Quench Issue 153

Quench Issue 153

SEPTEMBER 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

THE STUDENT ABROAD

TOP OF THE SHOPS

HUNGOVER HANGOUTS

DESTINATION CARDIFF YOUR DEFINITIVE STUDENT GUIDE TO LIFE IN THE CIT Y Image: Olivia Thomas

Get involved in your local community, Gain & develop new skills and experiences, and make friends along the way!

Cardiff Volunteering Gwirfoddoli Caerdydd

C O N T E N T S 14

28

28

43 FEATURES

6 8

Back To School

Let us jog your memory as to why Cardiff could well be the best place in the world

Refugee: Cardiff’s Untold Stories How we can lend a hand to those in crisis on our doorstep

CULTURE

12 14

What is Culture?

New culture editor Beau Beakhouse asks the big questions

Culture Calculated We give you the low-down on the best cultural activities on offer in the city this Autumn

FASHION & BEAUTY

16

Top of the Shops Let us point you in the direction of our favourite independent stores

TRAVEL

18 22

FILM & TV

The Student Abroad Cardiff students who have spent semesters abroad give us a student guide to European Cities

World’s Hostels

Wackiest

Travelling on a budget? Check into one of these!

MUSIC

26

Gigs in the ‘Diff

28

Festival Replay

Our guide to the best venues no matter what your taste is

We relive and review our favourite festivals from this summer

VIDEO GAMES

30

Editors Pick

32

E3

36 38

Location, Location, Location Did you know Cardiff is a really popular filming location? Neither did we until we wrote this

The Best of Wes A look at the work of the maverick director

FOOD & DRINK

43 46

Milgi We interview the minds behind the best veggie restaurant in Cathays (we’re biased)

Hungover Hangouts The best places to eat your feelings when the going gets tough after a heavy night at GLAM

Our new editors review the games that have been keeping them busy over summer The highlights of the gaming conference

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Welcome Students!

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A little introduction...

E M I LY - E D

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R IN C HIEF

let us know your thoughts and suggestions by tweeting us - @QuenchMag

CY

- T R AV E L

AM

- T R AV E L

LU

A

GEOR

If anyone can watch a ten season TV show in a week it’s probably me. In my first ever week of uni I wore a different Marvel themed t-shirt every day, and I think that says a lot about the kind of person I am!

Y-

FAS HIO N & BE

If you want to find me on campus, look for the girl wearing double denim and radiating some seriously good vibes. My hobbies include trying to understand David Lynch films and forcing friends to watch Friday Night Lights.

F O O D & D RI N K Y-

Second year studying English literature! I love nothing more than good food along with the experience of eating out and hope to express this passion in my writing

TO M

- M U S IC

- VI

D EO G A M ES

Journalism and sociology student here to teach you about the ethics of video games journalism. I’m looking forward to working with contributors this year- if you want to write just send us an email!

N

JA M

Journalism student, with an unhealthy shopping habit.

Round like the letter C, squats have made my bum rounder not bigger. You’re most likely to find me in the gym or on the dance floor with a G&T in hand.

- FO

O D A N D D RIN

ZEN

LM & TV

ES

Philosophy student with a love for a bit of everything, whether it’s punk or country, a good song is a good song.

I’m really excited to hear what you music lovers have to say about the music Cardiff has to offer!

S

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SIC

E RI N - FI

Hi I’m Lucy, one of the Travel Editors this year. I study French and Italian, when I’m not at uni I tend to be skiing or travelling and exploring new places!

D AI

- FIL M & T V

MU

A scouser going into my second year of Diagnostic Radiography (i <3 bones).

Dead excited to tell you all about Cardiff ’s boss music scene I especially love funk/soul/garage/disco & Everton.

A

JAC N

E LIC

I’m starting my first year of English Literature so like some of you I’m a fresher who’s excited about the next 3 years at Cardiff University. I love to travel and have spent my summer in Croatia, Portugal and Belarus!

SI C

3rd year English Lit student and rock music nut. Really looking forward to getting connected with all our fellow music nerds and getting some good, honest words printed over the year!

OR

As an obsessive coffee drinker, gym addict and travel junkie, I love making my life as stressful as possible - I don’t do being ‘bored’!

IT O

K

Psychology student born on the release date of the PlayStation 1 (9th September if you’re feeling generous).

Undefeated Crash Team Racing champion with an embarrassingly large number of trophies.

MU K-

ELEA

J A MIL

- VI D E O G A ME

S

SAM

Odd things that bring me joy include: spontaneity, complimentary bread and functional Apple chargers.

This year, Fashion & Beauty aims to challenge stereotypes and get you more involved.

AN

ULTURE

I’m a second year Journalism and English Lit student. I’m extremely interested in Culture especially theatre. I write reviews of shows for my website as well as Quench and other independent branches.

S H IO N & B E A

UTY

A

I like to question things and that sometimes results in the world becoming a gurgling existential mess, so I have to remind myself to enjoy it by watching film and reading novels, and trying to get to know the people around me.

- FA

H OL

OLIV

-C GE

Y - F E AT U R E S

Y

BEA

LTU RE

2nd year Sociology. I love nothing more than spending time with my friends having a couple of drinks. I cant wait for the challenge of editing Quench

M IL

AU T

CU U-

- D E P U T Y E DI

TO R

I’m a 3rd year Journalism student, wine connoisseur, cat- lover, sushi-eater. I’m responsible for everything about how the magazine looks.

L IE

S A DI

HEAD OF DESIG

N

IA -

Hi! Welcome to the 153rd issue of Quench Magazine - and Welcome to Cardiff! Whether you’re glad to be back in the city again or it’s your first time here, we have packed this issue with insider tips and tricks on how to make the most out of the capital. With a brand new team in place,already doing a fantastic job to create the magazine each month, I thought it only right to kick off the new term by letting them introduce themselves to you. We hope you enjoy reading this issue!

I’m originally from Singapore (Google it, the food’s amazing). I’m always excited to try out all sorts of food sometimes foolishly so - but I’d have to say my favourites are sashimi, steak, dim sum and Singaporean food, of course.

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FEATURES

BACK TO

School Coffee shops and charm For those who love a bit of charm, quaint spaces and individuality, you can almost certainly find a soft spot within you for Cardiff ’s Arcades. Juxtaposed with the city centre’s modern architecture are the quintessential Victorian –era shopping arcades. Opposite the comparatively new St David’s Centre, the oldest of these is the Royal Arcade which dates back to 1858. Hosting a variety of independent stores, boutiques and delicatessens to satisfy anyone’s needs, my favourite is Wally’s Deli; perhaps a little indulgent for us broke students, but nevertheless the perfect wonderland for roaming around salivating at the range of produce. From the oldest record shop in the world, Spillers Records, to Hobos; a gorgeous vintage clothing store boasting handmade dresses in vintage prints and ripped levis, there is literally a maze of quirky independent delights right on your doorstep!

The arcades also accommodate an abundance of charming café’s such as Coffee Barker, which will absolutely become a place you spend more time in than any lecture theatre. With their wicker-backed bistro style chairs and round tables situated outside, you can’t help but feel like you’re sipping espressos on a Parisian street corner. The Arcades offer more than somewhere to simply go shopping; they are a reflection of Cardiff ’s Victorian heritage and are beautiful places to wonder around at your leisure. They are also a refreshing retreat from your typical high street which. The arcades give Cardiff a certain charm that is the envy of so many generic town centres and I promise you are doing yourself a huge disfavour if you don’t make use of these wonderful arcades!

-ALANNAH WILLIAMS

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So you’ve slogged your guts out through A-Levels, managed to miraculously survive results day and found yourself as a budding Cardiff University student. The world is your oyster; you’ve flown away from the nest and are ready for the time of your life. And while you are more than likely to be ecstatically excited, you may also be, quite frankly, shitting yourself. With those endless questions clouding your impending uni experience; ‘What if everyone is weird?’, ‘What if everyone speaks Welsh?’, ‘What if I don’t like anyone?

What if nobody likes ME?’ you may be questioning whether Cardiff was the best choice. After all, prior to turning up with 3 suitcases full and a ton of kitchen crockery, you may have never set foot in the place.

Rest assured, the majority of us have been there or are right there with you. Moving away to an unknown city is a big thing, luckily though, you’ve come to the right place, you’ve made the right decision, and for many, many reasons, you are going to love it. Here are just a few to reassure you!

Nightlife One of Cardiff ’s ultimate drawing points and ultimately the most important factor for most of us has to be its nightlife.

For those of you coming from small towns and villages in the middle of absolute nowhere, rest assured, the evening scene here will not disappoint.

Cardiff boasts a multitude of different nightclubs and venues for whatever tickles your fancy. You’ve got the whoppers, such as Pryzm, if flashing strobe lights, Loud EDM and endless wave of bandage dresses is your scene. If you’re not feeling it, check out Buffalo for Bump n Grind on a Monday night. With its old school R&B, casual dress code and laid back vibe, Buffalo is just the place for getting merry with your flat mates without losing each other and wandering aimlessly every five minutes. And most importantly, the gin and juice is a must try. If you’re into an even cheaper, casual kind of night, Live Lounge will become your best friend and your worst enemy as a student. £1 drinks before 11pm will make you both ecstatic and violently ill over a period of a few hours. Glam’s monthly Shangri-La event is a massive hit with the student population and boasts an all night long house music event which features a wide variety of different DJ’s.

But girls, don’t wear heels at Shang, just don’t. House music and stilettoes is never a good idea. And if none of that is classy enough for you, stilettoes are a rite of passage in Revs and Mill Lane and cocktails are a given. Say yes to a porn star Martini and birthday cake vodka shot though, and all that classiness might just go out the window!

-CIARA GILLESPIE

FEATURES

Calling all international students

Location Location Location!

It is never easy stepping onto the flight that will take you away from home for almost a year. And it’s even harder to take that step when you’re doing it all alone. Starting university in a new country and for some, even a new continent, can be unbelievably terrifying. Arriving at the airport alone with only a suitcase to your name can often invoke a sense of panic resulting in thoughts pretty much along the lines of ‘What have I done!’ or ‘Noooo take me back!’

However, it’s pretty much a given that the majority of you international students will be wailing ‘Don’t make me leave!!’, as your year here draws to a close. Cardiff has a substantial international student population; something that enhances its welcoming and laid back atmosphere. As an international student myself, I felt immediately relaxed within the diverse environment that the university prides itself for. Student accommodation mirrors the city itself as a cultural hub, teeming with different nationalities and personalities, ensuring that no international student ever really feels out of place. Whilst home may still feel far away, there are also a number of societies to help you connect with others from your own country if you ever feel lonely and homesick.

Although, given how lively, diverse and friendly it is you, probably never will!

-SANYA BUDHIRAJA

Deciding what university you want to go to for the next three or more years of your life can be a very tough decision, yet Cardiff will almost certainly to begin to feel like a home away from home pretty immediately.

One of the best things about Cardiff is its perfect size.

Although dwarfed in comparison to the vastness of London, it boasts a beautiful and convenient centre in which nearly everything is in reasonable walking distance. Whilst buses and trains are frequent, the location of Cardiff University halls ensures that a walk to the centre, to the nightlife, the restaurants and the city’s most famed tourist attractions means that living in Cardiff is decidedly much less effort than many other city and campus universities alike. If you’re strapped for cash, a late night walk back from the vast array of clubs is nothing more than a stroll away, and the location of the Student’s Union allows you to pretty much roll out of bed and into a nightclub. The compactness of the city centre ensures you can easily loop around the city and change atmospheres in a matter of 10 minutes (depending on how drunk you are), whilst passing at least 15 late night chip shops on the infamous chippy lane to refuel and contemplate life while you’re at it. Cardiff has everything you want from a city, yet you’ll never feel overwhelmed, and it is almost impossible to get lost (again, depending on level of drunkenness).

-ALEXANDER JONES

Not just a one trick pony!

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times already, but starting uni definitely is a big step. For me, it was only a year ago when I arrived in halls not knowing much about Cardiff, except for knowing I’d be Instagramming Main Building quite frequently. Yet it doesn’t take long to realise that Cardiff really is a great place not just to study, but also to live in general. Cardiff has it all; boasting beautiful views and green spaces, the centre is peppered with rolling fields, rivers and gorgeous architecture, which melts effortlessly into wild nightlife, modern shopping centres and intricate arcades filled with eateries catering for all different tastes and cultures. Countless numbers of volunteering and sports opportunities across the city and the university itself all unite to form a thriving place to live. Cardiff University will not disappoint in either location or academic circumstances; lecturers go the extra mile to engage you and the resources available to all students are endless. It’s impossible to come to Cardiff and not love it; this place will always be the right decision!

-ELLIE PHILLPOTTS

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FEATURES

I

n an age where information is everywhere, it is unlikely that the discussion of refugees in the media has passed you unnoticed.. Men, women and children have been fleeing their homelands for decades, but in the past few years, statistics have risen at alarming rates. With this comes an increase in reporting; and the public are no longer able to ignore the issue as may once have been the case. Sadly, press coverage is often negative, associating those who seek refuge with anti-social behaviour and criminality. We are removed from the harrowing stories of survival, and while many of us may feel sympathy for the thousands of migrants risking their lives, there exists an overwhelming sense of public anger at the influx of foreign nationals moving to the UK, for taking jobs that many people believe should go to British workers and supposedly abusing the welfare system.

In Cardiff, the North constituency collectively cast 3953 votes for UKIP, who made no secret of their harsh immigration policies, eclipsing the 2301 votes given to Plaid Cymru, whose manifesto vowed to make a Wales a ‘country of sanctuary’ to ensure refugees, such as those from Syria and Iraq, are offered safety and security.

Similarly the Green Party’s 1253 votes within the constituency fell short of Bennet’s aspirations to inspire the public to vote for ‘a fairer society’; in which migrants are welcomed and given more rights rather than less.

Meanwhile the Conservative party’s pledges to lower annual net migration, cut benefits for migrants and increase deportation powers resonated within the minds of the British public at large and no doubt contributed to the the party’s overwhelming victory. The Conservative victory in the North of Cardiff of 21,700 votes was closely followed by Labour, whose immigration policies followed the Tories lead by promising to cap migrants from outside of the EU and clamp down on out-of-work benefits. These results highlight a certain unease at the rate of refugees fleeing to the UK for a better life and the overwhelming support for those parties that pledged for harsher immigration laws, suggests the promotion of a negative and unpromising message to those hoping to make Cardiff their own safe haven; increasing feelings of suspicion and hostility that can be partly attributed to the tendency of the press to demonise the migrants at the centre of this crisis. However, as is often the case, electoral statistics only show us part of the story. The

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In Cardiff, the North constituency collectively cast 3953 votes for UKIP, who made no secret of their harsh immigration policies, eclipsing the 2301 votes given to Plaid Cymru, whose manifesto vowed to make a Wales a ‘country of sanctuary’ to ensure refugees, such as those from Syria and Iraq, are offered safety and security society, Student Action for Refugees are a group of Cardiff students leading the way to tolerance and safety for refugees in South Wales.

Student Action for Refugees (STAR) has risen to become a national network, boasting an impressive 13,000 members between 30 British universities. STAR has clear goals; firmly opposing the undesirable image of refugees and asylum seekers that the media often projects. As well as this, STAR members teach English, maths and other skills like conversation, grammar,basic knowledge about the UK and employability to refugees . They fundraise, and provide fun opportunities such as beach trips and music workshops; whilst also educating others about why so many thousands have little choice in escaping to Britain.

I joined STAR at last year’s Fresher’s Fayre, eager to make a difference within the community I’d just moved into. The refugees, each with such interesting stories to tell, communicated their histories so powerfully.

Of course, world suffering isn’t a topic the West knows nothing about. While we do not experience the same hardships, the fast pace of the news industry enables us to be constantly updated with stories of war and poverty. Until you directly speak to people who have lived these very lifestyles, however, it is hard to envision the true extent of the suffering that exists in this world. Many of us may spend our lives wrapped

Cardiff North constituency votes UKIP

Plaid Cymru

Green Party

3953 votes 2301 votes 1253 votes

FEATURES

CARDIFF’S UNTOLD STORIES up in cotton wool and comfort; agonising over endless first world problems to the point where we may not recognise how lucky we have it . Yet whatever emotion such news stories of overcrowded boats embarking the coast of Italy may spark in us, we will never understand the desperation that leads these people to sacrifice their roots, and even possibly their lives, for even the smallest chance of safety.

STAR has opened my eyes to these realities, so I don’t just teach, I learn so much. I am not alone in this mind-set; Luke Burch, a third-year Physiotherapy student and VicePresident of the society describes it as ‘a great community of people from all walks of life and all over the world…we’re all just people trying to make our way in the world, so let’s do it together rather than separately.’

Luke accurately summarises all the members’ passion for the society. But do those who STAR was created for, feel the same way? Asylum seekers and refugees are sometimes too sceptical to publicly speak up, still governed by fear instilled by their tyrannical native countries, and it is thus very rare to hear of anything other than hostility towards refugees due to lack of knowledge and understanding.

40-year-old Hemeda moved to Cardiff just six months ago after uprooting from Eritrea, an African country where thousands of the 6 million population are desperate to flee.

Whilst Cardiff has been his only British residency thus far, many refugees continue to live in an uncertain world of upheaval. Moved across the UK by the Home Office like pawns on a chessboard, they often hover around the periphery as nomadic ‘almost citizens’ that may never quite belong.

However while Hemeda talks of Eritrea with sadness, his new home, Cardiff, fills him with the hope he has rarely encountered before now. The Human Rights Watch considers Eritrea one of the world’s least promising nations.

In June this year, a 500-page United Nations Human Rights Council report accused its government of torture, including prolonged forced labour and national service; sexual harassment as extreme as rape and extrajudicial executions. A world away from the oppression that plagued his past life, he praises the ‘nice, friendly, kind relationships’ he has found through STAR, which make Cardiff ‘a good

place to live’ in his eyes; a testament that showcases how the residents of Cardiff are able to craft a culture of tolerance and welcome to those in need.

The Sudanese community in Cardiff is small when compared to the Syrian population of Britain, yet 26 year old Sudanese national, Salahaldin, doesn’t feel isolated.

Having moved here in September to escape genocide and poverty, he spoke highly of the opportunities STAR has provided. Despite the broken English he is working hard to improve, Salahaldin communicated to me that he is extremely grateful for how STAR’s volunteers treated him with humanity and kindness; as an individual with positive traits to offer, as opposed to yet another statistic or burden.

He believes he can build a life of happiness in which he will contribute to British society as a successful and valued citizen.

STAR users, including graduates, journalists and GPs, whose admirable careers and qualifications meant nothing to the governments who still completely undermine their human rights, talk about how leaving their homelands was not a decision taken lightly and without consequence.

They made the unimaginable choice of leaving behind family members; elderly parents, siblings, even wives and children (in most cases, it’s just men who make the hazardous journeys overseas), in the name of having some control over their previously dismal destinies.

During conversations with the refugees it is both humbling and excruciating to hear of how the danger to their lives ceases to end on leaving their home country.

The media splashes images of overcrowded boats on the Mediterranean Sea, ominously reaching for our Western shores, yet divulges little about what these people actually endure. Sometimes lasting weeks, the journeys are cramped, with minimal food and rife with disease. Such conditions between oceans and continents are almost unbearable.

Yet the fact that so many are willing to sacrifice so much illustrates the dire crisis of the situations their native countries are trapped in.

The majority of those who benefit from STAR’s facilities, hail from Somalia, Eritrea, Iraq, Sudan and Syria, yet wherever they are from in the world; they now all call

the Welsh capital their home and feel safe in doing so.. This welcoming spirit is essential to creating somewhere to be proud to live; a shelter for those who unwillingly found themselves thrust into unbearable hardship . Last June, Cardiff became the seventh British city to received the honour of being officially recognised as a ‘City of Sanctuary’, having demonstrated itself as a city that welcomes immigrants seeking safety after fleeing war or persecution.

This June the free musical event ‘Songs for Sanctuary’ saw musicians and refugees in Cardiff unite to celebrate the cultural diversity here. Cardiff continues to flourish as a city that welcomes new arrivals, from students to refugees.

Whilst in Cardiff the scenes may not look so dismal, thousands of migrants continue to be treated like animals, thousands die in disease ridden boats across oceans, and affluent western governments turn the desperate away.

We are in the midst of the greatest refugee crisis of our time and as the immigrant situation in Calais has worsened in recent weeks, over 3,000 people remain in makeshift hanti towns as they wait in fear and poverty for chances to illegally cross the channel. Many argue Calais is on the brink of a humanitarian crisis in a country boasting the fifth richest economy in the world. Amongst this panic and poverty, we can continue to react with hatred and suspicion and turn a blind eye to such suffering, or we can expand the warmth in our hearts to those less fortunate and embrace the diversity that STAR wishes to celebrate.

Cardiff Student Action for Refugees Will be recruiting more volunteers, at Freshers’ Fayre 2015 and welcomes newcomers throughout the entire academic year. To give back to your society in a refreshing new way, check out http://www.cardiffstudents.com/activities/society/star/ and http://www.star-network.org.uk/ We’d love to have you on board!

-ELLIE PHILPOTTS

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COLUMNIST

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L O V S E A PR U O Y

OBLEM LIKE

The time has come to introduce our brand spanking new columnist Maria Mellor. We hope you love her as much as she does. This month - How not to cause your housemates offence in every sense.

It’s a Monday morning in your student house. You’re sharing with a bunch of good people in a great city and the next year of university is going well, isn’t it? Breakfast time, you open the fridge and grab your milk, only to find that what was a half-full 2 pint carton the previous morning is now mere dregs. Not enough for cereal, hardly enough for tea. The milk thief strikes again.

Tensions can run high in student housing as food thievery mixed with the multitude of problems stemming from the initial spurt of unadulterated freedom. The people you live with you’ve probably only known for a relatively short time and when personalities clash you end up holding resentments from all the times you’ve been wronged. The key to making it through the year with the people you’re living with relates to matters of the five senses:

Sight

This may come as a shock, but you need to actually see and interact with the people you are living with. I’m sure that there’s someone in every hall of residence who may as well be some kind of mythical creature as you begin to wonder whether they actually eat as they never seem to come into the kitchen. It gets annoying when you’re living with someone who refuses to participate in society. While your Netflix addiction may only send you to a minor degree of mythical status, it helps if you maintain your relationship with your housemates.

Try to accept invitations that come your way and actually hang out with the people you share a roof with every once in a while.

Smell

Basically avoid leaving anything that will make a stink in your house. A lack of cleanliness leads to grouchiness among the marginally cleaner members of the household and it’s easy for the balance to be tipped from pleasantry to resentment. Once you don’t have a parent telling you what to do, the first thing that seems to slip are the health and safety aspects of domestic life. There’ll be a layer of grime on your pots and pans by the end of the year that probably contains undiscovered strains of bacteria, and I’m pretty sure that the sketchy pattern of the carpet is only there to hide the multitude of ungodly stains left by previous residents.

Take the bins out when they’re full, making sure that everyone takes their turn. There is of course the dreaded bin juice to avoid. There will be at least one point in your student life when you’ll be taking a mop to the hallway floor to rid your house of a disgusting train of stinky liquid that has been tracked through the house as a result of buying bin bags from the 99p store. I’ve learned not to throw jelly straight in the bin, as it won’t stay jellified for long and you’ll be left with a large pool of viscous red goop that then decides to solidify again on the floor. A life free from bin juice is a happy one, so get it cleaned up before the ants invade.

Sound

I think that the guy living in the room above mine in first year was either really into doing starjumps at all hours of the day, or had a girlfriend who he really liked having plenty of alone-time with. Either way I got tired of the constant thumping coming from the

ceiling, especially combined with the thumping sounds vibrating through my floor from the Skrillex fan downstairs. My experiences, I regret to say, were only resolved after some fairly passive aggressive messages on the group for my block, and things were considerably less amicable afterwards.

Then there comes the issue of noise complaints. Many students choose the traditional calling of the student wardens in university halls to come and shut people up if pre-drink parties get too loud, but that only ends up getting people upset. I’ve seen people be ostracised with just the rumour that they called the student warden. There have been some rather more creative methods of noise control in my time, as parties were had in the ground floor flats that would spill into the adjoining courtyard. The people in the floors above considered throwing food out of the window at the party-goers an effective method of quieting people down, and strawberries, potatoes and even pickled onions were chucked into the ruckus below.

Touch

A basic rule for sharing accommodation with friends is not to sleep with any of them. Any sexual contact is going to be a bad idea as it can result in awkwardness if it doesn’t work out, and awkwardness if it does for anyone who is now shoved into a ‘third wheel’ status as a result. Life is not like ‘Friends’ or ‘How I Met Your Mother’ where a group of friends can incestuously sleep around with each other and still remain civil, as if worst comes to worst one of you could end up losing your home. Of course a lot of people will be in the ‘one thing lead to another’ kind of

situation, but if you don’t want to end up holding a burning hatred for a person you share a bathroom with, I wouldn’t do it if I were you.

Taste

We all know that it is absolutely not cool to go around helping yourself to everyone else’s food without their permission, but if things do get bad, then food may be the answer to seal any rifts in friendship. Domino’s pizza is open until the wee hours of the morning, so if in doubt splash out and share a slice with your buddies. If you’re unsure about where you stand with someone, then get them a Lidl cookie and everything will be much better.

The one thing to remember when living with other people, is birthdays.

Bake them a cake, order chinese and open a bottle of wine to celebrate and show your appreciation.

I find it hard to follow my own rules sometimes, being a very lazy person who cocoons herself in her room whenever any kind of vague deadline looms, however I’m sure things won’t get too bad for you this next year. The one main thing I like to remember is that you’ll be sharing a very personal space for a long time with these people, so most of the time confrontation just isn’t worth it. Stay civil, stay friendly and avoid getting bin juice on the carpets.

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CULTURE

WHAT IS CULTURE? So it turns out there’s a lot more to culture than berets and ballet shoes. Culture editor BEAU BEAKHOUSE takes us back to basics.

Want to write for us? Drop us a line culture@quenchmag.co.uk or tweet @quenchmag

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C

ulture is a versatile word. It can be stretched to cover the expression of whole civilisations; the culture of a people. Equally broadly, it can refer to the arts: Literature, Painting, Theatre, Film, Music, Dance, Sculpture, Architecture, Photography. From the classics to the modern day, the arts continue to hold pride of place within society. In a magazine covering the subsections of culture, it can be as diverse as cuisine, fashion, media, and travel, alongside the arts in their various forms. The blurring and interplay within these areas proves that culture is a fluid concept; in a way it encompasses everything in our lives. But ‘Culture’, as a section, focuses primarily on the arts, leading inevitably to the related question: What is art?

The word Art, like all words, causes an instant impression in people’s minds, one that often comes before and in place of its true meaning. For some people, art seems to have become synonymous with a lack of meaning, pretence, something removed from everyday life. But this is the opposite of what art really is. To capture its true meaning in a succinct description is impossible and for the most part a real work of art will ‘speak’ for itself, but one explanation may be that art is self-expression. Individuals through time expressing what existence is like. The imagination expressed in a form that can be seen and felt by others. Seen as an insight into the mind of an individual, art once again becomes grounded in an understandable reality, and a novel, or painting can become a portal into some of the greatest minds that have ever existed.

But even this as a single point is too reductive.

Art is not always attempting to directly replicate experience. Modernist experimentation, picking experience into parts, or realist literature, film making or painting, attempt to explore a realistic depiction of first hand experience and reality. They try and almost always fail. But there are moments in all art that seem to transcend this divide between the separate act of experiencing art, and the reality of experience. In abstract surrealism; art and entertainment that would be considered non-linear and unrealistic in some way, the reality of experience is brought out. ‘Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.’; a quote from the painter Pablo Picasso.

So in some way, as many have said, art is truth.

Not surface level truths, which when read or seen can be passed over in moments and forgotten. Truth told in a way that changes you when you experience it, that manages to capture something at the hidden heart of our own experiences, and which results in that profound almost self-conscious moment of realisation, in which something about your person changes, almost as if new space is forged inside your mind.

At the same time it is also about this connection.

The connection between, for example, writer and reader, painter and viewer, actor and audience. That another person can paint a picture, which when you look at it, even after the painters death, removed in time perhaps by hundreds of years, you are moved in some way, you feel something of the emotion, the atmosphere, the life that created it. From reading ancient Greek writing to watching a Christopher Nolan film, in markedly different ways it is the same strange and unexplained process that occurs.

There is a form of art for every human emotion, because it is human emotion expressed in its entirety; an eclectic rainbow of colour. All stand equally alongside each other, comedy and drama, pain and pleasure, the complicated and the simple, all equally relevant to human experience and appreciation.

CULTURE

Similarly when art is being defined it has an unlimited number of meanings. A word capable of holding many definitions that are potentially contradictory, but that all in their own way seem to exactly encapsulate its meaning. Many of the great artists of the past and present have described how they see art, and what they think it is. But the most fitting descriptions, are works of art in themselves, they show you what art is and what it can do. In this way, it is the direct experience, the reading of Hemingway, the viewing of Van Gogh, the watching of Shakespeare, in which art needs no explanation. In the direct experience any explanation of art becomes pointless in the face of its powerful effects.

There is a form of art for every human emotion; comedy and drama, pain and pleasure, the complicated and the simple, all equally relevant to human experience and appreciation.

From all these conflicting, complimentary voices, rising in a cacophony of sound, and colour and speech, arises culture. The life that art has before, during and after it is made. The lifestyles of young writers in new cities, the acts of seclusion and creativity, the effect, the afterlife, the conversation, the change that comes from putting something new into the world. Art is not a dead past, it is alive and present now. It is nightlife, pain, love, sex, friendship, conversation, thought, nightmare and dream. It is the interplay between fiction and reality in every day of life.

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C U LT UR E CA L CUL AT ED

CULTURE

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We’ve taken the hard work out for you, so why not take some time out to enjoy the cultural delights of the capital this Autumn. Words by Mared Parry and George Caulton.

comedy Michael McIntyre Happy & Glorious For Cardiff comedy-goers, Mr McIntyre is back in the ‘diff on his new comedy tour “Happy & Glorious”. Get your tickets soon, as they’re selling out quick!

2nd - 6th September

art Thirteen Blackbirds Look At A Man @ Chapter An art exhibition from four artists who believe that our modern urban existence has separated us from the natural world. A different spin on art with characters from real life, biblical stories, Greek myths and German fairy tales.

Kevin Bridges A Whole Different Story Award winning comedian, Kevin Bridges continues his tour ‘A Whole Different Stwory’. In past performances Bridge’s has been described as “Truthful, natural and hilarious”. More reason to go? Right?!

8th - 10th September

11th July - 6th September

CULTURE

theatre Blood Brothers @ New Theatre If musicals aren’t your thing, then take some time to go and watch the amazing ‘Blood Brothers’ by Willy Russell. A tale of twin boys who are separated at birth leaving fate to bring them back together 28th September10th October Good Earth @ Chapter

film NT Live: Coriolanus @ Chapter Fan of Shakespeare and not able to get the Globe? Then make sure you attend the National Theatre’s viewing of Shakespeare’s classic Coriolanus at Chapter Arts Centre.

A welsh story about fighting for community. Welsh theatre critics claim that the production is “Tireless, rousing and completely moving” 9th - 12th September Puttin’ on the Ritz @ New Theatre Hear a recreation of traditional songs from the Golden Age of Hollywood with special guests Robin Windsor and Anya Garnis. Get your feet tapping to a musical celebration of the songs and music of the legendary George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter.

22nd - 26th September

24th September

Open Air Cinema @ Cardiff Castle If watching your favourite old films under the stars sounds like your idea of heaven, then venture down to Cardiff Castle and remember to bring a picnic!

18th - 20th September

opera I Puritani Join the sensational Royal Welsh Opera and appreciate Bellini’s ‘I Puritani’ – a universal story of love and social division. Tickets for this production are only £5 each for under 30’s- a cheap night out and a chance to do something different!

11th September 4th October

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FASHION & BE AU T Y

TOP OF THE SHOPS

Whether you’re new to Cardiff or just looking for something to jazz up your autumn look, Amy McQueen and Kelsey Rees point you in the direction of their favourite independent stores.

Eagle Eye Vintage

Rock ola Reborn

Blue Honey

Background: Owner Linzie decided to open Eagle Eye Vintage as a result of needing to sell on some of her own accumulation of vintage finds. She decided they would be easier to part with if they were going to a good home.

Backgroud: Originally known as Rock-Ola, the shop of the eighties, was ‘reborn’ having been one of the cornerstones of Cardiff ’s alternative scene, providing customers with unique style. at affordable prices. It was at the centre of fashion and music at a time, reflecting the varied youth culture of the day: Rockabilly, Psychobilly and post Punk clothing, before adapting to the Soul music culture; followed by the Groove; then Rave culture. This independent shop has adhered to the societal tastes of the times and has remained a popular outlet for those with style.

What to Expect: A small vintage boutique store, selling classic vintage accessories and clothing of popular brands such as Nike, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and many more. The staff are exceptionally friendly, and even have their own Super Nintendo Chalmers upstairs, free for customer use! If you are dying to know how much an item is, or desperately want it for yourself, you can comment on a photo through their social media, asking for the price and the everobliging staff are even willing to hold an item for you before it quickly sells out.

What to Expect: Eagle Eye Vintage sells vintage and reworked threads handpicked through vintage suppliers by Linzie herself. You can find a huge amount of colourful, heavily printed and patterned 80’s and 90’s garments, as well as reworked items such as fringed t-shirts, studded denim and generally funky items depending on the season.

Budget: ££ + 10% student discount find the store on Instagram @eagleeyevintage for plenty of pre-loved picks to lust over. Our favourite is this beautiful bomber jacket.

What to Expect: An independent vintage and preowned fashion store for both males and females, that advocates individuality and expressive style by aiming to bring iconic styles from the past, into the present.

Every item in store is personally selected by owners Daisy and James to ensure the highest quality, whilst the store prides itself with its low and affordable prices. You can find the best garments, from handpicked day-to-day jeans, sweaters and shirts, to your key fashion statement pieces such as dresses, jumpsuits and bags, or even venture into their own reworked range: ‘Rock-Ola Remade’ where you can find gorgeous vintage pieces, remade into a more modern look or fit.

Budget: £ + 10% student discount stalk these guys on Twitter @RockOlaReborn

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Much more than your average vintage store, this shop holds a weekly event called ‘Blue Honey Presents’. A disco, funk and soul night, held every Friday at Cardiff ’s Gwdihw Club!

Budget: ££ + 15% student discount find info on their latest garms and gigs by following @BlueHoney_ on Twitter

FASHION & BE AU T Y

Hobos

Jones the Barber

What to Expect: A vibrant and independent vintage boutique specialising in 60’s, 70’s and 80’s clothing and accessories for both ladies and gents, Hobo’s is like a psychedelic dream, bursting with brightly coloured retro clothing and quirky accessories including; snapbacks; bandanas; satchels and berets. The store is better known for stocking trendy cut-off denims and dungarees, as well as timeless retro pairs of converse. Whatever you pick up in Hobo’s, you just cant go wrong!

What to Expect: Ross Jones operates as a traditional barber within a classically recognisable vintage style shop; styled with the conventional red, white and blue stripes of a barbers pole, vintage desk and industrial lighting. Offering everything he would desire from a barber himself, whether it be a short-back-and-sides, a Mohawk, a cut throat shave, a beard trim or a number one all over, you can expect to leave with a goodlooking style, immaculate facial hair and possibly a new best mate.

Budget: ££ + 10% student discount follow @hoboscardiff on Instagram to fulfill all of your denim dreams

Guys who appreciate old school rules, a trustworthy barber who takes pride in his work and gets the job done exactly how you wish with a strictly no fuss or thrills ethos will fit right in at Jones the Barber

Princes + Paupers What to Expect: Formerly known as Al’s Musique Boutique, Princes and Paupers holds a superb collection of tweed suits, waistcoats, denim work-wear and an intriguing cabinet of dressing accessories including button braces, cufflinks, detachable collars, flatcaps, trilby hats and much more, a visit to this veritable time machine is an experience in itself.

Budget: ££ Excellent quality garments at reasonable prices are sure to make a gentleman out of even the scruffiest jack-the-lad! search Facebook for: ‘Princes and Paupers’

Budget: £ Quality classic cuts at reasonable prices by the self-proclaimed #bestbarberinthediff find live updates on Jones’ latest work by following him on Twitter @jonestbarber

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ranada has the highest of number of Erasmus students in Europe, and it is easy to see why. This beautiful city is filled with numerous squares such as the Plaza Bib Rambla and Plaza Nuevo, the Arabic quarter filled with jewellery, bags and lanterns, multiple ‘miradors’ (viewpoints) up the hill in Albaicín and of course, the stunning Alhambra Palace. Granada is the home of ‘tapas’, meaning that wherever you are, every time you order a drink (which costs an average of 2 €), you will receive free tapas alongside it. Accommodation is also very cheap and readily available in Granada, with a spacious flat with a terrace or balcony costing on average 200-250 € a month. Rent is paid in cash to the landlord, but there can be tricky situations with your deposit being returned when you come to leave.

One thing to remember when living in Spain is the daily siesta, and how everything consequently happens about 3 hours later than in Britain. Most shops will shut from 2pm until 5pm and then stay open until 9pm.

Restaurants will be bustling at 10pm, and clubs won’t open until 3am. To indulge in the Spanish culture here, visiting a Flamenco show such as the one at Le Chien Andalou is imperative, or you could walk up to San Nicolas mirador and have a drink opposite the palace.

As for the academic side, the Granada University is hard. Lectures are 2 hours long and twice a week, but note that being a non-native Spanish speaker at this university makes no difference to the lecturers. There are no modules designed for Erasmus students, nor is the marking or sharing of module information more lenient or available. Upon arrival you are encouraged to trial as many modules as possible over 2 weeks, but this means that by the time you go to your appointment to enrol, these modules will be full. Sticking to 1st Year modules and checking the ‘Tablon Docencia’ online for the module outline will help in avoiding problems nearer revision times. I would highly recommend Granada for student living, however be aware of the potential level of difficulty and harsh marking scheme! On the other hand, if teaching or on a work placement for your time abroad, you will have the best few months you could ask for.

ABROAD

Taking the leap to move abroad by yourself can be an overwhelming prospect. How will I find my way around? How will I communicate? How will I make friends?

Thankfully, these students have given their own take on what life’s like being a foreign student abroad. Conclusion?

Go for it!

Stockholm has a wealth of activities to partake in, with ski slopes located in the city at Hammarbybacken in the South or Väsjöbacken in the North. Along with skiing, ice skating is enjoyed across the city on frozen lakes during the cold winter months, or in the city centre at Kungsträdgården. If the cold gets too much, visiting many of the trendy bars and restaurants located around Södermalm is a must. During the week, coffee and fika is the main past time in one of the many cafés, however the weekend is when the city comes alive. If you’ve got a larger budget, visit the big clubs such as Burns and The White Room, however if you’re looking for more of an underground vibe, clubs such as Under Bron, Slakthuset and Marie Laveau are the places to go.

During the summer the city is transformed, and these enclosed clubs are replaced by terraced venues located around the city, hosting some of the biggest DJ’s in the world. If clubbing isn’t your thing, then the archipelago is the place to go. With over 24,000 islands and inlets, jumping in a boat and visiting a few is an unforgettable adventure in both Summer and Winter, with many tour operators offering an island hopping experience that can also include camping or staying in small huts or hotels.

The Northern Lights are also a treasured experience, with tours to Kiruna or Luleå in Swedish Lapland. If the long journey puts you off, the Northern Lights can be experienced in Stockholm during abnormally high geomagnetic storms, however these events are extremely rare! Living, working and studying in Sweden is easy for native English speakers as Swedes learn English from their parents at a young age, and are taught in school from around 10 years old. They do this as they believe they will be very limited with only the Swedish language and will have a wider influence and more opportunities if they are to learn English. Lectures and seminars at Stockholm University are mainly taught in English, with only a minority of courses either being taught entirely in Swedish or only the 1st year. Overall, for fantastic views, adventures and the best night life you could ask for, Stockholm is a must for any student abroad.

Stockholm

Granada

STUDENT

T R AV E L

Moving abroad for a year can feel very daunting. I moved to the small town of Chambery in SouthEast France, studying at the University of Savoy, primarily due to its close proximity to most of my favourite ski resorts. If staying in a small town isn’t your thing, there are so many other options including Paris, Montpellier, Bordeaux and Lyon. I stayed in a flat share with French students (look at appartager. fr) which I would highly recommend, as it helps improve your language skills when you reside with native speakers. The people I lived with were also really helpful when I tried to apply for CAF (rental assistance), which can take a very long time! They also advised me to take a look at a car share company known as Bla Bla car which is very popular in France, in which you can travel across the country with people who have spare seats. This costs less than half the price of a regular train ticket, and is a handy tip for any student on a budget who plans to do some travelling.

However, if you're planning on staying in France for the whole year, you should definitely look into a Carte Jeune - young person’s railcard – where you can get 60% off train tickets if you’re 25 or under. I structured my timetable so that I had 3 days of university a week and had plenty of time to travel around with the help from my Erasmus grant. I visited Paris, Montpellier, Lyon, Geneva, Val Thorens, Val D'Isere and Tignes.

All in all, I have had some amazing experiences and met some great people, my highlight...skiing off a mountain and paragliding around Tignes! If you have the option to take a year out, you 100% should!

Regensburg

Chambery

T R AV E L Regensburg is a small city, roughly the size of Cardiff. It is about an hour away from Munich, on the banks of the Danube. It’s one of Germany’s oldest cities, but is home to around 31,000 students in three Universities. It is incredibly picturesque (‘one of the most beautiful cities in the world’, said architect Norman Foster).With a healthy amount of bars, clubs and most famously, Biergartens (beer gardens) regensburg has a selection of local beers, and other German casks. Unlike the UK, in Germany students seem to drink socially more often and in public, as opposed to drinking excessively and then going out - there is even a beer vending machine in the University! One of the most obvious differences I had to overcome is the language barrier. Before going, I was told ‘everyone speaks English’, which I unequivocally knew to be untrue. The work that I do is in English, and a lot of people do speak basic English, but it’s not the same as speaking it natively. This is to be expected - I am in Germany after all.However it is quite hard being in a new country with the basic language skills of a six year old child. The social life is also quite different to Cardiff. People really don’t go out to clubs - they’re really expensive and for most parts it’s just too hot! However, people do go to bars with friends to just chill out and relax for a couple of drinks, which is very chilled and a nice way to get to know people. The University of Regensburg is a little way out of the city – about a 50 minute walk or a 10 minute taxi ride. My accommodation was also a taxi ride away, but spacious and homely. I shared a flat with six German students, they all were really friendly and made me feel very much at home, not least because they spoke English!

I quickly discovered, however, that the German semester is a little different to the UK; exams there finish in late July. This meant that my flatmates spent most of their time studying, leaving me time to explore Regensburg and beyond. Overall, Regensburg is a great city with character and culture, and fantastic transport links to travel easily around Europe. The University of Regensburg is brilliant, although a little way out of the city.

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T R AV E L

EXPLORING

CARDIFF

Whether you’re a budding first year eager to explore your new home, or a long term resident of our glorious city. Here is a run-down of the best day trips in and around Cardiff.

S

t Fagans is a pretty village in the west of Cardiff, a humble 5 miles from student domain Cathays. If you’re living in Cardiff (and you probably are if you’re reading this), where better to get to grips with real Welsh culture? The castle and open-air museum are charming and truly embody the lifestyle, heritage and architecture of Welsh people throughout the generations.

Basically, it’s an Instagram-hotspot and history lesson rolled into one – and learning about the past in the authentic outdoors, away from the confines of the lecture-theatre, is definitely a winner. Backing up my belief that St Fagans is unmissable for a day out, in 2011 Which? Magazine rated the museum the UK’s favourite visitor attraction. To test this theory for yourself, pop on the train – the nearest station is Waun-gron Park, which is just 7 minutes from Cardiff Central. Easy peasy!

Otherwise, the bus is 20 mins from the city centre to the Museum. You could also visit whilst an event is being hosted – for example, September brings St Fagans Food Festival – because exploring the area shouldn’t be reserved for just tourists, and you’re bound to work up an appetite.

Barry Island

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St Fagans

Millennium STADIUM This list would not be complete without Barry Island, the gem of our south coast! If deep down your true motivations behind applying to Cardiff were to immerse yourself with ice-cream, fish and chips, windswept walks and, er, the ear-breaking screams of ‘What’s occurin’?’, you’ll feel right at home here at the island (that’s not really an island). Gavin and Stacey fans have amusement arcades and reminders of the show dotted around to enjoy, however if that’s not to your taste you could take a walk along the extensive beach.

Come rain or shine, Barry, just a few stops from Cathays Station, is a real delight – and evidently not nicknamed Barry Bados for nothing!

Slightly closer to home now – because Cardiff has its fair share of delights as well! Not just because it’s pretty much slap bang in the heart of the city, you can’t have not noticed the Millennium Stadium – its massive white architecture also plays a vital role within this!

If you’re into – ahem – edgier music, we’ll gloss over the fact that here recently played host to multiple nights of One Direction to kick-start their UK tour. But overall Millennium Stadium is a pretty cool place. Even if you’re not into sport, it’s worth taking an organised tour of their famed rugby match grounds, which run daily. Then when Wales’ amazing team do take to the field, you’ll already know the place when you’re amid the 74,500 supporting the boys.

T R AV E L

Caerphilly CASTLE As Cardiff students, you’re probably already acquainted to the music scene; clubbing culture and whole host of city amenities South Wales has to offer. But if you head a bit further afield, the area expands to a whole rural world as well.

Get yourself on a regular 19 minute train ride to Caerphilly, a town at the tip of the infamous Valleys, and unleash your inner castle nerd.

Because although we walk past a castle every day in the city centre, Welsh castles are too beautiful to just take for granted and accept as part of the cityscape furniture – because newsflash, they’re actually pretty rare within the whole UK. Caerphilly’s Medieval fortification was formed in the 13th century and to this day remains a beautiful location for special events; to explore on a day out; or even gaze from afar. There’s no denying Cardiff ’s beauty, but don’t ignore the other towns in South Wales, as they’re all rich in history, culture, and general adorableness.

Penarth Travel 5 miles west of the city and you’ll reach this quaint little seaside town. To make more of a day of it, walk the barrage between Penarth and the Bay, of which it’s slotted at the southern end. Here you’ll find olde English (yes, I thought they should be Welsh too) sweet shops, fish and chips, cafes, a beautiful marina, a picturesque seafront complete with cliff walks and a pebbled beach, and, perhaps most noticeably, Penarth Pier. There are also Italian Gardens which pay homage to the town’s Victorian roots, different style music performances and just a mile away are Cosmeston Medieval Village and Lakes Country Park, ‘living history’ areas which often stage re-enactments from various eras.

Sully Island

The perfect reason to head 7 miles south of Cardiff is to experience Swanbridge, a small settlement where, if tidal conditions comply, you can make the brief but pretty walk to Sully Island, an old smuggler’s haunt. Favoured

by Vikings, it’s a magical little place with a shipwreck still in viewing distance, and a mass of overgrown, authentic island treasures.

Despite dating back to the Bronze Age, Sully Island remains quite unheard of around the area, so it’s the perfect place to hide away and enjoy a contrast to the hustle and bustle of city life. It’s beautifully unspoilt and really transports you back to the age it was in its prime. Take a picnic and a camera to soak up the scenery before dragging yourself back to reality.

Castell COCH You may now be noticing a theme emerging around Cardiff and its neighbouring areas – one that centres on dazzling castles. Whether you’re studying Architecture or History or something the polar opposite, by living here you have no choice but to appreciate them.

Which is hardly a hardship, because they are pretty majestic. Castell Coch – which defiantly, and, rightly so, won’t be completely Anglicised – nestles in the traditional village of Tongwynlais, a few miles within the North of Cardiff. Although only 1946 lucky people call this area home, the area attracts a deserved amount of visitors, because Castell Coch’s views are not to be missed. If you want to feel like a fairy-tale extra; actual healthy hiking person who don’t just solely exist within Instagram (the castle is set between rolling hills); or just enjoy an unusual day out courtesy of eccentric genius William Burges, who readapted it in the 1870s, then look no further for the perfect place to bring to life the Gothicism that’s currently seeing a surge in modern culture.

CARDIFF BAY It may be a well-known fact that many a Cardiff student flocks to the Bay come the slightest glimmer of afternoon sunshine, but that doesn’t mean you should write it off for a potential whole day out. It’s obviously not far from any Cardiff district, and is probably the city’s biggest hub for activity away from the actual city centre. Stroll around the boat-lined marina and fool yourself you’re in the Mediterranean while realising Cardiff isn’t a bad substitute; indulge without the guilt at one of the local health food cafes with their sea views part and parcel and then indulge with a bit of guilt this time at Valentino’s or Cadwallader’s Ice Cream.

You can even elongate your day into a night, as the Bay often hosts comedy evenings or gigs, such as at Portland House. Not far from the old dock suburb of Butetown either, the Bay floods with culture and history, reinforced again via The Norwegian Church, cafe and Arts Centre, although through very contrasting ways. I think the Bay accurately concludes how lucky we are to be Cardiff students – we have the bustle of the city, as well as gentler water views – not too many others can say the same!

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T R AV E L

WORLD’S

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Positioned high up in the mountains on Lanquin, Zephyr Lodge is bliss. Most people are brought there for the nearby natural wonder Semuc Champey – a truly stunning paradise of waterfalls, pools, cliffs and rainforest. The tour which Zephyr provides of Semuc Champey does not only cover the natural wonder itself, but also a tour of the ‘Lanquin Bat Cave’ – a cave spanning 12 km into and under a mountain, with a river running through it. As well as this, you’ll jump off bridges and swing off a rope swing into the river, and hike up to one of the most spectacular views you’ll ever see. On top of this, the hostel itself is insane. 24/7 parties, an array of fabulous cocktails and delicious food it truly has it all. The rooms themselves are thatched wooden huts, and the showers have half-open sides facing the beautiful mountainscape surrounding the hostel (don’t worry, nobody can see you when you’re in there!) Situated 2 hours bus ride from the nearest large population centre, Cobán, the remoteness is part of the beauty– juxtaposing absolute tranquillity and non-stop partying, there’s no place like it!

Just a 30 minute train journey away from the hustle and bustle of central Rome in the medieval town of Zagarolo, Wiki Hostel is the place you want to be. The staff pride themselves on giving you the best experience possible; every Monday you get the chance to learn how to make traditional pasta sauces and on Fridays the hostel hosts a ‘Pizza Party’ where you can create authentic Italian pizzas, all whilst meeting other guests and tasting local wines. And the night never ends there; the locals in Zagarolo organise many festivals in the town square which gives you the chance to integrate with the community who, although unable to speak much English, are happy to dance the night away with you – even the carabinieri will join in the group photo! However, if partying isn’t your scene you can sit back and relax by the pool, read a book in a hammock within the bamboo forest or, most obviously, explore the incredible wonders of Rome.

Located just off the runway at Arlanda airport in Sweden, a novelty hostel in a plane! This Boeing 747 boasts 33 comfortable rooms, cleverly mastered by millionaire entrepreneur Oscar Dios at the cost of 1.5 million pound. If luxury is what you desire, you can book the private cockpit suite, which includes an en suite bathroom and stunning panoramic views.

Make friends in the communal lounge area, featuring renovated armchairs from the original plane which flew over the world in the 1970s, or you could sip cocktails in the swanky bar. This unusual hostel is perfect for those catching an early flight or arriving late, offering a complimentary shuttle service that only takes 5 minutes, so no need to leave hours in advance.

JUMBO STAY, SWEDEN

WIKI HOSTEL + GREEN VILLAGE ZEPHYR LODGE, LANQUIN, GUATEMALA

WACKIEST HOSTELS

Fancy boarding down a volcano?

How about sleeping in a cockpit? Here is an insight into some of the weirdest, wackiest and most wonderful hostels in the world.

If you fantasised about having a tree house whilst growing up, then it is imperative you stay at Kadir’s tree houses in Olympos, Turkey to make your childhood dreams a reality. Not only is this a sociable hostel with three different bars and an on-site club, they also have plenty of fun activities you can participate in throughout your stay such as kayaking, horse riding, paragliding, mountain biking and scuba diving! The hostel, which is set in the green oasis of Southern Turkey caters for everybody, with bungalows to stay in if heights are not your thing. With the hostel providing breakfast and dinner, and being situated a short walk from the beach on the Mediterranean coast, if you’re looking for an unforgettable stay whilst on a budget look no further than this hostel.`

HOSTEL CELICA, SLOVENIA

KADIR’S TREEHOUSES, TURKEY

Situated in Nicaragua’s second biggest city, it offers more than just a roof to sleep under. They offer good food, a shuttle service to their beach house on the pacific coast where travellers swim, surf, and drink fantastic cocktails. But the best attraction? Volcano boarding.

Yes you read that correctly. The nearby volcano Cerro Negro is the only known place in the world where this activity is available. Participants hike up the side of the volcano with a bag full of protective overalls in one hand and a sledge-like wood and metal board in the other. After an hours hike to the top, you can see the fumes leaving the crater of the active volcano, before riding down the slope on the millions of tiny, sharp fragments of volcanic rock. One of the staff stands at the bottom with a speed gun to record how fast you go! The record speed last time I checked was 96 km/h… I only achieved a modest 60 km/h in comparison!

On top of this, the hostel has the infamous Lava Shot Challenge – three shots of blisteringly hot homemade chilli rum. Be prepared for extreme pain for at least 20 minutes after… but don’t worry, you get a t-shirt if you complete it!

Bigfoot is simply unmissable for anyone visiting Nicaragua.

A former prison, now a stylish and artistic hostel with 20 dorms in old jail cells that feature the work of over 80 artists from all over the world! Voted

by Lonely Planet as the ‘hippest hostel’, they feature regular photography exhibitions, musical events and an all you can eat buffet - spoilt for choice!

The experience in this hostel is like none other, so be sure to take lots of photos as you’re unlikely to stay anywhere like this again! A short walk from the centre of town and located in the artistic neighbourhood of Metelkova in Ljubljana, you’ll be in the cultural hotspot of Slovenia, and a worthwhile place to stop off at if you’re on your way to visit Lake Bled.

If the story of Eric Supertramp in ‘Into the Wild’ makes you want to run away and live in a bus then this eco-hostel is perfect for you; a hippy paradise situated in a tropical rainforest on Hawaii. It gets better… there is a huge volcanic crater that you can hike to and explore. To pay off your booking fee, you can harvest any of the freshly grown produce and even enjoy the fresh fruit- what a sustainable community! During the evenings, you can relax in one of the many hammocks and listen to the sounds of frogs and geckos, and then wake up to the view of the ocean. The whole camp has a great relaxed vibe and the people are what make it along with the huge amounts of character; the boasting colourful murals, most of which is built from recycled materials, such as locally harvested guava and bamboo.

HEDONESIA, HAWAII

BIGFOOT HOSTEL, LEÓN, NICARAGUA

T R AV E L

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Our music editors give you the run-down of the best sounds hitting our ears this month.

Slowly Rolling Camera RWCMD Alumni (oh yeah and he does loads of films and stuff), Dave Stapleton, set up Slowly Rolling Camera in late 2013. The project teams together people from all of the lovely, friendly corners of Cardiff ’s funk & soul scene, including Dionne Bennett off ’ve The Earth (a very good yet very un-google-able band headed up by Super Furry Animal’s Dafydd Leuan). They released their self-titled debut album last year on Edition Records, receiving rave reviews likening their sound to Portishead/Cinematic orchestra and yet with the vocals of any classic soul record.

Basically, this is the band to listen to for Sigur Ros-esque deep moments, or when 4am comes around and you’re still at that horribly edgy sesh on Cathays terrace where a word hasn’t been uttered for 2 hours. (Not talking from experience. At. All.).

Look out for a second album in 2016 (you’ll see it in Quench first) or in the meanwhile pop to Germany with all that excess student loan and see them live (22nd Oct Munich/24th Oct Stuttgart).

For fans of: The Earth, Sigur Ros. Download: ‘RIGA”

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MUSIC

N E WN E W Y D D The Cadbury Sisters Active since 2009, Bristolian trio, The Cadbury Sisters are one of the most captivating rising talents to emerge from the West of England. Not only are they relations of the famous chocolatiers (a very cool fact in itself) but their family ties make the harmonies of these sisters even more delectable than a cool bar of Dairy Milk (if you’ll pardon the pun).

After initially starting their musical voyage with nothing but an acoustic guitar and the surprising force of a three-part harmony, many would associate The Cadbury Sisters with the rising genre of ‘new wave folk’.

However, the electric layers of oozing synthesised goodness prominent on their latest summer release, ‘Sarah’, prove a sound perhaps more adequately classified as alternative pop. Put simply, the heartfelt lyrics and sonic experience of this band resonates within an amalgamation of different influences and genres, which accumulate to create the truly beautiful and unique sound of The Cadbury Sisters.

For Fans of: The Staves, First Aid Kit. Download: ‘You Choose’

The Echo And The Always The Echo and the Always’ are a five-piece, post-punk/indie band based in Cardiff. The band contains a wide range of musical talents and instruments including the trumpet and the keyboard, which offset lead vocalists, Laura Hancook’s voice in a beautifully hypnotic way. This is particularly evident on their lead single ‘Capable Of ’ which infuses the hauntingly beautiful tones of both these instruments with Hancook’s influential lyrics to create a powerful and catchy anthem.

‘Go Easy’ shares similarities with Paramore’s ‘Brand New Eyes’ era, as once again the melodic, soft bass and keyboard in the opening provide the perfect ground for Hancook to belt out emotional and heartfelt lyrics. With their breath-taking lyrics, melodic acoustics and the feisty girl power attitude infused in Hancook’s presence and vocals, ‘The Echo and the Always’ are definitely worth a listen and could have a very promising musical career ahead of them.

For fans of: The Joy Formidable, The Cure.

Download: ‘Capable

Vanity Draws Blood It’s a sad fact that even the mention of ‘metalcore’ makes most people cringe. Unfortunately, much of the genre has been diluted by reams of generic crap. But that pejorative criticism doesn’t allow room for the handful of bands doing it oh so right; and one of those bands is Vanity Draws Blood. The boys breathe a much-needed dose of new range into what is fast becoming a stagnant genre. But don’t worry, there are still breakdowns there and they’ll make you want to stick your fist through the wall. After a hefty summer tour schedule in Europe, following their call to the ranks of the Alexia Agency, their future should be as big as those breakdowns.

For fans of: Parkway Drive, Northlane.

Download: ‘Fractured’.

Refused – ‘Freedom’

Refused are their own island in 2015. They are an enigma that sit alone, utterly incomparable both sonically and in terms of their careers narrative arc to any other band. It was shocking enough that they returned to play again in the first place after so emphatically stating that “Refused Are Fucking Dead” in 1998, but to then return 17 years later to release a new album that sounds like those years never happened and that those words were never said makes the information yet harder to process and fully understand.

Can you compare ‘Freedom’ with the now infamous, genre-breaking album ‘The Sound Of Punk To Come’? Yes. But, should you compare two albums that are separated by a time period that extensive? Under these circumstances there’s no way you can’t compare the two. Refused have opened themselves up to an extraordinary amount of scrutiny in going back on their word and providing a follow up to one of the most indelible punk albums ever recorded.

Fortunately, Refused display no sense of buckling under pressure of expectation on ‘Freedom’. It doesn’t even sound like a warm-up record before they really get going.

It sounds like they never went anywhere, which is asserted and communicated on the blistering opener ‘Elektra’. As the lyrics “Nothing has changed” might suggest, there’s not a huge amount of progression from 1998, but there are certainly no lapses either and luckily they were miles ahead back then anyway. It’s fast, marginally discordant, unsettling, politically charged and heavy. It’s a triumphant comeback and silences the cynics.

The whole album sounds vast. It’s a soundscape. From the bizarre vocal arrangement at the start of ‘Dawkins Christ’ and disquieting chant that opens ‘Francafrique’ through the odd synth foundation of ‘Thought Is Blood’, Refused demonstrate that they don’t write by numbers. Although it’s quintessentially Refused, it’s not ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come: Part 2’.

Freedom’ is absolutely an album that was worth recording and worth a comeback.

Because that’s what this is, Refused haven’t simply staged a reunion; they’ve reformed. Their defiant passion still rages and it’s an exciting prospect to have them back on the scene with no questions asked.

-JACK GLASSCOCK

MUSIC “All the things I want, I shouldn’t get” sings Olly Alexander on ‘Foundation’, the opening track of Years & Years’ debut album, ‘Communion’. One instantly wonders if this will hold true during the course of their second album. After winning the BBC Sound Of 2015 poll last year, a title held by Adele, Sam Smith and Ellie Goulding and Haim among others, they have (very) big boots to fill.

Years & Years have had a stratospheric rise to fame in the last year. When they supported Clean Bandit in Cardiff, as a relatively unknown band, their set was promising if a little monotonous.

Their then latest release, ‘King’ stood out from the crowd. Is punchy chorus grabs the ear of the listener and refuses to let go; it’s easy to see why it went platinum.

Their debut album, ‘Communion’, follows the same formula as their earlier releases; an overdose of nostalgia filled synths, an orgasm of electronic euphoria. ‘Desire’, ‘Worship’ and ‘Ties’ will be at home on the radio or on the dance floor, and will be well established on both by the end of Freshers.

However, some album tracks fall short of expectations, leaving an air of lacklustre. Tracks like ‘Border’, ‘Without’ and ‘Memo’ feel very much like filler, lacking the punch of their other hits and becoming instantly forgettable.

That being said, ‘Communion’ has more hits than not, and marks a pivotal release from Years & Years that will certainly please fans on their October tour. It’s a strong debut album from the London trio, and this release heralds a new chapter in their music.

Years & Years - ‘Communion’

A L B REVIEWS UM

Tame Impala -‘Currents’ “By the waters of the Thames, I resolve to start again”, Frank Turner murmurs as the intro track of his new album fades out, and ‘Get Better’ crashes into view. The shout-along four-chord anthem sees Turner plug in an electric guitar, which remains slung over his shoulder for the majority of the record, a move that prompted tongue-in-cheek shouts of “Judas!” at a recent show.

‘The Next Storm’ follows, setting out the thematic essence of the album; when things go wrong pick yourself up, dust yourself down and enjoy life while you can. ‘Positive Songs...’ is a departure from the darker and more confessional verses of 2013’s ‘Tape Deck Heart’, and what it sacrifices in subtlety it makes up for in joyous sing-alongs. After a test run at a club show in Hereford the songs were tracked live in nine days in Nashville with Butch Walker, who allows Turner and the Sleeping Souls to turn it up to 11, yielding his rawest release as a solo artist.

Some of Turner’s more spacious lyrics allow for greater emphasis on melody, spawning earworms such as the melancholy of ‘Mittens’ and never-say-die ‘Demons’, where Turner cleverly guards the main hook until the final third, the Souls joining in gorgeous harmony.

Sandwiched between these songs is ‘Out of Breath’, a rollicking gypsy-punk tune about confronting the reaper. It provides the album’s mosh-pit moment and wins ‘most apt song title’, the vocals holding on for dear life for two minutes as the five-piece threaten to careen off the rails.

As the curious tennis-themed rock of ‘Love Forty Down’ shudders to a halt the record lurches from euphoria to heartbreak; ‘Silent Key’ is a gripping account of the last moments of Christa McAuliffe, a schoolteacher aboard the ill-fated Challenger Space Shuttle mission in 1986. Backed by a suitably stratospheric riff, Turner’s matter of-fact description is brutally moving; his cries of “We’re still alive!” send shivers down the spine.

A solo tribute to Turner’s late friend Josh Burdette closes out the collection, recorded at the 9:30 Club in New York where Burdette was manager and well-loved head of security before he took his own life last year. The despair, which seeps over the end of the record is a strange and abrupt change of tack but shrewdly serves to reinforce the key message of the previous half-hour, to savour life before the spark is extinguished.

-DILLON EASTOE

Frank Turner - ‘Positive Songs For Negative People’

Change is the theme Kevin Parker has devoted his band’s third album, ‘Currents’, to. Sonically, this effort has more synth orientated feel than their previous two full lengths. This is apparent from the opener ‘Let It Happen’, which is a wandering banger of a song. It starts slowly but builds, with glistening synth swells, to a catchy keyboard riff which plays over and over but gradually glitches are added that begin to repeat which completely shifts the songs trajectory to that of a dance track with the song coming a neat close on a beefed up guitar riff which fades out.

Thematically things stay pretty much constant across the album with Parker reiterating that he’s a new man to an almost narcissistic level, although this is slightly aggravating the instrumentation keeps things well on course. The sounds of the synths that Parker scatters across the whole of ‘Currents’ are so smooth and sweet it practically feels like he’s personally pouring royal jelly into your ears.

Overall the production of the whole LP is incredible, the many instrumental parts that make up the songs are layered over each other well creating a great sense of space and colour which is the bread and butter of the psychedelic genre. The ideas used in post-production are very clever like in the song ‘Disciples’ where the song starts with a filter which eliminates the bass entirely, the track then stops; a click from a switch being turned on can be heard and then the song kicks back in. This time with the filter removed providing a great intro with the same idea used for the outro, this time removing the bass.

Another standout song on the album is ‘The Less I Know The Better’ It’s posturing bass line drives the song along into a sort of dream pop bliss, much like the main riff of ‘Keep on Lying’ on the band’s previous album ‘Lonerism’. The only small critiques of ‘Currents’ are that some of the tracks feel incomplete; three out of the thirteen songs are under two minutes and these are some of the best on the LP. Also, there is the occasional song on the album that rubs off the wrong way such as its second single ’Cause I’m A Man’, which, although catchy, is comparable to the excuses of a conceited teenage boy trying justify being a twat to females by clarifying “Cause I’m a man, woman; That’s the only answer I’ve got for you”.

However apart from these mere foibles the album as a whole is a cohesive piece and while not reinventing the genre its sheer quality makes it one of the stand out records of the year.

-MATT CORY

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MUSIC

CARDIFF GIG VENUES Clwb Ifor Bach

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lwb Ifor Bach (colloquially known as Welsh Club) is arguably a candidate for the pinnacle of Cardiff ’s recent music scene. It’s broken ground for many a band, including Cardiff University’s own Los Campesinos, as well as Joanna Gruesome and newcomers Pretty Vicious.

As well as being an excellent setting for gigs, it’s also home to some of Cardiff ’s best sweaty nights out. One of which is ‘Itchy Feet’, which exclusively plays swing, ska and early rock and roll music that you can bop your night away too.

Alongside is ‘Brooklyn Zoo’, a hip hop night which plays music right across the genre, from early Sugarhill Gang right the way through to Kendrick and Kanye.

Clwb Ifor Bach is the place to go to know what’s going to be on the cover of NME twelve months down the line and is known for its hot and sweaty performance space but don’t let that put you off, Cwlb Ifor Bach is well worth the perspiration.

-MATT CORY

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the GLOBE The Globe could easily be missed when walking down Albany Road. As those in Uni Halls will be familiar with, Albany is Roath’s main shopping street. Above these shops is The Globe, one of the quirkiest venues in Cardiff. Originally built as a cinema, but converted to a music venue in 2008, it has a capacity of only three hundred. This makes gigs here even more special, more exclusive, and more intimate.

On entering The Globe, you could be forgiven for thinking that you’d entered Diagon Alley. Behind the wooden door and fairground style ticket desk, the stonewalls and rickety stairs lead up to the first floor. The old screen, now a stage, demands your attention. Wide and long, it allows you to get within meters of the most talented, energetic and passionate performers from Cardiff and the rest of the UK. Whilst the bar offers a fairly wide selection of drinks that are reasonably priced, not dissimilar to prices at the Taf. The Globe is normally one of Cardiff ’s first stops for up and coming artists, having played host to the likes of Dan Croll, Glass Animals, Jungle, La Roux and Jamie T. The calendar is fresh and normally full; there are plenty of local groups, tribute artists and bands embarking on their first tours. Check out our live calendar to see who’s on, and in most cases catch them before they’re playing the Great Hall!

- MARK SWEENEY

Motorpoint Arena The Motorpoint is up there as the biggest music venue that Cardiff has to offer, aside from the Millenium Stadium of course. It’s size often means it’s not considered one of the cooler, current, or progressive venues in the City - for want of much better words, but you’ll probably understand the point that’s being clumsily driven at. However, some bands just can’t play the smaller venues with the intimate crowds, the historic musical lineage or the reasonable bar prices. Bob Dylan, Fall Out Boy, The Vaccines, McBusted; they all need the capacity of the Motorpoint to let as many fans in as they can and put on a show as big as they want to.

But that’s not to say that going to the Motorpoint is chore that gig-goers are forced into because of a bands size. Once you understand the respective scale of the Motorpoint compared to other arenas on the same tour schedule, you realise what a good deal Cardiff ’s got. For a sold out standing event you’re looking at roughly 7,500 people, which is a lot. But compared to London’s 02 Arena, which at capacity holds 20,000 fans, Cardiff ’s Motorpoint seems strangely quite intimate. Not only is it relatively well-sized arena, but it’s also a wide one, which allows the density of the audience to be shallow and often offers the illusion of yet more intimacy at an initially daunting building.

Don’t knock it until you try it.

-JACK GLASSCOCK

MUSIC

GwdihW Tucked away in little Guildford Crescent, Gwdihŵ is the perfect place to whittle away a summer’s evening. By day, the colourful bar has the relaxed feel of a living room. Occasionally warmed by songs and acoustic guitars, visitors can enjoy beers from the local Pipes brewery on tap, and flop out in a shaggy armchair. By night, Gwdihŵ attracts the most eclectic mix of Cardiff ’s musicians, with their regular ‘Folk In The Owl’s Nest’ a particular night to look out for. It’s a venue full of surprises.

Only days after their fantastic Glastonbury set, the New York Brass Band brought their stomping sound to Gwdihŵ. Situated opposite the Motorpoint Arena, Gwdihŵ has even played host to impromptu after parties for acts such as Frank Turner. With funk and soul DJs bringing most evenings to their drunken, happy conclusions, Gwdihŵ is definitely worth a special visit. And if it all gets a bit much, their secret beer garden makes for a wonderful retreat to hide yourself away in.

-TOM REEDER

UNDERTONE There’s a mysterious staircase on Church Street. It leads to the depths of Cardiff, and into the city’s darkest underground venue: Undertone, Gwdihŵ’s alter ego. Frequented by the heaviest rockers of the southwest, Undertone is the sort of sticky venue you need wellies to dance in. In the basement of the chic cocktail bar 10 Feet Tall, expect cans of Redstripe lager and rejected furniture from upstairs. Undertone’s rustic decor and black walls creates a slightly eerie atmosphere for the eccentric bands and DJs that regularly play there.

It’s tight enough that even with a small crowd, the venue feels packed and the sound system is always cranked to chest rumbling levels. Also known for its club nights, Undertone is a great venue for the electronic scene in Cardiff. Like Gwdihŵ, it’s the diverse array of acts at Undertone that makes it such a special place. It’s one of the few venues in the city that you can visit spontaneously, most nights of the week, and catch something distinctive.

-TOM REEDER

Moon Club Situated opposite Cardiff ’s famous Clwb Ifor Bach and with a capacity of only 260 people, Moon Club is often slightly underestimated as a live venue.

From the narrow Womnaby Street, all that can be seen is the ground floor ‘Full Moon Bar’ and a rather intriguing black door, which leads to a staircase. To be honest, the inside of Moon Club is not much more aesthetically pleasing than the street view, yet it has the instantly recognisable mark of a brilliant venue: the lasting odour of sweat and beer; a sign that every band that takes to the unbelievably small stage will make you dance and sing. Unlike other venues in Cardiff, Moon Club, in all its dark and dingy glory has the gift of intimacy. Whether it is up and coming acoustic music or hard rock you want to listen to, Moon Club caters for it all in a way that allows you to truly engage with the bands you love or certainly will love by the time the night is through.

-JAMES IVORY

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With blazing Sun, pouring rain and tents as far as the eye could see, Worthy Farm was all set for the biggest musical weekend of the year. Day one set the Glastonbury standard early as Mark Ronson gave a performance to remember on the Other Stage. Florence + The Machine gave a powerful performance in their best effort to replace the much anticipated Foo Fighters.

Pharrell wowed the crowd on Saturday evening with lively party atmosphere, throwing in hits from The Neptunes, N.E.R.D and solo work, ending with new song Freedom. The ‘King Of Ego’, Kanye West, gave an incredible hit laden performance featuring Justin Vernon and a Cherry Picker. His minimalist set design looked great but wore a little thin towards the end. Whilst, Punk poet, Patti Smith, turned back the years with what could be the set of the weekend, featuring ‘His Holiness’ the Dalai Lama.

Lionel Richie promised to play as many as he could remember, and that he did with party tunes, Mum ballads and Commodore classics pulsating through his slot. The Who and Glastonbury ended in an incredible fashion with a cavalcade of hits showing the aging rockers still had it even as they entered retirement.

-JAMIE WILLIAMSON & MATT CORY

Glastonbury - 24-28 June 2015

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T

here’s a reason why the phrase ‘Festival Season’ was coined and it becomes exponentially more appropriate year on year, as the festival calendar becomes more comparable to that of a sports team’s schedule. There’s at least one festival of some kind, if not multiple ones, every single weekend of the summer months. Although the big-hitters still have a significant monopoly, they certainly no longer reign supreme.

Slam Dunk Festival celebrated its 10-year anniversary this summer and yet it’s only just shrugging off its infant status.

As an independent festival, Slam Dunk can’t offer three days of music in the traditional sense. But, what it does offer, that the bastions of music festivals don’t, is a roaming site. There are three dates across England with the same line-up each day, which makes it the most accessible festival going.

The now genre defining band, You Me At Six, that share Slam Dunk’s 10 year anniversary intimately, top the bill and dip into their back catalogue in such a way that it doesn’t become a mere nostalgia trip. This progressive attitude is echoed in the platform provided earlier in the day for breakout acts such as Pvris, As It Is and Neck Deep. It’s clear that the people behind this festival care about what they’re putting on, and they care about the people going. It’s also obvious that this passion is mirrored in the attendance; at a sold out Slam Dunk South, there are 15,000 fans all prepared to support the music that they care so dearly about, providing a stunningly vibrant atmosphere as a result. Even the brief spell of rain doesn’t dampen the spirits of those watching Beartooth; although the University of Hertfordshire’s concrete campus floors definitely helps there.

Slam Dunk’s size by no means whatsoever causes it to compromise on quality. If anything its independent status allows the festival to hone in on a niche genre, carefully construct a line up that is perfectly cohesive and credible, allowing fans to enjoy the music without any modern festival pretence.

- JACK GLASSCOCK

If you have spent any time on the Isle of Wight you will have no doubt embraced it’s pleasant, idyllic scenery and yet at the same time sympathised immensely with anyone who has to spend more time than a summer holiday by the sea there. The issue is that, whilst it is a lovely place to grow up, for 90% of the year there is absolutely fuck all to do. The Isle of Wight festival marks the start of the festival season and consequently a great deal of excitement and anticipation for mainland and Island folk alike, yet actually how good is this summer starter?

One clear tick for the Isle of Wight Festival, which took place in June this year, was the amount of local musicians that performed. A sizeable stage was dedicated to Platform One, the college of music on the Island, as well as several more quaint boutique tents housing a diverse array of talent. Yet the incessant drones of countless fairground rides seemed to diminish some of the enjoyment of the smaller stages. Organisers attempt to cater for all people in a site, which frankly isn’t big enough.

However even after taking out a small mortgage in order to pay for, what quite possibly could have been urine cunningly disguised as Fosters, the 2015 Isle of Wight Festival redeemed itself with a stellar performance from rock legends Fleetwood Mac. Yes even in their 60s they were incredible!

Put simply this festival can be described as Reading’s more tame sibling, rowdy but not life threatening. You can enjoy your weekend knowing your tent, although a little rough and ragged, will not be set on fire. In all fairness in the situation of great headliners such as The Prodigy, Blur and Fleetwood Mac, it was a good weekend. Yet if you want to see what the Isle of Wight really has to offer, Bestival seems to reign supreme.

-JAMES IVORY

Isle Of Wight - 11-14 June 2015

Slam Dunk Festival - 24 May 2015

MUSIC

Hidden away in the idyllic Oxfordshire countryside, Cornbury came with the strapline, ‘England’s most civilised gathering.’

Overall, this was difficult to dispute. Family tents peppered hillside campsites, warmed by the morning sunshine; it was perfect weather for indie pop and festival fun.

Most campers arrived on Friday, around lunchtime, and the food stalls that awaited them were of great variety. Higgidy Pies brought their wholesome, homemade steak and ale fillings to the party, and La Grande Bouffe (‘The Big Nosh’) proved particularly popular, with illustrious French cuisine cooked gently in huge frying pans.

The music was as diverse as the food, with Friday night starring Razorlight and The Fratellis on the Pleasant Valley stage. Both acts brought a mixture of old hits and covers, but by no means outshone The James Hunter Six, who played the set before. The six-piece soul outfit arrived with their powerful rhythm and blues, flecked with heartfelt ballads.

Saturday was rife with Welsh talent; Pembrokeshire born Paper Aeroplanes played a stripped down, acoustic set, followed by a full band performance on the Songbird Stage. The field was packed, and remained so for an amazing collection of Motown’s finest, from Martha Reeves and The Vandellas. Tom Jones headlined, suited and booted, and sang all of his classics.

As STAXS took to the stage on Saturday afternoon, they were met with eager anticipation, as Joss Stone had been confirmed as their special guest. She fulfilled all expectations, bringing their set to a climactic ending with her rendition of ‘I put a spell on you’. Soul legend Billy Ocean closed the festival on Sunday evening, a day that included guest appearances from Seal and Stewart Copeland.

Cornbury was a weekend of musical treats, made all the merrier by the family friendly vibes, lovely food, and the sun that kept on shining.

- TOM REEDER

RE-CAP

Set in amongst the patchwork pleasantries of the Cotswold countryside Two Thousand Trees prides itself on offering the best new and underground British music. Created by a group of six friends around a campfire; who, like so many of us were severely underwhelmed by the corporate path in which many of the UK’s major festivals have gone down, decided that a reasonably priced, independent 3 day party, could be the only remedy for summer spirits. For the annual ‘Trees’ goer it is this punk ethos, the ‘do it yourself ’ mind-set which is as enticing as the line up.

On arrival at this year’s festival the most refreshing thing, other than the extremely reasonably priced local beer, was the musical diversity. You can walk into ‘The Cave’ and be thrashed by hard-core punk or take a short walk into the ambient-lit ‘Forest’ and be instantly soothed by an acoustic guitar. This year’s main stage housed everything from The Skints dub-reggae to a tremendous performance from Chicago punk legends Alkaline trio, in which not even a short power cut could restrain the momentum of their set, playing one song completely acoustic.

There was also opportunity to take refuge in ‘The Croft’, a slightly smaller stage, away from the twang and buzz of heavy guitars. There, waiting to be discovered was the haunting beauty of Alice Phoebe Lou and the tremendously entertaining Jurassic pop, which yes only write songs about Jurassic park.

If it’s unsigned independent music you are looking for, you simply cannot find a better alternative to Trees. Campsites ‘Marwood, Reuben and Turner’ had their own stages, small acoustic ‘busk stops’ in which late night line up’s were arranged entirely by the campers themselves. There you could while away the evening in the company of strangers, which by morning would turn into friends.

For me, Two Thousand Trees offers more than simply the discovery of great new music, it has the feel of a community, which is distinct and incomparable to any other festival you’ll ever experience.

-JAMES IVORY

2000 Trees - 9-11 July 2015

The Original Cornbury Music Festival 10-12 July 2015

MUSIC

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VIDEO GAMES

EDITOR’S PICK

in a new monthly feature, this year’s gaming editors Tom and Saman pick two games that you really ought to try at some point TWEET US WHAT YOU’VE BEEN PLAYING @QuenchGames

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Initially I was very anxious about purchasing The Witcher 3 as I hadn’t played the previous two games. Fortunately, CD Projekt Red have made it relatively easy for newcomers to join this epic franchise; a compendium is included with the copy of the game, giving you an insight into the history of The Witcher universe. In-game dialogue options also allow you to learn more about events, places, characters etc. and there’s even a glossary that is updated as you play which is crucial in defeating the various beasties you will encounter.

I’m certain that if you own this game already then you know how wonderful it is and you can stop reading here (be sure to claim your free hi-5 off me in person as a reward for making such great life choices). If you don’t own The Witcher 3 then you should really consider preparing your wallets and purses. You truly get your money’s worth from this game in terms of length. You can easily squeeze 100+ hours of playtime from this title. The last time I got so involved in a game was when The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was released and I can safely say that if you loved Skyrim, then you will love The Witcher.

There similarities will make you nostalgic, but of course it’s the differences that really matter.

Skyrim gives you more freedom: you can create your own character and go around killing pretty much everyone. The Witcher on

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the other hand makes you play as Geralt of Rivia, the definition of bad-ass. Despite this, you still feel as unique as you did in Skyrim because you’re not just another one of them boring humans… you’re a witcher, a mutated human specifically created for the purpose of killing monsters!

Having an already established character does enhance the story a lot, and dare I say it, makes The Witcher’s story better than Skyrim’s.

The game isn’t without its flaws though. This might not be an issue on a top class gaming PC, but sometimes the game was a bit too much for my Ps4. The main city, Novigrad, is huge and filled with intricate details.

The texture pop-in is ridiculous when you’re running about the city. Nevertheless, I’ll let CD Projekt Red off as this is their first attempt at an open-world game and it truly is very, very good.

Besides, they’re making it up to us by releasing free DLC every week! Quite simply one of the best games I’ve ever played.

- Saman Izadyar

Sim City 4 This summer, alongside the usual copious amounts of Mario Kart 8 (how cool is 200cc?) and Counter Strike Global Offensive, I’ve gone back to an old favouriteSimCity 4. Whilst Cities Skylines (reviewed with flying colours by Alex last year and in many other publications besides) may be the new darling of the genre, why fix what’s not broken especially if you have to pay for it. So with the magic of Steam allowing me to play a game from 2003, I’ve been transported back in time.

The graphics are no doubt simpler than Cities, but the systems behind it are about as complex as I need.

Apparently, the paper version of SimCity 4’s manual is bigger than a dictionary- the systems behind your cities are as complex as they are plentiful. The whole game is a logic puzzle, as well as a race against time. If you’ve played any city sim, you know how they go.

But SimCity 4 is the best- my main complaint with it would probably have to be the isometric view, which means that sometimes I place roads, rails and the like in the wrong place. The original SimCity’s top down view or Cities Skylines’ 3D world are probably preferred in that respect.

Still though, the game is worth playing even 12 years after its release because of its unrivalled complexity, delivering equal parts entertainment and education.

Seeing a city from above, sprawled out, developing in ways you may not have expected- your main

control over the populace being where you can afford to install utilities and services. There is also an option to put in five Sims of your own- these little characters then run around the city, just as the other citizens do. It is useful to have a wide range of ages, genders, and so on in your Sims in order to keep tabs on the areas in which they live. An old man in a poor neighbourhood, for example, is likely to perform better in life if he has access to a library and a GP clinic. A young lady in a middle class neighbourhood might be more interested in a college or university being installed nearby.

SimCity forces you to think about things that affect us all in everyday life- the neighbourhood we live in, our access to education, our wages and cultural capital. It is a learning experience as much as a game.

- Tom Morris

VIDEO GAMES

the gamer guide to cardiff A WHISTLESTOP TOUR OF THE CITY’S BEST GAMING HAUNTS. YOU CAN THANK US LATER.

SUPER TOMATO

CARDIFF GEEK PARTY

CARDIFF UNI GAMING SOCIETY

Nestled more or less opposite Tesco on Salisbury Road, Super Tomato houses an Aladdin’s cave of retro games, manga, toys and awesome imported action figures from Japan.

To further satisfy your inner geek and keep you entertained during term time are a wide range of sparkly electronics and cool gadgets.

As Super Tomato mainly concentrates on retro games and consoles, not surprisingly much of the focus is on Nintendo and their console cold war rival Sega, with everything from the Power Glove to the Sega Mega CD being stocked. There is also room for more obscure and niche machines such as the PC-Engine and Neo Geo, as well as oddities such as Nintendo’s Virtual boy (essentially a 90s version of the 3DS but seemingly designed for the sole purpose of blinding children).

For more mainstream tastes they

also stock a variety of PlayStation and Xbox games so you can relive how disappointing your childhood was if you didn’t have a Dreamcast or GameCube.

Manga wise they do a big selection ranging from ones about penguin crime fighters from Mars through to the usual 99 million animes about teenage witches and sentient ninja potatoes. Look I don’t know - I don’t read Manga alright?! But there’s a lot of it, so they’re bound to have something you like. They also do western comics and graphic novels for those of you who enjoy pre-emptively ruining every superhero film ever for your housemates.

With a huge selection of imports and UK titles it’s not hard to swoop in and pick up a bargain, especially with games starting as low as 99p. Probably your best bet for a pre-drinks console

is an N64 with Goldeneye and Mario Kart while in terms of portables you can’t go wrong with a Game Boy Advance SP and literally any Mario game. Or if you just prefer some nononsense arcade style shooting things get a Sega Megadrive and something like Gunstar Heroes or Streets of Rage 2.

Super Tomato Owner Tom Amato (yes really), explained the appeal of his retro game store, saying - “You can walk into HMV or Waterstones and buy a film or book published prior to the last six months. With videogames, there’s no facility to explore the heritage of the medium.

Super Tomato offers that resource, in a friendly tactile, tangible environment where browsing and exploration are encouraged.”

- ROLAN O’LORCAIN

Partying and gaming has never really worked in the past (no matter how many times I’ve tried to convince my friends to let me get my Rock Band out at house parties). Fortunately, Cardiff Geek Party have worked out the magical formula to combining both partying and gaming into one simple, yet glorious package. They provide you a unique retro party experience with your personal choice of consoles, handhelds and games.

Also included are TV sets, party bags, decorations and cardboard cut-outs of your favourite video game characters.

They even deliver to your address and set up the consoles for you.

memory lane, including Atari, Sega and PlayStation.

If your craving for nostalgia still isn’t satiated then you can pop down to their shop in the Castle Emporium on Womanby Street (open Thursday – Sunday) and buy as many 80s, 90s and 00s games that you can get your hands on.

- SAMAN IZADYAR

Missing a few soldiers from your squad? In need of fellow adventurers to aid you in your explorations? Or maybe you need a worthy adversary to match your world-class gaming skills? If any of the above applies to you then you should consider joining the gaming society. Every

Feeling the retro vibes but not down to party? That’s fine too! You can rent individual consoles, two controllers, a TV and a few games for £25 per night. You can get a nice selection of consoles that will open up the path to

week they hold a casual gaming event where you can take your laptop and game to your heart’s content. The deal is sweetened even more with the addition of pizza and usually a rendezvous at the pub afterwards.

If you’re good enough then you can compete in the eSports varsity and go

head to head with our bitter rivals: Swansea University.

- SAMAN IZADYAR

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VIDEO GAMES

The world’s biggest gaming event had a ton of exciting news for gamers as always. So we decided to ask you, Cardiff’s finest, what your favourite games were from the convention.

- Hope Price

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Nintendo’s conference was a little lacklustre, despite the fun of the World Championships before it. Whilst there were surprises, none of them were particularly good. The one game that looked like a worthwhile purchase was Super Mario Maker, an incredible piece of kit. Although I wasn’t impressed

by Nintendo’s spiel that this “will make you want to go into game design” (they said the exact same thing about Warioware DIY and I don’t think that changed anything) the game looks like a whole lot of fun with plenty of features.

The only thing I’m a little worried about is the lack of suits from previous games both 2D and 3D- in the videos shown there was little more than mushrooms and fire flowers.

Where’s the cape, the spring mushroom, FLUDD? And that’s before I even mention yet more shoehorned in Amiibo stuff, again- why is no-one criticizing Nintendo for creating some of the most overpriced DLC yet? Nevertheless, the amount of creativity possible should more than make up for thatand focus players’ attention on creating their custom showcases of pure platforming skill.

(Expect a review of Super Mario Maker up on the Quench site soon)

S U P ER M AR I O MAK ER

If, like me you were reduced to tears by the first two instalments of the Telltale franchise then you’ll be thrilled to find out that you can have your heart broken yet again with The Walking Dead: Michonne. This game will focus on Michonne rather than the story of Clementine as the previous two games have.

Although we’ll all miss Clem it is important to note that season one saves will be needed, so some of our previous choices will come back to bite us!

The game however appears to be angled more towards the comic book readers as Michonne’s journey is explored in the time between issues 126 and 139 (where Michonne is absent from the comics).

However it is unlikely that the show watchers will be required to read the comics in order to understand the game as the creator of The Walking Dead, Robert Kirkman and Telltale’s Kevin Bruner aim to ‘bridge the gap’ between the show and the comics, so hopefully the new game will successfully explain the events that have occurred in the comics whilst also throwing in some nice shout outs to the comic book readers and show watchers as they have in previous games.

We can likely expect some more heart wrenching decisions, tense moments …all with the added excitement of learning more about a well-loved character in the show and comics!

No release date yet, so at the moment we’ll have to satiate our thirst for The Walking Dead by watching the spinoff series due in August: Fear the Walking Dead.

TH E W AL K IN G D E AD : MI C H ON N E

E3 2015

- Tom Morris

VIDEO GAMES

- Alexander Jones

- Rolan O’Lorcain

- Ben Jamieson

MASS EFFECT ANDROME DA

S TA R W A RS : BAT T LEF RON T

S H E N MUE I I I

F AL L O UT 4

I remember a time before Fallout 4. It was dark and scary: people would argue over rumours that had no real ground to support them, fanboys and fangirls would battle it out over the tiniest of details whilst others waited quietly in the background, waiting for the war to subside, it was almost like an apocalypse.

The beginning of E3 set the standard extremely high with Bethesda’s to-the-point and in-depth conference. We were shown an incredible line-up of triple-A games such as DOOM, Dishonored 2 and obviously, the official unveiling of Fallout 4, the game everyone had been waiting for years to see.

They really have gone “overboard” with Fallout 4, introducing a new game engine (and all its perks graphic-wise) and a very impressive crafting overhaul – allowing players to build their own settlements, defences, weapons and even power armour. We saw over 15 minutes of glorious gameplay demonstrating all the new features and also the return of our beloved V.A.T.S. It contained everything we hold dearly about Fallout in it, yet so much more.

If you still feel like you haven’t experienced ‘next-gen’ yet, wait until you play Fallout 4.

Trying to explain why Shenmue is great to people is difficult as 99% of people won’t have a Sega Dreamcast Console to play it on. It’s like if Star Wars was only available on Betamax, it would still be great but who the hell has the right machine to play it on?

The second game made it over to the original Xbox, but playing the second one without the first one would be a crime against art, akin to using half of the Mona Lisa as your own personal urinal.

Originally released in 1999, Shenmue was the first open world game and while in theory you were supposed to be out avenging your father’s death, you could just as happily spend weeks playing with kittens and badgering the elderly if you so choose.

Ultimately the 14 year wait for a confirmation of a sequel, signifies not only personal redemption for its creator Yu Suzuki (who essentially ended his own legendary career due to his refusal to let the project die) , but also serves as an emotional reminder of what could have been for the lost generation of Sega fans. Shenmue 3 wasn’t just the most important announcement of E3, it was the most important announcement of many people’s lives. The Dreamcast is dead, long live the Dreamcast.

If you’re reading this then you’ve probably seen everything E3 had to offer on Battlefront and more at least three times over, so I’m not planning on going over that awesomeness.

Instead I’ll summarise what people who’ve played the game at E3 have said about it.

So it turns out that the AT-AT is on rails and that if you don’t kill enough people you get booted out of it which seems fair enough. From this I’ll assume that all AT-AT’s will be on rails, bit of a disappointment but probably easier to develop.

They also have huge potential to be broken when driven by someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing.

A lot of people were complaining about the aircraft handling however the devs will have it fixed by release. You also can’t control the snow speeder when you’re tow cable is locked on to an AT-AT, this is to make the game more “accessible”.

Darn casuals.

As for the ground combat it was solid in its own way and for some felt like Battlefield 4, and for others more distinct. It seems to have a “card system” in which you choose three cards to go into battle with such as having two or one grenades.

There won’t be a standard class system allowing for more diversity.

Will Dice be able to live up to the hype? We’ll find out in two long months...

The Mass Effect trilogy changed the way I view video games.

Borrowing the original off a friend who thought it was boring; I discovered a world infinitely more enticing than our own. How could he think this was boring? I decided to keep the game, and ditch the friend – and over the next 5 years I followed Shepard and the Normandy crew to the edge of the galaxy and back.

The official reveal of Mass Effect: Andromeda at E3 2015, then, fills me with anticipation and dread in equal parts. How can a new game, with a new cast of characters, and brand new worlds, ever hope to take the place of the Citadel, the Asari, and the fight against the Reapers? It can’t, in truth. But if anyone can make me accept leaving familiar faces in the dust, the developer of Dragon Age and Knights of the Old Republic can do it.

The initial trailer featured little concrete details about the plot, but hinted at a focus on exploration of new worlds, in a way more reminiscent of the original title – and in line with comments made by the developers at E3 2014. Bioware may have to compete with its own well-respected pedigree, but a new explorative focus seems like a smart way of introducing new ideas while not abandoning the foundation of the Mass Effect world. And I managed to get through a whole article without talking about Mass Effect 3’s ending... oh, damn it.

- Sam Walker

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VIDEO GAMES e id ts w l ou Sho al m ed t ro ur en f nt pm rs ve elo pe v o is De el rr s e v Mo me d m Ga n g To s omi e or al c it W nd Ed he p a t u s me ut or Ga o f o ck se de he ca es Vi o c how wal t s a ver o It’s a sunny summers’ day and as usual, as soon as I step out of the station into Queen Street and am hit by the sweltering heat, I’m scuttling indoors to play some video games.

This time however, I’m not heading back to play Counter Strike with the silverfish of Talybont but to Cardiff City Hall where game developers from all over Wales have gathered for an annual showcase of their efforts.

Despite British games being known worldwide for iconic characters like Lara Croft (Bristol) and blockbuster franchises like Grand Theft Auto (Edinburgh) you’d be forgiven for thinking things are quieter to the west of Offa’s Dyke. However, as Chris of Oyster World Games explains, the Welsh development scene is growing rapidly: “Two years ago, when we first came to this show,” he tells me, “it was just me, a laptop, and a table. Now there are seventy employees.” Students might not have heard of much of Oyster’s output though- it’s mainly hidden object games aimed towards your mum, and they have been working for two years on a monster-customizing game for young children, with which, Chris says, they are aiming for “world domination.” Games for a younger audience are the order of the day here, which makes sense from a business perspective, which is good if you hope to break into the industry. Ben of Wales Interactive, who make games for PC and all three current gen consoles, says that “events like these help people realize that games are being made in

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Wales.” There is one small drawback having now obtained a degree and for Cardiff students though- WI no longer being just hobbyists. seems to employ graduates from It’s like Draw Something but with almost every Welsh university but photos, and, they promise me, less our own! To hammer that point intrusive ads, with the option to home, lots of students and recent receive puzzles based on brands as a graduates from, among others, the form of advertising instead.

University of There are plenty South Wales of games on and Trinity I’m scuttling indoors show that look Saint David promising. in Swansea to play some video One such game are eager to is Friendship show me their games. This time Club, a Steam projects. Some game currently highlights however, I’m not in Early Access, include Pigeon but looks like it Simulator heading back to would easily fit (including a in as a console “poop button”) play Counter Strike indie game as and Comet’s well. Ash from Tale, both made with the silverfish the development by graduating company USW students. of Talybont but to Force of Habit For those of describes it as a us who have Cardiff City Hall “bullet hell party already started game” which a degree in where game developers turns out to be something other surprisingly fun, than games, the from all over Wales with a charming National Film art style. Ellis and Television have gathered for an of Fingerpunch School is on Games is also offering a annual showcase of happy to show me Masters in their game Tanks Game Design their efforts and Turrets, a to almost any top down tank undergraduate. arena game where Not everyone needs a degree to get the aim is to destroy other people’s into game design- but it helps. iSee is tanks. Ellis says the game is designed a social media based game made by to be quite simple, and should be two friends from Swansea who are cheap enough so that a group of in the business of developing their friends can all pick it up and play it company’s App Store reputation, together.

WALES GAMES DEVELOPMENT SHOW Although it is a games developers show, there are other delicacies on offer. Atticus Digital is a company that make short VR experiences, 360 degree films to be viewed from within an Oculus Rift, GearVR and so on. At a recent London boat show, pro windsurfer Johnny Hutchcroft described their makeshift VR simulator as the “closest you can get” to real windsurfing. They tell me that VR is a great learning tool- with retention rates inside the headset at about 80-90% compared to our standard 10-20% in lectures and Powerpoints. Martin says this is down to having no distractions, especially if you have a pair of headphones on too.

I also attend a beginners’ Unity game making lecture run by industry veteran Byron Atkinson Jones, who shows us all how to make a ball run around a small 3D maze and make it to a goal. I also get a chance to talk to Karl from Unity who explains that because Unity is free up until you make a large amount of money, it has quickly overtaken expensive starter engines such as the Unreal Development Kit or CryEngine as the indie standard.

I ask him if he thinks that Unity’s uniformness might mean that a lot of indie games being released are very similar, due to shared lighting and assets, to which he replies that it’s not engines that kill creativity, but bandwagons.

- Tom Morris

VIDEO GAMES

REVIEW: KILLING FLOOR 2

PROS

Liked Call of Duty Zombies? You’ll like this. By Alexander Jones Gore, heavy metal, guns and more gore! That pretty much sums up Killing Floor 2; the highly anticipated sequel to the original gore-fest.

The game is currently in ‘Early Access’ on Steam, with the full release coming later in the year for Windows, Linux and PlayStation 4. Consequently not all features are showcased in its current form, not that it makes playing it now any less fun.

Killing Floor 2 is a co-op focused first-person shooter, created by American game developer Tripwire Interactive (the guys behind the Red Orchestra series), that highlights solid shooting mechanics and mostimportantly excessive amounts of gore. Killing Floor (KF) grew massively popular for its addictive wave on wave gameplay, and became renowned for allowing players to graphically dismember and explode enemies into a pulp. This is supported by the hundreds and thousands of hours that players have invested into levelling their skills.

Killing Floor’s charm is delivered partly by its similar gameplay to Call of Duty’s Zombie mode, but also by its extremely exaggerated British accents. Seriously you should go on YouTube right now and listen to them, that’s a selling point just on its own.

Like its predecessor, KF2s gameplay consists of the same wave after wave format; however, ladies and gentleman, Killing Floor 2 now runs on a new and improved Unreal 4 engine (instead of the Unreal 2 engine used for KF). This means that the game has updated graphics and

textures which look significantly better than they did before; Fleshpounds never looked so good!

The 4 new maps currently available for Early Access are simply visual eye-candy for returning players. The apocalyptic burning Eiffel Tower, the creepy Volter Manor and the torch-lit French Metro are all presented with amazing detail. They won’t stay pretty forever though, thanks to the new complex gore system which allows entire areas of the map to be soaked in blood.

With the much more powerful Unreal 4 engine comes the M.E.A.T (massive evisceration and trauma) system. This system allows for a more dynamic and detailed depiction of gore, mirroring scenes from a Quentin Tarantino film. By the end of your tenth wave fighting Zeds (very similar to zombies, but not zombies) the map you’re surviving appears splattered in blood from each shot you make. It’s a very impressive feature and definitely adds atmosphere to the chaos. And it is chaos – with up to 6 players online (or single player if you’re brave) you’ll witness dozens of Zeds swarming desperate or skilled players, using a variety of means to dispose them.

The first Killing Floor provided a selection of 7 perks and Killing Floor 2’s Early Access contains only four from the previous game: Berserker, Commando, Support and Field Medic. However once the game reaches its full release it is rumoured that it will include a whopping 10 perks in total. That’s impressive, seeing as each perk comes with its

very own skill tree, allowing for further customisation that benefits your character and fellow teammates.

For example, whilst playing using the Commando perk, which focuses on assault rifles and enhanced vision, reaching level 5 gives you the ability to replace your tunnel vision flashlight for night vision – a substantial improvement. The perks have been more fine-tuned this time around to differentiate player abilities, in a way that encourages cooperative play to tackle the onslaught of Zeds. If everyone wants to go Berserker, the team probably won’t survive as efficiently as one that has a Field Medic who has the ability to heal teammates from a distance.

No matter what perk you pick though, it’s going to pack a punch.

Killing Floor 2 offers a much needed update to an already addictive and great game. With its enhanced graphics and powerful new engine, KF2 is a solid shooter with all the joys of levelling up and progressing to become a better survivor. After playing this game for only a couple of hours, if you didn’t like heavy metal before playing this game, you will after. It undoubtedly fits perfectly with the over-the-top blood and gore. If the first game is anything to go by, I’m sure Tripwire Interactive will support the game by updating it often with free new maps and achievements, which extends the replay value considerably. For around half the price of an AAA game, and presenting continuous hours of gameplay, Killing Floor 2 is a great deal for any fan of bloody first person shooters.

Great co-op experience

Superb shooting mechanics and attention to detail

Loads of gore (if you’re into that)

CONS

Loads of gore (if you’re not into that)

Repetetive - early access only has one game mode

8/10 35

FILM & TV

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

THOUGH IT MAY SEEM UNASSUMING at FIRST GLANCE, CARDIFF IS HOME TO MORE FILMING LOCATIONS THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A SONIC SCREWDRIVER AT. FILM & TV EDITOR ELEANOR PARKYN GIVES US THE LOWDOWN ON HOW TO TRAVEL THROUGH TIME AND SPACE WITHOUT LEAVING THE CITY.

Many will associate Cardiff with being the filming location for many BBC shows, such as Sherlock, Doctor Who, aWnd its spin-off show, Torchwood.

For some, this fact may have even been a contributing factor in the decision to spend 3 or more years in the city. If you’re a casual viewer or a full-blown fanatic, the chances are that at some point during you’re time here you will stumble across one of these filming locations. The Bay is essentially the home of Torchwood, and fans will be quick to spot the ‘Torchwood Tower’, as well as finding the shrine to character Ianto Jones. Here you will also find the Doctor Who Experience, a somewhat pricey interactive exhibit, but is well worth the money for fans of the show. But for those of you not planning to walk more than ten minutes past the main building, or those who’s only form of money is the handful of change from last night’s escapades, here is your guide to the filming locations of Cardiff:

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FILM & TV

MILLENIUM STADIUM It seems that pretty much every scene involving the Doctor running (or segway-ing) down the corridor of an aliens secret base is filmed here. The stadium is also the home of River Song’s prison cell in seasons 5 and 6, as well as the ‘Van Statten Base’ from the season 1 episode ‘Dalek’.

SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY, CARDIFF UNIVERSITY MAIN BUILDING Used in the Sherlock episode ‘A Study in Pink’, the main building was used as the fictional location of ‘Roland Kerr College’, where Sherlock is taken by the cabbie to choose between the two pills. In the episode, the building doesn’t look as it does in reality, as it has been mirrored and made to look like two separate buildings.

TIGER TIGER, GREYFRIARS ROAD The likelihood of you ending up here at some point during fresher’s week is quite high, so it may be exciting to know that this was the filming location for the fun bar fight between Captain Jack and Captain John in the Torchwood episode ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’. If going out isn’t quite your thing then this may be your chance, as you can maybe be persuaded to go to the place where James Marsters and John Barrowman stood (and kissed.)

CARDIFF TEMPLE OF PEACE Ironically, the Temple of Peace has been used as the location of many hostile encounters on Doctor Who. The Temple has been seen in episodes including ‘The End of the World’, where it was transformed into ‘Platform One’, as well as being used for Hitler’s headquarters (‘Let’s Kill Hitler’) and the temple from the episode ‘Fires of Pompeii’.

KAPU & SODA BAR, MILL LANE For those disappointed with the fact they were not able to join Sherlock and John on the stag night pub crawl in ‘The Sign of Three’, here is your chance! The venues they visit as they stumble through ‘London’ are unsurprisingly all in Cardiff. On your next night out a trip to Kapu or Soda Bar on Mill Lane will take you to these locations and at some point during the night you’ll probably end up in the same state as John and Sherlock (although hopefully not in a prison cell).

GLAMORGAN BUILDING CARDIFF UNIVERSITY The building has been used in many episodes of Doctor Who, often as an official building, and has even been used to replicate the corridors of the White House (‘The Impossible Astronaut’). It can be seen most recognisably in the episode ‘Boom Town’ which is set and filmed almost entirely in Cardiff.

CARDIFF CASTLE Although Moriarty is seen to break into the Tower of London in the episode ‘The Reichenbach Fall’, this scene was actually filmed inside Cardiff Castle, due to the high number of tourists within the real Tower. The castle is also used in Doctor Who and Torchwood, and you can take a guided tour of all of the locations used within the castle.

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FILM & TV

THE

BEST OF WES

To kickstart the new term, Quench Film & TV bring you a brand new running feature - each issue we will look at the work of one of our favourite directors. This month: Wes Anderson.

The films of Wes Anderson are instantly recognisable. From his meticulous attention to detail in overhead shots to symmetrical framing, his directing has now been established as stylistically individual though influenced by French New Wave directors such as Truffaut and Godard.

Along with writing partners Owen Wilson, Noah Baumbach and Roman Coppola, Anderson creates melancholic comedy tales simply about people. Although the characters may embark on adventures in whimsical pastel-coloured settings, his films are often concerned with relationships and human nature which ultimately lead to some sort of understated introspection. His narratives simply tend to focus on the problems of beautiful middle class people and the hyper-stylised and deadpan directing is very self-aware, encouraging audiences relate to the feelings as opposed to the characters themselves. Be it because of the profound slow motion shot or the well placed Nico song playing over it, the films of Wes Anderson will warp you into their worlds of nostalgia and whimsy, and will make you feel something; and Quench are here to introduce some of our favourites.

Rushmore (1998) Rushmore tells of 15 year old Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) who, despite being an academically poor student, is very involved in his extracurricular activities from writing hit plays to being president of the Bee Keeping Society. Rushmore Academy is his love and his life. When he falls for teacher Miss. Cross (Olivia Williams) however, she becomes his new 'Rushmore,' and Max must compete against friend and billionaire Mr. Blume (Bill Murray) for her affection. The film is a coming-of-age tale about both teenager and man who are as wise and childish as the other, and will stop at nothing short of building a $35,000 aquarium to win their love interest over.

It is hard to believe that Rushmore is Schwartzman's debut. Reminiscent of a young Dustin Hoffman, his delivery makes for insanely quotable dialogue ("I don't give a shit about the barracudas! Fuck it, I'm building it anyway."). Bill Murray's Golden Globe nominated performance is also noteworthy; Rushmore is one of the first films, along with Lost in Translation and Broken Flowers, to have transitioned Bill Murray from an off-beat comedic actor to the cult indie dadfigure we wish was ours.

Rushmore is Anderson's second film and, unlike debut Bottle Rocket, more clearly trademarks many of his directorial quirks such as symmetrical framing, flat space camera movements and a thematic choice of music. The soundtrack, in particular, is one to put onto your iPod, with British Invasion music representing Max's rebellious nature contrasted against the whimsical harpsichord themes of Rushmore Academy composed by Mark Mothersbaugh.

The film is unlike some of his later works which arguably sacrifice substance for

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aesthetics. Although it lacks a quirky colour palette in set design and is missing a few on-screen regulars, Rushmore is still quintessentially Wes Anderson.

- Sadia Pineda Hameed

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) The Royal Tenenbaums, directed and cowritten by Wes Anderson, follows the Tenenbaum family’s coming together when patriarch Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) announces he is terminally ill and wants to make amends with his estranged family.

Despite being manipulative, tactless, and

selfish, Royal is equally incredibly easy to love, and the audience soon falls for him and the rest of the flawed family. Hackman unsurprisingly won a Golden Globe for his captivating performance, and numerous nominations were garnered for Anderson and co-writer Owen Wilson’s screenwriting. The three former child prodigies, played by Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow and Luke Wilson, reunite one-by-one when they move back into the iconic New York townhouse that is the Tenenbaum home, and old tensions between father and children play out comically and emotionally.

Tenenbaums is inventive and original, despite utilising the common trope of the trials and tribulations of a dysfunctional family. In typical Anderson style, the film is consistent in both its humour and darker, more moving elements, where the comedy crackles in keeping with its unabashed tone. For example, when Royal is reminded of his son Chas’s wife’s death, he tactlessly and matterof-factly remarks that it was a shame as she was a very attractive woman.

Anderson’s familiar directorial technique produces a film that is a masterpiece of quirky, artistic imagery, critically planned sets, and meticulously structured shots. One of the most visually appealing elements in the film is the rolling sequence in which the characters are introduced to the audience in individual, precisely designed settings.

Wes Anderson’s films are constantly compared to each other, but The Royal Tenenbaums is a film fully able to stand alone. Its dark comedy and drama are finely balanced, creating a film both poignant and gleefully indiscreet – far more than simply a sequence of artistic frames.

- Mary Hayman

FILM & TV

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) Fantastic Mr. Fox differs slightly from Wes Anderson’s usual filmmaking style, replacing his original plot, live-action films with this stop-motion retelling of Roald Dahl’s classic book of the same name. Despite the main story not being an original creation, Anderson certainly makes it his own, adapting the plot to suit his usual style by focusing more on the somewhat dysfunctional family life of Mr and Mrs Fox and their son Ash. Wes Anderson’s films typically feature an all star cast, and Fantastic Mr. Fox is no exception to this, with Mr and Mrs Fox voiced by the multi-award winning George Clooney and Meryl Streep.

While Roald Dahl’s original story is aimed at children, Anderson’s adaptation seems more like a film written for an adult audience; but its use of animals to deliver the witty, dry humorous lines establishes it as a film suitable for all family members. This is perhaps best exemplified by the amusing replacement of swearing with the word 'cuss', which is liberally used throughout the film, like when Mr. Fox exclaims "are you cussing with me?"

Although a film adaptation of a book you probably haven’t read since you were 6 may not sound like quite your thing, the animation is beautiful and the humour should appeal to all; particularly those of you who are fond of Anderson’s work. The quirkiness of Fantastic Mr. Fox will keep you entertained till the very end and you should be left pleasantly surprised by how Fantastic this film really is.

- Eleanor Parkyn Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Moonrise Kingdom focuses on the story of a young love between twelve year olds, Sam (Jaren Gilman), a boyscout in the Khaki Scout troop and Suzy (Kara Hayward), the eldest child of Mr and Mrs Bishop. The film is set in 1965 on an island called New Penzance, off the coast of New England. On this peaceful island of a small community, Sam and Suzy make a pact to run away together, leaving the small community faced with a disaster that seems out of their control. The ensemble cast include Bruce Willis as Captain Sharp, Edward Norton is Scout Master Ward, and Bill Murray and Frances McDormand as Suzy’s parents.

The setting of the film is very typical of Wes Anderson. It presents a nostalgic feel to the audience to be involved in the fictional world of the island. Each scene is packed full of every detail imaginable, with most of the scenes shot from a panning angle or through symmetrical shots; this enhances the simplistic yet nostalgic theme of the film.

Throughout the film contains many comical references to big titles, such as The Shawshank Redemption - where Sam decides to cut a hole in the side of his tent to escape, rather than to use the tent door. This is just one example of how unique Anderson’s

film-making is.

Moonrise Kingdom has proven to be another success ofWes Anderson’s eccentric style of film making. One where you enter a fantasy world of dream-like settings, leaving you feeling nostalgic yet thrilled after seeing yet another stunning masterpiece from his collection.

- Billie Murphy The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

The films of Wes Anderson are instantly recognisable.

Once in a while we all stumble upon a certain movie that might tug at our heart strings and pull us further into scrutinising the director and more of his or her work. In some cases, before we know it, we catch ourselves as addicts, obsessors who would devotedly watch, re-watch and wait to watch more movies if it has anything to do with the said director. Well, for me, one particular movie that fitted that grandiose description is The Grand Budapest Hotel.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a famous European ski resort in the 1930s that is managed by the legendary concierge, Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) and his junior lobby boy Zero (Tony Revolori), who eventually becomes his loyal and most trusted friend.

The main plot of the story revolves around a theft and the eventual recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting as well as the fight for an immense family fortune all in parallel to a war-torn and fast-changing continent.

If the plot alone isn’t enough to win your heart, it might help to know that the movie has received widespread acclaim from film critics, with many including it in their yearend top 10 lists, as well as being nominated for 11 nominations, including Best Film and Best Director for Anderson and most of all, winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture.

So, hopefully, maybe on weekends when you feel like staying in and snuggling up for a feelgood movie, The Grand Budapest Hotel might just be the thing to watch.

- Kat Pooprasert

have a favourite director you’d like to read about? Tell us on Twitter @QuenchFilmTV If you’d like to write for us drop a line to Editor@QuenchMag.co.uk

39

FILM & TV

GAME OVER? Jasper Wilkins discusses whether Game of Thrones has taken tits and gore too far this time (Warning: spoilers for the fifth season inbound) As ever, the past season has been a colourful one in Westeros.

Danaerys finally scored a ticket on Dragon Airlines, Jorah cemented his position as Captain of the HMS Friendzone, while Stannis threw away any chance he had of getting one of those gigantic Number One Dad mugs for father’s day. On top of that, we’ve had the usual heat over sex, nudity, torture, incest and gore. It just wouldn’t be a Game of Thrones season without a healthy dollop of controversy, would it? However, after fifty episodes, the debate surrounding the show’s content has evolved into something a little more complex.

Season 5 in particular has drawn criticism for how it treats its female characters.

Cersai’s walk of shame through the streets of King’s Landing is an obvious example.

If you thought you looked rough crawling back home through Cathays the morning after pulling that 4/10 at Flux, at least you weren’t naked and covered in pig shit. If your walk of shame did, in fact, involve being naked and covered in pig shit, well, perhaps slow down on the Dornish wine next time. The sequence managed to stir up controversy before even being broadcast, with the Catholic Church of St Nicholas heavily protesting the use of their building

40

for filming on moral grounds.

Across social media, too, the sequence sparked much debate, mostly for its alleged reinforcement of male misogyny and slut-shaming values. It’s not hard to see why - Cersai’s march is literally met with chants of “shame!” and “whore!’ - but we

must also remember that Game of Thrones is a show that had no problem chopping off Theon Greyjoy’s dick, amongst other bits of his body. The social justice warriors can overlook that though, since nobody called him a slut. If anything, this storm in a teacup highlights the true gender equality at the heart of Game of Thrones; it doesn’t matter what sex you are, because you’re probably going to have a terrible time regardless.

Perhaps less excusable, and certainly a more delicate topic,

was Sansa Stark’s wedding night rape at the hands of Ramsay Bolton in Episode 6. A sexual assault scene on any primetime television show was always going to detonate fiercely on the feminist minefields of the internet, and when that television show is as big as Game of Thrones the result is a forest fire of Tumblr debate that might just burn until the end of time. There’s no denying that the whole scene makes for uncomfortable viewing.

However, the online outrage this time focuses on something deeper than mere shock value - Sansa’s rape doesn’t do anything. Unlike previous ‘edgy’ scenes, such as the infamous Red Wedding, Sansa’s degradation fails to progress the plot in any meaningful way. Afterwards, Sansa is still a victim, Ramsay is still Joffrey 2.0, and Theon is still a psychological basket case. We knew all of this already. The rape isn’t mentioned again for the rest of the season. To put it simply, what is the point? What’s the goal beyond stirring up media buzz? Of all the plot elements for the show’s writers to throw around without a real purpose, sexual assault might have been the worst possible choice.

Game of Thrones shouldn’t, and so far hasn’t, leaned away

from controversial subjects out of fear of backlash - which is respectable. However, their use ought to have some intent behind it, rather than being treated as a triviality. Let’s hope Season 6 gets itself back on track, and doesn’t need to resort to such attention-seeking.

cult secrets

FILM & TV

From Mean Girls to Monty Python’s Life of Brian - cult classics are films that we love to love -quite often despite their lack of technical merit. Quench Film & TV investigates...

“Cult classics are off-limits to mainstream cinema. That’s just, like, the rules of film making.”

But much like Cady, who couldn’t stay away from Aaron Samuels, it seems like cinema audiences have a problem staying away from the classics.

A cult film, as you might have already guessed by its name, is a movie that acquires a cult following. A dedicated fan-base, quotable dialogues, audience participation and repeated viewings. However, what causes a movie to become a ‘cult classic’ remains a mystery.

Previously, the term cult film might have referred to transgressive themes such as major violence or explicit sexuality. Many of these films would have unreliable narration and time jumps between storylines. Movies like this often bombed at the box-office due to their unconventional characteristics. Viewers who saw themselves as ‘outcast’ or just kids who were too cool for anything mainstream would adopt these films and adore them no end. One popular example of such a movie is sci-fi cult classic Donnie Darko.

Now famous for its humour and mind-bendingly cool plot line, the film was actually a flop at the box office during its original release.

The film’s initial failure may be attributed to its unapologetic addressing of taboo themes such as child pornography and its utterly confusing plot line; though these are also the two main reasons as to why it is adored so passionately by its dedicated fan-

base now.

Nowadays though, a movie doesn’t necessarily need people shooting other people in the head by accident to gain a cult following. Some cult classics do very well at the box-office and are in fact, produced or distributed by major studios. An example of this is the old school classic Mean Girls that was distributed by Paramount pictures and is still as fetch as ever. Though the movie didn’t involve any major themes of sex or gore, well except the scene where - spoiler - Regina gets run-over by a bus, it still acquired a massive cult following. It was also a huge success at the box office earning about $129 million during its initial release.

Overall, it is hard to identify one feature that leads to a film becoming a cult classic. Some films are so bad that they end up becoming parodies of themselves like Evil Dead II whilst others can bring a sense of nostalgia and a longing for a simpler time like Grease or Back To The Future.

Then there are those movies that are a blueprint for what a cult classic should be, like Pulp Fiction. Cult classics seem to cross the boundaries of different genres, themes, time of release and target audiences. The only thing all these movies have in common is their dedicated fanbase. It seems fitting that there is no conventional answer for what makes a film a cult classic since that’s what cult movies try to represent: a lack of convention.

- Sanya Budhiraja

What to watch when...

You’re drinking: Heathers Drink every time someone says ‘Heather’ - good luck

You’re drunk: Jack and Jill You’d have to be pretty drunk to find an Adam Sandler movie funny

You’re hungover: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Because, much like Ferris, you won’t be going to classes today

You’re back from a ‘gap yah’ in Cambodia: The Dhamma Brothers Continue the spiritual journey from the comfort of your halls

You’re preparing to live in Wales: Gavin and Stacey This way you can get used to the accent, the slang and seeing gravy on chips

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FOOD + DRINK

THE RISE OF

VEGETARIAN IN GENERAL, THE TERM “VEGETARIAN” IS USED TO DESCRIBE ANY DIET THAT EMPHASIZES THE CONSUMPTION OF PLANT FOODS, AVOIDS THE CONSUMPTION OF ANIMAL FLESH, AND DISCOURAGES THE CONSUMPTION OF OTHER ANIMAL PRODUCTS.

B

ecoming a vegetarian was a choice I made at the age of 13. Neither of my parents were vegetarian nor my older brother, friends or family members and yet I chose, after careful consideration, to stop eating meat. This decision was based entirely on ethics as it is for many people. The idea of the countless animals that are alive for the sole purpose to be killed and then eaten is shaking me even to this very day. Not only it is sad that animals are being denied basic animal rights and are being threatened with various types of hormones and antibiotics, but these factors affect as much the people eating them as the animals themselves.

Regarding health, people’s opinion on vegetarian diets are usually incredibly uninformed. In my

42

personal experience, I have noticed, that some people believe vegetarians eat only salads and don’t have many other choices of food, which can lead to malnutrition. However this of course cannot be further from the truth. Vegetarianism is not a new thing; it goes back to 6th century BC when it was popular mainly in Greece, India and Italy. Throughout history there have been many influential examples of famous people who are vegetarians such as Mahatma Ghandi, Carl Lewis (Olympic athlete), Vanessa Williams (actress and singer); Paul McCartney (rock musician); Dustin Hoffman (actor); Tony LaRussa (pro-baseball manager);Pythagoras, Buda, and Leonardo da Vinci.

The diet of a vegetarian is not only good for the animals, and the people themselves but for the planet as well. Research at Stanford University in the United States found that a produce-driven diet directly helps the health of the planet in more ways than one. Growing produce generates fewer carbon emissions and uses less water than raising livestock resulting in less of an environmental toll.

When I became a vegetarian I was not sure how that was going to affect my body. I was prepared in all cases to give up my diet if I started to become ill frequently or feel constantly tired.

However I discovered that not only was I feeling perfectly fine, I was getting less sick every year and I started looking healthier. In fact my skin was looking better than ever before! And it’s not just me; a paper published in 1999 summarized the results of a study associating diet with chronic disease in a group of nearly 35,000 Seventh day Adventists living in California. The members of the group who followed a vegetarian diet (defined as eating no red meat, poultry, or fish) had lower incidences of many diseases, including; obesity, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and ischemic heart disease than the non-vegetarians.

So all in all, being healthy, saving innocent lives and helping out the planet are a few of the main reasons behind the 12 million people in the US who reported themselves as being vegetarian, and the many more around the world who continue to follow this type of diet.

- DIMANA MARKOVA

FOOD + DRINK

NISM INTERVIEW WITH

MILGI How did you go about opening your restaurant; has food always been a passion of yours?

Myself and my sister came up with the idea of opening a creative hub that served food after an inspirational trip to NYC. Food has always been a part of our lives - our dad is a great cook so we have always been around good food and ingredients. He is a wonderful forager too so, he has passed on his knowledge.

Have you always been a vegetarian; if yes why did you make this choice? If no why does vegetarian cuisine appeal so much to you?

Myself and Milgi have been vegetarian for five years now and my own personal choice to eat a plant based diet comes mainly from a health point of view. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an exciting way to live - it makes you more in tune with your body and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and not eating meat, i feel, gives you a sense of clarity. Milgi decided to go Vegetarian because it was the right thing to do. Our ethos is to eat local and organic when we can and that was becoming increasingly harder when it came to meat. This was five years ago so, a lot has changed now but, back then it was more difficult to source organic meat, for example.

What is your most popular/ signature dish?

Our Mexican Stack - fresh, tasty inspiring and a bit naughty!

In your opinion is vegetarian cuisine up and coming?

Yes! and we are proud to be leading the way.

What is your favourite dish on your menu?

I love the wholefood bowl - nourish and flourish!

Any other details you can give us on your restaurant!

We serve amazing cocktails!

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ALL

FOOD + DRINK

WORTH THE MONEY?

W

ith the rise in popularity of vegetarianism, as well as a general increase in healthconsciousness (see: trendyyet-dubious juice cleanses and paleo diets, organic-all-natural-low-fat-no-artificialadditives-no-everything groceries, the inescapable cult of ‘courgetti’ – faux spaghetti made from spiral-cut courgette) it’s a small wonder that all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants still seem to be doing reasonably well, or even thriving in some cases.

These buffets lure customers with unlimited servings of a mind-boggling variety of cuisines, from Chinese to Indian to Tex-Mex, all at what they claim to be a fairly reasonable price point for the amount of food promised.

The main options in Cardiff city centre charge around £8 to £15, depending which day you go and whether you have lunch or dinner.

However, more decadent options are known to exist in places such as Las Vegas, USA, where the Bacchanal restaurant buffet costs US$50.99 (around £33, or the cost of a student’s food for a week, according to the university’s living costs calculator) for a weekend dinner that includes options such as premium Kobe beef and madeto-order soufflés.

The argument that holds the this all together is that for the price you are paying, you have the option to eat however much you want, up to or beyond the value of what you paid. This shifts the onus of obtaining value-for-moneyness almost completely to the diner – that’s you – as opposed to the restaurant owners.

Paid £15 but only had a tiny plate of mediocre sweet and sour chicken? That’s no one’s fault but yours; you could have gotten more. This causes diners to feel an increased need to make sure that they eating their money’s worth. In fact, a cursory Google search for “how to get money’s worth” yields three buffet-related suggestions out of four. And if it’s one thing we all know, it’s that Google’s suggestions reflect the innermost desires of the human spirit.

This preoccupation of diners to get their

44

E AT

YOU CAN

money’s worth at all-you-can-eat buffets has led to these restaurants having a poor reputation in terms of health and nutritional value.

The first obvious reason for this is that diners are easily tempted to overeat. When faced with such an overwhelming amount of food on display in the restaurant, this is easy to see. The dizzying array of food adds fuel to the flames, as diners often feel compelled to try a bit of everything on offer. In fact, a study conducted by the John Hopkins Medical Hospital and University in the USA found that subjects ate considerably more yoghurt when offered a selection of flavours, as opposed to only being given one flavour, and a similar result was observed when different subjects were given either a selection of sandwiches with a selection of fillings, or just sandwiches in one standard filling. This lethal combination of quantity and variety makes all-you-can-eat buffets exceptionally unhelpful for the self-control of diners.

The second reason is that as buffet foods tend to be cooked in large quantities yet still face the requirement of being low cost, many of these dishes end up containing artificial additives, or heavily processed ingredients. For instance, as the food is often left out in the restaurant for extended periods of time, it is likely that the dishes contain large amounts of preservatives to help them hold up. In addition, in order to ensure profitability, ingredients used to prepare the food must also be low-cost and thus tend to be of lower quality. Many of these dishes are thus ‘enhanced’ with additives such as high fructose corn syrup (nasty stuff that has strong links to obesity, according to the wisdom of Science) and monosodium glutamate (aka MSG – so good, but so bad). All this conjures the image of your food being cooked in a huge cauldron with ladlefuls of trans fats and dodgy artificial stuff – not exactly the epitome of health.

The third reason is that with large amounts being cooked at one go, safe storage of food becomes an issue. Over in the US, in 2013, an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant in

Florida was caught with its perishable food items, including meat, ‘stored’ beside a skip at the back of the restaurant in order to avoid being penalised by health inspectors who were examining the kitchen interiors. In a case a little closer to home, in early 2015, a buffet restaurant in Liverpool screeched to a sudden and unannounced closure following a routine health inspection which reported hygiene concerns in all of the restaurant’s multiple kitchens. All this is worsened by the fact that there is often no way to tell how many other people, especially fellow diners, may have touched your food before it got to your plate, increasing the risk of contamination and in turn food poisoning.

The final health concern is that all-youcan-eat buffets may encourage an unhealthy diet of binge eating and starving. Before eating at a buffet restaurant, diners are more likely to eat significantly less than a healthy amount, either to cut daily caloric intake, or to ‘save space’ for the large meal later on in order to get their money’s worth. This in turn makes it even more likely that the person will overeat at the buffet, an issue already highlighted a few paragraphs above. This may then be followed by postovereating emotions of regret and guilt, leading to the diner feeling compelled to eat less for the next meal or skip it entirely. This increases the likelihood of a person getting caught in a binge/ starve cycle in which blood sugar levels fluctuate rapidly, as opposed to a healthier and more moderate diet.

When all’s said and done, it’s not all doom and gloom for you if you’ve been planning a trip to an all-you-can-eat buffet. Just be sure to maintain a moderate diet before and after the buffet, exercise some self-control, and above all, don’t get too caught up in getting your money’s worth. Even if you do eat your £15 worth in lowcost, additive-laden food, the experience after may not be worth it in the end.

-ZENN WONG

FOOD + DRINK

FRESHER friendly

recipes Chilli Con Carne

A staple food for students, it is always good to know how to cook a good chilli! This recipe is for a chilli of moderate heat. If you want a hotter chilli, you can use stronger chilli powder or more of the mild stuff. For a milder one, just use less!

Burritos

A Mexican classic, Burritos are quick, easy, and delicious. This recipe makes a lot of filling, ideal for leftovers or freezing, and is great value for

300g beef mince · 1 large onion, chopped · 1 can kidney beans · 1 can chopped tomatoes · 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped · 1 red pepper, chopped (optional) · Tomato` purée · 25g Paprika · 25g Mild chili powder · Salt and pepper to taste Serve with rice

money! · · · · · · · · · ·

Tortillas 2 peppers, chopped 1 Large onion, chopped 2 or 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 300g mince 2 cans refried beans Grated cheese – as much as you like!

Salt Pepper 1 Chilli, finely chopped (optional)

1.

Great when served with either guacamole, sour cream, or salsa.

Salad is also a great addition.

1.

2.

3.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat, and add the garlic and chilli. After about 10 seconds, add the onion, and fry until they soften and become translucent. Then add the meat, and cook until browned all over, before adding the peppers. Cook for another couple of minutes, adding salt and pepper to your taste.

Now add the refried beans, and if you like a few tablespoons of water to get the consistency you prefer. Keep the heat on until the mixture is bubbling gently (probably 3-5 minutes). Be sure to keep mixing so that nothing burns to the bottom of the pan.

Now it’s time to build the burritos. Put the tortillas on a plate and microwave them for about 15-20 seconds. This softens them and makes them easier to wrap. The key is not to overfill the burrito, tempting as it is to stick loads in at once! If using sour cream, guacamole or salsa, add this to the tortilla first, followed by the filling.

Sprinkle cheese on the top, and add salad if you like, then wrap. The best way of wrapping is folding the sides over, then bringing the bottom up over this, and then rolling until it is done!

And there you have it! If you have leftover mixture, you can eat this as leftovers or stick it in the freezer and have it another time.

2.

Heat some olive oil in a deep frying pan with a lid on medium heat (if you don’t have a frying pan with a lid, a sheet of tin foil works just as well). Once hot, fry the garlic and onion until the onion is soft.

Add the red pepper, kidney beans and chopped tomatoes, and a good squeeze of tomato purée. Don’t drain the kidney beans before adding them, as you need the liquid to simmer in the pan! Mix in the chilli powder and paprika, and let the mixture bubble gent`ly for 15-20 minutes with the lid on. (Keeping the lid on ensures you don’t lose too much liquid and keep in lots of flavour).

3.

4.

Now it’s time to add the meat to the mixture. Stir it round a bit, then put the lid back on the pan and leave for at least 5 minutes – this is enough time to cook the meat, but the longer you leave it simmering, the more flavoursome it becomes! This is a golden rule for all one-pot cooking.

After you have added the meat, boil the rice.

This is a really easy meal, and if you don’t want to freeze the leftovers, it’s great to add some with cheese in a toastie!

-MAX HAYWARD

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WELL PRICED LUNCHES

FOOD + DRINK

PIPIS

WATERLOO GARDENS TEA ROOM

First up is Pipi’s. Having recently Bringing a different feel is Waterloo upsized and moved to Caroline Street Gardens Tea Rooms. Nestled into (yes, which is transformed to the an unassuming corner of the sweet infamous Chippy Alley of an evening), Wyndham Arcade, its success in the it’s not exactly far to walk, being slap- nearby seaside town of Penarth made bang in the centre of Cardiff. Adorable expanding necessary, and the tea rooms coffee shop by day and more exotic offer a sophisticated lunchtime palate restaurant when night falls, it exudes for surprisingly good value. For a light a charming Greek vibe through the yet filling choice, opt for the halloumi, medium of fresh pastries; zesty olive sundried tomato and paprika yoghurt and feta salads; traditional drinks and jalapeno slaw in a ciabatta roll such as ‘Freddo cappuccinos’; stuffed for £7, or indulge in Oriental delights peppers and calamari. Greek food is with Vietnamese mushrooms teamed rising in popularity in recent years – with pickled veg, chilli and cashew nut and Pipi’s authentic dishes mean we aioli for the same price. Or for a bigger can understand why. Meat fans can meal for little more in cost, the sticky choose between Souvlaki (skewers Asian chicken with roasted peanut with tzatziki) or grilled bifteki (meat salad and even rare roast beef with parcels stuffed with cheese) among capers and shaved parmesan are never other delights. But don’t fear if you’re bad ideas. The tea rooms also cater for vegetarian – you can leave it up to the vegans with speciality raw tacos and chefs to craft you the perfect mezze spicy walnut crumble, and tabboulehplatter – with plenty of houmous, of stuffed tomatoes – I said Greek food course! And most of all, don’t fear if is on the rise! If you prefer traditions, you’re watching the purse – you can get the Afternoon Tea is still a delight – enormous salads for under a fiver scones and an impressive array of teas, from Iron Goodness to Jasmine Pearl Organic. And you can even bulk-buy the teas to take home!

COSY CLUB If you live in Cardiff, you’d be hardpressed to have avoided Cosy Club. The chain is dotted around the UK, from Birmingham to Bath – but here we’re focusing on the ‘Diff, and rightly so, as it has to be a highlight of St Davids, which everyone knows is a foodie haven. As well as boasting adorable decoration, hard to resist sneakily photographing for Instagram addicts like me, it’s worth mentioning that their food is pretty sweet as well. Be it triplestacked buttermilk pancakes choosing between banana, blueberries or peach sauce to make you feel slightly healthy or a more savoury tapas, neither your taste-buds nor purse will be hating on you after popping to Cosy Club. Plus, everyone knows Cardiff produces some pretty sublime burgers – but where else does the unique Chicken Caesar Burger? Nowhere, that’s where. Well, nowhere we’ve currently found, and in this case, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

HUNGOVER BRUNCH

APPLE JACKS

ED’S EASY DINER

Apple Jacks is the sort of hungover brunch place you could take your mum to if she’s been hitting the merlot a bit too hard. Basically, it’s hungover brunch but sophisticated. You might think that a banging headache doesn’t go well with class but you’re wrong. Indulging yourself and feeling a little bit fancy, whilst still getting that all- important carb fix is exactly what you need. The menu has a range of delicious American inspired dishes, all at a reasonable price. There’s pancakes, waffles, breakfast platters and hands down the best eggs Benedict, Royale or Florentine in Cardiff. The extra adventurous could go for such daring dishes as a breakfast taco, hash and mash or a feather steak. Yeah, you can have steak for breakfast. If you make it out of bed before noon every breakfast item is £5.95 with a coffee or juice; it’s definitely worth it.

Ed’s Diner is good with an addendum, you have to join the club. For what appears to be no apparent reason they semi regularly give out 50% off vouchers to club members, when this happens you can get a full cooked breakfast for £3.30. It is a truly beautiful world that we live in. This restaurant has a cool 50’s American diner aesthetic and the food to match. If you want to fully commit to the theme I would suggest sitting at the counter and ordering the All-American; a genius combination of pancakes, bacon, sausage, egg, hash brown and maple syrup.

If that doesn’t cure your hangover, then you probably need to cut down to one bottle of vodka a night. This place provides the massive amounts of food necessary to settle your stomach, but only before 11am…the walk will be awful, but that just makes the food taste better.

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CAFÉ 37

Waking up with an outrageous hangover is inevitable, if not an expectation, if you are a Cardiff Uni student- and what does everyone want when they are hungover (other than to not be hungover)..? FOOD! One of the best places for a hangover brunch has to be Cafe 37 on Salisbury Road. This café is very reasonably priced and has an extensive range of food on its menu, from homemade 8oz burgers to eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. To cure your nausea and persistent headache you might choose the traditional option of an all-daybreakfast- to satisfy your grease deprived stomach with this massive breakfast portion (*there is also a Quorn version available for vegetarians). Alternatively, if you’re feeling a little more of a sweet craving you could try out the delicious American-style pancakes followed by one of their creamy milkshakes.

Whatever your brunch inclination, Cafe 37 is a sure winner all round and a definite must for any Cardiff student!

THE NEW YORK DELI If you’re a meat lover and looking for a lunch with more meat than bread, then The New York Deli is the place for you! Located in the High Street Arcade serving up mile-high sandwiches, bulky bagels, hearty hoagies and greasy grinders, The New York Deli knows how to make a damn good sandwich! It’s the perfect place for a sit-in lunch, and with more meat and flavour combos than you can pull off in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5, there’s a sandwich for just about everyone.

With sandwiches ranging from £3-5 it’s incredible value for money, as you certainly get both quantity and quality.

They also haven’t forgotten about the vegetarians out there, as they serve scrumptious veggie vegan burgers and grinders. With New York being the sandwich capital of the world, this little deli really lives up to its name as Cardiff ’s own little slice of New York. I challenge you to find a better sandwich in the whole of Cardiff! WARNING: lunch experience may get messy!

FOOD + DRINK Leading the way is Pitch. It may be very Welsh, but dispels the mindset that Welsh food has to be solely oldfashioned Bara Brith and tea in a quaint cafe setting – although nothing against that! Instead, you can find Pitch, which only opened this year, in trendy Mill Lane, serving up a storm whether breakfast or cocktails. ‘Welsh pancake stacks’ to ‘chicken lollipops with garlic aioli’ (nope, we’d never heard of them either); super cool 12-hour smoked pulled pork burgers (warning – may actually take close to 12 hours to eat, as well, as they’re so big but so worth it), to indulgent desserts including white chocolate and Merlyn liqueur cheesecake and Espresso Martinis. So Pitch really is the perfect place to either line your stomach before the evening’s activities, or recover from a hangover the following day. We have a feeling we’ll be getting quite accustomed to their friendly ‘Croeso’ sign over the course of our degrees.

CAFÉ CITTA

I may not be the coolest of people, but I know a cool eaterie when I see one, and Cafe Citta fits the bill. A charming family-run Italian cafe/restaurant, it’s hardly one of Cardiff ’s most instantly recognisable food places, but I think it should be up there! Its genuine nature is a welcome break from the anonymity of the city centre’s hustle and bustle, while its small size but classy decor are further plus points. The civilised Gamberoni Saltati, still modest at £7.50, is basically the fancy native term for tail-on king prawns swimming (ok, not literally) in chilli, garlic and wine, while goats’ cheese, smoked salmon tagliatelle and mascarpone cheesecakes also contribute to the range of aromas floating about. Cafe Citta is a lovely location for a classy yet comfortable dining experience, away from the somewhat faceless chains that, like every city, Cardiff is also littered with.

WAHACA

However, I still have nothing against chains, as this choice reaffirms. Wahaca is a bubbling, lively restaurant in the Hayes area of the capital. Although I tend to favour Cardiff ’s independent eateries, you can’t go wrong with some jazzy Mexican. As soon as you walk in, you’re confronted with lively colour and flavours so alive they practically dance off the tables. Despite the lure of traditional burritos, tacos, enchiladas and pibil with a twist, don’t forget to save some room for the churros; salted caramel and Buñuelo coconut fried pastries, or the extensive range of cocktails and tequilas. This is where that wonderful inventions called ‘dessert stomach’ and ‘drinks stomach’ come in very, very handy. The considerate staff over at Wahaca even run a takeaway service, perfect for if you want to regain the threads of their very fashionable vibe from the haven of your own lair. Aren’t they nice.

TUCKER

Tucker is undeniably a Cardiff gem.

Despite being slotted on a corner of Salisbury Road, near to many a student house (poor them), they’re still not massively well-known. But they should be! Being in humble old Cathays, you have no excuse to not become very acquainted with their Eggs Benedict and homemade hollandaise sauce or chicken in peanut satay and chunky chips throughout the day, or cocktails, tapas, and, if we actually deviate slightly from food, even karaoke of an evening, when their shabby chic vibe is transformed into something more energetic. I love it whatever time of day, and it seems others do too – all of their online reviews are positive. Plus, their decor is super-cosy and inviting. I love the individual feel and the owners are more than happy to cater for specific needs, even popping across the road to Tesco Express to speedily rustle up something not on the menu. Give it a go! (Not reverting back to Tesco midmeal, I should add. I meant exploring Tucker’s delights.)

CHILL OUT SPOTS

PITCH

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