headliners – a gnarly 90s straight edge hardcore band from Canada who’ve reformed. One of them stayed at my house once.

Glass Jackets + Ofelia + Bryony Sier + Georgia Paterson Band + The Devil In Virginia The Moon, Cardiff. 6.30pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

TUESDAY 16 JANUARY Elkie Brooks Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £23.50£27.50. Info 01792 475715.

Hed PE Sin City, Swansea.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 01792 468892.

Martyn Joseph St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £19/£17/£5 under-16s. Info 029 2087 8444.

Presented by Roots Unearthed.

Rufus Mufasa + Eric Ngalle Charles + Beatbox Tangent + Dope Biscuits + Wounded Healers + Bel Blue The Moon, Cardiff.

7pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

The Cribs Tramshed, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £20. Info 029 2023 5555. Leeds indie bois back on the road. This is presented by Clwb Ifor Bach but too big for their venue, at least they will have hoped so.

WEDNESDAY 17 JANUARY Billy Taylor Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm. Info 07970 063107.

Bridgend Big Band Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8. Info malc@ dancebands.plus.com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Reality Attack + Clusterfuck The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. Hosted

by Surplus and featuring more bands and DJs TBC. uTalon Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.30pm. Info 01646 695267. Eagles tribute band. On tomorrow also.

THURSDAY 18 JANUARY Acoustic Sinners The Pear Tree, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 2042. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Moreton Roadshow Crindau Constitutional Club, Newport. 8pm, £8/£5. Info 01633 858636. A Lyceum Folk Club night.

Pi & Hash Showcase The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

The Dukes And The Duchess Plas Hyfryd Hotel, Narberth. 7.30pm, £5-£10. Info 01834 869323. Spanjazz night with a band of Duke Ellington specialists.

The Roy Orbison Story Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £23. Info 01792 475715. With Barry Steele (great name) as Roy. FRIDAY 19 JANUARY Acoustic Sinners The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge.

9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592. Presented by Nailed It Events.

BBC NOW: Beethoven 9 St BUZZ 73

* – recommended

stage David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5-£40. Info 029 2087 8444.

Conducted by Xian Zhang and also featuring new work

by Huw Watkins. In Swansea tomorrow.

Big Girls Don’t Cry Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £13.50-£25. Info 01792 475715.

Frankie Valli tribute.

Captain Cat & The Sailors Glais Rugby Football Club, nr Clydach, Swansea. 8pm, £7.

Info 01792 425231. A Valley Folk Club night.

Carolines + Fire Fences + Hunter The Big Top, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. EP launch gig for headliners.

Chris Kelly Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny. 9pm, free. Info 01873 853613. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Dirt + Flew Fighters The Patriot, Crumlin. 8pm, £7/£5 adv. Info 01495 247178.

Tributes to Alice In Chain and Foo Fighters respectively/ Fleetwood Bac The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. Fleetwood Mac tribute.

Mike Dennis The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

Paul Ashton Ty Newydd, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 407767. Presented by Nailed It Events.

The Fordsons The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5.

Info 01497 821762. Old timey music.

The One Night Stand Slipping Jimmy’s, Newport.

9pm, free. Info 07745 059936.

SATURDAY 20 JANUARY Aubrey Parsons Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Back To Bacharach St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £24/£21.50. Info 029 2087 8444. Tribute show.

BBC NOW: Beethoven 9 Brangwyn Hall, Swansea.

7.30pm, £15-£20. Info 01792 475715.

Cardiff Sinfonietta: Cello Extravaganza Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13.50-£18.50.

Info 029 2039 1391.

James Kennedy Cockett Inn, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 588748. Presented by Nailed It Events.

One Of These Days Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £16 adv. Info 029 2089 0862. Pink Floyd tribute.

Rhys Jones The Waterfront, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

1-3pm, free. Info 01874 611622.

Showaddywaddy Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £19.50. Info 01792 475715.

The Echo And The Always + Kidsmoke + Burning Ferns + Cult Of Hands + Saccharyn + Eädyth The Moon, Cardiff. 3pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

The Immediate Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2023 2199.

The Jokers The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm. Info 01495 247178.

The Quireboys Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7.30pm, £22. Info 0300 0040444.

Enduring UK hard rockers.

BUZZ 74

The Satellites Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7pm, £4 adv. Info 01443 682388. Punk covers.

SUNDAY 21 JANUARY 6foot7 + The Crashmats The Moon, Cardiff. 5pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com.

A Night In Vienna The Riverfront, Newport. 4pm, £17/£14. Info 01633 656757.

Bloodshot Dawn + Reprisal + Vile Inscription + Democratus Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 07970 063107. Death metal.

Charlie Dore Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £14 adv. Info 029 2089 0862.

Piers Lane Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 11am, £16-£20. Info 029 2039 1391. Piano recital which will be finished in time for a Sunday roast, which you can get in the cafe here.

MONDAY 22 JANUARY Royal Sounds + Codewalkers + Levi+ + Paul Divers The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

TUESDAY 23 JANUARY Alan Barnes. Jim Barber, Clive Morton & Martin Fisher The Open Hearth, Pontypool. 8.30pm. Info martin.fisher1944@hotmail. co.uk. On sax/clarinet, piano, bass and drums respectively.

A Jazz At The Open Hearth night.

Capital City Jazz Orchestra St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £14/£5 under16s. Info 029 2087 8444. *Duds + Gindrinker + Head Noise + Mute Group(s) The Moon, Cardiff.

7pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com. This is the pick of The Moon’s month of free entry gigs in Listings’ opinion, thanks to a debut Cardiff gig by Manchester no wave band Duds.

The Cann Twins St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 1pm, pay by donation. Info 029 2087 8444.

Piano duo who are identical twins, meaning that reviewers have taken the opportunity to imply “telepathic coordination” etc.

Vivaldi By Candlelight Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £15.50-£20.50. Info 01792 475715. Performed by the Locrian Ensemble.

WEDNESDAY 24 JANUARY Cassie & Maggie McDonald Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm, £8/£5. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club night.

Flash Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20/£18.

Info 01792 475715. Queen tribute.

Jack Jones Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7.30pm, £35. Info 0300 0040444.

Kids Road Social + Handsome Ape + Violent Hearts The Moon, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

Matt Ford & Mark Porter Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8. Info malc@dancebands. plus.com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Michale Graves Fuel Bar,

Cardiff. 8pm, £10 adv. Info 07970 063107. The guy who sang for The Misfits after Danzig left, and was also some sort of Republican activist at one point.

Welsh National Opera Orchestra & BBC National Orchestra Of Wales Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £5-£15. Info 029 2063 6464.

THURSDAY 25 JANUARY Florilegium St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5-£49.50.

Info 029 2087 8444. Period instrument ensemble perform Bach’s complete Brandenburg concertos.

Ian Poole Quartet The Pear Tree, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 2042. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Islands In The Stream Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £23.50. Info 01792 475715.

Stay Voiceless + The Splash + Tie Fighter Pilot + Eva Bartok The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

FRIDAY 26 JANUARY Aubrey Parsons The Duke Of Wellington, Cowbridge.

9.30pm, free. Info 01446 773592. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Everyday Heroes + Revenbreed Creature Sound, Swansea. 6pm. Info 01792 301178.

Islands In The Stream Savoy Theatre, Monmouth.

7.30pm, £20 adv. Info 01600 772467. Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers tribute.

Ivory Fire + Epsilon + Conflicts UK + Eclipse Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm, £5/£3 adv. Info 07970 063107.

Johnny Cash Roadshow The Riverfront, Newport.

7.30pm, £23.50/£22. Info 01633 656757. Tribute show starring Clive John.

Like A Lion The Vivian Arms, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 516194. Presented by Nailed It Events.

Oye Santana The Globe, Cardiff. 7pm, £12 adv. Info 07590 471888. Santana tribute.

Sean Maloney Cockett Inn, Swansea. 9pm, free. Info 01792 588748. Meat Loaf tribute.

Presented by Nailed It Events.

The Classic Rock Show St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £26.50. Info 029 2087 8444.

Tribute to “the world’s greatest guitarists”.

The Counterfeit 60s Mecca Bingo, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £17/£15. Info 01633 868239.

Decade-specific tribute show.

The ELO Experience Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £22.50. Info 01792 475715.

Tribute band. uThe Missing West End Club, Barry. 7.30pm, £5/£10 both nights. Info 01446 735739. Local rock band of a late-80s vintage reform to play two gigs, the other one on tomorrow.

SATURDAY 27 JANUARY Children Of The Gravy Ebbw Vale Institute. 7pm, £7 adv. Info 01495 708022.

Crosstown Traffic The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £7/£5 adv. Info gigs@ thedragonffli.com. Jimi Hendrix tribute.

Deadbeat Deluxe + The Lon Chaney 5 Slipping Jimmy’s, Newport. 8pm. Info 07745 059936.

Elisabeth Webb The Waterfront, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 1-3pm, free. Info 01874 611622.

Forever Jackson Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 7.30pm, £21/£20. Info 0845 2263510.

Jacko tribute.

Hells Bells The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. AC/DC tribute.

Juice with Dave Parsons CMC Sports And Leisure Club, UHW campus, Cardiff.

8-11.30pm, £10/£8 adv/£5 kids.

Info 029 2039 4207. A RUFF Ceilidh night, also featuring an interval performance by Idris and friends from Cardiff Morris.

Livestock Davies & The Lowdown Snakes The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm. Info 01495 247178.

Madassa Soul Band Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff.

8pm, £14 adv. Info 029 2089 0862.

Paige Kennedy Birchgrove, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2031 1319. Presented by Nailed It Events. *Skinny Girl Diet + Bob Vylan + Milk + The D Teez + Blood Slugs The Moon, Cardiff. 3pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

More bands TBC. Been meaning to see Skinny Girl Diet for a while.

Upbeat Sneakers + Carolines + Adam Ovens + Ellen Coombe Abergavenny Labour Club.

7.30pm. Info 01873 853291.

SUNDAY 28 JANUARY Steve Aoki Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £20 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. American rave-rock bigwig who founded the Dim Mak label as a DIY punk/emo dude in the 90s and pivoted to truly howling lowest common denominator EDM. That, I assume, is what he will be playing here.

The Murderburgers + Revenege Of The Psychotronic Man + Question The Mark The Moon, Cardiff. 5pm, free. Info info@themooncardiff.com.

Half-dayer presented by Team Beard, with more bands TBC. MONDAY 29 JANUARY Carolines + Discount Colombo + Loralie + Tusk The Moon, Cardiff.

6.30-10pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

TUESDAY 30 JANUARY Minguet Quartet Cardiff University Concert Hall.

7-9.15pm, £10/£8/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816.

Trueheights + The Overcast + Pushing Daisies The Moon, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info info@ themooncardiff.com.

WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY Capital City Jazz Orchestra with Paul Shepherd’s Soundtrak Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8. Info malc@dancebands. plus.com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Martin Carr + Gintis + Burning Ferns Le Public Space, Newport. 7.30pm, £8 adv. Info sam@lepub.co.uk.

Rapsquillion Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm, £3. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club night.

Think Pretty + No Violet + Charlie Says + Salt Bath + Drunk Tourist The Moon, Cardiff. 6.30pm, free.

Info info@themooncardiff. com.

stage FRIDAY 1 DECEMBER uAladdin Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7pm, £15.50/£12.50.

Info 0300 0040444. Panto, starring Frank Vickery as Widow Twankey. On at 2pm tomorrow, Sun 3 and Sun 10; 2pm and 6pm on Sat 9. No performances from Mon 4-Fri 8. In Treorchy from Sat 16-Sun 24. (Until Sun 10) Andrew O’Neill + Sarah Breese Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli.

7.30pm, £12. Info 0845 2263510. Comedy Club night.

Andy Parsons Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 7.30pm, £15. Info 0845 2263510. In Abergavenny on Fri 8. uAwful Auntie Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 6.30pm, £13/£11. Info 01686 614555.

Theatre adaption of a David Walliams kids book. On at 11am and 2pm tomorrow and Sun 3. (Until Sun 3) uCinderella The Met, Abertillery. 7pm, £8. Info 01600 772467. Presented by Abertillery Amateur Dramatic and Musical Society. On tomorrow also, at 2.30pm and 6pm. (Until Sat 2 Dec) uCraig Murray + Jen Brister + Steve Gribbin + Marlon Davis Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 6.45pm, £25. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also (£30 – these are Christmas party prices, normal service resumes in January).

DanceFit Christmas Showcase New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.50-£15.

Info 029 2087 8889. uDrones Comedy Club Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8.30pm, £3.50. Info 029 2030 4400. Also on Fri 15.

Hard Times Miners Theatre, Ammanford. 7.30pm, £10/£8.

Info 0845 2263510. Dickens, adapted for the stage by Lighthouse. In Ystradgynlais tomorrow.

Hello Cabaret Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £15. Info 029 2063 6464. uIntimate Apparel Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7pm, £6-£13.

Info 029 2039 1391. Lynn Nottage’s play about the travails of a black woman in early 20th century New York. Also on at 2pm on Sat 2 and Wed 6 Dec. No performances on Sun 3 or Mon 4. (Until Sat 9) uJack And The Beanstalk Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale.

7pm, £14/£11. Info 01495 357777. Panto, presented by Rainbow Valley Productions.

On at 2pm and 5.30pm tomorrow and Sun 3. In Blackwood from Fri 8-Sat 30 Dec; Maesteg from Fri 12-Sun 21 Jan. (Until

u – repeated

Sun 3) uJack And The Beanstalk Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 6.30pm, £14/£12. Info 01639 763214. Panto, presented by Jermin Productions.

On at 2pm and 6.30pm tomorrow; 1pm and 5pm on Sun 3; 2pm Tue 5; 6.30pm Wed 6.

No performance on Mon 4. In Carmarthen from Fri 8-Sat 16; Llanelli from Tue 19-Sun 24.

(Until Wed 6) uJohn Bishop Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 8pm, from £25. Info 029 2022 4488. On tomorrow also, these being his fourth and fifth dates here on this tour. Nuts. Also John Bishop went to Gwdihw for a pint after one of the November gigs and bought a bottle of Guinness Foreign Extra (aka the good Guinness) but abandoned it after one sip.

SOFT LA! uMiss Saigon Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £25-£64. Info 029 2063 6464. Famous musical.

Previewed last month. Also on at 2.30pm on Sat 2, Thurs 7, Sat 9, Thurs 14, Sat 16, Thurs 21, Sat 23, Wed 27, Thurs 28 and Sat 30 Dec, plus Thurs 4 and Sat 6 Jan. No performances on Sundays, or Christmas Day. (Until Sat 6 Jan) uPunk Rock Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.45pm, £6-£13. Info 029 2039 1391. See Stage for more on the Richard Burton Company’s take on Simon Stephens’ play. Also on at 2pm on Thurs 7. No performances on Sun 3 or Mon 4. (Until Sat 9) Rich Hall Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 8pm, £17. Info 01874 611622.

Performing his Hoedown show.

In Aberystwyth on Fri 8. uSecond Star To The Right Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £9.

Info 029 2063 6464. Odyssey, Hijinx’s community theatre group, present a familyfriendly riff on Peter Pan. On tomorrow also, at 3pm. (Until Sat 2) uThe Agony And The Style Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7.15pm, £6-£13. Info 029 2039 1391. Lope de Vega’s “cautionary tale of the dangerous strategies lovers use on each other”. This evening is a BSL interpreted performance. Also on at 2pm on Tue 5. No performances on Sun 3 or Mon 4.

(Until Sat 9 Dec) The Bear + Tatyana’s Party Pieces Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7pm, £10.

Info 01633 868239. Theatr Hafren and Mid Wales Opera present two mini-operas.

The Light Princess Maesteg Town Hall. 7.30pm, £15.50/£14.50. Info 01656 733269. Ballet. uThe Magic Porridge Pot Sherman Theatre, Cardiff.

11am, £9/£6.50 schools. Info 029 2064 6900. Kids’ theatre based on a Brothers Grimm story, and the Sherman’s Christmas 2017 show for the younguns. All performances are schools-only until the morning of Wed 20, with the exception of Sat 2 (1.20pm), Sat 9 (11am), Fri 15 (4.30pm) and Sat 16 (11am, BSL performance, and 1.30pm). Schedule

stage after that: Wed 20 and Thurs 21 4.30pm; Sat 23 11am and 1.30pm; Sun 24 1.30pm; Thurs 28 11am and 1.30pm; Fri 29 1.30pm; Sat 30 11am and 1.30pm. No performances on Sun 3, Mon 4, Sun 10, Mon 11, Sun 17, Fri 22 or Mon 25-Wed 27. (Until Sat 30) uThérèse Raquin Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2030 4400. Emile Zola’s thriller, courtesy of Everyman Theatre in this case.

On tomorrow also, with an extra show at 2.30pm for £10. uThe Wedding Singer Dolman Theatre, Newport.

7.15pm, £12. Info 01633 263670. Musical based on the late-90s movie. On tomorrow also. uThe Wind In The Willows Sherman Theatre, Cardiff. 7pm, £8-£26. Info 029 2064 6900. Kenneth Grahame’s book is turned into the Sherman’s other Christmas 2017 show for the younguns.

Tonight, tomorrow (7pm), Mon 4 and Tue 5 (both 10.30am) are preview performances.

Wed 6-Fri 8, Mon 11-Fri 15, Mon 18-Thurs 21 are all at 10.30am, with an extra 2pm showing on Wed 20. Sat 9: 2pm; Sat 16 and Sat 23: 2pm and 7pm; Sun 24: 4pm; Thurs 28-Sat 30: 2pm and 7pm. No performances on Sun 3, 10 or 17, or Mon 25-Wed 27. (Until Sat 30) SATURDAY 2 DECEMBER Andy Parsons Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

7.30pm, £15. Info 01646 695267. Sold out.

Golden Thread Playback Theatre Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 1pm, £3-£7/free under5s. Info 029 2030 4400. uHansel & Gretel The Gate, Cardiff. 11.30am, £6-£8.50. Info 029 2048 3344.

Christmas production for kids, presented by Black RAT. Also on Fri 8 (6pm), Sat 9 (10.30am and 12.30pm), Fri 15 (6pm) and Sat 16 (10.30am and 12.30pm).

Hard Times The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 7.30pm, £10/£7.50. Info 01639 843163.

Rising Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £10-£12. Info 01970 623232. Dance production by Aakash Odedra.

Theatre-In-Focus: Neil Simon Circle Bar, Grand Theatre, Swansea. 12.30pm, £6/£4.50. Info 01792 475715.

Talk on playwright Simon followed by a script-in-hand performance of their work.

The Rat Pack Christmas Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

7.30pm, £20/£18. Info 01874 611622.

SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER Angela Barnes + Clint Edwards + Amy Howerska Buffalo, Cardiff.

7pm, £6-£10. Info 029 2031 0312. Presented by Buffalo Comedy. More acts TBC. Christmas Wonderland 2017 St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

12.30 + 5.30pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2087 8444. Youth dance showcase.

Santa’s Christmas Wish Savoy Theatre, Monmouth.

1pm, £9/£8. Info 01600 772467.

Kids’ show in which all of said kids meet Santa and get a present from him.

The Light Princess Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7pm, £6-£14. Info 01970 623232.

Ballet, presented by Ballet Cymru. uLive Cabaret Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863. Every Sunday.

MONDAY 4 DECEMBER Father Christmas Comes Up Trumps! Grand Theatre, Swansea. 11am + 6pm, £12.50/£10.50. Info 01792 475715. This festive kids’ musical is the sequel to Father Christmas Needs A Wee. In it, Father Christmas attempts to stop himself breaking wind and waking a family up. Eager to see where the production team go next with this running concept.

TUESDAY 5 DECEMBER uAladdin The Riverfront, Newport. 7pm, £6. Info 01633 656757. Panto, presented by The Production Exchange.

Tonight’s price is a Christmas Cracker discount; 7pm on Thurs 7 is the same, otherwise it’s £17.50/£15.50. On at 10am and 2pm on Wed 6, Fri 8, Mon 11-Fri 15 and Mon 18-Wed 20 Dec; 11.30am and 7pm on Thurs 7 and Thurs 21; 1.30pm and 5.30pm on Sat 9, Sat 16 and all shows from Sat 23 DecSun 7 Jan. No performances on Sun 10 Dec, Sun 17 Dec, Mon 25 Dec and Mon 1 Jan. (Until Sun 7 Jan) Another Christmas Carol Gwyn Hall, Neath. 7.30pm, £5-£10. Info 0300 3656677.

Theatrical storytelling presented by Don’t Go Into The Cellar. uFlossy And Boo: The Alternativity The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, free. Info 029 2128 0189. Christmas cabaret with adult themes, as they say.

Tonight and tomorrow are free preview shows (book in advance please); afterwards it’s £12/£10/£5 JSA claimants.

No performances on Thurs 7, Sun 10 or Sun 17. (Until Sat 23) Llandough Comedy Club Christmas Special Llandough Legion Club, Penarth. 8-10.30pm, £5 adv.

Info 029 2070 7572. Hosted by Ignacio Lopez.

Playpen: Get to The End Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.45pm, £5. Info 01970 623232.

Rehearsed reading of new theatre material.

Rhondda Road Parc & Dare, Treorchy. 4pm, free. Info 0300 0040444. This is a new venture taking place here on the second Tuesday of each month and is a continual theatrical drama. Kinda like a live action soap opera, yep. Book in advance please.

Santa In Love Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 1pm, £8.50/£7.50 adv. Info 01446 738622. Kids’ theatre. In Swansea on Thurs 14.

That’s Life! Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20. Info 01792 475715. Tribute show to Frank Sinatra, who is played by the improbably named Frank Cognoscenti.

The Nutcracker Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.15pm, £16/£15. Info 01239 621200.

Presented by the Royal Ballet.

The Secret Policeman’s Ball Comedy Night The Big

Top, Cardiff. 7.30-10.30pm, £4 adv. Info 029 2022 8883.

Comedy night in aid of Amnesty International.

WEDNESDAY 6 DECEMBER uAwful Auntie Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7pm, £15/£13/£10 schools. Info 01874 611622. Theatre adaption of a David Walliams kids book. On at 10am and 1pm tomorrow and Fri 8; 2pm and 7pm Sat 9; 3pm Sun 10. (Until Sun 10) Bubble Schmeisis Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.45pm, pay by donation. Info 01970 623232. Pay-what-youfeel-like play set in Canning Town’s Jewish community.

This sounds fun and promises to feature live klezmer. See Stage.

Milton Jones Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £26.50. Info 01792 475715. See Upfront, I think. uMirror, Mirror Pulse, Cardiff. 7pm, £16. Info 029 2064 1010. Snow Whitereferencing panto by Cardiff Uni theatre company Act One. Why is it performing in a gay club? Why not? (Until Fri 8) uRumplestiltskin Dylan Thomas Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £10/£9. Info 01792 473238. Christmas panto presented by Swansea Little Theatre. Also at 2.30pm on Sat 9. (Until Sat 9) THURSDAY 7 DECEMBER uBeauty And The Beast Paget Rooms, Penarth. 7.30pm, £8-£10. Info 029 2070 0721.

Panto. On at 2.30pm on Sat 9 and Sun 10. (Until Sun 10) uCharlie & The Golden Ticket Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 6pm, £8/£6. Info 01495 243252. Panto. Can a Roald Dahl story be a panto?

Ask the Rubber Chicken Players, who are presenting this. Also on at 12pm on Sat 9.

(Until Sat 9) uHairspray Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 01982 552555.

Musical presented by Builth Wells High School. (Until Sat 9) uLloyd Langford + Scott Gibson + Mike Wilmot + Kevin McCarthy Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 6.45pm, £17. Info 0871 4720400. Fri 8: £28; Sat 9: £30; Sun 10: £17. (Until Sun 10) uMovie Night Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £9.50/£8. Info 01633 868239.

Showcase by Annette’s School Of Dance. (Until Sat 9) uThe Chimes St John’s Church, Canton, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2030 4400. Chapter and Judith Roberts adapt the Dickens novel. Among the cast are an emsemble of recently homeless people from this area; additionally, each showing will offer 10 free tickets to those currently homeless.

Also on at 3pm on Sat 16; no performance on Sun 10. (Until Sat 16) uThe Wind In The Willows Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £10/£8 NUS. Info 01633 263670. Presented

by Dolman Theatre Works. Also on at 2.30pm on Sat 9. (Until Sat 9)

FLOSSY & BOO: THE ALTERNATIVITY The Other Room, Porters, Cardiff, Fri 8-Sat 23 Dec. Tickets: £12. Info: 0333 6663366 / www.otherroomtheatre.com Struggling to find some festive spirit? Flossy & Boo certainly are too. Not long after their lauded Edinburgh fringe show, the pair are delving into everything Christmassy to see what it’s all about. Guzzling supermarketbrand eggnog and draping their hair in tinsel, they ask “what even is ‘a Christmas’?”. Racy, cheeky and downright mad, in this cabaret-style show Flossy & Boo will be uncovering festive spirit in all its chaotic glory – hangovers and all. The duo have taken over The Other Room in Cardiff in the runup to the big day with an inventive, charming, witty, music-andlaughs-packed evening.

FRIDAY 8 DECEMBER uAladdin Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7pm, £7-£12. Info 01792 863722. There are lots of Aladdin productions already and I’ve only just started listing the pantos. This one is

by It’s An Act and stars Tony Wright as Widow Twankey. Also on at 1pm on Sat 9, Sun 10, Sat 16 and Sun 17. No performances on Mon 11-Wed 13, or Fri 15. In Abertillery from Tue 19-Fri 22. (Until Sun 17) Andy Parsons Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 8pm, £15. Info 01873 850805. uJack And The Beanstalk Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen.

7pm, £10. Info 0845 2263510.

On tomorrow and Sat 16 at 2pm and 7pm; Sun 10 1pm and 5pm; Thurs 14 and Fri 15 7pm. No performances from Mon 11-Wed 13. (Until Sat 16) uJack And The Beanstalk Miners Institute, Blackwood.

7pm, £13.50-£17.50. Info 01495 227206. Owen Money stars in this Rainbow Valley Productions panto. Tonight also has £8 ‘recession buster’ tickets. Sat 9, Sun 10, Sat 16, Sun 17, Sat 23 and Wed 27-Sat 30 are at 2pm and 5.30pm. Tue 12: 6pm (relaxed performance); Mon 18-Tue 21: 7pm; Sun 24: 12pm and 3pm; Tue 26: 2pm. There are various other daytime performances until Fri 22 but they’re schools-only. (Until Sat 30) Noel James + Gareth Thomas + Dai Davies + John Collins + Shift Supervisor Jones Cinema &

Co, Swansea. 7pm, £10 adv/£8 NUS. Info 07982 624959.

Comedy night.

Rich Hall Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £17. Info 01970 623232. uSleeping Beauty Miners Theatre, Ammanford.

7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 0845 2263510. Panto presented

by Ammanford Community Theatre. On at 1.30pm and 5.30pm tomorrow; 1.30pm only on Sun 10. (Until Sun 10) SATURDAY 9 DECEMBER Christmas In The Basement The Riverfront, Newport. 8pm, £5. Info 01633 656757. Cabaret night.

Christmas Queens Tramshed, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £35 adv. Info 029 2023 5555.

Dragtastic doings hosted by Michelle Visage and featuring performances from Peppermint, Sharon Needles, Thorgy Thor, Ivy Winters, Ginger Minj and Jiggly Caliente.

Des O’Connor & Jimmy Tarbuck Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £30.50/£26.50. Info 01792 475715. uDynamix Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 6pm, £7/£5. Info 01239 621200. Variety show.

On tomorrow also at 2pm.

Mr Zacoor’s Magic Toy Shop Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 11am + 2pm, £10/£6.50. Info 01639 763214.

Show aimed at kids aged 3-7, presented by Little Blue

Monster.

Phill Jupitus Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 8pm, £15. Info 01646 695267.

Snow Queen Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.30pm, £9.50/£8.

Info 01686 614555. Musical theatre presented by midWales’ NYP Theatre Group. uSnow White And The Seven Dwarfs New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7pm, £13-£34.

Info 029 2087 8889. Starring Samantha Womack, Gareth Thomas, Chico and some other people. This price range runs until Fri 15, then again from Tue 19-Thurs 21, then again from Tue 9-Fri 12 Jan. All other shows are £16-£37.

On at 1pm and 5pm tomorrow, Sun 17, Sun 24 and Sun 31 Dec, plus Sun 7 and Sun 14 Jan; 1.30pm and 7pm from Tue 12-Fri 15 and Tue 19-Fri 22 Dec, plus Wed 10-Fri 12 Jan; 2.30pm and 7pm on Sat 16 and Tue 26-Sat 30 Dec, plus Tue 2-Sat 6 and Sat 13 Jan. No performances on Mondays. (Until Sun 14 Jan) The Snow Baby Queens Hall, Narberth. 2pm, pay by donation. Info 01834 869323.

Kids’ theatre presented by Span Arts.

SUNDAY 10 DECEMBER Tax Avoidance Cabaret Le Public Space, Newport.

7pm, free. Info sam@lepub. co.uk. This is presented by Newport City Picnic Society, bills itself as a response to the Paradise Papers leak, and will give any donations to Newport Food Bank.

BUZZ 75

* – recommended

stage The Magic Toyshop Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 2pm, £7-£8.50. Info 01970 623232.

Christmas-themed theatre for kids.

MONDAY 11 DECEMBER uCaterpillar Comedy Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7933. Open mic standup night hosted by James Dunn. Also on Mon 8 Jan. TUESDAY 12 DECEMBER uBeauty & The Beast The Muni, Pontypridd. 7.15pm, £10/£8. Info 01443 490390.

Presented by Pontypridd Theatre Company. (Until Fri 16) uThe Bear Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am + 1.30pm, £10.

Info 029 2063 6464. Kids’ festive production based on Raymond Briggs’ book. Also on at 4.30pm on Sat 16, Sun 17 and Sat 23; 1.30pm and 4.30pm only on Tue 26. No performances on Mon 18 or Mon 25. (Until Sun 31) WEDNESDAY 13 DECEMBER A Christmas Carol Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £10/£5 NUS. Info 0845 2263510. Oneman show with James Hyland as Jacob Marley.

Aladdin Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 6pm, £12/£8 under-16s. Info 01600 772467. Panto, presented by Spontaneous Productions.

There are also schools-only shows running from Mon 11-Fri 15; this is a one-off relaxed performance before it returns from Fri 29 Dec-Wed 3 Jan. uBig Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12. Info 01633 263670. Musical presetned by the Young Venture Players and based on the late80s movie starring Tom Hanks.

Don’t think I’ve encountered this adaption before. Also on at 2.30pm on Sat 16. (Until Sat 16) uCinderella Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 7pm, £12/£10.

Info 01685 384111. Panto featuring children from Redhouse Performance Academy. Also on at 2.30pm on Sat 23. (Until Sat 23) Fairytales In Reality Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

7pm, £6.50. Info 01874 611622.

Family show presented by Theatr Wildcats.

Old Road Christmas Extravaganza Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 1.30pm, £6 adv. Info 0845 2263510. Two-part event with a panto and Nativity show.

Paul Chowdhry Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 6.45pm, £20. Info 0871 4720400. Sold out.

THURSDAY 14 DECEMBER uChildren Of Eden Dylan Thomas Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £12. Info 01792 473238. “A joyous and inspirational musical about parents, childen and faith” apparently. Also at 2.30pm on Sat 16.

(Until Sat 16) Dolly Chicken Comedy: Fun At The Flute Flute & Tankard, Cardiff. 7.3010.30pm, £5/£4. Info dollychickencomedy@gmail. com. Featuring five standup BUZZ 76

comedians including headliner Dan Glyn, plus house band Molly Katz. uJarlath Regan + Carl Donnelly + Paul McCaffrey + Andy Askins Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 6.45pm, £17. Info 0871 4720400. Fri 15: £28; Sat 16: £30; Sun 17: £17.

(Until Sun 17) Nick Doody + Tom Houghton + Caroline Mabey Queens Hall, Narberth. 8pm, £8-£12. Info 01834 869323. Comedy Club night. uNolton Comedy Nolton Corner, Bridgend. 7.30pm, free. Info 01656 655015. With standups TBC, every second Thursday of the month (also on Thurs 11 Jan).

Santa In Love Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 1 + 4.30pm, £8.50. Info 01792 602060.

The Snow Queen: A Frozen Tale Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 7.30pm, £13/£11. Info 01446 738622. BillBoard Ensemble’s production of Hans Christian Andersen’s wintry story, tricked out with some songs off of Frozen because your children can’t be trusted not to cause a scene otherwise. On at 11am and 2.30pm on Sat 16; 2.30pm on Sun 17.

FRIDAY 15 DECEMBER A Child’s Christmas In Wales Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 1pm, £4 adv. Info 01792 463980. Presented/ adapted by Fluellen and featuring Delyth Jenkins on harp. uAladdin Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7pm, £12.50-£26.

Info 01792 475715. Panto starring some people I don’t really know plus Dooby Duck, who was on Children’s BBC when I was a kid and whose name, it now occurs to me, is probably a reference to the dangerous and disgusting drug cannabis.

On at 2pm and 7pm tomorrow, Tue 19-Sat 23, Thurs 28-Sat 30, Tue 2-Sat 6 Jan and Tue 9-Sat 13 Jan; 1pm and 5pm on Sun 17, Sun 24, Sun 7 Jan and Sun 14 Jan; 2pm and 6pm on Tue 26 and Wed 27; 1pm only on Sun 31 Dec. No performances on Mon 18 Dec, Mon 25 Dec, Mon 1 Jan or Mon 8 Jan. (Until Sun 14 Jan) uAladdin After Dark Pontardawe Arts Centre. 8pm, £12. Info 01792 863722. This is a ‘rude’ adults-only spinoff from the standard Aladdin panto running here at the moment. Catch me sitting at the back writing down everything problematic in the script and not talking to anyone. On tomorrow also. See Stage. uCinderella Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7pm, £15/£11. Info 01633 868239.

Panto starring Carwyn Jones (not that one), Samantha Link and Briony Powell. On at 2pm only on Sat 16 and Sun 17; 7pm only on Fri 22; 2pm and 5.30pm on Sat 23 and 11am and 3pm on Sun 24. No performances from Mon 18-Thurs 21. (Until Sun 24) uCircus: 250 Years Young NoFit State, Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £4-£10. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org. An attempt to “explore the past, celebrate the present and shape the future of circus” via youth and adult performance show-

cases plus a cabaret turn. On tomorrow also, at 2.30pm and 6.30pm.

Ernie Sparkles’ Office Christmas Party Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 9pm, £15. Info 029 2063 6464. Cabaret, music and gameshow combine here. uMargaret And The Tapeworm Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 2.30pm, £5.

Info 029 2030 4400. Script development performance of this new work by Triongl. On tomorrow also, at 7.30pm.

Straw And Order Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 12.30pm, £6 adv.

Info 0845 2263510. A Nativity with catchy songs would you believe.

SATURDAY 16 DECEMBER uAladdin Parc & Dare, Treorchy. 2pm, £15.50/£12.50.

Info 0300 0040444. Panto. On at 2pm tomorrow; 7pm on Wed 20 and Thurs 21; 2pm and 7pm on Fri 22; 10.30am and 2pm on Sat 23 and Sun 24. No performances on Mon 18 and Tue 19. (Until Sun 24) uBert & Cherry’s Christmas Plum Pudding St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

10.30am + 12.30pm, £7.50.

Info 029 2087 8444. Kids’ musical theatre presented by Tiddly Prom. Also on Mon 18 and Tue 19. uBibbidi Bobbidi Baubles! A Festive Cabaret Miners Theatre, Ammanford. 7pm, £8/£5. Info 0845 2263510. Created by the young people of Mess Up The Mess alongside Dick Johns and Llinos Mai. On tomorrow also, at 2.30pm.

Bluestocking Lounge Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 8pm, £15.50. Info 01792 475715. Burlesque night featuring Tricity Vogue, Vivid Angel and DeeDee De La Rouge.

Cardiff Cabaret Club: Burlesque Baubles! St Peters Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info www.cardiffcabaretclub.com. With MC Paulus, Miss Betty Blue Eyes, Lynn Ruth Miller, The Persian Belles and Barry Island plus FooFooLaBelle and the Cardiff Cabaret Club troupe.

Christmas Comedy Club Maesteg Town Hall. 7.30pm, £9/£7.50. Info 01656 733269.

With acts TBC. uCinderella Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 1 + 5pm, £13.50£18. Info 01656 815995. Panto.

On at 1pm and 5pm tomorrow, Sat 23, Wed 27-Sat 30 Dec and Fri 5 and Sat 6 Jan. Fri 22: 7pm. Sun 24 and Sun 31: 11am and 3pm. Tue 26: 2pm.

Wed 3 Jan: 2pm and 6pm.

No performances on Mon 18-Thurs 21 Dec, Mon 25 Dec, Mon 1 Jan or Tue 2 Jan. (Until Sat 6 Jan) Matt Ricardo + Pete Wardell Ffresh, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £15. Info 029 2063 6464. Magicians/cabaret performers.

SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER Christmas Cabaret & Afterparty NoFit State, Four Elms Road, Adamsdown, Cardiff. 2.30 + 6.30pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org. uHowl! Comedy Night

Tramshed Cinema, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £5. Info 029 2023 5555. Five up and coming comedians each month. Also on Sun 21 Jan..

The West End At Christmas The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01639 843163.

Hits from the musicals, with added #FestiveFlavour.

Welcome To Christmas 2017 Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £8/£7.

Info 01873 850805. Theatre revue.

MONDAY 18 DECEMBER uDick Whittington Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

6.30pm, £18/£16. Info 01646 695267. In-house panto production, directed by Peter

THURSDAY 21 DECEMBER uAndy Robinson + Jimmy McGhie + Jarred Christmas + John Fothergill Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 6.45pm, £17. Info 0871 4720400. Fri 22: £28; Sat 23: £30; (Until Sat 23) Santa’s Christmas Wish Theatr Hafren, Newtown.

10.30am, 1.30pm + 3.30pm, £10.50/£9.50. Info 01686 614555. Festive kids’ show. uSweeney Todd The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10. Info 029 2048 3344. Performed in Welsh by students from BA Canolfan Berfformio Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant. On tomorrow also. uThe Little Match Girl Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

Escape the stifling conventions of the theatre, while still actually watching some theatre, this January by going to the Little Man Coffee Co. in Cardiff and watching a new play, Abandoned. It's written by Matthew Fisher, concerns a country overwhelmed by the ravages of terrorism, and is on from Thurs 25-Sat 27 Jan.

Doran. Tonight is a relaxed performance. On at 12pm and 6pm on Sat 23; 12pm and 4pm Sun 24; 3pm and 7.30pm Tue 26; 2pm and 6.30pm Wed 27 and 2pm and 6pm Thurs 28-Sat 30. (Until Sat 30) TUESDAY 19 DECEMBER uAladdin The Met, Abertillery. 6.30pm, £14/£11.

Info 01600 772467. (Until Fri 22) uCinderella St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7pm, £16.50-£45. Info 029 2087 8444. The Russian State Ballet & Orchestra of Siberia with the first of their Christmas period ballets here.

On tomorrow also, at 2pm and 5.30pm. uFootloose Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10-£14. Info 029 2039 1391. Musical presented by Kinetic Theatre Arts.

Also on at 2.30pm on Thurs 21.

(Until Tue 5) uJack And The Beanstalk Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £14/£12. Info 0845 2263510.

On at 2pm and 7pm on Sat 23; 11am and 3pm on Sun 24.

(Until Sun 24) uYsgol Gynradd Aberteifi: Sioe Nadolig 2017 Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 10am, £5.

Info 01239 621200. Infant school nativity play. On tomorrow also.

WEDNESDAY 20 DECEMBER uCut And Run Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8/£6.

Info 029 2030 4400. Play by Branwen Davies and presented

by Dirty Protest. (Until Sat 23)

7.30pm, £8-£10. Info 01970 623232. Wintry fave presented here by Aberystwyth Arts Centre Community Theatre Company. On at 2pm and 7.30pm tomorrow and Sat 23.

(Until Sat 23) uThe Nutcracker St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 2 + 7pm, £8.25-£45. Info 029 2087 8444.

Presented by The Russian State Ballet & Orchestra of Siberia. On at 2pm and 5.30pm tomorrow and Sat 23; 2pm only on Sun 24. (Until Sun 24) FRIDAY 22 DECEMBER Santa’s Christmas Wish Memorial Hall, Newbridge.

3.30pm, £8.50/£7.50. Info 01495 243252. Kids’ show. uThe Giant Who Had No Heart In His Body Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 6pm, £5. Info 029 2030 4400. Kids’ comedy theatre presented by Likely Story. On tomorrow also, at 11.30am + 3.30pm.

SATURDAY 23 DECEMBER uBeauty And The Beast Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 2 + 7.30pm, £7. Info 01239 621200.

Panto, presented by Cardigan Theatre. On at 2pm only on Sun 24, Wed 27, Thurs 28, Fri 29 and Sun 31; 2pm and 7.30pm on Sat 30. No performances on Mon 25 or Tue 26.

(Until Sun 31 Dec) WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER uSwan Lake St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 2 + 7pm, £8.25£45. Info 029 2087 8444.

Presented by The Russian State Ballet & Orchestra of Siberia. On at 2pm and 5.30pm

u – repeated

on Sat 30; 2pm only on Sun 31.

(Until Sun 31) THURSDAY 28 DECEMBER uDick Whittington Miners Theatre, Ammanford. 1.30 + 6pm, £8.50/£6.50. Info 0845 2263510. Panto. On tomorrow also, at 12pm and 3pm. uJack & The Beanstalk Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

2 + 7pm, £14/£12. Info 01874 611622. Panto. On tomorrow, Sat 30 Dec, Tue 2-Thurs 4 Jan and Sat 6 Jan at 2pm and 7pm; 1pm and 5pm on Sun 31; 2pm and 8pm (the latter show being ‘adults only’) on Fri 5 Jan. (Until Sat 6 Jan) FRIDAY 29 DECEMBER uAladdin Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 2 + 6pm, £12/£8 under-16s. Info 01600 772467. Panto, presented by Spontaneous Productions. On at 12pm and 4pm on Sun 31.

(Until Wed 3 Jan).

Mike Bubbins + Jonnie Price + Tom Lucy + Mark Olver Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15. Info 0871 4720400.

SUNDAY 31 DECEMBER Scott Gibson + Jarred Christmas + Mike Bubbins + Mark Olver Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £35. Info 0871 4720400.

THURSDAY 4 JANUARY uJack And The Beanstalk Paget Rooms, Penarth. 7pm, £8. Info 029 2070 0721. Panto.

On at 2pm and 5.30pm on Sat 6; 2pm Sun 7; 9.45am and 12.45pm Tue 9 and Wed 10. No performance on Mon 8 (Until Wed 10) FRIDAY 5 JANUARY Jonathon Mayor + Mike Newall + Wes Packer Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12.

Info 0845 2263510. Comedy Club night.

SATURDAY 6 JANUARY uCinderella Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 3 + 7.30pm, £12£41. Info 01970 623232. Panto, presented by Wardens Theatre Company. On at 11am and 2.30pm tomorrow; 7.30pm Wed 10-Fri 12 and Tue 16-Fri 19; 11am, 2.30pm and 7.30pm Sat 13 and Sat 20. (Until Sat 20) MONDAY 8 JANUARY Cinderella For The Young At Heart Gwyn Hall, Neath.

7.30pm, £10. Info 0300 3656677. Panto.

TUESDAY 9 JANUARY uThe Band Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £19.50-£49.50.

Info 029 2063 6464. Musical based on the career of Take That, and featuring lots of their songs. See Upfront. Also on at 2.30pm on Wed 10, Sat 13 and Sat 20. Fri 12 and Fri 19: 5pm and 8.30pm. (Until Sat 20) WEDNESDAY 10 JANUARY uCinderella The Met, Abertillery. 6.30pm, £7.50.

Info 01600 772467. Panto, presented by Encore Theatre Academy. Also on at 2.30pm on Sat 13. (Until Sun 14) THURSDAY 11 JANUARY uCinderella Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £13/£11. Info 0845 2263510. Panto by Denny

Twp and the Friendship Theatre Group. On at 2pm and 7pm on Sat 13 and Sat 20; 11am and 3pm on Sun 14; 1pm on Sun 21 and Sun 28; 2pm on Sat 27. No performances on Mon 15 and Mon 22. (Until Sun 28) FRIDAY 12 JANUARY Chris Rock Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 8pm, £40-£95. Info 029 2022 4488. This sold out very quickly but I think we’re going to write about it Upfront anyway.

Drag For Autism Mary’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2066 8647. Featuring host Polly Amorous and lots of drag performers TBC. Aiming to raise funds for The Welsh Autism Ball, which is part of World Autism Awareness Month and is on Sat 21 Apr at The Vale Resort. uJack And The Beanstalk Maesteg Town Hall. 7pm, £11.

Info 01656 733269. Panto. On at 2pm on Sat 13, Sun 14, Sat 20 and Sun 21; 7pm on Fri 19.

No performances from Mon 15-Thurs 18. (Until Sun 21) uSisters Acting Up The Riverfront, Newport. 7pm, £7.

Info 01633 656757. A concert style blend of choir and drama from locals. On tomorrow also.

SATURDAY 13 JANUARY A Night At The Musicals: RSD Academy The Muni, Pontypridd. 5pm, £8.50/£7.50.

Info 01443 490390.

SUNDAY 14 JANUARY Henry V Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 3pm, £10/£5 under-16s. Info 01982 552555.

Shakespeare, presented by the Willow Globe Company.

MONDAY 15 JANUARY uHeaven On Earth Motorpoint Arena Cardiff.

7.30pm, £19-£65. Info 029 2022 4488. A lavish theatrical/pop opera dramatisation of the plight of Adam and Eve, with lots of people from various other musicals plus Russell Watson doing some singing.

(Until Thurs 18) TUESDAY 16 JANUARY Neville’s Island Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. “A fast-talking, fast action comedy telling the story of four middle-aged businessmen, sent on a teambuilding exercise in England’s Lake District.”

WEDNESDAY 17 JANUARY uAmerican Idiot Dylan Thomas Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01792 473238. The Self Proclaimed Theatre Co do the Green Day musical. (Until Sat 20) Circus Of Horrors Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £18.50-£26.50. Info 01792 475715.

THURSDAY 18 JANUARY Don’t Get Your Vicars In A Twist Mecca Bingo, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £7. Info 01633 868239. “A farce of ecumenical proportions” apparently.

Kiri Pritchard-McLean Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

7.30pm, £8. Info 01685 384111.

Performing her Appropriate Adult standup set. In Llanelli

tomorrow; Ammanford on Sat 20.

Spotted Dick Carnegie House, Bridgend. 1pm, £6.50.

Info 01656 815757. Lunchtime theatre presented by Fluellen.

FRIDAY 19 JANUARY Kiri Pritchard-McLean Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £10.

Info 0845 2263510.

Mark Watson Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 8pm, £17 adv. Info 01600 772467. Another show on MW’s tour where he only plays in towns whose names begin with M or W. Indeed he is in Milford Haven on Fri 26.

SATURDAY 20 JANUARY uAladdin Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

4pm, £14/£13. Info 01874 611622. Panto, presented by Westenders. On tomorrow, at 4pm; Tue 23-Fri 26 at 7pm; Sat 27 2pm and 7pm. (Until Sat 27) Ed Byrne Parc & Dare, Treorchy. 8pm, £24. Info 0300 0040444. Comedian, consistently popular-ish since the 90s as far as I can tell.

Ken Dodd Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7pm, £25. Info 01686 614555. Sold out.

Kiri Pritchard-McLean Miners Theatre, Ammanford.

8pm, £10 adv. Info 0845 2263510. uLittle Red & The Big Bad Wolf Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 2.30 + 5.30pm, £7.

Info 029 2039 1391. Little Red Riding Hood, but with a slightly different name, presented by Unity Theatre. On tomorrow also, at 11.30am.

SUNDAY 21 JANUARY Sean Lock Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £23. Info 029 2063 6464.

Touring his latest set, titled Keep It Light.

MONDAY 22 JANUARY 2071 Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 7pm, £8. Info 0845 2263510. Production outlining some of the environmental issues of the day and looking into the future in that context.

La Traviata St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £17-£34. Info 029 2087 8444. An Ellen Kent opera production.

TUESDAY 23 JANUARY Circus Of Horrors The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £24/£19 early bird. Info 01633 656757. uNew Jersey Nights New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13-£32. Info 029 2087 8889.

Frankie Valli-themed musical.

Yes, another one. Also on at 2.30pm on Thurs 25 and Sat 27. (Until Sat 27) Space Oddity Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.45pm, £5. Info 01970 623232. Playpen present a play about the repercussions of a trip to Mars.

THURSDAY 25 JANUARY uAbandoned Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £9.

Info 07933 844234. New play

by Matthew Fisher, about a country torn apart by terrorists. Ticket price includes a beer or a coffee/cake combo.

(Until Sat 27) Dear Esther Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama,

Cardiff. 8pm, £12-£18. Info 029 2039 1391. This features a live playthrough of a video game which is being touted here as having a sombre, and literature-like, story arc. It’s accompanied by narration and an orchestral performance of the score.

In The Absence Of Silence Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01792 602060. Chickenshed and Creu Cymru present a play about five women who meet for lunch and share their experiences.

Sasha Velour Mary’s, Cardiff. 7-11.30pm, £25-£50.

Info 029 2066 8647. Previous winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race visits Cardiff. On the ticket page the terms and conditions for this event are about five times as long as the description of the event itself. uSleeping Beauty The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 7pm, £7.50/£6.50. Info 01639 843163. Panto, presented by the Glantawe Theatre Company. On at 1.30pm on Sat 27 and Sun 28. (Until Sun 28) FRIDAY 26 JANUARY Between The Crosses Maesteg Town Hall. 7.30pm, £9.50. Info 01656 733269.

WWI-themed theatre examining “society’s need to create heroes”.

Elis James Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 7pm, £12. Info 0845 2263510.

Ian Cognito + Rob Hughes + Paul James Carnegie House, Bridgend.

8pm, £9/£7.50 adv. Info 01656 815757.

Mark Watson Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 8pm, £17. Info 01646 695267.

Max Boyce Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £25. Info 01970 623232. In Ebbw Vale tomorrow.

SATURDAY 27 JANUARY Drew Taylor + Steffan Evans + Col Howarth Creature Sound, Swansea.

7pm, £8/£5. Info 01792 301178.

Standup comedy under the Tales From Wales banner.

Matt Edwards Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20/£14 kids. Info 01792 475715. Comedian and Britain’s Got Talent finalist, also features in the Grand’s panto earlier this month.

Max Boyce Ebbw Vale Sports Centre. 7.30pm, £25. Info 01495 357777.

Paul Sinha Maesteg Town Hall. 7.30pm, £12.50. Info 01656 733269. Comedian with a show titled Shout Out To My Ex, about being given the old heave-ho.

Translunar Paradise Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £14. Info 0845 2263510. Ad Infinitum present a piece of poignant theatre without words.

Vampires Rock Ghost Train St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £28.50/£26.50. Info 029 2087 8444. Steve Steinman rock musical.

TUESDAY 30 JANUARY uGallowglass New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13.50-£31.

Info 029 2087 8889. Ruth Rendell thriller, presented by the Middle Ground Theatre Company. Also on at 2.30pm tomorrow, plus Thurs 1

Squirrels forget where they bury three-quarters of their nuts.

Coca-Cola is responsible for Santa having a red suit. Before their 1930 ad, he reportedly wore white, green or blue.

The most common place to hide household valuables is in the sock drawer. This is also the first place burglars check.

It is impossible to hum while holding your nose.

Santa has his own zip code as part of a literacy initiative in Canada. The zip code is HOH OHO. From 1489 to 1493, Leonardo da Vinci was a wedding planner.

More people are killed by teddy bears than grizzly bears.

The abbreviation ‘Xmas’ isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.

Christmas is often a time in which people indulge themselves in treats such as cake, but be careful!

Too much cake will affect a part of the brain known as Shatner’s Bassoon.

When trying out a new pen, 97% of people write their own name.

US Scientists calculated that Santa would need to visit 822 homes a second in order to deliver all the world’s presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second.

The legend behind St. Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers, is that she rejected her lover’s advances and then afterwards prayed to God who turned him into a block of ice.

The world’s largest Welsh lovespoon is 44ft long.

(Disclaimer: some of these may not in fact be true

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BUZZ 77

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TWO VINYL RECORDS AND TWO CDS OF MORRISSEY’S LOW IN HIGH SCHOOL Former Smiths frontman Morrissey finds himself riffing refreshing sounds with his typically melancholic lyrics in his 11th solo album. As ever he brings issues and politics to the forefront (now if he only he would keep his mouth shut in the press!). With four copies in total (two records, two CDs), you can win a copy of this stellar new release.

A COPY OF THE CARDIFF CHRISTMAS CLUB

BY NICK FRAMPTON A wonderfully festive tale of romance set in the Welsh capital, as Katy returns to the life, relationship and city she left behind a year ago. She must rediscover her home, her friends and her lovers whilst realising the undeniable truth that everyone has changed. Adjusting back into winter weather is not easy after swapping out sandy beaches but she endeavours to make it a merry Christmas.

TWO TICKETS TO ISLANDS IN THE STREAM AT ST. DAVIDS HALL Struggled to find a place where other people want to belt out 9 To 5 or The Gambler as much as you? Look no further, as you’ll be able to sing your night away to all the classic country hits from megastars Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. Get into the country jive with this stand-out tribute and grab yourself two free tickets for Tue 5 Jan. TWO TICKETS TO THE DARKNESS AT ST DAVID’S HALL With the release of their fifth album, this globally renowned rock group are here to blast the hinges off the doors, raise the roof and show you that rock’n’roll is still king. Prepare to revisit old favourites such as I Believe In A Thing Called Love and get swept away by new hits on Wed 13 Dec. TWO TICKETS TO ‘MILTON JONES IS OUT THERE’ AT SWANSEA GRAND THEATRE Absurd? Masterfully so. Societal truth bombs? Certainly. Hilarious one liners?

He is the master of them. Milton Jones will be at the Swansea Grand Theatre telling you all about his impeccably hilarious observations on society.

Fancy a night funny enough to ensure you leave with your sides aching?

He appears on Wed 6 Dec.

TWO TICKETS TO MISS SAIGON AT THE WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE Record-breaking, award-winning musical Miss Saigon makes its way to Cardiff where it will stay until Sat 6 Jan. It tells the tale of a young bar girl Kim who falls in love with an American GI. This spectacular, thrilling, dramatic romance is sure to entertain and awe.

TWO TICKETS TO CLIMBING TREES AT THEIR PONTYPRIDD CHRISTMAS GIG AND A CD BUNDLE This glistening, magnificent and innovative Welsh band, acclaimed for their dynamic songs, are going to be in their hometown of Pontypridd for a festive gig Sat 23 Dec. With heightened melodies and extraordinary harmonies, they are sure to sweep you away and leave an aftertaste of bliss. Perfect for the festive season, and you can take away copies of both their albums.

TWO TICKETS TO TAKE THAT-INSPIRED MUSICAL THE BAND Written by award-winning writer Tim Firth, The Band is the smash-hit musical success making its way to Cardiff, where it will play from Tue 9 to Sat 20 Jan. Based on the music of Take That, this tells a story instantly relatable for anyone who grew up idolising boy bands.

TWO TICKETS TO SNOW WHITE PANTO AT NEW THEATRE Mirror, mirror on the wall, don’t miss the finest pantomime of them all… this classic fairytale is being made a glittering spectacle this Christmas, playing at the New Theatre from Sat 9 Dec until Sun 14 Jan. Tthis is a fantastic retelling of the timeless tale that will make an ideal family outing.

TWO TICKETS TO SWAN LAKE AT ST. DAVID’S HALL The Russian State Ballet & Orchestra Of Siberia have built an international reputation of quality and depth during their tours – this is a wonderful chance to catch the ultimate ballet, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake in all its elegant majesty, when the troupe performs on Thurs 28 Dec.

T & C s : W E D O N O T G I V E P E R M I S S I O N F O R T H E S E C O M P E T I T I O N S T O B E R E P L I C AT E D A N Y W H E R E E L S E

BUZZ 78

IMAGINE DESIGN SKETCH EDIT MOULD FORGE PAINT THINK MAKE CHANGE. cardiffmet.ac.uk/csad

Ysbryd Nadolig The Spirit Of Christmas