Quench Issue 115 - 7 Nov 2011

REVIEW THE

Music

Swn has become an establishment for music lovers in and around Cardiff, promising a weekend of incredible talent and musical debauchery.

Local girl, Charlotte Church, debuted her return to music on the Thursday night under the guise of Bearded Pantha, prompting a few second glances from the discerning crowd at Clwb Ifor Bach. Then the crowds wandered over to Glam

Huw Stephens spinning the decks at Propaganda. Friday was an incredible day for Xpress Radio, who played host to BBC 6 Music's Steve Lamacq a student radio station.

Throughout the weekend CUTV, Quench and

Tattoo Parlour, where artists dropped in to give exclusive interviews and sessions, including Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Esben & the Witch, Ugly Duckling and Melodica, Melody & Me.

Cardiff Students' Union played host to some of the biggest shows of the weekend, such as 70s punk legends The Fall who performed in the Great Hall on Saturday night.

The weekend saw a diverse array of talent, showcasing some incredible up and coming artthat follow, we review a tiny slice of what proved to be an unforgettable weekend.

See you Swn.

Emma Wilford & Jo Southerd

EDITOR'S HIGHLIGHTS

Discovering great new music

Drinking bodyweight in Jager Bombs

Chilling in Lucy Rose's dressing room

Meeting 90's rap mavericks Ugly Duckling

Stalking Huw Stephens for an interview

Partying on your own at the Silent Disco

Getting the singer from Summer Camp's number

Having a beer with Steve Lamacq's producer

Chatting with Ben Francis Leftwich

Attempting to speak french to Herman Dune

Thursday

Adain Moffat & Bill Wells

With no disrespect to the bands who preceded them, but at a hushed and captivated Ten Feet Tall late on Thursday night was where Swn 2011 really seemed to announce itself as an event. Seeing Caves’ power-punk-rock just 10 metres closer to the centre of the earth

they play with a simple yet stunning depth and sincerity, the jazz-laden piano songs creating a delicate sense of resilience. The muted trumpets and glistening piano’s play like self-contained novellas- tales of failed sexual rendezvous and inebriated binges may hardly be fresh ground, but they are told with an authentic voice. Moffat is never a self-pitying songwriter- the many missteps and accidents he lyricises are told with a sardonic wit and wisdom which means his person in the songs is only as important as the tales themselves- a walk-on actor in his bittersweet and beautiful songs.

Herman Dune

Herman Dune’s songs are a well-crafted balance of sweet, yet sorrowful, quirky yet unpretentious. Disassembling melancholic themes with playful lyrics but fastening the whole shebang together to produce a sort of perfect pop equilibrium.

facial hair, and launched into a track from their new album, Strange Moosic. Well the music wasn’t strange at all; it was just as I’d heard and hoped it would be, but the performance on the other hand was strangely unnerving. There seemed to

engaged, anteloping around the stage and shredding his guitar during a few epic jams, I couldn’t help feeling like I was watching the band do a slightly hostile cover-version of themselves; the drummer, especially, looked like he’d rather be at home doing his laundry.

To watch a gig that is a let-down all around is a waste of time, but to watch one that delivers half of what could have been an amazing gig is just tragic.

Maya Achayra

Music & Photos

The Joy Formidable Friday

Headlining Friday’s BBC Introducing Stage in Solus, The Joy Formidable proved very popular with the crowd, playing a set based mostly upon their successful 2011 album The Big Roar

Pounding drums, rumbling bass and thrashing guitars spewed forth from a nautical themed stage, equipped with Hokusai-style waves, lighthouse, ship’s bell and navigational wheel, not to mention the enormous gong, which vocalist/ guitarist Ritzy took great pleasure in crashing towards the end of the set.

cial expressions The Mask would have been proud of (somewhat disturbing, but clearly showing her enthusiasm) and the chemistry between her and Rhydian was evident.

at times, but huge tunes Cradles and Whirring kept the crowd pumped, the latter inspiring an almost-mosh-pit amongst the very excitable crowd. The gig ended on a high, with Ritzy chucking her guitar at her amp, having a lovely time with her distortion pedal, and crawling

The North Wales trio had incredible energy, with Ritzy stomping around the stage with fa-

Jo Southerd

Having heard great things about this band, but only just realising they were playing at Swn festival, I rushed down to Dempseys on Friday night to catch the action. I was not disappointed. Dressed in vintage 60s clothes, it would have been easy to write Glasgow-based Veronica Falls off as just another new-wave indie band. However, beautiful harmonies, reverb-guitar and catchy noise-pop tunes won me over. This was dreamy pop with a darker, unsettling edge. Stands outs included Found Love in a Graveyard and Beachy Head, which has got to be the most cheerful song about jumping off a cliff ever! Downloading their self-titled album is thoroughly recommended!

Natalie Healey

Gallops Veronica Falls STAY+

queue snaking up Womanby Street would be enough to suggest they’re an intriguing watch even aside from being one of the most talked about bands of the weekend, their danceable math-rock asserting fascination amongst the crowd. They don’t disappoint, their music instantly captivating with-

circularity builds around you live, leaving you shorn of the desire to wonder where the hooks are. Eukodol sounds like angular postrock gone muscular- forceful yet creating enough thoughtful spaces which keep you enticed.

a testament not a criticism. They draw you in with enclosing electronica and layered guitars, the effect surprisingly familiar to anyone who has seen bands such as Mogwai or Explosions in the Sky haze reveal the Dempseys crowd looking equally engaged - heads nodding, eyes closed in rapt ceremony.

nounced stay postitive) used visuals as well as sound to carry the audience into the wee hours of the morning. However, where as the likes of Soul Wax use video to great effect, Stay

interesting, soon became weird and quickly disturbing. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to un-see that foot fetish scene. This in addition to incomprehensible vocals that could best be described as howling, created a very exhausting experience. I use

When given their chance the boys on the deck created some of the best minimalistic techno I’ve been treated to since Crystal Castles, and it was painful to see a room full of people empty to about 15 because of bizarre visuals and redundant vocals. Boys, if you see this, ditch the other two and you’ll go far. Phil Kenny

Music & Photos

Summer Camp

I’ve been a fan of Summer Camp for nearly a year now and with a debut album just around

the two members of Summer Camp pushed their way into the middle of the crowd armed with an acoustic guitar and mic. Before any one knew what was happening, Elizabeth (the singer) wrapped her arm around the nearest bystander (me) and the duo broke into their latest single

This level of crowd interaction didn’t stop kicked in, Elizbeth sang and danced with as many people as possible throughout the set, making the performance memorable to many. But those stood out of touching distance of the band were still treated to an amazing set; the basment feel created by the drums and guitar, giving it a live feel no CD could capture.

Phil Kenny

Ugly Duckling

the roof on Saturday night, throwing the biggest house party Cathays has ever seen. The trio from Long Beach, California, stood elbow to elbow with their fans, announcing their parents were out for an hour and they didn’t care if they woke the neighbours!

track from the new album, neck Speeds, but played a lot of their old material too, getting the crowd dancing to Samba. DJ Young Einstein was sporting his notorious and coveted Gold Chain, whilst Dizzy tried his Pick Up Lines on an unsuspecting fan.

The group played the crowd perfectly, knowing when to Turn It Up, heightening the festival mood with Rio De Janeiro and when the house party was getting out of hand they knew exactly how to Slow The Flow

Jenny Kendall

Benjamin Francis Leftwich

The capacity crowd fell silent as Mr Leftwich took centre stage looking like he’d fallen right out of bed and into the spotlight. Sporting a clearly unironed T-shirt and a bed-head look, his chic seems to earth his sound; less is more.

Kicking off with an album highlight, 1904, he instantly captured the crowd’s attention with his soft, gruff whisper. Whilst a lack of banter and long mid-sentence pauses may indicate nerves, as

dipped, blinking became lengthened and gentle head swaying hit an all time high.

gentle, delicate songs began to blur together a bit. Nevertheless, for a few songs the self- proclaimed singer/songwriter unplugged his performance and engaged the crowd without the aid of microphones, this refreshing preference added another layer of intensity to an already intimate affair.

Max Kennedy

To watch our interview with Benjamin Francis Leftwich and his acoustic session, plus loads more videos from the weekend, look out for the CUTV SWN coverage coming soon!

Melodica, Melody & Me

Cardiff Student Media was treated to an array of interviews and sessions from artists playing at the festival throughout the weekend, inlcuding Brixton-based band Melodica, Melody & Me.

in hand, including a Charango (pictured below), it was obvious that this band could not simply be lumped in the nu-folk category as they often infuse reggae styles

Lia Martin they then gave us a stripped down acoustic version of Mountain, demonstrating their adventurous and progressive sound that makes explaning their genre a little

Emma Wilford

Sam Airey

There’s an abundance of male singer-songwriters on the acoustic scene at the moment, and SWN festival was no exception. Sam Airey, however, definitely stood out as something special. Playing an exclusive session for BBC Radio Wales, the 23-year-old held the guestlist-only crowd at Kuku Club utterly captivated; you could have heard a pin drop.

Born in Anglesey, raised in North Wales and now based in Leeds, Sam was brought up on various folk and country music, which translates in his remarkably deft ability with a guitar. His expert picking skills and emotive voice have such an enchanting quality, it’s no surprise he’s won the admiration of music-lovers nationwide. He’s been hailed as “Wales’ answer to Bon Iver” by Bethan Elfyn, while Huw Stephens dubs him simply “glorious”. Watch this space.

Jo Southerd

Music & Photos

Jim Jones Review / Slow Club

Saturday's intimate in-store sets at Spillers Records, re-lived.

ally know where to start, what with over 150 bands (many of them obscure or unheard of) spread over 14 venues, so I thought I’d listen to the Radio coverage by Steve Lamacq on Friday afternoon for a bit of inspiration. By a stroke of luck, he was chatting to the owners of Spillers Records (the oldest record shop in the world, if you didn’t

gig-goers into Cardiff, when they announced that The Jim Jones Revue were doing a free mini-gig in store on Saturday afternoon, ahead of their headline slot in Clwb that night!

lier than advertised, as I was conscious that it was likely there would be more Jim Jones fans hoping for a bit of free rock’n’roll in the afternoon than there would be room for in the little shop, and sure enough I was one of the last few to squeeze through the door before the audience was forced to gather outside and peer through windows.

The set itself was incredibly high energy, especially since they had only had a cut-down line-up to work with: screaming guitar, bluesy piano, and Jim himself howling on vocals, but the forty-odd people who managed to cram into the shop were bopping away appreciatively to the singles Dishonest John, Shoot First and the album title track Burning Your House Down. It was only a shame

that it was such a short set, but they confessed that there were only so many of their songs they were willing to attempt without drums, despite the audience dutifully providing a clapping beat. That, and I can only imagine that Jim needed to rest his voice before their big gig that evening!

Club where also going to be appearing at Spillers later that evening, for their only Swn perform-

Yeah

So, I couldn’t miss a chance to see them perform a few songs from their new album, Paradise.

lor, have been writing summery, feel-good folk-pop songs for a few years now, but they have always been bubbling just under the mainstream radar, losing out to the more recognisably folk acts, such as Mumford and Sons or Laura Marling. But I suspect that all could change soon, judging by this new album, and their ability to completely captivate a room of compacted fans.

Joined by additional bass and drums, their sound was completely captivating, driven by Charles’ shimmering and echoing guitar, and Rebecca’s simply stunning voice. The mood was very civil and laid back; chatting to the audience between songs, and at one point even sending the drummer to go and look for a spare capo in the van, but from slow songs such as Gold Mountain, to the upbeat Where I’m Waking, and my personal favourite , the audience barely blinked.

Both sets in that afternoon at Spillers were really magical, boosted so much by the intimacy of the venue, and the fact that it felt like we were seeing something that no one else would see of these bands. Plus, the student in me couldn’t help but be overjoyed by the fact that they had been free! So, as a parting word of advice to fans of live-music, check out Spillers every once in a while, because you never know when you might stumble across something you never thought you would.

Thom Hollick

Sunday

Among Brothers

queue I’d seen at Undertone suggested these boys were worth a gander. Described on their MySpace somewhat a mystery. However, it wasn’t until mid-way through the set that it became apparent just how beautiful and strangely accurate this description was. With more members on stage than I could

Al Lewis

This Welsh singer/songwriter sensation has been gathering followers over the past few lish language album has propelled him to new heights in both the English and Welsh language scenes.

The Matador’s Cape, a songwriter and exhibits a hunger for varying terial, my revelry was far greater when the bulk of songs from In The Wake were played with a made the performance stand out and it was probably what I enjoyed most. In saying this, I am in no way implying that a stripped back one-manshow is a bad thing or any less impressive, but

Kenny

in a festival of such delicate sounds it was exciting and encouraging to experience something with more of a kick; the crescendos in Life on a Wire and were goose bump inducing and the electric guitar solo interlude in Part of the Mix was a more than welcome inclusion. These little additions gave the performance a credible atmosphere of individualism compared to his previous gigs, and on the whole it was a completely enjoyable 30 minutes of pleasant escapism.

This man is one to watch, and as a regular to the Cardiff music scene, I urge you to get yourself down to one of his gigs and check it out for yourself.

Max Kennedy

Phil

Music & Photos: Swn Special

Ben Howard

The excitement of the crowd was tangible as Ben Howard took to the stage what this Devon-born artist had to offer.

No mere singer-songwriter, Ben mixed his distinctive voice with his unique guitar-playing style to create a captivating set. Coupled with his talented band, comprising India on cello and Chris on double bass and drums, they managed to generate a rich, textured sound that left the room in awe.

He played a combination of songs from his recently released album Every Kingdom, with singles such as Wolves and Keep Your Head Up prompting the crowd to sing along, much to Ben’s delight. His take on folk music was fresh and at times dark, validating recent comparisons to John Martyn.

I left mesmerised by one of the most exciting artists I have seen in a long time. What a perfect way to spend the last moments of an unforgettable weekend.

Emma Wilford

David Dondero

do have similar vocal styles with an emphasis on emotion rather than making a perfect sound, resulting in a very raw performance. It was immediately apparent that Dondero is a fantastic lyricist who can write interesting songs about a wide range of topics and experiences, from his love/hate relationship with his guitar to a friend’s suicide. He conveyed bleak subject matter intelligently and innovatively, and almost always paired it with a sense of humour. The audience were captivated by his clever lyrics, quavering vocals and ultimately, his sincerity. Everyone who attended the gig at 10 Feet Tall witnessed something magical.

Natalie Healey

Mechanical Bride

“We have too much stuff,” apologises Lauren Doss, aka Mechanical Bride, awkguitar, bass, an accordion, a mandolin; never would I have expected to see quite so decidedly cosy Gwdihw stage. But, Mechanical Bride pulls it off, and the results are astounding. Combining talented musicianship, intricate arrangements and haunting Laura Marling-esque vocals, the Brighton-based solo project delivers a stunningly atmospheric performance. Songs such as Demons, Colour of Fire, and new single To The Fight held the crowd in awe, and despite this being only weekend’s big discoveries.

Jo Southerd

music@gairrhydd.com

ALBUM REVIEWS

What we thought of some recent releases...

Justice

Father,SonandHolyGhost

Top Tracks: -Honey Bunny -Die 5/10 Girls

Upon hearing that Girls, the two piece from San Francisco, were releasing their new album, I was and after hearing of its roaring reviews from the likes of The Guardian and Mojo magazine, I was certain that the album could not fail to impress me. With all this build up surrounding the record, I had high expectations. However, upon listening to it, I couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed. The record shows off how the band has matured, both musically and in production value. Tracks such as Honey Bunny and Die stood out particularly, showcasing the bands new approach to writing for this album. Honey Bunny opens the album with catchy hooks and a surf/beach rock feel, while Die rock’n’roll, making it unlike the rest of the tracks, a wecome breath of fresh air on the album.

The more I listened to this record, the more relatively boring listen. It just felt like the album was missing something, it seems to have lost that along the line.

Audio, Video, Disco

6/10

Top Tracks: -Horse Power -Civilization -Helixdeniable success of their debut album † (pronounced “cross”), and the extended wait for their new material has left many avid listeners of the French pair aching to hear what’s next. The intense electronic style has been fused with slick guitar licks, but with a slightly more subdued, melodic pace compared to previous releases. That’s not to say Justice have lost their touch, as this new album develops the genre in a way we’ve not yet seen. With computer production substituted for live instruments and with an ample been captured throughout the album. The heavily distorted bass, baroque arpeggios and a persistent whiff of an 80s TV show theme song, gives, if nothing else, the album a very unique feel. With high pitch packed stadium, as well as your favourite strobe ridfavourites for club kids and indie fans alike. But as a whole it unfortunately doesn’t quite satisfy the exelectro and dance music in general that that the duo accomplished with their past efforts. With that said, the album is certainly not one to be missed and well worth a listen.

Lisa Hannigan Passenger Top

Tracks:

6/10

It’s been three years since Lisa Hannigan released her piercing gem of an album - Sea Sew; chiselled out of heartache in a cold Irish barn after a sore farewell with fellow musician and subject of her long-term affections, Damien Rice. Her new album, titled Passenger, is an ode to travelling, pushing through past and present, placing themes of departure and yearning into a more experimental array of musical formations. In a way it has displayed until now, but ultimately fails to do more than go round in circles, never managing to reach the same raw honesty that was woven into Sea Sew.

The album is comprised of ten tracks. The songs all unfold as a part of the concept of internal and external journeys. Some folky, some more pop, a seems to be a confusing map of gimmicks rather than a true exploration of emotions. approaches is to be snubbed. In songs like Knots, Hannigan’s breathy vocals contrast with more powerful, stomping tunes to create a beautifully sweetly amusing lyrics show a playful side to the often melancholic nature of her songs.

But there is still the feeling that there is something not quite as genuine, not as moving imbedded in this album. Passenger shows a strong artist and songwriter coming into her own. But for someone with as formidable and soulful a voice as Lisa Hannigan’s, this album lacks…well, soul.

Maya Acharya

SINGLE REVIEWS

Niki and the Dove The Drummer (E.P.)

The best way to think of Swedish band Niki and The Dove's latest EP would be to imagine music from the 80s. The bad part of the 80's. It's all here: lyrics that don't make sense, lots of synth, even instrumental tracks, which tend to sap the energy from the rest of the EP. It's not all bad, though. Tracks such as The Drummer and Mother Protect have an infectious beat that's hard to resist, and singer Malin Dahlström has a nice, unique voice remnant of Stevie Nicks. Still, for the average listener, it's probably best to give this one a miss.

Sarah Uhl

Other Lives Old Statues

ues. The song begins with a nicely orchestrated melancholic melody with sweeping strings and hushed backing vocals. However, the song soon loses the mysterious and captivating sound of the introduction and slumps in to a pretty average acoustic ballad.

British retro-pop at its best, the third single from Metronomy’s debut album The English Rivierais an unassuming, easy-listen that injects some much needed summer spirit into November. Roxanne Clifford’s dainty and melodic vocals are complemented by Joseph Mount’s more urgent tone in the second verse, and a backdrop of doo wop

a deeply gratifying and insanely catchy product. You won’t stop singing it.

Lia Martin

Swoon for

John Rostran & the crown of Welsh Culture

During a sunny spring week in Texas, John Rostron is strolling around the US festival South by Southwest, where thousands of bands play on stages spread around several towns in the dusty and dry southern state. That’s when he realises he wishes the same thing existed back home in Cardiff. Not that there weren’t enough bands playing there, but there wasn’t anything close to grandiose, and nothing consistent that would draw crowds from near and afar.

2007, with an impressive line up of acts including Beirut and The Cribs. Since then, Swn has showcased an extensive array of up and coming talent, both in and out of Wales, making sure there’s always a consistently refreshing mixture of sound. And not only are the stages of Cardiff ablaze, but so are the art

This year witnessed the most ambitious Swn yet, with 180 bands, four days and a dozen venues around

I caught up with John Rostran, Swn founder, as well as curator of the Welsh Music Prize. As I call him a bright, but slightly fatigued voice picks up.

How have you been experiencing the week after Swn? Feeling blue or relieved?

Took Monday off – ate lots, watched football. But there’s still lots of cleaning up to do – taking everything out of the venues, and clearing stuff away that the bands have left. We’ve also got Julian Cope and A Los Campesinos! gig in a few weeks to arrange.

How did Swn go this year? Any mishaps?

It went great! It’s always a bit nerve wrecking when you’re waiting for sales to come in while at the same time trying to pay the bands. But it turned out to be an amazing Swn, by far the best yet. Good ticket sales, loads of people came. Good weather too, sunny and mild.

What do you think makes Swn different from other festivals?

We do local talent, but by local talent I mean from the whole of Wales. We don’t aim to be the V Fes-

tival. We’re a bit like the Cardiff equivalent of Live in Leeds. We stick to our guns and book what we think people will like, we don’t strive to go for what smells best in the bakery that particular morning. We’re going against what promoters and marketers would prefer, but it was an approach we had to take – to not merely focus on best sellers. There’s also a real community that forms around Swn, people helping out solely because of their shared love for Cardiff and for music. Bands that play here stay for the whole weekend to enjoy the whole of the festival. In many ways we are the antithesis of a corporate festival.

Charlotte Church made a surprise appearance. Will we be seeing more ‘well known’ acts in the future?

The fact that Charlotte wanted to play here speaks volumes about the success of Swn. She was the one who talked to us. She played me some of her new material that she wanted to test out, and said she really wanted to perform.

She can sell out whole stadiums, how was the reception her playing the relatively small top

There was only like a 100 people there, and when she started performing people were so shocked, of course more and more people came because everyone there was tweeting and texting their friends. She didn’t want to be billed, and to have the great dence in her new material.

Did you get the opportunity to see any bands yourself?

I didn’t get the chance to see as many bands as I wanted, especially on the Saturday because of the power cut throughout Cardiff, although luckily it didn’t affect any of the venues. Greta Isaac was amazing, as well as H Hawkline. Theme Park were really laid back and Alt J were bliss. I’d also list Stay + and Kutosis in my favourites.

this year. Is its introduction this year a result of the Welsh music scene getting bigger or an initiative to get it globally promoted?

A bit of both. Swn has been pushing Welsh music since its creation. There was no such thing before we started it. The WMP is a natural progression from what Swn has been doing. However, more

Looking back, this is the strongest year we’ve had for Welsh music; there’s always been successful artists here, but nothing like what’s been around this year. Organising the Welsh Music Prize has worked out so much better than expected. If you told me a month ago that it would be getting broadcast globally, you would have had to pinch me!

Culture, Cardiff & the Art of Publishing

ential individuals and current issues, it works to support Cardiff businesses by organising a discount card for local retail, culinary and cultural spots.

nalism at Cardiff? Do you feel it has aided you in your career?

I was completely new to journalism, and Plastik in it. Post grad journalism courses at Cardiff are great because you get to interact with some real heroes of the industry; it was really valuable for me.

nalism?

I had just come back from an Erasmus year that I spent in Paris and Berlin. I have to say Paris wasn’t my favourite place; it really is past its prime time. I loved Berlin on the other hand; I can see a lot of Berlin in Cardiff, in the way that it’s very DIY culturally.

The informed view on culture and the arts, as well as focus on business-start ups and local

I love Monocle. For me it’s the pinnacle of publishing. I love how they use culture to inform city planning and the way it looks at politics in the form of from it for Plastik.

Are there any other happenings or events in Cardiff apart from Swn that you feel are really accelerating the city's culture?

First and foremost there’s Made in Roath that was on the other week. Showcasing art and local business initiatives, what I thought was cool was that artists were exhibiting their art in homes around Roath, both others and their own. It’s blurring the idea of the modern workspace. There’s also the

tracks, and has had great guests such as John Cayle and Danny Boyle. CreativeCardiff hosts a variety of things throughout the year, including the Creative Minds held at Cardiff Uni that has many interesting guests.

it's all an act, at:

Whilst the majority of my peers swooned over SWN, I found myself reversing my age back to front and donning a twelve years old's expression for a trip to the circus. I was un-

was a performance of antiquity, a relic of a bygone era of entertainment.

Despite these claims it is quietly noticeable that there has been a spirit of re-invention amongst circus folk, and quite rightly too due to various reasons; not least animal rights lobbies, who have questioned the treatment of performing animals; couple this with creative troupes such as Cirque De Soleil and their lavish shows reawakening the art form for the mass market, I had hope that this spectacle of entertainment was going to be worth my purchase of a Childs ticket. After all, I had reason to believe the circus folk would not wish lose their pride to oblivion, and I hoped they had kept with the times rather than lamenting the traditions of the typical touring circus. With all these mixed expectations I can say that I was not to be disappointed.

With horse droppings pebbling Sophia Gardens, it was certain that the big top, aka, Zippos Circus had come to Cardiff. This time the circus was based on: ‘HORSEPOWER, which mixes the stunning horsepower of three completely new equestrian acts with the modern raw horsepower of roaring motorbikes.’

Slightly overwhelmed with idea of Power and Horse in the same 13-metre diameter ring (let alone the same sentence), I became a jittering little lass, nervous with excitement in my tiered seat. The performance by Zippos was a non-stop cavalcade of admiral and spectacular talent. It featured acrobatics, ‘hold your breath’ aerialists, trapeze artists, larger than life clowns, jugglers, horse riders, and with the theme ‘horsepower’ it even involved a motor cycle ‘Globe of Death’ – oh yes, it was as sinister as it sounds!

Despite being left jaw-dropped at such unique spectacles, I was also feeling slightly confused (and revolted) at the appearance of, what can only be described as, overtly sexual acts by women. Of course for the abundant number of real nine, ten and eleven year olds this wouldn’t raise an issue, but here I am – slightly less innocent (one would hope,) watching excessively toned physiques of women proudly performing their acts in little themselves off and around trapezes, straddling lines of ribbon whilst dangling benignly 12 feet above the ground, and at intervals fancifully tickling the clowns chins with polished manicures.

I don’t feel twelve anymore, but rather ashamed at having paid good money to watch my own sex children (minus the parents and the few too cool for SWN students), and in that I feel as though there must be something slightly warped...

It seems the ‘F-word’ has come to play at the circus. Intrigued and bemused, by the erotic display of women I looked into the reality of girls running away to the circus, and was pleasantly relieved at what I found out. It would appear these women were there for themselves, they hadn’t been caged, transported, whipped into play and glitzed up against their own will, no, but rather they had chosen to runaway and exploit themselves, at the expense of the voice of ‘Women'.

In researching ‘Women in the Circus,’ I found that Brisbane in Australia has a series of Women Circus’s ‘to inspire and empower through [the] contemporary circus.’ It would seem these circuses’ essentially offer the opportunity for women bodies in a safe and non-competitive environment. ‘Women’s Circus’, the most well known circus dedicated to women only, was founded in 1991 and its shows are often typical to women’s suffrage over the past 100 years, including themes of reconciliation (The Soles of Our feet, 1999), sexual abuse (Secrets, 2001), and women’s circus history in Australia (A Plane Without Wings is a Rocket, 2006).

In relation to the Women’s Circus, if one were to nitely’ would be the only appropriate answer. The power of the women’s circus appears to be a ‘macrocosm. It’s not a homogenous group [...] there are as many takes on this as there are women.’ Within the circus then, it would appear feminism is being lived, not just talked about. The community of the women in the circus appears sound; they have all Land. I can only respect these women, hoping that their physical pride, their desire for an alternative, yet admirable lifestyle is recognised as more than just inappropriately sexual behaviour, as I so physical liberation speak louder than words for all women’s sakes.

So in dutiful respect to the top hat of Zippos, I no longer am in revolt at the women’s frivolous dances and skimpy attire, but can look back with respect to the whole act, that is the circus.

Camilla Flint

"The ‘F-word’ has come to play at the circus...

‘When a chorus of over 100 women take hold of the circus the lines between backstage, upstage, onstage and downstage become blurred. We all know that the women run the show, let us rub your nose in it! Where flying through the air is part of the daily grind/mind, smiling upside down is a face lift, notions of normal are twisted and difference is celebrated.’

books@gairrhydd.com

Booker up

Last month's announcement that Julian Barnes had finally scooped the Booker Prize after being shortlisted on three previous occasions was overshadowed by accusations that the panel had favoured readability over innovation. Jess Rayner investigates.

What makes a book a worthy prize winner? Is it down to accessibility to the masses or the literary quality of a novel? This year’s Booker Prize has met criticism regarding this very question, after the judge’s decision to focus on ‘readability’ as a key criteria informing their selection process. The idea of ‘readability’ as opposed to critical the prize is becoming too populist; moving away from rewarding innovation and instead paying more attention to reader accessibility.

But in this day and age, when literature is so widely and readily available, is it so much of an issue to create a new focus on readability? Stella Rimington, a former MI5 chief, who headed up this year’s panel seems to think so, stating how there is a desire for ‘people to buy these books and read them, not buy them and admire them’ reinforcing the importance of selecting a shortlist of books that appeal to a wide audience, and are therefore something people will freely go out and read.

However, there have been many critical opinions of this emphasis on ‘readability’ with former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion hitting out at the judging panel for creating what he calls a ‘false divide’ between literature that is high end and literature that is readable. Motion questions whether this established opposition that aims to separate excellence and readability is really necessary, as each other is ‘patently not true’. The criticism of the Booker’s new judging stance doesn’t end

here, with the announcement of a rival prize - the Literature Prize - highlighting the frustration felt by the literary establishment at the perceived suppression of artistic achievement within the shortlist. This new award aims to reward novels which are ‘unsurpassed in their quality and ambition’, a principle that many feel has been overlooked in this year’s Booker.

The intentions behind the launch of the Literature Prize were summed up by agent Andrew Kidd, a spokesman for the award, who said they ‘liked the idea of a prize where excellence was the criteria, if it happened to be easy to read, then great. If it was more challenging, then that nothing against readability, ‘some books are more challenging’ thus take more ‘time and concentration’ yet are still readable. ‘Some writing aspires to entertain, some aspires to art,’ says Kidd. ‘As

there are prizes for excellence in every other discipline.’

Jess Rayner

Reviews

Our pick of this year's bumper Booker crop.

Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman

Pigeon English

studied a module on ‘Pidgin English.’ The novel does essentially pick up on Ghanaian slang such as ‘Asweh’ (‘I swear’) and ‘hutious’ (‘frightening’), which is cleverly merged with more familiar London slang, but linguistics is not centrifugal to this novel. Pigeon English instead considers the known but wilfully ignored urban grime of an inner city. Be it petty crime, dealers, alcoholics or the ‘Dell Farm Crew,’ we see this culture conveyed through the eyes of an eleven-year-old Ghanaian immigrant, Harri. The central plot focuses on Harri and his friend Dean becoming amateur detectives, scrutinising the estate and its dysfunctional inhabitants for clues about a murder of a neighbourhood lad. The Holmes/Watson-like duo are conveyed as both humorous and curious in their detective work:

‘"We're looking for the knife the dead boy got killed with," he explains. "It's called the murder weapon."’

The youth of the protagonists is tragic; naivety seems to closet them from a reality of the severity of gang-led culture, and innocence is certainly not a shield in Pigeon English, but rather a vulnerability. The title is so because of the presence of a pigeon, which becomes Harri’s alter ego in the novel, and if anything is a protector over the young boy. -

sionary cover in every bookshop (how many pigeons can you see?), and it is well worth a read. I was left with a raw sense of uncertainty about London, having been exposed to a life that I never thought could be so real. But Harri, and his fate, make it tragically all too real.

Booking the trend: it was fourth time lucky for Julian Barnes as his novel The Sense of an Ending was crowned winner of the Man Booker Prize 2011

Believe the hype: despite its diminutive size, Julian Barnes' latest offering is a worthy winner of what is still, despite this year's grumblings from killjoy critics, our most prestigious literary award. The Sense of an Ending, incidentally, is proof that a novel can be both readable and stylistically impressive.

The History Boys with its evocation of all-boys' public school banter and philosophising. Young Tony Webster and his group of friends allow highly intelligent newcomer Adrian Finn into their clique and vow to keep in touch as they all go their separate ways to different universities. Inevitably, distance changes the dynamics of their friendship, and a single fateful gesture sets a tragic chain of events in motion.

The narrative shifts halfway to a present-day Tony, who is forced to re-evaluate his past after receiving an unexpected and curious solicitor's letter, the mystery of which drives the plot until

Julian Barnes' greatest triumph in this novel is to have distilled sweeping themes such as the malleability of history into just 150 pages of measured and nuanced prose. The care taken to ensure that every word is essential is obvious throughout, and its subtlety of expression only serves to underline its quiet sadness. It is, in the words of Observer critic Robert McCrum, 'a work of art in a minor key'. The clunky denouement is slightly disappointing, but this being a book driven by language and concept rather than plot, it hardly seems to matter and does not detract from what is ultimately a thought-provoking novel.

Alice Hughes

Camilla Flint

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

film news

It's a record Halloween weekend opening for Dreamworks' Puss in Boots grossing an incredible $9.6million in its opening night; easily trumping Jonnhy Depp's The Rum Diary to the top spot, which took a cool $2million. With Puss in Boots' takings expected to reach a staggering $38million over the weekend, it seems Puss, voiced by Antonio Bandares, as a Shrek spin off.

With the script rights having just been won for a Grace Kelly the "role of a lifetime" as the Hollywood actress turned Monegasque princess. Gwyneth Paltrow, Blake Lively and January Jones are all potential candidates in the currently titled to Tom Hooper's The King's Speech, focusing on president Charles de Gaulle's rein in France whilst Kelley was credited with turning Monaco into a glamorous stomping ground for the rich and famous.

Justin Timberlake's acting career has recently received a credibility boost having been offered a major role in The Coen Brother's latest movie, Inside Llewelyn Davis. Set in New York's Greenwich Village during the 1960s - if JT signs on, he'll play a young folk singer named Jim married to Carey Mulligan's Jean. Taking ever more prominent roles in Friends With and In Time, we're keen to see how Justin's movie

With Walt Disney Studios' re-release of The Lion King in 3D being a huge success, grossing $20million in its opening weekend alone, they've announced plans to do exactly the same with a few of their other classics. Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc. are all set for 3D release in the coming two years as well as Pixar studios releasing a prequel to the 2001 hit Monsters Inc. that sees Mike and Sulley, prior to their working days, at Monster University.

trailer trash

Contrary to popular belief The Muppets are not a guilty pleasure, they are quite simply brilliant and over the past few months there has been a mass of evidence to support this in the shape of parody trailers. From romcoms to The Green Lantern, even The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, no the new team in charge of The Muppets. Their latest effort however shows that is has all been in good humor by taking a swipe at themselves with a few added extras along the way… MW

Got a twitter wit? Send your #tweetcritique to @QuenchFilm and get featured in the next issue!

film reviews in 140 characters or less...

Fraser Isaac tells us of his experience working on Vertigo Film's latest 3D feature.

The plot sees leading man Ash, played by actor/dancer Falk Hentschel, travel the globe to form “the ultimate dance crew” and, in a clever marketing ploy, Vertigo Films have done exactly that, searching the USA and Europe to source the world’s greatest dance crews, many of who are television reality show winners and famous in their right. The UK’s representative being George Sampson, the star of Street Dance 1 and winner of Britian’s Got Talent in 2008.

Day one and I arrive early in the morning to a dank London catacomb in Waterloo dressed up to look like an illegal, underground rave scene in Paris and it’s fair to say there’s been no expense spared in making this an unforgettable dance scene. With 300 extras briefed to dress in “S&M”

duction companies since I was eighteen, the importance of gaining relevant work experience has been making tea for a small, independent production

cations are worth no more than the paper they’re written on, compared to a stint on set or time working in a ine my excitement when I had two

Dance 2 3D this Summer. Of course, it was unpaid, six day weeks and thirteen hour days but the value of under my belt was hard to pass up.

the original Street Dance 3D trailer and, with it looking like a poor man's Step Up, featuring relatively unknown actors and a dodgy Nthey'd even considered expanding a movie that I assumed had been a clicks through IMDB, and it's fair to say the Street Dance "phenomenon" has managed some astounding

weekend, Street Dance 3D beat Prince of Persia and Robin Hood to the top spot by a clear margin; very impressive for a British indie produced by Vertigo Films. It's no surprise that a second Street Dance was quick to be suggested and, in true sequel style, it’s bigger and better than ever before.

between the dancers and director and an incredibly unique setting, the atmosphere was electric and energy levels remained high right up until the last few shots late into the night. I felt like I’d spent the day at an underground Spanish dance festival rather than at work and the rest of my time with Street Dance 2 did not disappoint.

teresting. Great in that I was right in the thick of the action, panning up and down in line with the cameras but it was strenuous work involving me moving the camera's painfully heavy tracking to allow the 3D cameras to pan smoothly for

different set ups. Of course the customary tea making, lunch running and set watching were all thrown in as part of the on-set experience and no one dared moan through fear of losing their job or worse, being labeled with a bad attitude. What surprised me most about my experience on set was how expendable as an employee you are (one

queuing up for work experience, he was instantly replaced) as well as how everyone knows everyone so your reputation is your key to getting your next job. This lead to a false “we’re-all-working-reallyhard-and-loving-every-second” vibe around set but hey, it was still a great experience.

By week two I had moved over to “crowd assistance” which involved securing 300 unpaid extras everyday to be the geared up, cheering crowd for

skirts of London. It wasn’t too much of hard sell

few posts on social networking and dance forums calling all dance enthusiasts or George Sampson

dance moves were incredible showcasing the talents of choreographers Rich and Tone Talauega who were employed for the duration of the shoot to devised the routines after their hugely successful careers in the US working with the likes of Madonna, Chris Brown and Justin Timberlake. I’m no dance expect but they’re well worth a quick Google as some of their work is outstanding and is set to really work well in 3D.

In all honesty, I cannot wait for Street Dance 2’s in line at Cardiff Cineworld ready to be wowed by the dancing talent and, what I’m told is some incredible use of 3D. One scene in particular saw hundreds of angry spectators boo a dance crew off stage by hurling tonnes of salted popcorn down onto them. Sure, it’s no Oscar worthy cinematography, but, in 3D, I’m told it’s something pretty spectacular.

Could Street Dance 2 prove even more popular

crammed with 3D sequels galore, it’s got some tough competition.

The final showdown

"It has to be said, the talent of the dance crew is amazing"

FILM Reviews

the adventures of tintin: the secret of the unicorn

Dir: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Jamie Bell, Andy

Serkis, Daniel Craig

As the creator of the heart-warming summer blockbuster, Steven Spielberg's extended absence from the director's chair has been a tough time for The Adventures of Tintin marks Spielberg's return to directing, and brings with it an adventure that will not only entertain young children, but will also remind their parents why

Spielberg fronts a cast and crew that reads like a who's who of family-friendly adventures. Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright (of Doctor Who and Hot , respectively) take the writing credits, with John Williams scoring the quest in typically lavish orchestral form. Unfortunately, Jamie Bell's selection as the titular hero taints the otherwise perfect casting; Bell's depiction of the legendary journalist-come-detective lacking any of the passion required to resurrect the role of such a wellloved character. This leaves Tintin himself seeming not only like a minor character throughout, but an unlikeable and annoying distraction from Andy Serkis' fantastic portrayal of Captain Haddock, and the adorable misadventures of Tintin's canine companion, Snowy.

Despite this drawback, The Adventures of Tintin summer blockbuster. The plot is that of a typical treasure hunting swashbuckler, but Spielberg demonstrates the genius that has lead to his legendary status by managing to keep it fresh, and his passion for the subject material is made clear throughout. Wright and Moffat have done an equally brilliant job of condensing three classic

ever feeling disjointed.

long-time cinematographer, has clearly taken great pleasure in the freedoms afforded to him by the animation process, and some of his shots rival even the most artistic of cinema for their sheer

more notable when you consider the cookie-cutter

the inclusion of 3D. Filmed using the same 3D motion-capture as Avatar, the addition of an extra dimension allows Kaminski's camera-direction to

Spielberg's return to direction is not only a fantastically realised depiction of a classic series, but a beautiful and promising look to the future of themation of Jurassic Park 4, Indiana Jones 5 and a further two Tintin adaptations, one can only hope that he continues this inspiring show of artistry.

Tom Connick

we need to talk about kevin

Dir: Lynne Ramsay

Cast: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller

There are two things that need to be considered

lot of mind work and interpretation. Although

part, remind you of Edward Cullen, do not be fooled. He is a serial killer. The second consideration is that, if sitting front row, the constant

ingly amateur camera shots will begin to give you a headache. I was unfortunate enough to sit front row and by the end, my body had moulded itself into an almost foetal position. It wasn’t a lot of fun.

was brilliant. It plays perfectly on the fragmented, hopeless relationship between a mother and her son, epitomised by their inability to connect. This, perhaps, is the initial twist. The plot deviates from the norm so that it is the mother, Eva, who is seeking acceptance and love from Kevin. The viewer watches Kevin evolve from a child to an eighteen year old, and with him you see his in-

terests and hobbies progress, notably his love of archery. With Kevin’s transformation, you begin to see Eva’s demise.

Yes, you have to be patient while it slowly unravels its gripping plot, but every time you are given an extra piece of information you immediately attempt to decipher its meaning, analysing

but which later reveal themselves as crucial, making the viewer feel shocked that they could have missed it.

Furthermore, the cast is faultless. Tilda Swinton, who plays Eva, is able to switch effortlessly between her past as a carefree travel writer, to the present as a worn down, haggard mother. You experience what Eva has to deal with in the aftermath of her son’s carnage, and how it is that she can start off with so much and end up with so little. It is also refreshing to see John C. Reilly take on a more serious role as Kevin’sever, he may have you looking behind your back.

Alice Sewell

CONTAGION

Dir: Steven Soderburgh

Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Jude Law

Steven Soderbergh’s latest offering boasts an all star cast and a plot line that mirrors the fears that rocked the world a few years ago. Visibly prompted by the H1N1 virus epidemic, Contagion begins with Gwyneth Paltrow’s character Beth Emhoff returning from a business trip in Hong Kong, via a liaison with an ex in Chicago. Within hours of her returning to her husband and children, Beth dies of a mysterious illness, which her son too succumbs to. This marks the start of a series of people falling to the virus

scaremongering of a very dodgy Australian sounding Jude Law, who plays Alan Krumweide. Krumweide is a blogger with motives beyond

and a cure for the virus drives the plot, while we also follow how the virus affects many involved, including Beth’s husband Mitch (Matt Damon) as he struggles to come to terms with the loss of his wife and son, while trying to remain a stable force for his surviving daughter, who has been quarantined in their home.

world of science would probably react to a pan-

demic if it ever reached such critical stages at such a speed as expressed on screen. The role of rather than having a duty to report the truth to the masses, while the scientists are depicted as people who would go the extra mile to ensure the one of Soderbergh’s best, not only because it is thought provoking about the state of society and how we cope with disasters, but also because it doesn’t shy away from giving the audience what they want: a few gory scenes.

The performances are strong, the shot movement matches the pace of the story and the script has several warm moments in a plot that revolves around tragedy and horror. Contagion is a thriller of a different kind, less gruesome yet still not for the faint hearted, nor the hand sani-

Philippa Ako

Iconography

Quentin Tarantino

When describing Quentin Tarantino you may as well be writing a psychological evaluation of someone with multiple personality disorder. He went from working behind the counter of a video rental store to early acclaim as a director to stut-

Bursting onto our screens almost twenty years ago with Reservoir Dogs he stunned audiences with a heist movie quite literally with a twist. Cinema had a new rebel and expectations were high. Everyone’s hopes were realised with the release of Pulp Fiction as it truly heralded his arrival as much more than a one hit wonder.

Hollywood career it seemed as though only more good things would come in the future and whilst Jackie Brown was far from perfect it did little to dent people’s hopes. What followed was unexpected, six years and no cinematic releases. Was he

could only hope. After this hiatus a new Tarantino emerged, the homage-centric Tarantino, and a double feature spread over two years which marks the real slump of his career. Kill Bill, Vol. 1 and 2, was a project of personal passion, he

he grew up with and whilst this reasoning is ac-

a quite frankly too unbelievable storyline in the

ond instalment somehow managed to win over a new generation of Tarantino fans.

There was a new hope following this trip into the obscure tribute that the fanboy director would return to his roots, what actually happened was

with

Planet Terror was widely enjoyed Tarantino’s Death Proof panned.

Hope was fading fast only for Tarantino to announce his next project would be the World War II Inglourious Basterds. Plans changed and from the initial plan of a reunion of Reservoir Dogs alumni Tim Roth

emerged a Brad Pit starring role surrounded by relative unknowns. With uncertainty Basterds was unleashed on Cannes and Tarantino well and truly returned to top form with his best effort since Pulp Fiction and quite possibly his best full stop.

What does the future hold, another homage in the shape of Django Unchained, but, and I say this with cautious optimism, his western sounds much closer in style to Basterds than Kill Bill

Morten Wright

the debacle of Grindhouse. A double feature with

fake trailers from the likes of Eli Roth held great promise but on its release in America audi-

Defining movies:

Dogs (1992)

Fiction (1994)

Basterds (2009)

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM

Out In Sport! Kate Gale reports on the LGBT+ Association's latest investigation on LGBT+ involvement in the Athletic Union!

With the London 2012 Olympic Games merely a hop, skip and jump away, homophobia and transphobia in sport is coming under increased scrutiny.

‘Out in Sport’ is a new campaign run by the LGBT+ Association this year, which aims to work alongside the AU to improve LGBT+ people’s comfort with their sexuality/gender identity within the sporting culture.

An LGBT+ survey conducted amongst the sports clubs at this year’s Sports Fayre - as part of the campaign - revealed that many sports clubs would like to see an increased awareness of LGBT+ people in sport. But this survey is merely part of the campaign.

The ultimate aim of the campaign is to produce a short video involving sports clubs in the AU which will be broadcast in various places around Cardiff University (including the AU Ball) to educate, inform and tackle negative stereotypes surrounding LGBT+ people in sport.

Kate Gale

Ryan McGavock gets his kit on and tells all about Wales' only specifically gay-friendly football team and their hunt for new players!

gay-friendly football team. The team was set up three years ago by a group who love playing football but have been unable to be involved in teams due to the high levels of homophobia in football at all levels.

The Dragons play in the Gay Football Supporters Network (GFSN) league against teams from all and Newcastle. They participate in 5-a-side tournaments throughout the country, and are currently the SouthWest 5-a-side champions after their 1st team were triumphant in the annual Bristol 5-a-side tournament in February.

The GFSN works to establish a social network for gay football supporters, to encourage the formation of gay teams for players of all abilities, and to campaign against homophobia in football. Their aim, to create a safe and tolerant environment and to gain the respect and recognition for gay involvement in football. Since their formation in 1989, their main concerns still hold true today –while football is the greatest sport in the world, it can be intimidating for LGBT persons, due to the homophobic attitudes that are arguably within all aspects of the game.

Cardiff University student Ryan McGavock says; “I love playing football but after speaking to the Uni team at Freshers' I was immediately put off by their macho attitude.” Ryan is also the team's

is important to us. We are currently sponsored by WoW and after our matches we return there for food and drinks. We try to vary our social events, whether it's out on the gay scene, watching a football match, bowling, or whatever people want to do. We're well aware that not everyone wants to go

We're just a group who love playing football but have been unable to be involved in teams due to homophobia

out on the gay scene all the time. We also run regular fundraisers to subsidise our costs, plus 25% of everything we raise goes to the Terence Higgins

up in response to the HIV epidemic and has been at -

ing the nation's sexual health, ever since”.

Dani Cocking, also a Cardiff University student says; “I really enjoy being able to play mixed-gender football. It would be great to see more women and more students getting involved as there aren't many of us now.”

Manager Murray Harvey says; “I always wanted to play for a gay team, as I had been playing for local teams and felt like I was lying to my teammates. It is also important to me as it creates social opportunities different to the often narrow gay scene.”

Dragons' Chairperson Dave Amos says; “It's my belief and the belief of the club that we offer football for all, with no discrimination of any sort. Our club is about offering a chance to play football in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. Whether you want to be competitive, just play for fun or just come along for the social side and support the team, we hope to offer these opportunities for you.”

The Dragons currently run two midweek sessions on all-weather pitches, and most matches

they meet at Gol, near Cardiff City Stadium, for a 5-a-side kickabout with the emphasis on fun. Meanwhile the Thursday sessions at 9pm are focussed on training for the 11-a-side matches.

So whether you're serious about your football or you just fancy a kickaround, get in touch or just come along to a training session. The Dragons welcome players of all genders, sexualities and abilities. -

Twitter (@cdfc)

LGBT+ News

Freedom of Speech?

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has spoken out in favour of Adrian Smith, the Christian Housing Manager who was disciplined by the Trafford Housing Trust for making allegedly homophobic remarks on his private Facebook page.

Smith wrote that whilst the state was free to legislate for gay civil marriage, he felt churches should not be compelled to hold ceremonies claiming it was "an equality too far". Tatchell claimed the Trusts' actions – including demoting Smith’s salary by around £15,000 per annum and a hearing at which he was found guilty of gross misconduct – was “excessive and disproportionate.”

Tatchell pointed out that Smith's view is "shared by much of the population, including many equality and human rights organisations” as well as the

rights group Stonewall and the entire leadership

then they are all guilty.”

“Adrian Smith reportedly made his comments in his own time on his personal Facebook page, which is not viewed by the general public. He expressed an opinion. He did not personally discriminate against anyone. There is no evidence that he has treated any of his gay housing clients adversely."

Gonorrhoea getting "meaner"

Sexual health and AIDs charity Terrence Higgins Trust have warned gay men to test regularly for gonnorhea, following recent evidence suggesting strains of the bacteria are becoming imune to treatment.

Ben Tunstall, head of health promotion at THT, said: “Using condoms during anal sex will help guard against infection, but won’t protect you completely. It’s also passed on through oral sex and, if you have it in your throat, you may not have symptoms but will still be infectious.

"It’s really vital that gay and bi men get themselves to the clinic for a full check-up every six months, and encourage their friends and partners to do the same.”

Homophobia in Sport

Former NBA basketball star John Amaechi says homophobia remains a “massive problem” in sport, especially football. Amaechi spoke out after

untary sector from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.

“I think people approach bigotry like there’s a hierarchy. Homophobia has always been to the bottom of that ladder." The star added that the Football Association had failed to counter the issue.

“In sport there are institutions that haven’t changed in 100 years and need to. If you compare their emphasis on racism to what they’ve done on homophobia it’s an embarrassment.

“There are people in the FA who aren’t that pleased with the idea of women in the boardroom, never mind gay people.”

Hector Roddan

"Let's not FAF about, we like folk music, we hate fascism"saysRyanMcGavock,oneoftheorganisers behind Cardiff's latest alternative night.

In recent years, the far-right have attempted to reappropriate folk music for their racist ideal that people. In response, a movement is spreading across the country, known as Folk Against Fascism. Last year a Cardiff group formed, and have since run a successful monthly live music event at the adorable Gwdihw.

Folk Against Fascism (FAF) organiser and

it became the capital of Wales, Cardiff, as a port city, has always been a meeting point for different

countless other migrant communities rub shoulders here. Very few people realise there has been a Somali community here for 200 years, one of the oldest black communities in the UK. At FAF, we aim to bring everyone together and celebrate the vast range of music and culture out there. We believe that people, no matter their background, have far more in common than the BNP would have us believe.”

Despite the name, Folk Against Fascism do notwant to be tarred with the “folk” brush, as organiser and second year Physiotherapy student at Cardiff University, Ryan McGavock explains; “our music policy is pretty diverse. Welsh harps mix with acoustic punk and Kurdish dancing. We've had headliners like Bristol hip-hop phenomenon Clayton Blizzard and festival favourite Beans on Toast. It's given us a chance to bring some of our favourite artists to Cardiff. For example, this month we had electro-folk singer Rae Spoon, on tour from Canada, supported by local talent Molly Zacharias, who is also involved in running the event.”

Finally, FAF invites you to get involved: “Tell us your ideas, who you want to see live, and if you want to link with a local/national campaign. We to constantly evolve and be yours too.”

day of the month at Gwdihw Cafe Bar (gwdihw. and proceeds cover costs.

blog over at http://fafcardiff.wordpress.com/

lgbt@gairrhydd.com

This page: White silk tee, £59, Reiss

Hero sequin trousers, £175, Reiss

Purple heels, £24.99, New Look opposite: Urban Renewal jumper, £30, Urban Out tters

Coralie shirt, £120, Reiss

Shimmer mini skirt, £24.99, New Look

this page:

sequin top, models own, topshop 'Burnow' velvet leggings, £28, Urban Out tters

Opposite Page: lace sailor blouse, £65, Urban Out tters

purple velvet shorts, £40, Urban Out tters

Styling: Hannah Davies, Leonie Roderick and Lucy Trevallion.

Photography: lucy chip, tom armstrong, catrin worthington models: joanna nelson, roisin alldis, and darshana BARUAH

HAIR: KATIE SANDS MAKEUP: JENNY KEEGAN

Cirque Eloize

What's your agenda?

Up and coming cultural events in Cardiff this fortnight, not to be missed. Look out for reviews and interviews in the next issue.

Donald Gordon Theatre, Wales Millenium Centre

The performance uses a combination of contemporary circus, hip hop, rock with electronic and poetic music to explore identity and individuality.

10th

Blaze

12th

Dance House, Wales Millenium Centre Blaze is an annual dance gala which invites high quality youth dance groups to perform. It gives dancers an experience of a professional Dance environment and the audience to witness and celebrate the talent and commitment of young dancers from all across the country.

UNCOVERED

The

Underground

Rebel Bingo Club, Secret Location

15th

Undercover meetings to explore the dangerous and seductive world of Rebel Bingo.

Rebel Bingo serves to play games with your mind and invert all everyday expectations of the OAP origin. Prepare for an intoxicated and rebellious concoction, with obscure prizes.

However, this experimental version initiated hostility from the old, angry and ruthless crowds, looking upon the rebellious game as a form of desecration. So, the secretive and sinful scenes of Rebel bingo have been forced into hiding, and now only meet in the cover of darkness and disguise of cover stories.

As whispers spread, the sinful act has seduced other cities such as London, Ibiza, the US. Look out as it hits the streets of Cardiff.

CARDIFF GIG POSTERS AND URBAN OUTFITTERS PRESENT:

SWN POSTER ART EXHIBITION

SWN is fast becoming more than just a music festival. Kirsty Allen chats to Lewis Hughes Evans at about representing the artists that didn't play on the main stage.

Hello Lewis.

with SWN for the Poster Art Exhibition?

A small group of local designers have put their skills to use on this year’s SWN Posters so we have worked with Cardiff Gig Posters to create the SWN Festival 2011 Poster Art Exhibition.

Here at the Cardiff store we are always keen to promote the work of local artists and artists living and working in the city have created the and artwork displayed throughout their stores but Cardiff is the only store in the UK which has its very own gallery space. The only other store to have a gallery space is in Stockholm! So the gallery space is always used to showcase local artist’s work for example, students on local design courses.

It was easy to create an exhibition throughout the store. We displayed the posters from this year’s throughout the store. We put them up on the store’s brick work and hung them in between clothes rails. We also used our window space in the Royal Arcade to display the artwork.

displayed the best SWN posters from over the years.

The exhibition will run until the end of the month.

Arts

REVIEWS

STRICTLY GERSHWIN

RUPERT BLAIR

` JOURNEY'S END

Journey’s End is a wartime drama written by R.C Sherriff and directed by David Grindley in the recent production brought to the New Theatre in Cardiff.

The play follows several members of a British Army infantry, over four days in 1918. All the action takes place in the dugout of the of-

forces the plays themes of proximity and immediacy and proves the trenches to actually be a place of humour, bravery and contemplation.

As well as chronicling the ins and outs of life as part of the infantry, including the squabbles bonds and much joked about food,rowing affect of war on the soldiers participating. As the leader of the group, Captain Stanhope is made to confront his old school friend and it becomes apparent the trials of war have set him apart from his younger, more innocent days.

At two hours forty minutes the play does become stale in places, and the tortured anger and repression of the characters is well explored although at times, exhausted. It is the charm of the characters and a poignant subject matter that serve to make Journey’s End a fascinating and emotional piece.

Derek Deane’s ballroom, ballet and tap extravaganza does everything it can to enhance the beauty and spectacle of George Ira Gershwin’s music. Everything, right down to Roberta Guidi di Bagno’s decadent costumes was soaked in the sultry glamour of Jazz Age America.

The number ‘Summertime’ was a wonderful, low-key antithesis to the spectacular ‘Stars and Stripes’ routine preceding it. Special mention must go to leads Daria Klimentova and Friedmann Vogel, who managed to convey the tale of two lovers reunited with incredible grace. They were aided by lighting Guru Howard Harrison’s orange wash of the stage providing a tranquil backdrop to the entwined dancers.

The star of the show was undoubtedly conductor Gareth Valentine whose contagious exuberance was received with delight from the audience and translated brilliantly to the score. The showman conductor’s impromptu dancing, although not a threat to the principal cast, served as welcome comic relief without ever feeling too forced.

The ambition of Deane’s choreography certainly cannot be faulted. The roller skaters pirwheeled sharks was testament to this! It did on occasion feel as if he missed the mark especially on the larger numbers. Although ‘S Wonderful ’ started off as a measured tribute to the old school of American musicals like ‘Meet Me in St Louis,’ prams quickly made the performance resemble a high brow stage production of Monty Python’s ‘Every Sperm is Sacred.’

CATHERINE ALLEN

Alan Carr is well known for his work on Channel 4’s Chatty Man. Unfortunately for those attending his 2011 stand-up show Spexy Beast, audiences are quickly reminded why people described merely as ‘chatty’ are best kept at arm’s length.

In front of a sell-out crowd at the Motorpoint Arena, Carr sets his audience up for disappointment by immediately announcing that he hasn’t done a stand-up show in four years and it may have “ups and downs”.

Unfortunately, the latter dominates proceedings. Carr’s squealing provokes mild amusement, but the one dimensional nature of the gags begins to grate long before the culmination of the two hour set.

Although the hysterical reaction of groups of middle-aged, wine-fuelled women may indicate a success, the material is bland and repetitive. There is no consistent theme as Carr jumps between stories, repeatedly linking them with the line “do you know something Cardiff?”

There is the odd high point within the set, but these are easily lost amidst the mediocrity.

Fittingly, the show seemingly ends with the weak encore that lasts as long as Carr’s stand-up career would have done if he couldn’t play the camp card.

Infamous drugs dealer, Howard Marks, is unsurprisingly an ambiguous character. His show is a concoction of humour, mirth, sadness, and confusion.

Why, I hear you ask, did I pay money to go and see a convicted criminal discuss his shady dealings. Well, it was a question I asked myself repeatedly during the evening. For as much as my inner-rebel wanted to be pleased that I was chuckling at his stories of drug deals, money making, and his epitome of a rock and roll lifestyle, I could not help feeling that I was supporting his basic act of glorifying the drugs trade and admitting that drug trafficking and such offences were acceptable.

I was left feeling that he had used his show more to 1.) Downplay the illegal element of Marijuana 2.) Blame the Government and such authorities, past and present, for encouraging the social disparagement of smokers and drug takers through laws such as the huge taxes on cigarettes 3.) To sell his new book, "Sympathy For the Devil”.

Marks is labelled a "charming" man, and there is undoubtedly an intriguing man behind the myth. His profuse swearing and disdain for authority was more aggravating than fascinating. Additionally, his admittance of being "wankered" on stage was certainly peculiar. Although judging by the huge ovation this created from the 450 or so in the crowd, I may have been alone in thinking this was not acceptable for a performer to admit to.

For someone with a brilliant Oxford educated mind, I was expecting slightly more intellectual humour, rather than the bottom of the barrel jokes about being drunk, being stoned, and hatred of authority. Perhaps I was the wrong target audience for Mr Marks. Personally, it was a mildly enjoyable night, with an uneasy edge. Pot smokers, cigarette smokers, or people with a general nuance to challenge the rules, this may be the perfect show for you.

ALAN CARR

GEORGE DUGDALE

RHYS CLAYTON

HOWARD MARKS

Food & Drink

George Davies interviews Ben from Sorted to find out about their online cooking hub that aims to solve foodie problems and prove that you can have fun in the kitchen...

work, you’ve learnt a lesson in future. I encour-

On a personal level, you can never stop learning. And especially with Sorted now it’s actually an excuse to stay in the kitchen. It’s not a hobby anymore; it’s like ‘my God, this is brilliant,’ because I love what I do. Just to play with new ideas and see what you can come up with.

ily, then when you get to a bit you feel you don’t know, someone else might have an answer. Get cooking with mates and have a bit off a laugh! There’s simply nothing to lose!

In all honesty, it was an accident, starting out with friends taking a recipe off the back off a beer mat

Facebook friends, this type of sharing grew bigger and so you had more people sharing stuff and getting involved. The videos we began to make on YouTube really set out to entertain, and so people think they’re being entertained and then realise "Oh right! I’ve also actually learnt something!" So don’t set out to teach, set out to entertain.

Sorted is aimed towards younger novice cooks with a limited budget and limited experience but wanting a lot of fun out of it. Minimum input, maximum output. So our target market is pretty much the online generation, and so for us we just want to focus on online social media; Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, all the platforms where these guys already spend much of their time and so that’s where we want to be. Our new website just launched about three weeks ago, and that’s truly integrated, as you can log in with Facebook and keep your own online cookbook, which also means you can share it very easily with your friends. So coming full circle, someone described it the other day as ‘the world’s largest beer table’, friends all over the country, all over the world in fact are taking part, in the same way three years ago on a slightly smaller scale around that table in the pub!

I think really it's opening people’s eyes up to an arsenal of skills as opposed to a bank of recipes. I think people go, ‘oh all I can cook is sausage and mash’, but actually if you look at the meat & veg chapter you can learn how to simply swap those sausages, swap that mash by using the same cooking techniques, and hey you have a whole different meal!

The biggest barrier, it’s the fear of failure, which worst that can happen? You’ll give something a go, and if it doesn’t go great you know how not to do it next time. You’re not going to die from it, no-one's going bankrupt from it, and if it doesn’t

It has to be that ‘give it a go, what is there to lose’ and you know what, if you’ve tried and you’ve done your best job and you don’t enjoy it that’s

both feet and just get cooking with your mates.

George Davies

The proof is in the pudding

The Sorted boys' new cookbook proves to be the secret ingredient to a perfect dinner party as George Davies trials some of the yummiest looking recipes.

After being inspired by Ben’s enthusiasm to get in the kitchen, I decided to try out a recipe from the new SORTED cookbook – ‘A Rookie’s Guide To a few friends over for a sumptuous feast of Beef rendang & aromatic rice, with an iced lemon and gingerket and spending a pleasingly reasonable amount on my ingredients, I came back and got into the kitchen (once I had found it under all the washing-up).

My initial impression of each recipe was one of welcoming simplicity, with a vibrant and colourful picture of the dish to get the taste-buds going from the off. A simple progression of bold action words guided me through the cooking process, with just enough detail in each step to keep even the novice

the freezer, it wasn’t long before the Indonesian some snaps of the end result before the plates were mopped clean; needless to say, both dishes went down an absolute treat! Overall I was really pleased

out more of Sorted's recipes. I thoroughly encourage you to log on to sortedfood.com, take your pick of the range of delicious looking recipes and serve them up with your mates tonight!

George Davies

Movie and a Meal at

Thé Pot

After going for an evening comprising of food and a movie (Submarine) at The Pot, I have been assigned the challenge of reviewing the palatable choices on their ever-changing menu. A hard task for my taste buds – I think not.

trendy version of your grandmother’s kitchen.drop against the individual china cups and saucers that serve to hold an impressive range of hot beverages.

For the ‘food and movie night’, a hand written menu was designed with a selection of four meal choices, all of which included a vegetarian option. The choices on offer were spicy squash soup, Mac ‘n’ cheese, butternut squash pie or chilli and nachos. After much deliberation, I decided on the pie, persuading my dinner partner to go for my second favourite choice - the chilli. The speed of the service was impressive, especially considering there were only two people taking orders AND cooking.

The pie was miniature and looked in every way

, but if I was to be fussy I felt there could have -

tion size (or maybe my expectations of my own grandmother’s portions were too optimistic). I also couldn’t help but notice how lonely the pie looked on the plate, with its normal side of chips nowhere to be seen. The chilli was served, rathhearty meal that oozed comfort with every bite. Spicy but not so much that water was required on standby, this was certainly a good choice.

For afters, we were spoilt for choice. Drawing away from the delicious, yet sinful, temptations of cakes and cocktails served in glass teapots, we both opted for a smoothie. Served in a tumbler, as in an American diner, they were thick and quickly consumed. I recommend the Fruit Crumble option; its resemblance to a liquid crumble is quite

there was a communal vibe surrounding.

Hannah Fillingham

Sierra Leone is recovering from its turbulent past.

Sierra Leone is a country that has been devastated by years of civil war. It was once one of the poorest countries in the world, and in 2002 it emerged from over a decade of vicious civil war, economically ruined and structurally destroyed.

The war was notorious for the trademark act of the rebel uprising to cut off the hands and feet of civilians and their recruitment of child soldiers. Civil war broke out after years of social oppression and sufferance of the ‘resource curse’. Countries rich in natural resources, such as diamonds, are typically characterized by low levels of economic development and poor rule.

This poor governance came in the form of Major General Joseph Momoh, who received control from the equally inept Siaka Stephens in 1985. He welcomed the growth of corruption within his government and used the revenue from the diamond and gold mines for his own personal gain. Eventually, the government was unable to afford even teachers, and the infrastructure and ethics of the country began to seriously deteriorate.

Famously, the diamond company De Beers, who had been criticised for continuing to mine in Sierra Leone despite the humanitarian crisis, pulled out of its joint venture with Momoh’s government. Control of the diamond mines was lost to smugglers and all revenue went to private investors, which helped fund the following civil war.

In 1991, the Revolutionary United Front, with support from the National Patriotic Front of Liberia rose to overthrow Momoh’s government. Eleven years of vicious war ensued, with atrocities committed both by the rebels and by the corrupt Sierra Leone Army. 50,000 were left dead and many hun-

dreds of thousand maimed. Fighting only ceased when the UN intervened in 1999, and the war was declared over in 2002 with the installation of Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and the Sierra Leone People’s Party.

Now, Sierra Leone is in a state of recovery. However, its reputation should no longer be affected by it’s past. Revenue from diamonds increased tenfold from 2000 - 2004 and the country's problems, although far from over, are steadily being repaired.

In terms of safety, The Lonely Planet declares it as one of West Africa’s safest destinations. Exter-

neighbouring Guinea’s uncertain political future on one side and Liberia’s fragile security situation on the other generating much unfavourable media. However, this, along with its unstable and infamous past, should no longer hold back a country that has so much to offer.

Investors are arriving en masse to capitalise upon this growing travel destination. Although their presence is for personal gain, it is also helping the country as its tourism industry, like its economy, is growing. Fast. One day, in a more stable future, visitors may be able to enjoy the palm-tree lined beaches, fantastic surf sports just a few miles from the capital, Freetown, and the stunning Outamba-Kilimi National Park. Its neighbour, Gambia, is a highly successful holiday destination and Sierra Leone hopes to emulate this achievement in generating revenue in the ever expanding tourism industry to boost its recovery and progression in the future.

Anna Hickman

MARRAKECH

Sweat, spice and luxury: Escape the student life and travel in true style

Marrakech: A well travelled, well documented and well promoted student destination. Popularranean coast and trekking in the mountains and the Sahara desert.

Marrakech is renowned for being budget friendly. However, it is easy to travel in real style, paying

the most frequented cities of Europe, for an experience rich in African and Arabic culture, and proper luxury.

London can be as little as £160, even during peak season, and it only takes three hours. From Marrakech, you can reach the coastal city of Essaouira for exactly £5.50. Supratours does a good deal and can be found next to the central train station. Try visiting the desert for some quad biking or mountain ranges for hiking, biking and climbing with one of the many cheap tour companies. The Imperial cities of Rabat and Fez are an overnight train away, as are the cosmopolitan, europeanized cities of Casablanca and Tangiers; the ticket will cost you no more than £20 to any of these destinations.

Bartering should be at the heart of every transaction and can result in prices being dropped to an eighth of the original. Fancy a new rug for your room? Don’t pay more that £30 for it. Or fancy a three-day, two-night trip to the Sahara desert in air-conditioned comfort with breakfast, dinner

and accommodation thrown in? That’ll be £50 maximum.

every day, staying in a hostel without air-conditioning soon loses its appeal, despite the price. Yet if you look online before you go, websites such as travelrepublic.co.uk, hoteltravel.com and expedia. com (these are only three of dozens) offer four and It is possible to pay far less for these (glorious) ho-

star hotels, I mean glitzy hotels that the adverts

Key to budget travel is also saving where you can, and the bonus of such extravagant accommodation (excluding the Olympic sized swimming pools, plush beds, icy rooms) is the saving on food. The ridiculous breakfast supplied will stretch, if you are crafty enough to deposit as much as you

will even cover dinner. The free shuttle buses provided beat squashing into a taxi with four locals, their children and parents only to pay quadruple the amount.

Morocco is a hugely popular destination for students, offering delights similar to Europe, but with a unique culture and incredible prices. However, it shouldn’t be viewed as just a student destination; you have the opportunity to travel in true style and luxury.

Anna Hickman

eco retreats

Victoria White reviews an authentic, yurt experience...

‘Eco-Retreats’ was something I had never heard of until the team at Quench offered me the opportunity to review this alternative canvas accommodation. ‘Glamping’ has become increasingly popular and having only experienced rain seeping through my sleeping bag on basic family holidays let’s just say I was more than intrigued!

‘Eco-Retreats’ is based on a remote site near Machynlleth (about an hour North of Aberystwyth) and with not a pylon in sight, tumbling hills, streams and wild sheep are all you will see during your stay. Set deep in the Welsh mountains are four tipis and one yurt all spread out to ensure complete privacy.

The yurt is a circular structured home that origikeep you cosy on even the coldest of winter nights. It comes fully furnished with a double mattress and organic bedding, a beautifully crafted wooden to cook on. Plates, mugs and other essentials are also provided. Long gone were the days of my childhood camping - this was outdoor luxury like no other!

The toilet however, is in an outside cabin and the shower consists of local spring water. So if a fresh (aka freezing) shower is enough to put you off then maybe you should stick to hotels! For me, the ‘back-

to-basics’ natural approach was a welcome escape from the pressures of modern life and I thoroughly embraced the simplistic way of living that ‘EcoRetreats’ promotes. The journey from Cardiff isn’t an easy one but please don’t let this put you off as the scenery is stunning and taking a wrong turn only adds to the adventure! My advice would be to set off early on the day of your departure as it took around 4 hours to reach.

The yurt is suited to group visits as well as roother two double beds. Between six friends the cost would be far more student-friendly (plus the more people to collect logs from the wood store the betrain coat. My ankle boots and hoodie were not suf-

As an alternative to your usual holiday destinayou even get to help the environment so you can leave not only with a spring in your step but a clear conscience too. Perfect.

For more information visit www.ecoretreats. co.uk or call Michael and Chanan Bonser who will be more than happy to answer any enquiries.

Victoria White

THE LEGENDS ARE COMING...

The team

editor Gavin Jewkes

Features

Alexi Gunner, Camilla Flint, Lucy Trevallion, Lloyd Griffiths

food

Simone Miche & Chloe Slade

books

Alice Hughes

fashion

Leonie Roderick, Hann Davies, Lucy Trevallion

travel

Clare Baranowski & Lia Martin

photos

Tom Armstrong & Lucy Chip

lgbt+

Hector Roddan

arts

Asha Verma & Kirsty Allen

music

Emma Wilford, Jo Southerd & Phil Kenny

film

Fraser Isaac, Matt Ayres, Morten Wright

Cover by Tom Armstrong & Lucy Chip