Quench 149

Quench Issue 149

JANUARY 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

Quit smoking, stop drinking, hit the gym YOUR UNSUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS P. 9 IN EMOJIS

The Abacus

A STUDIO AND GALLERY... NOT THE OLDSCHOOL CALCULATOR P. 16

Comedy on the big screen

FROM BANANA PEELS TO TALKING SNOWMEN

P. 54

Young, sexy and broke THE NEW YEAR’S HOLIDAYING HOTSPOTS

P. 26

Treatment presents...

27/02/15 - SOLD OUT

January Neck Deep

April Lower Than Atlantis

26/01/15, £10.50 ADV

March Stiff Little Fingers

February

08/03/15, £18.50 ADV

KERRANG! Tour 2015 13/02/15, £16.50 ADV

The Stranglers

Enter Shikari 17/02/15 - SOLD OUT

Sleaford Mods

Chelsea Grin

Halestorm

09/04/15, £12 ADV

Limehouse Lizzy vs Livewire AC/DC 17/04/15, £20 ADV

10/03/15, £23 ADV

17/02/15, £10 ADV

10/03/15, £10 ADV 13/03/15, £15 ADV

The Jesus And Mary Chain

Four Year Strong 24/03/15, £14 ADV

27/02/15, £25 ADV

@CARDIFFUNION

CARDIFFBOXOFFICE

CARDIFFBOXOFFICE.COM | All tickets subject to booking fee

CONTENTS 30

FEATURES 6

Invisible Warriors

Emily Jones on disability and determination

9

Low Resolutions

The New Year’s resolutions you haven’t kept and the emojis you need to explain why

COLUMNIST 13

The Sketch

Gareth Evans says it’s time to rebrand funerals

CULTURE 14

Culture in Modern Times: Self-publishing

If you want something done right, do it yourself: we investigate the rise of self-publishing

16

Abacus

A new community art space nurturing local talent is under threat

18

Culture in Modern Times: Paper Cut

Council funding cuts may spell the end for the beloved libraries of Cardiff

19

Top 4 Things To Do This Year

Our pick of the best upcoming exhibitions and events in the new year

FASHION & BEAUTY 20

For & Against: High Street vs. High End

The debate that could change the way you shop

21

2015 Trend Watch

The hottest trends to look out for in 2015

22

Fashion Through The Ages

Step back in time with some of our favourite timeless trends

24

Fashion Icons

Style tips from your favourite fashion icons

25

The Power of Fashion

Discover why fashion is more than just a few pieces of clothing

TRAVEL 26

12 Places On Your 2015 Travel Wishlist

The places you’re dreaming of this year

30

Berlin Street Art

Discover this city’s history behind the street art

MUSIC 34

New/Newydd

New artists to look out for as per our editors’ recommendations

35

On the lookout: 2015

What and who is going to make music exciting this year

38

Albums of 2014

Quench Music writer tell you which albums made the cut from 2014

60

31 22

VIDEO GAMES 42

The YouTuber Review

Some of the internet’s gamers are reviewed for you

44

PS4 vs Xbox One

It’s been a year: time to check in on the latest console generation!

46

Why we love Steam

The frontrunners in digital distribution are loved by many, and here’s why

FILM & TV 48

The Next Chapter: a look into cinemas

We take a look at the growing popularity of the independent cinema

50

Look to: Film & TV for 2015

The TV shows and Films out to grab your attention this year

53

Keeping Up Appearances

Is it finally time for inner beauty to take centre stage?

54

Genre In Review: Comedy

The next instalment of our genre serial takes on the big one: Comedy!

6

FOOD & DRINK 56

Fad Diets

58

Quench Food Evening: Mezza Luna

This month we indulge in all things Middle Eastern at Mezza Luna

60

Brunch In Cardiff

The ultimate guide to Cardiff ’s breakfast scene

62

Pie Recipe

Rustle up some some nostalgia with our simple chicken pie recipe

48 3

for just Deal ADD ANOTHER LARGE PIZZA for only £ .99

6

62 Crwys Road, Cathays CF24 4NN

029 20 22 99 77

Opening hours: 10am – 5am, 7 days a week

/Dominos.cardiff

@CardiffDP

Call

dominos.co.uk

Pop in

Tap the app

*Buy one large pizza, one garlic pizza bread, one portion of potato wedges and one four piece portion of doughnuts for £14.99. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. Create your own pizza is available up to a maximum of 4 toppings. Premium crusts, bases and additional toppings will be charged as extra. Offer available for collection or delivery, however delivery areas, charges and minimum delivery spends may apply, please ask your local store for details. In the event of out of stock items, we will do our best to offer you a like-for-like substitute. Valid at participating stores only. Subject to availability. Offer only available between 5 January 2015 and 1 February 2015 (inclusive), subject to local store opening hours. Offer only available in UK including NI. Offer may be updated, amended or withdrawn at any time. For full T&Cs applicable to the offer see www.dominos.co.uk.

Offers cannot be used with any other offer or promotion. Participating stores only. Subject to availability. Collection or delivery – delivery areas and minimum delivery spends may apply. Offers must be used at the time of ordering to apply and cannot be used retrospectively. Offers can be amended or withdrawn at any time without notice. Conditions apply see Competitions and Offers at Boring Legal Stuff at dominos.co.uk for full details.

2015 DEALS WEEK 1

WEEK 2

5th - 11th January

50%OFF

*

PIZZAS

when you spend £15 or more AVAILABLE ONLINE AT DOMINOS.CO.UK

Enter Code: 50WK0215 *50% off relates to pizza only. All other items in your basket will be charged at full menu price.

Collection or Delivery. Expires 11th January 2015.

12th - 18th January

ANY SIZE PIZZA *

Only

£9.99

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

19th - 25th January

50%OFF

26th January - 1st February

*

PIZZAS

when you spend £15 or more AVAILABLE ONLINE AT DOMINOS.CO.UK

DELIVERED

Enter Code: 15WK0450

*From the menu or Create Your Own up to 4 toppings.

Premium bases and crusts charged as extra.

Delivered. Expires 18th January 2015.

*50% off relates to pizza only. All other items in your basket will be charged at full menu price.

Collection or Delivery. Expires 25th January 2015.

2 MEDIUM PIZZAS* + POTATO WEDGES + GARLIC PIZZA BREAD + 1.25L BOTTLE OF COKE

£19.99 Upgrade to large for £3 extra

*From the menu or Create Your Own up to 4 toppings.

Premium bases and crusts charged as extra.

Collection or Delivery.

Quench EDITOR Sum Sze Tam

editor@quenchmag.co.uk @QuenchMag

DEPUTY EDITOR Chloe May FEATURES Aimee-lee Abraham Jason Roberts COLUMNIST Gareth Evans

features@quenchmag.co.uk @Quench_Features

@_GarethEvans

CULTURE Elouise Hobbs Jasmine Freeman

culture@quenchmag.co.uk

FASHION & BEAUTY Franciska Bodnar Nicole Petty

fashion@quenchmag.co.uk

TRAVEL Olivia Waltho

travel@quenchmag.co.uk

MUSIC Charlie Mock India Thomas

music@quenchmag.co.uk

VIDEO GAMES Alex Glazer

videogames@quenchmag.co.uk

FILM & TV Aaron Roberts Emily Giblett

filmtv@quenchmag.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK Emma Giles Kathryn Lewis

food@quenchmag.co.uk

HEAD OF DESIGN Emilia Ignaciuk

design@quenchmag.co.uk

ART EDITORS Franciska Bodnar Naomi Brown Eleanor Duffy Lucy Okell Olivia Thomas Georgia Hamer Bryn Evans

@QuenchCulture

@Quench_Fashion

@Quench_Travel

@QuenchMusic

QuenchStreetStyle

Quench_Travel

QuenchMusic

@QuenchGames

@QuenchFilm

@Quench_Food

QuenchFoodCardiff

@frankiebods @honeyandbrown @eleanorduff y @lucyokell @oliviadthomas @georgialeehamer @MantaRayBryn

SPECIAL THANKS TO Matt Austin, Daisy Lane-Murley, Anna Lewis, Matthew Watkins, Emily Jones, Emma Jones, Sarah Hewitt, Kalika Puri, Greg McChesney, Emma Giles, Emily Giblett, Aaron Roberts, India Thomas, Eleanor Duffy, Bryn Evans and Charlie Mock for making this the most populated deadline night ever; Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff for being our design guide this issue; Gareth Evans for coming back to the right side of the pond; and tea for keeping us company, all the time.

EDITOR’S N O T E To contrast this largely light-hearted issue (look out for the emojis!), the editor brings out the rather more dour and depressing side of her personality A short word about Paris.

In the wake of the tragic attacks on the magazine Charlie Hebdo that took place over Christmas, I don’t wish to be one of those people who work on a “fashionable” publication who simply neglect mentioning an event as big as that. It’s an incongruous experience when you scroll through Twitter, seeing condolences, proclamations of free speech, satirical cartoons...and then there’s Bon Appetit telling you that you’re doing your salads all wrong.

To be fair though, heavy social issues aren’t really a part of their mandate. We at Quench, on the other hand, do have the mandate to deal with elaborating on world trends, covering a longer, slower timeline. That’s what articles like “Invisible Warriors” in Features this month are for.

On the other hand, to loosely quote Features editor Jason Roberts - very little exists that has not been said already. I merely feel that no matter the hype, the number of #JeSuisCharlies that pop up on my feed, let the core events, the facts and the truth of the matter, not be lost. Let the context surrounding the attacks - of Muslim life in Paris and in wider France, of Charlie Hebdo’s history and intent, of the people who have died (including Ahmed Merabet), and so on. Don’t be swept up in the craze of meaningless campaigning and insincere condolences that are more an opportunity to promote themselves and find out as many of the facts as you can before you make a judgement.

This is starting to sound a bit like a JOMEC (the university’s journalism department) lecture, so my little rant will end soon, but I urge you to do justice to your university degree and be an intelligent reader. Don’t just suck up what appears on one channel of communication, read from as many different opinions and angles of expertise as you can. If you’re aspiring to be a journalist, try to piece out the story without the politics, or Politics.

New Year, New Career - and the Quench Workshops The mention of journalism reminds me that I’m surrounded by lots of talented journalists and writers who are resigning themselves to working in PR. Job-seeking season is slowly easing itself into full swing, whether that’s just for internships, work experience, or an actual proper Job in the REAL WORLD. Soon, the Students’ Union will be filled with (mostly) final year students who are giving up a proper shot at applications, interviews and assessment centres in order to ask you to vote for them for their respective sabbatical officer position.

They’ll be scoffed at and ridiculed, whether for giving up their last few weeks of university or for prancing around in goofy costumes, but their sacrifice should nevertheless not be ignored.

Applying for jobs and work experience can be as strange an experience for the soul as campaigning to be a sabb is. For one, it requires you to go against all the principles your parents and teachers tried to drum into you from a young age: 1. Don’t talk to strangers, 2. think about others’ feelings, and 3. always tell the truth.

1. In the first stage, you’re supposed to stalk the person you’re writing your covering letter to as much as you can. Not only will you be talking to a stranger, you’ll be attempting to make all sorts of contact with them - the closer a connection on LinkedIn, the better. You want to know their hobbies, tastes and career history for that tiny morsel of an experience you share with them, in order to cosy up.

2. In the cruel and cutthroat world of work, you’ll also be trying to beat many fellow members of the human race, who will often have similar personality traits as you because otherwise they wouldn’t be going for the same job. Here, if you want to succeed, you’ll have to ignore their feelings and bulldoze on with your application, always proving how much better you are than the others - and to do that, you’ll have to prove how much worse the others are in comparison to you.

3. Lying about myself is perhaps the jobseeking trend I feel the least comfortable about.

I was offered a possible interview for a job for when I graduated, but it required me to rewrite my entire work experience history, pretend I’d had at least a years’ training in a profession and claim to be old friends with a girl I’d only known for a month or two.

What huge lies! What if I had to prove my expertise in the interview, what would I do or say? What if they asked me questions about this girl, like “oh, she’s told you about that time in Tijuana with the donkeys, right?” (Google it.) How can lying possibly be sustainable?!

Moral #2 is something that plagues my conscience every time we send out rejection letters at Quench. I do realise that I am depriving plenty of people valuable work experience opportunities, or at least a place where you can say you learnt a set of very valuable skills.

That’s why we’ve embarked on a small project - named the Quench Workshops (witty, I know) where we’ll try and share the skills we’ve learnt from each other with our readers. Ranging from editorial skills to how to use Adobe Creative Suite, they’ll be free and led by us, so I can’t promise you any guarantees of quality other than my personal stamp of confidence. And since most of you don’t know me, that doesn’t count for much. So I guess the only common ground we have is the quality of the very magazine you’re reading. Take a look through this issue, and let your judgement of it be our very own resume.

5

INVISIBLE

WA R R IO RS

Emily Jones was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2010. Addressing the perceptions of the government, the media and the general public, this is her unapologetic account of living with an invisible illness at university.

6

FE ATURES

J

ust three months ago, the Minister for Welfare currently employed by our government’s Department for Work and Pensions was recorded admitting that he was going to “think about whether there is anything we can do nationally” to allow employers to pay a mere “£2 an hour” to disabled and mentally ill workers deemed ‘unworthy’ of receiving the minimum wage. We are told that modern Britain is an egalitarian and advanced society, and most people would assume that adequate safety nets to protect the most vulnerable members of a society would be put in place by a nation that follows such principles. We are also told that modern Britain is in an age of austerity; the fabric of society being tailored and cut down to a tighter and tighter fit in a seamstress’ scramble to reduce the deficit. In light of callous comments like those made by Lord Freud, where does this leave the disabled people of Britain in 2015? In a time where survival of the fittest mentalities reign, what happens if you can’t keep up with the pace?

When we address disability in 2015 Britain, we are faced with a bundle of contradictions and mixed messages. In 2014, photographs of model and Crohn’s sufferer Bethany Townsend sunbathing in a bikini with her colostomy bag on show went viral. She was hailed as a shining role model for those with hidden disabilities, but the fact remains that the industry she aims to break remains undeniably fixated on health and perfection.

During the 2012 London Olympics, we celebrated the achievements of our disabled athletes with intense national pride. This is despite the ironic fact that the paralympians were sponsored by Atos: a group intensely and unanimously criticized by disability campaigners for their humiliating and degrading ‘fit for work tests’, carried out on behalf of a government keen to clamp down on the number of UK benefit claimants. Their harsh criteria, which asks claimants questions such as ‘Can you hold a pen?’ and ‘Can you get dressed?’, saw ‘fit for work’ heart and lung transplant patient Linda Wooton die in a hospital bed just nine days after her disability allowance had been stopped. Meanwhile, Channel 4’s ‘superhuman’ campaign repainted paralympians frequently seen as inferior as heroic warriors to be respected and feared via a series of fierce advertising campaigns.

Last month, its broadcasting followed a similar theme, airing an ‘alternative’ music video during the break of the X-Factor final, the most expensive air time slot in the annual advertising calendar. ‘Prototype’ showcased a Gaga-esque female vocalist pirouette-ing on ice, shattering the frosty floor with her prosthetic limb styled to a steely point. The

caption “Forget everything you know about disability” flashed on screen in an attempt to “champion alternative voices” in a world of homogenised pop exemplified by formulaic talent shows. The presence and popularity of C4 shows like The Undateables, which features the trials of disabled people looking for love, and Benefits Street, since been dubbed ‘poverty porn’ by academics and media commentators alike, indicate that those who rely on the welfare state, unable to work or otherwise, continue to be poorly represented by mainstream media.

Statistics show that 38% of people believe disabled people are a burden on society, despite the lack of knowledge that most people have concerning what it means to be disabled. This attitude becomes particularly

StAtIStIcS ShOW thAt 38% Of pEOpLE BELIEVE dISABLEd pEOpLE ARE A BuRdEN ON SOcIEty, dESpItE thE LAck Of kNOWLEdgE thAt mOSt pEOpLE hAVE cONcERNINg WhAt It mEANS tO BE dISABLEd pertinent on campus, where young students suffering with invisible illnesses risk disappearing in a crowd of healthy peers. We are all guilty of assuming from time to time that every fellow university student is similar to ourselves. But, for most of us, despite the stress that accompanies the successful completion of a degree, the most disastrous scenario likely to occur is that we have found ourselves buried deeply into our overdrafts.

This is where the difference lies. It is not until you are unable to walk or to hold a pen or to make it through a lecture, not because you are underslept or hungover but because your body cannot cope with daily exertion, that you fully appreciate what it means to be healthy. Until you are diagnosed with a debilitating chronic disease like rheumatoid arthritis, bending your fingers is not something you would give a second thought to.

Faced with the sudden inability to do something so simple opens up a whole world of unfamiliar fear and frustration. I know this because it happened to me. rheumatoid arthritis is an inflamma-

tory disease which manifests itself in multiple joints of the body. It affects the lining of joints, leading to erosions of the cartilage and bone and even joint deformity. My illness is, for the most part, an invisible one.

Unless you were to take the time to inspect my swollen hands or notice my slow walking pace during a particularly bad ‘flare-up’, you would not be able to detect the condition that was sprung upon me four years previously. The majority of people would never associate a child with arthritic joints; instead, the picture that always springs to mind is one of a grandmother with gnarled fingers and a walking stick. This is somewhat inaccurate.

Although the elderly are more at risk, arthritis affects more than 27,000 people under the age of 25 in the UK. I myself was guilty of viewing the disease as something that could and did not affect people in my age bracket until I became one of them. As a result I try not to become irate when the standard reply to hearing about my illness is ‘but you look so normal!’ or ‘oh, my Nan has that!’. Explaining that I physically cannot do something as simple as bending down, whilst outwardly swanning around looking groomed and generally well, can be difficult to articulate. No one would be able to tell that my mother had to brush my hair for me that morning.

More than half of people assume that disabilities are physically visible. Thus you may ask whether it is somewhat easier for those with invisible disabilities to avoid the stigma that surrounds those who are physically impaired. Hassan Izanloo, a postgraduate student from the school of Mathematics and a sufferer of polio comments, “I have never felt that I am disabled unless others remind me by their looks or behaviour.” Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease that can invade an infected person’s brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis. As a result of contracting Polio at four years old, Hassan must use crutches in order to walk. While he has trained himself to be independent in all regards to minimize his dependency on others, Hassan explains: “I do feel as if I have something extra to prove over my peers. In my home country Iran, I had to prove my worth as people prefer not to see people with a disability in their workplace or family. I believe, as a result of my own experiences, that people with disabilities often need to double their effort to prove their existence and talents.”

Indeed, statistics suggest that nearly two-thirds of people have admitted to avoiding disabled people because they don’t know how to act around them, and often feel unnecessarily sorry for those with disabilities.

A first year undergraduate explains to me: “I

7

automatically feel sorry for those with a visible disability, believing they must have a hard life. At first glance it is easy to think they are more limited than I am. For instance, I never have to think about how to negotiate public transport because of a physical impairment.

While people with physical disabilities may seem less capable at first, I know this is not the case.”

One might argue that those with invisible illnesses have it easier than someone with noticeable mobility issues, but this is a major issue for sufferers when people don’t always believe what they can’t see.

Throughout my illness, I have received looks of annoyance and disbelief from employers as I try to explain, often futilely, that I cannot climb any more ladders in the stock room because I have chronic joint problems. It seems that many people are unable to grasp the concept of a visibly healthy 19 year old struggling to climb a ladder and I’m not convinced I would have been successful in attaining a job as a sale assistant had I revealed my disability during my interview.

Such comments, fuelled by similar assertions at a government level like those made by Lord Freud, make me wonder if it would be easier to keep my illness to myself.

Doing so would allow me to dodge the stigma as well as the hassle of trying to explain arthritis to each person in my life. However,

it would also mean that I am intentionally sweeping the subject of disability under the carpet, reinforcing the idea that it is shameful. I am not ashamed of my disability, and the reality is that arthritis affects every part of my life to the extent that I would be unable to conceal it. Fatigue and tiredness and achy joints are relentless and side effects from medication land me in hospital with stomach ulcers and infections more often than I would like. It is important to talk of disability as a tangible and approachable subject to break away from the stigmas that are often attached to them.

Why should disability define worth?

Samantha Dabb was diagnosed with Crohns Disease, a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system, in 2005. She had to wear a colostomy bag for 18 months during that time, something which devastated her at the time and led her to jump to catastrophic conclusions after overhearing a conversation about crohns, described as ‘that disease that makes you shit yourself all day’. “I thought my life was over; that I’d stink of poo and that my husband would leave me,” she says now with a wry smile, “In reality it wasn’t a big deal at all.” Dedicated specialist teams helped her adapt seamlessly to life with a colostomy bag and ‘no one even noticed’ she was wearing

I dO fINd thAt pEOpLE hAVE A SOmEWhAt mORBId INtERESt IN my cONdItION, ALthOugh It VEERS BEtWEEN INVASIVE cuRIOSIty ANd pREtENdINg IT DOESNʼT EXIST BECAUSE It mAkES thEm fEEL uNcOmfORtABLE

8

one. Having been through three surgeries and ditched the bag, she now strongly believes in her own freedom. “There is no need to let a chronic condition stop you from having the life you want; if you show it respect, take your drugs, eat healthily and rest, you can lead a normal life; just one with slightly more sick days than most people.” This positivity has allowed Sam to maintain a full time job managing an a successful music venue while raising a daughter, but this doesn’t mean that she thinks the battle for better awareness of disabilities is over. Her illness has seen her thrown out of a bus station for excessive vomiting in the toilets on a Tuesday afternoon, a reaction to a new drug that led staff there to wrongly assume she was intoxicated. Similarly, while she doesn’t want to wear her illness like a badge, she advocates better education in schools to show kids that these things exist and affect a huge percentage of the population and to avoid unfair judgement. “We need to be questioning if a person has an illness before we judge them for sitting at the front of the bus, or falling over in front of us.”

Katie Blackwell, a second year music student and a sufferer of epilepsy and depression (an unfortunate side effect of her epilepsy medication) spoke to me about how others respond to her invisible conditions and emphasized the importance of open discussion.

“I do find that people have a somewhat morbid interest in my condition, although it veers between invasive curiosity and pretending it doesn’t exist because it makes them feel uncomfortable. Both epilepsy and depression are invisible, and that makes people nervous.

Unfortunately, sometimes people just don’t know how to respond, but being completely honest about these ‘taboo’ subjects actually makes people more comfortable and at ease with it all.”

It can sometimes be extremely difficult for students to balance their disability with university and this must be not overlooked.

University life can be difficult for the best of us without the added difficulty of illness, and it is therefore important to educate as many students as possible to raise awareness of disability on campus, ensuring that those affected feel comfortable talking about disability without shame. As Elli Harpum, a student who suffers with Type 1 Diabetes notes;’ “It can be difficult to explain the effect that my diabetes has on me, especially because I am very well controlled. My condition could be potentially fatal but a lot of my diabetes care goes on ‘behind the scenes’ so to speak. I do a lot of care and planning in the morning when I get up and before I go to bed, and my friends and lecturers just don’t see that.”

Alienation of students with disabilities from university life is a pressing issue; student culture is very much geared towards partying. While drinking is not paramount, it is a large part of fresher’s culture and making friends. I live at home in order to dodge the pressures of drinking and partying; social activities which I love but are counterproductive and detrimental to my health. I cannot stand to think I am missing out; living in

halls would have likely proved too tempting.

While Hassan comments he does not feel alienated from student culture, as he has no problems in being sociable, Katie agrees: ‘I think some aspects of student culture alienate me somewhat, just because I can’t drink and go clubbing - I wouldn’t be able to keep up because I get really tired.”

The key to overcoming these barriers is determination and acceptance. Disabled students may have to fight harder to achieve goals but that does not mean they do not achieve them. Living with a disability as a young person is about testing your limits, working within them, and occasionally blowing them out of the water to ensure life is still lived to the full. It is about performing for an audience as a musician like Katie, despite the potential terror of having an epileptic fit on stage. It is about going travelling, as I did, despite fears of arthritic flare ups and stomach ulcers; sitting stiffly on a night bus through Vietnam loving every single minute.

It is about leaving your home country and the discrimination dominant there, like Hassan, and pursuing an education despite the physical obstacles that stand in the way. It is about fighting back, grasping every opportunity and refusing to let disabilities, visible or otherwise, from standing in the way of dreams. It is about embracing your struggle, and seeing it as something that molds your character instead of stunting your growth.

It’s about ridiculing those who tell you you’re inferior through their comments or their policies or their thoughts. It’s about finding the strength you did not know you had.

FE ATURES

LOW RESOLUTION .

The New Years Resolutions You Haven’t Kept and the Emojis You Need To Explain Why. Words: Jason Roberts Illustrations: Bryn Evans You swore to yourself that this year would be different. This year was going to be YOUR YEAR, and nobody was going to get in the way of you and your goals. And needless to say you failed almost immediately, your New Year’s resolutions lying in tatters around you like tiny broken dreams.

Don’t take it to heart though, because New Years resolutions are fundamentally stupid. At best they are well intentioned, at worst they are the most infuriating examples of human irrationality. At the risk of sounding like an #inspirational Instagram post, if you want to change something about your life, there is literally no reason to wait for

an entirely arbitrary date in the calendar. By setting ourselves New Years resolutions we can justify indulging in the rampant hedonism of the festive season, safe in the knowledge that once January 1st rolls around, the gravy train will be promptly derailed and austerity will reign supreme once more. And of course, when you wake up hungover and broke on New Year’s Day, the thought of following through on whatever stupid promise you made to yourself seems like an insurmountable task that didn’t deserve your endeavour in the first place.

So you failed. No big deal! Everyone fails. Hopefully

you’ll get another crack at them next year, assuming you don’t die in the interim. Now you need to excuse your failures but in a way that implies you didn’t really care about them in the first place, because anyone who seriously cares about New Year’s resolutions should be mauled by bears.

And there’s no better way to do this than to employ those beautiful, vacuous hieroglyphs we know as emojis. Emojis are the deafening void. They’ll say everything and anything you want, which is usually nothing at all. Perfect for explaining that going for a jog every day seemed like a waste of your precious time and effort.

Thur 1 Jan 09:41

New Year, New Me This isn’t a resolution, it’s a trope. Nobody has ever uttered these words with the wholehearted belief that they will be an entirely different person in the next year. It’s just become a standard tweet/Facebook status designed to highlight the stupidity of New Years resolutions, while simultaneously highlighting the stupidity of the poster because they couldn’t think of anything remotely original. The whole situation is perfectly captured by Sassy Egg Lady. In her mind, she’s reborn, reinvented, and absolutely bloody buzzing for the New Year. Everyone else just thinks she looks like a bit of a twat.

Lose Weight Whether it’s losing weight, getting fitter, or just simply not getting fatter, exercise resolutions are really popular. Mostly because we really like imagining the end result in our heads.

Even now, every time I leave the gym I expect to look like the bastard lovechild of Hugh Jackman and Khal Drogo, and every time I am disappointed. This is the great lie that the fitness industry perpetuates (aided obviously by THE MEDIA), that you, even you, can look like THIS (invariably followed by a picture of picture of a hairless, steroid-fuelled goon or Miss Bulimia 2014). Here’s the great truth about exercise: it’s really fucking hard. Fat Salsa Lady knows this. She’s gonna go dancing once a week, stop for McDonalds on the way back, all whilst not giving a single shit.

“NEEDLESS TO SAY YOU FAILED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS LYING IN TATTERS AROUND YOU LIKE TINY BROKEN DREAMS.”

9

Today 12:04

Quit Drinking This might not be totally accurate because most people just want to scale back on their drinking, knowing that totally eliminating it would result in the quiet implosion of their social life. This is why Dry January is a thing. After Christmas nobody has any money, nobody can see their toes, and as a result nobody wants to do anything remotely social for a month so that they can get back into physical and financial shape.

As someone whose birthday falls right in the middle of January, I have never been friends with anyone who consciously chooses to spend the entire month without alcohol. It is not fun to have a party in which most of the room is sober but there are a couple of drunken assholes arguing over which Police Academy film was the best at 120 decibels. However, if you are one of the aforementioned drunken assholes, it happens to be really fun. And nobody has more fun than Party Ghost.

Party Ghost knows that they shouldn’t have made another six Police Academy films, and he definitely knows that the best way to solve the January blues is to drink your way through them. In unrelated news, Party Ghost died from liver cirrhosis at the age of 27.

“BOTTOM LINE: IF YOU WANT TO QUIT SMOKING, DON’T SUPPLEMENT CIGARETTES WITH SUNFLOWER SEEDS.”

“PARTY GHOST DIED FROM LIVER CIRRHOSIS AT THE AGE OF 27”

Spend More Time With Family Failed You should have kept this one. Never know what might happen. Call your mum now. Seriously, do it. In fact, call all of your family. Even your racist grandparents who won’t eat takeaway food because it’s “ethnic”.

Quit Smoking Speaking as a non-smoker, I only know how difficult it is to quit smoking from watching other people attempt to do it.

Like in Holes, when Mr. Sir replaced his cigarettes with sunflower seeds. Word to Mr. Sir, SUNFLOWER SEEDS TASTE LIKE ASS. If the only way that you can live a cigarette free life is by chewing on tiny nuggets of ass every day, I’d take the lung cancer and the early death every time. It’s that old saying: better to die on your feet with lungs like a hoover bag, than live on your knees surrounded by sunflower seed shells.

Bottom line: if you want to quit smoking, don’t supplement cigarettes with sunflower seeds. Or just smoke three at a time and live with total freedom. And emphysema.

Read 17:05

10

FE ATURES

Save Money “LOAN DAY SHOULD BE CAPITALIZED BECAUSE I PREDICT THAT IT’LL BECOME A NATIONAL HOLIDAY AND THEN I CAN SAY I WAS DOING IT BEFORE IT WAS A THING”

Failed Saving money is an eternal struggle. Nothing can detract from this reality. APART FROM LOAN DAY. As soon as Loan Day (it should be capitalised, because I predict that it’ll become a national holiday in the not-too-distant future and then I can say I was doing it before it was a thing) hits, all thoughts of fiscal responsibility are long gone. Why would you just let all that money sit there, and sadly drain away gradually over the course of the year? Like every term, you’re going to have no money anyway during the last few weeks, and you haven’t died yet. You deserve all the nice things. TREAT YOURSELF. After exams, the illustrator of this piece is buying himself an underwater case for his iPhone that costs around £80, so why can’t you get whatever random shit it is that you want? Diseased Piggy Bank is the best way to say, “Sorry, I just couldn’t resist.” People will understand.

Be More Positive It’s really hard to just ‘be more positive.’ There is maybe nothing I hate more in the world than being rightfully (or even wrongfully) pissed off at something and then having some grinning shitbag come along and tell me to just ‘cheer up’ or ‘put on a smile’. People that walk around with a permanent smile on their face are so well practiced in the art of repressing their emotions, that eventually they end up snapping and doing terrible things. Look at James Corden. He never stopped smiling, and now, he’s James Corden. So the next time someone tells you that you need a more positive outlook on life, hit them with the I’M REALLY HAPPY HONESTLY Face. This should remind them that a perfectly healthy emotional balance is nothing to be worried about, and unless they want to turn into a planetary mass of lard that revolves around Gary Barlow’s asshole, they should fuck off.

Delivered

Thur 01 Jan 00:01

Find Love Did you spend the holiday season miserable and alone? It’s not all bad. At least I hope not, I’m just speculating. I hope it isn’t all bad. You’ll probably find someone. Maybe. And if you don’t, who cares?! I’m sure you get to do loads of things that people in relationships don’t get to do. Like sit in your bed, under the covers, with the lights off and The Notebook on, tears streaming down your face, faced with the prospect of being alone forever. Or you could try and watch every single bit of porn on the internet. The choice is yours. Either way, the tissues are there for you.

11

anyone can be a

>hero> Wednesday 22nd April

Cardiff University v

Swansea University #teamcardiff

in association with

welshvarsity.com

COLUMNIST

THE SKETCH with GARETH EVANS

Is this what I died for?

Darkness, sombre music, bowed heads – it’s all wrong (unless you like that).

Nowadays, it’s rare for a family to dress formally together unless they have a court date. Sunday best seems needless when Sunday begins at 12pm and is sodden with gravy and wine. I’ve never been to a wedding, and I don’t usually take my entire family along to job interviews, so seeing all of the crew suited and fully booted at once was disconcerting. We were, of course, attending a funeral.

It wasn’t a high-ranking member of the Monmouthshire Mafia that had passed either. We were dressed in black to remember my Auntie, a colourful, energetic lady. The wearing of black seemed ill-fitting, more a hangover from the Victorian age of bleak and solemn remembrance. She wasn’t a Christian, so I asked if it was a Christian funeral. “No – British Humanist” was the response I received. Interesting, and as we greeted the extended family this became apparent. We had missed the memo to ‘wear something pink’ (The context being that she raised a significant amount for Breast Cancer Research.) And so my family, looking like Victorians at a gay bar, tried to hunt out something, anything, pink. We were unsuccessful. However the idea marked a clear change from other funerals that I’ve attended.

The only similarity between this and a more traditional funeral were the hearse and the sombre, greying, funeral directors.

As we rolled along at a gentle pace, in silence, with the rain pattering on the darkened windows, a single tear ran down my Mum’s cheek and I felt like I was on the feature ride

at a Conservative Party theme park. This was until we arrived and saw a large crowd, all dressed in pink, gathered at the entrance and applauding. This changed the mood considerably, as did the service, which had no melancholy eulogies, traditional hymns or uniform procedures. It was personal, often funny, and concluded with the main speaker taking a shot of whisky and saying “one for the road, Ceri.” It was a good joke because she died of alcoholism.

That isn’t true, don’t worry.

Yet, why do funerals have to be so depressing? Of course death is sad, the death of those close to us even more so, but why furnish the commemoration of life with black clothing and sad hymns. It’s an archaic, British, Christian tradition that should no longer be deemed the uniform standard for funerals. If anything, my Auntie’s service was

It wasn’t a high-ranking member of the Monmouthshire Mafia that had passed either.

We were dressed in black to remember my Auntie, a colourful, energetic, lady

more a celebration of life as opposed to the mourning of its loss. If you ask yourself how you’d like to be remembered, I would assume that the ‘traditional’ funeral arrangements we adhere to aren’t in mind. Unless you’re a Goth that is, Goths are fully catered for in the funeral business.

And this dour style of funeral is only the norm for us, the equally dour and uptight Brits. My girlfriend told me how her Irish family sat around the coffin of a dead relative drinking until dawn and reminiscing about their relative’s life. In New Orleans they (obviously) play jazz and dance alongside the funeral procession of relatives. The Mexicans have an annual holiday called ‘The Day of the Dead’ in which the lives of those who have passed are celebrated and remembered regardless of the actual date of death. This makes so much more sense to me. It may seem disparaging, but can’t we take something from these other cultures? I mean, the word funeral literally has fun in it and it seems these guys really take heed.

Of course, I’m not expecting the way we handle funerals to change drastically.

Many, like my family did, consider them a day to simply get through. And that’s the problem. Although it was a sad occasion, the best parts of the day were those that were unique to my Auntie. There were more upbeat songs that we were encouraged to sing in place of hymns. A slideshow of pictures, both funny and sentimental, was playing throughout. It made it easier and, in

many ways, a more optimistic affair.

I guess, after experiencing a Humanist one, I’d like to see British people reject the tedious and melancholy tropes associated

So with this in mind, here’s my requests; take note. [...] The order of service leaflet is a collection of my columns so people finally read them

with a traditional funeral if it does not befit the loved one in question. I would take a guess that most would wish for an upbeat and optimistic remembrance service, for their family to smile on the day, and for the whole affair to reflect who they were as an individual.

So with this in mind, here’s my requests; take note: All guests must dress like I did. Music: P.J and Duncan ‘Let’s Get Ready to Rumble’ as family and friends arrive. The order of service leaflet is a collection of my columns so people finally read them. Dr. D.R.E, Snoop Dogg ‘The Next Episode’ played as guests leave and my coffin disappears through a cloud of dry ice which smells like supermarket brand deodorant. Neon and strobe lighting appears at random intervals which signals ‘Flash Mob’ dance for all guests. Shots of Live Lounge wine offered.

Foam party begins outside.

13

Should anyone and everyone be able to become an author? Ciara Rafter guides us through the modern phenomenon of self-publishing Photography: Emilia Ignaciuk

14

Culture

selfpublishing: success stories

Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit Although self-publishing seems like a new phenomenon, it has actually been around for nearly as long as the publishing houses. In 1901, after writing a wonderful children’s book but being rejected by publishers, Beatrix Potter decided enough was enough. Using her own funds she printed 250 copies of her illustrated book and sold them. By the next year, publishers were begging to have her work. Without self-publishing, one of the classic British children’s books would not be around today.

John Grisham A Time To Kill Five years after writing his debut novel and 28 rejections later, John Grisham decided to take the future of his writing career into his own hands.

He published 5,000 copies of his book and sold 1,000 copies out of the boot of his car. Thirty years later, his books have been translated into forty-two languages and he is world-renowned for his legal thrillers.

In 2007 Amazon introduced the Kindle, an electronic book reader. Kindles quickly became popular amongst the world’s readers.

Whilst a handy new portable library of books was ideal for travellers, controversy hit soon after with panicked bookworms; word on the street being that libraries would be no more by 2010. The fear of books joining our dusty collection of VCRs from the 1990s up in the attic was real. It was every intellectual’s worst nightmare. But here we are, seven years on, four years after libraries were supposed to be banished, and e-books are not in first place.

Books still remain on our bookshelves and a new library has just been opened in my hometown. So it is safe to say books are here to stay, for our generation at least.

However, the next intellectual epidemic is creeping up on us and it goes by the name of ‘self-publishing’. When the Kindle was invented, self-publishing came with it, but due to the excitement and panic over the initial product, this was a mere issue delayed until recent years. Kindle Direct Publishing allows any individual to publish a book free of charge. Other companies offering the same or similar services are around too, such as Smashwords, Bookbaby, Barnes and Noble’s Nook and Kobo’s Writing Life. With more and more companies offering this service, it is rapidly becoming a wellknown phenomenon.

It is appealing. It is a seemingly easy route to hopeful people who believe their words can change the world. It’s all well and good to be confident about your passion, but should achieving goals be this easy? What’s that saying – ‘nothing truly good was ever easy’? On the surface, self-publishing seems like a doddle; slap your fingers on your keyboard, write some fiction on Word, whack out 200 or so pages (which isn’t actually that difficult to accomplish when you’ve done a degree and have mastered how to babble your way through thousands and thousands of words). It is easy to see how young and naïve writers can see this as the road to success.

The problem lies with people who think that self-publishing is the easier alternative to get a book published. One of the reasons for publishers is that they publish books they believe are worthy of reading, and selfpublished books can be poorly written with content that is basically nonsense, insulting authors who have had their books published the traditional way. With these views in mind, is it really ruining the industry? Is self-publishing just a way for lazy people who have given up after several rejections from publishing companies to get their book out

On the surface, self-publishing seems like a doddle; slap your fingers on your keyboard, write some fiction on Word, whack out 200 or so pages. It is easy to see how young and naïve writers can see this as the road

Stephen King The Star Invaders Now a household name, he would be nothing without the opportunities that self publishing gave him. His first work published in 1966 was a two part story called The Star Invaders. Although it did not receive much critical acclaim, the knowledge and insight he gained from self publishing gave him the determination and drive to see that his next book, Carrie succeeded on an international stage.

to success. there?

This view is strong and there are some points worth thinking about, but is it really worth kicking up such a fuss about when there are so many worse things happening in the world? Sure, self-publishing can be shamed, but let’s not forget about the stigma attached to traditional publishing; snobby, abusive elitists. Maybe people are turning to self-publishing for the freedom and the selfcontrol, rather than simply being illiterate.

The truth is that self-publishing sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t.

It is not for everyone, despite it seeming that way. For first-time writers, it is a great starting point. For people with an obvious capacity for good storytelling, what is the harm of producing material before getting ahead of themselves with publishers and designers? Traditional publishing comes with a hefty price tag and some of this generation’s writers may not have the funds.

In this sense, self-publishing is a blessing.

But, as everything, this can be seen both ways; it is kind of an X-Factor for the writing industry, which many people see as a cheat or a shortcut to success. Poor J.K. Rowling had to go through the heartache of being rejected by twelve publishers before Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was given a chance.

And all this generation has to do is write and publish, without the painful failure and rejection. As any adult will tell you, failure is an important part of life and a career without it shouldn’t really be called a career at all. So maybe we need the snobbery and the elitists to be strong in such a competitive industry.

First time authors are not the only ones that are compatible with self-publishing though – for people whose main focus is not writing but still write as a hobby, selfpublishing services are a perfect way to get books out there without the long-haul process of traditional publishing.

All in all, self-publishing e-books can go both ways. They can end in disaster or can lead to great success. But the disastrous books are not going to ruin the industry. Maybe for pessimists, but a good book outweighs five bad ones. It will annoy people and professional writers will speak their minds about it, but self-publishing is a way of making people’s dreams of being a published author come true. We all have to start somewhere.

E. L. James Fifty Shades of Grey The best selling book in 2011 was a self published novel and this year is being released as a film (with two more to follow). After its release as an ebook, Fifty Shades of Grey flew off the shelves and into the arms of women across the country. Selling over 100 million copies worldwide it was being hidden on the tube, stuffed in suitcases for that holiday fling and made bedtime reading a lot more exciting. Love it or hate it, this is an example of a self publishing success story as it made its author, E. L. James a millionaire overnight.

Lisa Genova Still Alice Taking a break from being a neuroscientist, Lisa Genova decided to try her hand at writing fiction, but after being unable to find a publisher, decided to self-publish. Originally published in 2007, Still Alice follows the life of Alice Howland, a once great Harvard professor who is now suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The book is now being turned into a film, has been adapted for the stage and has been translated into 20 languages and is sold in 30 countries.

15

E H T S U C A B A

Culture

b A The The problem with the Cardiff art scene is that many people graduate from the universities with lot of talent but nowhere to display it. The Abacus hopes their new initiative will give artists the reason to stay in Cardiff and not move to the established artist areas of Bristol and London.

s u ac

Transformed from the old bus ticket office, The Abacus is a multi-functional performance space with photography rooms, a gallery, performance space and rehearsal rooms. The space also has dark rooms and photography courses which are open to the public.The building also boasts a library, a book exchange and a place where you can read magazines and exchange them.

Unlike many other buildings around, it has now become a hub for artists and a free place to go to see new work exhibited. Cardiff City Council are promoting the gentrification of this area; they allow The Abacus to have the building rent-free meaning they only have to pay for the bills, this drastically cuts costs but unfortunately there is still a deficit. This art space only opened in late August last year, but in conjunction with the festival, Cardiff Contemporary, it has helped evolve the production and exhibition of art in the city. Now, the downstairs gallery is a large space with two rooms where graduates can exhibit their work for a minimal cost and build bridges with art curators, like-minded people and other artists.

Completely run by volunteers this building really has a heart. Unlike many other galleries that feel cold and unwelcoming when you enter them, this place has a homely feel and invites you to get involved. The Abacus is a collaborative venture between ProMo-Crymu and Modern Alchemists, and aims to be a platform for the grassroots creative community of Cardiff. The Abacus is a place that welcomes everyone from artists to musicians who want to explore, develop and practice their ideas.

ProMo-Cymru is a charity which prides itself on allowing its partners to communicate with their audiences in different ways. Its other projects include Ebbw Vale Institute which is a regenerated building which lay empty for two years and is now a building full of life, stories and culture. Originally a literary and scientific institution founded in 1849, the building saw many things fill its walls such as a Post Office and the local constabulary but by the end of the 21st century the building was lying vacant.

Through the work of ProMo-Crymu it is now functioning building that has helped regenerate the local area. This is also what it hopes for The Abacus.

Modern Alchemists are an art collective helping to promote young artist’s work using different artistic mediums from painting to performance to sculpture and video. They also highly value craft based art as it creates community through the sharing of skills. They organise pop-up exhibitions giving life to derelict buildings and bring something unusual to the high-street when they commandeer a vacant shop. Their ‘Empty Walls’ project can be seen all over Cardiff where eyesores of grey concrete have been transformed with paint and graffiti. They have succeeded in changing the perception of this art form, which many would view as vandalism.

Since opening, The Abacus has put on a range of

The future of The Abacus is uncertain.

This can be looked at as a negative point but also means that the project has a sense of urgency events including music performances, Christmas parties ,our exhibitions and photography classes.Their recent exhibition Substance was curated by second year students from Cardiff School of Art and Design. The experimental pieces were curious and exciting and attracted a great crowd, and the opening night of the exhibition also saw local bands Howl and Grey Mondeo perform. This platform was a great opportunity for the students and hopes to provide the same level of help and exposure in the future. With the new year there is excitement about the new projects that are going to fill this space but they still desperately need funding.

The building also has an uncertain future, as it is potentially going to be knocked down in 2018 and turned into the new BBC headquarters. This means that the future of The Abacus is uncertain. This can be looked at as a negative point but also means that the project has a sense of urgency as the projects are achieved faster and only run for a limited time, ultimately attracting more people. The organisers hope that although the building may not be permanent, the project will make such an impact that it will be able to move buildings and maintain the same ethos and objectives. Therefore the building in which the initiative lies is ultimately unimportant. It is the hope of the people that run it that they will be able to create a lasting effect even if they no longer have a fixed physical presence.

The Abacus is openeveryday and the gallery is free to visit, for more information visit www.facebook.com/ theabacusrooms -Elouise Hobbs

17

PaPer Cuts

Cardiff Council has announced funding cuts to local libraries.

Many would fail to see this as a problem; libraries have become a thing of the past as books have moved online and physical books have declined in sales. Yet, when visiting the local library in the holidays, the people at the library told a different story

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about government spending cuts. When funding cuts are mentioned, often the arts are the first to suffer because many are of the view that they are a luxury, disposable to many.

However, many would argue this is not the case; artistic development is crucial to the development of culture generally. Wherever you stand, the people of Cardiff are going to be forced to make a decision soon.

Many people in the library were working adults or older: some looking for the latest bestseller, old ladies chatting over a cup of tea, people being taught how to use computers. There was even a heated discussion about the range of titles on local history taking place in the corner. Although there was a fair share of students on laptops, they were not in the majority, despite it being just before the exam season. In no one’s imagination could the library be deemed as empty.

A memory many people share from their childhood is going to the local library and being read a story by a parent or in a reading group. Over the summer holidays, many young children compete with their friends to complete summer reading challenges in the hope of gaining a medal of achievement. This interest in books at an early age is proven to promote higher literacy skills and greater retention of knowledge.

With this being absent from young children’s lives, it can only be concluded that these benefits will be forgone.

Libraries are now no longer about simply the books, they have become a community hub. Over the past few years libraries have diversified: they now have electronic checkouts, hold evening and daytime classes to promote greater levels of knowledge and also have a budget so you are able to request a book if you think it will benefit the library. This great investment in libraries is now being cut, with no regard to the consequences.

Libraries in Whitchurch, Rumney and Rhiwbina face funding cuts and despite a petition signed by 2,100 residents calling for Rumney library to be kept open, the cuts appear to be inevitable. The council argue that by removing library services from the suburbs and creating central hubs, they will be able to save £101,000. However, there is no direct bus route to the proposed hubs for the residents of Rumney and mobile library services are insufficient.

The funding cuts most likely to affect students are the cuts to Cardiff Central library. Despite being voted one of the top six

libraries in the world, it is now going through a second year of budget cuts. Last year the top floor was forced to close, a quarter of its staff were made redundant and it was forced to close one day a week. This year, the building is going to become a “superhub” meaning that two more floors will be given over to council services who deal with housing benefits and council tax. The library is going to dissolve into the sidelines rather than be the main attraction.

However, the power to change the future of our libraries is im the hands of the public. The 1964 Libraries and Museums Act demands that every city should provide a comprehensive service. If that is not being provided, we have the right to protest.

Now, children’s author Jackie Morris has got involved. She urges the people of Cardiff to write a ‘love letter’ to Cardiff Council in a bid to save the library services.

This is following the successful recent campaign in Liverpool, where 11 out of the city’s 18 libraries were saved thanks to ‘love letters’ written by local residents.

Although the future of the local library may seem unimportant now, by getting involved in the future of our city we can make

Most likely to affect students are the cuts to Cardiff Central library. Despite being voted one of the top six libraries in the world, it is now going through a second year of budget cuts it a better place for the students that come after us. Although Cardiff can feel like a place that you stay three years and then leave, this is not the case. As students and as residents of this city we have the power to change it for the better. The council will continue to discuss these matters until the final budget decision is made when the council meets on 26th February.

If you would like to get involved in this issue or any other issues concerning Cardiff budget you can find more information at www.cardiff.gov.uk/budget.

-Elouise Hobbs

18

The Fantastic Four

CulturE

Quench Culture section weighing in with our four favourite cultural things to do in Cardiff. try something new for the New Year!

1.

2.

3.

4.

Watch a film - Visit the Glee Get a ‘Castle explore st. key’ and visit Fagans or a show - at Club Cardiff Castle Chapter Chapter is a multi-artform venue that always has an amazing range of things happening. Chapter show National Theatre Live and Royal Shakespeare Company Live’s productions (film recordings of the original productions). Chapter are soon giving you the amazing opportunity to watch Maxine Peake as Hamlet, a ground-breaking production that should definitely not be missed.

If you’re a fan of live stand-up comedy you should make the Glee Club your first point of call. Here you can find a handpicked selection of the best headline comics on the circuit or fresh new breaking talent. The Glee club offers theatre style nights and is where many comedians start their UK tours. Previous comedians include everyone from Tim Minchin to Al Murray. What’s even better is that as a student you can often pick up a ticket for only a fiver.

As a student living in Cardiff you can get a Castle Key for just £5 that gives you free access to Cardiff castle for 3 years.

One of Europe’s foremost open-air museums and Wales’ most visited attraction is right on your doorstep! Plus admission is free! Enjoy the late 16th-century manor house and its gardens. St.Fagans is not only beautiful, it can give you a true insight into the lives of Welsh people throughout history.

-Jasmine Freeman

19

VS HIGH STREET

HIGH END

The debate of high street vs high end fashion is a forever ongoing battle between people in the fashion industry as there are many advantages and drawbacks for each. Rather than continuing to try to solve the puzzle ourselves, we have our fashion writers, Lucy Guy arguing in favour of high street clothing and Franciska Bodnar arguing in favour of high end fashion.

It’s an age old argument in fashion; is it quality over quantity or do you splash out on a few staple pieces that will cost a bomb but hopefully last you forever? Well after trying both options and having lived as a poor student, struggling to feed myself on a weekly basis for the past two and a half years, I have to say that cheaper is in fact better.

Fashion trends and what’s hot or not changes quicker than any of us can keep up with. So what’s the point of splashing out a tonne of money on something that will be deemed “so last season” within a couple of weeks?

Brands like ASOS, Pretty Little Thing and Fashion Union copy the trends that come straight out of the more expensive high street shops like Topshop or Zara, which in turn, copy everything off the designer catwalks post-fashion week.

Admittedly, these cheaper brands might not last quite as long as something designer but if you know you’re only going to being wearing it for a couple of months then what does it matter if your bright pink coat gets a hole in on the last day of winter, when according to fashion magazines hot

20

pink is the colour to avoid next year.

If you have the cash, then maybe it is worth spending a little more on an LBD that will never go out of fashion; but if you’re looking to stay up-to-date with what’s on the catwalk, what your favourite Victoria’s Secret model or what the Kardashian/ Jenner clan is currently wearing then you need to be ready to constantly update your wardrobe and that will soon start to eat into your pre-drinks budget if you aren’t willing to go cheaper.

Also, buying cheaper means you can get creative. So New Look only have the top you want in a size 16 left and you’re an eight, cut it up, bring in the waist, add some embellishments or turn it into a dress.

With your extra cash from buying cheaper you can let your creative side loose and create something that’s on trend but that no one else has. That definitely makes looking through YOLO pictures less awkward when you aren’t tagged in the same high-waisted black jeans and sparkly crop-top from Missguided as every other girl in the club…

If you aren’t yet convinced, think of it like this - buying cheaper clothes also means buying more clothes; it’s definitely a win.

Much of fashion and clothing nowadays is about mass consumption perhaps due to the fact that clothing can be bought so cheaply.

But the sad truth of cheap clothes (in most cases) is that they aren’t great quality since high quality materials cost a lot and have to be sold for a lot more.

But what do we know or care about this when it comes to entering the shiny, colourful retail stores that allow you to buy dozens of items of clothing without breaking the bank? Well yes, it’s great that you can own so many, but does this kind of mass consumption really make you happy?

Do you really appreciate the dozens of cheap clothes you buy? Are they all your favourite, perfectly made, ideally fitting and unique pieces of clothing?

It could be said that the more clothes you own, the more insignificant each of them become, since there are so many...how could they each have a special place in your wardrobe and special place in your heart?

Now you may be wondering, how exactly does a piece of clothing earn this special place, this privilege of being your favourite?

Well not buying in masses is a good start.

Think about it, the fewer pieces of clothing you’ll have, the more you’ll appreciate those few. This is a good example of that certain “less is more” attitude that many people often encourage.

What’s more is that by carefully picking between the clothes you buy and limiting your wardrobe to a number of

pieces, you could in fact be saving yourself a lot of money. This means that while you might think that expensive clothes don’t suit your budget and you can’t afford them, just by being selective like this, you could find that the money you save is enough to buy something more expensive, designer or high end brand and quality.

Aside from being more appreciative of your clothes, those being of the more expensive, higher end come with many more advantages. As I have said above, they are the pieces that are made of higher quality materials and are therefore better quality. They won’t need to be replaced so soon, they will be just as good as new even after several years. And if you choose the right designer clothes and they become your few favourites, you won’t feel the need to buy more, you’ll be content with those few perfect little favourites.

As for the changing fashion...yes it’s true that trends often change and it’s not always worth buying something expensive if it isn’t going to stay in fashion for a long time. A way to avoid that is by buying classic, timeless pieces that don’t go out of fashion.

Think basics and essentials that you wear a lot: A pair of designer jeans or a classic biker leather jacket will always look great on you, and also brighten up and make cheaper pieces of clothing look more high quality, just like them.

fashion & be auty

Lucy Woodham investigates the most popular item of clothing for women this SS15 - denim Is it boring to say that denim - as the most staple item of clothing - is taking the high street by storm this spring?

The answer is no, because denim is far from boring, and is probably the best material invented ever in the existence of fashion. It may seem silly to say, but denim is a trend to watch this SS15 after its huge dominance on the catwalks this winter.

Burberry Prorsum, for example, showed off a series of denim pieces, but one particular piece stood out amongst the rest- the classic denim jacket.

Haven’t already got a denim jacket in your wardrobe? Well giddy up, because the number one rule this spring is to own

one. Heavy denim jackets with faux fur shearling have been knocking around for some time, but they’re now being swapped for tight fitting, cropped jackets.

Think back to the 90s, to the first denim jacket your mum bought you in primary school (probably from Next kid’s collection), that same style is back, revamped and made stylish once more.

Catwalks showcased denim jackets in a variety of shades of blue, the most classic being a vintage wash, but a light shade of blue is going to be the key colour this spring. With fringing making a comeback this year, jackets may also be accessorized with fringing layers on the arms and back,

perfect for all those upand-coming festivals! But this denim frenzy doesn’t just come in the form of jackets; it’s making its mark in the dress, pinafore and shirt world too! If there wasn’t already a big enough selection of denim jeans out there, there’s about to be a hell of a lot more, especially flares following on from the 70’s trend which stormed the catwalks.

The denim jacket is going to be the best investment you make all year, so whether you buy it from denim big dogs like Levi, high street heartthrob Topshop or in a vintage shop like Hobos, you’ll definitely be getting your money’s worth in wear this spring.

2015 trend watch The statement stripe made its mark on the runway last year in collections from Gucci and Jonathan Saunders to CaselyHayford and Armani. The stripe was applied to a wide range of styles including tailored blazers and shirts, as well as casual everyday jumpers and accessories.

The catwalk showcased a multitude of different stripes, from vertical and horizontal stripes, to the Bengal stripe, the nautical stripe, and the multi-coloured stripe – so there’s no excuse not be wearing it this season. E. Tautz famously stood out on the runway with its sport and militaryinspired styles, designed in easy-to-wear colours such

as navy and white, stone and khaki.

The returning classic stripe means there will be no shortage of options this year. You may even be surprised to find a few hidden gems already lying in your wardrobe. If you already own a classic Breton top, why not extend your collection with striped tailoring? Opt for a striped nautical blazer with a plain white shirt for a light, but smart look.

Or if you’re feeling more adventurous, consider a thicker block stripe or a bold coloured knit to style a more casual and relaxed look to this timeless pattern.

U n d e r s t a n d a b l y, trying to make stripes

work for you can be difficult. If you are new to stripes, and not yet feeling confident enough to wear a bold statement piece, try teaming your traditional Breton tee with a pair of straight leg jeans or tailored chinos, and a smart pair of loafers for an off-duty, spring-ready look.

For a luxury look, with a high-street price tag, check out Zara’s new Spring/Summer 2015 collection, where you’ll find anything from cowl necks, to thin nautical jumpers, to floral-stripe combination t-shirts.

Urban Outftters is also a close high-street contender with their vintage take on the statement stripe.

And as for men? Nicole Petty reveals the new go-to trend this year - the statement stripe 21

REWIND:

Fashions of past decades With the new year ahead, there is more talk of new beginnings and the future of fashion than ever before. At Quench Fashion, we thought we’d pause time and rewind it for long enough to give past fashion eras the kind of recognition and appreciation they deserve. Brogan Gaymer takes us on a journey from the sixties to the noughties telling us all the things you need to know about fashion history before you’re ready to take on the future.

60s When the 1970s arrived, it seemed at first that the hippie fashion was there to stay.

There was a certain ethnicity to the clothes that both sexes were wearing, with large bohemian patterns adorned on peasant blouses and the infamous bell-bottom trousers. This style was not affiliated with either sex, as it became common for both men and women to wear this kind of apparel.

However, what was distinctly more female than male for obvious reasons was the iconic mini skirt. Whilst it initially came through in the 1960s, it cemented its status firmly in the 70s. The silhouette that the skirt created when worn alongside an oversized shirt was dubbed the ‘inverted triangle’ and came a result of women bemoaning the baggy hippie style and not

22

Let’s start at the beginning. Whilst the 1950s had its stylistic niches, it was the 1960s that was the decade that started afresh with a completely untouched avenue of fashion. Years on, it is now considered one of the most iconic decades in terms of image, style and influence.

It was an explosion of colour and prints bursting through the restricted seams of the 1950s, giving life to psychedelic patterns and ‘flower power’ apparel.

The hemlines rose and the hairstyles grew down or were cut off completely, all sparked by the model of the decade: Twiggy.

The face became a main feature, with makeup being used more heavily and liberally,

being able to show off their figures. The new tight silhouette also sparked the disco craze in which sequin halter neck tops and spandex “short shorts” were being worn frequently to nightclubs.

The other huge and somewhat surprising trend of the 1970s was the sweater. It may seem unusual, but the sweater became the most coveted fashion item of the decade and it has been said that a whole look could be judged purely on the type of sweater you were wearing.

The sweater was multifunctional as it could be worn in a variety of ways: a dress, a coat and even a suit. This kooky phenomenon characterised the freedom that was explored in the era, as both men and women were redefining social expectation.

accentuating the eyes and minimising the lips. People were far more style conscious than ever before and every outing into daily life became a fashion parade.

It was a decade of decadence, not only with style, but also with attitude and beliefs as the two clashing groups, mods and rockers, emerged. Whilst their clashes hit the papers, it was the clothes that caught the attention of the wannabe fans who wanted to imitate their chosen groups ideals. Against the backdrop of a conservative Britain, the young generation were rebelling and it was the outlet of fashion that showcased their disobedience and artistic flair.

70s

fashion & be auty

As Madonna chanted “strike a pose”, she heralded in the most flamboyant era of them all. Colour is the operative word to describe this ostentatious decade, and the brighter the better.

When the fitness craze hit, the neon leg warmers and the sweat bands styled with the tight leggings were the new obsession and the Jane Fonda workout became the most popular choice of exercise, retaining its fame even today.

However, it wasn’t all athletics and hard work; the decadence of the previous two eras still lived on, mainly in the form of the two icons of the decade; for the girls, Madonna, and for the boys, Michael Jackson. Madonna’s style epitomised the concept of the “Street Urchin”, which entailed short skirts worn over leggings, huge amounts of jewellery including rubber bracelets and gaudy crucifix

necklaces and messy hair with the roots showing.

She also started the trend of lingerie clothing, wearing tight, corseted bodices, as shown by her infamous cone bra designed by Jean Paul Gaultier. Michael Jackson in his own unique way showcased his exuberant style with the oversized leather jackets and shoulder pads, the white gloves and the smouldering aviator sunglasses.

Shoulder pads were also coveted by the stars of the hugely popular television show Dynasty and Joan Collins, soon to become a Dame, was another style icon of the decade.

This kind of power dressing paved the way for the following era when women became more androgynous than ever before.

90s The “naughty noughties” as some have called it, initially carried on with the tomboy styles of the 1990s. The crop tops and the baggy trousers weaved their way through into the early part of the decade but along the way developed into the concept known as Y2K fashion.

This style was technological in its look with signature mesh tops, metallic trousers and shiny accessories. No other look could define this better than the outfit worn by Britney Spears in her “Oops I Did It Again” video, which was not only futuristic in its fashion, but also in its concept.

80s

GIRL POWER. It is ironic really that in the decade dominated by the biggest girl group in the world, fashion had taken a turn on the tomboy side with combat trousers, bulky biker boots and shorn off hairstyles.

Grunge dominated the era with girls embracing the leather jackets, dark make up and enormous round shades.

The emergence of Kate Moss during this time further elevated the style to superior ranks. Her relationship with Johnny Depp, also one of the male style icons at this point, made them the most stylish couple in town, sporting matching leather and ripped jeans together. How cute.

Depp also led the emerging trend of tattoos covering the whole body and

However, what this era is ultimately known for is its practice of reinvention.

In reality, this era didn’t introduce any particular stylistic niches in the way that decades before had.

Instead, it chose to reinvent and reinvigorate the old trends of the previous 40 years. 2004 saw the revival of 80s fashion in the form of distressed apparel.

2006 welcomed the comeback of the 60s mini dress.

What is clear, is that old fashions came back to be redefined and the fashion elite revelled in their opportunity to put their stamp on fashion history.

latterly this sparked a piercing mania in which ears, noses and other body parts were being punctured, all in the name of fashion.

The infamous ‘Rachel’ cut as worn

by Jennifer Aniston in hit sitcom Friends became the most iconic hairstyle of the decade, with women all over the world replicating the look. The looks of this era are the most imitated in the teen fashion world today with the newly dubbed Hollywood “brat pack”, including the likes of Ireland Baldwin and Kylie Jenner, frequently donning grungey attire. They do say that you’re mostly influenced by your peers, and as the Spice Girls wisely said, “if you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends...”

00s 23

Grace Kelly

Although long gone, Grace Kelly’s image still appears regularly in fashion news and magazines.

Her beauty, class and seemingly fairytale lifestyle continues to inspire not only writers and cinematographers, but designers too.

E v e n before she took up her duties as a princess, Kelly was famous for her style and had taken her place among the notably fashionable stars. Her clothes rarely revealed too much, but never looked uptight or boring. Think buttoned up shirts, bare back dresses and ankle length bell skirts.

This summer is the

24

time to be inspired by the former Princess of Monaco.

Try teaming a long high-waisted skirt with a blouse tucked in, and a paired with a pair of ballet pumps. Add a pair of cat-eyed sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat and you are good to go.

Women dreamt of being Grace Kelly. She inspired a more modest and sophisticated style, revolutionising the fashion industry with her minimalism and class.

Her elegant simplicity is something that designers and bloggers value and strive to achieve in their looks up to this day.

Hanneli herself is the ultimate fashion blogger – model, turned stylist, turned photographer, turned online blogging sensation.

She can often be spotted roaming the streets in soft, neutral colors, with a camera in one hand and clutch in the other. Crop tops, oversized sweaters, and buttoned down shirts define her effortless look.

By balancing shape and color, she always manages to look elegant and poised.

Take a leaf out of her book this spring/summer by combining skirts and jeans with white t-shirts.

You can never go wrong by sporting minimalistic

designs and light colors.

Hanneli became one of the first fashion bloggers to inspire the online fashion industry and many others followed in her footsteps. Her style is memorable, feminine and differs with a certain simplicity that other street style celebrities lack.

Thanks to her experience, Hanneli has managed to acquire a timeless French chic look and combine it perfectly with the bustling New York vibe, an image that corresponds synonymously with the feminine yet practical woman we all strive to resemble.

Hanneli Mustaparta

FASHION ICONS STEPHANY DAMYANOVA REVIEWS SOME OF THE FASHION WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL ICONS FROM PAST TO PRESENT

Karl Lagerfeld

Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs was a sensation in the fashion world before he even knew he wanted to be one.

His designs changed dramatically thought his career. He started out creating clothes for Perry Ellis, a label that already had a predefined style, and was only able to step into his own field later on when he created Marc Jacobs. From then on, he became best known for his rebel vibe, and with the way he revolutionised Louis Vuitton when taking over the creative director position.

Jacobs’ style is defined by critics as ‘street wise aesthetics – a mash up of a little preppie, a little

White hair, black sunglasses, high starched collars and black suits; Karl Lagerfeld has managed to combine these simple items and turn himself into an inspirational icon for fashionistas and bloggers alike.

Karl has managed to stick to the foundations of Chanel, but has made his mark by changing minor details, and by making the brand more provocative and unique. He has transformed the label into something not only suitable for ladylike women, but also for young contemporary people too.

Co coC hanel designed by the principle of ‘less is more’ and Lagerfeld hasn’t forgotten that; his entire image is based on minimalism.

Although his creations might, at times, seem provocative, simplicity is always hidden at the base of what he does.

A l t h o u g h controversy surrounds his image, Karl has remained both scandalous and iconic to the fashion world and to this day continues to shock and excite the public with his creations.

The fashion world can’t seem to get enough of him.

grunge, a little couture.’ He was one of the first to introduce such a vast collaboration of styles and make it popular. His clothes are provocative, but rarely racy, something he claims in interviews to intentionally have avoided throughout the years.

He brings punk, goth and grunge back onto the catwalk by combining them with a soft femininity, making them more wearable and elegant.

You can always use Marc Jacobs’ style as inspiration to mix things up. Try sporting your favourite blouse with a pair of ripped jeans and add a leather jacket to achieve that bad girl look.

fashion & Be auty

the POWER of FASHION I have over 20 lipsticks in my make-up box, and at least 5 of them are a shade of red. And don’t even get me started on coats – I feel the need to have every style out there. Trust me, there are so many to choose from. Shoe-wise, I am not happy with a wide variety of styles; I need the same style in every colour possible too.

Despite having heaps of clothes and accessories, like any girl, I have a select few items that will never let me down. They will never be given to charity, or tossed into bin liners when the spring clean comes around every few years. That trusty lipstick, that trusty bag, those jeans that fit me like a glove, and the shoes that make me feel like I’m from Chelsea when in reality I am in the slums of Cathays.

These are, what I like to call, our Woody. Just like toy story, this outfit will always be with us, just like Woody will always be with Andy, except our love is stronger, because we brought our Woody to University.

Think back to the days when you just need a little pick-me-up, when you’re feeling bloated from all the food and booze you indulged in over Christmas,.This outfit saves you every time. Let’s face it, we all have one, and it is so much more than just an outfit.

It is the power you feel as you slap on your lipstick.

The way it makes you feel, the confidence it gives you, and the smile it brings to your face. The moment you spray your signature scent, and instantly feel like a million dollars. Clothes-wise, the trusted Little Black Dress will never let you down. Combined with a bit of sultry red lippy and a spray of perfume, what could go wrong when you look and feel that good?

The perfect outfit isn’t always the definition of glamour. For me, it certainly is not the best of the best; it’s a pair of £10 H&M jeans – the colour has now faded and there is a hole in the crotch, but if I wear black knickers, nobody knows. Granted, it’s probably not the best look, but they

are the epitome of comfort and make me feel like a superstar. Paired with my chunky leather boots and my bag that looks good with anything, there’s no showstopper dress I’d trade this outfit for.

Whether your perfect outfit is a sexy dress and killer heels, or your boyfriend’s hoodie and a pair of jeans, they both have the same effect. And that lady and gents, is the power of fashion. When asked, most would probably say the former gets more attention, but in retrospect, I actually don’t think what you’re wearing matters at all; what matters is how you channel your outfit, and how it makes you feel. Think Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries when she goes through the transition of a plain, pale-skinned, spotty teenager with uncontrollable frizzy hair to a sassy, confident princess. The perfect outfit gives you confidence, makes you hold your head up high, walk your most catwalk-like walk with a Cheshire cat smile.

You have probably noticed that when you are feeling this good, you get the most attention you’ve ever got.

You accept that it’s probably because you are wearing your perfect outfit and you are simply looking great. But the funny thing is that the perfect outfit isn’t about getting attention. The perfect outfit is about you. It’s about thinking about what you’d rather wear instead of what the magazines tell you to wear, what you think your crush would like, or what the world wants.

When I wear my hole-in-crotch jeans, I am sure as hell not thinking about the people around me; if that were the case, do you really think I would walk around with holes in places that should be covered? But all jokes aside, I think that’s when you shine the most; when you are in your element, feeling on top of the world, strutting your stuff like there’s no tomorrow, in anything from a ball gown to your grandmother’s home knitted cardigan.

Fashion is the yellow brick road to confidence.

Whilst some might think that fashion is simply a way of dressing yourself, others believe it to have a far greater influence than that and see it as an effective tool for self-expression. Ciara Rafter investigates just how fashion has the power to change not only the way we look but also the way we feel. illustrations by Naomi Wong.

25

PLACES ON

12 1.

YOUR 2015 TRAVEL WISHLIST

January is the month to begin planning the travel adventures for the year. Quench Travel brings you

Melbourne, Australia

12 must-see destinations to add to your bucket list,

Melbourne is best known for its street art and its beaches. A city that also boasts a wide range of shops that caters for every taste, as well as the beautiful Yarra Valley, which is Victoria’s finest wine region. The most popular sites for tourists include the old Melbourne Gaol and the Eureka Skydeck 88 (a glass cube that slides you out from the buildings 88th floor for an unbeatable view of Melbourne and beyond!).

from sun and sea to historical monuments there is something for everyone.

3.

2.

Credit: Jodi / Flickr

Gili Trawangan, Lombok

Credit: Steven Wright

Credit: Olivia Waltho

The street art found in the central business district, Hosier Lane, consists of stencils, paste-ups and murals. Love it or hate it, this art is indisputably the iconic and controversial intersection between modern city culture and art. No exploration of Melbourne’s culture is complete without a glimpse of this underground art. More of which is to be found in Fitzroy, the alternative quarter, abundant with art galleries, record shops, bookshops, vintage clothes shops and quirky bars.

26

The most popular spot in the Gili Islands for backpackers wanting to relax for a couple of days on the white sandy beaches, watching the sun go down at the sunset swing, then heading to the beach shacks and partying all night under the stars! During the day snorkel or swim with sea turtles. Sea kayaking and scuba diving are the main attractions on the island; you can even swim with sharks, if you’re mad enough!

Gili T is a small island with no roads or

cars; the only means of transport are a horse and cart or bicycles (it takes about 45 minutes to cycle around the whole island!). If you’re feeling really energetic, you can trek up Lombok’s nearby Mount Rinjani, where you can walk around the rim of the volcano! If exercise isn’t for you, then you can treat yourself to a spa day; massages and yoga classes are widely available. Any day should be finished off with the locally sourced seafood.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca city is said to be a city of treasures!

Oaxaca’s historic centre and archaeological site of Monte Alban deems the city a world heritage site. The city has beautiful architecture from the Spanish Barqoue era, whilst the monuments at Monte Alban are encrypted with hieroglyphics recanting history through the ages. Wander through the bustling streets and browse through the traditional Mexican markets, the largest being ‘Central de Abastos’, which presents an array of traditional dishes, local produce and beautiful, vibrant handmade crafts from locals.

CULTURE

4.

5.

6.

Marrakech, Morocco

A buzzing city, rich with culture and a maze of souqs where the Berber tribes once used to trade slaves, gold, ivory and leather. However, nowadays it is filled with travellers looking for traditional Moroccan carpets and babouches. The craftsmen and artists’ creations have evolved hugely in an attempt to connect the city’s modernity with its traditionalism. Marrakech’s largest traditional hammam, Hammam dar el-bacha, is prioritised for women in the evening after a day of losing your bearings in the maze of market stalls. Camel trekking through the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara desert is a really popular and different way of travelling to Fez.

Credit: Katie Moore

Credit: Sarah1990/ WikimediaCommons

Iceland is a country that is still volcanically active. Due to this it is the home of many natural hot springs and spas, the most famous being ‘Blue Lagoon’. It’s situated in the middle of a black lava field, with milky-teal water that comes from the futuristic Svartsengi geothermal plant.

The water consists of 70 percent seawater and 30 percent fresh water at a temperature of 38˚ celsius, so it’s the equivalent of a natural warm bath that is lined with fine silica mud and mineral salts, which condition and exfoliate the skin!

Not only does Iceland have natural spas, but also during solstice you can see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) - a festival called ‘secret solstice’ which is located near Rekyavik, happens over three days and nights over the solstice period when the sun doesn’t set!

Credit: Katie Moore

Rekyavik, Iceland

Zanzibar (Island), East Africa

Credit: Andrew Moore/Fwlickr Credit: Roman Boed/Flickr

Credit: Rod Waddington/Flickr

Walk the cobbled alleyways of Zanzibar’s old stone town and discover its wonderfully traditional heart; the doors in Zanzibar are remarkable, influenced by Arabic and Indian architecture, while the family-run shops include leather sandals and a huge variety of spices that come from the island.

Zanzibar offers spice tours so you can see how and where the spices originate; vanilla, nutmeg and cloves are their biggest produce and their biggest export. The locals love to climb up the coconut trees to offer you some of their fresh produce, singing to you while they climb. Their favourite catchphrase is ‘asante sana, squashed banana’ (‘Asante sana’ is thank you in Swahili).

Zanzibar beaches are the best place to sit back and relax after a safari in either Tanzania or Kenya, it’s near location to the barrier reef means the scuba diving here is amazing!

27

8.

9.

Whistler Blackcomb,

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Canada

Credit: Yan Boechat/Flickr

Bolivia

The place that seems to be at the top of most peoples list in Bolivia is ‘Salar de Uyuni’, the world’s largest salt flat. It’s so unique and vast and never ceases to amaze people. The salt flats both during the day and at sunset make for awesome pictures, so don’t forget to take some good props! If you go on a tour there you have the options to visit red and green coloured lakes where flamingos flock, hot geyser fields and hot springs. Geologically a wonderful place to visit!

‘Death road’ is another attraction. There are bike treks down the hill if you have the nerve to risk your life. When in La Paz, you have to try their empanadas, visit the witches’ market, and the coca museum (locals chew coca leaves to help with the high altitude!).

A short ride from Vancouver, Whistler is the most popular ski resort with seasonaires and Americans. It’s the biggest ski terrain in North America, with a range of off-hill activity and a notorious après-ski scene! Every January, Whistler hosts competitions for freestyle professionals in their ginormous park, the biggest names in freestyle all show off their new tricks and try to win the number one position. Later in the season, Whistler celebrates the World Ski & Snowboard Festival, bringing everything that matters in the ski world to whistler: clothes, professionals, music and the best ski films.

Credit: Pedro Szekely/Wikimedia Commons

If you’re a fan of David Attenborough, then the Galapagos Islands are perfect for you; he calls the islands ‘one of the wonders of the natural world’. Ecotourism controls the amount of tourists that can visit the island to help preserve it’s beauty and unique wildlife which includes: Galapagos giant tortoises, marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins and Galapagos fur seals, to name just a few.

Puerto Egas is a long, flat, black lava shoreline where eroded shapes form lava pools, caves and inlets that house a variety of wildlife.

Behind this shoreline, sugarloaf volcano can be found, if you follow the track it will lead you to an extinct crater where feral goats tend to lurk!

Credit: Neal Jennigs/Flickr

7.

28

CULTURE

10.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Credit: Rodrigo Gomes Da Paixao/fFickr

A city famous for its long beaches, its mountainous surroundings, the statue of Christ the Redeemer towering over the city and its carnival!

You can take a cable car up Sugar Loaf Mountain to see the whole of Rio, from there you can take a train through the Tijuca rainforest to the statue of Christ, which is situated on top of the Corcovado mountain. The Rio Carnival lasts for four days in February, whereupon it has traditional parades, everyone dances to the samba and all the streets are converted into parties! Ipanema and Copacabana are the favourite neighbourhoods and beaches in Rio for visitors. Copacabana Fort is an old military base built on a rock, which gives you a fantastic panoramic view of the Copacabana Bay and the Sugar Loaf mountain.

11.

Credit: Daniele Borgia / Flickr

The Inca Trail, Peru

Peru’s Inca Trail sounds extraordinary; from the ancient Inca temples hidden in the Peruvian mountains, to the cathedrals in the capital of Inca (Cusco), to the colourful markets in the Sacred Valley of the Inca, the towering stones of the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, and of course, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the ruins of Machu Picchu (the Inca’s ‘Lost City’). The hike to Machu Picchu is said to be exhausting, but completely worthwhile when you reach the top because the views are formidable.

12.

Nepal is best known for its trekking routes, the main of which is the route to base camp for the hikers who want to conquer Mount Everest. A diverse country from subtropical forest to soaring Himalayan peaks. The Buddhist temple at Swayambhunath, also known as ‘Monkey Temple’, sounds like a really interesting place to visit, as the architecture of this temple is very symbolic to the Buddhist religion. You can go on an elephant safari in Chitwan national park where from on top of the elephant you can scour the treeline for exotic bird species and spy the dense marshland, which is infested with crocodiles and other reptiles!

Credit: Jean-Marie Hullot/fFickr

Nepal

WORDS - LUCY PIERCE ILLUSTRATIONS - BRYN EVANS

29

berlin street art Germany has seen more than its fair share of world history, and in the capital, traces of the nation’s past can be seen on its very streets. Lucy Pierce investigates the scene on behalf of Quench Travel

The 9th November marked the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. In commemoration, the wall was illuminated with thousands of balloons.

But beyond events like this, more long-term memorials have been etched into the city. The East-side gallery is the longest stretch of the Berlin wall still standing at 1.3 km.

At the end of the Second World War, 118 artists travelled from all over the world to document the atrocities of the war, political statements and the current global issues. They are a visual testimony of a change in time, a liberation that the people of Berlin hoped would bring a better, more free future.

Credit: Günther Schaefer

“Vaterland” (Fatherland), seen above, by Günther Schaefer, is a flag that was created for the 9th November 1988 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Progrom, ‘Reichkristallnacht’. The flag symbolizes unification and the basic humanitarian ideas of peace and unity among all people and races in the world. It served as a warning against all fascist tendencies in East and West Germany.

30

Credit: hellabella / Flickr

travel “Mein Gott, hilf mir, diese tödliche Liebe zu überleben” (My God, Help me to survive this deadly love) by Dmitri Vrubel is one of the best known graffiti paintings on the East Side Gallery, that replicates the iconic photo capturing the famed embrace between Leonid Brezhnev (Chairman of the Soviet Union) and Erich Honecker (Chairman of East Gallery) in 1979, after they signed a ten year agreement of mutual support.

This painting by Kani Alavi, “Es geschah im November” (It happened in November) is very symbolic. The wave of East Berliners breaking through the wall to meet up with loved ones after 28 years. The artist witnessed the fall of the Berlin wall with his own eyes and as he watched the people from the East entering West Germany, it occurred to him, “I was expecting to see happy and excited faces, but as I observed them closely, I also saw sad, insecure and frightened faces”.

This image stuck in his head and was his inspiration, the image of uncertainty.

“it served as a warning against all fascist tendencies”

31

“Diagonale Lösung Des Problems” (The Diagonal Solution To Problems) by Michail Serebrjakow shows the simple gesture of a ‘thumps up’. This would usually be interpreted as everything being fine, but the chain suggests otherwise- it won’t allow a ‘thumbs down’. These paintings show an expression of the people’s emotions. They had no rights, those that were in charge controlled everything. There was no option of fighting back; everyone had to pretend that they were happy. This piece of art alludes to the enforced positivity that was imposed upon the city.

Credit: Hagens World / Flickr

“everyone had to pretend that they were happy”

Credit: lanamh.livejournal.com

Andrej Smolak’s “Ohne Titel” sends a very powerful message. Both the fingers and the dove symbolize peace. The dove is pulling the chain attached to the captive hand, whilst the wall shows just how both sides longed for harmony. Peace, freedom, and unity are the main themes that jump out at you as you walk along the east side gallery.

32

travel

The neighbourhood of FriedrichshainKreuzberg is located on the West side of the Berlin wall and has become a very popular hub for travellers because of its diversity and street-art. The West side has a history of street art, dating back from the 1970s till the 1990s. Since the reunification, Berlin has become one of Europe’s street art strongholds and the home of many international street-artists, due to the area’s ramshackle buildings and blind walls, and this gave rise to the vibrant street art scene seen today. If you take a walk around Kreuzberg, you can see huge works, often taking up the whole side of a building!

The most prolific street artist around Kreuzberg, is Italian artist BLU. His aim is to connect the community that inhabits the neighbourhood with his epic scale murals, which show the freedom of creativity.

This location was chosen because it was where one of the 12 border checkpoints of where the Berlin Wall once stood. Keeping this tragic point in history in mind, BLU painted “Shackled By Time”, an image of a headless man fastening a tie and wearing two gold watches, which are connected by a gold chain reminiscent of handcuffs.

“reminiscent of the terrible nazi regime ”

Here, BLU has painted “The Pink Man”: a mammoth pink creature about to consume a smaller human is actually pieced together with hundreds of smaller pink men. The minuscule pink naked men with looks of pain etched on their faces are all tied together to form one giant monster. With his gaping mouth and vacant eyes, the evil demon is going to eat the one person who is an individual, the white man breaking away from the mould. It could be read as society’s evils constantly devouring those who try to seek independence and freedom by choosing to not conform: reminiscent of the terrible Nazi regime of previous years.

33

New / N ew y dd

Whilst Harry Styles collaborates with Meghan Trainor and ‘Uptown Funk’ continues being ‘Uptown Funk’, we pick some of the most promising new artists to look out for this month

Lucas A wise fellow once said ‘Lucas is good.’ This wise fellow, better known as Ryan Hemsworth – a firm favourite of Quench Music if you hadn’t guessed – along with his helpful habit of catapulting artists into the spotlight, has given RnB producer Lucas the seal of approval. Matt Lucas (no, not that Matt Lucas) of Seattle, Washington, comes equipped with a short catalogue of starry-eyed sounds that range from full blown trap to cutesy, jazz inspired electronica ditties. A man of many talents, Lucas is a sure fire tip for the big time.

For Fans Of: Ryan Hemsworth, Baths, Frank Ocean Download: ‘Made Me,’ ‘Keep U Warm’ soundcloud.com/yung-lucas @LucasMusicQQ

Kind Of Like Spitting Kind Of Like Spitting are not a new band. In 1996, they formed, disbanding a decade later; nearly a decade later again, Kind Of Like Spitting are back, their sound as gritty as ever. The trio’s Topshelf Records debut It’s Always Nice To See You drops in February, and if ‘Bullied By A Bee’ is anything to go by it’s set to be a confusing – yet pleasing – amalgamation of all our favourite rock subgenres. It promises to stand out from the crowd, yes, but reliably, recognizably and respectably. Sound exciting? It bloody well is.

For Fans Of: Yuck, Pavement, Modest Mouse Download: ‘Bullied By A Bee’

KLOË

ESC Hailing from Houston, Elliot Samuel Cheng boasts an affiliation with the Illuminati and a fuzzy brand of hip-pop that’s warmer than a soak in the bath on a snow day; he’s got it nailed and, at risk of sounding ‘gushy,’ ESC is brilliant. He’s filling the groovy shaped hole in life that you never knew was there, the space that only music with complimentary all over body shivers can occupy. ESC may have only released his first song in November of last year, and his SEO may be up there with Jungle for ‘most fruitless Google search results returned ever,’ but he’s creating songs worthy of recognition, and if that’s not reason to give him a try then what is?

For Fans Of: Blood Orange, Michael Jackson and East 17 Download: ‘Only One’ soundcloud.com/ellcheng

34

January is fucking miserable; everyone is either trying to lose weight or whining about how much money they spent on soon-to-be-eBayed gifts for distant relatives over the Christmas period.

By the 29th, most of these people have spent even more money drowning their sorrows in Special Buy Rosé in order to forget about their newfound ‘poverty,’ or, neglected their shiny new running trainers for the jar of Lotus Biscuit Spread that seems far more comforting than a slap around the face by the bitter winds that characteristically accompany a 6am jog in the British Isles. Up and coming pop stars tend to offer a welcome respite to the unbearable mélange of #fitness and pictures of salads – the Special Buy is pardoned – and this Glaswegian teen is about as good as it gets; ignore her at your own risk.

For Fans Of: BANKS Download: ‘Grip’ soundcloud.com/kloemusic @kloemusic

MUSIC

ON THE LOOKOUT Quench Music tell us what they’re looking forward to in the coming year

-2015-

35

36

ALBUM: JOEY BADASS B4.DA.A$$

Joey Bada$$, the up-and-coming Brooklyn native and figurehead for the hip-hop collective Pro Era, is riding on the back of two acclaimed releases in 2012’s 1999 and 2013 EP Summer Knights.

B4.DA.$$ (pronounced ‘Before The Money’) continues the formula that Joey has established over his short career of bass-heavy, 90’s influenced production, along with a smooth and refined flow

that relies on clever lyricism. A few excellent singles from B4.DA.$$ have already been released, including ‘Christ Conscious’ and ‘Curry Chicken’, that have added to the already considerable hype surrounding Joey Bada$$ himself.

This release is, without a doubt, one of the major hip-hop albums to look out for in the upcoming year.

–Jack Boyce

NEWCOMER: JAGAARA

It would be easy to label Jagaara as the British Haim, and admittedly, on first listen, this is a fair comparison to make.

Yet, the three sisters from Finchley have a sound that feels darker, with heady synths and looming harmonies alluding to a more retrospective musical direction.

Their lyrics are steeped in nostalgia and

delivered with a self-awareness that has seen them picked up by the same management as Foals and Peace. The trio are set to release more material in 2015, with songs that will no doubt continue to create an indie-ambience like a school disco in slow motion.

–Louis Browne

MUSIC

NEWCOMER: LÅPSLEY

OLD FAVOURITES: ENTER SHIKARI

NEWCOMER: HONNE

ALBUM: RADIOHEAD

As we enter the New Year, speculation surrounding the next big thing in music begins. Last year saw the rise of the solo artist, which is set to continue throughout 2015. For fresh take on the increasingly overworked formula add Låpsley to your playlist. The 18-year-old singer songwriter from Southport writes and produces all her material, joining the growing number of self-producing

female artists. Her debut EP, Understudy, was released in the first week of January and showcases her impressive vocals alongside her clear compositional and production talents. Låpsley combines heartfelt lyrics with minimalist electro pop to create an ambient sound. An artist hotly tipped for the year ahead, Låpsley is definitely one to look out for.

–Jess Rayner

Self-confessed genre abusing madmen Enter Shikari are back for 2015 and set to have their most mental year yet.

Since 2003, the St. Albans quartet have grown from strength to strength, and their latest project, The Mindsweep, certainly follows the trend. Having previously teased us with tracks such as ‘The Last Garrison’, ‘Never Let Go Of The Microscope’ and ‘Slipshod’, it’s clear that the boys have been experimenting with old sounds and new, making for some awesomely exciting listening. Not only does a new album mean new music, but

it also means Enter Shikari will grace us with their presence once more for their first full length UK tour since 2012.

Notorious for their live shows, Enter Shikari are loud, electric and totally reckless. If you haven’t seen the band before and managed to get your hands on tickets to one of their many sold out January shows, you’re in for a treat. With a busy year ahead, including a headlining slot at Download Festival, it looks like 2015 will be a year to remember for Enter Shikari.

–Alice Hoddinott

Honne’s sound runs over you, as viscous as it is lusty, teasing your senses like the high before a tickle. The London duo have fused gritty soul vocals with downbeat production and soft keys to create what critics have called a ‘re-invention of baby-making music.’ Selling out their debut show before releasing an official single, Honne have a carefully curated

When Thom Yorke speaks, the world listens. At least, it seemed that way when a series of cryptic tweets and photos were uploaded to his twitter account.

Taken from ‘15 years of discarded words and pictures’, what really intrigued his followers is they were being uploaded while ‘overdubs happen’ in the Radiohead studio. Its rare that Radiohead fans get excited – given their penchant for the downbeat and melancholy – but if anything can bring them from forlorn to fired-up, it’s the promise of a new album.

Radiohead are like black olives, they

Soundcloud page to thank. With tracks that echo their artistry while remaining aloof and alluring, there is no questioning their potential to be 2015’s Jungle or James Blake. Filmic and consuming, the sound of Honne will keep you company late at night, though do be warned; it will bite your ear lobe on the way down.

–Louis Browne

annoy you at first because they keep turning up unexpected in places they shouldn’t, but once you get used to the taste you start asking for them, despite people’s weird looks. Initial disdain for their refusenik alternative UK grunge image is replaced by wide-eyed fanboy/ girlism. Given Yorke’s recent release of the eerily emotive, minimalistic Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes, it seems like great things are on their way from the masters of morose.

–Greg McChesney

THE FESTIVAL HEADLINER The Beatles Hologram Glastonbury THE SURPRISE ALBUM DROP Adele – 25 FIRST ONE DIRECTION MEMBER TO FOLD Zayn Malik INDIE LABEL TAKEOVER PC Music MOST MIMICKED SONG ‘Uptown Funk’ – Mark Ronson (feat. Bruno Mars) CHRISTMAS NO. 1 The Wealdstone Raider

F R E C A S T 2 1 5

GENRE IN REVIVAL Pop Punk TOTAL WORLD DOMINATION Taylor Swift

37

SoHN Tremors

CAriBou our love

ToDD TErJE It’s Album Time

Vienna-based, English-born Christopher Taylor - aka SOHN – has a lot to offer, as evidenced by the release of his debut Tremors in April of last year. Taylor had already been attracting the attention of numerous big names as a producer, engineering tracks for the likes of BANKS, Lana Del Rey and even 2015’s next-big-thing Kwabs, but Tremors demonstrated a whole new side to his ingenious musicianship. The distorted vocals and ethereal soundscapes flow over the listener with consummate ease, from the harsh drums and sweetly-sampled backbeat of lead single ‘Artifice’ to the opening 30 seconds of ‘Tempest’ in which Taylor announces amidst a backdrop of distortion, “Oh Lord I got lost along the way”.

One of the year’s most experimental LPs and one that oozes natural talent, Tremors indicates a long, successful career is awaiting Christopher Taylor.

—Max Goldbart

Our Love finds Dan Snaith’s Caribou combining the psychedelic pop of his early releases with the dance floor workouts of his Daphni sideproject. The effervescent ‘Can’t Do Without You,’ shimmering and gorgeous, sets up the theme of the album; love. From the synth-pop break-up ballad of ‘Back Home’, to the devotional album closer ‘Your Love Will Set You Free,’ Snaith still finds room to experiment; from the sampled voices, aggressive drumming and flute loop on ‘Mars’ to the woozy synths that underpin ‘Second Chance’. However cerebral the album may become, it never loses its beating heart; complicated and ambiguous it may be, but that heart is ultimately what makes the album such a subtle triumph.

—Taliesin Davies

The legions of disco producer Todd Terje’s fans have been waiting ten long years for an album, and It’s Album Time didn’t disappoint. It bounces from funky piano jazz to zingy 60s lounge all the way back to the dance classics that he built his name on. Tracks like ‘Svensk Sas’ that zip along at a ludicrous pace and sound like a pastiche of a Nordic ‘Spanish Flea’ are Todd’s way of telling the world that dance music still has a sense of fun.

The album calms down as Bryan Ferry provides vocals on ‘Johnny and Mary’, a gorgeous and haunting cover of the Robert Palmer ballad, before it closes off with the timeless anthem ‘Inspector Norse’. Todd Terje was right; it was album time, and as far as we’re concerned, it still is.

—Henry Atkinson

From FKA twigs to Bombay Bicycle Club and Death From Above 1979 to Caribou, Quench Music round up the records that made 2014

albums of 2014 38

MUSIC

FKA TwigS lP1 Tahliah Barnett began her career appearing in music videos for other artists. Yet, when twigs was born, something more exciting took over. Her debut, LP1, landed last year and showcases her unique vision as an artist; the eerie blend of energetic bass and delicate, often vulnerable lyrics secured her spots in best album lists-aplenty. The album is representative of a new future for music, with twigs offering a completely new sound and that cannot be categorised. Stand out tracks ‘Two Weeks,’ ‘Pendulum’ and ‘Video Girl’ are experimental, synth heavy and a testament to the strength of her musical talent.

—Zak Maoui

“Her debuT, LP1, LAnded LAST YeAr And SHowcASeS Her unIque VISIon AS An ArTIST; THe eerIe bLend of energeTIc bASS And deLIcATe, ofTen VuLnerAbLe LYrIcS Secured Her SPoTS In beST ALbum LISTS-A-PLenTY”

ST. ViNCENT BoMBAY BiCYCLE CLuB st. Vincent So Long, See You Tomorrow It’s been one hell of a year for Annie Clark. Her eponymous fourth solo outing oozes jaggedy, obscure chording and serious guitar shred, sludgy effects laced with a voice that could belong to no other. Whilst waxing lyrical on taking out the garbage and masturbating, she’s given us something unorthodox but relatable all in the space of 40 minutes; a clunky European rhythm crossed with twisted, epic guitar lines are slipped beneath an everyday, understated and overall human musical aesthetic. On ‘Digital Witness’ she states ‘I want all of your mind,’ but if St. Vincent has proved anything in 2014, it’s that she already has all of ours.

—-Veryan Leaper

After their longest gap between records yet, much expectation rested on Bombay’s fourth studio album. But, much like a long crafted sculpture, So Long, See You Tomorrow proved to be their most successful record to date. Combining influences from all over the globe, no one song sounds the same. So Long, See You Tomorrow marks a triumphant peak in the band’s musical evolution, culminating the talents and nuanced taste of each member. Of course, there are the stand out singles such as the jubilant ‘Luna’ and ‘Carry Me’, but it’s the record’s hidden gems that make So Long… what it is; ‘Home By Now’ combines hip-hop rhythms with the bands distinctive style and finishing on a climatic high, the title track culminates its musical journey. If there’s one album to take away from this year of music, make it So Long, See You Tomorrow.

—Jade Attwood

ZoLA JESuS Taiga Heralding Taiga as her first official pop album, Nika Donilova has risen to new heights with her experimental growth as Zola Jesus. Whilst opening track, ‘Taiga’, may have similarities to some of her previous, more gothic projects, popheavy lead single ‘Dangerous Days’ lies in stark contrast. Stand out track, ‘Go (Blank Sea)’, is bold, its melodramatic chorus adding to what makes Taiga so sonically cohesive. Amongst consistent haunting vocals, synthesisers and honest songwriting, there are still moments of obvious exploration, breaking up the album periodically. Although her musical transition was likely to cause complaints from some old fans, Taiga proves that Zola Jesus has the ability to successfully execute a pop album and appeal to a mainstream audience without losing the essence of her music.

—Becky Taylor-Ashfield

39

run the jewels RTJ2 Returning in 2014 with Run The Jewels 2, Outkast affiliate Killer Mike and producer El-P expanded on their sound to produce an album that many are declaring the album of the year. The production throughout is booming; gritty trap-influenced beats are laced behind excellent lyricism, with Killer Mike focusing in on the political issues that plague the USA. The guest spots - that appear to be a little off-centre - such as Blink 182’s Travis Barker and Rage Against The Machine’s Zach De La Rocha, are superbly executed, falling into the fold without disrupting the chemistry between Killer Mike and El-P. RTJ2 stands as a huge, and completely relevant, middle finger to everything the duo stands against; be it politics or mainstream radio-friendly hiphop, Run The Jewels don’t substitute intelligence for anger.

—Jack Boyce

cloud nothings Here and Nowhere Else Here and Nowhere Else makes the cut because it’s a thermal blast of fresh air. Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, 8 exquisitely crafted songs hurtle unrelentingly to perfect punk rock crescendos without indulgence. There is a rare joy in the bravery to let ferocious, screaming guitars and tearaway drumming take centre stage. Its beauty lies in the tension between Baldi’s anxiousness to control everything – his focused mindset that makes perfect pop songs with catchy hooks - and the desire to let go, to let the music pour out as a stream of consciousness. An honest, grungy, punk rock masterpiece that consciously chooses pure energy over an inclination towards selfconsciousness: listen through and I defy you not to want to press play again straight away.

—Gareth Kitchen

40

MUSIC

death From above 1979

east india Youth

wild beasts

The Physical World

Total Strife Forever

Present Tense

After ten years of hiatus, Sebastien Grainger and Jesse F. Keeler returned with second album, The Physical World, following up to ’04s You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine. Not forgetting their once hardcore guise, the opening track of the album ‘Cheap Talk’ sets the tone for the next eleven tracks with a solid drum beat, plenty of electronica and a firm selection of riffs; hooky choruses galore and layers upon layers of tuneful noise. The reunification of the duo and their new instalment leaves no room for disappointment to even the oldest of DFA fans. Loud, fast and short; few songs on the record exceed the three-minute mark, which makes the album an easily accessible compendium of full-frontal musical assault.

Well-received after a ten year gap, from the Canadian duo bring no disappointment or unwelcome surprise.

—Dale Evans

William Doyle’s debut as East India Youth combines his knowledge of the traditional song writing craft with more electronic sounds, composed as part of his interest in bringing depth of emotion to music created on a laptop keyboard. The grand musical landscape of Total Strife Forever spans passages of sparkling electronica on tracks such as ‘Glitter Recession’ to the more melodic ‘Dripping Down.’ The articulate and smart nature of Total Strife Forever feels distinctly like a digital album, yet the strength lies in the way Doyle plays with convention. The experimentation produces a striking sense of emotion, sending listeners on to a musical journey through an album full of promise and originality.

—Jess Rayner

A scintillating return to form for the Cumbrian moodrockers, Wild Beasts cemented themselves as one of Britain’s most consistent indie outfits with their fourth LP, Present Tense. Almost as instantaneously as the spectacularly baritoned Tom Fleming announces on lead single ‘Wanderlust’, “Don’t confuse me with someone who gives a fuck,” each of Present Tense’s ten tracks flows seamlessly into the next. The interchangeable nature of Fleming and co-frontman Hayden Thorpe’s vocals are now part and parcel of the ultimate Wild Beasts package and continue to enthuse listeners; while Fleming rasps through synth-laden belters ‘Daughter’ and ‘Nature Boy’, the sweet sensation of Thorpe’s tones in tracks such as ‘Mecca’ give the album a two-in-one feel. A fantastic album deserving far more accolades than it was granted.

—Max Goldbart

jessie ware

taYlor swiFt

real estate

Tough Love

1989

Atlas

Jessie Ware’s second album, Tough Love, produces a refined, smooth sound that is performed with subtlety, a delicate balance of emotion positioning her as a genuinely talented pop vocalist. Adding a new dimension to the well-developed pop genre, Jessie creates tracks that revolve around experimentation, the exciting sound engaging with a variety of genres and inducting new listeners into the mix. Moving from the midtempo disco of ‘Want Your Feeling’ to swooning acoustic sound of ‘Say You Love Me’, Tough Love showcases Ware’s journey and continuance of developing into an accomplished and respected artist.

—Jess Rayner

She’s the pop princess the 21st century has been longing for since Britney hung up her headset for an electric shaver. A bastion of bangers, Taylor Swift owned 2014. We all knew she was capable of fantastic things; ‘Love Story’ was no one hit wonder and conquering Harry Styles is no mean feat. No, 1989 was far from the surprise success of the year. Its singles swept the charts, defying haters and fakers worldwide, taking down the odd player and ex-lover along its way; its sassy messages and superb synth lines stole hearts and filled dance floors a plenty; its polaroid-style artwork saw sales of Fujifilm Instax Minis reach newfound heights. 2014 was the year that Taylor did it all, and for that we can only thank 1989.

—Charlie Mock

Having claimed an aesthetic of understated angst with their sophomore album Days, Real Estate built on this to offer some fresh moments of self-pity on 2014 release Atlas.

A sense of sincerity is created through the uncertainty that can be heard in the muted voice and equally modest, open chords of vocalist and guitarist Martin Courtney.

Whilst their lyrics remain reliable indie reflections, the music is dramatically cleaner and more mature than previous works. As the tempo slows and ‘The Bend’ wanes into a pained ending, there is a hopeful reprise; the apologetic tone - ‘I’m just trying to make some sense of it/ before I lose another year’ - shifts to that of acceptance. Whilst Atlas is not quite the ‘cry into your glass of white wine’ album of 2014, the familiar ache of self-indulgent frustration runs through this standout record of the year.

—Sadia Pineda Hameed

41

YouTuber

The

Review

The Sw1tcher 485K SUBSCRIBERS “WITH ORIGINAL CONTENT ALWAYS FLOWING FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE FINGERTIPS, IT’S A CHANNEL I NEVER GET TIRED OF WATCHING”

42

First emerging as “The Sw1tcher”, then as “Two Best Friends Play”, now “Super Best Friends Play”,there is a lot of entertainment out there on YouTube, but none make you feel more at home than four best friends playing games and having fun together. The friends who love to actively mock bad games and hype over great ones. With original content always flowing from their respective fingertips, it’s a channel I never get tired of watching and one where you always feel like part of the gang. The channel consists of Matt, the fearless leader, Pat, the angry “lavabeard”, Woolie, the liar and Princess Liam. Since their first video featuring Matt and Pat arguing while playing Kirby’s Epic Yarn, they

have started a website, contributed with machinima, released weekly podcasts and full LP’s, the crèmede-le-crème being Heavy Rain.

Their series’ include ‘Friday Night Fisticuffs’ where every Friday the friends will battle it out in their favourite fighting games, the annual ‘Shitstorm Of Scariness’ a daily series of videos dedicated entirely to scary games in the month of October and more. The best friends are a diamond in the roughest of YouTube’s LP channels and one that never ceases to leave you in tears (good tears).

— Liam Padfield

VIDEO GAMES

airjapesfifa 301K SUBSCRIBERS “airjapesfifa”, the thinking man’s FIFA YouTuber. In a world of pack openings and pink slips “Japes” as he is more often known as is a breath of fresh air in the FIFA scene. This American is the cool counterpart to his fellow You Tubers, instead of screaming when his opponent scores he might offer insight into how they scored and he could prevent that in the future. His general style is informative commentary on how he very regularly beats opponents, going through the pros and cons of his current team and what he would change to make it better. He analyses his games in depth and goes through his game plan and how he beats his opponent. This is backed up by his record of 120 wins, 5 draws and 17

losses on his main series “Path to Power” showing that when it comes to FIFA he knows what he’s talking about. With regular daily uploads that aren’t pack openings every other day, I find his videos are both consistent in quality and entertainment. If you’re looking for a FIFA YouTuber that you can learn a thing or two from I highly recommend Japes.

— Ben Jamieson

“LISTENING FOR TOO LONG CAN CAUSE PREGNANCY IN

Quill 18 198K SUBSCRIBERS If you like grand strategy games like Civ V and Europa Universalis IV or intricate city-builder/management games like Dwarf Fortress and Tropico 5, then “Quill 18”is the YouTuber for you. In his many series spanning several games, “Quill 18” has become one of the main destinations for certain games.

Providing in depth knowledge of the games that he plays while also adding some great commentary, his channel has become my top visited channel over the past few months. Although I have been following him for a couple of years now, it is only more recently, since he started recording

full-time, that he has become one of my absolute favourites. His videos are not action-packed COD montages because that is not the nature of the games that he plays. He very much creates his own story-lines within the games. Perhaps his most prominent is his obsession with the city of Brussels which I have yet to find the origin of but it means that in most city-builder games, he defaults the name of the settlement to the Belgian capital. A quirky, brilliant commentator from Canada, “Quill 18” is definitely worth a try.

— Alex Glazer

WOMEN AND MAY LEAD TO MEN DEVELOPING FULLY FUNCTIONING WOMBS IN THEIR EARS”

Classic Gameroom 378K SUBSCRIBERS “Classic Game Room”, as the name suggests is a channel that focuses on classic games.While it lacks the scatological belly laughs of the “Angry Video Game Nerd” or the banter of fellow retro-orientated show “Gamesack” , “Classic Game Room” features the greatest voice in the history of all time. Sounding like a cross between Captain Kirk, Adam West and an Alsatian, Mark Bussler’s videos have to be watched sparingly as listening for too long can cause pregnancy in women and may lead to men developing fully functioning wombs in their ears. CGR’s quest is to review pretty much everything ever, so it’s not unusual to see reviews for high definition killing simulators on Xbox One to be followed by reviews for more obscure platforms such as the Vectrex or Virtual Boy. And crisps, he also reviews crisps. Reflective of

the geek lifestyle in general about half of CGR’s videos seem to have been shot while he was high on skittles in a storage locker, while others such as his review of Truxton on the Sega Megadrive (reviewed through the medium of Norwegian Heavy Metal music) straddle the fine line between creative genius and mental illness. Knowledgeable & enthusiastic CGR provides an entertainingly eccentric overview of gaming from Atari to the present day.

— Rolan Hazuki

43

S 4 V S

P

PS4

It’s been a great year to have a PS4. While it’s hard to deny that some stuff on the Xbox One has been really compelling, Sony’s flagship console has had a really successful year. Whether it’s the wealth of great indie games on the Playstation store, or exclusives in the form of Infamous and the excellent Last of Us re-release, the PS4 has been a console I am yet to be bored by.

Third party content has been really solid for the first time since the PS2 era, thanks to Sony ditching the Cell processor architecture and adopting (much more dev-friendly) x86 processors like everybody else.

There are fewer excuses for ports to be shoddy, and generally speaking, what I’ve played has been really good. You can own a PS4 and not worry about playing the substandard version of every multiplatform release; compare this to Bayonetta on PS3, which barely ran at 20 FPS on a good day, and it’s a real step forward.

Sony have worked really hard to make sure that what third party content there is really shines. Destiny comes with bags of exclusive content, and by that metric alone, the Xbox One version pales in comparison. Sure, Tomb Raider is a time delayed Microsoft-exclusive, but while the original was great fun, the PS4 isn’t short of stuff to play while you wait for Lara Croft’s next adventure.

It’s hard to imagine that this year won’t be even better. Bloodborne and The Witcher III are just around the corner, and now that developers are familiarising themselves with this generation of consoles, we’re starting to see footage from real showpieces like Uncharted 4 crop up. Console owners aren’t short of things to get excited about.

44

O x

o B

X

e n

One Year On

Some of the console’s unique selling points are a bit useless, though. Remote play on the Vita isn’t very good, with serious resolution and connection stability issues dogging what could otherwise be a very useful feature (there’s never been a better time to own a Wii U if that appeals to you, though!). The streaming features are less fully fledged than what you could get using XSplit and a capture card, so anybody serious about Twitch won’t be using them.

Shareplay, instant resume, and other features like that are either only half implemented or simply not noteworthy enough to really warrant bothering with.

Sony have worked really hard to make sure that what third party content there is really shines You can’t build a console around niche use cases, and to be fair on Sony, they haven’t; but a lot of this stuff forms the mainstay of their marketing and conference exhibition material, and, now I own a PS4, it’s hard to see what the fuss is about. But network functionality is where Sony is still lagging behind. I’m writing this days after hackers brought the Playstation Network (Sony’s online multiplayer) service to its knees. While Microsoft had Live back up after a few hours, PSN was down for days, and customer support were terrible at communicating

how long the outage was estimated to last.

Given that a lot of people would have received PS4’s for Christmas, and that this would have been their first experience of the service, it’s unacceptable.

Sure, you have to pay to go online now, and download speeds have improved massively since the free-toaccess PS3 era, but it’s hard to see where that money’s going. Whilst Sony have expanded their infrastructure, online play is as laggy as ever. Maybe that won’t bother anybody -- it works well enough to play Destiny without a hitch and only the odd lag spike on Advanced Warfare -- but I bought an Xbox 360 just to play Street Fighter IV on XBL as the lag was so bad on PS3. It might sound silly, but if you take online gaming seriously, you might find that PSN is a bit disappointing, even now.

That’s a shame, because it’s de-fanging some of Sony’s exclusives before they even get to market. I’m stoked to see Street Fighter V is a Playstation exclusive, but I’m considerably less excited to see that I’ll be contending with the PSN’s endless latency issues.

Saying that, rumour has it Street Fighter V wouldn’t even be coming out without Sony’s financial assistance (get well soon, Capcom). Sony really have committed themselves to making a games console, without any significant frills, and they’ve shown a passion for helping release games that might otherwise have never seen the light of day. I feel like I’ve bought into a console that represents not only what I want to play, but what I want the games industry to be. I don’t know what higher compliment I can offer than that.

— Michael O’Connell- Davidson

XBox One

Last year the Xbox One was released, and at the time it was seen to be inferior to the Playstation 4. It was said that the latter was made for the gamers and the “greatness awaits” for those who purchased it. With a resolution and hardware that surpassed the Xbox One, the PS4 should be chosen, if that were the way gamers picked machines to play games on. Internally, the Xbox One is based on an 8-core AMD x86 APU that’s broadly similar to the one found in the PS4. Unfortunately for Microsoft, Sony tweaked its own specs for the better by cramming in a GPU with 18 GCN computer units to the Xbox One’s 12, and by using 5500Mhz GDDR5 RAM. This gives the Sony console more graphics horsepower and memory bandwidth to play with, giving it a very tangible technical advantage.

So where does that put the Xbox One right now?

In short, it is still ahead despite the technicalities. Call of Duty, Battlefield and the likes of such still look better on the PS4, however, the fact remains despite a slightly clearer resolution, the performance difference between the two is negligible, and where it was first released and maintaining a 720p performance like the 360, the Xbox One is now running at a smooth average rate of 1080p and 900p, pending the game. Titles released alongside the launch were seen to be average and similar to the predecessor, however now the Xbox One has honed its software to start piquing performance and interest. Games such as Alien:Isolation, Destiny and Shadow of Mordor received a multi-platform release but showcased the potential of the Xbox One. However exclusive titles such as Sunset Overdrive and the Master Chief Collection have shown exactly how much fun can be had on the system and also the ability to improve and pay homage to classics such as the Halo world. Grand Theft Auto V also saw a rerelease just prior to Christmas with not only a refinement in graphics and performance but also the addition of the ability to play the game in complete first person view.

There are other exclusives, including: Fable Legends, Remedy’s interesting/ risky experiment Quantum Break, a new Crackdown, as well as Rise of the Tomb Raider, which Microsoft managed to snag as an at-leasttemporary exclusive. This means that at least the games with the Xbox One have started to finally live up to the promises it made pre-launch.

Slight but significant improvements have been made. The Operating System has received multiple updates to alleviate any bugs and Microsoft

VIDEO GAMES

The Operating System has received multiple updates to alleviate any bugs and Microsoft has also introduced a sleep mode with a game running so when you turn the console on you can pick up right where you left off. While this is a small addition, it trumps the PS4 and is a huge novelty to any gamer.

has also introduced a sleep mode with a game running so when you turn the console on you can pick up right where you left off. While this is a small addition, it trumps the PS4 and is a huge novelty to any gamer.

Combining this with the other apps nicely interweaving into the console, it has made for a more improved experience for the owner. Both Snap and the DVR have been buffed up and the ability to use multiple applications and record game clips has been streamlined since release. If you have the Kinect, then you are able to say “Xbox record that” and it will playback the last thirty seconds of gameplay. Conversely, the omission of the Kinect, resulting in a dip in price, is something that at the console’s inception was inconceivable, and is one thing that may or may not have also garnered interest.

It is far more advanced than its own predecessor and is at best something that can be utilised well if you know how (especially sports game but has integration with other titles) and at worse is probably the fastest way of navigating through the multitude of apps should you be using it merely to open up Netflix or Internet Explorer.

The calibration for Alien: Isolation for example, is one of those titles that does benefit from the Kinect. When you start the game you can program the Kinect to respond to sounds in the room you are playing in, so that if the Alien should arrive in the room, and you decide to scream like a girl, then it will in fact respond to you audibly screeching, resulting in your demise, and either future silence or removing of that fun feature.

Either way you look at it, the system has been improved significantly, and the future looks very promising software-wise. With a reduced price tag and a choice of great titles, it is my opinion that the Xbox still pips Playstation to the console of choice.

— Ian Dunne

45

WS T E A M

WHY WE ALL LOVE

STEAM

One of the best gaming services around continues to set the industry standard

Steam has become the powerhouse in the world of PC period it was possible to buy some premium titles for as gaming. Acting as the main client where games can be much as 90% off! These kinds of discounts are never seen downloaded, stored and played, it has become legendary on console clients or even on EA and Ubisoft’s own PC for its many sales not often seen on console. I mention clients. But Steam is not alone: Gamersgate has also been consoles because in the age of the convenience of the holding its own holiday sale while GOG has old cheap digital download, the online clients have become the new games that work on modern-day operating systems. There storefronts for games. The platforms offered by Sony and is even Humble Bundle which bundles together games that Microsoft have often been criticised because of the value you choose and the amount you pay for with a portion of provided on Steam. Valve’s creation does not stand alone in the sales going towards many different charities. None of the PC world as sites such as GamersGate and GOG (Great this happens on Xbox Live or Playstation Network. The Old Games) also provide equally good services and sales. only thing that comes close to this is the occasional free This has therefore lead to a strong argument for PC gaming game which is often something you don’t want anyway.

So who is behind all of this? Who has revolutionised because, outside of the initial expense of the hardware, video-game distribution? Valve. the software (games) are cheaper Yes the developer behind the Left and in comparison playing 4 Dead, Portal and Half Life series on PC will be less expensive THE PERENNIAL “GOOD-GUYS” as well as the many games based than playing on console. But OF THE GAMING INDUSTRY, on its incredible Source engine is how valid is this argument?

VALVE ARE, SIMPLY PUT, JUST the pioneer. The perennial “goodFirstly there is something guys” of the gaming industry, that always puts console games FANTASTIC. STEAM HAS ONLY Valve are, simply put, just at a disadvantage when it SERVED TO REINFORCE THE fantastic. Steam has only served comes to price. The licence fee.

IDEA THAT THEY REALLY CARE to reinforce the idea that they Usually this is a 20% increase ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS. really care about their customers. on top of the base price of a Without Valve it is hard to see game since developers have to the industry looking like it does pay the fee in order to get their game onto the hardware. This may be understandable now. Perhaps digital distribution would not be where it is when it comes to smaller developers, as often money today. Valve forced its competitors such as EA and Ubisoft is stretched pretty thin, but the licence fee is also the to jump on the online client bandwagon. U-Play and Origin reason why many more indie developers choose to design are seen as poor clones of Steam because they tried to copy games for the PC. The licence fee does not exist on the PC what Valve had done without much success. Issues with because there are so many different makes of computer. servers has clouded U-Play while EA has angered many The absence of the licence fee on PC makes games people by removing many of its games from Steam and cheaper right off the bat. For example, in order to buy the put them exclusively on Origin for a more money. Valve new Assassin’s Creed game on the new consoles it would does not do these things. All this company does is run cost in the region of £55, whereas on Steam it is cheaper the best client in the business and, much like Rockstar, at a price of £45. This is perhaps a bad example to use when it releases a game, it is met with rapturous praise.

So is the point that PC gaming is ultimately cheaper since Ubisoft will probably have set a price for Steam to distribute the game at since it has its own, inferior client, than gaming on console valid? On the evidence of the price U-Play. However, it is the sales that makes PC gaming of the games, yes. However this point is very much based that much cheaper. Steam always has something on sale on context as the price of the hardware for PC gaming but the big holiday sales at Christmas and summer really is greater than buying a new console but many would take the headlines. The Christmas sale ended on the 2nd argue that the reward greatly outweighs the expenditure.

January having run from the 18th December. During that —Alex Glazer

46

VIDEO GAMES

Sombre Perfection:

In a year of remembrance, the video games industry offered its own unique way of paying homage to those who lost their lives in WWI. Valiant Hearts: The Great War is one of those games that you not only enjoy playing but also makes you think about matters beyond gaming.

Brought to us by Ubisoft Montpellier, Valiant Hearts is an action/adventure 2D platform puzzler. The object of the game is to progress through the levels by interacting with the game world to solve a series of problems. On the face of it this sounds like a very old and tired mechanic and that is true, but what Valiant Hearts does is something that few games have been able to manage. Some people have criticised the game as not being complex enough. They claimed that they wanted more difficult puzzles than the ones that the game offered. However I view this to be a non-issue because this game does spectacularly well in telling its own story in a very unique way.

During the game you will play as four different characters, each with their own motivations that have been brought together by sheer chance. There is Emile, the French farmer out to survive the war and its injustices so that he can see his daughter and grandson again. Freddie, the tough American, out for revenge against Baron Von Dorf for destroying his life at the start of the war. Karl, the German son-in-law to Emile who was deported and forced to fight against his family, and then there is Anna, the veterinarian thrust into taking care of the wounded all while her father is being forced to design weapons for Von Dorf. Her sequences are perhaps the most telling of how the condimay tions were during the war. You be forgiven for thinking that, on the face of it, the story is a tad contrived, but that is not true. In reality it is utterly gripping

and

this is helped by several other factors.

As mentioned before, the game plays as a 2D puzzler and this is achieved through having a very distinct artstyle. This is a mix with the backgrounds and scenery that would not look too out of place in an art gallery, and the characters and NPCs who have taken on a cartoon-like appearance. This appearance is coupled with the apparent gibberish that they speak, leaving the story telling to imagery and the excellent narration provided during the cut scenes.

The game officially credits the speech of the characters as gibberish, but it is not hard to make out certain words in English, French and German. In terms of the gameplay, the puzzles consist of finding solutions to access certain areas to attain your goal which is defined by the story. This varies from wearing the correct uniform to providing an officer with a clean sock – don’t give it to him dirty or wet otherwise he will send you away, trust me I tried. One major mechanic is the loyal medical dog, Walt, who must be used to solve many of the puzzles that the player is faced with.

One of Valiant Hearts biggest strengths is it’s music, both original and licensed. The original score does a spectacular job of setting the mood in a particular scene. It varies from solo piano, to brass band to full orchestra.

The most notable pieces of music are piano-centric and play at the start menu and credits as well as during the game’s sombre yet compelling ending. However, it was the use of the

licensed music that was the highlight for me. There are three sequences during the game when you are driving Anna’s taxi. It is merely a dodging sequence that you will have seen in many games before. However these standout because they are set and timed to classical music.

The first of these sequences was of particular note as it was set to Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 5. This was totally unexpected and brought a huge smile to my face.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War or Soldats Inconnus: Mémoires de la Grande Guerre to give its French title, achieves two very lofty goals: first, it is the first game that I have played that gives a pognant and sombre viewpoint of WWI while entertaining in the process. Now I don’t even begin to pretend to know what the conditions were like because I don’t. All I know is that a great deal of thought was put into this title and into the impact it was attempting to make.

The other achievement is perfection. This is a word that is often thrown about in pop culture, and the gaming industry is no different. Until now, there were only three games that I considered to be perfect; games that I could not find fault with and now Valiant Hearts joins that list. This is not just a ten out of ten score. This is above that; this is perfect.

Reviewed on PC — Alex Glazer

10/10

47

The nexT chapTer for IndependenT cInema With cinema chains facing the final curtain, Quench Film and TV take a look at Cardiff’s fabulous independent alternative 48

FILM AND T V

“SITTING IN THE CINEMATIC EQUIVALENT OF A CHEERLESS AIRCRAFT HANGAR AMID It’s no secret that the giant cinema chains are expensive. Even so, it may shock you to find out that if you fancy buying a small bag of popcorn at Cineworld you will be paying 15 times the price it is actually worth. We happily sit through tons of adverts and put up with that one annoying viewer who insists on talking throughout, only to emerge from the cinema two hours later, distinctly underwhelmed by the generic horror movie sequel or adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel that we just paid £10 to watch. Is it any wonder that online piracy is such a problem when trips to the cinema are more insipid than inspiring?

Call it nostalgia, but despite the high prices and cheaptasting food, there is still something exciting about going to the cinema to watch a film, a certain magic that is lacking from an evening hunched around a laptop to watch a pixelated copy of the latest box-office hit. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a place where you could go to watch a genuinely interesting film and still have plenty of change from a ten pound note? Step forward the independent cinema.

First of all let me dispel any preconceptions you may have that independent cinemas only show foreign films and cult horror movies. The fact that these establishments are not answerable to major film distributors means that they have free reign over what they choose to show, therefore you can expect to watch anything from the latest indie release to a cult classic to a live stream of a theatre production. In fact, the only thing that these showings seem to have in common is that all the films are genuinely interesting.

A film that has the power to change perceptions or even just to provoke thought is a film worth watching, and this seems to be the philosophy behind the growing number of independent cinemas that have been springing up across the UK since the early 70s.

As the number of people choosing to take a trip to the cinema dwindles, it is becoming clear that cinema chains will do all they can to get bums on seats. The focus for these giants is no longer on the film itself but the profit that can be made. This means scrimping on food, cleanliness and, apparently, decent chairs. The success of a cinema trip can be instantly gauged from the comfiness of the chair and the likelihood is that you will not be disappointed when you visit your local independent. These establishments realise that ‘going to the

THE STENCH OF STALE

makes all the difference!

If you're reasonably new to the charms of Cardiff, you may not have ventured far outside of the city centre. So, this is the bit where I encourage you to go exploring and find Chapter Arts, Cardiff ’s very own gallery, theatre, community venue, cafe, bar and independent cinema. Situated in Canton (just West of the city centre), Chapter houses two screens and shows a huge variety of films, this winter’s offering ranging from code-cracking biopic The Imitation Game to a sing-a-long screening of Frozen. It is clear Chapter has given real thought to the experience of going to the cinema so you can always be sure that you will be getting your money’s worth. Tickets are cheaper on Tuesdays, and if you sign up for their free ‘Friends With Benefits’ student card, you will qualify for concessions on film tickets and 10% off food and drink (and yes, this includes alcohol).

In order to celebrate different cinematic genres, Chapter often hosts seasons such as‘Sci-Fi' and ‘Children in Film’ where films that represent the title theme are shown back to back with chances to participate in related activities such as post-screening lectures. There is no target audience for independents such as this one. In fact the only thing that the 800,000 visitors per year have in common is their willingness to try something different. Visit Chapter’s cafe and you will not find it overrun with Mac users sporting quirky facial hair, or whatever creative stereotype you had in mind, but bustling with families, students, friends, couples and everyone else who wants excellent food and drink at reasonable prices in a relaxed setting. With independent cinemas constantly increasing in popularity, we are lucky to have one of the UK’s leading arts centres on our doorstep.

Whether you're looking for an alternative night out with your flatmates or somewhere to impress your parents with how highbrow you’ve become, Chapter is the perfect destination.

To mark the new year, Quench Film & TV are launching ‘The Next Chapter’, a new online section where you will be able to find information about what is going on at our favourite local independent cinema, Chapter Arts. Check it out at: http://cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/quench/ category/film-and-television/

POPCORN JUST WON’T CUT IT ANYMORE” pictures’ needs to be an experience in itself, and sitting in the cinematic equivalent of a cheerless aircraft hangar amid the stench of stale popcorn just won’t cut it anymore. The typical number of seats in an independent cinema auditorium is 200230 compared with over 1400 in some Odeon auditoriums.

Having smaller cinemas means that they are easier to maintain, they are less likely to smell of hotdogs, and, most importantly, there are fewer distractions from the film itself.

You can relax in your comfy chair and completely immerse yourself in the movie you have paid to watch.

Independent cinemas are often housed within arts centres such as Manchester’s Cornerhouse or Broadway in Nottingham, many of which have recently been redeveloped in order to boost the presence of arts in the community.

Independents have grown in popularity because they are small enough to actually care about what they do. This means reasonable ticket prices, good food and enthusiastic staff. It

Emily Giblett

49

A

LOOK

TO:

2 0 1 5 IN FILM AND TV In the world of film and television, 2015 will be the year of variety – you can quote us on that. Here Quench Film and TV give us the lowdown on the most anticipated new shows and films and those series returners that are coming over the coming year: FIFTY SHADES OF GREY I know what you’re thinking: Quench Film and TV have lost it. However, nothing has quite stirred up as much controversy (and arousal) as the news of the adaptation of E. L. James erotic novels. Starring Jamie Dornan (The Fall and Once Upon a Time) as the titular Mr. Grey, the business man with a kinky side , it is unknown whether the film will be sticking to the novels detailed bondage scenes on its visuals or if a tamer version will be used for a mass audience appeal. Regardless, it is safe to say cinema attendance will be very high come February 14th.

SELMA Early reviews indicate that Selma is the one to watch come January. A biopic and period drama all wrapped up in one; it is the story of the civil rights march from Selma to Alabama to secure voting rights for African Americans. Lead by David Oyelowo (who starred in similar civil rights film Lee Daniels’ The Butler last year) as the powerful leader Martin Luther King Jr , this film is a must see for those who appreciate great drama and powerful acting.

JURASSIC WORLD What’s interesting here is that a film series adored the world over, that turned young children into cinemas biggest fans, is to finally get a fourth instalment after 10 years of development and production crises.

A narrative that takes place 22 years after Jurassic Park will have us see a fully functioning theme park, where real dinosaurs are the call of the day, get thrown into chaos when a new hybrid goes AWOL. Chris Pratt (the industry’s breakout bankable star last year) co-stars with the dinos as behaviour researcher Owen.

52 50

FILM AND T V

STAR WARS: A FORCE AWAKENS Considering a December has just passed, it is admittedly hard to get excited for one that is 11 months away; however the release the world has been eagerly waiting for is set to come at the end of the year – STAR WARS IS BACK. J.J. Abrams’ space epic reunites old cast members (Han Solo is back!), with surprising new faces (Lupita N’yongo and Gwendoline Christie) that will be leading a new adventure 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi. Details of the plot are being kept under wraps, which only make us wish it was December 2015 already!

PITCH PERFECT 2 The prequel to this release made children and adults around the world want to be in an acappella group spending their summers learning the cup song.

Returning to the Barden Bellas, with cast member Elizabeth Banks helming this sequel, we see the troupe take on more than their university rivals when they take part in the Acappella World Championships. If the teaser trailer is anything to go by, this hilarious musical film will recapture exactly what made the first outing such a special viewing experience!

INSIDE OUT Original Disney-Pixar movies are what we get most excited about, and this release from the powerhouse animation companies is sure to be a hit.

The film is based on the premise that our emotions guide us; and what better than giving our emotions physical (if not alien looking) bodies and have them live in the control centre inside our minds.

That’s the story of Riley, a girl whose main emotion is Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), and how the other emotions (Anger, Disgust, Fear and Sadness) inside her struggle to keep balance within her new life.

As odd as this plot may be, the trailer released shows it to be in the same vein of many a good hearted animations that have been released in the past couple of years.

TRUE STORY When you think of Jonah Hill and James Franco, you wouldn’t put them into a biographic legal drama whose narrative involves the thrilling turns of FBI’s most wanted Christian Longo assuming the identity of disgraced journalist Michael Finkel, however you’d be remiss to think they weren’t up to the job. Early reports and teaser trailers have this pegged as one of thee dramas of 2015. We’re terribly excited to see what Hill and Franco can do with dramatic material.

CINDERELLA Remakes are a lot to take on with Disney Princesses– you’ve got to be confident the glass slipper will fit. Thankfully with rising star Lily James as the title character, the ever amazing Cate Blanchett as her Wicked Stepmother, and whole host of other famous faces ,this live action interpretation is sure to be on par with its animated counterpart, if not slightly better.

JUPITER ASCENDING Continuing the exploration of the human condition and race in the future is what the Wachowski’s are known for.

Ascending tells the tale of Jupiter Jones, a young woman who is destined to inherit Earth as its Queen. She will also need to beat off three alien royal siblings who wish to harvest Earth than keep it. The whole destitute woman, fulfilling her destiny, finding love and having a happy ending is a trope that long precedes film; the main pull of this picture, like all within the Wachowski’s filmography, will be its stunning visuals and the epic scale to which they take place. Space drams are known for the effects, as Interstellar and Gravity last year alone demonstrated, and the Wachowski’s quirky visual style however has rendered this a very anticipated move in the next year.

51

LookiNG (retUrN-seasoN tWo) LGBT+ representation on primetime TV has floundered in recent years, either it’s stereotypes of the hysterical or they’re non-existent. However, the debut season of looking, marketed as the gay Sex and the City, though hit many a bum notes in its narrative development, held promises of a substantial second season.

Picking up months after, Patrick is being touted as Kevin’s secret lover whilst still stringing along the adorable Richie.

The return of looking promises ever more a realistic portrayal of regular gay life and looks ambitious in its approach to introducing new characters and exciting storylines.

HoW to Get aWaY WitH mUrder The first season of this drama was nowhere near perfect, what it was however was a fascinating look at what people will do for the promise of their futures security. The twists and turns through the non-linear narrative (a narrative style we hope isn’t utilised further) right up to the mid-season cliff hanger – shock horror she knew all along – make way for an even more explosive return.

Is Annalise supportive or manipulative?

Will Asher find out the truth? Will Connor stop sleeping around? Will Rebecca ruin it all for them, again?

empire (NeW) Not since Glee has there been a musical drama that looks set to take the small screen (Smash tried it out, but that up and down rollercoaster didn’t hit the high notes it hoped for), Empire is an inspired hip-hop drama from the creator of The Butler and Precious.

The show will explore family hierarchy between three brothers and the succession to take over the music empire their father (Terrance Howard) has created, when he decides to step down as head due to a medical diagnosis that will see him not live out the next three years. Themes of violence, drugs and, surprisingly, LGBT characters will be present. This premiering show is sure to bring the drama, with Taraji P. Henson gaining rave early reviews for her role as the jail hardened ex-wife, Cookie, who has come back to rock the family foundations further.

better caLL saUL (NeW) For those of you sick to the back teeth of hearing about Breaking Bad I have bad news for you, its back, sort of. The spin-off show featuring Saul Goodman will be set before the time frame of Breaking Bad (so don’t be expecting the leads of the parent show to make an appearance). Told from the perspective of Saul, it will deal with his life as a lawyer and the shady side life that came to be his within the Breaking Bad universe.

As its predecessor is a critical darling and a sure fire audience hit, we can assume this spinoff will explore the dramatics just as far, and if not further, than it’s narrative sequel. (And with a second season already green lit before the first has event aired – we’re expecting big big things!)

52

fortitUde (NeW) Ambition is needed tenfold in television drama, especially with the competition out there, and none sound more ambition than this new offering from Sky Atlantic.

A thriller, detective, drama piece (after last year’s true detective, Fargo and Broadchurch this narrative style is definitely back for good) will document how an out of town detective (the eclectic Stanley Tucci) will be helping Head of Police (Richard Dormer) and his team lead an investigation into a murder in a small, tight-knit community in the Artic.

As mentioned, we’re not lacking any detective lead shows recently, however this all-star cast (Dumbledore is in it everyone! Well, Michael Gambon but still!) will no doubt bring something new to the genre in the next year.

cUcUmber, baNaNa aNd tofU (NeW) LGBT centric shows haven’t had this big an audience since the late 90s Queer as Folk. These three separate, but interlinked, shows deviate far from the traditional viewing model, which is exciting in itself! The trilogy, which will be shown on Channel 4, E4 and 4oD, will interconnect characters from each show and deal with the everyday struggles and problems of LGBT characters. Phallic imagery of the trailers aside, what is most exciting about this premiering show is that it’s not all stereotypes and camp, but an exploration of love and relationships.

fresH off tHe boat (NeW) The premise for this show is something we’ve seen done before, a family whose race is different from the predominant white society they live in and the story follows their ups and downs fitting in and standing out.

However, this dramedy based on a Taiwanese family may not sound universal – but trusts us when we say you need to check this out in the coming year. The sitcom details the lives of The Huang’s, based off of creator Eddie Huang’s memoir of the same name, and will show the struggles of immersing yourself into a culture whilst it is clashing with your background.

HoUse of cards (retUrN-seasoN 3) The Netflix drama shows exactly what the price of power is worth and it is oh so satisfying watching Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright scheme their way into power as Frank and Claire Underwood.

Over two seasons we have immersed ourselves in the American political landscape through the eyes of a man so calculating and manipulative it is reasonable this chilling drama has gotten the world hooked.

Film and t v

Keeping Up appearances With Nicki Hambleton-Jones no longer nipping and tucking and Gok Wan no longer showing us How to

Look Good Naked, is it possible we’ve finally realised that beauty is only skin deep?

Could you be wearing clothes that make you look better? Are your wrinkles stopping you from achieving the perfect life? What comes hand and hand with our society nowadays is the constant desire of self-improvement and the fear of appearing aged, particularly with women. Luckily, only a few years ago we had an ongoing supply of television programs to help guide us on the path to fashion and facial perfection. But where are they now?

The endless stream of selfimprovement programs that once took over television channels such as Channel 4 and ITV during prime time are now mostly shown as mid-day reruns on the not-somainstream channels. With no new episodes being released, is there a specific reason why these once well-watched programs are now not so popular? Sure, these programs all received their own criticism at times. Shows such as Ten Years Younger were fighting regular complaints over the promotion and exposure of cosmetic surgery but nowadays, open any women’s lifestyle magazine and you’ll find an advert for surgery on every other page.

Maybe it is that we are sick of being told how imperfect we are? Watching these types of programs, the judgements and criticisms

exclaimed can be hardly friendly. Catch a glimpse of Gillian McKeith’s You Are What You Eat and you’ll witness a bombardment of insults on some poor overweight member of public, so much so that it is almost cruel.

However, friendlier programs such as Gok Wan’s Fashion Fix and How to Look Good Naked are also no longer dominating our screens despite being more complimentary and promoting self-positivity. Like every show, it had its complaints - such as Gok Wan’s common referral to woman’s breasts as ‘bangers’ - but all in all, it was made as a lighthearted, well-intended show aimed to make the viewer feel better about themselves. So why is it no longer featured on mainstream TV? Switch on the television on a typical

weekday evening and you’ll find a wide range of entertainment aimed at similar audiences, one genre in specific being reality shows.

These programs base the majority of their enjoyment on putting celebrities and normal people out of their comfort zones and in difficult situations, exposed for the world to see.

Is it possible that the methods of improving self-confidence as a society have changed from the attempt of changing oneself to just laughing at the misfortune of others? Another type of program that commonly is found on our screens during prime time hours are based around the property market, Location, Location, Location and Grand Designs just to name a few. Has it changed so that now, it isn’t enough just having the perfect appearance without having the perfect property to match it or have we all just changed interests expressing our prying eyes into judging strangers’ homes and styles?

From a different perspective, a wide proportion of the audiences for these types of programs are women, ranging from the early teens to the elderly. However, how often is it that you see teenagers watching television in their family homes after school when they have unlimited access to any program or any article on the internet? The increasing amount of the population that own tablets and laptops means that they are able to catch up and watch endless amount of television online without having to abide to the set times planned out on live television.

Another element that may contribute to the decline in viewers is the level of confidence

we have in these television personalities to help fix our lives. For example, in 2011, it was revealed that Gillian McKeith, the famous host of the program Ten Years Younger, isn’t actually the doctor that she so claimed.

She was also publicly censured by Medicines

“We are sick of beiNG toLd HoW imperfect We are” and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for illegally selling an exciting range of herbal sex pills called ‘Fast Formula Horny Goat Weed Complex’, advertised as shown by a “controlled study” to promote sexual satisfaction, and sold with explicit medicinal claims. With the public hearing about this scandal, has it made us question the validity of these shows and no longer put our trust in the third-party opinions?

The future may bring countless fluctuations in the popularity of these shows with the obsessions of television viewers consistently changing. There are an abundance of factors that may have influenced this particular decline in popularity of these shows but is there any way of telling if this is truly the end of the entire television genre? Who knows what crazy obsession will take over our screens next?

-Imi Byers

53

Genre in rev

It seems like everyone is suffering from a case of the January Blues at the moment. If you’re in need of a good giggle,

let Quench Film and TV lead you through their favourites from one of the broadest genres out there: Comedy.

As aspiring journalists, we’re taught at times to try and write from an impartial and unprejudiced standpoint. But not here, here bias is necessary. I love comedies. To me, there is no other genre that is as complete, broad or as meticulously well-crafted as comedy.

From the classic underdog tales to the nonsensical buddy cop movies, comedies bring joy in an assortment of situations. But they don’t stop there, oh no! This magnificent genre stretches out to the peripheries of humanity, encompassing all things from the downright satirical – Team America or The Interview – to the outlandish and ridiculous – Airplane!, Austin Powers or Jackass. This genre knows no limits.

Comedy is not just a film genre: it’s a way of life.

Everyone needs that fill of laughter to navigate them through the dreary and depressing world in which we live. Throughout

54

cinematic history, humour has remained a constant ‘anchor of cinema’ if you will; the safe zone that has grown organically into a global phenomenon infecting almost every other genre known to film with a case of the giggles.

Now, while this may not be the food section of Quench, I have a fantastic new diet for you all that is guaranteed to work; The Comedy Diet. Or the Comi-diet... wait, no, we can’t use that…

Now, while this may Not be the food sectioN of QueNch, i have a faNtastic New diet for you all that is guaraNteed to work; the comedy diet.

With this genre being too big to cover in one article, I’ll just highlight the essentials. The Comedy Diet has six staple “food groups”: romantic comedies, animated comedies, observational comedies, slapstick comedies, dark comedies and team-up comedies. Each separate food group has a number of sub-categories and most of these groups overlap in more ways than one. There are plenty of other categories, and so much more but to avoid making this another convoluted diet that you’ll struggle to sustain, I’ll just keep it basic.

Let’s start with the most obvious and the biggest one, romantic comedies. Women love them and men complain about having to watch them… yet, they secretly love them too. You’ve Got Mail, Pitch Perfect, Love Actually or Just Go With it; just a handful of the films that fall within this broad category. This food group ranges from the classic “guy meets girl and it’s love at first sight” plot, to the “girl meets guy and at first they hate each other but then, they fall in love”. There is, however, one constant throughout all of this, something that’s a must in order to sustain this diet; and that is love.

When you decide to watch a rom-com, you know what will happen by the time the initial credits roll, which is great, because that’s why you watch it; in order to witness the love unfold, and to hope (with unrealistic expectations) that one day, you’ll have your very own Rick Grimes holding up a board saying “to me, you are perfect”, while standing on your doorstep. Yes, if you didn’t know, Andrew Lincoln, the actor who plays the ‘adorable’ Mark in Love Actually also plays the murdering psychopath Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead… try watching that film now...

As it is such a broad category, you must try to consume it in moderation. What I’m trying to say is, try not to watch too many rom-coms as they are guaranteed to paint an unrealistic image of what a guy or girl should be…don’t blame me, blame the movie companies for casting unbelievably attractive leads . Like all diets, restraint is needed for this one!

An essential in this diet are the animated comedies, or the nostalgic food group. This category takes everything

FILM AND T V

view: Comedy you loved as a child – cartoons, fairy-tales and laughter – and moulds it into a feature length film for you to enjoy as an adult. From “Let It Go” (Frozen) to “Everything is Awesome” (The Lego Movie), you just can’t deny the love that everyone has for animated films.

Whether it’s Shrek or Madagascar, these films are packed full of jokes from start to finish that are not only aimed at children, but adults too. You’ll always find a tongue-in-cheek joke within an animated film that’ll go right over the heads of the youngsters, making it even funnier. A healthy heaping of this is necessary to help sustain the Comedy Diet; just don’t do a Homer Simpson and confuse it for donuts.

Observational or satirical comedy is a great group to incorporate within this diet, taking the everyday situation and highlighting its hilarity. Satirical films are sometimes outrageously funny as they emphasise our imperfections as a society and illuminate how we perceive things, like Borat, Team America or Mike Bassett: England Manager; all they do is sprinkle a heavy dose of humour to conceal our conceptions.

Other times, they help to highlight a somewhat contemporary issue and put a comical spin on it. Well, that’s at least the case for MASH, The Interview, or The Truman Show; the latter seeming more topical today, given the abundance of reality shows.

Next up, slapstick comedy! Everyone loves slapstick comedies. From National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Home Alone, to The Naked Gun or Rat Race, there’s nothing wrong with laughing at other people’s misfortunes. Slapstick

is the category where physical comedy is king, often with pratfalls, tripping or falling over taking centre stage over dialogue, plot and character development. The physical comedy in these films contains a cartoonish style of violence that is predominantly harmless and goofy in tone. A must have if you want a good laugh.

One of the biggest categories is the team-up category.

By this, I mean a group of friends or loveable misfits coming together and “teaming up” for the sake of the story, to solve

you’ll always fiNd a toNgue-iNcheek Joke withiN aN aNimated film that’ll go right over the heads of the youNgsters, makiNg it eveN fuNNier. a problem, for example. Team-ups use an array of jokes that really sugar-coat a sincere message of friendship and trust.

Yes, there’ll be bumps in the road, perhaps a falling out between them, but in the end, our comedic heroes will come together to be the…well, the heroes. This is predominantly noticeable in buddy cop movies, like 21 and 22 Jump Street, Hot Fuzz and The Other Guys, but there is also a plethora of other social situations where a team-up is needed; The

Goonies, Pitch Perfect, The Hangover, We’re The Millers, or even Guardians of the Galaxy all reach their goals by putting aside their differences and working together. A big intake of this category will not only provide you with well-timed laughs but also that heartfelt message.

And the last staple food group that, well, isn’t really everyone’s cup of tea, is black comedy. The dark humour of some comedies is either too obvious, and really not that dark, like The Cable Guy, Horrible Bosses or Shaun of the Dead, or it’s found in films associated with other genres, where black comedy appears as an occasional joke, or to make a dark matter somewhat comical, like American Psycho, Drop Dead Gorgeous and Fargo. Take care with this category.

The good thing about the comedy genre however, is that there is something out there for everyone, no matter what type of humour you’re into. Barely scraping the surface of this beautiful genre, there’s so much more to dive into and for you to explore. But if you stick to a diet that incorporates the big six (no, not Big Hero 6), then you’ll get your fill of amusement.

Make sure to find the right balance in order to get the most out of this genre as there’s just so much depth to it!

Bear in mind, this diet will almost definitely *not* help you lose weight but at least it’ll make you happy… And what’s more important than happiness?  Alex Miarli

55

With a wealth of information available regarding our health, we have developed an increasing consciousness of nutrition and the kinds of food we put into our bodies. Along with this comes a deluge of suggestions on what to eat and how to eat it, resulting in the rise of fad diets; popular diets that are supposed to be ‘good for you’. Are these regimes all they are marketed to be, or are they merely unsubstantiated myths?

56

FOOD & DRINK

AT K I N S D I E T The Atkins diet is one of the most well-known diets, thanks to reports of celebrities such as Hollywood stars Jennifer Aniston and Catherine ZetaJones as followers of the plan. In 2003, Atkins’ book, Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution topped Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in the bestsellers chart, another testament to the diet’s popularity.

In place of starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, Atkins recommended consuming more a high-protein and high-fat food such as cheese and meat. The diet is based on Atkins’ deduction that sugar from carbohydrates prevents the body from burning fat, causing weight gain. By cutting the body’s supply of carbohydrates, the body is forced to burn fat instead of blood sugar.

However, such a high-protein, high-fat and low-carbohydrate diet has serious health risks. Firstly, consuming high levels of fatty food has links to increased risk of coronary heart disease and obesity, which has been linked to diabetes and some forms of cancer. Secondly, when the body is forced into burning large amounts of stored fat with insufficient blood sugar, chemicals produced by the body could have adverse side effects such as dehydration and nausea. Thirdly, it has been agreed by nutrition experts that the main determinant for weight loss is caloric intake, thus this diet could backfire as fatty and protein-rich food tends to be calorie-laden. Furthermore, cutting an entire food group out of your diet could deprive the body of certain essential nutrients.

5:2 DIET The 5:2 diet is a form of intermittent fasting which has soared in popularity, particularly here in the UK, in recent years. Its popularity could be attributed in part to media coverage such as a documentary by the BBC featuring the diet, as well as by celebrities who have publicly mentioned adhering to the regime.

This diet involves ‘fasting’ for two non-consecutive days a week, and eating as per normal the other five days. The ‘fast’ period stipulates 600 calories (instead of the usual 2,500 estimate according to the NHS) per day for men, and 500 calories (instead of the usual 2,000) for women. An example a ‘fasting’ day’s food intake would be two scrambled eggs and a slice of ham for breakfast, skipping lunch, and grilled fish and vegetables for dinner, with only water, green tea and or black coffee to drink. Advocates of the diet claim that apart from weight loss, it could also contribute to an increased life expectancy and improved cognitive function.

However, experts are quick to point out the shortage of research on diets involving intermittent fasting, leading to findings deemed too insignificant to draw any significant conclusions about its benefits. As such, this diet is seen as lacking in scientific evidence and could have undiscovered side effects. Due to this lack of information, experts have recommended against intermittent fasting without the supervision of a medical professional. Furthermore, followers of the diet have reported several side effects such as dehydration, poor mood, bad breath, problems sleeping or even hallucinations.

JUICE CLEANSE

PA L E O L I T H I C D I E T

Another recent fad that has grown in popularity over the past two years is the juice cleanse. The reason for its popularity could be attributed to convenience as the juices can be ordered pre-made and specifically catered to an individual’s needs, and can be consumed on the go, with no preparation on your part.

This trendy diet involves completely replacing meals with fresh juices made from fruit, vegetables and occasionally nuts. Juice cleanses commonly last from one to five days, excluding pre-cleanse and post-cleanse diets. The pre and post-cleanse diets usually consist of around three days each of reduced caloric intake, avoiding essentially anything other than vegetable, grain, fruit and nut-based meals. During the cleanse, nothing other than the prescribed juices, water and herbal tea is to be consumed.

Despite the hype surrounding this diet, there have been several criticisms of it. Firstly, when vegetables and fruits are pressed into juices, they lose most of their fibre, an essential nutrient for the body.

What remains though, is natural sugar present in the fruits, and this could be more the amount of sugar in a can of soft drink! Juice diets also lack protein essential for muscle tissue, causing the body to lose muscle instead of fat. Juice cleanses are often marketed as ‘detox’ diets to make up for an unhealthy diet, to ‘clean up’ your body after a period of overeating and overdrinking, which could encourage a problematic pattern of bingeing and detoxing.

Another well-known regime is the Paleolithic diet, also known as the Paleo, stoneage or caveman diet. This diet has only increased in popularity in the 21st century, with several published books advocating this diet, and reported celebrity fans such as Tom Jones and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Champions of the diet claim that our genetics and anatomy have had minimal changes since the Paleolithic times, and that since the human body was genetically adapted to life in that era, humans should attempt to emulate the diet of the cavemen in order to be healthy. Thus ‘modern’ food such as dairy products, grains, salt and refined sugar should be removed in place of large amounts of meat, and ‘natural’ plant products like seeds and fruits. Processed food is, of course, out of the question.

Although this diet sounds relatively harmless, it is a controversial and polarising trend. The leading criticism of this diet is that according to experts in biology and evolution, the central argument for the caveman diet is likely to be untrue. Experts argue that since the Paleolithic era 10,000 to 2.5 million years ago, the genetics and anatomy of humans have had the potential to change rapidly, meaning that we may not be as similar to the cavemen as Paleo diet advocates claim. Furthermore, the diet disallows a wide range of food including dairy products, whole grains and legumes, all of which have been scientifically proven to be sources of essential nutrients such as fibre, vitamins and calcium.

With all these contradictory claims about the effectiveness of such fads, one could make a strong case against blindly following such trendy diets that are, arguably, insufficiently proven with scientific evidence. Perhaps the safest bet would be to stick to the good old ‘everything in moderation’ school of thought, and take the claims of extreme diet advocates with a pinch of salt.

— Zenn Wong

57

QUENCH FOOD EVENING:

MEZZA

Another issue means another Quench Food Evening and it would appear this monthly expedition is turning into an exploration of continental cuisines. Kicking off with Italian, then moving onto quintessentially British, this time around Quench Food is heading to the heat of North Africa and the Middle East (or City Road to those unfamiliar with the use of creative metaphor). Boasting an extensive menu of Lebanese and Moroccan fusion dishes, Mezza Luna is another of the city’s independent hidden gems. Hearing nothing but positive praise on the 100% trustworthy review network that is Trip Advisor, we thought we’d see what all the fuss is about. What better way to do that than descend on the small restaurant with a 20 strong army of hungry students and put the kitchen staff through their paces? Here’s what our contributors thought…

FOOD & DRINK

LUNA For those who have trouble in deciding what to order when eating out, Mezza Luna probably isn’t the wisest choice. Every item on the menu was intriguingly appetising and the dishes seemed to complement each other well; there was a tough decision to be made. Luckily, this is where the mezzo menu saves the day with the option to order a few smaller plates instead of one larger meal such as a tagine or paella-type dish.

Although you would have thought a simple Lebanese salad could only taste so good, it was dressed to perfection and every last bit of the bowl was enjoyed. The selection of dips served with beautifully crisp pitta bread were a delightful accompaniment and would have made the perfect starter. Eying up almost every other person’s plate of food with envy and getting the occasional nibble from a friend’s meal, it is safe to say that Mezza Luna has exceeded any taste expectations. Plus the welcoming staff and efficient service means that it will definitely be featuring on my list of places to return.

Having heard great things about a few of the hidden gems tucked away on City Road I was eager to see what Mezza Luna had to offer. Darting in from the cold December night, I was happy to be quickly seated with a gin and tonic in hand and a plentiful menu to choose from. I chose the lamb shank tagine, all the while wondering if I’d made a bad choice - all too often have I found lamb in restaurants to be tough and unappetising. Thankfully, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The lamb was tender and fell off the bone easily while the rest of the tagine complimented it perfectly. After the main course, as I nursed my food baby, we were presented with the pudding menu. Being unable to resist a creme brulee I was intrigued by their version with a hint of saffron. The dessert was the perfect mix of spicy and sweet and certainly satisfied my sweet craving. A great evening was had by all! A big thank you to Anna and the rest of the team at Mezza Luna!

I was slightly apprehensive before my evening at Mezza Luna. As having never really experienced North African cuisine I didn’t quite know what to expect. But, as ever, the worry was wasted. The first thing I noticed upon entering the City Road eatery was the amazing decor; rustic walls and Moroccan sculptures made for a real authentic feel. The staff were extremely friendly and attentive, and hostess and owner Anna was eager to help us pick the right choice from the extensive menu. I started off with the classic humus and pitta bread, and a feta salad which was all delicious. Then after changing my mind several times I chose the lamb couscous for my main meal.

When it came I was happily surprised with the large leg of lamb laying on a plentiful bed of couscous and veg. The meat was so tender that it melted in the mouth and although the sauce was quite subtle, it meant that nothing overpowered the delicate taste of the lamb. I don’t think I could have asked for a better first Moroccan dining experience; Mezza Luna was the perfect place to lose my North African virginity.

The Moroccan/Lebanese fusion menu was extremely enticing and the sizeable options to choose from only made it harder for me to make a decision.

Opting for the halloumi and spiced sausage mezze to start, I was left slightly disappointed. Although I was expecting the saltiness of the halloumi, it sadly seemed to overpower the delicate flavours of the spiced sausage. Served up in a piping hot traditional tagine dish my choice of meatball tagine for the main course was rich with tomato and onions, successfully offsetting the saltiness of the starter. The meatballs were a lot smaller than expected but flavoursome and tasty nonetheless. I would head to Mezza Luna again but next time opt for the amazing looking couscous my fellow diners were tucking into.

Imi Byers

Chloe May

Julia Niblett

Emma Giles

59

BRUNCH

IN CARDIFF

After checking out some of the best places to have coffee around the city, we realised that Cardiff is a hub of small cafes and eateries that all offer different dining experiences.

So with that in mind, we decided to check out what we could find in the way of brunch.

Perfect for the late risers amongst us, brunch is basically a coined term for those who woke up too late for breakfast but cannot wait to eat until lunch. With some places offering specific brunch menus, Cardiff is not short of places to go, all of which seem to suit a student budget. Whether you’re looking for a classic, hangover-curing fry up or a stack of pancakes, our brunch guide should be able to sort you out. Proving the perfect Sunday morning remedy, brunch around Cardiff is definitely something to try.

T HÉ P O T

CRUMB S K I TC HE N

Nestled amongst the student mecca of Crwys Road, Thé Pot strikes the perfect balance between quirkiness and cosiness, making it a great brunch destination. Offering a sizeable breakfast and brunch menu, Thé Pot is all about homemade, quality dishes and an intimate environment that mimics a small French bistro. With an open kitchen layout, the café is continuously filled with great smells with the kitchen itself retaining a homely and somewhat familiar aura. If it’s a classic fry-up you’re looking for, Thé Pot offers different options including a ‘Welsh breakfast’ as well as vegan and vegetarian options. But if you’re looking for something a little different, opting for the exotic ‘breakfast burrito’ is a wise choice.

Partnering classic Mexican flavours with the breakfast staple of scrambled eggs, the breakfast burrito is an exciting twist on the notorious fry-up. Serving breakfast until 2pm and brunch until 4pm, it’s a great option for the lazier amongst us.

With prices ranging from £5 to £8, it also proves a fairly cheap option too. With coffees and a range of smoothies on offer, Thé Pot offers all you could desire from a brunch experience.

Going out for breakfast doesn’t have to mean a greasy fry-up or a plate stacked high with overly sweetened pancakes, and Crumbs Kitchen is a great alternative if you’re looking for something a little healthier. The vegetarian cafe, nestled in a cosy corner of Morgan Arcade, is a fantastic stop for breakfast and lunch alike. With a fantastic selection of fresh fruits, cereals and yoghurt, you’re free to piece together your own light and refreshing breakfast bowl, just the way you like it.

If you fancy something a bit more substantial there’s always a couple hot specials on the menu too such as potato rosti with poached eggs and creamy porridge topped with fruits and seeds. With hearty portions at very affordable prices it’s not just your body that will be thanking you for opting for a nutritious start, but your bank balance too.

— Emma Giles

“GOING OUT FOR BREAKFAST DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN A GREASY FRY-UP” 60

— Kathryn Lewis

FOOD & DRINK

B A R K E R T E A HOU S E

T HE G U T S Y G O O S E

FAC E 11

Barker Tea House, located in the High Street Arcade, provides an eggs-cellent (excuse the pun) and healthy variety of breakfasts and brunches. Take a seat in their large, comfortable leather chairs and dither through their amazing list of fruit smoothies or herbal teas. Whatever you fancy, or hadn’t even thought to try, Barker will have it. Their authentic, rustic touch makes this tea shop really individual and very popular with students and locals alike. Whether you’re looking for a hangover cure or somewhere nice to take your friends or parents, I would always recommend it.

To eat, I usually go for their eggs benedict or eggs florentine which you can never go too far wrong with - their granola is also worth a try. In terms of drinks, their milkshakes are great and served in pint milk bottles, which is a quirky touch! The tea house only offers black filter coffee, so if you are looking for a latte or cappuccino then head down to Coffee Barker, which is about 2 minutes away in Castle arcade.

After having missed the Quench Food dinner at The Gutsy Goose, it became my mission to try some of the food which had caused the green monster of jealousy to appear within me. Despite being the only people in the restaurant, the atmosphere was relaxed and the staff were just the right level of attentiveness. The restaurant itself is small ,so always seems to have an intimate sort of vibe.

After a lot of deliberating, I decided on the pancakes with mixed fruit as well as a much needed coffee to help pry my eyes open from their seemingly never-ending state of exhaustion. Although the pancakes were not the best I have ever tasted, there are plenty of other dishes to try including an unusual steak and eggs dish. The cappuccino was lovely, and my breakfast companion (who revealed herself to be a sort of coffee connoisseur during our meal) informed me that the froth and coffee ratio was excellent. That’s one off the bucket list.

With their large menu spanning more than just pancakes and their attentive service, The Gutsy Goose is a great option for brunch.

If you’re a breakfast lover, you will understand the struggle of trying to find the best eateries when faced with a new city.

The greatest meal of the day, yet so many times you are left disappointed; so often in student areas the menus are full of greasy poor quality food. However, situated on Cathays terrace, you’ll find Face 11, a great little restaurant that packs taste, yet lacks the grease.

Don’t be put off by its promotion as a ‘Cocktail Bar’, this gem serves breakfast until 1pm, and doesn’t disappoint on quality or size. With prices averaging a fiver, it won’t break the bank either. You can find a wide range of options such as a classic full English, American pancakes, or a bacon baguette.

It’s definitely worth a visit.

Not only is the food great, the restaurant area feels like a cosy grotto, reminiscent of a ski chalet. Given, in Cathays it’s hard to feel like you’re in the French alps, it does well to provide a nice escape. The staff are also very friendly, making it’s a great atmosphere compared to the grimy greasy spoons so often visited. Save the venture into town and go here, you won’t regret it.

— Sarah Baltrop

IMAGES FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: www.all-inclusive-car-hire.com, Luna Dizon / www.crumbskitchencardiff.co.uk / walesonline.co.uk / gourmetgorro.blogspot.com / Face 11, Trip Advisor

— Lucy Pierce

— Amandeep Turner

61

Leftover chicken leaving you stumped? We’ve got some simple supper ideas to save time and waste!

CHICKEN PIE

Hit a bit of chef’s block when trying to use up the remainder of the roasted chicken? The possibilities are endless with the combination of flavours and fantastic dishes you can throw together with a bit of cooked chicken. You’ve done the hard work, the chicken is cooked to an edible standard (hopefully), now its just time to jazz it up a little. Why not cook up a load of couscous with a bit of paprika and chicken stock, mix in the cooked chicken with a few peppers, tomatoes and some lettuce, and look at that, you’ve got a fancy Moroccan salad.

If the greens are a bit too healthy for the student in you, try popping the chicken in with some cooked pasta and tomato sauce in a baking tray, cover with cheese and breadcrumbs and grill in the oven for 10 minutes. In no time at all (and honestly no real effort) there’ll be home made pasta bake on the table, who would of thought it eh?

Pasta bake doesn’t have to come out of the microwave in a plastic tray!

Another quick meal, which is great for using up cooked meat, and the ideal way to keep us poor students warm this winter, is soup. Boil up some chicken stock with an onion, a few odd veggies lying around in the fridge and some noodles and just before you serve add the sliced chicken. Voila! Chicken noodle soup at probably half the price of the supermarket.  Kathryn Lewis

62 60

FOOD & DRINK

It’s toe curling-ly cold outside, the nights are still long and dark, and postChristmas break we’re all missing the comfort of home-cooked food. So why not warm the house this Sunday, round up the house mates, and get together to cook up a truly nostalgic taste of home? We all love a good pie, and this recipe is failsafe for even the most novice of cooks, as well as being easy on the bank balance.

{ IN G R E DI E N T S } 1 small chicken 1 large onion 100g bacon lardons 1 tablespoon of flour 1 chicken stock cube 200g mushrooms or frozen peas Salt and black pepper 250g frozen puff pastry Serves 6

1. Roast a whole chicken on a medium heat in the oven for the time stated on the packaging. ( A small bird will do, and if you choose something a little larger there’s a hundred uses for the leftover meat!)

2. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from the oven and leave to cool. Pour off any juices from the chicken and keep to one side. Once the chicken is cold, strip the carcass of meat with a very sharp knife.

3. In a large pan fry the onion and bacon lardons on a medium heat for around 5 minutes until the onions start to brown. Then cover the onions and bacon with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix well with a wooden spoon.

4. Once the flour has coated the ingredients in the pan, gradually add half a pint of chicken stock. Let the pan come to a simmer and the mixture should start to thicken, this will take about 5 minutes. You can also add any juices left over from the chicken pan for a really rich filling.

5. At this stage you can add any extras you want in the pie along with the cooked chicken meat, like mushrooms or frozen peas. Also sprinkle in a good helping of black pepper and salt.

6. After a good stir, transfer the pie filling into a deep oven-proof dish.

7. Cover one of your kitchen work tops with a light dusting of flour and roll out the defrosted pastry into the shape of your pie dish, and to the thickness of a pound coin. (If you don’t have a rolling pin, a wine bottle will work just as well!) Don’t forget to flour your rolling implement as well as the surface.

8. Top the pie filling with the rolled pastry and make sure to cut a small hole in the top of the pastry to let the steam out.

9. Cook the pie on a medium heat oven for around 30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp.

10. Serve with all your favourite Sunday roast trimmings.  Kathryn Lewis

Photography by: Emma Pethybridge

61 63

Illustration: Bryn Evans