Miniature Music Press March 2012 edition

MMP the

The definitive guide to music in Cardiff

MAR-12

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27

EUROS CHILDS

Ex-Gorky and current bloody legend interviewed

SLEEPY PANDA CLUB

Fast-rising post-indie noise kindlers

GEORGIA RUTH

Tugging at your harp strings

STARVING ARTISTS

Hip-hop heroics from Cardiff collective

COVER ARTWORK: DANIEL HEGARTY

EURO CHILDS_06

GEORGIA RUTH_08 SLEEPY PANDAS_10

PUBLISHER

Aimee-Jade Hayes MMP Creative Ltd

EDITORS

Rowan Liggett, Simon M. Read,

ONLINE EDITOR

Morgan Applegarth

LISTINGS EDITOR

Matthew Pasternakiewicz

LIVE REVIEW EDITOR

Max Hicks

WRITERS

Jennifer Allan, Morgan Applegarth, Joel Dear, Francesca Dimech, Emma Gould, Max Hicks, Jamie Neasom, Joe O’Connell, Matthew Pasternakiewicz, Jim Swidenbank, Sion Trefor

DESIGNED BY:

Girl & Boy Studio www.girlandboystudio.co.uk

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER:

Paul Roberts

CONTACT

Demos/CDs to: The MMP, 183a Kings Road, Cardiff, CF11 9DF General: info@themmp.tv Advertising: ads@themmp.tv Listings: listings@themmp.tv www.themmp.tv twitter.com/themmp

COVER ILLUSTRATION BY:

Daniel Hegarty

MARCH 2012 CONTENTS 04 MUSIC NEWS News and round up of all the musical happenings in and around Cardiff 06 EXPOSURE Meet this month’s featured artists!

12 INDUSTRY INTERVIEW Interview with music industry linchpins.

14 LISTINGS All the goings on from Cardiff’s music venues this month 26 REVIEWS The month’s new albums, singles and demos.

28 MMP EXTRA Get yourselves to themmp. tv for even more reviews, competitions and news!

28 DOWNLOADS Join our Download Society and enjoy free downloads!

28 COMPETITION Win free stuff!

30 SPOTLIGHT Monthly column highlighting issues affecting music in Wales.

W

ell hello... Thanks for picking up the magazine. Knowing you’re there keeps us going. Help us in our quest by dropping us a line sometime. If you’ve heard something great or know someone sitting on a album without a clue how to share it with the masses, then even better.

That’s another reason we do what we do.

Well, it’s beginning to look like we’ve made it through winter without the total collapse of society.

You can’t help but be surprised at the total lack of large feverish groups of impoverished, vitamin D deprived folk tearing up the ground in search of something to do. As a part of the community, you deserve serious credit for keeping the peace.

Well done. Your reward is something resembling springtime.

Yes indeed.

March is when we start gearing up for the good times, when even just breathing in cheers us up.

Summer is on its way, people. Remember the summer? T-shirts, beer gardens, barbecues and beach towels. Campfires, road trips, old friends and new loves. It’s all on the horizon. We’re nearly there.

Turn the music up, stay positive and for God’s sake eat an apple.

Love and kisses, The MMP

THE MMP

04 | NEWS MARCH 2012

MUSIC NEWS

CULTURAL OLYMPIAD BRINGS 1,OOO MUSICIANS

JAZZ SUMMER SCHOOL TO LAND IN RWCMD The UK’s longest-running jazz summer school is returning to it’s Welsh roots this summer, it has been announced.

The Original UK Jazz Summer School has launched its 2012 programme, running from Sunday 29th July to Friday 3rd August, taking place at The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

“This is a great opportunity for musicians of any age to come and enjoy a stimulating voyage of discovery in a very friendly atmosphere,” said Summer School co-organiser Buster Birch.

He continued: “The course is open to all instrumentalists of all ages and levels of experience.”

Established over 45 years ago in Barry, the Summer School is returning to Wales with their week-long residential programme, after previously being held at Trinity College of Music, London.

The programme offers a full timetable of classes focused on providing all students the best experience and access to knowledge of jazz music, with live concerts taking place every night.

“The course continues to thrive and is one of the few remaining summer schools entirely dedicated to jazz,” commented fellow organiser Dave Wickins.

Full course details, including fees, can be found at www.theoriginalukjazzsummerschool.com.

Over 1,000 musicians from across Wales are set to come together for a weekend of music making in March, as part of Music Nation - a countdown event for the London 2012 Festival, the finale of the Cultural Olympiad.

Both professional and amateur ensembles will join forces, becoming Music Nation Cymru, to create one of the largest-ever weekends of participatory music making in Welsh history.

Music Nation is a project presented by the BBC and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), established “to set the scene and create excitement” in the lead up to the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Over the weekend of Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 March, over 15 organisations will perform a series of concerts and free performances in venues up and down the country.

Director of BBC Wales, Rhodri Talfan Davies, said: “It promises to be a memorable celebration of contemporary culture and music.”

A series of flash mob performances, inspired by Welsh music and led by the Welsh National Opera, have already been planned and will involve a world premiere of a medley of Welsh songs as part of a National Flash Mash.

Students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama will perform a range of ensembles during their two-day residency at the National History Museum, St Fagans, while the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales will present a Music Nation Celebration Concert on Sunday.

Hilary Boulding, Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, said: “We all know that Wales has a rich musical heritage, but this weekend of music making will be a real opportunity to showcase this talent in all its forms.”

Full listings of events across the weekend can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/musicnation

WHAT WE’VE BEEN LISTENING TO... {AIMEE}

{ROWAN}

{SIMON}

DJANGO DJANGO DEFAULT

THE ROLLING STONES GIMME SHELTER

OTHER LIVES DARK HORSE

The Djangos have featured in this bit of the magazine with unwavering frequency. But this daring track deserves a mention being it’s one of the highlights from their debut album. Typifying their solidification into one of the country’s most imaginative, wonky and intelligent new bands. djangodjango.co.uk

The Stones may not be short of plaudits but here goes. At 8am this track is better than coffee. Put it on, turn it up and strut like Jagger. You’ll feel like you could arm wrestle Satan himself. Play it LOUD.

Bon Iver tour supports inherit Vernon’s blessed falsetto, sense of bittersweet isolation and emotional directness. But they even broaden the palette of instrumentation and deliver haunting, incredibly interesting tracks like this

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

KUTOSIS SIGN NEW AGENCY DEAL Cardiff three-piece Kutosis have signed to a leading music agency, it has been revealed.

The self-proclaimed ‘noisy new wave post-punks’ have become part of the Brave Music Agency roster, joining the likes former Bluetones frontman Mark Morris and The Roseville Band.

With their high octane sound, Kutosis got their break as a staple figure on the Welsh music scene by playing the BBC Introducing stage at Reading & Leeds Festival 2009, and have since released their debut album Fanatical Love last November.

WELSH RADIO STATIONS UP FOR AWARD

MERTHYR ROCK ANNOUNCES DATES Organisers for the second annual Merthyr Rock have announced the dates for this year’s music festival.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural festival, Merthyr Rock 2012 is set to book-end the summer festival season by taking place between Friday 31st August and Sunday 2nd September.

Last year’s line-up included headliners Ocean Colour Scene and The Blackout, while Funeral For A Friend, Young Guns and Goldie Lookin Chain also entertained the 2,500 crowd in attendance at Cyfarthfa Park.

More information on the festival can be found at www.hayfestival.com/merthyrrock

BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru have been shortlisted for Radio Station Of The Year at this year’s Celtic Media Festival, it has be revealed.

All nominees for the annual event were announced yesterday by organisers, and included further success for BBC Radio Wales as daytime host Ross Noble was shortlisted for Radio Presenter/ Personality Of The Year.

Both BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru sit alongside three other radio stations in the category for Station Of The Year.

The awards ceremony will take place during the three-day celebration of broadcasting and film talent from across Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and the Isle of Man, being held in Derry, Northern Ireland between 18th-20th April.

All nominees and more information on the Festival can be found at www.celticmediafestival.co.uk

{MATT}

{MORGAN}

BRIGITTE BARDOT - LES AMIS DE LA MUSIQUE

ANGUS & JULIA STONE BELLA

You’re slobbering all over the seat, kid. Don’t worry, don’t panic! It’s normal, expected.

Bardot, whisper it! Bardot. Is this who Johnny was describing? The hottest lips since Hiroshima? The lady is a siren on the rocks, and this; her aria.

I could listen to this Australian brothersister duo all day. They manage to thwart melancholy by finding joy and fulfillment in their emotive, twinkling guitar sounds.

Listen to this and you’ll believe you’re on a soothing, joyful, love-drunk holiday where it only ever is sunny

{JOE}

RUSTIE - HOVER TRAPS Recent winner of the Guardian’s ‘First Album Award’, Rustie’s Glass Swords is a schizophrenic mash-up of early 00s garage, dubstep, house, crystal-like 80s synths and, ahem, slap bass. A brilliant piece of work.

06 | EXPOSURE INTERVIEW

Words by: Max Hicks Photography: Kirsten McTernan

EUROS CHILDS

Euros Childs has long been perhaps the most enigmatic and prolific musician of Wales’ indie-pop community. That said, phrases such as indie-pop don’t really do enough justice to Childs’ music, which incorporates as much folk and psychedelia as anything else. Euros was the founder and figurehead of the much loved Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, who formed as a school band over twenty years ago and enjoyed a fifteen year career. He has since gone on to enjoy similar success as a solo artist, as well as starting a new band, Jonny, with Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub, and another called Cousins with Meilyr of Race Horses. We caught up with the man himself for a verbal tete a tete...

Euros Childs has long been perhaps the most enigmatic and prolific musician of Wales’ indie-pop community. That said, phrases such as indie-pop don’t really do enough justice to Childs’ music, which incorporates as much folk and psychedelia as anything else. Euros was the founder and figurehead of the much loved Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, who formed as a school band over twenty years ago and enjoyed a fifteen year career. He has since gone on to enjoy similar success as a solo artist, as well as starting a new band, Jonny, with Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub, and another called Cousins with Meilyr of Race Horses. We caught up with the man himself for a verbal tete a tete...

MMP: What’s new?

HC: Pussycat.

MMP: What have you been listening to lately?

HC: An album by the North Sea Radio Orchestra called I A Moon. Also the album Jazz by Queen, and the American radio station WFMU. MMP:I’ve noticed you have been selfreleasing your most recent recordings, making them available from your website.

Is working without a label something you’re enjoying, and what are the benefits?

EC: I’m still on a label, it just happens to be mine! In terms of artistic freedom, things are pretty much the same. I’ve been lucky in the sense that I’ve never experienced much record company meddling in the creative side of things.

I’m enjoying the day to day running of things and sending the albums out in to the world. Maybe I’m a frustrated postman.

MMP: Following on from that question, if you were a new musician just starting out today, would you favour self-releases via the internet over trying to find a label?

EC: What works for me might not necessarily work for a band that’s MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

starting out. If you’re playing the long game and not searching for a big deal you could be better off doing it yourself. That is if you’re willing and capable to get your head around the way everything works. I certainly couldn’t have done that when I was younger. Saying that, it’s much easier these days, with the internet, to build up a fan base than it used to be. It can be done without the aid of a record label deal and the printed press. But if you’re completely skint as a band, you need money.

MMP: You’ve enjoyed a lot of success, firstly with Gorky’s and now both as a solo artist and with Jonny. Aside from your own hard work, is there anyone you would consider to have been a big influence in helping you achieve all you have done?

EC: Artists that have stuck to what they do regardless whether they sell records or not. I’ve just come across someone called R Stevie Moore, he’s recorded at home since the 70s to the present day from what I can make out. Seems like the kind of artist who would be doing what he does whether he sells records or not. Those kind of people are always inspiring.

MMP: You’ve worked with many good musicians over the years; who stands out?

Is there anyone you miss not being around any more?

EC: I’ve been lucky since Gorky’s. I’ve played with some very talented folk, Alun Tan Lan who is a solo artist and member of Y Niwl, Dylan Hughes and Meilyr Jones of Race horses, and Stephen Black (aka Sweet Baboo), who’s played with me in my band and also recorded a few of my albums.

With Jonny I’ve have played with some fine muscians too, Stuart Kidd (drums) and Dave McGowan (bass) and of course Norman Blake. I’ve played with various members of Gorky’s since we split, Peter Richardson who has played drums on my albums, Megan Childs plays violin on the new album and I sing a bit on Richard James’ new album Pictures In The Morning. Me and Richard also collaborated on a live soundtrack for two short films by a Russian animator called Yuri Norstein in 2010. We did one performance in front of 300 school children in a theatre in Jersey. They seemed to enjoy it, they didn’t make a sound so I think that’s a good sign.

MMP: With At The Drive In and Refused re-uniting for Coachella, it seems there’s

no end to the money a band can make for getting back together. Some people hate reunions, others can’t get enough. Would you ever consider reuniting Gorky’s?

EC: No. MMP: Worth a shot...you’ve obviously got a good friend in Norman Blake, but when did the mutual appreciation start? How did you meet?

EC: I’d always been a fan and Gorky’s supported Teenage Fanclub in 1997.

That’s when we got to know each other. A few years later, Norman joined Gorky’s on a tour called Mynci 2000.

He played guitar. It was around 6 years later I went up to Glasgow and we started writing together.

MMP: What did you think of the Teenage Fanclub cover of Christmas Eve? Did they tell you they were going to do it, or was it a (hopefully nice) surprise?

EC: We thought it was great, and were very flattered. I think we’d been tipped off.

MMP: The song on the Richmond sausages advert of last year had a vocalist that sounded an awful lot like yourself. Is there anything you’d like to tell us?

EC: A few people have said something similar. I heard it, and hated it, and

hated the bloke’s voice. Made me wonder if I hear my own voice in the same way as other people do.

MMP: What’s your favourite pizza topping?

EC: Anchovies.

MMP:Good choice. And finally, what does 2012 hold in store for you?

EC: Meilyr Jones of Race Horses and myself recorded an album under the name Cousins, the album’s called First Cousins, that will be out in March followed by a re-recorded single version of Spin That Girl Around. And then another solo album will come out in the summer. There’s also an album by a group called Short And Curlies that will be released this year. euroschilds.com

08| EXPOSURE | EXPOSUREFEATURE FEATURE 08

Words by: Max Hicks

SLEEPY PANDA CLUB Whilst it’s not unheard of for bands to endure long-distance relationships with members spread out in different cities, it is rare. Rarer still is the story behind Sleepy Panda Club, formed by a trio, two in Cardiff and the other a mere 4000 miles away in Canada. facebook.com/sleepypandaclub

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

Needless to say, the band has gotten geographically closer and bodily bigger since getting serious a little over a year ago. First ballooning out to a seven-piece, the band has subsequently trimmed back to a comparatively slight six members and is now solely based in Cardiff.

Sleepy Panda Club describe themselves as a post-punk band, though their current sound demonstrates a considerably greater affinity towards anthemic indie and dream pop. Sleepy Panda Club bring an Arcade Fire-like bombast to songs which might otherwise aspire to Beach House melancholy. The end result is an uplifting wall of progressive positivity, lent a softer edge by virtue of Delyth McClean’s vocals, obscurely reminiscent of Tom’s Diner-era Suzanne Vega.

If all this name-dropping suggests the band’s sound is purely derivative, then think again. Rather, the Sleepy Panda Club sound is an honest mix of its six members’ differing musical tastes. Instead of following one singular vision, they write together as a unit. Throw in the band’s multi-national and multigendered composition (Sleepy Panda Club are an even mix of girls and boys) and it’s easy to appreciate how wide their base of influences must extend.

Single Ghost In The Mirror (available in the Download Society) features all the band’s strengths in force; a full-frequency collision shunted along by exploding snare rolls, carried by a fantastic persistent backing vocal and prettied up with twinkles of synth and trumpet throughout. It’s emphatically commercial and radio friendly, but thankfully avoids overdosing on sugar or lapsing into the modern Britband trap of morbid self-reflection (which is ironic, given it’s title).

Following a summer of gigging, the band are now concentrating on finishing their first EP (and hopefully a corresponding video), before heading up to Wrexham to play Focus Wales 2012 in April. There’s a Chinese restaurant in Wrexham called the Sleepy Panda. Wonder if there’s any relation..? MH

The earnest figure cut by Phillip Nolan as he renounces his US citizenship under trial of treason, is symbolic not just for its wider countercultural position but also for the defiance in standing for an individual’s rights.

manwithoutcountry.com

student buzz ad 2012.indd 2

Words by Matthew Pasternakiewicz

15/02/2012 20:42

010 | EXPOSURE FEATURE

Words by: Simon M Read

GEORGIA RUTH The harp and Wales have been merrily entwined for as far back as it makes sense to look, with a reported unbroken line of harpists rising from the 11th century all the way through history up to this very spring of 2012 and beyond.

And while we may not see a harp in each of our daily lives all that often, that doesn’t mean the art has been lost, nor that it can’t be appropriated to carry new, novel messages.

As evidence, we bring you one Georgia Ruth.

A native of Aberystwyth, she has remained untainted from her time spent over the border in Cambridge University, and returned to the homeland with a harp, a crystalline voice, and a songwriting spark that could warm a polar cap.

Her recently released EP In Luna, reviewed herein, showcases a sound which is steeped in Celtic folk tradition, while simultaneously suggesting off-kilter modern artists such as St Vincent, Marissa Nadler and Aimee Mann. In tracks such as Through Your Hands and Lines, there’s a maturity at work which befits the time-worn psyche of someone twice her age.

Much like Joanna Newsom, who naturally comes up during any modern harp singer-songwriter discussion, the old, innocent sound of the instrument works as a contrast to the wordy, weighty lyricisms of love and pining.

Unlike Newsom, however, her voice is naturally pure, free from overt eccentricity, while undeniably capable of

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

dispensing emotional blows a la the great Joni Mitchell.

Already, at 23, she has played Glastonbury, Green Man, SWN and Next Big Thing Festivals. She has supported the likes of Damien Jurado, Sweet Billy Pilgrim and Seth Lakeman. She has signed to Gwymon and released a widely acclaimed EP. She’s recorded under the production guidance of David Wrench (Race Horses, Zun Zun Egui, Kathryn Williams) and collaborated with Y Niwl. We were surprised to hear she hadn’t succeeded with a moon landing or curing the common cold as well.

It’s an impressive list of achievements but one that will be exponentially expanding the more exposure Ruth receives. Her straddling of modern and traditional folk, pop and blues ensures crossover potential into all manner of audiences, while her tender age suggests that there are many more layers of creativity to be shed too.

To be blunt, it all looks pretty damn exciting. SMR soundcloud.com/georgiaruth

Words by: Matt Pasternakiewicz

012 | INDUSTRY INTERVIEW

STARVING ARTISTS When a group of innovators decides that enough is quite frankly enough, pool together their professional, artistic skills with the sole aim of providing unique solutions to your creative foibles, the outcome for a city like Cardiff can only be positive. In these trying times, MMP catches up with forward-thinking, progressive collective Starving Artists to ask about their last four years, Cardiff culture, and what it takes to get heard among the city’s drones.

MMP: GOOD DAY STARVING ARTISTS, HOW IN THE NAME OF GODZILLA’S PET PEREGRINE FALCON ARE YOU? SA: Hungry. Happy but hungry.

MMP: OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS HOW HAS STARVING ARTISTS GROWN AND DEVELOPED. WHAT IS THE MAJOR REQUEST WITHIN YOUR INDUSTRY AT PRESENT AND WHAT SERVICES ARE YOU CURRENTLY PROVIDING? SA: Right now we’re focussing on our monthly events at The Moon. We’re currently gearing up for the Souls of Mischief show. Also in the pipeline we have Chai Wallahs headliners and live dust-up outfit Coda on April 14th, High Focus Records Showcase featuring The Four Owls and solo sets from Verb T and Fliptrix on May 12th and Joe Driscoll featuring Sekou. As well as events, we’re working on new productions for Afro Cluster, including a music video directed by Huw Caddy, and solo material from Skunkadelic and The Beat Kleeva. We also used to provide commercial design and multimedia solutions but now we’re focussing solely on music, using our multimedia background to produce recordings, music videos and websites for our associated artists.

MMP: AS A COLLECTIVE OF PROFESSIONALS FROM DIFFERENT CREATIVE FACETS, DO YOU SEE THERE’S ANY BARRIERS TO WHAT MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

YOU TRY AND DO IN THE CITY? SA: It’s always hard to promote in Cardiff, as it’s a small city.

There’s a large number of creative individuals around, which is great, but unfortunately there aren’t many outlets for them. For us, it’s always been a challenge to find the right venue to hold events; somewhere relaxed and independently run that caters for music lovers at a reasonable price. Venues like this seem to come and go quite quickly.

MMP: AN INTERNET PRESENCE IS CONSIDERED INTEGRAL FOR PUBLICISING ASPIRING BANDS AND MUSICIANS. HOW DOES A MUSICIAN STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD? SA: With difficulty! It’s very easy for anyone to promote, publicise and even produce themselves now - which is great, but everyone’s doing it. I think people still want some kind of personal connection with musicians, which can be attempted with social networking.

But you can’t beat a live performance.

The artists with the best followings are the ones who work hard and gig regularly.

MMP: STARVING ARTISTS HAS HELD A CONSISTENT PRESENCE WITHIN CARDIFF’S LIVE MUSIC SEEN, HAVE YOU SEEN ANY CHANGES WITHIN THE CROWD’S THAT COME TO LIVE MUSIC EVENTS IN CARDIFF? SA: Generally not. We’ve found that if it’s good and reasonably priced, the

music lovers come. I think less people are going to big arena shows but we’ve always provided decent music at decent prices, just in a more intimate setting.

As mentioned before the student population is constantly rising so there are more young people but we usually tend to attract a varied age group.

MMP:WITH AN EAR TO THE GROUND AND FINGER ON THE PULSE OF THIS CITY, WHO SHOULD WE LOOK OUT FOR MUSICALLY OVER THE NEXT YEAR? SA:Well, it would be a crime not to mention our very own Afro Cluster.

They’ve extended their lineup with the addition of guitar and percussion to their shows, as well as incorporating additional musicians in the studio.

Look out for the new single and video for Break The Mould very soon.

Other exciting projects are new EPs from Darkhouse Family and The Word Virus Essay, new material from Dead Residents, Oort Kuiper, Flow Of Thought and Johnny Cage & The Voodoo Groove, and collaborative tracks between Skunkadelic, Louis Vines and Sub:Stance. There are too many names to mention but generally anything exciting and innovative that will help to strengthen Cardiff’s music scene gets our thumbs up.

Twitter: @starvingartists.

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

EVENT LISTINGS LIVE EVENTS

THU 1ST MARCH St David’s Day Parade @ King Edward VII Avenue, 12:00pm, FREE * Traditional music and dance for the annual St David’s day parade, starts at King Edward Avenue, traveling down St Mary’s Street to the Hayes.

CLUBS OF THE MONTH

Signature feat. XXXY @ BUFFALO

1 MARCH

Signature’s barnstorming parade of special guest stars this time incorporates Mancunian XXXY who has built quite the reputation for partyshaping house, 2-step, garage, videogames and occasionally techno. A guaranteed blitzkrieg of bass to say goodbye to St David’s Day.

Breton pipe band @ Owain Glyndwr, 2:00pm, FREE * Loft those daffodils high and continue your St David’s day celebrations with traditional Welsh pipe music.

Tony Morley @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Some say Tiny Tempah took his moniker from Tony’s notoriously calm temperament.

Tygers of Pan Tang @ Bogiez, 7:00pm, £11 * NWOBHM pioneers and all round British rock legends come to Cardiff for their first show here in a long time!

New Wave Presents: Town / Colorama / The Lash / The New Objects @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 7:00pm, £5 * Newport’s up and coming Brit-Poppers perform alongside gentle Welsh psychedelic folk.

No Sweat Presents: The New Objects @ The Full Moon, 7:00pm, FREE * Gorgeous vocal lead Indie, the lovechild of Radiohead and Jeff Buckley.

St David’s Day Concert @ RWCMD, 7:15pm, £7 / £5 conc * A musical celebration of Wales’s national day; songs and instrumental music to showcase the masters of Welsh music.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales @ St David’s Hall, 7:30pm, £10 - £26 * Traditional St David’s Day gala concert with an array of Welsh soloists and choirs, guaranteed to bring a joyful “hwyl” to the evening.

Manhattan Coast / Drafts / Blowgoat @ The Moon Club, 7:30pm, FREE * Flat out rawk from the depths of South Wales.

Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash @ The Gate, 7:30pm, £14 * Over four decades on Wishbone Ash continues to delight audiences worldwide

with melodic hard rock.

Feedback - Open Mic @ Owain Glyndwr, 8:00pm, FREE * Free for all, get on the stage and wiggle like it’s 99’.

Jonas Seetoh Quartet @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £6, £5 conc * Jonas is from Guangzhou Shi, Guangdong, China. He speaks English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

He sings pure Jazz – don’t miss him!

Meic Stevens / Gentle Good / Greta Isaac @ The Bunkhouse, 8:00pm, FREE * Put simply, you will not find a better line-up of quality folk for this price.

Dydd Gwyl Dewi @ NosDa, 8:30pm, FREE * St. Davids Day Celebrations with toe tappin’ Tylwyth Teg and acapeliciously fabulous ‘Way Back When’.

I am Austin / Ocean Red / On The Rocks DJs @ 10 Feet Tall, 9:00pm, £3 * Self styled ‘Future Blues’ bounce on over armed only with guitars and bird motif’ed shirts.

Spar Warz @ Undertone, 9:00pm £3 * Hip-hop DJs battle it out whilst MCs reputations hang in the balance.

Signature feat: XXXY @ Buffalo Bar, 10:00pm, £5 * Party styled future house from a technical genius..... or lord of the dance.

FRI 2ND MARCH Jazz Time @ RWCMD, 5:30pm, FREE * Every Friday start your weekend listening to the brightest jazz talent in the country.

Smokin’ Aces @ Peppermint, 6:00pm, FREE * No wonder they are smokin’, a busy month for Cardiff’s favorite hard-rock covers band.

The Ped and Joe Show with Gigantic DJ’s @ The Full Moon, 7:00pm, FREE * Old-time entertainment with fun filled folk duo, join the rousing rabble after work.

Porthcawl Interceltic Fesitval @ The Grand Pavilion, 7:00pm, £10 (£40 w/e) * Porthcawl’s grand pavilion hosts a weekend featuring the cream of the Welsh folk scene Peter Bruntnell / The Caves / Burning Ferns @ Buffalo Bar, 7:00pm, £6 / £5 adv * Whistful Americana and emotionally driven folk, in the vein of Aidan Moffat.

Crosswire Presents: Violas / Future Pilots / Magpie Instinct @ The Moon Club, 7:00pm, FREE * Lively, bilingual, ethereal music presented by crosswire.

Protest The Hero @ CF10, 7:30pm, £11 * Blistering Canadian metalcore, designed to frighten the life out of the hardiest of chaps.

Labyrinth @ Solus, 7:30pm, £13 * Self-taught musician and producer, comes to the capital on the back of major remix success.

Bring those dancing shoes.

The Selecter @ Bogiez, 7:30pm, £15 * Reducing clowns to tears since 79, A band that definitely need no introduction, 2-tone legends promise a skankingly

good time!

Chris Kelly @ The Vulcan Loungue, 8:00pm, FREE * Intimate light-entertainment and acoustic tones.

Calum Ross & The Scarlets @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Traditional balls out rock from a dynamic frontman and his band.

Show In The City - Cabaret @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, FREE * Fanny Dazzle & Bella Endez, tantalize the masses with feather-boas and intrigue.

GIGS OF THE MONTH

Bhangra Discothèque with RSVP @ GWDIHW

2 MARCH

Gwdihw’s superbly diverse programming brings in another treat with festival bhangra band RSVP playing live, hip-manipulating dancefloor breakers.

Incorporate also Juju Nations’ Daffyd Griffiths on the decks and the fun-loving Gwdihw crowd and this becomes a monstrously tempting offer.

Under the Driftwood Tree @ The Yard, 8:00pm, FREE * The darlings of Radio One return with a set of sea drenched shanties.

The Tony Breen Band & Guests @ Bubba’s Place, 8:00pm, FREE * A journey across the terrain of popular music, an education if you will.

Built For Comfort @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £4 * This band from Swindon are firm favorites, playing a selection of Classic Blues & R&B. Long time win uh have nuh nice time – UK Reggae Showcase @ Koko Gorrillaz, 9:00pm, £5 * Feel-good Reggae and R&B from the best in the South West, live PA’s from Savana, Sparky Rugged, Layla Rose and more. A night not to be missed!

Bhangra Discothèque with RSVP + Dafydd Griffiths (Juju Nations) @ Gwdihw, 9:00pm, £3 * Péchés Mignons continues to bring us party flavours from across the globe through his ravenous Discothèque nights and now its time for the Indian persuasion.

Great Eastern DJS @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 9:00pm, FREE * On the outskirts of Indie float the Great Eastern DJs spinning discs till the wee hours.

Obey! @ Undertone, 10:00pm, £TBA * Deep house and electronica beats, heavy bass to greet the weekend.

Aperture Residents Special @ Clwb Ifor Bach,

10:30pm, £5 * Drum ‘N’ Bass bastions hit town with super-fast beats and breaks, skilled workmen and women at play.

SAT 3RD MARCH Gamalan Taster Worshop @ St David’s Hall, 10:15am, £7 / £5 conc * Suitable for all 7 years upwards, a fun and informal opportunity to have a go at playing the St David’s Hall Gamelan.

Porthcawl Interceltic Fesitval @ The Grand Pavilion, 11:00am, £6 (day) £18 (night) (£40 w/e) * Porthcawl’s grand pavilion hosts a weekend featuring the cream of the Welsh folk scene Cardiff Gamelan – Sounds from Java @ St David’s Hall, 12:30pm, FREE* Experience the rich sounds of these beautiful bronze instruments from Java. slow and hypnotic to fast and intricate traditional song.

Music Mix Band @ St David’s Hall, 1:00pm, FREE * Spot the talent of the future, today! Cardiff youth service present the cream of young, Welsh, crop.

CLUBS OF THE MONTH

Hospitality @ THE GREAT HALL

3 MARCH

With High Contrast launching new LP The Agony & The Ecstasy both here tonight, and earlier in a more intimate Catapult in-store, the dance crowd is in for one massive party.

Also featuring Netsky, Friction, Fred V & Grafix and a heap more from the discerning Hospital Records crew, this is a party in your pants that won’t stop shooting.

Keith James @ Norwegian Church, 7:30pm, £12 * The great Canadian songbook opened and unleashed.

Expect to hear the best of Mitchell, Young and Cohen.

The Fabulous Covers Band @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * If ever there has been a more apt name for a band we’d like to hear it…. answers on a postcard.

Ruby Samba & Friends @ The Pen & Wig, 8:00pm, FREE * This little gem is sure to blow you away with her powerful, mind-blowing voice!

Freeman Street @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * Lightly toasted rock to drink the night away too.

Freakscene Presents: Witches Drum / Gung Ho / Landslides @ The Moon Club, 8:00pm, £3 * Cardiff’s premier marigold wearing psychedelic heroes summon the spirit of Jim Morrison in a spate of madness.

SESH @ NosDa, 8:30pm, FREE * Greta Isaac returns to sing love stories + GrekoCardiffian. Andrew Spiteri supports as strongly as ever.

AHAB @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 9:00pm, FREE * Fresh supporting Bellowhead on their recent UK tour, lively fun in the great tradition of folk-rock.

Juju Nations @ Gwdihw, 9:00pm, £3 * Back with an eclectic mix of afrobeat, funk and reggae. Be prepared to dance.

Hospitality @ The Great Hall, 9:00pm, £16 * A cast and crew of Britain’s drum & bass royalty beast the Union decks, dust of the smocks and ave’ it laaaaaaaarge.

Supacell: Drumcode Takeover @ Undertone, 10:00pm, £12 * beat heavy hip-hop to accompany this motor-mouth MC, scream if you want to go faster.

SUN 4TH MARCH Porthcawl Interceltic Fesitval @ The Grand Pavilion, 11:00am, £6 (£40 w/e) * Porthcawl’s grand pavilion hosts a weekend featuring the cream of the Welsh folk scene Tony Morley @ Live Lounge, 12:00pm, FREE * Former acoustic wielding sparring partner of Joe Calzaghe provides light entertainment over luncheon.

Music Nation Celebration Concert @ St David’s Hall, 3:00pm, £15 * A philharmonic treat! Culminating with the world premiere of Songs of the Earth by Karl Jenkins, a BBC commission for Music Nation.

Open Mic Afternoon w/ John Godwin @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, * John’s great vocals and floods of charm should entice the best to the open mic at the Lounge this afternoon.

Marie @ Live Lounge, 6:30pm, FREE * Pint-sized pianist provides the lilting Jazz and effortless ambience to lazy Sunday layabouts.

GIGS OF THE MONTH

Tomos Lewis @ THE MOON CLUB

4 MARCH

Tomos Lewis’ rather beautiful debut EP, reviewed herein, gets its official launch tonight on Womanby Street’s newest musical addition. Lewis has long been a fixture on the city’s acoustic scene, so to see him pushing onwards with such considerable aplomb, mammoth voice in tow, is deeply, deeply pleasing.

S & M @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:00pm, FREE * Covers and frivolity, from sexually charged duo.

Spaghetti Western Orchestra @ WMC, 7:00pm, £19 * Five mestros perform classic Ennio Morricone soundtracks from the iconic Clint Eastwood movies.

TOM.presents a St. David’s Celebration in aid of Tŷ Hafan @ Gwdihw, 7:00pm, £4 * Luci Vernon, Will Gray and Inconsiderate Parking keep formalitis fresh and

upbeat for charity.

Tomos Lewis EP Launch / Ryan Keene / Jade Hopcroft / The Ped and Joe Show @ The Moon Club, 7:30pm, £6 (Copy of the EP included) * Tomos Lewis launches his new EP Four Songs, with folksy support and a relaxed vibe.

Sunday Sicknote & Acoustic Open Mic @ Buffalo Bar, 7:30pm, FREE * Buffalo Acoustic Open Mic Night (new performers welcome, sign up from 7.30pm) & Sunday Sicknote DJ’s playing indie, alt classics, rock, pop & folk.

Anthony Lee Wickham @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * Charming folk are charming folk.

Wickham has charm in spades.

10 Feet Tall two floor birthday party: Air Cav / Flying Car Company / Magpie Instinct / Scriber @ more TBA @ 10 Feet Tall, 6:00pm, £7 / £6 adv * Lamacq darlings provide a string tinged tinged shimmering fuzz and resurgent percussion party for the venues fourth Birthday celebrations.

Thoby Davis @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Loop peddling madness for the master of acoustic contortion.

Colum Regan @ Live Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * The great Colum Regan dazzles all at the Lounge tonight with his diverse repertoire and exciting delivery.

The Tony Breen Band & Guests @ Bubba’s Place, 8:00pm, FREE * Up-beat old time Jazz, Blues and Country songs. Come along to hear your old favourites.

Sunday Night Jazz @ A Shot In The Dark, 8:30pm, £TBA * Regular warblings in an intimate setting, featuring the best of local (and not so local) talent.

MON 5TH MARCH Smoking Aces Duo @ Live Lounge, 12:00pm, FREE * A delightful set of lunchtime covers, come along and shout out your requests.

Florence and The Machine @ Motorpoint Arena, 7:00pm, £33.50 * FloMo returns in bigger voice and greater numbers, dramatic, elaborate, Indie-pop, from ‘shake it out’ star.

Honey Fungus @ Live Lounge, 7:00pm, FREE * It’s a little known fact that Crosby, Stills and Nash forged their style on this fantastic duo.

Orchard Presents: Phantom Limb @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 7:30pm, £6.50 * A seamless amalgam of classic, southern soul, country blues and gospel from Bristol, awesome!

Maverick Sabre / Miss Dynamite @ Solus, 7:30pm, £12.50 * London born, Irish-bred MC, combines hip-hop, reggae and blues.

Joined by formidable support.

The Caroloregians @ The Globe, 7:30pm, £8 * Funkify your Reggae with live favorites and funksters.

Open Mic @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:30pm, FREE * Open mic for all to enjoy at O’Neill’s.

Home Away From Home Productions Presents: Exit International / Out For Tomorrow / Here Lies The Enemy @ Buffalo Bar, 7:30pm, £MOTD / £5 adv * Cardiff’s heaviest duo, balls out aggressive post-

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Don’t see your venue listed?

Contact Us info@themmp.tv

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

37 Motorpoint Arena 38 The Old Library 39 The Yard 40 GH2 41 The Full Moon

hardcore from local boys done good.

GIGS OF THE MONTH

Exit International @ BUFFALO

5 MARCH

After securing Radio 1 daytime airplay with their crunching bassdriven, drum-heavy noise, Exit International are, no doubt, in the mood for a party. That means the Buffalo floor will be awash with spilt beer, the sweat of leather-donning moshers, and maybe even some blood. Woop!

Woop!

Ukulele Jam @ Gwdihw, 8:00pm, FREE * It’s near impossible being at this night with anything but a smile, grab a uke… hell grab two and stroll on down.

Deaf Club single launch / Dancers @ Undertone, 8:00pm, £TBA * Wales answer to Beach House, ethereal pop-stars release their new EP, highly recommended.

The Welsh Traditional Sessions @ The Cayo Arms, 8:30pm, FREE * Hear, sing and play traditional Welsh tunes in an informal and friendly atmosphere.

Honey Fungus Band @ Live Lounge, 10:00pm, FREE * Sweet, sweet harmonies of enriching male voice, entwined in folk tinged country twighlight.

TUE 6TH MARCH Hugh Tregelles Williams @ St David’s Hall, 1:00pm, £6.50 / £5.50 adv * The St David’s Hall organ celebrates its 30th birthday this year; Huw played its inaugural recital and returns three decades on.

Rob Cross @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Sweet and lovely, covers mixed with originals from the ever reliable and entertaining Rob Cross.

Smokin Aces @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:00pm, FREE * Schmokin….

Smoking…. Smoking….

Good time covers and entertainment from female lead favourites.

Swn & The Rusty Trombone of God Presents: Natural Snow Buildings / Mars To Stay / Sneaky Earnest @ Buffalo Bar, 7:30pm, £MOTD / £6 adv * French celestial lo-fi evokes starlight spilling though an accordion with meteorical beauty.

Norman Thatchers Band With Mike Denham (Piano) @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £4 * Old Swing and Ragtime from a Cafe Jazz favorite, joined by a genuine piano virtuoso in Mike Denham.

Toy Horses / Rusty Shackle / Jon Fazel @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, £7 / £6 adv * Local pop jugganaughts liven up a cold March in energetic fashion.

Open Mic @ The Old Library, 8:00pm, FREE * In rustic surrounds, from mere mortals God’s are made.

Jazz At Dempseys @ Dempseys, 9:00pm, £TBA * Smooth to Cool, Bebop to Big Band Jazz, educate yourself in intimate surrounds.

Face Value @ Live Lounge,

10:00pm, FREE * Of course, if we all took face value for their name they would be worthless… but to experience this super-group of immiscible talent is quite simply priceless.

Traffic @ Undertone, 10:00pm, £TBA * Live DJs and lively danceable tunes underneath 10 Feet Tall.

WED 7TH MARCH Tony Morley Duo @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Tony Morley duo serenade all at the Live Lounge this afternoon, get yourselves down for some great tunes!

Open Mic hosted by The JimJam Band @ The Traders Tavern, 7:00pm, FREE * Dust off that old axe, we know it’s been burning a hole in your soul since that night…

Rob Cross Duo @ Live Lounge, 7:00pm, FREE * As if it weren’t difficult enough to focus with just Rob on stage, now there’s a lovely someone joining him every Wednesday.

Open Mic w/ Singing Huw @ NosDa, 7:30pm, FREE * Bring your instruments, brandish your vocal chords for all to worship at this lovely open mic.

The Dubliners @ St David’s Hall, 7:30pm, £16.50 / £18.50 / £20 * You’d be hard stretched to find a band to match the legacy of these Irish legends. 50 years on, still influencing the masses.

Sweet, Clic Sargent Two Floor Fundraiser Featuring: Captain Accident / Sian Evans / General Jumbo / White Knuckle Ride @ Buffalo Bar, 7:00pm, £4 * Charity event, headlined by local Toots and the Maytals support.

Anthony Lee Wickahm @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * A charming blend of old and new from a charming man.

Bassplayer @ Gwdihw, 8:00pm, £2 * Turn up and join the jam, request a song via Facebook or twitter, bring your friends, enjoy the atmosphere but most importantly... have fun!

Cal Newman @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, FREE * Cardiff’s favourite smokey voiced blues man returns to entertain with his versions of blues, ragtime and slide guitar classics – A blues masterclass!

Plastik presents... @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 8:00pm, FREE * Local webzine curates a night of acoustic brilliance...

Tom Lewis @ O’Neills (Trinity St), 8:00pm, FREE * A night of subtle acoustic brilliance. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry..

Martha Tilston / The Brwmys @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, £MOTD / £8 adv * Sporting an impressive discography, Tilston’s brand of folk is best consumed in these rare intimate surrounds.

Jazz At Dempseys @ Dempseys, 9:00pm, £TBA * From swing to bebop, cool to blue. Top quality Jazz each week from these fair isles and beyond.

Live Wire @ Live Lounge, 10:00pm, FREE * The excellent Livewire tear it up at the Live Lounge tonight.

THU 8TH MARCH Tony Morley @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Have a snack whilst a man with a microphone sings Carless Whispers in your ear.

A Hawk And A Hacksaw @ Chapter Arts Centre, 6:00pm, £12 / £10 conc * Former Neutral Milk Hotel member and multiinstrumentalist performs a rare live score to ‘Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors’.

Rebecca Ferguson @ St David’s Hall, 7:00pm, £19.50 / £25 / £32.50 * 2010’s X-factor runner up returns to Cardiff with her famous ant-hill styling.

No Sweat Presents: Jam with Robina / Trystan @ The Full Moon, 7:00pm, FREE * Lilting acoustica with a floral tone. Sit back, relax, kiss me, go on, kiss me… stop it!

Orchard Presents: The Acacia Strain / Brutality Will Prevail @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 7:00pm, £10 * American deathcore cult favorites and Warped tour staples visit town on a mission of destruction.

Janet Seidel Trio @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £7 / £5 conc * Handling a fortuitous blend of Blossom Dearie and Doris Day with an occasional nod to Julie London.

Janet is as much a story teller as she is a singer.

Birenstock ‘Special Women’s Independence Day’ @ Gwdihw, 8:00pm, £TBC * Music, art, poetry, prizes, workshops and radical talk. Donations welcome at the door.

Feedback - Open Mic @ Owain Glyndwr, 8:00pm, FREE * Your chance to air those new numbers and dust off a few of the old ones too.

Astroid Boys Takeover @ Undertone, 8:00pm, £TBA * Young electro / dubsteppers and MC crew know how to throw a do… and this will be one hell of a party.

GIGS OF THE MONTH

A Hawk & A Hacksaw @ CHAPTER

8 MARCH

The arrival of one of the world’s most intriguing alternative world folk acts is normally enough of a boon in its own right. This time, though, the New Mexicans’ remarkable tracing of Balkan, Eastern European and Turkish traditional music will contribute to a re-scoring of 60s Ukrainian flick Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors. Awesome.

In Chapters @ Chapter Arts Centre, 8:00pm, £6 * This semi-regular event features unique collaborations between writers and musicians. This month’s theme: ‘fire’.

C-Y-N-T presents: Gentleman’s Dub Club @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:30pm, £5 * don’t delay for festival favourites. A lethal mix of dub and electronica.

FRI 9TH MARCH Collum Regan / Gigantic DJs @ The Full Moon, 5:00pm, FREE * Cardiff’s staple diet of fun-filled folk, put whiskey in the jar, ee eye ee eye oh, up the football league we go.

Jazz Time @ RWCMD, 5:30pm, FREE * Every Friday start your weekend

listening to the brightest jazz talent in the country.

Chis Kelly @ Peppermint, 6:00pm, FREE * Hotfooting it from Cathays, Kelly wows the town centre.

Barnardo’s Young Supporters Concert @ St David’s Hall, 6:30pm, £6 / £8 / £10 * Young Barnardo’s supporters from local schools in Cardiff and the surrounding area come together to create another amazing evening of song in aid of Barnardo’s.

Indigo Live Presents: Misty’s Little Adventure /Denuo @ Buffalo Bar, 7:00pm, £5 * Misty’s Big Adventure strip down for a one man Indie-folk show, ably accompanied by the glacial delights of Denuo O’Hooley and Tidow @ The Minstrel Rooms, 7:30pm, £10 * Extraordinarily talented folk duo woo the Cowbridge masses.

The Fabulous Boogie Boys featuring Sarah Warren @ The Globe, 7:30pm, £10 * Go intergalactic with a firebrand of riotous blues induced jump rock from outer space.

State of the Union Presents: Cheviot Hill @ The Moon Club, 7:30pm, £3 * Get on down and howl at the Moon, six piece folk tinged with soul and Jazz can accompany your madness.

Barely Regal Records Presents: Bastions / No Omega / Goodtime Boys @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 7:30pm, £4 * A furious, complex, torrent of guitar-lines await from the first son’s of Anglesey.

Special Branch @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * Exciting music in an intimate atmosphere, starts early so get going.

Chris Kelly @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Let your drinks go down slowly, then faster to the sound of Kelly’s guitar.

Show In The City - Cabaret @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, FREE * Get a vajazzle from Miss Fanny Dazzle, whilst Bella Endez entertains the troops.

Afrocluster / Moondog @ The Yard, 8:00pm, FREE * Easily the best afrobeat band in South Wales, you will not get many opportunities to see them for this price!

The Tony Breen Band & Guests @ Bubba’s Place, 8:00pm, FREE * Transport yourself back to the 50’s, when retro meant Bartok.

Blues is the dish, and it sure is best served cold.

Duncan @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £4 * Confessional jazz from former Everton and Rangers hard-man.

Vertigo Presents: Houdini Dax @ Gwdihw, 9:00pm, £3 * A blast from the ‘welldressed’ past, live bands with DJs spinning Garage, mod, soul and R ‘n’ B. Nocturnal Emissions @ Undertone, 9:00pm, £3 before 11 / £4 after * Ambient, electro-acoustic works from one time member of The Fall.

Vinyl Vendettas @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 9:00pm, FREE * Usually found owning the decks at Clwb Ifor Bach every Saturday, the VVs warm up for their weekend with a debut set at Cardiff Arts Institute.

Uvbass Party: Charity Event @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:00pm, £3.50 * Glow stick and UV party downstairs in Clwb, rave to techno, dubstep and house.

SAT 10TH MARCH

Luke Leighfield (8-piece band) / Spencer McGarry / Drawings From Paris @ Buffalo Bar, 7:00pm, £5 / £4 adv * If you like a bit of cheese with your silton this is for you. Introspective piano pop at its richest.

Nearly Dan – Steely Dan Tribute @ The Globe, 7:30pm, £12 * Tonight is the night the classics will be awakened and the suits dusted off.

Meic Stevens / Twmffat / Jamie Bevan @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 8:00pm, £8 * Such is his influence, many now call Dylan the American Stevens.

Starving Artists Presents: Souls of Mischief @ The Moon Club, 8:00pm, £10 * An intimate show from former Jive records, hieroglyphics collective. Classy hip-hop from Oakland – get their early, this night will be rammed.

GIGS OF THE MONTH

Bastions @ CLWB IFOR BACH

9 MARCH

The North Walian hardcore merchants have been kicking up a right stink with their infectious, angry, ball-stapling tomriffery.

Barely Regal here bring them down to the ‘Diff for what will be an outrageously sweaty, moshy affair. Support from No Omega and Goodtime Boys ensures the night will pulse from beginning to end.

Big Colours @ The Pen & Wig, 8:00pm, FREE * 3 piece indie band with influences from The Clash, Reverend & The Makers, The Smiths.

Colum Regan @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Lovely Saturday night acoustica from a genuinely lovely chap.

Under the Driftwood Tree @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * You would be privalaged to catch such fine musicians as these for none of your hard earned pennies.

Jets To Zurich @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 8:00pm, FREE * Alternative rock….

Alternative to rock? Hard rock from the valleys, for fans of Silverchair, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins…

Rygbi SESH @ NosDa. 8:30pm, FREE * Wales v Italy all day rugby party.

Then get your dancing boots on for ‘Tylwyth Teg’.

Mise en Bouche with Lazy Habits + Cardiff City Circus @ Gwdihw, 9:00pm, £3 * Stars of the UK Urban scene take there place and rip it up.

Junior Hacksaw @ The Crofts Pub, 9:00pm, £3 * Finger lickin’ stringed riffs interspersed with low down bottleneck blues. Not to be missed!

City Bass @ Undertone, 10:00pm, £TBA * If you like your beats hard and deep this ones for you, we’re going underground.

SUN 11TH MARCH Tony Morley @ Live Lounge, 12:00pm, FREE * The lovely Tony Morley serenades all during this

Sunday lunch session.

Open Mic Afternoon w/ John Godwin @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * John’s great vocals and floods of charm should entice the best to the open mic at the Lounge this afternoon.

Marie @ Live Lounge, 6:30pm, FREE * Zee piano playing maestro of Live lounge returns to her usual Sunday spot for a slice of relaxation pie.

S & M @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:00pm, FREE * Popular light entertainment from acoustic duo. Shout out requests they love it!

Dizzycuttlefish Presents: Lisa Marie Hopkins / Kirsty Palmer / Horizon / Hark!

A Shark! @ Gwdihw, 7:00pm, £2 * Pop punk and acoustic madness from local talent.

Josh Flowers & The Wild / Roo Planes @ Buffalo Bar, 7:30pm, £5 * Tilly and the Wall inspired pop-folk with eclectic instrumentation and big beats, lovely jubbly.

Thoby Davis @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Mr Davis is a breath of fresh air to the acoustic scene. Constant reinvention and simply bonkers innovation.

Piney Gir / Stephanie Finegan / Blin River Scare @ Ten Feet Tall, 8:00pm, £4 * Sugar sweet whimsy, from a solo lady… love hearts and Americanised frivolity.

GIGS OF THE MONTH

Souls Of Mischief @ THE MOON CLUB

10 MARCH

Starving Artists have pulled off something of a coup here. Oakland’s Souls Of Mischief have been pushing out critically acclaimed and crowd-pleasing, smooth hip-hop for over 20 years. Their arrival to The Moon Club marks not only a fine night out, but a demonstrable show of intent.

Tom Lukas @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * Soft and romantic acoustica from Cardiff’s crooner extraordinaire.

Colum Regan @ Live Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * A man of mysterious songsmitherey. A glittering star in this world of muck.

The Tony Breen Band & Guests @ Bubba’s Place, 8:00pm, FREE * An eclectic mix of Jazz, Country and Blues from Bubba’s residents.

Sunday Night Jazz @ A Shot In The Dark, 8:30pm, £TBA * Regular warblings in an intimate setting, featuring the best of local (and not so local) talent.

MON 12TH MARCH Smoking Aces Duo @ Live Lounge, 12:00pm, FREE * This lovely pair will get your toes a-tappin’ during this lunchtime set at the Lounge.

Honey Fungus @ Live Lounge, 7:00pm, FREE * This fantastic duo will dazzle all with their tight-as-Steptoe harmonies and wonderful charm.

Lloyd Cole @ The Glee

018 | LISTINGS LIVE EVENTS Club, 7:30pm, £20 * An extra special night in the company of a wonderful talent, accurate observations of those little moments that illuminate the complexity of love and life.

Classic FM Live @ WMC, 7:00pm, £20 - £45 * Featuring some of the greatest classical music of all time, stunningly performed by internationally renowned musicians.

Open Mic @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:30pm, FREE * A graveyard for the hasbeens whilst simultaneously providing a platform for the seeds of hope. How the scales even out.

GIGS OF THE MONTH

Josh Flowers & The Wild @ BUFFALO

11 MARCH

The kind of warming folk built for enlightened campfires where wisdom is dispensed as though its second nature. Flowers’ songwriting voice is a beautiful thing to hear, and when it’s flanked not only by his own splendid band but also the phenomenal Stokes, William and Joseph & David, this should be soothingly luscious.

Orchard presents: Max Raptor / Hildamay @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 7:30pm, £6 * Frankly, if you can’t fork out £6 for Britian’s most promising punk outfit, your tight as a limpit. Massive in Manchester!

Slow Magic / Selebrities / Jewellers @ Ten Feet Tall, 8:00pm, £5 * Thoughtful ethereal electronica, like a sundrenched M83.

A New Old-fashioned jazz band @ Café Jazz, 8:00pm, £3 / £2.50 conc * Classic jazz, swing and light-hearted songs in the style of the 1930s New York scene.

The Welsh Traditional Sessions @ The Cayo Arms, 8:30pm, FREE * Hear, sing and play traditional Welsh tunes in an informal and friendly atmosphere.

Honey Fungus Band @ Live Lounge, 10:00pm, FREE * By day, merely Honey Fungus, but come nightfall they mutate into the devastatingly amazing Honey Fungus Band.

TUE 13TH MARCH Jonathan Biss @ St David’s Hall, 1:00pm, £6.50 / £5.50 adv * Poetic and poignant piano recitalist plays a selection of Beethoven sonatas.

Rob Cross @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * The man is a cutey, there, I said it, hot as an auger, melancholy as, well…. a melon.

Smokin Aces @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:00pm, FREE * Covers for your mothers, Smokin aces hold their cards close to their chest, not that it matters when four of the pack are on fire!

Walter Trout @ The Glee Club, 7:30, £17 * Better with an axe than Lizzy Borden, to witness Mr Trout’s absurdist facial expressions are worth the ticket price alone. Cosmic blues from an

American wild-man.

GiveItSome presents: Polaris / Rifles and Diamonds / Raphaelites @ Gwdihw, 8:00pm, £3 * Alt rock with modern pop hooks, infectious guitar lines and bubbling basses.

Chris Wood @ St David’s Hall, 8:00pm, £13 / £12 adv * One of Britain’s most original Folk-stars, twists, traverses and turns under trivial circumstance.

Keith’s Little Jazzers @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £4 * 4ft 5″, good-time swing and flare from the smallest jazzers in town.

Antlered Man @ Undertone, 8:00pm, £4 * Prepare to get freaked out with fuzz nu-metal in the creepy vain of early Disturbed.

Open Mic @ The Old Library, 8:00pm, FREE * With the sheer amount of talent wishing to perform we suggest that you get your name down soon!

Jazz At Dempseys @ Dempseys, 9:00pm, £TBA * Jazz, delicious hot, disgusting cold, tolerable at luke warm temperatures.

WED 14TH MARCH Lunchtime Lights: Wind Orchestra A Journey Down The Rhine @ RWCMD, 1:15pm, £6 / £5 conc * The RWCMD Wind Orchestra take you on a romantic musical journey down the River Rhine with some of the most beautiful nineteenth century German repertoire.

Tony Morley Duo @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Tony Morley duo serenade all at the Live Lounge this afternoon, get yourselves down for some great tunes!

Open Mic hosted by The JimJam Band @ The Traders Tavern, 7:00pm, FREE * The lights are on, chips are down, your night, our night, everybody’s night.

Fleshgod Apocalypse @ Bogiez, 7:00pm, £10 * Italian classical inspired Death metal quintet takes to the road for their second headline UK Tour.

Rob Cross Duo @ Live Lounge, 7:00pm, FREE * As if it weren’t difficult enough to focus with just Rob on stage, now there’s a lovely someone joining him every Wednesday.

Open Mic w/ Singing Huw @ NosDa, 7:30pm, FREE * Bring your instruments, brandish your vocal chords for all to worship at this lovely open mic.

‘Folk in the Owl Nest’ Launch night @ Gwdihw, 8:00pm, FREE * The best in old folk and blues, free entry, hat more could you ask for?

Golden Fable / Elephant & Soldier @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, £3 * Beautiful celestial nu-folk from former Tim and Sams, Tim and Sam band member, a joy to behold.

Tom Lukas @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Gentle folk come one come all, witness the man, the man with the Midas touch.

Jazz Attic @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, FREE * Home to many of South Wales’s finest musicians and enthusiastic amateurs. Budding musicians, ‘sit in’ with this.

Glamorgan University’s Atrium presents... @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 8:00pm, FREE * Local students given the opportunity to showcase their talents in this acoustic mash-up, a wide selection of music to match any mood!

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

Tom Lewis @ O’Neills (Trinity St), 8:00pm, FREE * Tom Lewis knows what you want, but he’s not just going to give it to you, prise it out of the man.

Punks in the Beerlight @ The Full Moon, 9:00pm, FREE * Do you remember those car-park nights?

Thought not. I do, and you weren’t there… but now you can be – optional dress policy; boots and braces.

Jazz At Dempseys @ Dempseys, 9:00pm, FREE * Jazz evening with varying artists each week.

Orchard Presents: Post War Years @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:00pm, £3 * Dance the night away to off-kilter math rock with interchangeable vocals and intricate harmonies.

THU 15TH MARCH Tony Morley @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Since shooting to fame as the finger in Kubrick’s Shining, Morley can no be found strumming away the late afternoon.

Kyshera – Album Launch / Henry’s Funeral Shoe / Colours of One @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 7:00pm, £4 * When a band’s influences stretch from Zappa to Melt Banana via Squarepusher, you know to expect the unexpected.

No Sweat Presents: Caroline Harrison / Russell Toomey / The Red Age (Acoustic) @ The Full Moon, 7:00pm, FREE * Sensual acoustica from an axe wielding temptress, come along and you may never leave.

Gecko @ Buffalo Bar, 7:00pm, £5 / £4 adv * A strange mixture of afrobeat and Indie-pop fronted with a Kid Harpoon esq drawl.

Signature Presents: Bass Clef @ Buffalo Bar, 11:00pm, £5 (or free with a Gecko stamp) * Bristols priemier minimalist dubstep artist, brings his trombone down for a spooky serenade.

Vain @ Bogiez, 7:00pm, £11 * Glam metal masters come to town in support of their new album. Support comes from Finnish rockers Stala & So (feat. ex-members of Lordi) and Ancara.

CLUBS OF THE MONTH

Listen Up! feat. Post War Years @ CLWB IFOR BACH

14 MARCH

The Listen Up! indie club night has been going for years, pumping out monster noises for the mid-week crowd to shake their shakalakas.

This marks the first of the new series of band / club nights, featuring Post War Years, but all for the same bloomin’ price. Boil my carrots!

Gerry McAvoy’s Band of Friends Play – The Music of Rory Gallagher @ The Gate, 7:30pm, £15 * Not so much a tribute, more a celebration of the life and music of Rory Gallagher.

Feedback - Open Mic @ Owain Glyndwr, 8:00pm, FREE * Spectacular open mic, new players / singers always welcome.

Burum @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £6, £5 conc *

Burum bring their original mix of Welsh folk tunes and jazz to Cardiff. Tonight they will have a new front line of two trumpets. Expect dynamic improvisation.

Eruption Button Presents: Grand Canonical Ensemble / The Fauns @ Gwdihw, 8:00pm, £3 * Cardiff and Manchester based shoegaze & post-rock outfit launch their 4th album on Cardiff based cassette label, Typical Stereo.

On the Rocks Presents: Peace @ Ten Feet Tall, 9:00pm, £3 * Hardworking, industrious, Gang of Four esq Indie-pop. Gang vocals and atmospherics!

Awesome!

CLUBS OF THE MONTH

TM Juke & The Jack Baker Trio Soundsystem @ GWDIHW

14 MARCH

Mise en Bouche bring in some mind-opening tuneage from the Tru Thoughts label with TM Juke’s unprecedented musical and production skills here backed by ‘one-mantrio’ Jack Baker. Expect a carnival-tinged joyride through electro, hiphop, soul and more.

Shanti Bass @ Undertone, 10:00pm, £TBA * Wave your colours high in the air for the dub reggae mastodon. Shanti Bass is here!

FRI 16TH MARCH Lunchtime Guests: Soloists of the Philharmonia Orchestra @ RWCMD, 1:15pm, £6 / £5 conc * Glinka’s best known for his fizzy “Ruslan and Ludmilla” overture, but the ‘father of Russian music’ had a surprisingly romantic side. His Trio is the passionate heart of this delightful lunchtime concert from members of the Philharmonia.

Maxwell James / Gigantic DJ’s @ The Full Moon, 5:00pm, FREE * Largerthan-life selector’s accompany MAXWELLLLLLLLL, go on, try it! MAXWEEELLLLLL!!!!!

Jazz Time @ RWCMD, 5:30pm, * Every Friday start your weekend listening to the brightest jazz talent in the country.

Tom Lukas @ Peppermint, 6:00pm, FREE * Busy bee Lukas entertains the Friday feel good crowd.

The Catharsis / Blow Goat / Fire Season @ Buffalo Bar, 7:00pm, £4 * Aggressive hardcore from circle pit advocates, walls of sound and distortion for high-octane wonderment.

Sacher Perspectives @ WMC, 7:00pm, £7 - £9 * Works range from the airy gracefulness of Stravinsky’s Concerto and the atmospheric textures of Lutosławski’s Double Concerto.

The March Evening @ The Rumney Folk Club, 7:00pm, £3.50 / £1.50 (musicians) * Come along and bring your 6-string, for authentic ‘basket-house’ styled open mic.

Swn Presents: Wild Beasts @ The Coal Exchange, 7:30pm, £13.50 * Anthemic nu-Folk stars perform there biggest Cardiff show to date.

Philharmonia Orchestra @ St David’s Hall, 7:30pm, £10.50 - £33.50 * Conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, known for performances that recreate something of the excitement and danger of hearing Beethoven for the first time.

The Sex Pistols Experience @ The Globe, 7:30, £10 * There is something intrinsically funny about a Sex Pistols tribute band, witness the deliberately poor musicianship here.

State of the Union Presents: Eddie Falco / Claustro / The Death of Her Money @ The Moon Club, 7:30pm, £3 * An energetic post-grunge nightmare awaits! Think Shellac – but noisier, Nirvana – but tougher, Kong – but subtler.

The Fabulous Cover Band @ The Yard, 8:00pm, FREE * A devastating mix of authencicity and variation from this talented cover group.

Tom Lukas @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * The gentleman of acoustic songwriting talents that far exceed my own; Tom Lukas, if you please.

KYMO @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * Shredding and rock are the name of the game…. And they want to play the game with you.

Jack The Biscuit @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £4 * A four piece Blues Band with a hint of Rhythm/rock and roll and more besides.

Show In The City - Cabaret @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, FREE * Have fun every Friday Night with the WOW Showgirls Miss Kitty, Marcia, Donna Marie, Fanny Dazzle & Bella Endez.

The Tony Breen Band & Guests @ Bubba’s Place, 8:00pm, FREE * Authentic Welsh blues, from Tony and his cronies.

Tropical Boogie with Terremoto & Neil Stephens (juju Nations) @ Gwdihw, 9:00pm, £3 * Tropical Boogie as standard. Always beats always rhythm always the best thing to thaw out your frozen cheeks and get your ass moving.

DJ Jazzy B @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 9:00pm, FREE * A night for guilty pleasures, covering anything from the classic hits of the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, to; pop, indie, hip-hop and Motown.

Aperture presents: Shockone @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:30pm, £5 * Australian Drum ‘N’ Bass star, makes his way from Perth to Cardiff, via Bratislava.

System 909 @ Undertone, 10:00pm, £TBA * These boys know there Techno, come down and experience the connoisseur’s selections.

SAT 17TH MARCH Smokin’ Aces @ Peppermint, 4:30pm, FREE * All of your favorite tunes, performed truly and anthemically.

6 Nations Closing Party @ NosDa, 7:30pm, FREE A night of Wesh Rock where the Bartenders choose the tunes.

The Maccabees @ The Great Hall, 7:30pm, £17 * (Allegedly) Ringo Star’s least favorite type of Bee. Literate Indie from these young heart-wrenches.

2-Rude: A Tribute to Ska / Reconcile @ The Globe, 7:30, £7* Doc Martins?

Check! Braces? Check!

Trilby? Check! Two-tone?

Checkered?

Barsha’s Bazaar @ The Moon Club, 8:00pm, £tbc * A night of Balkan beats and live musical treats for you lucky carnival folk.

FCB @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * Imagine Nizlopi came to life and ran around until their pants fell off.. completely. You have imagined FCB. Freeman Street @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Upbeat guitar pop guaranteed to take your mind off the working week.

Manana 6 piece @ The Pen & Wig, 8:00pm, FREE * A sound that combines off-thewall brass with bass heavy grooves, reggae influenced, latin outfit sure to make you dance!

Swn presents: Dog Is Dead / Anothers Blood @ Cardiff Arts Insitute, 8:00pm, FREE * Nottingham newcomers out on a UK headline tour. Anywhere else in the country you’d be paying for a ticket, reserve a place at swnpresents.com.

Candela @ Gwdihw, 9:00pm, £3 * Indulge your ears to the wee small hours with the never ending record boxes packed full to the very brim of sounds to make you salivate!

SUN 18TH MARCH Mother’s Day Concert with RWCMD Concert Orchestra @ RWCMD, 2:00pm, £7 / £5 conc * A programme of music for mothers and families to enjoy, with much-loved masterpiece by Saint-Saëns, ‘Carnival of the Animals’.

Come along early and enjoy a performance of Haydn’s Toy Symphony in the foyer.

Open Mic Afternoon w/ John Godwin @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * John’s unparalleled charisma entices all sorts of talent to his individualised and unique open mic.

Chomp Festival (Acoustic Stage) @ The Full Moon, 5:00pm, FREE * Popular budget chocolate bar manufactures present the softer side of caramelized wonderment.

Chomp Festival: Reaper in Sicily / Twice My Size / Chloe Cook & More @ The Moon Club, 5:00pm, £5 * Local music festival, 14 bands, 2 stages, live music all day. Heavy as hell with cold-hearted precision.

Marie @ Live Lounge, 6:30pm, FREE * There are few pleasures in life more rewarding than that of Marie a-warbling. Tinkling on the ivories, sneaking a Chopin Nocturne aside Watermelon man.

S & M @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:00pm, FREE * S & M better known as Seal and Meatloaf, can it be true? No. But you may hear both performed by this good-time duo.

Armon Amarth @ Solus, 7:30pm, £16.50 * European Viking metal warriors from Stockholm, come to show the Brits how death metal should be played.

Seafarers UK @ St David’s Hall, 7:30pm, £12.50 - £20 * The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Plymouth and the Pendyrus Male Choir team up once again for another of their enormously popular concerts in aid of the leading maritime charity.

Sunday Sicknote & Acoustic Open Mic @ Buffalo Bar, 7:30pm, * Buffalo Acoustic Open Mic Night

(new performers welcome, sign up from 7.30pm) & Sunday Sicknote DJ’s playing indie, alt classics, rock, pop & folk The Adventures of Andy Kershaw @ The Glee Club, 7:30pm, £15 * Broadcaster and disc jockey, talks world music with hilarious anecdotes – like that time he went to Deli with nothing but a copper codpiece…

GIGS OF THE MONTH

Dog Is Dead @ CARDIFF ARTS INSTITUTE

17 MARCH

While being in Skins as yourselves may not heap credibility on the average band, for Dog Is Dead it’s actually rather fitting. Their brand of indie-pop is precisely about the jouissance of youth, its bittersweet breakdowns and soaring highs. May be time for the Bombay Bicycle support to truly stand alone.

Thoby Davis @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * When Thoby Davis met the Devil; Beelzebub took one good look and fell to his knees screaming for forgiveness.

Anthony Lee Wickham @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * Wickham, oh Wickham, how you delight us with your presence and company… profound covers and lovely originals.

Colum Regan @ Live Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * The great Colum Regan dazzles all at the Lounge tonight with his diverse repertoire and exciting delivery.

The Tony Breen Band & Guests @ Bubba’s Place, 8:00pm, FREE * Tony Breen’s band perform the most badass residency in this fair city, catch institutions in the making.

Sunday Night Jazz @ A Shot In The Dark, 8:30pm, £TBA * Regular warblings in an intimate setting, featuring the best of local (and not so local) talent.

Glen Manby Quartet @ Chapter Arts Centre, 9:00pm, FREE * An evening of melodic acoustic jazz in the friendly surroundings of Chapter’s Caffi Bar. MON 19TH MARCH Smoking Aces Duo @ Live Lounge, 12:00pm, FREE * This lovely pair will get your toes a-tappin’ during this lunchtime set at the Lounge.

JLS @ Motorpoint Arena, 7:00pm, SOLD OUT * Previously called UFO, Jack the Lad Swing take centre stage with infectious boy band swagger.

CCVG Junior Schools’ Music Festival @ St David’s Hall, 7:00pm, £6 - £10 * A celebration in performance of the wonderful talents of the Counties’ Junior Ensembles..

Honey Fungus @ Live Lounge, 7:00pm, FREE * As sweet as honey and as mouldy as fungus this fantastic duo will dazzle all with their tight-as-Steptoe harmonies and wonderful charm.

Exhumed / Annal Nathrakh @ Bogiez, 7:00pm, £15 * American Death Metal masters team up with British death / industrial mentalists for a night of pure carnage.

Edoardo Catemario @ RWCMD, 7:00pm, £7 / £5 * Bringing that unique touch to some of the best-loved works in the guitar repertoire with masterpieces both timelessly ancient (J S Bach) and bewitchingly modern.

Open Mic @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:30pm, * Poets and bohemians congregate for (possibly) this cities largest open mic.

The Welsh Traditional Sessions @ The Cayo Arms, 8:30pm, FREE * Hear, sing and play traditional Welsh tunes in an informal and friendly atmosphere.

Honey Fungus Band @ Live Lounge, 10:00pm, FREE * Raucous covers and mid bending originals entertain the masses.

TUE 20TH MARCH Rob Cross @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Rob Cross is so good, his last two sessions have been stopped by the police due to congestion in Live Lounge.

Room94 / 8th Time Lucky / Ocean’s Eyes / Destine @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 6:00pm, £10 * Poppy emo (Peemo?) from the ‘burbs’ of Hertfordshire, hit Clwb via social networking hysteria, prepare to be Twitpic’d.

Smokin Aces @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:00pm, FREE * Talented covers and cheese from Cardiff’s favourite tribute act.

JLS @ Motorpoint Arena, 7:00pm, SOLD OUT * Years from X-factor success Jesus Lady Snake display their MOBO award winning credentials.

CCVG Spring Showcase @ St David’s Hall, 7:00pm, £6 - £10 * The talents of nine of the Counties’ Ensembles plus a massed choir of 250 Primary School children come together for a wonderful evening.

Sound of Guns / The Vestals @ The Moon Club, 7:30pm, £6 * Alternative rock from Liverpool, fast and bulbous, fast and bulbous.

Fascinating Rhythm @ RWCMD, 7:30pm, £7 / £5 * A bewildering array of instruments, work in combinations that will surprise you and create an evening of perfect rhythm.

Icon Revisited @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £4 * The last time Icon came to town, they were largely overlooked….

Landslides / Headshot / Godbomber @ Buffalo Bar, 7:00pm, £3 * Mr Bungle influence avant-metal produces a night with more twists and turns than a croissant.

Gruff @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * Simply Gruff, musical and luteful….. Gruff.

Richmond Fontaine (Duo) @ Ten Feet Tall, 8:00pm, £9 * David Dondero esq Americana. Storytellers extraordinaire, catch them now before they blow-up, supernova style.

Open Mic @ The Old Library, 8:00pm, FREE * No, it’s not a live display of Dr Guther Hagens grisly televised autopsy’s, but a chance to wow the masses.

Jumping Ships / Gunning for Tamar @ Buffalo Bar, 7:00pm, £8 * Saves the Day esq post-hardcore, with a little hint of early Prophets,

Jumping Ships are ones to watch.

Jazz At Dempseys @ Dempseys, 9:00pm, £TBA * Jazz, the great divider.

From Bitches Brew to The Shape of Jazz to Come, Benny Goodman to Django Rhinhardt.

Face Value @ Live Lounge, 10:00pm, FREE * They tell it like it is man. Sometimes that may be too much to bear, let it go, just let it go.

WED 21ST MARCH Lunchtime Lights: Venetian Fantasy with RWCMD Symphonic Brass @ RWCMD, 1:15pm, £6 / £5 conc * The world premiere of Robert Spearing’s Commedia dell’arte, commissioned for RWCMD Symphonic Brass.

Tony Morley Duo @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Tony Morley duo serenade all at the Live Lounge this afternoon, get yourselves down for some great tunes!

Open Mic hosted by The JimJam Band @ The Traders Tavern, 7:00pm, FREE * Challenging music performed by drunken buffoons….. it not the name of the night, high quality openmic at the Traders Tav. Rob Cross Duo @ Live Lounge, 7:00pm, FREE * As if it weren’t difficult enough to focus with just Rob on stage, now there’s a lovely someone joining him every Wednesday.

JLS @ Motorpoint Arena, 7:00pm, SOLD OUT * John Lennon Sucks, prepare to unleash hit single after hit single on this, their sold out Cardiff residency!

Open Mic w/ Singing Huw @ NosDa, 7:30pm, FREE * Bring your instruments, brandish your vocal chords for all to worship at this lovely open mic.

Tommy Fleming @ St David’s Hall, 7:30pm, £25 / £29 * A musical experience not to be missed! Fleming ‘the voice of Ireland’ has a universal appeal for all ages and backgrounds.

GIGS OF THE MONTH

Richmond Fontaine @ 10FEET TALL

20 MARCH

To the discerning alt-country fan, Richmond Fontaine’s literary, expansive and beautiful back catalogue is a never-diminishing goldmine. Willy Vlautin’s bruised characters will haunt Ten Feet Tall’s upper chamber on a Tuesday evening, as spring becomes a Cardiff reality. Entirely enchanting.

Yashin @ CF10, 7:30pm, £8.50 * Scottish posthardcore sextet, come off the back of Black Veil Brides support to slaughter the Union.

Balderdash @ Gwdihw, 8:00pm, £3 * Live music from the cream of Cardiff spoon-fed to your mouth through the owls own cutlery.

Anthony Lee Wickham @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Light weekday entertainment from a genuinely pleasant fellow. Bully!

Recluse / The Vigil @ Undertone, 8:00pm, £4 * Straight up hard rock from Bristol, if chunky riffs are your thing – this is the night for you.

Neil Cowley Trio featuring the Mount Molehill Strings @ RWCMD, 8:00pm, £12 / £10 conc * One of the UK’s most exhilarating live bands, their intensely thrilling and dynamic sets of propulsive rhythms and aching melancholy.

Tom Lewis @ O’Neills (Trinity St), 8:00pm, FREE * Tom Lewis’ distinct take on popular song is a joy to behold, come down to witness the fitness.

Deborah Hogson / Remi Harris @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £4 / £3 Conc * Gypsy jazz and swing joined by a belle on wheels singing sultry arias.

Zoo Pop presents... @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 8:00pm, FREE * Local talent with an acoustic twist from a well loved promotions team.

Jazz At Dempseys @ Dempseys, 9:00pm, £TBA * Jazz. Sexy, crass, flamboyant, ripe. Join Cardiff’s finest Jazz curators for a night of mayhem.

Live Wire @ Live Lounge, 10:00pm, FREE * Join Livewire for infectious sing-along’s and goodtime covers.

THU 22ND MARCH Tony Morley @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Cardiff institution and all round good guy, ladies and gentlemen… Tony Morley.

An Evening With Joan Baez @ WMC, 7:00pm, £39.50 * Be transported back to the 60’s with this historical figurehead from the world of folk.

Welsh Sinfonia @ RWCMD, 6:30pm, £13 / £11 conc / £20 family / £5 students * The first performance of the Welsh Sinfonia’s 2012 commission, from the College’s own Head of Composition and acclaimed composer John Hardy, expect a suitably rousing finale.

Nero @ The Great Hall, 7:00pm, £16.50 * The chameleons of drum & bass, dubstep and grime prepare to blow the roof off the great hall with the likes of hit single ‘Me and You’.

No Sweat Presents: Nia / Strugglin’ Bug / TBA @ The Full Moon, 7:00pm, FREE * Cute folk and covers from beyond, enjoy Radiohead’s beuty alongside Bob Marley’s cool.

Feedback - Open Mic @ Owain Glyndwr, 8:00pm, FREE * Get out of your bedroom and show some ambition young Jedi, you can do it!

Arek Mazurek @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £6, £5 conc * An eclectic and exciting mix of material, including arrangements of tunes by Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Ahmad Jamal and Thelonious Monk. Grounded in the swinging straight ahead style of jazz, drawing from funk, reggae and world music.

On the Rocks Presents: The Direction @ Ten Feet Tall, 9:00pm, £3 * Flat out, in your face guitars of mystery, behold, behold.

FRI 23RD MARCH Captain Accident / Gigantic DJ’s @ The Full Moon, 5:00pm, FREE * Cardiff’s punk tinged reggae favorites bring on smoking… and drinking and drinking… and

smoking.

Jazz Time @ RWCMD, 5:30pm, FREE * Aroud four hours after lunchtime and one before tea-time, Jazz time at the RWCMD. Leighton Jones @ Peppermint, 6:00pm, FREE * Man of the moment Mr. Jones, rattles off acoustic wonderment for a baying.

You Me At Six / Kids In Glass Houses @ Solus, 7:00pm, £15 * Underground heroes to mainstream rockers embark on their biggest headline tour yet. Get in there quick, tickets are limited!

The Last Carnival @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 7:00pm, £6 * high energy, relentless and truly mesmerizing live act, think Moose Springbean and you’re a typo away.

The Magic of San Marco @ RWCMD, 7:30pm, £7 / £5 * Share in the RWC’s celebration of some of the most evocative and spine-tingling music to emerge from Italy during the renaissance.

State of the Union Presents: Orez @ The Moon Club, 7:30pm, £3 * Join the masses for a night of prog rock influenced experiemental madness.

Fleetwood Bac @ The Globe, 7:30pm, £10 * Watch them self-destruct all over again, there’ll be rumors.

Jack Bruce & His Big Blues Band @ St David’s Hall, 8:00pm, £25 * Former Cream bassist comes home to the Blues, with a backing band of rock alumni.

Ruby Samba @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * The voice that sunk a thousand ships, beautiful songs and lilting Jazz.

Leighton Jones @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * The man needs no introduction, simply beautiful acoustic muzak.

Colum Regan @ The Yard, 8:00pm, FREE * Lighthearted entertainment from a man who can play, by God he can play.

Blues Highway @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £4 * One of Wales’ best harmonica exponents, fronts a fabulous bunch of musicians guaranteed to go with a swing.

Show In The City - Cabaret @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, FREE * Have fun every Friday Night with the WOW Showgirls Miss Kitty, Marcia, Donna Marie, Fanny Dazzle & Bella Endez.

The Tony Breen Band & Guests @ Bubba’s Place, 8:00pm, FREE * Goodtime rack and mop music with added blue.

F.A.O. featuring T.Williams @ Undertone, 9:00pm, £8 / £7 adv * Classy hip-hop with a liquid flow and chewy centre.

Modern Life Is Rubbish DJs @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 9:00pm, FREE * 90’s esque indie/alt night with a few extras added in for bonus dancing opportunities.

Péchés Mignons presents The Haggis Horns / Cardiff City Circus @ Gwdihw, 9:00pm, £3 * The UK’s top funk band rip it up and start again in intimate surrounds.

SAT 24TH MARCH Chimera @ Solus, 7:00pm, £14 * New wave of American death metal legends, come bearing gifts…. of brutality.

Serenity / Pythia / Nemesea @ Bogiez, 7:00pm, £8 *

A triple symphonic/power metal bill. One of only two UK dates, bring your spandex pants.

Matt Cardle @ St David’s Hall, 7:30pm, £26.50 * Admittedly Biffy Clyro self-destructed long before Cardle dipped his oar in, for little more than a pony you can witness the horror first hand.

Robin and Bina Williamson @ The Minstrel Rooms, 7:30pm, £10 * Expect to hear mixture of old and new featuring Robin from Incredible String Band.

Seth Lakeman @ The Coal Exchange, 7:30pm, £18.50 * Turning all we knew about folk music on its head, the master of contortion…

Word Virus Essay @ The Pen & Wig, 8:00pm, FREE * Cardiff’s Finest Triphop/ Drum & Bass band, with a new lineup for 2012 this is one not to miss!

Salvation @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * And God came down asking for relaxing vibes, he got it.. right here!

Paul Handyside @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Everybody needs a Paul Handyside, and lord God knows we’re one.

Eric Unseen @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 8:00pm, FREE * Like a Bluesman at the devil’s crossroads, Eric Unseen have sold their collective soul to the God’s of rock ‘n’ roll, now they bash out Pistol’s licks over Morrissey’s razor sharp tongue.

SESH @ NosDa, 8:30pm, FREE * Resident DJ Danny Cashman sets the vibe for another funky evening!

Twisted By Design @ Dempseys, 9:00pm, £3 / £3.50 conc * Cardiff’s longest running Indie night, now in it’s 12th year. A mix of classic and new alternative tunes.

Mise en Bouche with TM Juke & The Jack Baker Trio Soundsystem / Fat City @ Gwdihw, 9:00pm, £3 * A blend of Electro/Hip hop & Soul from a multi-talented musician, producer and Dj. Feral Disco ‘Techfunk Special’: Meat Katie @ The Moon Club, 10:00pm, £5 * Feral Disco is back with a one-off techfunk special!

Enjoy the best in electronic tinged groove.

Femme Fatale @ Undertone, 10:00pm, £4 * The ladies display their far superiour musical tastebuds all over the dancefloor.

SUN 25TH MARCH Tony Morley @ Live Lounge, 12:00pm, FREE * The lovely Tony Morley serenades all during this Sunday lunch session.

Open Mic Afternoon w/ John Godwin @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Belch out the national anthem post Sunday roast with John Godwin.

Cardiff University Choir and Symphony Orchestra @ St David’s Hall, 3:00pm, £10 * As part of the Sacher celebrations, the University Choir and Orchestra will give a performance of Britten’s Cantata Academica.

Llyr Williams @ RWCMD, 3:00pm, £12 / £10 conc * One of the most thoughtful and expressive performers on the scene today. Hear what all the fuss is about in this exquisite all-Schubert programme.

STHC Cardiff Presents PJ Bond & Support @ Gwdihw, 6:00pm, £4 * A

020 | LISTINGS LIVE EVENTS man who has spent the better part of the last 15 years in basements, tour vans, on floors and in a variety of situations that all seem to begin and end with making and playing music.

CLUBS OF THE MONTH

F.A.O. feat. T. Williams @ UNDERTONE

23 MARCH

Tesfa Williams, one of London’s hottest DJs, takes his heart-skipping blend of house and funk to the basement club.

This forms part of a whole package of great shows coming up over the next few months from the fresh-faced F.A.O. crew.

Marie @ Live Lounge, 6:30pm, FREE * The beautiful, charming Marie is set to wow all at the Live Lounge today!

The Four Tops & The Temptations @ Motorpoint Arena, 7:00pm, £45.25 * Classic soul from former motown records stalwarts.

Perhaps the first and only boy band worth a cent.

S & M @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:00pm, FREE * If you couldn’t afford Four Tops tickets, we’re sure Simon and Michael will rattle some out for you this evening.

Sunday Sicknote & Acoustic Open Mic @ Buffalo Bar, 7:30pm, FREE * Buffalo Acoustic Open Mic Night (new performers welcome, sign up from 7.30pm) & Sunday Sicknote DJ’s playing indie, alt classics, rock, pop & folk.

Dreadzone @ The Globe, 7:30pm, £15 * Creation records stalwarts and original pioneers of UK bass culture come to town. 18 years and still going strong.

Thoby Davis @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * For years scientists have studied Davis’ brain, they still cannot work out how he creates such quirky acoustic arrangements.

Short Fuse Productions Presents: Sharks Don’t Sleep / The Callout / Synthetica / MK Zero @ Buffalo Bar, 8:00pm, £4 * Liven up you night with a slice of ska-punk with a wee tinge of Reggae.

Tom Lukas @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * A perfect accompaniment to a Lazy Sunday, make this one a fun day.

Colum Regan @ Live Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * The great Colum Regan dazzles all at the Lounge tonight with his diverse repertoire and exciting delivery.

The Tony Breen Band & Guests @ Bubba’s Place, 8:00pm, FREE * The constantly benevolent, never malevolent Country/Blues/ Jazz ensemble, swing to the rescue.

Sunday Night Jazz @ A Shot In The Dark, 8:30pm, £TBA * Regular warblings in an intimate setting, featuring the best of local (and not so local) talent.

MON 26TH MARCH Smoking Aces Duo @ Live Lounge, 12:00pm, FREE * This lovely pair will get your toes a-tappin’ during this lunchtime set at the

Lounge.

Honey Fungus @ Live Lounge, 7:00pm, FREE * This fantastic duo will dazzle all with their tight-as-Steptoe harmonies and wonderful charm.

GIGS OF THE MONTH

Dreadzone @ THE GLOBE

25 MARCH

John Peel favourites and iconic reggaebass showstormers Dreadzone return to Cardiff to celebrate the re-release of their seminal Second Light LP, as well as the release of their compilation The Good, The Band And The Dread. A band as renowned for their mercurial recorded output as they are for their rivers-down-thewalls sweatfest of a live show.

Open Mic @ O’Neills (St Mary’s St), 7:30pm, FREE * Ah open mic nights… the last bastions of communism, for all to enjoy at O’Neill’s.

The Australian Pink Floyd Show @ Motorpoint Arena, 7:00pm, £33.50 * Just imagine, if Pink Floyd spent more time in the sun being casually racist. Gilmour would still be playing arenas.

Bullets and Octane @ Bogiez, 8:00pm, £8 * Californian hard rockers return to Cardiff, with more testosterone than Cardiff Uni’s first XV. Jazz Revhŵ presents Gareth Roberts Quartet @ Gwdihw, 8:00pm, £3 * Jazz trombonist comes with his quartet for a night of original and exciting Jazz.

Jelly Roll Jones @ Café Jazz, 8:00pm, FREE * Cardiff based band playing old time jug band/hokum blues from the 20s and 30s.

All acoustic, featuring guitar, banjo, double bass, washboard and harmonica.

The Welsh Traditional Sessions @ The Cayo Arms, 8:30pm, FREE * Hear, sing and play traditional Welsh tunes in an informal and friendly atmosphere.

Honey Fungus Band @ Live Lounge, 10:00pm, FREE * By day, merely Honey Fungus, but come nightfall they mutate into the devastatingly amazing Honey Fungus Band.

TUE 27TH MARCH Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral Choir @ St David’s Hall, 1:00pm, £6.50 / £5.50 adv * A youthful and dynamic choir performing excerpts from Bach’s St John’s Passion.

Lunchtime Guests: Artists of WNO Gary Griffiths @ RWCMD, 1:15pm, £7 / £5 conc * Enjoy an intimate lunchtime concert with Gary Griffiths, a rising Welsh star of the operatic world and 2011/12 Associate Artist of Welsh National Opera.

Rob Cross @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Rob Cross is so good, the Spanish Armada sunk themselves back in 1080 to preserve a future in which he could exist.

Smokin Aces @ O’Neills

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

(St Mary’s St), 7:00pm, FREE * Smokin Aces do their thing every Tuesday!

Gruff @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * His name says it all, dynamic sounds from a man on a mission.

The Memphis Seven @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £4 * One mississippi, two mississippi, three mississippi, jazz.

Authentic city-side swing.

Open Mic @ The Old Library, 8:00pm, FREE * Be brave young mite, exorcise your fears and play….

PLAY, like never before!

A Night at the Opera with Rebecca Evans and Friends @ RWCMD, 8:00pm, £20 * An enchanting musical evening is promised with operatic arias and wonderful choral pieces from Rebecca Evans and Gary Griffiths as well as performances by the new Royal Harpist Hannah Stone.

Jazz At Dempseys @ Dempseys, 9:00pm, FREE * Jazz, once synonymous with rebellion and innovation, now cold like Boxing Day Turkey. It doesn’t have to be like this you know, and Goddamn these kind curators are doing their bit.

WED 28TH MARCH Lunchtime Lights: Chamber Strings Death in Venice @ RWCMD, 1:15pm, £6 / £5 * Indulge in sumptuous string sounds with John Ireland’s idyllic Concertino pastorale and Mahler’s ‘musical love letter’, the Adagietto from his Fifth Symphony.

Tony Morley Duo @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Tony Morley duo serenade all at the Live Lounge this afternoon, get yourselves down for some great tunes!

Open Mic hosted by The JimJam Band @ The Traders Tavern, 7:00pm, FREE * Strange as it may sound, James Blunt started at and open mic night. Find the next James Blunt – and bludgeon him.

Rob Cross Duo @ Live Lounge, 7:00pm, FREE * As if it weren’t difficult enough to focus with just Rob on stage, now there’s a lovely someone joining him every Wednesday.

Orchard Presents: The Wave Pictures @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 7:30pm, £8.50 * The Wave Pictures are half way to forging themselves serious legendary status, off-kilter lyrics and jangling guitars presented with charm and gorky charisma.

Open Mic w/ Singing Huw @ NosDa, 7:30pm, FREE * Ironically known as singing Huw with regard to a tragic throat injury, ‘Huw’ as he might like to be called – promotes popular open mic night.

Catrin Finch & Toumani Diabaté (Cymru / Mali) @ RWCMD, 8:00pm, £16 / £15 conc * Stunning music collaboration featuring two world-class virtuosos. Landlocked Saharan music from Mali, meet the lush expansive valleys of Wales.

Tom Lukas @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Tonight you are in for a treat, slow relaxing arias alongside folky feet.

Jazz Attic @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, FREE * Dust of the old horn, in front of curious mustachioed men.

Tom Lewis @ O’Neills (Trinity St), 8:00pm, FREE * Known to his friends as ‘the entertainer’, to us, simply Tom. Favourable acoustica from a lovable

scamp.

Cardiff LMS presents... @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 8:00pm, FREE * Cardiff Universities finest supply evening of entertainment in the way it was originally meant... Acoustically...

Fat City @ Gwdihw, 8:00pm, £3 * Enjoy arts and crafts whilst listening to the finest fuck, soul, Jazz and Hip-Hop. Jazz At Dempseys @ Dempseys, 9:00pm, * Jazz… what hast thou done’st?

THU 29TH MARCH Tony Morley @ Live Lounge, 4:30pm, FREE * Cult legendary status awaits Cardiff’s unquenchable entertainer.

No Sweat Presents: Horizon / Hairy Dave / Molly Zacharias @ The Full Moon, 7:00pm, FREE * Soaring string laced folksters come to promote their second (forthcoming) EP. The Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse @ St David’s Hall, 7:30pm, £10.50 - £33.50 * One of the most quintessential of French orchestras performing a selection of Debussy and Rachmaninov.

Palomino Party / The LayLows @ The Moon Club, 7:30pm, £3 * Well-dressed local sharpists perform high octane, highly melodic Indie.

Certainly ones to watch.

Swn Presents: Aidan Moffat and Bell Wells @ The Globe, 7:30pm, £10 * Anyone who attended last years Swn show at Undertone, will attest to this dynamic duos ability to silence a crowd, simply magical!

Art Themen with John Gibbon’s trio @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm, £6 / £5 conc * One of the UK`s top jazz saxophonists, Michael Garrick collaborator in the1960s. A legend in waiting!

Feedback - Open Mic @ Owain Glyndwr, 8:00pm, FREE * For the uninitiated, turn up… sign in…. sing us a song…

Harvest @ Gwdihw, 8:00pm, £3 * Expect Psychedelic ambience and Trip out sensuround. Flower Girls, Psych Out visuals, live band (TBC), DJ sets from the Psych’s premier Dj’s and mind blowing live sets.

On The Rocks Presents: The Red Age @ Ten Feet Tall, 8:30pm, £3* Local rockers bring their kelidoscopic blues inspired jangly Indie to town.

FRI 30TH MARCH Lunchtime Guests: Leslie Hatfield Trio @ RWCMD, 1:15pm, £7 / £5 conc * Forty minutes of pure musical sunshine; Schubert’s lyrical and life-affirming B flat Trio.

The Voodoo Duo / Gigantic DJ’s @ The Full Moon, 5:00pm, FREE * Chilled out live music from two possessed performers, enormous!

Jazz Time @ RWCMD, 5:30pm, FREE * Every Friday start your weekend listening to the brightest jazz talent in the country.

Robbie Price @ Peppermint, 6:00pm, FREE * Fun-loving covers and acoustic madness from a stylish, stylish talent.

Drake @ Motorpoint Arena, 7:00pm, £40.25 * Top of the Billboard 200, exboyfriend of Rhianna, Drake is the man every man wants

to be, now he’s the R&B star that (for an admission price) you may see.

Orchard Presents: Inme / Mojo Fury / Lost Alone @ Clwb Ifor Bach. 7:00pm, £12 * Positive, technical metal from alternative stalwarts.

Detached / Pipedream / Sharks Don’t Sleep @ The Moon Club, 7:30pm, £3 * Slacker and ska infused punk hits The Moon, more Streetlight Manifesto than Reel Big Fish and all the better for it.

Atomic Blondie @ The Globe, 7:30pm, £10 * Relive the days when Debbie Harry ruled the world and Blue Oyster Cult were still a big deal.

Robbie Price @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * When the Under the Driftwood Tree frontman opens his mouth and magic spews forth.

Smokin’ Aces @ The Yard, 8:00pm, FREE * From ACDC to Aerosmith, rockin’ covers for all the lovers.

Tom Lukas @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * A lively Friday set from a versatile acoustic maestro.

Oysten Baardvik tuba @ RWCMD, 8:00pm, £12 / 10 conc * Anything a violin can do, a tuba can do too, tuba virtuoso extraordinaire, come down for a truly spectacular evening.

Show In The City - Cabaret @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, FREE * Have fun every Friday Night with the WOW Showgirls Miss Kitty, Marcia, Donna Marie, Fanny Dazzle & Bella Endez.

The Tony Breen Band & Guests @ Bubba’s Place, 8:00pm, FREE * Country/ Blues/Jazz with The Tony Breen Band DJ Geminem @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 9:00pm, FREE * A smorgasbord of indie, funk, motown and ska, with maybe a few 90s dance classics, from Geminem’s collection.

Simply Rad Presents: Slow Coaches / Dolfinz @ Undertone, 9:00pm, £3 * Balls out grunge from Leeds, come to slack and snack in true greebo fashion.

Péchés Mignons presents Worldly Savages / Kitsch’n’Sync Collective / Mr Potter @ Gwdihw, 9:00pm, £3 * Gypsy punk and leftfield tunes, tonight is far removed from high street mediocrity.

Aperture Presents: Jubie / DC @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:30pm, £5 * Persistently supplying Cardiff with the best cutting-edge Drum ‘N’ Bass Aperture present to us, Jubie.

SAT 31ST MARCH BBC National Orchestra @ St David’s Hall, 7:00pm, £9.50 * Family favourites from the pit, expect to hear songs from The Sound of Music and The Wizard of OZ. Mariinsky Opera: Wagner – Parsifal (Concert Performance) @ WMC, 4:00pm, £18 - £49 * Valery Gergiev will conduct the Mariinsky Orchestra, Chorus and Soloists. They will be joined by the additional choral forces required to do justice to a magnificent piece by Wagner.

Cantemus Choir @ RWCMD, 7:00pm, £18 * Under the direction of Huw Williams, Cantemus will give a chamber choir performance of Handel’s

Messiah accompanied by the orchestra Réjouissance led

by Simon Jones.

Surface Festival: Screaming Martini, Gramercy Riffs / Purple Spiral Project / Preacher / The Vendettas / Black of Night . Upon the Empire @ Undertone, 7:00pm, £TBA * Highenergy stuff, all packaged nicely into one evenings entertainment, you’d be mad to miss it.

Shooting the Moon / Supergene / The Venture @ Buffalo Bar, 7:00pm, £4 * Evoking the hypothetical image of Evan Dando courting Micheal Stipe, if tuneful grunge is your bag – go do your shopping.

The Exiled / The Missive / Anger @ The Moon Club, 7:30pm, £3 * Alternative metal and hardcore x-x, living the straightedge dream, political aestheticism and bags of attitude await.

The ZZ Tops @ The Globe, 7:30pm, £8 * It’s hard to imagine that ZZ Top got their name from this band….. and used to play a very similar set.

Moondog @ The Vulcan Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * Go ape for goodtime rock ‘n’ roll, for whom the bells toll.

Leighton Jones @ The North Star, 8:00pm, FREE * Dr Jones, as he insists on being called, finds popular songs and plays them all.

Salvation @ The Pen & Wig, 8:00pm, FREE * Your friendly neighbourhood covers band, sure to get you dancing no matter what your into!

Codeone @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 8:00pm, FREE * Phonic’s influenced Welsh rock, in the form of a youthful 3-piece, lovely!

SESH @ NosDa, 8:30pm, FREE * Acoustic beast Benn Willis returns to us supported by Cardiff’s inimitable Huwie Price.

GIGS OF THE MONTH

Aidan Moffat & Bill Wells @ THE GLOBE

29 MARCH

The former Arab Strap frontman’s collaboration with Bill Wells has already born remarkable fruit with their Everything’s Getting Older LP and a mightily triumphant showing at last year’s SWN Festival. Tonight promises to be equally as special with Moffat’s weighty, witty words leading the charge.

Funkadelic with FUR / Owain K @ Gwdihw, 9:00pm, £3 * The best elements of British Hip-Hop – conscious lyrics and the role of the anti-hero – fused with Dilla-esque drum beats and the sounds of Mbalax, Ethio-Jazz and Dub.

Vertigo Presents

HOUDINI DAX TOWN (LIVE) & VERTIGO DJS FRIDAY 9 MARCH GWDIHW DOORS: 8.30PM TO LATE £3 HOUDINIDAX.CO.UK www.seemonkeydomonkey.com | Twitter: @Seemonkeymusic

022 | LISTINGS CLUBNIGHTS

CLUB NIGHTS THURSDAYS

and dubstep you’ll ever need. Dress well, dance well, be well.

Private Karaoke @ Tiger Tiger, 6:00pm, * Start off the night in style with some private karaoke at Tiger Tiger!

Classic Fridays @ So-Lo (formerly Cougar Lounge), 9:00pm, * Friday night at So-Lo brings a mix of classic tracks throughout the years!

Karaoke Night @ Varsity (Roath), 7:00pm, * 1000′s of songs to choose from plus 2-4-1 VK Midweek Mayhem @ Bar Icon, 7:00pm, * Drinks promotions and music!

Reflex Regulars @ Reflex, 7:00pm, * Nonstop 80s classic floorfillers at Reflex tonight!

Armageddon @ The Old Library, 8:00pm, * Cardiff’s latest and greatest live rock and metal band night.

On The Rocks @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, * Rock’n’roll, alternative mash-ups, guitar anthems, and party riffs till 4am!

The Phatman & Her @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, FREE * Amazing shot giveaways and party games at WOW tonight!

Cocktail Night @ Bar Icon, 9:00pm, * Bar Icon provides reasonably-priced, great tasting cocktails for all the thirsty dancers tonight.

Hammer’d @ Bogiez, 9:00pm, * Weekly contemporary rock and metal night. From Metal to Metalcore, Emo to Screamo, Rock to Math-Rock, Pop-punk to Power-Metal, Dance to the undanceable

Flares Fridays @ Flares, 9:00pm, * Kickstart the weekend at Flares!

Mocka Lounge Fridays @ Mocka Lounge, 9:00pm, * Get ready for the weekend with some great tunes and lovely drinks at Mocka!

The Great Western @ The Great Western, 9:00pm, * Every Thursday – Saturday, enjoy your favourite pop hits all night long!

Therapy @ Glam @ GLAM, 9:00pm, * Providing your weekly dosage of unforgiving beats, heavy basslines and filthy floorfillers.

Tombstone @ Bogiez, 9:00pm, * 100% Classic Rock & Metal Fridays @ Club X, 10:00pm, * Great prices on drinks and guaranteed a good time at one of Cardiff’s most popular gay clubs!

Fridays @ Soda Bar @ Soda Bar, 10:00pm, * One of Cardiff’s classiest joints offers drinks for £2 all night. Free entry. What the Sam heck are you waiting for?!

Fridays at Oceana @ Oceana, 10:00pm, * Commercial chart + R&B in Icehouse, disco classics in New York Disco.

Mocka Lounge Thursday @ Mocka Lounge, 9:00pm, * Chilled house and R&B gallore!

Therapy @ GLAM, 10:00pm, FREE * Your weekly dosage of unforgiving beats, heavy baselines and filthy floor-fillers.

Signature @ Buffalo Bar, 9:00pm, * Experimental, electronica, new music, leftfield, dubstep, hip-hop, future house, glitch. DJs, live acts, fashion shows, graphics, live art, experimental cocktails.

Weekend Warm Up @ Bar Icon, 10:00pm, * Get ready for the weekend with great drinks prices and kitch classics on the jukebox.

The Great Western @ The Great Western, 9:00pm, * Every Thursday – Saturday, enjoy your favourite pop hits all night long!

Twisted By Design @ Dempseys, 9:00pm, FREE * Twisted By Design’s usual eclectic mix of indie tunes and as many requests as humanly possible Propaganda @ GLAM, 10:00pm, £4 * Two incredible rooms of music every Thursday, one room of Pop and another of Indie.

The Only Way is Thursday @ Oceana, 10:00pm, * Thursday night in Oceana brings you all the best commercial chart and R’n’B in Icehouse.

FRIDAYS Blah Blah Blah @ The Moon, 12:00am, £3 * Alternative floor fillers every Friday, bonza!

Five Dollar Shake @ The Full Moon, 12:00am, FREE * Everything from bebop, funk, and soul to hip-hop, reggae, ska and electro swing!

SATURDAYS Vanity - It’s All About You! @ GLAM, 12:00am, * GLAM’s famous Vanity nights holds two levels of fantastic R&B, hip-hop, dance, everything you need to enjoy the night!

Private Karaoke @ Tiger Tiger, 6:00pm, * Start off the night in style with some private karaoke at Tiger Tiger!

Reflex Regulars @ Reflex, 7:00pm, * Nonstop 80s classic floorfillers at Reflex tonight!

Saturdays @ Varsity (Greyfriars Road), 7:00pm, * Party till 2am with DJ Extreme! Bombs for just £2.99 and shots from £1!

Sin @ WOW Bar, 7:00pm, FREE tbc afterwards * Bella Endez is your host with all the chart and party hits.

Sweet Chocolate @ So-Lo (formerly Cougar Lounge), 7:00pm, FREE * Old Skool R’n’B alongside Berlin classics, would you believe it?

Private Karaoke @ Tiger Tiger, 6:00pm, * Start off the night in style with some private karaoke at Tiger Tiger!

Resident DJ @ Cafe Jazz, 7:30pm, * Resident DJ and great music from the 1950’s up to the present expertly presented with a great atmosphere!

Club X @ Club X, 7:00pm, * Pop, funky house and electro – fantastic night ahead!

Me and You Club @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, * Feelgood mix of indie to guide you through the weekend.

Fridays @ Varsity (Greyfriars Road), 7:00pm, * Party till 1am with DJ John Fisher! Enjoys shots from just £1 and 2 cocktails for £7.50!

Milgi @ Milgi’s, 8:00pm, * Every Friday + Saturday – world and dance tracks for your enjoyment!

Funky Banana @ Varsity (Roath), 7:00pm, * Great music from resident DJ and get an inflatable banana on promotional cocktail deals.

Funky Fridays @ So-Lo (formerly Cougar Lounge), 7:00pm, £3, £5(after 9) * Dj Snipes plus Guest DJ’s on Rotation.

Reflex Regulars @ Reflex, 7:00pm, * Nonstop 80s classic floorfillers at Reflex tonight!

Axe the DJ @ NosDa, 8:00pm, * A new weekly event where the Bartenders Choose the ‘Choons. Anything from Funk Fusion/ Quentin Tarantino Music to German Techno Metal!

Bumper @ Buffalo Bar, 8:00pm, * Dance your drunken night away at Buffalo Bar. Fever Friday @ Lava Lounge, 8:00pm, * Great drinks and awesome tunes at Lava.

Fridays @ Salt Bar, 8:00pm, * Funky house mayhem at Salt Bar. Hustle @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, * Motown and disco in 10 Feet tonight!

Milgi @ Milgi’s, 8:00pm, * World / dance music from an array of DJs. Show In The City - Cabaret @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, FREE * Have fun every Friday Night with the WOW Showgirls Miss Kitty, Marcia, Donna Marie, Fanny Dazzle & Bella Endez.

The Great Eastern DJ’s @ Cardiff Arts Institute, 8:00pm, * On the outskirts of indie float the Great Eastern DJs. The Resurrection @ The Old Library, 8:00pm, * Playing a non stop supersonic mix of Indie-Britpop-Alternative tunes.

Walkabout Friday @ Walkabout, 8:00pm, * 4-hour long happy hour and disco classics. What more do you want?

Xerox @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 8:00pm, * Fridays downstairs provides the best hipster music for all you gorgeous, fashionable types!

Ace of Spades Fridays @ 411, 9:00pm, * All the R&B, hip-hop

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

Saturdays @ Lava Lounge, 8:00pm, * Commercial hits galore at Lava Lounge tonight.

Saturdays @ Salt Bar, 8:00pm, * Cheesy pop and chart hits.

Not your cup of tea? Don’t go then you grumpy (*^$(&)!

Sin @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, * Join probably the best-named drag queen in the business – Bella Endez, for some naughty frolics this evening!

Twisted by Design @ Dempseys, 8:00pm, * One of Cardiff’s longest running alternative nights every Saturday.

Walkabout Saturday @ Walkabout, 8:00pm, * Enjoy the weekend in style at Walkabout every Saturday.

Beatbox Ballroom @ Buffalo Bar, 9:00pm, * Weekly dose of soul and hip-hop.

Bogiez Flagship and Namesake Night @ Bogiez, 9:00pm, * Ruling the roost as Cardiff’s Ultimate Rock, Metal & Alternative club night for just shy of 8 years! Music from way back when to current day, served up by our team of seasoned DJ’s who are always more than ready to take your requests!

Buzz / Berlins Returns! @ So-Lo (formerly Cougar Lounge), 9:00pm, * All the great old school R&B and hip-hop from the 80s and 90s!

Five Dollar Shake @ The Full Moon, 9:00pm, * Everythingfrom bebop, funk and soul to hip hop, dancehall and electro swing!

Koko Gorilaz @ Koko Gorilaz, 9:00pm, * Weekly mashup at Koko!

Mocka Lounge Saturdays @ Mocka Lounge, 9:00pm, * Go crazy for the weekend at Mocka every Saturday!

Revolution Saturdays @ Revolution, 9:00pm, * Two floors of music ranging from Electro to House to kick off your Saturday night.

Saturdays @ Soda Bar, 9:00pm, * Saturdays at Soda Bar promise to be something spectacular!

So Funked Saturdays @ 411, 9:00pm, * So Funked Saturdays

024 | LISTINGS CLUBNIGHTS at the 411 brings you all the smooth grooves and urban floorfillers you’ll ever need.

The Great Western @ The Great Western, 9:00pm, * Every Thursday – Saturday, enjoy your favourite pop hits all night long!

Big Night Out @ Oceana, 10:00pm, * Commercial chart and R&B in Icehouse, or classic disco hits in New York Disco – take your pick!

Dirty Pop / Vinyl Vendettas / Mr Potter @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:00pm, £5 * One of Cardiff’s most revered and longestrunning club nights, with resident DJs on rotation every week.

Flares Saturday @ Flares, 10:00pm, * Enjoy retro hits and kitsch classics at Flares tonight.

Saturdays @ The Old Library @ The Old Library, 10:00pm, * Open till 6am, featuring great tunes and cheap drinks.

The Big Nite Out! @ Bar Icon, 10:00pm, * That naughty bunch at Bar Icon are doing even more to ensure hangovers all round!

SUNDAYS Private Karaoke @ Tiger Tiger, 6:00pm, * Start off the night in style with some private karaoke at Tiger Tiger!

Reflex Regulars @ Reflex, 7:00pm, * Nonstop 80s classic floorfillers at Reflex tonight!

Sunday Karaoke @ Varsity (Greyfriars Road), 7:00pm, * Karaoke from 7pm – enjoy 2 cocktails for £7.50, Pitchers of larger for £9 and bottle of wine for just £5.99!

Therapy! @ Varsity (Roath), 7:00pm, * Therapy! The ultimate party night!

Mocka Lounge Sundays @ Mocka Lounge, 8:00pm, * Wind down a chaotic week with a visit to Mocka.

Sunday Social @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, * Chill out after a mad weekend at 10 Feet Tall.

The Cuckoo Club Sunday Service @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, * With more gorgeous drag queens than you could shake your stick at… ahem… It’s Sundays at WOW! Industry Sundays @ Lava Lounge, 9:00pm, * Resident DJ’S Rhys Lewis and DJ Geroge play the finest tunes all night with guest spots from both locally and internationally renowned DJ’s.

party tunes in the bar till 4am!

Flares Tuesdays @ Flares, 8:00pm, * If you’re bored on Tuesdays, be sure to stay away from Flares… Only joking!

Get down there and strut your stuff!

London DJ Che @ Rockin Chair, 8:00pm, * Dubstep, Drum & Bass, Funky House Open Mic Night & Karaoke @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, * Your chance to get on stage and show the world what you’ve got!

Salsa Classes @ Live Lounge, 8:00pm, * Come and learn some salsa at the Live Lounge, very popular class with a great atmosphere.

Mode @ Revolution, 9:00pm, * Mode is bottled up debauchery. House, electro & R&B tunes Relax and Unwind @ Mocka Lounge, 9:00pm, * Loosen up at Mocka during your working week!

Two Damm Glam Tuesdays @ GLAM, 10:00pm, * Expect Chart anthems and Dancefloor fillers!

Hammer Time @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:30pm, * Classic 90′s tunes Just Dance @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:30pm, * Weekly eclectic mashup for all to dance!

WEDNESDAYS Addictive Wednesdays @ Oceana, 8:00pm, * Cardiff’s biggest student night! Ten bars, three club rooms and one super club every Wednesday night.

Private Karaoke @ Tiger Tiger, 6:00pm, * Start off the night in style with some private karaoke at Tiger Tiger!

Reflex Regulars @ Reflex, 7:00pm, * Nonstop 80s classic floorfillers at Reflex tonight!

Blender @ Buffalo Bar, 8:00pm, * Fashionable midweek hangout with great tunes and good company.

Sugar Drop @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, * Alternative beats for your midweek dancefloor!

The Wonder Years @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, FREE * Great night in store for all including ‘torso of the week’ at one of Cardiff’s favourite gay clubs.

Zouklambada @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, FREE * Weekly dance class.

Soda Sundays @ Soda Bar, 9:00pm, * Soda Sundays are the perfect way to wave goodbye to the weekend.

Boom Boom Boutique @ 10 Feet Tall, 9:00pm, * Bassbooming night littered with cocktails.

S.I.N.FUL Sundays @ 411, 10:00pm, * This night is about decadence, indulgence and pure pleasure…..and rebellion!

Cocktail Heaven @ Mocka Lounge, 9:00pm, * Cocktailcrazy midweek spot!

Sunday Nite Chillax @ Bar Icon, 11:00pm, * Whilst we don’t approve of their spelling of ‘nite’, we can deal with chillaxing aaaaall daaaaaay looooong.

Cookies ‘n’ Cream @ So-Lo (formerly Cougar Lounge), 9:00pm, * Great student night featuring colossal discounts with NUS. Get there early, it’s going to get messy.

MONDAYS

Shotgun Rules @ Revolution, 9:00pm, * Weekly student night with the sole aim of getting you wasted.

Private Karaoke @ Tiger Tiger, 6:00pm, * Start off the night in style with some private karaoke at Tiger Tiger!

Madhatter Mondays @ Varsity (Greyfriars Road), 7:00pm, * The cheapest student night in the city. Enjoy drinks from just £1!

Trojan Boss Sound @ Rockin Chair, 7:00pm, * Jamaican Ska, reggae, Funk Buffalo Live @ Buffalo Bar, 8:00pm, * Live bands, DJs & more 8pm – 3am Hangover Cure @ Mocka Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * Sort your head out with this chilled out night.

Late Night Live @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, * Two floors of entertainment, chart hits and latest favourites at the bar, live music upstairs (door charge).

Mindie @ Peppermint, 8:00pm, * Fancy a bit of Indie / Brit Pop? Head on over for the best tunes….

Mondays @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, * Retro music and entertainment throughout the night with DJ Kai! Salsa Classes @ Owain Glyndwr, 8:00pm, * Get your hips gyrating at these weekly salsa classes.

Mega Mondays @ Revolution, 9:00pm, * A mix of live music and Latin beats played throughout the night.

You’re The DJ! @ Bar Icon, 9:00pm, * You choose how you want to groove the night away at ‘Cardiff’s swishest gay bar’.

Fuzzy Logic @ Oceana, 10:00pm, * It’s not right but it’s ok! That’s Fuzzy Logic; the UK’s biggest student night! Great prices, great tunes!

Jagerfest Presents the Capital’s Favourite Monday Night @ GLAM, 10:00pm, FREE * Jagerfest is back ready for 2012 with full Jagerfest decor, incredible drinks deals and killer tunes over two floors every Monday!

TUESDAYS Private Karaoke @ Tiger Tiger, 6:00pm, * Start off the night in style with some private karaoke at Tiger Tiger!

Reflex Regulars @ Reflex, 7:00pm, * Nonstop 80s classic floorfillers at Reflex tonight!

Therapy @ Bar Icon, 7:00pm, * Jukebox music all night, but you have control of what you wana hear!

10 Feet Live @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, * New music and

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

So Freaky Wednesdays @ 411, 9:00pm, * Playing the best in commercial R&B, club classics, chart, funk and sexy house, you’d be mad to miss it!

Sub Social @ Lava Lounge, 9:00pm, * Weekly Uni society social.

Transmission @ Bogiez, 10pm, FREE * A night of pure, hedonistic Indie-Alternative Rock taking a brief trip via the funky, the fashionable and the far-reaching. With Gary Twisted DJing every week.

Prophecy - Future Jungle @ 48 Below, 9:30pm, * Old school jungle rhythms meet new school production techniques.

Expect production competitions, residency battles and free giveaways every week Listen Up! @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:00pm, * Listen Up! is Cardiff’s longest running indie night. Head down to Clwb to bop and vogue the night away.

POW! Pulse on Wednesday @ Pulse, 10:00pm, * POW! Pulse On Wednesday! The only place to be every Wednesday night with the best drinks offers and entertainment!

Put on Your Party Pants @ Flares, 10:00pm, * Midweek madness! Put on your dancing shoes and your ridiculous trousers and get to Flares!

MARCH listings Friday 2nd | Saturday 3rd | Sunday 4th | Monday 5th | Wednesday 7th | Friday 9th | Saturday 10th | Sunday 11th | Monday 12th | Wednesday 14th| Friday 16th | Saturday 17th | Sunday 18th | Monday 19th | Wednesday 21st| Friday 23rd | Saturday 24th | Sunday 25th | Monday 26th | Wednesday 28th| Friday 30th | Saturday 31st |

Friday 2nd Saturday 3rd Sunday 4th Tuesday 6th Friday 9th Saturday 10th Sunday 11th Tuesday 13th Friday 16th Saturday 17th Sunday 18th Tuesday 20th Friday 23rd Saturday 24th Sunday 25th Tuesday 27th Friday 30th Saturday 31st

Calum Ross & the Scarlets The Fabulous Covers Band Thoby Davis Gruff’s Quiz Anthony Lee Wickham’s Open Mic Chris Kelly 3 AMP Thoby Davis Gruff’s Quiz Tom Lukas’ Open Mic Tom Lukas Freeman Street Thoby Davis Gruff’s Quiz Anthony Lee Wickham Open Mic Ruby Samba Paul Handyside Thoby Davis Gruff’s Quiz Tom Lukas’ Open Mic Robbie Price Leighton Jones

| Chris Kelly | Freeman Street | Anthony Lee Wickham’s Open Mic | Quiz Kelly | Special Branch | Under the Driftwood Tree | Tom Lukas’ Open Mic | Quiz Kelly | KYMO | The Fabulous Cover Band | Anthony Lee Wickham’s Open Mic | Gruff’s Quiz | Leighton Jones | Salvation | Tom Lukas’ Open Mic | Gruff’s Quiz | Tom Lukas | Moondog

REVIEWS ALBUMS TOMOS LEWIS

Four Songs EP Tomos Lewis has a vocal power akin to nothing short of a sensitive bear, as well as, by this evidence, some very good ideas. Lead single I Died Deep Inside opens with a country twang reminiscent of the more poppy side of Ryan Adams, complete with melodic hooks and smart harmonies. What’s A Man To Do starts like a lost Lamontagne outtake, brooding yet hopeful, but slips into a lyrical pothole come the string-laden chorus. Elinor, however, is a complete triumph, with Lewis’ voice given the space to air its soulful quiver and the dreamy production convincingly echoing Bon Iver. These Boots then closes proceedings like a slightly more sinister Snow Patrol. It’s a varied lot but at its best, its excellent. SMR tomoslewis.com

HIGH CONTRAST

The Agony And The Ecstacy Lincoln Barrett has it all – the formula, the popularity, the beats and mindboggling production skills.

He moulds and contorts haunting echoes whilst simultaneously orchestrating drops to kill dancefloors, dead. The Agony And The Ecstasy is a departure with an emphasis on original synth and vocal lines; the ‘Amen’ style breaks are still there, as are breakneck beats with syncopated African influenced percussive rhythms. Beautiful, ethereal, vocals from Jessie Allen on Not Waving But Drowning provide a highlight, though other ‘experiments’ don’t quite work. The Only Way There sounds weak and forced, while The First Note Is Silent interrupts the flow with a cut of trance. The album is a bold risk, littered with peaks and troughs; time will tell if the ambition pays off. MP highlycontrasting.com

HEHFU

Music For My Broken Ears Maybe it is because I am twentyfive years old. Nostalgia has become a roaring wind recently, blowing up in dust devils and waterspouts all around me. Like many other teenagers I fell in love with imported angst and backwards love, be it glossily infinite sadness or lo-fi tape-swapping, a bakesale of feelings. White boys (always, seemingly, white boys) with un-marketable voices and astute but untrusted pop nous wrapping what they’d felt, what they’d known and imagined in damasks of noise and piles of guitars. It was messy enough to see the joins but good enough on a basic level for there to be space to wonder ‘how does that work?’ It still works. JNhehfu.bandcamp.com

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

EVENING CHORUS

Acorn

The nu-folk movement doesn’t seem new anymore thanks to the Communion collective flooding the market, making it hard for bands to truly stand out. Cardiff’s Evening Chorus contribute a further EP to the canon here, evoking a familiar warmth of timeless balladeering. Blue Stone Heart’s banjo sounds plush, with the broader arrangement leaving space for the lyrics to breathe against the silence. Yn Aros then delivers a moody, soothingly ambient soundscape before What Is Done Shall Always Be, again, suggests a maturing willingness to incorporate brave, slowcore textures that ever so gradually build.

Of course, folk is naturally derivative and this is true here too. And some of the big emotive moments which are aimed for, aren’t quite reached. But a darn fine effort. SMR eveningchorus.bandcamp.com

GEORGIA RUTH

In Luna

Aberystwyth’s Georgia Ruth fits neither into the spidery psych-folk of Joanna Newsom, nor into the tradition of the harp in Welsh folk.

Nevertheless, it’s fair to say she incorporates elements of both of these on In Luna. Her voice is pure and clear, caressing the harp’s dreamy higher register. The instrumentation is exquisite too, incorporating textural touches of organ, vibraphone and double bass, splashes of piano and sensitive percussion. There’s a pop sheen overlaying everything on offer, and at times the sugary tones can overspill, as on Anna.

That said, the songwriting itself has intriguing touches of daring and darkness, particularly in Lines which even has a radio edit for language.

Interesting to see where this all leads... SMR soundcloud.com/georgiaruth

I AM AUSTIN

Blood Lips LP It’s difficult to think of a band with whom to compare I Am Austin.

Their drummer ‘n’ bassist line-up is similar to that of Death From Above 1979, and they probably would have slotted nicely into the heavier end of the Klaxons’ nu-rave scene if they’d appeared five years ago. But theirs is a sound all their own, and there’s so much going on across these four songs that you really just have to hear it for yourself. Braille, for example, kicks off with the kind of sounds you’d expect from a Game Boy before giving way to a furiously fast and evil-sounding riff. Elsewhere, you get vocoders, walloping drums, eerie falsetto wailing – it’s all totally thrilling, totally original and totally nuts. JDE facebook.com/iamaustinmusic

KYSHERA

Made In China Essentially an alt-rock trio, South Wales band Kyshera have so many ideas packed into each track it can sometimes be a bit confused, not always hitting the mark. Album opener Terrorists has some heavy duty riffs mixed with a forced sounding vocal croon which is not able to carry the tune to the stadium rock heights it so obviously aspires. There is an oddly dated quality to the whole record, an occasional nod to nu metal, a spot of Faith No More-esque vocal and an obvious grunge influence means it never escapes retro territory. On the whole though, the guitars are solid, there are some great funky bass lines and an experimental edge throughout with little electro snippets and samples helps to keep things interesting. EG kyshera.com

YOUR PROTECTED

Your Protected Taking the instrumental intensity of post-rockers And So I Watch You From Afar and, to a lesser degree, Mogwai as inspiration, Your Protected deal in soundscapes both ambient and noisy.

Cordyceps strangulated riffs bathe in a slowly simmering electrified puddle. Do The Trapeze demonstrates greater command of sonic textures, taking an irresistibly jaunty guitar line as its foundation while divergent harmonic ideas rise and fall away. The slinky, moody Dark White follows, before the metallic Bright Black throws down axehammer blows one after the other. It’s a well measured and generally strong effort, and though one or two of the heavier sections tend to lose clarity, the nimble ease with which Your Protected construct their aural plain suggests a promising future. SMR kyshera.com

RUSTY SHACKLE

Wash Away These Nights Rusty Shackle’s sound is a little confusing on their debut album.

One hears the acoustic guitars, banjo and fiddle and puts them in the box marked ‘Nu-Folk’. Then there are the vocals, which sound rather Californian for a band from Caldicot. And, as if the hackneyed harmonic progressions and clichéd lyrics (‘Life is far too short not to dance’ and ‘Don’t get sucked down in this cold-hearted town’ are highlights) were not enough, the whole thing is grossly over-produced: the drums sound horribly processed, several songs feature dated and unnecessary phase effects (such as the intro to lead single ‘3AM’) and the vocals have been auto-tuned to the max. It lacks warmth and, crucially, interesting song writing. JOC rustyshackle.com

REVIEWS SINGLES TROMB

THE RED AGE

Brothers - Single Remember when the RHCP used to be funky and relevant? Those days may be past but luckily we have talent like TROMB emerging from the depths of the Cardiff music scene heralding a slick brand of funky roots/reggae that can’t help but start your head bouncing.

Brothers kicks off with a definitive beat and sneakily builds up through a lively bass line with an almost melancholy and mysterious guitar riff, to a real foot tapping track that Michael Franti would be proud of. All the while frontman/ guitarist Seun Babatola effortlessly wraps dark and rhythmical lyrics over a sparse but tight backing. A fine example of top roots music. JS tromb.co.uk

Hand Over/The Joker - Single This is the first of six double A-side singles The Red Age are putting out this year, and it’s a promising start. Both of these tracks are taut, Strokesian garage-rock numbers, with plenty of spiky riffs to boot; the band has quite a talent for sewing them together. ‘The Joker’ is probably the better of these two tracks, its ever-changing guitar parts and Alex Turner-esque vocal line forming a slightly more cohesive whole than its friend on the other A-side. Good stuff all around though – can’t wait to hear the other five. JDE theredage.bandcamp.com

CONFORMIST

Savages Go Modern! - Single This marks the new single from self-professed ‘cut-and-paste wizard’, Conformist, whose talents have garnered the praise of many including none other than Radio 1’s Steve Lamacq. On the strength of this track alone, however, it’s difficult to see why. Savages Go Modern! feels like a messy mash-up of different samples thrown on top of a rather uninspiring punk guitar/drum backing. It pumps in phases, echoing the feel of previous remixes, but ultimately lacks the class and finesse of DJ Shadow or RJD2, and is far from the brand of organised chaos the likes of Skrillex are currently producing. JS conformistmusic.co.uk

REVIEWS DEMOS RIFLES AND DIAMONDS

Demo The two tracks on offer from these Newport indie rockers show a keen eye for melody and an awareness of the lineage of their forebearers.

Largely these would comprise guitar bands akin to The Supernaturals, or more recently, The Wombats. Dancefloor Ambition’s spiky opening riff bleeds into a swooping chorus, and is a well constructed 3-minute pop-rock anthem, if not mind-blowing. No Wick For The Rested is the other offering, immediately engaging with forceful drumming, and eventually flipping out another whopping chorus. Again, though, there’s the feeling that this has been done a fair amount before. Still, actually pretty good for what it is. SMR riflesanddiamonds.co.uk

THEM DEAD BEATS

Demo Remember what your local pub was like before the smoking ban? That’s what Them Dead Beats sound like. Each of their songs oozes boozy sleaziness, and one suspects that references to drinking, making love and getting into fights are completely autobiographical. Of the three tracks they’ve given us, the best is Down By The River, which finds the singer doing his best Tom Waits impersonation while the band lays down a perfectly sloppy blues riff behind him. The term ‘pub rock’ is often used disparagingly, but clearly that’s exactly what Them Dead Beats are going for, so more power to them. JDE facebook.com/themdeadbeats

SON OF ONE EYE

Demo Welsh/English four piece Son Of One Eye are self described as electro-pop-rock with a prog edge and heavy riffs; their new demo does indeed bring these things together and an 80s synth sound pervades. Obviously, as they’re demo tracks the sound is pretty slight and tinny so you don’t really get the full effect but you can hear the potential waiting to come out when they get some decent production behind them. Dead Behind The Eyes is a track well worth a listen; a great melody, some lovely riffs from the guitar and the punchy bass coming to the fore. EG soundcloud.com/son-of-one-eye

SPILLERS PICK OF THE MONTH

CATE LE BON

CYRK Polish for circus, CYRK certainly finds Cate Le Bon in playful mood. Honkytonk pianos, krautrock synths and beautifully clean guitars rub shoulders while Le Bon’s sweetly toned voice assumes its position at the front of stage.

There’s a pedantic, staccato quality to her vocal delivery which avoids flowing melody lines – however these are not lost: her backing tracks maintain a waving and flowing wash which keeps the album going in classic psych-rock style. Opener Falcon Eyed is a stop-start pop riot (with an awesome keys solo) and the title track a lazily swaying trippy jam, while wiggy Fold The Cloth features a terrifically nasal guitar line. Gruff Rhys and Stephen Malkmus loom large as influences, making this album a must for wonky pop fans. JOC catelebon.com

= Bad

= Average

= Good

= Great

= Amazing

AVAILABLE TO BUY IN SPILLERS

028 | EXTRA

MMP EXTRA

UP FOR GRABS

Online

Future generations will no doubt look back with bemusement at our initial clumsy attempts to understand the potential of the Internet. Not us, though. Nay. Surely the MMP will be declared a bastion of positivity and a torch bearer for the global sharing of free music and other goodies. Our website is heaving with juicy extras too saucy for inclusion in the paper version. That or they arrived just past the writing deadline because all our reporters are burned out husks. Simply tap in www.themmp. tv and see for yourself the wonders in store...

READ ...

Our brave reporters have more Our proud little magazine has but 32 pages to cast its coffee powered opinions around. The web is a limitless highway with room for all the bits we couldn’t pack into the paper beast.

www.themmp.tv

CHAT

Need to make yourself heard?

Feel like venting your spleen?

Don’t hold back or you may hurt the very fabric of your mind! Use this space to throw your thoughts around like explosive bowling balls.

Or be generous with your praise, it’s up to you...

FREEBIES www.themmp.tv

DOWNLOAD SOCIETY

Remember that couple who won 45 million pounds on the lottery last month? What utter, utter fiends. Sure on the outside they looked nice and friendly, but by now they’re probably stuffing truffles down with some kind of edible diamond jus whilst setting fire to poor people using £50 notes as kindling. Our goodies won’t have that effect and, therefore, must be better for you. Log on and see what mildly life altering objects could be yours...

log on to themmp.tv to start the campaign for victory...

WHAT, WHERE AND WHEN?

For a city not blessed with hundreds of square miles of heaving concrete jungle, Cardiff never fails to impress us with the sheer variety of shows on offer. Find out where and how much right here...

WIN

Find out if the Gods favour you this month by daring to claim, by chance, something awesome...

FREEBIES

IProof that not all of this wobbly old world is out to con you. Grab ‘em while they’re hot...

Enthusiasm for the World Wide Web is inexplicably at an all time high. Indeed despite being populated almost exclusively with fanatics, sex fiends and Justin Bieber fan sites the rise of the digital underworld continues completely unabated. It’s not all bad though.

We like to think that some of its more positive success is down to the MMP using it to share music with our readers for free. Another fine selection is available to you this month so get stuck in...

01 EUROS CHILDS 02 SLEEPY Something On My Mind PANDA CLUB

03 GEORGIA RUTH

04 ISLET

05 TROMB

06 JAMIE BEVAN

08 ZWOLF & JEMMA ROPER

09 EVENING CHORUS

10 SKUNKADELIC

Ghost In The Mirror

Stryddoed Merthyr

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

07 TOMOS LEWIS Elinor

The Fortune

Deftone

Bones

Our Powers are Matched

Blue Stone Heart

Louis Vines & Ruby Samba - Final Hour

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030 | SPOTLIGHT

JUST FOR THE RECORD

The return of vinyl and why it matters...

I have broken almost everything I’ve ever owned.

In the early days it was my toys. Then, to my eternal regret, my brothers’ toys.

Words by Rowan Liggett

MARCH 2012 | www.themmp.tv

It was as if I was surrounded by a sub-atomic field that caused objects to shake themselves apart. As I got older the shattered toys were replaced with cameras, various domestic appliances and, eventually, entire automobiles.

I became terrified of my dark superpower. As a result there were some things I never touched. Top of the list was the large collection of neatly stacked vintage LPs in the front room.

It was possible to track the course of my parents’ lives just by scanning the old records. As their lives had collided, so had their collection of vinyl. Their shared loves, the albums they could truly appreciate together, wore the hallmarks. Candle wax, coffee rings and burn marks decorated these enormous works of psychedelic art like medals. Some of them had covers that opened up like barn doors to reveal portraits of exotically dressed, counter-culture heroes. It was the first time I ever laid eyes on the likes of Cream, The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Hendrix and Captain Beefheart.

When I was old enough to operate equipment without it exploding I was given a Sony CD player with a tape deck because people my age didn’t buy vinyl. Vinyl was mocked. Loved it seemed by only the old fashioned and the technically inept. Claims that it was still a superior form of music delivery were laughed out of the room by hipsters wearing ludicrously convenient portable players. Like the rest of the world I too embraced technology but my relationship with my music collection would be very different to that enjoyed by the previous generation.

You see I appreciate the music on my hard drive but I don’t value it. I can’t really break it, short of hurling my laptop off a bridge.

Even my destructive capabilities don’t stretch that far. There’s no tactile relationship with it.

Luckily for the purists it seems now things have come full circle. Some estimates claim vinyl sales have increased over the last 7 years by up to 350% and more and more new releases can be obtained in the classic format of old. And in our own locale we are blessed with a broad community of LP lovers happily fed by Spillers, Diverse, D’Vinyl, The Record Shop and Catapult.

On a tragic counterpoint, though, Cob Records in Bangor sadly closed its doors this month after 33 years of service, suggesting that the resurgence may not directly benefit those who’ve stuck with it through thick and thin; the ultimate socio-economic effect being much more complex.

Before going, there’s another thing to bear in mind - if partaking in the vinyl resurgence be prepared for the format’s fragility.

My parents’ records were all neatly stacked, wall to wall in a little cottage next to a river. When the river burst its banks in the late eighties, the records, like everything else on the ground floor, suffered nature’s wrath. I can still remember the look on my parents’ faces as they peeled those beautiful old LPs apart. Kris Kristofferson’s visage was left clinging to a first print edition of Sgt Pepper’s. The only plus was that, just for once, God had destroyed something precious that I loved, and not me. Curse you God, and for that matter, curse you Kris Kristofferson….

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