Quench Issue 169 October 2018

ISSUE 169 | OCTOBER 2018

COMING OUT AND STAYING OUT: OUR STORIES CARDIFF GIG VENUES

PLUS!

PULLOUT ILLUSTRATED MAP OF CARDIFF

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Contribute to

If you’d like to write, design, photograph or illustrate for an award-winning print publication, now is your chance!

Join our Facebook groups for the latest opportunities: Quench Contributors 2018/19 Quench Design and Creative Team 2018/19 You can also email us at editor@quenchmag.co.uk

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Editor’s Note

Contributors: Alexandra Ban Anthony Stonestreet Kiana Stevens Anastasia Kropotina Jack Vavasour Alys Jones Ralli Petrova Alys Hewitt Meg Sharma Cadi Thomas Bethan Clark Hannah Sedgwick Mia Dutch Josie von Jascheroff Ryan Jones-Matthews Isabel Cosford

Charlotte King ki Lucy Wilkinson Haleema Asharaf Steph Rowe Lucy John Harriet Thornley Katie Duffin Laura Stevens Jess Warren Sarah Nabi Yana Milcheva heva Sarah Thompson Saoirsee O’Connor Cerys rys Rhys Abbie bbie Rands Danny Brown

Page Designers: rs: Ashley Boyle Katie May Huxtable Steph Rowe Andrea Gaini Nadine Pinnock Luisa De la Concha Montes Urszula Rodakowska Orlagh Turner sti stianhill Front page photograph by Tristian Hill @tristianhill ac p g illustration byy Theodora Stefan Back page

‘What does Quench mean?’ Andrea asked me a couple of hours ago as we checked through the last pages of this issue, almost ready to publish. ‘Um, it’s kind of like being full after being thirsty’ – ‘Ah, so it’s like ‘satisfy’’. What a perfect, simple, summary of Quench: satisfying. In first year, a very keen Nadine joined the Quench Contributors group before term even started and waited eagerly to pick up three copies of my first work ever published on paper (one for me, one for mum, one to subtly showcase to my friends). Is there anything more satisfying than holding something you worked hard to create?

Our first issue is any fresher’s best friend. It covers all the spots our experienced editors would wholeheartedly recommend, from gig and show venues to local food spots. We have your summer summarised: the films you loved, the music you binged, even the holiday spots. We also aim explore sexuality, gender and race throughout the pages of the magazine, from our diverse and enthralling contributors. Our Welsh section, Clebar, has expanded en to a four-page long Cymraeg extravaganza.

Our Agony Aunt and Columnist are captured in a whole new style of illustration by Izzy Wright, who has also put together a pull-out map of Cardiff ’s best visits. What a treat! On the subject of design, I couldn’t be happier with how Quench is looking in its new year glory. Ashley Boyle has done an incredible job making Quench look bright and exciting, and our brand new Head of Photography Luisa De la Concha Montes has captured Quench in its most flattering light.

No matter who you are, there is something for you in this issue of Quench, and we will keep delivering exactly that. As satisfying as it is for us to create the magazine, it should be doubly as satisfying for you to read it. I hope you enjoy it!

Special thanks to: Sarah Harris, although we didn’t get to keep you as Food & Drink Editor for as long as we all wanted, you worked hard for this first issue and will always be part of Team Quench. Thanks to Andrea, who I’m fairly certain is a super hero, for always bringing buckets of positive energy, and giving the best hugs. Thanks Ashley for dedicating yourself so hard you sacrificed your voice. Thanks Karis, for never getting too annoyed when I flake on you because of Quench, from the first night of freshers to today’s missed roastie.

And an enormous thanks to Rachel Jefferies, our previous Editor-inChief, for inspiring and encouraging me to be part of this beautiful thing called Quench.

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We asked our team to describe their freshers experience in three words...

Meet the team n-

Editor-i

Editor-in-Chief Nadine Pinnock

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Social Media Manager & Social Secretary Benjamin Cresswell & Samuel Capper

Quite a liability.

Is it 2-4-1? - Benjamin Hiding at home - Samuel

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Deputy itor

Deputy Editor Andrea Gaini

Head of Photography Luisa

I need sleep!

More sambuca please!

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H e a d of De

Head of Illustration Izzy Wright

Pryzm Disco Floor!

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My head hurts.

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Head of Design Ashley Boyle

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Copy Editors Sofia Brizio, Harry Dixon, Nidhi Pattni, S Angharad May and Lauren Ryan Please help me - Sofia Bottomless kebab pit - Harry Where am I? - Nidhi What’s going on?! - Angharad Fattoush cheesy chips - Lauren

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Fe a t

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Col

Columnist Matthew Lewis

Features Editors Bethany Griffiths & Poppy Jennings

Culture Editors Mel Lynch & Ilona Cabral

Definitely nap time.

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What a mess - Bethany Shots! Shots! Shots! - Poppy

Family Fish Bar - Mel Weird. Wild. Wonderful - Ilona

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Clebar Cl b Editor Megan Tomos

Food & Drink Editors Caterina Dassiè & Josh Ong

Travel Editors Martha Hughes & Molly Geddes

Hangovers from hell.

Free Domino’s pizza - Caterina Drunk - Send assistance - Josh

Paracetamol urgently needed - Martha One Tequila please - Molly

Fashion +

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Bea

s ic Music Editors Dylan Graham, Camille Stanley & Max Modell

Fashion & Beauty Editors Maddy Steele, Rimante Bivainyte & Katie May Huxtable

Film & TV Editors Hannah Ryan & John Jones

I am lost - Dylan Down it Fresher - Camille Violent Card Game - Max

Drunk. Dance. Hangover. - Maddy Live Lounge, yaaas! - Rimante Alexa, Play ABBA - Katie

Cheesy gravy chips - Hannah Trapped in GLAM - John

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Technology Editor Mike O’Brien

Agony Aunt Hannah Stait

Q3 Editor & Deputy Editor Lucy Aprahmian & Sam Harford

1v1 me, bro.

A magical hell.

Not enough time - Lucy Too many VKs - Sam

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Want to be a part of

? jOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUPS TO GET INVOLVED! gAIR RHYDD CONTRIBUTORS 2018/19 cutv Members - 2018/19 Xpress members 2018/19 QUENCH dESIGN QUENCH AND CREATIVE CONTRIBUTORS TEAM 2018/19 2018/19

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COLUMN

Contents

8 Is it Seriously Possible to be Too Mature?

10 12 13 14

FEATURES Coming Out and Staying Out: Our Stories Cardiff's Nightlife and Sexual Harrassment Volunteering at University Bad Influence: The Rise of Social Media Influencers

CULTURE

15 How to be a Culture Vulture on a Budget 16 Editor's Top 5 Cardiffian Spots 18 Gender Diversity in British Comedy Panel Shows 19 Best of Summer: Theatre Show Reviews

CLEBAR

20 Gweneud Y Gorau o'ch Prifysgol 21 Cry Me Arriva 22 Y Ddinas 'Edgy' 24 26 28 29 30

31 32 34 35 36

FOOD + DRINK Cocktail Connoisseur Street Food Shoot Local Food Shops: A Cardiff Guide The Ugly Truth about Low Fat Beauty Eating with Your Hands: Not Just a Barbarian Past

TRAVEL Magical Middle East Tips for a First Time Solo Traveller Plastic Surgery Tourism Lads Holidays

ILLUSTRATED MAP OF CARDIFF CENTRE

38 39 40 42 44 46

MUSIC

All About Swn Festival 2018 Local Music Watch Interview: Joan Armatrading Cardiff Gig Venues Best of Summer: Album Reviews A Career in The Music Industry

FASHION + BEAUTY

47 Is the Unibrow Movement a New 48 50 51 52 56 57 58 60 61

Growing Trend?

5 Steps to a Flawless Freshers Commuting In Style Is Minimalism Still Alive?

Autumn Makeup Looks

FILM + TV Jodie's Doctor: "A natural progression" Is Horror Dead or In Revival?

A History of African-American Cinema African-American Film Reviews One to Watch: Banita Sandhu

TECHNOLOGY

62 Women in Games: A Personal and Industrial Journey 64 Making The Switch 66 Rapture Gaming Festival Review 68 Fake News, Technology and Democracy: Whats the Cure?

AGONY AUNT

69 Who is your Agony Aunt?

70 Agony Aunt Questions 71 Ten Steps to Keeping Your Well-Being in Check

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Is it seriously possible to be too mature?

Yes. Yes it is.

For most of my childhood, I repeatedly received verbal abuse from a variety of adults that claimed to have some form of power over me, and most of it went along the lines of ‘grow up’, or ‘start acting your age’, or ‘Matt, only toddlers still wet themselves’. That last one was a joke, honest…

I’m assuming childhood was a similar experience for everyone, so I raise this question to you, is it really better to be a more mature, sensible and boring version of yourself? Or was your Head of Year Ten just trying to act all high and mighty purely because he suffered from raging jealousy due to his wasted childhood spent desperately trying to grow up before puberty had even reared its ugly head? As you can probably tell from my tone, I’m quite biased towards the subject, as I feel very strongly and passionately about acting like a child for 99% of the time I spend awake on our mighty planet. However, I’ll leave it up to you as to whether you agree with me or not, but I do have a pretty strong argument to suggest people can, and frequently are, far too mature.

I’ve watched Law and Order, so I know that any good barrister, fighting the case for his clearly guilty mass murderer will start by posing an intense and intriguing question to his audience. So I shall match this by asking whether or not you miss the good old days as a child where you had not a single care in the world, floating around like a dying leaf until eventually falling to the ground and into your dreams? Questionable metaphors I know, but you must get my point. As a child, one was perfectly equipped to get the absolute maximum potential of fun out of every single minute. We had no concept of money, we just spent our parents’. Our biggest stress in life was whether or not school lunch was going to be edible on that particular day. We never even had to bother our little brains with any of the female relationship codswallop that takes up so much vital brain space, not to mention time. All a kid had to do was turn up in the corner of the playground at break time for a quick round of dares, have a little smooch, and then sprint off for a good game of footy with the lads. Life doesn’t get much better than that.

Of course, I’m not saying this lifestyle can still quite be lived at the ripe old age of 19, because believe me, I’ve tried. Although, if we all tried to let ourselves ago once in a while, and just forget about the mature worries in life like dinner, money, jobs, money, exams and

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obviously money, then maybe, just maybe, we could all cut loose like a child again, just for a day, and meet up in a playground for one last round of dares. And then the kickabout of course.

This brings me on to my next point of enquiry, which is the fascinating and enraging amount of energy that younger people have, and the sheer amount of fun that they seem to get out of it. I can’t remember the last time I kicked off my school shoes, messed up my hair, ate a bit of mud, and then just sprinted off with my fellow animals whilst screaming tribal war cries and threatening the village elders. But it’s not just mentally unstable young boys that have more fun out of being immature, the rule seems to apply to students as well. I shall explain. Similarly to most of the people I lived with in first year, I took a gap year, so against my own will, I automatically became a (slightly) more mature individual capable of looking after myself in the real world, and becoming able to bake bread. Therefore, although I had an extremely insane first year of uni, me and my fellow grown ups noticed the impossible amount of energy and immaturity that a lot of the younger first years had, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so jealous, topping even the time I found out my best mate in primary school was taking my Club Penguin girlfriend to the Year 6 fancy dress themed disco. It was so frustrating knowing my fellow students were up sinking pints not a minute after the pubs opened the morning after a massive night out, whereas I would be sprawled out in bed as wide as I possibly could manage, only rising for a milky cup of tea. I felt old, and I hated it.

Sadly, the inevitable truth is, like all of you reading this, I have passed my prime, and must now suffer the consequences of adulthood and grow up. The days of rummaging around for pennies around your house and splashing them on Freddos from the shop are gone, and have been replaced by the rummaging around for pound coins and wasting them on beer. The times where summer holidays were a blur of endless free time and day time televisions have gone, and instead I have to spend my time serving kids their fizzy drinks and watching them run out of the pub door wishing I was them.

In answer to my question, yes it completely possibly to be too mature, but sadly there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it, so I’m going to drown my sorrows with a Coca Cola and an episode of Tracy Beaker.

WORDS BY: MATT LEWIS ILLUSTRATION BY: IZZY WRIGHT DESIGN BY: ASHLEY BOYLE

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It can be difficult coming out to your family and friends for the first time. time Every experience is different. Sometimes the first time you say those words is with family or friends. Sometimes you’re getting naked with someone in your student accommodation bedroom and you’ve never actually said the words out loud but you finally feel that you’re living your truth. Maybe it was a moment of realisation when you’re kissing someone in a club and your stomach is alive with butterflies. Coming out means something different to everyone. Here are some of our stories…

Coming out at uni was a given for me. Having come out (to my friends) at home, I had the comfort of being surrounded by young LGBTQ+ people who understood me, and accepted that I was bisexual. When I was moving to Cardiff, I luckily found my housemates on Facebook. After some quick chat, I found out that one of my new friends was gay. It instantly made me feel more comfortable with coming out. Once we’d all settled, the conversation came around naturally, and I proudly told them that I was bi, but that pressure to prove myself didn’t go away.

I found that, as the year went on, when I showed my attraction to men, I was ‘too straight’. When I showed my attraction to women, it was almost ignored. I remember a conversation where a housemate had said “oh well, she says she’s bi, but…” as if I had to have a 50/50 ratio of people who I got with on a night out, or matched with on Tinder. I also didn’t expect that I’d have to come out every time I met new people. It’s difficult to ‘stay out’ at uni, especially as friendship groups change and you’re in a straight relationship, but I don’t mind that

2018 sees more hipsters than ever. Socks and sliders, facial hair, and anything else that makes you stand out. The more unique, the better. People want to stand out, be individual. We celebrate homosexuality with parades and rainbow-coloured t-shirts in Primark, and in all this turmoil of trying to stand out, sexual experimentation is increasing. Sexual experimentation has become synonymous with being open-minded. I don’t advertise my sexual past in my Instagram bio but when asked, I answer truthfully. And I have received positive feedback from both sexes. But when can we call ourselves bisexual? I grew up assuming I was straight but curious. This curiosity was put to the test when I experimented with another girl a few years back. But despite my curiosity, I find it impossible to label myself. On one hand, I cannot see myself with a guy. On the other, I thoroughly enjoyed my experimentation. Perhaps bi does extend to the people like me that feel uncertain. I can’t help but wonder when experimentation becomes orientation? Am I bisexual because I’ve had sex with girls and boys? Or am I a straight girl who is just curious?

I never really came out. Not in any big way. My mum was always really open about sexuality in my house so it was just always there. People are straight, gay, bi, and fluid in so many ways. I am extremely grateful and lucky because this has not been the same experience for a lot of my friends.

But there was one occasion where I felt the need to declare my sexuality. When I was in my second year of uni, someone told me a friend had been discussing my sexuality and porn preferences behind my back, arguing whether or not I was a ‘real bi’. I let it go, but soon after, I was in the middle of a conversation about sex with the same friends and someone told me I wasn’t gay or bi, and that I just liked the idea of it. I said, “tell that to the women I’ve slept with.” Having sex with women shouldn’t be the defining moment for not being heterosexual and I hate that I had to say that to shut her up.

To this day, I have not labelled myself because I don’t feel like I need to. I guess I was never really in any closet, and my sexuality wasn’t anyone else’s business. If for some reason I need to define my sexual orientation for anyone else’s benefit, the closest word would be ‘pansexual’. People need labels for different reasons and lots of them are good reasons, but I’d rather live without one.

Back on an open day in 2015, I picked up a copy of Quench and stumbled upon an article about coming out. The contributor had come out to their university friends, but kept it from their family at home. I hadn’t come out to my family – in fact I’m still not out to some of them – so I decided to do the same. Not being ‘out’ was great at first because I had a chance to be comfortable with myself before trying to make anyone else comfortable with who I am. After an awkward Christmas, it was all too much to lie to mum and dad so I blurted it out over an episode of Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. It was fine, not brilliant and not terrible, but liberating. The stress of lying to the people I love, about the person I love, was unnecessary on top of work-related stress. Eventually, it gets hard to hide a part of yourself, but I don’t regret that. I finally had a chance to work out who I am without anyone else’s expectations: that person being a more confident version of myself, who has spent a few too many weeknights at drag shows in the city centre.

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I have always been quite a theatrical kid, even when I didn’t know I liked theatre – so here we go, “How I came out to my mum: a new tragedy by That Guy Who Likes Shakespeare”.

I was sixteen years old, it was spring, and hormones were travelling around my body like cars in a Formula One race, so much that I decided I was finally ready to tell my mum about my passion for bananas. I sit in the car in complete silence as I prepare my massively long speech about how I didn’t choose to be, but I am, and how I didn’t want anything to change between me and her or how much I cared about her accepting me, and then I said: “Mum (pause for dramatic suspense), I’m a gay”. She looks over to my side and without even thinking slams her feet on the breaks and stops the car in the middle of the road. The driver behind us tries their best, but cannot help hitting the back of our car, luckily without any big damages. My mum looks at me again with the face of disappointment that says, “Why me?” and she isn’t talking about the accident…

And here we go, five years later, things have gone back into their place, my mum and I love each other as much as ever, even though we haven’t talked about it ever since. Life is hard, but let’s not think about it!

I first came out a few weeks after I turned sixteen. I was at a Halloween party with my best friend and I told her that I had something to tell her when we got back home. She told me to just say it – she was a blunt sort of person and it usually served to drive me to be decisive. “I’ve met this girl…” I told her. She looked me dead in the face and said, “Abbie, did you sleep with her?” I was so relieved, I burst out laughing. So did she, and that was that. Coming out to the rest of my friends and classmates was easy afterwards. I just said it. I came out to my parents a few months ago in a similar way. The reaction was mixed: mum saying that she just wanted me to be happy and dad laughing in disbelief. It was terrifying but it could have been worse. Since then, they’ve both met my girlfriend and adapted admirably and quickly. I have so much confidence now – I don’t have to hide who I’m seeing and how I feel. I don’t have to explain about being bisexual. I just am.

DESIGN S G BY ASHLEY S BOYLE O

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&DUGL΍ 1LJKWOLIH Is enough being done to crack down on sexual harrassment?

WORDS BY: SAOIRSE O’CONNOR DESIGN BY: NADINE PINNOCK

And so was the conclusion of my Freshers 2k17. This encounter ended with me pulling away and politely saying I wasn’t interested, and then the gentleman in question following me for 30 minutes to an hour, before I left the club with a girl I’d met twice. This wasn’t the first time I’d felt vaguely uncomfortable or harassed while going out, and it’s not even the worst I’ve experienced in Cardiff.

However, this sort of behaviour is the most commonplace.

The running half-joke among the student population is that if you want to get groped then head to Live Lounge.

That’s not to say that every night out is like this, but it is the sad truth that every time I’ve gone out this year (and I refuse to think about that number), I, or one of my friends, has experienced harassment of some sort. Most of it the kind of low level described in the incident above, but on a few occasions it’s progressed to something more sinister.

A female friend and I once called a male friend to walk us home when we realised that a man had followed us from the club. Another time I was grabbed while attempting to leave, by a boy I had kissed earlier in the evening and told I wasn’t leaving without him. And that doesn’t even get into the amount of times I’ve been groped by a passing stranger.

If you have been struggling with any of the issues mentioned in this article, please contact Cardiff ’s Sexual Assault referral centre Ynys Saff or contact Cardiff University’s Counselling and Wellbeing services.

“I was grabbed... and told I wasn’t leaving without him” That doesn’t mean that I don’t absolutely love going out and having a great time with friends in Wales’ capital city. Live Lounge still has a special place in my heart. It remains the site I forged some great friendships and had some memorable nights out. However, a report published in May this year stated that over 70 students had reported cases of unwanted sexual attention, ranging from low level sexual harassment to rape, from October. Cardiff University has introduced an online service which can be used to submit ‘anonymous or identified disclosure about an incident of sexual violence, harassment’ which was used to gather that data. But the vast majority of sexual harassment or abuse cases go unreported, so there is no way of telling what the true statistics are.

I know that most of my friends, both male and female, have felt uncomfortable or afraid while out in Cardiff.

I walk home alone often enough from a night out and I’m always vaguely on my guard against some unknown threat. I accept that some people have simply misunderstood your interest and would be horrified to know that they had made you feel uncomfortable, but a small number of people, drunk or not, impose a genuine threat to people’s safety. Cardiff University is working to help protect its students and ensure that going out is an enjoyable and most importantly safe experience, but unfortunately sexual harassment remains prevalent and a case of attitude.

PHOTO BY ALEX HOLYOAKE ON UNSPLASH

Picture the scene; it’s Freshers. You’ve been in Cardiff for nearly two weeks. Your bedroom in halls may not be everything you dreamed of as it’s absolutely tiny, but hey, it’s yours. Your 1L Vodka leaving present from your friends is perhaps emptier than you want to think about; but it’s Saturday night, and goddamn it you paid for this wristband and you are getting the use out of it! So, you’re in PRYZM for the fifth night on the trot, and inevitably you’ve lost your friends almost immediately. You wander from Disco to House and maybe even attempt entry into R&B, VKs clutched in both hands. Maybe you notice that someone’s eyeing you up from the corner of the room, maybe you don’t, but the next thing you know…

Yep, that’s someone grinding against you and putting their tongue down your throat.

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WORDS BY: BETH GRIFFITHS

Swap S w a the sofa days and get stuck in

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So, it’s now October and I’m currently sat reflecting on my time at university over the past 3 years. One thing’s for certain, your time at university really does fly by! I remember arriving at Taly North in September 2016 with no clue of what I was going to have for my tea that evening, let alone the plans for my future! At Induction Week, I was constantly reminded to ‘seize every opportunity’ because my time at university would ‘be over before I knew it’.

Needless to say, I heeded all these warnings with a pinch of salt. I attended all the fresher fairs that the university had to offer – only to obtain the free stuff!

Little did I know how much of an impact volunteering would have on my time at university.

During first year, I actively avoided any responsibilities that didn’t involve my degree – mainly because I was nervous about being the only fresher involved.

In second year, however, I decided to go along to the fairs and see what they had to offer. I discovered several projects that greatly interested me, namely Periods in Poverty, which I subsequently got involved in. Periods in Poverty is a charity run by students that collects donations of sanitary products and raises awareness of the plight faced by many people to access sanitary products while living in poverty. I decided to join this project as period poverty is an issue that I am greatly passionate about, and I can honestly say that getting involved with the project has been one of the best things I’ve done at university!

Since getting involved in the charity, I have greatly improved my social and communication skills – I feel far more confident taking part in projects and applying for different roles across the university (that’s how I ended up working here with Quench)! The only thing I wish I’d done differently is got involved sooner – my fear of being rejected in first year meant that I did not act a on countless opportunities to get involved and greatly improve my CV. We’re lucky here at Cardiff University! There are countless ways to take part W in different projects that suit your own preferences. Please don’t feel put off if you’re in first year, follow my advice and take the plunge! Volunteering is a great gr way to make new friends and to ease the stress and loneliness that often accompany university life. ac The Th first thing to do, if you’re not sure where to begin, is to attend one of Cardiff University’s volunteer fairs – don’t worry if you’ve missed the bulk of Ca fresher’s volunteering fairs, because the fairs take place all year round! Check fres the Cardiff Cardi Volunteering Facebook/Twitter pages for updates, or pop into the Volunteering Volunteer offices for advice. At the fairs, you can find a project that inspires Volu you and ssign up to be on their mailing list – for most projects, it’s as simple as that, you find out their first meeting and tag along. Other projects may involve a different differen application process, but this is rare.

Volunteering at Cardiff is not just limited to charity projects, there are Volunte numerous numero ways that you can get involved – many are right here on campus!

You could cou try your hand at becoming a student Mentor for the next academic year, or o even an academic student rep. If campaigning and student policy is more your thing, you could always have a go at applying to be one of the university’s elected officers, or even the Student’s Union President! univer Whatever it is that interests you, I cannot recommend volunteering (even Whate in the smallest way) enough – Cardiff University has lots of opportunities available.

Make sure you take the advantage! I can say with confidence, that availa had I got involved with volunteering in first year, I certainly would not have felt aas isolated as I did in the hours outside of my lecture theatres. What’s more, since I started volunteering last year I have felt more on-top with my studies, for I must be more logical with the smaller amount of free time that I have – when whe having only 9 contact hours, it’s far too temptingg to just j sit in your pjs all day watching Netflix!

Our gig night,

‘Periods

‘n’ Part y’, took place in February

FEATURES

I Volunteer!

FEATURES

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Picture the scene: it’s 8am, you’ve just woken up and the first thing you reach for is your phone propped up on your bedside table, charged and prepped ready for yet another day. You click on your favourite app, Instagram in my case, and begin scrolling through countless images of perfect breakfasts as you begin to get ready for your own disappointing dish of Bran Flakes and orange juice.

Let’s face it: we’ve all fallen victim to the charm of social media influencers and their seemingly perfect lives. It seems harmless enough: scrolling through countless updates, wondering just how they manage to make a cup of coffee and a novel look so artistic.

However, is the truth of the matter a very different story? Reports into the impact of apps like Instagram on mental health suggest it is. It’s not just the influence of Instagram that is up for debate though, with countless reports questioning the influence of social media personalities using apps such as Twitter and YouTube.

In order to understand the effect social media influencers are having on society, we need to first consider what it is that actually makes social media influencers, well, influencers. Instagrammers and YouTubers are, firstly, just like us (except maybe for their impeccable photography skills). They give off the impression that anybody can live the same life as them, because they are, at the end of the day, normal people. Anybody can pick up a camera and start sharing videos of themselves doing silly, everyday things and achieve their lifestyle. What people forget is that the ability to appear on camera as your average Joe, yet your average Joe who lives the coolest life imaginable, is a talent in itself. Social media personalities are just that: personalities. They hold the ability to appeal to a large group of people, while painting a picture of the perfect life that cuts out the countless hours spent editing content.

We become attached, believing that we, too, can lead a perfect life like theirs. This then leads to the influencer part – enthralled with the image of their perfect life, we begin honing in on what we can do in order to live as happy a life as they seem to. But what kind of influence are these people having on our behaviour? First, let’s talk spending. How many social media influencers that you follow constantly upload seemingly harmless pictures of themselves using a new app, wearing a new top, or trying a new brand of food – that’s until you scroll down and see ‘#ad’. Of course, there is nothing wrong with using your platform to promote products and receive a little reward for it, however it is clear that companies are drawing our desires to copy this seemingly perfect lifestyle in order to profit. This comes in spite of reports suggesting that there is a link between a decline in mental health and Instagram use: companies are essentially profiting from the desperation shared by millions to lead as great a life as these social media personalities, suggesting that if you buy these items, you too can have a perfect life.

Another, and perhaps the most talked about factor of late, is the influence YouTube stars are having on their predominantly young audience. YouTubers are often criticised in the media, whether that’s for their questionable language, their dangerous ‘challenges’, or just plain ridiculous behaviour. Back in January, Logan Paul was criticised for uploading a video of a man’s dead body filmed in Aokigahara (also known as the ‘Japanese Suicide Forest’). He, quite rightly, faced a massive backlash, yet his impressionable young fans continued to support him. This opens a wider issue regarding the influence that predominantly YouTubers are having. When faced with backlash, YouTubers often suggest that they are on their own platform and expressing their own opinions. This is all very well, however I think that YouTubers need to take more responsibility of the content that they are releasing and think about what kind of messages it is sending. It is clear that more needs to be done in order to ensure that the world of social media can be distinguished from reality, whether we’re using Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat or Facebook.

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Free walking tours are honestly the bee’s knees. This is truly my go-to advice for anyone travelling to a European capital city and wanting to soak up as much culture as humanly possible. Travelling to an unfamiliar place is sometimes a tall order, where the pressure to see/do everything can be a daunting prospect, especially if only visiting for a long weekend. In a stint of 2.5 – 3 hours a local guide will take you to both the iconic landmarks and also to the lesser known spots in a city, making a walking tour the best way to start your adventure.

Due to the fact that these tours are tips based, the guides are keen to impress, giving that extra bit of attention to make their tour content as dynamic and interesting as possible. Exploring a city by foot is a great way to have an authentic experience of the area where you’re staying. Perhaps most importantly, after the tour the guides are more than happy to recommend their favourite places to eat, drink and visit… often away from the pricier tourist traps. Each city offers different free walking tour experiences but I’ve never been disappointed by the tours from this company: neweuropetours.eu

Known to be one of the cheapest items one can buy in a gift shop, postcards are the ideal memento for a culture vulture on a budget. We all enjoy the odd splurge on our travels in an attempt to capture the moment, but postcards can serve as a perfect snapshot without leaving a dent in your savings. Museums can often be guilty of racking up the prices within their gift shops but the low prices of post cards will always remain constant. Picking up a few postcards depicting your favourite artworks to pop on your wall can serve as a colourful reminder of your time there, without the unnecessary expense.

WORDS BY: MEL LYNCH DESIGN BY: ANDREA GAINI

2. The Power of the EU Passport In glum consideration that we’ll be leaving the EU within the next year, *audibly sobs*, time is of the essence to utilise your EU passport while you still can! Not only does an EU passport allow free movement to dozens of countries without the need for a visa, it can can also be a key element to ensure a culturally rich trip on the cheap.

Free/highly discounted entry for EU passport holders (under 26) to galleries and museums is common within many countries in the European Union. Paris in particular offers EU passport holders free entry to most of its famous tourist destinations, such as Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles. Similarly, Spain and Hungary are very generous in their offerings, allowing EU citizens access free of charge to visit the Palace of Madrid and to take a tour of Parliament in Budapest.

3. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail Okay, it’s not that severe...but a bit of planning really is your best friend. Whilst we all like to think of ourselves as free spirits that go with the metaphorical flow, having a vague plan will enable you to experience more and get the most out of your money. For instance, a lesser known fact is that universally, particularly in Europe, museums and art galleries are closed on a Monday. Historically, museums need to close at least one day a week for moving around exhibitions and essential maintenance. With weekends generating the most footfall, Mondays are usually the agreed time to conduct such work. Therefore, doing some research prior to booking the dates of your stay can help ensure you get to see everything.

In addition to this, a cheeky google of monthly offers can also save you some money when visiting your favourite cultural landmarks. On this topic, Paris once again proves to be a power house for cheapskates, where on the the first Sunday of each month the majority of their iconic museums and art galleries are completely free to all.

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4. Collect postcards

1. Free walking tours

16 WORDS BY: MEL LYNCH & ILONA CABRAL

St Fagans National Museum of History (commonly labelled St Fagans) is a fabulous open-air museum on the outskirts of Cardiff. This remarkable site chronicles the historical lifestyle, culture, and architecture of the Welsh people through the ages.

It’s made up of over forty re-erected buildings, from various locations in Wales, and really gives an idea of what life was like throughout the country’s history.

But, St Fagans is so much more than a bunch of buildings! The museum is situated on the grounds of the magnificent St Fagans Castle and gardens and showcases traditional crafts and activities through workshops. In the quaint, traditional shops onsite you can also often find these handmade products; from delicious sweets and cakes, to beautiful jewellery.

Once you’re filled with goodies you can stop off and say hello to the native livestock grazing in the fields including Wales’ most revered animal, the sheep.

St Fagans is the perfect place to head to and experience a bit of culture whilst escaping the bustle of the city. Bring along a picnic and make a day of it in this (strangely) gorgeous weather.

Photo byy Yerpo p via Wikimedia Commons

Photo byy Dave Snowden via Flickr

DESIGN BY: ASHLEY BOYLE

Located in Cardiff ’s picturesque city centre, the iconic building that is Cardiff National Museum is home to Wales’ most prolific natural history, geology and art collections. In addition to opening its doors to a number of impressive temporary and touring exhibitions on a regular basis.

With five hundred year’s worth of world class art at our door step it would be an injustice, their diverse selection of art caters to all tastes, including housing one of Europe’s best collections of impressionist art. If modern art is more up your street their guest exhibitions have been equally intriguing, in particular their Japanese/Welsh inspired electric display of art, culture and design.

If you have a spare afternoon at your disposal, I’d definitely have a cheeky gander at what’s on, and with free admission for all there’s really no excuse.

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Photo by All A ie_Caulfield via Flickr

Photo byy Nigel g Swales via Flickr

Photo byy Robin Parker via Flickr

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As one of the few remaining public spaces that don’t demand money from us to occupy them, libraries are precious. Since it’s opening in 2009 by the Manic Street Preacher’s, Cardiff ’s Central Library has been a modern cultural hub for the entire city. Even so this hot spot is infinitely more than just a library, this Cardiffian spot is one of our all time faves.

A quiet open plan space for study, relaxation and socialising, the library has an undeniable community feel to it. Not to mention the stunning 360 degree views on show from the top floor.

If all this isn’t selling you enough yet, the library is actually a leading building in terms of sustainability, boasting the highest ratings for sustainability development, water and energy efficiency. So you can dwell here guilt free and crack open that book you’ve been telling yourself you’d read each year for god knows how long.

Cardiff is renowned for it’s arcades, woven throughout the city centre in a quintessential maze of independent shops. Home to over 100 retailers and eateries, the arcades are set in a back drop of Edwardian and Victorian architecture that is utterly gorgeous, especially in the chillier Autumn and Winter months.

Boasting a legacy of over 150 years of Welsh retail the arcades are a favourite for many a student. The Royal Arcades is a Cardiff must, housing some of Cardiff ’s best unique shops such as a vintage shop Sobey’s, an Uncommon Coffee Ground Roastery and Wally’s Delicatessen. This Instagrammable hotspot is truly one of our favourites, the Royal Arcade with bits and bobs for everyone, so have treat yourself to a wander around next time you’re in the area.

The Millennium Centre is a world acclaimed theatre at the heart of Cardiff ’s cultural hub; the Bay. As the architect Sir Robert McAlpine intended, the building is an expression of “Welshness”, utilising materials which reflect a different period of Welsh history (slate, metal, woods and glass) and being inscribed with the beautiful welsh words Creu Gwair fel Gwydr o Ffwmais Awen (creating truth like glass from inspiration’s furnace).

The Millennium Centre has played host to some of the most famous operas, ballets, musicals and comedians from Katherine Jenkins, to The Lion King the Musical. There is always something new and interesting going on over there!

As a Quench culture contributor you are especially lucky in that you can head along to the Millennium Centre and review the latest shows for free (if you can jump on the articles quick enough!) Of course, you can also pay for the shows or, alternatively, you could volunteer as an usher, gain some valuable skills and see some incredible events!

Honestly, the perfect (and relatively inexpensive) outing could be spending the day/evening at the Millennium Centre, then wandering around the barrage before heading to a fabulous restaurant along the bay front to watch the sun set.

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Gender Diversity in British Comedy Panel Shows Alys Jones analyses the representation of female comedians in British televison DESIGN BY: ANDREA GAINI

Comedy panel shows have long been a staple of British TV, but can they last much longer if they underrepresent the number of women on the comedy circuit?

Recent findings show that only 20% of comedians featured on panel shows are female. This statistic isn’t much of a shock – hosts and regulars are almost always men. Every permanent panellist on Mock the Week has been male, a show which has featured 89% male comedians. Believe it or not, this is an improvement; in 2014 BBC’s then-head of TV, Danny Cohen, announced that the channel would no longer feature all-male panel shows. Host of Mock the Week, Dara O’Brien criticised this, saying that regular female panellists may suddenly feel like token women. How valid can this argument be if the show lacks female panellists?

There are, however, less women on the comedy circuit. They make up some 1724% of the industry. Some may argue that women are not underrepresented in panel shows, but the industry itself is disproportionate. The British comedy circuit hasn’t served female comedians well, as comedy writer and actor Eleanor Lawrence writes that she moved to America to pursue her career, feeling that she would be better respected as an assertive woman there. Back in Britain, this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival promises to give female comedians a platform, such as Ayesha Hazarika’s show Girl on Girl which explores feminism in the #MeToo era, suggesting that some progress is being made.

“If women’s voices can be heard in other areas of comedy, why do panel shows continue to underrepresent?”

If women’s voices can be heard in other areas of comedy, why do panel shows continue to underrepresent? One argument is that women often refuse to appear. Ian Hilsop recently argued that the lack of female panellists on Have I Got News For You was down to women not believing they are as capable as men.

Yet, there are so many successful women who are prominent in the British comedy circuit with their own unique brand of comedy: Michaela Cole, Katherine Ryan, Jo Brand, Sara Pascoe and Lolly Adefope, to name a few. Surely it can’t be so difficult to find women willing to be funny on TV, can it?

Radio Times’ Alison Graham argues that women should be unwilling to take part in panel shows, that they shouldn’t allow themselves to be a token to make these shows look like less like an old boys’ club.

Graham maintains that women should not have to force themselves to conform to the humour of all-male shows. However, a special all-female episode of 8 Out of 10 Cats aired recently to celebrate 100 years of women being able to vote. Graham scoffs at this, believing that it’s an insult to women who died for a cause to be celebrated with an all-female panel show.

Perhaps we’re better off letting the panel show die than resorting to tokenism – after all, if it continues to alienate half the population, how much longer can the format last?

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Best of Summer: our favourite theatre shows

Evita @ Wales Millennium Centre Abbie Rands

Mischief Movie Night @ New Theatre - Hannah Stait

The opening moments of Evita truly showcase this powerhouse explosion of a performance; a show that doesn’t let up until the final curtain.

This Wednesday I was ecstatic to be among many people attending Mischief Movie Night at Cardiff ’s New Theatre. The atmosphere was incredible as the audience joined for a night of improvised comedy genius!

I have always loved cyclical shows, and Evita adheres to this tradition in such grand style that the opening events really do remain in the back of your mind throughout the whole performance – and long after! The scenery is incredible and is complemented by a mournful kaleidoscopic lighting, creating the feeling that the stage is illuminated by light filtering through stained glass windows. This brooding atmosphere created a real spectacle, placing Eva behind her own funeral portrait, singing and pleading with us in a moment that felt breath-taking.

Throughout the entire production, there was not a moment when I, as an audience member, did not feel part of the setting. I was there, whether there was a church; a tango bar; a presidential address; or a bus to Buenos Aires (which, by the way, was rendered brilliantly).

Lucy O’Byrne (Evita) is a huge voice in tiny packaging; an absolutely incredible performer, playing both the soft and vulnerable and bold and outspoken parts of the character in perfect parallel. Glenn Carter’s (Che’s) voice is astonishing with perfect diction – vital as the narrator of the story in permanent dialogue with the audience. Mike Sterling was an incredible Peron, his presence drew your eye even when he was not the focus of a scene and Cristina Hoey certainly deserves a mention.

Though Hoey was only in a single scene, as Peron’s mistress, her solo was one of the most memorable and emotional parts of the production.

The symbolism of the ‘celebrity cultism’ surrounding those in power was also highly effective throughout, showing how the glitz and glamour began to overtake those in power. During ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’, the most well-known and beautiful song of the production, the lights on Eva were so bright you could barely see her. This theme of ‘celebrity politicians’ is certainly relevant today and, throughout the performance, the danger of individuals becoming more synonymous with power than the countries they belong to was clear. Eva tells us time and time again, ‘I am Argentina’, but we question whether she was more of a movie star or a politician. Was she only a rallying point of escapism and beauty? Or did her radio performances early in her career highlight her desire to help the struggling Argentinian people?

The final scenes were heart-breaking. Watching the two powerful, commanding characters slowly giving up was incredibly moving and it was truly beautiful when Eva reached out to Che after her final radio performance, silently asking him to tell her story faithfully. Away from the politics and the glamour, Eva now appeared as just a girl, overtaken by the ambition to make a difference, for herself and for her country.

As the cast took their bows, I was still left rapt, wondering how much of the girl onstage was the ‘real Eva’ and how much was a constructed fantasy to produce one of the greatest performances I have ever seen.

Starring the original cast of ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ and their BBC counterparts ‘Peter Pan Goes Wrong’ and ‘A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong’. Mischief Theatre is back with a new hilarious show in which the audience control what happens on stage! The setup for this one of a kind show entails a fully improvised movie based entirely on the audiences suggestion as conducted by our very own leader Oscar as portrayed by Jonathan Sayer. This means that every show is a one of a kind never been seen before spectacular. First, we had to choose a genre and, after a very enthusiastic gentlemen shouted ‘Porn!’ across the theatre (quickly told a defining no) we managed to narrow it down to Kung-Fu or Disney (a regular choice I have to make if I do say so myself!) After some back and forth it was decided that Disney would be our chosen genre and the next task was to find ourselves a setting for our tale.

Now if I had to guess what a room of Welsh people would suggest, this would definitely be on my list! The valley that is home to the hero next door, that’s right, it’s Fireman Sam’s very own Pontypandy.

There’s something magical about watching a show that you know has never been seen before, but also something weird about watching people play out a Disney movie set in the make believe Welsh town of Pontypandy… you really do have to see it to believe it! What followed was an amazing show performed by what seemed to be an incredibly close and talented group who hilariously tried their hardest to plot out an entire movie - they certainly managed to put the mischief in Mischief Movie Night. The show was as informal as can be in the best way possible, you didn’t feel like you were watching a play but more like you were having a fun night in with your friends. The simple staging meant that we as an audience really got to use our imagination as the group on stage had minimal props to work with – that didn’t stop them setting the scene though.

With help of some off stage magicians we were able to put ourselves in Pontypandy as we followed the locals (A* for effort on the Welsh Accents too folks!) through their Disney epic. The biggest thing to remember with shows like this is that anything can happen. I mean it... anything!

Put it this way, the movie opened with a happy go lucky song about the happiness of living in Pontypandy and went forward to a Princess whose father consumed her object friends by swallowing Fanny the Fan and sticking Francois the Flannel up his, um.. behind, shall we say.Couple that with a protagonist whose best friend is a talking Lasagna who sounds like Sylvester Stallone and you’ve got yourself an incredible (albeit slightly weird) full length movie!To me the best part of shows like this is that every night is different and trust me when I say that if I had the funds I would have booked to see it every night.

This group had me in fits of laughter numerous times throughout the evening and their written shows are equally as hilarious so be sure to check them out in the future.

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Croeso i Gaerdydd (neu croeso yn ol i’r rhai ohonoch sydd bellach yn fwy na cyfarwydd hefo’r ‘Diff ’)! Ar ol haf hir o yfed a joio mae’n amser i setlo lawr am dymor o waith caled...a llawer mwy o yfed a joio!

Mae’n deimlad braf bod yn ol yng Nghaerdydd, yn sicr, a dwi’n siwr eich bod chi’n teimlo’r cyffro ac yn barod am dymor newydd yn y Brifysgol! Ar ol llwyddiant yr Eisteddfod yma yng Nghaerdydd, mae’r bwrlwm yn dal i redeg drwy’r strydoedd, a does nunlle gwell i ddathlu bod yn fyfyriwr Cymraeg! Mae’r flwyddyn academaidd yma am fod yn un gwych, heb os! A gyda llwyddiant y CMCC yn sicrhau llwyfan i lais Cymraeg ym mywyd myfyrwyr y Brifysgol, mi fydd Clebar yn eich tywys chi ar hyd eich astudiaethau gyda erthyglau a storiau di-ri a digon o ‘light hearted reading’!

Mae bod yn Gymraeg yn fraint a hanner, yn enwedig ym Mhrifddinas Cymru! Felly mae digonedd o ffyrdd i gadw’r Cymreictod yna yn fyrlymus yn eich gweithienau. Heb fod yn ‘cliché’, mae lledaenu pwysigrwydd y Gymraeg yn ddyletswydd pwysig yn y Brifysgol, mewn gwirionedd. Yn aml iawn mi wnewch chi ddod ar draws myfyrwyr eraill yng Nghaerdydd sydd yn hollol ‘bamboozled’ hefo’r iaith Gymraeg, gyda rhai hyd yn oed yn troi rownd a deud “I didn’t even realize Wales had its own language!” (dwi oddifri!). Ond heb os, mae bod yn Gymraeg yn werthfawr, ac hyd yn oed os ydi hynny yn golygu gorfod llefaru crynswth Llanfair PG i Saeson mewn predrinks, mae tipyn o hwyl i’w gael

drwy cyflwyno’ch hyn yn Gymraeg. Drwy lwyfannau fel Clebar, mi fedrwn ni fel myfyrwyr Cymraeg y brifysgol ddod yn agosach ar blatform sydd mewn gwirionedd yn hollol breifat i ni!

Y blynyddoedd y byddwch chi’n treulio yn y Brifysgol yw’r rhai pwysicaf yn eich bywydau, heb amheuceth!

Mae bywyd myfyriwr yn gyfnod i ddysgu am fywyd; am filiau, ffrindiau, swyddi, cariad, ac yn amser i ddatblygu perthynasau a phrofiadau sy’n siapio eich dyfodol chi un cam ar y tro. Dim ots beth yw eich cwrs chi, mae pob un ohonym yn glwm yn y byd bach mae Caerdydd yn ei gynnig i ni. Mae pob un ‘overdraft’, ‘hangover’ a ‘walk of shame’ yn ran o fywyd sy’n gyfarwydd i bob myfyriwr, ac yr sicr dyna fydd uchafbwynt eich profiad yn y brifysgol!

Yma yng Nghaerdydd mae’r bywyd prifysgol ar ei orau ‘a dim ots beth yw eich cefndir, fydd cartref i chi yn Cathays (er gwaethaf stad eich student house)!

A pa ffordd sydd yn well i daflu eich hunain i fewn i ddiwylliant myfyrwyr Caerdydd na’r Gym Gym, wrth gwrs. Consisting of, but not limited to – myfyrwyr Cymraeg, mae’r Gym Gym yn hen ffrind sy’n eich arwain chi at benderfyniadau drwg a pennau mawr gwaeth.

Mae’r Gymdeithas Gymraeg yn sicr yn rhan ganolog o fywyd myfyrwyr Cymraeg y brifddinas! Yn grôl anturus, yn ennill y cynghrair yn y pel droed, neu yn un ddiod yn ormod – mae’r Gym Gym yn beth y gwnewch chi ohono! Gyda crol gwahanol bob pythefnos, tripiau diri a llawer o ddigwyddiadau cyffroes, gallwch ddadlau mae’r

Gym Gym sy’n siapio eich profiad yma ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Yn anaml iawn gewchuhi grôl heb ddrama neu gossip, a mae’n gyfle gwych i wneud ffrindiau a hyd yn oed datblygu perthynas (mae’r Gym Gym wedi profi ei hyn i fod yn dipyn o ‘match maker’)!

Heb anghofio am yr astudio a’r darlithoedd, mae bywyd yn y brifysgol yn ofnadwy o hwyl. Drwy cadw mewn cysylltiad a’r rhai o gwmpas chi sy’n siarad y Gymraeg mae bod yn fyfyriwr yn y brifddinas yn deimlad hynod; gartrefol (does dim modd cerdded drwy Cathays heb gweld gwyneb cyfarwydd)! Gyda diolch i lwyfanau fel y Gymdeithas Gymraeg a CMCC mae modd i ni, y myfyrwyr Cymraeg, uno dros rhywbeth mor bwysig ac allweddol i’n bywydau ni. Ac mae hynny yn sicr yn rhywbeth i’w ddathlu. Felly wrth godi gwydr (neu photel VK), gallwn obeithio fod y flwyddyn hon am fod yr un mor hwyl, yr un mor anturus, ac yr un mor walltgof erioed.

GEIRIAU GAN: MEGAN TOMOS LLUN GAN: ANDREA GAINI

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Mae’r rhai ohonom ni sydd yn byw a bod ar drenau Arriva, yr “Arriva Warriors”, yn dal asgwrn cefn ein cymdeithas, heb os! Os ydych yn byw yn y Gogledd, mi fyddwch yn cytuno mai’r commute i lawr yr A470 yw’r peth agosaf at hunllef. Ond y gwirionedd ydi tydi’r trên ddim gwell! Er gwaethaf y siwrna 5 awr mewn car, mae Arriva Trains Wales yn mynd a chi o gwmpas y byd cyn cyraedd Caerdydd sy’n cymryd yr un faint o amser!

Cry me Arriva I fod yn deg, y peth gorau a wnaeth Arriva erioed oedd cal WiFi – achos dydi 4G ddim yn bodoli ym mhob man pan mae’r trên yn eich ‘dragio’ chi drwy’r ardaloedd mwyaf gwledig (a fwya ‘random’) yn y wlad! Ond, yn dweud hyn, ella fod gan Arriva yr ‘added luxury’ o WiFi ond gwnaeth eu cyllid nhw byth ymestyn mor bell a ‘plugs’! Beth ydy’r pwynt cynnig WiFi os neith eich ffôn chi farw pan da chi wedi cyraedd Chirk?! Efallai fy mod i’n swnio’n ‘materialistic’, ond pan mae’r daith o’ch blaen yn fwy na 4 awr yn eistedd (neu fwy na thebyg yn sefyll) ar drên diflas, y peth gwaethaf allai ddigwydd ydi eich ffôn chi’n marw!

Mi fyddai yn hapus fy myd mis Hydref pan daw Arriva i ben. Byddai’n dathlu gyda gweddill y wlad yn enw KeolisAmey, sy’n prynnu’r cwmni ac yn cychwyn y broses ar Hydref 14. Ar ôl dwy flynedd o dalu cannoedd mewn gwerth tocynau trên, mi fyddi hi’n braf gweld beth mae KeolisAmey yn ei gynnig yn wahanol. Mae geni ffydd yn y cwmni newydd i wneud fy mhrofiad o deithio yn ôl ac ymlaen rhwng Bangor a Caerdydd mymryn bach fwy ‘bareable’! Fellu ymunwch gyda fi yn dathlu gobaith at system deithio cyhoeddus sydd ddim yn gwneud; chi eisiau crio. Ac i’r hên gwmni? Cry Me Arriva!!

GEIRIAU GAN: MEGAN TOMOS

LLUN GAN: ASHLEY BOYLE

CLEBAR

Mae holl fyfyrwyr Caerdydd yn bloeddio drwy strydoedd y ddinas yn dathlu bod Arriva Trains Wales yn dod i ben. Mi fydden nhw’n dymuno hwyl fawr i’r hen ffrind sy’n cario ni adre ar ddiwedd tymor, ac sydd bellach wedi ennill y clod fel “the world’s worst train line”! Os ydych chi’n anghyfarwydd gyda Arriva dydech chi’n ofnadwy o lwcus yn methu allan ar fywyd llawn siom; ciwiau hir, prisiau gwarthus a dim digon o le ar dim un trên, byth!

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Y Ddinas ‘Edgy’ GEIRIAU GAN: CERYS RHYS LLUNIAU GAN: ANDREA GAINI FFOTOGRAFF GAN: LUISA DE LA CONCHA

Mae Caerdydd yn adnabyddus am yr amlwg – y Castell a’r rygbi! Ond mae’r ddinas yn cynnig llawer mwy o rinweddau a delweddau sy’n haeddu clod ac adnabyddiaeth. Mewn gwirionedd, mae Caerdydd yn ddinas cwl ac yn cynnig lot i’r ochr ‘edgy’ o ddiwylliant Gymraeg. Mae myfyrwyr fel Cerys Rhys yn rai sy’n ymestyn yn bellach na gofensiynau bywyd prifysgol ac yn gwneud y gorau o’r ochr hip o fyw yn y Brifddinas! O dan ei harweiniad hi, dyma i chi chwech agwedd o fywyd Caerdydd sydd yn cwl, yn ‘underrated’ ac wir yn edgy!

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Mae Clwb yn le da i ddechrau; gigs, cwrw a dawnsio, dyma beth sy’n bendant yn ei wneud y ‘night out’ orau yng Nghaerdydd.

Mae nosweithiau Twrw yn llwyddo i ddenu bandiau Cymreig o bob cwr o’r wlad, am y fraint o gael chwarae mewn lleoliad sydd wedi’i ymgorffori yn hanes y sîn roc Gymraeg. Pob nos Sadwrn mae siaradwr Cymraeg Caerdydd ar bererindod i Clwb er mwyn gwneud eu ffordd fyny i’r ail lawr, ac i jewn i’r Holy Church that is, DJ Set Gareth Potter. Mae Clwb Ifor yn cynnal amrywiaeth o ddigwyddiadau yn ystod yr wythnos, er enghraifft; Soul Jam, Brooklyn Zoo, Tripple Cooked a llawer mwy. Os ydech chri’n ffan o ‘raves’ neu roc, mae Clwb efo digwyddiad i chi! Ond wedi deud hynny, fyddwch chi mwy na thebyg yn gwario rhan fwyaj o’ch noson yn y ‘smokers’ lle ma’r ‘banter’ a’r ‘gossip’ i gyd, it always happens!

3. Tiny Rebel Cyn i chi fynnychu Clwb Ifor Bach, dechreuwch eich noson ar waelod Womanby Street, lle byddwch yn dod o hyd i adeilad brics coch, sydd yn gartref i Tiny Rebel. Bragdy o Gasnewydd yw Tiny Rebel, yr unig Fragdy Cymreig i ennill ‘Champion Beer of Britain’. Mae’r bragdy hefyd yn cynnig bwyd sydd yn cynnwys opsiynau ‘vegan’, ynghyd â chelf addurniadol ar y waliau. Felly ewch i Tiny Rebel am flas o gwrw Cymreig a ddigon o hwyl!

Ac, i’r rhai ohonoch sy wis yn ‘Welsh nash’ brwdfrydig, ma Yws Gwynedd yn ffan mawr o’r lle hefyd!

5. Gwdihw Caffi yn ystod y dydd sy’n tori’n far yn y nos, mae Gwdihw yn le bach a chroesawgar sy’n denu lot o myfyrwyr! Wedi’i leoli yn agos at y Motorpoint Arena, yn Guilford Crescent, mae Gwdihw yn hwb i fywyd nos (a dydd) y ddinas. Gyda bandiau byw, addurniadau gwych ac awyrgylch da, mae gan Gwdihŵ rhywbeth i gynnig i bawb. Gallwch fentro i nosweithiau comedi, neu gwrando ar fandiau ‘indie’ ne cherddoriaeth ‘funk’, mae’r dewis yno i chi. Mae yna wresogyddion yn yr ardd, sy’n berffaith i nosweithiau oer, ac hyd yn oed gwell – mae’r diodydd yn rhad!

2. Recordiau Spillers

CLEBAR

1. Clwb Ifor Bach

Dyma’r siop recordiau hynnaf yn y byd sydd wedi ei leoli ym Morgan Arcade ac wedi helpu troi Caerdydd yn ddinas ‘groovy’ a ‘happening’. Mae’r siop yn gwerthu vinyls a CD’s bandiau Cymraeg, gan gynnwys, Y Niwl, Ysgol Sul a Yr Ods . Codwyd pryderon ynglŷn â’i dyfodol ar ôl iddo gael ei fygwth gyda chau yn 2006. Mewn ymateb i hyn, ysgogodd ddeiseb a oedd yn mynnu bod y siop yn cael ei achub; arwyddwyd y ddeiseb gan hanner o aelodau’r Cynulliad a llawer o drigolion Caerdydd, sy’n pwysleisio ei phwysigrwydd i’r ddinas. Cyhoeddodd The Manic Street Preachers ddatganiad yn dweud “Spillers was a lifeline, it gave us our musical education. The only record shop in Wales where we could find the music that made us who we are” ac mae hynny’n fwy na gwir!

4. Yr Hen Lyfrgell Yng nghanol y ddinas mi wnewch chi ffeindio Yr Hen Lyfrgell, sydd hefyd yn ganolfan newydd i’r Gymraeg yng Nghaerdydd.

Mae’r ganolfan yn hysbysebu cyfle i hyrwyddo a dathlu’r iaith drwy amryw o weithgareddau. Yno, mae Caffi, bar a’r Siop Fodlon sydd yn gwerthu cynnyrch Cymraeg, gwersi Cymraeg ac Amgueddfa Stori Caerdydd. Os ydych yn dewis i fod yn ‘ffrind’ i’r ganolfan drwy cyfranu £5 y mis i helpu cynnal gweithgareddau’r ganolfan, fyddwch yn derbyn arbediad o 10% yn y caffi a’r siop (son am insider knowledge!)

6. Canna Deli Marchnad fach annibynnol yw Canna Deli, sydd yn eiddo i Gaws Rhydydelyn, gwneuthurwyr caws o Ynys Môn. Gan gynnig amrywiaeth o gynnyrch Cymreig; cigoedd wedi’u halltu, selsig a gwin a seidr, mae’r farchnad yma ym Mhontcana yn sicr werth mynd. Mae ganddyn nhw hefyd fwydlen ‘dine-in’, a llefydd i eistedd tu allan sy’n fendigedig ar ddiwrnod braf. Neu, os ydych chi’n ffansio coffi cyflym, mae Canna Deli yn cynnig coffi Poblado, rhiswyr o Groeslon, Gogledd Cymru. Beth bynnag yw eich craving, Canna Deli yw’r lle i fynd yn sicr!

24

A bl blender d Already missing the summer feeling? We’ve got you covered. This cocktail cools to the core, gets you boozed up, and counts as one of your five a day?! This frozen blackberry daiquiri is any smoothie and alcohol lover’s dream. It’s as easy as it is delicious.

340g of blackberries Roughly two handful ice cubes Two shots of elderflower syrup

1. Blend blackberries and ice cubes until smooth.

Juice of one lime

2. Stir in elderflower syrup, lime juice, and rum.

Four shots (or more) of white rum

3. Pour, garnish, and enjoy!

Two snazzy glasses Garnish of your choice (we recommend a lime wedge or two)

If you can’t access fresh berries, try frozen ones. They work just as well and you can even skip out on the ice. Another option is to swap blackberries or other berries. Blueberries and raspberries are delicious alternatives.

When my lovely boyfriend and I reached our one-year anniversary last summer, we packed the boot of his car full of spirits, travelled west to the beaches of Pembrokeshire and in a quaint little Airbnb on the coast, we drank the weekend away.

A lot of unique drinking traditions were borne of this little trip, some more questionable than others. This particular concoction was initially dubbed The Duchess, and I like to think it holds some of the ingredients for a successful relationship.

WORDS BY: JOSIE VON JASCHEROFF

450ml orange juice

A cocktail shaker

150ml tequila

25ml fresh lime juice 50ml Citrus vodka 25ml chili and ginger syrup (to keep things spicy) * 50ml elderflower liqueur, even better than being bought flowers.

1. Fill your boston with ice and shake things up a bit.

2.Strain into your glass and top it off with as little or as much cranberry juice as you fancy depending on how adventurous you’re feeling. It’s spicy, zingy, floral, and it’s absolutely delicious.

*To make chili and ginger syrup: 1. Place 1-part water to 2 parts sugar, slices of fresh ginger and chilies and simmer in a pan for 5 minutes. Leave to cool and infuse, then remove the fresh pieces to leave the infused syrup.

WORDS BY: MIA DUTCH

1. Chill four straight-sided glasses. The straight sides of the glass will achieve the sunrise effect.

2. Mix 300ml of the orange juice with the lime juice and pour into ice cube trays. Freeze overnight.

Don’t throw away the used limes yet.

3. To make the tequila sunrise, put the frozen orange/lime cubes, the remaining 150ml of orange juice, and the tequila into a blender and blend until smooth.

4. On a saucer, spread a layer of salt. You can also add chili powder or smoked paprika for something a little different; green edible glitter also works brilliantly!

5. Take the four chilled glasses.

Using the left-over lime, wet the rim of the glasses with lime juice and dip into the mixture on the

4 tablespoons of lime juice 4 tablespoons of grenadine Salt 4 maraschino cherries Cocktail decoration saucer to line the rim of the glasses.

6. Gently pour the tequila sunrise divided evenly into the glasses.

7. One at a time, tilt the glass slightly and pour one tablespoon of grenadine down the side of each drink. Be patient, the grenadine sinks to the bottom to make the sunrise effect.

8. Garnish with a cherry and decorations of your choice. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

WORDS BY: ANGHARAD MAY DESIGN BY: ASHLEY BOYLE

25 FOOD & DRINK

Crushed ice 1. Begin by cutting up the lime into segments and placing 4 or 5 pieces (depending on

1 Lime

the size of the lime) into a glass and add the granulated sugar.

A handful of mint

2. Once you have done this, muddle the lime and the sugar together thoroughly mixing the lime juice with the sugar, (if you do not have a cocktail muddler you can use another kitchen utensil such as the end of a rolling pin).

1 tsp of granulated sugar 50 ml of white rum

3. After this, you need to add the mint. To really release the flavours of the mint, give it a slap in the palm of your hand before placing it into the glass.

4. Continue by adding crushed ice to the glass.

5. After, add the white rum and top up with soda water to taste. Alternatively, if you’d prefer the mojito to be slightly sweeter, you could always replace the soda water with lem le mona ad de. lemonade.

WORDS BY: HANNAH SEDGWICK

Th same method The mett can be used to make other types of mojito such as raspberry or passion fruit. Simply just add the fruit of choice into the glass before adding the ice.

1. Puree the watermelon chunks and the mint sprig prig in a blender until smooth. smooth This should make about 600-700ml of watermelon puree.

Ingredients for 4 glasses l

2. Pour the watermelon puree into ice cube trays and freeze overnight, or until solid.

1kg (about) of watermelon

3. To make the Nojitos, put the frozen watermelon cubes, sparkling elderflower, lime juice (don’t throw the squeezed limes out yet) and rum extract (if using) into a blender.

200ml sparkling elderflower pressé 60ml fresh lime juice

4. Blend until smooth and add in however much you want of edible glitter.

5. On a saucer, pour some edible glitter (hundreds and thousands) and granulated sugar.

1 tablespoon of rum extract (optional) 1 sprig of mint

6. Take four glasses. Using the left-over lime, wet the rim of the glasses with lime juice and dip into the mixture on the saucer to line the rim of the glasses.

Edible glitter (the more the better!)

7. Gently pour the Nojito divided evenly into the glasses, stick a slice of lime and a cocktail embellishment of your choice on the rim, and drink your sparkly glass of Decorations magic!

WORDS BY: ANGHARAD MAY No Nojto isn’t a typo, NO-jito = no alcohol mojito!

1. Fill your glasses of choice about 1/3 with ice cubes.

Hugo is one of Europe’s most loved summer drinks. You’ll find it dominating French coastal towns and bustling cities alike. If you are a lover of prosecco, this is THE drink for you. Hugo is essentially spiced up prosecco.

We’ve added an extra kick of gin to mix things up a little.

2. Pour prosecco. If you distribute equally, that is 200ml per glass. You might have to take little breaks pouring as the ice will make the prosecco fizz up and you don’t want to waste any of the good stuff, do you?

3. Add 1-2 shots of elderflower syrup and 2 shots of gin to each drink.

Ice cubes 400ml prosecco (or champagne if you’re feeling extra snazzy) Two shots of elderflower syrup Four shots of gin Berries (to garnish) Lime wedge (to garnish)

4. Plop in berries, lime wedge, and mint. Optional to tear up mint leaves for the aroma to unfold.

5. Give drink a little stir and enjoy!

Measurements for this drink are adaptable to your taste.

If you have a sweet tooth, like me, add an extra shot of elderflower syrup. Same goes for the gin. If you want a subtle taste, add one shot.

Just like with the frozen daiquiri, you can swap the berries for whatever you like or have. A personal favourite is frozen raspberries. If you give them a little stir and squeeze, they will dye your drink a gorgeous shade of pink.

Mint And that’s it, no blender, shaker, or other tools!

WORDS BY: JOSIE VON JASCHEROFF

26

PH OT OG

RA PH YB Y: JO SH

ON G

Lamb shawarma kebab from Murray Mays

The Chocolate Brown

A beefy boy from the Beefy Boys

27 CULTURE

NI AI AG RE ND

A Y:

NB SIG DE

Sticky beef Roti from Brother Thai

nie Company treats

Loaded poutine from Puckin Poutine

28

Local Food Shops: $ &DUGLƈ *XLGH

Quality, convenient food on your doorstep

When it comes to student life, one is always trying to save money and time. The first cut is usually made on the grocery list, which means buying low quality products and/or ready made meals. However, the convenience can also be found on your doorstep. Local goods mean not only high quality, but also sustainability. Whether it’s a

WORDS BY: CATERINA DASSIE DESIGN BY: NADINE PINNOCK

(MJǪǷȥ 5FȡYǶȠ

<FQǰȠƫX )JǰǮȝȜYJǷȤǪS 2TWǫǧȡ 6ǼFWǹǪȦ 7T^ǧǰ &ȦHȜȧJ

If you are an international student or you just like to try different cuisines, Wally’s is definitely your place to visit. Here you can both buy your groceries and enjoy a good coffee, a quick meal or a snack at the top floor in their coffee house. The range of goods goes from Mediterranean to Eastern European specialities. I strongly recommend their cheese – it’s just delicious!

7TǧYǬ ɄȜȦPJǹ (JSǹȦǧQ 2ȜǶȬJY The prices are higher than the normal supermarkets, but the cheese they have is worth the money and you know, you don’t have to eat cheese every day. I mean…most of the cheese, if not all, is made up of British milk. At the Roath and Riverside markets you are more likely to find local, seasonal and (some) organic veggies and fruit, such as Paul’s Organic Veg and Blaencamel Organic Vegetables, but the stalls are many.

)JQǮ 7TǻLȥ

5JS > <FǮS ɊȣFȧ Still in Roath, Deli-Rouge is the perfect place to have breakfast, a quick dinner or lunch and of course, to buy fine quality delicatessen.

You can also find the essentials for the perfect cheese and wine night. They also organize events every now and then where you can taste different cuisines while listening to live music.

(FWȧǮǢ (ȥȡYǶFDZ 2ǧWȫȥǺ 8Y 2FWȂ ɍǺWJǪǹ

The Central Market is located in a Victorian Age structure building which has been used for trading since the 1700s. Here you can buy one of the best welsh cakes in town at Cardiff Bakestones: you just need to follow the amazing buttery perfume and you’ll find lovely ladies keeping an eye on the sweet dough on the bakestone. For healthier options, there are plenty of veggies and fruit stalls – not all of them are from local farms – and a vegetarian shop, Clancy’s Vegetarian Emporium, which has many aromatic herbs and teas, but also daily hot and cold dishes, vegan bites and dessert. No worries meat eaters, you have a wide variety of butchers with the best local meat and a fish market as well – the fish soup is amazing! There are other stalls of course, but I am not going to unveil all of them as you must visit it yourself at least once! I almost forgot: if you like music, grab some food at the ground floor and head up to the first floor to discover some old-fashion vinyl.

.SdzJȦ (ǮYȂ ȑǯȝPǰJ 7TǧYǬ ɄȜȦPJǹ

Are you a jam lover? Well I am, and I can’t stop myself buying the amazing products they offer – I even bought some to take back home last year as Christmas gifts. The jam has the perfect combination of sugar and fruit and the range of options is wide and unique! They are also famous for their pickles and chutneys. I really recommend going to Roath Market to try them out. You won’t regret it!

PS. If you are far from Roath make sure you check the Cardiff University Intranet. Last year they were hosting the market once every other week in front of the Main Building during weekdays.

8UNțǪ ȣȆ 1NKǪ .SǽJȦSǪǷȤ 5QȜțJ

Just off Albany Road, you can find all the spices (and some wholefoods) you have always dreamed of. Most spices and nuts are unpackaged so you can bring your own reusable container. You can also find a great range of Italian branded pasta and organic nut-butters.

They have also a stall at the Riverside Market (on the other side of the river Taff, next to the Millennium Stadium) every Sunday morning.

5JYǹǮȪWȥǿ 'FȬǪWǯJǷ (T\ǨȦǮIǫȥ 7TǧȨ *ȜXǹ

Just a step out of Victoria Park, you can find the bakery which makes delicious goods you can try out at their Pettigrew Tea Rooms in Castle Street.

If you feel like this bakery is too far away from the student area, just wait for Saturday mornings and walk down to Roath Market (38 Keppoch Street next to City Road).

5JSȂDZǧS 5ȜdzǺWȂ 0NRǨǪȦQȥȂ 7TǧȨ

Right next to Roath Mill Gardens the lovely shop window of Penylan, with colourful veggies and fruit inside wooden boxes, welcome you and make you feel better even before stepping into the organic coffee shop. They are not only serving breakfast, snacks and lunch, but they have a corner shop with a bread and cheese counter (sustainable and British), charcuterie and deli treats. All their products are local and organic. They are also trying to fight against food waste as much as they can, which means that prices might sometimes be more than the average. Yet, everybody needs to treat themselves, so why not with the amazing goods they sell?

29

Truth

FOOD & DRINK

Ʈɘ Ugly

ƆǖȊˑ \ǖ˫ @ūˑ ƒūȊȅ˱

Many foods are naturally low in fat and taste rather pleasant. Take a juicy peach for example, isn’t it just delicious? There are times though, when a piece of fruit doesn’t cut it and we crave something naughty.

Naughty?! How can an inanimate object misbehave in such a way as to be labelled ‘naughty’? This is where the diet industry comes in, deceptively calling itself the ‘health-and-wellness-market’. By taking advantage of our insecurities, by playing on our guilt and by luring us with naughty foods in attractive, low-fat form at an extortionate price, this multi-million-pound industry is booming. However, are waist-lines or bank balances shrinking as hard-earned cash has forked out to this market worth 24,595€ in 2017?

As someone who has had anorexia longer than not, I’m cynical about lowfat products. We are conditioned to think that the least fat possible is best for our health. We are bamboozled into believing that low-fat products are the epitome of healthy, which equates to being good for us, when in many cases, the opposite is the truth.

By law, ‘low-fat’ products must contain less than 3g of fat, whereas ‘reduced-fat’ products must contain 25% less fat than regular counterparts. Already this terminology is confusing even before exploring the nitty-gritty of whether it is good for us. Animal fat is replaced with unsaturated vegetable oils to meet legal labelling requirements. Fat is taken out of products, making them taste blander than an unseasoned lump of snow, and so ‘things’ are added to products to make them edible. For instance, sugar, chemicals, salt, and all manner of artificial additives.

By adding a shocking amount of sugar to maintain the close-to-original taste and texture, most lowfat products are high in sugar, a refined white carbohydrate, which our bodies digest quickly.

Consequently, we tend to end up eating more WORDS BY: ANGHARAD MAY DESIGN BY: NADINE PINNOCK

because we experience blood sugar swings and cravings, and after all, how can more of a good-low-fat product be harmful?! Wake-up-call…a diet consisting largely of low-fat products conceals a diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugar. What’s more?

This increases the long-term-risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and high-cholesterol. One tip is to read the ingredients label: if sugar is one of the first three, try to avoid the product.

Low-fat products also undergo chemical changes and one of the most prevalent is hydrogenation. This is when the structure of vegetable oil used to replace animal fat is altered into a semi-solid or solid state which works better for processing needs, but it unwittingly increases transfat.

Confusing enough yet? We are brainwashed to believe that fat equals bad, end of story. What the diet industry fails to make clear is that fat is a complex nutrient consisting of sub-categories, some of which are indeed harmful in excess, but some are needed by the body. Our brain, for example, consists of roughly 60% fat, so we need to consume fat to maintain cell membranes.

The bad fats we should avoid are trans-fat and hydrogenated oil, ironically, those found in low-fat products - not so good for us after all! Saturated fat causes debates because although it raises bad (low-densitylipoprotein) cholesterol raising the risk of heart disease and stroke, it also raises good (high-density-lipoprotein) cholesterol. Unsaturated fat is the good fat which the diet industry overlooks despite the fact it has antiinflammatory properties, strengthens muscles, protects organs and keeps us warm during winter – especially Welsh ones!

When it comes to fat, or actually any nutrition for that matter, contradictory studies are constantly being published, making us (consumers) feel more than a little discombobulated as well as guilty and shamed.

So, what’s the low-fat-lowdown? Just because the industry makes low-fat sound healthy, it doesn’t always mean that it is good for us. Our bodies are complicated, and each individual has different nutritional needs, making it pointless trying to fit into neat boxes of: “high-fat is bad, low-fat is good”. Many low-fat products are chemicalridden (not healthy for us), but not all low-fat products are bad. The less heavilyprocessed products are the ones we should look up for.

Modern-life is complex enough without being conflictingly told what to eat and what not to eat, so apologies for the cliché, but everything in moderation really is the best policy.

30 WORDS BY: ANDREA GAINI

EATING WITH YOUR HANDS: NOT JUST A BARBARIAN PAST

“So, you cut the food with knife and fork, carefully trying not to make any noises on the plate. Place the knife on the edge of the plate, in order not to get the cloth dirty, spear the food with your fork and…” throw all that cutlery in the bin and dig in with your hands!

For as much as we may have been brainwashed about the “proper” way of eating by our parents, books of etiquette, food experts and blah blah blah, cutlery is definitely not a norm in food culture. More than half of the food eaten around the world, in fact, is generally consumed using hands. From the Indian biryani to Italian pizzas, hands have always been (and trust me, still are) the best way to enjoy your meal.

If you were to travel around the world on a food adventure you would find that, in each country, there is a tradition of using hands to eat specific foods.

Africa, the Middle-East and India are certainly places where the tradition of eating food with hands is most rooted within their cultures. Whether you are having an African Baba Ghanoush, a Jordanian mansaf, or an Indian treat, you can find very detailed guidelines on how to eat them with your hands and be respectful to other diners at the table.

The first time I tried mansaf, in fact, I acted completely disrespectfully to my Jordanian friend, not being aware of this. The first thing I learned was that cleanliness comes first no matter how you are eating something. So, if your parents told you to wash your hands before having dinner, then same rules apply if you are preparing yourself to eat a meal with your hands.

Food is also generally eaten all from one plate, so cleanliness is not simply pursued through washing your hands, but also with interesting techniques to bring the food to the mouth. My dear friend explained to me that you can only use your right hand to spoon food up, and that the best way to feed yourself is by making little balls of food that will be placed on the palm of the hand and then pushed into the mouth with your thumb. This is so to make sure that the hand gets the least contact possible with the inside of mouth. Finally, the last mistake I made was a very tricky one and I considered it the definite failure of my eating etiquette test: what to do after you’ve had a bite of food. As the first ball of food rolls in your mouth, the immediate temptation will be to clean up your hand, and what better way to do so if not by licking it (yes, I know it sounds very disgusting now, but at the time it sounded like a great idea)? Well, that’s definitely not a thing to do - I’ve learned! You must wait until you are finished eating to clean up your hands, whichever way you want…

These cultures are leaders in this style of eating, and their techniques have been proven to be as good as using knife and fork, if not better (at least in enjoyment and self-fulfilment).

European countries were among the first countries in the world, during the medieval period, to start using cutlery as a medium between the plate and the mouth. East Asian countries are known to use chopsticks as their eating utensils, while the Americas have been conquered through the years by the knife-n-fork techniques. Nowadays you can basically eat anything without getting your hands dirty, but most of these goods will still be considered as best appreciated when eaten from your hands. From bakery delicacies like croissants and cinnamon rolls to sausage rolls, sushi and nachos, you can find at the bottom of every human heart an incredibly strong need to use no instruments but your fingers.

Many etiquettes have been developed depending on the most elegant nt ways to eat with hands. Some say that you should always use your hands to o break away small pieces of food and then feed them to your mouth, so that no crumbs end up on your clothes. Yet the temptation to just bite into it is so irresistible that some have also argued for a more “rudimental” way off eating with your hands; this consists of simply bringing the food to the mouth uth and using your teeth to eat the food bite-by-bite.

Living in the Western world creates numerous of opportunities for people to live a life ife that is shiny and beautiful, but we should not despise our roots and our traditions because se they are different. Food cultures are impregnated of amazing traditional dishes that we cannot forget about, and that should not be balanced with what the norm requires. Appreciating eciating and respecting the memory of our ancestors and their traditions are rightful things that at need no cutlery.

DESIGN BY: URSZULA RODAKOWSKA

31 TRAVEL AVEL

Abu Dhabi h a s transf tra nsfo o transformed from d from desert diamon dia monds ds in a to diamonds matter of de decad cades es One matter decades. interesting intere int eresti sting ng pla place ce to visit is the Sh Sheikh Zayed Mosque; Sheik eikh h Zaye Z ayed d Mo M o its white marble floor white ma marbl rble e floo f loor r and and gold chandeliers rewarding chande cha ndelie liers rs provide provid pro vide e a re rewa wa cultural cultur cul tural al experience experi exp erienc ence e as as you you mak make e your way through architecture. throu th rough gh the gr grand and ar archi chitec tec In contrast Mosque’s sedate contra con trast st to the Gr Grand and Mo Mosqu sque’s e’s s ambiance, evening desert safari equally ambian amb iance, ce, the the even e vening ing de deser sert t safa s afari ri is eq as unforgettable. boarding unforg unf orgett ettabl able. e. The tr trip ip beg begins ins wi with th san sand d boa b oa up the rocky dunes of Abu Dhabi, an optional camel ride halfway through and traditional belly dancing to finish whilst eating under an open sky of stars. Ferrari World theme park is another fun attraction where you can ride the world’s fastest rollercoaster, the Formula Rossa. Abu Dhabi is perfect if you’re looking for a picturesque adventure stunning skyline blissful beaches, re with with its st stunn unning ing sk skyli yline ne and bl bliss issful ful be beach aches, es, all whilst lst ls t being being bein g in in the the heart heart of the desert. deser de sert. t.

Whether you are looking to party or put your feet up, Tel Aviv is a great destination offering luscious beaches, crystal clear waters and temperatures of 30C. Gordon Beach provides a lazy hangout spot where one can stroll along the boardwalk to find an array of restaurants.

Alternatively, one can head to Yarkon Park to admire the river. For those searching for adventure, the White City is the place to go; this UNESCO World Heritage site is full of modern architecture. However, Tel Aviv also has a vivid, energetic side; the Barby, a local music venue, boasts a fantastic reggae and rock scene.

Additionally, the bustling Jaffa Flea Market allows one to haggle the day away. Those looking to party should head to Rothschild Boulevard, home to an array of nightclubs, or back to Gordon Beach where beach parties are a common occurrence!

Tel Aviv promises an “incredible cultural experience” whilst remaining remain rem aining ing the the “party party par ty capital capita cap ital l of of the the Middle Middle East”.

East Ea st .

Charlotte King Isabel Cosford Cosfo Co sford rd

Haleemah ah Asharaf Ashara Ash araf f Imagine: : a destination destina dest inatio tion n along along alon g the the Indian Indian ocean ocean th that at is ric rich h in adventurous activities, delicious food, ultramodern landscapes, luxurious past times and a humbling culture.

Experiencing temperatures of up to 37 °c, Dubai caters for all type of holidays, offering various ‘bucket list’ attractions. Why not explore the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, followed by enjoying dinner dinner with with a view view as you you sip sip tea at the the top top of the 160-storey skyscraper?

Alternatively, 160-st 160 -store orey y skys s kyscra craper per? ? Alte A lterna rnativ tively ely, , you you cou could ld visit discover marine animals visit “Atlantis” “Atlan “At lantis tis” ” to to disc d iscove over r mari m arine ne ani animal mals s and water-sports slide through water wa ter-sp -sport orts s and and eve even n slid s lide e thro t hrough ugh th the e Aquaventure Aquave Aqu aventu nture re waterpark. waterp wat erpark ark. . And And if you do don’t n’t wa want nt to get we sand-duning camping wet, t, try sa sandnd-dun duning ing an and d camp c amping ing under Arabian desert. under the st stars ars in th the e Arab A rabian ian de deser sert. t.

Throughout nibble Throug Thr oughou hout t your your stay st tay you ca can n nibb n ibble le at a diverse diverse dive rse range ran ra nge of street n stree st reet t food food and even even feast fe east ea st at Michelin Michel Mic helin in star star restaurants resta rest aurant aur a ants s such such as the notorious noto no toriou ious s sail-shaped sail-sh sail -shape aped d hotel, hotel, , Burj Burj Al Ara Arab. b.

This This is is all all just just the the tip tip of the the sand sand dune dune so so what’s what’s what ’s not to love love about about this this g r e a t city? city?

Molly Gedde Molly Ged Geddes de Egypt perfect history, glorious beaches, Egypt has th the e perf p erfect ect mi mix x of of rich rich hi histo story ry gl glori orious ous b colourful culture and friendly resorts. Whether you’re into adventure travel, expanding your knowledge, or planting yourself to a sunbed with a constant flow of Pina Coladas Egypt has it all.

Head away from the tourist heavy Cairo and Giza and explore the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, a city on the east bank of the river Nile. The Valley of the Kings is home to the tombs of some important me of the mo most st ico iconic nic an and d impo i mporta rta an nt t ancient Egyptian rulers rule ulers rs such such as as King King Tutankhamun.

Tutan Tu tankha khamun mun. mun .

If relaxing by tur turquoise more turquo quoise ise bl blue ue wat waters ers is mo mor re your scene, the re resorts Hurghada Marsa resor sorts ts of Hur Hurgha ghada da and Ma arsa rs Alam are equipped world class beaches. d wit with h worl w orld d clas c lass s beac b eaches hes e .

With many opportunities snorkel and tuniti tun ities es to sno snorke rkel l a nd dive in the tropical pical pic al ree reefs, fs, yo you u can can also satisfy your thrill our inn inner er thr hrill hri seeker. If you prefer prefer to head he h ead away from the b beaten eaten eat en tra track, ck, visit the Gulf of Aqaba.

A aba.

Aqa The air is filled ed with wit w ith peace and tranquility ilit il it ty across this calm alm al m bay of water - a truly unique and magical place.

Over Ov er recent rec ecen ent t ye year years ars s tr trav travel avel el t to o t the Middle East has been on the e ri rise rise. se. . De Desp Despite spit ite e th this this, is, , mu much ch of the region remains relatively untouched. The Middle East st truly trul tr uly y is a magical mag agic ical al gem gem just waiting to be explored, and this is where we think you should start…

DESIGN BY: URSZULA RODAKOWSKA

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You’ve set off on your first solo trip. You feel like Levison Wood and Bear Grylls’ love child ready to take on whatever the world throws at you. Until just hours in you find yourself well and truly lost and the Wi-Fi you took for granted at home is non-existent in the deepest darkest depths of Peru… This is where Maps.me comes to the rescue! It’s a free map app that works without internet. It covers walking, cycle, and public transport routes, suggests local hotels and attractions, and even puts you in touch with local guides. I’ve just moved to Chile and it’s it s been a lifesaver. Don’t Don t leave home without it!

If you’re travelling alone, particularly for the first time, try a walking tour around a city! It’s a great way to sightsee with the benefit of local knowledge and meet fellow travelers along the way. Often hostels will recommend companies - in Granada my hostel suggested a general city tour aimed at students. It ended up being one of the highlights of my trip, so I did another when I arrived in Seville. These types of tours are usually advertised as free, replacing a higher set price with a small optional donation at the end (so also perfect for travelers on a tight budget).

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Be prepared for overnight journeys when travelling alone! They can be long and tedious, and often, oft overnight trains and buses buse usess are are cold. It’s always a good goo idea to pack pair socks for a jumper, a pai a r of joggers and some thick th these journeys. s. The spaces on overnight trains are also cramped, reserve a better extremely cramp m ed, check if you can re seat in advance ce (anyone suffering from cclaustrophobia may want to rerre-think think overnight trains). What’s more, time most of the tim me they will not have any ccharging ports, so remember to take a fully-charged porta portable charger in case your devic ces run out of juice. devices Katie Duffin

Exploring an unfamiliar place alone can be exciting, but from time to time everyone needs someone to show them the way. If you are looking for a stress-free way to travel, consider booking yourself onto a group tour. Travelling with an organised tour company can be a great way to see the highlights of a destination with a tried and tested route and knowledgeable guides. Having a large group of people around can provide you with safety in numbers in unfamiliar places and is also an easy way to make friends along the way. As a rule, tour companies provide transport from place to place and can range from small intimate groups to larger, more lively experiences. Some tour companies to try: www.straytravel.asia/ www.contiki.com/uk/en www. kiwiexperience.com/ Laura Stevens

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33 TRAVEL

Solo travel is an exhilarating adventure if you throw yourself out of your comfort zone and into the experience. One sure-fire way to do this is to avoid the obvious choice of staying in a cushy hotel and instead, stay at hostels or university accommodation. Not only will you save yourself a whopping amount of money, it’s also a top way to meet other like-minded travelers. Most hostels offer nights out with fellow guests to sample local food and drinks. Cooking with fellow guests can also help you make new friends and try new cuisines.

You can often pick up brochures and discount vouchers at hostels allowing you to explore these recommended ound n friends! places with your new-found Angharad May

Whilst travelling alone these days is not out of the ordinary or deemed particularly risky, it is always better to be safe than sorry (especially if your destination is more remote). When getting in taxis alone in new places, it can be smart to message a friend or family member the taxi license plate or even turn on the location sharing service on your mobile so they can keep track of your whereabouts. This will use up data on your phone so try to get a pay-as-you-go sim for your trip which allows you to use plenty of mobile data abroad (networks such as 3 are great for this).

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One of the best things I’ve learnt, especially when travelling alone, is to create a fake wallet or purse. Take an old purse that you’re not fond of anymore and fill it with old loyalty cards and gift cards to bulk it out, add in the odd Euro or other foreign coins you find lying around. That way, you’ve essentially created a decoy wallet; make sure you’re storing it in a back pocket or front of a bag. If someone is going to pickpocket you, they’ll take the wallet that’s easy to grab. You can store your real money in a skin coloured money belt under your top. An easy way to save yourself the hassle and stress of reporting a wallet stolen in a foreign country.

Eating alone is something you’ll find yourself doing quite often when travelling solo so it’s key to seek out the best food joints. Ask other travelers for recommendations, have a wander around and most importantly get friendly with the local people as they will undoubtedly know the best places to eat. If in doubt, download an app like ‘Yelp’ or ‘TripAdvisor’ in advance to help you find local hotspots. Don’t be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone and make an extra effort to try the local dishes. You may surprise yourself with what you find and like!

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INSTAGRAM’S NEWEST TREND WHY ARE YOUNG PEOPLE INSPIRED TO TRAVEL ABROAD FOR SURGERY AND WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL REPERCUSSIONS? A WARNING FROM A COSMETIC SURGERY TOURIST. out to a hotel (trust me, staying alone even in the fanciest hotel after surgery is not fun).

WORDS BY: MARTHA HUGHES DESIGN BY: KATIE MAY HUXTABLE When asked what we would change about ourselves, we often respond with an answer concerning our physical appearance. Instead of considering our skill set and how this could improve, we subconsciously jump straight to aesthetics. While in the past the idea of cosmetic surgery was unattainable to many, a growing trend amongst celebrities and influencers on Instagram has completely changed this.

Plastic surgery tourism; it’s something that isn’t exactly a new concept but it has recently gained huge traction.

It simply involves an individual travelling abroad to undergo a cosmetic procedure, usually at a much lower cost than in their home country. In the UK the most popular countries to travel to for a range of surgeries are Spain, Turkey, Poland and Lithuania. Common surgeries include veneers, breast implants, rhinoplasties, liposuction and Instagram’s newest trend ‘Brazilian butt lifts’.

Travelling for these surgeries is being advertised by various celebrities via social media; stars of Geordie Shore, TOWIE and Love Island are just a few of those promoting the trend (let’s not forget the most recent winner Jack Fincham and the blinding-white veneers he had fitted in Turkey). However, there are plenty of practical and financial considerations that are conveniently not mentioned in Instagram stars’ posts of their unbelievable ‘before and after’ photos.

Waking up after major surgery in an unfamiliar location is difficult enough; throw in the fact that nurses may not speak your language and everyone you love is far away, and you’re giving yourself an even harder time. Not only is this likely to result in mental stress, it can also lead to all sorts of potentially dangerous confusion concerning drug dosages, allergies, food preferences. Then there is the practicality of the travel itself. These trips are often no longer than a week, with many surgeries abroad only providing a few days of in-house care before kicking you

The flight there may be reasonable, despite the nerves, however, the flight back has the potential to be the most painful experience of your life. You will need to plan ahead and ask for travel assistance from your airline, and if you don’t, you will find yourself painfully limping across an unfamiliar airport dragging luggage behind you (which I regretfully found myself doing). The finance of travelling to, and staying in, these locations is also another consideration not taken by many young surgery tourists; many celebs advertise ‘hassle free’ packages from foreign surgeries, but these are not always what they seem. You may end up having to find your own transfers, purchasing additional nights at hotels and even surgical garments.

If something goes wrong with surgery in the UK, the clinic will usually be equipped and willing to resolve any issues whether that be with your health or results.

Abroad? It’s not guaranteed; what these celebrities don’t add is that you will need a special type of travel insurance to give you enough coverage in case of anything not going to plan. Without this insurance? It’s possible that, in countries such as Turkey, you may be taken to a local hospital at a considerable cost. There is also no guarantee that, if you don’t like your results, they will be willing to correct them, and even if they are, it means travelling all that way back (probably at your own cost and discomfort). Around two-thirds of Britons already regret undergoing cosmetic procedures, but there has yet to be any firm data as to the success and happiness of cosmetic surgery tourists, so a positive experience is not guaranteed.

While travelling to new places with friends and family or even alone to explore the culture is one thing, travelling to undergo major medical procedures is a whole different ball game – and not one that I would recommend. If influencers with millions of young followers continue to promote this form of travel, the danger exists that young people will continue to opt for surgery abroad at a lower financial cost, but at what cost to their health and happiness?

35 TRAVEL

If you grew up in the UK, there’s one clear signifier that you’ve passed into adulthood. Sure you’ve been driving for a year, you can now legally buy alcohol and even your mum has started charging you keep to stay in your own home. However, unless you’ve completed this absolute rite of passage you’re not a REAL adult; the iconic lads holiday. But is it truly worth our precious pennies or is it just a disaster waiting to happen?

The ‘18-30’ party holidays are often slated but are they really that bad?

Lads/girls holidays teach life lessons that young people can use going into their adult lives.

For example, budgeting – a valuable skill for anybody to learn. On your first ever holiday with your friends, it is important that you don’t spend all your money on the first night out and have enough to last you for the whole week. A lot of young people go on these holidays after they’ve finished sixth form but before they go to university, so learning to budget their money can help them when moving on to the next stage in their life.

One thing that I learnt on my girls’ holiday was looking after myself and my friends - in party destinations, the drinks are often ‘free poured’ so it is easier to get drunker a lot quicker when you aren’t measuring how much you’ve had.

Making sure you’re aware of your surroundings and that you and your friends don’t lose each other is important in ensuring you stay safe.

Navigating safely around a foreign setting is so valuable and something you’ll have to do on many nights out and trips to come. Holidays away with your guy or girlfriends solidify friendships, experiencing things you may never have experienced as friends before. Having a week away in the sun is just harmless fun and not something that should be frowned upon.

It’s hard to denyy the correlation between lads’ holidays y and VIOLENCE. VIOL Maybe y it’s because locals in these tow towns are tired of havingg to wait hours to be seen see in the hospital p because an inexperienced p te teen drinker is havingg their stomach p pumped. p In 22016 a British tourist was hospitalised p after allegedly following the drinkingg 70 shots! In a statement foll it’s incident the teen exclaimed ‘I’m on holidayh jjust a bit of fun’. It’s this attitude held by the partyy resorts, that make lads teens flockingg to p m holidays y so dangerous. g As youngsters y g ggrowingg up p in a culture cultur which is heavilyy influenced byy alcohol and binge b drinking, g, it’s no wonder we have such a strong desire to party p y until we can’t stand. The Th phrase ‘what happens pp p on tour,, stays y on tour’ comes to mind;; maybe y it’s the freedom,, or the absence of parents, p , but somethingg about lad’s holidays This of sends yyoungsters g crazier than ever. Th surge in course has consequences q such as a su Brits involved in violence abroad.

The violence in these holidayy resorts has been described byy the media as an ‘epidemic’ ‘e with new stories regularly g y circulatingg about that occur. A recent the fights g and injuries j r headline from the Dailyy Mail read ‘Mass ‘M brawl involvingg British tourists breaks out in front of McDonald’s in broad daylight y g in latest late episode ’, and this is not of mayhem y in Magaluf g n an unusual event. A witness to the event even is heard in a recordingg saying y g ‘this happens pp eevery day’.

We have become desensitized to news new about Brits abroad, because we are so used to it.

I’m not suggesting ggg g that we should all stop ggoingg on lad’s holidays y completely; p y; GO, G make party all you memories,, be independent, p , and p part like. I do think,, however,, that youngsters young y g should ggo on their first holidayy with the same moral compass p that would gguide the decisions country your theyy make at home. Respect p the cou visiting, and stay g, look after yourself y safe. This dangerous g attitude to lad’s holidays y is makingg them a hub of violence and danger, and this needs to change! c

WORDS BY: MOLLY GEDDES & HANNAH SEGWICK DESIGN BY: STEPH ROWE

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ILLUSTRATION BY: IZZY WRIGHT

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Your favourite multi-venue music festival returns to Cardiff this October from Wednesday 17th to Saturday 20th. It is eclectic, it is better than ever; it is of course Sŵn Festival. Before we delve into what Sŵn is all about, the awesome line-up and the howto’s of getting a ticket I have a quick note for my fellow Englishmen or anyone trying not to butcher the Welsh language - Sŵn is Welsh for ‘sound’ and is pronounced ‘soon’. Now, it isn’t often that Cardiff is celebrated for being a city that pioneers new ways of showcasing live music; however Sŵn changed that by being the first festival outside of London which had acts performing in various venues across a city. The festival has flourished over the past 10 years since it was founded in 2007 by Radio 1 DJ and Welsh native Huw Stephens and Cardiff-based promoter John Rostron. This success was highlighted when NME nominated it for the ‘Best Small Festival’ award twice; clearly it is not a festival to miss out on. Stephens and Rostron have led the festival down a path that is unapologetically showcasing the very best of Welsh talent, as well as up and coming artists on the music scene. Over the past 10 years the likes of Ben Howard, Alt-J, Disclosure, The Vaccines and The Staves have all performed at the festival, so attending is the perfect opportunity to witness an amazing musician before everyone and their uncle realises they’re amazing and suddenly prices to their live shows skyrocket.

However, Sŵn is never one to be outdone and big name bands are also a prominent feature on the line-up. Here are some of the artists you can catch at this years festival:

drenge Drenge are a garage-rock style band located in Sheffield, who have played at the likes of Glastonbury and Reading Festival. They’ve been showcased everywhere, from being recommended by a Labour MP, to playing on the American TV on The Late Show with David Letterman. In early 2018 they also announced their first headline in three years, so make sure to check them out at Sŵn before they disappear again to record even more uniquely British, postgrunge tracks.

boy azooga Boy Azooga are a Cardiff band who are guaranteed to get you moving. Until recently Boy Azooga were just the brainchild of Davey Newington; however, he has since recruited friends to form the Boy Azooga live quartet. The sound of the group is a compilation of Davey’s musical interests which range from the late funk pioneer William Onyeabor, to The Beach Boys.

Boy Azooga know how to play a gig, if you are after everything from heavy riffs, great drums, to melodic maracas then you have to check out and show love for this Welsh talent.

ALFA MIST Alfa Mist is the London producer who wants to make you ‘feel something’ and that he does. His interest in music began with hip-hop and grime, but he soon discovered a love for jazz and the classical elements in electronic music, such as those demonstrates by Hans Zimmer. This has influenced his music to create a moody, soulful blend which is unique to Mist. On his 2015 album Nocturne, he collaborated with the likes of Tom Misch and Jordan Rakei, but his most recent release came in the form of his unique take on contemporary jazz on the album Antiphon in 2017. This has been applauded as his ‘finest work to date’ and he is not one to be missed at Sŵn.

GREAT ISAAC Greta Isaac is a mesmerising Welsh talent. She has recently moved away from her folk-inspired offerings to create more pop-inspired melodies against electro beats. The result is an exploration of her musical talent and a fresh new sound, which could potentially be likened to that of the artist Grimes. Check out her tracks ‘Comfortable’ and ‘Undone’ before witnessing her mesmerising blend of electro-folk live at Sŵn.

You can buy tickets to Sŵn Festival at www.swnfest. com/tickets/ with the option to buy individual day tickets, a weekend ticket (Friday 19th-Saturday 20th) or a Golden ticket which gives you access to all the acts playing across the whole weekend on a variety of stages. If you want to experience the true music scene of Cardiff, Sŵn Festival is where you need to be this.

WRITTEN BY: CAMILLE STANLEY DESIGNED BY: STEPH ROWE

39 39 MUSIC

Written by Maxwell Modell Design by Steph Rowe A breakdown of what’s going on in the Cardiff and Bristol music scene.

Editor’s Choice Cara Dillon- Friday 12th October 2018, Acapela Studio, £22 – On her Wanderer tour, Cara Dillon is performing a stripped-down version of her music as part of a duo. One of the finest traditional Irish folk singers in the world, Dillon is a truly beautiful performer. This is your opportunity to hear Dillon perform some of her strongest material from her new album Wanderer as well as classics like ‘The Parting Glass’.

Dermot Kennedy – Combining indie folk and hip-hop, Dermot Kennedy is an interesting proposition. While the distinct opposition of these two genres is something which in lesser hands may have become messy, Kennedy manages to strike an effective balance. This is shown by songs such as ‘Glory’ which bring together a powerful beat and an electronic layering with contemplative lyrics which would feel at home on a Bon Iver record, pushing the boundaries of what both genres can be. As such, this is something which should be experienced live by fans of either genre.

Our Girl - Tuesday 23rd October 2018, Clwb Ifor Bach, £8 – The latest band to emerge from the fertile Brighton music scene, Our Girl blend garage music with modern indie. On tour after the release of their debut album, these guys are worth a watch offering fuzzy guitars and anthemic tunes. What’s not to love?

Leon Bridges - Monday 5th November 2018, O2 Academy Bristol, £20 – Keeping gospel and soul music relevant, Leon Bridges presents a very positive world outlook in his 60s sounding music. This positive vibe makes an impression on listeners.

Consequently, it is worth a trip down to Bristol to check him out live as it is certain to be a feel-good life affirming experience.

Dessa, Monday - 12th November 2018, Hy Brasil Music Club, £12 – One of the most underrated rappers around, Dessa’s latest album Chime is one of the best of the year.

Encompassing elements of pop within her solo work, Dessa is a brilliant lyricist and distinctive performer who addresses what it means to be a woman in modern society. Check her out in this intimate Bristol venue.

GoGo Penguin- Friday 16th November 2018, Royal Welsh College, £19.50 – With a love for electronic dance music and contemporary classical, jazz trio GoGo Penguin fuse these genres into their hypnotic music. With increased production value following their move to Blue Note Records as one of the most exciting bands in the modern British jazz scene, now is a fantastic time to go and see GoGo Penguin.

New Release Tom Auton - Big Little Glass Bowl – Having supported Jack Savettetti at 14 and having won the distinguished under 16 Open Mic UK Award in 2014, Cardiff born Tom Auton’s prestige has been recognised from a young age. Having been one to watch for years Auton has slowly built his sound and has now turned to blues rock. After falling slightly out of love with songwriting, the track Money Man sparked something in Auton, who decided this was to be his new direction. Using crowdfunding platform Rocket Fuel, Auton funded a new EP called Big Little Glass Bowl. Musically the EP falls between Paulo Nutini and James Bay, with single Stay particularly capturing a similar energy to Bay’s debut album Chaos And The Calm. With Big Little Glass Bowl Auton makes the most mature music of his career to date and this is complemented by brilliant production which sounds polished but still maintains its edge. Tom Auton is definitely worth checking out and his new EP is just one small step in the mission to save the worlds ears from over produced pop music.

Local Artist Spotlight Rebecca Hurn – Soft folk and occasional elements of minimalist trap production combine in the music of Rebecca Hurn. This unique blend of traditional and new is one of the things which makes Hurn stand out. Hurn’s writing is very visual, evoking images in the mind which guide you through her emotional narratives. Hailing from Porthcrawl, Hurn represents a local talent worth a listen. This is a claim which is further supported by the fact she won ‘best solo artist’ at this year’s Cardiff Music Awards. You can regularly see her gigging around the Cardiff area, or you can check out her EPs Waves and Lions.

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INTERVIEW WORDS BY: MAX MODELL DESIGN BY: KATIE MAY HUXTABLE PHOTO BY: CHRIS BOLAND / WWW.CHRISBOLAND.COM You wrote, arranged, produced and performed your new album ‘Not Too Far Away’ How important is it for you to be completely in control of your sound?

I have to tell you Max I’ve always had complete control of my music. It’s kind of not a new thing. I was very very lucky when I made my first album in 1972 with Gus Dudgeon. Gus Dudgeon at that time was one of the biggest producers anywhere, he produced Elton John. Elton was, Elton still is one of the biggest artists, but at that time he was selling like, whatever percentage of all records sold. Gus was my first producer and he recognised and understood that I knew what I wanted from my songs. So right from that first album I was able to steer my songs in the way that I wanted. That is a very big thing I say about Gus, because maybe somebody else would’ve said ‘well I’m the big producer and you don’t know what you are doing, so just let me guide everything’, but he didn’t. Very generous guy Gus. Generous right up until his death. So, I was able to always be in control of my music and that’s how it’s always been. When I go into the studio and I’m working with a producer, I’m always involved with the production anyway whether I’m working with a producer or not, I go in with a complete song and exactly what I want from the song. I’ve always played everything on my demos got the arrangements together, so I knew at some point I’d put everything on a record. But it wasn’t until 2003 that I decided to do everything myself on a record. From 2003 until now and probably the new record as well, I don’t know, I’ve done everything myself, I’ve played everything and produced it. But I’ve actually been producing myself since 1986 but playing everything since 2003. I only do it because I think I can do, I feel comfortable doing it, it’s not scary (laughs).

41 MUSIC

That’s fantastic. You say you play all the instruments. Does that mean you have to learn loads of new instruments, say you hear a sound and think you want that on this song, how does that work?

Most songs have bass, guitar, drums and keyboards. I can play the piano and the guitar, I’ve been playing the guitar since I was about 14. You know you want bass on it, so you pick up a bass and try and figure out what you want from it. You think you want mandolin, so you pick up a mandolin and try to figure out what you want from it. Whatever you want to hear, if you think you can have a go at it you do it. This is not peculiar to me. I don’t know any musicians who only plays one instrument. All the musicians I know play more than one instrument. That is because as musicians we are quite curious (laughs).

We want to know what it’s like to do certain things. I can play the drums a little bit, not good enough to play on my records, but I can play the drums. It’s just a matter of curiosity and necessity. I want to hear what that part will sound like, so I try and play it.

The writing on the new album is fantastic as always. You focus on the themes of emotional turmoil and present a realistic portrayal of romance that is still very romantic. Was that the intention?

Yes. I tend to write from observation, but the things that I’m looking at tend to have this real energy to them and I try and capture that. If I am looking at someone going through something, or someone is telling me something about what they are going through, I try and capture that thing. When I write I don’t tend to say he or she, so everyone can be involved, so you could tell me the same thing about that song as a woman could tell me about that song, so everyone gets to be involved in it. I think that is why they come out like that, because they tend to be from something real. But, not necessarily about me. Because I write in the way I write people think everything is about me, but you can’t write that many songs about just you, I think you’d be a bit weird.

This is your 21st record, so you’ve been doing this for a long time. Do you think you’ll ever stop making music and say, ‘you know what I’ve had enough of this and want to do something else?’

I’ll always make music. I have no plans to retire from making music. This is why I’m here. Not everyone knows why they are on this earth, a lot of people are still trying to figure it out, I think I know why I’m here, I’m here to write songs. It is my job with the talent I’ve been blessed with to do the best that I can with it, so that’s what I try and do. I don’t think when I was given this talent there was a time limit set on it, so I’m going to use it to the best of my ability till I’m dead (laughs).

You’ve experimented with many different genres across your career. Are there any genres that you would love to make an album in that you haven’t had the chance to make yet?

No, I tend to do whatever I think I want to do. In 2007 I wanted to do a trilogy of blues rock jazz. So, I did just a blues album called ‘Into the Blues’, you should try and hear that album if you’ve never heard it. Then I did rock with ‘This Charming Life’. And the then the jazz, which is called ‘Starlight’. But throughout all the records I’ve

always incorporated pop, rock, jazz, alternative, a little bit of country, whatever, I just do whatever I think I want to do. I’m never sure if that’s good how I change about, but that’s what I do.

I think it’s worked very well for you.

Thank you so much.

Let’s talk about your Cardiff date. On the 17th October you are coming to St David’s Hall to perform in Cardiff as part of your UK tour. What’s your tour set up going to be?

Let me tell you something, remember I just mentioned into the blues.

Yes. It was actually in Cardiff that I decided to do the trilogy. I wrote down some of the lyrics to one of the tracks on

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’LL ALWAYS MAKE MUSIC. I HAVE NO PLANS TO RETIRE FROM MAKING MUSIC. THIS IS WHY I’M HERE.

there ‘Play the Cardiff. So, what that was the question right?

called Blues’ in can people expect,

Yes, what can people expect from your Cardiff tour date?

People can expect some songs from the new album and of course songs that they have known for a long time like ‘Love and Affection’ and ‘Down to Zero’, things like that. It’s important to me that I can play those songs, because I think it is important for people to hear them.

For instance, ‘Love and Affection’ is the song that got me know all over the world. If I go to Japan, if I go to Berlin, if I go to Toronto, if I go to New York, wherever I go it’s all because of ‘Love and Affection’, so there is no way I’m not going to play that song. I hear some people who don’t want to be associated with the song that got them known and I think they are complete idiots (laughs).

That’s like saying I wish this thing had never happened to me, I wish people hadn’t taken this song to their hearts and allowed me to become somebody known and to do this thing that I love doing. I’m like what are you mad? So, I’m always going to play that song. I’ve played that song at every single tour I’ve ever done. There is no way I’m not going to do it. But the other thing that is important is that I can play new songs and that when

people hear old songs they remember at one time when they heard it, it was the first time they heard it and over the years it’s become a favourite, so they must allow artists to play new songs so that those new songs can become favourites.

I have a feeling ‘Loving What You Hate’ from the new album might just become a favourite.

Is that your favourite?

It’s my favourite from the new album, but I’m a sucker for Love and Affection like most people. One of my favourite things you’ve done is in 2012 you had 56 young local performers open your autumn tour dates.

Tell me about that.

Yes. I did that in 2012, 2014 and 2015. 2012 was that large number and then the other dates went down to 24 I think. That happened because when I would tour anywhere abroad, America, Australia, whereever I would always get a local artist to appear at the gig. Then suddenly it occurred to me in 2011, when I was thinking about the tour, that I’d never done that in the UK. So, I set about finding people. People think that it’s all done by management, but it was something that I did and wanted to do, and I chose the people, it wasn’t done by management. So, if you were from Leeds you played in Leeds and if you were from Birmingham you played in Birmingham. It was great, I absolutely loved doing it and watching people who had played to 10, 50 people suddenly playing to thousands. That’s great and watching the confidence grow as they played, it’s a really nice thing.

What would you say to any young, up and coming artists?

One of the most important things for anyone trying to get into music, or any creative thing, is to be true to yourself and know if you are actually good at that thing.

It’s no good saying I want to be a great singer and sing Carnegie Hall if you are not very good (laughs). You’ve got to actually be honest about how good you are. Once you’ve got that and you are confident with being good just go for it. Just try any way you can, start singing in pubs if you have to, sing for your family, do whatever you have to do, form a band, try and get gigs around the place. If you think you want to write, you wouldn’t know if you can write unless you try it. Don’t spend time thinking you are going to be useless, have a go. If you are true to yourself from the start and think that’s working, then just do it. That’s really all I can say to people really.

One final question. This is your 21st album now, which makes for quite a daunting back catalogue for anyone who is new to your music. Where would you recommend someone who has never listened to you before to start?

I would steer them to probably four albums; Joan Armatrading, Into the Blues, this album [Not too Far Away] and The Shouting Stage. Those are the four I would steer them to because I think it gives representation. If that’s not enough, then go to one of the greatest hits type of things, which will give you a flavour. I wouldn’t know which one to recommend as I’m never really involved with those, it’s the record company doing that.

Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to seeing you in October.

42

cardiff gig venues DESIGN BY: KATIE MAY HUXTABLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY: TYRON FRANCIS

43 MUSIC

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The Moon – by Meg Sharma

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With a performance space barely the size of your living room, Gwdihŵ is small in stature but boasts an eclectic mix of live bands and DJs, as well as regular live comedy and open mic nights. A vibrant cornerstone of Cardiff ’s alternative music scene since its establishment in 2008, the venue wears its individuality on its sleeve, with a brightly painted exterior, down-to-earth, independent spirit and welcoming atmosphere (and, coincidentally, one of the finest and cosiest beer gardens in all of Cardiff…). Don’t be put off by the lack of space - Gwdihŵ’s size plays to its strengths, in that it is complementary both to more hushed, acoustic acts alongside those that are more raucous and in-your-face; together with other smaller venues in Cardiff, it carries an unrivalled level of intimacy which cannot be achieved in a stadium-level gig. Genres on offer range from folk to punk to hip-hop to jazz. It caters to a diverse range of musical tastes and appeals to many different types of music fan – you might not necessarily come across the biggest names here, but go along and you may discover your new favourite band!

Acts on the bill come from near and far, and the venue works with a range of promoters to bring a myriad of musical treasures to audiences. Look out for Leeds garage punks Nervous Twitch, who play Gwdihŵ on Thursday 25th October.

The Moon in Cardiff is like no other. The venue regularly hosts free gigs and club nights (with live music), so you really can’t lose. Limited to a capacity of 150, you never know what magical event will happen next week, and you may just miss something that will go down in history.

The Moon is genre-less, meaning one night could be art-punk, with reggae-metal fusion the next. As a result, there is always something for everyone, as well as the chance to discover something new. Home of ‘Green Sh*t’, a mystery concoction that comes in a mason jar, the Moon is also the home of a friendly community. They regularly run networking events for locals in the music industry, including chances for women and non-binary people to learn from the best in the industry. Run by The Creative Republic of Cardiff, the Moon has played a huge part in creating a supportive culture in Womanby Street.

They aim to make the venue a safe space for everyone, with the money you spend going back into supporting the local community. The Moon has weekly free club nights on Friday and Saturday, which should definitely be considered as an alternative night out. It is also one of the regular venues for local festivals such as Hub Festival and Sŵn Festival. Be sure to look out for their month of free gigs in January!

Tramshed, a Grade II listed former Tram depot, is one of the city’s leading music and arts venues, and although it is host to some of the hottest gigs of the year, it offers so much more than just your regular concert. Past performances include shows from some of the country’s fastest-rising bands, such as stand-out gigs from the likes of Sundara Karma and The Sherlocks last year, as well as appearances from music legends such as Shaggy and Chaka Khan. Tramshed has only been open since the end of 2015, but has already become a firm favourite amongst locals. The venue has such a wide variety of events on that there’s sure to be something to appeal to everyone. From all-day raves, food and drink festivals, to the biggest rival to Bingo Lingo… Bongo’s Bingo!

Tramshed even houses its very own cinema, kitted out with 48 first class seats from a British Airways plane complete with fold down tables. Located just outside the city centre near the Principality Stadium, this venue is well worth going the extra mile for. Gigs to watch out for include singer-songwriter Tom Walker on the 21st October and alt-rock band Enter Shikari on the 4th December, plus events such as club night Foreverland on the 3rd November. The venue even has a bar on site, so, if you get the chance, head down to Tramshed.

The Globe –

by Max Modell

Clwb Ifor Bach –

by Cadi Thomas

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A former cinema dating back to 1914, The Globe has evolved into one of Cardiff ’s premiere music venues.

Opening in 2008 (3 months after the closure of The Point), The Globe has played an important role in sustaining Cardiff ’s music scene throughout a challenging 10year period. The Globe has not been excluded from challenges, risking closure in 2010 and having to close for 8 weeks for soundproofing work after noise complaints.

The venue had to close temporarily again in 2011 for refurbishment but has survived. Located in Roath, The Globe hosts a combination of legendary bands from the 60s, 70s and 80s, up and coming acts and tribute bands.

A stable 350 capacity venue with a catalogue of a strong calibre for a venue of its size, the Globe is split between standing floor and balcony - it has a great energy when sold out. Sell out gigs from recent times include Fickle Friends, Royal Blood, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Jess Glynne. The venue was also nominated for Best Commercial Venue at the Cardiff Music Awards 2018 and has an exciting upcoming catalogue including We Are the Scientists, Freyda Ridings, Ultimate Bowie and Sunflower Bean. The Globe is a pillar of the local music scene and is a venue worth supporting. In return, it will offer you some great bands and a guaranteed good time.

Clwb Ifor Bach, ‘Welsh Club’, or simply ‘Clwb’, has come a long way since its days as a members-only Welsh language social club of the 1980s. Located on the winding narrow alley of Womanby Street (an accredited location in the Cardiff Music Scene), and seeped in history, Clwb is now a firm favourite amongst students and locals alike due to its eclectic mix of live music, club nights and comedy. While Welsh unquestionably remains as Clwb’s mother tongue, the venue welcomes punters from all walks of life, ages and nationalities.

Friday’s ‘Seventy Times 7’, pinned as Cardiff ’s favourite alt-party, and Saturday’s beloved Dirty Pop three-genre extravaganza, invariably draws in the crowds. There aren’t many places in Cardiff where you can dance to David Bowie, S Club and Curtis Mayfield all under one roof. Over the decades, thousands of bands have graced Clwb’s three stages, including The Strokes, Coldplay and LCD Soundsystem, all of whom have the prestige of their names featured on the wall of Clwb favourites past and present. The venue has helped nurture and inspire young artists from Cardiff and beyond since it opened and is a well-established part of many of these bands’ histories, including Super Furry Animals, Catatonia and Gorky Zycotic Mynci. Looking for more than chart music this freshers? Then Clwb is where you need to be.

Events to look out for include Westerman on the 13th October, Flasher on the 6th November and Just Jack on the 8th November.

We students have a somewhat negative reputation for liking raucous music which is simply loud noise to others. In fact, if you are anything like me, many students actually have an eclectic taste in music, enjoying a wide array of genres. Luckily for me and you, being a student in Cardiff gives us the opportunity to experience a plethora of genres in centrally located venues! One venue which often escapes the attention of students is the 2000-seat St. David’s Hall. Whether you are into pop, opera, plays, rock, comedy, folk, musicals, dance, classical, films and more, there is something for everyone. For example, this October, the medley of performances includes Ross Noble, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Bowie, The Proclaimers, Van Morrison, James Martin, and Caro Emerald to name but a few! Wherever you are seated in the auditorium, whether stalls near the stage or tiers higher-up, the sound you experience is great, as the theatre boasts some of the best acoustics in Europe. Cardiff University’s Chamber and Symphony Chorus and Orchestras perform here if you are interested in supporting fellow students in concert. The best news is, if you are a 16-25-year-old, you can sign up for REACT, a music and drama club offering seats at a discounted price, both at St. David’s Hall and New Theatre. Outstanding performances in the heart of Cardiff, at reduced prices…what will you see first?!

44

Kayne West’s eighth aalbum is one that was expected, but could never be predicted. predict 7 diverse songs amalgamated into a short and sweet 23 minutes. m It is the first album to strip nature of West’s behaviour back and portray the outlandish o hospitalisation in 2016, as well as the reflection since his hospitalisatio within himself that has happened since. and development with into the rebirth of West; his These 7 songs are a snapshot sn own summer season, p post re-birthing in spring. The result is a summer album which is both innovative and reflective.

The tracks alternate from contemplating murder in ‘I Thought About Killing You’, discussing his bipolar nature in ‘Yikes’, an apology to his wife Kim Kardashian in ‘Wouldn’t Leave’, and his daughter in ‘Violent Crimes’. Kanye used this summer album to strip back his self-righteous and pretentious façade and deliver an incredibly candid album that sheds light on his personal life, similar to the way that the sun heals all in summertime. This album from front to back is West’s journey from darkness into the new summer’s day dawning.

The simplicity of the album cover delves further than ever expected once researched. The serene landscape on the front cover that is scrawled over was shot on the day of the album’s launch party by West, who labels it with the message ‘I hate being Bi-Polar it’s awesome’. This last-minute nature is again seen when 070 Shake admits that her iconic verse in ‘Ghost Town’ was recorded on the day of release. The lastminute feeling that West attaches to the album, suggesting perhaps that it was finished in the nick of time, may seem hasty and rushed, however if this is so, nothing is lost in the process.

The all-bearing rock chorus sung by 070 Shake in ‘Ghost Town’ perfectly captures what summer represents. As the 20-year-old sings with genuine heart, ‘I feel kinda free’, every listener understands that this is the purpose of the album. Ye encapsulates the freedom that comes from selfreflection. This moment shines in the album, listeners are reminded of what summer is; the nostalgic thrill of feeling the sun on your face and the grass under your feet.

Complete freedom.

By Kiana Stevens

DESIGN BY: ASHLEY BOYLE

45

band. It is a follow-up of their previous creation, Humanz, which came out only a year prior. The Now Now is in essence the complete opposite of Humanz, a guest-heavy release that, overall, was very different from the band’s usual sound. This time Damon Albarn (the mastermind behind the Gorillaz) makes a conscious attempt to go back to the roots with a succinct track list and fewer featuring artists. The album definitely benefits from this, being free of the filler songs and having a stronger level of composition than its predecessor.

By Anastasia Kropotina

The LP, however, is still relatively distant from the expected blend of rock, techno and hip-hop, mostly adapting a nostalgic disco vibe with occasional influence from synth-pop and glam rock. It perfectly captures the feel of summer, carrying the atmosphere of optimism and, contrarily enough, West Coast melancholy from the first track to the last. Yet even

For the past two years, since the release of their ambitious album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, I have been notso-patiently waiting for new material from Florence and the Machine. So, needless to say, when I caught wind of the band’s plans to drop a new album this June I pre-ordered my copy almost immediately. I was not disappointed.

High As Hope is a joy to listen to from start to finish. In comparison to their last album, High As Hope certainly carries a more positive and, well, hopeful tone. Like their previous album, High As Hope provides us with a glimpse of Welch’s own, untamed emotions. This is certainly evident in the songs, ‘South London Forever’, ‘Hunger’ and ‘Sky Full of Song’, which offer a somewhat stripped-back contemplation of the emotions and fears tackled in previous albums. ‘Big God’ is my personal favourite track on the album; the main reason being that I don’t think I’ve quite heard anything like it before. Talking of the song, Florence says it’s about ‘an un-fillable hole in the soul, but mainly about someone not replying to my text’. I feel that this sums up the song perfectly: for all its theatrics, the song quite literally can mean as much or as little as you want, and that’s what I like most about it.

then, the album, in a true Gorillaz fashion, manages to tackle some serious themes. ‘Humility’ (with soul artist George Benson on guitar) implicitly addresses Brexit, while ‘Hollywood’ (featuring Snoop Dogg on vocals) makes a commentary on the ups and downs of making it in the Tinsel Town. Other noteworthy compositions include the Bowie-esque ‘Tranz’ and ‘Magic City’, as well as ‘Lake Zurich’ (arguably the best instrumental Gorillaz song yet).

The Now Now is the perfect soundtrack to this summer, as it offers a much-needed reflection on the events that happened over the year and provides a reprieve from the anxiety inducing pressure of it all. The simple, upbeat songs draw images of the Venice Beach palm trees and roller rink parties, layering Valencia filter over the listener’s eyes. Unlike Humanz, it doesn’t have the same jarring doomsday vibe, opting to acknowledge the dreary state of today’s politics and remaining an essentially happy record, as if in spite of it.

Lily Allen’s talent has been undoubtable since she released her debut album twelve years ago. With catchy songs and potentially dark themes Allen charmed the music world, and many of us will remember the joys of listening to slightly outrageous lyrics under the guise of upbeat and harmless pop. Fast-forward to the present day and Allen has not only developed as a musician, but also changed as a person. Here we listen to the woes of a thirty-three-year-old divorcee with demons and troubles far more serious than those of a twenty-year-old. Musicians must develop their music and yet this feels like the most Lily Allen album there has been to date. Allen has even criticised some of her previous music, especially her last album, which can be considered as less Allen and more her label. Yet, with No Shame Allen unapologetically addresses serious issues hidden behind the curtain of light and breezy music, aided only by her calming and yet commanding vocals. After a summer of listening to so many ‘feel good’ tunes No Shame is harsh and realistic, without weighing too heavily on the listener.

Despite this, I do feel that High As Hope is not as experimental as some of their previous albums, notably How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful and Ceremonials, and does lack some of the character that makes these albums so unique. Nevertheless, the simple, stripped-back quality of this album makes it perfect for summer listening.

Songs such as ‘June’ and ‘Patricia’ radiate positivity, while ‘South London Forever’ and ‘Sky Full of Song’ are peaceful accompaniments to an afternoon spent in the garden. High As Hope has definitely earned its place on my Spotify summer rotation for 2018!

Allen’s album glides from song to song seamlessly, without too much strain or effort. Conquering such topics as divorce, adultery and substance abuse, Allen uses nostalgia to express certain emotions of regret. Allen has produced an album full of easy to listen to tunes and it couldn’t be more difficult to select stand out songs. Personal favourites include ‘Trigger Bang’ where Allen discusses her younger days of raves, drugs and waking ‘up next to strangers’, yet as the song progresses Allen reveals that even as she has got older these habits have continued. ‘My One’ is a classic Allen tune combining a catchy and repetitive beat with adult lyrics, and is another standout track which listeners can look forward to as the album curtails to a suitable close. The fact that Lily Allen is only thirty-three seems unbelievable, but equally unbelievable is how far this talented vocalist has come from singing about her younger brother staying in bed all day, to opening up about motherhood and marriage.

Once again Allen has charmed us and this album is a definite for all music lovers.

By Beth Griffiths

By Jack Vavasour

MUSIC

The Now Now is the latest studio album by the virtual

46

A CAREER IN THE

INDUSTRY WORDS BY: DANNY BROWN DESIGN BY: KATIE MAY HUXTABLE

A career in the music industry: on hearing that, your mind will understandably jump straight to either an artist or a producer. However, there are so many other roles which are just as important within the industry.

The band (or artist) manager is one of the key positions in the music industry. They have been necessary since the beginning, their role hasn’t changed much, but their importance has increased immensely. Their job is essentially to prevent their artist from getting treated unfairly by the rest of the industry. Managers speak on behalf of the artists to agents, publishers, promoters and the record label. They make sure the artists don’t have to worry so much about the business side of the industry.

Starting at the most obvious, getting involved as an artist is by far one of the more popular “jobs” in the industry. It used to be that you had to start with gigging at your local pub and work your way up from there, getting more and more recognition and eventually, your notoriety (and luck) might get you noticed by an A&R (artist and repertoire) representative. However, with the help of the internet and huge outreach of social media sites, the process of gaining recognition and notoriety has changed significantly.

Being an A&R representative isn’t only about being a talent scout, it’s their job to find an artist, but it’s also their job to build them up and add to their potential before presenting them to managers and producers.

A&R representatives, before the rise of the internet and social media, would search and find talent in small music venues and keep track of the ones they thought were particularly good, and then approach them. Now, however, their job is easier in some ways, but harder in others. Because of the accessibility to a wide audience with no limitations of geographical location, a lot more time is spent finding talent through places like YouTube and SoundCloud. Artists discovered this way include Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes and Tori Kelly.

Music producers are probably a good thing to mention,

given their direct connection to every other area discussed already, but also because of their importance in the whole industry. The role of the producer is just as creative as the artists’, they give guidance during the recording, coordinate the sessions and musicians and, ultimately, work with the artists to realise their ideas. A lot of musicians are producers in their own rights, such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, Beyoncé and Madonna.

Maybe you aren’t so much the creative type, but you want to get involved with the actual recording.

Sound technicians (also known as studio or recording technicians) set up the equipment for the recording studios or prepare venues for the artists. There is a lot of cross-over for engineers in the music industry; setting up live sound equipment on a stage is actually very similar to setting up recording equipment in a studio.

All the roles described so far are generally the more commonly known ones, but they also happen to be the more sought-after posts and, hence, they are the harder jobs to get in the music industry. However, there are so many other roles that need to be filled in order for the industry to function and grow. Studios and venues (depending on size) will often hire people for instrument repair and tuning. The field of Music Therapy is growing and there is a lot of research to be done. Getting involved in music through radio or TV broadcasting has always been a solid career option. Music journalism is a huge industry in itself!

In short, because the music industry, and the jobs within it, are so wide and varying, no matter what your degree subject is or what you’re interested in (other than music) there will be a career path you can follow that can get you involved, not necessarily as the face of the music, but the backbone behind it and that doesn’t make those jobs any less important.

47

a new growing trend ??

“Your eyebrows are sisters, not twins” is a phrase we’ve often read in beauty magazines and heard in movies, TV shows, and make-over reality programmes.

Following the example of Drew Barrymore and Kate Moss in the 90s, it became trendy for women to have pencil-thin, frequently plucked eyebrows, to the point where they would almost disappear. It has been a common theme over the years for women to be scrutinised over their appearance and feel pressured beautiful at the time. to change according to what society has deemed orr bold eyebr eyebrows, Whether it is ‘in’ to have thin no b ows, or to wear your hair long or short, all those trends have always more than reminded females that there can’t be one definition of what beautiful is.

Take Frida Kahlo, for instance, whose bold unibrow has become an iconic part of her image. A true revolutionary in both her art and political beliefs, Frida’s choice to keep her unibrow has been a symbol of resistance against the traditional notion of femininity and beauty; it was her way of standing her ground and remaining true to what she believed in. And, while in the has signified unattractiveness for many years, Western world the monobrow h considered a symbol of femininity and purity. in other cultures it is actually co women have been purposefully darkening the area In Tajikistan, for example, wome achieve the desired look, just as we would paint our between their eyebrows to achiev nails red or carefully trim the hairs hai growing in a direction opposite from what society has deemed acceptable.

In recent years, we’ve witnessed a revolution in the beauty industry, with celebrities, and multiple make up brands embracing the bolder, more natural eyebrow look. 2018, however, has been the year where designers and social media have personalities decided to take the trend one step further by bringing back the unibrow.

During Gucci’s Fall 2018 show, two of the models walked the runway with unibrows which had been strongly emphasised drawn on with makeup, sparking the conversation around the possibility of a new beauty trend.

Beauty trends, whether perceived as attractive or not, are just another way for on women. Nowadays, most of us can’t society to impose its idea of beauty bea express our true selves through our appearance. muster the confidence to expre However, change is coming, with social media offering a platform where beauty colours and sizes. can be showcased in all shapes, co

The unibrow trend, however, is certainly not a recent beauty craze.

One example, promising to shake up the traditional perspective on #Unibrowmovement. Instagram, known as the birthplace womanhood, is the #Unibrowmo sometimes extreme beauty trends, is also the place of many innovative and sometim where the Unibrow movement began and gained its following. With more #Unibrow tag, women have come together to than 80,000 posts under the #U celebrate their love for the single eyebrow look. One of the most popular faces of this new movement is Sophia Hadjipanteli, who has amassed a significant strongly emphasised unibrow and by starting the following by showcasing her stro #unibrowmovement hashtag.

The unibrow movement can be considered a part of the wider body hair generation, which aims to teach young girls and women movement led by our generation that the naturally-growing hair on o our bodies is nothing to be ashamed of. I still remember begging my mum to t pluck my dark, unruly eyebrows, after being However, today, I am grateful that she did not made fun of for them in school. H me that I shouldn’t be ashamed of the allow me to do so and, instead, taught t way I look, just because someone else doesn’t understand it. By redefining the meaning of natural body hair, many ma women today challenge the status-quo and accepting your body for all its little imperfections and prove that self-love means accepti quirks; that make us who we are. While everyone is entitled to their opinion on showcased or not, it is encouraging to see women whether body hair should be show typical aesthetic standards. who refuse to comply to the typic interesting is that it goes further What makes the unibrow movement m Just like it was Frida’s way of not letting the than a fashion trend. Ju what she believed in, the unibrow today acts world change her or w statement against the stereotypical ideas of what as a political state women should look and behave like. It comes with a promise for increased diversity and new ways to appreciate beauty.

Whether as a form of self-expression, or a desire to follow the latest beauty trends, having a unibrow should concern only the person choosing to ditch shoul the tweezers and rock the look. Nevertheless, it is more than empowering to see more women feeling confident and comfortable in their fe bodies’ natural state. b So, eyebrows of all shapes and sizes- unite!

It is the beginning of a new era, in which women are finally breaking free from the fabricated social norms that have been keeping us hostage for centuries.

WORDS BY: YANA MILCHEVA DESIGN BY: KATIE MAY HUXTABLE

FASHION & BEAUTY

is the unibrow movement

48

Five steps to a Flawless freshers WORDS BY: RALLI PE TROVA DESIGN BY: ORLAGH TURNER

When you get accepted into university, everyone is quick to tell you about the struggles of cooking your own food and dealing with lazy flatmates. They prepare you for a year of nights out and falling asleep in 9am lectures. What they fail to give you advice on is how to still look, and feel good, despite spending your last fiver on cheesy chips on a Wednesday night. Well freshers, never fear. This is the ultimate guide to budget shopping for all things fashion and beauty. A new outfit doesn’t always have to break the bank, so go on and treat yourself!

1.

SKINCARE: BACK TO BASICS.

We often hear that skincare is something you should splurge on, but quality alternatives exist on the high street for a fraction of the price. Regardless of gender and age, a basic skincare routine consists of a cleanser, micellar water (or make up remover, if you wear it), an exfoliator and a moisturiser. To keep things simple and cheap, choose a cleanser and moisturiser which can be used both day and night. Micellar waters are amazing if you wear make up or just as an extra cleanse as they remove all dirt, so no excuse for going to bed with a full face after a night out! If your skin is dry, Boot’s No7 range has heaps of products to help leave your face baby soft, without breaking the bank. If you battle with oily skin and acne, or an alcohol-induced breakout, The Body Shop’s tea tree range helps to clear your skin with natural ingredients. When looking for an extra treat, a face mask is the answer. There are many DIY’s online, but Boots offer packet and sheet masks for as little as £1. With many quality products on the market, taking care of your skin doesn’t have to come with a heavy price tag.

2.

MAKE UP 101.

Since coming over to the UK, NYX has been taking the country by storm. They have a huge variety of shades from standard wearable browns to vivid crazy colours. NYX’s lip and eye ranges are standouts from their line in terms of colours, quality and price. Their single eyeshadows start from just £2.50 so if you have a fancy dress social coming up or just want to experiment with colour, you can do so for less than the price of a meal deal. The famous Liquid Suede lipsticks come in intense blue, purple and metallic hues as well as more wearable nudes- plus they won’t weigh you down at just £7 a pop.

If you’re looking for quality dupes of high end products, Revolution is another brilliant budget beauty brand. Exclusive to Superdrug, their bronzers and highlighters start at just £3 for the single pans and palettes of 8 shades can retail for as low as £4! Revolution is also famous for its eyeshadow palettes which nearly all retail for under £10 and usually have over 20 shades to choose from. They have recently come out with a ‘Pro’ section, which features an expanded range of professional quality products, such as pore minimising primers and shade adjusting foundation drops to add to your basic makeup collection.

Whether it’s colourful eyeshadows or a new highlighter, single digit prices means trying a new look for a night out is achievable for everyone.

49 FASHION & BEAUTY

3. FASHION STAPLES. Clothing can be a struggle for many as cheaper shops often don’t cater for all body shapes. Although there are some style steals to be found for under a tenner (see tip 5), it is often best to splurge on a few well-fitting basics that you will wear all year round. The three main basics worth spending your cash on are a sturdy pair of jeans, a dress you can take from day to night and a warm coat for the colder months. Topshop is the queen of all things denim as they are one of the few high street shops to offer waist and length sizes in inches, and with a bunch of styles and washes, there is something for everyone.

Grab a plain pair in your favourite wash that you can wear day to day for lectures or dress up with a sparkly crop top for the weekend. For a versatile dress, Urban Outfitters offer loads of well made retro basics. A t-shirt and a pair of Converse for the day and some statement earrings (Primark’s jewellery section is bomb) gives you two outfits for the price of one. For warm outerwear, Zara and New Look killed it with this style last year, and there’s no doubt that they will have an amazing selection again this winter.

4.

BEAUTY BUDGETING.

We have discussed what brands offer the best cheap make up but there are plenty of other ways to save when you want to try something new. Getting a Boots card will make a massive difference to your make up shop. Points rack up fast and there’s always coupons which give you extra points when you spend a certain amount/buy a certain product. Also, Boots have different offers on constantly such as 3 for 2 on make up and skincare items, making it the ideal place to grab your essentials. At the end of the year when you’ve saved up all your points, you can then use them to treat yourself to something after all your hard budgeting (and uni work of course). If beauty websites are more your thing, Beauty Bay have a bunch of high end and cheaper brands like Morphe. They offer a constant student discount, offers, and have a clearance section so you can try non-high street brands without fear.

5.

FASHION BUDGETING.

It’s difficult to find a good all-around shop for all occasions, so here are three to cover all bases.

Primark is the cult budget high street shop, but it can take a while to find something worth buying.

The underwear and jewellery section are the best places to spend, with bras and bralettes starting at £3 in their sale rail. The men’s underwear and sock selections are the same, with multipacks of both for under a fiver.Primark’s jewellery is always on trend, with statement earrings and rose gold necklaces starting at only £1.50. In the last few years, New Look have completely stepped up their game. They are one of the best budget places to shop for the newest fashion for every day and occasion wear, and they always offer a student discount. Trousers and tops are what they do best, so switch up your usual jeans for a comfier style in lectures. Finally, for all your night out needs, Pretty Little Thing is the best online fashion retailer for glam and cool pieces you won’t find elsewhere.

With constant student discount and promotions like free next day delivery, you don’t need to shop their sales (which are always good, although the ‘size’ filter doesn’t always work). PLT have a Petite, Plus and Shape range too, so you don’t have to struggle with the high street’s definition of what a size 12 should be. Overall, these three retailers are the best places to start with your fresher wardrobe, offering style and practicality to suit every shape and every budget.

Saving money can be tricky for freshers, but these simple steps show that you can strip it back and still look good. Be practical with your purchases and choose things you will wear in a variety of ways, but don’t let that stand in your way of experimenting with new styles. With so many cheap options available on the high street, you don’t have to choose between a new top and filling the fridge for a week!

50

s

LAYERS

witching off the aggressive shrill of your alarm at 7.30am on a Monday morning, only to be greeted by the glare of a miserable Autumn sky is enough to make anyone stay in bed and start up Netflix. There’s nothing like the inner turmoil that comes with easing yourself out of the comforting grip of your duvet into a dreary Cardiff downpour; only to find that all of your umbrellas are broken, your most stylish coats have a serious lack of hood flaw and that Welsh weather insists on pissing all over you for the entirety of the 20-minute walk to your seminar.

Even on the fortunate chance of the sun paying a visit, if you’re anything like me, you’ll typically receive a message from your friends stating that they were up until four a.m and they aren’t going to be there to accompany you today. The sheer thought of dealing with your lecturer’s poor attempt at humour alone is enough to send you into hibernation for a month. But fear not, after learning that my friend lacked the ability to wake up before three in the afternoon, I’ve become well experienced in learning all the tricks on how to make that commute to University a little less painful and a little more stylish.

PODCASTS Discovering podcasts was an absolute life-saver when it came down to helping my commute feel a little less dreary. Having spent all my money on late night pick n mix, there was no way my bank account was going to stretch to accommodate Spotify premium for all my listening needs. I was so fed up of being unable to skip the dreadful suggested tracks that Spotify was forcing upon me that finding an assortment of podcasts couldn’t have come at a better time. The free podcast app that had been hidden in one of my many iPhone folders hosts podcasts for everyone and everything. Whether you’re into conspiracies, murder mysteries or even baking – it has it all. But today I’m going to share some fashion favourites with you that might give your commute both style and substance.

Fashion No Filter, by fashion journalists Camille Charriere and Monica Ainley, was my first fashion podcast find. With close-knit discussions and intimate interviews, the pair look a little deeper into the different ways in which our Fashion Industry manoeuvres itself.

Each episode delves into a different topic or issue, featuring numerous different speakers from within the field.

Sophia Amoruso, founder of fashion brand Nasty Gal, leads her own podcast titled Girlboss Radio, in which she interviews a variety of women whom she describes as “boundary-pushing”, touching on concepts of female empowerment within the industry. This podcast features talks with a variety of women including writer Rupi Kaur and Sex and the City’s very own Sarah Jessica Parker.

WORDS & DESIGN BY: KATIE MAY HUXTABLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY: BECKY WARD

As aforementioned, Cardiff weather is umbrella-proof.

In my first three weeks at University, I must have made my way through about 4 umbrellas. The savage wind and rain combo was enough to snap any brolly whatever its price. I soon worked out that my suede coat wouldn’t have much life left in it after returning home for the fifth time looking as if I’d been for a swim rather than a seminar. For those winter months and spring showers, a raincoat to shove over the top of your outfit choice will save your freshly straightened hair from changing from delight to fright.

Even if the rain does (occasionally) cease, the cold can be bitter and I often found myself feeling frozen on my walk to and from University buildings. Layers is honestly the answer to this. My saviour came in the form of oversized coats and winter jumpers. When sat in a sweaty lecture hall it’s easy to lose layers, but if you’re shivering whilst walking down Cardiff ’s streets you’ll kick yourself for not wrapping yourself up in that extra jumper. Another fighter of the cold are touchscreen gloves that allow you to use your phone, meaning that you can play your podcasts without your fingers feeling like they may fall off.

BAGS A final challenge as a commuter is the search for the bag that ticks every box. Something that looks fashionable, isn’t accessible to pick-pockets, is comfy, and will fit your laptop, mid-lecture snack and a big bottle of water with ease. I started the Autumn term with a big leather bag from Oliver Bonas. Oliver Bonas, although a little on the pricey side, do have super quality bags that will not only last for what feels like forever, but are also such a perfect size. However, in saying this, there’s only one bag that I think is the real winner in this situation. Rather than fishing out on something more expensive, I urge you to try a tote.

I was blessed with my first tote bag when I picked it up for a fiver in Tiger as a way to carry my shopping home.

It then became my sturdy partner on shopping trips to Tesco and I soon used it as a trusty sidekick for daily lectures. Although it’s only made of canvas, it seems to have the ability to carry everything from a laptop to that spare raincoat you’ve been holding. Having used it for almost a year now I am yet to see even a fray. Those things are seriously strong.

As hard as we may wish, we don’t have the ability to change rain to sun or a 9 a.m. start to a 1pm. But there are so many different things to do, whether you walk, bus, or drive, to change your commute to make it seem less of a chore. I hope some of these tips come in useful in making your journey a little more bearable. Who knows, although unlikely, you may even enjoy it more than a morning in bed!

51 FASHION & BEAUTY

Is minimalism still alive ?

................................................

Over the past 5 years I’ve been exploring the fashion of minimalism. My first glimpse happened to be in my mum’s closet. She was always the opposite of me: knowing her own taste and style, modest but loving colour and shapes. Yet I never knew what my style was until I entered my mid-teenage years. At the age of 16, I started to look into the fashion of the 1980’s-90’s and tried to incorporate particular details into my own style.

Eventually, I discovered black and filled up my closet with it, as well as starting to mix up some patterns (stripes became my guilty obsession). Maximalism finally faded and I turned to the quality, shades of colour and shape. It’s fun to get back to the times when young people tended to fit into boxes and label themselves by their style. Now, I see a rapid spread of diversity and mix & match culture that definitely brings more choices and options to make a change in our wardrobes.

What is the first thing that pops in your head when you hear the word ‘minimalism’? Empty, black, white, dull?

This is a possibility. Personally, I’ve seen minimalist fashion and lifestyle as classy, smart and mature. Perhaps these were the elements that I needed to get to know and give a try. However, I still want to raise the question, is minimalism still alive? Due to the rapid changes in fashion, new trends and influencers, does minimalist fashion still keep up with modern society? Well, my answer is 100% yes! Today I want to explore minimalist lifestyle and how it influences minimalist fashion.

involves an ‘investment’ to clothing, willingness to pay more for the quality, particular brand or the longevity of the product. Slow fashion is another aspect of sustainability. It is a movement against global mass market and consumerism, it is attention to the garments and a focus to the process of making the material. This whole movement sheds light to the consciousness and awareness of our surroundings and preservation of the environment.

Currently, slow fashion brands such as Patagonia, Eileen Fisher and even H&M’s principle of ConsciousSustainable Style, are rapidly growing and being publicly recognised by today’s influencers. Moreover, it is noticeable that sustainable brands are shifting their focus to the practicality and minimalist touch of clothing. For instance, H&M Conscious-Sustainable Style produces a spectrum of white, blue, green and black colours, as well as bringing more casual and classy wear dominated by simple patterns. One of the small Dutch brands, Kings of Indigo, concentrates on denim production and new sustainable ways to create denim wear. Again, you can see a brand’s choice to manufacture clothing inspired by minimalism: there is an emphasis on strict lines, faded colours and stripes. Clearly, conscious shopping and slow fashion plays a great part in maintaining minimalism and implementing it in various brands.

The second concept that keeps minimalism thriving is minimalist lifestyle, which is quite similar to sustainability. In 2010, American activists, authors and public speakers, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, began pursuing minimalist lifestyles and launched their website called The Minimalists. The website focuses on topics such as simple living, health,

.................................

In the age of consumerism, there is a growing community of individuals who are seeking sustainable fashion and lifestyles. That’s where responsible shopping and slow fashion comes in. Responsible shopping

relationships and personal growth. Authors of this website define minimalism as ‘a tool that can assist you in finding freedom from fear, worry, overwhelm or guilt’.

Joshua and Ryan address today’s issue of us assigning meaning to our stuff, giving too much meaning to our commodities and materials. They state that minimalism ‘simply allows us to make these decisions more consciously, more deliberately’.

In regard to clothing, minimalists do not have a sentimental attachment towards their clothing.

Nowadays, we tend to attach ourselves to our favourite clothing or accessories, by wanting to complete our outfits and/or particular styles. Moreover, we also have a tendency to keep buying stuff via online platforms or in sales. However, this does not teach us consciousness but ‘helps’ us only to grow our piles of unnecessary things that still do not fulfil us. I think we need to stop and think, do we actually need all of the things that we own?

Do they have any value in our lives?

So, getting back to the initial question, is minimalism still alive? I still do believe that is not only alive, but it is actually thriving with new ideas and perspectives.

Due to the high consumption, people are looking for alternative ways to change their lifestyles and contribute to the preservation of the environment. Minimalism not only improves our physical and mental health, but it also gives a more diverse sense and understanding of fashion, it pushes us away from maximalism and helps us to see deeper meaning of minimalism.

WORDS BY: RIMANTE BIVAINYTE DESIGN BY: KATIE MAY HUXTABLE

52

Models: Ralli Petrova & Sam Capper

Make-up: Karisa Hermawan

Photography: Luisa Dcm

53

Apply eyeshadow primer on the eyelid. Using a fluffy brush, apply a pink-toned brown matte eyeshadow on the crease.

Put some liquid glitter eyeshadow on the back of your hand. Use a small brush to apply it all over the lid.

Blend towards the crease. If there is glitter fallout, brush lightly with a powder brush.

Apply eyeliner onto the lash line with a black liquid liner.

Apply foundation all over the face with a brush or sponge.

Apply concealer under the eye. Blend out with brush or sponge.

Set the face with translucent powder and a powder brush. You can choose to set your entire face with powder, or you can only set the oily areas of your face and leave the rest.

Apply a brick brown eyeshadow to the lower lash line with a small brush.

Apply mascara to the lashes.

Apply a matte bronzer to the hollows of the cheeks and to the hairline with an angled brush.

Apply a muted pink blusher to the apples of the cheeks.

Apply powdered highlighter to the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, cupid’s bow and chin. (You don’t have to apply it everywhere if you don’t want to!)

Apply a matte dark pink lipstick on the centre of your lips. Blend it to the outer part of your lips with a brush, giving a blurred effect with no harsh lines.

FASHION & BEAUTY

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Brush brow hairs upwards with a spoolie. With a thin brow pencil, draw hair-like strokes following the natural shape of your brows. Brush them out with a spoolie.

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1 2 3 4 5 6

Brush brow hairs upwards with a spoolie. Draw light hair-like strokes on the brows with a thin brow pencil. Brush it out with a spoolie.

Apply a light brown shadow all over eyelids. Blend towards crease.

Apply a light coat of mascara on the eyelashes.

With an angled brush, apply bronzer onto the hollows of the cheeks.

Apply a stick highlighter onto the cheekbones, bridge of the nose and sides of the face. Blend out with ge s. fingers.

Apply a tinted lip balm with h the colour of your desire to thee lips.

55 FASHION & BEAUTY

On Sam:

On Ralli:

• Nyx Micro Brow Pencil in Espresso • Max Factor False Lash Epic mascara • Makeup Geek eyeshadow in Creme Brulee • Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer • Glossier Haloscope highlighter in Quartz • Laneige Two Tone Tint Bar in Cherry Milk

• Nyx Micro Brow Pencil in Espresso • Makeup Geek eyeshadow in Creme Brulee (crease) • Stila Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow in Rose Gold Retro (lid) • Brick eyeshadow from Kylie Cosmetics Burgundy Palette (lower lashline) • Nyx Can’t Stop Won’t Stop foundation • Makeup Revolution Conceal and Define mixed with Maybelline Fit Me concealer • Laura Mercier translucent powder • Max Factor Falsh Lash Epic mascara • Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer • Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Exposed • Maybelline Master Chrome highlighter in Molten Gold • 3CE Maison Kitsune Velvet Lip Tint in Twin Rose

Tips: 1 2 3 4

For a more dramatic highlight, use a powder highlighter. For a glow-from-within, dewier look, use a stick highlighter. Remember to use an appropriate colour of highlighter according to your skin tone!

It’s always easier to build up your makeup than to take it away. Apply things lightly first, and then build it up if you need more.

A spoolie is always helpful to make your brows look more natural and brushed out. If you’ve applied your brows on too heavily, a spoolie can help fix it.

At the end of the day, makeup is about having fun, feeling good and expressing yourself, so just do your makeup however YOU like to do it!

56

Jodie’s Doctor: “A natural progression” Picture the scene, July 16th 2017, just after the Wimbledon men’s singles final Jodie Whittaker is announced as the thirteenth Doctor Who. Within hours, Twitter descends into ‘relative’ chaos. A week later, the fifth Doctor, Peter Davison, leaves the platform, after drawing considerable criticism and vitriol for citing concerns about a “lack of role models” for boys. However, he also states at SDCC that “[...] fans who are doubtful, who are uncertain should be encouraged and welcomed. And just approach it with an open mind”.

Peter Davison recognises the divide in the Doctor Who ‘fandom’. One side, which, for honesty’s sake, I align myself with, argues that a woman playing the Doctor is a natural progression for the show, one which has been a long time coming. The other side, who are also long-time fans of the series, and possibly those Davison refers to as “doubtful”, see the Doctor as strictly male. For them, this change in identity not only goes against the long-term continuity, but also their perception of the character.

So what about July 2017? It’s clear that beyond the persistent bickering among Doctor Who fans, Jodie Whittaker’s casting was also the centre of a larger split in “fandom”. Much like the recent divisions in Star Wars and Star Trek fan circles, the casting of Whittaker’s Doctor is being considered a watershed moment. A fan’s identity is becoming synonymous with their feelings in regards to Whittaker as the Doctor.

Not only is this unhealthy, but discussion is less about what she’ll bring to the role, but more if she should be the Doctor in the first place, with (now former) fans declaring that Doctor Who is dead to them, and that a woman as the Doctor was an unnecessary step. Obviously, this does not justify the misogynistic tone used by various commentators when expressing these views. It has also been suggested that Whittaker’s casting is due to the “feminist agenda”. Even if this is the case, Doctor Who has openly presented a wide array of political and social views since the 1960s.

Of course, there is a distinction between this group and those who were merely “sceptical” when hearing news of Whittaker’s casting, but the backlash to the Thirteenth Doctor also reveals a deeper insecurity in fan circles.

A woman being cast as the Doctor is seen by some as a theft of something they take great interest in.

For them Doctor Who’s identity is being changed into something they neither want nor recognise.

For the entirety of the classic series, as well as the show’s extended hiatus between 1989 and 2005, the Doctor has been exclusively male.

The sole exception to this, prior to 2011’s The Doctor’s Wife, the first televised story to float this idea of gender change is the 1999 spoof The Curse of Fatal Death, where Hugh Grant regenerates into Joanna Lumley. This Red Nose Day special was the first writing credit for Steven Moffat on the show, who was Executive Producer and Showrunner from 2010 to 2017. As alluded to above, the last eight years have set the ground for this Doctor, most notably with the introduction of Missy, in 2014’s ‘Dark Water’.

However, and most importantly for certain viewers of the classic series, the casting of Jodie Whittaker is a rupture with what has gone before. Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor, at heart, is supposedly the same Doctor as Tom Baker. But for someone who grew up watching the Fourth Doctor, it may seem insurmountable to reconcile this childhood “male role model” with a woman. Since we have yet to really see this Doctor on screen, there is little to comfort those who doubt this casting choice.

Having been a viewer since the show came back in 2005, I can relate to it.

For me, the Doctor has always been male. As a fan of a show which is based on continuous renewal; one of the only constants has been this vision of the Doctor as a man. But almost paradoxically, this individual that calls himself the Doctor and appears to be male is still significantly different from incarnation to incarnation. The northern, and occasionally abrasive Ninth Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston, gives way to David Tennant. The Doctor’s bare anger and leather jacket are replaced by a more disciplined temperament and a pinstripe suit. These men share the same principles, they appear to be wildly different, but their hearts are in the right place.

“...fans who are doubtful, who are uncertain should be encouraged and welcomed. And just approach it with an open mind”

These the central element of the Doctor’s identity. The moment Jodie Whittaker exhibits the traits of compassion, care and curiosity, she will be the Doctor. The problem is, we still have to wait until the Autumn.

To quote Whittaker herself: “The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one.”

WORDS BY: ANTHONY STONESTREET DESIGN BY: ANDREA GAINI

57

FILM & TV

HORROR IS

DEAD

Historically, horror has been a medium through which filmmakers have been able to take an entire culture out of its comfort zone. Consider Hitchcock’s classic, Psycho. In its most famous scene, Marion, the young woman who the audience is initially led to believe is the film’s protagonist, is savagely murdered with a butcher’s knife whilst having a shower. This scene was so shocking that it is still, sixty years later, considered one of cinema’s most iconic moments. The reason that this scene is so ingrained in our popular culture is quite simple: it is a reminder that no matter who you are, you are never truly safe.

This technique of relaying uncomfortable truths to audiences can be found throughout the classic horror films of the late twentieth century. Kubrick’s The Shining, for example, warns us that madness can claim anybody, even those we love the most. On the other hand, and more existentially, Scott’s Alien points out that while humans can hide behind our technological innovations as much as we like, we are still ultimately at the mercy of a brutal and unforgiving nature.

This method of reminding us of our deepest psychological insecurities, and then exploiting them, is a central aspect of classic horror films, and it’s what makes them so unforgettable. These insecurities linger in our minds long after the credits have rolled.

This aspect is something that contemporary mainstream horror films seriously lack. Their main issue is their formulaic nature, which makes them far too predictable to be considered truly scary.

The only insecurity that they exploit is the anxiety generated by not knowing when the next computer-generated demonic face will suddenly appear accompanied by a loud noise, and after getting over the initial heart attack, we often feel cheated, because the film didn’t do anything to earn that response.

It is important to note that not all new horror films are boring, jump-scare filled piles of nonsense.

But for every Hereditary, there is an Insidious; for every Get Out, there is an Annabelle; and for every Split, there are dozens of Paranormal Activity rip-offs.

BY RYAN JONES-MATTHEWS

HORROR IS IN

REVIVAL

Horror movies of the recent years are a far cry from their predecessors. Old classics like Nosferatu and Frankenstein were pioneers of the genre, utilizing heavy stage make-up, unsettling orchestral soundtrack and prosthetics to make the experience as terrifying for the audience as possible; all of this used to be a novelty in the film industry. Today, after films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th and plethora of other slashers, there is little left that can truly scare the audience. For some time, the whole industry made desperate attempts to gain at least some kind of momentum by bombarding the viewer with movies stuffed to the brim with jump-scares and gore. As a result, many studios gave up on horror movies altogether, preferring to take on more promising projects.

It really seemed like the times of good horror films were past us and all that you had left to look forward to was the 34th Paranormal Activity installment.

But cheap horror flicks seem to be disappearing one by one and are gradually being replaced by critically acclaimed works of art. These movies are pushing boundaries of our perception of horror, favoring nuanced plot and character development over guts, gore and hockey masks. The box office hit - John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place - takes a fresh approach to making audience engage with the story. Instead of trying to keep your attention with Psycho violin screech and jets of fake blood, Krasinski goes for a completely different approach, submerging his characters and the viewer in eerie silence.

This amount of focus on the plot and acting is just not something we have come to expect from the horror movies. The filmmakers have become more experimental in the past years, tackling questions and themes that one would not necessarily associate with the genre, and it has certainly paid off. Just this spring, Jordan Peeles’s, Get Out, a magnificent commentary on racial issues, has joined the only six horror movies to ever receive an Oscar nomination. What we are experiencing now is the new chapter of film history and can only be called a genuine horror renaissance.

BY ANASTASIA KROPOTINA

DESIGN BY: KATIE MAY HUXTABLE

58

Black history MONTH This October marks Black History Month in the UK; a time to reflect upon the struggles, contributions and achievements made by AfricanAmericans throughout history. The identity and experiences of the black community has long been articulated through their cinematic products, shining a light on the issues that more insular audiences may not otherwise acknowledge. To say that African-American cinema has not enjoyed a comfortable development would be somewhat an understatement, as surrounding controversy has been one of its only major constants, but its lessons are, nevertheless, timeless and hugely important.

Some of the earliest products of black cinema were, themselves, born out of controversy, with Oscar Micheaux’s Within Our Gates (1919) and John W. Noble’s Birth of a Race (1918) being among several profound responses to D.W. Griffith’s incredibly successful, but highly racist Birth of a Nation (1915), which depicted black men as uncouth, unintelligent and sexually aggressive rapists, who endangered white women. Whilst they would not have known then, these responses from Micheaux and Noble would remain relevant beyond the silent movie era and come to set the tone for much of black cinematic history; a struggle between stereotype and self-determination.

This dynamic, however, came to be far from clear-cut during the early 1970’s, in what became known as the Blaxploitation era. Whilst the films of this period explored African-American narratives in greater depth, and tended to represent black characters as heroes, rather than villains or sidekicks, the nature of their influence on race relations in the years following the civil rights movement is often debated. Although such films as Melvin Van Peebles’ iconic Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971) and Dixon and Greenlee’s The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973) are heralded by some as empowering, revolutionary pieces, others have argued that they do nothing more than reinforce white stereotypes about African-American, pointing to the films’ respective sexualisation, brutalisation and tokenisation of black people. However, despite the contrasting glorification and vilification of Blaxploitation, it was clear that the movement lowered the barriers to entry; black actors, writers and directors had freer opportunity to make films that, whilst aimed primarily at African-Americans, were enjoyed equally by white audiences. Furthermore, regardless of controversy, blaxploitation has arguably lived on through Django Unchained (2012) – Tarantino is a known fan and employer of the genre – as well as remakes of Shaft (2000) and Superfly (2018), all of which have received critical acclaim. Whilst there is still a concern over the message of the films, blaxploitation, good or bad, has undoubtedly taken black cinema to new levels of exposure.

WORDS BY: JOHN JONES DESIGN BY: LUISA DE LA CONCHA

Away from the blaxploitation debate, something else is clearly evident when sweeping over black cinematic products from both before and after the successes of the civil rights movement. Prior to 1968, black characters were largely portrayed in lowly positions, often subservient to their white counterparts, with the idea of an African-American holding a position of great power nothing more than a pipe dream for many. Enter James Earl Jones as President Dilman in The Man (1972) and, later, Tommy Lister as President Limberg in The 5th Element (1997) and Morgan Freeman as President Beck in Deep Impact (1998).

As life imitated art in 2008 with the election of Barack Obama, AfricanAmerican cinema could finally settle in a period of self-determination, with the future that previous black filmmakers had imagined finally becoming a reality. As a result, in the decade following, we have seen black cinema flourish, with tokenism becoming a thing of the past.

Those involved in the genre are no longer there to just meet quotas, nor are they there with anything to defend or justify; all that matters is proving themselves as successful, powerful and self-sufficient actors, directors and writers, who can empower their communities and bury the controversy of the past. In recent years, they have done just that, with Daniel Kaluuya’s stunning performance in Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017), as well as the predominantly black cast in this year’s smash hit Black Panther redefining and creating new opportunities for the subgenres of black horror and black sci-fi respectively, whilst Barry Jenkins’ beautifully crafted Moonlight (2016) scooped 3 Academy Awards, perhaps going some way in offsetting the #OscarsSoWhite controversy of 2015. Even though black cinema has not had the easiest of journeys, it now seems to be sure of itself and with undoubtledly new creative exploits on the horizon. For black cinema, the future looks very bright indeed.

59

Sweet Sweetbackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Baadassss Song 1971

Get Out 2017

Moonlight 2016

The Spook Who Sat By The Door 1973

Django Unchained 2012

FILM & TV

History of African - American Cinema

60

Recent Landmark African -American Films Hidden Figures (2016) – Lucy Wilkinson When Hidden Figures took to our screens in 2016, we were engaged.

The film represents a ‘hidden’ power of a group of NASA scientists; both women and of African-American heritage. Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe, the film seeks to inject the role of women, and more specifically African-American women, into a key area of history. Shining this light on the traditionally perceived ColdWar, power-dominated narratives was both bold and invigorating. The narrative pursued in Hidden Figures is one of leadership, and resilience while cleverly juxtaposing the potential of these African-American women against an undeniably bleak and uncompromising social climate.

The strength of the film is represented in the eleven awards it picked up.

Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), in the ‘bathroom scene’, evokes emotion in her protestation against the lack of bathrooms ‘for her’ in the upper echelons of NASA. Soaking wet from walking so far to use a ‘coloured’ bathroom, Katherine represents the exclusion suffered by African-American women, and the insular attitudes of people at the time.

Through the film’s exposure of such ignorance, African-American cinema has entered a new dimension. One of transparency, extreme talent, and one which hopefully challenges the ignorance of others.

Black Panther (2018) – Andrea Gaini Black History Month is about looking back to the past and appreciating the hard work that our ancestors have put in to reach a more equal society. Youval Noah Harari would say that the only reason we study history is to be free from it, to be able to look forward to an ever more progressed future. Marvel’s Black Panther incorporates this definition in full. Marvel has never had a black superhero, Marvel has never had such a high percentage of black actors in a movie: history has been made. The importance of this movie lays in the capacity to open new horizons and perspectives to explore. In the most beautiful sense of it, Black Panther has freed us from some of the burdens of racism in the movie industry and left a legacy to be fulfilled.

BlackKklansman (2018) - Hannah Ryan Spike Lee has never been one to insist on subtlety. After exploding onto the black cinema scene more than twenty years ago with Do The Right Thing, Lee’s work as a director has only grown in its outright anger – he has only continued to refuse ideas of neutrality and to express his justified outrage in a unique and necessary manner. There are a great many contributions that Lee has made to black film, from Malcom X to She’s Gotta Have It, yet it is his latest that feels the most necessary for the moment – with BlackKlansman, Lee has chosen to respond to the recent rise in far-right movements across the U.S., in a film filled with the kind of fury that first earnt him attention. BlacKklansman is driven by such righteous anger, and disbelief, that it results in some of the most sobering moments of the entire year in film so far; it is an essential addition to the canon of black cinema for troubled times and should be remembered in future as such.

DESIGN BY: STEPH ROWE

61 FILM & TV

4SJ 9Ȣ ȖȜYțǭ 'FSǮǹȜ 8FȡIǬǻ WORDS BY: STEPH ROWE DESIGN BY: STEPH ROWE

As students, most of us can say our lives have changed massively since coming to university, but this doesn’t apply to anyone more than Banita Sandhu. After growing up in Caerleon in Newport, Banita went on to study English Literature at Kings College London in 2016.

However, she now has to juggle university deadlines with news headlines, having starred in in the major Bollywood film ‘October’.

Banita’s passion for acting began at age eleven after telling her parents she wanted to be in her favourite TV show, Coronation Street. She joined a drama club in Cardiff and got her first small role soon after in ‘Painting Humanity’; a documentary by Welsh director Chris Morris.

After being brought up her British-Indian parents in quiet Caeleon, her life was turned upside down when, at eighteen, she moved to the Big Smoke and got her first big break.

She was offered a high-profile ad campaign for Vodafone India, which was a huge success and got loads of TV coverage due to it being broadcast during the Indian Premier League cricket season. In an interview with The Guardian she stated how her ‘parents were 100% supportive of my acting on the condition that I got an education. I figured if I study in London, I can also go to castings’.

The director Shoojit Sicar spotted her potential as an actress, and after casting her in a chewing gum advert, he offered her the lead role in his new film ‘October’. Sicar is well known for his female-centric films, such as ‘Pink’, which stand out in the infamously patriarchal Bollywood film industry. They were the perfect pair to work together as Banita expressed in her interview that she found the lack of representation onscreen to not only have a profound influence on her acting ambitions, but also in the formation of her cultural identity, as she was one of the only asian girls in her small town. There is a distinct lack of threedimensional roles for Asian woman in the UK, as the stereotype is stuck in the past, and hasn’t developed with society. She is therefore relieved to be offered roles such as this where her character ‘has her own dilemmas and issues

The trailer for ‘October’ has over 30 million views on YouTube and the film was released on 13 April 2018 across 2308 screens worldwide.

It was a huge success; by May, the film had grossed over $7.4 million worldwide. While there have been no official announcements of her future film contributions, she has revealed in interviews that she wants to work next with high profile Bollywood creators Aamir Khan, Irrfan Khan, and Alia Bhatt.

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Women in Games: A Persona WORDS BY: SARAH THOMPSON DESIGN BY: STEPH ROWE

I’ve been involved in the gaming scene since I was a toddler watching my mum play Tetris whilst desperately trying to figure out why my lines weren’t vanishing. I can’t imagine my life without video games; what did people do for fun at 8am on winter Sundays before? They were the root of many arguments and laughs with my older brother and, despite growing up as Player Two on FIFA and Tekken, I’d never really contemplated video game sexism. Gaming was just part of my life.

I was known as the girl gamer in my secondary school. Yet despite frequent invitations to Call of Duty clans, I could never seem to avoid juvenile remarks like ‘you got killed by a girl!’. When I was younger, I took pride in proving that my vagina doesn’t inhibit my skill. But as years went by, this pride subsided into frustration. Why to this day am I still told I don’t play any real games? Is my 400+ collection of titles not enough? What more do I need to do to be considered as equal in the gaming community?

I’ve not played a football game where I can be the Arsenal women’s team despite their roaring success, and to this day, female clubs are not available at all in FIFA - though perhaps this reflects the state of the sport rather than the state of the gaming community. Perhaps the issue is that female gamers are not screaming loud enough. We can’t blame game companies for failing to cater to quiet demands. With the recent influx of gynocentric films and the feminist movement, perhaps this trend will see video games commit to more than Barbie Riding Club or Cooking Mama.

Even in the mainstream annals of game history, Grand Theft Auto andSuper Mario Bros lend credence to concerns of apt representation when, within these games, women are either sex objects, damsels in distress, or simply useless. Even when they exhibit competence, Metal Gear Solid’s Quiet, Street Fighter’s Cammy, and Final Fantasy’s Rikku are nevertheless thrusting about scantily-clad, whilst their male counterparts are more modestly depicted.

Fortunately, the tide is changing, and the industry has taken gargantuan leaps in addressing this issue.

The more recent Tomb Raider games chart Lara Croft’s journey from naïve explorer to habituated killer, a far cry from her PS1 outings in which Lara’s character consisted of large breasts and a passion for locking elderly butlers in fridges. More recently, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, a game which explores the trying ordeal of mental health, is carried by the stellar performance of its titular female lead.

My personal favourite game, Alice: Madness Returns, explores similar territory. It’s the story of Alice Liddell and her journey to overcome the trauma of being blamed for the house fire which engulfed her family. Throughout, the story Alice confronts her hallucinations and madness in pursuit of the truth and personal redemption. It’s a powerful depiction of not just mental suffering but also the crushing weight of wrongful blame. Alice takes place in a Victorian dystopia, but in our world, it’s not dissimilar to the consequences of rape culture.

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Another area in which the industry has evolved tremendously is customisable avatars. Many popular games now provide the option to play as a female from the get-go. Pokemon, Fallout, Mass Effect, and now Assassinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Creed give you the choice to play as female characters as well as male, a choice which bears no impact on gameplay. There is no change to storyline or the way NPCs treat you, and the clothing style for the female characters is equally questionable to the male choices.

As with most mediums and their cultures, sexism is a part of video game history and, despite major progress, the journey is not over. But as companies continue to cater and progressive industry trends strengthen, these attitudes will surely permeate the wider community, even if it is a slow burn. To any girl or woman reading, as frustrating as male scepticism can be, it matters not. Enjoy your passion shamelessly â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it requires no oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ratification. Whatever game you play, share your joy with the world irrespective of what may be expected of you. The industry is listening, and the world is coming around.

Tangentially, anyone passionately nately involved in gender equality in video games ought to consider arguing for racial equality, too. Many minority demographics remain underrepresented, and having experienced the joy of relating to Alice Liddell, I would be remiss to deny others that opportunity.

TECHNOLOGY

al and Industrial Journey

64

HOW INTERNAL REFORM, A DOSE OF YOUNG BLOOD, AND THE SPIRIT OF AN OLD FRIEND SAVED NINTENDO WORDS BY: MIKE O’BRIEN DESIGN BY: ASHLEY BOYLE

Mario is in your happy meal. Link is shield surfing his way onto Jimmy Fallon. You can’t escape it: Nintendo is back, and their latest console - the Nintendo Switch commands our collective gaze. To those less entangled in the games industry and its happenings, it may seem like Nintendo have lied dormant in the decade since the Wii invaded your living room, and that their recent resurgence is business as usual. But despite their latest triumph, Nintendo’s era of public quiet was amok with commercial and critical peril. How could a name so titanic plummet from ubiquitous to endangered in such a short space of time, and how did this wounded army of treasured mascots reconquer its throne?

Mario and Link are not household names simply because of their commercial success - they represent games immortalised by their innovation. World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros (1985) is considered such a revolutionary primer of game design that even now it is the frequent subject of interviews, documentaries, and even academic analysis. The Legend of Zelda (1986) shattered contemporary understandings of scope and freedom in video games, single-handedly laying the infrastructure for the action-adventure games and RPGs of today. At a time when the games industry was seemingly destined for extinction due to market crashes and poor quality control, the craftsmanship of Nintendo games is oft-considered the saviour of the medium. Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Mario and co., also created the racing game F-Zero, which fans have been craving a new instalment of since the mid-2000s.

When asked why Nintendo refused to develop a sequel, they simply said: ‘What do you want that we haven’t done before?’.

The principle to create fun games which genuinely innovate is crucial to their success: whilst Nintendo may have competitors, their zany genius and unique identity afforded them their own corner of the market, one so far removed from conventional games development that no other could satisfy their niche.

But however great its games may have been, Nintendo could not afford to live in a vacuum forever. Their insular mentality severed them from the standards and expectations of a dynamic industry, and their reluctance to play ball became their undoing. After the wildly successful Wii, its successor, the Wii U, landed on store shelves - and unlike Nintendo’s prior consoles, it stayed there.

Despite major divisions in Europe and North America, Nintendo remained centrally controlled by an old guard in Kyoto, and it was beginning to show. Their brand suffered a sharp decline into irrelevance. Nintendo’s propensity to disregard convention made them look less like magical mavericks and more like arrogant

Luddites forlornly resisting the tide of progress.

The Wii U epitomised this disastrous state of affairs.

Its online capabilities were weak, not only lacking the speed and quality of its competitors, but also basic utilities that were commonplace by 2008. An insider told Eurogamer in 2014: ‘at some point in this conversation we were informed that it was no good referencing Live and PSN as nobody in [Nintendo’s] development teams used those systems’. The marketing was another area of weakness; unconvincing ads were catered exclusively to the family market, neglecting Nintendo’s core audience.

Despite massive brand power and momentum from the Wii, it somehow failed to achieve significant public awareness. It was an unbelievable decline for the company whose mascot was once more famous than Mickey Mouse. Furthermore, the console’s main innovation - a companion tablet simply called the ‘Wii U gamepad’ - was rarely utilised by developers, many of whom neglected to make Wii U games at all. Even Nintendo’s internal teams regularly failed to make good use of their own hardware. The dire situation compelled Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, to slash his own salary in half, whilst other members on the directorial board voluntarily accepted paycuts of 20-30%.

These dark years eluded the attention of the everyday consumer, to whom Nintendo’s recent failures have probably seemed more like a sabbatical. For invested gamers though, the Wii U’s demise and subsequent abandonment led to a collective perception of Nintendo as a board of clueless Japanese elders who refused to venture beyond their Kyoto headquarters, sacrificing the needs of their most loyal fans in the process. Whatever they produced next would have to be supremely vindicating, something irresistible to both the everyman and the enthusiast. This was Nintendo’s last chance.

On October 2016, Nintendo’s most important effort yet was revealed to the world: the Nintendo Switch. To this day, its initial trailer remains the most potent message Nintendo have ever delivered. No cringeworthy scripted skits with nuclear families feigning excitement here - instead, a montage of the Nintendo Switch’s raw utility. Play it in handheld mode on the plane, then dock it at home to pick up right where you left off on the TV. Slide off the controllers and play with a friend anywhere, anytime. Super Mario Odyssey and Skyrim came as major announcements for first-party Nintendo maniacs and fans of multiplatform titles. To close the trailer, Nintendo even embrace the same eSports they had denounced just three years prior.

The trailer was followed by months of carefully orchestrated hype, appearing everywhere from Jimmy

65

Satoru Iwata Nintendo’s President 2002-2015

Fallon, to the Super Bowl, to the Instagram accounts of just about every touring celebrity. Nintendo’s marketing evolved to communicate the clear message that regardless of demographic, the Switch is for everyone: there’s something here for the disenfranchised Nintendo fan, for the casual player with adult responsibilities, or for those just interested in a new party gimmick. And to top it off, it’s all wrapped up in a sleek system with remarkable convenience. Slick, classy, and maturer than ever, this is a brand new Nintendo: so how did it come about?

Their solution is almost frustratingly simple: more communication between Nintendo’s Kyoto headquarters and its international divisions. “The way that we make games has not fundamentally changed,” says Shinya Takahashi (Nintendo’s GM of development) to CNET. “Some small technical and organizational differences really can change the focus.”

Furthermore, there’s new blood in Kyoto. The current president, Shuntaro Furakawa, is only 46 years old, and Nintendo’s old guard have voluntarily passed directorial responsibility onto younger members of staff at the company. Shigeru Miyamoto told Glixel: “we have these younger people in the company who are taking the lead on Switch development [...] They’re the ones that have really shepherded it through.”

Both a dose of new blood and the revolutionary capacity to register and respond to criticism were invaluable - but there’s another piece of the puzzle. From 2002 to 2015, Nintendo’s presidency was held by Satoru Iwata. He famously said: “On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer” - and no quote could more aptly define the diversity of talents possessed by the former president. Many stories exist of his prowess.

Even as president of the company, he would swoop into troubled studios and fix up doomed code by himself; if not for him, games like Super Smash Bros Melee and Pokemon Red and Green may have been very different.

He was an instrumental part of the company, not only in his versatility but in his embodiment of Nintendo’s spirit: devoted, principled, and playful, he was willing to embrace the silly spectacles and paint a brighter world. And then, at just 55, cancer snatched him away.

Iwata’s passing was a source of widespread quiet and mourning at Nintendo - but even in spirit, he continued to motivate Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild director Hidemaro Fujibayashi told The New Yorker: “When he passed away, there were moments we’d come up with an idea which we’d be excited to talk to Iwata about. Then we’d remember he was no longer here [...] This is approaching spiritual talk, but we had the sense that he was watching over our work.

That became a source of motivation, a drive for us to improve and be better.” The impact of Satoru Iwata’s death, whilst tragic, is a testament to the value of his life. It is Iwata’s achievement that the passing of a single man inspired his struggling company to rise above and survive by making something beautiful.

It worked. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time, sitting on an average score of 97 out of 100 on Metacritic. It was Nintendo’s first game for the Switch, and the harbinger of an incredible return to form.

The only other game to receive such a high score that year was Super Mario Odyssey - yet another Nintendo Switch game. The momentum of Breath of the Wild’s success rolled on, and with support from major thirdparty players like Bethesda, Activision, and even Microsoft, the Switch is now an international success.

And Nintendo are showing no signs of slowing down, either; many of their big hitters, like Pokemon, Animal Crossing, and Super Smash Bros haven’t even released yet.

The Switch is not perfect. Its online capabilities, whilst serviceable, are still unreliable and outdated - and soon Nintendo will start charging for it as well. With regards to third party support, it’s hard to say whether major developers - whose games are often pushing the brink of what consoles can handle - will continue to support the Switch with such weak hardware specifications.

Echoes of the best-forgotten Wii U era continue to haunt Nintendo - but the progress they have made is undeniable. Their first party games are better than ever: Breath of the Wild, Mario Tennis Aces, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, and Super Mario Odyssey are debatably the best games of their respective series.

Instead of dumbing down gameplay for casual appeal a la the Wii/Wii U generations, Nintendo are once again making games which embrace the duality of being easy to pick up and play, whilst still offering limitless potential for those looking to push the boundaries of skill.

“Think about a deck of cards,” deputy GM Yoshiaki Koizumi told Wired last year. “It’s something that is small, many of the games have rules that are easy to learn and people of all ages can enjoy playing them together.” Nintendo’s determination to find inspiration beyond the confines of convention and competition is the source of their clueless antiquity - but it’s also their secret sauce, the essence of their perseverance. No one abides by their principles with such diligence: whether it’s a breathtaking adventure, a platforming masterclass, or a fierce competition, Nintendo make colourful and innovative games for everyone - and in times like these, anything that brings us together is indelible.

TECHNOLOGY

“On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer.

But in my heart, I am a gamer”

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WORDS BY: MIKE O’BRIEN

Rapture Gaming Gaming Rapture

DESIGN BY: ORLAGH TURNER

year’s , but this in the past ts en ev d s an re to more ing festival not compa are of gam event may my fair sh e th to of en e al t be e sc I’ve anship mos y heart. Th and craftsm Rapture will a special place in m n io ss pa a, but the always hold for an or Insomni only made widely ch as EGX re that not su ca ts of en ee ev gr de known perience. with a high . profound ex by certainly doas built professionally surprisinglyations for everyone a w so al re t tu bu t, ct Rap tisfies expe its own righ er excellent e gaming festival in apture more than sa od n rested in m and inclusiv overall offerings, R r those inte Fo . on of ni s U ’ t In term ity Students setups to si diff Univers number of making a plentiful e of the Car us ed er nt off lle s ce te ne ex ca d d PUBG zo r own dedi gaming Fortnite an atured thei e fe th , en ds ev en and its tr ness. They in local d compete Royale good down e another ant their fill of virtual bit of Battle on t a ns y ai jo ag en ge and uld all play ere able to y. the event cosame area, gamers w servers, r all to tr at players at the available fo meaning thns for the games. In its un R V n io competitio d PlayStat C Vives an reality l, with HT el w as g gamin Amongst the playable titles were a VR version of Minecraft and underwater VR experience The Blu. For players who scorn at the very sight of modernity, you can wander into the nostalgia valley that is the retro zone. Just about every retro game imaginable lies here, from Super Mario Bros on the NES to Halo: Combat Evolved for Xbox. Whether you’re someone like me who grew up on these primitive joys, or someone new to gaming looking to venture on a journey through history, the retro zone is supremely charming. However, it did house perhaps the most jarring of all my experiences at Rapture; the Nintendo Wii is apparently now considered ‘retro’, having released a whole decade ago. I must have aged about twenty years watching bemused children flailing the Wiimote about.

A more general zone occupied the Y Plas Nightclub of the Students’ Union, which offered a mishmash of gaming experiences. Tabletop games, both electronic and board-based, were available to all, whilst some of the more iconic retro games could be played on old-school arcade cabinets (Sonic The Hedgehog 2, anyone?). A handful of new titles were playable at the event too, including the critically acclaimed PS4 exclusive Marvel’s Spider-Man. Throughout

Festival Review: Review: Festival A Wholesome, Wholesome, A Prrooffeessssiioonnaall,, P &P P rr oo ff oo uu nn dd & Experience Experience

the weekend, Y Plas’ stage was used to host a variety of events, ranging from giveaways to tournaments.

Speaking of tournaments, the competitive zone was a personal highlight of the event. No matter your poison, there’s something for anybody to compete in here. For combo nerds who know their frame data, Street Fighter V, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and Super Smash Bros. Melee had enterable tournaments. Others included Rocket League, FIFA, and Overwatch - but it was the Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament that struck me as my favourite event of the festival.

For those not in the know, Super Smash Bros. is a long-standing Nintendo franchise in which beloved Nintendo characters (and a few guests) fight to knock each other off the stage, and the last one standing is the winner. In particular, Super Smash Bros Melee for the Nintendo GameCube ended up becoming a surprise competitive hit, with players discovering new techniques and competing internationally almost twenty years after its initial release. If anything is commendable about Rapture, it’s the sheer professionalism of the TOs and staff running the tournament, who had the impossible task of running a bracket consisting of everyone from professional European players to young kids who had never held a GameCube controller.

Prior to the tournament, I had the privilege of meeting a boy named William, who was

playing Melee by himself. and A pleasan t and wel aspired to l-manner teach him ed young not everythin man, I w g I knew particula as immed ab rl y o iately ch u ex t h th attack austive e game. armed, but in th Confessed was all it e ly en , d th , is te aching h knowled opponen took for Willi im how ge was am to sw to use M before o ts iftly - bu arth’s forw t respectf ar all the ur eyes, some o d -s u mash ll y - dispat f whom joy of a were gro ch waves wn men o f to During proud mentor fr u rnament familiar om the si with the single William’s tournam d game. I ent journelines. cheered parent, sh ey with , I had th e’d come man e opport to Raptu unity to re with y in his late ch o at u n w g ith his m William carrying -twenties who other. A and his o wore a fa lder broth he was around an enorm ntastical er, Rober ly o en u s fox plu ormous t, surgically an autistic shie and h inseparab an A3 n at and a puffy blu than le. I cam otepad fu e jacket, e to learn just a way ll of doo al from his dles froml whilst to play n mother th is ew games which at events or have a li ke Raptu gander at re were m old ones ore . For peo ple like R obert, th e world

67 TECHNOLOGY

not designed with their needs and realities in mind - but in Rapture, he was able to find a small corner of it which embraced his talents and idiosyncrasies. It was an environment wherein he could openly and adequately express himself and identify with something. And, for his mother, it was an invaluable opportunity to bond with her son and learn about his passions and aspirations.

After somehow mentoring William all the way to semi-finals of the tournament, I became his next opponent. Hitherto this point, I had let nobody win, not even the cutest of oblivious kids; a tournament is a proving ground, and it loses all meaning when you abandon the principles of competition. But with William’s mother and brother watching and cheering him on, and his earlier kindness in mind, well - it must have awakened some ungodly power in him whereby he was able to land Marth’s forward-smash on me a good thirty times in a row. My Falco, Marth, and Ganondorf perished alike to this frankly unpredictable strategy, and I was overjoyed by his surely merited success. If you’re reading this, well done, William!

My experience with William and his family came to typify my feelings about Rapture as a whole.

Wander around Y Plas and you’ll see grandfathers and granddaughters laughing over games of Pong, where adults and their little ones alike can enjoy the beautiful passion we all share, or

perhaps even develop an affinity for it. Watching people game together for the first time and get a taste of its unique culture was a humbling experience that reminded me of why I have so much affection for the community and its events. As platitudinous as it must sound, these things bring all sorts together, forging friendships that otherwise may never have blossomed, and passions that may have gone undiscovered. When such a wondrous experience is provided by some of the most professional and patient staff in the business, Rapture earns its reputation as undiluted fun for all at a reasonable price.

68

WORDS BY: ALEXANDRA BÁNFI DESIGN BY: ORLAGH TURNER Since the inception of news, disinformation has been a legitimate social threat. Whilst the term ‘fake news’ has enjoyed a renaissance thanks to Donald Trump, it’s hardly exclusive to him – and it presents far more sinister intentions than basic denial. It’s a method of demeaning critical voices in the press and manipulating democracy.

The development of technology, especially social media, has facilitated and automated the spread of fake news. Those in power can now share their farcical realities – or, alternative facts - without verification or accountability, since social media affords them their own channel for distributing information.

Consequently, journalism becomes just another vehicle for many members of the public, for whom the truth is determined by their preferred representatives as opposed to facts. We need only to turn to Brexit or Trump to see that fake news and the propensity to belittle the inconvenient findings of watchdog journalism pose a sinister threat to both democracy and journalism.

Despite propagating its spread, technology is a broad and powerful spectrum which may also serve as a valuable countermeasure against fake news. Tech giants, such as Google and Facebook, have recently faced immense pressure from government representatives to combat fake news on their platforms.

By developing relationships with third party fact-checking organisations, they aim to shield their users from disinformation.

Crowdsourcing credibility in this fashion places too much faith in a populace whose readiness to dismiss inconvenient facts has already undermined democracy – so how could democratising the legitimacy of information be a remedy? Pravda would only provide an additional platform on which mobilised members of the public could discredit contradictory opinions.

The start-up company Logically offers a more promising example by aiming to identify disinformation and bias through machine learning and human oversight. Presently,

purpose is to identify fake videos, its ability to create fake news is cause for concern.

Fake news is going nowhere - in fact, its arsenal will only grow stronger as technology sophisticates. But technology is an extension of us, and therefore it bears the duality of potential good and bad. Its means may well have enabled the climate of disinformation – but technology by itself is not inherently evil. It’s up to us to use these tools responsibly, and to shape a society capable of adapting to an informational machine far larger than any single one of us.

Fake news, Technology, and Democracy:

What’s the Cure?

In addition, these parties are adapting their algorithms to prioritise exposure to a plurality of opinions, rather than isolating consumers in their own echo chamber. The recently launched Google News Initiative aims to recalibrate Google’s algorithms to promote verified news sources to protect journalists in the digital age. A primary aim of the initiative is to build a legitimate digital education for young people; it’s a strong fusion, one which acknowledges that the success of fake news is symptomatic of both a technological crisis and an education system which has failed to contain the torrential force of 21st century information.

Tesla boss, Elon Musk, also took to Twitter to promote Pravda, a news credibility rating service open to everyone. Despite earnest intentions, the idea is fundamentally flawed.

artificial intelligence and machine learning lack the sophistication required to satisfy this complex duty independently of humans, but it can analyse the statistical metadata of an article more efficiently than we can. With the oversight of a human mind to conduct content analysis, it may be the most successful way to identify and defeat fake news.

Whether or not artificial intelligence will ever function independently to identify bias and fake news is another debate, but the efforts of companies like Logically and a heightened public awareness of fact checking resources such as PolitiFact are instrumentals in diminishing the influence of fake news.

Researchers at the University of Washington recently developed an AI capable of creating realistic videos by compiling sound and video from other clips. Although its

While alternative perspectives are indeed welcome, alternative facts should not be. Both tech and media companies must recognise that their intimate relationship creates a need for additional responsibility. Fake news is not an isolated internet issue that can be fought merely with algorithms: it ultimately comes down to providing digital education for everybody. Only by encouraging people to critically engage with what they are consuming we will abate this crisis.

69 AGONY AUNT

WORDS BY: HANNAH STAIT ILLUSTRATION BY: IZZY WRIGHT DESIGN BY: ASHLEY BOYLE

My names Hannah and I’m your Agony Aunt for this coming year, so here I am to tell you a little about me and why I feel like I am the right girl for the job!

I’m a 90’s baby, my star sign is Virgo and I’m a plus size diva with a love for Sunday roasts, tattoos and Sylvia Plath poetry. I cry a lot and I love to go dancing. One of my major goals is to be in the same room as John Barrowman, and another is to see a Broadway show.

I eat too much and laugh really loudly.

Now we’ve got the basics out of the way, let’s get into the deeper stuff.

I’ve suffered from anxiety for years, it affects my work, my friendships and my uni life. All in all my mental health is currently more unpredictable than it has ever been before. I have bad days, good days and every sort of day in between as I’m sure some of you would understand.

I care deeply about making mental health and emotions something that we can talk about openly. We all have a mental health which sits along a timeline of good days, sad days and days you just want to forget.

For me, we students are in this together. We’re together in a new age where our wellbeing is just as important as our diet, and I’m here as your Agony Aunt to be an open ear to the problems you face not just as a student, but a young adult in the 21st Century. If you’re struggling with body issues, family problems, financial issues or just having too many days where you can’t sleep then… same. I get it. And what you’ll be surprised to find is that so many people are going through the same things.

I’m Hannah, and I have days where I lie in bed, stare at the ceiling and wonder if I’ll ever be normal, do you have days like that too?

What I’m rambling away trying to say is I worry, I get nervous, I do things that I regret and I constantly think the worst of myself. But I also like to think the best of people, I love to make others smile and I try my hardest to make the days of those around me just a little bit better. I’m here to make your days better and take your worries away. If you’ve got a problem, I want you to feel like you know me enough to trust me with what’s worrying you.

It’s nice to meet you, Now let’s have a good year.

70 I have maxed out my overdraft and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m working two days a week. How can I get more money?

There are plenty of ways to deal with money troubles but your best bet is to sit down and work out where you went wrong. Write a list of everything you NEED to spend money on every month and after taking all of those things into consideration youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see how much you have to spend on things you WANT. Finding that balance is impossible XQOHVV \RX NQRZ H[DFWO\ ZKDW \RX FDQ DIIRUG ,I \RXÅ&#x2019;UH QRW LQ D MRE ZKHUH RYHUWLPH LV DYDLODEOH \RX FRXOG DOZD\V JHW VRPH Å¢QDQFLDO DGYLFH IURP WKH XQLYHUVLW\ LWVHOI \RX PLJKW JHW VRPH VKRUW WHUP Å¢QDQFLDO KHOS ZKLOVW PDNLQJ SODQV RQ KRZ WR PDQDJH \RXU PRQH\ PRUH WKH PRVW KHOSIXO LV ZLVHO\ ,Å&#x2019;YH EHHQ LQ WKLV VLWXDWLRQ DQG ZKDW , Å¢QG WKH PRVW KHOSIXO LV GHDOLQJ ZLWK PRQH\ LVVXHV KHDG RQ LI \RX ZHUH WR VLW RQ WKH SUREOHP XVW PH LQ WKLV \RXÅ&#x2019;UH QRW DORQH WKHUH DUH VR \RX PLJKW Å¢QG WKDW LW VWDUWV WR VQRZEDOO 7UXVW PH LQ WKLV \RXÅ&#x2019;UH QRW DORQH WKHUH DUH VR PDQ\ WKLQJV RXW WKHUH WR KHOS VWXGHQWV like you!

+L 0\ KRXVHPDWH JRW D ER\IULHQG DQG ,Å&#x2019;P UHDOO\ KDSS\ IRU KHU EXW ,Å&#x2019;P worried about our friendship. I rarely see her without him and just want some girl time so without the boyfriend lurking! How can I approach this without seeming bitter? bit ,WÅ&#x2019;V DOZD\V KDUG ZKHQ D IULHQG JHWV LQWR D QHZ UHODWLRQVKLS DQG WKH KDUG UHDOLW\ LV \RXU KRXVHPDWH probably doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even notice that anythingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s changed. It can be hard to see outside the bubble of a new relationship and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure she wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t intentionally want you to feel excluded. What Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d suggest is for you to offer up some girly date ideas for you to JR RQ RU HYHQ VD\ Å&#x2018;OHWÅ&#x2019;V KDYH D FDWFK XS RYHU D FRIIHH RU D SLQWÅ&#x2019; DQG ,Å&#x2019;P VXUH VKH ZRXOG ORYH WR FDWFK XS ZLWK \RX RQH RQ RQH 0D\EH VWDUW D QHZ WUDGLWLRQ VD\ Å&#x2018;\RX DQG PH HDW WRJHWKHU ZLWK D Å¢OPÅ&#x2019; RQFH D ZHHN RU SODQ D GD\ WULS GRLQJ VRPHWKLQJ \RXÅ&#x2019;YH WDONHG DERXW ,Å&#x2019;P VXUH VKHÅ&#x2019;V EHHQ PLVVLQJ \RX WRR ER\IULHQGV FDQ RQO\ GR VR PXFK 5HPHPEHU WKDW VKH UHDOO\ ZDQWV \RX WR OLNH KHU ER\IULHQG WRR J J VR PD\EH DIWHU VHWWLQJ XS VRPH JLUO\ GDWHV LW PLJKW EH ZRUN VHWWLQJ XS D QLJKW LQ VR \RX \RXU IULHQG DQG KHU ER\IULHQG FDQ JHW WRJHWKHU KDYH D ODXJK DQG PDNH VRPH PHPRULHV

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Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a fresher comingg to uni but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not livingg in student halls.

How am I going to make any friends?

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Your Questions Answered

71 AGONY AUNT

Sometimes times you just need a little extra help to get you through the day, I know I do. If you’re finding yourself at a loss on how to keep your mental health and wellbeing in check - follow these ten simple steps f to give your mind the break it needs!

- As simple as it sounds, just taking a moment on your own to take some deep calming breaths while you think of a place you love can make your day that little bit easier. It can settle your thoughts and put your mind at ease - something that everybody could do with every now and then!

- Everyday if only for five minutes, do something that makes YOU happy. Read a chapter of a book, listen to your favourite song, eat your favourite snack. Just a little something that re-centres your energy and reminds you to take some time for yourself - something that makes your mind feel a bit of peace during the day.

- Another obvious one, but important nonetheless as being means that you’ll feel healthier, h l b i hydrated h have more energy, and be able to get on with the tasks of the day without feeling broken down or mentally exhausted. It’s the basics that help the most and you’ve got to start somewhere!

- This is something that I find to be my saviour in the hardest of days. It can be so simple, merely an ‘everything will be okay’, or a whisper of ‘tomorrow is a new day’.

It’s the little things like that which can give you hope: the most powerful tool a person can have. Just remember, take everything day by day and it will all work out in the end.

- This is a hard one for a student, even I’ll admit that I would struggle, but the benefits are so important for your health, both physically and mentally. Take a break, even if only for a week, from the late nights, drinking, junk food, and anything that mind harm your mental health and body. It sounds daft but just a week of putting yourself first can make all the difference to how your life goes - and you never know, you might enjoy it!

- When you’ve got deadlines coming up, have books to read, or even just a lot going at home, making lists of everything you’ve got to achieve can put things into focus, especially if you give yourself some timelines and goals. You’ll find that your head won’t feel so busy and crushed, and you’ll find that you might even have more time to do things than you originally thought. Everything might get easier, and you might find you’ll have more time for yourself!

WORDS BY: HANNAH STAIT DESIGN BY: ASHLEY BOYLE

- If you’re struggling, those closest to i ht b i you might be th the kkey tto giving yourself a break. Having time to laugh, to smile even, could just be what you need to relax your muscles and let your mind breathe a little. Spending all your time working and thinking can slow you down more than having a laugh with the ones you love, so make sure to give yourself some downtime too - you deserve it.

- If something’s bugging you, if things seem too much then talking is the key. Getting those feelings ta out, either to a friend or professional; even if you were to write them down or talk aloud to yourself about what’s troubling you then you may just feel a weight lifted off of your shoulders and a sense of relief. Voicing those opinions and emotions could be just what you need and, you never know, those around you might have similar feelings too. In that you can find peace, a sense of peace that may be just the trick for your mental wellbeing to power through.

- Another silly one but make sure to rest your mind as wellll as your body. There’s nothing worse then that feeling when you lie in bed and your mind won’t stop racing. What you need to do is to lie in bed with the lights off, no sound and freedom. Think of little things, like what you’ll have for lunch tomorrow; how you could buy that t-shirt you’ve always wanted, or how you can book that trip you’ve always wished to go on. Things that make you happy. Then, sleep! Make sure you get enough to help you function in a way that won’t drain all of your batteries and leave you on a never ending cycle of bags under your eyes and falling asleep in lectures. No one wants that!

- If there’s one tip I can give you, it’s to recognise when you’re h having bad thoughts, or a particularly bad day and think about why it could be going that way. ‘What’s led to these feelings, and what can I do about it?’ As daft as it sounds, just recognising that your minds in a bad place can help you break down those feelings and work towards a bit of peace, mindfulness and control.You’re the keeper of your own feelings, never forget it!