Issue 129

Quench

Charity Shop Fashion Features · Interviews · Fashion & Beauty · Travel LGBT+ · Culture · Music · Film · Food & Drink

Issue 129 · November 26th 2012

Contents.

issue 129 · 26th November 2012

26 19

Features

5 · MODIFICATION OR MUTILATION? Caroline Hodges asks what body

7 · MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME

20 ON THE COVER Fashion & Beauty

11 · THE CHARITY EDIT in Roath to prove that charity shop

Columnist has Rachel Moloney

Interviews 9 · CANTERBURY Stephen Springate

10 · THE VACCINES CUTV chat to guitarist Freddie and drummer Pete.

20 · ARTES MUNDI

Travel

18 · FEISTY FESTIVALS 18 · SURF AND SPICE IN MOROCCO Sophie Epstein 19 · YUNNAN PROVINCE, CHINA

22

Music&Film 26 · SOUNDTRACK

Jess Rayner

20 · THE REVIEW CORNER Jasmine Freeman Happiness Comes From Nowhere by

Film

28 · RISE OF SURREALISM Oliver Richards investigates the rise

LGBT+

8 · ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

Culture

30

questions what it means for the future of

22 · WORLD AIDS DAY

Robyn Moore and Adam Duce

29 · REVIEWS

23 · TRANSGENDER DAY OF

Two Argo and The Master.

REMEMBERANCE

Food & Drink Music

24 · ALBUMS/SINGLES 25 · LIVE

30 · VIVA BRAZIL

Food are invited to the opening night of

31 · WAGAMAMA Dylan Jenkins quench@gairrhydd.com · @quenchmag

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Editorial

Quench Editors: Laura Evans & Jo Southerd Creative Director: Luke Slade Features: Helen Cameron, Johannes Laubmeier, Rebecca Newby & Charlotte Wace Columnist: Rachel Moloney Fashion & Beauty: Sophie Chamberlain, Vicky Gadsden, Jacqueline Kilikita & Olivia Reidy Travel: Heather Arnold & Helena Lins LGBT+: Thomas Leeming & Erin Ekins Photo: Brenna Mack

a word from

Laura

Culture: Jess Rayner Music: Rosey Brown, Kit Denison & Stephen Springate Film: Becky Johnson, Amy Pay & Becky Wilson

Money. It’s one of the things we students stress about the most.

Loan day is on par with Christmas, and by the end of term we actually crave Christmas purely to raise our moods because

Food & Drink:

however, we still clutch at our desires to buy the latest trends when it comes to fashion. We could be as poor as anything, yet looking good on a night out is important to a lot of us.

So this issue, Fashion give you a solution: the humble charity shop.

Proof-reading: Emilia Ignaciuk Michael O’Connell-Davidson Tom Parry-Jones

when it comes to clothes shopping, nor do you need to venture very far. Albany Road’s choice of charity shops, including Oxfam, Red Cross and RSPCA, is brilliant: you can pick up pretty much Fashion, the one thing they couldn’t praise more was how organised the shops were.

They said the members of staff were incredibly friendly and that for daywear and eveningwear, and all sizes were ordered neatly.

They said: “if you know the sort of thing you’re after or even if it’s

Last week, Film and Music were lucky enough to attend entertainment venues around Cardiff and South Wales. The festival mixes both cinematic elements with recorded and live musical pieces to create a rather extraordinary experience. Read the Soundtrack reviews on pages 26 and 27.

Elsewhere in Cardiff Student Media, CUTV, Xpress Radio and gair rhydd are working incredibly hard to get you the best coverage of all aspects of student life. Xpress have got another X-sessions gig coming up on December 9th, headlined by local boys The Knox.

Look them up on Facebook or the back page of this issue for details.

CUTV have been getting some amazing interviews recently, so whether you’re interested in music, fashion, sport or news, there’ll

Cover Photo: Brenna Mack

http://www.cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/cutv Next issue, Quench brings you Christmas! But for now...

This week we learnt: Luke’s fascination with typography has become more than slightly worrying.

Enjoy.

Soundtrack: Girls Aloud - Something New. On repeat (horrendous).

four Q quench@gairrhydd.com · @QuenchEditor

Modification or Mutilation?

Self expression through the skin

A new TV series called ‘Taboo’ on National Geographic recently shed light on the bizarre new trend of ‘bagel heads’ in Japan. As forms of tion means in today’s society.

decision. I certainly shouldn’t have had to decide not to get it done because I don’t want to damage my future job prospects. For students, especially those who are now paying £9,000 a year to receive a university education, this is an important issue. In our current economic cliI spoke to a university careers advisor who said:

cartilage ear piercing (still my favourite) in a place that was unusual at the time. My mum told me that I had mutilated myself. As somebody who had been brought up in a household in which I was lucky to even be allowed to get my ear lobes pierced before I turned 16, this reaction didn’t surprise me. My parents are members of an older generation and ‘in their day’ the vast majority of people with piercings and tattoos were punks, sailors or skinheads with no prospects and badly-drawn body art. I don’t blame my parents for having these opinions because I know where they came from. The thing that worries me is that people of my parents’ generation are also our future employers and our superiors. They have the power to refuse somebody a job based on the fact that they have a small tattoo on their wrist or one too many earrings.

Over summer, I struggled a lot with the decision of whether to get a small tattoo on the back of my neck. I had always wanted one there and I thought the design was neat, pretty and unusual. It could have been covered anybody. In my opinion, this shouldn’t have to be a big

they interviewed people they asked themselves the question ‘would I be able to send this person on a long-haul

image you are trying to project as a company. It’s like making sure you wear a suit or have shiny shoes and with tattoos – you’ll always have people who like them and people who don’t… it is one area where there will always be discrimination in the work place.”

Of course, it’s true that common sense dictates you don’t turn up to a job interview in jeans and trainers. But be slated for turning down someone on the basis of their skin colour or sex; so why is it a given that someone with For a company to have a policy that someone with a visible tattoo cannot be hired means that people are forced

ployers such as HMV and Tesco now insisting that body art must be covered up, if attitudes don’t change, when I am looking for employment I will have to remove or hide I believe that the issue runs deeper than simple appearance. The fact is that tattoos and piercings still have negative connotations. Getting a tattoo or piercing does not, in reality, lower the IQ or abilities of the person who has it. However, there will always be people who think less professional attitude. Thus, they assume that they are less able than somebody who has chosen to keep their skin ‘virgin’. In my experience, more and more young, intelligent people are choosing to get tattoos and piercings because they love them. The stereotype of the punk or the skinhead with no prospects is redundant. Rob, who studies Psychology and Criminology at Plymouth University, said: “I think the stigmas attached to tattoos and piercings are ridiculous in today’s society, having piercings and tattoos do not mean you’re not as clever, or driven, or hard working. I understand that some people may not like them, but that’s their problem. I don’t make a fuss when people don’t have tattoos or piercings so why More often than not, the people I know who have

their bodies in all aspects of their lives both in and outside the workplace. It seems unreasonable to discriminate against candidates for jobs based on minor aspects of appearance that cannot now be altered. But with em-

striving to do good things with their lives and get good versial issue not just because of the attitudes towards it,

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but also the potential dangers associated with it. One phenomenon in Japan is pushing the boundaries a They call themselves ‘bagel heads’. This bizarre look is achieved by injecting 400ml of saline solution into the foreheads and then pressing the thumb into the middle of the swollen area to create a bagel-like shape. Although the result is ridiculous to the point of being comical, the potential dangers associated with this are serious. As well as dehydration and infection, once the swelling goes down (after approximately two days) the bagel heads are left with stretched-out skin on their forehead.

There are similar dangers for anybody who gets a piercing or tattoo. I have had infections, allergic reactions, piercings that wouldn’t heal, and abnormal scar tissue. For me, all of these incidents were fairly minor, but it’s not uncommon for someone having a routine naval piercing to end up on a course of antibiotics. Then, of course, there’s always the issue of addiction. Anybody who has tattoos will say the same thing – they want more. Programmes like ‘My Tattoo Addiction’, which aired last month on Channel 4, highlighted this issue by showing people who are desperate to cover up old tattoos… with new tattoos. Many of my own conversations with pierced and tattooed friends lead back to the same issue. We want more. We often discuss what we want and ultimately why we can’t get it. But there is nothing to stop the people who don’t worry about missing out on jobs or aren’t afraid of being stigmatised because

looking for new and unusual ways to change the which involves cutting patterns into the skin with a surgical scalpel, with the intention of causing permanent scarring. Others use skin implants – anything from silicone breasts under a pin-up girl tattoo to

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Some people engage in ‘scarification’, which involves cutting patterns into the skin with a surgical scalpel, with the intention of causing permanent scarring

metal horns – which are surgically inserted beneath the skin. Dermal anchor piercings, where a small chunk of skin is cut out and replaced by a piece of jewellery around which the skin grows and heals, are becoming increasingly popular and are now offered in most piercing shops. Where do we draw the line than getting a tattoo, but, because it is less common, it seems more shocking. Even I would not protest if somebody were to call that mutilation. Similarly, with the bagel head phenomenon, is it merely the fact that this is unusual that makes us see it as wrong ceptable’ are different.

Even in this feature, I could be accused of hypocrisy for calling the bagel heads ‘ridiculous’ or ‘bizarre’.

After all, I mentioned it only to highlight the dangers tion into your forehead more bizarre than stretching Ultimately, I think that people should be allowed to decorate their bodies in the way they decorate their homes. These furnishings make people feel comfortable in the environment, and in the skin that they live in. I’ve decorated my ‘house’ in a way that makes me feel happy and comfortable. As long as it doesn’t make me a bad person, then why should it matter

Make Yourself at Home A day with Cardiff’s squatters

Megan Heffey “The Gremlins have invaded the bowling alley!”

This may sound like a line from a tacky 1950s horror movie, but it is actually the current situation on City Road in Roath, where a group of squatters have descended on a disused bowling alley and made it their home.

Formerly known as the Spin bowling alley, and the Gaeity Cinema and Bingo Hall, the abandoned building has been affectionately renamed ‘Gremlin Alley’. The inhabitants have dishave been trying to remove them from their unlikely home in the run up to the winter months. In reaching out to supporters through social media and online blogs, the ‘Gremlins’ have established an alternative social community: hosting dance parties and welcoming supporters to visit and join in the action.

In a world where a ‘sense of community’ is becoming less and less important, perhaps the Gremlins are trying to bring people together.

A fortnight ago, the squatters successfully resisted eviction and the situation has now reached a stalemate. This raises important questions in the light of the recent criminalisation of squatting. This enigmatic troop of people had made me rather curious, and so it was time to head down to the bowling alley for a rendez-vous with its latest occupants. It was obviously not going to be a regular house call – I did not expect to be welcomed to be interesting…

Although he declined to have his name published, one squatseem as if there was anything particularly harrowing about his background that would have forced him into this lifestyle. He was 21 years old and had a relatively decent level of academic education (up to GCSE). However, his story became considerably more sobering when he admitted that since the age of 13 he had been fending for himself and sleeping wherever he cial avenues but the authorities had failed to provide him with man. He had been so desperate to break away from his foster family that, before the disused eyesore on City Road became his home, he had lived in a tent in Bute Park. All this man wanted, it seemed to me, was stability. He wanted to belong somewhere.

More than anything, it was obvious that it was this sense of com- words have. Although there are probably some squatters out there munity and need to belong that was so strongly driving the squatters who do take residential properties and turn them into dens of iniquity, drugs and alcohol, it would be unfair to tar every squatter with able to avoid reprimand. the same squalid brush.

The social value of squatting has always been a contentious islegislation that made squatting a criminal act. The new laws penalise sue because there are both positive and negative elements to the practice. Squatters take over abandoned buildings in order to prosentence of at least six months. Alex was imprisoned for 12 weeks vide themselves with shelter and to get themselves off the streets. mission. The tragic truth is that Alex was only squatting in London address. And the Gremlins have also experienced this kind of dis- crimination. When asked about their work situation, the majority timation, given that the 21-year-old could have been at home with of the squatters said that they did not have jobs simply because no one would employ them. Even if the squatters are proactive about off the state. Rather than rewarding Alex’s proactive attitude, the government have punished him. It seems obvious that the crimi- in the pursuit of survival, some avenues of employment are just not nal justice system merely wants to make a statement that no mat- open to them. ter what your motivations, or your circumstances in life, if you are The new laws relating to squatters do not apply to the Gremlins caught squatting you will be punished. Ironically, off the streets and because they have inhabited a commercial building rather than a into the establishment, Alex Haigh is costing the government more residential property, so it will be interesting to follow how the legal money than when he was squatting and looking for a job. side of this case progresses. With the court having granted a posThe ambition behind the Gremlins’ huge project is overwhelming. session order to the legal owner, the Gremlins are now trespassing With plumbers, bricklayers, electricians and other skilled craftsmen illegally. The owner is trying to sell the property for a healthy sum among the squatters, their plan was to rebuild the old bowling alley of £1 million and so their attempts to evict the squatters are becomand make it useful to the wider community once again. The man ing increasingly desperate. The real question is: is it right to punish who shared his story informed me that, in such a huge building, there is enough room for at least 50–60 people to squat alongside the money that they will be spending on prosecuting vulnerable victhem, and the squatters would be more than welcoming to anyone tims of the housing crisis into a system that can help these people who needs a place to stay. These people are more than environmen- more effectively. By placing squatters who have no criminal records tally friendly and recycle everything from food waste to unstamped in an environment of ‘hardened’ criminals, the government could train tickets. ‘Waste not, want not’ is their motto. But this also ap- be making problems for the future and breeding a new generation plies to the squatting itself. After all, the old Spin bowling alley is no of criminals who have a vendetta against the authorities. Although longer a disused, redundant building – it is now a place of shelter prison would put a roof over their head, so do the countless number and community. of empty properties in Britain, which should be put to good use rathAlthough they wanted to stage a “peaceful protest” against the er than being left empty and abandoned. government, the squatters have been pictured wearing masks and Squatters have always been portrayed as worthless freeloaders. hurling abuse at the police from the roof of the building. It is this Yet what it does give an individual is freedom: the freedom to get stereotypically criminal behaviour that has given squatters a bad up and go whenever a city becomes dull and uninteresting, as well reputation today. This would make members of the public feel as the freedom from the weight of bills and mortgage repayments, threatened and contributes to the misconception that all squatters which hang around the neck of every homeowner. Even though are thugs. If squatters avoided these tactics, it could help change the squatting is rarely a life choice, perhaps the Gremlins have got the minds of a nation who use the terms ‘tramp’ and ‘pikey’ on a daily better deal after all. basis without thinking of the derogatory connotations that these

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Columnist

Are you not entertained?

by Rachel Moloney

Age of the Hobbits on December 11th, just two days before The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, but I don’t think Peter Jackson need worry. After nine years of having nothing to look forward to at Christmas, I literally cannot wait for my

I

f you see me out and about on Sunday night, then something’s up. There’s only one place I’m going to be at that time and that’s on my sofa, with my house-mates, watching Homeland. It’s a social occasion.

For those of you who don’t know how brilliant the show is, here’s a brief taster. CIA lady Carrie (played by Claire Danes) thinks that Sergeant Brody (Damien Lewis) is a terrorist. But he’s just returned from eight years captivity in Iraq, so he’s a bit pissed off. Meanwhile, everyone in the CIA start to think Carrie’s crazy and her words go unnoticed. Whose side is he really on? Who knows.

Homeland recently won six Emmys, including awards for the two leads. However, the programme has also got into a spot of bother with none other than the Lebanese authorities. The country’s Minister for Tourism has complained that the capital city of Beirut is portrayed as being seedy, dirty and slightly dodgy, when, in fact, it is actually quite up-market, trendy

are far more interesting than the real-life Homo Floresiensis men of Age of the Hobbits.

But there’s no denying that the timing of this ‘mockbuster’ is peculiar and Warner Bros. are trying as hard as they might to stamp out the competition. Not that any of Asylum’s other

showcased Skybar, one of the most elite nightclubs in the city.

Beirut’s just like Chelsea then. to visit, but The New York Times nevertheless picked it as their Must-See destination of 2009. Give me Australia any day.

That’s exactly what Nadine Dorries must have thought when she agreed to take part in I’m a Celebrity... Get me Out of Here! The Conservative MP has swapped the pressure of politics for the swampy Aussie outback and has unsurprisingly been voted to face the horrors of a Bushtucker trial. Nothing’s more hilarious than watching an MP digging into a camel’s toe and being buried alive with lots of beetles.

In fact, most of the votes are probably coming from her Bedfordshire constituents, those in Downing Street and the entire Conservative Party. She’s irritated them all by not telling them of her plans for TV domination and she’s promptly been suspended from the party for the entirety of her jungle stay. In her defence, Nadine claims she did tell her superiors that she was going away. Maybe her Hotmail wasn’t working. Technology sucks sometimes.

Political infuriation with Nadine and Homeland are just two examples of people getting into trouble with ‘The System’. It seems to be happening a lot these days. Across the Tasman Sea from the I’m a Celebrity non-celebs, the company responsible for Lord of the Rings are preparing to sue a smaller corporation for stealing their thunder. Asylum are due to release the DVD of

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There’s only one place I’m going to be at that time and that’s on my sofa watching Homeland

I mean who’s heard of Transmorphers or The Da Vinci Treasure? No one. So calm down.

Someone else who needs to take a chill-pill is Lynn Tesoro.

Don’t worry, I don’t expect you to have heard of her. As PR executive to fashion designer Zac Posen, Tesoro was told to usher a few people out of a runway show due to overcrowding issues. One of the unfortunates pushed aside was French magazine editor Jennifer Eymere, who promptly slapped Tesoro across the face. Now, I know people love designer, but please just head over to Selfridges or something.

Tesoro is now getting sued for her violent outburst, but she’s not the only one getting in trouble for a spot of punching. The National Pensioners Convention got into a right frenzy when Robbie Williams admitted on Graham Norton’s show that he’d rather hit an old woman than kick a dog. He commits the terrible deed in the video for the number 1 single “Candy”, ironically in time with the line “nothing’s sacred”. It sure isn’t if he’s acting like a hooligan.

And it’s not just the grandparents who are boycotting yet another Robbie comeback track, but the young, avid listeners of Radio 1. Breakfast Show host Nick Grimshaw has (sensibly) decided not to put “Candy” on the programme’s playlist because his listeners are too young and would prefer to listen to One Direction. So basically Robbie’s getting a bit old and we’ll be punching him soon. It’s a vicious circle.

It’s been a hectic week of institutional anger, with some accusations receiving far more publicity than others.

Country authorities as well as smaller organisations have decided to speak out against what they deem to be unfair, unnecessary and a damn poor work ethic. However, stars continue to go on regardless. As Robbie sang his heart out on The X Factor results show a few Sundays back, he really couldn’t have cared less about the waves of criticism hovering in the wings. But I didn’t care either; I was getting ready for Homeland.

Interviews

“Nothing beats the feeling of playing our music to a room full of people.”

Canterbury are a four-piece indie-rock band from Surrey who have been quietly building up a reputation and a dedicated following over the last few years. With the group currently in the middle of an extensive tour, Stephen Springate talks to frontman Luke Prebble.

How is the tour going so far? Have there been any Spinal Tap moments or are you all back in the tour bus by 12?

The tour has been incredible so far. We just played a couple weeks worth of amazing shows with Deaf Havana and it couldn’t have gone better for us. Luckily, no Spinal Tap moments, but not so many early nights either! A great tour.

ends up being a bitter end to a career. We’ll do our utmost to avoid that happening to us!

Heavy in the Day Thank You

They are both amazing places to be for any band. But nothing beats the feeling of playing our music to a room full of people, so I’d say on stage.

time?

I think it was both conscious and just a natural progression.

We obviously got better at songwriting, as well as playing our instruments, in between the two albums, so it sounds more advanced in that sense, but we also wanted to create something that clearly sounded all round better than Thank You, so made a real effort to make it happen.

maintain this?

We are lucky enough to be completely in control because we decided that we’d set up a label to release our most recent album ourselves. It means that we are our own bosses, not only creatively, but with every aspect of the band’s life. There are so many horror stories of bands losing their control and it

listening to?

We have three angles of songwriting in the band, so there are lots of ideas, which begin very different and then get honed as we all add our sprinkle of inspiration. It’s the reason there is so much diversity, at the same time as a common vein running

Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkel, Queen – all the classic songwriters – whereas what we listen to can be completely different to what we write. I’m personally listening to a lot of folky stuff at the moment.

you have any psycho fan stories?

We rarely get recognised in public unless we are hanging out at another band’s show or something, although I did once get recognised in my local department store by a girl who was listening to us on her iPod at the time! The fans are amazing – luckily nothing psycho yet! Some all club together to make huge extensive scrap books of their memories and what we mean to them. It’s crazy to think it means so much to some

Canterbury are playing Clwb Ifor Bach on November

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Interviews pub with someone looking at you bored in the front row.

Oh no, surely that doesn’t happen to you?

F: Well it hasn’t happened to us for a while but it did for many years before we met each other and were in different bands. There’s nothing scarier, it’ll scar you for life, I guarantee.

Were you in a lot of bands before you formed The Vaccines?

F: Well yeah, you can’t really go to university to learn how to be in a band, there’s no book on it, you just have to go out and try and you kind of learn trial by error. And for some they’re in a band – like Radiohead, for example – and kind of develop and get better and better, and some people take a few personnel kind of trial and error. So naturally anyone, or most people who are in a band for a living, have been in many many bands. It’s just how you learn.

a bad time to be in The Vaccines. Ahead of their gig in Students’ Union Great Hall, Freddie Cowan and Pete Robertson take time to chat to CUTV’s Alice Hart and .

THE VACCINES

You played here in February with the NME tour, right?

Freddie Cowan: Yeah, that’s right, in the same venue. It was our guitar tech’s birthday that night and Pete smashed his presents. We got him a framed photograph of the tour manager.

Pete Robertson: It was a lovely one with y’know hearts and puppies.

Oh no, I can’t believe you smashed his birthday present!

F: My memory of this gig is… I was so bored, I had nothing to do all day but that’s not a We won’t take it personally!

F: I think I found a make-up box or something and decided to paint my face like a skull. I thought it was a really good idea and then I walked on the stage and some girl looked at me in the front row and mimed, “no”, and I was like, yeah, she’s totally right.

P: I’ve just realised, that was a year ago… feels like yesterday.

F: Feels like a decade ago.

What kind of music did you guys grow up listening to? What were your main P: We all sort of came from quite different band that I really fell in love with was Blur, so I guess I was probably like 10 or 11 I suppose think that’s maybe a time when most people start branching away from what their parents

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play them. So yeah, I sort of found Blur and then Nirvana very shortly afterwards and that was me hooked really. And then, yeah, my tastes really broadened out after that; I’ll listen to anything and it’s sort of come full-circle now and now I’m learning to love what my parents used to play me.

You guys have played quite a lot of festivals, I think it was nearly 50 last summer alone, so do you prefer actually playing festivals? Is it more of a fun crowd?

F: It’s just seasonal. When you’ve done a summer of festivals then you’re ready to go back on the road again, and you’ll be on the road until the winter and then ready to hit the studio again in the spring… it’s just seasonal, once you’ve done enough of something then you’re ready for the next thing. The change comes around at the right time.

Have you got any funny festival anecdotes? Anything crazy that’s happened to you?

F: People ask this in every single interview and we never have an answer!

You need a good answer prepared, though!

F: Someone needs to give us homework. Yeah, get back to us on that one.

Are you like a super health freak with all this gym stuff?

F: No, of course not, it’s really boring. The thing about being on tour the whole time is

that you live on a tour bus and you live at night. I don’t love going out for a run, but if you don’t make yourself go out and you don’t get fresh air then you don’t see anything and go a bit mental, you go crazy. It’s also a great way to see the cities you’re in, a lot of bands go to cities and end up not seeing anything, I think that’s terrible, you should make the most of where you are. to go out and see.

F: Yeah, I went up to see the castle today.

So you’re doing a tour of smaller venthen you’re doing an arena tour in February, what’s it like to make the jump up to arenas?

F: Well, we did a lot of arena shows with Arctic Monkeys last year and then we did a stadium tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Europe, so it’s just how much fun the gig is. How many people is secondary really, you start to realise that. A hundred people or a thousand or ten hundred thousand, it’s just about what you do when you’re there and what you make of it. that walk to the stage, you’re right in the bowels of it and you get onto the stage and it’s like you’re in the colosseum, because it goes right up around you. But when you go out you just think about the gig and when you go out there’s a moment of ‘holy shit’, but then you’re in and you’re just doing what you do.

F: There’s nothing scarier than playing in a

You guys are touring America next year, a big jump up from the UK; how do you feel about that? Excited?

F: Yeah, extremely excited. We’ve toured America before but never on our own extensive American tour. America is so big that it takes two months to get round it properly so, we’re really excited. I think it’s like a rite of passage for every band to go out and try it. It’s not so much about trying to break America as the experience of being there, in the middle of America with the endless drives, and the cities and then the wilderness.

And culturally…

P: It’s amazing, y’know, a lot of people see the UK and America as being really close cousins culturally but I don’t feel that, really. Maybe in some cities, but I’m really looking forward to seeing some of the places I’ve never been to. We’ve never done the South.

F: And the thing is, because the world is fed on American culture, you think you know about America and American culture, but actually, you don’t know a thing about it – it’s nothing like what you think it is Is there anywhere in particular you’re looking forward to going to?

F: I think we’re going to Nashville. I hope so, I mean we’re going everywhere else. That’s like the home of music in America, isn’t it? So I’d love to go and see Nashville.

Any big plans apart from touring?

F: Everyone asks do you have any big plans? Is it either touring or making a record or touring P: We’re actually going to Australia in a few weeks. Their festival season is our winter and we’re playing a festival in Tasmania on New Year’s Eve. F: We’re close to doing a hundred festivals now and as awesome as it does sound, just the word festival...

P: I love festivals, man Are you going to have a big party on your hundredth festival?

P: Yeah, we should. What if that’s New Year’s Eve? Double trouble!

Watch the video of this interview, plus loads more great content at cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/cutv

The Charity Edit: One person’s castoffs are another’s gems.

Our pilgrimage to the charity shop mecca Albany Road, fused timeless classics with bold statement pieces.

Charity Edit When your wardbrobe is lacking, you might be inclined to head straight into town to the usual retail shops. Stop! Rather, we urge you to explore the charity shops on Albany Road.

Charity shops can evoke images of old, frumpy this luxury selection.

Beginning at one end of Albany Road, we meandered our way around the stores, stumbling across an array of stylish and exciting for £10 or under, but once the shopping began we found it hard to restrain ourselves. However, our budget still remained reasonable, keeping our overall spends to £15 each.

Our key tips would be: 1. Keep a keen eye out for glass cabinets by the till, full of hidden treasures such as broaches and jewellery which can be purchased with your last pounds.

2. your individual look. Woollen and silk scarfs were everywhere, and very affordable at a mere two or three pounds.

3. Both evening and daywear is catered for, whether you seek a glittery statement top or an If you have a penchant for vintage style, then ditch the high street shops and divulge into the wealth of authentic clothing with more of a statement piece with the right jacket or jeans and you can transform your wardrobe, in keeping with this season’s trends. With organised rails and helpful staff, we gathered sectioned into colours, day and nightwear very quick and easy. Overall a very successful shopping experience and one that we would alternative and more individual choice.

Photographer: Brenna Mack Model: Olivia Harrison Styling: Vicky Gadsden & Sophie Chamberlain Make-up: Olivia Reidy

Previous page: Black high-neck vest, £3.99, Oxfam. Chain chunky necklace, £1.85, RSPCA. Cream embroidered blouse,

photography:

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fashion@gairrhydd.com · @quenchfashion

: brenna mac fashion: vicky gadsden & sophie chamberlain

The crisp autumn leaves crunched away as we descended upon Bute Park fusing English heritage with contemporary prints.

Q

Above left: black high neck top, £1.99, Oxfam.

Heritage scarf, £3, dirty blue jeggings, £3 both RSPCA. Above right: chain necklace, £2, RSPCA. Monochrome Despite the icy chills in Bute Park, tunic, £3, Tenovus.

Olivia models a daring A/W print Left: Cream embroidered skirt with a sheer, satin black vest shirt as before. with embellished cross detail.

Opposite page: black sheer Black embellished top, £2.99, Tenuvest, £1.99, Oxfam. ous. Peace print mini, stylist’s own.

Bodycon peace print skirt, stylist’s own.

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The rich reds contrasting against the porcelain of Olivia’s skin create a wealth of textures and spectrum of colours.

This page: Monochrome tunic, ÂŁ3, Opposite page:

路 @quenchfashion

Q seventeen

Feisty Festivals

Travel

The world is full of interesting cultural traditions and fascinating festivals. heads). Since they were not allowed to join, however, they threw tomatoes from a vegetable store at those who were taking part

LA TOmATiNA At 30 kilometres from the gorgeous city of Valencia and the Mediterranean Sea, one of the strangest traditions you’ll ever encounter takes place: La Tomatina. This is a festival held in the Valencian town of Buñol, in which participants throw tomatoes at each other. The party starts early in the morning, when strong men are encouraged to climb a slippery pole dipped in soap, at the top of which is a ham. Once someone gets the prize, a shot is

village that had to be stopped by the police.

The next year, the same group of young men voluntarily repeated the brawl with tomatoes taken beforehand from their repeated during the following years, although the local council did not approve of it. Finally, La Tomatina was accepted as an ing the local festivities.

La Tomatina became popular in the rest of Spain in 1983 after a documentary was broadcas on TVE. Since then, thousands of people from different parts of Spain and the globe go to Buñol in

shot indicates that La Tomatina is over. of Buñol since the mid-1940s. Apparently, during the local feasts of 1944, a group of young men were very keen to participate in the gigantes y cabezudos parade (a traditional Spanish festival where people dance disguised as giants by wearing papier maché

SONGKRAN Songkran is a Buddhist New Year festival celebrated in Thailand in the middle of April. A similar festival is also held in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar but these don’t have quite the reputation of their Thai counterpart. What makes the festival so interesting and appealing to tourists is that it is now, basically, a giant water Originally, the water throwing during Songkran was a mark of respect. People would cleanse the Buddha with water, recapture it and it would then be sprinkled over an individual, an act that symbolises renewal and good fortune. It is also important for Buddha images to be cleansed with a fragrant water mix, which is believed to bring good luck and prosperity. However, as April

as weapons. In fact, 40,000 people participate each year in the brawl! This is the maximum capacity the village can hold, and last year over 4,000 people were turned away.

der to avoid accidents and injuries: area.

3. Tomatoes must be squashed before throwing them.

4. A security distance must be kept with the trucks. thrown.

In other towns around Valencia, there are similar traditions that consist of throwing groceries. In the town of Líria, a me-

are an essential event in the local festivities, which demonstrate the agricultural tradition of the Valencian region. So, two things to party hard!

Virginia Bonet Morell

are required, delivered to the participants from trucks. Neveris the hottest time of the year in Southeast Asia, it’s understandable that a tradition that began as a respectful symbol has escalated into an excuse for people to get some relief from the heat.

One of the biggest Songkran festivals is held in Chiang Mai, in the north of Thailand. Here, the festival lasts for four days, and during this time the celebrations never stop. One of the reasons why the festival is so popular in this particular city could be due to the moat that surrounds it, a continuous source of water – murky moat will seem like a place to avoid, but for these four days, children, tourists and locals all end up swimming in the questionable water. ing the more traditional side of the festival. Some of the most important Buddha images from different temples in the city are

rise and sunset there is not a dry body in the city. Everything you’ll need is sold along the streets, which are lined with a range of water guns and different coloured buckets in amongst pick-up trucks selling ice water.

You have to choose your weapon carefully; for some, a bucket ing passers-by. However, for more manoeuvrability, a water gun is the weapon of choice, meaning that you are equipped wherever you decide to go. Even down quiet side-streets, someone will bucket of ice-cold water and you need to be able to retaliate.

Once it is over, the city reverts back to a state of calm and you’re left wondering if it all really happened; and while it’s nice to go out and remain dry, you might start wishing that there was a way to stay cool in the 40 degree heat.

people are encouraged to soak for good luck.

No one is safe from the water; children, the elderly and even

Kayleigh Chan

way from Agadir, the closest big city.

If you’re not a surfer, don’t fret; Taghazout’s beaches are fully equipped to entertain. If you would like to try your hand at riding cost you more than a few quid. If you’re more interested in tanning, or just don’t want to smell like camel, there were plenty of umbrellas and deck chairs for hire at the nearby Crocs beach; a book and some high-intensity sunscreen are all you need. The sun is not the only thing to be wary about on the beach though, as we

Surf and Spice in morocco The journey to Taghazout was hectic to say the least, but four hours on a rickety bus, swerving through mountains and crawling up inclines, is a small price to pay for paradise. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the Marrakech markets for a few for its waves, this is the perfect place to surf, whether you’re a pro, have never touched a board before, or are right smack-dab in the middle. I happen to fall at the inexperienced end of the spectrum, but even riding a seven-foot-something board, these Moroccan waves will make you feel like a pro – just try not to

eighteen Q

swallow too much of the seawater!

We stayed in the L’Auberge section of Surf Maroc, a Britishowned company whose surf-crazed employees are welcoming to guests of all ability levels, with surf hire and lessons all readily available for a reasonable price. We arrived just in time for their weekly all-you-can-eat BBQ on the roof, and luckily managed to looking surfers. It was relaxing, with the sounds of the waves crashing still audible in the background behind all the ‘getting to know you’ conversations being had over beers brought in all the

travel@gairrhydd.com · @quench_travel

Fortunately, we had befriended the locals at the deck chair rental, who casually applied a hot spoon to her foot, explaining that the heat would draw out the poison. They say disasters (no matter how small) bring people together, and as our concern turned into laughter, they produced a fresh pot of Moroccan green mint tea and stacks of fresh fruit and biscuits, providing us with another unforgettable meal in Taghazout. Food was always something to look forward to; with options ranging from pistachio yogurts at breakfast to squid tagines for dinner, no one was ever disappointed.

Taghazout offers delicious adventure in a surfer’s paradise, hesitate in recommending it.

Sophia Epstein

Travel

Illustration: Katarzyna Lewandowska

Yunnan Province, China Photos by Bethan Phillips

travel@gairrhydd.com 路 @quench_travel

Q nineteen

The Culture Review

Culture

- ArtLiteratureDanceTheatre -

A

established in 2004, and this year’s offering is no exception. Occurring every two years, Artes Mundi is Wales’s biggest and most cutting-edge contemporary art exhibition. The initiative itself has international scope, through striving to celebrate and recognise artists from across the globe. This emphasis on worldwide art provides a rare overview for UK audiences to experience the international art scene.

This year’s exhibition is housed in the National Museum of Art, a highly 750 nominations across the globe, seven of the most groundbreaking artists were shortlisted. Artes Mundi is unique in the combination of painting, installations, understanding of contemporary art. The Artes Mundi nominees are all already well-established artists in their home countries and are brought together in the exhibition to offer a diverse range of work. All the shortlisted artists will receive £4,000 each and one overall winner will be selected for a 12-week solo exhibition to the UK. The 2012 nominated artists include; Miriam Bäckström, Tania Bruguera, Phil The common thread between all these artists is their engagement in an exploration of social themes in their work. They all tackle a wide range of ideas relating to contemporary life, which gives a platform for commentary on the modern day world. The exhibition deals with subjects as varied as the political nature of urban environments, drug violence in Mexico and reality television.

artesmundi

“We’ve got seven very important international artists gathered together in this exhibition. We’re looking for artists who make work that’s socially, culturally, or politically engaged. Artists who deal with lived experience, or social reality.”

Ben Borthwick, Artes Mundi artistic director.

As a lover of contemporary art, I found the exhibition to be highly stimulating through the manipulation of materials that provided a unique perspective on important social themes. On entering the exhibition, which in terms of layout is fairly minimalistic, the scale of the pieces overwhelms and each separate piece has Bäckström and Sheela Gowda.

The Review Corner Happiness Comes From Nowhere Shauna Gilligan, Ward Wood Publishing In the novel Happiness Comes From Nowhere, Gilligan begins by writing about her Irish homeland. However, the novel continues very differently, travelling through different countries and showing different ways of life, describing the streets of Rome and the cargo ships of Spain.

In simple terms, it follows the lives of the Horn family: Mary, Sepp and Dirk. It shows their lives intertwining with others, family, friends and casual acquaintances. These stories are set against the background of a Ireland and a changing Dublin. Although the novel is not always a comfortable read, is always honest and portrays real life. The strong characters that Gilligan constructs are relatable, and though you might not always like them or the decisions they make, it is easy to empathise as they are so very human. The

novel may be gritty, but the powerful image Gilligan creates is at times breathtaking, at times like poetry within prose.

This novel may hold particular resonance with students in Wales as the talented author Shauna Gilligan is currently completing a PhD in Writing at the University of Glamorgan.

Being local to students of the area makes her work a little more remarkable. Perhaps what’s more impressive about this small but powerful

increasingly turned her focus to the moving image, theatre and performance. Her work for Artes Mundi explores the nature of history and the process of recreating memory using photography, text, theatre and video. The piece ‘Smile as if We Have Already Won’ is comprised of a large tapestry of cotton, wool, silk and mirror fragments woven together to create a piece that is visually impressive and structurally overpowering. Gowda is known for her unconventional use of materials, which gives her work an evocative element, with the tactile qualities of thread, traditional dye, pattern and weaving creating sensuous pieces. The developed art practice that inquires into the political and social intricacies of India forms the basis of her Artes Mundi exhibition. Through the contrast between her use of photographs and largeThe exhibition as a whole is exciting, and even for those who are not familiar with contemporary art it provides a great introduction to how it channels everyday culture.

Not only is Artes Mundi right on your doorstep, it is free entry so there is no excuse not to take one hour out of the day for a dose of artistic enrichment.

Jess Rayner

although prior to this her work has been published in New Writing: The International Journal for the Practice and Theory of Creative Writing and in The Ulster Tatler’s Literary Miscellany. She has also given public and has presented on writing at academic conferences in Ireland, UK, Germany and the USA. Jasmine Freeman

culture@gairrhydd.com · @quenchculture

Q twenty-one

LGBT+

World AIDS Day Robyn Moore and Adam Duce explain the reasons behind World AIDS Day Every year, on December 1st, World AIDS Day is celebrated internationally, with millions of people making a concerted effort to spread global awareness of living with AIDS. According to the charity’s website, there are 90,000 people currently living with HIV in the UK, and globally an estimated 33.3 million people have the virus.

That’s half the population of the UK! The charity also stresses the importance of educating people about the virus to reduce prejudice and stigmatisation, which are still prevalent in many parts of the world. One of the main concerns from the charity is that national governments and the general public are not being made aware of the need to continue raising money, awareness and education for AIDS sufferers and combating stigmatisation associated with the disease.

HIV develops into AIDS or Acquired Immune rus. If HIV infection is not detected or treated, it allows the virus to weaken the immune system, leading to the onset of AIDS. People with AIDS are very susceptible to opportunistic infections; however, treatment with Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) is available and very effective. Although it isn’t a cure, it enables people to live long and healthy lives, as well as preventing the spread of infection.

Regular testing remains the key, as early treatment provides the best results – a fact World AIDS Day can raise awareness of.

Facts and Figures Between 1981 and 2007, more than 25 million people died from the virus, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in human history. The group most at risk of contracting HIV in the UK are men who have unprotected sex with other men.

Other groups who are at an increased risk are those who inject and share needles and people who have had unprotected sex with anyone from South and South East Asia, Central America, Sub-Saharan Africa and partners of these people regardless of their sexuality.

What’s the difference between HIV and AIDS? HIV stands for Human Immunowhich attacks the immune system, breaking down the body’s defences against diseases. It is easily contracted through infected bodily through unprotected sexual intercourse or by sharing infected needles or syringes. Unfortunately there is no cure or vaccine for HIV as of yet, and that is why it is so important to highlight the risks associated with the virus.

each year, ranging from seminar talks to music performances, the recognition of the virus and its placement within religion, art showcasing and more. People are encouraged to organise their own events, such as sponsored runs or cake sales, promoting the charity to local communities. You can also buy or sell red ribbons to show support for people living with HIV. If you are in the least bit unsure as to whether you have HIV – get yourself tested at your local GUM clinic!

What’s happening in Cardiff?

National HIV Testing Week: November 23rd– 30th World AIDS Day Fundraiser at Wow Bar for The Terrence Higgins Trust – Hosted by Miss Pixie Perez, Marcia and Gypsy Divine: December 1st World AIDS Day Party at Club X – Hosted by The Decadence Residents: December 1st

Useful Links Cardiff GUM Clinic Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust Department of Integrated Sexual Health Newport Road Cardiff Wales, CF24 0SZ 02920 335207/8 Terrence Higgins Trust www.tht.org.uk 0808 802 1221

World AIDS Day Memorial Service – AIDS Memorial Tree in Cathays Park: December 1st

An International Event hundreds of events are held internationally

Safety or Discrimination?

Scott Kerpen examines current legislation surrounding blood donation Despite blood shortages, current legislation in the UK prevents men who have had sex with other men within the last 12 months (whether protected or not) from donating blood. Current laws even prevent women who have had sex with such men within a 12-month period from donating blood too, out of fear of the potential HIV contamination, and for the alleged safety of those receiving it.

You could assume, then, that homosexual encounters carry an extra risk that needs to be taken into account by having such preventative measures in place, but is this really the case?

It is true that homosexual men represent a proportionally higher risk group, but this increased risk is primarily due to particular sexual activities – activities that many members of the heterosexual community also engage in. Even if you are heterosexual and haven’t engaged in anal sex, then it is highly likely that you will have had sex with someone who has.

The idea that people would know the intricate details of all of their partners’ sexual en-

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lgbt@gairrhydd.com

counters and past experiences seems absurd, considering the power that sexual norms and taboos have on individuals, and the way that these make people hide and lie about their sexual habits and pasts.

“People do not catch HIV because they are gay or bisexual” It should also be considered that gay men are not the only high-risk groups within society. Take Black Africans for instance. Statistics show that Black Africans are another high-risk group for HIV, but current legislation does not screen race and ethnicity in the same way as it does sexuality.

People do not catch HIV because they are gay or bisexual or because they have had sex with someone who is gay or bisexual. They do not catch HIV because they are black. They catch HIV because they fail to use adequate protection against it or because of very unfortunate accidents such as condoms splitting in

few cases.

It seems alarming, then, that the actual most probable cause of infection (unprotected sex) isn’t taken into account by the current guidelines. If you are a sexually active heterosexual who doesn’t use protection, you are still able to donate blood (unless such activity occurs in a part of the world where AIDS/HIV is very common). This seriously brings into questions any claims that such legislation is for safety.

I am not suggesting that anyone and everyone should necessarily be allowed to give blood, but I am suggesting that if certain people or groups are going to be excluded from donating on the basis of safety, then the government needs to seriously reconsider others who represent high risks and actually put some screening processes in place that restrict them.

If this isn’t plausible, then why not amend current legislation so that gay and bisexual men can also engage in sexually irresponsible and careless behaviours and be allowed to give blood?

LGBT+

Transgender Day of Remembrance Transgender Day of Remembrance is held every year on November 20th. The three articles below have been submitted to us, but each writer has asked to remain anonymous. If you have any

Think of three people you know. They can be anyone. People you see in lectures, someone in a seminar group, a housemate and friend.

Now imagine all three of them gone. All chose death for the same reason. They could no longer tolerate the crippling self-hate, the hate aimed at them by society, the endless black tunnel with the light so far at the end it can hardly be seen.

“Think of three people you know. Now imagine all three of them gone.”

This happened to me.

I lost friends, comrades in the everyday battle I face, and I lost members of a support system that has been one of the

It should tell you a lot about the trans* community that they have TDOR, the Transgender Day of Remembrance, when has not been won, not even nearly. you are instantly surrounded by extraordinary individuals, people who have a strength of character that would put the rest of society to shame. People who have succeeded in that great struggle for their own identity.

As E. E. Cummings so eloquently put: "The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you somebody else."

Even among this exceptional group, there were those who had surpassed all others by their endurance of trials beyond what any of us can imagine.

There is probably something you would change about

On a several-hour train journey back home for the weekend, week’s Quench, I stood looking around, lost in thought.

Why do they only put three carriages on at the busiest time of the week on a mainline? Why does one woman take up a chair on the packed train just for her pink suitcase?

Why on earth am I going back to my hometown? The latter being something that had preoccupied my thoughts since The problem with such a town is that everyone is exactly not? Well, you will wish you were.

During my thirteen long years there, I met only two guy who became my only source of sanity in the backwards thinking town. The only person I could talk to about being trans*; the only one who understood what agender even was.

Only with him could I discuss my disgust at my body.

Only he wouldn’t laugh and brush it off with a joke when I told them I’d been misgendered – when really it was so much more than that. Every week, without fail, strangers of any age, would shout across roads, whisper behind my back in corridors, or bluntly ask or say hurtful things to my face.

‘Friends’ did so almost as often too – knowingly or unknow-

only things keeping me going.

This year, for me, Transgender Day of Remembrance is not just a commemoration of lives lost. It is a personal day of mourning, to honour friends lost to me and my community.

Since coming out as trans*, I have known what it is to constantly live in fear. In the past two years, I have been attacked a number of times, beaten, assaulted, humiliated, and the told by the police, counsellors, family and, yes, even friends, that it was my fault, that somehow, just by being myself, I provoked them into doing it.

This has not stopped me using my voice to speak up for those too afraid to. But each time I do, I put myself in even more danger. I still do it though, in the hope that fewer trans* people will take their own lives, or have their lives taken.

However, I do still have to wonder sometimes, as I sit and mourn, what the chances are that next year I will be the one being mourned.

your body – lose a little weight here, a little more tone there, bigger this, smaller that. Now multiply that by a thousand, until you feel disconnected from the body you are damned to inhabit, and you realise the struggle that almost every member of the trans* community faces.

Not only do they endure being at a loss themselves, but they are then persecuted every minute by people who don't realise what they are doing. And, horrifyingly, by those who do. All it takes is for people to think and, of course, remember.

"If you're wearing a disguise for too long, it will be difhope you become the person they didn't expect you to be. Be proud to wear you." ~Dodinsky - Humble ally and friend

ingly, they both cut as deep. I was utterly miserable.

Then I left. And as simple as that, life improved. Now almost everything is amazing. I am aware of not a single attacking comment made to me in my eight weeks in Cardiff.

I have surrounded myself with people in similar situations who feel more like my family than any biological family member. I am now able to discuss it openly and become more myself than I ever have felt able to before in my life.

“I am aware of not a single attacking comment made to me in my eight weeks in Cardiff.”

Understatement: Being trans* is hard.

Don’t get me wrong, it still majorly sucks at times. But surround yourself with the right loving, caring, accepting people, and things become a thousand times better and more enjoyable. And right now, I really wouldn’t change anything at all.

- Agender and Proud

lgbt@gairrhydd.com

Q twenty-three

REVIEWS

Music Albums

THE LOVELY EGGS WILDLIFE (CHERRYADE) 26.11.12 With the release of their new album Wildlife, The Lovely Eggs most certainly have crashed back on to the pop music scene with

The whole piece is highly reminiscent of the thrashing

SUFJAN STEVENS SILVER & GOLD (ASTHMATIC KITTY) 13.11.12 doing on his downtime from recording the densely orchestrated opuses The Age of Adz and A People How easy then, it would be to discard this album as another be surprising that this album is at times beautifully written,

anger driven screams in With provide a shocking contrast the usual tones of a love song

that lasts just shy of three hours, this is not always the case.

Perhaps like the holiday itself, Silver & Gold constantly straddles

track sets the tone for the whole album. This combination however, after a listen to the full record, becomes somewhat repetitive. Technically the album is sound, a balance of rawness and genuine talent on the part of

Gloria and introduction to the album; seemingly aware of how ridiculous it is and being quite fun as a result. However an hour in to

5

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The Manticore and Other Horrors starts fairly tamely, an eerie soundscape sets the tone for the The Manticore goes scattered high pitch screams can be a little cheesy and predictable

album there are comments on the everyday as well as more

the lack of distinction between tracks.

Overall a great album for fans of the band or genre but perhaps not the most easy listen for those who are not.

Jade Attwood

CRADLE OF FILTH MANTICORE (PEACEVILLE RECORDS) 12.11.12

tedious as dull renditions of carols begin to dominate.

While there are several great moments on this album, it is bewildering that Sufjan felt compelled to record even more festive music.

But it is nonetheless remarkable that he is capable of producing such a large output of music when it is often so wonderfully detailed.

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10

Sinfonia can put some people off, however, this album may be their most accessible yet. Punk style drums elevate the track above some of their back catalogue and the dynamics of the highlight The Abhorrent recall Iron Maiden, and nobody would laugh at them for pursuing this sound.

In short Manticore is an effective if less than to date whilst updating their usual sound

6

10

equal enjoyment.

Oli Richards

Kit Denison

SINGLES GIRLS ALOUD SOMETHING NEW (POLYDOR) 18.11.12 Ridding themselves of their typi age, Girls Aloud are back with the appropriately named, Something New. Admittedly the song is incredibly catchy, beginning with a repetitive

Run the World spending way too much time. with Will.I.am. Despite it having very little lyrical geniusI did take something away: We girls we run very little lyrical genius, the single has all the this show. You bawomething ‘New’.

Admittedly the song is incredibly again but Ibeginning did take something catchy, with a repetitive

7 510 10

away: We girls we run this show.

You boys better know…know know.

Laura Evans

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music@gairrhydd.com · @quenchmusic

FENECH-SOLER ALL I KNOW (WARNER BROS.) 13.11.12 “It started out good, like a fairytale”, singer single, “All I Know”, which starts out terribly, all generic pop synths, the most basic of drum rhythms, and three endlessly repeated chords.

centred sound; the exciting rhythms of earlier tracks is gone, instead a plodding bassline sucks any kind of joy out of the track. It all feels very slick and commercial, but without much substance under the gloss. The solution to any kind of progression in the music? Make it louder, more thumpy, and add say “whoa” a few times. Perhaps

3

wasted; expect to hear it playing in Oceana soon.

Rosey Brown

10

Music

L IVE

ROXANNE DE BASTION | BUFFALO | 12.11.12 In a dimly lit Buffalo bar, the atmosphere of an attentive treated to some top class support acts. Starting the show is Scout, a local welsh sing song writer who provided the crowd with a mellow and relaxed set setting the tone for an is Lui Vernon, another Welsh talent. Although seemingly the crowd, telling quirky stories between her songs and performing striking covers of Bon Iver and surprisingly Super Bass memorable song proclaiming her love for her cat: a sweet

her opening song her initial nervousness is dispelled and replaced with a kooky stage presence, which is magnetic.

She amuses the crowd with her eccentric facial expressions and wondering eyes, which add character to the set.

Throughout the set the crowd learns about her Berlin roots and inspiration for her track such as My Shield, which retells her thoughts on growing up in a different country. After proclaiming her lack of recognition for any track reminiscent of the most popular band of all time. A Hey Ya whips the audience into furious applause as she cleverly remixes the song to suit her acoustic style, in stark contrast to her folky rock tones of

Josh cleverly ties his grassroot and folk styles to make a thoroughly exciting set, using harmonica and guitar.

Bastion.

She jumps on stage with a huge smile across her face, performed without whiskey; not an expected tipple of such

majority of the night, the crowd delivers shouting back WHITE and YOU back to Roxanne, much to her delight, providing a magical end to a dynamic set.

As an artist she is immensely talented but it is her endearing down to earth nature and genuine gratitude, which seems to enrapture the audience; a quality all too absent in many mainstream acts.

Jade Atwood

BELLOWHEAD | THE COAL EXCHANGE | 12.11.12 With the success of bands such as Mumford and Sons bringing folk music into the popular sphere, it is a wonder

charts and number one in the Indie chart, they are clearly doing something right. When people think of folk it is either a band such as Mumford singing catchy pop songs with the occasional banjo, or a bunch of old men in pubs eleven piece that base their music on traditional folk songs, but in ways that make them anything but traditional.

It is not often that the support band alone is worth the

or their tunes which force you to jig along. Those who delighted smile on his face the whole time.

Watching Bellowhead is never boring; every one of the band is constantly doing something interesting. The four playing they dance almost as much as the crowd. The sax ing was also included with the band hop stepping in time‌ they somehow managed to make it very cool. Most of the rything from violins, banjos, guitars, tin whistles, bagpipes

cal discoveries I have made in a while. With heavy rock style guitar, a drum kit played with maracas instead of drumsticks and the happiest looking melodeon player they thumped out gritty rock chords with a folk tinge.

Well and truly warmed up the crowd welcomed the main act to the stage. Arriving in ones and twos the band started with xylophone and melodeon and built in intensity, before the lead singer, John Bodens, arrived, singing down a megaphone. This created the perfect sinister atmosphere

soons, trumpets, trombones, crisp packets, tins of spoons, kazoos and even a helicon (a tuba like thing that plays the I could happily go through the whole gig again despite all Bellowhead are deserving of their awards for best live band and they remain one of the greatest acts I have ever seen live. If you get an opportunity to see them, be you a folk music fan or not, go. You may go in a sceptic but you will

a woman who made a living selling pies full of beetles and Words & Photo: Dominic Youe

LUCY ROSE | THE GATE | 16.11.12 is easily missed with its modest exterior; however after making your way up a narrow staircase into the Grand writer has received mixed reviews with the Guardian being a fan even I had reservations about how well her modest, fragile sound would transfer to a live setting.

These doubts were quickly diminished in the opening depth. The architectural grandness of the venue makes Playing songs from her debut album Like I Used To the

crowd was kept captivated by her endearing modesty and the delicate tones of her voice. The variety of ages in from groups of teenagers to strangely a group of lads who instead of just getting lost on the way to the pub, turned out to be huge fans.

Stand out songs were and Shiver that showcased the combination of a soft melancholy and the elements of poppy sensibility. Lucy Rose has shown herself to be a mature artist, through the sincere and heartfelt nature of her songs which takes her out of the background and illustrates her growing potential as a musician.

Jess Rayner

music@gairrhydd.com ¡ @quenchmusic

Q

WEDNESDAY | CINEWORLD OPENING NIGHT: SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS

Seven Psychopaths In Bruges

Seven Psychopaths

SUNDAY | CHAPTER ARTS CENTRE CLOSING NIGHT: SUSPIRIA FEAT. LIVE SOUNDTRACK

BY DJ FAKE BLOOD

THURSDAY | ROYAL WELSH SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND DRAMA POWERPLANT WITH JOBY BURGESS

Becky Johnson

Kit Denison

twenty-six Q

路

Susperia

FRIDAY | CLWB IFOR BACH BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

The Twilight Saga Seven Psychopaths

Seven Psychopaths

Criterioh - Mini Music Doc Award Becky Wilson Kit Denison SATURDAY | CHAPTER ARTS CENTRE MINI MUSIC DOC AWARD

SUNDAY | CHAPTER ARTS CENTRE DAVID ARNOLD IN CONVERSATION

Leanne Rachael Dixon Stephen Springate David Arnolds

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Q twenty-seven

Film

THE RISE OF

SURREALISM Oliver Richards investigates the rise of Surrealism in Popular Cinema and questions what it means for the future of the film industry.

Memento Inception

Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog Un Chien Andalou

“THE RISING POPULARITY OF MORE OBSCURE CINEMA SERVES TO WIDEN POPULAR FILM’S HORIZONS”

Skyfall The Dark Knight Rises

Black Swan Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive Alice, Jabberwocky

Tree Of Life Melancholia

Scott Pilgrim VS The World

twenty-eight Q

·

Room 237 The Shining,

Transformers 4: Mechanised Moneymaking

REVIEWS

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GAMBIT Release Date | November 21st

GREAT EXPECTATIONS Release Date | November 30th

THE ORANGES Release Date | December 7th

SIGHTSEERS Release Date | November 30th

TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE Release Date | November 30th

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS Release Date | November 30th

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Q twenty-nine

Food&Drink

VIVA BRAZIL churrascaria Uma Caipirinha Para Mim; Viva Brazil, The Opening Night

I

t’s no great secret that Latin America knows how to have a good time. Certainly, that is the image that Brazil has exported over to our chillier corner of the world, where the country conjures images of sun, sexiness and celebration. Whether true or not,

“Brazil is fun, and so are we”. The opening night was an evening of samba, capoeira, Viva Brazil, already established in Liverpool and Glasgow, is a churrascaria restaurant.

The emphasis is on this cooking style, essentially a sort of slow-roasted barbecue. As such, the centre of attention was the array of meats available, cooked and cut in front of encased in a taut skin – crisp but nowhere near burnt. It must be said that, for most of the meats, it was perhaps a matter of taste; they were quite heavily salted, which evoked reactions from uncertainty to great relish between the two of us (I was the former).

Beyond the meats was a selection of canapés to prep the palate. Particularly good was the kibe, minced beef rolled with bulgur and chilli, served with mint sauce (which sadly seems to be lacking in their regular restaurant servings). The hint of chilli perfectly tingled the taste buds to receive the taste of the beef, with the sauce soothing any lingering spicyness. Also of note was an interesting take on the traditional recipe of brigadeiro, with coconut and strawberry replacing chocolate powder.

The other centrepiece of the night was the capirinhas, a common accompaniment to churrascaria and the national cocktail of Brazil. The drink itself is not particularly difthen, is in the ingredients and the theatrics of their preparation, on which neither disappointed.

Viva Brazil offered a promising start to its career in Cardiff, with a night full of fun and perhaps a little too much to drink. A few weeks later, once the restaurant had settled itself into its routine, I returned to see what could be expected of a more typical experience.

An Evening Meal With Viva Brazil

A

t 7:30pm on a Thursday, the restaurant was unsurprisingly more relaxed than the bustle that accompanied my last visit. Still, for the most part, the staff were on the ball and operated the somewhat unfamiliar service of the restaurant quite well. Viva Brazil, in common churrascaria fashion, functions in the rodízio style, where a variety of meats are brought on the skewer straight to your table. The idea is to sample all the meats they have on offer, and as such you are not supposed to make direct requests, though they were happy to do so in their quieter periods.

This is all supplemented by a hot and cold salad buffet, which you are welcome to return to as much as you please.

How this style of service is received is a matter of preference. Personally, I appreciated that you could pace yourself via the use of the coloured card given to each customer, showing the red side to be left alone or the green side to have the waiters approach you. However, this method does also mean that your choices of meat are largely up to whoever approaches you, and this in turn is wholly affected by the what reduces your autonomy in your own meal, though that is perhaps something that is no problem if you go in expecting it.

The salad bar was pleasing, with a few welcomed familiar faces in the kibe and pan de quesos (cheese dough balls). The ability to pick and choose your sides over and over, especially when they are all quite tasty, is always something of a relief for someone as indecisive as myself. However, the quality was largely dependent on how soon you manage to get there after it was served.

menting each other. For a meal that was essentially mass-produced, though still of

The chicken and mango was a refreshing repose from the more

thirty Q food@gairrhydd.com · quenchfood

Food&Drink

REVIEW:

autumn-winter menu

T

he welcoming face of the Mill Lane Wagamama, at home in the hectic city centre, is as appealing as the freshest additions to its burnished and warming autumn-winter menu. As I arrived, my expectations were reasonably high as, like most people, my previous visits to Wagamama have been consistently pleasant. The restaurant feels as welcoming and authentic as it does current and modern. After being guided to our table, being able to sit and watch the cold shoppers outside (and taking off our coats) seemed reasonable, especially on a day as cold as it was.

We were pleased to see the eye-catching additions the Wagamama menu, with new dishes springing up throughout the array of choices. We both decided to

So far, so good. Still hungry, the main meals arrived.

I had gone for the teriyaki salmon ramen – a miso and chicken-based noodle soup dish coming in at an

The food arrived promptly, a quality that Wagamama can boast, in my experience. The juice was fresh, boasting a lively berry feel, mixed with the warmth and kick of the ginger. A similar contrast between sweet and spice belonged to the salad – the sweetness of the house dressing and the seaweed against the soft crash of chilly and the bite of the sesame. The crackling of spring onion and carrot also added to each bite with vigour, the ingredients certainly worked well together, and complemented the theme that began to appear in the menu.

onion, bean sprouts and especially mint battling the warmth of the chillies resulted in tremendously strong

dish which I regretfully had decided not to order.

Although the teriyaki salmon ramen featured a deliciously cooked salmon and tasty noodle soup base, whereas in the past I have been more than content by the ramens offered by Wagamama. The salmon teased by the title – pleasing but a little disappointing based on past experiences – whereas the chicken and prawn Pad Thai exceeded expectations. Again, a blend of

taste. The dense, thorough texture of the rice noodles with the chicken and prawn was more than satisfactory, and made the dish an excellent all-rounder, ticking every box. Without a doubt, it was the dish that shone brightest for us, and in future, to avoid any form of arising jealousy towards my girlfriend, I shall order the and full after great portions.

We decided to share a taster platter of three mini desserts, a passion fruit and a white chocolate and ginger cheesecake and a chocolate fudge cake. The desserts were mediocre but fun, and came with two hot drinks; we went for their delightful vanilla and grapefruit tea and Earl Grey, for a dear but acceptable Overall, the meal proved just like I had expected.

The dishes were overall: enjoyable. The juice worked excellently throughout the meal, complementing every dish, corresponding to a warming yet fresh feel that came to belong to the entire meal. A contrast between freshness and warmth, coloured in green, red and amber existed in each dish with the chicken and prawn Pad Thai coming out on top. Wagamama experience for anyone who enjoys Japanese food. They are successful for what they aim to be: easygoing and consistently pleasing, offering good casual food in generous portions, served in a laid-back and friendly environment, offering quality and quantity for a price that won’t break the bank, provided that you don’t go there too often – Wagamama will always be a satisfying choice.

Dylan Jenkins

food@gairrhydd.com · @quenchfood

Q thirty-one

Sunday 9th December Moon club Womanby St. Ticket £4 | Doors 8pm

“The Knox veer from The Beatles to The Beta Band - but with constant honeyed three part harmonies and tunes that canter along with a carefree insouciance.”

The South Wales Echo www.wegottickets.com | www.xpressradio.co.uk