Buzz March 2016

T’S ON GUIDE. SOUTH WALES WHA MARCH 2016

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

LUKE EVANS RAY MEARS LAUGHARNE FESTIVAL YOLANDA BROWN MARK WATSON DERREN BROWN | TORI JAMES | EARTH HOUR | TOM | MATT PRITCHARD

ABERTH, CARIAD, CYFEILLGARWCH | FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, SACRIFICE CRËWYD GAN \ CREATED BY

CANOLFAN MILENIWM CYMRU WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE GYDA \ WITH

SOHO THEATRE, DANIEL SPARROW PRODUCTIONS & BIRDSONG PRODUCTIONS

GYDA | STARRING

NEIL MCDERMOTT

CAROLINE SHEEN

DAVID THAXTON

EASTENDERS SHREK THE MUSICAL

MARY POPPINS LES MISÉRABLES

LES MISÉRABLES LOVE NEVER DIES

Llyfr gan \ Book by Rachel Wagstaff

Cerddoriaeth gan \ Music by Matthew Brind

Wedi’i gyfarwyddo gan \ Directed by Steve Marmion

Syniad gwreiddiol gan \ Original concept by Steve Coleman, Matthew Brind & Rachel Wagstaff

wmc.org.uk 029 2063 6464

MAW 28 MAR EBR 2 APR 2016

march2016

buzz... publisher EMMA CLARK editor LUKE OWAIN BOULT listings/music editor NOEL GARDNER advertising EMMA CLARK film technician (buzz tv) JAYDON MARTIN administration TERESA CLARK designer www.polar10.com contributors KEIRON SELF (FILMS), GWYN THOMAS DE CHROUSTCHOFF (CLUBS), BECKY ADDIS, ANNA-MARIE BEAL, MICHAEL BELL, KATIE BELLIS, LLOYD BEST, CHELSEA BROWNHILL, NICOLE CALABRIA,JANE COOK, DENIECE CUSACK, JUSTIN EVANS, BEN GALLIVAN, EMILY GARSIDE, ELENA HECTOR, RHIANON HOLLEY, AMANDA HUNT, MARCUS HUGHES, ADAM JONES, RHODRI JONES, CONOR KNIGHT, BILL KNOWLES, MIKE LEWIS, GARETH MOULE, DANIEL MULLER, LYNDA NASH, DAVID NOBAHKT, RACHAEL PHILLIPS, CHARLIE PIERCEY, JOE RICHARDS, HUGH RUSSELL, OWEN SCOURFIELD, CHRIS SEAL, WILL STEEN, ELLENA TANGI, AMY WIGGINS, CHRIS WILLIAMS phone number 029 2022 6767 general enquiries info@buzzmag.co.uk editorial editorial@buzzmag.co.uk listings listings@buzzmag.co.uk accounts accounts@buzzmag.co.uk BUZZ MAGAZINE 220C Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1GY published EAC PUBLISHING contents R AY MEARS cover LUKE EVANS

04roundup

“We’re hugely optimistic about the future of Welsh here”

10upfront

Luke Evans, star of High-Rise and Aberbargoed’s most famous son. Tom Jones, the hairy hellhound who put Pontypridd on the map. Dylan Thomas, responsible for Laugharne having a festival several decades after his death. Before you read about that lot, I want to say that I grew up in a village crapper than any of those places, and still pulled myself up by my bootstraps

28film

All my life I’ve been waiting for a stop motion sex scene that’s played for truth, and every time I’ve been fobbed off with a stop motion sex scene that’s played for laughs. This month, Keiron Self is delighted to bring you news of a film featuring a stop motion sex scene that’s played for truth rather than laughs

31food&drink

Spring is here, spring is here, life is Skittles and life is beer. Instead of the Skittles, though, why not eat a handful of foraged goods instead? That’s the advice of Milgi’s seasonally-appropriate article this month, and I intend to be right there ravaging the land alongside you

36previews

Can’t say I know the women from Lesotho’s Good Shepherd Centre (pictured at the top of the clubs section, p.40) by name, or what they’d regale us with if asked to bang out a wicked DJ set at short notice, but I do know that any opportunity to have this page feature photos of anything other than glowering blokes is to be encouraged

44reviews

By the generally upbeat standards of Buzz’s reviewing team, a bit of a sour month, as a spate of albums get pelted with two-star awards. Looks like the people commenting under all those YouTube videos were right – music is indeed crap now.

Although they may have been wrong about it being Justin Bieber’s fault that the Yuck album is subpar

49lifestyle

With the exception of small children, people who work at petting zoos and our lord and saviour Jesus Christ, not sure who actually cares about Easter for any reason other than having extra days off work, but here’s an Easter gift guide for you anyway

50sport

Conor Knight serves up a summary of 2016’s Six Nations clashes to date. After close reading of his thoroughly professional prose, coupled with my failure to watch any of the games so far, I have concluded that I don’t have anything funny or indeed ‘funny’ to say about it

57listings

January and February didn’t really give the writer of these contents entries many reasons to go into town.

Will March be any different? Scanning back through his listings for the month, he is not predicting a large upswing

78competitions

Q: What is the etymology of comedy? A: Latin comi, to crave attention, and DI, or 501 – the average number of standup gigs a comedian has to do before getting paid

www.buzzmag.co.uk • www.twitter.com/buzz_magazine • www.facebook.com/buzzsouthwales BUZZ 3

roundup

WHAT’S ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH.

EVENT

pic Hans Splinter

Cwlwm Celtaidd Celebrating all things Celtic, Cwlwm Celtaidd comes to Porthcawl this March. Wales’ biggest interceltic festival lasts for three days and is the perfect opportunity to embrace Celtic music, song and dance. Performing on the Friday night will be Scotland’s Rura.

The rugged, energetic group took over the Scottish folk scene a few short years ago.

Since then, they have quickly become one of the hottest folk groups around and have performed at festivals all over Europe. On the Saturday night Jamie Smith's Mabon will take to the stage. The band is considered to be Britain’s finest group for original Celtic music. Confidently performing on the world stage as well as in small acoustic settings, this group never fails to bring the Celtic spirit to life.

Cwlwm Celtaidd, Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl, Fri 4-Sun 6 Mar. Tickets: £7-£40.

Info: www.cwlwmceltaidd.org / 01656 815995

STAGE

Ru Paul’s Drag Race

Get your platforms, bright lipsticks and sparkles at the ready! RuPaul’s Drag Race is coming to Cardiff. Hosted by former Celebrity Big Brother contestant Michelle Visage, the Extravaganza tour has already had a second date added due to popular demand. Taking over the Tramshed for a night of glitz and glamour, series favourites Courtney Act, Sharon Needles, Jinkx Monsoon, Violet Chachki, Katya, Pandora Boxx and Willam are all set to appear. The show is a spin off from the reality competition series in which the legendary RuPaul and her team of judges try and find the next drag superstar.

Participants are sure to be strutting their stuff on the night. Don’t miss out on a night of unforgettable entertainment.

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Battle Of The Seasons, Tramshed, Cardiff, Mon 28 + Tue 29 Mar. Tickets: £38.50. Info: www.tramshedcardiff.com BUZZ 4

BRIEFLY CRAFT WORKS! Have an interest in Welsh arts and crafts? The Brecon Craft Fair takes place in the town’s historic market hall, where you’ll find around 60 traditional and independent craft workers and artists selling a collection of handmade soft furnishings, hand painted jewellery and locally crafted Faberge style eggs. The market is held every third Saturday of the month between 9am and 4.30pm.

Admission: free.

Info: www.breconcraftfair.co.uk

• RUN TO THE HILLS! In the mood to work up a sweat? Why not sign up to the Admiral City Of Newport Half Marathon. On Sun 6 Mar, runners will be able to take part. Runners are encouraged by the event organisers to raise funds for St David’s Hospice Care so they can continue to provide free services to patients and carers.

Admission: free. Info: www. cityofnewporthalfmarathon.com

• SENEDD10 The National Assembly for Wales building celebrates its 10th anniversary in March. To celebrate the iconic building, a weekend of fun activities is set to take place. Visitors are invited to learn about the iconic building and the work conducted by the National Assembly. The celebrations are set to take place on Sat 5 and Sun 6 Mar. Admission: free.

Info: www.cardiffbay.co.uk

FILM

Pump Action Doll House Pop Up Cinema This March, Cardiff’s Roath Park Pub will once again be transformed into the fundraising pop up cinema Pump Action Doll House. Screening Total Recall, the 90s science fiction classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with the selection of cinema snacks they have to offer, this pop-up cinema creates that ‘trip to the movies’ atmosphere as well as raising money for a good cause. Taking donations on the door, the novelty cinema will raise money for Newport2Calais, an aid organisation set up to help refugees stuck in Calais.

Despite their desperate need of funding, Newport2Calais organises aid runs to the refugee camps every four weeks in efforts to bring an end to the growing humanitarian crisis. It’s surprising how just one van filled with aid taking a trip to Calais once a month can do so much good. Not only does it help the refugees but it also relieves some of the pressure on the hard working individuals who are already there helping them.

pic Leo Hidalgo

Pump Action Doll House Pop Up Cinema, The Roath Park Pub, Cardiff, Sat 5 Mar. Admission: free. Info: www.facebook.com/pumpactiondollhouse

World Half Marathon Cardiff Fancy running in the footsteps of champions? Well now is your chance. In March the renowned IAAF / Cardiff University World Half Marathon Championships will arrive in Cardiff. If you like a challenge and enjoy keeping fit then this will certainly be for you. With over 300 of the world’s best runners competing alongside 25,000 participants, this is what can only be described as one of the country’s top running events of 2016.

Double Olympic and World Championships gold medallist Mo Farah has been named as an official ambassador for the event.

Taking part in the race will give you the unique opportunity of running in the same race as Mo. With a limited capacity of spaces up for grabs in the race, demand is high so don’t miss out on the chance to run alongside world-renowned runners.

EVENT

Cardiff University World Half Marathon Championships, Sat 26 Mar. Admission: £54-£59. Info: www.cardiff2016.co.uk

Hay Dark-Skies Festival EVENT

pic Kyle Greenberg

Ever had the privilege to witness an unspoilt night sky?

Looking at the sky and seeing shining planets, the shimmering Milky Way and bright shooting stars seems impossible to imagine for most city folk and is only something that can be seen from very few places. One place is not as far away as you may think. Believe it or not, the Brecon Beacons National Park is one of the darkest areas in Wales to observe the night sky. So much so it was awarded the International Dark Sky Association’s coveted ‘Dark Sky Reserve’ in 2013. In April you can head on down to Hay On Wye where they will be hosting their third dark sky festival. The park offers a range of activities from fine dining, pony trekking, leisurely hikes, climbing the highest peaks in southern Britain to picnics where you can chill out and enjoy the beautiful night sky.

Hay Dark-Skies Festival, Fri 1-Sun 3 Apr. Tickets: £5-£15.

Info: www.darkskiesfestival.org BUZZ 5

roundup

WHAT’S ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH.

YR HEN LYFRGELL Luke Owain Boult speaks with Bethan Williams, the Director of Cardiff’s new Welsh Cultural Centre, Yr Hen Lyfrgell.

What is the general idea behind Yr Hen Lyfrgell?

The aim is to create a lively and welcoming space in the heart of the city centre where people can come and use the Welsh language and hear it being spoken all around them. It’s a place where Welsh speakers, learners and non-Welsh speakers alike can come together to learn, enjoy and socialise in Welsh. It’s also a fantastic showcase for the language and culture of Wales.

The centre will offer the city a whole host of new facilities including a café bar and restaurant; a shop selling contemporary Welsh products, gifts and cards; a crèche; learning spaces where Welsh lessons for all levels will take place; state of the art conference facilities; function rooms for hire and the established Cardiff Story Museum. There really is something for everyone here.

What can visitors expect from Yr Hen Lyfrgell?

Visitors can expect a warm, Welsh welcome; a jam-packed calendar of events and activities suitable for all ages and a space that truly celebrates and promotes the use of Welsh in our capital city.

BUZZ 6

What else needs to be done to ensure that the Welsh language thrives in Cardiff?

Creating as many different spaces and opportunities as possible for people across the city to use Welsh and promoting a sense of pride in our language and the key part it plays in our city’s identity. We’re hugely optimistic about the future of Welsh here. Cardiff already has a buzzing Welsh language scene and all of the partners involved in the Yr Hen Lyfrgell project are set on helping that grow and develop.

Why was the Old Library chosen as a location?

The Old Library was chosen as it is such an iconic building in a central location within the city, symbolising the central role the Welsh language plays in Cardiff’s social and cultural scenes. It’s a place that both Cardiff residents and visitors to the city have access to, ensuring that everyone spending time in the city has equal opportunity to enjoy the language in all its forms.

Yr Hen Lyfrgell, Cardiff. Info: www.yrhenlyfrgell.cymru

A Night of Dirty Dancing

Harold Pinter’s Betrayal

King of Pop starring Navi

Shane Filan

YolanDa Brown

Ray Mears

Chris Helme (support act - Ragsy)

Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra

Chris Ramsey

Saturday 5 March Dydd Sadwrn 5 Mawrth

Wednesday 9 March Dydd Mercher 9 Mawrth

Saturday 12 March Dydd Sadwrn 12 Mawrth

Thursday 3 - Saturday 5 March Dydd Iau 3 - Dydd Sadwrn 5 Mawrth

Wednesday 23 March Dydd Mercher 23 Mawrth

Friday 18 March Dydd Gwener 18 Mawrth

Friday 4 March Dydd Gwener 4 Mawrth

Wednesday 16 March Dydd Mercher 16 Mawrth

Thursday 31 March Dydd Iau 31 Mawrth

BUZZ 7

roundup

BOOK NOW

WHAT’S ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH.

Riverdance: 21st Anniversary St David's Hall, Cardiff Fri 1-Sun 3 Apr Tickets: £42-£44 Info: 029 2087 8444 www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk – Let It Be Grand Theatre, Swansea Mon 11-Sat 16 Apr Tickets: £15.00-£30.50 Info: 01792 475715 www.swanseagrand.co.uk –

pic Stuart Black

Five Seconds Of Summer Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff Fri 15 + Sat 16 Apr Tickets: £41.50 Info: 029 2023 4500 www.motorpointarenacardiff.com –

?

SOUTH WALES SECRET #63 Dunraven Bay

–

Director of Creative Economy at Cardiff University and part of the Creative Cardiff team, Sara Pepper, reveals her South Wales Secret.

Sara Pepper has worked on an impressive range of projects, from the Sydney Olympic Games to the BBC, and is now working on the Creative Cardiff project. “Creative Cardiff is a new network striving to redefine, engage and enable the city’s creative economy,” she explains. “There are lots of other networks in the city that support different parts of the creative economy, but there hasn’t been anything that connects up all the different sectors. As a vibrant, dynamic and fast-growing part of the economy, we believe that by doing this we will see more innovative and interesting connections and opportunities that will in turn make our city the most creative place it can be.”

Sara is positive about the development of the city’s creative industries, saying: “It is well reported that the creative sector is the fastest growing part of BUZZ 8

Russell Watson Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay Sat 19 Apr Tickets: £22.50-£47.50 Info: 029 2063 6464 www.wmc.org.uk

the UK economy. In Cardiff this is also true and we can see clear evidence of this with significant developments in the last 10 years. “ Sara then reveals her South Wales Secret: “Mine is Dunraven Bay, Southerndown. I particularly like the walled garden on the cliff top, which feels like a secret garden. It’s special to me because I have spent time there with a number of friends and family over the years and it’s beautiful. Most specifically, I remember walking on the beach here with my husband and daughter of three months for my first mother’s day. The sun shone and it was just fabulous.”

Creative Cardiff. Info: www.creativecardiff.org. uk

Disney On Ice presents Silver Anniversary Celebration Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff Wed 20–Sun 24 Apr Tickets: £19.15-£46.80 Info: 029 2023 4500 www.motorpointarenacardiff.com – Thriller Live New Theatre, Cardiff Mon 25-Sat 30 Apr Tickets: £28-£34 Info: 029 2023 4500 www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk – Russell Kane Grand Theatre, Swansea Thurs 28 Apr Tickets: £16.50 Info: 01792 475715 www.swanseagrand.co.uk

upfront

LUKE EVANS Well known for starring in The Hobbit, The Three Musketeers, and Clash Of The Titans, Luke Evans speaks with Luke Owain Boult about homesickness, obsessive fans and his latest film High-Rise.

“I’ve read a lot of scripts and High-Rise seemed very different and unusual,” starts Luke Evans, pondering to himself in his dulcet Valleys tones. From The Hobbit to Clash Of The Titans, Evans has starred in some colossal Hollywood releases. Now, he’s trying something a bit different as Richard Wilder in Ben Wheatley’s High-Rise.

“I’d just come out the back of two very big studio movies and had been part of the huge machine that they are, and I was looking for something a little different. I’d been following Ben’s career for a long time, and I thought his directing was very unique and that he’d taken on a script that seems very complicated, difficult, shocking, and unusual. There’s only a couple of people I thought could direct a character like Wilder, and he was one of them, so all in all the package was all there so I said yes.”

Based on J.G. Ballard’s 1975 dystopian novel, HighRise tells the story of a luxury but hierarchal tower block isolated from the rest of society. Doctor Robert Laing (played by Tom Hiddleston) befriends documentary maker Wilder, who is determined to bring the injustices of the tower block to light.

“We needed to film the set in the late 70s so I started looking at images of the time,” explains Evans when asked about his preparation for the role. “First of all, I went for the look of the character – everything was specifically 70s: hair styles, costumes, facial hair, and sideburns. I really wanted to get the look right; I thought if I did, it would help me find the character and the one person that jumped off the page, every time I was looking through the 70s, was Oliver Reed.

“I felt that not only did Oliver look quite reminiscent of Wilder in a way, but I also felt that the personality of Oliver Reed sort of complimented Wilder’s actions in the movie.

That’s who I based it on mostly; not the characters he played, but more the man himself.

“It’s not a popcorn movie by any sense of the imagination,” continues Luke. “It’s a J.G. Ballard novel and his books are extremely powerful. They tread places where most stories don’t tread and they delve into social situations.

“This is one of the most complex of his novels, so I do think it’s a fascinating film. It takes you on a journey, it feels like you’re on a trip a little bit. I think everybody BUZZ 10

that’s seen the film so far is still talking about it days later because it brings up things you might want to question about yourself, and what you would do in that position.”

Having grown up in Aberbargoed, I wanted to know whether he missed Wales and what changes affected him most whenever he returned.

“I miss it; I miss it a lot. As I look around my house I have my favourite bits and things that remind me of home and the people from home that I love. So I don’t feel like I’m too far away from it because I speak to my family every day, wherever I am, and I’ve been doing that since I left home.

“I try not to leave it too long before I go home and visit family and friends. My home town looks nothing like it did when I was a kid. If you put Aberbargoed into Wikipedia, it was famous for a few things, one of which was to have the biggest coal mining waste tip in Europe. As a child, that’s what I remember: a huge mountain. That doesn’t exist anymore.

“Aberbargoed has changed dramatically. I remember going home once after I’d got my first car, I was driving on a road that I thought I knew and then realised it was a whole brand new road and I just didn’t know where the hell I was. It was very alarming because it had changed so much that I’d lost my way. But it’s all for the better I think.

The valleys seem to be getting wealthier, and I’m excited for the investment and new shops and new buildings being erected. The quality of life is growing, and as things grow it becomes much better for people.”

A quick look around the Internet and you’ll find many a fan group dedicated to Luke Evans. I imagined that this was an odd experience for Luke, who seemed like a downto-earth man, and I wanted to know what the strangest thing he’d been sent by a fan was.

“Oh God!” he laughs. “Oh, I don’t know, that’s very difficult... there are quite a few odd things in my fan mail; odd and interesting and funny and charming. You have to remember that fans come from all over the world and cultures and they may have different gifts that they like to give to people.

“I remember one, I think it was for my birthday or Christmas, which was a huge box full of confectionery, sweets and chewing gum,from Japan, or it could have been South Korea. But I remember also receiving, I think we

counted almost 2000 origami cranes, that had been sewn together and hung in a huge, long chain. The time that somebody had put in and then delivered it from the other side of the world is extraordinary, and it was very sweet.

“But most things come with a lot of thought and care and love and it just makes me feel very special – that people you may never meet from another country far away make the effort to write a letter to tell you how much they appreciate all your work. It’s very touching and I feel very humbled by it.”

I told Luke that I had heard of a Japanese legend where if you make a thousand origami cranes, you will be granted a wish by a crane.

“Oh, well then maybe I’ve got two wishes then,” he laughs. “That’s probably what it was; there you go I should have known that! Thanks for reminding me, I haven’t used those wishes as yet so I shall do that as soon as I get off the phone.”

Luke struck me as someone who considered himself very lucky to have done a range of roles, but I wanted to know if he had a dream project.

“I don’t have one, I relish every job I get. I feel like I’m living the dream most of the time, this whole business is an extraordinary experience. I never imagined I would do this for a living, ever. It wasn’t my plan. So every day I walk on to a film set and I see huge film sets of imagination, the world of Beauty And The Beast and I get to work on it, and play characters and do all of these incredible things that a lot of people could only imagine, and I get to do them for real.

“So every job is a dream come true, to be honest, and I enjoy every single one of them. Who knows what’s around the corner – this business is very unpredictable. So, yeah, who knows what’s next? I know what’s next, but you’ll soon find out.”

High-Rise is released on Fri 18 Mar. Info: www.studiocanal.co.uk. High-Rise Screening featuring a Q&A with Luke Evans and Ben Wheatley, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, Thurs 10 Mar. Info: www. chapter.org

"I feel like I'm living the dream most of the time."

BUZZ 11

upfront

LAUGHARNE FESTIVAL 2016

I

Literature, comedy, and music galore. Rhodri Jones follows in the footsteps of Dylan Thomas and takes a look at what to expect from this year’s Laugharne Festival.

f, in previous years, you’ve been to the Laugharne Weekend, I’m pretty sure that you’ve already got tickets for this year’s event. It’s that sort of weekend. And with this year’s event kicking off on Apr 1, the only fool is the person who has decided to give it a miss.

Synonymous with Dylan Thomas, the small town on the estuary of the River Taf comes to life during Easter with one of the best small festivals you’ll ever have the pleasure of attending. It’s hard to describe what it is. It’s got some great music but it’s not a music festival; it has some great writers attending but it’s not a literary festival; it attracts some of Britain’s funniest stand-ups but it’s not a festival of comedy. What it is, however, is something marvellous. It’s one of those strange experiences where you start off as a punter and end the weekend as a member of a select and privileged community.

Laugharne itself was the place where Thomas wrote Under Milk Wood and when you visit you can see how the town might have helped him to create his memorable cast of characters. A drink at Brown’s Hotel, his favourite haunt, and a brisk walk to the Boathouse where Thomas wrote will give you an idea of the locality, both its people and its beauty. And that’s part of the charm of the weekend. It’s not the type of festival which takes over a town or becomes more and more corporate from year to year. The organisers quickly worked out its charms and while attracting some great names have succeeded in keeping it small and homely. Another reason not to miss it.

As for the line-up, where do you start? The opening Friday night gives you a great idea of the eclectic nature of the event. At the Church you can catch Gwenno playing songs from her brilliant Welsh Music Prize winning album Y Dydd Olaf, whilst Dom Joly appears in the Hall. If you make it that far, of course. The first session in the Tin Shed is led by Peter Brown, a beer writer who will be demonstrating how to match your beer to the music you’re listening to. If you’re looking for a bit of hwyl, you’ve come to the right place.

In this, the festival’s 10th year, there are plenty of names that will guarantee a weekend to remember, if you don’t drink too much local ale. If literature is your thing, you won’t be disappointed. The master of crime writing, Ian Rankin, is making an appearance. It’s easy to imagine Rankin’s most famous creation, Rebus, walking moodily through Laugharne’s streets, and Rankin’s presence is surely one of those that should be marked as ‘not to be missed’. His novels might be classed as crime fiction but they go beyond the simple formula of that genre. And with Rankin such a fan of great music, you might find yourself rubbing shoulders with him at another event during the weekend.

A fellow Scot whose writing has been influenced by the music he loves is Irvine Welsh.

Trainspotting is still one of the great contemporary British novels and one of the best contemporary British films. With the resurrection of some of Trainspotting’s characters in his most recent novel Skagboys and Welsh’s own colourful past through his involvement in the punk scene and a series of arrests for petty crime, some time in his company would be time well spent.

Musicians with literary flair also make an appearance. Gwenno, whose album is based on a Welsh language dystopian novel is also a staunch preservationist of minority languages.

Other musicians who have something to say are plentiful: it’s a festival for the mind as much as anything else. Charlotte Church is making an appearance, as is Tracey Thorn.

BUZZ 12

The latter’s memoir Bedsit Disco Queen deservedly became a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller while her second book, Naked At The Albert Hall appeared to much acclaim last year.

The diversity of the line-up is reflected in the fact that Martin and Eliza Carthy and Thurston Moore both appear. Moore, of the influential post-punk band Sonic Youth, should be well worth seeing, especially in the light of his ex-wife and fellow band member Kim Gordon’s recent book Girl In A Band. Hearing Moore reflecting on his musical life should be one of the main attractions.

Two years ago, Wilko Johnson, the legendary guitarist of Dr. Feelgood, was meant to make an appearance. What kept him from Laugharne was the news that he had pancreatic cancer. While he initially decided against chemotherapy, he is now well on the road to recovery and is coming to Laugharne this April. Julian Temple, the revered documentary film-maker who directed the film on Dr. Feelgood, Oil City Confidential will also be there.

When Temple appeared in 2014, it was with a touch of sadness at Wilko’s condition. Not so this year. Other legendary figures who’ll be attending include Brix Smith-Start, once a member of The Fall, and Richard James, one of the founding members of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci and, in recent years, the writer of some beautiful solo albums.

The Laugharne Weekend is also a great place to catch those up-and-coming voices.

We’re sure to hear much more about Jonathan Edwards, winner of last year’s Costa Prize For Poetry. His first collection, My Family And Other Superheroes has its feet firmly on the ground. With many of the poems based on Edwards’s own family, it’s full of the type of humorous observations that are typical of the south Wales valleys. A fervent Welsh football fan, it’ll be interesting to see if he’s written anything on Bale and co. to go with his poem on Wales beating Germany at Cardiff Arms Park.

Kate Hamer is another local writer whose work has appeared on the Costa Prize list.

Her debut novel, The Girl In The Red Coat has won plenty of admirers as has Brecon-born Holly Muller’s debut, My Own Dear Brother. It’s having these new voices amongst such familiar names like Deborah Moggach which makes the Laugharne such a diverse and rich experience.

Equally funny and thought-provoking, comedians Josie Long and Mark Thomas will ensure that there’ll be plenty of political issues to discuss as well. But no Laugharne Weekend would be complete without two more things. Firstly, Stuart Maconie. Radio personality, writer and a walking encyclopaedia, Maconie champions the weekend at every possible opportunity, waxing lyrical about the town’s charms. Laughane has a funny way of doing that to you.

The other thing is an event which sums up the festival, Laugharne’s Got Talent, hosted

by Keith Allen. Held in the local rugby club and billed as an “anarchic X Factor alternative” it sums up the communal nature of the festival where everyone can have a voice.

With the ghost of Dylan Thomas overseeing it, an impressive line-up and the idiosyncratic location, the Laugharne Weekend promises to draw us out of the wet winter blues and give us a taste of the summer.

Laugharne Festival, Fri 1-Sun 3 Apr. Tickets: £85. Info: www. s452743659.websitehome.co.uk

pic Les Haines

pic Edwards Bishop

BUZZ 13

upfront

DEREK ACORAH

MOST TA U N T E D Controversial psychic medium Derek Acorah speaks with Rachael Phillips about Most Haunted, live shows, his love for Wales and taking time off.

W

hen it comes to the business of spirits, everyone has an opinion, especially when it comes to the divisive psychic medium Derek Acorah. He has had a career on radio, television and live events for over 20 years. Famed for his stint alongside ex-Blue Peter presenter Yvette Fielding on Living TV’s Most Haunted, he left after six series and his career has continued to flourish. Now he’s about to embark on a UK tour.

“Before the television, I always did live work. I love the interaction with the public,” says Derek. “It’s just so great to get out and be able to talk to people individually, especially when someone has an important message that they want to share.”

And it’s not just on stage that Derek likes to talk to the audience: “I’ve always been determined not to just do a show and leave, but to wait and go to the reception area afterwards and meet the people. I’ve never left any of my live shows without signing autographs.”

Of course, when it comes to claiming that you can talk to the dead, there are always people are on hand to make the point that it’s simply not true.

“There are always a number of cynical minds that come to my shows and in the early years it would affect me, but BUZZ 14

I’ve come to realise the work that I do will always attract some kind of skeptical point of view and you’ve just got to let it go. I’ve allowed my shoulders to become broader spiritually, so it doesn’t bother me anymore. So long as the audience and the people who receive the messages are happy, that’s all I care about.”

Derek’s work has taken him all over the world on a mission to explore the paranormal. He’s been to Los Angeles, Egypt and now he’s coming back to Wales to perform his new show, The Soul Reunion.

“I’ve always loved coming to Wales,” he says. “When I was a boy, I used to holiday in North Wales because my auntie owned a static caravan there. South Wales didn’t really come on to my radar until I started to do shows later on in my life, but now it’s become a staple location of my tours.”

For Derek, being a psychic medium is a full time job and with claims of having so many spirits wanting to send messages through, you might wonder how he could possibly relax. “My grandmother was a medium for over 50 years and she taught me the discipline – meaning to open and close the link with the world of spirit. So before each show I go in to a meditative stance and tell the spirt world that I’m ready to work with them.

“When I’m done, I go back and thank the spirit world before closing down and asking them to leave me rest,” Derek continues, adding: “Without that I’d be ill – no medium should have to stay open to the powers 24/7”.

Then, of course, there’s Most Haunted. A show that thrust him into the living rooms of millions of viewers but ultimately created headlines when the show’s resident skeptic claimed he was a fake. In one episode, Derek was possessed by a spirit called Kreed Kafer, a name of a supposed ghost the crew allegedly made sure to drop in Derek’s presence. Kreed Kafer, however, is an anagram of Derek Faker. While the controversy has done little to keep fans away, Derek says, “I’m not regretful in any way that I took part in Most Haunted. I thoroughly enjoyed it at the time, but the changes that took place within the dynamics of the production meant that it was no longer a programme I wanted to be a part of.”

Derek Acorah: Soul Reunion, Tramshed, Cardiff, Thurs 17 Mar. tickets: £20. Info: 0117 9259273 / www.tramshedcardiff.com

BUZZ 15

upfront

DERREN B R O W N One of the world’s top illusionists Derren Brown speaks with Luke Owain Boult about ruling the world, mediums, and his latest show: Miracle.

What can audiences expect from your tour?

Well I always keep the details secret, and ask the audiences to do the same. But it’s based on audience participation – which is easy enough to avoid if you really don’t like that sort of thing. The show itself is broadly concerned with what makes us happy, and it makes some twists and turns through some of the boldest, ballsiest material I’ve ever performed on stage. It’s a joy to do.

Where do your ideas for tricks, stunts and illusions come from?

I have a few weeks for each project when I sit down with a couple of friends-cum-writers and we come up with the broad idea. The details get fleshed out as we move into production. Essentially it has to be something that I believe in, and want to commit the amount of time to, so it’s up to me to drive the ideas. But I love working in a small team, and value my co-thinkers enormously. It stops you from becoming indulgent, which is hugely important.

What is your opinion of 'mediums' and 'psychics’?

Ha. It’s a nasty business. All the high-profile ones I have met have proved to be bullies and deeply unpleasant.

Unfortunately, we’ll always love the promise of such BUZZ 16

mystical abilities, so it’s a tragically lucrative business.

As for how they do it, a quick Google on cold-reading and hot-reading will explain their techniques. And there’s no question about it.

I tour the same theatres where they perform, and I’m forever hearing the in-house staff complaining about whatever psychic has most recently been there. One member of staff told me he sat at the back of the stalls next to the assistant who was feeding information into the psychic’s earpiece; information which had been gleaned before the show in the foyer. I often debunk their methods but have to work harder; sadly psychic shows tend to be very weak, whereas I have to make them more impressive than they tend to be in order to debunk them.

How can you read people so well?

It’s not so simple. I create the effect of reading people so well, but the reality is normally more complicated.

There are certain techniques I use, certain tricks and subterfuges, always with an eye on the final illusion. So you have to take it with a pinch of salt. But I think we’re pretty easy to read, as long as you can get out of your own head and pay proper attention to people.

How did you get started and what advice would you give to someone who wanted to

follow in your footsteps?

I started out as a hypnotist, and later as a sleightof-hand magician. I read everything I could on both subjects. Nowadays it’s probably all downloadable, but there’s nothing like the long way round when it comes to learning something deeply.

The key thing as a performer is to find your own voice.

To love what you do, and to not chase success for its own sake. You develop your talent, you try to get it out there so people see it, and that’s all you should concern yourself with. Same with any performer. As for my specific skills, I’ve spent 25 years developing them, so be prepared to take your time. You have to love the journey.

How do we know you don't secretly rule the world?

I spent 10 minutes looking for my phone yesterday while I was talking to someone on it. I’m a long way off ruling the world.

Derren Brown: Miracle, Grand Theatre, Swansea, Mon 7-Sat 12 Mar. Tickets: £27-£41. Info: 01792 475715 / www. swanseagrand.co.uk

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upfront

MARK W AT S O N

Comedian, novelist, and all round funny bloke Mark Watson speaks with Emily Garside about his new tour, pride, shame, and dreams.

What can audiences expect from you this time around?

Well, the last show was quite unusually personal – for me, at least – and I plan to go further down that road this time. I'm gradually getting bolder at talking about stuff that's interesting to me, not purely playing everything for laughs. So this show is about things like 'identity in a digital age'. But it's also got an awful of jokes in it. I haven't gone THAT far away from that agenda. I think people like that in a comedy show.

What are the best/worst things about touring a show?

Touring is a matter of drinking wine, staying up late, writing on trains (that is, on trains using a laptop, not defacing them), making playlists and clocking up an astonishing number of miles. All these things have the potential to be both the best and the worst thing about touring. On the whole I really enjoy it, for all its drawbacks; it's pretty satisfying to find an audience that cares specifically about you and your material.

Is there a big difference between ‘Mark Watson: Comedian’ and ‘Mark Watson, man doing his shopping’?

Essentially, 'Mark Watson: Comedian' is me saying all the things I walk around with, but never vocalise. That means that the on-stage person is a lot more frantic, full of rage, extroverted – but none of that is exactly a 'persona'. It's better described as an exaggerated version of my real self. It’s like a form of therapy where you get paid rather than the other way around.

Was there a definitive moment both when you decided that pursuing comedy was the path for you?

Weirdly I wouldn't say there was a definitive moment. There were certain triggers – for example, I was in debating club at school and one of the judges disapprovingly said I 'should get into stand-up comedy'.

And then much later when I did my first Edinburgh show in 2005 I do remember people paying to see me for the first time, and thinking "maybe this could actually happen". But unless you're someone like John Bishop, I

BUZZ 18

don't think it ever hits you that you have definitely 'made it'. Even now I sometimes expect everything to be taken away from me – for someone to inform me that there's been a mistake and this isn't a career after all.

Who was your inspiration as a younger comedian?

I hadn't seen much comedy (as I mention above) when I was starting out, so I learned 'on the job' really. Comics like Dara Ó Briain and Adam Hills taught me my craft purely in the sense that I watched and learned from them. I was a big music-goer in my younger days, so a lot of my early inspirations were actually bands, like Welsh heroes Super Furry Animals. It was from music shows that I got the taste for creating an exciting live event.

Are there any goals or new directions you’re working towards?

Oh, lots. I have plenty of writing projects – more novels, plays, that sort of thing. But mostly my aim is to continue doing what I'm doing, just better. I think that's the only aspiration you can realistically have. I mean, you should aim high, but you shouldn't 'aim for success' - you should try to master your craft and hope that's good enough.

What if anything would you prefer to erase from your history (or, at least, internet record)?

There's an awful lot. I'd like to delete all the instances of me hurting people. Can you make that happen? Thanks.

And to balance that last one, what currently are you most proud of so far?

The marathon shows I've done (for Comic Relief and otherwise), just because it's the only work I can really point to and say that nobody else could have done it.

Even if that's purely because nobody else would be stupid enough to.

Mark Watson: I’m Not Here, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Thu 10 Mar. Tickets: £18. Info: 01970 623232 / www. aberystwythartscentre.co.uk; Sherman Cymru, Cardiff, Sat 12 Mar. Tickets: £18. Info: 029 2064 6900 / www. shermancymru.co.uk

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#LightsOutCymru #EarthHour BUZZ 19

upfront

Yo l a n D a B r o w n Two time MOBO Award winner and one of the world’s top saxophonists, YolanDa Brown, speaks with Chris Williams about her latest tour and the importance of pursuing your passion.

N

ot many musicians decide to postpone their PhDs to become a full time recording artist moments before going onstage at a palace in Russia. This is what double MOBO Award-winning saxophonist YolanDa Brown did just before stepping on stage to play in front of the Russian President. “I was trying to send off a chapter of my PhD when I was being called to go onstage, and thought to myself ‘you know what, I need to make a choice it’s either music or studies’ and, yep, music won. That was four years ago now and I haven’t looked back since so it was definitely the right decision”. Yolanda is a saxophonist who loves mixing genres. Her Reggae Love Songs tour promises “lots of jazz elements, reggae and nice soulful undertones”.

She’s been a member of Jools Holland’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and has also gained two Masters Degrees in Management Science.

YolanDa taught herself to play saxophone at the age of 13 after she was given one for Christmas. “I was going to start my lessons in January and I remember putting the saxophone together, finding out how the reed worked and making a sound out of the saxophone.

In three weeks I was actually teaching myself how to play, when I started lessons I was learning scales and not playing any songs, I didn’t get the same enjoyment out of the instrument and I’m glad I was mature enough to say ‘I really like this instrument, I want to learn the instrument, maybe I should go it alone because I think they’re gonna kill my passion

BUZZ 20

if I stay learning it this way.’ I found exploring the instrument myself gave me more rewards than just practising scales every week.”

However, this didn’t mean that a career in music was her goal. She achieved two Masters Degrees and pursued a PhD in Management Science at the University of Kent, and after the band she was playing in to subsidise her studies fell away, the manager offered to manage her as a solo artist. When I asked her if a career as a musician was always on the cards, she says it all happened unexpectedly. “When I get the opportunity to go on a wonderful tour like this and to do interviews it kind of reminds me that all of this was all a bit of a whirlwind. I’m still very shocked and honoured and grateful that this is my job now.”

And it would seem a dream job, meeting inspirations like Dionne Warwick and touring with

The Temptations. “We did 25 dates together. No matter how long they’ve been in the industry they stay humble; they’re open to speaking to new artists.

It was just refreshing to meet artists who are true to their music and true to their listeners and that’s kind of the artist that I want to be.”

In 2011 she was invited to be a member of Jools Holland’s big band orchestra, which she loved: “It was a fantastic experience, he’s a great performer and I got to walk up front and do a solo with him, so it was a great memory to have and hopefully there’ll be more opportunities in the future”. YolanDa is also working with special guests on her tour – Lamar and Levi Roots are joining her in Cardiff.

As well as being both academically and musically driven, YolanDa is involved by several charities helping young people get into music. Her advice to aspiring musicians is simple: “Don’t wait, just do.”

YolanDa Brown, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Wed 23 Mar. Tickets: £18.50-£25. Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff. co.uk

"I was trying to send off a chapter of my PhD when I was being called to go onstage"

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From February 4th

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upfront

WOW WALES ONE WORLD FILM FESTIVAL Joe Richards casts his beady eye on what’s coming up at the WOW Film Festival.

M

arch is a great time to be a film fan in Cardiff, as the long-running WOW Film Festival returns to Chapter Arts Centre. The festival will host a wide selection of films, both fiction and non-fiction, hailing from all over the world. From Patricio Guzman's latest Chilean-based documentary, to the Tribeca award-winning drama Sworn Virgin, the WOW Film Festival should be on every independent cinema connoisseur’s radar.

As always, there's much more to the festival than the films themselves, with plenty of workshops and discussions planned to run alongside the main features.

Opening the festival is a masterclass from Patricio Guzman, a seminar with the documentarian who has been dubbed as Chile's answer to Ken Loach. Following what is sure to be a fascinating discussion, especially for budding film-makers, there'll be a screening of his latest feature, The Pearl Button, a film that has been described by the LA Times as “lyrical, impressionistic and profound”.

If that wasn't enough to get you excited, there's more. If you're a fan of the hit BBC series Y Gwyll / Hinterland, then make sure you don't miss the masterclass with Ed Talfan and Gareth Bryn, two of the minds behind the detective drama, which is also due to take place on the opening day. They will also be at Chapter to premiere their debut feature film Yr Ymadawiad (The Passing) – a supernatural melodrama – and following the screening, the pair will be sticking around for a Q&A session.

My own personal recommendation for a film that isn't to be missed, is a screening of Joshua Oppenheimer's shocking and essential 2013 documentary The Act Of Killing. Telling the story of the mass killings in Indonesia between 1965 and 1966 in a bold and unique way, the film allows some of the main perpetrators to re-enact their experiences of killing through a film genre of their choice.

As you can imagine, it makes for a deeply disturbing watch, but one that is difficult to turn away from. Not only does the screening give you another chance to see the riveting and visually arresting documentary – one of the best in the last decade – on the big screen, but it will also be followed by what will undoubtedly be an insightful and unmissable discussion.

The festival isn't solely for adults: there are a number of PG-rated features showing on Sat 12 and Sun 13 suitable for younger teens, providing they are willing

BUZZ BUZZ22 22

to sit through the subtitles. Amongst others, there's the Ethiopian-set Lamb and Our Little Sister from Japan, which tell stories with a particular focus on family. If you have a teenager who has never seen a foreign language film before, this could just well be the perfect time to introduce them to world cinema.

Undeniably the most exciting element of this year's WOW Film Festival is its keen focus on works from female film-makers. With the introduction of an 'F-rating', you'll be able to easily pick out the films that have either been written or directed by a woman, or simply feature a strong female presence in the narrative. The fact that the festival aims to acknowledge and celebrate the work of women in world cinema is just one of the many unique elements that distinguish it from any other of its kind.

It is proof of the festival's commitment to recognising diverse and alternative cinema, which is so often ignored by the mainstream.

Put simply, the WOW Film Festival is an unmissable event, even more so because it'll be taking place in the cosy and chilled-out ambience of Chapter Arts Centre, in addition to other cinemas across Wales. Get tickets sooner rather than later to avoid disappointment.

WOW Wales One World Film Festival, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff / Aberystwyth Arts Centre / Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. Thurs 10-Thurs 17 Mar. Tickets vary per venue and feature. Info: www. wowfilmfestival.com

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BUZZ 23

upfront upfront

FFRESH FESTIVAL WALES Calling all budding filmmakers and aspiring media professionals! The Ffresh Student Media Festival Of Wales is back this month for its 14th year, with a range of activities aimed at anyone keen to make their mark on the local media industry. Festivities will kick off with a film competition screening, followed by an awards ceremony and a large networking party for attendees.

This year's event will make its debut at the Depot, a creative warehouse space in Cardiff, with the unique location set to enhance the atmosphere of the day. “We are excited to introduce the Depot as a new venue for us, featuring street food and beautifully artistic surroundings,” says Festival Director Jody Tozer.

The film screening will consist of submissions from students across Wales, covering 10 categories such as animation, documentaries, fiction, Welsh language and motion graphics. Students will see firsthand what their peers have been up to, and the winner of the competition will be announced and presented with a locally designed wooden trophy at an awards ceremony hosted by Welsh actor, and Buzz’s film writer Keiron Self (My Family).

The party continues from 8-11pm with the Cardiff Mini Film Festival Networking Party, featuring local DJs and street food and drink. It's a chance for anyone interested in gaining more knowledge of the media industry to mingle with professionals in an informal atmosphere – and it's not only aimed at students. “People who want to work in the media industry can meet various media companies to seek advice, and other people who they may want to collaborate with,” says Tozer.

The party will have representatives with experience in a diverse range of backgrounds including film, television, animation, motion graphics and print media, with local talent from companies such as Spin The Yarn Productions, Winding Snake, Ebbw Media and Buzz Magazine.

Entrance is free for students from a number of Welsh institutions, including Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, University Of South Wales, University Of Wales Trinity Saint David and the NPTC Group. NICOLE CALABRIA Ffresh Student Media Festival Of Wales, The Depot, Cardiff, Thu 10 Mar. Admission: £9/£6 adv/free NUS. Info: www.ffresh.com

TOM: A STORY OF TOM JONES, THE MUSICAL Celebrating the journey of an ordinary Welshman’s climb to stardom, Tom will take you back to the 1960s, to the beginning of the prolific career of Tom Jones. Featuring popular music of the era as well as some of the star’s biggest hits such as It’s Not Unusual, What’s New Pussycat? and Delilah, this show tells the story of the valleys boy with a heart-stopping voice and how he made his way from the little town of Pontypridd to the global stage.

The musical reveals the true determination and dedication of ‘Tiger’ Tom as he performs in the pubs and clubs of the valleys as well as revealing the violent rock and roll culture of the late 50s and early 60s. Kit Orton, who plays the role of Tom, accurately replicates the charismatic star singing the greats of the time from the likes of Ray Charles and Al Jolson, as he tours Wales’ small venues before his ultimate big break. In particular, the play focuses on Tom’s early partnership with pop guru Gordon Mills and explores his often wayward devotion to childhood sweetheart Linda, who remains his wife to this day, over 50 years later.

It was in Tom’s hometown of Pontypridd that the show premiered in 2014, and it has subsequently toured for 10 weeks throughout Wales and the UK. The production, by Theatr na nÓg, has since been revised and is now returning to the stage, with the 2016 tour starting off in Cardiff this March.

Tom: A Story Of Tom Jones, The Musical was written by Mike James, musically directed by Ben Goddard, designed by Sean Crowley and directed by Geinor Styles.

Performed by an outstanding cast of actors and musicians, this sensational production looks to be as enchanting as Tom himself. ANNA-MARIE BEAL Tom: A Story Of Tom Jones, The Musical, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Mon 7-Sat 12 Mar. Tickets: £15.50£45.50. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk pic Simon Gough Photography

BUZZ 24

upfront upfront

EARTH HOUR On Sat 19 Mar 2016, at 8.30pm, thousands of men, women and children, businesses, shops, restaurants, cafés and hotels will join together and bring darkness to Wales by turning off the lights. As energy prices continue to rise, this national switch off has nothing to do with saving money but has everything to do with saving the planet.

Orchestrated by the World Wide Fund for Nature – an international nongovernmental organisation founded on April 29, 1961 – Earth Hour is an annual celebration of consideration for the future of our planet; a chance to put the spotlight firmly on climate change and to encourage the population to adopt a sustainable lifestyle. To swear allegiance to helping reduce our CO2 emissions, Welsh landmarks such as the Senedd and Caerphilly Castle will take part, along with colleges and universities – such as Swansea and Bangor – and local councils, including Carmarthenshire, Conwy and Cardiff.

But this event isn’t just confined to Wales – all around the globe people will be joining in and switching off. Earth Hour first took place in Sydney in 2007 and the number of countries taking part has now reached 172 and is still growing. “Climate change is not just the issue of the hour, it's the issue of our generation,” said Sudhanshu Sarronwala, Chair, Board of Directors, Earth Hour Global. “Earth Hour is the world’s most enduring people’s movement focused on climate. The lights may go out for one hour, but the actions of millions throughout the year will inspire the solutions required to change climate change.”

UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon said, “Earth Hour shows what is possible when we unite in support of a cause: no individual action is too small, no collective vision is too big. This is the time to use your power.” So if you don’t want to be part of the problem then be part of the solution. We can all make a difference by signing up and pledge our support for Earth Hour. It may be only one light bulb but every little light counts. LYNDA NASH

COMIC CON CARDIFF For all diehard comic book enthusiasts, gamers and anime fans this is certainly an event not to miss. Having built up a reputation for being one of Wales’ top comic conventions, Comic Con Cardiff returns once more.

The all-ages event allows hobbyists and fans to take part in the many activities that will be on, including competitions, photo shoots, autograph sessions, and retro gaming.

There is also an opportunity to browse through the many stalls filled with TV, film and comic book memorabilia and collectables. Famous guests include Colin Baker (Doctor Who), Nicola Bryant (Doctor Who), Olga Fonda (The Vampire Diaries), Daniel Kash (Aliens), Deborah Watling (Doctor Who), Sandeep Mohan (Star Wars), Tom Burke (The Musketeers), with more guests likely to be announced soon.

The event is organised into different zones for those with specific interests. The Manga Zone has a wealth of merchandise and collectables, and offers opportunities to meet manga artists and creators. The Cosplay Zone is where you will find costumed visitors putting on parades, competitions and offering great photo opportunities, as well as the chance to take part in master classes and collect rare comic issues.

The Comic Zone allows fans to explore the many worlds of fantasy and sci-fi, including Star Wars, Star Trek, Transformers and Game Of Thrones. Find the latest releases, rare issues, action figures, posters, and original art in this overflowing section. There will also be an opportunity to meet the pros and to hear the top writers and artists from around the world talk about their careers.

In addition to special guests, Comic Con Cardiff are welcoming the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo for photo ops, as well as a replica of Rey’s Speeder Bike from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Other names to look out for are wrestling legends the Road Warrior Animal and Al Snow, Beano artist Lew Stringer and Amazing Spider-Man artist Dan Slott.

ANNA-MARIE BEAL Film & Comic Con Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Sat 5 + Sun 6 Mar. Tickets: £8-£15. Info: www.filmandcomicconcardiff.com

BUZZ 26

pic Ben Salter

Earth Hour, Sat 19 Mar. Info: www.wwf.org.uk

BUZZ 27

film

by Keiron Self

ANOMALISA ****

BATMAN VS SUPERMAN ***

Dir: Charlie Kaufman/Duke Johnson (15, 90 mins) A startlingly good drama in stop motion, puppetry has never been this heartfelt and human, and it boasts the first ever stop motion sex scene that is played for truth rather than laughs. Groundbreaking in many respects then. Michael Stone, voiced by David Thewlis, is an inspirational speaker who has a one night stay over in a hotel before he delivers his keynote speech. He meets Lisa, voiced by Jennifer Jason Leigh, and various other people who all look and sound the same, all voiced by Tom Noonan. This Michael and Lisa really stick out and soon you forget they are models as they have a love affair, including the graphic and realistic sex scene. These are models with spare tyres. A meditation on depression and the transitory beauty of love, Anomalisa is incredibly accessible despite its set up.

Writer/director Kaufman has always wrong footed the audience with his films like Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Adaptation, Synecdoche, and New York, but this feels like his most personal and involving work, despite its manipulated model leads. Strange and wonderful, Anomalisa is a unique cinema experience. Opens Mar 11

Dir: Zack Snyder (12A, 130 mins) The po-faced CGI destruction heavy Superman reboot Man Of Steel gets a sequel of sorts in this DC Comics extravaganza, an attempt to out-Marvel Marvel and spread even more superhero love. Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy was a resounding success, combining action with dramatic heft; Snyder’s take on the son of Krypton was less successful, so maybe that’s why the bat is back.

Ben Affleck steps into the Batsuit to do battle with the Superman who levelled Metropolis – in his opinion an all-powerful alien who seems out of control and needs to be taken down a peg. Superman dislikes Batman’s vigilante ways, but inevitably they have to team up against another threat, Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor and his creation Doomsday. As if that wasn’t enough overstuffing, the film also boasts the cinematic debut of Wonder Woman in the form of Gal Gadot, thereby setting up the inception of the Justice League. An over-egged pudding or the start of a thrilling new franchise? With Snyder at the helm it’s likely to be more means more, with perhaps little import, his insistence on mass destruction clouding any salient points hidden within Man Of Steel. Opens Mar 25

LONDON HAS FALLEN **

ROCK THE KASBAH **

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR ***

Dir: Babak Najafi (15, 99 mins) After the far from impressive Olympus Has Fallen, Gerard Butler gets another chance to do a Die Hard, this time destroying most of London along the way.

The British Prime Minister has died in suspicious circumstances and world leaders assemble for his funeral in London. Naturally it’s all part of a dastardly plot to destroy the world and especially Aaron Eckhart’s President Of The USA. Luckily, Gerard Butler is there as secret service agent Mike Banning, evading the terrorist threat and going on the run with the President, along with the help of Morgan Freeman and Angela Bassett, as Westminster explodes. Gung-ho nonsense of the highest order with the charisma-free Butler trying to do one liners amidst the queasily heavy carnage, this is a noisy charmless action film with some obvious CGI and a dodgy sense of foreign policy. Opens Mar 3

Dir: Barry Levinson (15, 106 mins) Alas, not even the talents of Bill Murray, starring as a rock promoter bringing hope to war torn Afghanistan, can save this patronising misfire of a movie. Heading off to Kabul with protégé/receptionist Zooey Deschanel with some gigs booked, he soon finds himself alone in the desert, fleeing mercenary Bruce Willis with two weapon-selling idiots, Scott Caan and Danny McBride.

What could have been a biting satire about American involvement in Afghanistan turns into pedestrian schmaltz as Murray discovers Salima, played by Leem Lubany, who ends up on the Afghan Pop Idol uniting her country in song. None of this succeeds despite the efforts of the cast, Murray in fact tries too hard, becoming grating as he struggles through this oddly toned mess. The cast can’t bypass the clichés, and it’s a shame to see Barry Levinson (Diner, Avalon) in a directing role. Leave this Kasbah alone. Opens Mar 18

Dir: Johannes Roberts (15, 96 mins) Jump scares abound in this moderately diverting horror tale about not opening a door. Sarah Wayne Callies, who battled zombies in The Walking Dead and hubby Jeremy Sisto from Six Feet Under (which also had dead people in it), are grieving after the death of their son.

When Callies learns of an ancient ritual that would allow a final goodbye to her son, she travels to an Indian temple with a door that is in fact a portal between the worlds of the living and the dead. She’s told she can talk to her son through the door but for goodness sake don’t open it! Guess what? Yup. She opens it. So stuff comes through the portal, not nice stuff, and the family are soon battling supernatural nasties which crawl along floors and play pianos. Solid but unremarkable creeps. Opens Mar 18

ALSO RELEASED MARCH 2016: THE CHOICE (12A) Another soapy sentimental Nicolas Sparks book adapted for soppy types. Cinematic Mills and Boon with tears. TIME OUT OF MIND (15) Richard Gere does proper acting in this family drama, as a vagrant man with drink and mental issues trying to reconnect with his daughter. Absorbing. FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK (15) Fifty Shades Of Grey gets its parody movie and it’s as bad as you’d think. KUNG FU PANDA 3 (PG) It’s Kung Fu Panda! Again. You know, with the panda and the kung-fu. Bryan Cranston adds his voice as a baddie, Jack Black does his thing again. Great animation, chapter may be becoming a little tired though. THE ONES BELOW (15) Gripping thriller as a couple with a young baby move in above a childless couple in London. David Morrisey is

HAIL CAESAR ****

HIGH RISE ****

Dir: The Coen Brothers (12A, 106 mins) The Coen Brothers return with one of their ‘funny ones’ after the melancholy, dour and splendid Inside Llewyn Davis. Of course, there’s more going on underneath the surface of this enjoyable romp through the Hollywood of the 1950s and is at once a moving letter and a jibe at the film industry. George Clooney plays another idiot for the Coens, Baird Whitlock, matinee idol who is kidnapped from the set of a biblical epic Hail Caesar and is held for ransom by some Communist sympathising screenwriters. It’s up to a frowning Josh Brolin as Eddie Mannix, a man who always puts out scandals for the studios, to get to the bottom of this mystery. Exuberant in its staged Hollywood numbers, from Scarlett Johannsson’s Mermaid synchronised swimming routine, to a sailor suited Channing Tatum’s Gene Kelly-esque dance routine, the Coens expose the studio machinery with aplomb and utilise a wonderful cast. Particularly strong are Alden Ehrenreich as a dumb cowboy hunk trying to do serious drama under the tutelage of frustrated director Ralph Fiennes, and Tilda Swinton’s twist on 50s gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. A clever, brilliantly shot barbed love letter to the industry. Opens Mar 4

Dir: Ben Wheatley (15, 112 mins) J.G. Ballard’s 1970s dystopian novel gets an intriguing cinematic treatment by Kill List director Ben Wheatley. Tom Hiddleston is Robert Laing, a passive observer of chaos in the brutalist 70s architecture of a high rise tower block. The rich live at the top, the poor at the bottom, Hiddleston is somewhere in the middle, although he seems like he’d be somewhere near the top being both posh and rich. He goes to parties on various floors, a notable dance to a version of Abba’s SOS, has sex with rich girl Charlotte Melville (Sienna Miller) and with pregnant Helen Wilder (Elisabeth Moss), as TV producer Richard Wilder (Luke Evans) seethes with envy at the rich and Anthony Royal (Jeremy Irons) lords over it all as the ‘Architect’ in his penthouse. This isn’t quite a searing satire on class, or a darkly comic sci-fi.

Wheatley is far too arch for that, preferring with screen writing partner Amy Jump to disorientate and alarm. The film jumps time frames, locations and sense with abandon, while the violence is visceral. Nice to see Wheatley stepping up to the bigger leagues as a director in this promising adaptation. Opens Mar 18

ALLEGIANT ***

THE WITCH ****

TRUTH ****

Dir: Robert Schwentke (12A, 114 mins) The Divergent series does a Hunger Games and splits Virginia Roth’s last book in two to make more money.

Shailene Woodley’s Tris ventures outside her walled city to find out about the experiment that she and her fellow humans have been a part of in the first two films. They discover Jeff Daniels’ David, the leader of a very judgmental human enclave, the Bureau of Genetic Welfare.

Tris is taken in by Daniels and his plans for the future of humanity, her beau (Theo James’ Four), however is not. The lovers fight but when the inhabitants of Chicago and their various denominations are found not up to snuff, catastrophic action is taken, forcing Tris to confront her true feelings and do CGI stuff in spaceships. An expansion of the universe of the first two films with solid success, again anchored by Woodley as the conflicted lead. Opens Mar 10

Dir: Robert Eggers (15, 90 mins) An unnerving historical horror film debut from writer/ director Eggers, The Witch earns its scares. An isolated community in a Salem-esque 1630s town provides the backdrop for farmer Ralph Ineson (Finchy from The Office) attempting to raise a family with his wife, a superb Kate Dickie. They have five children, the youngest of whom goes missing after being left in the care of daughter Thomasin – an excellent, ambiguous Anya Taylor-Joy. In the intensely Christian household, rumours begin to spread that Thomasin is actually a witch who has sacrificed her younger brother. The twins are mischief makers however, with a very close relationship with family goat Black Phillip, a symbol of the devil. Elder brother Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw) tries to find out what is afoot; heightened language, a creeping sense of dread and religious paranoia combine to make a heady horror mix that chills the soul. Opens Mar 11

Dir: James Vanderbilt (15, 121 mins) After the excellent and worthy Spotlight, another group of journalists try to expose wrong doing in another excellent and engaging film. This time the subject is former US President George W. Bush’s military record.

In 2004 Mary Mapes, producer of the CBS News 60 Minutes programme, aired a story questioning the President’s military record. A crack team of journalists are assembled to make sure of the veracity of the story played by Elisabeth Moss, Topher Grace, and Dennis Quaid. Ultimately however the story is rubbished by the right wing media and the journalists find themselves under attack. Cate Blanchett heads the cast as the principled Mapes, Robert Redford plays her news anchor, the well-respected Dan Rather. It’s a slippery tale that turns into a tale of media appeasement and journalistic manipulation that intrigues and grips with its murky wordiness. Opens Mar 4

creepy, Clemence Poesy is strung out, in this twisty psychological film. 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE (15) Producer J.J. Abrams has snuck out a sequel of sorts to Cloverfield with this tale of a woman kept in a man’s basement because of a chemical attack. Is it true or not? John Goodman stars in this shrouded in secrecy sci-fi thriller. MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 (12A) Remember My Big Fat Greek Wedding?

Yes, it was a while ago. Anyway here’s a sequel to that middle of the road blandness. WELCOME TO ME (15) Kristen Wiig wins the lottery and buys her own talk show in this quirky but affecting tale that provides laughs and provokes thoughts. Winningly unexpected. ZOOTROPOLIS (PG) CGI animation with animal cops, a fox and a rabbit team up to battle crime in this diverting family fare. You know for Easter.

profile

THOMAS SØNDERGÅRD

Thomas Søndergård, the Principal Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, speaks with Luke Owain Boult about his plans for the orchestra, engaging children with classical music, and finding comfort in music.

C

ongratulations on your extension as the Principal Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra Of Wales. What are your plans for the next two years?

When you spend so much time with a group, it’s because the relationship is really good, and we’ve explored all sorts of music together. Inspiring kids to start to listen to classical music has been a real high point for me, it’s really something extraordinary. On the top of that of course, we’ve started our Mahler cycle and we’ll be touring as well, which is one thing that I’m really looking forward to. Last year we had the Swedish composer B. Tommy Andersson with us, and that was just... great. He was a new and welcoming inspiration.

What drew you to Mahler in the first place?

For me, Mahler was where I found most of my breaks.

It causes mixed emotions, lots of emotions, and I guess that’s what drew me to it in the beginning when I was a very young man playing percussion with the European Community Youth Orchestra. That made a huge impact on me. Also when you’re young and searching for so many things in life, you experience lots for the first time.

In the symphonies you can hear all of these things – the joy, the weirdness and the search for the meaning of

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life. I also lost my father when I was very young and the music of Mahler comforted me.

What is the best way of getting younger audiences interested in classical music?

It has to capture them at the right moment. There’s an idea that classical music is only for certain sorts of people, but it contains so many things that are hard to describe in words. You can’t really say to kids, “just go and listen to it” when they’re not touched by it.

There are many brilliant ideas about how to get young people to listen to classical music. One of them was letting them into a cinema then the lights shut down, and for one hour the music plays. The BBC’s project, Ten Pieces, lets kids interact with music through composing and performing.

Do you think your interest in classical music is because it found you at the right time when you were younger?

I think so. I grew up in a town that only had 40,000 people, and they invested a lot of money in art. They had their own experimental theatre and a huge music school. It was just accessible for me from an early age and being in this tiny town, you can’t really avoid seeing marching bands in the street or hearing a concert in the concert hall.

So I was presented to this already very early in my life before I knew anything else, and people should be taught about this other world. You can talk about working in music and making a living out of it, but it can add something to us as human beings.

What drew you to working in Wales?

It began with a cancellation. A conductor was ill and I was asked to work with the orchestra and we got on really well, incredibly well. That’s the makings of a really great orchestra, and we just clicked. Then just saw the potential of exploring a lot of great music together, and BBC NOW were very open to exploring new music.

The range in the kind of music they do is different to orchestras around the world who are just used to doing very classical music and only that repertoire.

There’s something about the orchestra in Cardiff, they’re so flexible in the way that they work. When an orchestra plays as well as they do, they should be known, and the London audience as well as the Welsh audience, should know about them.

BBC National Orchestra Of Wales: Mother Goose with Søndergård, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Thurs 17 Mar. Tickets: £15-£22. Info: 01970 623232 / www.bbc.co.uk/bbcnow

food/drink

Bitter greens salad with Roquefort, choggia beetroot, clementines & pistachio This is a salad recipe which is based on my simple two-step principle: 1. Make a big pile of your favourite things 2. Eat it.

Gather together:

Cooking and the big questions Have you ever wondered what cooks think about when they’re peeling carrots? Obviously, not every carrot is the same; nature provides us with an infinitely subtle variety of shape and shade, but there are a lot of carrots in the world, and an inordinate proportion of the cook’s life is spent on the preparation of them. The mind can facilitate the action of scraper and knife, with capacity to spare.

I

f we use only one third of our intellectual potential, what do we do with the other third?

The idle part of a cook’s mind drifts towards the bigger questions: ‘what’s it all about, then?’, ‘what is time?’ (as opposed to ‘what time is it?’, a different matter entirely) and ‘do gravity waves exist?’ I’m uncomfortable with the fact that I’ve been doing this for so long, that the imponderables are now being answered.

Is life all about filling time? If so, can that be done constructively? I suggest that cooking satisfies many of the finer urges: communication, sustenance of others and support for their health; the creation of beauty and a way of getting out of doing the washing up.

As time passes, I realise I’ve been cooking healthy food for longer than most. Admittedly, I started by accident: I just happened to like the taste. I find vegetables, fruit, pulses, grains, oils, vinegars, spices and herbs endlessly fascinating.

Is it possible I’m getting old? I can still remember the first time somebody called me ‘Mister’, as in “Hey, Mister, gonnae go in Ian tae that shop and buy us some Young fags?”, as spoken by a 10-year-old Glaswegian delinquent. I was only about 14 myself, with the first murmurings of facial hair.

Now, I’m a Veteran, mostly Vegetarian Cook: there’s not many of us

about. I may even be the first. Perhaps it’s just a factor of our scarcity, but our voices are rarely heard.

Why is it that healthy eating advice is invariably dispensed by luxuriously-coiffed 28-year-old women who are coming to the end of a lucrative modelling career? It’s safe to assume that they would be healthy anyway. Twiddling the knobs of an AGA in your Notting Hill farmhouse kitchen doesn’t prepare you for the real world. You need to have battled with deep fried pizza, Irn-Bru and chip shop haggis to see healthy food in context and truly understand the relief of that cool, crunchy celery...

What we need is a fresh, yet experienced perspective, from a middle-aged Scottish man with demonstrable cultural alternatives to a healthy lifestyle. Perhaps one who, despite a lingering fondness for red wine, has recently surpassed the milestone of average life expectancy in the Calton district of Glasgow.

My age and physique places me on a spectrum somewhere between Rab C Nesbitt and George Clooney: the precise positioning varies from day to day, but there’s some evidence that I could go on for some time yet. I put this optimistic outlook down to cycling to work and cooking delicious and healthy food for the past couple of decades.

Here’s two extremely seasonal, healthy and deliciously simple recipes for you to prepare. You might have to nip down to the Riverside market on the Taff embankment on Sunday morning, as some of the ingredients are not in fashion. Yet. Hmm... food fashions. I’ll save that rant for another day.

• Washed and dried seasonal greens from a farmers' market: mustard greens, mizuna, rocket, watercress etc. At this time of year, after a long winter, I will happily munch handfuls of greens for their crunchy, leafy mineral flavours.

• One or two small choggia beetroot, cooked in acidulated water (with added vinegar or lemon juice) for about 25 mins, then thinly sliced. Choggia are the pink beets with in-buit candy stripes.

• A couple of really good clementines, segmented.

• A small piece of Roquefort blue cheese, crumbled. Perl Las will do if you’re feeling patriotic.

• Some toasted, shelled pistachio nuts, chopped • A dressing of 1 splash sherry vinegar and 1 splash white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, pepper and a little mustard. Mix together and slowly whisk in another 4 glugs of virgin olive oil.

Better than asparagus broccoli Local, freshly picked purple sprouting broccoli is a seasonal treat, maybe even better than asparagus. It’s certainly sophisticated if you cook it right... what you don’t want to do is boil it.

INSTRUCTIONS: Take a bunch of purple sprouting. You can eat most of it, leaves and all. Just trim off the big, ugly leaves and any part of the stem that is damaged or woody.

• Sauté in an ovenproof frying pan, in a single layer with a minimal amount of oil, a pinch of lemon peel and chilli flakes, some black pepper & salt.

• Fry until thoroughly heated through.

• Cover the broccoli with foil and press down tightly to remove air, then cover with a lid and place in an oven at 200C. • Check after 10 mins, but it might take 5 more. The broccoli will cook in its own moisture, becoming al dente and preserving most of the colour. If you like, you can sprinkle with parmesan and finish under a grill.

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food/drink

SAUNDERSFOOT CAWL FACTOR The annual Saundersfoot festival is back! The cawl championship is one of the highlights of the Saundersfoot calendar which attracts thousands of visitors to the village for a day of St David’s celebrations. Previously called St. David’s Food And Craft Festival, the new restyled event will see the public given the chance to sample the different flavours of traditional cawl dishes, where you can then cast your vote on your favourite.

As well as the option to try out the different dishes, the day will include free attractions, displays from craft makers, children’s entertainment and a busking corner for local musicians to show off their talent. pic Carodean Road Designs

WHERE TO EAT FOR EASTER Easter is one of the best celebrations for food.

Mountains of chocolate and delicious Sunday roasts, all whilst being surrounded by family, is pure heaven. So this Easter Sunday, why not celebrate in style by visiting one of the many spectacular restaurants South Wales has to offer?

CELTIC MANOR

GLEN-YR-AFON

With its idyllic scenery and the option of five different restaurants to choose the perfect Easter Sunday lunch, the Celtic Manor is ideal to impress your family this Easter. You can choose from their attractive fine dining restaurant with a unique gourmet menu (£38 per adult/£20 per child), stunning views with a mouth-watering carvery at the Twenty Ten Clubhouse overlooking the Usk valley (£31 per adult/£16 per child), or a traditional Easter Sunday lunch in a spectacular 200-year-old inn (£32 per adult/£16 per child).

The Glen-Yr-Afon, a family-run hotel since 1974, also welcomes you to dine with them this Easter Sunday. Everything you could wish for in a roast dinner is on the menu for £31 per person, and there is also a special treat of a chocolate egg for all children attending (none for adults, unfortunately).

Celtic Manor, Newport. Info: 01633 410262 / www.celtic-manor.com

PARK PLAZA

CWTCH What could be better than a restaurant called Cwtch? Winners of many taste awards, and mentioned in the Waitrose good food guide more than once, their menu provides tasty roasts such as rosemary and garlic studded leg of lamb, and local roast Welsh topside of beef. You can eat two courses for £20 or three courses for £24 (children: two courses £12/three courses £15).

Cwtch, St Davids. Info: 01437 720491 / www.cwtchrestaurant.co.uk BUZZ 32

Glen-Yr-Afon House Hotel, Monmouthshire. Info: Tel: 01291 672302 / www.glen-yr-afon.co.uk

You can also enjoy a beautiful traditional roast dinner overlooking stunning views from the Park Plaza Hotel in Cardiff. This restaurant provides something for everyone, and their turkey is locally sourced from Pembrokeshire. They’ve even got a special Welsh treat for desert, with crème brulee and mini Welsh cakes. Enjoy this at £20 for two courses, and £25 for three.

Park Plaza, Cardiff. Info: 029 2011 1103 / www.parkplaza.co.uk

The Saundersfoot Cawl Factor 2016, Sat 12 Mar. Info: www.visitsaundersfootbay. com

FFWRNES POP UP One for pizza lovers, Ffwrnes is the coming together of two Carmarthenshire boys, Jez and Ieuan, who create delicious pizza from the back of a three-wheeled van. pic Jeffreyw Their aim is to use local produce and traditional artisan techniques to make Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza. In the mood for some pizza? Head to Pop-Up 161, Ffwrnes’ next popup restaurant, every Friday night throughout March at the Breakfast Bar. Ffwrnes Pizza Pop-Up 161, Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff, every Fri night throughout March. Info: www.facebook. com/ffwrnespizza

HANG FIRE SOUTHERN KITCHEN There’s great news in store for barbecued meat lovers in Wales as the popular pop-up restaurant, Hang Fire Smokehouse, have opened their first ever permanent fixture in Barry. Owners Samantha Evans and Shauna Guinn, who are also known as ‘The First Ladies of ‘Cue’, travelled to America in 2012 to find out what a proper American BBQ actually was.

Their quest took them around all the major US states where they carefully learnt the tricks of the trade to bring you the best of the barbecue. You can find their new hub at The Pumphouse, Hood Road, Barry.

Hang Fire Southern Kitchen, The Pumphouse, Hood Road, Barry. Info: www.hangfiresouthernkitchen.com

pic Goehring

pic Stu Spivak

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Places to treat your mother :)

GUINNESS

Lamb Casserole Words MICHAEL BELL www.mikeyandthekitchen.wordpress.com @mikeyandthekitchen

With Mother’s Day coming up, you may be dreading the sense of guilt that comes with it, but with our little guide, you can prove to your mother that she was wrong about you and that you’re a good person after all.

NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN OF WALES Beautiful all year round, mothers and grandmothers are in for a treat at the National Botanic Garden as both can visit free of charge. They can enjoy a local food and craft fair, accompanied by music and dancing.

National Botanic Garden Of Wales, Carmarthenshire. Admission: £8.50 adults/£4.50 children. Info: 01558 667149 / www.gardenofwales.org.uk

While cooking often gives you permission to experiment to your heart’s content, I believe that there are certain traditions that need to be adhered to. Lamb for Easter is one of them, and this fool proof recipe is one that I always look forward to breaking out due its memorable taste and straightforward simplicity.

My one tip with this recipe is not to make the consistency too soupy. In a casserole dish, cooking liquid does not condense as it would with a stew, so the option of thickening is a little slimmer. Therefore, try and ensure the casserole isn’t too liquid-based going into the oven.

INGREDIENTS

ST FAGANS St Fagans is inviting mothers to be treated like a queen for the day by enjoying a two or three-course meal in their castle dining room. Perfect for history-loving mommas.

St Fagans National History Museum, Cardiff. Cost: from £16.50. Info: 029 2057 3500 / www.museumwales.ac.uk

BEDWELLTY HOUSE If you feel like some luxury, the stunning Bedwellty House is providing high tea and Sunday lunch on Mother’s Day. While you tuck in, there’s also musical entertainment and gift making activities for the children.

Bedwellty House, Tredegar. Cost: afternoon tea £15 adults/£10 children; Sunday lunch £18 adults/£12 children. Info: 01495 353370 / www. bedwelltyhouseandpark.co.uk

ST DAVID’S HOTEL AND SPA If you feel your wonderful mum deserves some me-time to relax, St. David’s Hotel and Spa is perfect. Named as the best spa in Cardiff, treat your mum to a relaxing swim in the expansive pool or choose from a selection of 25-minute treatments.

St David’s Hotel And Spa, Cardiff. Cost: from £25. Info: 029 2045 4045 / www. thestdavidshotel.com

BRECON MOUNTAIN RAILWAY For a slightly more adventurous Mother’s Day and breath-taking scenery, travel by steam hauled train to Torpantau high in the Brecon Beacons and gaze out at the view.

On the way back mums can enjoy lunch for half price in the licensed tearooms.

Brecon Mountain Railway, Pant Station, Powys. Cost: £13.50 adults/£6.75 children. Info: 01685 722988 / www.breconmountainrailway.co.uk

500g cubed lamb Pinch of flour Sea salt and black pepper Drizzle of olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 200g button mushrooms 4 carrots Heaped teaspoon of dried sage 1 beef stock cube 500ml can of Guinness METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. 2. Coat your lamb cubes lightly in flour, salt and black pepper before dropping in a large casserole dish of hot olive oil to brown and lock in flavour. Transfer to a side plate.

3. Add the chopped onion, garlic, mushrooms and carrots to the pan of beef juices and soften, lightly coating in flour and salt.

4. Pour the meat back into the casserole dish along with the sage and turn with a wooden spoon.

5. Crumble in the beef stock cube and pour in the Guinness and allow to simmer gently.

6. Cover with a lid before transferring carefully to the hot oven. Cook for 2 hours until the meat is tender and the carrots soft to the touch.

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food/drink

MARCH

FOODIE FOCUS words JANE COOK www.hungrycityhippy.co.uk

O It’s the Simple Things…

L

ife is often relentless and sometimes its pace can leave you with not much head space for anything else. With this in mind, take a breath and start to slow down. Begin to appreciate your surroundings and indulge in some self-gratitude – you deserve it! It’s time for digital downtime; instead, acknowledge the simple things that everyday life has to offer.

With a seasonal change fast approaching, the Milgi tribe are very much looking forward to packing away their scarves and woolly jumpers and welcoming the beginning of spring – a time of increased energy, growth and potential.

As well as embracing this seasonal shift, making small changes to your daily routine can certainly have a big impact – start by rising earlier. Getting out of bed by even just 20 minutes earlier can give you the opportunity to make a big difference to the way that you start your day.

Make a warm hot ginger, lemon and honey elixir that will stimulate your digestion and make you feel great from the inside out. Grate 1cm of ginger into a cup, add the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoon of honey and leave to infuse for a minute or so. Take a moment for yourself whilst you embrace the potential of the day.

Connecting with nature and making the most of your precious time off is so important. We love to forage at Milgi and spring introduces an abundance of potential ingredients – nettles being one of our favourites. Nettles are a wealth of nutrients and minerals, and they are free. Head to your nearest park or field, put on a pair of marigolds and pick to your heart’s content. Make a soup or steep in hot water to make a tea. Relish in bliss as you enjoy the sense of satisfaction this simple activity will bring.

If you’re hungry for more join the Milgi tribe for recipes and get the inside scoop on everything from how we make our kombucha to sprouting lessons, recipes, foraging walks and field trips.

Get online content delivered direct to your inbox each month and start making the most of your free time!

Info: www.milgicardiff.com

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n Tue 1 Mar, the man behind the gorgeous Pettigrew Tearooms in Bute Park opens his next venture, the Pettigrew Bakery at Victoria Park. Expect homemade breads, pastries and cakes in a beautifully restored Victorian shop worthy of the St Fagans Museum!

Meanwhile, on Sat 5 Mar, Roath House will host ‘Sip & Shop’ – an opportunity to browse the beautiful wares of Lisa Valentine Home alongside jewellery by local artisan Lou Gray Jewellery, whilst the Italian Wine Women will provide drinks, charcuterie and cheese boards to fuel the event. For more info see www. facebook.com/theitalianwinewomen The Crafty Devil Bottle Shop in Canton now has a full license for their cellar bar. To celebrate arguably the most important annual sporting event in Wales, they are also teaming up with SWIGG for the ultimate Six Nations tasting evening on Fri 11 Mar – pitting a beer and whisky from each of the competing nations to find out who makes the best beverage! There’ll be half time nibbles too, and tickets are £30 from events.swwig.co.uk/beer-and-whisky Also on Fri 11, the Philly Cheese Steak popup comes to craft beer bar BrewDog, dishing up their unique brand of massive Philadelphia sandwiches from 6pm until they sell out.

The Rum Wild Tiki Takeover comes to Kemi's in Pontcanna on Thurs 24 Mar, promising a laidback tiki-fest of gorgeous cocktails, delicious food and easy tunes in a little haven of Polynesia in Cardiff. Tickets are £10 – follow them on Twitter at @thetikitakeover for more details.

The Herbivore vegetarian supper club is also back at Kemi's on Wed 30 Mar. Visit www. theherbivore.co.uk for the menu and booking details, and don’t forget to BYOB on the night!

food/drink

ARBOREAL

68 Eastgate Street, Cowbridge. 01446 775093 / www.arboreal.uk.com Food **** Atmosphere *** Given the unfathomable rise of the meretricious burger joints which currently saturate every high street and suitable pop-up space, I rejoice in the simple and passionate offererings at the family-run Arboreal restaurant in Cowbridge. Dishes are seasonal, which is no great shakes, but food is locally sourced and herbs are grown in the garden behind the restaurant. On a particularly wet, windy and odious evening last month we sampled their current menu.

Mushroom bruschetta and a walnut salad and blue cheese in a honey sherry vinaigrette with pomegranate seeds were the evening’s starter choices: Both very good, although if you want a more substantial starter go for the wood oven tiger prawns or Thai-style free range chicken skewers; nonetheless, both well presented and as expected.

Starters and mains both offer a choice of around four to five dishes, which is a more than ample selection. Other dishes on the menu this week included a brie and bacon burger with wedges; pork escalope with sumac, mash and red cabbage; pan-fried salmon with spring onions, chilli and coriander served with vermicelli noodles; and a variety of pizza toppings. Given all dishes are cooked to order, free range chicken breast on the bone pan-fried with seven spice, roast potatoes, carrot puree and kale was my choice. I’m not a big fan of pureed food – I prefer them as close to what God intended, with a slight crunch – but apart from that, the dish was perfect for a cold evening. The Fiorentina pizza, I am reliably informed, was simple, crispy in the right places and cooked in their purpose-built pizza oven to boot.

All washed down with a bottle of house sauvignon blanc, the total came to around £65.

A family-run restaurant with a dedicated staff, Arboreal is fiercely independent and should be on your ones to recommend list. ANTONIA LEVAY

pic Phil Guest

SHAKE SHACK

St David’s, Cardiff. 01923 555173 / www.shakeshack.com Food *** Atmosphere *** Recently Cardiff seems to have experienced a great flood of sorts. A Biblical scale of burger joints have popped up or expanded in the city, leaving foodies wondering why we’ve got so many American style burger restaurants, and not even a sniff of an Ethiopian, Vietnamese or Peruvian restaurant. Don’t get me wrong: I love a good burger, and Shake Shack certainly offer those.

I digress. Despite being busy, when I entered Shake Shack I was hastily seen to and my order had been taken very quickly. Almost instantly, I noticed they featured local beers, and the chain seemed to have adapted well to the city, with many a stylised draig goch adorning its walls. I started out with a gloriously greasy SmokeShack burger, which was a brilliant but guilty affair, holding up well to rivals Five Guys. This was followed by cheese fries, which as expected were, well, very cheesy. Not a lot could go wrong there then.

After this it was time for one of their shakes, which as their restaurant was named after them, must have been good. But seeing as it wasn’t a literal shack, and actually a nice, warm and friendly restaurant, were their shakes even shakes?

The answer is yes. Yes, they were shakes and my peanut butter (why is it always peanut butter flavour and not peanut flavour?) shake was delicious as expected, and thankfully I didn’t get a brain freeze.

Shake Shack is a welcome addition to St David’s Centre and provides a place for hangry shoppers to be kept from attacking each other, but I can’t help but crave a little more of an adventurous flavour in Cardiff’s food scene.

LUKE OWAIN BOULT

TURTLE BAY

St Mary Street, Cardiff. 029 2034 2006 / www.turtlebay.co.uk Food **** Atmosphere **** Turtle Bay lies on St Mary Street offering a refuge from the cold, wind and wet; its doors a portal into a surreal Caribbean universe. Stereotypical images and posters associated with the Anglophone Caribbean adorn its walls, with the late great Bob Marley gazing over diners to the tune of Peter Tosh urging them to “not criticize it”. Mesmerising neon signs hang over the well-designed zones of the restaurant, and it’s clear a lot of effort has gone into creating a laid back and attractive atmosphere. However, being on St Mary Street I suspect that it may fall victim to the usual hordes that swarm the area on Friday and Saturday nights.

Upon entering the restaurant, we were quickly seen to and shown to our seats.

First up, a couple of drinks, and the large choice of rum, beers and cocktails was the first thing to strike me. A frozen rum runner cocktail and a Trinidadian beer, Carib – both hit the spot – alongside spicy sweetcorn fritters, fried dumplings, sweet potato fries (delicious as always), and a new favourite of mine, sweet plantain.

Then the mains were brought out: curry pork cheek one pot and mo’bay chicken, which was creamy but still flavoursome. The pork cheek was outstandingly tender, with the consistency between pate and a medium steak, while its flavours had mingled perfectly with the chilli and spices. Finally, the warm and syrupy Caymanas rum cake (along with some El Dorado rum, one of the many impressive rums on offer) was a perfect way to end the meal.

LUKE OWAIN BOULT BUZZ 35

art

AJ STOCKWELL: THE PLACE THAT KNEW THEM, KNOWS THEM NO MORE FOREVER Elysium Gallery, Swansea Fri 24 Mar-Sat 2 Apr South Wales-based visual artist AJ Stockwell presents a new body of work at the Elysium Gallery, demonstrating the creations developed during her residency there. Fascinated by a range of materials, specifically ceramics, and the way these materials can affect human behaviour, the artist’s work often takes multiple forms as she borrows languages and processes from other disciplines. Her work focuses on the contemporary relationship we have with artefacts and their modes of construction.

As a primarily research based artist, Stockwell often works across different mediums including video, print, performance and photography. The artist graduated from the MA Ceramics programme at Cardiff School of Art and Design, where she produced a series of ceramic forms using bass speakers, an amplifier and a frequency generator. Stockwell constructed a new method of throwing clay to create works, relying on visual engagement rather than physically touching the material. This idea developed as a response to pottery wheels and the way individuals create a connection through the sense of touch when they repeatedly practice the art of throwing clay.

Currently an intern with the Wales Artist Resource Programme at G39, she was also a resident artist in the incubator programme Inc. Space at CSAD. The programme gives graduates the opportunity to spend an additional year at the school to launch their own business as practicing artists or designers. Described as an interdisciplinary artist, Stockwell has worked on previous projects including The Gifting, Great & Good: the public gifting of a vessel to highlight the hidden history of Elder Park in Govan, Scotland. In 2014, she constructed Please Retain For Your Records, another clay vessel embedded with one year’s worth of paper receipts. Expect to see comparable amounts of creativity and abstract ideas here.

Admission: free. Info: 07980 925449 / www.elysiumgallery.com ELENA HECTOR

BRENDA HARTILL

Attic Gallery, Swansea Sat 19 Mar-Sat 9 Apr From detailed figurative etchings to unique watercolour paintings, leading British painter-printmaker Brenda Hartill RE will be bringing her wide collection of work to the Attic Gallery this month. Hartill’s strong interest in the light and shadows of Southern Europe and remote New Zealand is reflected in her work, which explores the textures and patterns within these different landscapes. Now living in Spain, her collection of etchings also features pieces influenced by Spanish landscapes and her newest work uses beautiful hues of brown and blue in abstract forms. In her search for more artistic independence, Hartill turned towards printmaking in the early eighties and has since been successful in publishing her own work.

As a member of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers, her work is regularly displayed at shows all over the country such as the Bankside Gallery, London, and featured in the collections of many large companies. Hartill, a regular exhibitor at the gallery, will showcase her latest work at the exhibition but it will also reflect her development as a printmaker by looking back at her older creations. This looks set to be an interesting exhibition, showing some thought provoking pieces.

Admission: free. Info: 01792 653387 / www.atticgallery.co.uk (EH) BUZZ 36

CECILE JOHNSON SOLIZ: MADE UP

OLIVER GAIGER

Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff Until Tue 15 Mar Oriel Myrddin, Carmarthen Inspired by signs, symbols and patterns Sat 19 Mar-Sat 21 May found in both natural and man-made Enter the world of Cecile Johnson Soliz environments, this exhibition brings as she exhibits her dimensional works at Oriel Myrddin this Spring. From sculptures together influences from a mixture of cultures and landscapes found on the to sketches, and all things ambiguous artist’s travels. Born in Uganda in 1972, and wondrous, this exhibition uncovers Oliver Gaiger grew up in Sudan, Papua an assortment of eccentric artwork New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Falkland Islands encouraging viewers to wonder and and Cornwall. Now living in the Cambrian question what they see.

Mountains, his work represents the A woman of the world, Cecile was born in Germany, grew up in the San Joaquin Valley importance of objects and living things in California and has since lived all over the within the vast and wild landscape and is heavily influenced by native African and globe in places including Mexico, Ghana, Oceanic art found in places where he spent Brazil and Italy. She now lives in Cardiff his childhood. and works in her studio in the city centre where she incorporates her life experiences This month, Gaiger will be showcasing an array of 25 paintings, including acrylic and travels into her artwork. paintings, etchings and drypoints, at Made Up displays some of her weird Cardiff’s Martin Tinney Gallery. Gaiger’s and wonderful creations made using a paintings, packed full of varied colours and combination of various mediums. Her abstract shapes, are blended with more interest is in visually recording human interactivity and exploring the complexity of symbolic forms on textured backgrounds, whereas his prints are mainly black and human gestures and actions. However her white, with colour only added to create most recent work reveals the concepts of relationships, not only between two human expression. Gaiger’s artwork has been displayed at various galleries across the beings but also between materials, places UK, and his inspiring creations show just and time. how influential different cultures and She also often shares useful tips and environments around the world can be to techniques in her workshops and an artist. exhibitions.

Admission: free. Info: 029 2064 1411 / Admission: free. Info: 01267 222775 / www.artwales.com (EH) www.orielmyrddingallery.co.uk (AB)

THE ROAD TO PEACE

Aberystwyth Arts Centre Until Wed 16 Mar Engaging with themes of harmony, reconciliation, tolerance and international understanding, this exhibition treks the uneasy road to peace over the last century.

The exhibition focuses on some of the most iconic individuals of the era and the search for radical solutions to war and conflict.

Edith Louisa Cavell, the British nurse who saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers from both sides of the First World War, is just one of the many notable figures celebrated in the exhibition. The devoted nurse was sentenced to death after being accused of treason, despite her patriotism and yearning for mercy, and in October of 1915 she was executed by a German firing squad at the age of just 49. This captivating exhibition lets you step back in time and learn about many individuals like Edith Cavell and explore the struggles and challenges of life in this period.

Held at the award winning Aberystwyth Arts Centre, this exhibition is impressive, but its message has more of a lasting impact on the viewer. On loan from the Tavistock Peace Group, this exhibition is part of an effort to keep the lessons learned from the devastating wars of the past century alive, and shows that we haven’t yet arrived at the road’s final destination.

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

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Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd National Museum Cardiff

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MARCH 2016

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Discover treasures from around the world BOOK NOW 16s & under free of charge museumwales.ac.uk/treasures #TreasuresCardiff #AdventureWales

yng Nghanolfan Mileniwm Cymru at Wales Millennium Centre

Maw 16 Mar Scottish Dance Theatre Russell Maliphant Company Phoenix Dance Theatre

Maw 17 Mar Cwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru \ National Dance Company Wales Candoco Dance Company Hofesh Shechter Company

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stage

ONLY THE BRAVE Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay Mon 28 Mar-Wed 2 Apr

The first ever full-scale new musical staged by the WMC, Only The Brave opens in late March. A World War Two epic, based on real events surrounding the D-Day landings, it stars Welsh performers David Thaxton and Caroline Sheen. Thaxton, born in Neath and trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, took part in the opening ceremonies of the WMC. Known also for his work in Les Miserables in the West End, Thaxton returns to the WMC for the leading role in Only The Brave alongside fellow Welsh performer Caroline Sheen. Sheen, also from South Wales, is best known for her role as Mary Poppins which she brought to the WMC during its opening season. The musical promises to showcase Welsh talent on stage, while also moving the WMC into an era of producing new, large scale work.

Only The Brave is written by Rachel Wagstaff, known for the acclaimed stage adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’ Birdsong. The piece features music by Matthew Brind and lyrics by Steve Marimon. The musical tells the story of true events leading up to the D-Day landings, following a group of men in the iconic mission. The musical follows the story of Operation Deadstick, one of the most significant operations within the D-Day landings, and the role and sacrifice of the men involved and their families back home.

Meanwhile, the story also explores the friendship of two women who are united by their love and loss in the face of war, and their collaboration with a young French girl trying to play her part in the war effort. Intertwining these stories against the backdrop of Brind’s musical score, it promises to be an emotional and engaging story of war, love and hope.

Following successful try-out productions, the WMC is embarking on its most ambitious project to date in staging a new, full scale, main stage musical, marking what could be the start of a new era in Welsh musical theatre production. Starring local talent in a dramatic and heart-wrenching tale, Only The Brave is set to wow musical theatre fans in Cardiff.

Tickets: £11-£39. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk EMILY GARSIDE

COSY

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay Tue 8-Sat 12 Mar Botox, liposuction, facelifts, faddy diets, creams, lotions and blatant lying – there are countless ways in which we attempt to convince the world we are still in our prime, but who are we really fooling?

Old age – who needs it? But look at the alternative. Nothing is certain but death and taxes.

Is there anything funny about getting old? Kaite O'Reilly seems to think so and Cosy takes a darkly humorous look at the joys and humiliations of old age and its close companion mortality. The play centres around Rose who, in her autumn years, feels invisible. Knowing death is inevitable, Rose wants a grand finale, bold and invigorating, but her plan is opposed by her three warring daughters. Everyone seems to have an opinion on how Rose should depart this earth – even her granddaughter and the strange woman taking refuge in the garden.

O'Reilly is a prolific writer who has won accolades for her work – including the International Susan Smith Blackburn Award for The Almond And The Seahorse (Sherman Cymru). Cosy tackles our obsession with eternal youth head-on, and asks the question: whose life (or death) is it anyway?

Tickets: £10-£14. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk (LN) BUZZ 38

THE GLASS MENAGERIE

Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea Fri 18 Mar “When you look at a piece of delicately spun glass you think of two things: how beautiful it is and how easily it can be broken.”

The Glass Menagerie was first produced in 1944 and launched Tennessee Williams into the spotlight. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, the play sees the Wingfield family struggle to survive on hopes and dreams.

Amanda Wingfield is a single mother with a painfully shy and slightly crippled daughter (whose preoccupation with a collection of glass animals draws her away from reality) and a son who begrudgingly supports them but longs to escape the ties that bind. In a bid to find her daughter a husband, Amanda enlists her son’s help – but the arrival of the long-awaited ‘gentleman caller’ could shatter the family’s fragile dreams.

This four-character play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on Williams, his histrionic mother and his mentally fragile sister. The plot is based on memory and what the audience sees may not be precisely what happened. Theatr Pena’s new production promises to bring something fresh to this American classic.

Tickets: £7-£12. Info: 01792 602060 / www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk (LN)

HAIRSPRAY

New Theatre, Cardiff Mon 21-Sat 26 Mar Well into their new UK tour, Hairspray will be jiving into Cardiff’s New Theatre this March. With huge Broadway and West End productions running for over 3,500 performances, Hairspray is based on John Waters’ 1988 iconic film showing the extents a person can go to for fame.

Adapted as a musical film in 2007 with a cast including Zac Efron, John Travolta and Amanda Bynes, the show has gone on to become a firm family favourite.

This award-winning musical is the brain child of Broadway legends Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. With huge hits such as Good Morning Baltimore and You Can’t Stop The Beat, Hairspray tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with a big dream to be a dancer on the totally hip Corny Collins Show. Throw yourself into 1960s Baltimore as Tracy and her group of all-singing, all-dancing friends battle new-found fame, young love and unburdened equality in this coming-ofage tale.

With an all-star cast including TV’s Claire Sweeney as the villainous stage mom, Velma Von Tussle and X Factor semifinalist, Brenda Edwards as sassy record shop owner, Motormouth Maybelle, don’t miss this irresistibly feelgood show.

Tickets: £14-£180 Info: 029 2087 8889 / www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk (BA)

ST. NICHOLAS

The Other Room @ Porters, Cardiff Tue 1-Fri 11 Mar If a theatre’s success was measured by the number of awards they’ve received then there’s high hopes for St. Nicholas, the latest offering from The Other Room.

Presented as part of the Insomnia season, the play introduces the audience to a theatre critic who, in a strange twist to proceedings, has the spotlight turned on himself as the focal character. On the run from himself and his family having lost his way in the world, he becomes enthralled with a young dancer and offers a compelling take on vampires, all before attempting to return to his life of writing.

Derived from contemporary Irish playwright Conor McPherson’s original work, this one man play features Christian Patterson in the lead role and is directed by Titas Halder.

Established in just 2014, the company recently collected the award for the Fringe Theatre of the Year at The Stage Awards 2016 and four prizes at the 2016 Wales Theatre Awards. Based on the success of previous productions, this play with its unique pub venue should provide the perfect backdrop for an intimate spectacle. There’s also the added incentive of affordable tickets, with the offer of pay what you can preview nights.

Tickets: £5-£12. Info: www. theotherroom.com (RH)

Theatrau RhCT/RCT Theatres

CARA DILLON Y Colisëwm/ The Coliseum Ebrill 8 April 8.00pm £20.00

AN EVENING WITH

LULU

Y Colisëwm/ The Coliseum Ebrill 13 April 8.00pm £35.00

RICH HALL Y Parc a’r Dâr/ The Park & Dare Ebrill 14 April 8.00pm £16.00

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

Y Colisëwm/ The Coliseum Ebrill 16 April 7.30pm £12.00 /£10.00

PASHA KOVALEV

Y Colisëwm/ The Coliseum Ebrill 23 April 7.30pm £23.00

TONTO EVANS Y Colisëwm/ The Coliseum Ebrill 25 & 26 April 7.30pm Ebrill 27 April 1.00pm

Y Parc a’r Dâr/ The Park & Dare Ebrill 28 & 29 April 7.30pm Ebrill 30 April 2.00pm £12.00 /10.00

BUZZ 39

clubs

BARAC

Dogruff @ The Lemon Factory, Swansea Sat 11 Mar We’ve written before about the ongoing mission of the promoters at Dogruff in Swansea to foster a kind of unofficial exchange program in Swansea for the cream of Romania’s massive minimal tech movement. Dogruff is without doubt one of Swansea's most successful nights, and that they manage this while bringing these niche DJs over on a regular basis is one of those oddities that’s just too peculiar and brilliant to ignore.

I say niche, but Romania, and the capital Bucharest in particular, has made waves through the dance music world for over a decade with its minimal techno scene, and the leading DJs – Raresh, Rhadoo, Petre Inspirescu and now Barac himself – are favourites in clubs like Fabric in London and Dommune in Tokyo. Their music is inspired by the pioneers of minimal techno: Detroit’s Richie Hawtin, Argentina’s Ricardo Villalobos, and Zip, whose label, Perlon, is still the definitive source of the sound. Bucharest is known for long, long parties soundtracked by this species of stripped-down techno, rumbling languidly with an understated, trippy energy and consisting almost entirely of rhythm – it’s kind of monochrome, if not sepia in tone, which might sound dull to you. For enthusiasts, in the correct groove zone, its power is undeniable.

Tickets: £8-£12. Info: se_dr@outlook. com (GTDC) BUZZ 40

WOMEN OF THE YEAR FUN-DRAISER

Dempseys, Cardiff Sat 5 Mar Surrounded by South Africa on all sides, the mountain kingdom of Lesotho was savaged

by British and Dutch colonialism and decades of political unrest. Aside from the historic and ongoing problems, including droughts and poverty, it’s one of the most AIDS-ridden countries in the world. Life is especially hard on women: 10% of 14-25 year olds women are HIV positive; 92 out of 1000 women will become pregnant before they reach 20; rape culture and domestic abuse is normalized and education is withdrawn from women once they become pregnant.

A mountainous country of farmers, reliant on its neighbour’s economy and vulnerable to its political changes; it’s no wonder that Lesotho has strong links with Wales – one being the charity Dolen Cymru, which has fostered community, education and health partnerships for 30 years. Now, Cardiff-based artist, writer and filmmaker Mabel Rack is raising funds for the Women Of The Year project, the first part of which is a documentary aiming to change the way young women view and overcome their struggles. It reveals the experiences of the women who run and attend the Good Shepherd Centre in Lesotho, which educates and cares for teenage mothers in one of the hardest places in the world to be a woman.

Helping the venture, local DJs will be playing dancer-friendly music at Four Bars, including Radio Cardiff's Hippo Club veteran Paul Lyons, Dave Grooveslave, Ben Jah of Reggimental Allstars, who’ve played at Hub Festival and Troyfest, and a fresher face: Club Tropicana’s Tom Downs. Psyklops and Millimagic, who are taking part in the Cardiff Paint Jam earlier in the day, will also play a set each. Expect to hear some of the finest and funkiest tracks to have emerged from the continent, from afrobeat legends like Fela Kuti and Ebo Taylor along with funk and disco to get everyone’s feet moving. The director herself will be bringing traditional arts and crafts back from Lesotho which will be available for auction, the proceeds of which will go to the Good Shepherd Centre and the documentary project.

Admission: £5. Info: 029 2023 9253 GWYN THOMAS DE CHROUSTCHOFF

BLUE HONEY BANK HOLIDAY

Gwdihw, Cardiff Sun 27 Mar Surely the most welcome addition to Cardiff’s nightlife recently, Blue Honey throw together brilliant parties every time; their night with Detroit’s Kai Alce in Gwdihw at the end of 2015 ended in stage dancing and smiley energy. In the ‘coolest’ realms of clubbing, where the current taste is for esoteric, eclectic selectors, Hunee [pictured] was one of 2015’s breakthrough DJs, and rightly so.

Last summer he released his album Hunch Music on the revered Rush Hour label, full of effervescence and brightness teased pleasurably out of diverse rhythmic zones – acid house, disco, techno and the wonkiest of hip-hop. It’s a very accomplished album, reminiscent of the most engaging, storytelling producers – Matthew Herbert, DJ Sprinkles, Henrik Schwarz and DJ Koze – and Hunee’s skilled sampling, to emotive effect, calls to mind J Dilla too.

Also on the bill – it’s a bank holiday blowout after all – is Harvey Sutherland.

He produces pitch-perfect modern disco; on his recent two-tracker for Motor City Drum Ensemble’s MCDE label, cymbals sizzle beneath lithe, sexy instrumentation and limb-bending bass – fans of Floating Points, check him out. Lastly, Al Zanders, who also works under the name Lodger, throws down jazz-touched, crystalline deep house for nimble dance steps. This should be excellent all round.

Tickets: £20/£15. Info: 029 2939 7933 (GTDC)

NOW THE BASS

Vale Sports Arena Warehouse, Penarth Road, Cardiff Sun 27 Mar Now The Bass is inspired by the late 90s’ fluid house’n’garage movement in London and beyond that changed music forever.

At the forefront of two big movements in UK music, Jason Kaye [pictured] has been part of dance music culture for at least a quarter of a century. He was part of the old school hardcore trio Top Buzz, who in the early 90s were fixtures at the biggest raves like Fantazia and Dreamscape.

(They sometimes referred to themselves two blacks and a bubble, as in ‘bubble and squeak’ – cockney rhyming slang for Greek.

Jason’s real name is Kyriakides.)

Later in the decade, he was part of the evolution of rave culture into what became UK garage, teaming up with another jungle legend, Steve Gurley, and later partnering with Richard ‘Sticky’ Forbes to push slower, groovier rhythms with a sexy bump, rather than the rolling darkness that came before.

Sharing the headline DJ billing is Mike ‘Ruff Cut’ Lloyd, another huge presence in the 90s when house morphed into jungle and garage. He set up Deja Vu FM, a pirate station that was a defining part of 90s music culture, and went on to produce popular tracks like Down. The garage raving vibe will be fully there with the addition of legendary mic men PSG and MC Det – bring out the Moschino jeans and Gucci loafers if you want to look the part.

Tickets: £10-£20. Info: www.facebook. com/nowthebass (GTDC)

TEN YEARS OF MED SCHOOL

Aperture @ Buffalo, Cardiff Fri 18 Mar We all know that scene from Human Traffic, so let’s pay tribute to the capital’s drum’n’bass pedigree. Med School spun off from the classic label, Hospital, and both have strong Cardiff connections. One of the most successful artists to find a home on Hospital was Lincoln Barrett of Penarth, better known as High Contrast. The curlyhaired prince of liquid, or liquid funk –the happier, shinier strain of drum’n’bass – broke through into the mainstream proper in the early 00s.

Med School found one of its own heroes in the city too, in the form of Lung, who released his debut album on the label in 2013. He was a big part in forming the sound of the label, with a penchant for mixing rhythm and tempo more than the rigid constraints of modern drum’n’bass allowed – his tracks often stray from the 170BPM template, taking in 2-step garage and breathy, emotive dubstep influences.

Lung’s joined by Keeno [pictured], who recently released his second album, Futurist, with a focus on melodic, sweeping songs that go beyond the bassy bangers for which drum’n’bass is typecast by the ignorant. Also headlining is Anile, producer of subtle, modern riddims with r’n’b vocals for the most soulful of junglists. MC Ruthless, on the mic, will be keeping the crowd bubbling, and label manager Mullett scrubs up for the early doors.

Tickets: £10/£5. Info: 029 2031 0312 (GTDC)

BUZZ 41

live

DEAD PREZ

Monkey, Swansea Mon 14 Mar Straight outta NYC onto the side streets of South Wales, political hip-hop veterans Dead Prez touch down this month in Swansea’s Monkey Bar, for a one-night-only Welsh gig – part of their hotly anticipated 2016 UK tour.

Stic.man and M-1 are anti-establishment monoliths in the world of hip-hop. Having emerged onto the global scene in early 2000 with their debut album Let’s Get Free, the duo quickly established themselves as one of rap’s most politically strident outfits, making clear from the very start that they more than the average hip-hop millennials. They were lucid artists with something to say, promising to be a ‘voice for the voiceless’, and becoming, swiftly, loudspeakers for social change – twinning their slick lyricism with a highly aware, confrontational style, flowing on everything from questions of race and identity to ideas about militant social justice.

And despite their relatively staggered output (they’ve only released three studio albums in the past 16 years, the last being their 2012 release Information Age), they’ve showed no sign of mellowing or burning out. They’ve always delivered hectic live shows (they've been known to ignite dollar bills onstage, and toss apples into the audience, declaring that we should eat healthily), and are no less likely to ignite crowds across the country on this latest tour.

Tickets: £15. Info: 01792 480822 (BK) BUZZ 42

WALES GOES POP!

The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff Fri 25-Sun 27 Mar The fourth incarnation of this popular spring gathering is at our doorstep. Going from strength to strength since its first outing in 2013, it has quickly built a reputation for being one of the key festivals to catch in Wales outside of the summer festival season. Enclosed within the cordial and culturally rich confines of The Gate Arts Centre, it is the ideal location for the flocks of families and avid enthusiasts of the both the Welsh music scene and the wider European scene.

Pop is a fairly enveloping genre and makes room for a healthy superfluity of different bands and solo acts from near and far. Festival chieftain Liz Hunt has endeavoured to include some top class names in the line-up; headlining Friday are jangly postpunk Belfast four piece Girls Names who released their latest album Arms Around A Vision to a rave response last year and are stopping off amidst a lengthy European tour.

Firey Welsh-originated indiepop group Los Campesinos! return to Cardiff for the first time since 2013 and will feature on the Saturday to an undoubtedly warm welcome. The three decade careerspanning Scottish pop institution BMX Bandits closes the festival on the Sunday; they’ve enjoyed some great live performances across the UK recently so expect them to be on top form.

There’s more to whet your appetite from the likes of Darren Hayman & The Secondary Modern, This Is The Kit, Ultimate Painting, The Spook School, Cosines [pictured] and Shopping, as well as a nice chunk of Welsh names including Baby Brave, Gindrinker, They Is They Is They Is, Ani Glass, Liz’s own band The School and Welsh Music Prize 2015 winner Gwenno.

With it also being the Easter Bank Holiday you can count your blessings and rejoice that you won’t have to wake up early Monday morning and stumble into work with a terrible hangover and a complete loss of the will to live. So mark it in the calendar and enjoy three full days of some of the best live music in the country.

Tickets: £45 weekend/£16 Fri 25/£18 Sat 26 + Sun 27. Info: 029 2048 3344 CHARLIE PIERCEY

LOCUST HONEY STRING BAND

West End Club, Barry Thurs 10 Mar Experience sounds of bluegrass and pre-war blues as this talented duo from Nashville, North Carolina, bring tunes from the American Southeast to the Vale Of Glamorgan this month. Locust Honey String Band’s energetic, lively arrangements feature both original and traditional songs, blended with fiddle tunes and showcase their country vocal harmonies perfectly.

Teamed with bassist John Miller, the band has been touring the US, UK and Ireland since 2012 and are visiting Barry as part of the UK leg of their tour.

Armed with open-back and resonator banjos, and both acoustic and resonator guitars, Chloe Edmonstone, the band’s fiddler and singer, and guitarist and singer Meredith Watson will be performing songs from their album, Never Let Me Cross Your Mind, along with classic folk tunes from the likes of The Carter Family and George Jones.

Never... was put together at Grammywinning musician Joel Savoy‘s studio in Eunice, Louisiana and in 2014, was released to critical acclaim and remained in the Folk DJ Charts top 10 for a whole four months. In the same year, their original song, When The Whiskey’s Gone, was featured in the film Time Out Of Mind.

The band explore different styles on their album, from string band music to mountain blues; their display of musical knowledge and creativity makes this unmissable show set to be an exhilarating one too.

Tickets: £10. Info: 07561 143114 (EH)

MARIAH CAREY

Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff Mon 21 Mar This month sees one of the best-selling female artists of all time return to the European live music scene with her Sweet Sweet Fantasy tour. Slap bang in the middle of a sell-out Las Vegas residency at the Colosseum, Caesars Palace, the ultimate pop diva makes room in what is reported as one of the most exciting years of her career, to take her legions of ‘lambs’ (her own name for her fans) on a thrilling ride of wonder and curiosity. Cue a night of nostalgia, career-defining hits and... who knows? You can sing Christmas songs in March, right?

Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena is the fifth stop on the UK leg before heading to mainland Europe, and are Ms Carey’s first concert dates on this side of ‘the pond’ since November 2003; so you’re in for what is somewhat of a rare Welsh appearance from the multiple Grammy Award winner. It’s quite amazing that it’s 25 years since her self-titled debut album – but she’s pretty much been there and got the t-shirt since then.

Having sold over 220 million records and had over 20 UK Top 10 singles (many self-written) including Always Be My Baby, Hero and We Belong Together, expect to hear those tracks and more as the pop phenomenon struts her stuff and her five-octave vocal range in what will be a masterclass of vocal gymnastics.

Tickets: £45-£70. Info: 029 2022 4488 (OS)

SAUL WILLIAMS

Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff Fri 4 Mar “Fuck You, Understand Me.” Explosive, provocative polymath Saul Williams’ new LP, MartyrLoserKing, is defined by this phrase (from album highlight All Coltrane Solos At Once), by its creator’s unquenchable thirst for self-expression, his need to take potshots at power and his frustration that the rest of the world cannot keep up with his mile-aminute artistic overdrive.

It’s an album written and recorded across the globe – Senegal, Haiti, Paris, London, New Orleans – each backdrop serving to influence its direction. Its most potent moment is Ashes, which references the caustic poetry of At The Drive-In and was written in New York, the night that Eric Garner exclaimed “I can’t breathe”, as he was killed by the NYPD. It’s a song that’s as unrelentingly furious as one might expect, but not necessarily representative of the overall tone of the record, a multifaceted exploration of modern culture told through the eyes of a fictional computer hacker and delivered via a blend of hip-hop, soul and a thousand and one other influences.

For those who are yet to experience Williams’ live show, you can expect an eloquent, genre-blending and memorable performance from one of hip-hop’s most prolific and powerfully intense poets.

Support comes from locals Dorian Grayskull and Zhubat.

Tickets: £12. Info: 029 2023 2199 (HR)

Tuesday 8th March

Friday 18th March

Sunday 3rd April

THE STRANGLERS

SUNSET SONS

CLWB IFOR BACH, CARDIFF

THE GREAT HALL, CARDIFF UNI

Y PLAS, CARDIFF UNI

Tuesday 12th April

Wednesday 13th April

MAN MADE

LULU

Friday 6th May

THE MOON CLUB, CARDIFF

ABERDARE COLISEUM

CLWB IFOR BACH, CARDIFF

FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS

BENJAMIN FRANCIS-LEFTWICH

Sunday 3rd April

THE CAT EMPIRE TRAMSHED, CARDIFF

Saturday 16th July

JAMIE LAWSON PEMBROKE CASTLE, PEMBROKESHIRE

Tickets: www.orchardentertainment.co.uk or call 02920 230 130

BUZZ 43

reviews albums THE 1975 ***** I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It (Dirty Hit/ Polydor) In their most refined release to date and with a distinctive pop influence, The 1975 have crafted an album of charming and surprisingly radio friendly songs. A real departure from their previous album, from the funk vibes of Love Me to the smooth jazz and R’n’B influences of If I Believe; almost every track has a unique sound, even delving into the sonic realms of 80s synthpop without falling into cheesy clichés. A stunning album from the beginning to the end. LB

ALUN GAFFEY *** Alun Gaffey (Sbrigyn Ymborth) Former Race Horses guitarist Gaffey clearly has a myriad of colourful musical influences. Shades of Roy Ayers, Michael Jackson, Parliament and Mandre (amongst others) all emerge in abundance on this record, together with the perky pop sounds retained from his past escapades. Each track is a convivial romp through musical pastures both groovy and provocative but packaged together in one, they don’t blend so well.

Whilst a thorough listen can be a bit overwhelming, there’s still some appealing music here worth your attention. CPI

BEACH FATIGUE **** Beach Fatigue (Kool Girl) The Swansea three-piece formerly known as Heavy Petting Zoo unleash their debut and it’s 12 fresh tracks of impassioned, exhilarating garage-surfrock. It’s a sound you can’t pin down because there are so many great naturally absorbed influences here (Dead Kennedys come to mind), yet all reinterpreted with an original twist. At its foundations you’ll listen to three people making great guttural, high energy music that sounds so tight you’d swear they share a telepathic musical bond. Highly recommended. CPI

BLOOD CEREMONY **** Lord Of Misrule (Rise Above) Canadian warble-doom practitioners Blood Ceremony have been partial to a bit of Jethro Tull-style flute over their last three, generally underrated, albums. Here, they ramp their Anglophilia up further by recording in cult London

studio Toe Rag and writing songs about a variety of olde tyme British spooky esoterica. It’s a step away from their proto-metal side, echoing the rocking electric folk of, say, Trembling Bells at points, while the likes of Flower Phantoms stay just the right side of psych whimsy. NG

CLARK **** The Last Panthers (Warp) Clark has produced some of the most interesting electronic music to arrive in the last decade, and this is no different. The Last Panthers contains music from and inspired by a TV series of the same name, and is his first foray into soundtrack work. It is very textured and not driven by rhythm, where melancholic strings and piano are processed electronically to create a border between harmony and dissonance. The tracks have a mesmerising and woozy quality, whilst remaining meticulously structured and layered. GM

THE CORAL **** Distance Inbetween (Ignition) The history of ‘comeback’ albums give you cause to be a bit wary, but in the case of the eighth LP by Liverpudlian indie faves The Coral, the uneasiness is quelled immediately with their strongest sound yet. You are reminded, at various points on Distance Inbetween, of the Nuggets compilation and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, while on Miss Fortune James Skelly enjoys some Ian McCulloch-esque vocal moments. None of this, though, comes off as stolen or pastiche. What an excellent listen. JE

DAVID MYSTERIOUS **** Die Auferstehung (North Of Chepstow) Like a sporadically broadcasting telly in a dusty old room, new David Mysterious stuff brings comfort and weirdness in sweet measure.

A lo-fi South Walian troubadour and Manatees member for a while now, Die Auferstehung burrows deeper into DM idiosyncrasy, split between Welsh and English, and between folk/blues numbers and funny little pop experiments. Afromeek is a terrific, crisplyproduced motorik sound collage; Coq Au Vin rattles like a creepy, strutting Wreckless Eric. Some scattered, gloopy S4C-style samples complete this chewy treat. WS

HOLY ESQUE **** At Hopes Ravine (Beyond The Frequency) These Glaswegians have been on the scene since 2011 so there has been a great hunger amongst fans for this debut album. The elusive four don't like to discuss their influences but you can pick up on some elements of Simple Minds, Joy Division and Bunnymen. Lead singer Paul Hynes adds his

menacingly intense vocals to the melodic guitars and pounding keys to create a post-punk/modern electropop hybrid. The wait has been worth it: a paradoxical perfection of their rough and ready sound. DC

JAMES ** Girl At The End Of The World (BMG) James have been sitting steadfastly in the middle of the road for most of the 30 years since their debut Stutter and this new LP sees them digging a hole in the middle of the road and sitting in it, refusing to come out. It’s only Tim Booth’s occasional vocal anomalies that allow them to peer over the edge but these are few and far between. The album is slickly produced but the guitars have been swallowed up by unnecessary synths and studio trickery. BG

LUST FOR YOUTH ** Compassion (Sacred Bones) Pitched somewhere between Seventeen Secondsera Cure and the more contemporary sound of HTRK, but with none of the invention of the former nor the blissful ambience of the latter, Copenhagen’s Lust For Youth dish up a dull, grey slop of an album, characterised by a laughably disinterested vocal delivery. The effusive tosh in its press release describes Compassion as “an album made for a dance floor heaving with bodies and the aftermath thereof”; I’d certainly agree with the aftermath part. A dismal comedown of a record. HR

MUGSTAR ***** Magnetic Seasons (Rock Action) From the first track of the latest offering from Liverpool space rockers Mugstar, there are clear echoes of Hawkwind and early Pink Floyd. But this is much more than a ‘spot the influence’ album, with surprises to be had.

On Flemish Weave, finger-picking guitar blends into a foot-stomping beat; Time Machine’s gentle melodies turn into psychedelic grooves and La Vallee’s blues riffs are a pleasant surprise. This is an album of tones and layers; sit-in-the-dark-withheadphones-on music. Someone turn the lights off. LN

MUNCIE GIRLS **** From Caplan To Belsize (Specialist Subject) It’s like the 1990s all over again. The good bit that is; not the bit with helicopters, eyebrows and Matt Lucas chasing Jo Guest around a life-sized game of Mousetrap. Power guitars, jaunty drums and vocals that come straight outta Portland (via Exeter in this case). Muncie Girls’ debut takes Belly, Throwing Muses and Lush, injects a bit of 2016 into them all and puts them in a studio to record 10 near-perfect pop rock songs. Hey presto, you’ve got From Caplan To Belsize. BG

GAMES REVIEWS Rugby Nations 16 *** Distinctive Wireless – Android /iOS With it being the Six Nations and all, I had a gaming itch that needed to be scratched; if Wales weren’t going to win with a Grand Slam then by Jove, I was. In comparison to the many fantastic football games available on mobile, there are few for rugby. While it isn’t that in depth, leaves you begging for a FIFA-style campaign mode, and is little different to its precursors, this game is a small, but much needed oasis in the desert of rugby games. LOB

XCOM 2 ***** Firaxis Games – PC Following on from the 2012 revival of the X-COM series with XCOM Enemy Unknown, XCOM 2 takes place 20 years after its precursor and follows XCOM, a resistance force fighting against the alien occupation of Earth. This turn-based tactics game continues in the tradition of not pandering to gamers. This difficult game forces players to think outside the box in their fight against alien overlords, meaning that you genuinely feel for your characters, making XCOM 2 all the more rewarding. LOB

BUZZ 44

PRIMAL SCREAM **** Chaosmosis (First International) Chaosmosis might initially shock Primal Scream fans expecting to hear the psychotic and paranoid experimental rage of Xtrmntr, but in all honesty: the songs on this album make you want to hit the play button again and again, despite the melancholic sadness that lurks dangerously beneath the pristine electronic production. In fact, each individual track could easily be a single.

Very much like a modern day Siouxsie And The Banshees, Primal Scream seem to be able to seamlessly fuse darkness with light. DN

SENDELICA *** I’ll Walk With The Stars For You (Ve) Their Bandcamp page a vom-rainbow of garish album covers, the Sendelica tepee industry has been bubbling out of west Wales for nearly 10 years now, issuing much spacey, psych-y meandering.

A loose collection of heads, on I’ll Walk... their number includes presumed mate Twink on two of the more risible songs, while a brace of 10-minuteplus Hawkwind-style instrumental trips bracket an oddly soothing, flute-heavy cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Albatross. Quality is definitely variable, but you have to admire their ramshackle moxie. WS

SOFT HEARTED SCIENTISTS **** Uncanny Tales From The Everyday Undergrowth (The Hip Replacement) Wales has always been an excellent breeding ground for wonderfully weird and warped neopsychedelic groups. One of the most consistent, but consistently under-praised, must be Cardiff’s Soft Hearted Scientists; on the eve of their latest release, they take a moment to reflect. This 10th anniversary reissue proves their talent for daydreamy vocal hooks and West Coast melodies was intact from the off: a time-capsule of 60s headiness and paisley pop, like some longforgotten entry in the Fading Yellow series. Long live SHS and their pastoral-psych loveliness. AJ

SPECTRES ** Dead (Sonic Cathedral) Vast, mechanical soundscapes make up this most recent offering from genre-defying shoegazers Spectres. In Dead, their ambitious second album, tracks from their debut Dying are ‘killed’ (‘nailed to the cross’) by collaborators such as Mogwai and Factory Floor. It’s an interesting experiment in reactionary songwriting, but one that falls far too often into the impenetrable, as tetchy, amelodic remixes tend to smother the more carefully worked chromaticisms of the originals. It’s an interesting art piece, but, ultimately, not much more. BK

THE THERMALS **** We Disappear (Saddle Creek) Always different, always the same, but always the Thermals, which always helps. Portland’s great barroom sluggers may be slowing and softening as they age, but that doesn’t make them slow or soft: their seventh album dials down the maximumthrottle Fuckin A-era punk blues intensity for mid-paced thrills, warmer, enveloping guitars, and some pretty plaintive hollering. Not quite stuck in middle-aged comfort yet, songs like Hey You nag agreeably, while Hutch Harris’s vulnerable-lion roar is still a beaut, so have an extra star, go on. WS

UNDERWORLD ** Barbara Barbara, We Face A Shining Future (underworldlive.com) “The sound of a band revitalised” is how the promo blurb describes this, Underworld’s seventh studio album. Messrs Smith and Hyde generally crowbar a quality low-tempo tune into a full-length but this one is chock full of slower numbers, average at best

but tired for the most part.

Low Burn and Motorhome do their best to break up the monotony but for the most part, the songs sound like mid-career Blur B-sides. Less shouting and lager, more slippers and Horlicks. BG

WHITE DENIM **** Stiff (Downtown/Sony Red) With Josh Block and Austin Jenkins still cosying up to Leon Bridges, White Denim have two new recruits to their mission to remould southern rock and soul. A trio of raucous numbers kick off their sixth album, culminating in Holda You, which accelerates from a breakdown groove into an exhilarating riff battle. The Farfisa organ in There’s A Brain... and Real Deal Momm reference The Doors, and Petralli is in soul man mode on Take It Easy and (I’m The One).... Bleach can’t hide these boys’ colour. CS

YUCK ** Stranger Things (Mamé) Dear Diary: Mr producer said our music and the guitars were sounding real good but the words were a little off. Locked myself in my room to think up stuff. Watched Spinal Tap for like the zillionth time. Recorded Only Silence, turning the amps up to 12. LOL! Practised Cannonball til mom made me turn the music down. Wrote Stranger Things with the line "I hate myself" as Julie broke up with me. Again. Sad face.

Finished the record today, the manager said it's like Junior Dinosaur Jr making out with pre-Teenage Fanclub. Sick! CS

singles THE CRADLES *** Ideal Girl (Solva) Formed in 2012, The Cradles have gained a fierce fanbase in Wales and further afield, largely due to their energetic live performances. Retro vocals and frantic basslines are softened with tentative backing vox. Ideal Girl tackles themes of self-pity and the search for love and companionship; if you're a fan of early Arctic Monkeys then you’ll love this. DC

lively amen breaks, ambient, trance-like synths and ferociously dark basslines, this latest release will no doubt fulfil the likes of any wondering bass junkie. DM

RATS ON RAFTS **** Some Velvet Morning (Fire) This new single from retro twosome Rats On Rafts doesn’t give you time to catch your breath. Some Velvet Morning is an eerie mix of beats, chants and echoes; Last Day On Earth has an insistent bass pulling you through a melody that climbs and dips.

A duo worth keeping up with. LN

THROWING SHADE * House Of Silk EP (Ninja Tune) I hope this is an exercise in making observations on how appalling music can be in the age of social media. Extremely basic beats open the EP with a female voice repeating “like”, “OMG” and “hashtag get online”. The rest of the EP sounds like it was produced on an iPhone app after a Google search for “what does 80s music sound like?”. GM

TOTEM TERRORS **** Chicken (Diet Pops) Taken from their latest album Hard Science, on Chicken Max and Rosie ignite the touchpaper for more punk-pop explosions than you can shake a stick at, and there are remixes from Zwolf and Pagan Wanderer Lu as well. A band that never let you down in attitude and content. JE

demos STAY VOICELESS www.facebook.com/stayvoiceless The three members of Stay Voiceless have previously served in Midasuno, Haddonfield and Along Came Man – all bands who I’ve previously written about with “nothing but kind words”. Or so the band’s email, flagging up their debut release Comfortable, tells me. Nothing like memory loss to make you feel old, huh? Well, I definitely enjoyed Midasuno’s coupling of punk and bombast back when, and Comfortable’s punchy alt-metal isn’t a million miles away, with added Manics guitars and a melody distinctly similar to Cave In’s Jupiter. NG

HODAD

FEMME ***

hodadsounds.bandcamp.com

Light Me Up (self-released)

Hodad are four fairly young fellows from Cardiff who feature two members of the highly enjoyable WaLL. Like WaLL, their songs can be short and punchy or ride a groove at length, and aren’t shy of guitar feedback. Instead of the second wave emo and early-90s Dischord Records sounds that WaLL recall, though, the two songs here recall the rocking postpunk of Protomartyr or Eddy Current Suppression Ring, but with more carefree garage scuzz. Leather, especially, is easily good enough for a 7” release. NG

A lot is made, in the publicity material at least, of Laura ‘Femme’ Bettinson’s artistic autonomy: her songs, of which Light Me Up is the last to be released before her debut album, are self-penned and produced. The Real Music brigade might grudgingly approve, although probably less so of the song, which sounds like Robyn with a smaller budget (I mean this in a positive way). NG

NORVIS JUNIOR *** Pyrrhic Victory Disc 3 (Tape Club) Blessed, or perhaps saddled, with the real name of Nelson-Mandela Nance, it’s easy to imagine the muggy romanticism of this new American producer catching the ear of Stones Throw Records.

Classic soul, broken beat, lo-fi murk and 808s & Heartbreak-style sorrow are stacked up over seven brief, only partly formed but diverting tracks. NG

OM UNIT **** Torchlight Vol. 2 (Cosmic Bridge) Widely accredited London-based duo Om Unit return to the jungle/drum’n’bass scene with a clout in this latest, highly technical EP. In combining

LUPO ROSSO luporosso.bandcamp.com The last time I reviewed an EP by a south Wales-originated horror soundtrack electronica project – that would be the Sanguelia tape – I said something like, this stuff may now proliferate worldwide, but there isn’t any locally, and that counts for something. Which still applies for Lupo Rosso, a dude named Adam whose five-tracker Blood Music nods at the infamous drama of Goblin et al, but has a more digital production and a bouncy continental techno influence, especially on the title track. Nice. NG

THIS MONTH’S

DVD PICK

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKING JAY PART 2 12 (Lions Gate) The thrilling final instalment of The Hunger Games trilogy doesn’t disappoint as the nation of Panem fight for their survival against the Capital. Katniss Everdeen, played by Academy Award-winner Jennifer Lawrence, goes head to head with President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in order to liberate the citizens of Panem and protect her closest friends Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). ****EH

THE INTERN 12 (Warner Bros) Nancy Meyers directs this heartwarmingly funny story of a 70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) who realises that retired life just isn’t for him. After landing the role of senior intern at a modern online fashion website, his charismatic charm and wisdom help him develop a special friendship with boss and founder Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway). ***EH

THE GOOD DINOSAUR PG (Pixar) What if dinosaurs never went extinct? This is the question asked by the latest Disney Pixar adventure about an Apatosaurus named Arlo and his unlikely human friend Spot. Arlo can’t seem to get past his fear of everything, but as he travels through the challenging landscape he learns to confront his fear and finds out what he is truly capable of. ***EH

CAROL 15 (Studiocanal) Unexpectedly, Carol portrays the very cliché notion that you can fall in love in a hopeless place. The charm of 50s music, delicate costume choices and restrained love scenes add to the understated way in which director Todd Haynes has relayed the 1952 novel, demonstrating the lesbian lovers’ journey in defying society. ****ET

THE HALLOW 15 (Entertainment One) This horror tells the story of a British conservationist, his wife and infant son, who find a strange fungus in an Irish forest. This fungus then begins to trespass on his family in revenge for trespassing on their hallowed ground. This is a promising horror with some creepy and uncomfortable moments, but as ever, silly gimmicks let it down. Horrors need to learn that it’s what we don’t see that creates true fear. ***LOB

LOST IN KARASTAN 15 (Bulldog) Matthew MacFadyen stars in this rather ‘lost’ film about a director hired to make a propaganda film for the president of an area seemingly inspired by the Caucasus. While there are certainly some very funny scenes, they are somewhat out of place in a black comedy. There is a change in direction with an overpowering sense of bleakness that makes it in a way a comedy and a comment on corruption, but also neither. ***LOB

THE SMUGGLER 15 (Trinity Films) This Australian dark comedy tells the story of a first time drug mule caught by police with a bellyful of lethal drugs. The mule has to defy nature (ahem) while in custody, bringing criminals, the police and family into the mix. This is a very clever film that gets the difficult balance between tension and comedy exactly right, giving audiences a brilliant darkly comic thriller. *****LOB

CITY OF LOST CHILDREN 15 (Studio Canal) From the warped and surrealist minds of Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, City Of Lost Children is a forgotten gem that has been lost in the post-Netflix world. Focusing around a society of scientists who kidnap children to steal their dreams in the hope to gain immortality, the movie is full of vivid and unsettling imagery that will keep you immersed until the credits roll. *****JM

BUZZ 45

MUSIC NEWS EXTRA

Organised by, but not limited to, the Wales Millennium Centre, the very first Festival Of Voice will hit Cardiff in June, and the second wave of lineup announcements provide plenty to get excited about. The initial info release, before Christmas, threw out some tasty names including Rufus Wainwright, John Grant and Ben Folds, but if piano-utilising American singer-songwriters with a cabaret fandom aren’t your personal cuppa, then other styles are available. Charlotte Church stars in a new music theatre work, The Last Mermaid, while Patrick Jones presents a new play, Before I Leave – among other operas, community singing projects and sound artworks.

Newly announced live acts include John Cale, Ronnie Spector, Femi Kuti and Mbongwana Star Newport has another new music venue!

Neon can be found on Clarence Place, near to where the city’s oft-mourned TJ’s club once stood, but with a 2,000 capacity, probably isn’t looking to cover similar ground. Its initial gig listings would appear to back that up: jazz-funkers Incognito play on Sat 19 Mar, while April and May has appearances from Mason Noise off X Factor, the Chikara wrestling

franchise and oily seat-dampeners The Dreamboys. Neon will also function as a cinema, as indeed it was in its past life as an Odeon (its new name is a pun of sorts) until it closed in 1981. The new owners plan to screen old classics and Bollywood pictures Nathan Jennings, a Manchester-based filmmaker, is currently piecing together a documentary about the aforementioned TJ’s venue in Newport. Jennings grew up in the city, although at 28 years old is a little too young to have experienced its 1990s heyday – nevertheless, he’s keen to convey the significance of the club, and the underground rock scene that swirled around it. The film, as yet untitled, is currently in the post-production stage, with a projected release in early 2017.

However, there’ll be a teaser screening, and a Q&A with Jennings, at Wrexham’s Focus Wales festival on Sat 14 May Cardiff indie label Bubblewrap have announced the release of Universe, an album by Mandy – a portmanteau of Mel and Andy Fung, the married couple who comprised the nucleus of the band. Mel died of cancer in October 2014, making Universe her final musical flourish

and, in her husband’s words, “a profound and beautiful one”. Between them, Andy and Bubblewrap have planned a lavish package for the record, which is set to be pressed on transparent blue vinyl with Pete Fowler supplying the sleeve art. Said art can also be worn as a t-shirt, an all-over pink and blue print which might induce Global Hypercolor nostalgia in some. It’s currently being funded via Indiegogo, and at press time had reached two-thirds of its goal in a week How long does a ‘local artist’ need to have lived away from the local area in question before they’re deemed local no longer? In the case of Cate Le Bon [pictured], raised on a west Wales farm and resident in Los Angeles since 2013, not until she abandons her distinctive accent and starts sounding more like, say, David Lee Roth. Her fourth album Crab Day, released in mid-April, gives no indication of this happening soon. Most of her folk influences have been spirited away, and production is richer and rockier than before, but the 10 songs find her on sterling form. Cate’s March tour visits Cardiff on Sat 12, with a backing band including Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist and tireless sideman Josh Klinghoffer

ONE TO WATCH...

RHYTHM DISTRICT

A South Wales duo here who feature local vocalists Jessy Allen, Linford K Hydes and Rachel K Collier from the same area, and as their name suggests, they revel in strong grooves on debut album Your Loss. Taking in the slithering basslines and fizzing handclaps of 80s boogie and electrofunk along with bumping 90s house rhythms and silk-spun r’n’b vocals, they mould the mix into dancepop catchiness. Yes it’s been done before, but Rhythm District do it really well – as in Disclosure and Julio Bashmore’s better moments, the passion for groove feels genuine.

For instance, More To Life Than Love replicates perfectly the juddering, heart-thumping play of bass throbs and kick drums that reverberated through NYC and New Jersey over 20 years ago. Elsewhere there’s a more modern aesthetic, with neon bursts of rushing, shining melody that bear comparison to Hudson Mohawke. With bold beats, sleek synths and voluptuous vocals, it’s been buffed to perfection in the studio; the sounds are programmed for the car stereo as much as for the dancefloor – but there’s definitely musicianship behind it. Rhythm District has already begun to get tidbits of mainstream airplay – perhaps they’ll be the first Welsh artists to storm the dance charts?

(GTDC) www.facebook.com/rhythmdistrictuk

BUZZ 46

one louder BY the time you read this, 2016 will be 60 days old.

Objectively speaking, and in doing so tempting an outbreak of nuclear warfare or plague-level global pandemic some time in the last week of February, it feels like a period which has hinted at the prospect of cultural change, without actually following through with it.

When David Bowie, making his second aggravatingly cursory appearance in this column on the spin, died in early January, it kicked off a spate of expiring icons, causing many to ruminate on their own mortality. I even saw people suggesting, with apparent straight faces, that we now live in a ‘post-Bowie’ era – in the sense that culture is now markedly, universally different for his passing. I hope that enough time has now passed that I won’t look like a tedious Camilla Long-style contrarian if I suggest this is a little over the top.

Elsewhere, the pre-nomination period of the American electoral process has introduced various possibilities, ranging from distinct to not-as-far-fetched-as-it-appeared to ‘oh Christ this can’t be happening’: that the next president of the United States could be a woman, a selfprofessed socialist or a comedy racist with almost no political nous to speak of. Any of these would amount to a break with tradition, albeit instantly quashed upon taking office and having to deal with the reality of actually being president.

And what of the writer of this column, which notionally exists to dispense south Wales gig-going advice for the month ahead? Well, here’s a thing: I didn’t go to see any bands in the region for all of January and February. This information is probably not greatly interesting to you in itself, I realise, but if you’re the sort of person who can be bothered to read this column, you might appreciate how it feels kind of... alarming to realise it. I can say with fair certainty that I’ve not been such a set-shunning shut-in since I turned 18.

Heck, around the time I started working at this publication I’d go to three or four gigs most weeks, because it just seemed like the thing to do. They didn’t even have to be bands I was bothered about – the mere thrill of socialising and cultivating a drinking problem was attractive enough.

It’s probably a pretty good way to burn oneself out on the ‘gig scene’, mind you, although many people extricate themselves from its clutches by way of marriage, children or a high-flying job. A toast to those people!

Plus, it hasn’t all been crushing solitude and cleaning one’s teeth at 10.30pm for me. I went to three shows in February: two in Bristol, one in London and all very different to each other. The first was headlined by Jlin, a woman from Indiana who makes bold and experimental Chicago-style footwork (her home town is closer to Chicago than Cardiff is to Bristol) and who was playing in the UK for the first time. It was splendid stuff, crisp, intense and danceable, although I, an alleged adult, managed to contract hiccups for most of her set.

After this I saw the duo of Ryley Walker, youngish American folkie who played Cardiff twice last year, and Danny Thompson, septuagenarian British folkie and ex-Pentangle member, in a Bristol city centre church. They’re a great pair, given to improvising but always very listenable, and the atmosphere was more genteel but far from sterile.

Finally, to London for a gig ‘curated’ by two record labels, Alter and Static Shock. It was loud, unruly and chaotic, featured bands I’d wanted to see for ages (The Pheromoans, Perspex Flesh, No Form), and a friend of mine shouted at the singer of another of the bands for being a fascist (I’ve still no idea if this is an accurate claim) and nearly got his head kicked in for his troubles. Live music is fun!

FLOWERS, SEAZOO and OH PEAS (The Moon Club, Cardiff, Fri 4 Mar), COOLIO (Monkey Bar, Swansea, Sat 5), EXODUS (The Globe, Fri 11), HAMELL ON TRIAL (Le Pub, Newport, Fri 11), UNDERSMILE, SPIDER KITTEN and HAAST'S EAGLED (Le Pub, Sat 12), KARMA TO BURN and LACERTILIA (Moon Club, Tue 22), DIAT, CHAIN OF FLOWERS and DISJOY (Buffalo, Thurs 24) and MAGRUDERGRIND plus CORRUPT MORAL ALTAR (Le Pub, Thurs 31) are all gigs I am perfectly aware of, thanks. NOEL GARDNER

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books

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Mary Ann Constantine (Seren)

In a mysterious world that is not quite our own, and in a Cardiff that is almost, but not quite the one we recognise, Mary Anne Constantine sets her novel Star Shot. This merging of worlds is the novel in summary. It is part contemporary urban novel, part fantasy and Constantine’s elegant writing pulls together these worlds beautifully.

The book follows a small group of characters in and around the world created out of contemporary Cardiff. Set primarily in and around the backdrop of Cardiff’s National Museum, this creates striking visual imagery for any reader familiar with the buildings. The clever narrative also gives a new dimension to this familiar backdrop. This blending of worlds and beautiful backdrops is helped by the woodcut style motif illustrations

by Clive Hicks-Jenkins.

The characters in the novel interweave and share and create a network of relationships to resist the channels of silence across the city. These include a young woman in Gorsedd park, a young father talking about stars to his son, all as university researchers try to map and understand the mysterious and destructive silence.

Their lives become interlinked in unexpected but moving ways bringing to life the people against the backdrop of the city. The city and the buildings and objects it holds helps create metaphor for focusing our grief and emotions, and the importance that locations take on in our lives. Constantine’s novel is funny and poignant and engagingly written. Her backdrop of Cardiff and the unusual life she gives it will be a treat for anyone familiar with the city, and make you look at the buildings you pass in a different light. EMILY GARSIDE Price: £9.99 paperback / £8.99 Kindle. Info: www.serenbooks.com

DREAMING ALL THINGS GREAT

HESTER & HARRIET

Bevan Magama (Magmatic Stories)

Hilary Spiers (Allen & Unwin)

Taking the reader through a whirlwind of emotions, Dreaming All Things Great is a collection of colourful short stories reflecting the author’s battles and journeys through life. The author recalls his dreams and experiences from living in Wales, focusing on themes such as loyalty, faith, health and happiness, whilst also trying to figure out life’s purpose.

Magama has a style that is thought provoking but entertaining at the same time, leaving you thinking about the deeper messages hidden within the pages. Tantalising tales such as strange dreams occurring in St Mellons and dark incidents in the village of Radyr both shock and humour the reader at the same time, making this book difficult to put down. EH Price: £4.99. Info: www.magmaticstories.co.uk

A heartwarming story centred around family and friendship form the basis for this surprisingly delightful debut novel. Having set out to visit relatives, Hester and Harriet, two widowed sisters find a young woman and her baby hiding in a bus shelter. Conveying an inspiring determination to help, they take Daria and Milo home, unaware of the spiraling sequence of events yet to come.

Although at first glance the novel appeared to be a light hearted read, the author deals with complex themes including homelessness, asylum and ageing. This combined with a cast of likeable characters and passages of humour throughout. It was difficult not to be swept along on their journey wanting to know the next twist and proved to be an enjoyable and intriguing tale. RH Price: £8.99. Info: www.allenandunwin.co.uk

THE INTERPRETER Diego Marani, translated by Judith Landry (Dedalus) Originally a Policy Officer and part time columnist for various European newspapers, Diego Marani is also an inventor of a language named Europanto. His latest creation, The Interpreter, follows the gradual undoing of a man working at the UN in Geneva. He suddenly starts to suffer from an unknown illness that forces him to speak in gibberish that he claims was once spoken by all living things in the past. Claiming he is sane and that he will prove the language is real, he mysteriously vanishes. That seems to be the end of the matter until the interpreter’s boss starts to suffer from the same illness. Now he must seek help and follow in the steps of the interpreter to save himself from the same unknown fate. AW Price: £9.99. Info: www.dedalusbooks.com BUZZ 48

@mabjones pic Pedro Ribiero Simoes

STAR-SHOT

We begin the month with Stories for St David’s Day, courtesy of Cath Little. Part of the Beyond The Border International Storytelling Festival, the session will be in sumptuous St Donats Castle on Tue 1 Mar, and also livestreamed to enjoy in the comfort of your own home! See www. beyondtheborder.com for details.

In Abergavenny, Nest Of Poets is an event featuring a stable of respectable poets, including Christopher Meredith and William Ayot. Get your word-loving bones to the Melville Theatre on Sat 5 – the event starts at 7.30pm with tickets at £10 (£5 under-18s) and all proceeds go to the National Eisteddfod.

On Fri 11, Little Man Coffee in Cardiff host Milieu II, with literary readings and art from Rhys Milsom, Dan Tyte, artist Pip Barrett and more. They have a Facebook page, be sure to find it. Hijinks begin at 7.30pm with this night of literature, art and photography.

Peter Lord will be launching a new book on the history of Welsh art at various locations, including Abergavenny Library on Fri 11 at 5pm, and in Abbey Building, Swansea University, on Tue 15, also from 5pm. More details from www. parthianbooks.com.

In Bettws Library, Mike Church and Osian Grifford will be running a fun writing and illustration workshop for all ages on Sat 19 from 10-11.30am, while Porthcawl plays host to a reading by poet Paul Henry on Fri 25. That’s at Sustainable Wales – more details available on their website.

Finally, you can learn about other events as they come up on the Literature Wales website and via www.spokenwordwales.weebly.com. I hope you have a good month, and see you next time!

lifestyle 2

EASTER GIFT GUIDE Easter is finally here.

The time of year to celebrate the beginning of new life, enter another season and eat as much chocolate as we possibly can without feeling guilty.

If you want to give family and friends something a little different from the traditional chocolate egg this year, why not take some inspiration from these alternative 6 gift ideas.

7

1 3

4 5

8

9

10

1. EASTER EGG WREATH, £20.00, www.johnlewis.com / 2. EGG, £10, www.sendaegg.com / 3. PERSONALISED MINI EGG TREE, £19.99, www.notonthehighstreet. com / 4. PERSONALISED EASTER MUG, £12, www.notonthehighstreet.com / 5. PERSONALISED EASTER BOOK, £9.99 Softback, £17.99 Hardback, www. gettingpersonal.co.uk / 6. RABBIT LIGHT, £29.95, www.handpickedcollection.com / 7. EGGLING HERBS, £4.99, www.findmeagift.co.uk / 8. YANKEE CANDLE EASTER GIFTSET, £14, www.very.co.uk / 9. CHOCOLATE RUGBY BALL, £19.99, www.wickedlywelsh.co.uk / 10. DRAGON EGG, £19.95, www.cathryncariad.com

BUZZ 49

adventure

RAY MEARS B U SH M AS TE R Legendary woodsman and TV presenter speaks with Amanda Hunt about touring the UK, surviving in the wild, and wildlife.

“

Over the years I have discovered many stories about incredible human beings that have inspired me and I want to share a few of these tales,” says Ray Mears.

After an intense journey hiking in the Arctic Circle, Ray is back in the UK and touring with a new show, Tales Of Endurance, to highlight the power of the human spirit. “I hope that these stories will never be forgotten as they include people who gave their lives for us, like the amazing war hero Violet Szabo. Every few years I also enjoy going around the country and meeting people.

“I have been very lucky for various reasons, including doing a series called Wild Britain for ITV, to have travelled extensively over the UK,” he continues, “and yes, I do love Wales.” Ray has educated audiences around the world on everything from survival to wildlife, his knowledge of these topics so vast that he was approached by Northumbria Police to track down the fugitive killer Raoul Moat.

What comes across most about Ray is his real passion for bushcraft, be it in the Australian Outback or in the UK. “On my last visit I started my journey in the

BUZZ 50

Cambrian Mountains. I travelled down the River Wye, and in Wales the watervole are making a great comeback. I also observed the mating behaviour of the sea lamprey. The birdlife is amazingly rich, and the Wye is one of the only places to see all three species of British wagtail.”

Many of the skills that Ray Mears is keen to promote have been forgotten by most in today’s age of convenience. “It’s my wish to inspire future generations to seek out such knowledge and to preserve it and ensure it is not lost forever. We’ve learned a lot from our ancestors.

I have travelled widely in the boreal forest in search of the older knowledge of how to live in what can be a difficult region. This has taught us many special things and has inevitably shaped our outlook and attitude to travel in the remotest corners of the North Woods, an ecoregion in the United States and Canada.

“I’ve just written a book with my friend Lars Falt, and we both share a passion for the North Woods, its people and wildlife. We want to share our philosophy and love for travel in this wonderful landscape. In so doing, we shall be calling on a hybrid repertoire of traditional skills

gleaned from every corner of the boreal forest, some learned from first hand tuition, others brought back to life from dusty anthropological records.

“I hope we aren’t losing touch with the world we live in,” says Ray. “I still meet lots of inspiring people with great tales when I am out and about. I still think there is a thirst for knowledge.

We have loads of beautiful open countryside to explore in this country and I want to encourage as many people as possible to enjoy it and respect it.”

Does he have more to learn? “I am always learning and always will be. Writing this book has made me reflect and realise it has been 30 years in the making.” What with a life spent travelling around some of the world’s most inhospitable environments, I can’t help but wonder how he handled such extremes.

“I take each day as it comes. I can never imagine doing anything else.”

Ray Mears: Tales Of Endurance, St. David's Hall, Cardiff, Wed 16 Mar. Tickets: £21. Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff. co.uk

Tori James will be giving a free inspirational talk about her adventures at Boulders, Cardiff, to raise money for the Duke Of Edinburgh Award on Thu 3 March

TORI JAMES She's the first Welsh, and youngest British, woman to climb Mount Everest, and one of the ambassadors for the Year Of Adventure. Tori James speaks with Luke Owain Boult about the meaning of adventure.

W

hat was the view like at the top of Everest?

Ah, it was just incredible. The earth was falling away at the edges, the sky was perfectly clear, perfect blue.

It was just breathtaking, and you couldn’t really take it all it in. You’d have to spend hours up there to let your eyes take in all of the ridges.

There was no feeling alone up there, and the views were why a lot of us in the expedition went there. I was on the summit for about 40 minutes and up there I was very nervous about sitting down. It took about 10 hours to get to that point and I thought, "what if I sit down and can’t get back up? What if I used all my energy to get to the top?" But I just sat on the summit, got out my camera and did a bit of my video blog. I tried to drink something but my water was practically frozen – it was like a slush puppy.

What is something about Everest that people may not understand unless they’ve been there?

The scale of the Himalayas is like nowhere else in the world – you just look at the peak and wonder how is it physically possible to climb that high. The pictures in the magazines cannot put into scale what you come across when you walk up the mountain. I think what’s

very deceptive is that with all the snow and the ice you see in photographs, it makes the environment seem very cold, and it is on the summit – with the wind chill, it could’ve been about -35, maybe even -40 degrees. But it’s absolutely baking. I had a lot of concerns about heat exhaustion.

How do you keep going?

It’s all in the mind. Even if the body is struggling, the mind can make it go further than you ever thought it could. It’s just like anyone else – if it’s raining and cold, it can be really easy to find an excuse to not putting on your trainers and avoid going for a run. The feeling you get coming back from that run is amazing – I’ve taught myself to almost disengage my brain from my body when I look out the window and the weather’s rubbish, but I still put on my trainers and get out the door because I’m thinking about what it’s going to feel like when I get back. In the 18 months when I was training for Everest, if I went for a run or did a weekend away training, I visualised my step closer to that summit. If I missed a training session then I’d be a step further away from that summit.

What does adventure mean to you?

I’m pretty clear about what an adventure is.

For me, it’s about the journey from A to B. That

journey needs to be self-supported and selfsufficient. You need to take all your food, and it’s about doing it with the human power alone, and going to places, planning it on a map in advance and seeing where the trail takes you.

It’s getting into the natural environment and really appreciating the natural beauty around you. That’s what adventure means to me.

Preferably spending a night under canvas as well. That’s the ultimate adventure. Like I said before, it doesn’t have to be record breaking, it doesn’t have to be over massive distances or for days on end. It could just be a couple of hours, it could be one night out. I’ve got younger relatives and we’ll be camping in Pembrokeshire and doing lots of activities this summer. That’s an adventure too.

Info: www.torijames.com / Wales Year Of Adventure, info: www.visitwales.com BUZZ 51

sport

Six Nations Round-Up Conor Knight checks up on the Six Nations to see who might just win the coveted prize.

Wales Crowded with life-sized daffodils, renditions of Tom Jones and a proud sea of red, the Six Nations is back in force in Cardiff. Not even the rebranding of the Millennium Stadium (now the Principality, by formality) can dampen the Welsh spirits on game day, despite the end of our annual Grand Slam dreams. Having tasted victory in Dublin over the summer, a draw at the Aviva Stadium was a fair reflection this time around. An exhibition of impeccable defences and blunt offensive creativity from either side, it was the boots of Sexton and Priestland that kept the scoreboard ticking. A case of the cursed first game, Wales will be content not just with a draw, but also Priestland’s confidence in his right foot, an attractive back-up should Biggar suffer any long-term injury. A week later and Wales passed the challenge of Scotland on home soil.

A game of inaccurate rugby ping-pong at times, a controversial decision by Warburton to go for seven points over three was a defining moment of the match, a statement of intent for the rest of the tournament. It was also encouraging to get a glimpse of the towering brilliance George North has to offer after a quiet opening game.

Indeed, though marred by a late but deserving try from Scotland, seeing our immense ball carriers torment the Scotland line was an encouraging sign ahead of the anticipated clash with England on Sat 12 Mar. There are still negatives to the Welsh game; once again lacking creativity, it leads many to question whether Wales have a Plan B should their initial game plan be nullified. That and some underwhelming kicking out of hand, Wales still have a lot to work on if they wish to climb to the top of the table. The away clash in BUZZ 52

Twickenham will be a defining fixture for the men in red, with the alluring prospect of repeating their World Cup coup against the English rose remaining a romantic but difficult task. As past Six Nations have proven though, Wales are capable of causing many an upset.

England As a Welshman it’s difficult to praise the depth and talent of the England squad. Under the helm of Eddie Jones, there seems to be an aura of ruthless optimism, with their prophesised “thrashing” over the stubborn Italy eventually accomplished. However, a difficult run-in of France, Ireland and the Pool A runners-up Wales, their real tests lie ahead of them.

France With the old age expression still relevant, “What French side will turn up?” has been left largely unanswered thus far. Showing glimpses of flair against a stubborn Ireland and stumbling out of a bruising victory against Italy, France seemingly remain in a perpetual stasis of indifference that still leaves many guessing.

Ireland First the loss of Brian O’Driscoll and now Paul O’Connell, these talismans were relentless for Ireland; fearless leaders, the experience and decisiveness of these legendary figures changed

games. Would the result of their narrow defeat to France have been different? Would they have edged Wales in Dublin? With injuries taking their toll, Ireland need to shrug off this nostalgia and look to the future.

Scotland Following a successful World Cup campaign that many – including Welsh defence coach Shaun Edwards – thought ended prematurely, Scotland still arrived to the Six Nations as underdogs; a strong opening performance which eventually ended in a defeat to England and a spirited encounter with Wales, Scotland are slowly growing into an imposing outfit, though there is still work to be done to in the transition from wooden to silverware.

Italy It seems to be the same story for Italy. Starting with a powerful, yet fruitless performance in Paris, they were left wanting after 60 solid minutes against England, eventually conceding five tries, including a Joseph hat-trick. With a dubious drop goal miss from Parisse to win the game against France, you wonder when Italy will stop turning to their relentless skipper, and what will happen as a consequence.

Wales v Italy, Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Sat 19 Mar. Tickets: £30-£70. Info: www. principalitystadium.wales

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MATTHEW PRITCHARD

sport

PAIN MAN TO IRONMAN Star of Dirty Sanchez Matthew Pritchard speaks with Marcus Hughes about attempting to complete 30 half Ironman triathlons in 30 days for charity.

For his latest challenge, Matt Pritchard will be cycling 56 miles, running 13.1 miles and swimming 1.2 miles every day for a month, from Tue 1 Mar to Wed 30 Mar. I went and met Pritchard during a training session at Cardiff International Pool a week prior to the start of his mammoth task.

While sitting dutifully on the edge of the pool having press photographs taken before a training session, Pritchard chatted about the cycling accident he had a few weeks back whilst training for the challenge.

“I took four days out to recover from the concussion, but I’ve been pretty much on track since. I didn’t half go flying, though,” he told me with a wry smile.

Pritchard was riding alongside the A48 when he was knocked off his bike by a car travelling “at speed”, resulting in a fractured coccyx and a concussion, so don’t let his nonchalance fool you. This was a setback that would put less determined people off. But, as he says, it’s in his character to see things through.

“Whatever I’ve done I’ve always taken it to the limit, whether it’s skateboarding, partying, and now this. I know it sounds cheesy, but pain is temporary. It will eventually go; you’ve just got to tell yourself that.”

Pritchard got the idea for his latest challenge when a friend told him about James ‘Iron Cowboy’ Lawrence, BUZZ 54

who last year managed to complete 50 full Ironman triathlons in 50 days across 50 US states. “I said, ‘you what?’ I thought he was winding me up. And then he showed me and there he was – I couldn’t believe it.”

By this point Pritchard had already completed two full Ironman triathlons, run from John O’Groats to Land’s End in 30 days and completed a number of marathons across the country, to name just a few of his endurance achievements. After completing the Double Brutal in Snowdonia in September, he was on the hunt for a new challenge.

“When I run I get some of my best ideas – some people would disagree with me – and I thought, ‘I wonder if I could do 30 half Ironmen in 30 days in South Wales?’ So I mentioned it to my girlfriend at the time, and I think she said the usual ‘Don’t be so stupid’. But if I can picture myself at the finish line then that’s pretty much a good idea to me,” he laughs.

You get the sense part of the enjoyment for Pritchard is doing things he’s told he shouldn’t. “The more people who say ‘no’ the more I, in a good way, want to prove them wrong.”

Since last January, Pritchard has been training with Mark Whittle of WhittleFit. This, alongside a newly adopted vegan diet, has provided a good base for his

training.

“Before I had a coach, I’d swim until I couldn’t swim anymore; I’d run until my legs were coming off and I’d cycle till I got a flat tyre. But that’s not the right way to train and it was really just screwing me over. I was really tired because I wasn’t doing it properly. Then as soon as I joined WhittleFit I got stronger, got fitter, got faster and when I told him I wanted to do this he was right behind me 100%.”

“For me, there are two challenges. There’s actually trying to complete the 30 half Ironmen, and the other is trying raise the £100,000 for charity. I’m raising money for Bigmoose, Friends of Greenhill, Shelter, Ty Hafan and Guide Dogs For The Blind.”

Donations can be made on his website to get him closer to his £100,000 goal.

Info: www.printchards100kchallenge.com

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BIG LOVE FESTIVAL A brand new small, independent festival with a lot of love to give is making its way to Hay-On-Wye. Big Love Festival, which will take place on the spring bank holiday weekend, is replacing the annual pilgrimage party that was commonly known as Troyfest, and held in the same delightful stately home grounds.

The full lineup is expected to be announced on 1 March, but the event organisers say you can look forward to an eclectic mix of the best music acts from Wales and beyond, pop-up discos, late night warehouse parties, performances and art.

The three-day, over-18s festival will be set in and around a country manor hotel steeped in festival history and located in 130 acres of the abundant scenery of the Wye Valley. You won’t be expected to brave the welsh weather in a pop-up tent: instead there will be boutique camping, which includes hotel rooms, gypsy bow-top caravans, bell tents and unidomes. The resort’s swimming pool, sauna and showers are open to all, too, so you can wake up and feel fresh from a night of raving. To make sure you don’t go hungry, the best of Wales’ street food vendors will also be setting up camp at Baskerville Hall.

To give you a feel of the festival, organisers Something Creatives Ltd are also taking over Cardiff’s Tramshed for a Big Love Festival Pre-Party on Tue 24 Mar. Tickets are £10 for the event and the lineup includes The Correspondents, The Rinky Dinks and Jungle Brothers DJ BAM. Baskerville Hall, Hay-On-Wye, Fri 29th Apr-Mon 2 May Tickets: £95. Info: www. biglovefestival.co.uk

CONTENTS pg 56 pg 58 pg 60 pg 68 pg 73

art clubs events live stage BUZZ 55

art

art Aberystwyth Arts Centre

University Of Wales, Aberystwyth. Free. Mon-Sat 10am-8pm. 01970 621903 / www.aber.ac.uk/artscentre The Human Face An opportunity to see portraits by some of the 20th century’s best known British artists, with works by many artists including Stanley Spencer, John Bellany, Jacob Epstein and Elizabeth Frink. (Until Sat 12 Mar) Michele Provost ‘Artists’ Books’ The artists’ books in question were made by this Canadian artist during her residency here from September to November last year. (Until Sat 12 Mar) The Road To Peace Loaned to the Centre by Tavistock Peace Group, this exhibition charts the challenging road to peace over the past 100 years, engaging with themes of peace, tolerance and international understanding.

(Until Wed 16 Mar) Andrew McNeill ‘Under The Bridge: Being Homeless In Cardiff’ Cardiff-born photographer McNeill spent months building relationships with those he photographed, sleeping rough on the streets with them, resulting in this

suite of portraits. (Until Sat 9 Apr) The Box Film and video installation works by David Wilson, Alan Holl, Christopher M Smith, Mark Lyken & Emma Dove and Nathan Kaso. (Until Sat 14 May) Jenny Hall ‘Hollow’ Hall “explores the creative destruction involved in the act of construction,” specifically regarding a copper mine, by stacking up several dozen cardboard boxes in the gallery and inviting visitors to move them around. (From Wed 23 Mar until Sat 7 May) James Morris ‘Inhabitation’ Photographs showing the buildings on the shortlist for the 2015 Gold Medal For Architecture at the National Eisteddfod. (From Sat 26 Mar until Sat 21 May)

Albany Gallery

74b Albany Road, Cardiff.

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm. Free. 029 2048 7158 / www.albanygallery. com Peter Kettle Solo exhibition from this up and coming young artist whose work is apparently becoming very collectable. (From Thurs 3 until Sat 26 Mar)

Andrew Lamont Gallery (Theatr Brycheiniog)

Canal Wharf, Brecon. Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. Free.

01874 611622 / enquiries@

brycheiniog.co.uk / www. brycheiniog.co.uk Brecon Women’s Festival Art Show Annual show here, coiniciding with International Women’s Day. The theme for this year is ‘refuge’. (From Fri 4 until Sat 26 Mar)

Arcadecardiff

Queens Arcade, off Queen Street, Cardiff. Usually open Wed-Sat 12.30-5.30pm. www.arcadecardiff.co.uk Ian Watson ‘End To End Burners’ Exhibition marking the end of Watson’s six months as Artist In Residence in Arcadecardiff’s basement studio. He presents artwork created during the residency, incorporating sound and digital artworks alongside sculpture and performance.

(Until Sat 5 Mar) Matthew Britton ‘DEFACE’ An interactive website that explores the boundaries between art, technology and procrastination. (From Wed 9 until Sat 26 Mar) Double Top A group exhibition of painting and print by the artists working in the newly set up Arcade Studios in Fairwater: Gordon Dalton, Lara Davies, Richard James, Hannah M Morris and Liam O’Connor. (From Wed 30 Mar until Sat 16 Apr)

Art Central

Barry Town Hall, King Square, Barry. Tue-Sat

11am-4pm. Free. 01446 709805.

Women’s Arts Association (Wales) Exhibition 2016 To mark International Women’s Day on Tue 8 Mar, female artists from across Wales are invited to submit work into this open exhibition, drawing together an eclectic mix of artworks celebrating individual achievements and promoting the advancement of women’s rights today. (From Sat 5 Mar until Sat 16 Apr) 591 Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff. Tue-Sat 10am-4pm. Free. 029 2115 3927 John Briggs ‘Before The Deluge’ Exhibition of photographs of Cardiff from the 1970s by American photographer Briggs. (Until Sat 26 Mar)

Attic Gallery

Carmarthen School Of Art

37 Pocketts Wharf, Maritime Quarter, Swansea. Tue-Fri 10am-5.30pm, Sat 10am4.30pm. Free. 01792 653387 / www.atticgallery.co.uk Winter Group Exhibition 2015 Rotating exhibition of the latest work by our established artists and an opportunity for us to introduce work from artists who are new to the gallery. (Until Sat 12 Mar) Branda Hartill Leading British artist/printmaker whose work explores the texture, pattern and light of landscape and ranges from finely drawn figurative works to bold, heavily embossed abstract images.. (From Sat 19 Mar until Sat 9 Apr)

Pontypool Museum, Park Buildings, Pontypool. MonSat 11am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm.

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

Colour Vibrations Vision Arts presents a collection of mixed media work by eight well known Torfaen artists: Masae Takeuchi, Mark Medcalf, Jane Dorset, Patricia Clifford, Valerie Stewart, Joanne Price, Gillian Clayton and Aurelia. (From Sat 27 Feb until Thurs 27 Oct)

Bay Art

BUZZ 56

Cardiff Story

The Hayes, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm.

Free. 029 2078 8334 / museum@cardiff.gov.uk Merched Y Wawr Work by a a Welsh medium movement for women which organises social events in the Welsh language, lobbies on issues related to the lives of women and raises money for charities. (Until Weds 25 May)

ArTeas Cafe & Art Hub

Barker Gallery / Torfaen Gallery

PETER KETTLE Albany Gallery, Cardiff, Thurs 3-Sat 26 Mar Admission: free. Info: 029 2048 7158 / www.albanygallery.com Art being a discipline in which one can still be considered ‘young’ when middle age is in fact kicking in, Welsh painter Peter Kettle is a legitimately youthful pup, still in his twenties. Despite this, he’s already has solo exhibitions in England and Wales, and last year was made a Fellow of the Royal Society Of Arts and a member of the Royal Cambrian Academy. If the initials this entitles Kettle to add to his name don’t impress you, his innovative and evocative painting style might. Landscapes are rendered, variously, in oils and using mixed media including plaster, giving a tarnished and weatherbeaten appearance. This particular show will feature 47 new paintings, many of industrial landmarks including Port Talbot steelworks.

to the symbiotic relationship between plants and pollinators, while celebrating the natural world. (From Sat 5 Mar until Sat 2 Apr) Made With Love & Rubbish Sue Clow and Ruby Roberts give visitors textile recycling ideas and techniques, showing what can be achieved with everyday household waste materials.

(From Sat 12 Mar until Sat 9 Apr)

54 B/C Bute Street, Cardiff Bay. Free. 029 2065 0016 / www.bayart.org.uk Sue Williams ‘Throb:Feely’ Part of a series of exhibitions and events that have been running across south Wales since autumn, this is an exhibition of new drawing and painting installations depicting the darkness and humour often held in the shadow of despair. (Until Fri 4 Mar)

Blossoms Gallery

Park Avenue, Aberystwyth. info@blossomsgallery.co.uk / www.blosssomsgallery. co.uk Woodlands Exhibition An open exhibition celebrating and exploring this ecosystem interpreted in a variety of media including wool, textiles, print, painting and sculpture.

(Until Sat 12 Mar) Plants & Pollinators Also an open exhibition, this one encourages contemporary responses

Coleg Sir Gar, Jobs Well Road Campus, Carmarthen.

Mon, Tue + Thurs 9.30am7.30pm; Wed + Fri 9.30am4.30pm. Free. 01554 748201 / susan.hayward@colegsirgar.ac.uk Foundation At 50 Exhibition of student work celebrating 50 years of the Foundation Diploma in Art & Design at this college. (Until Fri 1 Apr)

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 *Rose Wylie ‘Tilt The Horizontal Into A Slant’ Paintings worked directly onto large, unprimed canvasses, using cut-up methods and loosely associated trains of thought. (Until Sun 29 May)

Chepstow Museum

Bridge Street, Chepstow.

Mon-Sat 11am-4pm, Sun 2-4pm. Free. 01291 625981 / www. chepstowmuseum.co.uk The Hidden Presence Project Showcasing the work produced by Eva Sajovic, working with local schools and young people, based on the life of Nathaniel Wells – who went, in the 18th century, from being aplantation owner’s son to Britain’s first black sheriff. (Throughout March)

Coppertone Gallery

Exchange Building, Cambrian Place, Maritime Quarter, Swansea. Free.

01792 293200 / www. coppertonegallery.com See California Landscapes, Like Never Before Large photography, ranging in size from 76 x 76cm up to 2.5m, from a recent road trip undertaken

by Nigel J. Williams and Greg Jones around California.

(Throughout March)

Craft In The Bay

The Flourish, Lloyd George Avenue, Cardiff. Mon-Sun 10.30am-5.30pm. Free. 029 2048 4611 / www. makersguildinwales.org.uk Brendan Stuart Burns Renowned artist, recently given the Creative Wales

Award, with a set of new work in porcelain. (Until Sun 6 Mar) Undergraduate Showcase: Cardiff & Vale College First and second year students studying ceramics, textiles and graphic design exhibit their recent project work. (Until Wed 16 Mar) Sasha Kingston Recent work inspired largely by the concept of journeys, place and maps, but also reflecting Kingston’s fascination with the delicate structure of plant life. (From Thurs 3 Mar until Mon 2 May) Shirley Jones Showcase for Jones’ Artist Book, The Quest, with five framed images illustrating a story from The Mabinogion.

(From Fri 4 Mar until Sun 24 Apr) Animal Tales Seven artists – Sue Brown, Celia Smith, Jeff Soan, Susan O’Byrne, Helen Thompson, Jan Beeny, Catrin Howell and Suzanne Breakwell – share their unique approach to depicting their chosen animals. (From Sat 12 Mar until Sun 8 May) Hand Held: Hand Made Individual interpretations of medals, created by second year students studying on the Artist Designer: Maker course at Cardiff School Of Art & Design. (From Fri 18 Mar until Sun 24 Apr)

Cwtsh Arts Centre

226 Stow Hill, Handpost, Newport. Tue-Thurs 10.30am-1pm, Sat. + Sun 12-4pm. Free. 01633 661703 / www.cwtsh.org Friars Walk: We Stand And Stare Artists’ responses to the Friars Walk development in Newport. (Until Sun 20 Mar)

Dylan Thomas Centre

Somerset Place, Swansea.

Daily 10am-4pm. Free.

01792 463980 / dylanthomas.lit@swansea. gov.uk / www.dylanthomas. com Love The Words Ongoing, permanent exhibition dedicated to Dylan Thomas, with lots of interactive features and voiceovers from people including Prince Charles and Richard Burton. Lunch At Mussolini’s Following Dylan Thomas’ death in 1953, Ethel Ross, the sister-in-law of Alfred Janes, took a series of photographs of Dylan’s Swansea, and captioned them with an appropriate quote from his work. A selection of these are shown here alongside Dylan’s typescript for his sketch Lunch At Mussolini’s.

(Until Sun 3 Apr)

Elysium Gallery

16 College Street, Swansea.

Wed-Sat 12-5pm. Free. www. elysiumgallery.com Seán Vicary ‘Mysterium Tremendum Et Fascinans’ New work from an artist who, having moved to West Wales, forged a new practice building upon his painting and printmaking skills and embracing emerging digital technologies; his subsequent moving image pieces have been broadcast in the UK and exhibited worldwide. (Until Sat 12 Mar) AJ Stockwell ‘The Place That Knew Them, Knows Them No More Forever’ South Wales-based interdisciplinary

art artist whose work often takes multiple forms, using objects, video, print and text to examine our contemporary relationship to/with artefacts and their modes of construction. Thi exhibition features work developed during a recent residency with this gallery. (From Fri 25 Mar until Sat 2 Apr)

Grand Pavilion

6-8 Morgan Arcade, Cardiff.

Tue-Sat 10.30am-5pm. Free. www.fountainfineart.com John Piper An exhibition of signed lithographs and screen prints from one of the 20th century’s biggest UK artists alongside new work from the gallery artists. (Throughout March)

The Esplanade, Porthcawl.

Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 01656 815995 / www. grandpavilion.co.uk Lydia Nicholson: All Round Artist Nicholson loves to paint animals, flowers, landscape and seascapes in watercolour, oils and acrylics as well as the challenge of trying new techniques and subject matter. (Until Sun 6 Mar) Lesley Dearn ‘Jazz On The Sands’ Drawings and paintings inspired by, and including, the live sketches she created as Artist In Residence during the 2015 Porthcawl Jazz Festival.

(From Tue 8 Mar until Sun 8 May)

Fountain Fine Art

King Street Gallery

Fountain Fine Art

Rhosmaen Street, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire. Mon-Sat 10.30am-5pm. Free. www. fountainfineart.com Spring Group Exhibition A changing exhibition of new work from the gallery’s painters and sculptors.

(Throughout March)

Futures Gallery

Pierhead Building, Cardiff Bay. Daily 10.30am-4pm.

Free. 0845 010 5500 / www. pierhead.org Alison Richards & Rob Taylor ‘Arrt’ A journey through the imaginings of the mind, painted in poetry with the story told through sculpture by two Welsh artists.

(Until Fri 18 Mar)

G39

Oxford Street, Roath, Cardiff. Saturdays 11am5.30pm. Free. 029 2047 3633 / post@g39.org UNIT(e) 2016 Open to the public every Saturday, this is a 10-week period (having started at the beginning of 2016) of production and experimentation in g39’s modular units. Artists involved: AJ Stockwell, Amy Edwards, Catrin Llwyd, Eifion Sven Myer, Elin Meredydd, Helen Stratford, Ian Watson, Jenny Cashmore, Jess Matthews, Owain McGivalry and Yan White, Murray Royston Ward and Rory Duckhouse. (Until Mon 14 Mar)

Y Galeri, Caerffili

Lower Ground Floor, The Visit Caerphilly Centre, The Twyn, Caerphilly. Tue-Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 029 2132 2570 / www.ygaleri.co.uk On The Surface An exploration of tactility from a number of artists who use textiles and surface pattern as a tool for expressing their ideas. (Until Sat 5 Mar) Bert Evans ‘Into The Light’ Port Talbot artist who professes to be inspired by what he sees on a day-today basis.. (From Tue 15 Mar until Sat 23 Apr)

Gallery/Ten

23 Windsor Place, Cardiff.

Free. www.gallery-ten.co.uk Spring Group exhibition featuring a number of this gallery’s established artists.

(From Fri 4 Mar until Sat 9 Apr)

33 King Street, Carmarthen.

Free. 01267 220121 / gallery@kingstreetgallery. co.uk Andrew McCutcheon ‘Mountains And Moorings’ West Wales painter presents a series of dynamic paintings which explore the essence of the landscape and seascape.

(Until Fri 18 Mar) Peter Rossiter New work. (From Mon 21 Mar until Wed 6 Apr)

Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre

St. David’s Rd, Cwmbran, Torfaen. Mon-Sat 10am5pm. Free. 01633 483321 / www.lgac.org.uk An ‘In’ With A Stranger Curator Aidan Moesby begins a conversation exploring the notion of weather as a metaphor for the human condition.

Featured artists include Catrin Andersson, Joanne Mitchell, Zoe Preece and Tim Shaw.

(Until Sat 12 Mar) Dinny Pocock Dinny studied ceramics at Camberwell School Of Art, but her technique of sculpting fine layers of porcelain over wire frames has transferred into needle-felting.

A MakersXchange show. (Until Sat 12 Mar) Katherine Bree Jewellery showcase by London based designer/maker Bree.

Originally a textile designer, she is inspired by colour and her collections have a strong narrative. (Until Sat 12 Mar) Annica Neumuller Work shown in the Cafe Gallery by an artist who describes her work as “a balancing act between chaos and order.

As life itself.” Pretty heavy I think you’ll agree. (Until Sat 12 Mar) From Adams To Zobole: Fifty Years Of Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre A selection of work, old and new from 30 of the most influential artists whose work has been exhibited at the LGAC since it opened in 1966. (Until Sat 12 Mar)

M.A.D.E. Gallery

41 Lochaber St, Cardiff.

Free. 029 2047 3373.

James Green ‘Rhondda World’ New solo exhibition from Cardiff-bsed artist Green, featuring an extensive range of work created over the last 10 years as well as recent work following his travels to South America. (Until Sat 5 Mar) Aidan Myers ‘Manoeuvred Matter’ One-man show featuring a

brand new, unseen series of large-scale paintings from 2016. (From Fri 18 Mar until Wed 6 Apr)

Martin Tinney Gallery

18 St Andrew’s Crescent, Cardiff. Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 029 2064 1411 / mtg@artwales. com Oliver Gaiger Born in Uganda and currently resident in the Cambrian Mountains, Gaiger has lived in several other countries, and their cultures and landscapes have influenced his work – paintings, etchings and drypoints inspired by signs, symbols and patterns found in the natural and man-made environment.

(Until Tue 15 Mar) Spring Show A large changing exhibition of work by Wales’ leading artists past and present. With a broad range of styles and subject matter on display, prices range from £50 to £40,000 (see, there really is some A-list content). (From Thurs 17 Mar until Sat 9 Apr)

Mission Gallery

Gloucester Place, Swansea.

Tue-Sun 11am-5pm. Free.

01792 652016 / www. missiongallery.co.uk Julie Brunskill Maker In Focus show featuring work made with a mixture of clay bodies combined with layers of oxides, to represent the effects of time. (Until Sun 3 Apr) Leah Millinship Work in the [...] space from a photographer who explores notions of family and identity through the intimate narrative of the collected object.

(Until Sun 3 Apr) Catherine Biocca, Cornelia Baltes & Rosalie Schweiker Group show bringing together new works by these international artists. Curated by Louise Hobson. (From Sat 19 Mar until Sat 9 Apr)

National Botanic Garden Of Wales

Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire. Daily 10am-6pm. £8.50/£7 OAP/£4.50 kids/free under5s. 01558 668768.

Angela Kingston ‘Plants And Their Place’ Paintings, drawings and collage. (Until Tue 15 Mar)

National Museum & Gallery

Cathays Park, Cardiff. TueSun 10am-5pm. Free except where noted. 029 2057 3500 / www.museumwales.ac.uk/ cardiff Silent Explosion: Ivor Davies And Destruction In Art Major exhibition by Davies, one of Wales’ leading contemporary artists. It reveals his enduring interest in the creative power of destruction and features work in various media including painting, sculpture and performance, spanning the artist’s career from the 1940s through to the present day. (Until Sun 20 Mar) Augustus John In Focus A selection of paintings, watercolours, drawings and prints by this important Welsh artist. It will focus on images of his family, friends and celebrated sitters as well as his fascination with gypsy

culture. (Until Fri 30 Sept) Treasures: Adventures In Archaeology Major exhibition showcasing artefacts from Egypt, Rome and more, with some Indiana Jones content to boot. Admission is £7, £5 concessions or free for under16s. (Until Sun 30 Oct)

National Waterfront Museum

Oystermouth Road, Maritime Quarter, Swansea.

Daily 10am-5pm. Free.

01792 638950.

Love Glass A celebration of love from students, alumni and tutors at the Swansea School of Glass. Curated by University Of Wales Trinity Saint David. (Until Sun 27 Mar) Matt Wright ‘Relics: A Photospherical Reflection On Wales’ Wright captures various historical sites from around Wales. and presents them in a series of 3D photospheres. (From Sat 19 Mar until Sun 22 May)

Newport Museum & Art Gallery

John Frost Square, Newport.Tue-Fri 9.30am5.30pm, Sat 9.30am-4pm.

Free. 01633 656656 / museum@newport.gov.uk 140 Years Of Newport RFC Marking the ups and downs of this historic rugby football club. On display will be an outstanding collection of rugby memorabilia from Newport RFC, together with audio and visual exhibits.

(Until Sat 16 Apr) The Grosvenor School Of Modern Art Founded in 1925 by Scottish artist Iain Macnab. the School soon occupied a leading role in the promotion of modern printmaking techniques. All works here are by artists associated with the Grosvenor School and form a part of a larger group of prints collected by Newport Museum in the 1950s. (Until Sat 14 May)

Norwegian Church Arts Centre

Harbour Drive, Cardiff Bay. Daily 11am-4pm. Free. 029 2087 7959 / www. norwegianchurchcardiff.com Cymuned A celebration of community seen through the eyes of young people with disabilities. Hosted by Beechwood College. (From Mon 14 until Sun 20 Mar) F22 Inspired by a lens aperture setting that helps to establish depth-of-field and light, two photographers – Mike and Dave – display work influenced by the likes of Berenice Abbott, Guy Bourdin, Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell. (From Mon 21 Mar until Sun 24 Apr)

Off The Wall

The Old Probate Registry, Cardiff Road, Llandaff, Cardiff. Tue-Fri 9.30am5.30pm, Sat 10am-4pm.

Free. 029 2055 4469 / art@ galleryoffthewall.com Women’s Show Celebrating women’s creativity through the arts, partly to highlight International Women’s Day on Tue 8 Mar. The exhibition will feature original art, sculpture and limited edition prints.

(Throughout March)

Oriel Bach

4 Dunns Lane, Mumbles, Swansea. Mon-Sat 11am4pm. Free. 01792 361012 / www.orielbach.com

of books and reading: what it means to move away from those objects, from the visual beauty to the sounds, smells and textures lost. This exhibition will include an installation that considers these

Arcadecardiff, a gallery in...

Cardiff, have set up some artists' studios in, again, Cardiff.

Fairwater, to be exact. From Wed 30 Mar until Sat 16 Apr, the gallery is showcasing new work by some of those artists.

Final Year Swansea College Of Art Students Photographic and mixed media exhibition. (Until Sat 12 Mar) Elle Roberts Mixed media work by third year student from Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthen. (From Mon 14 until Sat 26 Mar) Roger Dunstan Local Mumbles artist with landscape paintings and illustrations. (From Mon 28 Mar until Sat 9 Apr)

Oriel Canfas

Glamorgan Street, Canton, Cardiff. Tue-Fri 1-4.30pm, Sat 10.30am-4.30pm. 029 2066 6455 / www.orielcanfas.co.uk Anne Smith / Gareth Griffiths Smith: art quilts and textiles (she is the winner of Quilt National 09 in the USA). Griffiths: paintings.

(Until Sat 26 Mar)

Oriel Davies

The Park, Newtown, Powys.

Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm.

Free. 01686 625041 / enquiries@orieldavies.org Power In The Land The artist group X-10 bring together the fruits of 2 years working together around the closure and decommissioning of Wylfa, the last nuclear power station in Wales and the last and largest of the Magnox stations, closing in December 2015. (Until Wed 6 Apr) Chris Oakley ‘Datacide’ A sculptural installation, created from the remains of destroyed hard disk drives, both reflects upon the meaning of data in a digitised culture and considers a possible scenario where technology has become irrelevant and is reduced to its material qualities alone.

(Until Wed 6 Apr)

Oriel Joanna Field

Torch Theatre, St. Peter’s Road, Milford Haven. Free.

01646 695267 / www. torchtheatre.co.uk Pip Lewis New paintings which fall somewhere between figuration and abstraction, by an artist who in the last 30 years has exhibited regularly in solo and group shows in Pembrokeshire and Ireland.

(Until Sat 2 Apr)

Oriel Mwldan

Bath House Rd, Cardigan.

Mon-Sat 10am-8pm. Free.

01239 621200 / siobhan@ mwldan.co.uk Amy Sterly ‘The Sound Of Reading’ Exploring the world

ideas, alongside a series of prints. (Until Sat 19 Mar)

Oriel Myrddin

Church Lane, Carmarthen.

01267 222775 / www. orielmyrddingallery.co.uk Anthony Rhys ‘Notorious: The Dark Side Of Victorian Carmarthen’ An exhibition of portraits from Rhys, a painter, featuring various 19th century crims identified from the historical Felon’s Register and other historical sources from Carmarthen’s archives. (ntil Sat 12 Mar)

Oriel Q

The Queens Hall, High Street, Narberth. Wed-Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 01834 869454 / www.orielqueenshallgallery.org.uk Sarah Lees Paintings in the main gallery. Oriel Fach: paintings by Sian Jones; stairs: details TBC; main gallery 3D area: assorted ceramics and jewellery by students and well-known artists. (From Sat 5 Mar until Mon 11 Apr)

Oriel Y Bont

University Of South Wales, Pontypridd. Mon-Thurs 8.30am-5.30pm, Fri 8.30am5pm. Free. 01443 480480 / www.gallery.southwales. ac.uk Alan Salisbury Retrospective touring exhibition of intricate paintings and other works by Barry-based painter Salisbury, covering 50 years of work from 1965 to 2015. (Until Tue 26 Apr)

Penarth Pier Pavilion

The Esplanade, Penarth.

Tues-Sat 10am-5pm. Free.

029 2071 2100 / info@ penarthpavilion.co.uk Bryan Alcock ‘Looking Through An Architect’s Window’ Exploring the heritage of the Pavilion, Alcock – the lead architect on the renovation of the building – has produced window frames which are overlaid on to painting. (Until Fri 4 Mar) Channel Mal Bennett, Louisa Fairclough, Chris Short, Josephine Sowden and Bedwyr Williams look at our immediate geography, our relationship with, and our respect for the River Severn.

(From Fri 11 Mar until Tue 5 Apr)

Redhouse

Old Town Hall, High Street, Merthyr Tydfil. Free. 01685 384111 / info@ BUZZ 57

clubs redhousecymru.com Neil Burridge and Fiona Harper An exhibition of Merthyr landscapes in charcoal and oil. (Until Tue 29 Mar)

The Riverfront

Bristol Packet Wharf, Newport. Mon-Sat 10am8pm, Sun 10am-6pm. Free.

01633 656757.

Community Arts Celebrations A programme of work to compliment International Women’s Day featuring work by various community artists and organisations. (Until Sat 26 Mar) David Green ‘Underground’ Appropriately located in the Riverfront’s basement gallery, Green’s exhibition will consist of sound, moving image and found objects to evoke the ambience of a nightclub, a French Resistance printers and torture chamber. (Until Tue 29 Mar)

Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama

Castle Grounds, Cathays Park, Cardiff. Free. 029 2039 1391 / www.rwcmd. ac.uk Ralph Koltai ‘Atomic Landscapes’ A new exhibition of metal collages by Koltai, one of the UK’s leading thatre designers. They were constructed from found objects on his farm in France between 1997-2015. (Until Sun 13 Mar)

Swansea Grand Theatre

Singleton St, Swansea. MonSat 10am-5pm. Free. 01792 475715 / www.swanseagrand.co.uk Focal View: Now For Something Completely Different Showcasing the creative work of a small group of Welsh photographers who are intent on breaking with traditional expectancy. (From Mon 21 Mar until Sat 2 Apr)

Swansea Museum

Victoria Road, The Maritime Quarter, Swansea. Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. Free. 01792 653763 / www. swanseamuseum.co.uk Transformation Exhibition of work by South Wales Scribes. Also on show, for the first time in Wales, will be the four volumes of Letters After Lindisfarne – on loan from the International Research Centre For Calligraphy at the University Of Sunderland.

(Until Sat 23 Apr)

Taliesin Arts Centre

Singleton Park, Swansea.

Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 12pm-6pm and performance evenings 6pm8.15pm. Free. 01792 295526 / www. taliesinartscentre.co.uk Janet Weeks Bligh & Tony Douglas-Jones ‘2 Paint Wales’ Both members of the Royal Watercolour Society Of Wales, Weeks Bligh and Douglas-Jones have been painting all their lives. They’re inspired, respectively, by local Welsh images and Celtic culture, and the shifting effects of light and atmosphere on the sea and sky. (Until Thurs 24 Mar) BUZZ 58

Tenby Museum & Art Gallery

Castle Hill, Tenby. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, £4/£3/£2 kids.

01834 842809 / www. tenbymuseum.org.uk Hope In The Great War Documenting six heroic Royal National Lifeboat Institution rescues during WWI. (Until Sat 5 Mar)

Theatr Hafren

Llanidloes Road, Newtown, Powys. Mon-Sat 10am5.30pm. Free. 01686 625007 / boxoffice@theatrhafren. co.uk Neyla Grady A body of work inspired by the marriage of art and language, Grady invites us to use the words exhibited as a springboard for creative observation. (From Wed 9 Mar until Fri 20 May)

Third Floor Gallery

102 Bute Street, Cardiff Bay. Wed-Sun 1-7pm. Free. 029 2115 9151 / cardiff. thirdfloorgallery@gmail. com *The Apollo Archive Highly detailed, high resolution images of the Apollo moon landings between 1969 and 1972, taken from the Project Apollo archive which was established in 1999. (Until Sun 6 Mar)

Tower Gallery

49 High Street, Crickhowell.

Free. 01873 812495 / www. towergallery.co.uk Annica Neumüller / Daniel Wright Abstract paintings and contemporary ceramics, respectively. Also showing work by all members of the Usk Valley Artists’ Co-operative. (Until Sat 26 Mar)

Tower Gallery

Oriel Y Parc Landscape Gallery & Visitor Centre, The Grove, St Davids, Pembrokeshire. Free. 01437 720392 / info@orielyparc. co.uk Clare Woods ‘A Tree A Rock A Cloud’ The latest Welsh venue for this touring exhibition of works which evolved out of an engagement with traditions of historic painting – portraiture, still life and landscape – from the collections of Amgueddfa Cymru. (Until Sun 6 Mar)

Velindre Hospital

Whitchurch, Cardiff. Open 24/7. Free. 029 2075 2251.

South Wales Art Society – Permanent Rolling Exhibition Members’ works are available to view in the corridors and restaurant of the hospital at any given time.

20% of all sales go to the hospital.

Victoria Fearn Gallery

6B Heol y Deri, Rhiwbina, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 9.30am5.30pm, Sun 10am-3pm.

Free. 029 2052 0884.

Blue And White Themed exhibition featuring handmade gifts with Mothers Day and Easter in mind. (Until Sat 9 Apr)

Wales Millennium Centre

Bute Place, Cardiff Bay. Free. 029 2063 6464 / www. wmc.org.uk Stephen Kingston

Caernarfon-based artist creates a special mural celebrating and reflecting the vibrancy and vitality of Black History Month. (Until Wed 30 Mar) Common Ground Inspired by notions of ‘home’ and ‘community’, Common Ground brings together new work from two photographic collectives taking an outward-facing view of their respective home countries of Scotland and Wales.

(Until Sun 10 Apr)

West Wharf Gallery / Jacobs Gallery

Jacobs Market, Cardiff.

Thurs-Sat 10am-5pm. Free. westwharfgallery@gmail. com / info@jacobsgallery. co.uk / www.jacobsgallery. co.uk Concentric Ten female artists – Jacqueline Alkema, Adeola Dewis, Zoe Gingell, Penny Hallas, Rebecca Hammett, Leona Jones, Kay Keogh, Lucie Thomas, Sheila Vyas and Tessa Waite – use the top floor of this space in experimental fashion, working with the notion of what it is to be a woman in this century.

(From Thurs 3 until Sat 19 Mar) Rat Trap Three swift days of mixed work from Dan Waite, Joel Hertz, Flo Main, Fenella Brereton, Carlota Nóbrega, Gwenni Llwyd, Sophie Bristow, Mark Hicken, Beatriz Almeida, Django Short and Retrose. (From Thurs 24 until Sat 26 Mar)

Workers Gallery

99 Ynyshir Road, Ynyshir, Rhondda Cynon Taff. FriSun 10am-5pm. Free. 01443 682024 / wood4tt@gmail. com Sit & Spoon 2016 Lovespoons and loveseats, created by makers and artists exploring objects of desire and symbols of devotion. (Until Sat 12 Mar) A World Of Work Annual mixed exhibition for this gallery’s artists.

(From Thurs 17 Mar until Sat 30 Apr)

Wyeside Arts Centre

Castle Street, Builth Wells, Powys. Tue-Fri 12.30-9pm, Sat + Sun 2-9pm. Free.

01982 552555 / www.wyeside.co.uk Glenn Morris ‘Siku: A Sculptor’s Response To The Arctic’ A selection of images and sculptures inspired by the north and designed to give a small taste of life on the very edge of where it is possible for humans to survive. (Until Sun 20 Mar)

clubs 10 Feet Tall

11a + 12 Church Street, Cardiff. 029 2022 8883 / thisis10feettall@yahoo.co.uk Wed 23 Slam Funk 7pm, £4/£3 NUS. “Playing music from Artists such as James Brown, Jamiroquai, Chic, Sugarhill Gang and many More great Songs of this style.” Fridays Soulection 9pm-3am, £3 after 10. Soul,

boogie and the like from Blue Honey DJs. New night.

Saturdays Under A Groove 9pm-3am, £3 after 10. Funk, neo-soul and Motown with music from James MorganRees & Alex Moxham.

Sundays 10 Feet Tall Industry Night 5pm-3am, free. 50% off all drinks for industry staff with this venue’s Industry card, alongside latenight Blue Honey DJs. Sun 27 Memorex Takeover 10pm, £5/£3. Spread over both floors of 10 Feet, plus Undertone, this will feature Earl Jeffers, The Organ Grinder, Kofi Tarris and Keeno in the main room; James Morgan Rees playing funk and boogie in the bar.

Aberystwyth Students Union

Old College, King Street, Aberystwyth. 01970 621700 / www.aber.ac.uk Sat 19 Black House 9pm4am, £15/£12.50 adv. Irregular big, student-friendly Aber rave with a full lineup TBC (ie after this issue has gone to the printers) but headlined

by Noisia, who are in Swansea the day before this if you’re over that way.

The Angel Inn

57-59 Great Darkgate Street, Aberystwyth. 01970 617878.

Fri 4 Buzz Introduces...

11pm-4am, £4/£3 before 12. Featuring jungle from DJ Hybrid, “multi-genre madness” from Josh Wellz plus sets from Ram ft. MC Camel-T, Fujin and Paranoize b2b Fanatic ft MC Muhreds.

No relation to 25-year-old listings and entertainment magazine Buzz, by the way. Fri 11 Dutty Riddims 11pm-4am, £4. Drum’n’bass tearout headlined by DJ Looney & MC Fire.

The rest of the bill comprises Darkfada v Fanatic ft Wozza MC, Kontrol TV ft MC Benji, Boundary v Fujin, Nexsuz & Eazydubz ft Hypnosis MC and Gemini Twins ft Lizzard MC.

Blind Tiger

49 Cambrian Road, Newport. 01633 243500.

Fridays Boombox Old school reggae, hip-hop, beats and bass with Blind Tiger residents and guest selecters on rotation. Saturdays Koncept & Friends House, techno and bass music with guest DJs, breaking producers and residents from Wales’ freshest nights, like so: Sat 5 Dale Rankmore; Sat 19 Madame Twisted; Sat 26 Gavin Woo.

Buffalo

11 Windsor Place, Cardiff.

Open Mon-Thurs 11am-3am, Fri + Sat 11am-4am, Sun until 4am. 029 2031 0312 / www.buffalocardiff.com Mondays Bump & Grind 10pm-3am, £4/£3 before 11.30. 90s r’n’b/hip-hop night.

Thurs 10 Purrmotions 10pm-4am, £10 adv. Loosely cat-themed club promoters with their first Cardiff night of their years, featuring clubbable names in Midland and Tom Trago. Caracal and HighForThis are also in the main room; Blue Honey hold court downstairs. Fri 4 Aperture 10pm-4am, £10/£8. Drum’n’bass DJ/MC duo Dub Phizix & Strategy,

who we write a lil’ bit about last month on the back of their date in Swansea, are in Cardiff for March. Nanobyte, Talis Man, Walbeoff, Speedo, Screwy, Quartz and host XL are the locals. Fri 18 Aperture 10pm-4am, £10/£5.

Med School, an offshoot of the Hospital label, is toasting 10 years of life. Keeno, Anile, Lung, Mullett and host Ruthless are the people doing so. See Clubs. Fri 1 Apr Aperture 10pm-4am, £8.50 early bird. DJ Marky is headlining this one, so I’d expect it to sell out in advance.

Consider this a headsup.

Saturdays Shindig 10pm4am, £3. Pop, chart, funk and soul from residents over two floors. Drinks deals.

Cardiff University Students Union

Bullion 9pm-4am, £9-£13.

Sound of the DJ Hype! HYPE! Not my words, but probably those of MC Texas, who is on chief mic duties for the drum’n’bass stalwart tonight.

Saturdays 10pm-4am, £5/£4 NUS. Three floors of fun: The Vinyl Vendettas’ top floor resident indie shindig; Dirty Pop and Mr Potter's proper disco.

Sun 13 Big Fish Little Fish Cardiff: Super Raving Animals 2-4.30pm, £7 adv/ free for babies. This is the Welsh debut for a promotional group who do afternoon club nights aimed at babies and toddlers, plus the adults who wheel them around. Huw and Daf from the Super Furries will be DJing house, disco etc, plus there’s craft and soft play areas. All sold out though! Sun 27 Cellar Door 10pm-4am, £10. House and techno party vibes from local faves who often spring to life on bank holiday weekends like this one.

Park Place, Cardiff. All listings apply to term time only. 029 2078 1458 / studentsunion@cardiff. ac.uk 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 4 Chase & Status 9pm2am, £22.50 adv. Bedlam & Lunacy team up with top crossover drum’n’bass duo for a DJ set, also featuring MC Rage. Dimension, Frisco & Maximum, Bonkaz, Rude Kid and Skankandbass also feature. Saturdays Flux 9pm2am, £5/£4 NUS. Chart, dance and pop.

48 Cambrian Road, Newport. 01633 213161.

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

Fridays The Kickstart / Terrace Session Classic anthems, downstairs, Mr Ifsta plus allstar residents up on the roof terrace. Saturdays Mischief Beat-driven anthems is the ambiguous description for tonight’s music policy. Sundays Sunday Sessions DJs til late and the weekend’s sports highlights.

Club Oxygen

Dempseys

1 Northampton Lane, Swansea. 0844 8849171 / www.globaloxygen.co.uk Fridays Dance Anthems 11pm-6am, from £5. House and commercial music all night from Big Al, Nicky G, 3 Bird, Jordan Steins, LJ Isaac and Tom Chizzy. Saturdays 10pm-6am. Room 1: ED, progressive, big room, electro, deep and house. Room 2: r’n’b, bassline, garage and hip-hop. Plus big name guests TBC. Sat 5 Inner Bass 11pm. New night of house, tech-house and garage.

Room 1: Esquire, DJ Kai, Nicky G, Big Al, Lloyd E, Teri Simmonds, Rob Illing, Vedra and Luca Rinaldi. Room 2: Apollo 84, Kieran Lansley & Benny Lew, John & Evs, Ashley Lashout & Dave Eaves and Adam Why.

Clwb Ifor Bach

Womanby St, Cardiff. 029 2023 2199 / www.clwb.net Thurs 17 Carnival 11pm4am, £4. Dead popular student-friendly night helmed by “a bashment collective that bring the sounds of Jamaica to Cardiff”. Thurs 24 Brooklyn Zoo 10.30pm4am, £3-£5. Current and classic hip-hop alike, selected

by Patrick Nazemi. Thurs 31 Slice: A Pop-Punk Pizza Party 10pm, £2. Playing pop-punk hits from bands both good and rubbish (in the opinion of this reporter, who will almost certainly not be in attendance). Fridays (bottom) Zerox 10.30pm-3am, £4/£3 NUS. A “party jukebox” night. With DJs, though, not an actual jukebox. Fri 11

Courtyard

Castle Street, Cardiff. 029 2023 9253 / www. dempseyscardiff.com Thursdays (downstairs) Twisted By Design 9.30pm-2am, free. Weekly night along the lines of the Saturday lineups. Fridays (downstairs) Blah Blah Blah 10pm-3am, free. Gary Twisted offers up Motown, indie, rock’n’roll, reggae and “no cheesy pop”. Saturdays 9pm-3am, free. Rock’n’roll, funk, soul, party tunes yadda yadda, selected by Chris PJ Martin. Sat 5 W.O.Y. Fundraiser 7.30pm, £5. Afrobeat, funk and disco-influenced DJ sets from DJs Ben Jah, DaveGrooveSlave and, from the Back To Nature Paint Jam (also happening today – see Events listings), Psyklops and Millimagic. All proceeds of the evening go to the Women Of The Year Project and the Good Shepherd Centre in Lesotho. See Clubs. Sat 2 Apr Fabulous 9pm-2am, £4.

Mod, ska, reggae, indie, R&B, funk, boogaloo and northern soul, running here for the mods since the 90s.

Face 11

105 Cathays Terrace, Cardiff. 029 2022 8221 / www.face11.co.uk Fridays DJ 45 Free. Funk, soul, hip-hop and more, or “poppin’ funk and funkin’ pop” as the tagline goes.

Fuel

5 Womanby Street, Cardiff.

07970 063107 / www. facebook.com/fuelcardiff Thursdays FUBAR 10pm2am. Rock, metal and alterna-

clubs tive clubnight. Fridays + Saturdays Rock and metal anthems each weekend, plus special guests when such types are in town.

The Full Moon / The Moon Club

Womanby Street, Cardiff.

029 2037 3022 / info@ thefullmooncardiff.com Fri 4 Sub:Culture 11pm-4am, £5. Stomping techno from B.L.A.P (live) and Michaela. Fri 18 Twisted Souls 11pm, free. “GrooveLaden Post-Minimal Music and Original Generative Visual Performances.” Fri 25 Release v One House 10pm4am, £5/£4 adv. Techno and house respectively from Tom M, Gorilla-Matic, Ka-Roka b2b Kepler, Madame Twisted and Dan 3man b2b Vinnie G (room 1); Dale Rankmore, A5ces b2b Beekay, Lori, Concept and Jhester (room 2). Saturdays Five Dollar Shake Free.

DJ Puddlefunk with bebop, funk, soul, Motown, hip-hop, reggae, ska and everything in between. Sat 12 Killing Moon 11pm, £4. Newish night celebrating 80s alternative music. Sat 19 The Hold Up 9pm, £6.50 adv. Monthly hiphop night, with Jam Baxter and DJ Sammy B-Side. Sat 2 Apr Hypnotion 11pm.

Oxford-based junglist crew Dope Ammo come down for a session tonight. Sun 27 Ultimate Power 10pm, £4

adv. Power ballad club night.

Glam

Greyfriars Road, Cardiff.

029 2022 9311 / info@ glamnightclub.co.uk Mondays The Fest 10pm3am, £3.50. Two floors of charts, dance and student anthems (room one) and r’n’b, hip-hop, urban and funky (room two). Fridays Smack. 9pm-3am. This night has moved from, er, some other Cardiff club, I can’t be arsed looking up which one.

Saturdays Vanity 9pm-3am, £5-£10. Two rooms of quality music, everyone catered for it is claimed. Sun 27 Kisstory 10pm-4am, £8 adv. House stuff, lineup released soon but probably not until this is at the printers.

Gwdihw

6 Guildford Crescent, Cardiff. 029 2039 7933 / www.gwdihw.co.uk Fri 11 Superchango Takeover 9pm-2.30am, £4/£3 adv. Funk, disco, hiphop and party, this month with a live set from Disco Panther. Fri 18 Cafe A Go Go 9pm, £4. James Parker, Mark Taylor, Eddie Crole and DJ Moz of Fabulous play groovy mod sounds. Fri 25 Pleasuredome 9pm-2.30am, £5/£3 before 11. Conroy, Deemo and Teoman play the electronic music of the 80s.

Sat 5 Blue Honey 9pm2am, £5. Peggy Gou, a Berlin

resident who’s released deep house ish on the Rekids label, headlines. Sat 12 Fat City 9pm, £4. With a headline set from Normanton Street. This is set to be the last Fat City after six years of funk, soul and suchlike. (My listings also said this last month but, er, it really is the last one this time.) Sat 19 Mise En Bouche 9pm. DJing from Gidge and Toclifrench. *Sun 27 Blue Honey Bank Holiday 3pm-4am, £20/£15.

See Clubs for more on this large lineup, featuring Hunee, Harvey Sutherland, Al Zanders and “loads of [Blue Honey’s] favourite local legends”.

Jacob’s Market

West Canal Wharf, Cardiff.

029 2039 0939.

Fri 11 Teak 10pm-5am, £13.50 adv. This one sold out quickly, as is often the case with Teak, but if you want to try and hunt around for one, know that Antal headlines over regulars Rikky Humphrey and Seka. *Fri 18 Compound 10pm-5am, £16.50 adv. New techno promoters, albeit ones whose nights you may have been to before, debut with a headline set from UK techno veteran Dave Clarke. First Cardiff set for 15 or 16 years I believe.

Yay! Dare & Haste, Midge, Matt Griffin, Corey Lewis and Luke Winds warm his decks up.

Ladybird

41 St Mary St, Cardiff. 029 2066 5500 / info@ ladybirdcardiff.com / www. ladybirdcardiff.com Wednesdays Cheeky 10pm-4am, £2. Tickets are £2, drinks (some of them) are £2 and there are two rooms of music. Thursdays Propaganda 10pm-4am, £4. UK-wide indie night’s Cardiff wing. You can tell it’s the Cardiff one becuse they list Stereophonics first on the list of bands likely to be played. Fridays Mi Casa 10pm-4am. House and techno every week, often with some pretty big names. They never announce them in time for these listings though.

Saturdays Solution 10pm4am. A night whose flyer has a big photo of a model in her bra and pants. Sundays Sunday Project 7pm-3am, free with guestlist. Free industry night offers floor fillers and house classics.

The Lemon Factory

37 St Helens Road, Swansea.

07969 671379 / www. facebook.com/ thelemonfactoryswansea Fri 11 Dogruff 10pm, £8-£12. Barac (Pressure Traxx/Moment.Metereze) headlines over Shaun Edwards and Mikki Wings. See Clubs.

Sat 26 Fools Gold 9pm, free. Indie/Madchester club night. Sat 2 Apr Funktion Tek 9pm, £8. Rowdy sounding grime night headlined

by Birmingham’s Devilman along with DJ Boogieman.

Pryme Cut Kazm with Chew & Dex, DJ Darkfada with Papa T (open mic grime session), T-Rev and Rhys Mann comprise the rest of the (confirmed) lineup.

The Lounge

6 Market Street, Newport.

01633 259144 / www. facebook.com/ theloungenewport Fridays Chillout:Lounge Retrocentric grooves and signature cocktails. Saturdays Live:Lounge Air guitar anthems and indie classics, along with live bands whose names you can hopefully find in the Live Music listings.

Mary’s

NORMANTON STREET Gwdihw, Cardiff, Sat 12 Mar Tickets: £4. Info: 029 2039 7933 / www.gwdihw.co.uk After an incredible six years of live music, Gwdihw’s Fat City is coming to an end this month with its final live performance from hip-hop band Normanton Street. The popular monthly residency, which hosted an array of bands and DJs playing everything from house tunes to soul singers, is saying farewell to its live ventures with a bang. Along with prizes, crafts and complimentary punch, Brighton-based band Normanton Street will be returning to Fat City to perform. Fronted by Ned, Nicholson and Phoebe, the band is lyrically focused,with distinct vocals atop jazz-influenced guitars, warm bass grooves and tight rhythmic drums which can be heard in songs such as No Drama and Rakim (The 26th Year).

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 *Fri 11 Hey Mary 9pm, £5/£3 before 10. Debut night of self-proclaimed queer drag disco, with indie, disco, electro, riot grrrl etc on the menu. Hosted by Lucy Fur and the Diamond Dogs. Mon 28 + Tue 29 Battle Of The Seasons Unofficial Afterparty 8pm-2am, free.

After you have done whatever it is you do while watching the stars of Drag Race over at the Tramshed (see Events listings), come here. If you want.

Metros

Baker’s Row, Cardiff. 029 2039 9942 / www. metroscardiff.com Wednesdays Cheapskates 9pm-4am, £5. Hywel plays ‘alternative mayhem’ and

old skool cheese. Fridays Subversion 9.30pm-3.30am, £3 with flyer before 10.30pm.

Drinks promos, no dress code. Rock, punk, metal and alternative beats. Saturdays Slacker 9.30pm-3.30am.

Wherein Hywel plays alternative and new music.

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.

other month (so May, July, September and November 2016).

Popworld

96 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

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

029 2023 5825.

Wednesdays Giggle Free before 12. Student night.

Fridays + Saturdays Ain’t No Party Like A Popworld Party 9pm-3am, £2-£4 (Fri)/£3-£5 (Sat).

Popworld

84-86 St Mary Street, Cardiff. 029 2037 1315 / www. missoulabars.co.uk/ missoulacardiff Fridays Unfunkinbelievable Half price drinks from 5-10pm.

What I find ‘unfunkinbelievable’ is that there’s a club night called ‘Unfunkinbelievable’ in the year 2016. Saturdays ‘Miss’ Behaviour Music, cocktails, party. All these things are found here.

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

Tuesdays Popstar Karaoke 9pm-3am. Karaoke night with a £50 prize. Wednesdays W.H.I.P. 9pm, free before 11.

That’s short for What Happens In Popworld. Thursdays T.N.T. 9pm-3am. That’s short for Thirsty Night Thursday.

All drinks are £1.50 before 12am, apart from wines, cocktails, champagnes and – oh, Swansea – Rekorderlig.

Fridays + Saturdays Ain’t No Party Like A Popworld Party 8pm-3am, £2-£4 (Fri)/£3-£5 (Sat).

Mocka Lounge

Pryzm (formerly Oceana)

Missoula

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. Thurs 31 Mocka Rouge 9pm-3am, £7 adv.

Burlesque, live music and DJs. 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.

Monkey Bar

13 Castle Street, Swansea.

01792 480822 / www. monkeycafe.co.uk Wednesdays Drop 10pm4am. Hip-hop, drum’n’bass, house, garage, jungle and grime. Fridays Dime 10pm-6am, £5/£3 before 12 or with a Kon Tiki stamp.

Hip-hop, grime, house and drum’n’bass. Fri 18 is headlined by drum’n’bass heavy hitters Noisia, and costs £12 in advance or the ominous “way more” on the door.

Saturdays Get Busy £3 with a Kon Tiki stamp. Funk, soul, hip-hop, Motown, boogie and party.

Mozarts

Walter Road, Swansea.

01792 649984 / www. mozartsswansea.co.uk Fri 4 Hip-Drop 8pm-3am.

Mod, Stax, reggae and northern soul. Fri 11 Yum Yum Club 8pm-3am. Funk, soul, reggae, disco and hip-hop.

Penarth Ex-Servicemens Club

69 Windsor Rd, Penarth.

029 2070 7530 / www. penarthexservicemensclub. co.uk Sat 12 Penarth Soul Club 7.30pm-12.30am, £3 adv. A night of classic soul, northern soul etc, at this venue every

Greyfriars Road, Cardiff.

029 2023 3854 / www. pryzm.co.uk/cardiff Wed 2 Reggie & Bollie 10pm-3am, £4-£7. Ghanian duo off of X Factor visit Cardif to perform in some way. Fridays + Saturdays 10pm-3am. Three music arenas, VIP booths, other stuff.

Saturday is in conjunction with Jongleurs comedy club, which also takes place here.

Sat 5 has a guest DJ set from Charlie Hedges, from the Kiss FM Breakfast Show. Sun 27 OMG! Easter Special 9.30pm-3am, £6/£3 adv. “If you were at the last one you will already know that this is the only place to be on on a Bank Holiday Sunday!” And I thought my listings were unhelpful.

Pulse

3 Churchill Way, Cardiff.

029 2064 1010 / www. pulsecardiff.com. Gay venue.

Wednesdays Warped 10pm-4am. Join DJ Craig W on a journey through time with the best hits from the last two decades. Fridays Pulsetastic 10pm-5am, £4/£3. With live PAs once a month. Saturdays Pop Til You Drop 10pm-5am, £5/£4 b4 11. The very best chart remixes and classic hits all night long.

Revolution

Castle Street, Cardiff. Open from 11am. 029 2023 6689 / www.revolution-bars.co.uk Tuesdays Sync 9pm-3am.

Student night featuring hazers, lasers and drink deals.

Fridays + Saturdays 9pm3am. DJs, drinks offers, free area hire.

The Robin Hood

16 Severn Grove, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 029 2037 8829 / www.robinhoodbar.co.uk Sat 5 + Sat 2 Apr Totally Mod For It Free. Every first BUZZ 59

events Saturday of the month, DJ 45 presents an evening of 60s/70s beat, rhythm & blues, soul, ska, 80s/90s Britpop and 2-tone.

Room 112

3-6 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Thurs 9pm-3am, Fri + Sat 10pm-4am. 029 2066 7996 / www.room112.net

house and electro upstairs; DJ Wallace will supply r’n’b and chart in the Soda Lounge.

Wednesdays Replay 10pm, £5/£4. The official sports night of the Cardiff Metropolitan University. Thursdays Clique 10pm, £4. New night promising the hottest r’n’b and dancefloor fillers.

Saturdays Soiree 9pm-

Hardstyle promoters supreme Bionic have been quiet in the last couple of years, but are throwing their last ever Welsh rave in Cardiff Bay's Vaults venue on Fri 4, before a Bristolbased sayonara on Sat 14 May. Fridays Bedrock 9pm-4am, £10/£5 before 12. R’n’b, hip-hop and dancehall.

Saturdays Pillow Talk 9pm-4am, £10. Old skool r’n’b, hip-hop, house and decadent partying is this night’s deal.

4am. Three rooms including the Attic which is “the social playground for the high flyers and social elite, really the only place to be seen.” Imagine catching your reflection in the mirror just after writing that.

The Scene

Tiger Tiger

Plymouth Street, Swansea.

07730 432166 / www. thesceneclub.co.uk Fri 4 + Fri 1 AprNight Train 10pm-3am, £3.

Swansea Scooter Society DJs play R&B, mod, soul, jazz etc on the first Friday of every month. Sat 5 + Sat 2 Apr Dead Of Night 10pm-3am, £3. Goth/alternative club night, on the first Saturday of every month. Sat 26 Lockdown 9pm-3am, £3.

Relaunch of a night promising “house/bounce/future”.

If this is your kind of thing you’ll no doubt find it amusing that I don’t know what that is. Anyway, on the bill tonight is Kill The Empire, Dwaine Whyte, Rob Logik, Matt Damage, Limey, Out Of Control and MC Venom.

Sin City

Dilwyn Street, Swansea.

01792 468892 / www. sincityclub.co.uk Tuesdays Hustle 10pm3am. Funk, soul, Motown and hip-hop. Thursdays Sin Savers 10pm-3am, £3.

Student night, back for the new term. Fridays Monsters Of Rock 10pm-3.30am, £4/£2 before 12.30. Indie in room 1, metal in room 2. Saturdays Sink 10pm-3am. Hip-hop, drum’n’bass, dubstep etc, with special guests plus resident DJs Dubman, Swiss Elf and South. Sun 27 Goodgreef & Delusion 10pm-4am, £17 adv/£25 VIP. A trancestravaganza, or trance extravaganza, with these lot on the lineup.

Room 1: Eddie Halliwell, Will Atkinson, Shan, Rhys Thomas and Callan Christie.

Room 2: Rob Davies, Hywel Mathews & Richie Knight, James Walsh, Ben Parkin & Jamie Hernandez and Kieran Lansley & Teri Simmonds.

Soda Lounge

St Mary Street, Cardiff. 029 2037 3363 / www.sodalounge.co.uk Tuesdays Cartel £4/£3.50.

UK-wide student night. Mr. Mozafari will be playing vocal BUZZ 60

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 10pm3am, £5/£3.50. Exclusive midweek student party, now transferred from Revolution.

You don’t need NUS to get in though. Fridays Koosday 10pm-3am, £7/£5.

Something that has lots of decor, smoke machines etc and describes itself as an “Arrogantly Premium Clubbing Experience”. How depressing. Saturdays Kanaloa Polynesian style area with cocktails, VIP booths, dancers etc.

Tramshed

Clare Road, Grangetown, Cardiff. 0117 9259273 / www.tramshedcardiff.com Sun 27 The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club 7.30pm12.30am, £12 adv. Also featuring The Invisible Orchestra.

Undertone (basement of 10 Feet Tall)

11a + 12 Church Street, Cardiff. 029 2022 8883 / www.undertonecardiff.com Tue 8 Get Funky 10pm-4am, £4/£3 before 11. Funky house from Eben Rees (CYNT), Daryl Finn (Waved) and Lewis Beale (God Made Me Funky).

Thurs 24 Big Love Launch Official Afterparty 10pm, £3/free for Big Love Festival ticket-holders. Disco, funk and house. *Fri 4 Groove Theory 10pm-4am, £12/£10.

Linkwood, deep house’n’disco fave from Scotland, makes what I think is his Cardiff debut. Plus residents. Fri 12 La Fiesta 10pm-4am, £3. The best in commercial music and the biggest of hits, apparently. Fri 18 Selecta 10pm, £4/£3. Classic UK garage anthems with a hint

of grime all night long with Leeson, Onslaught and Woo Ha. Fri 25 Temple 10pm4am. Monthly drum’n’bass night, headliner TBC as usual. Sat 12 Gangster’s Paradise 11pm, £4. Nineties hip-hop and r’n’b night. Yes, another one. Sat 19 Rotary Club 10pm-4am, £4/£2 before 12. Disco, house and boogie with Bristol’s Jay L being the guest DJ of honour. Sat 26 Cardiff’s Finest 10pm-4am.

House and techno played by residents and locals. Sun 6 + Sun 20 Society 10pm.

House and techno all night long, or thereabouts. Sun 27 Memorex Takeover 10pm, £5/£3. Murder, Scott Kerr, Sinky and JV offer house and techno; see the listings for 10 Feet Tall (upstairs) for the other part of this Bank Holiday special.

The Vaults

The Old Natwest Bank, 113116 Bute Street, Cardiff Bay. www.vaultspresents.com Fri 4 Bionic: The Final Chapter 10pm-5am, £17.50 adv. South Wales’ hardstyle pioneers are doing two final nights... ever! One’s in Bristol on Sat 14 May and one’s here. Lineup: Zany, Alexkidd, Cally & Juice, Brian M vs McBunn, L.E.D. & Frisky, MCP and Stu Grady & Knightie (room 1); Bass Bandits, Bass Brothers, Vishaun, Snatch & Trampy, Bally & Cully, Andy & Ryno, Narcotic Smugglers, Racy & Jonzzo, Fanatic and Leg3ndz (room 2). Blimey, there's some names I haven't typed into these listings for a while. Sat 5 Memorex 10pm-5am, £18.50/£15.

Eclectic takes on house and techno. Main room:Borrowed Identity, Honey Dijon and Molly – from Germany, the US and France respectively – plus Memorex DJs. Room 2 is Hosted by Octave and features Cono Frito, Liam Matear, Elliot Mitchell, Adam Carey, HighForThis, James Coughlin and G Love. The Banking Hall is hosted by Trip City. Fri 1 Apr Vaults D&B Presents 10pm-5am, £13 adv. S.P.Y. of Hospital Records headlines this one. Stu Grady, Kooley, Pabz, Sheppa D b2b Fernandez and Resonate also feature in the main room; Paranoize promise “savage party fun” in room 2.

Warehouse

Penarth Road, Cardiff. www.facebook.com/nowthebass *Sun 27 Now The Bass 8pm-4am, £10-£20. A new promotional name appears in time for 2016’s first bank holiday, toting house and garage delight. Jason Kaye, Mike Ruffcut Lloyd, PSG, Champagne Bubblee, MC Det and a special guest host TBC top the bill. Local residents: Lion UK & T Bone, RSK & Dubzta, Ricardo Banks & Gavin Woo, Oisin and Blak Sheep, Kiarash Shanti, Local, Fernquest, Benji Wild, Comma Dee and Slim Teng. The venue is an actual warehouse, they’ll tell you precisely where it is when they’re ready alright.

Warehouse 54

Cambrian Rd, Newport.

01633 259144 / www.wh54.

com Wednesdays Wild Wednesdays Alt anthems from Aaron Lille, along with live bands whose names you can find in the Live Music listings. Friday Shake It Off An eclectic mix of live band sounds, from hip-hop to swing to punk to soul to folk to funk, then DJs playing alt anthems, pop-punk and ‘dirty pleasures’. Saturdays Hype R’n’b, hip-hop and urban classics from Mr Ifsta and others.

Sun 27 Stylo G Dancehall crossover type and MOBO award winner visits Newport on this bankest of holidays.

Wow Bar

4 Churchill Way, Cardiff.

Gay venue. Free all day Sun-Thurs; before 11pm Fri + Sat. 029 2066 6247 / www.wowbarcardiff.com Wednesdays Wish You Were Here Free. Student night with “inflight entertainment” from Lambrini Rampage and Mary Golds, plus music from DJ Krys. Thursdays The Night With No Name Free.

DJ Craig and Mary Golds offer “mad games and crazy entertainment.” Fridays The Greatest Show In The City Free b4 11. With WOW Showgirls Miss Kitty and Marcia, plus special guests every week. Saturdays The VKend Free b4 11. With DJs Craig and Krys. You can get cheap deals in VK. £6.50 for a fishbowl. £6 for a jug of WKD. Settle down now, kids.

Sundays The Cuckoo Club Free. DJ Krys plays the tunes until late.

events EVERY MONDAY

Ballet The Gate, Cardiff.

6-9.30pm, £6.50/£5.50/£3 taster. Info 029 2048 3344.

Beginners 6-7pm; intermediate 7-8; advanced 8-9.30. Runs until Mon 21 Mar. Bharatanatyam Dance Classes For Adult Beginners Bayview House, Cardiff Bay. 8.15-9.15pm. Info 029 2075 1158.

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.

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

Ceroc The Gate, Cardiff. 7.4510.45pm, £7/£5 NUS. Info 029 2048 3344. Sessions for a dance style billed as a combo of salsa, ballroom, hip-hop, tango and jive. Runs until Mon 21 Mar. Children’s Ballet The Gate, Cardiff. 4-7.30pm, £6.50/£5.50/£3 taster. Info 029 2048 3344. Ages 4-6 4pm; 6-8 4.45; grade 1 5.45; grade 3 6.45. Runs until Mon 21 Mar.

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

Community Choir Sessions Cornwall Street Church Hall, Cardiff. 7.30-9.30pm, free. Info 07952 752823. Led by Pauline Down and taking place most Mondays; ring ahead to check.

Freestyle Fitness Yoga Kings Road Studios, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 6-7pm, £7/£6. Info 07774 601544 / sarasclasses4@gmail.com.

Every Monday.

India Dance Wales Classes Highmead House, Lisvane, Cardiff. Info 029 2075 1158.

For Grade 3 to vocational level. These classes are by special application only at various points in the month – not on specific days, hence listing them here. To apply write to admin@indiadancewales.com with previous dance experience and reason for wanting to join India Dance Wales.

Making Music The Gate, Cardiff. 6-10pm, £7.50-£9.50 per session/£4 taster. Info 029 2048 3344. Learn to play improvised rock and pop and basic chord sequences.

Beginners 6-8pm; intermediate 8-10. Runs until Mon 21 Mar. Musical Theatre The Riverfront, Newport. 6.158.30pm, £6/£5. Info 01633 656757. 7-11 years old: 6.15-7.15pm; 12 and up: 7.158.30pm.

Newport Badminton Club Pill Millennium Centre, Newport. 7.30-9.30pm. Info 07789 965285. One of the largest badminton clubs in South East Wales. Monday club nights have coaching with Carissa Turner, the current Ladies Welsh number one, for juniors and then senior club members.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff.

Info 029 2022 1330 / www. nofitstate.org. Today features Youth Circus Wookies (age 7-9, 4.30-6pm); Youth Circus Ewoks (age 5-7, 5-6pm); Flying Trapeze L3 (6-8pm); Aerial Hoop L3 (6-8pm); Static Trapeze L3 (6-8pm); Aerial Yoga (6.15-7.45pm); Aerial Hoop L2 (8-10pm); Flying Trapeze L1 (8-10pm); Static Trapeze L4 (8-10pm) and Flexibility (8-9.30pm).

Taking place in a new venue for 2016.

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4.

Info 029 2063 6464. Tours of the centre running daily for one hour. Advance booking recommended.

Pilates Conway Road Methodist Church Hall, Cardiff. 7-8pm, £6/£30 for six sessions. Info 07872 306745 / info@burlesquecardiff.co.uk.

Mixed ability class with Steph; please bring your own mat.

Pilates 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. Runs until Mon 21 Mar. Quizzical The North Star, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free. Info 029 2062 4050.

RAD Children’s Ballet The Gate, Cardiff. 4-7.45pm, £6.50/£5.50/£3 taster. Info

029 2048 3344. 4-6-year-olds: 4-4.45pm; 6-8 4.45-5.45pm; Ballet Grade 1 6-8 yrs 5.456.45pm; Ballet Grade 2 6-8 yrs 6.45-7.45pm. Runs until Mon 21 Mar. Ruff Folk Dance Club St Andrew’s Methodist Church Hall, Birchgrove, Cardiff. 8pm.

Info 029 2051 3440. With Ian Lewis.

Salsa Classes Mischiefs, Cardiff Bay. 7.30-9.30pm, £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.

Tai Chi: Health Qigong Glyndwr Community Hall, Penarth. 10.30-11.30am. Info 029 2020 6042.

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.

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.

Acrobalance The Gate, Cardiff. 8-10pm, £7/£5.50. Info 029 2048 3344. Combining elements of partner lifts, poses and transitions that involve two and sometimes more people. Runs until Tue 22 Mar. 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.

Advanced Belly Dance Cardiff Central Youth Club, Ocean Way, Cardiff. 5.306.45pm, £6/£30 for six sessions. Info 07872 306745.

With Steph.

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

Info 07790 167560. Every Tuesday and Friday.

American Line Dancing The Gate, Cardiff. 2.454.45pm, £3. Info 029 2048 3344. Runs until Tue 22 Mar. Beth’s Buns Pilates Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff. 7.15-8.15pm, £5. Info 029 2048 4880.

Bring It Pong 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. New weekly session of table tennis, with two tables in the main bar (little known fact: table tennis is one of the best games to play while drinking). No session on Tue 9 this month.

Circus Skills The Riverfront, Newport. 7-8.30pm, £3.50 per session. Info 01633 656757.

For ages 14 and up.

Contemporary Dance The Gate, Cardiff. 6-8pm, £5-£6.50.

Info 029 2048 3344. Beginners 6-7pm; intermediate 7-8. Runs until Tue 22 Mar. Extend The Gate, Cardiff.

11am, £2.50. Info 029 2048

events 3344. Exercise to music, aimed at over-60s and people with a disability. Runs until Tue 22 Mar. Funkypump Fitness Universal Gym, Cardiff. 6pm.

Info www.funkypumpfitness. co.uk. Boxing-based highintensity workout with a house soundtrack. First session free.

In this gym every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

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 – Bharatanatyam Classes Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 5-6pm. Info 07410 977427. Beginners’ class.

India Dance Wales Classes Rubicon Dance, Adamsdown, Cardiff. 6.30pm. Info 029 2075 1158. From beginners to grade 2 and for all ages and abilities.

Irish Dancing The Gate, Cardiff. 5.15-7.15pm, £7/£5.50.

Info 029 2048 3344. Kids 5.156.15; adults 6.15-7.15. Runs until Tue 22 Mar. Jamaican Bum Flex Channel View Leisure Centre, Cardiff. 6-7pm, £5. Info 07950 256969. Dancehall/reggae style dance moves, “turned into a tough bum workout for the ladies” by Latone Holder.

Also on Wednesday and

Thursday.

Jazz Workshops For Beginners Atradius Offices (4th floor), Cardiff Bay. 6.208pm, £10. Info 07806 625717.

All instruments and ages welcome.

Kizomba Tango Classes 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 6pm, £5.

Info 029 2022 8883. Learn African samba here.

Laughter Yoga Llandaff North Community Centre, Cardiff. 7-8pm, £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 JK Club, Neath Rd, Briton Ferry. 8-10.30pm, £5.

Info 07900 080101. Hosted

by Frank, who also runs a similar class in Pencoed each Thursday. Lessons are from 8-9pm; there’s a disco from 9-10.30.

Life Drawing 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 4pm, £5. Info 029 2022 8883. Hosted by Cardiff Life Model.

Lindy Hop Dance Classes & Social Swing Dancing The Garage, Swansea.

6-10pm. Info 01792 475147.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff.

Info 029 2022 1330 / www. nofitstate.org. Today: Youth Ground Skills – Jedi (11+, 4.15-6pm); Youth Circus Padawans (age 9-11, 4.30-

6pm); Hula Hoop (6-7pm); Performance (7-9pm); Circus Mishmash (6-8pm); Beginners Aerial L1 (8-10pm) and Static Trapeze L2 (8-10pm).

Off Centre Silver Dragon, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 5pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. Adult drama group meeting weekly to develop performance skills.

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4.

Info 029 2063 6464.

Open Mic Night Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Pilates And Stretch Conway Road Methodist Church Hall, Cardiff. 8-9pm, £6/£25 for five sessions. Info 07872 306745 / info@burlesquecardiff.co.uk.

With Steph; bring your own mat please.

Pilates: Beginners The Gate, Cardiff. 6.30-7.30pm, £5.50-£7.50. Info 029 2048 3344. Runs until Tue 22 Mar. Pregnancy Yoga Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff.

6-7.15pm, £35/£30 (five-week blocks). Info kalavathi@ omstudio.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.

Salsa Classes La Tasca, Cardiff. 7-10.30pm, £5.

Info 07949 270618. Every Tuesday. Beginners 7.15-8pm; Improvers 8.30-9.30pm; dancing 9.45-10.30pm.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Mines & Mountains National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £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).

Tai Chi / Qigong Shibashi Continuation St Mary’s Church Hall, Canton, Cardiff.

6.30-7.30pm. Info 029 2020 6042.

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. 7.309pm, £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.

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

UNKNOWN PLEASURES MANCHESTER BEER FESTIVAL Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, Tue 8-Sat 12 Mar Admission: free. Info: 029 2030 4400 / www.chapter.org If you’re bored of big beer brands, then Chapter is the place for you this month. The Unknown Pleasures Manchester Beer Festival is coming to Cardiff, showcasing some of the city’s most respected independent and/ or craft beer producers. As well as a wealth of ales for thee to sup, the week will feature live music promoted by ChapterLive, a guide to beer and chocolate matching, and talks and tastings from Mancunian brewery, gin distillery and meadery (yes!), Zymurgorium. If beer really isn’t your drink of choice, have the spirits side of things covered too, bringing a variety of different flavoured gin and vodka to the table. There’ll also be a special cocktail menu available throughout the week.

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, £30 (five weeks). Info 01633 656757.

Ceroc Dance Class Dockers Club, Swansea. 7.45pm-12am, £6/£8 freestyles. Info cerocsouthwales@gmail.com.

Contemporary Dance Youth Session The Gate, Cardiff. 5pm, £3-£6. Info 029 2048 3344. Runs until Wed 23 Mar. Creepy Carmarthen The Guildhall, Carmarthen (starting point). 7pm, £7.50/£5.

Info 01267 231557. Take a trip through Carmarthen’s ‘horrible history’ and meet murderers and their victims; visit the sites of grisly executions; discover dark secrets from bygone days - and find out where ghosts walk.

Freestyle Fitness Yoga Wake Up Kings Road Studios, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 7.15-8am, £7/£6. Info 07774 601544 / sarasclasses4@gmail.com.

Jamaican Bum Flex Canton Community Centre, Cardiff.

8-9pm, £5. Info 07950 256969.

Newport Youth Dance The Riverfront, Newport. 4.156pm, £2.75 per session. Info 01633 656757. 7-10 years old: 4.15-5pm; 14-18: 5-6pm.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community

Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff.

Info 029 2022 1330 / www. nofitstate.org. Today: Youth Acrobatics Jedi (11+, 4.15-6pm); Adult Acrobatics (6-8pm); Creative Aerial L3+ (8-10pm).

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4.

Info 029 2063 6464.

Pilates The Gate, Cardiff.

6-8pm, £5.50-£7.50. Info 029 2048 3344. General fitness session for the first hour, advanced for the second. Runs until Wed 23 Mar. Pub Quiz The Pilot, Penarth.

8pm. Info 029 2071 0615. With Hayley.

Salsa Classes Rhiwbina Recreational Club, Whitchurch, Cardiff. 8-10pm, £5/£4 NUS. Info 07800 565651.

SeeWales Sightseeing Tour: Romans And Ruins National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £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.

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.

Zumba Classes La Tasca, Cardiff. 6pm, £4. Info 07949 270618.

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. 6.15-7pm, £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.

Funkypump Fitness Universal Gym, Cardiff. 6pm.

Info www.funkypumpfitness. co.uk.

Hand Drumming Group Canton Uniting Church, Cardiff. 6-6.50pm, £15 (five weeks). Info 01446 401209.

Hosted by Laura Bradshaw.

Hard Côr Japan Room, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. Join the Centre’s urban choir who blend choral singing with hip-hop. Every Thursday and Saturday; contact takepart@wmc.org.uk for further details.

Hatch The Riverfront, Newport. 4.30pm, £8 per session/£60 per term. Info 01633 656757. New youth theatre programme organised by the Tin Shed Theatre Co. Jamaican Bum Flex Trinity Church Centre, Newport Road, Cardiff. 6.30-7.30pm, £5. Info 07950 256969.

Learn To Rock’n’Roll 50s Style Pencoed Social Club.

8-10.30pm, £5. Info 07900 080101. Hosted by Frank.

Lessons are from 8-9pm; there’s a disco from 9-10.30.

Newport Badminton Club Newport Active Living Centre.

7.30-9.30pm. Info 07789 965285.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff.

Info 029 2022 1330 / www. nofitstate.org. Today: Flying Trapeze L1/2 (6-8pm); Static Trapeze L2 (6-8pm); Ropes & Silks L2 (6-8pm); Static Trapeze L3 (8-10pm); Ropes & Silks L3 + 4 (8-10pm).

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4.

Info 029 2063 6464.

Pilates Kings Road Studios, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 6.157.15pm, £7/£6. Info 07774 601544 / sarasclasses4@ gmail.com. Every Thursday.

Salsa Buena Class Little Shop Of Calm, Cowbridge.

8.30-10.30pm, free. Info 07800 565651. Beginners 8.30pm; improvers 9.30.

Salsa Classes La Tasca, Cardiff. 7-11pm, £5. Info 07949 270618. Beginners 7.158pm; improvers 8.30-9.30pm; Rueda 9.45-10.30pm.

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 & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.

Thursday and Sunday. This one visits the Gower, Swansea Bay, Parc-Le-Breos, the Dylan Thomas Centre and more.

Tai Chi / Qigong Shibashi Albert Road Church & Community Centre, Penarth.

6.30-9.15pm. Info 029 2020 6042. 6.30-7.30: Tai Chi/ Qigong; 7.45-9.15: Tai Chi Short Form.

Tai Chi / Qigong St Albans Church Hall, Splott, Cardiff.

10.30-11.30am. Info 029 2020 6042.

The Alexander Technique M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, BUZZ 61

events

History has shown that there are good female singers and that there are great female singers. The raw emotional music produced by artists such as Peggy Lee, Amy Winehouse, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald and Dusty Springfield owes as much to their own personal histories as it does to the songs they chose to cover.

To that list can be added one of Ireland’s greatest singers, Mary Coughlan who, over 25 years and 10 albums has produced some of the most grownup, uncompromising, wholly personal and utterly universal music about what goes on between men and women. From classic jazz standards to rock and Irish songwriting, she has taken those songs and given them her own unique interpretations that, like those that precede her, is also informed by a well-documented turbulent personal history that involves addiction and tragedy.

In 1994, very drunk and heavily pregnant, Mary Coughlan fell onto her kitchen floor in a stupor, which was where she was found by her husband and three children when they returned from shopping. The next night Mary was taken to hospital where she miscarried; later that same year she went into rehab in Dublin and with her family’s support defeated her alcoholism and hasn’t taken a drink since.

Those experiences have a direct influence on Mary Coughlan’s art; bruised, battered but unbeaten, she blends the whisky-blurred, smoke-seared tones of Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee and the deep, down and dirty blues of Memphis Minnie and Bessie Smith with the desperate defiance of Edith Piaf, all delivered in a defiant, unapologetic Irish drawl that’s by turns sceptical, rueful, mournful and melting.

Whether she’s turning to Cole Porter and Jerome Kern, Elvis Presley and Joy Division, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Mary Coughlan‘s extraordinary voice and her magnificent Irish brogue travels down that long river of blues that links the Mississippi to the Liffey as you’ll hear for yourself if you’re at Cardiff’s St. David’s Hall on Tue 15 when Mary, accompanied by double bass and piano, will be intimately up close and personal as part of the ‘Roots Unearthed’ series.

Buzz also recommends Steve Tilston & Jez Lowe. Inspired pairing of two great songwriters. Cuffern Manor, Roch, Haverfordwest. (Thurs 3); Angel Hotel, Llandeilo (Fri 4).

Tom McConville. Well respected veteran singer and fiddle player. Lyceum Folk Club, Lyceum Tavern, Newport (Thurs 17).

Rex Preston & Miranda Sykes. Mandolin, double bass, brilliant songs, outstanding musicianship.

Rudry Parrish Hall, Caerphilly (Sat 26).

Please send your folk and roots listings to listings@ buzzmag.co.uk or phone them in to 029 2022 6767

BUZZ 62

Cardiff. 11.30am-1pm, £16.

Info info@yogaskies.co.uk.

Small group class hosted by Mike Young.

Yoga Classes Cardiff Steiner School, Llandaff North, Cardiff. 6-7.15 + 7.158.30pm, £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.

Boys’ Dance The Riverfront, Newport. 4.45-5.30pm, £2.75 per session. Info 01633 656757. Taught by Rubicon, for ages 6-12.

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.

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.

Little’ns Dance The Riverfront, Newport. 9.4510.25am + 10.30-11.15am, £3 per session. Info 01633 656757.

Newport Photographic Club Skip Jennings Hall, Maindee, Newport. 7.30pm.

Info 01633 400685.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org.

Today: Youth Aerial Jedi (11+, 4.15-6pm); Aerial Conditioning (6-7.30pm); Flying Trapeze Taster (6-8pm).

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4. Info 029 2063 6464.

Older Adult Dance/ Exercise The Riverfront, Newport. 11.15am-12.15pm, £2.80. 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 & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £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.

Zumba: Dance Exercise Classes Sbectrwm Community Centre, Fairwater, Cardiff. 1-2pm.

Info 07891 712344. With

Irene Davies.

EVERY SATURDAY

African Drumming Sessions Penarth Pier Pavilion. 10.30-11.30am, £5.

Info 0844 8700887.

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.

Clwb Drama The Riverfront, Newport. 11.30am-12.30, £5.

Info 01633 656757. Welsh language drama group for ages 7+.

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.

Funkypump Fitness Universal Gym, Cardiff.

9.30am. Info www.funkypumpfitness.co.uk.

Hard Côr Sony Room, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Mini Musical Theatre The Riverfront, Newport.

10-11am, £5. Info 01633 656757. Run by Defying Gravity, professional tutors will teach ballet and drama to kids aged 3-6. Breaking for half term on Sat 20 Feb. NoFit State Circus: Youth Circus Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff.

10.30am-12pm, £7/£6 per session. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org. Today: Youth Circus Wookies (age 7-9, 10-11.30am); Youth Circus Ewoks (age 5-7, 10.30-11.30am); Youth Circus Padawans (age 9-11, 11.30am-1pm).

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.

9.30am-1pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982.

SeeWales Sightseeing Tour: Romans And Ruins National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £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.

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 Arts Centre, Cardiff. 12-1pm, £6.50. Info 07837 937351.

Ballet For Beginners Dance Studio, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 2-3.30pm, £6/£15 for three classes. Info info@ burlesquecardiff.co.uk.

Hosted by Stephanie of Burlesque Cardiff.

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.

Cabaret And Showgirl Dancing For All Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 11am12.30pm. Info 07872 306745.

With Steph. Beginners and mixed ability class. More info at www. cardiffcabaretclub.com.

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. 2-4pm, £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.

Farmers’ Market National History Museum, St Fagans.

10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. Welsh producers sell their wares every week at this brand new market.

Lindy Hop Dance Classes & Social Swing Dancing Pontardawe Arts Centre.

6-10pm. Info 01792 863722.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org.

Today: Youth All Skills Jedi (11+, 12-2pm) and Youth Performance Jedi (11+, 2-4pm).

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4. Info 029 2063 6464. *Riverside Farmers’ Market Fitzhammon Embankment, Cardiff. 10am2pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982. Always worth a trip.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Golden Gower National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £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.

TUESDAY 1

Essential Bike Maintenance Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 9.30am-4pm, £65.

Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk. Also on Sat 12.

Explore Books National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am. Info 01792 463980. This month’s theme is the various book

prize lists of 2014, and it also takes place on Tue 8, 15 and 22.

Sing Welsh! St Catherine’s Church Hall, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 1-2.30pm, £30/£25 for four sessions. Info 07952 752823. Led by Pauline Down, teaching you to sing Welsh language folk songs.

Skill Builder: Welsh Cakes & Bara Brith Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716. An Angela Gray Cookery School course, just in case you forgot what day it is.

State Of The Nation II: Welsh Tap Takeover Brewdog, Cardiff. 6pm, free.

Info 029 2023 1684. Featuring a bunch of Welsh brewers guesting on Brewdog’s not inexpensive taps.

St David’s Day National History Museum, St Fagans.

10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. Harp performances and special menus.

WEDNESDAY 2

Banff Mountain Film Festival Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7.30pm, £12.50/£11.

Info 01874 611622. A touring showcase of short films based around action sports etc.

Canton Social Media Surgery Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 5-7pm, free.

Info 029 2030 4400. Sit in the Cwtch area of the bar and learn how to use every social media platform from Friendster to Hi5.

First Drinks Buffalo, Cardiff. 8pm, £6. Info 029 2031 0312. Ty Hafan fundraiser night with a blind date element. You have to buy a ticket and fill in a profile, then you get matched up with what the organisers think is your ideal partner (from the ones available).

Macmillan Cancer Support: HOPE Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

10.30am-1.30pm, free. Info 01656 867960. A free selfmanagement programme, here every Wednesday until 6 Apr, for anyone living with and beyond cancer to help them manage the emotional impact of their diagnosis.

March Craft Club Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff.

6-9pm, free. Info 07933 844234. Featuring readings from Christine Thatcher, Rhian Elizabeth, Tom Vowler, Susmita Bhattacharya, and more.

Pop-Up Produce Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 3-8pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400.

Monthly market selling quality local food etc.

Reminiscence Monthly Cardiff Story, The Hayes, Cardiff. 11am-1pm, free.

Info 029 2078 8334. Come to the museum and share your memories of Cardiff, on the first Wednesday of every month.

Skill Builder: Cawl & Welsh Rarebit Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716.

Stories By Gaslight Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 7pm, £5 adv.

Info info@blossomsgallery. co.uk. With Eric Maddern.

What Ya Got? 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. Open mic

events night incorporating music, poetry, storytelling, comedy, cabaret etc. Also on Wed 16.

Words&words&words Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.45pm, £3-£5. Info 01970 623232. Spoken word evening inspired by innovative and collaborative poetry events.

THURSDAY 3

Art Opinions Service National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Bring in a piece of art for opinions/referrals by the Art Department.

Basketball: IZB Competition Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am2.30pm. Info 029 2020 5286.

Boulders Winter Tales: Eliot Stevens Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

7pm, free (donations requested). Info 029 2048 4880. A talk from the first Welsh woman to climb Mount Everest, which you can read more about Upfront.

Cardiff Animation Nights 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883.

Monthly social for animation creators and fans.

Cardiff Archaeological Society Annual General Meeting Chemistry Lecture Theatre, Main Building, Cardiff University. 7.15pm.

Info www.cardiffarchsoc.btck. co.uk.

Cardiff Lighters Coffee and Catch Up 1 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info www.tloishappening.com.

International speaker and author Georgina Jones talks about “how to make Happiness a habit”.

Ivor Davies Exhibition Seminar: Remembering Performance National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

2pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Hosted by Judit Bodor with Heike Roms.

Meet The Gardener National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. Every Thursday this month.

New Poetry & Fiction Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £2.50. Info 029 2030 4400. With guests Judy Brown and Helen Blackhurst.

Not Just A Load Of Leeks: Welsh Cookery Cardiff Castle. 6pm, £7.50. Info 029 2087 8100. Lecture by Sian Roberts.

Social Underground: Open Performance Night Le Pub, Newport. 8pm, free. Info 01633 221477. New multidiscipline open mic night.

Storytelling Suppers Kemi’s, Pontcanna, Cardiff.

7pm, £14. Info 029 2037 2055. Stories by Richard Berry and Steve Killick, telling tales from the Brothers Grimm. Price includes food.

St David’s Day Celebrations National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

Swansea Business Awards Brangwyn Hall, Swansea.

6pm. Info 01792 475715.

World Book Day Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea.

10am-2.30pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Featuring schools sessions from 10am12pm; family sessions (stories, crafts and face painting)

from 12.30-2.

FRIDAY 4

Adore Delano Mary’s, Cardiff. 6pm, from £25 adv.

Info 029 2066 8647. Another RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant, Adore has an album out and is launching it here, along with a meet’n’greet.

Cardiff Inter Varsity Club Meeting Park Plaza Hotel, Cardiff. 8.30pm, £5 (threemonth trial membership).

Info 07526 141392 / www. cardiffivc.org.uk. Meeting here on the first Friday of each month.

Dementia-Friendly Creative Writing Workshop National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 10.30am1pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Book in advance please.

Farmers 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.

Fused Glass Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10am-4pm, £150 (three days). Info 029 2048 4611. With Bill Swann.

(Until Sun 6) Let’s Get Quizzical The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £2 to enter. Info 01497 821762. Pub quiz.

Little Mice Club: Wales & St David’s Day National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am-12pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Enjoy bilingual play, song and crafts and meet Morys the Museum Mouse.

Monmouth Women’s Festival Nelson Museum, Monmouth. 11am, free. Info www.monmouthwomensfestival.com. Launch of this self-explanatory (more or less) festival, which runs in a few different locations in the town for five days. Full info on the website above. (Until

on the first Friday of each month. Paul Campbell and Tony Angelo are your hosts and tonight's guest Elvis impersonator is Johnny Elvis.

Superstars Of Welsh Wrestling The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 7.30pm, £9/£7. Info 01639 843163.

Swap ‘Til You Drop Buffalo, Cardiff. 5.30pm. Info 029 2031 0312. Clothes swapping evening raising money for Ty Hafan.

Swishing / Clothes Swap Evening The Environment Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £5.

Info 01792 480200.

Toddler Days Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £5 (adults).

Info 029 2047 5475. Monthly day for toddlers with a special theme each month, February’s being ‘Springtime Sunshine’.

Violin Improvisation Workshop Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 4.30pm, £25.

Info info@blossomsgallery. co.uk. Part of the Blossoms Django Reinhardt Swing Festival (see Live Music listings).

Workshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 10am-12pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales.org. uk. Adult bikes on sale from £60; kids’ bikes from £10.

On tomorrow also, and every Friday this month.

SATURDAY 5

Back To Nature Paint Jam Millennium Boardwalk, Cardiff. 11am-5pm. Info www. millimagic.com. Up to 25 local graffiti/stencil/etc artists do a two-day session along the big length of board next to Callaghans/the Arms Park. On tomorrow also.

Cardiff Film & Comic Con Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

9am, £15/£8 after 11am. Info 029 2022 4488. On tomorrow also.

Celebrating Chartism The

Graffiti and general spraycan art types might want to hit up the Principality (aka Millennium) Stadium's Boardwalk, on Sat 5 and Sun 6, for the Back To Nature Paint Jam. Tue 8) Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500. Presented by Cardiff History & Hauntings.

Also on Fri 11, Sat 12, Fri 18 and Fri 25-Sun 27.

Nathan Wyburn 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Swansea.

7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 01792 472555. Welsh artist whose trademark is making pictures of crap celebrities out of food talks about his life and work.

Netball: Superleague Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

7-10pm. Info 0300 3003125.

Also on Mon 7, Mon 21 and Sat 26.

South Wales Elvis Club Cathays Sports & Social Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4 adv. Info 07434 242212. Launch night of an event set to take place

Riverfront, Newport (starting point). Free. Info 01633 656757. Pop-up performance and projections across the city centre, to celebrate both Chartism and modern day democracy.

Craft & Table Top Sale Dunvant Social Centre, Swansea. 12.30-5pm, £10-£15 to set up a table. Info 07715 452380.

Craft 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.

Craft Fayre Community Hall, Neath. 10.30am3.30pm, free. Info ariancrafts@hotmail.co.uk.

Creative Writing Barnabas Arts House, Newport. 11am12.30pm, £6. Info 01633 673739. With Janet Martin.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. Celebrate Tim Peake’s mission to the International Space Station in this fun-filled show. (At weekends until Sun 20) Dewch Y Ganu National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11am, free. Info 01792 463980. Sessions for Welsh learners.

Eclectic Crafters Centenary Hall, Maryport Street, Usk. Info eclectic. crafters@gmail.com. Craft fair held on the first Saturday of each month.

Football: Barclays Premier League – Swansea City v Norwich City Liberty Stadium, Swansea. 3pm. Info 0870 400004. If this was any more of a six-pointer it could be used as a symbol in Hanafism,[1] Raelianism,[2] Jewish identity, Hinduism and occultism.

Fused Glass Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10am-4pm, £150 (three days). Info 029 2048 4611. (Until Sun 6) Ghost Tour Cardiff Castle.

7.15pm, £15. Info 07538 878609. Also on Fri 18.

Handmade Arts and Crafts Market Tabernacl Chapel, The Hayes, Cardiff.

10am-4pm. Info uniquefairs@gmx.co.uk.

International Women’s Day Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Info 01970 623232.

Featuring a discussion (4pm) of the movie Suffragette with Angela V John, following a screening of it (2pm) and a talk and Q&A about the life of a dementia carer (5pm).

Introduction To Pottery: Coil Building And Glaze Decoration M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff.

2-4pm, £45 (two weeks)/£120 (six weeks). Info 029 2047 3373. Fourth part of a sixpart pottery course, also here on Sat 12 and Sat 19.

Iron Age Women Or Celtic Goddesses National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. A special presentation for International Women’s Day, which I hope you all enjoy while I get on with my International Women’s LIFE. In a manner of speaking.

Kidsmarkets Family Sale: Spring Mega Market Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

11am-12.30pm, £1/kids free.

Info 07760 802088. Featuring 25 stalls of great quality new and pre-loved baby and children’s items.

Lambing At Llwyn Yr Eos National History Museum, St Fagans. Free. Info 029 2057 3500. Every weekend in March.

Learn To Crochet In A Day Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10am-4pm, £55. Info 029 2048 4611. With Mandy Nash.

Level Up! Launch Party The Full Moon, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com. Launch party for a night of videogame tournaments, cosplay contests and free pizza.

Llandaff Ghost Walk City Cross, Cathedral Green, Llandaff (meeting point).

7.45pm, £10. Info 07538 878609. A walk through woodlands, ruins and graveyards. Also on Fri 11, Sat 18,

Fri 25 and Sat 26.

Monmouth Women’s Festival Shire Hall and other venues (where noted), Monmouth. 10am-9pm, prices vary. Info www. monmouthwomensfestival. com. Featuring classes in printmaking, creative writing, wearable art, patchwork, music performance, making a mosaic, singing harmony and a concert by Fanfare Of Strumpets, plus an art exhibition in Green & Jenks.

(Until Tue 8) Mumbles Craft Fayre Ostreme Centre, Mumbles, Swansea. Info brmakinson@ ntlworld.com.

Nest Of Poets Melville Centre, Abergavenny. 8pm, free. Info 01873 853167.

Featuring William Ayot, Ann Drysdale, Paul Groves and Christopher Meredith.

Open 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.

Painting With Wool: Interpreting Trees And Woodland Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 10.30am4.30pm, £45. Info info@ blossomsgallery.co.uk. With Sue Mulcock.

Pump Action Doll House Pop Up Cinema The Roath Park, Cardiff. 7pm. Info padhcardiff@gmail.com.

Featuring a screening of Total Recall.

Quilt Club National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am1pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Saturday Adult Craft Workshop Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 10.30am1pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Saturday Family Workshop YMCA, Swansea.

10am-1pm, free. Info 01792 516900. For kids aged 4-13.

Hosted by artist Dan McCabe.

Search For Life Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. Find out how life is thought to have started on this planet, and how we can use our knowledge to search for life elsewhere in the Solar System. (At weekends until Sun 20) Stargazing & AstroPhotography Evening Dark Skies Reserve, Brecon Beacons. £55. Info 01874 749092. A Good Day Out Event. Also on Sat 12.

St David’s Day Party National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 12-8pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Performances, arts and crafts, music and a twpmath.

Traditional Hedgelaying For Beginners Venue TBC, Brecon Beacons. £65. Info 01874 749092. A Good Day Out Event.

Twin Made Crafternoons: Lampshade Making Gwdihw, Cardiff. 2-4pm, frem £25. Info 029 2039 7933. All materials provided. Email twinmadethings@gmail.com to book.

Workshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 10am-12pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk.

WOW Caerdydd 2016 Foyer, Wales Millennium

Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

International Women’s Day music special featuring performances from Songbirds Choir (11-11.15am), Ify Iwobi (12.15-12.45pm), Taiko Drummers (2.30-2.45pm), HMS Morris (3.15-3.45pm) and Lara Lee (5.30-6.15pm).

SUNDAY 6

Admiral City Of Newport Half Marathon Commercial Street, Newport (starting point). 9am. Info 01633 851051.

Back To Nature Paint Jam Millennium Boardwalk, Cardiff. 11am-5pm. Info www. millimagic.com.

Bal In The Bay Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 4-8pm, £15/£5. Info 029 2087 7959. Featuring an intro to Balboa workshop followed by social dancing to live music from Gypsy Saloon.

Cardiff Film & Comic Con Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

9am, £15/£8 after 11am. Info 029 2022 4488.

Cardiff Storytelling Circle Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8pm, £4. Info 029 2030 4400.

Craft Fayre & TLWPC’s Mother’s Day Crafty Yard Sale Gwdihw, Cardiff.

12pm, free. Info 029 2039 7933. That’s The Ladderless Window Painting Co, who have repainted this venue apparently.

Cwmbran Craft Fayre Our Lady’s School Hall, Cwmbran. 1-4pm. Info cwmbran_crafts@hotmail. co.uk. Every first Sunday of the month.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends until Sun 20) Fencing: National Championships Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

9am-6pm. Info 07530 226532.

Fused Glass Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10am-4pm, £150 (three days). Info 029 2048 4611. (Finishes today) International Women’s Day National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 12-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Speakers, debate, workshops and entertainment.

Lambing At Llwyn Yr Eos National History Museum, St Fagans. Free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Lou Lou’s Cardiff Vintage Fair City Hall, Cardiff. 10am4pm, £2. Info info@ thevintagefair.com. Return of this regular, popular vintage fest, with a hairstyling booth, tea and cakes and other stuff TBC. Massive: World Premiere Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £8 adv. Info 0117 9259273.

Massive is a documentary about all those early-00s metal/metalcore/emo bands that you love. As well as the screening there’ll be a Q&A with the director and producers, and an “exclusive top secet performance”. This was rescheduled from February because someone was poorly.

Monmouth Women’s Festival Shire Hall and other venues (where noted), Monmouth. 10am-9pm, prices vary. Info www. monmouthwomensfestival. com. Featuring classes in improving one’s posture, BUZZ 63

events

BAFTA CYMRU

March will be ‘open for entries’ month at BAFTA Cymru HQ, with our Games Award entries open from Thurs 10 Mar and our Cymru (Film and Television) Awards entries open from Tue 15 Mar. This year, the 25th Cymru Awards Ceremony, will celebrate Welsh talent across film and television production and craft roles, and will take place on Sun 2 Oct at St David’s Hall.

Individuals and companies are invited to enter productions that have had their first broadcast transmission, or been screened at an approved film festival, between 1 Apr 2015 and Thurs 31 Mar 2016. The entry deadline is Tue 26 Apr. We are encouraging those at all stages in their careers to enter the Awards.

Students and those starting out in their creative careers, who meet the eligibility criteria, are able to enter for the Short Film or Breakthrough Award categories.

Individual professionals are able to enter the awards themselves, as well as production companies and broadcasters putting work forward – providing they have worked on an eligible production.

You also do not have to be Welsh to enter the Cymru Awards. Entries are open to all those who have worked on a production in Wales, across 28 categories.

The online application process is very quick and simple, and the staff in the office are on hand to help with any queries. We are very eager for the 25th year of the Awards to be an opportunity to recognise the talents of as many of those working in film and television as possible.

Events-wise, we have another bumper month in March, with 10 events focusing on Directing, Producing, Documentary, Factual Entertainment, new studio launches, short film and feature premieres – most of which are open to the public.

We’re also still accepting membership applications for students, career starters and branch members – find out more here: www.bafta.org/wales

BUZZ 64

yoga, acupuncture, fit steps, mindfulness, a health talk, a talk led by Sue Miles starting at Nelson Museum, and a talk

by Gilly Pollock in Green & Jenks. (Until Tue 8) Mothering Sunday National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 2 + 3pm, £3. Info 029 2057 3550. Soap-making workshop, the idea being that you make some soap for your mum. Will she take offence?

Only one way to find out.

Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea Tea St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.

2pm, £14.95/£9.95. Info 01446 799100.

Mother’s Day Fridge Photo Frames National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 12.303.30pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

New Welsh Kitchen Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am3.30pm, £170. Info 01443 222716.

Search For Life Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends until Sun 20) Smallholding For Beginners Humble By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth.

9.45am, £120. Info 01600 714595.

The Ultimate Mothers Day Lunch Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 12pm, £27.95/£12.95 under-12s. Info 01792 475715.

Featuring a live performance

by Only Boys Aloud in addition to four courses.

MONDAY 7

Monmouth Women’s Festival Shire Hall and HMSG, Monmouth. 2-9pm, £3 per event. Info www. monmouthwomensfestival. com. Featuring talks about ‘more women in leadership’, financial management and the 30% Club, which aims to have women comprising 30% of FTSE100 boards. I for one am astonished that the Monmouth Women’s Festival is catering to a certain social class of women. (Until Tue 8) Netball: Superleague Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 4-10pm. Info 0300 3003125.

Northern Lingo Bingo Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7933. This is a night which seems to feature people playing bingo and speaking in Yorkshire dialect.

Poetry Open Mic The Capel, Bargoed. 7-10pm, free. Info 01443 830272. With guest reader Julie Ann Pritchard.

First Monday of every month.

Write 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. Here every first and third Monday of the month.

TUESDAY 8

Black Kettle Collective YMCA, Swansea. 5-7pm, free.

Info 01792 516900. An evening of recruitment for “a team of young people who are interested to exploring new artistic possibilities in the lead up to the Gallery’s reopening in 2016.” Also on Tue 15.

Carmarthen Storytelling Caffi Iechyd Da, Carmarthen. £3. Info 07752 438901.

Monthly event featuring guest Storytellers and tales from

the floor.

Explore Books National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am. Info 01792 463980.

Fairtrade Fortnight: Palestinian Farmer Visit Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. The farmer in question being named Mohammed Homata, who’ll be here chatting about his produce and the trials he endures producing it.

Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v Leeds United Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff. 7.45pm.

Info 0845 3451400.

Meet The Curator: Natural Sciences National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 1.05pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7951.

Monmouth Women’s Festival Shire Hall, HMSG and The Savoy, Monmouth.

10am-9pm, prices vary. Info www.monmouthwomensfestival.com. Featuring a business breakfast meeting, a global coffee/tea party and a screening of the film Suffragettes.

(Finishes today) Poetry Nights Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £4.50/£3.

Info 01792 863722. With Glyn Roberts.

Pop Up Food Waste Roadshow Cardiff University Students Union. 11am-2pm, free. Info becca@ greencityevents.co.uk. Hosted

by Green City Events and featuring Lia’s Kitchen and Cynefin Cardiff.

Royal Institution Of South Wales St David’s Day Lecture: Dr Rowan Williams Faraday Lecture Theatre, Swansea University.

7.30pm. Info www.risw.org.uk.

The ex-Archbish speaks on understanding poverty with a focus on national and international perspectives.

Talk: Women In Archaology National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

2-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. By Sue Hamilton.

Unknown Pleasures: Manchester Beer Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

Free. Info 029 2030 4400.

About a dozen microbreweries from said northern English city will be guesting here.

“None of which will be served with a Flake!” adds Chapter’s copywriter, showing their age much as I am now doing.

(Until Sat 12)

WEDNESDAY 9

Jo Bannon Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 12.30-8.30pm, £10/£9.

Info 01970 623232. Twenty performances a day (not sure if it’s a tenner for each one or what) of a visual poem created with story, light and sound, titled Exposure. On tomorrow also.

Lambing Experience Day National History Museum, St Fagans. 8.30am-4pm, £90. Info 029 2057 3500. Also on Sun 13, Wed 16 and Sun 20. There are only three (3) places to book on each course. Do we have 12 readers?

Macmillan Cancer Support: HOPE Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 10.30am1.30pm, free. Info 01656 867960.

Nataly Churchill Workmen’s Hall, Caerphilly.

7pm, £10/£7 adv. Info 07512 237983. Spirit medium.

Scriveners Writers’ Group Royal Exchange, Brynmawr.

8pm. Info 01495 753629.

Established group aiming to provide constructive criticism, help, advice and guidance to its members. Also on Wed 23.

Sowing Seeds National History Museum, St Fagans.

2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Unknown Pleasures: Manchester Beer Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

Free. Info 029 2030 4400.

(Until Sat 12)

THURSDAY 10

Ffresh Student Media Festival Of Wales 2016 The Depot, Cardiff. 1-11pm, £10/ free NUS. Info www. depotcardiff.co.uk. Featuring screenings, an awards ceremony hosted by Buzz’s Keiron Self, and a large networking party.

International Women’s Day STAR Centre, Splott Road, Cardiff. 10am-2pm, free.

Info 029 2048 4637. Events including massage, therapies, DUY, sewing, art, card and jewellery making and various dancing/singing acts.

International Women’s Day The Riverfront, Newport.

12 + 5pm, free (£4 for movie). Info 01633 656757. A day of speakers, performances and workshops.

Ivor Davies Exhibition Seminar: Towards ‘Silent Explosion’ National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 2pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7951. By Judit Bodor with Nicholas Thornton and Chris Hardwick.

Jo Bannon Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 12.30-8.30pm, £10/£9.

Info 01970 623232.

Masterclass: Bread Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am4.30pm, £175. Info 01443 222716.

Meet The Gardener National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Philly Cheesesteak Kitchen Takeover Brewdog, Cardiff. 6pm. Courtesy of the self-explanatory Philly Cheese Steak Co. SWDFAS Lecture: Faber & Faber – 90 Years Of Excellence In Cover Design Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

2pm, £6. Info 029 2030 4400.

Lecture by Toby Faber.

Unknown Pleasures: Manchester Beer Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

Free. Info 029 2030 4400.

(Until Sat 12) WOW Film Festival Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Info 01970 623232. Featuring a masterclass with Ed Talfan and Gareth Bryn (6pm) plus screenings of Yr Ymadawiad/ The Passing (8pm). (Until Thurs 17)

FRIDAY 11

Art History Lecture Penarth Pier Pavilion. 2-4pm, £8. Info 0844 8700887. With Stella Lyons. Also on Fri 18, Fri 25 and Fri 1 Apr. Brewery Open Evening Crafty Devil, Papermill Road, Cardiff. 7pm. Info info@craftydevilbrewing.co.uk. Meet the brewer, learn some tricks of the trade and drink a few of Crafty Devil’s beers.

Dinky Dragons Cardiff Story, The Hayes, Cardiff.

10am-3pm, free. Info 029

2078 8334. Family fun day for 0-5-year-olds on the second Friday of every month.

Llandaff Ghost Walk City Cross, Cathedral Green, Llandaff (meeting point).

7.45pm, £10. Info 07538 878609.

Masterclass: Patisserie Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am4.30pm, £185. Info 01443 222716. *Milieu Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 7.30-11pm, free.

Info 07830 381930. Quarterly night of literature, spoken word, art, photography and visual concepts. Featuring writers Morgan Roberts, Rhys Milsom, Matthew David Scott and Dan Tyte.

Downstairs: photography from Pip Barrett and Buzz’s Jaydon Martin.

Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500.

Tea Dance St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.

2pm, £5. Info 01446 799100.

With Alan Taylor.

Unknown Pleasures: Manchester Beer Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

Free. Info 029 2030 4400.

(Until Sat 12) Workshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 10am-12pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk.

WOW Film Festival Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Info 01970 623232. Screenings of Rams (5.45pm) and Paths Of The Soul (8.15pm). (Until Thurs 17) WOW Film Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. Info 029 2030 4400. Annual showcase for independent cinema returns with screenings (The Pearl Button, 4 and 6pm; Yr Ymadawiad/The Passing, 8.30pm) and masterclasses (Patricio Guzman, 2pm; Ed Talfan & Gareth Bryn, 4.15pm). (Until Wed 17)

SATURDAY 12

Caerwent Craft Fayre Caerwent Village Hall, Monmouthshire. 2.30-4.30pm.

Info cwmbran_crafts@ hotmail.co.uk. Every second Saturday of the month.

Chepstow Farmers’ Market Cormeilles Square, Chepstow.

8.30am-1pm, free. Info 01291 626370. Every second and fourth Saturday of the month.

Craft Fair Grand Theatre, Swansea. 10am-4pm, £20 to set up a table. Info cottagecraftfairs@gmail.com.

Creative Textile Recycling Workshop Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 1-6pm, £30. Info info@blossomsgallery.co.uk.

With Sue Clow and Ruby Roberts.

Creative Writing Workshop Pontardawe Arts Centre.

10am-1pm, £10 adv. Info 01792 863722.

Crochet With Wool In The Woods Barnabas Arts House, Newport. 10am-2.30pm, £20.

Info 01633 673739. With Louise Horton.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends until Sun 20) Drop-In Knotwork & Beadwork Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. £5 per session.

Info 029 2048 4611. With Suzen Millodot every month.

events Essential Bike Maintenance Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £65. Info www. cycletrainingwales.org.uk.

Farmers’ Market Twyn Community Centre, Caerphilly. 9.30am, free. Info 01656 658963. Every second Saturday of the month.

Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v Ipswich Town Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff. 3pm.

Info 0845 3451400.

How To Be A Space Explorer National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 1pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. A handson show about space with author Mark Brake and TV presenter Jon Chase.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Belfast Giants Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £6-£15. Info 029 2038 2001. These two teams are playing tomorrow also.

The fixture list in the hockey league is a right old jumble, I’ve observed to myself before, but whatever works for ‘em.

Introduction To Pottery: Slab Building And Glaze Decoration M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 2-4pm, £45 (two weeks)/£120 (six weeks).

Info 029 2047 3373.

Kidsmarkets Family Sale Cowbridge Leisure Centre.

11am-12.30pm, £1/kids free.

Info 07760 802088. Featuring 25 stalls of great quality new and pre-loved baby and children’s items.

Lambing At Llwyn Yr Eos National History Museum, St Fagans. Free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Mumbles Produce Market Seafront Car Park, Mumbles.

9am-1pm, free. Info 01792 361012. Every second Saturday of the month.

Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500.

Newport Craft Fayre The Gallery, Newport Indoor Market. 9am-4.30pm, free.

Info 01633 656656. Every second Saturday of the month.

Nimble Fingers Craft Fayre Victoria Hall, Mumbles, Swansea. 10am4pm, free. Info 07790 298913.

On the second Saturday of every month.

Search For Life Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends until Sun 20) Spoken Word Saturday Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 3pm, £3.

Info 0845 2263510.

Stargazing & AstroPhotography Evening Dark Skies Reserve, Brecon Beacons. £55. Info 01874 749092.

Swingin’ At The Pavilion Penarth Pier Pavilion. 7pm, £13.50. Info 0844 8700887.

Hosted by Lindy Hop Cardiff.

The Saundersfoot Cawl Factor Regency Hall, Saundersfoot. 10am-4pm, free (£5 for the trail). Info saundersfootchambertourism@yahoo.co.uk.

Featuring the Cawl Championship Of The World (may not be officially recognised as such) plus an artisan craftmakers showcase.

Unknown Pleasures: Manchester Beer Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

Free. Info 029 2030 4400.

(Finishes today)

WOW Film Festival Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Info 01970 623232. Screenings of Lamb (2.15pm), The Court (5.30pm) and Our Little Sister (8.15pm). (Until Thurs 17) WOW Film Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. Info 029 2030 4400. Screenings (Lamb, 3.30pm; The Act Of Killing, 5.45pm). (Until Wed 17)

SUNDAY 13

Beginners Digital Photography Stretchy Suzie’s, Cardiff. 11am-4pm, £75. Info www. infocusphotographycourses. com. Practical photography course hosted by Amanda Wilson at In Focus.

Brain Games National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Interactive games for kids.

Create Art Inspired By The Red Lady Of Paviland Swansea Museum. Free. Info 01792 653763. For ages 7 and up.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends until Sun 20) Fairtrade Fortnight: Fun Fair & Un-Fair! National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Featuring live music, stalls and the chance to try your hand at a range of special games .

Feel Malaysia! Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 6pm, £12-£15.

Info 01970 623232. Colourful moving performances, history and cuisine, presented by the Aberystwyth Malaysian Society.

Fencing: Tournament Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-6pm.

Info 07530 226532.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Belfast Giants Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 6pm, £6-£15. Info 029 2038 2001.

Lambing At Llwyn Yr Eos National History Museum, St Fagans. Free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Lambing Experience Day National History Museum, St Fagans. 8.30am-4pm, £90. Info 029 2057 3500.

Marina Market National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Natwest Cymru 5K Fun Run Roald Dahl Plass, Cardiff Bay (starting point). 8.30am, £10 to enter. Info info@gthc. org.uk. A George Thomas Hospice Care fundraising event.

Piglet To Plate: Rearing Pigs For Meat Humble By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth.

10am-4pm, £95. Info 01600 714595.

Search For Life Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends until Sun 20) Space Adventures Show National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 1 + 3pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Willow Frame Baskets Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-4.30pm, £55. Info 029 2048 4611. With Melanie Bastier.

WOW Film Festival Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

Info 01970 623232. A screening of Gypsy (6pm). (Until

Thurs 17) WOW Film Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. Info 029 2030 4400. Screenings (Arsenal, 5pm; Paths Of The Soul, 8pm). (Until Wed 17)

MONDAY 14

Cardiff Cocktail Club 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. Info 029 2022 8883. Competition/gettogether for bartenders.

Joy Of Living Mindfulness Group Meeting Gaia Yoga Studio, Roath, Cardiff. 7.309pm, free (donations welcome). Info 07412 346054. On the second and fourth Monday of every month.

Velotech Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £450 (four days). Info www.cycletrainingwales.org.uk. (Until Thurs 17) WOW Film Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. Info 029 2030 4400. Screenings (Thirst, 6pm; Neon Bull, 8.25pm). (Until Wed 17) WOW Film Festival Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Info 01970 623232. Screenings of Neon Bull (5.45pm) and The Pearl Button (8.15pm). (Until Thurs 17) WOW Film Festival Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. Info 01792 602060. Screenings of Arsenal (6pm) and Neon Bull (8pm). (Until Wed 16) Zoom International Youth Film Festival Merthyr College + Vue Cinema, Merthyr. 10am. Info 01443 888337. Opening day of a five-day festival across various locations in the valleys, aimed at young people who want to get into TV, film etc. Today there are two workshops in the daytime, plus an opening night gala from 6-8.15pm.

More info at www.zoomcymru. com/festival2016. (Until Fri 18)

TUESDAY 15

A Right to Food? Beyond Foodbanks? Glamorgan Building, Cardiff University.

5.30pm. Info www.foodcardiff. com. Exploring the potential of building a more powerful national campaign, to end food poverty and hunger in 2016.

Behind The Scenes: Art National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 1.05pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Victorian and modern designs from the Print Room collection.

Black Kettle Collective YMCA, Swansea. 5-7pm, free.

Info 01792 516900.

Explore Books National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am. Info 01792 463980.

Florence & The Uffizi Gallery Drill Hall, Chepstow.

7.30pm, £10. Info 01291 625981. Fundraising film screening for Chepstow Museum.

Juke Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info 07933 844234. Monthly open mic event, on the third Tuesday of each monthm for writers to perform in whatever genre they’d like: poetry, rap, storytelling, drama etc. This month’s special guest is Rachel Helena Walsh.

Science Cafe Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Script Cafe Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £4.50/£3. Info 01792 863722. With Louise

Osborn.

Tea Dance Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 2-4pm, £4. Info 01656 815995. Also on Tue 29.

Velotech Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £450 (four days). Info www.cycletrainingwales.org.uk. (Until Thurs 17) WOW Film Festival Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Info 01970 623232. Screenings of Arsenal (5.45pm) and Sworn Virgin (8.15pm). (Until Thurs 17) WOW Film Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 2pm. Info 029 2030 4400. Screenings (Court, 2.30pm; Tharlo, 8.15pm). (Until Wed 17) WOW Film Festival Taliesin

Ray Mears St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £21.50/£15 under-16s. Info 029 2087 8444. See Upfront.

Sarah Corbett & Eleanor Rees Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.45pm, £5-£7. Info 01970 623232. A Pavilion Poets night.

Sea Shanty Workshop World Of Boats, Cardiff Bay. 7.15-9.30pm, £8. Info 07952 752823. Led by Pauline Down; all are welcome, no experience needed.

Skill Builder: Asian Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716.

Velotech Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

Cardiff's Little Man Coffee Co. has another Milieu night on Fri 11, the first having packed the shop out in December. Poetry, spoken word, photography and art will be combined courtesy of a clutch of local creatives.

Arts Centre, Swansea. Info 01792 602060. Screenings of Lamb (6pm) and Rams (8pm). (Until Wed 16) Zoom International Youth Film Festival Market Hall Cinema, Brynmawr. 9.45am2.45pm. Info 01443 888337.

Various workshops and screenings for young people.

(Until Fri 18)

WEDNESDAY 16

Banff Mountain Film Festival Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 7.30pm, £12.50/£11. Info 01656 815995.

Booklaunch: Dean Burnett Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Local pop science writer and sometime comedian launches The Idiot Brain, his new book.

Cardiff Arms Fair / Stop The Cardiff Arms Fair Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

8.30am. Info 0845 2707066.

Depending on your lot in life, you can either pop into the Motorpoint (subject to approval by organisers DPRTE) and get involved with some Defence Procurement, Research, Technology and Exportability – or you can protest the sale of equipment to brutal military dictatorships outside the venue, which just requires you to turn up. Or you can do both, like Sting would.

City Crops Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 6.30-9pm, £10.

Info becca@greencityevents. co.uk. Learn how to start a small urban garden. Hosted by Green City Events.

Lambing Experience Day National History Museum, St Fagans. 8.30am-4pm, £90. Info 029 2057 3500.

Macmillan Cancer Support: HOPE Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 10.30am1.30pm, free. Info 01656 867960.

Open Mic Spoken Word Extravaganza Ye Olde Murenger, Newport. 7.30pm, £5/£3. Info 01633 263977.

Featuring poets/writers TBC.

9.30am-4pm, £450 (four days). Info www.cycletrainingwales.org.uk. (Until Thurs 17) What Ya Got? 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883.

WOW Film Festival Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Info 01970 623232. Screenings of Tanna (5.45pm) and Tharlo (8.15pm). (Until Thurs 17) WOW Film Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 2pm. Info 029 2030 4400. Screenings (This Changes Everything, 6pm; Tanna, 8.30pm). (Until Wed 17) WOW Film Festival Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. Info 01792 602060. Screenings of The Pearl Button (6pm) and Tanna (8pm). (Until Wed 16) Zoom International Youth Film Festival Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 9.45am-2.45pm.

Info 01443 888337. Various workshops and screenings for young people. (Until Fri 18)

THURSDAY 17

Banff Mountain Film Festival Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli.

7.30pm, £12.50/£11. Info 0845 2263510.

Derek Acorah Tramshed, Cardiff. 7-10.30pm, £19 adv.

Info 0117 9259273.

Incandescent Tea, Wyndham Arcade, Cardiff. 5.45-6.45pm, free. Info incandescentcf@ gmail.com. The return of this quarterly literary meeting, tonight featuring a St Patrick’s Day theme (bring your favourite Irish poems and lyrics).

Meet The Gardener National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Music Networking Event Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7-9pm, free. Info 029 2023 2199. Featuring live music from James Kennedy.

Skill Builder: Tarts Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716.

St Patrick’s Day Whiskey Tasting 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff.

7pm, £7. Info 029 2022 8883.

Also featuring a ceilidh band.

Talk: Island Farm And The Great German POW Escape National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 2pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. With Mike Chubb.

Talk: Swansea’s Industry And Trade In The World Swansea Museum. 7.30pm.

Info www.risw.org.uk. By Rhodri Morgan; hosted by the Royal Institution Of South Wales.

The Hearth Storytellers Miners Theatre, Ammanford.

7.30pm, £5. Info 0845 2263510.

Velotech Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £450 (four days). Info www.cycletrainingwales.org.uk. (Finishes today) WOW Film Festival Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Info 01970 623232. Screenings of Thirst (5.45pm) and This Changes Everything (8.15pm). (Finishes today) WOW Film Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 2pm. Info 029 2030 4400. Screenings (Sworn Virgin, 6pm; Court, 8.15pm). (Finishes today) Zoom International Youth Film Festival Soar Centre, Tonypandy. 9.45am-3pm.

Info 01443 888337. Various workshops and screenings for young people. (Until Fri 18)

FRIDAY 18

Art History Lecture Penarth Pier Pavilion. 2-4pm, £8. Info 0844 8700887.

Art Lunchtime Talk: Fair Rosamund National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

1.05pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. With Stephanie Roberts.

Celebrity Coffee Morning Mansion House, Cardiff.

10am-12pm, £10. Info info@ gthc.org.uk. A George Thomas Hospice Care fundraising event.

Cheltenham Gold Cup Lunch Chepstow Racecourse.

12pm, £45. Info 01291 622260. Ticket price includes a three-course meal, a drink and various other facilities helping you watch the race on telly and bet on it.

Ghost Tour Cardiff Castle.

7.15pm, £15. Info 07538 878609.

Llandaff Ghost Walk City Cross, Cathedral Green, Llandaff (meeting point).

7.45pm, £10. Info 07538 878609.

Lunch Club Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 10.30am-2.30pm, £33. Info 01443 222716.

Mark Beaumont Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £16/£15. Info 01239 621200.

Adventurous UK cyclist discusses his travels in Africa. In Brecon on Sun 20.

Murder Mystery At The Museum National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £25 adv. Info 029 2039 7951.

Incorpoating a chance to look at lots of archaeological treasures.

Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500.

Simon Callow On Orson Welles Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £17.50. Info 029 2064 6900. British theatre icon talks about One Man Band, his latest biography of Welles.

So You Think You’re Smart? Memorial Hall, BUZZ 65

events Newbridge. 7pm, free. Info 01495 243252. Quiz night, every third Friday of the month.

Wheelbuilding Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 9.30am-4pm, £95.

Info www. cycletrainingwales.org.uk.

Workshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 10am-12pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk.

Zoom International Youth Film Festival The Sony Theatre, Bridgend College.

6-9.30pm. Info 01443 888337.

Featuring the Zoom Youth Filmmaker Awards Ceremony, which you need to book in advance for. (Finishes today)

SATURDAY 19

Brecon Craft Fair Market Hall, Brecon. 9am-4.30pm.

Info 01495 753782.

British Science Week.

Going Potty! National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 12-4pm, £3. Info 029 2057 3550. Make a handbuilt pot out of air drying clay, decorate it and, if you want, have a go on a Roman style potter’s wheel. On tomorrow also.

Day School: Allegory In Art Penarth Pier Pavilion.

10.30am-3.30pm, £30. Info 0844 8700887. With Stella Lyons.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends until Sun 20) Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. Discover hidden eggs around the museum and have some fun with quizzes. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Food Haven Foxy’s Deli, Penarth. 7-10pm, £35. Info info@realfrankfood.com.

Vegan pop-up restaurant presented by Romy of Real Frank Food.

Football: Barclays Premier League – Swansea City v Aston Villa Liberty Stadium, Swansea. 5.30pm. Info 0870 400004.

Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. Join in with the trail hunting hares, presumably not real ones, around the Museum and garden.

(Until Sun 10 Apr) Interpreting Insects In Watercolour Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 11am4pm, £30/£20 NUS or under18s. Info info@blossomsgallery.co.uk. With Tereska Shepherd.

Introduction To Pottery: Slab Building And Glaze Decoration M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 2-4pm, £45 (two weeks)/£120 (six weeks).

Info 029 2047 3373.

Introduction To Table Loom Weaving Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am4.30pm, £110 (two days). Info 029 2048 4611. With Laura Thomas. On tomorrow also.

Lambing At Llwyn Yr Eos National History Museum, St Fagans. Free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Made It Market St David’s Church, Neath. 10am-3pm, from £15 to set up a stall. Info

07971242730. Quarterly craft and produce fair.

Nantgarw Craft Fair Nantgarw China Works. 11am3pm, free. Info deb_0001@ hotmail.co.uk. Every third Saturday of the month.

Rugby Union: RBS Six Nations: Wales v Italy Principality Stadium, Cardiff.

2.30pm, £30-£70. Info 08442 777888. I’m calling the Millennium Stadium the Principality Stadium so you don’t have to.

Saturday Morning Kitchen Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 10.30am12pm, £13. Info 01443 222716.

Search For Life Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends until Sun 20) Sheep Trekking Venue TBC, Brecon Beacons. £35/£25 under-16s. Info 01874 749092.

Spend the afternoon in a 200 acre organic farm with fantastic views. A Good Day Out Event; also on Wed 23, Sat 26 and Wed 30.

Table Tennis: Welsh Championships Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-6pm.

Info 07754 525754.

Talk: Fiddle & Fidget – The Friendship Of Hester Thrale And Elizabeth Montagu National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 2pm,

Trigger Warning And The Safe Spaces (the definition of a band name whose time has come), Jelly Roll, Jake, Josie Henley-Einion, Barry Island Drag King, Renn, Efa Supertramp, Catherine Elms, Sam Hickman, Ellen Davies, Eve Moriarty, Eleri Angharad and Cara Pearce. Plus stalls/ workshops from The Empty Cages Collective, a “grrrls stall” of books, pamphlets etc, and Dinah Vagina.

British Science Week.

Going Potty! National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 2-4pm, £3. Info 029 2057 3550.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Finishes today) Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 2-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Fencing: Tournament Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-6pm.

Info 07530 226532.

Gale Funra Hoop Workshop Plasnewydd YMCA, Cardiff. 4-6.30pm, £25/£40 for two workshops. Info galefrancis76@googlemail. com. Hosted by Gale Francis and Ellie of Elliecoptor Hoops.

Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 2-4pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr)

If you love motorcycle stunts like all good-hearted people, you'll love Scott May's Daredevil Stunt Show at Chepstow Racecourse on Wed 30. free. Info 01792 463980. With Professor Caroline Franklin and Jack Orchard.

Telling A Story In Fabrics Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-4.30pm, £55. Info 029 2048 4611. With Harriett Chapman.

The Big Democracy: The Senedd The Pierhead, Cardiff Bay. 12-9.30pm, free. Info www. nationaltheatrewales. org. Political performance and debate all the live long day, hosted by National Theatre Wales.

Vintage Fayre Bethel Baptist Church, Whitchurch, Cardiff. 10.30am-3.30pm, free/£10 to set up a table. Info info@gthc.org.uk. A George Thomas Hospice Care fundraising event.

Workshop: Creative Movement YMCA, Swansea.

10.30am-4pm, free. Info 01792 516900. With dance artist Catherine Bennett and artist Arwen Roberts.

SUNDAY 20

Birkenstomp VII Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 4pm, free (donations welcomed). Info 07933 844234. Return after a year’s break for this “queer feminist community do”, as it calls itself. Performers: Think Pretty, Amo Rex,

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Nottingham Panthers Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 6pm, £6-£15. Info 029 2038 2001.

This is the Devils’ last league game of the season.

Intermediate Digital Photography Stretchy Suzie’s, Cardiff. 11am-4pm, £85. Info www. infocusphotographycourses. com. Practical photography course hosted by Amanda Wilson at In Focus.

Introduction To Table Loom Weaving Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am4.30pm, £110 (two days). Info 029 2048 4611.

Lambing At Llwyn Yr Eos National History Museum, St Fagans. Free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Lambing Experience Day National History Museum, St Fagans. 8.30am-4pm, £90. Info 029 2057 3500.

Mark Beaumont Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7.30pm, £7. Info 01874 611622.

Newport Baby And Toddler Show Hilton Hotel, Newport.

11am-4pm, £3/£2.50 adv.

Info 07760 802088. Approx 45 exhibitors and attractions, featuring local and national businesses/organisations, innovative baby products and

helpful advice from baby care experts.

Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile Barry Island Gardens (starting point). 11am, free.

Info 01446 704737. This is ain od of Sport Relief and the course can either be walked or ran.

Search For Life Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Finishes today) Super Science Sunday National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 12-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Wedding Fayre Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 11am4pm, free. Info 01656 815995.

MONDAY 21

Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Gwd Mondays Quiz Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7933.

Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Netball: Superleague Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 4-10pm. Info 0300 3003125.

Write On Writers Morganstown Village Hall.

6.30-8.30pm. Info 07512 235758.

TUESDAY 22

An Evening With Dean Beadle Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 7.30pm, free. Info 01685 384111. Dean outlines his positive outlook on life with Aspergers in this talk, presented by the National Autistic Society Of Merthyr Tydfil.

Celtic Wines Wine Club: Mongol Tour Face 11, Cathays, Cardiff. 8-11pm, £10.

Info 029 2022 8221. Cancer Research Wales charity evening giving you the chance to taste up to seven different Mongolian wines, if you’re a a total pleb who isn’t already intimately aware of the region’s vino production.

Cycle Maintenance Workshop The Environment Centre, Swansea. 6.308.30pm, £5. Info 01792 480200.

Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Explore Books National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am. Info 01792 463980.

Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Philosophy Cafe The Gate, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2048 3344.

WEDNESDAY 23

Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Elliecoptor Hoops Hula Hoop Class Plasnewydd YMCA, Cardiff. 8-9pm, £5.

Info 07934 011061. Last Wednesday of every month.

Moved from the Abacus, which is closed at the time of writing but hopefully open in a new location soon.

Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Macmillan Cancer Support: HOPE Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 10.30am1.30pm, free. Info 01656 867960.

Scriveners Writers’ Group Royal Exchange, Brynmawr.

8pm. Info 01495 753629.

Sheep Trekking Venue TBC, Brecon Beacons. £35/£25 under-16s. Info 01874 749092.

Spice Preview Night Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

Info 07429 598414. A chance for you to go along and see what you might get out of this adventure, activity, sports and social group.

THURSDAY 24

Artist In Residence Talk: Cheon Pyo Lee YMCA, Swansea. 5.30pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

Boxing: Finals Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am10.30pm. Info 0300 3003126.

On tomorrow also.

Cardiff 2016 Sports Expo Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

Info 029 2022 4488. No actual info about this yet, sorry.

(Until Sat 26) Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Football: Vauxhall International Friendly – Wales v Northern Ireland Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff.

7.45pm. Info 0845 3451400.

Hockey: Cardiff Games Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

10am-4pm. Info 0300 3003126.

Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Meet The Gardener National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £15/£12 members. Info 029 2048 4880.

A challenging bouldering event for all ages and abilities.

Live music and guest setting from Cailean Harker.

Swansea West Labour Party Quiz Dunvant RFC, Swansea. 7pm, £15 adv. Info 01792 460836. Featuring guest quizmaster Paul Routledge.

Ticket price includes a buffet.

FRIDAY 25

Art History Lecture Penarth Pier Pavilion. 2-4pm, £8. Info 0844 8700887.

At Home With The Tudors National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3500. Pop into Hendre’r Ywydd Longhouse to see how our 16th century ancestors lived. (Until Mon 28) Boutique Gift Markets Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-

5.30pm. Info 029 2087 7959.

On every month this year.

(Until Mon 28) Bubbles And Blasts Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. Make enormous bubbles, square bubbles, glowing bubbles etc etc. (Until Thurs 31) Cardiff 2016 Sports Expo Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

Info 029 2022 4488. (Until Sat 26) Easter Eggstravaganza National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 12-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Easter Rabbit Hunt Caldicot Castle & Country Park. 11am-4pm, £3. Info 01291 420241. Easter celebrations and family friendly trails around the area. (Until Mon 28) Egg & Soldiers! National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3550. Eggrelated Easter crafts plus, in a choice bit of tenuous linkage, the chance to visit a Roman soldier in the barrack room. On tomorrow and Mon 28 also.

Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Egg Hunt National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

(Until Mon 28) Family Drop In Session – Marbled Paper Books Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 1-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Four Bars Swing Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £5. Info 029 2023 9253. Featuring a lindy hop class for beginners, followed by dancing to classic swing tracks.

Golden Egg Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Hunt the galleries to search for the dozen golden eggs nestled amongst the artefacts. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Llandaff Ghost Walk City Cross, Cathedral Green, Llandaff (meeting point).

7.45pm, £10. Info 07538 878609.

Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500.

Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. Find out more about some familiar constellations, the planets, how stars are born and how they die. (Until Thurs 31) St Fagans Easter Hunt National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-2pm, £2.50.

Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Mon 28) St Fagans Makers Market National History Museum, St Fagans. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Sun 3 Apr) Workshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 10am-12pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk.

JUST ANNOUNCED FOR APRIL: SUNSET SONS (Cardiff University Students Union, Sun 3) KARNATAKA (The Globe, Cardiff, Sun 3) DUBFIRE (Tramshed, Cardiff, Fri 8) DIMSWN (various venues, Cardiff, Sat 9) ROLO TOMASSI (The Moon Club, Cardiff, Sun 10) LUCY SPRAGGAN (Cardiff University, Fri 15) TIGERTAILZ (The Globe, Sat 16) KIMYA DAWSON (The Globe, Thurs BUZZ 66

events SATURDAY 26

At Home With The Tudors National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Mon 28) Boutique Gift Markets Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am5.30pm. Info 029 2087 7959.

(Until Mon 28) Bubbles And Blasts Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Thurs 31) Cancer Research Activity Day National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am4pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Cardiff 2016 Sports Expo Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

Info 029 2022 4488. (Finishes today) Cardiff Geek Party Gwdihw, Cardiff. 5pm, free. Info 029 2039 7933. Monthly gaming night focusing on retro consoles.

Craft Fair St Mary’s Church, Swansea. 10.30am-4.30pm, free. Info ariancrafts@hotmail.co.uk.

Easter Rabbit Hunt Caldicot Castle & Country Park. 11am-4pm, £3. Info 01291 420241. (Until Mon 28) Easter Weekend Mumbles Craft Fayre Ostreme Centre, Mumbles, Swansea. Info brmakinson@ntlworld.com.

Egg & Soldiers! National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3550.

Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Egg Hunt National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

(Until Mon 28) Felt Bags Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-4.30pm, £55. Info 029 2048 4611. With Claire Cawte.

Golden Egg Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Insane Championship Wrestling: Gladys The Groovy Mule Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £17.50. Info 0117 9259273. Idiosyncratic indy wrestling franchise visits Cardiff. All their events have subtitles which are lolrandom and/or obscure Simpsons quotes like this one.

Lambing At Llwyn Yr Eos National History Museum, St Fagans. Free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Llandaff Ghost Walk City Cross, Cathedral Green, Llandaff (meeting point).

7.45pm, £10. Info 07538 878609.

Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500.

Netball: Superleague Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 1-5pm. Info 0300 3003125.

Recycling Plastic Rubbish Workshop Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 1-6pm, £30. Info info@blossomsgallery.co.uk.

With Sue Clow and Ruby

Roberts.

Sheep Trekking Venue TBC, Brecon Beacons. £35/£25 under-16s. Info 01874 749092.

Spring Craft Fair Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 10am5pm. Info info@ blossomsgallery.co.uk.

Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Thurs 31) St Fagans Easter Hunt National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-2pm, £2.50.

Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Mon 28) St Fagans Makers Market National History Museum, St Fagans. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Sun 3 Apr) Stuart Maconie Queens Hall, Narberth. 7.30pm, £7-£16. Info 01834 869323.

Graduate of the 80s/90s school of British music journalism turned nostalgia clipshow perennial talks about life and his books.

World Half Marathon Championships Cardiff 2016 Cardiff Castle (starting point). 1.35pm (women’s elite race); 2pm (men’s elite race), £59/£54 to enter (free to spectate). Info 029 2166 0790.

SUNDAY 27

At Home With The Tudors National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Mon 28) Boutique Gift Markets Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am5.30pm. Info 029 2087 7959.

(Until Mon 28) Bubbles And Blasts Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Thurs 31) Dragon Pro Wrestling: Fighting Chance Rodney Parade, Newport. 6-9.30pm, £7.50 adv. Info 01633 670690.

Featuring Mike Bird, The Wild Boar, Panda Mask And Cub, Big Grizzly, Danny Jones, Bishop and many more.

Easter Fun Cardiff Castle.

10am-5pm. Info 029 2087 8100. Egg rolling, egg decorating, egg & spoon races, combat displays and archery will be part of this year’s fun themed day. On tomorrow also.

Easter Rabbit Hunt Caldicot Castle & Country Park. 11am-4pm, £3. Info 01291 420241. (Until Mon 28) Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 2-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Egg Hunt National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

(Until Mon 28) Golden Egg Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Guided Tour: Dylan’s Swansea Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 10.30am12.30pm, £4-£10. Info 01792 463980. Presented by Fluellen.

Hoppy Easter! National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3550. Easter egg hunt Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 2-4pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr)

Lambing At Llwyn Yr Eos National History Museum, St Fagans. Free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.30pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500.

Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Thurs 31) St Fagans Easter Hunt National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-2pm, £2.50.

Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Mon 28) St Fagans Makers Market National History Museum, St Fagans. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Sun 3 Apr)

MONDAY 28

Art & War Necklace Making National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Thurs 31) At Home With The Tudors National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3500. (Finishes today) Boutique Gift Markets Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am5.30pm. Info 029 2087 7959.

(Finishes today) Bubbles And Blasts Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Thurs 31) Easter Fun Cardiff Castle.

10am-5pm. Info 029 2087 8100.

Easter Rabbit Hunt Caldicot Castle & Country Park. 11am-4pm, £3. Info 01291 420241. (Finishes today) Egg & Soldiers! National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3550.

Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Egg Hunt National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

(Finishes today) Golden Egg Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Joy Of Living Mindfulness Group Meeting Gaia Yoga Studio, Roath, Cardiff. 7.309pm, free (donations welcome). Info 07412 346054.

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Battle Of The Seasons Tramshed, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £35. Info 0117 9259273. First of two dates, the second being on tomorrow as the first sold out. RuPaul won’t be here but Courtney Act, Jinkx Monsoon, Katya, Pandora Boxx, Sharon Needles, Violet Chachki and Willam, plus host Michelle Visage, all will.

Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Thurs 31) St Fagans Easter Hunt National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-2pm, £2.50.

Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Mon 28) St Fagans Makers Market

National History Museum, St Fagans. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Sun 3 Apr)

TUESDAY 29

Art & War Necklace Making National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Thurs 31) Behind The Scenes At The Library National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 1.05pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7951.

Bubbles And Blasts Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Thurs 31) Easter Quest Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3650. (Until Fri 8 Apr) Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Golden Egg Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr) RuPaul’s Drag Race: Battle Of The Seasons Tramshed, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £35. Info 0117 9259273.

Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Thurs 31) St Fagans Makers Market National History Museum, St Fagans. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Sun 3 Apr) Tallest Towers National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12.30-3.30pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Using K’Nex, test your building skills to create a tall stable tower and see how high you can go before it topples.

(Until Sat 2 Apr) Tea Dance Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 2-4pm, £4. Info 01656 815995.

Treasures And Adventures Family Workshops National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

11am, 1pm + 3pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. (Until Fri 1 Apr) Wild Foods & Important Plants National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. Find out what our Iron Age ancestors ate in Spring. (Until Thurs 31)

WEDNESDAY 30

Art & War Necklace Making National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Thurs 31) Bubbles And Blasts Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Thurs 31) Easter Quest Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3650. (Until Fri 8 Apr) Easter Workshops: Psychedelic Animation YMCA, Swansea. 11am1.15pm + 1.45-4pm, free.

Info 01792 516900. With artist Anna Barratt.

Egg Hunt Chepstow

Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Games Wales South 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. Social meetup for video-games developers that happens once a month in Cardiff.

Golden Egg Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 10 Apr) The Herbivore 018 Supper Club Kemi’s, Pontcanna.

7pm, £23. Info simon@ theherbivore.co.uk. A threecourse festive vegetarian supper.

Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Macmillan Cancer Support: HOPE Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 10.30am1.30pm, free. Info 01656 867960.

Natural History Family Talk National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 1.05pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7951.

Pricking Out Seedlings National History Museum, St Fagans. 12-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Scott May’s Daredevil Stunt Show Chepstow Racecourse. 6pm. Info 01291 622260. Scott May is a motorcycle stunt rider, so presumably that sort of thing will feature along with monster trucks and motocross.

At least, those are pictured/ mentioned on the poster.

Sheep Trekking Venue TBC, Brecon Beacons. £35/£25 under-16s. Info 01874 749092.

Skill Builder: Curries Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716.

Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Thurs 31) St Fagans Makers Market National History Museum, St Fagans. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Sun 3 Apr) Tallest Towers National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12.30-3.30pm, free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sat 2 Apr) Treasures And Adventures Family Workshops National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

11am, 1pm + 3pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. (Until Fri 1 Apr) Urban Beekeeping Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 6.309pm, £10. Info becca@ greencityevents.co.uk. Hosted

by John and Jonah Sweet for Green City Events.

Wales Play In Red – Journalism In Wales Holiday Inn, The Coldra, Newport. 6.30pm, £20. Info 01792 516900. Hosted by the Newport And Gwent Literary Club and featuring speakers including Carolyn Hitt. Experts are predicting the experts to conclude that journalism in Wales is “really good” and “will be for a long time”.

Wild Foods & Important Plants National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Thurs 31) Workshop: Futuristic

Homes Mission Gallery, Swansea. 11am-2pm, free.

Info 01792 652016. Come and make pipe-cleaner architectural sculptures and shadow drawings with Lucy Donald.

THURSDAY 31

Afternoon Dance Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea.

1.30pm, £4. Info 01792 475715.

Art & War Necklace Making National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Thurs 31) Betway Premier League Darts Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. Info 029 2022 4488.

Bubbles And Blasts Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Finishes today) Derek Acorah Queens Hall, Narberth. 6.30pm, £19. Info 01834 869323.

Design Stuff 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. Each month, two designers talk about a topic of their choice which is based in and around design.

Easter Quest Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3650. (Until Fri 8 Apr) Egg Hunt Chepstow Museum. 11am-5pm. Info 01291 625981. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Golden Egg Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

10am-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Hunt The Hare National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 10am-5pm, £1. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Sun 10 Apr) Lecture: The Story Of The Animal Wall Cardiff Castle.

6pm, £7.50. Info 029 2087 8100.

Left Handed Giant Tap Takeover Brewdog, Cardiff.

Showcase for an independent Bristol brewer.

Meet The Gardener National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Skill Builder: Baking Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716.

Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Finishes today) St Fagans Makers Market National History Museum, St Fagans. 10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Sun 3 Apr) Taith Iaith National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

1.05pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Monthly session for Welsh learners.

Tallest Towers National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

12.30-3.30pm, free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sat 2 Apr) Treasures And Adventures Family Workshops National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

11am, 1pm + 3pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. (Until Fri 1 Apr) Wild Foods & Important Plants National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. (Finishes today)

21) MOLOTOV JUKEBOX (The Globe, Sun 24) FLAMIN’ GROOVIES (The Globe, Tue 26) SPEAR OF DESTINY (The Globe, Wed 27) WUSSY (The Moon Club, Sat 30) JUST ANNOUNCED FOR MAY: JASON DONOVAN (St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Fri 6) FUTURE OF THE LEFT (Clwb Ifor Bach, Thurs 12) HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT (Tramshed, Sat 14) BRIAN WILSON (St David’s BUZZ 67

live music

live TUESDAY 1

Acoustic Tuesday South Riverside Community Development Centre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £5. Info 029 2030 4400. Regular event led by pioneering local musicians and singers.

Aled Jones Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 7.30pm, £26.88 adv. Info 01639 763214.

Capital City Jazz Orchestra Dempseys, Cardiff.

8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Cardiff University Contemporary Music Group Cardiff University Concert Hall. 7.30pm, £5/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816.

Clara Mouriz & Joseph Middleton Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. Mezzo soprano and pianist respectively.

Community Samba Band – Practise Dates Westenders Hall, Llanfaes, Brecon. 6-8pm, £4/£2 under-16s. Info sambabrecon@yahoo.co.uk. Every Tuesday.

Dunvant Male Choir All Saints Church, Oystermouth, Swansea. 7.30pm. Info www. dunvantchoir.org. Annual St David’s Day concert. Also features Humouresque, “a witty take on the otherwise slightly wacky world of showbusiness!”

Fire Fences + Whiskey Lies + John Nicholas

Undertone, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2022 8883.

Hi-Fidelity Records Launch Night Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, £3/£2 NUS. Info 029 2039 7933. Showcase gig for a new Welsh hip-hop label.

I was going to have a moan about them not informing me of their existence, but they hardly seem to have done any promotion yet. Anyway, tonight features Culture Vultures, Rob Wax, Granular Sumo, Zhubat & Slack Happenings, DJ Alkemy and Hidden Element.

Mandy Starr Sings Dolman Theatre, Newport. 2pm, £7.

Info 01633 637366. This promises an aternoon of “music and laughter”, and by a nominative coincidence the tickets are being sold by one Anne Crease (whose number that is above).

Open Mic The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, free. Info 01497 821762. Now on every Tuesday.

St David’s Day St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5-£35.

Info 029 2087 8444. A performance of Grace Williams’ Missa Cambrensis by the BBC National Orchestra & Chorus of Wales, plus narrator Rowan Williams.

St David’s Day Celebration Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14/£12. Info 029 2039 1391.

With the Royal Welsh College Brass Band and conductor Dr Robert Childs.

St David’s Day Concert Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £8/£7.

Info 01873 850805. Featuring Blaenavon Male Voice Choir.

The Memphis Six Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

The X Factor Live Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £23.55-£62.75.

Info 029 2022 4488. (Until Thurs 3)

WEDNESDAY 2

Andy Derrick with Dave Cottle Trio Jazzland, Swansea. 8.30-11pm, £10. Info 07802 912789.

Blackhawk Big Band Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8. Info malc@dancebands. plus.com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Chris Jones Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club.

7.30pm, £8/£5. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club night.

Jack Savoretti + Earl Tramshed, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £17.50 adv. Info 0117 9259273. Sold out.

Jazz Night Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7pm. Info 01443 491424.

John Law Dempseys, Cardiff.

8pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2023 9253. Jazz pianist plus group with their sole Welsh date on their UK tour.

Junior + Wilson Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm.

Info 01633 259144.

Kast Off Kinks Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20.50/£18.50. Info 01792 475715. Tribute band. In Abergavenny tomorrow.

Leona Lewis + Philippa Hanna St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £29.50-£55.

Info 029 2087 8444. She was interviewed in last month’s

live review KERRANG! TOUR 2016 Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union Thurs 11 Feb

issue.

Lunchtime Live: Music Meets Mental Health Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union. 12pm, free.

Info 029 2078 1458. Featuring sets from Ellie Makes Music, Maddie Jones, Luke And The Lifeboat, John Nicholas and more. Co-hosted by The National Centre For Mental Health and Cardiff University Student Wellbeing and Support.

Miss Maud’s Folly + Capra Mamei + Les Deux Guitares Gwdihw, Cardiff.

8pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. A Folk In The Owl’s Nest night. #Notjustjazz Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026. New weekly night (here every Wednesday), titled on account of its music policy.

Open Jam Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Every Wednesday. Expect to hear jazz, blues, rock or ska here.

Open Mic Market Street Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 733863. Every Wednesday.

Open Mic Acoustic Night Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

7pm, free. Info 01685 384111.

Royal Welsh College Wind Orchestra Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

Sinfonia Cymru The Riverfront, Newport. 1pm, £5.50/£4.50. Info 01633 656757. First Wednesday classical recital.

Stand Alone Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 8pm, £5. Info 07970 063107.

The Society Of Strange And Ancient Instruments Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2039 1391.

Musical masterpieces of the 17th century linked to each other by newly composed music, they say.

The X Factor Live Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £23.55-£62.75.

Info 029 2022 4488. (Until Thurs 3) Tom Smith & Ella O’Neill Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl.

1pm, £5 adv. Info 01656 815995. Tenor and piano duo.

THURSDAY 3

Central Band Of The RAF Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2039 1391.

Crooks + Solemn Sun + Omaha Fuel Bar, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8/£6 adv. Info 07970 063107.

Field Music The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 07590 471888. Postpunkinflected indie band from the north-east of England.

Grown Up Music The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com.

Jam session presented by Pi & Hash.

Hackensack Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £5. Info 029 2038 7026.

Jimjam Open Mic Session The Claude Hotel, Albany Road, Cardiff. 9pm, free.

Info 07557 505123. Every Thursday. This week’s guest band is Outback.

Kast Off Kinks Borough Theatre, Abergavenny.

7.30pm, £20/£18. Info 01873

850805.

Open Mic Night Lyceum Tavern, Newport. 8.30pm.

Info 01633 858636. Every Thursday except when there’s a guest on.

Robin Nolan Trio Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 8pm, £14/£12. Info info@ blossomsgallery.co.uk. Swing band launch the Blossoms Django Reinhardt Swing Festival, which is a smattering of gigs and workshops here until Sun 6.

Steve Tilston & Jez Lowe + Lowri Evans & Lee Mason Cuffern Manor, Roch, Haverfordwest. £12 adv. Info 01437 710071. In Llandeilo tomorrow.

Tarsiers Undertone, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2022 8883.

Theory Of A Deadman Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £15 adv.

Info 029 2078 1458. Enduring Canadian heavy rock band.

The X Factor Live Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £23.55-£62.75. Info 029 2022 4488. (Finishes today) Tredegar Town Band Blake Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £8-£12. Info 01600 719401.

It’s the Mayor’s Charity Musical Extravaganza, innit.

FRIDAY 4

An Evening With Sound Of Wales Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 01686 614555. St David’s Day concert special.

Astrakan Project Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 7.30pm. Info 07818 056599. Described by the venue as a neofolk duo and

The Kerrang! Tour has become a great platform for showcasing some of the highly thought of up-and-coming rock and metal bands as well as a well-established headliner. This year it’s the turn of revived Canadian punk rockers Sum 41 to take centre stage.

American opening band Biters come all the way from Atlanta, and it’s easy to see the influence of legends Alice Cooper, Bowie and Cheap Trick on their material. The hall is pretty full early on, and the general reaction to the confident performers isn’t bad at all. Next in line, Eastbourne-based rockers ROAM get off to the worst possible start. Sound issues and lead vocalist Alex Costello’s lack of microphone sound lose the interest of the growing crowd.

Back on track, former Gallows frontman Frank Carter [pictured] gets everyone listening.

Hitting the stage with his new band The Rattlesnakes, all eyes are on the stage – for a short while. Turner performs while crowdsurfing and shows amazing core strength as he proceeds to stand atop the crowd assisted by a few strong fans. Later, he’ll start directing a full-blown circle pit before demanding all in attendance sit on the floor around him while listening to an emotional rendition of Beautiful Death, in memory of his late father-in-law. A flurry of heavy tracks, including anti-terrorism tune Juggernaut, finish their set.

The full-house crowd seems to swell even more as Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley leads his band to the stage. Only three of the original members are involved these days, but it’s great to see returning lead guitarist Dave’ Brownsound’ Baksh back in the mix after a nine-year hiatus.

Considering the state of frontman Whibley after his kidney and liver failure some time ago, he looks in great form and it’s like a full-blown flashback to 2001. Opening with the memorable Motivation and Over My Head (Better Off Dead), the Canadians rattle through hit after hit.

Makes No Difference gets a huge reception while Back Where I Belong, Welcome To Hell and Still Waiting sound great.

Pushing for time before the curfew, iconic tracks In Too Deep and Fat Lip bring the night to a close. A great show and very fair to say – they’ve still got it. words OWEN SCOURFIELD photo MIKE LEWIS

Hall, Wed 18) SEPTEMBER GIRLS (The Moon Club, Fri 20) 9BACH (The Globe, Sat 21) ISSUES (Cardiff University, Tue 24) JUST ANNOUNCED FOR JUNE: BUSTED (Motorpoint Arena, Thurs 2) X MUSIC FESTIVAL (Bute Park, Cardiff, Fri 3 + Sat 4) THE COLOR FESTIVAL (Splott Warehouse, Sat 4) RUFUS WAINWRIGHT (Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Sun 5) BUZZ 68

live music by the band themselves as a “Celtic/Middle East fusion”.

Could they be both? Not sure.

Aubrey Parsons Porter’s, Cardiff. 9pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Brigyn + Heather Jones + Aled Rheon St John’s Church, Canton, Cardiff. 7pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2056 2022. Newsoundwales present a fundraiser gig for Pedal Power.

Built For Comfort Café Jazz, Cardiff. 9pm, £4. Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

Cwlwm Celtaidd Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. Weekend ticket £40/£35 youths/ free under-10s. Info 01656 815995. A family festival of music, song and dance from the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland, Isle Of Man, Cornwall, Brittany, Asturias & Wales. Today’s lineup is like so. Live music: Rura, Jac y Dô, Colum Regan, Tristan Legovic and Goose.

Stage: Ballochleam Highland Dancers + Dawnswyr Môn.

Plus Celtic ceilidhs and sessions. (Until Sun 6) Flowers + Seazoo + Oh Peas The Moon Club, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £6 adv. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com. Indie/ pop from London, Wrexham and Cardiff respectively.

Greenmailer + Fighting Fifth Husky + Avenge Thee Naime Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 07981 684142.

Idestroy + Stay Voiceless The Dolls House, Abertillery.

8pm. Info 01495 213300.

King Of Pop St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10-£29.50.

Info 029 2087 8444. ‘Navi’ is, once again, Michael Jackson.

Koshird + A Higher Demise The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £2. Info gigs@thedragonffli.com.

Live Acoustic Night The Pilot, Penarth. Free. Info 029 2071 0615. On the first Friday of each month.

Magic Of Motown Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £24.50. Info 01970 623232.

Money For Nothing Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 7.30pm, £17.50/£16.50. Info 0845 2263510. Dire Straits tribute band.

Mr Benn + Mike Dennis Gwdihw, Cardiff. 9pm, £5/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

Open Night The Ivy Bush, Pontardawe. 8pm. Info huwpudner@ntlworld.com. A Valley Folk Club night.

Pavilion Jazz Night Penarth Pier Pavilion. 7pm, £10. Info 0844 8700887. With the Keith Little Trio.

Peni & Stef St Fagans Village Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm. Info 029 2023 2970. Playing the Pentreffest Noz monthly folk night.

Revelation + Whiskey Lies + Lost Parade Hobo’s, Bridgend. 8pm, £5 adv. Info www.hobosmusicvenue.com.

Sarah Smith Trio Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 8pm, £6-£12. Info info@ blossomsgallery.co.uk. A Blossoms Django Reinhardt Swing Festival event.

Saul Williams + Dorian Grayskull + Zhubat Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

See Music.

Son Of One Eye + Three Smiles Wide The Parrot, Carmarthen. 7.30pm, £3. Info 01267 231012. Headliners are playing their last gig.

Steve Tilston & Jez Lowe + Lowri Evans Angel Hotel, Llandeilo. £12 adv. Info info@ llandeiloacoustic.com.

The 4tunes Blake Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £15/£13.50. Info 01600 719401. Male vocal ensemble.

In Porthcawl on Sat 12.

The Beat Goes On The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Beatles tribute.

The Bon Jovi Experience Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £18/£15.50. Info 01792 475715. Tribute band.

The Decoy + The Undivided + Zen Dogs + Brokers Le Pub, Newport.

8pm, free. Info 01633 221477.

The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars Quintet St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.

7.30pm, £19/£18. Info 01446 799100. Combining live jazz with narration and rare archive photos and video footage. Sold out though!

The Soul Strutters Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm.

Info 01633 259144.

Uumar + Tom Ap Dan + Rifleros + Chroma Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £4.

Info 029 2023 2199.

Will Black & Friends 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 6pm, £15/£12. Info 029 2022 8883.

Canadian MOR rock guy. Don’t know anything about him but his bio says that he used to perform on cruise ships.

SATURDAY 5

A/M/B/E/R/ + Himalayas + Tom Roynon-Blake + Amor Vincit Le Pub, Newport. 8pm, £4. Info 01633 221477.

Angela Hewitt Rhos Y Gilwen, Pembrokeshire.

8-10.30pm, £17. Info 01239 841387. First of two recitals by globally acclaimed classical pianist. On tomorrow also (with a different programme).

Aubrey Parsons St David’s Hotel, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2045 4045. Also on Fri 11 and Sat 19.

Blind Authority + Insist + Frame Of Mind + Reflect Undertone, Cardiff. 6pm. Info 029 2022 8883.

Cherry Suede 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13 adv. Info 029 2022 8883. Two members, both called Randy, of this Canadian rock band perform both songs and stories.

Children Of The Gravy Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 07970 063107. Sabbath tribute band.

Chocolat Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 7pm, £5-£10.

Info info@blossomsgallery. co.uk. A Blossoms Django Reinhardt Swing Festival event.

Chris Kelly Royal Exchange, Ty Mawr Road, Cardiff.

9.30pm, free. Info 029 2056 4068.

Colorama + Carwyn Ellis Snails Deli, Rhiwbina, Cardiff.

7pm, £20 inc buffet. Info 029 2062 0415.

Colours Of One Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7.30pm, free. Info

www.hobosmusicvenue.com.

Coolio Monkey Bar, Swansea.

10pm, £14/£12. Info 01792 480822. When Coolio sang of a Fantastic Voyage all thosec years ago, he was surely thinking of the drive into Swansea, and now finally he gets to do it.

Cwlwm Celtaidd Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. Weekend ticket £40/£35 youths/ free under-10s. Info 01656 815995. Music: Ruaile Buaile, Rachel Hair, Elinor Evans and Kantref. Stage: Dawnswyr Gwerin Penyfai, Skeddan Jiarg Manx Dancers and Dawnswyr Môn (daytime); Perree Bane Manx Dancers and Ballochleam Highland Dancers. Plus Celtic instrument and dance workshops, ceilidhs and sessions in the daytime, and free street performances around the town.

(Until Sun 6) Happyfuntimegameband The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

Henry Marten’s Ghost Diablo’s Gastro Pub, Carmarthen. Info 01267 223000.

Kamikaze Millionaires The Patriot, Crumlin. 9.30pm, free.

Info 01495 247178.

Lowri Evans Small World Theatre, Cardigan. 7.30pm.

Info 01239 615952. Album launch for Welsh singersongwriter.

Maddie & The Pandas Porter’s, Cardiff. 9pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Paul Garner Band Cwmbran RFC, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran.

7.30pm, £10/£8 members.

Info 01633 483238. A Borough Blues Club gig.

Ronnie Scott’s Allstars Queens Hall, Narberth. 8pm, £9-£18. Info 01834 869323.

Brit jazz veterans.

Smiling Tigers + Parallax + Bag Of Bones The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £2. Info gigs@thedragonffli. com.

St David’s Day Concert Memorial Hall, Newbridge.

7pm, £5. Info 01495 243252.

With Celynen Silver Band St David’s Gala Concert Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen.

7pm, £16/£13.50. Info 0845 2263510. Featuring Côr Meibion De Cymru, Côr Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin and Gary Griffiths.

Swansea Gospel Male Voice Choir Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 6.30pm, free. Info 01792 475715.

Tamsin Reardon Band Wellington Hotel, Bulwark Brecon. 8pm, free. Info 01874 625225. A Brecon Jazz Club night.

T.G.F.B.I. Band The Lounge, Newport. Free. Info 01633 259144. Playing as part of the Live:Lounge night here.

That’ll Be The Day Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £24.50/£21. Info 01792 475715. Rock’n’roll variety show. Good to see that this venue hasn’t been knocked off its path by that local councillor saying that its booking policy was lame and boring last year.

The Jam Collective + The Parkas Ex Servicemens Club, Taffs Well, nr Cardiff. 7pm-

1am, £15 adv. Info 029 2025 0731. Presented by The Jam Society, which is dedicated to the popular rock band of that name, and also featuring a DJ set from James Parker (Cafe A Go Go).

The Puppini Sisters The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £25 adv.

Info 029 2048 3344. Presented

by Orchard.

Treorchy Male Choir China St Chapel, Llanidloes. 8pm, £12. Info 01686 614555.

Tricot + Axes + Amy Grindhouse Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 8pm, £8 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Headliners are

Club, Cardiff Bay. 6pm, £15/£7.50 under-16s. Info 0871 4720400. In which 25 finalists will compete to be crowned The Voice Of Wales 2016 in this X Factor style singing competition. “Good luck to everyone involved, in our eyes you’re all winners” – Listings’ official statement on the matter.

Weapon UK + Avenford Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm. Info 07970 063107.

MONDAY 7

Atrium Live Music Night Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info

Blossoms Gallery in Aberystwyth hosts a Django Reinhardt Swing Festival from Thurs 3-Sun 6. It features workshops and live performances, the latter courtesy of Robin Nolan Trio, Sarah Smith Trio, Chocolat and Holder & Smith.

Japanese and play postrock or something akin to that.

SUNDAY 6

Angela Hewitt Rhos Y Gilwen, Pembrokeshire.

7.30-9.15pm, £17. Info 01239 841387.

BBCYM2016: Keyboard Category Final Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7pm, £8/£5 NUS. Info 029 2039 1391. First of various categories and stages running here until Sun 13.

Cwlwm Celtaidd Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. Weekend ticket £40/£35 youths/free under-10s. Info 01656 815995.

Music: Linda Griffiths & Sorela, Robin Huw Bowen, Nantgarw Band and Georgia Owen. Stage: Dawnswyr Talog, Perree Bane Manx Dancers and Skeddan Jiarg Manx Dancers. Plus Celtic instrument and dance workshops, ceilidhs and sessions in the daytime, and free street performances around the town.

(Finishes today) Holder & Smith Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 7pm, £12/£10 adv. Info info@ blossomsgallery.co.uk. A Blossoms Django Reinhardt Swing Festival event featuring two members of Gypsy Fire.

Jelly Roll Jones The Queens Head, Monmouth.

8.45pm, free. Info 01600 712767.

Shân Cothi Holy Trinity Church, Aberaeron. 7pm, £10£20. Info 01545 570433. Welsh soprano. I think this date was rescheduled from December.

Some Kind Ov Plague Le Pub, Newport. 7pm. Info 01633 221477.

Spring Into Song Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £12.50. Info 01633 868239.

With Caroline Sheen and New Harmony Singers.

The Voice Of Wales Glee

029 2038 7026. Every Monday.

BBCYM2016: Woodwind Category Final Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7pm, £8/£5 NUS. Info 029 2039 1391.

Cardiff County And Vale Of Glamorgan Junior Music Festival St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7pm, £5-£10. Info 029 2087 8444.

Live Jazz Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360. Every Monday.

Live Original Music Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Presented by U&I Radio.

Every Monday.

Monday Club 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. Local singersongwriters perform in the main bar every week.

Sabaton + Alestorm Tramshed, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £19 adv. Info 0117 9259273.

Brace of folky/power metal bands.

Ukulele Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free.

Info 029 2021 2509. Every Monday, with The Plucking Fourstrings.

TUESDAY 8

BBCYM2016: Percussion Category Final Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7pm, £8/£5 NUS. Info 029 2039 1391.

Cardiff County And Vale Of Glamorgan Music Service Lord Mayor’s Charity Spring Showcase St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7pm, £5-£10.

Info 029 2087 8444.

Community Samba Band – Practise Dates Westenders Hall, Llanfaes, Brecon. 6-8pm, £4/£2 under-16s. Info sambabrecon@yahoo.co.uk.

Dinosaur Dempseys, Cardiff.

8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253. Jazz combo led by Laura Jurd.

Ellie Goulding + John Newman + Lany Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £35. Info 029 2022 4488.

Fearless Vampire Killers + Vukovi + Miss Vincent + Clear The Auditorium Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Max Raptor + Allusondrugs + Press to Meco Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £7 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Three UK rock bands visit Cardiff as part of a Scuzz tour. That’s Scuzz the rock video station which you can find on Sky channel 367.

Open Mic The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, free. Info 01497 821762.

Sea Of Treachery + Nexilva + Monastries + Vanity Draws Blood The New Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil. 6pm, £5 adv. Info 01685 387925. Death metal type stuff.

The 8 O’Clock Spot Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm. Info 029 2039 7933. Live bands presented by Dragon Radio.

The Goldfield Ensemble Cardiff University Concert Hall. 7-8.45pm, £8/£6/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816.

The Keith Little Band Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

WEDNESDAY 9

Aubrey Parsons The Ivor, Pontyclun. 8pm, free. Info 01443 222287.

Ayo Vincent Band Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

BBCYM2016: Brass Category Final Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7pm, £8/£5 NUS. Info 029 2039 1391.

Bella Collins + Art Bandini + Luna Tides 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2022 8883.

Playing the Cardiff Folk Club night.

Cardiff University Big Band Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8. Info malc@dancebands.plus. com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Chaos Trigger + The Dweller + Death By Disco Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm.

Info 01633 259144.

Folk Night Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7pm. Info 01443 491424. #Notjustjazz Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Open Jam Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Open Mic Market Street Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 733863.

Phil Robson Organ Trio Jazzland, Swansea. 8.3011pm, £10. Info 07802 912789.

Sean Shibe Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10.

Info 029 2039 1391. Classical guitarist.

Shane Filan St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £52/£32.50.

Info 029 2087 8444. Him out of Westlife. You can also get a meet’n’greet ticket for £150.

MARZIA (Wales Millennium Centre, Wed 8) JOHN GRANT (Wales Millennium Centre, Thurs 9) MOON DUO (The Globe, Thurs 9) BEN FOLDS (Wales Millennium Centre, Sun 12) LIONEL RICHIE (Liberty Stadium, Swansea, Sat 18) THE PROCLAIMERS (Grand Theatre, Swansea, Sat 18) VINTAGE TROUBLE (Tramshed, Tue 28) BEYONCE (Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Thurs 30) BUZZ 69

live music I’m ‘Filan’ (feeling) that price option personally!

Steve Knightley Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £16. Info 029 2087 7959.

The Altered Hours Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 8pm, £7 adv.

Info 029 2023 2199. Noisy, vaguely gothy Irish rock band on the splendid Art For Blind label.

The Mouse Outfit Sin City, Swansea. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 01792 468892.

Live hip-hop ensemble from Manchester.

Wet Wet Wet + Markus Feehily Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 7.15pm, £48/£42.50.

Info 029 2022 4488.

Youth Club Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 8pm, £7 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

THURSDAY 10

BBCYM2016: Strings Category Final Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7pm, £8/£5 NUS. Info 029 2039 1391.

Bombs + Hipicat The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6 adv.

Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com.

Cardiff International Society Amnesty Fundraiser 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7.30pm. Info 029 2022 8883. Folk bands TBC. Cymbient + Albatross Archive + Unravellings Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

Dai Robs Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 8pm, £6. Info 01686 614555. Album launch gig for a mid-Wales musician who toured the UK with his previous bands The Velvet Dukes and Voodoo Johnson. Not registering at all I’m afraid Dai. Fraccalvieri/Long Quintet Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £6/£5.

Info 029 2038 7026.

Gaudy Orde The Open Hearth, Sebastopol, Pontypool.

7.30pm. Info 01495 763752.

This month’s edition of the Open Hearth Acoustic night, on the second Thursday of every month.

Jimjam Open Mic Session The Claude Hotel, Albany Road, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 07557 505123. This week’s guest band is Loaded Jones.

Keston Cobblers Club Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. *Locust Honey String Band + Whiskey River Boys West End Club, Barry.

7.30pm, £8. Info 07561 143114. Bluegrass/old timey stuff. See Music for more.

Machine Head Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £26 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. Metal faves, presented here by Orchard.

Mass Collective Porter’s, Cardiff. 9pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Mozart At Llandaff Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15/£12 adv. Info 029 2039 1391. Featuring Royal Welsh College chamber ensembles.

Open Mic Night Lyceum Tavern, Newport. 8.30pm. Info 01633 858636.

Peter Hook & The Light Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £20 adv. Info 0117 9259273.

Featuring two sets excavating Hooky’s legacy, one of Joy Division and one of Lowlife and Brotherhood by New Order.

Sea Of Treachery + Nexilva + Monasteries / VDB The Scene Club, Swansea. 7pm. Info 07730 432166.

Tom Gray & Mark David The Parrot, Carmarthen.

8.30pm, £5/£3. Info 01267 231012. Two Welsh guitarists offering a “blend of music and banter”.

Weekend Arrows + Ofelia Undertone, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2022 8883.

FRIDAY 11

Aubrey Parsons St David’s Hotel, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2045 4045. Also on Sat 19.

BBC NOW: Baroque Brangwyn Hall, Swansea.

7.30pm, £12.50-£18. Info 01792 475715. Performing works by Handel, Bach and Vivaldi.

Bill Ryder-Jones + By The Sea + The Cradles The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8 adv. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

Former member of The Coral headlines.

ChapterLive Chapter Arts

MACHINE HEAD Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Thurs 10 Mar Tickets: £26. Info: 029 2078 1458 / www.cardiffstudents.com This is billed, unusually, as ‘An Evening With Machine Head’, suggesting that the enduring Oakland metal band will be peppering their set with extended audience Q&A sessions and misty-eyed anecdotes about golfing with dear old Tommy Araya and lingerie shopping with the clown from Slipknot. Well, I suppose something like that might happen, but broadly speaking it’s probably best to expect a set of pure, rageful heaviness like Robb Flynn and his bandmates have been delivering since 1994. Apart from when they went a bit too nu-metal for comfort, somewhere in the middle of their career. When the tour was announced last autumn, Flynn confirmed there’d be no support acts, just two hours or more of Machine Head hits and deep cuts – one for confirmed fans, in other words.

BUZZ 70

Centre, Cardiff. 9pm, free.

Info 029 2030 4400. With live music TBC. Also on Fri 25.

Chris James Band Café Jazz, Cardiff. 9pm, £4. Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

Crowsaw + Caspian The Met, Abertillery. 8pm, £5. Info 01495 355800.

David Schofield Miners Theatre, Ammanford. 7.30pm, £13/£11. Info 0845 2263510.

British crossover pianist, although I am unsure what he has crossed over from or to.

Derek Nash with Alex Steele, Ashley John Long & Martin Fisher The Open Hearth, Sebastopol, Pontypool. 8.30pm, £10. Info 01495 763752. Monthly jazz night.

Disco Panther Gwdihw, Cardiff. 9pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. Playing as part of the Suyperchango night.

Exodus + Lost Society The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £17.50 adv. Info 07590 471888. In the thrash metal pantheon, Exodus were a way behind the ‘big four’ in terms of, well, bigness, but are felt by many to have been worthy of greater success. They are nonetheless still pumping out albums and touring, including this Cardiff date.

Godsticks + Hunted Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info 07970 063107. Proggy kinda band headline.

Hamell On Trial + Abstract Man Le Pub, Newport. 8pm, £8 adv. Info 01633 221477. American folk-rock type with jokes and swears. Described as “Bill Hicks, Hunter S. Thompson and Joe Strummer all rolled into one” by Philadelphia Weekly, in a classic case of overplaying one’s hand.

Henry Marten’s Ghost Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 7.30pm, free. Info 07818 056599.

Launch gig for a live album recorded here in January.

Hollywood To Broadway Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £36. Info 029 2070 5391. With Samantha Link belting out the hit of stage and screen.

Martin Harley + Daniel Kimbro Beulah Community Centre, Rhiwbina, Cardiff.

7-8pm, £5. Info 029 2069 3517. Acoustic/roots/blues types from the States.

Rebecca Dix + Something Different Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 07981 684142.

Scott Alexander Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 1-2pm, £6. Info 01633 868239. Songs from films and musicals.

Supper & Cello Night The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm. Info 01497 821762.

Tattsyrup Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm. Info 01633 259144.

The DeRellas The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £5. Info gigs@thedragonffli. com.

The Jam DC + The Unlikely Lads + The Dole Age Ebbw Vale Institute. 7pm, £11 adv. Info 01495 708022.

The Jazz Boys Porter’s, Cardiff. 9pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

The Orange Circus Band Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £5 adv. Info 029 2023 9253.

British folk/Americana type band.

The Popes Of Chillitown The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm,

free. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

Yonaka Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. New indie band from Brighton, look pretty landfilly to me.

SATURDAY 12

Andy Lewis Duo Peppermint, Cardiff. 1-3.45pm, free. Info 029 2039 9199. Also here on the evening of Sat 19, again performing a few sets.

BBCYM2016: Jazz Award Final Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7pm, £8/£5 NUS. Info 029 2039 1391.

Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles + The Caspiens + Bandicoot + Alpha-Zoo The Scene Club, Swansea.

7pm. Info 07730 432166.

Headliner used to be the singer in Catfish & The Bottlemen, prior to Van McCann. Guess you have to have a name like a 1950s comic book character if you want to sing in that band.

Cate Le Bon The Gate, Cardiff. 7.45pm, £12.50 adv.

Info 029 2048 3344. Cate has a new album, Crab Day, and a backing band who appear to feature Josh Klinghoffer out of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Shape Records are promoting this one.

Chris Helme St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2087 8444. Former singer of The Seahorses.

Colour Of Noise + Black Water Chemistry The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm.

Info gigs@thedragonffli.com.

Headliners are from Brighton, plays blues-rock and feature Bruce ‘not that one’ Dickinson who used to be in Little Angels.

Dansette Porter’s, Cardiff.

8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Dexy’s Bootleg Runners The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Tribute band.

Evil Turkeys Ex Servicemens Club, Taffs Well, nr Cardiff. 6pm, £5 adv. Info 029 2025 0731. Performing “right after Wales slam England in the rugby,” say the venue.

Hideaway Trio Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 7.30pm. Info 07818 056599.

Joby + Nia Ann + Harri Davies M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 7pm, £3 (£6 inc. copy of EP). Info 029 2047 3373. EP launch gig.

Junior Conservatoire Foyer Recital Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 2pm, free. Info 029 2039 1391.

Lock & Key The Scene Club, Swansea. 7pm. Info 07730 432166.

Normanton Street Gwdihw, Cardiff. 9pm, £4 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. Playing as part of the last ever Fat City night.

The 4tunes Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 7.30pm, £17.50/£16.50. Info 01656 815995.

The Hits Of Motown Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £38. Info 029 2070 5391.

Said hits being sung by Treyc Cohen. Fully booked sorry.

The Leylines The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

The Planets & Grieg Piano Concerto Aberystwyth Arts

Centre. 8pm, £2-£9.50. Info 01970 623232. Presented

by Aberystwyth Symphony Orchestra.

The Ramonas + London Calling Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 8pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Two punk tribute bands. The Ramonas are more notable than the usual rabble by being an all-female homage to The Ramones.

The Revamps The Lounge, Newport. Free. Info 01633 259144.

The Sick Livers + Trackstar Pornstar + The MLC Hobo’s, Bridgend.

7.30-10.30pm, free. Info www. hobosmusicvenue.com.

The Wonder Stuff Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £20 adv. Info 0117 9259273.

Boisterous indie band from a Midlands that time forgot hit Cardiff for their 30th anniversary tour. *Undersmile + Spider Kitten + Haast’s Eagled Le Pub, Newport. 8pm, £5.

Info 01633 221477. Doom metal stuff, each worth seeing if you like it slow and heavy, like.

Vice Squad + Poetic Justice The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £8.50 adv. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com. The same Vice Squad fronted by punk pinup Beki Bondage?

You better believe it.

Wizards Of Oz The Patriot, Crumlin. 9.30pm, free. Info 01495 247178. Ozzy Osbourne tribute band.

SUNDAY 13

Akb’al + Viva La Burn + Corporate Christ The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £4. Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com.

BBCYM2016: Semi-Final Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7pm, £8/£5 NUS. Info 029 2039 1391.

Bronnt Industries Kapital Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

5pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2030 4400. Bristol-based experimental type band, performing live to a screening of the film Arsenal. In Swansea tomorrow; Aberystwyth on Tue 15.

Cardiff University Chamber Orchestra Cardiff University Concert Hall.

3-4.30pm, £5/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816.

Chaos Trigger + The Eighth Bridge + Extinction Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea. 9.30pm, free.

Info 07981 684142.

Ferryman + Idestroy + Pilgrim Fuel Bar, Cardiff.

8pm. Info 07970 063107.

Folk Music & Song Session Arvon Ale House, Llandrindod Wells. 4pm. Info 07477 627267. Also on Sun 27.

Hot Club Swing Café Jazz, Cardiff. 7.45pm, £5/£3 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026. Gypsy jazz.

Jelly Roll Jones Browns Hotel, Laugharne. 3pm. Info 01994 427688.

Little Mix Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £35. Info 029 2022 4488. Also here on Mon 28.

Lunchtime Concert National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 1pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. With students from the Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama.

Sundae Sessions Gwdihw, Cardiff. 4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7933.

live music Teifi Chamber Orchestra Rhos Y Gilwen, Pembrokeshire. 4-6pm, £7.50/ free under-16s. Info 01239 841387.

The Clerks St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 5pm, £5-£22.50. Info 029 2087 8444. Choral performances looking at the life and work of Bach.

Tragedy The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30-10.30pm, £10 adv. Info 07590 471888. Bee Gees songs done in metal style.

MONDAY 14

Atrium Live Music Night Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Bronnt Industries Kapital Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea.

6pm, £7.25/£6. Info 01792 602060.

Dead Prez Monkey Bar, Swansea. 8pm, £15 adv. Info 01792 480822. Rap dup with one of those pesky social consciences. See Music for more.

Forty Shades Of Green Meet Country Roads Miners’ Institute, Blackwood.

7.30pm, £11/£10. Info 01495 227206.

Jim Ghedi 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2022 8883.

Live Jazz Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

Live Original Music Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Monday Club 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883.

Peter Andre + Daughters Of Davis Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £27.50-£80.

Info 029 2022 4488. Not totally sure what you get for £80 but I bet it’s something damn good.

Snake Davis Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £14. Info 0845 2263510. UK jazz sax man.

The Collective Big Band Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Toseland The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 07590 471888. Hard rock band fronted by former pro motorcyclist Jason Toseland.

Ukulele Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free.

Info 029 2021 2509.

TUESDAY 15

All That Jazz Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

Bronnt Industries Kapital Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

5.45pm. Info 01970 623232.

Elfen Cymru St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.

3pm, £6.50. Info 01446 799100. Afternoon concert; price includes tea and cake.

Gwd Jams Gwdihw, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £3/free for performers. Info 029 2039 7933.

Monthly open jam session.

Mary Coughlan St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £15/£14 adv. Info 029 2087 8444. Irish folk singer, presented by Roots Unearthed.

Music For Easter St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 1pm, £4.75-£6.75. Info 029 2087 8444. Featuring the Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral Choir, The Choristers of St John’s College, and The Metropolitan Consort.

Open Mic The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, free. Info 01497 821762.

Pete Komor Band

Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Riot Ensemble Cardiff University Concert Hall.

7-9pm, £8/£6/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816. Contemporary UK classical ensemble celebrate Henri Dutilleux’s centenary year.

Royal Welsh College Rhythm Collective: As One Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2039 1391.

Performance by all 13 RWCMD percussionists.

Steven James Adams + John Mouse + Halftime Parade The Moon Club, Cardiff. 8pm, £6 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com.

Headliner used to be in the Broken Family Band.

Woody Pines Burnett’s Hill Chapel, Martletwy, Pembrokeshire. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 01646 651725. Folk.

WEDNESDAY 16

Aubrey Parsons The Carne Arms, Llysworney. 8pm, free.

Info 01446 775607.

Blaze Bayley Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 8pm, £10 adv. Info 07970 063107. Blaze wasn’t the former Iron Maiden frontman who got in trouble for fiddling his benefits. That was Paul Di’anno.

Hill Valley High + Adelphia + Who Saves The Hero? The Scene Club, Swansea. 7pm. Info 07730 432166.

Lady Sings The Blues Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £18.50/£16.50. Info 01873 850805.

Mark Porter With Capital City Jazz Orchestra Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8. Info malc@dancebands. plus.com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Marlene VerPlanck with Dave Cottle Trio Jazzland, Swansea. 8.30-11pm, £10. Info 07802 912789.

Matt Griffiths Trio Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Midge Ure + Big Country + Nick Heyward + Curiosity Killed The Cat Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 7.30pm, £37.09 adv.

Info 01639 763214. They call this the 80s Invasion Tour, and with good cause. #Notjustjazz Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Open Jam Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Open Mic Market Street Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 733863.

Royal Welsh College String Soloists Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

The Ian Stoutzker Prize: The Semi-Finals Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7pm, £12/£10.

Info 029 2039 1391.

The Skunk-Boy Project + Benji Tranter & The Well Adjusted Individuals Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, £6 adv.

Info 029 2039 7933. EP launch gig for an act with the worst name in Cardiff, supported by one with the worst name in London.

Woody Pines Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 8pm, £11 adv. Info

01656 815995. Acoustic Club night.

THURSDAY 17

Aubrey Parsons Ty Newydd, Barry. 9pm, free. Info 01446 407767. St Patrick’s Day special.

BBC NOW Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £5-£22.

Info 01970 623232. Thomas Søndergård conducts a programme of Bizet, Ravel and Poulenc among others.

Cambion + For I Am King The Scene Club, Swansea.

7pm. Info 07730 432166.

Capital City Jazz Orchestra St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £13.50/£11.50.

Info 029 2087 8444. Featuring one Marlene VerPlanck on vocals tonight.

Choral Thursdays Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 6.30pm, free.

Info 029 2039 1391.

Connor Reid Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £6/£5. Info 029 2038 7026.

Graham Pike The Dingle Hotel, Narberth. 8pm, £4-£8. Info 01834 869323. A Spanjazz night.

Jimjam Open Mic Session The Claude Hotel, Albany Road, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 07557 505123. This week’s guest band is Crackers.

King King The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £20 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Masts + Calling Apollo + Stay Voiceless Undertone, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2022 8883.

Rainbow Maniac + Parcs Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

Sinfonia Cymru Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4-£13. Info 029 2039 1391.

Sinfonia Cymru Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 6.30pm, £7.50/£5. Info 01686 614555.

Family-focused concert.

Spring Into Song Miners’ Institute, Blackwood. 7pm, £6/£4. Info 01495 227206.

With With Cefn Hengoed Ladies Choir and guests.

The Professionals Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Tom McConville Lyceum Tavern, Newport. 8pm. Info 01633 858636. A Lyceum Folk Club night.

Welsh Modular Alliance + Bad Shampoo The Parrot, Carmarthen. 8pm. Info 01267 231012. A night of modular synth music. WMA are from Ammanford and seem pretty neat.

Woody Pines The Chattery, Swansea. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01792 473276.

FRIDAY 18

Adref Homeless Charity Fundraising Night Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7pm, £3.

Info 01443 491424. Featuring sets from Led By Lions, Stay Voiceless and Tobias Robertson.

Ascaris + Annunciation + Extinction The Duke, Neath.

8pm, free. Info 01639 643892.

Metal.

Aubrey Parsons: thank You Starman Bridgend Rugby Club. 7pm. Info 07519 099404.

Bowie tribute night.

Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra Vote Overture St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5-£22. Info 029 2087 8444.

Performance of 10 overtures

which weere decided by a poll of some kind.

Cardiff Sinfonietta The Gate, Cardiff. 7pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2048 3344.

Performing pastoral classics.

Dr Feelgood + Eddie & The Hot Rods Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 7.30pm, £18-£21. Info 01656 815995.

Pub rock in the Pavilion! The current Dr Feelgood lineup is a right old Trigger’s broom is must be said. Don’t know who is or indeed was in Eddie & The Hot Rods.

Elvis Legacy Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £38. Info

Le Pub, Newport. 8pm. Info 01633 221477. Local hair metal.

Stereophonish + Last Mile Home Ebbw Vale Institute. 7pm. Info 01495 708022. Fundraiser gig in aid of BRFM, a local radio station.

Swnami Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5. Info 029 2023 2199.

Tenplusone + Ironbird + Audio Pirates + The Cold Blooded Murder Of Vilmos Kovacs The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £3. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

The Cradles + Fused +

Fans of both foxes and polemical, warts'n'all British punk rock are doubly rewarded at Cardiff's Moon Club on Sat 26, via a South Wales Hunt Saboteurs benefit gig. Anarcho punk veterans Conflict headline over Grand Collapse, Liberty, Violent Arrest and many more.

029 2070 5391. With Mark Summers as Elvis.

Harry Fontaine Band Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm.

Info 01633 259144.

Heck + Raketkanon Sin City, Swansea. 7.30pm, £4 adv. Info 01792 468892. UK rock band who used to be called Baby Godzilla headline.

Raketkanon are Belgian and not half bad.

Ink’d Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 07981 684142.

Latemouth Blake The Ivy Bush, Pontardawe. 8pm. Info huwpudner@ntlworld.com.

Valley Folk Club night, albeit with more of a blues feel this month.

Let’s Hang On Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.45pm, £23/£22. Info 01686 614555.

Frankie Valli tribute.

Loaded Jones The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com.

Los Bastardos Finlandeses The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm, £5. Info 01495 247178. Hard rock band from Finland headline.

Manumit + Between Waves + Clear The Auditorium Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7.30pm, free. Info www.hobosmusicvenue.com.

Memories Made Of This Memorial Hall, Newbridge.

7pm, £8. Info 01495 243252.

Variety concert starring Robert Knight and Beverley Davies with special guests the award winning choir Cantorian Pontllanfraith.

Night Owls Café Jazz, Cardiff. 9pm, £4. Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

Robin Colvill Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £10/£8. Info 0845 2263510. Pianist.

Robin Nolan Trio Angel Hotel, Llandeilo. £12 adv. Info info@llandeiloacoustic.com.

Rumney Folk Club Whitehall Parade, Rumney, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £3.50/£1.50 musicians. Info 07528 968016.

Saints Of Sin + Raider

Fire Fences The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £2. Info gigs@thedragonffli.com.

The Sex Pistols Experience The Globe, Cardiff. 7.3010.30pm, £11 adv. Info 07590 471888. Tribute band.

The Stranglers Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 7.30pm, £26 adv. Info 029 2078 1458.

Tim Holehouse The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £3.

Info 01497 821762. Acoustic folk bloke from a DIY punk type background. Seems to play about 300 gigs a year.

SATURDAY 19

A Band Apart The Lounge, Newport. Free. Info 01633 259144.

Andy Lewis Duo Peppermint, Cardiff. 3.456.30pm, free. Info 029 2039 9199.

Aubrey Parsons St David’s Hotel, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2045 4045. Also on Sat 19.

Back To Bacharach Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 7.30pm, £22.50/£20.50. Info 01656 815995.

Boyce Avenue Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £25 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. Teen-friendly rock band play a gig rescheduled from autumn.

Chiyoda Ku + Let’s Kill Janice +Twisted Ankle + Wall Le Pub, Newport.

8pm, £5/£2.50 NUS. Info 01633 221477. Presented by the hootingly named Midwife Crisis.

Collabro + AJ Brown + Catriona Murray Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £19.50-£35.50. Info 029 2022 4488.

Crossfaith + The One Hundred + Counting Days Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £12 adv.

Info 029 2078 1458. Japanese hard rockers.

Galliard Ensemble Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £1-£14. Info 01239 621200.

Genesish The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12.50 adv. Info 07590 471888. Genesis tribute band.

Jam Baxter The Moon Club, Cardiff. 9pm, £6.50 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com. Playing the Hold Up hiphop night. Also featuring DJ Sammy B-Side.

Mike Dennis The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

Morpheus Rising + Vice + Howard Sinclair The Garage, Swansea. 9pm, £10/£8. Info 01792 475147.

Phil Murray’s Diamond Dogz The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £5. Info gigs@thedragonffli.com.

Bowie tribute set.

Sinfonia Cymru & Ben Baker The Riverfront, Newport. 3pm, £4-£12.50. Info 01633 656757.

Stompin’ Dave Allen Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 7.30pm. Info 07818 056599.

The Big What!? Band Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Tree House Fire Hobo’s, Bridgend. 8pm, free. Info www.hobosmusicvenue.com.

We Come From Ashes + Pizzatramp + Broken Jaw Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea.

8pm, free. Info 07981 684142.

Welsh Regional Brass Band Championships Brangwyn Hall, Swansea.

10am, free. Info 01792 475715. Today features sections 3, 2 and 1. On tomorrow also.

Whole Lotta Led Workmen’s Hall, Caerphilly. 7.30pm, £12.50/£10 adv. Info 07512 237983.

SUNDAY 20

Academic Male Choir Of Tallinn University Of Technology Estonia Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £10.50/£8.50. Info 0845 2263510. Hopefully Wales will be returning the favour by sending its finest male voice choirs to Tallinn to sling a few prototypes together.

Chapter Four Jazz Quartet Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

9pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400.

Jazz in the bar.

Gala Concert Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 4.30pm, £27/£25.50. Info 029 2063 6464. Jonathan Mann conducts a lineup of Bryn Terfel, Julia Lezhneva and students from Wales International Academy Of Voice, accompanied by Cardiff Sinfonietta.

Showhawk + Benji & Hibbs Buffalo, Cardiff. 7pm, £15. Info 029 2031 0312.

Showhawk are a guitar duo from Bristol who do acoustic covers of old chart trance tunes, or ‘ADM’ as they call it. This sounds like the worst idea anyone has ever had and I am going to start a 38 Degrees petition to have them banned.

Viv McLean Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £3-£12. Info 01970 623232. Piano recital.

Welsh National Opera Family Concert St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £5-£15.

Info 029 2087 8444.

Welsh Regional Brass Band Championships Brangwyn Hall, Swansea.

11am, free. Info 01792 475715. Today features section 4 and the Championship.

BUZZ 71

live music Wetpainttt + Himalayas + In Bliss Gwdihw, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £3. Info 029 2039 7933. Red Cross charity gig.

Written In Kings Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5 adv.

Info 029 2023 2199.

MONDAY 21

Atrium Live Music Night Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Blues And Jazz Club March Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli.

8pm, £8. Info 0845 2263510.

Monthly night.

Live Jazz Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

Live Original Music Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Mariah Carey Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 8pm, £45-£70.

Info 029 2022 4488. See Music. Might be sold out by now.

Monday Club 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883.

Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7pm, £25. Info 029 2087 8444. Two ex-Beautiful South members club together.

Ukulele Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free.

Info 029 2021 2509.

TUESDAY 22

Catherine Ennis St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 1pm, £4.75£6.75. Info 029 2087 8444.

Organ recital.

Community Samba Band – Practise Dates Westenders Hall, Llanfaes, Brecon. 6-8pm, £4/£2 under-16s. Info sambabrecon@yahoo.co.uk.

Emily’s Good Time Gang Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

Esuna Gwdihw, Cardiff.

7.30pm. Info 029 2039 7933.

EP launch gig.

Huw V Williams Group Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Karma To Burn + Sons of Morpheus + Lacertilia The Moon Club, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £10 adv. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

American stoner faves return to this venue, they were decent when I saw ‘em here before.

Open Mic The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, free. Info 01497 821762.

Ruth Bowen Trio + Deborah Glenister Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 8pm.

Info 01874 611622. Brecon Jazz Club gig.

The Skints The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. Reggae/ punk/dub mashup gubbins.

Zappatika The Scene Club, Swansea. 7pm, £15 adv. Info 07730 432166. This band feature Ike willis, Jeff Hollie and Craig ‘Twister’ Steward, all former members of Frank Zappa’s band. Not going to look up which era.

WEDNESDAY 23

Aubrey Parsons The Star Inn, Treoes. 8pm, free. Info 01656 658458.

Birdcage + Love Bazaar Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm.

Info 01633 259144.

Burning Down Alaska + Acres + Casey + Holding Absence The Bunker, Cardiff.

7pm, £7 adv. Info james@ BUZZ 72

thebunkercardiff.com.

Confed Fred Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £3. Info 029 2039 7933.

Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston Burnett’s Hill Chapel, Martletwy, Pembrokeshire. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 01646 651725. Folk. #Notjustjazz Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Open Jam Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Open Mic Market Street Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 733863.

Puddle Of Mudd Sin City, Swansea. 7pm, £18 adv. Info 01792 468892. “Wes Scantlin is custom-made for the new millennium – a rockstar without the pretense and a frontman whose spontaneity propels his offstage personality as much as it does his onstage delivery.”

Swing From Paris Jazzland, Swansea. 8.30-11pm, £10. Info 07802 912789.

Tendons Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 6.30pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

The Cradles Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Launch gig for a single that’s reviewed in this issue.

Tim Thornton Quartet Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Tobin’s Favourites Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm, £3. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club night.

Tracer The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. Australian hard rock band.

YolanDa Brown + Lemar + Levi Roots St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £18.50£25. Info 029 2087 8444.

Soul, r’n’b and reggae all on one bill.

THURSDAY 24

*Diat + Chain Of Flowers + Disjoy Buffalo, Cardiff.

7-10pm, £5. Info 029 2031 0312. Swine Language presents a quality bill of punk and postpunk, with a Germanbased Anglo-Australian band (think I’ve got that right) in the headline slot.

Jimjam Open Mic Session The Claude Hotel, Albany Road, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 07557 505123. This week’s guest band is Jedis.

Llyr Williams Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £16-£20. Info 029 2039 1391.

Mark Morriss The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8 adv.

Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com.

Open Mic Night Lyceum Tavern, Newport. 8.30pm. Info 01633 858636.

Railroad Bill Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm. Info 029 2039 7933.

Said The Maiden Newport Fugitives Athletic Club, Rogerstone, Newport. 8.45pm.

Info 01633 897923. A Newport Folk Club night.

Stop No Go Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm. Info 01633 259144.

The Bohemians The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £16.50. Info 01633 656757.

The Correspondents + The

Rinky Dinks + Face+Heel Tramshed, Cardiff. 8pm, £10 adv. Info 0117 9259273.

This is a launch party for the Big Love Festival and also features DJing by BAM, of the Jungle Brothers, and Big Love Allstars.

The Elvis Years St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £21.50/£10.75 under-16s. Info 029 2087 8444. Starring Mario Kombou.

The Infinite Three Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 8pm, £4. Info 07970 063107.

Whitehall Parade Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Wolf Alice Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £17 adv. Info 029 2078 1458.

FRIDAY 25

Babyhead Queens Hall, Narberth. 7.30pm, £5-£12.

Info 01834 869323. Bristolian festival faves.

ChapterLive Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400.

Don Fox Scandal Band The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com.

Ferryman + Silverchild + Doomcrow Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea. 7pm, free. Info 07981 684142.

Hang The Bastard The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £7 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com.

Jive At Five Porter’s, Cardiff.

8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Morass Of Molasses The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £2. Info gigs@thedragonffli. com. Stoner rock type band.

Organ Recital National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

1pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

Paddy Blight Café Jazz, Cardiff. 9pm, £4. Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

Reef Tramshed, Cardiff.

7pm, £17.50 adv. Info 0117 9259273. The chart-blues-rock sound of 1997 returns with a vengeance.

Rory Indiana The Scene Club, Swansea. 7pm. Info 07730 432166.

Shakatak Jazzland, Swansea. 8.30-11pm, £12.

Info 07802 912789. Jazz-funk faves.

The Cellar Bards Cellar Bar, Cardigan. 7.30pm. Info 07818 056599.

The Dukes Of Bordello + Monsterometer The Lemon Factory, Swansea. 8pm, £4.

Info 07969 671379.

The Welsh Camerata Choir & Welsh Baroque Orchestra Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7pm, £18/£16. Info 029 2039 1391. Performing Bach’s St Mark Passion in a new reconstruction by their musical director, Andrew Wilson-Dickson. *Wales Goes Pop! The Gate, Cardiff. 1.30pm, £16/£45 weekend. Info 029 2048 3344.

See Music for an overview of this now-established indie/ pop/folk/etc weekender. Today they have Girls Names, The Loves, Pete Astor, Chorusgirl, Witching Waves, Cosines and Baby Brave in the main room, plus cafe sets from My Name Is Ian, ¡Ay Carmela! and Instructions. DJs after the bands: Punks In The Beerlight

vs Sean Fortuna Pop. (Until Sun 27) Wayne Brennan Academy Espresso Bar, The Pumphouse, Barry. 8pm, free.

Info 07557 773723.

Welsh Camerata: Bach St Mark Passion Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7pm, £18/£16. Info 029 2039 1391.

SATURDAY 26

A Trust Unclean + Incarcerate Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7.30-10.30pm, free.

Info www.hobosmusicvenue. com.

Bangers + Dividers + Austeros + Human Heat Mozarts, Swansea. 7.30pm, £5. Info 01792 649984. Poppy punk fun.

Chains Of Fleetwood Mac The Dragonffli, Pontypool.

7pm, £5. Info gigs@thedragonffli.com. Tribute band.

Grace Petrie + Jemma Roper + The Wimmins’ Institute + Renn Le Pub, Newport. 7.30pm. Info 01633 221477. A four-act bill under the banner of Loud Women.

Petrie has an especially good example of the ‘use a negative comment in your publicity material’ genre, quoting the English Defence League who called her “a smelly lezzer”.

Gwenno The Tabernacle, Talgarth. 7.30pm, £3 adv. Info info@thetabernacle.co.uk.

Welsh synth champ plays an intimate gig for modest Scotsman Alan McGee. Gypsy Jazz Swing Guitar Festival Gower Heritage Centre, Swansea. £5.80£12.50. Info 01792 371206.

Featuring the Irene Ypenburg Gypsy Swing Band, the Afternoon In Paris Hot Club Jazz Outfit, and the Steve Williams Trio.

Minnie’s Chuff The Patriot, Crumlin. 9.30pm, free. Info 01495 247178.

Miss May & The Magic Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Modify The Lounge, Newport.

Free. Info 01633 259144.

Rat Trap Exhibition Closing Party Jacob’s Antiques, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@jacobsgallery.co.uk.

Featuring sets from Tibet, Maddie Jones, Milk and Rainbow Maniac. See the Art listings for more info on the exhibition (well, the names of the artists involved at least).

Rex Preston & Miranda Sykes Rudry Parish Hall, Caerphilly. 7pm, £11 adv. Info 07773 222625.

Sounds Of Harlow The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £7 adv. Info 01497 821762. Alt-hip-hop band.

South Wales Hunt Saboteurs End Of Season Benefit Gig The Moon Club, Cardiff. 2.30pm, £15 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com. Featuring Conflict, Grand Collapse, Liberty, Police Bastard, Violent Arrest, Pizzatramp, Failed State, Piss On Authority, Wall, Cydernide, Shot!, State Of Decay, Picture Frame Seduction, This System Kills and Greazy Ratz.

The Moon Birds + Holiday In The Mind + Sean O’Brien Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £9.

Info 029 2030 4400. Presented

by Newsoundwales.

The Sporadics + Junior

Bill + The Chalk Outlines + The Low Blows The Garage, Swansea. 8pm, £7.50/£5. Info 01792 475147.

The Tina May Jazz Quartet Rhos Y Gilwen, Pembrokeshire. 8-10.30pm, £15. Info 01239 841387.

Wales Goes Pop! The Gate, Cardiff. 1.30pm, £18/£45 weekend. Info 029 2048 3344. Today features Los Campesinos!, The Spook School, Shopping, Mammoth Penguins, Papa Topo, Peaness and The School, plus cafe sets from Grubs, Gindrinker, They Is They Is They Is. DJs after the bands: I See Shapes vs Simon Love. (Until Sun 27)

SUNDAY 27

A Trust Unclean + Incarcerate + Worldeater + Ferinus + Into The Depths + Eclipse The Parrot, Carmarthen. 7pm, £3. Info 01267 231012. A Throwdown Sunday evening of metal.

Aubrey Parsons Atlantic Hotel, Porthcawl. 7pm, free.

Info 01656 785011. Table booking required Aubrey Parsons Junction 28, Newport. 3pm, free. Info 01633 891891.

Eradication Slam AllDayer The Bunker, Cardiff.

4pm, £8 adv. Info james@ thebunkercardiff.com.

Featuring these bands: Begging For Incest, Laceration, Chainsaw Castration, Visions Of Disfigurement, Capital Punishment, Spawned From Hate, Derisive Entity, Lung Fucker and DopeHammer.

Don’t rule out a secret guest set by Darren Hayman & The Secondary Modern though.

Folk Music & Song Session Arvon Ale House, Llandrindod Wells. 4pm. Info 07477 627267.

From The Jam Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 8.15pm, £22.50/£20 adv. Info 01446 738622. Bruce Foxton plays songs by his old band The Jam. Don’t rule out a secret guest set from Paul Weller though. Wait, actually do rule that out.

Pál Banda Rhos Y Gilwen, Pembrokeshire. 3-5pm, £15.

Info 01239 841387. Cello recital.

Wales Goes Pop! The Gate, Cardiff. 2.30pm, £18/£45 weekend. Info 029 2048 3344. Today features BMX Bandits, Darren Hayman & The Secondary Modern, This Is The Kit, Gwenno, Ultimate Painting and Younghusband, plus cafe sets from Iko Chérie, Laura K, Ani Glass.

Don’t rule out a secret guest set by Begging For Incest though. DJs after the bands: Wales Goes Pop! vs Daytrip.

(Finishes today) Whitesnake UK + The Scopyons The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 07590 471888. Brace of tribute bands.

MONDAY 28

Atrium Live Music Night Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Gwd Mondays Open Mic Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7933.

Little Mix Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £35. Info 029 2022 4488.

Live Jazz Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

Live Original Music Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Monday Club 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883.

Ukulele Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free.

Info 029 2021 2509.

TUESDAY 29

Chamber Of Malice + Drifted + Carbine The Bunker, Cardiff. 7pm, £6 adv.

Info james@thebunkercardiff. com. Headliners are “German slam heavyweights”.

Community Samba Band – Practise Dates Westenders Hall, Llanfaes, Brecon. 6-8pm, £4/£2 under-16s. Info sambabrecon@yahoo.co.uk.

Jazz Jam Session Jazzland, Swansea. 8.30-11pm, free.

Info 07802 912789.

Last Vendetta + Altered Sky + Three Times Over + Maven The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £7 adv. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

Mike Dennis Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2039 7933. Bristol indie rapper launches an LP titled Smiles & Cries.

Mushroomhead + American Head Charge The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £17.50 adv. Info 07590 471888. Two bands from the dog days of nu-metal get in the van together.

One Crow Sorrow Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.30pm, £2.50. Info 01686 614555.

Local duo whose previous bands include Moses Eats Cheese, The Mothers, A Thousand Points Of Light and Two Princes. Imagine naming your band after the best known Spin Doctors song.

Open Mic The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, free. Info 01497 821762.

Pedro Ascensio Trio Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 6.30pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

The Dissolute Society Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Arrangements of music by Kenny Wheeler and John Taylor.

Them Dead Beats + Ghost Of The Avalanche + Bandicoot Undertone, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2022 8883.

Trombones For Two Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

WEDNESDAY 30

Blues Night Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7pm. Info 01443 491424.

Bridgend Big Band Jazzland, Swansea. 8.3011pm, £10. Info 07802 912789.

Coda Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm, £8/£5. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club night.

Gareth & Bella Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 6.30pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Holocausto Canibal + Grunt + Basement Torture Killings + Sodomized Cadaver + Anal Floss Is Boss + Vile Inscription

The Bunker, Cardiff. 7pm, £7 adv. Info james@thebunkercardiff.com. Lots of death metal and goregrind type foolishness.

Meatbodies + Threatmantics + Chain Of Flowers Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Headliners are an American garage mob who are somewhere on the Ty Segall axis, I think. Good supports also. #Notjustjazz Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Open Jam Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Open Mic Market Street Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 733863.

The Simon & Garfunkel Story Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £19.50.

Info 01792 475715. Tribute act.

The Tapestry + Himalayas + The Spitting Pips Gwdihw, Cardiff. Info 029 2039 7933.

Presented by Rockpie.

Virtue In Vain + Daylight Fades Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm. Info 01633 259144.

THURSDAY 31

Alexa Deane’s Easy Street Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £6/£5. Info 029 2038 7026.

Castles Gwdihw, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. Presented by Juxtaposed.

Eleri Wilson + Distazo The Gate, Cardiff. 7pm, £8/£3 under-18s. Info 029 2048 3344. Cancer Research benefit show.

Hot Shoes Swing Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 6.30pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Presented by Fizzi and Lindy Hop Cardiff.

Jeff Rosenstock + Great Cynics + Jimmy Watkins Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Headliner is or was in a band called Bomb The Music Industry. Jealous Lovers Club are promoting this one.

Jimjam Open Mic Session The Claude Hotel, Albany Road, Cardiff. 9pm, free. Info 07557 505123. This week’s guest band is Kerosene Lane.

Limehouse Lizzy Ebbw Vale Institute. 8.30pm, £15 adv. Info 01495 708022. *Magrudergrind + Corrupt Moral Altar + Fetus Christ / Judas Cradle Le Pub, Newport.

7pm, £10 adv. Info 01633 221477. Grindcore and hardcore, the headliners being based out of Brooklyn. Good booking.

Open Mic Night Lyceum Tavern, Newport. 8.30pm.

Info 01633 858636.

Rumours Of Fleetwood Mac Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £33/£23.

Info 01792 475715. Tribute band.

Yndi Halda The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com. British postrock band who have recently released a new album after some years absent.

stage TUESDAY 1

Crafty Laughs The Cambiran Tap, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2064 4952.

Free standup comedy of the night every first Tuesday of the month.

Footloose New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12-£27. Info 029 2087 8889. With Gareth Gates in what I assume to be the starring role. (Until Sat 5) Grav Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7.15pm, £14/£12. Info 029 2039 1391. A return for this play about the life and times of the late Welsh rugby icon Ray Gravell. In Pontardawe on Fri 4; Carmarthen on Tue 8; Merthyr on Fri 11; Newtown on Sat 12.

Iphegenia In Splott Sherman Cymru, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8-£16. Info 029 2064 6900. Third showing for widely acclaimed play of Cardiff-based gritty realism.

Sold out though.

Jo Fong Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 4 + 7pm, £10/£9. Info 01970 623232.

Contemporary dance icon performs a work titled An Invitation. On tomorrow also.

Mike Doyle Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £14-£18.

Info 01792 475715. With special guest Mal Pope.

Robin Hood Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. Presented by Playgoers New Generation.

(Until Sat 5) St Nicholas The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. A new production of one man’s extraordinary tale of booze, all night parties and blood. Written by Conor McPherson. No shows on Sunday. (Until Fri 11) The Glass Menagerie Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 6.45pm, £12/£10. Info 01446 738622. Tennessee Williams’ play, co-presented

by Theatr Pena and The Riverfront. In Cardigan on Thurs 3; Dyffryn Aeron on Thurs 10; Aberystwyth on Sat 12; Blackwood on Tue 15; Brecon on Thurs 17 and Swansea on Fri 18.

Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay Miners’ Institute, Blackwood. 7.30pm, £6-£12.

Info 01495 227206. Theatr Cadair and Taliesin Arts Centre present the tale of a Welsh woman, blind since birth, who sets out from Pembrokeshire’s St Brides Bay in her grandfather’s fishing boat. In Llanelli tomorrow; Neath on Thurs 3; Abergavenny on Fri 4; Newport on Tue 8.

WEDNESDAY 2

Alawon Gwynt Y Môr Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 0845 2263510.

This is Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay (see above), performed in Welsh.

Footloose New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12-£27. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 5) Jo Fong Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 4 + 7pm, £10/£9.

Info 01970 623232.

stage Meet Fred Miners’ Institute, Blackwood. 7.30pm, £12/£10.

Info 01495 227206. Hijinx present a theatre production for ages 12+, in which the protagonist, Fred, is a puppet. In Cardiff tomorrow.

Pixelated Squid And The Universe Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £13/£6.

Info 01873 850805. Double bill of dance which we wrote a bit about last month.

Robin Hood Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. (Until Sat 5) Schools Dance Association Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 6.30 + 7.45pm, £8/£5. Info 029 2064 6900. (Until Fri 4) St Nicholas The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Fri 11) Ted Shiress + Carri Munn Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2030 4400. Brace of local comedians, Shiress with a show titled I Am Still Not Sting.

The Joyce Grenfell Fan Club Mozarts, Swansea.

8-10.15pm, free. Info 01792 649984. Hobos Comedy night bussing performers from all over the south-west, they say. Rescheduled from last month.

This Is Not The End The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6/£5.

Info 029 2048 3344. Amateur production presented by Act One. On tomorrow also.

THURSDAY 3

Betrayal St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15/£12.

Info 029 2087 8444. Harold Pinter’s play, performed by On In 5 Productions. (Until Sat 5) Brendan Cole Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20.50-£35.50. Info 01792 475715. TV dancing man with a face like a slapped arse. In Cardiff on Sun 13.

Comedy Carousel Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £10/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. Hosted by Clint Edwards and featuring Daniel Sloss and The Raymond & Mr Timpkins Revue. Every Thursday with different comics.

Dai Versity Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.45pm, £5-£7.

Info 01970 623232. The return to the stage of Jez Danks’ retired farmer character.

Footloose New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £12-£27. Info 029 2087 8889.

(Until Sat 5) Laughing Leek Comedy Ebbw Vale Institute. 7.30pm, £5 adv. Info 01495 708022.

With a Welsh standup comedian headliner TBC. Little Me Paget Rooms, Penarth. 7.30pm, £10 adv.

Info 029 2070 0721. Musical telling “the story of Belle Poitrine’s ascent from the wrong side of the railway tracks to the luxury of Long Island”. (Until Sat 5) Lloyd Langford + Jamie Mcgowan + Tony Davidson + Paul James The Duke, Neath. 8pm, £7/£6. Info 01639 643892.

Work in progress gig for Lloyd.

Meet Fred Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 1.30 + 7pm, £5 afternoon/£6-£10 evening.

Info 029 2030 4400.

Plaza Suite Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01600 772467. Neil Simon’s comedy, three one-act plays all set in Suite 719 in New York City’s Plaza Hotel. (Until Sat 5) Robin Hood Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. (Until Sat 5) Rod Woodward Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 7.30pm, £16/£15. Info 01495 355800.

Schools Dance Association Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 6.30 + 7.45pm, £8/£5. Info 029 2064 6900. (Until Fri 4) Smash It Up Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01792 602060.

Mr & Mrs Clark, who we wrote about last month, with a theatre show about destruction of theatrical symbols.

In Aberystwyth on Thurs 10; Newport on Wed 23.

St Nicholas The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. Until Fri 11) The Birthday Party Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.45pm, £11/£9. Info 01686 614555.

Michael Cabot directs Pinter’s famous play.

The Glass Menagerie Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan.

7.30pm, £3-£12. Info 01239 621200.

This Is Not The End The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6/£5.

Info 029 2048 3344.

Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay Gwyn Hall, Neath.

7.30pm, £5-£10. Info 0300 3656677.

FRIDAY 4

Betrayal St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15/£12. Info 029 2087 8444. (Until Sat 5) Donny Donkins Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8.30pm, £3.50. Info 029 2030 4400.

Drones Comedy Club present a set from the comic creation of Barry Castagnola.

Footloose New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13-£30. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 5) Grav Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £5-£10. Info 01792 863722.

Jethro Tramshed, Cardiff.

7pm, £20 adv. Info 0117 9259273. Sold out.

Little Me Paget Rooms, Penarth. 7.30pm, £10 adv.

Info 029 2070 0721. (Until Sat 5) Max Boyce Gwyn Hall, Neath. 7.30pm. Info 0300 3656677. On tomorrow also, and both sold out.

Musical Cabaret The Garage, Swansea. 8pm, £5.

Info 01792 475147. Hosted by Dee Dee DeLa Rouge.

Opium Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 6.30pm, free. Info 01970 623232. A Fform performance night about relationship addiction and the like.

Plaza Suite Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01600 772467. (Until Sat 5) Robin Hood Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. (Until Sat 5) Rod Woodward Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £17/£15. Info 01633 868239.

Schools Dance Association Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 6.30 + 7.45pm, £8/£5. Info 029 2064 6900. (Finishes today)

Sir Henry At Rawlinson End Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15. Info 029 2039 1391. Viv Stanshall’s comic creation is brought to the stage here. We wrote a wee bit about it last month.

Steve Williams + James Dowdeswell + Daniel Sloss + The Raymond & Mr Timpkins Revue Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also.

St Nicholas The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. ( Until Fri 11) ‘Stute Comedy Nights Miners’ Institute, Blackwood.

8pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 01495 227206. With standups TBC. Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £6-£12.

Info 01873 850805.

SATURDAY 5

Betrayal St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15/£12. Info 029 2087 8444. (Finishes today) Chris Chopping + Tony Davidson + Drew Taylor + Jamie McGowan + Nick Hiscott Pontllanfraith RFC. 7.30pm, £5. Info pontcomedy@hotmail.com. New night of Welsh standup. I

Presented by Immersion Theatre and based on the book by David Crane who gave us Friends.

Robin Hood Dolman Theatre, Newport. 2.30pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. (Finishes today) Steve Williams + James Dowdeswell + Daniel Sloss + The Raymond & Mr Timpkins Revue Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.95/£10 NUS. Info 0871 4720400.

St Nicholas The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Fri 11)

SUNDAY 6

Fast Woman Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £10.

Info 01600 772467. The dramatised story of Hellé Nice, female racing driver and socialite of the early 20th century. She sounds almost too perfect to be real, but was. Real, that is.

Lloyd Langford + Dan Thomas + Karen Sherrard + Trevor Williams + Robin Morgan Buffalo, Cardiff.

7pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2031 0312. Presented by Buffalo Comedy.

Live Cabaret Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863. Every Sunday.

The entrance to Cardiff's Whitchurch Hospital is the sitespecific location for Moment(o)s Of Leaving, a new piece of experimental theatre running from Mon 7-Sat 12. Free but book in advance! hope I have all those names right but I’m reading them off what appears to be a cameraphone photo of a poster, in a poorly chosen typeface.

Dick Tracy Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £10-£12.

Info 01970 623232. La Navet Bete bring the infamous gumshoe to the Ceredigion stage.

Ed Aczel Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £8-£10. Info 029 2030 4400.

Performing his The Random Flapping Of A Butterfly’s Wings show.

Footloose New Theatre, Cardiff. 4 + 8pm, £12-£30.

Info 029 2087 8889. (Finishes today) James Alderson + Bryan Lacey + Inel Tomlinson Jongleurs, Cardiff. 7pm, from £16. Info 08700 111960.

Lee Nelson Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £20. Info 01792 863722.

Little Me Paget Rooms, Penarth. 7.30pm, £10 adv.

Info 029 2070 0721. (Finishes today) Max Boyce Gwyn Hall, Neath. 7.30pm. Info 0300 3656677.

Plaza Suite Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £10.

Info 01600 772467. (Finishes today) Rapunzel Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 2.30 + 5.30pm, £9. Info 029 2039 1391.

Mr Maker Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 1pm, £13.50/£10. Info 0800 0147111. Theatrical art and craft event for kids.

MONDAY 7

Dancing At Lughnasa Little Theatre, Neath.

7pm, £8/£5 under-16s. Info 01639 643462. Performance of Brian Friel’s play, set in Ireland in 1936. (Until Sat 12) Derren Brown Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £27-£41. Info 01792 475715.

(Until Sat 12) Grav Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 7.30pm, £13/£11. Info 01982 552555. *Moment(o)s Of Leaving Main entrance, Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2033 6452.

Fascinating-sounding experimental theatre production set in the grounds of a Cardiff mental hospital open since 1908. It’s directed by Elaine Paton and you’ll need to book a (free) ticket in advance at momentos-of-leaving. eventbrite.co.uk. (Until Sat 12) St Nicholas The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Fri 11) The Pyjama Game Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

7.30pm, £11/£9. Info 01646 BUZZ 73

stage

THE GLEE CLUB What happens on tour... happens on tour? Every year familiar faces from the comedy circuit and the comedy world embark on a pilgrimage to the known and unknown towns and cities of the UK to present their full length show about... well, anything they want.

To some, stand-up comedy is seen as the last bastion of free speech and the comedy tour is the perfect platform for them to perform an hour plus of original, sometimes unfiltered comedy straight from the horse’s (comedian’s) mouth.

After months of absorbing ideas, formulating thoughts, writing, re-writing, a bit of Netflix and subsequent panic, the comedian will then begin the process of ‘writing a show’. Typically, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival has been the resting place for a lot of comedians’ full-length shows but the combination of the comedy tour and the right venues has meant the Scottish and those bothered to travel aren’t the only ones lucky enough to see these shows.

The Glee in Cardiff plays host to a yearly schedule of tour shows from the likes of Irish Casio-King David O’Doherty, Champions of email Elis James and John Robins and Edinburgh Award Winner and author of A Book For Her, Bridget Christie.

If you’ve ever been to what’s considered a ‘regular’ stand-up comedy night you may see up to four comedians performing for about twenty minutes at a time. The benefit of the longer tour show is that comedians can play with the format and experiment. With this extra time and creativity, anything can happen including heartfelt narratives, multimedia, a lot of jokes and sometimes a fully naked comedian... with full naked band (Phil Nichol, 2007).

The beauty of a comedy tour show is that it feels like it’s just you and that comedian, and their months of hard work (and Netflix) pouring out for a lucky live audience.

The shackles of a short set and a potentially disruptive Saturday night crowd are lifted when a tour show comes to town, so support your not-so-local comic and indulge in a comedy tour show coming to you... now!

Info: www.glee.co.uk/cardiff-comedy

BUZZ 74

695267. Romantic comedy musical presented by Milford Haven Amateur Operatic Society. (Until Sat 12) Titanic Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 6 + 8pm, £10/£9.

Info 01970 623232. Presented

by Doppelgangster, this looks to be a rather arch bit of comedy theatre influenced by “eyewitness statements of people who actually saw the film at the movies” among other things. On tomorrow also.

Tom Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £15.50-£42.50. Info 029 2063 6464. Theatr na nÓg with their dramatised story of Tom Jones, which launched last year. See Upfront. (Until Sat 12)

TUESDAY 8

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof New Theatre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £9.50-£26. Info 029 2087 8889. Presented by Theatr Clwyd, directed by Robert Hastie and written

by Tennessee Williams. In Swansea from Tue 15-Sat 19.

(Until Sat 12) Cosy Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £10. Info 029 2063 6464.

Kaite O’Reilly’s look at the experience of getting older.

(Until Sat 12) Cysgu’n Brysur Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £10-£12. Info 01970 623232. New Welsh language play co-produced by Arad Goch, Wales Millennium Centre and Aberystwyth Arts Centre. On tomorrow also; in Carmarthen on Fri 11, Cardiff from Mon 21-Sat 26.

Dancing At Lughnasa Little Theatre, Neath. 7pm, £8/£5 under-16s. Info 01639 643462. (Until Sat 12) Derren Brown Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £27-£41. Info 01792 475715.

(Until Sat 12) Grav Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 7pm, £12/£10.

Info 0845 2263510.

Medea Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2030 4400. Everyman Theatre rejig a Greek tragedy.

(Until Sat 12) Moment(o)s Of Leaving Main entrance, Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2033 6452.

(Until Sat 12) Mr And Mrs Laughton Sherman Cymru, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £12.50. Info 029 2064 6900. The latest in the A Play, A Pie & A Pint series.

Ticket price includes a pie and a pint, no less. (Until Sat 12) St Nicholas The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. Until Fri 11) The Pyjama Game Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

7.30pm, £11/£9. Info 01646 695267. (Until Sat 12) Titanic Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 6 + 8pm, £10/£9.

Info 01970 623232.

Tom Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £15.50-£42.50. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 12) Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay The Riverfront, Newport. 1.30 + 7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 01633 656757.

Welsh language in the afternoon, English in the evening.

WEDNESDAY 9

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof New Theatre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £9.50-£26. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 12) Comedy Den Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com. Standup night hosted by Charlie Smith.

Cosy Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £14. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 12) Cysgu’n Brysur Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £10-£12. Info 01970 623232.

Dancing At Lughnasa Little Theatre, Neath. 7pm, £8/£5 under-16s. Info 01639 643462. (Until Sat 12) Derren Brown Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £27-£41. Info 01792 475715.

(Until Sat 12) Grav Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 7.30pm, £13/£12.

Info 01656 815995.

Medea Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £10. Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 12) Moment(o)s Of Leaving Main entrance, Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2033 6452.

(Until Sat 12) Mr And Mrs Laughton Sherman Cymru, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £12.50. Info 029 2064 6900. (Until Sat 12) St Nicholas The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Fri 11) The Pyjama Game Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

7.30pm, £11/£9. Info 01646 695267. (Until Sat 12) Tom Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £15.50-£42.50. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 12) Tom Stade Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 6.45pm, £17/£15 NUS. Info 0871 4720400.

THURSDAY 10

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £8.50-£26. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 12) Charlie Webster + Payton Quinn + Charlie Smith + Trevor Williams + Dan Mitchell Crafty Devil Cellar Shop, Llandaff Road, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info info@craftydevilbrewing. co.uk. First in a series of monthly comedy nights, named Laffty Devil, in this newish Canton bottle shop.

Clear Cut No.5 M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 7pm, £5/£4 adv. Info 029 2047 3373. Six new multi-genre performances pieces from these folks: Chris Young, EEf Bonnet, Close Minded Girl, Ian Cooke Tapia and Fucktons Of Fairies.

Comedy Carousel Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £10/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. Hosted by Clint Edwards and featuring other comedians TBC. Cosy Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2.30 + 8pm, £14. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 12) Dancing At Lughnasa Little Theatre, Neath. 7pm, £8/£5 under-16s. Info 01639 643462. (Until Sat 12) Derren Brown Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £27-£41. Info 01792 475715.

(Until Sat 12) Disney’s High School

Musical Jr Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12. Info 0845 2263510. (Until Sat 12) Fame Junior Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 7pm, £8.

Info 01495 355800. Musical presented by Blaenau Gwent Young Stars Musical Theatre Company Junior Section.

(Until Sat 12) Grav Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £12. Info 01600 772467.

Jethro Queens Hall, Narberth. 6.45pm, £20. Info 01834 869323.

Little Me Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01873 850805.

“Screwball musical comedy” presented by Concept Players. (Until Sat 12) Mark Watson Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £18. Info 01970 623232.

Max Boyce Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £25. Info 01792 863722.

Medea Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 12) Moment(o)s Of Leaving Main entrance, Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2033 6452.

(Until Sat 12) Mr And Mrs Laughton Sherman Cymru, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £12.50. Info 029 2064 6900. (Until Sat 12) On Scarborough Front Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 7.45pm, £8.50/£6.50. Info 01792 475715. Stuart Fortey’s play, set in WWI and presented by Lighthouse Theatre.

Sandi Toksvig St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £22.50.

Info 029 2087 8444. Her show seems to be called Politically Incorrect, like she’s Bernard Manning or someone. Not that I’ve seen it, obv.

Scratch Night Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8.45pm, free. Info 01970 623232.

Celebrating local performance from physical theatre to solo shows and installation work.

Smash It Up Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £10/£9.

Info 01970 623232.

St Nicholas The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Fri 11) The Best Thing Blake Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01600 719401.

Vamos Theatre and London International Mime Festival with “a swinging 60s story of unconditional love”.

The Glass Menagerie Theatr Felinfach, Dyffryn Aeron. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01570 470697.

The Pyjama Game Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

7.30pm, £11/£9. Info 01646 695267. (Until Sat 12) Tom Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £15.50-£42.50. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 12) Worse Things Happen Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8pm, £8-£12. Info 029 2030 4400. Billed as “an exploration of depression, both lighthearted and questioning”.

(Until Sat 12)

FRIDAY 11

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof New Theatre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £9.50-£26. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 12) Cosy Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm,

£14. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 12) Cysgu’n Brysur Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 10am + 7pm, £10/£8. Info 0845 2263510.

Dancing At Lughnasa Little Theatre, Neath. 7pm, £8/£5 under-16s. Info 01639 643462. (Until Sat 12) Derren Brown Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £27-£41. Info 01792 475715.

(Until Sat 12) Disney’s High School Musical Jr Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12. Info 0845 2263510. (Until Sat 12) Fame Junior Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 7pm, £8.

Info 01495 355800. (Until Sat 12) Gormod O Bwdin + Antics Yr Antics Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm. Info 01239 621200. Two short Welsh language comedies by Ifan Gruffydd Jones and Peter Hughes Griffiths.

Grav Theatr Soar, Merthyr Tydfil. 7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 01685 722176.

James Redmond The Function Room, Pontyclun.

7.15pm, £10 adv. Info 07790 864217. A Comedy Cow night of standup. James is actually just the compere, the rest of the bill is TBC. Jenny Eclair Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 8pm.

Info 01600 772467. This show is called How To Be A Middle Aged Woman (Without Going Insane). The promo photo is of Jenny in her bra and pants, but not like whatever crap club in Cardiff that has a similarlyclad model on their event flyer. It’s the context, you see... it’s different. Sold out, but also in Porthcawl on Wed 23.

L’elisir D’Amour The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm. Info 029 2048 3344. Opra Cymru present a new Welsh-language version of Donizetti’s popular comedy. In Swansea on Thurs 17.

Little Me Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £10.

Info 01873 850805. (Until Sat 12) Max Boyce Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm. Info 0845 2263510. Sold out.

Medea Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £10. Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 12) Moment(o)s Of Leaving Main entrance, Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2033 6452.

(Until Sat 12) Mr And Mrs Laughton Sherman Cymru, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £12.50. Info 029 2064 6900. (Until Sat 12) Rod Woodward Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7.30pm, £16/£15. Info 0800 0147111.

Roger Monkhouse + Jen Brister + John Hastings + Rob Deering Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also.

St Nicholas The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Finishes today) That Was Fun The Riverfront, Newport. £5.50.

Info 01633 656757. Circus performance meets comedy.

The Pyjama Game Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

7.30pm, £11/£9. Info 01646 695267. (Until Sat 12)

FEB WINNER

BY ZENYU LOH

are you a photographer? want to showcase your work? go to: www.buzzmag.co.uk

buzz online photography competition

Buzz’s photography section is an initiative to showcase Welsh photographers and their work.

Photographers are invited to submit galleries by emailing (or sending via Dropbox) 5-15 pictures, numbering in the order they would like them to be displayed, along with a title of the gallery, and a subtitle.

If you want more direction, please take a look at previous galleries on our site.

Selected photographers will win exhibition space at a renowned gallery, a feature in Buzz and be featured as our Facebook and Twitter cover pictures. This month's theme was 'Wales'. Next month's is 'Music'.

If you have any queries, please email editorial@buzzmag.co.uk BUZZ 75

stage Tom Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £15.50-£45.50. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 12) Tomorrow’s Parties Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £10/£9. Info 01970 623232. Theatre presented by Forced Entertainment.

Worse Things Happen Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8pm, £8-£12. Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 12)

SATURDAY 12

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £9-£26. Info 029 2087 8889. (Finishes today) Cosy Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2.30 + 8pm, £14. Info 029 2063 6464. (Finishes today) Dancing At Lughnasa Little Theatre, Neath. 7pm, £8/£5 under-16s. Info 01639 643462. (Finishes today) Derren Brown Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £27-£41. Info 01792 475715.

(Finishes today) Disney’s High School Musical Jr Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 2 + 7.30pm, £12.

Info 0845 2263510. (Finishes today) Fame Junior Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 7pm, £8.

Info 01495 355800. (Finishes today) Grav Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.45pm, £10/£8.

Info 01686 614555.

Joe Bromehead + David Trent + Rich Wilson Jongleurs, Cardiff. 7pm, from £16. Info 08700 111960.

Little Me Borough Theatre,

Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £10.

Info 01873 850805. (Finishes today) Medea Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £10. Info 029 2030 4400. (Finishes today) Moment(o)s Of Leaving Main entrance, Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff. 1 + 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2033 6452. (Finishes today) Mr And Mrs Laughton Sherman Cymru, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £12.50. Info 029 2064 6900. (Finishes today) Roger Monkhouse + Jen Brister + John Hastings + Rob Deering Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.95/£10 NUS. Info 0871 4720400.

The Glass Menagerie Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £10-£12. Info 01970 623232.

The Pyjama Game Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

7.30pm, £11/£9. Info 01646 695267. (Finishes today) Tom Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £15.50-£42.50. Info 029 2063 6464. (Finishes today) Variety Of South Wales Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 0845 2263510.

Talent show.

What Are They Like? + Much Too Much Queens Hall, Narberth. £9/£5 NUS or under-16s. Info 01834 869323. Two plays presented

by Narberth Youth Theatre.

Worse Things Happen Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

3 + 8pm, £8-£12. Info 029 2030 4400. (Finishes today)

SUNDAY 13

Brendan Cole Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £22.50-£37.50.

Info 029 2063 6464.

Jem & Ella: Run Ragged The Muni, Pontypridd. 7pm, £3-£7. Info 01443 490390.

Dance production about a father and daughter whose relationship functions through the medium of... dance. In Newport on Thurs 31.

Live Cabaret Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863.

Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 2.30pm, £9/£7. Info 01639 843163.

Riotous family show presened by Les Enfants Terribles.

My Life Upon The Wicked Stage Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 3pm, £10.

Info 01873 850805. Musical variety with Brenda Harris, “amateur theatre stalwart” from Abergavenny.

Put On Your Dancing Shoes Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 6pm, £10 adv. Info 01656 815995. Presented

by Sarah Burnell School of Dance.

MONDAY 14

Caterpillar Comedy Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7933. Open mic standup night hosted by James Dunn.

The Last Tango New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14-£27. Info 029 2087 8889.

Hot new moves by Vincent

SANDI TOKSVIG St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Thurs 10 Mar Tickets: £22.50. Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk She’s set to take over as the new presenter of the BBC’s QI, but that’s not all you may recognise Sandi Toksvig for. Comedian, broadcaster, novelist and actress are just some of the titles that Toksvig has under her belt.

She’s also at the helm of one of the UK’s fastest growing political parties, the Women’s Equality Party. To get the party started, she’s doing a six-date fundraising tour around the UK and will be stopping in St. David’s Hall this month. The Sandi Toksvig LIVE! Politically Incorrect tour features an evening of stand-up, stories and fascinating facts, while Sandi will also be joined by special guests in the second half of the show.

BUZZ 76

Simone and Flavia Cacace off of Strictly. (Until Sat 19)

TUESDAY 15

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £15.50-£21.50. Info 01792 475715. (Until Sat 19) Gein’s Family Giftshop Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Comedy sketch troupe presented here by Little Wander.

Les Miserables The Met, Abertillery. 7pm, £7. Info 01495 355800. Presented by Abertillery Youth Drama & Music Society. (Until Fri 18) Piste Off Comedy Club Face 11, Cathays, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8221. On the third Tuesday of every month.

The Glass Menagerie Miners’ Institute, Blackwood.

7.30pm, £14/£12. Info 01495 227206.

The Last Tango New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14-£27. Info 029 2087 8889.

(Until Sat 19)

WEDNESDAY 16

9 To 5 Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12. Info 01633 263670. Musical comedy presented by New Venture Players. (Until Sat 19) Bad Girls Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 7pm, £10/£8.

Info 01495 355800. Musical presented by Brynmawr Operatics Society. (Until Sat 19) Blue Remembered Hills Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £8/£6.

Info 0845 2263510. Coleg Sir Gâr present this Dennis Potter TV play.

British Dance Edition Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £8.50£23.50. Info 029 2063 6464.

Performances by Scottish Dance Theatre (Dreamers); Russell Maliphant Company (Piece no. 43) and Phoenix Dance Theatre (Bloom). On tomorrow also, with different productions.

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £15.50-£21.50. Info 01792 475715. (Until Sat 19) Classical Theatre Showcase Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 7.15pm, £8.50/£6.50. Info 01792 475715. Featuring Gower College Swansea students from the One Year Acting Course. On tomorrow also.

Coal The Riverfront, Newport. 3pm, £8-£12.50.

Info 01633 656757. Physical theatre also featuring a live colliery brass band.

Hogia Ni – Yma O Hyd Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £10-£12. Info 01970 623232. Welsh language production based around three former soldiers in Caernarfon. In Cardiff from Tue 22-Thurs 24.

Les Miserables The Met, Abertillery. 7pm, £7. Info 01495 355800. (Until Fri 18) Murder On The Nile Paget Rooms, Penarth. 7.30pm, £10/£9. Info 029 2070 0721.

Classic whodunit. (Until Sat 19) Rough As Mozarts, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 649984. Tryout evening for new comedy material.

Set & Reset/Reset Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 1.30pm, free. Info 0845 2263510.

Open taster performance for contemporary and inclusive dance, presented by Candoco.

The Last Tango New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14-£27. Info 029 2087 8889.

(Until Sat 19) There We Have Been The Riverfront, Newport.

6pm, £8-£12.50. Info 01633 656757. Double bill of dance inspired by Murukami’s Norwegian Wood.

The Tempest Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.30pm, £5. Info 01686 614555. Kid-friendly Shakespeare production from Mid Wales Trust, Sinfonia Cymru and the Hafren.

Urinetown Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.15pm, £9/£8. Info 01633 868239.

Musical comedy presented

by Congress Youth Theatre.

Originated on Broadway, so is presumably not based on the town of Cwmbran. (Until Sat 19)

THURSDAY 17

9 To 5 Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12. Info 01633 263670. (Until Sat 19) Bad Girls Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 7pm, £10/£8. Info 01495 355800. (Until Sat 19) British Dance Edition Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 8pm, £8.50£23.50. Info 029 2063 6464.

Performances by National Dance Company Wales (Tuplet); Candoco Dance Company (Beheld) and Hofesh Shechter Company (tHE bAD).

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Grand Theatre, Swansea. 2 + 7.30pm, £15.50-£21.50.

Info 01792 475715. (Until Sat 19) Classical Theatre Showcase Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 7.15pm, £8.50/£6.50. Info 01792 475715.

Comedy 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7pm, £3. Info 029 2022 8883. With acts TBC. Comedy Carousel Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £10/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. Hosted by Clint Edwards and featuring David Trent.

L’elisir D’amore Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £15. Info 01792 602060.

Les Miserables The Met, Abertillery. 7pm, £7. Info 01495 355800. (Until Fri 18) Murder On The Nile Paget Rooms, Penarth. 7.30pm, £10/£9. Info 029 2070 0721.

(Until Sat 19) Noye’s Fludde Blake Theatre, Monmouth. 7pm, £10/£5. Info 01600 719401.

An hour-long Britten opera (on tomorrow also) performed by all the pupils of The Grange Preparatory School in Monmouth. In the event of a flood akin to the one this performance depicts, I say we forget the animals and make sure all these kids are on the ark. Plus the school nit nurse.

Rob Beckett Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 8pm, £14/£12. Info 01239 621200.

Due to the design of Mwldan’s website, when you click on the page for this event Rob Beckett’s terrifying face appears in pretty much 1:1 scale. Dependent on the size of the screen, obviously.

St Patrick’s Day Comedy Night Penylan Pantry,

Cardiff. 7pm, £25. Info 07854 724980. Featuring sets from Pete Dobbing and Ellen Groves. Price includes food.

The Glass Menagerie Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

7.30pm, £6-£12. Info 01874 611622.

The Last Tango New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £12-£27. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 19) Urinetown Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.15pm, £9/£8. Info 01633 868239.

(Until Sat 19)

FRIDAY 18

50 Shades Of Burlesque Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

8pm, £20/£18. Info 01970 623232.

9 To 5 Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12. Info 01633 263670. (Until Sat 19) Adam Bloom + Sean Percival + John Gordillo + David Trent Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also.

Bad Girls Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 7pm, £10/£8. Info 01495 355800. (Until Sat 19) Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £15.50-£21.50. Info 01792 475715. (Until Sat 19) Comedy Shed The Riverfront, Newport. 7.45pm, £12.50. Info 01633 656757.

Monthly standup night.

Drones Comedy Club Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8.30pm, £3.50. Info 029 2030 4400.

Grease Is The Word Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen.

7.30pm, £12.50/£10.50.

Info 0845 2263510. Musical presented by Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen & Haverfordwest. On tomorrow also.

Institute The Riverfront, Newport. 3pm, £8-£12.50.

Info 01633 656757. British Dance Edition show of physical theatre, presented by Gecko.

Les Miserables The Met, Abertillery. 7pm, £7. Info 01495 355800. (Finishes today) Murder On The Nile Paget Rooms, Penarth. 7.30pm, £10/£9. Info 029 2070 0721.

(Until Sat 19) Milonga Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7pm, £5. Info 01970 623232. Social, open Argentine tango event.

Rob Beckett Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 8pm, £14/£12. Info 01982 552555.

The Glass Menagerie Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £7-£12.

Info 01792 602060.

The Last Tango New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15.50-£38.50. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 19) Urinetown Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.15pm, £9/£8. Info 01633 868239.

(Until Sat 19) What Comes Next? Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2030 4400.

Physical theatre presented by Good News From The Future.

On tomorrow also.

SATURDAY 19

9 To 5 Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12. Info 01633 263670. (Finishes today) Adam Bloom + Sean Percival + John Gordillo

stage + David Trent Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.95/£10 NUS. Info 0871 4720400.

Bad Girls Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 2.30 + 7pm, £10/£8. Info 01495 355800.

(Finishes today) Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Grand Theatre, Swansea. 2 + 7.30pm, £15.50-£21.50.

Info 01792 475715. (Finishes today) Clint Edwards + Nick Dixon + Will-E Jongleurs, Cardiff. 7pm, from £16. Info 08700 111960.

Grease Is The Word Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £12.50/£10.50. Info 0845 2263510.

Ignite Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £7/£5.

Info 01873 850805. Dance Blast present young dancers, award winning choreographers and live music. In Cardiff tomorrow.

Murder On The Nile Paget Rooms, Penarth. 7.30pm, £10/£9. Info 029 2070 0721.

(Finishes today) Noye’s Fludde Blake Theatre, Monmouth. 7pm, £10/£5. Info 01600 719401.

Owen Money’s Jukebox Heroes Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7.30pm, £15/£14.

Info 01874 611622.

Redhouse Performance Academy Showcase Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

7.30pm, £6. Info 01685 384111.

The Last Tango New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14-£38.50. Info 029 2087 8889. (Finishes today) Urinetown Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.15pm, £9/£8. Info 01633 868239.

(Finishes today) What Comes Next? Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2030 4400.

Your Bard! Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.45pm, £11/£9.

Info 01686 614555. Meet William Shakespeare in the (fictive) alehouse and talk to him about his interior life.

SUNDAY 20

Ignite Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £7-£10. Info 029 2063 6464.

Live Cabaret Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863.

The Noise Next Door Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 6.45pm, £13.50/£10 NUS. Info 0871 4720400.

MONDAY 21

Cysgu’n Brysur Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 1pm, £14. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 26) Hairspray New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £16-£36. Info 029 2087 8889. John Waters’ cult movie, done for the stage and starring Claire Sweeney.

(Until Sat 26) The Glass Menagerie Memorial Hall Theatre, Barry. 7.15pm, £12/£10. Info 01446 738622. Tennessee Williams’ classic play, presented here by The Riverfront and Theatr Pena.

TUESDAY 22

All That I Am Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 8.15pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. A new play – one of four starting here today – by Dafydd James, directed by Adele Thomas in collaboration with Sherman

Cymru. (Until Fri 25) Anything Can Happen Sherman Cymru, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2064 6900. Brand new musical revue that celebrates the Olivier Award-winning British writing team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. (Until Thurs 24) Blue Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

6.15pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. A new play by Joe Ward Munrow, directed by Jude Christian in collaboration with the Royal Court Theatre.

(Until Fri 25) Conspiracy Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. A new play by Ali Taylor, directed by Debbie Hannan in collaboration with the Royal Court Theatre.

(Until Fri 25) Cysgu’n Brysur Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 1pm, £14. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 26) Hairspray New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £16-£36. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 26) Hogia Ni – Yma O Hyd Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8pm, £8-£12. Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Thurs 24) Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 029 2039 1391. That’s The Marriage Of Figaro to you.

Semi-staged opera directed

by Martin Constantine. On tomorrow also.

Ten Weeks Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 8.30pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. A new play written by Elinor Cook and directed by Kate Wasserberg in collaboration with Paines Plough. (Until Fri 25)

WEDNESDAY 23

All That I Am Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 8.15pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Fri 25) Anything Can Happen Sherman Cymru, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2064 6900. (Until Thurs 24) Blue Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15 + 6.15pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Fri 25) Conspiracy Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.30 + 8.30pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

(Until Fri 25) Cysgu’n Brysur Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 1 + 7pm, £14. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 26) Dial M For Murder Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £9.50-£16. Info 01792 475715. Starring Oliver Mellor (Coronation Street) and Marcus Hutton (Brookside). (Until Sat 26) Hairspray New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £16-£36. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 26) Hogia Ni – Yma O Hyd Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8pm, £8-£12. Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Thurs 24) Jenny Eclair Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 8pm, £17.50 adv. Info 01656 815995.

Jim Davidson Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £22.50. Info 01633 868239.

Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 029

2039 1391.

Smash It Up The Riverfront, Newport. 7.45pm, £6/£5. Info 01633 656757. On tomorrow also.

Ten Weeks Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Fri 25)

THURSDAY 24

All That I Am Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15 + 6.15pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

(Until Fri 25) Anything Can Happen Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 2 + 7.30pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2064 6900. (Finishes today) Blue Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

8.15pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Fri 25) Brian Conley Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 8pm, £22.50. Info 01600 772467.

Comedy Carousel Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £10/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. Hosted by Clint Edwards and featuring other comedians TBC. Conspiracy Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Fri 25) Cysgu’n Brysur Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £14. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 26) Dial M For Murder Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £9.50-£16. Info 01792 475715. (Until Sat 26) Hairspray New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £14-£36. Info 029 2087 8889.

(Until Sat 26) Hogia Ni – Yma O Hyd Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8pm, £8-£12. Info 029 2030 4400. (Finishes today) Rob Deering + Rachel Parris + Mike Bubbins + Kiri Pritchard McLean Paget Rooms, Penarth.

7.15pm, £8/£7. Info 029 2070 0721. Comedy night courtesy of Little Wander.

Smash It Up The Riverfront, Newport. 7.45pm, £6/£5. Info 01633 656757.

Ten Weeks Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.20 + 8.30pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

(Until Fri 25)

FRIDAY 25

All That I Am Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. (Finishes today) Andrew Bird + Laura Lexx + Gavin Webster Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also.

Blue Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

6.15pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. (Finishes today) Conspiracy Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.30pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. (Finishes today) Cysgu’n Brysur Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £14. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 26) Dial M For Murder Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £9.50-£16. Info 01792 475715. (Until Sat 26) Dogfight – The Musical Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12. Info 0845 2263510.

Amateur production by Blue

Bee. On tomorrow also.

Hairspray New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £17.50-£40.

Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 26) Ten Weeks Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £6/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. (Finishes today)

SATURDAY 26

Andrew Bird + Laura Lexx + Gavin Webster Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.95/£10 NUS. Info 0871 4720400.

Cysgu’n Brysur Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2 + 8pm, £14. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 26) Dial M For Murder Grand Theatre, Swansea.

2pm, £9.50-£16. Info 01792 475715. (Finishes today) Dogfight – The Musical Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12. Info 0845 2263510.

Hairspray New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £17.50-£40. Info 029 2087 8889. (Finishes today) Mickey Sharma + Steve Shanyaski + Ria Lina Jongleurs, Cardiff. 7pm, from £16. Info 08700 111960.

Pinocchio Blake Theatre, Monmouth. 3pm, £12-£16.

Info 01600 719401. Presented

by Ballet Theatre UK. Showtime 2016 St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 12.30 + 5.30pm, £12/£10. Info 029 20878444. Dance revue.

Squeaky Bum Time!

Miners Theatre, Ammanford.

7.30pm, £15. Info 0845 2263510. Previously known as a phrase coined by Alex Ferguson to describe the sensation of gas escaping from his anus during nervous moments, now ‘squeaky bum time’ can also be associated with the anus of Nick Hancock, who hosts this They Think It’s All Oversounding touring panel show with a clutch of guests TBC. To Jinx Or Not To Jinx Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 12.30pm, £6/£4.50. Info 01792 475715.

Lunchtime theatre by Fluellen.

SUNDAY 27

Cardiff Cabaret Club: Dolls, Daffodils & Dis Charge Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £14 adv. Info 0871 4720400. Burlesque staring Jeanie Wishes, KiKiLoveChil,.

Kheski Kholber, Flossie Smalls, FooFooLaBelle, Joy La Vie and Bonnie Gems. Dis Charge is the name of the host, I think.

Live Cabaret Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863.

MONDAY 28

Only The Brave Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £9.50-£33.50.

Info 029 2063 6464. An epic new musical about love, friendship and hope. It says here. (Until Sat 2 Apr)

TUESDAY 29

Flossy & Boo’s Curiosity Shop Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7pm, £8-£12. Info 029 2030 4400. Local cabaret duo with an interactive theatre show, running alongside their more kid-friendly ones (see below). (Until Sat 2 Apr) Gargantua The Riverfront,

Newport. 7pm, £6/£4. Info 01633 656757. Part of Connections, the National Theatre’s annual festival for schools and youth theatres.

Only The Brave Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £9.50-£33.50.

Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 2 Apr) Rhapsody Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7pm, £9.50/£8.50. Info 01633 868239. Presented by the Charlotte May School Of Dance. (Until Sat 2 Apr) The Legendary Adventure Of Litla The Brave Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 10.30am, £7 adv. Info 029 2030 4400.

Kids’ show presented by Flossy & Boo. (Until Sat 2 Apr) The Wizard Of Oz Grand Theatre, Swansea. 3 + 7pm, £17.50/£14.50 kids. Info 01792 475715. Performed,

Imaginary Menagerie Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 1.30pm, £7.50.

Info 01873 850805.

Tosca St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15-£32. Info 029 2087 8444. An Ellen Kent opera production.

THURSDAY 31

Amir Khoshsokhan + Sally-Ann Hayward Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

8pm, £10. Info 01970 623232.

Arnold’s Big Adventure Pontardawe Arts Centre.

11am, 1pm + 2.30pm, £5/£3.

Info 01792 863722.

Austen’s Women Borough Theatre, Abergavenny.

7.30pm, £6-£13. Info 01873 850805. Jane Austen’s heroines from the major novels are brought to life in this acclaimed solo performance

by Rebecca Vaughan.

Chris Ramsey + Carl

What will you be doing with yourself aged 90? Sitting in a chair and drooling, probably.

Or, if you're anything like Abergavenny musical theatre veteran Brenda Harris, you'll be onstage at the town's Borough Theatre on Sun 13. specifically, by Sooty, Sweep and Soo, as was its destiny.

WEDNESDAY 30

Arnold’s Big Adventure Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

11am, 1pm + 2.30pm, £7.

Info 01874 611622. Kids’ show. In Pontardawe tomorrow.

Boxfull Porter’s, Cardiff.

8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com. Variety show for actors, comedians etc.

Flossy & Boo’s Curiosity Shop Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7pm, £8-£12. Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 2 Apr) Hetty Feather New Theatre, Cardiff. 7pm, £15/£11. Info 029 2087 8889. Olivier Award-nominated production of Jacqueline Wilson’s kids’ book. (Until Sat 3 Apr) Lloyd Langford + Amir Khoshsokhan + SallyAnn Hayward Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea.

8pm, £11. Info 01792 475715.

Comedy Club night. In Aberystwyth tomorrow (apart from Lloyd).

Only The Brave Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £9.50-£33.50.

Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 2 Apr) Pongo’s Party Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 2pm, £8.50/£7.50. Info 01686 614555. Kids’ show. Pongo is a pig and today is his birthday, one which he shares with Rolf Harris, Piers Morgan and MC Hammer.

Rhapsody Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7pm, £9.50/£8.50. Info 01633 868239. (Until Sat 2 Apr) The Legendary Adventure Of Litla The Brave Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 10.30am, £7 adv. Info 029 2030 4400.

(Until Sat 2 Apr) The Marvellous

Hutchinson St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £17.50. Info 029 2087 8444. Standup comedy.

Comedy Carousel Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £10/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. Hosted by Clint Edwards and featuring other comedians TBC. Flossy & Boo’s Curiosity Shop Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7pm, £8-£12. Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 2 Apr) Hetty Feather New Theatre, Cardiff. 7pm, £11.50-£21.

Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 3 Apr) Jem & Ella: Run Ragged The Riverfront, Newport.

2.30pm, £7. Info 01633 656757.

La Boheme Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £15/£12.

Info 0845 2263510. Presented

by Swansea City Opera..

Only The Brave Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £12.50£33.50. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 2 Apr) Rhapsody Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7pm, £9.50/£8.50. Info 01633 868239. (Until Sat 2 Apr) Russell Kane Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 8pm, £16. Info 01874 611622.

Performing his show Right Man, Wrong Age. ‘Wrong age’ is something that often comes to mind for me when I think of Russell Kane, so fair play.

The Curse Of Ruddigore St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2087 8444. Gilbert & Sullivan, as done by the Unknown Theatre Company.

(Until Sat 2 Apr) The Legendary Adventure Of Litla The Brave Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 10.30am, £7 adv. Info 029 2030 4400.

(Until Sat 2 Apr) BUZZ 77

TWO TICKETS TO RAY MEARS

He’s the master of bushcraft and survival, as well as an author and presenter. On Wed 16 Mar, Ray Mears is coming to St David’s Hall for an enlightening night as he tells stories from his career. We’ve got two tickets to his event – all you have to do is answer the following question by Mon 14 Mar: Q: What caused Ray’s ambitions of joining the Royal Marines to shatter?

TWO TICKETS TO HAIRSPRAY

TWO TICKETS TO TREASURES: ADVENTURES IN ARCHAEOLOGY To celebrate the Wales Year Of Adventure, Cardiff’s National Museum are opening their doors for a journey through time to find treasures from around the world. We’ve got two tickets to give away – all you have to do is answer the following question by Fri 11 Mar: Q: In which country can you find the Inca Trail?

TWO TICKETS TO PETER ANDRE

The smash hit comedy musical Hairspray is in Cardiff’s New Theatre from Mon 21-Sat 26 Mar with a night of big tunes and even bigger barnets. We’re offering you a chance to let your hair down and enjoy the show, all you have to do is answer the following question by Fri 18 Mar: Q: Which US city does Hairspray’s leading character Tracy Turnblad come from?

TWO TICKETS TO YOLANDA BROWN

Saxophonist, composer, and winner of two MOBO awards, YolanDa Brown will be at St. David’s Hall, Cardiff on Wed 23 Mar. We’re giving away two tickets to see her in concert – all you have to do is answer the following question by Mon 21 Mar: Q: In which university did YolanDa study?

TWO TICKETS TO TRAGEDY

Strictly Come Dancing contender Peter Andre is bringing his Come Swing With Me tour to the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena on Mon 14 Mar. If you’d like the chance to be his mysterious girl (or guy), we’re giving away two tickets. All you have to do is answer the following question by Fri 11 Mar: Q: What reality TV show did Peter appear on in 2004?

On Sun 13 Mar Tragedy – an all-metal tribute to the Bee Gees – are coming to Cardiff’s Globe. Yep. It’ll be a night to remember, and we’ve got two tickets up for grabs. All you have to do is answer the following question by Fri 11 Mar: Q: Where do the Tragedy tribute band come from?

TWO TICKETS TO DEREK ACORAH

TWO TICKETS TO SWANSEA COMEDY CLUB

‘Spirit medium’ Derek Acorah, from Living TV’s Most Haunted is testing out the ‘paranormal goings-on’ in Cardiff’s Tramshed venue on Thurs 17 Mar. We’ve got two tickets to give away – all you have to do is answer the following question by Mon 14 Mar: Q: Which former Blue Peter presenter did Derek Acorah work with on Most Haunted?

If a night of laughter, drink, and cabaret style comedy is your thing then you’ll want tickets to see some of the best in the business at Swansea Grand Theatre on Wed 30 Mar. We’re giving away two tickets to Comedy Club – all you have to do is answer the following question by Mon 28 Mar: Q: What is the etymology of comedy?

Please email your answers, name, address, Twitter username (if you have one) and contact number to competitions@buzzmag.co.uk by the stated date.

T&Cs: WE DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR THESE COMPETITIONS TO BE REPLICATED OR SHARED ANYWHERE ONLINE. BUZZ 78

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THE INDEP ENDENT

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