Border Magazine #2

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May - June 2010 | Issue 02

Magazine

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STUPID THYRD EYE RUBY WAX AFGHANISTAN RUSSELL KANE TOWN PHOTO GRAFFITI TENANTS SUPERMEN life | art | music | sport | fashion

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editorial Art Directors Simon Weeks Jeff Lang Editor Joe Leverson Advertising & Marketing Executives Jonathan Hodson Natalie Orum Contributors Jo Maniatt, Mike Gittings, Gary Raymond, Rachel Kinchin, Grant Tilbury, Johnnie Ball, Hannah Morgans, Ben Davies, Jo Cross, Alice SutherlandHawes, Rich Walton, Mab Jones, Ben Meredith, Maria Farrelly Special thanks to Debra Johnson, Arthur Lang, Laura Bidmead, Susan Clifford, Alan & Susan Weeks Printed by MWL Publishes by

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NP20 1DD Legal bit Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the express written permission from Crave Creative Media LLP. Information on events, products, reviews and anything else does not necessarily imply recommendations by Crave Creative Media LLP. We have done our upmost to make sure all the content in this magazine is correct and accurate, but would emphasise that we, Crave Creative Media LLP, accept no responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. All opinions expressed in this magazine are that of the individual contributor and not necessarily shared by Crave Creative Media LLP. Contributions All contributions welcome. Email us samples of your artwork, writing or photography to editorial@bordermagazine.co.uk to be considered.

Welcome! Issue one was a storming success and we had a fantastic response, thank you all who got in contact.

You may note that we have beefed up our content slightly, included in this marvelous tone are a few pieces that have a slightly more political edge, aimed to get you thinking!

Time has taught us over and over again that people get what they deserve - do not question what is happening and soon enough you are stuck with something that is useless, has not delivered what it had promised, and that doesn’t work for us the people. After all, why have a voice when it doesn’t say anything?

Don’t be afraid, we are not getting all preachy on you. Find enclosed within this magazine quality Art, Photography and bands worth reading about.

We have spent our time actually watching bands and experiencing what we have written about for ourselves. All our interviews are done face to face and not re-written from the internet, reviews are done with passion, and our content is carefully chosen to give you a magazine that is worth reading.

And well, the work in our folio section speaks for itself - we try to bring you the best work from the vast pool of creative geniuses we have in our city, and we have succeeded again.

Check out some quality photographic work by two of Newport’s best, Richie Walton and Maria Farrelly, as well as some fantastic pieces of art and design from Ben Meredith and Ben Davies So with a smile on our faces we proudly present to you Issue 2 of the critically acclaimed Border Magazine. Cast your eye over and enjoy.

Joe Leverson Editor BORDER | 5

life

music

08 Afghanistan 12 Ruby Wax 14 A Hard Rain’s a-gonna Fall 15 The PM - The Peoples Manifesto 16 Russell Kane

music

Thyrd Eyepage 18

meet the team...

Jeff Lang Co-founder / Creative Director If i was a superhero ... My Fantasy superpower would be - To turn into a big green monster like The HULK! “Don’t make me angry, you won’t like me when i’m angry....grrrr JEFF SMASH grrrr”

Simon Weeks Co-founder / Creative Director If I was a superhero... I would have the integrity of Captain America, the raw power of The Hulk and the alcohol problem of Iron Man.

Joe Leverson Editor If I was a superhero... a combo of; The Human Torch, Wolverine, Derren Brown. The mind powers of Derren Brown to trick bar staff in to giving me drinks all night, The Human Torch’s fire for flaming Sambucca’s and to fly home and wolverines healing powers so I wouldn’t get any bastard hangovers.

Jonathan Hodson Advertising Executive If I was a superhero.... I would have x-ray vision, to fight crime and stuff, but mainly to....

Natalie Orum Advertising Executive If I was a superhero... I would be Storm off the X-Men, so it would always be hot and sunny, and I could also zap anyone i don’t like with lightening .

18 Thyrd Eye 22 Town 24 The Tenants Supermen

art

28 Photo Graffiti 46 Newport Tattoo Convention

folio

32 Ben Merredith 36 Maria Farrelly 40 Ben Davies

fashion

42 How to look good in a field

sport

44 Dragons

regulars

11 Review - I See Stars 26 Review - Food and music 48 What’s On?

Find us on

Facebook Join the Border community online!

Just type in ‘Border Magazine’

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n a t s i n a h g Af

life

Words by: Joe Leverson

The Human Story

"RATAT RATAT RATAT", "GET DOWN, CONTACT FRONT" a patrol of British soldiers come under heavy fire from the Taliban.

Bullets flying. Hearts Pumping. Lives being lost. This is war in every sense of the word.

I am seeing a small platoon of soldiers fighting for their lives. They are pinned down in a dry irrigation ditch under intense fire from about six or seven well-armed, well-trained Taliban fighters. There is the dried mud, the remains of an old stone wall and a tree for cover; far from ideal.

These soldiers have their SA80 Assault Rifles laying covering fire down. Daring to peek over the top to be able to see what they are dealing with, hundreds of bullets heading their way - that’s what.

In a space of 10 seconds you cannot comprehend the amount of rounds that have been fired at them, puffs of dust appear as the bullets puncture the ground around their heads. Sparks ignite and dance about as bullets ricochet off their guns.

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It’s not "Saving Private Ryan" or "Black Hawk Down", the sparks seen aren’t special effects and believe me the ammo is live, angry and ready to kill.

These are people; sons, daughters, husbands, wives, friends. Out there doing a job.

This is not going to be a politically charged story.

This is an account of a human being’s feelings with regards to a situation that he was put in. Not a political rant, nor a pro-war piece of propaganda.

Allow me to introduce to you Soldier X, Newport born soldier of the British Armed Forces, 16 when he joined the Army, 19 on his first tour and 21 on his second. He stands 6ft tall, a fairly quiet and wellmannered person. We meet in a pub, sit down and have a conversation. These are his thoughts about

the experience of arriving in Afghanistan: "I was excited more than anything when I found out I was going. I was in a briefing with my unit and commanding officer and that’s when we got told.

Everyone felt different though. Some like me were excited by the adventure, a few guys were keen to get out and do their job. It was surprising how many people saw it simply as a chance to save a bit of money.

“We spent a good six months in training before we left. We learnt all sorts; how to deal with the terrain, different combat situations, tactics of the enemy. Everything really.

“No matter how much training you go through and however much equipment you have, nothing

can prepare you for actually stepping out there and getting amongst it. We knew we were physically ready, we had the knowledge to go and fight effectively, we just hadn’t ever experienced anything like it and there isn’t any preparation for dealing with what face to face combat can do to you mentally" A direct flight to Kandahar takes around seven hours. You get on and it’s hardly British Airways; so cramped. You have all of your kit on you and for the final half hour you are instructed to put on your basic body armour and helmet before the pilot switches off the lights for the landing. This reduces the chances of the plane getting shot down, you understand.

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You are sat down in pitch black, legs aching, in full combat gear. You are struck with the knowledge and realisation that you are about to enter a war zone. It is not a great feeling; suddenly any excitement or sense of adventure has gone, the money saving hardly seems worth it and you are about to be tested as to exactly how much you love this job, because as soon as you step off the plane your life is in danger. Afghanistan is not the friendliest of places at this time of year.

"As the door to the plane opened we simply got up and walked out - I was unsure of what to expect; I thought it was going to be hot, humid with the sound of crickets chirping or something but it was nothing like I imagined. Kandahar was dark and gloomy with a sort of bluish blackness and so cold, freezing cold, with no noise except for trucks moving about.

“There was nothing said between the lads when we were walking off the plane to base, no chatter at all. We were joking about before the flight but it was just pure silence when we got there; quite creepy really. We had a quick de-brief and were sent to our bunks to get some sleep because we had an early start the next day. I didn’t get much sleep that night, I just kept thinking to myself - Shit, I’m out here for a long, long time" As cold as it is at night it’s the exact opposite in the day. It is a harsh climate; dry and scorching heat with very little breeze. The soldiers work long shifts, 24 hours on and then 24 hours off. The human body and mind is tested to the limits of endurance on every patrol.

"We walk for miles everyday, and the stuff I have seen is incredible. The landscape is amazing, its quite a beautiful country, its just so hostile for us out there. I’ve walked through fields and fields of opium poppies, I’ve seen bodies, I have saved lives and have been lucky enough not to get seriously hurt.

“Death is a constant worry for everyone out there, IED’s (improvised explosive devices) are a real problem. Finding out you're stuck in the middle of a mine field is proper scary - but the worst is coming into contact with a group of Taliban fighters. They know the land so well and are equally up to scratch with what to do with an automatic rifle".

So for his efforts in the last two tours he has spent the best part of a year in combat. Two Christmases and two birthdays under fire.

Countless hours being under direct threat and has had thousands of bullets shot out of a machine gun in an attempt to end his life. All in the name of a war that he had not started and for a president and prime minister that are no longer in power.

Would I be doing this job? I think not.

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film

I See Stars

review Words by: Joe Leverson

Independent film maker Jamie Adams has his sights set on the big time. After months in production he is finally ready to show us his creation, “I See Stars”, A Musical Comedy in the same vein as A Hard Days Night set in Cardiff.

Jamie spares a bit of time to give Border the scoop ahead of the debut screening for “I See Stars” at the Cardiff Arts Institute on 28th of May. “I See Stars” has a cracking cast, consisting of Brian Hibbard (twin town), Catrin Arwel (Pobol Yr Cwm), Alexander Vlahos (Doctors) and introducing Indie act Kiss Silver. Powered by 2ward Fruition Media (Sponsor) Jamie Adams brought together this fine group of talented Welsh film creatives to shoot his twenty two page Contemporary Music inspired Comedy in and around Cardiff City.

"The crew were just fantastic, to give their time and talents to help realise 'I See Stars' with such energy and professionalism was uplifting, good for the spirit and the film reflects this 'community' feel good feeling."

Brian Hibbard sprinkles his magic in his own charismatic way by playing “Bryn“, a local music legend who is trying desperately to help his latest popular music combo; Kiss Silver, get signed.

The film sees “Bryn” and his assistant “Jack” (Alexander Vlahos) trying their hardest to kick Kiss Silver into action, stop them playing imaginary Frisbee, get their eyes off the “potential groupies” and their minds off inspiring the next revolution.

They do all this to get Kiss Silver the gig of their lives which will surely shoot them to stardom - taking Bryn and Jack along with them!

Jamie says “I See Stars has had a lot of influences, from welsh greats like Twin Town and Human Traffic, but I see it more like A Hard Days Night teams up with A Bout De Soufflé… and then Spinal Tap jumping in as the sidekick”.

The film is proper Welsh with some top actors, a quality story and all the key ingredients to make this a bit of a cult classic. in short, we cannot bloody wait. Check out the trailer online and show some support - http://vimeo.com/10799302

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Joining Wax on stage, was songwriter Judith Owen, who also suffered with serious depression & she set the performance to beautiful and soulful songs. This gave the show a serious artistic quality, which complemented with both the seriousness of the topic at hand, but also the zany comedy that Wax punctuated the performance with.

The show opened with Ruby performing her own brand of slightly acidic stand up, using this to feed information to the audience, easing everyone in gently into the mind of a woman who was teetering on the edge of a complete breakdown.

Judith not only laid the soundtrack she also provided some much needed silliness in the form of quirky comments made between the two, emphasising that this show was not a tragic reflection but more of a celebration that the pair can now talk about and even joke about their experiences.

As the show climaxes Wax takes the audience into a series monologues which paint a very real and brutal picture of the human mind as it spirals into madness. Showing how the little scratches on the surface quickly crack, and begin to tear chunks of sanity out of a persons mind.

Her monologues are profound and leave a harrowing effect on the audience. Phrases from the earlier stand up are repeated, this time evoking empathy and understanding rather than laughter as the audience witnesses the despair and Was the written music written during your depression?

Judith: We actually did our first lot of shows in “The Priory”, it was great, we didn’t know who were patients or family! So no, it’s more about the actual story and performance than selling the tickets.

Ruby: No it was never about filling out theatres, if that happens great, but it’s always been about being able to talk about mental illness and even more so to laugh about it. I mean having gone through all that and then being able to do a show about it is brilliant, thank god for Prozac you know what I mean?!

Was the aim of this show just to sell tickets or was there more of a therapeutic reason for creating it?

desperation of Wax as she “loses it”.

A powerful and emotive show which was able to provoke laughter amongst the audience, and also with it, a better understanding on the mind of someone suffering with depression. A striking performance by both Ruby and Judith.

After the show the pair returned to stage an intimate Q&A session, a nice touch to end the show with as it was such a thought provoking performance. I managed to get some time to ask a few questions to both of them.

Find out about more shows at the Riverfront on www.newport.gov.uk/theriverfront

Judith: But it’s great to be able to laugh and joke about it all at the end of the day, especially if it acts as a way for people chat about what’s going on in their head more and more.

Ruby: Yes. It was difficult sometimes to weave the comedy in, but I felt it was necessary. This show isn’t like a tour to raise awareness about mental illness so much, but just helping people to talk about everything a bit more. I wasn’t too sure about some bits, maybe they were a little much but I guess that’s for the crowd to decide.

Did you find it difficult to tie in comedy to the performance?

Judith: Not all of it no, some of the songs I had written before, and I wrote a lot of songs specifically for the show, but there were a couple that were written whilst I was “crazy”. one song in particular called “manhole”, one of the songs when Ruby is losing it on stage, was written at probably the worst moment of my life where I felt like I had so much pressure on my mind, it literally felt like the weight of a manhole cover was on top of my head.

As part of the Newport Festival 2010, The Riverfront held, comedy legend, Ruby Wax’s latest show “Losing It”. The show endeavours to portray Ruby’s journey into serious mental illness, from the neuroses she developed as a child to how she was unable to cope as fame and fortune seemingly overwhelmed her.

life

BORDER | 13

Ruby Wax - Losing It

Words by: Joe Leverson

life

A hard rainʼs a-gonna fall..

Words by: Johnnie Ball

The recession hit Greece hard. €30bn (£26.4bn) in loans will be given to Greece to stem the debt crisis and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to offer a further €15bn.

The crisis could push up the cost of borrowing for other states with large deficits, including the UK, where the annual budget shortfall this year of 12% of GDP is only a shade short of Greece's 12.7%. That could mean higher interest rates for the government – and higher taxes for the rest of us I find that there is a blind overconfidence among the 18-35 population in the UK. We feel that our country will somehow always be economically stable and free from such afflictions as those currently affecting countries such as Greece.

Perhaps this is because the average younger person has never experienced times of economic hardship, such a major war or lasting recession, and most are blissfully unaware of the IMF bailout of the UK in 1976.

This arrogance is completely unwarranted; it is just as possible for the UK to go bust as it is for Greece! The UK deficit is 11.8%, only 0.9% less than that of Greece and 2.5% greater than Portugal (1 of the 5 European countries with severe risk of default).

There are political differences between Greece and the UK and we have the ability to ‘print money’ to pay off our debts whereas Greece does not as it has the Euro.

Despite this, our economy is still in a fundamentally dire state (negligible growth, falling employment) and we have an enormous deficit which is not being serviced but actually getting worse - never has a UK government borrowed more in peacetime than Labour did last year.

But our problems do not lie with a Labour government. In their recent manifestos none of the major parties are setting out more than £17bn in concrete spending cuts despite the deficit being £167bn.

It may be the case that the UK can, with few consequences, print money (‘quantitative easing’) until the debts go away. But that is a very risky strategy that could have side effects just as severe as those that Greece is currently experiencing.

I don’t know the solution to our economic woes but I do know that our country is walking on very thin ice.

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life

The People’s Manifesto Words by: Gary Raymond If I had awoken this morning to find that I was Prime Minister the first thing I would have done would have been to nationalise the insurance industry. Why? Well, scientific studies show that being ripped off by insurance industries accounts for 2.4% of all misery in this country. But further investigation proves that from this misery stems more misery, as people, evolving as they tend to do, become generally lest trustful of all things intended in theory to help them.

They become crushingly cynical in crucial areas and are often found snarling at passers by for seemingly no good reason.

Well, the truth is there is a good reason; the intent of the insurance companies to do us out of our earnings via trickery and slight of pen can cause a general atmosphere of unease throughout the land, and the beast of unease is a glutinous one. I propose – no, I know – that were the insurance industries to be nationalised and run by civil servants the entire country would be a nicer place in which to live.

The civil service is not perfect, I know that, but I would prefer civil servants, with all their failings, to be in charge of my insurance policies than a salesperson. Salespeople, as we know, are grown in the farms of the professionally disillusioned, and recruited

from the armies of the vacuous and self-satisfied. I’d prefer them to have as little to do with my life as possible. And I’m sure you would, too.

In the bill that would be titled, The Anti-Small Print Paper, we would see an area of life that would never, in a self-respecting democracy, be a profit-making one, become an administrative body for which we would be the envy of the world. Insurance for the people!

The civil servants would be well paid and the ‘profit’ would go into making an efficient and state-ofthe-art insurance organisation. What will not happen is that any member of that organisation will be driven by sales or profit margins. Any money not spent on wages, the workplace or improving the mechanics of the organisation will be donated to good causes such as cancer research or teaching animals to talk. So, from now on if someone were to break a leg there will be no form to fill out asking how long your toe nails were at the time of the accident – “oh, no, sorry madam, too long.” – there will be simply a sensible compensation payment that will alleviate the pain somewhat of the snapped femur, rather than having it added to by some snotty gimp in a grey suit. Sighs of relief, not grrs of frustration and injustice shall ring out across the land. And everyone will be just that little bit nicer. The Anti-Small Print Paper.

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life

Russell Kane

His stand up comedy has been dubbed "inspiring and brilliant"

by Chortle, he is an award winning comedian whose flair comes from picking apart day to day situations and past experiences and presenting them in a very clever, twisted and hilarious manner.

Words by: Joe Leverson

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His stand up comedy has been dubbed "inspiring and brilliant" by Chortle, he is an award winning comedian whose flair comes from picking apart day to day situations and past experiences and presenting them in a very clever, twisted and hilarious manner.

From miserably failing to chat up girls, to the awkward moments in family life Russell can spot those situations, etch out the bleakness and spurt out some of the funniest and cringe worthy laugh out loud comedy you’re likely to see.

Russell has toured the world, creating some outstanding stand up show’s. He has performed on the BBC’s Live at the Apollo, played a host of festivals and is also a great talent in writing plays and sketches.

In high demand across the globe Russell has just returned from Australia. He is bringing with him his creation, Fakespeare - a hilarious look at modern society through the majestic prose and speech in the style of Shakespeare. It is a brilliant and invigorating idea that has received critical acclaim from across the UK. Border caught up with him ahead of his show at the Riverfront, Newport on May 15th .

from Oz to Newport! Have you been Newport? What are you expecting when you step into the city?

I performed stand-up there once. It was electric.

Generally people in Wales are enthusiastic brilliant audiences. A lot of energy and gusto.

The Fakespeare play is so different from anything else on the standard comedy circuit. Where did you get the inspiration for it?

I like to think of it as not on the comedy circuit. It's stand-up's brain working at pure theatre. A play in Shakespearean style verse - but utterly modern.

Imagine if Hamlet had done a speech about Elizabeth Duke?

Is there anyone in particular that you would like to work with at the moment (eg other comedians, writers, or shows you would like to appear on)?

I just appeared on Russell Howard's Good News - that was one I really wanted to do. But I guess now I'd like to do more panel show work. I've been so busy with my solo stuff I've neglected my comedy brethren. Look at the panels.

As you have said yourself "it shouldn’t work, but it does". What was it like performing the first ever Fakespeare show? Were you nervous, excited, worried? What was the crowd’s reaction?

It started as a stand-up routine. The punchline just got longer and longer, till I realised I had this sort of mental ability to think in poetic lines. We then tried some sketches, they worked brilliantly - both in hardcore comedy clubs as well as posh theatres. That's when I knew I was onto something, and wrote a whole play of it.

Fakespeare has been a massive success so far and extremely well received at the venues you have played to date. What’s the premise for the Fakespeare play you’re bringing to Newport?

An Essex Banker - King Nigel - has lost his fortunes and has come into his office to top himself. But his mistress and PA Donna of Billericay has followed him there. Can she counsel him away from disaster or will he make one last bad decision and crunch his own credits?

I bet you’re really looking forward to coming back

Have you enjoyed your latest trip to Australia? Do you have a big following Down Under?

It's going ridiculously well in Oz. I already sell as many seats there as I do here. I think they find it a novelty to have a 'pom' looking in at their culture from the outside. You must have had some brilliant moments over the past few years. What has been your best onstage experience? Performing Fakespeare at the RSC, Stratford; and doing my stand-up on Live at The Apollo in 2008.

Who has been your favourite person to work with so far? What was it about them and their style of comedy that you liked?

No competition. Sadie Hasler. We do all our sketches together, she's my support act on tour, and she's in this Fakespeare play with me.

In fact, we get on so well we got married on Jan 9th this year.

What would really top off 2010 for you?

Tough one - it's going so lovely already.

Hmmm…. maybe going out to The Jungle again for ITV2 - or another Apollo set. Or just a pot of cockles down at the seafront in Southend where I live. I'm easily pleased - as long as I get to make people laugh a few times each week, I'm happy.

© Russell Kane 2010

For more comedians coming to The Riverfront check out www.newport.gov.uk/theriverfront - The Riverfronts stand up comedy night, the "Comedy Shed" is well worth checking out also, this month on the 28th of May, to book tickets call 01633 656 757

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music

18 | BORDER

Words by: Joe Leverson

So I roll up to the Riverside Tavern on a Friday night to meet a band that have been described as “Queens Of The Stone Age tangoing with The Cure”.

They are Thyrd Eye. They like to rock. Fresh from their sound check they get collared and dragged into the interview room of Zeus himself - the Taverns Kitchen. That’s right my friends, rock and roll is not dead.

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The trio from Devauden have achieved so much in taking their unique brand of dark and gothicky rocked-up punk grunge around the UK. They have signed to record label Levelsound Music, had their video on Kerrang, released their debut EP and reached No. 8 on Amazon’s rock chart. Not bad at all.

Thyrd Eye consists of Gaz, Matt and Hannah. Gaz smashes the drums, giving the band a daunting presence from the off. Matt brings the riffs, he is a methodical songwriter and a genius in sewing the vocals into the track. Hannah gifts the outfit with pin up beauty and a voice as sweet as a poisoned apple, she lays the bass and creates the haunting synth.

Since Thyrd Eye started in 2007 they have spent most of their time touring the UK, building up a following in south east Wales and the south west of England, touring with some class acts along the way like Enter Shikari, Zico Chain and more notably Jubilee (ex-Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age) “Playing with Jubilee was awesome, so cool. They are proper American rock stars, shades on constantly and putting away some serious amounts of whiskey before getting on stage.”

It has been a hectic year for the band so far, from recording at the famous Rockfield studios in Monmouth, to being played on Kerrang, Matt says, “At one point when we were at Rockfield I sat back and realised at was at the mixing desk where “Queen” recorded “Bohemian Rhapsody”, it was insane knowing that, kinda made you think, what’s the point?! Haha”. Gaz continued, “Seeing our video on Kerrang alongside all the really pro superstar videos was amazing as well, quite funny really because we knew how low budget it was - everyone did a cracking job though and it turned out amazingly” So I ask the guys how it felt to see that people are actually buying their music off Amazon and I-tunes, and a smile breaks on all of their faces. “Pretty special”,

“It can tend to annoy people because a lot of the time these people only like one type of music and want us to be that, but that’s not us at all; we do what we want.”

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is the main response, but I dig a little deeper and get to another reason behind the smile - turns out they sold more records that week than some pretty huge acts. Thyrd Eye topped the sales of The Kings Of Leon and The Killers that week, also sending a big “fuck you” to those whiney bastards Snow Patrol in the process. Brilliant.

A lot of comparisons have been made about this band, and that’s probably the wrong way to view them.

Because as they state themselves, there isn’t really a genre at the moment that Thyrd Eye really stick to.

“We get ‘Smashing Pumpkins’ a lot and that’s fine, but its just because they see a girl on bass and assume every female bassist makes a Smashing Pumpkins or The Pixies type of band” .

When you see this band live, the main thing that you will notice is the technical prowess behind each of their songs, through clever lyrics and riffs, strong bass and drumming and that haunting synth - Matt is not a guy who is afraid to shred out some solo’s either, “it’s like the chaotic angst of Enter Shikari vs. the melancholic beauty of the Smashing Pumpkins… well, that’s what I like to think, anyway” says Hannah.

The main striking difference between the guys and other acts is the use of the two strikingly different singing styles of both Matt and Hannah. Matt has a strong and direct voice, which is complimented by Hannah’s vocal style of a gothic angel reading a lullaby.

The two styles combine to give the band the freedom to cover a range of genres. Matt explains that its not everyone’s cup of tea, “It can tend to annoy people because a lot of the time these people only like one type of music and want us to be that, but that’s not us at all; we do what we want. I guess it’s a polarizing effect”. When he said this, I instantly agreed. Mainly because I didn’t know what he meant by the term “polarizing effect” and didn’t want to seem like an idiot… I later found out that it means that the band are like marmite to some people, love it or hate it - you get the picture.

So the future is bright for Thyrd Eye; well, in a dark ominous and gothic sense as the bands intentions are on narrowing their style down and getting heavier in their sound, a lot heavier. This summer will see Thyrd Eye playing a lot of the local festivals such as the Nozstock Festival and Rock In The Dell, they are planning on more touring and low level releases during the course of the year.

Their EP Say Something is still available for download of Amazon and I-Tunes. Follow the band on www.thyrdeye.com, on www.myspace.com/thyrdeye and also on face book - bash Thyrd Eye into the search, you know the score.

Dirty Goods

music

SSm maasshh th thee SSta tate tess Words by: Joe Leverson

So Mike, Woody and Wylee land in New York, tired and slightly drunk after a 12 hour flight from the UK. With the hospitality of the airline keeping them well stocked with beers for the duration of the flight, the boys from Newport are set to take America by storm. They rock up to Fontana’s, casually drunk and heavily jetlagged to showcase their music for the first time to the Americans. They love it. The boys reach 4am after the show, completing a mammoth 48 hour stint rock and rolling it up and the crowd are going insane for their music. After playing to a packed out audience in the famous Fontana’s bar, the boys played at an industry event held in Arlene’s Groceries in Manhattan, where they would be showcasing their work to the big players in the Music industry - after that they packed up and hit the West Coast. With a few days to relax Dirty Goods stayed right on sunset boulevard, talked to tramps on Venice beach, rapped with pimps in Santa Monica and then they played Les Deux (As seen on ’The Hills’) and generally had a riot of a time. “We nearly got the Hard-Fi boys kicked out of their hotel in Beverly Hills, we were having a bit of a laugh and drink with them and then the next thing we know is that the Sheriff is banging down the door to come and remove us - at which point we played Bob Marley’s ‘I Shot The Sheriff ’ and carried on partying haha!” “We got on really well with Hard-fi and now they have asked us to support them when they’re touring with their 3rd album, and we’re signing to Necessary Records too, the same one as Hard-Fi it’s amazing” After playing the famous Roxy venue Dirty Goods then headlined what was billed “The South X South West Hangover Cure” at the fantastic “Swing House”. Now back in the land of the Gods (Newport of course) the boys will be working solidly to fine tune their debut album, hoping to get it ready for the end of this summer.

Although extremely busy with recording, they will be playing a few select festivals, such as Liverpool’s Sound City Festival & Green man - But we Newportonians wait in eager anticipation for them to appear at the Newport County Festival on May 30th.

Follow the boys on Facebook and www.myspace.com/dirtygoods

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t to the likes of The and full-on sound that raises it’s pin r teeth Town specialise in a ballsy, energetic breed of British bangers to really get you new a t por New gs brin and h, Clas The Buzzcocks and They have a desire they proudly boast - and they’re right. s,” ace terr the for gs son te wri “We . into ctious melodies and huge choruses. to make anthemic songs - built up of infe

Words by: Joe Leverson

music

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Alex Nash, Hamish Kay, Jamie Roberts and Luke Hughes make the four piece that are TOWN. Proper Newport lads, the boys are cemented into the scene. Like all those worth their salt, they started playing music with different bands at the legendary Teen Spirit nights.

The boys have come along way since necking cider around the back of Iceland in their younger years and have formed a band which has a real passion for the British sound.

They bring a lot of confidence and swagger to the stage; an attitude which is pumped into their music. The songs are well crafted with quality choruses and melodies, backed up by insightful lyrics and raucous gang vocals which can’t help but ignite some loutish chanting amongst the crowd.

“We got together out of our love for the same music, like The Police, The Undertones, The Kinks etc, but we also really loved the 90’s vibe, and as a band we’re trying to bring back that Britishness about music” They are doing just that, when listening to their music you can tell that all these Americanisms which seem to infiltrate a lot of bands have been kicked to the kerb, there isn’t any blink inspired poppy punk or amer-emo wrist slitting bullshit with these guys, “We try to make it as big and as bad as we can, keeping up that British attitude all the way”.

Having produced their single “Smug Alert” which has sold like hotcakes on I-tunes, TOWN are once again teaming up with the master Romesh Dodangoda at Longwave studios to bring us their debut EP. “Working with Romesh is amazing, he knows exactly what to do and got the vibe of the band instantly”.

So the next few months are set to be busy. Their as -yet untitled EP is looking to be released towards the end of the summer, and they are playing a fair few festivals such as the Monmouth Festival and The Welsh Warrior Festival.

“We are really looking forward to the Newport County Festival too, we’re playing an acoustic set in the day which is getting broadcast on Newport City Radio, then later on we’re hitting the main stage. We can’t wait to play a festival in our hometown, it’ll be awesome!”

Having supported bands like The Holloway’s, The Dogs and Kids In Glass Houses, TOWN have performed at some top venues and to sold out crowds throughout the UK: “Our best gig was definitely supporting The Buzzcocks at Cardiff, though. It was packed and we we’re the first band on, so we were a little nervous, but the crowd were great and they really took to us. I think we played the best we had up until that point and it was amazing” “We also played the Glasgow O2 arena, called ‘The Next Big Thing’. We got the gig off the back of a two week tour we did up in Scotland - we were living the dream - playing gigs every night and living out the back of our van - we were stinking!”

So, the lads played at Glasgow’s O2, and their songs went down a storm. So much so that when Jim Gellatly from Radio One’s Introducing show heard them, he got onto twitter straight away bigging the band up, then later playing them on his Radio1 Introducing show that week.

This led to more and more publicity for TOWN, including a spot on ITV’s The Wales Show which gave them a chance to belt out their single “Smug Alert” on TV and show everyone what four guys from Newport can do.

“As a city I think we produce some class music. I just think that we are a band that brings a bit of diversity, with a very different sound that’s full of energy and attitude”.

Too right.

Catch TOWN at the Newport County Festival on May 30th, TOWN’s single “Smug Alert” is available for download off I-tunes and check out www.townmusic.co.uk and follow them on twitter on @TOWNmusicuk to keep up to date with info and gig dates.

music

Tenantʼs Supermen

words by: Hannah Morgans

Three Welsh lads with a keyboard, a blow up doll and some serious lyrical genius.

Who? The Tenants Supermen: “Evolved from two people but involves everyone” Adam Hussain – vocals, Grayham T Bear – vocals/ keyboard, Gareth Grant, AKA Macauly Crackpipe – guitar, the cream of Newport’s beat wizards providing drums and producer, Alex Gobbett.

Its ten o’clock when we sit down for a drink with The Tenants Supermen, not so fresh from rehearsals with Grayham and Adam’s notorious band GLC, and they’re gasping for a pint.

The industrious pair are adamant to make their side project, The Tenants Superman, a soaring success too, but what makes The Tenants different from GLC? “There are similarities and a lot of differences,” reflects Gareth, with his charismatic Newport accent. “It’s still Hip Pop, still rap, Adam sings more and we are more focused on crafting quality party anthems.”

“I think we are a bit of a birthday/wedding / funeral band. You know; Good times and celebrations!” Grayham adds.

Inebriated and with a tenner burning a hole in his pocket, Adam purchased an apparently broken keyboard from a mate in the pub and accidently formed The Tenants Supermen (previously named the Adam Hussain Show), along with Grayham Taylor in 2007. The pair set about writing simple, catchy tracks such as “Brian was a Fish” and “Cliff 24 | BORDER

Richard is Jesus” and soon caught the attention of The Super Furry Animals who asked them to support them on tour. The Tenants Supermen were achieving a great level of success and were even asked to play the Snowboarding Championships in Switzerland.

In late 2008 Gareth joined the band to flesh out the sound, and with the on-stage addition of Barbara, the inflatable, life-sized, red-headed stunner, the band was complete.

“Barbara is definitely not shy; she’s never dressed! She’s Adam’s ideal woman- full of air, full of holes and cheap,” explains Gareth. The final component to the on-stage chemistry of The Tenants Supermen is Adam’s very own ‘Superjuice,’ a mysterious concoction that he produces before a show. Rumoured to be Barbara’s filling, the blend is said to increase stamina and line the throat, making the performance an incomparable, energetic experience for all.

Where does the inspiration for such comical lyrics come from I wonder?

“We write about what we like,” says Grayham.

“Dr Who!” he exclaims, “Vicky Michelle from ‘Allo Allo’, we also wrote a rock version of ‘Girls’, sounds of the streets... Bob Dylan.”

“Everything inspires us. Conversations, texts.

Sometimes I’ll get a text at 3am from Adam when he can’t sleep of ideas for song titles, everything,” Gareth continues.

The sentiment of the band is obvious to anyone who hears the tracks, but for those of you yet to hear the audio delights of The Tenants Supermen I asked the lads about what the vibe of the band is.

“To get people excited and sexy,” Adam says.

“Party!” answers Grayham. “Pretty much everyone’s involved, whoever is in the room when we are recording ends up on the track, we just do it cos we enjoy it.”

Although the lads thrive on the entertainment aspect of the live act, it’s evident that the band creates their sound with a serious passion for authentic music.

Do you have any groupies? “Fans,” grins Gareth modestly, “My Dad, Mr Crackpipe, came to see us, he said, “I didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t that.” Perhaps Mr Crackpipe is surprised to see how much the boys have matured since their days at primary school, where Adam bullied Grayham for his football shorts and Grayham and Gareth shared a girlfriend... or not.

What do you do with your spare time? “We are very civilised people...” Gareth is interrupted as the table erupts into laughter, “...today I built a bonfire, and yes I have checked for hedgehogs.”

“I watch a lot of horror, I’m a big fan of Peter Cushing. He is the man we secretly all want to be, I would go as far as to say, the original Tenants Superman,” expresses Grayham. “A lot of our time has been spent finishing our second record, Broke Britain’, says Adam.

Are there any songs you are particularly proud of on the new album?

“The whole album is full of corkers; ‘Superdruggy!’ is one of two that Cian of The Super Furry Animals has played on and it’s amazing,” says Grayham.

‘Adam and Evil’ its basically about Adam selling his soul for a hip hop deal,” says Gareth.

‘I Love Dr Who’, it’s pretty much instrumental head music which is different for us,” adds Adam.

A bit of banter on and I get to asking the band about some of their most memorable moments: “The early days, when it was just me and Adam and we played the Roundhouse, London,” answers Grayham. “Our best audience was our last gig, in the Meze Lounge, Newport, because we were at home and we were at our best,” answered Gareth. “When Sienna Miller slapped me because she didn’t like my take on the song C.R.E.A.M which was on at the time,” explains Grayham. “But you changed the lyrics,” Gareth explains to me. “Ok, so I suppose I did, and she slapped me!” admitted Grayham.

Last orders have been called and we’re drinking up the dregs, time for one last question, “Where do we see ourselves in 5 years? Gryaham would say Wembley Arena. I say... gone out with a bang! Barbara will be the only one left,” jokes Gareth.

I had a great night with the lads, full of beer, banter and talk of Barbara. To catch The Tenants Supermen tour this Summer keep updated by joining their fan pages and download Broke Britain available to download on iTunes this month! www.thetenantssupermen.com and www.myspace.com/thetenantssupermen

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review

food

Rossini’s Restaurant

Words by: Joe Leverson

Fantastic. Rossini’s is bringing the city a bit of class and this family run “Brasseria Italiana” has really sparked some interest within Newport. The classic Italian feel sets the tone for the place as soon as you enter - welcomed with a smile, a glass of wine and a great energy from the front of house staff.

So lets get down to business. The food is gorgeous, it is a very creative take on classic Italian cuisine and you can taste the passion the chef puts into his food. Everything is made from scratch, hours are put in to making a single dish, and it shows.

The presentation of the food is immaculate, whether it’s the classic butter nut squash, sea bass with spinach and red pesto, the beef medallions with chicken liver pate or even the simplicity of the

album

Jonsi - Go

Words by: Alice Sutherland-Hawes

I found “Go” to be incredibly uplifiting and I find myself melting into the album instead of trying to understand it, just accepting it for what it is. A mind blowing piece of work. The mix between English and Icelandic works beautifully - as you listen you pick up words and phrases you understand which just adds to the magic of the experience.

Each track plays it’s part, whether it's through

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homemade tiramisu - each dish looks great and is sent out with utmost of care, something which is not lost you as you realise that this is a “classy joint” your eating in.

I love this restaurant, the food is great, the service is just as good and Rossini’s has got their pricing spot on. Their house wine, Santa Lucia - a very, very nice dry white for 12.95 a litre, you can order a pasta dish for four people for less than 30.00. Brilliant.

Rossini’s is looking like it’s the place to eat, breathing a bit of life into the city centre and providing a restaurant that is great for the young couple, the birthday meal or just a bunch of friends coming together for a night out, good pricing, great service, stunning food. Bellissimo!

fast paced melodies and rhythms (Animal Arithmetic) or through the stunning ambience heard between the strings and piano in Tornado.

There's a slight nod to an Imogen Heap-esque glitchyness on Sinking Friendships which is only heightened by the vocal harmonies and the way Jonsi uses his voice as a backing instrument, providing a subtle beat for the rest of the track until the drums come in to take the track to further heights.

Jonsi switches between Icelandic and English throughout the album, often within songs, still using his voice as an instrument which creates the cloud of serenity that is his music. There's something really stunning about not listening to lyrics and just listening to someone sing. It's peaceful, challenging, incredible.

It's an album that requires time. Time to sit down and experience it, immerse yourself in it, clear your mind and let it take over.

With the incredible string backings, beautifully written drum patterns and his trademark falsetto, this album is an amazing and uplifting experience.

Coffee Paninis Pastries Salad Pizza

ROSSINI ’S Brasseria Italiana Pasta

Fish & Meat

Modern Italian Cuisine Cooked in a Traditional Style

Tel: 01633 259898 • Email: rossinis@btconnect.com 1 Clarence Place, Newport, NP19 7AA Open 8am -10pm. A la Carte Menu available from 12 noon onwards.

Good as a Gull with French Fries Exhibition of recent work by Artists

3rd year Fine Art Degree from

University of Wales, Newport

Opening Night 4 June, 6pm 5 – 6 June 10am – 4pm 7 – 11 June 10am -6pm Caerleon Campus, Rathmell Building

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folio Photographitti was set up in joint venture by Richie Walton and Dainton, with a view to producing quality photographic work. As simple as that.

Now a big name in the south Wales scene, Richie started journey on a photography course at Cross Keys college and he has drawn his inspiration from the likes of ‘David La Chapelle’ and ‘Dave Hill’ within the photography world.

“I know it sounds a bit cliché but my aim is to just keep on creating more and more original shots, and I work hard to make sure that’s what I’m known for. I mean I climb up tree’s, hang off dodgy scaffolding anything to get a cracking shot!”

Richie has taken photos for a lot of the big names amongst the Newport music scene. He has used all sorts of techniques, from dangling off ladders to covering his models in fake blood, and in doing so he has created some outstanding shots. Get in touch with Photographitti on email at, Richardpwalton@me.com or call : 01633 272868/07894 742399

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Words by: Joe Leverson Photography by: Photo Graffiti Website: www.photograffiti.tv Email: Richardpwalton@me.com

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[above] Orange tree - (music inspired, album artwork) [right] Festival - illustration for cardiif airport explore magazine

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NEED

printing?

Come to Kearline!

A3 prints from ÂŁ1.70 per copy, business cards from ÂŁ10 for 50, postcards, posters, in fact anything you need printed we can help with.

Special Offer for Students Students who show their NUS card will get 10% discount off any print service.

T: 01633 262197 E: studio@kearline.co.uk Kearline Graphic Images, Fairoak House, Church Road Newport NP19 7EJ

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folio

[above] Alicia at the Beach [right] Will

Ben Merredith Cardiff, South Wales e-mail: benmeredith@hotmail.co.uk online blog: www.benmeredith.blogspot.com

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[above] Reading Numbers

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[above] Samara Reading

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folio

BARRY ISLAND by: Maria Farrelly Cardiff, South Wales e-mail: info@mariafarrelly.com web: www.mariafarrelly.com

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The Age-Old Game

life

Words by: Mab Jones

A typical man is from Mars A typical woman from Venus She’s defined by the size of her tits and her arse And him by the size of his penis They mate for a couple of years On earth they find heaven together But Time is humanity’s curse And nothing we have lasts forever Our youth’s gone in just a few seconds We date mate and marry, for a shirt while it’s great But too soon Death’s bony hand beckons Our bodies deteriorate He makes less testosterone And her oestrogen levels drop Like an old dog he loses his bone Her pussycat’s wanderings stop They morph into asexual creatures Not ‘him’ or ‘her’ but OAPs They both have exactly the same features Suffer from the same kinds of disease No longer from Venus or Mars Women grow beards and men get breasts So then it’s the men need the bras And women who need the Gillettes He loses his macho physique

Her hourglass figure runs out What made both the sexes unique Disappears over years as hairs suddenly spout From our ears and our noses, all over our chins And our bodies break down and won’t mend They say that 40 is when life begins But for most that’s the start of the end All the trouble we go to when young The efforts we make to look good Are lost almost soon as they’re won It’s a fucking piss-take and we should If we’re smart just forget it, this game that we’re playing Between men and women, it’s never been won Cos as we all know from that saying Time and tide wait for no-fucking-one So look at them next time they both dodder past Once bride and groom, now a raisin and prune Cos one day you’ll peek in your own looking glass And what you will see won’t be Venus or Mars But a blind earthworm there in the gloom Like the ones you will feed when you’re down in your tomb Very soon, oh yes friends, very soon.

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folio

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[far left] Help

Ben Davies Cardiff, South Wales e-mail: bendavies19@hotmail.com

[top left] Y Fuwch Goch [top right] Rayban [bottom right] Unhappy Meal [bottom left] Ancient Geek

website: www.bendaviesdesign.com

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fashion

How to look good when living in a field for 3 days.

With festival season approaching, its time to start thinking about the all important ‘festival’ wardrobe. Here are a handful of essentials that will ensure you are fully equipped for the occasion.

Words by: Jo Maniatt 2.

1.

3.

5.

4.

6.

1. The all important parka, will keep you warm during the chilly evenings and ensures you are prepared for variable weather during the day 2.

Oversized sunglasses, perfect for disguising any evidence of the morning after the night before! 3. Dress simple, overload the accessories is the general rule to festival chic 4. The hat, after day 3 of not washing your hair, a hat will be your most valued possession; it will also provide protection from the suns rays 5. The one and only Hunter Original, need I say any more 6. These colourful gladiators will go with any outfit and are perfect for when the sun comes out 7. This floral playsuit is practical, cool and will look perfect with a denim waistcoat layered over it 8. Layering is the

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9.

7.

8.

10.

11.

13.

12.

perfect solution for the variable British weather to be expected at festivals. This denim waistcoat is really versatile 9. Long sleeve tunic perfect when warmer layers are needed 10. The Maxi dress, the ultimate festival essential, effortless and chic 11. If your home for the weekend is to be a tent, at least make sure it’s bright and colourful and most importantly stands out from the crowd of other tents, makes seeking out your tent much easier 12. A colourful scarf adds interest to any outfit 13. Another festival essential, denim shorts, also means no mud splattered jeans.

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sport For many years the Newport Gwent Dragons results and performances have left the Rodney faithful deflated and questioning the point in living. But that is most definitely changing.

The season has been somewhat of a revelation, with the Dragons last year touted as the 'New Zealand Dragons' now being the flag bearers for Welsh rugby. They have consistently fielded at least 12 or 13 welsh players in the starting line up. Young players at that, players that have shone and in my opinion need to be involved in the welsh set up this year or Mr Warren Gatland will have a lot to answer for.

Our very own Mr Happy, coach Paul Turner, has outdone himself with signings that at the start of the season made most in the know shake their head in disillusion. Rob Sidoli for one and the workhorse that is Gavin Thomas as another. They have brought much needed maturity and a solid consistency to a side that has the potential of being the best in Wales.

Wing Aled Brew has been a stand out player for me this season, he was looked upon as a faded talent by many and after playing second fiddle to Shane Williams at the Ospreys, he has finally been given a chance to show some immense strength, blistering pace and a majestic swan dive over the try line. Watch this space for Wales.

With all of Wales in awe of the magical Shane Williams in 2010's Six Nations campaign, I’m pretty sure that most eyes wouldn't turn towards Rodney parade in our nationwide search for his replacement, but overlook will harries at your peril. He is quite simply a cheetah in a mans body. Having joined the dragons from Northampton in June 2009 he has gone from zero to hero with now a huge following at the parade.

Although this has been by far the best season for the dragons in many a year, a few results have narrowly evaded us. Notably Leinster and Ulster away, and Scarlets at home (one of only two losses at home in the Mangers league this season), games that we could and should have won.

However, this had set up the end of the season with an eye on an place in the Mangers League play offs. Now as a regular Rodney Parader, I can tell you the atmosphere had never been better.

After a poor xmas 2009 period, an away win against the Saracens and a drubbing of the Ospreys in the LV cup gave the Dragons much needed confidence to finish the season with a bang!

As an eternal optimist I’ve always believed that the Dragons could beat anyone on their day, and to be honest if Gatland had fielded a dragons 15 for the Six Nations this year, I’m pretty sure that things would have been different. To beat a pretty much full strength

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Munster side, with a certain Ronan O’Gara at the helm, then 2 weeks after to beat the 'evil empire' Ospreys with a commanding performance from young gun Jason Tovey, was quite simply unbelievable! They dreamed the impossible dream and then lived it.

It seemed that home advantage and the newly named '16th man' Rodney Parade crowd were needed in order for the Dragons to produce a win. Straight after the Munster mashing at the parade the Dragons travelled to Connacht to deliver a pretty lacklustre performance losing to the Magners basement boys. Then after that emphatic win against the Ospreys the boys went down to a beatable Glasgow side. Games that had they have won would of had me preparing a nice little trip to Ireland for some opening playoff action. Sigh.

A home defeat against the Dragons bogey team, Cardiff Blues, pretty much confirmed my sorrows and ended any realistic hopes of the playoffs. A game of great intensity nonetheless - although marred by a shocking ankle injury to one of the Dragons breakthrough young players, Martyn Thomas.

With an injury list longer than the outstretched arms of Luke Charteris, it’s a good job the season was almost over, as the Dragons squad depth was being pulled at the seams. Dan lydiate, Luke Charteris and Joe Bearman to name a few.

The latter, fan favourite Bearman, suffering from a severe groin injury keeping him off the field for most of the season. Sadly, after speaking with Paul Turner I can tell you that due to a summer rehab programme for Joe he will not feature on the welsh summer tour. Horrible news for any Bearman fan as he is well deserving, in my opinion, of a welsh team place but has missed out on the last 3 occasions due to injury.

So, here we are at the end of another season, usually it would be a head in hands time for the Dragons but that is not the case this year. I spoke to an elderly chap on the terraces against the Ospreys - he had been coming to Rodney Parade since 1940 and that ‘this was the most enthralling game he'd ever seen and he could now die happy!'.

Yes, the playoffs may have evaded us, and money is still tight. The terraces can be cold and the pitch may freeze over, but it’s worth it! With the squad becoming stronger and with young welsh talent shining through I have this unbelievable belief, as does every single fan who turns up and cheers on the Dreigiau, that things are changing around here and we are on the verge of something sensational!!

Dragons

keep the home fires burning.

Words by: Michael Gittings

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Words by: Jonathan Hodson In by gone years it seemed only sailors and lady's of the oldest profession had tattoos, now it would seem anyone can feel the urge to be inked, With Footballers, pop stars, accountants and High court judges getting in on the ink act. on the second and third of may Newport saw it's 5TH annual tattoo convention, attending were over 60 tattoo artists from all over the world, plus piercers and body modifiers and many stalls selling related paraphernalia, fashion and equipment making it one of Britains biggest conventions.

Hundreds streamed through the door on both days to be entertained by bands from rock, rockabilly and punk genres, on day one Newport Ska band Two Rude played a stunning two hour set and on day two Bad Samaritans wrapped up the two days with a style that only They could provide. “So here’s the pick of the bunch of Newports finest inking wizard’s that attended the convention.

one off designor custom N0.1 The Market Arcade, Newport

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TEL: 01633 244042 www.imagesonskin.co.uk

Tel: 01633 850994 www.noregretstattoo.co.uk 20 Malpas Road, Newport

music ARTS

SATURDAY 15th MAY

Russell Kane at The Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679 www.russellkane.co.uk/fakespeare Fakespeare: The Tragickal Saveings of King Nigel Following a complete sell out run at this year's Edinburgh fringe, nascent playwright Russell Kane brings you his celebrated blank verse bonanza. Shakespeare has been reinvented in modern form many times. Russell turns this notion on its head.

LIVE MUSIC

LIVE MUSIC Glenn Miller Orchestra at The Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679 'Back to the 40's' Ray McVay presents a brand new show with the Glenn Miller Orchestra bringing the 1940's back to Newport! The Moonlight Serenaders with their fabulous harmonies; Jan Messeder and Colin Anthony on vocals and the swinging jazz band, The Uptown Hall Gang, all get together to give you a concert that will leave you with an unforgettable evening.

EVENTS Speed Dating at Tredegar House tredegar.house@newport.gov.uk 01633 815880, 18-35 years Why settle for just one date when you could have twenty? If you are single and sociable then why not join us for an evening with a difference at Tredegar House? Come along, have fun, meet new people and maybe even find a new relationship in these beautiful surroundings. Bar is available on the night.

Tickets £15 (include drink on arrival). Must be booked in advance.

ARTS

MONDAY 17th MAY

Ceramics for Adults the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 10am - 12pm, £20 (per 5 week block) or £4.50 per session Throwing and sculpting and hand building for all abilities; either work on projects from the tutor or go your own way. All materials provided ARTS Adult Streetdance the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 5.45pm - 6.45pm, £3.50 per session A friendly adult dance class, beginners welcome.

TUESDAY 18th MAY

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EVENTS

EVENTS Ryder Cup Roadshow at Caerleon Golf Course 01633 656656, info@newport.gov.uk Do you want to know more about The Ryder Cup and how it will affect you? If so, make sure you visit a Ryder Cup roadshow where members of Newport City Council will be on hand to answer your questions and queries. The roadshows will run from 5.30pm until 7.30pm and will consist of a presentation at 5.30pm and then an opportunity for informal questions and answers.

WEDNESDAY 19th MAY

ARTS

Photo Art Year 2, University of Wales, Newport at The Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679 Second year students on the Photographic Art course engage with inherent issues of the medium of photography in this exhibition that is, the complex relationships between the photographer and his/her subject and audience.

ARTS

ARTS

UWN Fashion Show 10 at The Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679 Produced by the University of Wales, Newport The Fashion Show 10 will showcase students work from the BA (Hons) Fashion Design Course at University of Wales, Newport. The show will feature collections from 1st and 2nd year students, as well as collections from this year's graduating students. Do not miss this opportunity to see this year's hottest new talent in fashion.

19 May 2010 to 21 May 2010 ARTS English Medium Creative Writing for Adults the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 10am - 1pm, Free Led by Nicky Delgado this 3 hour taster session on creative writing is suitable for all levels of abilities and aims to develop participants self expression or memory recall through words.

ARTS

THURSDAY 20th MAY

Graduation Show/Advertising Design, University of Wales, Newport at The Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679 With projects from Advertising Design, Animation, Computer Games Design, Graphic Design and Interactive Media, this exhibition provides an opportunity for you to see an eclectic range of work from the 2010 graduating class of the Design Department.

20 May 2010 to 29 May 2010

ARTS

MONDAY 24th MAY

Drama Workshops for Adults the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 10.30am - 12pm, £3.50 per session An opportunity to explore your dramatic side with June Purnell, involving scrip reading and improvisation.

TUESDAY 25th MAY

EVENTS

Ryder Cup Roadshow at Ringland Community Centre 01633 656656, info@newport.gov.uk Do you want to know more about The Ryder

COMEDY CINEMA

Cup and how it will affect you? If so, make sure you visit a Ryder Cup roadshow where members of Newport City Council will be on hand to answer your questions and queries. The roadshows will run from 5.30pm until 7.30pm and will consist of a presentation at 5.30pm and then an opportunity for informal questions and answers.

ARTS Circus Skills (14+ and Adults) the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 7pm - 8.30pm, £3.50 per session Learn juggling, stilt walking,unicycling, diabolos, ribbon, devil sticks & tight rope.

You will also have the opportunity to perform as part of the Newport Community Circus. Adults welcome!

FRIDAY 28th MAY

EVENTS

Bank Holiday XFactor and Britain's Got Talent! at Church House Inn, St Brides churchhouseinn@btinternet.com 01633 680963, 7.00pm An entertainment double bill with vocalist Neil Ellerton (who is featuring on this year's Britain's Got Talent) followed by sensational vocalist James Williams who was a finalist in 2008 X Factor. Free entry and a brilliant lineup of entertainment.

ARTS Adult Contemporary Dance (18+) the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 5.15pm - 6pm, £3 per session Adult dance class taught by Rubicon, this is an ideal chance for anyone who is interested in trying contemporary dance to have a go, with expert tuition. Beginners are welcome!

COMEDY Comedy Shed the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 7.45pm, £12 Continuing the successful cabaret format with three top acts per evening.

SATURDAY 29th MAY

ARTS

Treemonisha at The Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 7.30pm Pegasus Opera Written a century ago, Scott Joplin's Treemonisha is a still-powerful ode to the value and empowerment of education and community. Set in the American South, the story centres on Treemonisha, an educated former slave. In attempting to free her community from the grip of ignorance and superstition, she faces hostility, suspicion and dangerous opposition.

Mirroring aspects of the composer's own life, Joplin's acclaimed opera, with its mastery of different musical styles, is a stirring and engaging operatic gem which sparkles with real family appeal.

EVENTS

SUNDAY 30th MAY

Newport International Sports Village Open Day at Newport

what’s on?

To list your Event, Live Band, Arts Exhibition, Club Night, Guest DJ, Comedy Night, Student Night, Open Mic Night, Theatre, Concert, Festival or even a Car Boot Sale email us at listings@bordermagazine.co.uk or call us on 01633 253 315

International Sports Village The Free Open Day (11am - 5pm) at Newport International Sports Village is a chance to for families to try the wide range of sports and activities on offer. The activities available will include: Taster sessions in Cycling at Wales National Velodrome. Fitness Class at the Solutions Health and Fitness Suite. Waterpolo, Underwater Hockey and Aqua Aerobics at the East Wales Regional Swimming Pool.

Athletics at Newport Stadium which is also the home to Newport County Football Club.

Coached sessions at Newport Tennis Centre.

Plus many other sports and fun attractions for everyone across the site.

LIVE MUSIC Newport County Music Festival. Newport County Football Ground 11 am-Midnight, TICKET EVENT ONLY. Tickets £10. Free Entry For Children Under 12 Years Of Age. Ticket Outlets-Bar Amber, Diverse Music, WeGotTickets.com Hosted by Newport City Radio with 2 rude, I cant believe its not oasis, town, the dead beggers club, science bast..d, threshold, the elephant rescue plan, clinical groover, dirty goods, the guns ....plus many more.

DJs - Goldie Lookin Chain DJ SET only. Richie Moulton - Funky PhillSka and Northen Soul, DJ QUADY + MC SORE THUMBZ ...more djs and mc acts to be confirmed......

EVENTS Welsh Waterways Festival 2010 Hosted by the Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canals Trust (MBACT). The Festival is supported by Newport and South East Wales Business Tourism and the Inland Waterways Association.

The Welsh Waterways Festival 2010, incorporating the 2010 IWA National Trailboat Festival will be held in Newport over the Spring Holiday weekend. A full programme of events, competitions, exhibitions and live entertainment is planned and two trip boats will operate during the three days for visitors to enjoy the re-opened stretches of water.

TUESDAY 1st JUNE

the strongest playing field to date as Europe's leading tour stars arrive on a recce just four months before The Ryder Cup is played on the same Twenty Ten Course.

With a prize fund of £1.8 million and a first prize of £300,000, The Celtic Manor Wales Open also represents a great opportunity for players to boost their qualifying prospects for The Ryder Cup. Past winners include Ryder Cup stars Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Ian Poulter, Paul Lawrie and Paul McGinley while recent competitors have included Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, Lee Westwood and Ryder Cup skippers Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin.

03 June 2010 to 06 June 2010 CINEMA The Ghost (15) - 7.45pm the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679 A successful ghost writer completes the memoirs of former British Prime Minister, but The Ghost soon discovers that the PM has some dark and possibly deadly secrets. £4.80, £4.20 or £12 if you book to see any 4 films in 1 booking

COMEDY

SATURDAY 5th JUNE

LIVE MUSIC

Joe Brown the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 7.30pm, £20 Top Rock & Roll legend Joe Brown comes to us fresh from two of the best years of his career. With a new album 'More Of The Truth' released and sell out shows everywhere!

ARTS

Clowning Around Art Workshop at The Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679 This is a fun project using different techniques to create finished art project to take home. Suitable for children over 5 years old.

THURSDAY 3rd JUNE

ARTS

Wales Open Golf at Celtic Manor Resort Since its inception in 2000, The Celtic Manor Wales Open has grown into one of the leading golf tournaments on The European Tour. The 2010 event will boast

FRIDAY 4th JUNE

An Evening wih Gervase Phinn the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 7.30pm, £16, Reductions £14 Gervase Phinn will have you in stitches as he shares hilarious tales of life as a schools inspector in the Yorkshire Dales. Gervase's shows have received rave reviews all across the country.

LIVE MUSIC Music Battle of The Bands the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 7.45pm, £2 Second heat of bands battling for prizes which include recording sessions and much more. Judges include a national DJ, professional musicians & song writers from across the UK.

CINEMA

MONDAY 7th JUNE

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (18), the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 7.45pm, £4.80, £4.20 or £12 if you book to see any 4 films in 1 booking Based on the international best seller this is the gripping story of sassy Lisbeth Salander and journalist Mikael Blomkvist as they fight to expose fraud and track down a serial killer.

EVENTS

TUESDAY 8th JUNE

Mayors Gala Concert the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 7pm, £6, Reductions £5 The Gala concert will showcase wide

ranging creative talents of Young People from across the city. All proceeds raised will be donated to the Mayor of Newport's chosen charities.

ARTS

WEDNESDAY 9th JUNE

Breakdance (14+ and Adults) the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 7.30pm - 9pm, £4.00 per session You will learn break dancing styles, uprock, freezes and power moves, adults welcome!

ARTS

THURSDAY 10th JUNE

Life Drawing for Adults the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 6.30pm - 9pm, £7.50 per session Short pose warm ups & longer pose for more detailed work and an experienced tutor to give you tips. Great for all levels of experience. Includes basic drawing materials and life model.

FRIDAY 11th JUNE

ARTS

Adult Contemporary Dance (18+) the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 5.15pm - 6pm, £3 per session Adult dance class taught by Rubicon, this is an ideal chance for anyone who is interested in trying contemporary dance to have a go, with expert tuition. Beginners are welcome!

EVENTS Open Mic Night & Boutique Market Spring Sessions the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 5pm - 11pm, £1.00 Boutique stalls adorn the foyer from 5 til 11pm and performance will fill the air from 7 til 11pm. All types of performers are welcome from comedians to poets & musicians. To book a stall email rachel.kinchin@newport.gov.uk

SATURADY 12th JUNE

COMEDY

Hardeep Singh Kohli : The Nearly Naked Chef the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk 01633 656679, 7.30pm, £12 This celebrated broadcaster, raconteur, writer & cook combines comedy with inventive cuisine in a wonderfully funny, laid back evening's entertainment.

EVENTS

SUNDAY 13th JUNE

Vintage Car Rally at Tredegar House Leukaemia Research Fund, Gwent Voluntary Branch. Free Parking The 30th annual Vintage & Classic Vehicle Rally at Tredegar House is a great family day out. This vast event will exhibit; cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, steam engines, tractors and military vehicles to name but a few.

Adults £7, Children £4, OAPs £5, Family £18 (2 Adults & up to 4 Children under 16yrs). Free Parking

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